Chapter 45 - II
Before he could get closer, he heard sporadic, intimate sounds. He proceeded with caution. The courtyard wall of the bamboo house was surrounded by ten-foot-high aged bamboo. These slender and delicate bamboo shoots seemed to muffle the noise. The sounds he heard were unmistakably amorous in nature.
Zhu Laosan had a strong desire and particularly liked attractive beautiful shuanger. Due to not encountering such a shuanger before, he had settled down with a woman, a decision he later regretted deeply.
He had seen the young wife Pei Xing brought back before, and he had been thinking about him for a long time.
He had even visited the Zhongzhou Pavilion and hired an oiran for several nights. Though the oiran was beautiful, he still couldn’t compare to that young shuanger.
During those days, all he could think about was Shi Yi’s incredibly beautiful face.
When he heard the delicate voice of this young shuanger, he held his breath.
He leaned forward and peered through the gap, observing the alluring scene inside. A large black stone obscured most of the view, revealing only a leg as white as jade, stretched horizontally. There was a silver bell on the ankle, and a big hand held the foot firmly.
The leg swayed up and down, causing the silver bell to tinkle with each motion, accompanied by sweet, amorous sounds. His blood surged in his veins, and he forgot to breathe in that instant.
He licked his lips, swallowed hard, and couldn’t recall how long he kept peeking. He heard the sound of water splashing, and the young shuanger was pushed to the shore.
His upper body was completely exposed, covered in suggestive marks, while his lower body remained concealed beneath the water.
The young shuanger laid weakly on the shore, then raised his head abruptly. His neck formed a graceful arc, and he let out a joyful cry from his rosy and full lips.
Seeing that exquisite face, his eyes widened instantly, and his face pressed tightly against the bamboo.
The young man he had been thinking about was bare-chested, bathed in golden sunlight, his skin glistening with water droplets, his alluring face radiating charm, and his flushed cheeks.
His captivating eyes sparkled with a watery sheen, and if he looked closely, a teardrop glistened at the corner of his eye. His luscious red lips were slightly parted, releasing a soft and seductive moan.
He swallowed hard, his voice echoing through the silent forest and immediately catching Pei Xing’s attention. He glanced in Zhu Laosan direction.
Frightened, Zhu Laosan quickly backed away, crawling and running off, afraid of being discovered.
Pei Xing merely thought it was some wild animal and didn’t pay much heed to it.
Meanwhile, Zhu Laosan contemplated what he had witnessed as he returned home in a daze.
The people traveling with him assumed he was scared by something and teased him, leading him to scold them.
When Zhu Laosan returned home, he couldn’t shake the image of that incredibly beautiful face. It felt as if he was hallucinating, hearing that delicate voice again, and his entire body heating up as he remembered Shi Yi’s fair and tender face.
He couldn’t resist and pulled his wife into the bed.
.
After Shi Yi’s phase of love had passed, they spent three more days on the mountain before descending.
Upon their return, they gathered wild mushrooms while Pei Xing hunted three pheasants for soup.
After more than three months of eating and resting well, Shi Mo’s complexion had significantly improved, and he had become more cheerful.
Xiao Bao could now walk steadily, but his speech remained unclear, although that didn’t stop him from being a talkative little boy.
Every day, Xiao Bao followed Xiao Liu around, engaging in endless chatter.
Observing Xiao Bao’s newfound liveliness brought genuine joy to Shi Mo’s heart. However, the thoughts of Bai Jingxiao continue to haunt him, stirring a deep sense of loneliness and heartache.
It seemed that winter arrived early this year, with heavy snow blanketing the ground well before the depths of the season.
The three children were bundled up in snow-white furry animal skins, kicking their short legs and twirling in the snow with their heads held high.
When Shi Yi saw them, he playfully scolded Xiao Liu, hugging him and patting his bottom.
“You’ve disobeyed me, and your clothes are all wet. Do you know how expensive these clothes are?” Shi Yi pinched his little face, which had turned red from the cold.
“I can’t afford it even after selling you.”
“Third brother, the two of us together are worth two hundred taels,” Xiao Liu chuckled, adding, “Brother Pei said my clothes for thirty taels.”
Shi Yi turned his head to check on Xiao Bao, who’s grabbing a handful of snow and putting it in his mouth. Alarmed, Shi Yi swiftly took the little hand and says, “Bao’er, there are germs in that. Eating it will give you a tummy ache.”
As they talked, there was a sudden knock on the door. Hong Luo rushed over to open it but struggled to remove the bolt due to her height.
Shi Mo walked over, ruffles her hair, and, with a smile, helped her remove the door bolt.
When the door swinged open, and the visitor became clearly visible, Shi Mo froze in place.
The man appeared shocked, stepped forward, grabbed him, and called out, “Mo’er.”