Chapter 53: The Wonderful Feeling

“Hubby, Dad and Big Brother are back, hurry and come help.”

While Lin Heng was lost in thought by the fish pond, Xiu Lan came over.

“They’re back? Let’s go take a look.”

Lin Heng nodded. His father and them were supposed to come back by noon, but there was no sign of them, and without a phone, they could only wait.

Their home was about 100 meters down a slope of around 30 degrees, with fields on both sides. There was a small road about two meters wide leading up the slope.

When Lin Heng and Xiu Lan came out, his eldest uncle had already helped push the cart halfway up the hill.

“Dad, what delayed you?” Lin Heng went over to help push the cart and asked.

“The cow’s rope broke halfway, and the cow ran away. Your brother and I spent half the day chasing it,” his father said while pushing the cart.

Once they got the cart to the top and took a break, Lin Yue explained further:

“We went to the town to buy gypsum, but they had sold out. We had to go to another store. The road was bad, and then we had a flat tire. We wasted a lot of time fixing it.”

“We’ll have to go again tomorrow. This batch of gypsum isn’t enough, we’ll need to bring back another two or three carts.” Lin Heng’s father looked frustrated.

If they had a tractor, it would have only taken 20 minutes, but using human or animal labor often took half a day.

After unloading the gypsum into the new house, everyone went home to drink tea and chat.

Lin Heng went to check the fish fry in the large wooden barrel, and they seemed to be doing well. He would release them into the fish pond tomorrow.

If properly fed, they should grow to around three or four centimeters by the end of the year.

“It looks like it’s going to rain,” Cai Yun said as she walked in from outside. She had been feeding the cows.

“It’s about time. The house is built, so rain won’t matter,” Lin Heng said with a smile. If it rained, they could work indoors.

“Brother, I’ve finished reading these books. Can I borrow your Romance of the Three Kingdoms?”

Cai Yun leaned forward, hands behind her back, smiling at Lin Heng.

“Of course, take it,” Lin Heng said with a slight smile.

“Great! I’ll go get it myself!” As soon as she got permission, Cai Yun ran to Lin Heng’s room.

At 7:30, dinner was ready. Without electricity, everyone tried to finish dinner before it got too dark, as it was hard to see after nightfall.

“Lin Heng, when are you going hunting with me?” Big Uncle Lu Honghai asked as they sat at the table.

“Uncle, let’s wait until winter. This weather isn’t right for hunting. And now that the house is built, there’s still a lot I need to take care of,” Lin Heng said with a wry smile. Recently, he had planned to go to the deep mountains alone and didn’t want to hunt with Big Uncle just yet.

Big Uncle was a good person, but he was too stubborn, and Lin Heng didn’t want to be alone with him.

“Alright, I’ll ask you again in autumn,” Big Uncle replied. He had seen Lin Heng’s archery skills and was eager to hunt with him.

After dinner, Lin Heng quickly went to bed and fell asleep within minutes. When Xiu Lan finished tidying up and went to bed, both Lin Heng and their daughter were already deeply asleep.

Xiu Lan glanced at her husband, covered him with a blanket, and held his hand as she drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, a heavy rain quietly fell, washing everything clean.

The next morning, Lin Heng woke up feeling something soft under his hand and instinctively squeezed it.

“Ouch, what are you doing?” Xiu Lan suddenly exclaimed.

Lin Heng opened his eyes to find his hand had somehow ended up on his wife’s chest.

“Why didn’t you move my hand?” Lin Heng said awkwardly.

Xiu Lan rolled her eyes at him. “You think I didn’t try? Soon enough, your hand will be back.”

“Hehe, let me make it up to you.”

Lin Heng chuckled, suddenly hugging his wife and not giving her a chance to react.

Half an hour later, both of them got up. Xiu Lan’s face was red as she said, “You didn’t even brush your teeth, and you’re still doing this.”

“It’s fine, you don’t mind, and I don’t mind you either,” Lin Heng chuckled.

They didn’t do much, as they were worried about waking up their daughter, just sharing a kiss, which was definitely a new experience for Xiu Lan.

At that time, couples weren’t as extravagant as in later generations.

Without saying much, Xiu Lan woke their daughter up and took her to wash up.

While washing her face, Xiu Lan couldn’t help but think of the wonderful feeling from earlier. It felt completely different from the usual intimacy; kissing like that was new to her.

Lin Heng walked outside. The sky was blue, clear, and cloudless, as if it had just been wiped clean.

The rain had only lasted one night, and by dawn, the sky was clear. Only the puddles on the ground remained as a testament to the rain.

“Dad, where’s my uncle and third dad?” Lin Heng asked, holding their daughter, looking around. He only saw Big Uncle and the carpenter.

“They left early this morning. Your uncle knows some carpentry, so he stayed to help,” Lin Heng’s father replied.

“They left so quickly. Didn’t they have breakfast?” Lin Heng was confused.

“Someone sent word that the old lady from the Qian family passed away, so they all went to help. I heard the funeral is in two days, and your mom will also need to go pay her respects,” his father explained, pointing toward the river.

“I see now,” Lin Heng nodded, understanding.

His father continued, “They wouldn’t accept any payment, so after the house is finished, you and your brother should go visit and thank them.”

Lin Heng nodded. “That’s only right.”

Visiting to express gratitude for help is a common practice. It’s a way to thank people who helped you without accepting any payment, especially with close family or friends.

“Are you still going to the town today, Dad?” Lin Heng asked.

The dirt road would be slippery and muddy after the rain, and the cart would probably get stuck.

His father shook his head. “No, we can’t go. Today, I’ll help you tidy up the house. I know a little carpentry; I can make a few stools.”

Lin Heng’s father had learned carpentry on his own and could make small furniture like chairs and tables.

“That’s fine, we’re not in a hurry,” Lin Heng nodded.

“Give me the baby, you go wash your face,” Xiu Lan said, entering the room and taking their daughter.

“Don’t you want to wash your hair, wife?” Lin Heng asked, noticing her oily hair.

“I’ll do it when I have time. My hair is long, and it takes too long to wash,” Xiu Lan replied, shaking her head.

Her long, silky hair reached down to her waist, making washing it quite a task.

“Then I’ll help you wash it at noon,” Lin Heng smiled.

Xiu Lan blinked, nodded, and said, “Okay!”

“I’ll go wash my face and brush my teeth first,” Lin Heng said, heading to the bathroom.

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(The End of the Chapter)