Xie Nong stood up, and Yan Yi also got up to help move things, but Xie Jinning remained seated. Among those present, he was the youngest, and it seemed a bit rude for two to stand while one sat. However, he sat comfortably and didn’t want to get up and press on his wound again. Besides, the cushion Yan Yi provided was very soft and comfortable to sit on…
This kind of argument wasn’t going anywhere, and since it wasn’t too cold at the moment, eating under the starry sky was quite an experience.
“It’s nice to eat here,” Xie Jinning said, picking up his chopsticks and pretending to grab some food, leaving Xie Nong no choice but to sit back down.
“Alright, let’s eat first,” he said. “Kid, if you feel uncomfortable, make sure to tell me.”
“Okay.”
A warmth spread over his shoulders as Yan Yi, who had left at some point, returned and draped an outer garment over him without saying much, then sat down.
Xie Jinning adjusted his clothes and said, “Thank you, Brother Yan.”
Xie Nong chuckled, “I’ve been away from home these past few days, and I must trouble young Yan to take care of…”
He suddenly got stuck mid-sentence. Xie Jinning wanted to remain indifferent but couldn’t bear to break the joy in the man’s eyes, so he continued, “My name is Xie Jinning.”
“Jinning, Xie Jinning,” Xie Nong murmured a few times, his smile growing deeper. “Good name, good name indeed.”
He raised his wine bowl and clinked it with Yan Yi’s. “Young Yan, thank you for taking care of Jinning. Uncle Xie toasts to you.”
“…It’s no trouble.”
Yan Yi’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and the wine bowl he held reflected a crescent moon, but another figure quietly appeared. His hand trembled, causing ripples that shattered the moon’s reflection.
Xie Nong looked at Xie Jinning again, and his lowered eyes overlapped with those of Ah Fang.
“Jinning,” he choked out, “it’s good to have you back, it’s good to have you back.”
He raised his bowl to clink, but Xie Jinning only held his teacup, not moving at all.
His arm, suspended in the air, was still sore from overwork, the ache spreading to his heart. He hadn’t even drunk the wine, yet Xie Nong tasted bitterness.
He was overjoyed to see him, but the child had returned only to suffer.
What good was there?
Xie Nong patted his mouth, forcing a smile. “Jinning… you see, I’m getting old, my brain’s slow, and I speak without thinking. Please don’t take it to heart.”
With that, he extended his arm, trembling, to clink Xie Jinning’s teacup, then tilted his head back and drank it all.
The spicy liquor slid down his throat. It was the good wine he had specially bought, yet it tasted worse than the cheapest cloudy wine, bitter and spicy, burning all the way to his chest, bringing tears to his eyes and wetting the deep wrinkles.
His fingertips still tingled from the light collision with the ceramic bowl, his palm pressed tightly against the cup’s wall. The teacup, barely the size of his palm, felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
The low coughing of the man reached his ears. Xie Jinning swallowed the bitterness in his throat, and his vision began to blur again.
He had encountered many who were cautious and fawning in front of him, but now, this man was his biological father…
“I won’t.”
He replied, finally raising the teacup he had been holding tightly. Before it reached his lips, a large honey-colored hand stopped his arm.
Yan Yi leaned forward, trying to take the teacup from Xie Jinning’s hand. “Let me drink it for you.”
The boy’s arm lifted, and the sleeve slipped down, revealing a section of white, smooth wrist. In the moonlight, it glowed with a lustrous sheen, the wrist bone encircled by fingers like scattered white stones in a mountain stream, delicate and soft, making one want to hold it in their palm and play with it.
“No need.” Xie Jinning pushed, but couldn’t move him, so he gave Yan Yi a sidelong glance, his lips pouting slightly. “I’ll just taste a little, it won’t matter.”
Seemingly annoyed, the itch in his chest felt like a cat’s paw scratching. Yan Yi silently released his grip, clenching his hand into a fist on his knee.
Xie Jinning had never touched alcohol in his sixteen years, and those around him had always protected him, not allowing him to come into contact with it. Now, he was indeed a bit curious.
He picked it up and sniffed it, the smell of fermented grains not particularly pleasant. He stuck out his tongue, lightly licking the surface, and was immediately overwhelmed by the spicy taste, wrinkling his nose and licking his lips to push it away.
A hint of amusement flashed in Yan Yi’s eyes, his gaze gradually moving to the boy’s lips, wet from the liquid.
The boy’s lips were plump and rosy, the lower lip full and inviting, perfect for being kissed and licked. The shape of the kiss seemed to draw out a sweet nectar.
Between the slightly parted white teeth, a red tongue tip extended like a clam shell, trembling slightly in the air, trying to let the wind soothe the taste buds stimulated by the spiciness.
A blush crept up his cheeks, his brows furrowed slightly, his expression a bit annoyed, yet the protruding tongue added a touch of playfulness.
And it was very soft.
Yan Yi lowered his eyes, also picking up a bowl and taking a big gulp.
“Eat the dishes while they’re hot, eat the dishes while they’re hot, they won’t taste as good once they get cold.”
Xie Nong wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, urging the two to start eating. He filled Xie Jinning and Yan Yi’s bowls with rice, while his own bowl was only half full.
The rice was white and plump, clearly new rice.
Xie Nong had prepared an extra pair of chopsticks, picking up a piece of fish and placing it in Xie Jinning’s bowl. “Here, Jinning, try my cooking.”
He noticed Xie Jinning’s discomfort, and after his initial slip of the tongue, he didn’t refer to himself as “dad” or ask Xie Jinning to change how he addressed him.
Since he was back, he was family. In the future, it would just be the two of them relying on each other, and there was plenty of time. He would eventually hear Xie Jinning call him “dad.”
Of course, it wouldn’t matter if he never did.
The rice, soaked in the broth, looked even more tempting. Xie Jinning carefully peeled off the fish skin, picking up a small piece of fish and putting it in his mouth, eating with great caution.
He loved eating fish, but he had once choked on a bone, and since then, he only ate filleted fish or fish soup, avoiding large chunks of stewed fish like this.
The meat was firm but slightly fishy and a bit salty, not particularly tasty. Fortunately, there were few bones, only some large ones.
Xie Jinning forced himself to continue eating slowly and methodically.
Yan Yi took a bite, his brows furrowing.
Since coming to Hetian Village, he had occasionally shared meals with the Xie family and was familiar with Xie Nong’s cooking skills. It wasn’t about the taste; as long as it was cooked, it was fine.
He had wanted to help in the kitchen earlier, but Xie Nong stopped him, saying he wanted to personally cook a meal for Xie Jinning, so Yan Yi didn’t insist and went next door to fry two plates of meat to bring over.
Having cooked for himself for so long, Xie Nong couldn’t tell if it was good or not, and Yan Yi didn’t mind. He was the type who wasn’t picky as long as there was food.
But this picky young master was actually eating it with such relish.
“How is it?” Xie Nong’s eyes lit up, looking at Xie Jinning with hope. “Is it good? I added bean paste to enhance the flavor, thinking it would taste better.”
Xie Jinning finally finished the three-finger-wide piece of fish and wanted to drink some water, but his cup only had wine, so he ate a few bites of vegetables to suppress the saltiness in his mouth.
He nodded lightly, “It’s okay.”
Joy spread across his brows, and Xie Nong happily took a sip of wine, picking up another piece. “If you like it, eat more. I’ll cook for you every day from now on. If there’s anything else you want to eat, just tell me, and I’ll buy it for you.”
“I, cough, cough…”
Just as Xie Jinning swallowed the greens, he was choked by the vegetable juice, covering his mouth and coughing until his eyes turned red.
“I’ll go get some water.”
Taking advantage of Xie Nong leaving the table, Xie Jinning stopped pretending. After coughing, he sighed, using his chopsticks to poke holes in the fish that had been added to his bowl.
Oh well, it’s not like he can’t eat it. Let him be happy tonight.
But the difficulty in his expression was hard to hide.
Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks appeared in his line of sight, taking the fish from his bowl and moving the bowl of fish away from him.
Pushing the fried rabbit meat he had hunted today in front of him, Yan Yi said, “Eat the meat.”
He also poured the wine from his cup into his own wine bowl.
“?”
The series of actions left Xie Jinning stunned. He cleared his throat and whispered, “What are you doing? I can eat it, you know?”
“This suits your taste better.”
With that, Yan Yi quickly deboned the fish, stuffing it into his mouth and chewing, then added four or five more pieces to his bowl, finishing them just as quickly.
In no time, he had eaten half of the bowl of stewed fish.
When Xie Nong returned, handing Xie Jinning a cup of water at just the right temperature, Yan Yi said, “Uncle Xie’s stewed fish is still so fragrant. I accidentally ate more, sorry.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Xie Nong didn’t suspect anything, his happiness unstoppable. The corners of his lips, raised high, hadn’t come down since. “Eat, eat, as long as you like it. There’s still plenty of food, don’t be shy. We’re celebrating today, let’s eat to our heart’s content.”
Using the act of drinking water to hide it, Xie Jinning glanced at Yan Yi, who was eating heartily, his gaze complicated.
So he really does like it, huh? I didn’t realize his taste was…
Quite unique.
…
After three rounds of drinks, the meal was almost finished. Yan Yi took the initiative to clear the dishes and wash them in the kitchen, leaving the courtyard space for the father and son.
Xie Nong drank the last sip of wine from his bowl, the alcohol making his face turn a deep red.
He quietly looked at Xie Jinning, who sat across the table, holding a teacup with both hands, his eyes downcast and expression unreadable. “Good child, you came back, and it’s been hard on you…”
Xie Jinning didn’t respond.
He was wronged, deeply wronged, but when he thought about how this was actually his original life, and how he had stolen Xie Zhu’s life, he felt he shouldn’t feel wronged.
Xie Jinning’s heart used to be small, only able to hold the things he loved most: his parents, brother, delicious food, fine clothes, treasures, and toys.
But now, it was filled with sorrow, grievance, regret, and conflict, emotions tearing at his heart, making him extremely uncomfortable.
“Back then, it was your mother’s fault, causing us father and son to be separated for so many years.”
Xie Nong was a bit drunk, letting out a wine burp, his slurred words pulling Xie Jinning out of his daze, capturing all his attention.
“What do you mean?”
Why did he say it was his mother’s, Ah Fang’s fault?
“No, it wasn’t your mother’s fault, it was mine.”
Xie Nong shook his head, suddenly covering his face, tears streaming down. “It was me, I was incapable, unable to give her a better life. I failed her, I failed Xiao Zhu. Now I’ve let you come back to suffer, I’ve failed you too…”
His heart skipped a beat, his breath nearly stopping. Xie Jinning’s voice trembled, “What are you saying? What do you mean by mother’s fault, what is going on?”
…
In the Capital City, Xie Family, Bamboo Pavilion.
Xie Zhu stood quietly in the courtyard, dressed in plain clothes, his figure tall and straight like bamboo, or like a clear breeze and bright moon. His skin was still dark and yellow, but he already had a hint of a gentleman’s demeanor.
Gazing at the crescent moon in the sky, a ripple suddenly appeared in his phoenix eyes, which tilted upward at the corners.
He wondered how that proud young master was doing now, if he was getting used to life in Hetian Village.
And his father.
He should also like such a lively and vibrant child.
Tomorrow morning, he would enter the palace, and he didn’t know if they would meet again.
On the way to the Xie residence, he saw refugees blocking the road, starving corpses lying everywhere, while the Capital City was filled with singing and dancing, meat and wine.
Xie Zhu wanted to change all of this.
The emperor and the Eastern Depot’s watchdogs had their eyes on the Xie family. This journey was fraught with danger, but it was the closest he had ever been to his heart’s desire. Even knowing it was a path of swords and knives, he had to take the risk.
“Young Master, it’s getting cold, you should rest early.”
Slowly closing his eyes, then opening them again, they were calm and unruffled.
“Alright.”