What Are You Being So Fierce For? I Am Not Arguing with You, I Will Show You…
Back at home, Jiang Queyun immediately started preparing and cleaning up.
Since the weather was hot, the dough couldn’t be kneaded and washed in advance; leaving it out for too long would cause it to sour, and the extracted starch would become unusable. Therefore, he decided to tackle making the Chinese sausages first.
“Help me mince the meat, as fine as possible.” Jiang Queyun handed both the meat and the kitchen knife to Lu Hanbai, looking at him with absolute earnestness. “Husband, I believe in you. There’s definitely no problem!”
“You don’t need to look like you’re entrusting me with an orphan. Of course I can handle this trivial task. Jiang Queyun, did you treat me like a fool again?” Lu Hanbai finally caught on.
By that time, however, Jiang Queyun had already scurried outside to wash the sausage casings.
Jiang Queyun didn’t want to make pure meat sausages. Having grown up eating junk food, he felt that starch sausages were the ultimate delicacy. Still, he wasn’t ruthless enough to use bone fragments for the filling; the essence of a starch sausage was precisely having little to no meat, so a massive amount wasn’t required.
Lu Hanbai hadn’t spent all that time building up his muscular physique for nothing. He quickly minced the meat down to a fine, paste-like consistency and looked quite pleased with himself when he placed it before Jiang Queyun.
Jiang Queyun couldn’t help curving his lips into a smile. “You really are amazing. It’s almost time to go pick up Lu Yu. Let’s set these aside for now, I’m going to make lunch.”
“Alright.”
Once all the fillings were prepared, Jiang Queyun figured he should let them have a taste anyway, so he quickly stuffed the sausages and heated up a pot of oil.
The hot weather made it easy to lose one’s appetite, so he decided to make a pot of cold noodles in broth. The side dishes were boiled and then chilled in well water, topped with a flavorful seasoning sauce. A simple meal like this would easily get them through the heat.
Upon learning that Jiang Queyun was making something delicious again, Lu Yu practically jogged all the way home. Lu Hanbai, despite his long legs, hadn’t been able to keep up and lagged far behind.
“I’m back!”
“Wash your hands, change your clothes, and eat.” Jiang Queyun sighed helplessly. How on earth did the boy manage to return home covered in dirt every single day?
Lu Yu hurried into the room, quickly changed into a clean set of clothes, and trotted over to Jiang Queyun’s side to inspect the meal he had prepared.
“Just cold noodles, nothing fancy,” Jiang Queyun said as he handed over a full bowl of noodles. “Go add your own vegetables and seasonings. Keep it light in the summer, or you’ll internalize the heat.”
That was his subtle way of telling the boy to go easy on the chili oil.
Leaving aside the fact that he hadn’t tasted it before, once someone tried Jiang Queyun’s chili oil, it was simply impossible to stop. Still, the boy obediently used a bit less.
Lu Hanbai arrived fashionably late, prompting Jiang Queyun to poke fun at him, “I almost thought about going to the village head to report a missing person.”
“Jiang Queyun, you must not have gotten beaten nearly enough in the past.” Lu Hanbai looked somewhat exasperated.
“How could that be? Back in the past, I.” Jiang Queyun was about to proudly boast about how mature and steady he had been as a diligent worker, but catching himself just in time, he abruptly changed his tune, “I was too busy getting beaten. I really did get beaten plenty of times!”
That was a close one! Nearly gave away his true origins!
The original owner certainly hadn’t been spared from beatings and scoldings, yet he had still clung like a piece of stubborn plaster, making trouble everywhere. Finding someone resilient to that degree was indeed rare.
He, on the other hand, had never been struck. In a lawful society, brawling and fighting would land you in a police station drinking tea. Besides, he had spent all his time rushing through back-to-back part-time jobs; he wouldn’t even dare give anyone a dirty look.
He was a very well-behaved person!
Lu Hanbai let out a cryptic chuckle, though he didn’t press the matter further. He simply washed his hands and sat down to eat.
“What is this thing? It’s so delicious!” Lu Yu nibbled on a scored, flower-shaped sausage, savoring the flavor carefully.
By the time he finished his bowl of cold noodles, there was still a small piece of flower sausage left at the bottom of the bowl.
“I just made these sausages; they’re called flower sausages. Deep-fried like this, they taste amazing, right?” Jiang Queyun smiled. “I’ll fry some more later and save them for you to eat tonight. Do you want to bring some for your little classmate?”
Lu Yu hesitated for a moment.
He wanted to bring some, but he was also afraid he wouldn’t be able to protect them.
“I don’t really want to bring any.” Lu Yu said softly, looking torn and conflicted.
Now it was Jiang Queyun’s turn to be stunned.
Last time, when the boy happily took away the fried gluten skewers, he had assumed Lu Yu and his classmate would enjoy them. Perhaps he had overthought it; maybe no child liked bringing homemade food to school because they feared it looked embarrassing.
That must have been why Lu Yu always came home covered in dirt after that day, perhaps because he had been bullied on account of the snacks he brought last time.
“If you don’t want to bring any, then don’t. It’s just a small matter,” Jiang Queyun smiled gently. “Then eat a bit more here at home. I’ll save the fried ones so you can eat them when you come back tonight.”
Lu Yu remained silent, staring down and poking at that tiny piece of sausage in his bowl.
Frowning with immediate dissatisfaction, Lu Hanbai spoke in a stern voice, “Lu Yu, have you lost your ears and your mouth?”
Anxious, Jiang Queyun glanced at Lu Yu’s expression, then reached out to punch Lu Hanbai’s arm. “Hey! What are you being so fierce for? Don’t be so harsh on a child!”
At seven years old, the boy was still truly a child.
“Even a three-year-old in the village knows to answer when called.” Annoyed with Jiang Queyun as well, Lu Hanbai suppressed his irritation and turned his gaze back to Lu Yu. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Lu Hanbai! Are you ever going to let up?” Jiang Queyun couldn’t help scolding him. Didn’t he see that the boy’s eyes were already red? His little shoulders were even trembling!
Of course Lu Hanbai saw it. His brow furrowed as he prepared to speak again, but before he could even open his mouth, a hand clamped firmly over it. He could only glare in displeasure at Jiang Queyun, who showed zero intention of letting go.
“Lu Yu, go back to your room,” Jiang Queyun instructed.
“I know. I’m done eating,” Lu Yu said, his voice choked with tears. The small figure slipped away from the table and quickly vanished out of sight.
Only then did Jiang Queyun pull his hand away, his pretty features marred by annoyance. “What kind of madness are you suddenly throwing? Why are you picking a fight with a child for no reason?”
Lu Hanbai looked equally displeased. “Jiang Queyun, I’m properly guiding him. Are you expecting others to point fingers at him in the future and call him uncultured?”
“Is that any way to guide someone? He’s only seven years old, and he’s already very sensible. Even if you want to discipline him, you have to use the right methods! Do I really need to teach you that you shouldn’t lecture children right before a meal?” Jiang Queyun snapped angrily.
“Seven is precisely the age when proper upbringing is essential. If he can’t control his emotions now, how is he supposed to handle things later without being easily manipulated? Since it’s a small matter, it’s all the more reason to correct it from the start.” Lu Hanbai was growing irritated as well.
At seven years old, in their context, a child was already considered quite capable.
Yet Jiang Queyun couldn’t wrap his head around it. In the education he had received, seven was merely kindergarten or first-grade age, how did that connect to some grand future destiny?
Fine, even if by ancient standards people could establish families and careers in their teens, Lu Yu was still only seven. Seven years old!
Lu Hanbai stubbornly clung to his view.
Jiang Queyun felt a fire burning in his chest.
Having grown up in an orphanage, he had seen plenty of children, each with their own distinct personality. So what if a child was quiet? Growing up healthy and well-adjusted was already something worth celebrating.
“I don’t want to argue with you, but you are truly harsh.” With a cold face, Jiang Queyun walked back to the oil pot to continue frying the sausages; he needed to make more, or poor Lu Yu would be even more miserable.
“How is this harsh? He has to leave this place eventually. If we indulge bad habits now, what will happen when they become impossible to change later?” Lu Hanbai pressed on, believing that any potential trouble had to be nipped in the bud.
Hearing him say that, Jiang Queyun paused his hand as it stirred the flower sausages.
Ah, yes.
How could he have forgotten?
This was the male protagonist and his son; they were destined to soar to success and leave this place behind. By then, the people they interacted with would undoubtedly be members of noble aristocratic families, where even the tiniest flaw would be magnified under a microscope. He wasn’t completely incapable of understanding.
Even so, Lu Yu was already sensible enough to understand reason if someone spoke to him properly; there was no need to be so harsh and fierce.
“He’s already very sensible. If you have something to say, you can talk to him nicely. Besides, he just wasn’t in a good mood, which is why he didn’t reply right away. You shouldn’t be that harsh with a child. To take a step back, I was the one involved, and I didn’t feel like he did anything wrong, so you had no business snapping at him.” Jiang Queyun frowned, his eye rims inexplicably stinging with heat.
He thought of the children who had been adopted away from the orphanage.
He wondered if those younger brothers and sisters had ever faced similar situations. Obedient, sensible children who were just a bit timid shouldn’t be treated this way.
Seeing the slightly reddened corners of Jiang Queyun’s eyes, Lu Hanbai’s urge to argue instantly vanished. They merely had a disagreement on this issue; there was no need to fight tooth and nail over it.
“I’宁m not arguing with you.” Lu Hanbai let out a soft sigh. His gaze drifted toward Lu Yu’s small room, and he gave Jiang Queyun a gentle nudge. “I’ll watch the pot, you go.”
Giving him a sideways glare and a heavy huff, Jiang Queyun shoved the chopsticks into Lu Hanbai’s hand and walked toward the small room.
Inside, Lu Yu was no longer crying, though he still looked wronged and frightened. His father had never been that fierce with him before, though he knew he was in the wrong first. Still, he just felt unhappy and deeply aggrieved.
The door to the small room was pushed open.
The familiar aroma of fried meat drifted in. Lu Yu instinctively wanted to burrow under the covers, not wanting the troublemaker to see him looking so pathetic.
“Do you think I’m going to eat you up?” Jiang Queyun grabbed him with quick reflexes, guided him to sit on the edge of the bed, and comforted him softly, “Your dad asked me to come coax you. He knows he was wrong.”
Lu Yu’s eyes widened in shock. “How could Dad be wrong? It was my fault.”
Jiang Queyun pressed his lips together, roughly understanding the boy’s mindset.
Still, he said gently, “I’ve already forgiven you for your mistake, so you aren’t in the wrong anymore. But your dad is still in the wrong, and that won’t go away until you forgive him. Of course, I’m not forcing you to forgive him; I just want you to know that even elders make mistakes sometimes.”
“I’m not blaming Dad, Dad only wants what’s best for me.” Lu Yu murmured.
“I knew you were a good kid.” Jiang Queyun smiled and patted his head. “I fried plenty of flower sausages specially for you. Come eat them tonight when you get home.”
Lu Yu’s cheeks flushed red as he cast a shy, embarrassed glance at him. “Thank you.”
Jiang Queyun’s eyes curved into crescent shapes. What an obedient child.
“Get some rest for a bit, then your dad will walk you to the private school. Did you change your undergarments?” Jiang Queyun asked, remembering that he still needed to wash clothes later.
Summer clothes were thin and didn’t accumulate much dust, making them relatively easy to wash.
Stunned for a second, Lu Yu’s face instantly turned bright red. He had forgotten to change his undergarments! He scrambled up to start undressing, but halfway through, remembering something, he dove back under the covers and slowly pushed his clothes out.
With his expression growing cold, Jiang Queyun took in the bruises visible on the boy’s body.