ALL NOVEL Chapter 52 - I
The result of their relaxation was that when he woke up the next day, his legs were sore and weak.
Pei Xing held Shi Yi in his arms, his hands on Shi Yi’s lower back, massaging gently. He then leaned down and kissed Shi Yi’s tired face.
“Take some rest. There’s nothing urgent today. I’ll take you to the mountains in the afternoon.”
Shi Yi had been pushed to his limits the previous day, which had left his voice hoarse. He didn’t want to say anything and buried his face in Pei Xing’s chest, falling back asleep.
This deep slumber lasted throughout the morning. In the afternoon, Xie Yu came to find Pei Xing, and they went up the mountain to arrange the construction of the firearms warehouse. Shi Yi followed them up after lunch.
It was mid-spring, and the earth was warming up. The mountains and forests were no longer as barren as in winter. Everywhere they looked, there was lush greenery. The breeze carried the fragrance of grass and trees, with occasional gentle bird calls in the background.
Shi Yi wore a green wide-sleeved shirt specifically for the occasion. The tailored garment fitted him perfectly, emphasizing his slender waist. He waved his sleeves as he walked through the mountains and forests, resembling an elf.
Pei Xing placed his arm around Shi Yi’s waist, wiped the sweat off his nose, and looked into his clear, bright eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he said, “Be honest, you’ll run out of energy soon.”
“Don’t worry. If I get tired, you can just carry me on your back.” Shi Yi smiled and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand. A light pink tint adorned his fair face, and his eyes sparkled.
Xie Yu observed them and couldn’t help but feel a sense of toothache. Spending time with them had given him a newfound understanding of their affectionate relationship. Their daily flirtations left him somewhat at a loss for words.
Pei Xing carried Shi Yi to the bamboo house deep within the jungle, about two miles from which they cleared a piece of flat land to build the firearms warehouse. Over twenty workers were laying the foundation when they arrived.
Shi Yi hopped off Pei Xing’s back, surveyed the workers, and glanced at the stacks of green bricks nearby. He asked, puzzled, “Why does it have to be built here? It seems quite inconvenient to transport materials up this mountain.”
“Here, it’s hidden and secure, making it difficult for others to discover.” Xie Yu explained, his brows furrowing as he watched the slow progress of the few workers on site.
He had sent a letter to the Lu family some time ago, but it had been half a month with no response or movement. No one had shown up to help with the work, leaving him in a bind about how to proceed.
.
Their main purpose in visiting was to assess the progress, and at noon, Pei Xing and Xie Yu went hunting. Shi Yi accompanied them to forage for wild vegetables and mushrooms, ensuring the workers would have a hearty meal.
Afterward, Pei Xing and Shi Yi went to catch fish. In the remote mountain and dense forest area, few people ventured, and the stream wasn’t too deep, with crystal clear waters that revealed the plump fish on the riverbed.
However, when Shi Yi tried to spear the fish with a wooden stick, he couldn’t manage to pierce any. This left him somewhat discouraged.
He then decided to wade into the water himself. But as he bent down, rolled up his trousers, and prepared to fish, he noticed his own fair and tender feet. Just as he was about to approach the stream, he was suddenly lifted from behind and received a few smacks on his backside.
Xie Yu burst into laughter at the sight.
Shi Yi’s face turned beet red. He shot Pei Xing an indignant glare, his mouth pouting, and then shyly buried his face in Pei Xing’s chest. It was so embarrassing to have Pei Xing’s brother witness it all.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay put?” Pei Xing scolded gently while rubbing the back of Shi Yi’s head. “We’ll try again when it gets warmer. Then we can play in the water. The water is still cold now, and you’re not very strong. You’ll catch a cold. Then you will need to take medicine. Aren’t you afraid of the bitter medicine?”
Shi Yi sighed and replied in a dejected tone, “But I couldn’t catch any of them.”
Pei Xing hadn’t expected this to be the reason and found himself unable to hold back a laugh. He finally embraced Shi Yi and continued fishing until they caught two fish.
As they made their way back, Xie Yu’s mind was in turmoil. He had only one thought – he must not accompany these two the next time they went out.
.
Three days later, the Lu family arrived with a group of people, but the person who came was not Lu Chao but Lu Ruiyang.
“There’s something wrong with the firearms warehouse at home, which caused a delay,” Lu Ruiyang said, taking a sip of tea and shaking the folding fan in his hand. “Lu Chao can’t leave now. I’ve brought all the old masters from home. What do you think about organizing the rest?”
Upon hearing this, everyone remembered that Wen Jun had recently given birth to a child. Although the group hadn’t attended the full moon celebration, they had sent generous gifts. The child was still young and needed company. No matter who came, as long as they arrived, the next steps would be much easier to handle.
Lu Ruiyang took the initiative to promote mining in the village, mentioning a need for additional labor. He recruited a group of people and sent them up the mountain, while Xie Yu took his personal guards into the mountain.
Zhou Yan and Song Ning went to the county to replace Qin Yue. Despite their reluctance, they had to serve as magistrate for Xiangshan County.
Seeing their reluctance, Shi Yi patted his chest and enthusiastically said, “If you don’t want to, I’m willing. I haven’t been a county magistrate yet.”
The others promptly refused, and Pei Xing took Shi Yi away, fearing he might follow through on a whim and show up at the county government office.
Shi Yi felt dejected for several days after being rejected. Since he had no interest in learning to read, Pei Xing wasn’t concerned about his reading skills. Shi Yi spent his days following Pei Xing and enjoying himself. However, now that things were getting busy, being alone was no longer enjoyable.
Observing Shi Yi’s boredom, Pei Xing went to the county town and brought back some paint. Shi Yi was astonished when he saw the paint the man had brought.
“Do you like it? If you ever get bored, just paint. Your previous comic drawings were pretty good, but we don’t have that style of art here. You can try creating some comic strips.” Pei Xing said, hugging him and kissing his slightly stunned face.
Shi Yi touched the paints, which were an unusual sight for him, and whispered his thanks.
Subsequently, Pei Xing sharpened a small stick and rolled a layer of paper for Shi Yi to use as a pen. Once Shi Yi had the pen and paint, he grew unusually quiet. Except for showing up for meals each day, he locked himself in his room the rest of the time.
Others thought that the two of them had argued, but observing that Shi Mo was unperturbed, Shi Yi and Pei Xing also appeared normal, they assumed they were overthinking it.