rslcontracting Chapter 1340: Returning to Her Parental Home
Chapter 1340: Returning to Her Parental Home
Gu Jinli laughed, her face flushing at the praise. Back home when she cooked, Third Grandma always scolded her for wasting oil and meat, saying a single meal she made could empty out the family coffers.
Seeing this, Madam Guo also laughed and happily finished this meal.
When she was about to leave, she had the servant carry down two chests of gifts from the carriage and said, "These are your return-to-maternal-home gifts. Take them back to your parents’ house tomorrow."
Madam Guo had come to act as a female elder from the groom’s side, and she was very conscientious, even preparing the new bride’s return gifts.
Qin San Lang and Gu Jinli were very grateful. He said, "Aunt Guo, we’ve troubled you."
"This is what I ought to do, you don’t need to thank me." Madam Guo stepped forward, patted Gu Jinli’s hand, and said, "You’re a rare good child. Just your courage in being willing to go to the Northwest with San Lang is admirable. It’s only right to give you even more gifts."
But...
Madam Guo looked at Gu Jinli’s face and frowned. "Your looks are a bit too good. Even though you’re following the army to the Northwest, it still won’t be very safe. Before you depart, you need to find some pot soot and smear your face."
For Madam Guo to say something like this showed she truly treated Gu Jinli as a niece-in-law to dote on. Gu Jinli was very pleased and said, "Aunt, don’t worry, I thought of this long ago and already made preparations. Please wait here, I’ll show you something."
With that she ran back to their room in the side quarters. About a quarter of an hour later she came out. When the Zong matchmaker saw her face, she shrieked, "Mrs. Qin, y-you’ve got sores on your face, and they’re suppurating!"
So disgusting.
Gu Jinli smiled. "Don’t be scared, Grandma Zong. This is made from tree resin and egg yolk mixed with a few medicinal ingredients. It’s fake, not real pus sores."
After hearing this, Madam Guo walked over and looked at Gu Jinli’s face. To be honest, she felt like gagging, but she was relieved and smiled. "Not bad, you did a good job. Now I can set my mind at ease."
With the big matter on her mind settled, Madam Guo looked toward Qin San Lang again and said, "That boy Brother Qiang is still fussing about coming to see you two. I stopped him. It’s not suitable for him to come today. But we’ll stay in town a few more days to see you off."
That child Brother Qiang, no one knew why, especially liked San Lang and even said San Lang was his brother from his past life. It made people both exasperated and amused.
Qin San Lang smiled. "Ah Qiang is a youngster with real skill, Aunt. You don’t need to worry about him too much. The brothers in the army all like him, and his abilities are enough to convince them."
He had heard from General Guo that Madam Guo was very worried that Guo Qiang, being a bit simple and honest, would die on the battlefield once he joined the army. He said this to ease her worries a little.
Madam Guo smiled after hearing this. "If you say so, then I’m relieved."
The Old Master had said San Lang was a boy who valued affection and loyalty. With Brother Qiang sticking to him like that, even if their two families hadn’t formally acknowledged each other as kin, at a critical moment San Lang would definitely help Brother Qiang.
Madam Guo gave Gu Jinli a few more instructions, then took the Zong matchmaker with her and took her leave.
After seeing Madam Guo off, Gu Jinli was thoroughly exhausted. As soon as they entered the courtyard of the side quarters, Qin San Lang scooped her up around the waist and carried her straight back into the room.
"Is your waist sore?" Qin San Lang saw her pounding her lower back twice and figured it must be hurting. He set her down on the bed, took off her shoes, and began to rub her waist.
His strength was neither too light nor too heavy, and his body temperature ran high, his hands carrying a warm heat. Gu Jinli lay prone on the bed covered in thick quilts, so comfortable that her eyes narrowed. Before she knew it, she fell asleep.
When she woke, it was already completely dark. Her outer clothes had been taken off; she was wearing a cotton inner garment and was comfortably nestled under the quilt.
Qin San Lang was also sitting on the bed, one hand holding her hand, the other writing something in a booklet. When he heard the little sound she made when waking, the corners of his mouth lifted. He turned his head to smile at her. "You’re awake. Did you sleep well?"
As he spoke, he set the booklet and brush on the table by the bed. Then he turned over and pressed down on her, lowering his head to kiss her.
Her sweet flavor flowed into his mouth, as clean and mellow as fine wine, making him very happy. The smile on his face deepened. He deepened the kiss as well, until he nearly lost control.
"Xiao Yu~" he called her huskily, entangled with her, wanting her badly. But he couldn’t. They had to get up early tomorrow to visit her parents, and at dawn the day after they would set off for the Northwest. He couldn’t tire her out again.
If he wore her out, she’d be miserable on the road.
"Xiao Yu, be good, let me hold you, just hold you and that’s all." Qin San Lang gritted his teeth and forced himself to endure, speaking through clenched teeth as he hugged her tight. But he had already tasted her, already known that sweetness; wanting to bear it again was truly hard.
Gu Jinli didn’t dare move a muscle and simply let him hold her. She didn’t know how long it was before he finally calmed down. Seeing her looking at him with a smile, he asked curiously, "Xiao Yu, what are you laughing at?"
Gu Jinli said, "Laughing at you for suffering the consequences of your own actions. Who told you to kiss me? After you kiss, you’re the one who feels miserable."
Qin San Lang could only feel helpless when he heard this, but: "I want to kiss Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu is sweet."
That kind of sweetness didn’t exist in sugar; only she could give it to him.
He’d fallen in love with that sweetness of hers. Even if he had to suffer a bit afterward, he still wanted to indulge in it.
Hearing this and seeing the burning look in his eyes, Gu Jinli blushed, coughed lightly twice, and said, "What time is it? I’m hungry."
Qin San Lang said, "Just past the Xu hour. There’s rice porridge warming on the stove and a few side dishes prepared. I’ll go get them for you."
Qin San Lang got up, tucked the quilt around her, then went out. Before long he came back carrying a food box. Inside were a clay pot of rice porridge, five pancakes, a plate of soy-braised beef, a few boiled eggs, and some pickled Bai Cai.
Seeing this, Gu Jinli was delighted. "There’s pickled Bai Cai—that goes perfectly with porridge. We’ve been eating fatty meat for days, it’s too greasy. I was just craving something sour."
She put on a fur jacket and got out of bed, sat down at the table, and began eating the bowl of porridge Qin San Lang had served her.
"Eat more beef." Qin San Lang picked half a plate of beef for her. "Eating more beef gives you strength."
Gu Jinli said, "You eat too, don’t just keep picking for me. I’m not a pig, I can’t eat that much."
Hearing this, Qin San Lang suddenly laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" This time it was Gu Jinli’s turn to ask.
Looking at her, Qin San Lang wiped the grain of rice from the corner of her mouth and replied, "Xiao Yu once said earning money is just so you can live like a pig—eat then sleep, sleep then eat, carefree and worry-free."
When he first heard that, he had laughed himself silly. But thinking about it, that kind of life really was nice—free from want, with no worries at all.
Gu Jinli glared at him. "What’s wrong with living a pig’s life? It sounds wonderful to me."
Qin San Lang’s smile grew deeper. He promised, "Xiao Yu, don’t worry. I will definitely let you live a pig’s life in this lifetime—carefree, with nothing to do but eat and sleep."
The corner of Gu Jinli’s mouth twitched. "Hearing you say that, I don’t even know if you’re pampering me or insulting me."
Qin San Lang pecked her lips lightly. "Of course I’m pampering you."
Gu Jinli snorted twice. "I’ll trust you for now."
She happily drank her porridge, ate half a plate of beef and one egg. Everything else ended up in Qin San Lang’s stomach.
Qin San Lang cherished her deeply. That night, although he suffered quite a bit holding her in his arms as he slept, he didn’t make any further moves on her. The next morning, after the two of them paid their respects to Elder Qin, they picked up the prepared return gifts and went to the Gu Family.