Liu Guixiang frowned, "Does Xiao Shan sweat a lot at night?"
She lived next door to Chen Dong and had overheard snippets of conversation. Chen Dong sweated profusely at night, and the doctor said it was caused by kidney deficiency!
"Ah?" Xue Niang didn't quite understand her question. Xiao Shan had always been warm-blooded and was prone to sweating. He also loved to exercise, so he sweated quite a bit every night.
But this was a private matter, and Xue Niang couldn't tell outsiders.
Seeing her silence, everyone exchanged glances and felt they had guessed correctly; Xiao Shan indeed suffered from night sweats.
"Mrs. Xiao, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Xiao Shan is still young, and with some care, he'll be fine. I'll ask around and see if there are any good remedies."
"Care for what?" Xue Niang asked.
"What else but to care for his little brother!" Aunt Feng patted her hand. "Men are proud. You must indulge him, don't show any displeasure, and don't say too much."
Xiao Shan has a brother?
What were they talking about? She didn't understand.
"Aunties, I'm going back to cook now."
Xue Niang returned home in a daze. As she was cooking, Xiao Shan came back, a string of game hanging from his shoulder.
Today was the first time he had taken people up the mountain, and the harvest was good. Each person got at least one wild animal, with some getting three. Everyone was very happy.
On the way back, a woman had also stuffed a bag of goji berries into his hand. Well, it was an old woman, of course. He wouldn't dare approach a young woman now.
"Xiao Shan!" Xue Niang ran out and circled him. Seeing that his clothes weren't even torn, she beamed with joy.
If he hadn't carried game all the way back, making him smell of it, she would have hugged him tightly. He was smiling so sweetly, it was captivating.
"You're so happy to see me?"
Xiao Shan handed the goji berries to Xue Niang. "Someone gave them to me. They can be used to make porridge or steeped in water to nourish the body."
"Oh." Xue Niang took them and opened the bag to look. Weren't these goji berries? She put them in the kitchen and sprinkled some into the rice porridge that was simmering. The red berries looked quite pretty.
Xiao Shan tossed the game aside, then took out more than a dozen bird eggs from his embrace. He took off his clothes and quickly washed himself.
He entered the kitchen and saw the little woman busy by the stove. He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her alluring waist, and said, "My wife is so capable."
"Of course." Xue Niang's lips curved. His chest was so broad, it felt incredibly secure.
"By the way, I'm telling you, if anyone asks outside who cooks in our house, you say it's me, understand?"
"Why?"
"So they won't say I'm a lazy wife!"
Xiao Shan laughed heartily. Xue Niang felt the vibration of his chest against her back and stomped on his foot.
"Who said you're a lazy wife?"
"Not exactly, but there's something I didn't understand."
Xue Niang served the porridge, and Xiao Shan let go of her, placing the porridge on the table. His voice still carried the lingering echo of his laughter. "What is it you don't understand?"
Xue Niang recounted the events, and at the end, she asked doubtfully, "Where did you get a brother from?"
Xiao Shan's expression turned peculiar as he looked at the goji berries in the porridge. "Was the woman who said that flat-nosed?"
"Yes, Aunt Guixiang. She also has a mole on her nose."
Xiao Shan's gaze became deep as he looked at Xue Niang, making her feel uneasy.
"Did I... did I say something wrong?"
"Do you think I have a brother?"
"Don't you only have a sister who died young? Where would a brother come from?"
Xiao Shan put down his chopsticks. "Come here, I'll let you see my brother."
Xue Niang, full of questions, followed Xiao Shan into the room.
They stayed in there for a good while.
Finally, only Xiao Shan emerged. He wiped his mouth, straightened his belt, and leisurely entered the kitchen to eat.
After eating himself, he boiled the bird eggs and then brought the food into the bedroom.
Xue Niang was so tired she didn't want to move her fingers. Xiao Shan then peeled the bird eggs and fed them to her one by one.
"Xiao Shan, those village women talk too much. I won't chat with them anymore."
"Yes, you shouldn't. They all think I'm a weakling. I should let them come in and see how imposing I am."
As soon as Xiao Shan finished speaking, he was hit.
"You foul-mouthed man, shut up if you can't speak properly."
Xiao Shan patted his mouth obsequiously. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a voice outside calling, "Xue Niang, Xue Niang—"
It was Wang Xiulan.
Xiao Shan went out to see. "Sister-in-law, Xue Niang is asleep. Is there something?"
It was barely dusk, and she was already asleep? Wang Xiulan's eyes darted around Xiao Shan, noticing he was only loosely wearing a shirt.
Oh dear, this was not a good time.
"Xiao Shan, I'm nearly twenty years older than you. Please don't be offended if I say something."
After much hesitation, Wang Xiulan decided to speak. Xiao Shan and Xue Niang were young and lacked elders to guide them, so they might not understand.
"Go ahead," Xiao Shan said, a little puzzled.
"You and Xue Niang have a good relationship, better than anyone in the village. This is a good thing, but, well, you shouldn't be too unrestrained. It's not good for your health. Life is long, don't rush..."
At this point, Wang Xiulan couldn't continue. She didn't dare to look at Xiao Shan's expression and handed him the item in her hand. "These are from my own trees, and there are plenty. Take more from my place when you run out."
With that, she turned and hurried away.
Xiao Shan looked at the item in his hand. His face had already darkened like the evening sky.
Damn it, more goji berries!
Who were they for?
Xiao Shan returned to the room. Xue Niang was already drowsy. When Xiao Shan shook her, she woke up again.
She was displeased, pouting and scolding, "You scoundrel, why are you shaking me? I'm so sleepy."
"You have to go chat with those village women tomorrow."
"What did you say?" Was his brain broken?
"Good Xue Niang, you have to say that your man is very powerful on the kang, and he can't sleep until the middle of the night..."
Now Xue Niang was completely awake. Was this damned man crazy?
She got up, her snow-white body wrapped in a pink undergarment. She boldly extended her straight, slender legs and kicked Xiao Shan.
Her pretty face flushed with shame and anger. "Shameless! Get out! You're not allowed on the kang tonight!"
"Xue Niang..."
"Shut up!"
This command was sharp and forceful, truly showing her anger.
Xiao Shan felt extremely wronged. Being called a wife-slave, being called henpecked, being called fierce as a tiger or a yaksha, he didn't care. But they couldn't say he was incapable! This was a man's dignity.
He was capable, very capable.
Were these gossiping women in the village blind? Did he look like someone who couldn't perform?
Perhaps, when he went hunting in the mountains, he should casually mention it to the men?