SWDnovel Chapter 127 Washing his wife's underwear
Chapter 127 Washing his wife's underwear
Li Xianglian was helped to sit up, and a rich aroma of brown sugar wafted towards her.
"I've heard Aunt Guiying say that women should drink brown sugar water when they have this period, because it's said to warm the uterus and dispel cold."
Qin Rushan sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), blew on the hot air, and fed it directly to her mouth. "I was thinking about how to treat your health in the future. Perfect timing, I'll slaughter that old hen and make soup in the next few days."
Li Xianglian drank the sweet brown sugar water, feeling sweeter than honey in her heart.
These days, brown sugar is a precious commodity. What man would stay up in the middle of the night to make it for his wife?
After finishing his water, Qin Rushan put the empty jar down and crawled back into bed.
This time he behaved himself and didn't touch her inappropriately. Instead, he rubbed his large, calloused hands until they were burning hot and then placed them directly on Li Xianglian's lower abdomen.
"I'm hot, let me warm you up."
Men have a high body temperature, like a natural furnace. The continuous heat from the palms immediately relieved the heavy, sore feeling.
"Back home... it always hurt every time I came?" he whispered in the darkness.
Li Xianglian nestled in his arms and nodded gently: "Back then, we had to go to the river to wash clothes in winter, which left me with a chronic illness. It hurts quite a bit every time."
Qin Rushan knew she had a difficult past, but hearing her say it with his own ears, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken.
The man tightened his grip on her, resting his chin on the top of her head, his voice a little deep: "From now on, I'll take care of anything related to your period, including getting it wet. Go to sleep."
……
The next morning, just as the rooster crowed.
Li Xianglian was still dreaming when she heard the sound of splashing water coming from the courtyard.
She put on her clothes, pushed open the door, and was immediately stunned.
Beside the well, Qin Rushan, shirtless and revealing his muscular physique, was squatting in front of the wooden basin.
Those big hands were clumsily scrubbing the clothes in the basin, soap suds flying everywhere.
Those were her dirty clothes that she had changed out of last night, and her panties with the stain.
Li Xianglian's face flushed bright red instantly, and she rushed over to snatch it back: "Brother Shan! What are you doing! Put it down quickly, that's a woman's stuff, it's bad luck! I'll wash it myself!"
"What bad luck!"
Qin Rushan shifted his body to avoid her hand, his brows furrowing, and said in a fierce tone, "Didn't I tell you not to touch cold water these past few days? Are you ignoring me?"
"But...but that's..."
Li Xianglian was so anxious that she stomped her feet. Those were her undergarments and soiled underwear. If word got out, people would laugh at her for making him, a grown man, wash them.
"What you're wearing is our stuff."
Qin Rushan didn't stop rubbing his hands, giving them a couple of vigorous rubs. "Go back to sleep for a while. This cold water is tough on the bones, don't let it cause any problems."
Just as they were arguing, Wang Qiao, carrying that empty basket that looked like a signboard, cautiously peeked in from outside the courtyard gate.
"Oh dear! Am I seeing things this early in the morning?"
Wang Qiao, with her loud voice and eyes fixed on the clothes in Qin Rushan's hands, laughed so hard that the powder on her face was practically falling off, "Our Xiahe Village bully, Qin Dashan, is actually washing his wife's underwear?"
Li Xianglian was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground. She tugged at Qin Rushan's arm and said, "Sister-in-law is here..."
Qin Rushan remained unfazed, shook the foam off his hands, and stood up: "My wife isn't feeling well, this was just something I did on the spur of the moment."
Upon hearing this, Wang Qiao's eyes immediately became meaningful, and she slyly glanced at Li Xianglian.
"Tsk tsk tsk! Look, look! Everyone in the village, young and old, should learn from this!"
Wang Qiao put the basket down on the stone table, clicking her tongue in amazement. "Xianglian, you're so lucky! This man earns money during the day, works hard at night, and even takes care of you in the morning! You didn't just marry a man, you fell into a paradise!"
She lowered her voice, leaned close to Li Xianglian, and smiled, her face crinkling with wrinkles: "You have no idea, these past few days, all the old women in the village have been so envious of the noise you've been making at your house last night! They're all saying behind your backs that Qin Rushan is a tireless bull, and they wish they could throw their own husbands into the ditch!"
Li Xianglian's face turned so red it looked like it could bleed, and she lowered her head, picking at her fingers: "Sister-in-law, don't talk nonsense..."
Qin Rushan listened from the side, not annoyed at all, but instead a smug smile appeared on his lips. He wrung out the washed clothes, casually hung them on the clothesline, and turned to look at Wang Qiao.
"Auntie, what's the latest news that's come so early in the morning?" Li Xianglian knew that this Sister Wang never came without a reason; she was always there whenever there was gossip to be had.
The mere mention of this ignited Wang Qiao's gossip-loving fire, instantly extinguishing any thought she had for teasing Qin Rushan.
She was spitting as she spoke, her face a picture of epic proportions: "Major! Huge! This whole thing is going to make the Liu family's ancestral graves smoke with anger!"
Li Xianglian looked up curiously: "What's wrong?"
Wang Qiao said gloatingly, "Who else could it be? Liu Chunhua! It's settled! She's marrying Li Laizi on the eighth of next month!"
"Really marrying me?" Although Li Xianglian had heard rumors before, she was still surprised to hear the confirmation.
"Is it okay if I don't get married?"
Wang Qiao snorted coldly, pouting, "That night, everyone in the village saw it. Now, who in the whole commune doesn't know what happened in the cornfield that night? Liu Baoguo's old face is going to be trampled to pieces!" As she spoke, she patted her own face.
"Yesterday, the commune's women's director went to talk to her, saying that if she didn't hurry up and get things done, it would be considered illicit sexual relations, which is a crime of hooliganism! They'll have Liu Chunhua paraded through the streets as a public spectacle, and they'll even hang her sluts on her!"
These days, hooliganism is a serious crime. If Liu Chunhua were really paraded through the streets, her life would be completely over, and she might even end up in jail.
"So, Liu Baoguo gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger, forcing Liu Chunhua to agree."
Wang Qiao cracked open the sunflower seeds she had just pulled out of her pocket, laughing so hard she was shaking.
Liu Baoguo usually acts like a local tyrant in the village, and many villagers have been waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
"I heard that Liu Chunhua was threatening suicide at home, screaming until her voice was hoarse, but nobody paid any attention. Serves her right! That's what they call 'the wicked get their comeuppance'! She used to be so arrogant, but now look what happened—she's married to that leper Li, he'll get what's coming to her!"
Qin Rushan listened without even lifting his eyelids, simply uttering a curt, "Those who reap what they sow will not live."
Wang Qiao tucked the empty basket under her arm and gestured with her chin towards Li Xianglian: "Alright, let's not talk about that runaway family thing anymore, it's bad luck. I'm going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some salt, and while I'm at it, I'll see what freshly picked bok choy they have. Xianglian, why don't you come with me? You're getting really bored staying at home all day."
Wang Qiao reached out with her free hand, which wasn't carrying a basket, and grabbed Li Xianglian's arm, acting as intimately as two sisters.
Asking her to go grocery shopping together was a pretense; what he really wanted was to gossip about her private life.
She was itching to find out more about the Qin family's "battle situation" over the past few days, and wanted to take advantage of the journey.
These past few days, the commotion in the Qin family's courtyard has been constant, day and night.
I could hear several couples in the next house staring at each other in their blankets.
Those who have been through it all in the village know it very well.
These strong laborers, who have just tasted meat and are no longer hungry, are just like new oxen that have just come out of the ground.
Once the plow is harnessed, it doesn't need a whip to spur it on; it's full of inexhaustible ox strength and wants to plow the land through!
Upon hearing this, Li Xianglian subconsciously turned around and glanced at the open door behind her.
Inside the room, on the kang (a heated brick bed) were piles of bundles that had just been packed up the night before, as well as two camphor wood chests that hadn't been fastened yet.
She smiled shyly and shook her head: "Sister-in-law, I'm afraid it's not possible today. The house is a mess, full of old belongings that haven't been properly organized. I need to hurry up and tidy it up; we have to move in a couple of days."
"move?"
Wang Qiao's slanted eyes widened instantly, and she seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch. "Where are you moving to? Our Red Star Brigade only has such a small area. Which ditch do you want to move to?"