208 – Comfort

As soon as the carriage stopped, Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin jumped steadily out of the carriage and were immediately surrounded by joyful friends.

Qin Mian and Lei Tie get off the carriage afterward. Qin Mian greeted the villagers with a smile.

“Hope that everyone is well?”

Qin Mian and Lei Tie had been officials for a long time. The villagers had heard about it. At this time, they saw that Qin Mian had no airs of an official and was as polite as before. They were very comfortable and had a more sincere smile on their faces.

“Good, we’re all good.” Wu Di was happy to see them again and asked with a smile, “How are you?”

“We’re good, too.” Qin Mian said with a smile, “Thank you for your concern for our family. You see, we have a lot of guests today – please excuse us. We’ll invite the villagers to dine another day.”

The villagers said, one after another, “Ah, alright, alright, we won’t hold you up. You do what you need to do first.”

“Ruiqi and Ruilin, are you going to play here or come home with us?” Qin Mian asked his two sons.

Lei Ruilin said, “Gege and I will play here for a while, Dad.”

“Alright.” Qin Mian took a packet of confectionery from the carriage and handed it to the two brothers, “Invite everyone to have some snacks.”

Qin Ruiqi promised, “Dad can rest assured.”

White Spot, Golden Fur, and Golden Eagle followed him and Lei Ruilin.

Qin Mian and Lei Tie got back on the carriage and led the Imperial Bodyguards to Leisurely Farmhouse.

When Uncle Quan, Aunt Quan, and the others received the news, they quickly ran over. They were very excited to see the two masters again.

Qin Mian told Steward Fu to arrange for the Imperial Bodyguards to stay in Qilin Mountain Villa.

As the carriage drove into Leisurely Farmhouse, Qin Mian couldn’t wait and jumped out of the carriage, looking around in yearning.

Lei Tie came up to Qin Mian and put his arm around Qin Mian’s shoulders.

Qin Mian pulled him forward, walking briskly and looking cheerful. He went to the pomegranate tree and picked a big pomegranate and handed it to Lei Tie.

“A-Tie, now I feel really free.”

Lei Tie gently kissed his lips, “Wife, I have wronged you. Don’t worry, no one will disturb us ever again.”

“En.” Qin Mian hugged him back and gave him a big hard smooch on the lips. “On the way back, I’ve already thought about it. We’d better hire a [homeschool] teacher for the two children. Like Dongyang Academy, we can arrange winter vacation and summer vacation for the children, and then we can take them out for sightseeing.”

Lei Tie pursed his lips. “We haven’t been out alone for a long time – you and me.”

Qin Mian rubbed his hot face and looked directly into the man’s eyes with a smile, “Well then, let the children study in school this year and hire a [homeschool] teacher for them next year.”

Lei Tie immediately nodded; his eyes became incomparably scorching hot.

Qin Mian held Lei Tie’s head in both hands and kissed him.

Lei Tie’s eyes flashed and responded with the same vehemence.

They finally broke away from the bondage of the imperial court; the kiss was the release of their inner feelings. After a good while, when they were aware that there would be fire if they continue, they released each other. Staring at each other’s ruddy and swollen lips, their hearts agitated once more and their fervent eyes entangled for a long time.

Standing in the distance, Uncle Quan and Aunt Quan could feel the ambiguities around the two masters even with their heads lowered.

Lei Tie silently kissed his wife’s eyebrows and then held his hand as they walked to their home.

Aunt Quan came to clean the house every two days. The house was almost spotless, as if the people who lived here had never left.

Qin Mian nodded with satisfaction and told Uncle Quan, “Uncle Quan, today is a good day. Pass my words: All servants in the household will be rewarded with a month’s salary.”

“Yes! Many thanks, Eldest Master and Little Master.”

Lei Tie lightly said, “Henceforth, just call Old Lord and Lady.”

Qin Mian glanced at him with a forced smile, not saying anything.

Uncle Quan replied, “Yes.”

Aunt Quan said, “My Old Lord and Lady, this old woman is going to prepare the meal.”

Qin Mian waved his hand and said, “No need. Uncle Quan, go to see if Steward Fu needs any help. Aunt Quan, go pick some fresh vegetables. I’ll prepare the meal myself.”

“Yes, my Lady.”

Aunt Quan was very quick in her work, and soon she came with a vegetable basket. Besides some fresh vegetables and fruits, there were two strips of cured meat and a dried salted duck in the basket.

After putting down the basket, she left purposely.

Qin Mian caught a fish from the space, took out some fresh meat, and prepared the meal with great interest. When he was in Kui County, he was busy from morning to night, so he had little time to cook for his family. Now that he came home, he had to make up for his family.

Lei Tie didn’t have to be ordered; he went to deal with the ingredients.

Lei Xiangyi, Lei Xiangli, Qian Shi, and Sun Shi walked quickly into the hedge yard, carrying things in their hands.

“Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law, you are finally back.”

Qin Mian went out, shook the water on his hands, and said with a smile, “You’re all here. Come in and sit down.”

Lei Xiangyi put down the sausages and cured meat in his hands, “Eldest Sister-in-law. Since you and Eldest Brother haven’t been at home for such a long time, we figured that there shouldn’t be much meat in your house, so we took some from home and sent them to you.”

“You’re just in time. I’m cooking.” Qin Mian invited the four people inside, “Come in and sit down.”

Lei Xiangli said, “You’re busy; we won’t sit here. We’ll come back tomorrow to talk with you two.”

Qin Mian didn’t insist, “Alright, I won’t keep you. Careful.”

“Continue what you’re doing, Eldest Sister-in-law.”

After sending off Lei Xiangyi and the others, Qin Mian continued to cook.

Seven dishes later, which consisted of crystal sweet and sour meat, sweet and sour carp, mushroom and chestnut chicken, braised lobster, lettuce with minced garlic, stir-fried spinach in soy sauce, and corn ribs soup, the setting sun had set behind the mountains.

Qin Mian asked Lei Tier to call their two sons to come back for dinner.

Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin ran into the house covered in sweat.

“Dad, how fragrant! Can we start eating now? ” Lei Ruilin looked at the dishes all over the table with admiration.

Qin Mian saw the sweat on the faces of the two little boys. “A-Tie, wipe the sweat on their bodies. Don’t let them catch a cold.”

“En.” Lei Tie scooped up a basin of cold water, heated it directly with vital spirit, and motioned to his two sons to wash their faces and hands.

“Son, what about White Spots and the others?” Qin Mian asked casually.

Lei Ruilin said, “They went to the mountain.”

Qin Mian responded with a sound, expressing that he got it and was not worried about their safety.

After Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin washed, Lei Tie wrung out the face towel with warm water and put it into their clothes to wipe the sweat on their backs.

Qin Ruiqi couldn’t bear it and burst out laughing. Leaning on his father’s thigh, he turned his head and said, “Old Dad, it tickles.”

Qin Mian came out with bowls and chopsticks. When he saw this, he smiled. This child laughed less; at this time, he looked especially cute.

“When you’re done, we can start dinner.”

“Dad, I’ve washed. Let me scoop dishes for you and Old Dad,” requested Lei Ruilin.

“Alright.” Qin Mian sat down at the table with a smile. “Today, your Old Dad and I are waiting for you and your Gege to serve us.”

“No problem.” The two brothers answered with a clear and melodious voice. One person carried a bowl, while the other loaded rice into the bowl.

Qin Ruiqi held the rice bowl in both hands and handed it to Qin Mian, “Dad has worked hard. Have a meal, Dad.”

“Alright, my sons are truly good boys.” Qin Mian was warm in his heart. He put his arms around his son’s small shoulders and gave him a kiss on his forehead.

The two brothers then gave Lei Tie a bowl of rice and also got a word of praise, “Good boys.”

The family enjoyed a delicious dinner in a warm atmosphere.

Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin were also tired today. After taking a bath, they went to bed and soon fell asleep one after another.

After taking a bath, Qin Mian and Lei Tie went to the bedroom on the second floor. After some affectionate moments, they embraced each other and fell asleep…..

The next morning, Qin Mian woke up amidst the sound of birds and the fragrance of fruits. He heard the heave-ho of Lei Tie and his two sons practicing in the yard. He put on his nightgown at the head of the bed and went to the verandah. He smiled as he looked at the three figures below.

Lei Tie was the first to find him. He looked up, with calm and profound tenderness flooded in his eyes.

Qin Mian gave him a flying kiss, went into the room, got dressed, and went downstairs.

The pot was warm with delicious beef and spinach porridge. Qin Mian had a taste; the delicious taste made his eyes smile. There was no need to say that although his family’s poker-face couldn’t cook rice or dishes, his level of cooking porridge even made him concede that the man was better qualified. As for how his skill of cooking porridge came about, well, let’s not mention it.

After breakfast, Qin Mian and Lei Tie went to Qilin Mountain Villa together to ask the Imperial Bodyguards to have another day off and return to the Capital the next day.

The leader of the Imperial Bodyguard also planned to take a day off, so he stayed with his subordinates. Qin Mian instructed Steward Fu to entertain them with care.

Thinking that they had just returned to the village, Qin Mian didn’t immediately send the boys to the village school. In the morning, the family of four went together to deliver gifts brought back from the Capital to the villagers, and then went to visit their farmland.

Near noon, Lei Xiangyi’s family and Lei Xiangli’s family came. The adults of the three families chatted about the recent situation together, while several children played together. It was very lively.

The lunch was eaten at Qin Mian’s home, with Aunt Fu and Aunt Quan cooking together. Both of them had good craftsmanship. Qin Mian and Lei Tie drank a few glasses of wine with Lei Xiangyi and Lei Xiangli. Everyone enjoyed the meal.

In the afternoon, Qin Mian and Lei Tie took a look at the account books of several workshops at home, and then went to see several shops in the town together. During the period when the family was away, the operation of the workshops and the shops was normal and nothing upsetting happened. Qin Mian was very satisfied and generously gave all the persons-in-charge red envelopes sealed with 100 tael, while all the employees were rewarded with 1 tael.

The next day, Qin Mian and Lei Tie personally sent the Imperial Bodyguards away from Green Mountain Village and took their two sons by the hand to school.