ABPUBALC - Chapter 25

 Chapter 25: The Goat

In the dead of night, the dogs were startled awake by a commotion outside. They howled fiercely, sounding almost like wolves.

Lin Xing hastily dressed and got out of bed. Outside, Gu Qiming was leaning against the door, waiting for Lin Xing to open it.

“Why are you back so late?” Lin Xing asked worriedly. It was well past midnight, approaching the hour of the Rat. Coming down the mountain at this hour was dangerous.

Gu Qiming didn’t answer directly, instead smiling and saying, “Look what I’ve brought back today.”

He stepped aside to reveal his prize to Lin Xing.

Lin Xing peered around him and was astonished to see a large black mountain goat!

“Where did you get a black goat?” he exclaimed.

“From the mountain, of course,” Gu Qiming replied.

“I mean, how did you catch a black goat? They’re rare to see.”

And this one was still alive, no less.

“I’ll tell you in a bit. Let me tie it up in the yard first.”

Gu Qiming led the goat into the backyard and tied it up. It had been quite a struggle to bring it down the mountain. He’d nearly been kicked by its hooves several times.

After securing the goat, he came back inside, ready to regale Lin Xing with the tale of his capture. But before he could begin his embellished account, Lin Xing suddenly asked, “Have you eaten?”

Gu Qiming: …

“I... I have,” he stammered.

“At Lin Yun’s place?”

“Where else would I eat?”

Lin Xing knew immediately that Gu Qiming was lying. If he’d really gone to Lin Yun’s, he wouldn’t have come back so late at night. Even Lin Zheng would have insisted he stay the night.

“I’ll make you some soup. Go wash your hands first.”

Gu Qiming quickly grabbed his hand. “Don’t trouble yourself. It’s so late.”

Lin Xing frowned. “Tell me the truth. You haven’t eaten anything today, have you?”

Gu Qiming sheepishly replied, “Well, not nothing. There were plenty of fruits on the mountain.”

As expected, Lin Xing grew alarmed. “Fruits barely count as food! I’ll make you some hot soup to fill your stomach.”

Gu Qiming stood up. “Alright, I’ll go stoke the fire for you.”

Given the late hour, Lin Xing decided against a heavy meal, opting instead for egg drop soup. It was a recipe his mother had taught him – satisfying but not too heavy for nighttime.

After washing up, Gu Qiming entered the kitchen to find Lin Xing chopping vegetables by the light of an oil lamp.

“Is this too much trouble? Anything simple will do,” Gu Qiming said, not wanting Lin Xing to fuss over cooking in the middle of the night.

Without pausing his work, Lin Xing replied softly, “It’s no trouble. It’ll be ready soon. Pour some water and light the fire. There’s hot water in the earthen pot.”

Lin Xing chopped quickly, cutting tofu and greens into fine strips. He added them to the boiling water, gradually stirring in corn starch to thicken the broth. Knowing Gu Qiming’s taste for spice, he crumbled some chili peppers for extra flavor.

As Gu Qiming tended the fire, he regaled Lin Xing with the tale of capturing the black goat.

He’d spent the entire day on the mountain, only to miss his target, a fox, by a hair’s breadth. Frustrated at losing his prey, he’d stayed out well into the night. Just as he was about to give up and return empty-handed, he decided to check the trap he’d set the day before. To his delight, he found a black mountain goat caught in it, struggling and bleeding from its leg. Gu Qiming had quickly bandaged the wound before leading the goat down the mountain, his heart soaring with joy at his unexpected prize.

The journey down the mountain had been arduous, with the goat struggling constantly. It had taken a considerable amount of Gu Qiming’s strength to lead the animal home.

By now, the vegetables in the pot were nearly cooked. Lin Xing poured in the beaten eggs and added a few drops of sesame oil. The fragrant egg drop soup was ready.

This was Gu Qiming’s first time tasting this era’s egg drop soup; he’d never even heard of it being sold in town before. The broth had a pleasant tang from the chili peppers, with a nice mix of salty and spicy flavors. The tofu and daylily buds gave it a delightful texture.

Lin Xing had only made one bowl, just enough to fill Gu Qiming’s stomach.

After Gu Qiming finished his late supper, Lin Xing sat on the edge of the bed waiting for him. His head kept nodding, like a little chick pecking at grains.

“Sleepy?” Gu Qiming asked.

“Mm-hmm,” Lin Xing mumbled, shaking his head to clear it. He’d wanted to chat more with Gu Qiming, but his eyelids were already growing heavy again.

Gu Qiming lifted the blanket and tucked them both in, embracing Lin Xing as usual as they settled down to sleep.

Lin Xing felt the warmth of Gu Qiming’s chest against his back, his thoughts growing hazy. He was becoming more and more dependent on his Gu-ge. When he lay in bed alone, it always felt like something was missing, and he couldn’t sleep soundly. Now, held in Gu Qiming’s arms, he felt much more at ease.

As drowsiness overtook him, Gu Qiming soon felt Lin Xing’s breathing grow steady and even. It seemed today had worn him out.

When Gu Qiming had returned, he’d noticed how spotless the kitchen was. Lin Xing must have given the whole house a thorough cleaning. There was even a new wooden shelter in the yard for the dogs, likely built in a single day. He probably hadn’t rested at all.

Gu Qiming gently took Lin Xing’s hand in his, holding it close as they drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

*

Early the next morning, Da Huang and Er Huang began barking in the backyard. They’d never seen a black mountain goat before, and they circled it excitedly, barking and pouncing. The irritated goat tried to kick at them with its hooves.

Inside, Gu Qiming was being lazy, reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed and his husband. His large hand slipped inside Lin Xing’s inner robe, carelessly kneading the soft flesh at his waist. Lin Xing’s skin prickled with goosebumps.

He pushed against Gu Qiming’s chest, blushing. “Stop that... We need to go to town soon.”

“You’re not coming with me today. There’s no rush, we can get up later,” Gu Qiming murmured, his hands growing bolder as they roamed lower.

“No, we can’t... We haven’t even washed up yet,” Lin Xing protested urgently. If this continued, they wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon.

Gu Qiming relented, albeit reluctantly. He couldn’t force himself on his husband if he truly objected.

After breakfast, Gu Qiming led the goat out from the backyard, ready to depart.

“Don’t forget to buy vegetable seeds,” Lin Xing reminded him, standing at the door. He handed Gu Qiming a basket filled with freshly made flatbread rolls. The two dogs sat at his feet, tongues lolling.

Gu Qiming cupped Lin Xing’s neck and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. “Of course, I won’t forget. And don’t cook dinner tonight. I’ll bring back a roast chicken and some meat pies.”

It had been a while since they’d had roast chicken at home.

Gu Qiming struggled to lead the goat along the road. Despite being penned up all night, it was still quite spirited. As he tugged the animal along, they drew many curious glances.

At the market, mutton sold for about 70 wen per jin. Gu Qiming’s goat weighed over 80 jin, though there wouldn’t be much meat left after butchering. He managed to sell it [e/n: woops, and here I was hoping for more pets, damn]for 5 taels of silver.

Gu Qiming was satisfied with the price. His wild goat fetched more than a domesticated one would have.

With the silver safely tucked away, he first visited a general store to buy vegetable seeds. Lin Xing had specifically asked him to get more, as their supply at home was running low.

Normally, farming families saved their own seeds, but mice had gotten into their stores, forcing them to buy replacements.

Gu Qiming purchased an assortment of seeds, then went to the grain shop for white flour and various grains. Their pantry needed restocking.

Munching on one of Lin Xing’s flatbreads, he leisurely made his way to the East Market, home to Stone Bridge Town’s largest horse market.

Before he even saw the horses, a pungent odor assailed his nostrils. Wrinkling his nose, Gu Qiming pressed on.

The horse market was chaotic. A few men sat chatting, paying him no mind until he actively inquired about prices.

Seeing Gu Qiming’s bamboo basket and hemp clothing, the seller quoted offhandedly, “Eighty taels for a stallion, sixty for a colt.”

He’d seen plenty of people like this—always asking prices, never able to afford them.

Eighty taels! Gu Qiming was shocked at how expensive horses were. He couldn’t afford one even if he sold everything he owned.

Fortunately, the market also had mules and donkeys for sale.

“How much for a donkey?” he asked a vendor.

“Two thousand seven hundred wen.”

“And a mule?”

“Five thousand wen.”

Much cheaper than horses. Gu Qiming realized that in their area, horses were like cars, while donkeys were more like small electric vehicles. A donkey would suffice for hauling goods.

He stroked a donkey and haggled, “How about two thousand five hundred?”

The seller, seeing Gu Qiming’s genuine interest, didn’t push too hard. “Well, these are top-quality donkeys, raised on the best feed. Look at that coat—it’s excellent!”

“Tell you what, since you’re serious about buying, I’ll let you have it for two thousand six hundred. Normally we wouldn’t sell for less than two thousand eight hundred.”

“I’ll throw in the bit and pack saddle too, so you won’t need to buy those separately. How’s that sound?”

“Alright, saddle him up for me then,” Gu Qiming agreed, satisfied. He’d managed to knock off a hundred wen from the initial price.

In the past, he would have paid whatever was asked without question.

The seller was accommodating, personally fitting the bit and reins on the donkey for Gu Qiming.

Gu Qiming hung his purchases on the donkey’s back, then handed over two qian of silver and counted out six hundred copper coins for the seller.

“I’ll give you an even better deal next time!” the seller said cheerfully, pleased to have made a sale.

Leading the donkey out of the horse market, Gu Qiming took a deep breath of fresh air. The stench of so many animals had nearly brought tears to his eyes.

The East Market was far, and it would take a while just to leave town. With the days growing shorter, it would be late by the time he got home. Fortunately, the donkey was docile and followed him obediently.

The streets were filled with the enticing aroma of freshly baked sugar cakes and chestnut pastries. Sugar cakes cost two wen each, while the more expensive chestnut pastries were eight wen for a small portion.

Gu Qiming bought only one sugar cake but had the shopkeeper pack quite a few chestnut pastries. Lin Xing loved these sweets but was too frugal to buy them, preferring to spend money on meat instead. So whenever Gu Qiming went to town alone, he’d bring some back. However, he’d learned to limit the amount, as Lin Xing would devour them within two days regardless of how many he brought.

The main road back was busy with people leading horses and donkeys, and tea stalls lined both sides. At the end of each month, many vendors set up stalls here to sell goods, though Gu Qiming had never paid much attention before. They offered various trinkets, slightly cheaper than those in town.

He picked up a bag of mountain hawthorns for Lin Xing, who loved eating them fresh or dried in slices for tea.

The official road was much wider than the small paths he usually took, with pleasant scenery. Walking along with his new donkey felt quite enjoyable, though it made him miss his husband even more.

As he entered the village, he ran into Da Niu carrying little Lin Fu. Da Niu excitedly asked about the donkey: “Did you buy it in town?”

“Yes, I found a good deal there,” Gu Qiming replied, patting the donkey’s side. “It’ll be convenient for us when we go to town to sell game.”

Da Niu nodded. “That’s true. You need to sell your catch quickly, and it takes an hour each way. A donkey will help.”

Gu Qiming gave the little one a package of chestnut pastries. Xiao Fu thanked him solemnly, acting like a little adult. He didn’t even squirm when Uncle Gu pinched his cheeks, allowing Gu Qiming to playfully squeeze his little face.

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