TTLJDFL Chapter 38

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When Li Jin returned home, he saw two wooden basins and a wooden bucket placed in a sunny spot in the courtyard.

They were filled with water, seemingly left to warm under the sun.

Li Jin put his back basket in the study. Now that he had a study, he would always go there first to organize his books, writing materials, and ink before drafting his study and practice plans for the evening—reminding himself that no matter how tired he was, he must remain diligent and not slack off.

"Diligence leads to excellence, while indulgence leads to decline"—this was precisely the principle he lived by.

After all, he was a transmigrator, and the original owner of this body had a weak foundation. The only things he had successfully retained and adapted to in this world were the official language and local dialect—everything else was gone.

The county examination was scheduled for next February. Li Jin knew he had started much later than those who had been studying since childhood.

So he never dared to slack off for even a moment. He didn't believe his talent was extraordinary, so self-discipline and perseverance were his greatest advantages over his peers.

For instance, once Li Jin decided to practice calligraphy, he would make sure to write at least five to ten large pages of characters daily, practicing on both sides of rough paper.

Even on days when he carried water or worked in the fields, leaving his shoulders and arms aching, he still persisted.

Now, he felt his handwriting had improved significantly.

But it still wasn't at a level he was satisfied with, so he continued his daily practice.

The county exam required candidates to write in standard script, but there were no strict regulations on whether to use Yan-style or Liu-style calligraphy, both of which were popular at the time.

Li Jin had been using Liu-style for copying texts, and he believed that by the time the exam arrived, his Liu-style handwriting would be quite polished.

Today, Li Jin listed three study goals:

Review The Book of Rites (Middle Section) and ensure fluent memorization.

Copy The Book of Rites (Lower Section)—approximately one and a half hours of work.

Practice the brushstroke technique for "left-falling strokes."

Of course, before starting his studies, Li Jin had to finish his dinner and water the vegetable garden.

After setting down his brush, he left the study, just as the young man emerged from the backyard, seemingly about to bring the basins of water inside.

Li Jin stepped forward to take the basin and casually asked, "What are you sunning this water for?"

The young man followed behind him and answered honestly, "For bathing."

Li Jin paused mid-step, nearly tripping on the spot.

The young man explained, "The village's midwife passed by today and asked about my recovery. I then asked if I could bathe now, and she said it should be fine."

Li Jin thought about it—since the young man hadn't experienced postpartum bleeding, he technically could bathe. He had only refrained from letting him do so earlier because he was worried about his health.

Now that nearly a month had passed, and since the midwife had given approval, and the young man himself wanted to, there was no reason to refuse.

However, instead of taking the water inside, Li Jin turned around and headed outside.

The young man followed him, showing no sign of displeasure—he truly trusted Li Jin unconditionally.

Li Jin placed the basin down, picked up the bucket, and walked toward the kitchen.

A fire was lit.

Clearly, he was planning to boil water.

The young man finally spoke up, "Ah Jin, it's just bathwater. No need to waste firewood."

Li Jin said, "Your body is weak. I’ll feel more at ease if we boil the water first and let it cool before you bathe."

In this era, people were already aware of sterilization and disinfection, but typically, only newborns had their bathwater boiled and cooled to a suitable temperature. Adults were not treated with such care.

A pair of adorable dimples appeared on the young man’s lips. Li Jin’s final words, "I’ll feel more at ease," filled him with joy for the rest of the day.

He wanted to do something to repay Li Jin, but after thinking hard, he couldn't figure out what he could do.

In an instant, a look of frustration appeared on the young man’s face.

Li Jin turned his head just in time to catch that expression. He couldn't help but think that no matter what this person did, he always looked so obedient and endearing.

Unable to resist, he reached out and playfully tapped the young man’s nose.

"Keep an eye on the pot. Once the water boils, scoop it into the basin. I’ll go water the vegetable patch first. When I return and the water has cooled to a safe temperature, you can take your bath."

After giving his instructions, he saw the young man nod obediently, which reassured him enough to leave for the vegetable patch.

When he returned, he found that the young man had used the waiting time to knead and roll out some dough. He was preparing to cook some noodles.

Li Jin had to admit, the young man was exceptionally skilled at making home-cooked meals. Even with coarse flour that contained husks, he managed to knead the dough until it was delightfully chewy.

The pork trotter soup from the previous day had been stored in a jar in the corner of the courtyard. The young man reheated it in a pot, then poured it over the cooked noodles, adding a sprinkle of chopped scallions and salt. The result was simply delicious.

Li Jin finished reciting The Book of Rites (Middle Section) from memory just as the young man finished preparing dinner.

They ate together, and by then, the boiled water had cooled to a comfortable temperature for bathing.

The young man scooped the water into a basin, and Li Jin helped him carry it inside.

Standing in place for a moment, Li Jin wondered if there was anything he could do to help.

So he said, "I’ll be in the courtyard. If you need any help, just call me."

The young man responded with a quiet "Mm." Li Jin took that as his cue to leave.

He stood in the courtyard for a while, listening for any sounds from inside. When he finally heard the splashing of water, he turned to fetch some water for himself and washed his face.

After calming his thoughts, he returned to his study to continue copying texts.

Li Jin had just finished writing a single passage when he suddenly heard the young man call out from the room.

"Ah Jin, Ah Jin!"

Li Jin quickly set down his brush and walked to the door, asking, "What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

The young man’s voice was soft as he said, "Can you come inside for a moment?"

Li Jin replied, "Alright, let me wash my hands first."

Since he had been writing, his hands were likely stained with ink.

When he entered, the young man was standing with his back to him, completely unclothed.

He was in the usual spot where they had placed the small table earlier.

A wooden basin filled with water sat on the floor, along with a cloth.

The young man spoke hesitantly. "Can you… help me wipe my back?"

Li Jin didn’t respond immediately, but he had already crouched down, wringing the cloth until it was only slightly damp before gently wiping the young man’s back.

Under the dim candlelight, the young man’s skin appeared especially fair. Since he was thin, his shoulder blades jutted out slightly, making him seem both fragile and delicate.

Even though the young man was usually cheerful and straightforward, he was now blushing fiercely, even with his back turned.

Initially, he hadn’t intended to ask Li Jin for help.

But as he bathed, he recalled something his father had once told him.

Before passing away, his father had been deeply worried about his future marriage and had given him a lot of advice—whether or not he fully understood it at the time.

In this era, a ge’er's (a male with the ability to bear children) happiness in life depended entirely on his husband and children.

Living independently was incredibly difficult. On top of that, society’s judgment and scrutiny were relentless. Without an incredibly strong will, it was nearly impossible to survive alone.

His father had once asked him, "Do you know what it means to become arrogant due to being spoiled?"

The young Qin Muwen had thought for a moment before answering, "If I can handle something myself, I shouldn't trouble my husband."

His father had laughed and said, "That’s correct. In this household, all the purchasing and budgeting must go through the mistress, but we do not trouble the master with such matters."

Then he had asked, "What else?"

Qin Muwen answered, "I shouldn't be too delicate. I shouldn't act unreasonably. And I… I should listen to my husband!"

His father had looked at his pure, naive face—one that was already shadowed with worry due to his illness—and finally felt at ease.

His child had such a gentle temperament. As long as his future husband wasn’t cruel, he would surely be cherished.

Even if the love faded over time, he could still have a child and live a peaceful, steady life.

But after reflecting on his own life, his father had hesitated for a long time before pulling Qin Muwen close.

"When your husband spoils you, you can occasionally act a little delicate. But remember—everything has its limits."

Qin Muwen had found his father’s words too profound to understand, so he simply committed them to memory.

Then his father had given him a few examples. Seeing his son’s wide-eyed surprise, he had wanted to say more but ultimately held back.

He had merely sighed and said, "It all depends on fate. You, my child, were raised by me alone, and you have never fought for anything. No matter what I tell you, it may be pointless."

What his father didn’t realize was that those few examples had left a deep impression on Qin Muwen.

Now, recalling his father’s words, Qin Muwen thought—since Ah Jin had mentioned wanting him to rely on him, maybe he should try.

Li Jin wiped his way down from Qin Muwen’s delicate shoulder blades to the slight dip of his waist. Then he rinsed the cloth and wiped him down once more.

His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. "All done."

The young man, flustered, took the cloth from Li Jin’s hands with his pale fingers and murmured, "Thank you."

Li Jin turned his back. "Hurry and put on your clothes so you don’t catch a chill."

Then, as if escaping, he quickly strode out of the room and shut the door behind him.

That night, Qin Muwen once again curled up against the wall to sleep, placing their child, who had been neglected for days, back between them.

When Li Jin returned to the room after bathing, the young boy had already fallen asleep facing the baozi.

It seemed that there would be no exchanging of "sweet dreams" tonight.

Li Jin didn’t know what he was thinking, but after taking off his outer robe, he moved the steamed bun to the innermost side.

As he adjusted the boy back, his breathing remained steady, looking incredibly obedient.

Feeling satisfied, Li Jin blew out the lamp and softly whispered by the boy’s ear, "Sweet dreams."

After a while, Li Jin fell asleep. The boy's eyelashes trembled rapidly for a moment, and then he carefully scooted closer to Li Jin. In a voice so soft that no one could possibly hear, he murmured, "Sweet dreams."

At last, he could rest easy—Ah Jin didn’t seem to think he was being too spoiled by asking for help with wiping his back.

After saying this, he let out a yawn he had been holding in, his eyes glistening with two small tears before he, too, fell into a deep slumber.

The last thought in his mind before drifting off was that he had finally washed himself clean and no longer had to worry about Ah Jin disliking him.

The Next Morning

Early the next morning, the baozi's big eyes rolled around, taking in his surroundings.

Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t the place he had fallen asleep last night.

But with his tiny brain, he simply couldn’t figure out how he had ended up here.

However, the two guilty adults both pretended nothing had happened, as if baozi had somehow managed to crawl over by himself, using his little legs to dash across the bed to the corner.

Li Jin calculated the days and said, "In four days, the baozi will be a full month old. According to village customs, we should hold a banquet, shave his head, and move his sleeping place.

"I’ve also been thinking about giving him a proper name these past few days."

Qin Muwen nodded in agreement, then suddenly remembered something. "Yesterday, Brother Daniu’s wife came looking for me. She said her sister’s family is in urgent need of money and wants to sell a piece of bright red cotton fabric at a lower price. She asked if we’d be interested.

"I was going to tell you last night, but... I forgot."

Bright red fabric was usually reserved for weddings or the New Year.

Moreover, in the village, people rarely made special red wedding clothes, as they could only be worn once—such a waste.

Most would simply wear a red sash, and only wealthier families in town would make a full set of red wedding attire.

Previously, the villagers had looked down on Li Jin’s family and rarely invited them to any celebrations.

But now, Brother Daniu’s wife had chosen to approach Qin Muwen first about selling the fabric. That alone was a good sign.

In the village, being a "ger" (a male who can bear children) meant little social standing, and besides Xiao An, almost no one had been close to Qin Muwen before.

Even Li Zhuzi had mentioned yesterday that if Li Jin was worried about leaving his spouse alone, he could have his wife come over to help.

Additionally, the village midwife had taken the initiative to check in on Qin Muwen’s recovery.

To Li Jin, this meant that not only had the villagers started accepting him after his "reformation," but they were also gradually welcoming Qin Muwen, the outsider.

It was a slow process, but everything was moving in a good direction.

This way, even if Li Jin became too busy one day, Qin Muwen wouldn’t be left completely isolated.

Without any immediate family, good relationships with neighbors were the best support system.

Li Jin wanted Qin Muwen to integrate more into village life, so he said, "We currently have five taels of silver, plus over a string of copper coins.

"If you think the fabric is good, feel free to buy it.

"Of course, if you don’t want it, we can always purchase something else."

Qin Muwen blinked—was he being asked to make the decision?

Li Jin chuckled. "Of course. You’re in charge of the household money and purchases."

Qin Muwen’s round almond eyes widened slightly. He had always considered himself just a savings keeper, responsible only for storing the money.

Li Jin added, "There will be many such matters in the future. You can start getting used to it now. The villagers are easy to get along with, so don’t worry. I’m here."

Qin Muwen looked at Li Jin, his eyes filled with trust. He said, "I’m not afraid."

Besides, that sister-in-law from yesterday had a kind face and spoke politely. He had been nervous at first but soon found that he wasn’t afraid at all.

Naturally introverted, Qin Muwen rarely initiated conversations. Only those he was truly close to could reach the softest part of his heart.

But since Ah Jin said so, even if he felt a little anxious, he would still do his best.

Seeing how obedient he was, Li Jin was filled with joy. He added, "Be friendly with those who treat you well. As for those who don’t, just ignore them. I’ll deal with them for you."

Author’s Note:

Qin Muwen: …I feel like I’m being trained to be a little tyrant. So unfair.

P.S. Wenwen’s late father, the ultimate wingman.

Tl Notes:

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