Luo Ge slept until nearly noon due to the events of last night.
"Awake?"
She thought Gu Jinchen would have gone out early, but surprisingly he was still in the room.
"Mm, where are Older Baby and Second Baby?" Rubbing her sore waist, Luo Ge murmured a response and asked.
Seeing it was nearly afternoon, she hoped the two little ones hadn't gone hungry.
"They're outside, don't worry. We had some leftover steamed buns from yesterday that I heated up for them to eat so they aren't hungry," Gu Jinchen replied.
After being fed by Luo Ge for several days, all their appetites had increased. Gu Jinchen's cooking skills...were truly hard to swallow.
It was still best to just eat yesterday's leftovers.
Hearing this, Luo Ge nodded. She suddenly noticed his complexion seemed a little off, an unnaturally flushed red.
Following where his evasive gaze led, Luo Ge glanced down at herself. Very good, a peeled boiled egg.
"Turn your head away," she commanded. She had passed out at the end so had no idea what else happened afterward.
Seeing her current state, she instantly blushed beet red.
"I didn't peek, I just checked on you earlier and saw you seemed quite injured last night, so I brought some medicine."
"D-do you need me to apply medicine for you?"
His stuttering explanation just made her feel more embarrassed and angry. She only had one 'injured' area. So he says he didn't peek...
Now Luo Ge's face turned completely red. She curled up tightly in the blankets and mumbled, "I can do it myself."
Although they had consummated as husband and wife last night, doing so now in broad daylight still made her feel awkward.
"You can't see back there yourself," the man bluntly stated this seemingly teasing line, yet it did not feel inappropriate at all.
But she had to admit he was right.
In the end, still blushing, Luo Ge let him help apply the medicine, forehead beaded with sweat.
Seeing his wife injured, he didn't have the heart to torment her further, yet it still left him hot and bothered.
"I'll go make some noodles for you," he said, looking for an excuse to step outside and cool down.
While his cooking skills were poor, making dough, pulling noodles, boiling water, and washing vegetables he could still do. Later his wife just needed to blanch them.
Regarding his lack of cooking prowess, he truly didn't understand why. He followed her steps yet the flavor still turned out...unspeakable.
Strangely, he succeeded at tasks like making dumplings and pulling noodles, doing them skillfully.
But cooking always failed. He really didn't know how to explain it.
"Mm," Luo Ge nodded. After he left, still sore, she put on her clothes.
Seeing the mess left on the bed, her freshly cooled face turned red again. She hurriedly changed the sheets. Only then did she exit the room.
"Auntie!"
As soon as she stepped out, the two little ones rushed over to hug her legs. Their eyes brimmed with concern.
"Auntie, did Uncle bully you?" Last night it sounded like Auntie was crying.
Then this morning when they wanted to find Auntie, Uncle wouldn't allow it.
"!" Luo Ge's barely cooled face flushed red again. She quickly shook her head. "No, your Uncle didn't bully me."
Seeing her appearance, the two little ones blinked doubtfully.
"Really?"
"You can tell us, Auntie. If Uncle bullied you we'll fight back for you," Second Baby said, waving a small fist at Gu Jinchen who had just walked over.
In just a few days, they had become completely bought over by Auntie's delicious food. They already really liked her from the start. Now with their stomachs conquered, they naturally wanted to protect her even more.
Gu Jinchen: "......"
He silently reached out and grabbed the two troublemakers, prying them off.
"Auntie isn't feeling well. Don't pester her," he scolded them, using his body to block the little ones, protective of his wife.
Seeing them, the big and little ones, Luo Ge amusedly shook her head.
"Really, your Uncle didn't bully me." But she still carefully answered the little ones' question.
Children's attention wandered strangely. If you didn't explain clearly, they might overthink. It was better to talk with them properly.
Hearing Luo Ge say this, the two finally felt reassured.
"That's good then."
Yet Gu Jinchen gave his little wife a meaningful look. He...didn't bully her?
Noticing his gaze, Luo Ge awkwardly evaded and hurried into the kitchen.
He had prepared quite a lot of noodles. The water had just started boiling so Luo Ge added all the noodles directly in.
Once the water boiled again she took out some eggs from the cabinet and cracked them in, then added wild vegetables. A simple egg and vegetable noodle soup was done.
"Come eat too," she called out. The dishes on the table never had leftovers. The only things remaining were what she had originally left in the kitchen.
She remembered only three or four steamed buns were left in the kitchen yesterday. Divided between them that definitely wouldn't be enough.
"Okay." Gu Jinchen walked in first to wash the bowls and chopsticks and serve out the noodles.
The two little ones very sensibly went to wash their hands clean.
"Hubby, I plan to tidy up the vegetable garden and plant some veggies. What do you think?" Seeing the wild vegetables, Luo Ge suddenly recalled this.
With all the rain lately, planting some vegetables should survive well. Eating wild plants every day wasn't great.
Better to grow their own and plant whatever they wanted to eat.
She had already planted some green onion, ginger, garlic, and chili patches by her own courtyard door.
For other types she had bought seeds but hadn't planted them yet.
"Sounds good. I'll go clear the weeds and turn over the soil later, then it'll be ready. What do you want to plant?"
"I haven't decided yet. Let's go into town together in a few days to see what seeds they have and just plant some randomly," Luo Ge suggested.
"Okay, sure."
The little couple were both the get-it-done type. They did as they said.
After eating and resting a while, Gu Jinchen brought her to see the Gu family vegetable patch near the riverside by the mountain.
Drawing water there was very convenient. Right next to the garden was an enormous old tree, perfect for shade from the blazing sun.
"You three just stay here in the shade," Gu Jinchen arranged her and the two little ones in the shaded area under the tree branches. "It's too sunny out there," he said, putting on a straw hat and walking to the other sunnier end.
Luo Ge had just taken two steps to follow him when his stern gaze stopped her.
"Be good." Seeing how she walked, he knew her body still wasn't comfortable. He hadn't wanted her to come along to start with. But he couldn't control her.
However, he absolutely could not allow her to bake under the sun.
So formidable. Luo Ge obediently shrank back her neck.
"Then...take care of yourself too," she said softly.
"Mm, good girl," Gu Jinchen gently patted her head, his demeanor relaxing.
His low voice combined with the gentle caress made her feel a little dizzy.
Blushing, she shrank back with the two little ones and quietly started weeding with a small hoe. The two little helpers busily picked weeds for her as well.
