"Get out!"
Pei Xia's cold eyes and knitted brows accompanied his terse order.
Seeing Qi Fu on this Chinese New Year day, he felt nothing but ill omen.
Qi Fu was taken aback, clearly not expecting Pei Xia to be so unfeeling.
The biting wind howled. Qi Fu shivered in the cold, her lips as red as cinnabar. A wisp of black hair fluttered beside her cheek, adding a touch of fragility and charm.
To create this alluring look, she had used the finest box of rouge.
She had even spent a hundred coins to find out that Pei Xia was on night - duty alone at the duck farm.
This was a once - in - a - lifetime opportunity. If she could win Pei Xia over and get him to divorce Qi Jiao, she was sure a good life awaited her.
She had invested so much; she wasn't here to be humiliated.
Quickly holding back her tears, Qi Fu resorted to the same coquettish act she had used on Guo Sanlang. Looking at Pei Xia shyly and timidly, she said, "My dear Pei, I truly have nowhere to go. It was my family that wronged you back then. If my parents hadn't been so greedy for wealth, I wouldn't have been sent to the Guo family. I truly have feelings for you..."
"Now that I'm back, they want to marry me off to a widower. I'm so desperate that I even thought of ending my life."
"My dear Pei, I don't ask you to do much for me. I just beg you to give me a corner to shelter from the wind. I'll hide here. I'll leave tomorrow without disturbing you and your little aunt."
She folded her arms, her eyes brimming with pleading. Her long lashes fluttered, accentuating the creamy expanse of her chest. Upon closer inspection, there were still marks left by Guo Sanlang, making her look like a poor, bullied soul.
Qi Fu was quite a beauty; otherwise, Guo Sanlang wouldn't have taken a fancy to her.
An ordinary man might have been tempted to take advantage of her.
But Pei Xia just sneered, "You don't deserve it."
He had no patience for a clown like Qi Fu. Turning around, he called out in a low voice, "Huanghuang!"
In an instant, Huanghuang, a young hound with a fierce air, darted towards him like an arrow and then lunged at Qi Fu, barking furiously.
Huanghuang showed its long, sharp fangs, looking so menacing that it seemed ready to tear off Qi Fu's leg.
Qi Fu had never seen such a fierce dog!
She was so scared that her complexion turned pale, and she let out a shrill scream. Stumbling, she fell flat on the ground outside the door.
Pei Xia promptly shut the door tightly.
Outside, Qi Fu was filled with shame and anger, shouting and cursing.
But no one paid any attention to her.
When she was about to curse again, Pei Xia threatened to let the dog out.
Qi Fu scrambled away...
Finally, it was quiet.
Pei Xia rewarded Huanghuang with a special meal. Suddenly, he smelled the lingering scent of makeup in the air. Frowning, he burned wormwood that night to dispel evil spirits and disinfect the place.
Qi Fu's harassment only added to Pei Xia's hatred and disgust; he felt nothing else.
He couldn't sleep in the middle of the night. Thinking of Qi Jiao's every smile and frown, he experienced the long, lonely night for the first time.
Before dawn the next day, Pei Xia was already waiting at the Ye family's gate.
There was still morning dew on his hair, indicating that he had been there for quite a while.
Ye Pa, who came to open the door, was startled when he saw Pei Xia. "You're kidding me! Brother Pei, why are you here so early? You didn't even knock on the door. You scared me to death!"
Pei Xia smiled. "I'm here to pick up Jiao Niang and take her home."
Qi Jiao had slept in the small room last night. Aunt Ye had given her a hot - water bottle, and she had slept warmly.
She had no idea what had happened to Pei Xia at the duck farm.
After washing up, she was also taken aback when she saw Pei Xia sitting in the room chatting with Uncle Ye. "Why are you here so early?"
Pei Xia looked at her, his eyes full of deep affection. "I woke up early, so I came a bit early."
At this time, Ye Pa's unique voice rang out. "It's more than that! When I opened the door, he was already waiting outside. I don't know when he came!"
As Ye Pa spoke, he winked at Pei Xia and Qi Jiao, teasing them. "Tsk tsk, true love makes one content with just water. You've only been separated for one night, and Brother Pei is already so eager. If my mother asks Sister Jiao Niang to stay a few more days, will you move in too?"
Unexpectedly, after a moment of thought, Pei Xia nodded. "That's fine."
Ye Pa: "..." I'm speechless.
Aunt Ye brought in a basin of sweet soup. She reached out and gave Ye Pa a light knock on the head. "Your mouth is always running wild! Hurry up and invite Brother Pei to sit down and have breakfast."
Pei Xia quickly took the things from Aunt Ye's hands and thoughtfully served the family. Aunt Ye and Uncle Ye praised him again and again.
While praising Pei Xia, they always scolded Ye Pa.
Ye Pa was so angry that he almost fell backwards.
After having breakfast at the Ye family, Pei Xia helped Uncle Ye and Aunt Ye with a lot of work before taking Qi Jiao home.
They had been separated for one night.
Qi Jiao felt that Pei Xia was a bit strange today.
Abnormally enthusiastic and domineering.
As soon as they entered the east wing, Pei Xia couldn't hold back his emotions and pressed Qi Jiao down on the couch.
He firmly held her arms down and lowered his head to find her lips.
He was like a traveler in the desert, parched for days.
Her soft lips were like a cool spring that could save his life.
He kissed, nibbled, and caressed her lips.
His deep - seated longing and passion were all poured into their kiss.
Pei Xia was undoubtedly a master of love. Just from the kiss, Qi Jiao had already melted like a pool of spring water.
She gasped for breath, her face flushed like a peach blossom. Her slender fingers gently stroked Pei Xia's waist.
A flame ignited in Pei Xia's dark eyes.
His long fingers slipped into Qi Jiao's undergarments and caressed her breast. Qi Jiao let out a soft moan and bit his lip.
Outside the window, a sparrow peeked through the window with its beady eyes, hopping around and chirping non - stop, as if witnessing the passionate scene inside.
The beautiful young couple were intertwined, their passion overwhelming.
After a long time, he lay on top of her and whispered, "Jiao Niang, I missed you so much."
*
There was plenty of grain stored at home.
When Tang Guiniang sold the grain before, Qi Jiao had specifically told her to keep the soybeans.
The reason was simple: Qi Jiao wanted to make fermented soybeans.
Fermented soybeans were called "You Shu" in ancient times and also known as "Shi".
The earliest record of fermented soybeans can be found in the book "Shi Ming - Shi Yin Shi" written by Liu Xi in the Han Dynasty, which praised fermented soybeans as "indispensable for flavoring".
There was also a record of "the method of making fermented soybeans" in the book "Shi Jing".
The ancients not only used fermented soybeans for seasoning but also for medicinal purposes. They attached great importance to it. Records can be found in "Han Shu", "Shi Ji", "Qi Min Yao Shu", and "Ben Cao Gang Mu". Its production history can be traced back to the pre - Qin period.
The afternoon sun was warm.
Qi Jiao and Tang Guiniang sat on the threshold, enjoying the sun. Each of them held a winnowing basket and picked out the fully - mature, plump, and evenly - sized soybeans from the large bucket.
Those with wormholes or mold were discarded.
The selected high - quality soybeans were soaked in clean mountain spring water.
Then came the process of making the koji. The surface of the fermented soybean koji was covered with many spores and mycelia, which were rich in protein and enzymes.
Next was washing the soybeans and adding green vitriol to turn the beans black and make them shiny.
Finally, it was the process of soaking, stewing, and fermentation: The processed soybean koji was put into an urn until it was eight or nine - tenths full, and each layer was compacted.
Since there was no constant - temperature room, Qi Jiao put the fermented soybeans into a kiln to keep them warm.
After sixteen days of fermentation, the fermented soybeans were taken out of the urn and dried in the air at a certain temperature to become the finished product.
One day, Qi Jiao opened the ceramic urn to check the finished product. The fermented soybeans were dark brown, shiny, and oily.
They smelled of a strong soy - sauce aroma. She crushed one with her hand. The grains were intact and relatively hard. When she tasted one, it was delicious, with a proper saltiness and no bitter taste.
Qi Jiao showed a satisfied smile.
She had only watched the elders in her family make it before and had never tried it herself. She didn't expect that her first attempt would be a success.