Chapter 81: Mutual Confession
Mu Lantu picked up a piece of beef and put it into Xu Huazhang’s bowl. “Eat more.”
After finishing the meal and resting for a bit, the first work bell rang out across the whole village.
Mu Lantu sprayed himself and Xu Huazhang with a colorless, scentless sunscreen, then filled both of their water bottles.
Wangcai trotted ahead happily, leading the way.
A few half-grown children were carrying small baskets, chasing each other as they ran in the opposite direction—toward the back mountain.
Their baskets were about the same size as the one Mu Lantu was holding, and similar in style.
Mu Lantu glanced at the baskets, then at Xu Huazhang.
Xu Huazhang smirked and looked away. Too bad they didn’t have a camera.
Mu Lantu ended up paired with Aunt Guihua again.
They were each assigned a plot of land.
Mu Lantu first dug up all the wild vegetables, then began weeding. Sow thistle, lamb’s quarters, shepherd’s purse, iron amaranth… all very fresh and tender.
Cai Guihua regretfully returned to her own plot, though she wasn’t too disappointed. All the educated youth were like this—clueless when they first arrived, but they’d eventually learn.
She figured Mu Lantu must’ve been reminded by other educated youths when he got back.
Worried that he might hold a grudge about what happened in the morning, she took the initiative to say, “Comrade Mu, wild vegetables can be delicious if you cook them with care. You can make a cold salad, steam them, or mix them with cornmeal to make veggie cakes.”
Mu Lantu smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Auntie. I’ve never made them before—good thing you told me.”
Seeing how polite he was, Cai Guihua added a few more tips.
“You can also dry wild vegetables to preserve them. I’ll teach you how. Come winter, you’ll have an extra dish on the table…”
Mu Lantu listened with great interest.
Seeing how seriously he listened—plus his fair, handsome face that made him look obedient and sweet—the thought that had flickered in and out of Cai Guihua’s mind all morning returned again.
“Comrade Mu, can I ask you something?”
She sidled up to him, voice low and secretive.
Mu Lantu’s internal alarm bells rang. He brushed dirt off the shepherd’s purse and placed it in his basket. “What is it, Auntie?”
Cai Guihua turned her back to the others. “Are you and Comrade Xu planning to settle down and start families here in our brigade?”
Mu Lantu replied firmly that neither of them had that intention.
Cai Guihua pressed, “Why not? We’ve got plenty of good girls in our village—if you miss this place, you won’t find another like it!”
She figured Mu and Xu probably didn’t know that they were already considered the hottest commodities in the brigade. One, they were from the city. Two, they each had their own housing. Three, they were good-looking and sturdy.
Just among the people she knew, there were five or six women already eyeing them—ready to introduce their daughters, nieces, or other female relatives.
“My family wouldn’t allow it.”
Mu Lantu killed the idea with one simple sentence.
Cai Guihua deflated. Without the approval of their families, no matter how outstanding Mu and Xu were, marriage was still out of the question.
As someone with experience, she understood that.
Mu Lantu, now relieved, continued weeding.
But ten minutes later, Cai Guihua leaned over again.
“What if you really liked a girl? Couldn’t you try persuading your parents for her?”
“Impossible. Because Comrade Xu and I would never even take that first step,” Mu Lantu said. “Auntie, as far as I know, every educated youth in our village has siblings. If they go against their parents, what happens if their family abandons them and refuses to help them return to the city?”
He wanted to shatter her fantasy once and for all. He also meant well for the young men and women of the village.
As someone from the future, he knew that marriages between educated youths and villagers often didn’t end well. He hoped Auntie Cai would spread the word.
Whatever Cai Guihua was thinking, she didn’t bring it up again.
After work, Xu Huazhang went to the carpenter’s place again.
Mu Lantu asked him to buy a few more bamboo sieves and two more wooden frames—for drying vegetables.
After dinner, before the sky fully darkened, he and Xu Huazhang worked on organizing their backyard garden.
Aside from the cobblestone path leading from the back door to the outhouse and the empty ground around the foundations, they loosened the soil in every other area.
The yard was big enough to grow rapeseed, spinach, chives, potatoes, tomatoes, water spinach, cucumbers, eggplants, string beans, Napa cabbage…
Seeds needed to be soaked before sowing, but Mu Lantu relied on the power of his spiritual spring water. He skipped the soaking, directly sowed the seeds, and watered them with a mixture of spring water and well water.
After finishing, the two of them took a bath and lay on the heated bed. Finally, they had time for a proper talk.
Xu Huazhang spoke first about his family.
The Xu family, simply put, only had him left.
The original Xu’s father, Xu Weimin, was chief editor of the Capital Daily. He was reported half a year ago and was supposed to be sent down to a northwest farm.
The original’s mother, Meng Fang, immediately divorced him and remarried the very next day.
Xu’s older brother, Xu Huawen, was four years older, now twenty-two. He went to the countryside in the southern city of Suolan five years ago and married a local girl two years ago. Fearing implication by their father, he publicly severed ties with Xu Weimin in the newspaper.
Struck by successive blows, Xu Weimin left his younger son a farewell letter and some money, then committed suicide before being sent down.
The original Xu first lost his father, then was sent down to the countryside with no one to rely on. He fell into despair and, after being caught in the rain, his body was taken over by a new soul.
Mu Lantu also talked about his family situation.
In this life, they were both utterly alone.
Mu Lantu then explained the existence of the system space and the spiritual spring. He didn’t hide the Honor Roll of Labor either.
He didn’t mention 005, or the sudden-wealth mission, or that this was his third time transmigrating—or that he would likely keep transmigrating.
Because he didn’t know if Huazhang would be able to follow him next time. If not, Huazhang would be left behind, and that would be cruel.
[Little Five, you’re a “God-level” sudden-wealth system. Since you’re god-level, can’t you take Huazhang with me next time?]
005 replied softly, [Host… I’m sorry.]
“Baby.” Xu Huazhang pulled Mu Lantu into his arms and let him rest on his bicep. “Actually, this is my third life.”
Mu Lantu suddenly sat up, mouth slightly open.
What did he just hear? This was Xu Huazhang’s third life?
[Little Five! Did you hear that?]
005 groaned, [Host, don’t ask me—I don’t know anything! It makes no sense… just no sense…]
Xu Huazhang also sat up, leaning against the wall. He lifted Mu Lantu onto his lap, letting him straddle him.
“Baby, this must also be your third life, right?”
Mu Lantu leaned against his shoulder, neither confirming nor denying it, blinking nervously.
Luckily Xu Huazhang couldn’t see his face.
“My first life was probably in the same world as yours.”
Before Mu Lantu could ask, he continued, “Remember back when we lived in Huabanli, you invited me to try a drink called ‘Bawang’ (Overlord)?”
Mu Lantu nodded. Was Xu referring to that first life?
But between that one and the modern world, Mu Lantu had another transmigration. Why wasn’t Huazhang there for that one?
Did this mean Huazhang’s transmigration wasn’t stable?
His small thread of hope was doused completely.
“Back then, I was the Regent Prince. I also loved drinking ‘Bawang.’ When I tasted it that time, I suspected you might be from the same world. I didn’t want to scare you, so I never said anything.” Xu Huazhang didn’t notice Mu Lantu’s silence. “The first-generation space shuttle, I also named it ‘Regent.’”
Mu Lantu’s excellent memory recalled that the first shuttle was named with three letters: SZW.
SZW—She Zheng Wang (Regent Prince)?
“You never married in your first life?”
Back then, Mu Lantu had been a physician. Though he was the disciple of a renowned doctor, he had little contact with the royal court. He didn’t know the Regent’s name, let alone meet him.
That was what he focused on? Xu Huazhang chuckled, voice soft. “No.”
He liked men, and he wasn’t one to settle. So he remained alone.
Mu Lantu rewarded him with a kiss. “Why were you able to reincarnate?”
Xu Huazhang shook his head. He didn’t know.
“You?”
Mu Lantu shook his head too.
[Little Five, are you sure Huazhang doesn’t have a system?]
Mu Lantu wasn’t suspicious—just baffled.
005 said firmly: [No, Host!]
Since there was no answer, Mu Lantu didn’t dwell on it. He hugged Xu Huazhang tightly.
“Whatever. None of that matters. What matters is, from now on, just follow ‘brother’ obediently. I’ll make sure you eat well and live well.”
Xu Huazhang flipped him over and pinned him down, large hand slipping under his shirt. “Who’s your ‘brother’?”
“I was wrong, I was wrong, you’re my ‘brother’!”
Mu Lantu was furious. In this life, they were both 18, yet he was still three days younger!
The original body really let him down.
Sigh!
Even after apologizing, Xu Huazhang didn’t let him off. He made Mu Lantu call him “brother” for half the night.
Before falling asleep, Mu Lantu swore through gritted teeth: he needed to lay down some ground rules. Even with the spiritual spring, he couldn’t let himself be treated like an indestructible field to be plowed!
Xu Huazhang lay on his side, supporting his head with one hand, staring at Mu Lantu’s sleeping face. After a gentle kiss, he quietly slipped off the kang and lit the oil lamp in the dining room.
He spread a blank piece of paper on the table, picked up a pen, and began drawing line after line in different directions. A rough design of a machine gradually came to life…
“Baby, time to get up for breakfast. Baby…”
Mu Lantu opened his eyes but didn’t want to move.
Xu Huazhang sat on the edge of the kang, ruffling his hair. “Eat something, then you can sleep more. Don’t go to work this morning—I’ll ask for leave on your behalf.”
“We’ve only worked two days and I’m already asking for time off? Will the brigade leader approve?” Mu Lantu turned over, drowsy and slurring his words.
“He will. Come, eat something?”
Mu Lantu touched his growling stomach and got up.
“You cooked? What is it? Is it edible? You didn’t burn down the kitchen, did you?”
Thinking of that, he couldn’t sit still. He slipped on his slippers and ran outside.
Xu Huazhang caught him by the collar just in time. “Kitchen’s fine. I tried the noodles myself—they’re not bad.”
