Living on a Mountain with my Husband

Chapter 54: The Yuan Family

After getting the medicine, they left the doctor's and headed home.

As they headed back Zimo said, "Dear, I'm hungry." Zimo wasn't really hungry. He simply wanted an excuse to give LongWei a break. It worked, LongWei would never let his little birdie suffer so he turned and headed towards a restaurant that served porridge.

Sitting down in the restaurant, Zimo looked around at the food. He wasn't really hungry, but he had to eat. LongWei spoke briefly to the shopkeeper.

"Do you have any porridge with vegetables in it?" He asked.

"We do. Would like like two?" The salesperson replied.

"Yes, and some warm water." LongWei said as he waved the salesperson away.

Zimo and LongWei sat and slowly ate lunch. The restaurant wasn't very busy at this time, there was only one other table with three men sitting at it.

Zimo ate very slowly. The slower he ate the longer LongWei could rest. Zimo sat there and asked LongWei.

"Dear will we have time to go back up the mountain today?" Zimo asked. It was already four in the afternoon.

LongWei nodded. Speaking slowly and enunciating each word, LongWei said. "It's summer. We have time."

It wasn't that they couldn't go to old man Li's house for the night, but Zimo was sick and couldn't hear. Not being able to hear Zimo naturally tried to hide his nervousness. However since living the mountain and coming in contact with others Zimo had been acting strange.

He watch everyone's movement nervously and would flinch and react in an exaggerated way if anyone or anything moved to close to him. While walking down the street he often dug his fingers into LongWei's back. When LongWei looked over at Zimo, he saw him trying to act normal, but failed miserably.

After lunch they headed back to the village by ox cart.
Reaching the village entrance LongWei immediately showed a dark face.

"Dear, what's wrong?" Zimo asked. LongWei put the bamboo basket with the wolf pups into Zimo's arm and picked Zimo up in a princess carry.

"Dear?" Zimo asked anxiously.

LongWei nodded towards the village entrance. Zimo looked and there he saw the Yuan father and third son.

Zimo started to shake. He didn't want to see the Yuan family again. "Dear, let's ignore them and go home." He said. Hoping things would not escalate.

The ox cart stopped and LongWei jumped off the cart quickly heading into the village. Father Yuan was not going to just let him pass. He immediately blocked his path and began to yell with his trademark red face.

"You ungrateful, unfilial son. How dare you disappear for months without a word!"

LongWei looked him straight in the eyes and said.

"Shut up! I will give you your filial piety. In ten days when I come down from the mountain, we will meet at the town leader's house to write the contract for separating the family."

"You think I will let you separate from the family? Don't even dream of it!"

"You will old man, if you want to leave the leader's house on two legs." LongWei threatened as he released his bloodlust.

Father Yuan was shocked. LongWei had threatened him many times before, but never with such an oppressive bloodthirsty aura. He stepped back and fell down as LongWei walked past him.

Zimo lay curled up in LongWei's arms. He couldn't hear anything, and he was afraid. Living in complete silence was not easy. Being with LongWei naturally helped him feel more secure and safe, but Zimo had a conditioned response when seeing the Yuan family after being hurt so many times.

Noticing Zimo's distress LongWei did not waste anytime and quickly dealt with the situation before leaving.

However his younger brother TingFeng moved to LongWei's side while he was distracted planning to grab Zimo.

"Ah!" Hearing a scream LongWei turned to TingFeng who was next to him grasping his hand.

"What the? Why are there dogs in the basket?" He cursed as he stared at the wolf pup who had stuck his head out of the basket growling.

LongWei looked down at the wolf pups and smiled. "Good job." He said.

Then, he glared and kicked TingFeng. "If you ever try to touch him again, I will crush the hand that dared to touch him."

LongWei than walked away quickly ignoring his father and brother.

...

LongWei didn't give the Yuan family any time to follow up behind, he had walked so quickly with his long legs it looked like he was flying. 

Living the village and entering the mountain LongWei finally stopped to check on Zimo. Zimo hadn't moved since getting off the cart. LongWei knelt down and moved to put Zimo down under a tree.

However as he placed him down Zimo read he'd out and wrapped his arms tight around LongWei's neck.

Seeing Zimo's desperate attempt not to be separated from himself LongWei's heart ached.

He placed the palm of his hand on Zimo's cheek, rubbing his face and whispering into his ear, "Baby, it's okay." Over and over again. Zimo couldn't hear what was being said, but he knew LongWei was talking to him and comforting him.

The wolf pups had jumped out of the basket at this point and began pawing at Zimo's clothes. Feeling the warmth of those he cared about, Zimo finally relaxed a little.

Looking down at him Zimo saw LongWei with a gentle smile.

Because of everything that had happened, Zimo's temperature rose again and he became feverish. He didn't lose consciousness this time, but LongWei was still worried as he carried Zimo up the mountain.

"What did they want? Why can't they leave LongWei and I alone? Will they come up the mountain?" Zimo's mind raced with questions. He didn't doubt the Yuan father and son had been waiting for them at the village gate.

What he didn't understand was what they wanted from him and LongWei. If it was money they should be able to solve it. However, he didn't believe the Yuan family would let it end so easily.

"Dear, will they come up the mountain?" Zimo asked.

LongWei shook his head indicating no.

"Dear, I'm worried." Zimo said.

He had read many ancient Chinese society novels and written them himself. In some, not all, filial piety was very important. It was to the point where a person could go to jail for failing to practice good filial piety.

"Dear, can you go to jail, for not being filial?" Zimo asked almost in tears.

LongWei thought about it. It wasn't impossible for father Yuan to go to the government and accuse him of failing to be filial.

He wasn't afraid of his father doing it. What LongWei knew about his father's illegal gambling, his older brother's rape and attempted rape, and his younger brother's bad behaviour, the one who would be sentenced to jail would be them not him.

LongWei had no way to convey complicated things with Zimo's current inability to hear. He simply shook his head to say no.

Feeling a little better Zimo closed his eyes and dug his head at the base of LongWei's neck taking in the comforting scent of his husband.

...