Living on a Mountain with my Husband

Chapter 70: Our New Home

On the tenth day, the weather became gloomy and he started raining at night. The work outside had essentially been finished, all that was left was the flooring and built in furniture like shelves and the barn area for the animals. It could all be completed from inside the new house.

However for Zimo it wasn't so easygoing. He started coughing in the middle of the night. Every time LongWei heard Zimo cough he would abandon whatever he was doing and run to check Zimo's temperature.

The atmosphere on the mountain became very tense.

"LongWei why don't we light the fire in the new house? It's supposed to be very warm, the warmth will be good for XiaoMo." Mrs Li suggested.

"Okay." LongWei agreed. They hadn't finished adding the wooden floor but the stone floor was completed and sealed so there shouldn't be any problems.

After opening the maze like structure under the house and lighting the stove it wasn't long before everyone inside began to sweat. "Hot!" They all thought as the continued to put the flooring in. It was so hot, the men who were glad to be inside and out of the rain were now wishing they could switch.

Zimo was carefully placed on the completed land with some quilts and told to sleep.

"How can I sleep with so many people working around the house?" Zimo complained. He did have a cough, but he wasn't running a fever.

"Baby, don't take your cough lightly. The last time you got sick you wouldn't wake for two days." LongWei rebuked.

Unable to deny it, Zimo stayed obediently in the kang room. He couldn't sleep so he passed the time playing with the wolf pups.

LongWei was busy running taking care of the animals, supervising the work, and reviewing the blueprints, he barely had time to think. Regardless of how busy he was he still made time to pop in and check on Zimo. It wasn't only LongWei but Mrs Li and the Yan brothers who would check in on him.

When LongWei came in with dinner, Zimo looked a little dejected.

"Baby, what's wrong? LongWei said immediately placing his palm on Zimo's forehead to check if he had a fever.

"Nothing. I was just thinking." Zimo answered.

"What are you thinking about?" LongWei asked as he placed sat next to Zimo and held him in his arms.

"I was just thinking..." After a long pause Zimo continued, "I was thinking how wonderful things are."

"If your thinking about how wonderful it is. Why do you look so sad baby?" LongWei asked lifting Zimo's chin up so he could look into his eyes.

"I'm not sad, just afraid maybe? I'm afraid things can't get better. I can't imagine what "better" would look like?" Zimo said, his mood falling once more.

"Baby, if your happy now, then it doesn't need to get better. You can be content with the current situation. It's okay to be happy in the present, we don't need an extravagant life as long as we can imagine our life together that's the best future."

"But... aren't people supposed to strive for more and be ambitious and stuff?" Zimo asked feeling troubled.

"That might be the case for others, but we're us. If what we have now makes us happy, then that's enough." LongWei clarified.

Zimo contemplated over what LongWei had said. It made sense. What they needed and wanted was different from others and that should be okay. The more he thought the better he felt.

...

Two days later the rain had stopped and construction was officially finished. In the beginning they had planned to work for fifteen days, but things went much smoother than planned. They also had time to extend the roof over the well according to Zimo's wishes.

Completing the house was something to celebrate so LongWei went hunting and brought back fifteen fat rabbits. They set up fires outside the yard and made barbecue using the meat.

Zimo on the other hand was curled up on the new kang bed with the heat permitting throughout the house.

"XiaoMo, how are you feeling?" Mrs Li asked as she came to check up on Zimo. He had started coughing two days ago. It seemed under control but the rain worsened the during the night and Zimo had developed a fever.

"I'm okay Mrs Li. Sniff* I just need some rest. You should go out and enjoy the food with everyone." Zimo reassured her while sniffling.

Mrs Li wanted to insist on staying, but they had used Zimo's Sichuan spice for the barbecue and Mrs Li like the other workers and her husband had become quite addicted to the spice. Before leaving she would need to ask if she could take some home.

The next day everyone left the mountain while Zimo remained in the new house. Initially they should have continued living in the old house for a month while the mud dried. However with the ondol heating running and the small amount of mud needed to seal the cracks, the inner walls were already dry. So Zimo and LongWei simply moved in directly.

"Baby, I need to lead them off the mountain. I promise to come back as soon as possible okay. Promise you'll stay in bed." LongWei implored.

"The fire? Cough...cough" Zimo asked.

"It's burning, the house will stay warm while I'm gone." LongWei said thinking Zimo might be worried it would go out while he was gone.

"No. Cough... put it out. Don't leave anything burning." Zimo insisted with a tinge of anxiousness in his voice.

"Baby, you're sick. You need to stay warm. The fie will heat the..."

"No! Don't leave the fire burning." Zimo interrupted. LongWei was surprised by his outburst. However Zimo was clearly distressed, his hands had started shaking and his eyes were red. He looked very pitiful.

"Okay baby. I'll make sure the fire is completely out before leaving." LongWei coaxed.

"Promise you'll definitely not leave a single member burning in the kitchen." Zimo pleaded as he squeezed LongWei arm.

"I promise baby. But you also need to promise me you'll stay in bed under the quilts with the wolf pups while I'm gone." LongWei reasoned.

Zimo nodded feeling better after getting LongWei's promise.

After promising Zimo he went to the kitchen and noticed Mrs Li about to stoke the fire.

"Mrs Li, sorry but please don't add any wood to the fire. I need to out it out." LongWei said as he took the shovel and moved forward.

"Put it out? Isn't Zimo staying in the house, he'll need the heat to keep warm." Mrs Li said perplexed.

"I know, but because of his fear of fire he doesn't feel comfortable staying alone in the house with a fire burning." LongWei explained.

"He was fine alone in the room all day yesterday. Why is today different?" Mrs Li questioned.

"A person's fear isn't always rational. But if I had to guess I think it may because if something does happen no one will be close by to help." LongWei said solemnly.

"I understand. The poor boy will have a difficult time this winter if he can't stay home alone with a fire burning." Mrs Li replied.

"It won't be a problem. I'll be with him. Days like today won't be a regular occurrence." LongWei said while also making note of it in his heart.

...