translator: baumkuchen  editor: ellabells

That night, Bai Yuehu and Yin Xun set up the metal rack in the courtyard . After burning the charcoal, Lu Qingjiu placed the lamb he had marinated for several hours on top .  

The lamb was fresh and all sorts of spices and condiments were stuffed inside . Under the roasting of the fire, the fatty meat sizzled . Drop after drop of oil dripped down the meat, falling into the charcoal fire and making it splutter . A rich fragrance shrouded the entire courtyard . Everyone in the house sat in the courtyard to watch Lu Qingjiu roast the meat .

Xiao Hei and Xiao Hua also watched with impatient eyes, gulping down saliva from time to time . The little fox sat on Yin Xun’s thigh, its beautiful blue eyes never once having left the lamb . Lu Qingjiu, worried that they were hungry, had first made a bit of fried rice to stave off their hunger . But the couple of people with their eyes affixed to the meat didn’t move at all, except for Bai Yuehu . That glutton never had to worry that he’d make himself full held up the bowl of rice to his face as he shovelled it into his mouth .

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After roasting for about two hours, Lu Qingjiu checked if the lamb was cooked, then took out a metal platter and place the lamb on top of it . He then sprinkled onion, c.u.min and chili flakes on top, and said, “Should I cut it or would you guys rather directly do it yourselves?”

Using a knife to cut it would make it easier to eat, but it would destroy the texture of the lamb . If one used one’s hands to rip of pieces, it wouldn’t be as convenient, but the parts they ripped out would be in one piece so they would be able to taste the original texture of the meat .

“Tear,” Bai Yuehu said .

Lu Qingjiu said, “Alright . ” He put down the fork and knife . Then the few of them went off together to wash their hands, and began eating .

Despite this being Lu Qingjiu’s first time handling lamb, it was extremely successful . The outer layer of skin was crispy and the meat inside was tender and chewy . Because the marinade was completely absorbed into the meat, and the meat was also very fresh, it wasn’t at all gamey . Everyone ate very happily .

As Lu Qingjiu ate, he still needed to take care of the three animals in his family . Not to mention, the little fox, Xiao Hei and Xiao Hua also ate meat . However, they were good at taking care of themselves . Lu Qingjiu just tossed a piece of meat over and the three of them split it to eat .  

The lamb looked to have about three, four jin of meat on its body . Ultimately, Lu Qingjiu was a normal person . After eating for a while, he was already full . Yin Xun retreated from the battle soon after . Eventually, Bai Yuehu was the sole person left, continuing to eat on his own . The amount of lamb was decreasing at a rate visible to the naked eye . Lu Qingjiu looked over at Bai Yuehu’s stomach . That area was still flat as a board, with no visible bulge .

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden .

Yin Xun, this disaster, wasn’t afraid of death . Off to the side, he sneakily said, “Look at that disappointing stomach of Bai Yuehu’s…”

Lu Qingjiu, “…” He kind of had the urge to laugh, but he forced it down .

Bai Yuehu had always eaten a lot and very quickly . When he finally stopped, the only thing that was left of the lamb was a huge skeleton with practically no meat left on it . Lu Qingjiu picked out a big bone and placed it before the little fox for it to grind its teeth against . It was just that this bone looked to be even bigger than the little fox . It had to use all of its strength before it could even forcefully bite down, completely unwilling to let go . After it got a hold on the bone it shakily dragged it along with it . Yin Xun, who stood by the side, very impolitely burst into loud laughter .  

After finis.h.i.+ng dinner, Yin Xun and Bai Yuehu put away the leftovers while Lu Qingjiu went to the courtyard to pluck a few grapes . The grapes had started to ripen one after another . The sparkling, translucent, pure and limpid grapes hanging from the vines looked incredibly charming . Lu Qingjiu had tasted them before, his home’s grapes were very sweet . Mixed within the sweetness was a slight fruity tartness, it was a very good dessert to have after a meal .

He plucked a few grapes, gave them a quick rinse, then carried them back to the courtyard .

“I’m not eating anymore, so I’ll be heading back first,” Yin Xun said, “Bye . ”

Lu Qingjiu replied, “Bye . ” He hesitated for a moment, then continued, “Right, Yin Xun, next month, I may have to make a trip back . ” 

Yin Xun asked, “Back to the city?”

“En,” Lu Qingjiu affirmed .

“Alright,” Yin Xun said, “How long will you be gone? Don’t worry, while you’re gone, I’ll prepare the meals . ” At this, Bai Yuehu who sat off on the side, resting, shot him a look . Yin Xun hurriedly ducked his head .

“Maybe about two, three days . ” With so many mouths waiting at home, Lu Qingjiu didn’t dare to leave for too long . It was just that he needed to go back for this matter, so he let Yin Xun know in advance to get him to take care of Bai Yuehu — Well, he said ‘take care of Bai Yuehu’, but at worst, the two people would just have to make do with eating instant noodles for two days .  

Yin Xun nodded and left .

After the Lu Qingjiu and Bai Yuehu polished off the grapes together, they also planned to go to sleep . But just as Lu Qingjiu was getting up in preparation to leave, Bai Yuehu suddenly asked, “What are you going back for?”

Lu Qingjiu’s footsteps stilled, “There’s a little something going on at home…”

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Seeing the hesitation on Lu Qingjiu’s face, Bai Yuehu said indifferently, “If you don’t want to say, that’s fine . ” 

Lu Qingjiu worried at his lips . His voice was rather small, but the words he spoke shocked the heart . He said, “I need to go back to sweep my parents’ graves . ”

Bai Yuehu replied, “Sweep graves?”

“En,” Lu Qingjiu said with a very calm look on his face, “They got into an accident when I was studying in university . ”

Bai Yuehu was silent for a moment, “Can you tell me what exactly happened? …If you’re not willing that’s also fine . ” 

Lu Qingjiu sighed . In truth, that incident had hit him very hard at the time, so he never wanted to bring it up . But now, hearing Bai Yuehu ask about it, there was only an almost deathly still tranquility left in his heart . He turned and walked back over to Bai Yuehu, sitting down once more, “At that time I was still in university . It was summer vacation and my parents had gone back to visit my grandmother . In the end, there was a sudden landslide in the mountains, and both of them were gone . ”

Bai Yuehu listened quietly .

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“A few other people from the village disappeared along with them . A search and rescue team was called, but they couldn’t even find their bodies,” Lu Qingjiu continued, “Not even a few years later, my grandmother also went . I set up an empty grave for my parents in the city… Grandma’s grave is left in the village . ”

“A landslide in the mountains?” Bai Yuehu asked, “Which month did that occur?” 

“August,” Lu Qingjiu said, “It was the rainy season at that time, so it happening was normal, I just never thought it would’ve involved my parents . ” There was a strong bitterness in his tone, “I…”

Bai Yuehu said, “Please restrain your grief . ”

Some things didn’t need too many words, because no amount of words could soothe that great amount of pain . There was no such thing as someone else knowing exactly how something is to oneself in this world .

Lu Qingjiu was a little grateful to Bai Yuehu for not showing any pity . Actually, during that period of time when it happened, as long as he met someone he knew, he would always be able to see those emotions in their eyes, which left him in an unpleasant mood .  

“This child’s really pitiful, he’s only twenty, but he’s already lost both his parents . ”

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“Right, really too pitiful . I heard he doesn’t have any other close relatives in his family . ”

“Just a grandmother who’s getting on in years, right? He even needed to go back and make the funeral arrangements himself…”

Lu Qingjiu had already become numb to such words . At first, he still felt some anger, but afterwards, he couldn’t be bothered to explain the situation . At the time, returning to the village on his own and accepting the fact that he wouldn’t even have his parents’ remains already used up too much of Lu Qingjiu’s energy . He matured very quickly .  

Another reason to why Lu Qingjiu and Yin Xun were this close was because when this had happened, Yin Xun helped him a lot and there was a tacit understanding between the two people on this matter . Since Lu Qingjiu had returned, he hadn’t once brought it up, clearly afraid of poking Lu Qingjiu’s sore spot .

“That’s pretty much it,” Lu Qingjiu said, “So every August, I have to go back to visit the graves . It’ll only take a day or two for the trip there and back, it’ll be very quick . ”

Bai Yuehu asked, “Do you want to drive back by yourself?” Usually, driving for long distances was very tiring, but their family’s situation was a little special . If Lu Qingjiu really wanted to drive back, he just needed to let the pickup truck change forms and it would be fine, he wouldn’t even need to steer .

“Drive? Nah . ” Lu Qingjiu said .  

“Let him drive you back . ” However, Bai Yuehu’s att.i.tude was very firm, “It won’t take much time, and it’s more convenient than taking the train . ”

Lu Qingjiu said, “But…”

Bai Yuehu said, “Go quickly, return quickly . ”

Lu Qingjiu, “…” Right, if this took a few days longer, who knew how miserable a sight he would see when he got back . Yin Xun, this disaster, the stuff he made was poisonous . Bai Yuehu definitely wouldn’t eat it . Even if he didn’t eat it, he would be fine . After all, he was a fox spirit, he couldn’t starve to death . But there were other things that needed to eat at home, especially that little fox kit, still only the size of a palm . Lu Qingjiu was truly afraid Yin Xun would end up killing it with his food… How would he explain it to its family? 

“Fine . Anyways, I’ll be going to bed first,” Lu Qingjiu said, “Goodnight . ”

“Goodnight,” Bai Yuehu said .

That night, Lu Qingjiu slept very well and didn’t have any weird dreams . He slept all the way until the next morning .

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It was just that, he didn’t know if it was because he’d eaten too much lamb in the summer, but when he woke up, he felt his nose itching . Upon rubbing it, he saw his hand completely covered in blood .  

“Ah!” Lu Qingjiu pinched his nose and rushed to the outer courtyard . After was.h.i.+ng off the blood on his hand, he found two tissues and stuffed his nostrils . In the end, when Yin Xun came over, there were tissues stuffed up his nose as well . When the two of them saw each other’s sorry figures at the same time, they couldn’t help but burst into laughter .

“You also had a nosebleed?” Yin Xun’s voice was nasally .

Lu Qingjiu replied, “Yup . ”

“Maybe we ate too much lamb . ” Yin Xun asked ambiguously, “What we ate was lamb, right?” 

Lu Qingjiu, “…What do you mean by that?”

Yin Xun said, “Nothing, I was just casually asking . ” He blew his nose, then changed the topic, “What are we having for lunch today?”

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“What do you want to eat?” Lu Qingjiu thought for a moment, then said, “Right, that day, where did you guys go to catch fish? Did you go fis.h.i.+ng together with Bai Yuehu?”

“Nope,” Yin Xun replied, “I b.u.mped into Bai Yuehu walking back with the fish on my way back . I just helped him carry it . ” 

“Oh,” Lu Qingjiu said, “So it’s like that . ” He looked at Yin Xun and saw the calm on his best friend’s face . He didn’t ask any further .