Chapter 3: Cleaning & Laundry
Qu Qing knew that people with acne were more or less sensitive. Sensing that the other’s mood was not as tense and fearful as before, he decided not to meddle too much. After all, he couldn’t even manage himself right now, so how could he have the time to care about others.
Turning around, he entered the room and contemplated where to start cleaning in this crampe0d, dirty, and disorderly space.
Although he hadn’t lived a life of luxury since childhood, he can still be considered pampered. This filthy and foul-smelling place was absolutely unbearable for him.
Qu Qing is now a little glad that he at least experienced a few years of social beatings, which trained him to think about how to make changes when facing such situations, rather than just giving up.
Thinking about it, he decided to start with the most crucial area. After surveying the room, he eventually set his gaze on the dirty quilt on the wooden bed – the bed was undoubtedly important, as it was where he would lie down and sleep for about seven hours every day in the future.
He walked over, held his breath and quickly removed the quilt cover. He discovered that the cotton inside was also unbearable to look at. Glancing at the sun outside, he thought it was still early enough, so he mustered the determination to carry the quilt and cotton outside for washing. However, as soon as he stepped out, he realized he didn’t know where the water source was.
At this moment, Hua Gou’er, confirmed that he and Mao were not kicked out, somewhat flatteringly entered the threshold, but soon became confused again. He stood awkwardly in the yard, not knowing what to do next or where to go, not even knowing where to put his hands and feet.
Not long after, he saw Qu Qing carry out the bedding from the house, stood in the doorway for a while, and suddenly without much warning threw the bedding to the ground. He went out the door without instructing him to do anything.
Hua Gou’er looked at Mao in confusion. After a while, Qu Qing returned, looked at Hua Gou’er, and said, “I want to wash clothes and bedding.” He didn’t directly ask about the water source, just hinted at it. Directly asking might raise suspicions and lead to unnecessary trouble. He also couldn’t be bothered to fabricate lies to explain anything.
Today, his only goal was to clean up this doghouse so that it can accommodate people.
Hearing his words, Hua Gou’er, thinking he was finally being ordered to do something, felt relieved. The heavy stone that had been hanging in his heart was finally put down. If he was needed, it meant he could at least have a foothold in this home. He went over enthusiastically and picked up the bedding. “I-I’ll go wash it.”
Qu Qing took a glance at the child following the man, and seeing Hua Guo’er looking so eager to run out of the door, someone who didn’t know might think he was running away. Qu Qing wanted to know about the water source and quickly stopped him, “Wait, there are still more things to wash.”
Saying that, he rummaged through boxes and cabinets, found an old wooden basin, went to the kitchen to get all the rags, picked up several dirty clothes piled aside, and grabbed a wooden bucket for water. He carried a bunch of things out, and seeing this, Hua Guo’er, thinking all of it was to be handed over to him, hesitated with a difficult expression, stammering, “There’s too much… I can take them for washing in two trips.” After saying this, he was afraid Qu Qing would misunderstand him for slacking off, so he solemnly swore, “Don’t worry, I will wash them clean!”
Qu Qing thought, “This is really an honest and silly child.” However, he just wanted to quickly find out the water source and was too lazy to talk nonsense. “I’ll go too. Don’t dawdle. Hurry up. You know where it is, right?”
Hua Guo’er felt that he was testing his abilities, so he hurriedly responded like a primary school student afraid of failing: “I know.”
Qu Qing thought that this was indeed an honest and silly child. However, he just wanted to quickly find out about the water source and didn’t bother with more useless talk: “I’m going too. Stop dawdling. Hurry up. Do you know where to wash?”
Hua Guo’er felt like he was being tested for his abilities, so he hastily responded like a primary school student afraid of failing: “I know.”
Qu Qing tilted his chin toward the door, signaling the direction without saying much. The meaning was clear – let the other person figure it out.
Hua Guo’er quickly led the way.
Qu Qing followed, walking to the left after leaving the door. After about 300 meters, in a place covered by grass, a stream about half a meter wide flowed down from the mountain. Qu Qing didn’t waste any words; he went straight there, put down his things, and started washing. Hua Guo’er, seeing this, hurriedly began washing the bedding. He was very surprised by Qu Qing’s behavior of washing clothes by himself, but didn’t say anything.
Qu Qing furrowed his brow deeply while washing, and Hua Guo’er, thinking it was dissatisfaction with him, hastened his rubbing and washing, fearing that he would be criticized for not doing a good job.
Qu Qing actually didn’t pay attention to the person beside him. At the moment, he was troubled by something – the clothes were too dirty, with some oil stains. If there were laundry detergent, it would be much more convenient to wash, but in this ancient time, there was probably no laundry detergent.
After washing for a while, Qu Qing gave up when he saw stubborn, dirty oil stains on the clothes. He threw the clothes in his hands aside and sat by the river, thinking. After a moment, he stood up, ready to go back and see if there were any soap horns or similar things at home. This kind of rough handling was not a solution.
“I’ll go back for a moment.” With a brief explanation, he strode towards the thatched cottage. Hua Guo’er, whose rigid back had relaxed, felt some relief, and the equally nervous Mao also felt a sense of relief.
After a while, Mao cautiously looked up at Hua Guo’er and asked in a very soft voice, “Are we staying here?”
Hua Guo’er wasn’t entirely sure, but faced with the fearful gaze of Mao, he nodded heavily and said, “Hmm, we will live here in the future. Mao, you must behave well, and I will work hard to serve him. As long as you don’t make him angry, things will get better in the future, right?”
Mao with a flower-like face nodded heavily, but then became worried again, eyes filled with sadness and guilt.
“But… Mao’s eyes…”
Hua Guo’er’s clothes washing paused, and he said, “It’s okay. Mao just needs to close his left eye. Don’t let him see, and everything will be fine… definitely…”
On the other side, Qu Qing went back to rummage through the boxes and cabinets, luckily finding a soap horn. Then he saw the straw on the bed, carried it all into the yard to dry on the clean ground, and went out with the soap horn. He was worried that the cotton in the bedding wouldn’t dry well, so he hastened his steps.
By the stream, he saw a pair of figures, one big and one small, squatting side by side, washing clothes. The scene of their backs looked harmonious. Qu Qing paused for a moment, then continued to walk over as if nothing had happened.
Hearing the sound behind him, Hua Guo’er looked up and saw Qu Qing’s gaze falling on the little hands of Mao who was washing clothes. He immediately realized that he shouldn’t let Mao touch his clothes randomly, in case Qu Qing got angry. So he snatched the clothes from Mao, explaining anxiously, “He just wants to help. He’s not messing around. Don’t blame him.”
Qu Qing glanced at the small hands covered in several yet-to-heal wounds and said, “Let him play on the side.”
After he finished speaking, Mao, who felt he had caused trouble, stood up at once, ready to run away. But after taking two steps, he fell forward, a real fall. It sounded painful, and Qu Qing was surprised. He rushed to help, but the child didn’t say a word, just got up and ran away without taking two steps. Qu Qing didn’t even get to walk a few steps.
After watching the child’s back for a while and seeing him fine, Qu Qing didn’t bother. He turned around with the soap horn, squatted down, and started washing clothes and bedding together.
Following his actions, Hua Guo’er also washed vigorously. Listening to the sound of the flowing stream, coupled with the repetitive and simple movements, although a bit tired, the originally chaotic and uneasy heart gradually quieted down in a strange way.
Finally, everything was done. They hung the washed clothes in the bushes, then cleaned their faces, limbs, and shoes. Qu Qing finally felt a sigh of relief from the suffocating dirt.
While waiting for the clothes to dry, he also planned to lie down on the grass and rest for a while. There was a shadow nearby, standing awkwardly not far from him, as if not daring to move without his orders. Qu Qing looked at him and said, “Find a place to rest on your own.”
The man indeed walked away after hearing this. Qu Qing saw him and thought, this person is still obedient. He glanced in the direction the man went and found out that he didn’t actually go to rest. Instead, he went over and tenderly picked up the child hiding behind the tree, caressing the child’s hair affectionately. With a slightly lowered face, he seemed to be whispering something to the child.
Watching his actions, Qu Qing thought that his voice should be very gentle.
Having just arrived here, not even half a day had passed, and Qu Qing already felt homesick. He moved his gaze away, laid his head on the grass, looked at the dazzling sky, and felt his eyes slightly warm. He closed his eyes, organizing the events of the day in his mind.
Stained innocence… responsibility… child…
So, is that child and this body actually related by blood? He… is now the father of that child?
“Father? Heh…” Qu Qing muttered in a mocking tone, not expecting to associate himself so quickly with the two words he detested the most.
Thinking of some unpleasant memories, Qu Qing clenched his fist, immediately sat up, and checked the two pieces of clothing he had initially washed. Seeing that the clothes were dry, he decided to clean himself from head to toe. He couldn’t stand being this dirty.
Hua Guo’er had actually been paying attention to him. Seeing him move, Hua Guo’er immediately stood up, instructing Mao to stay quiet and follow him. Hua Guo’er accidentally saw Qu Qing, behind the bushes, halfway undressed, and blushed on the spot. Awkwardly meeting Qu Qing’s gaze, he quickly averted his eyes and ran away in embarrassment.
Qu Qing noticed but didn’t make a big deal out of it. In his eyes, they were both grown men, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
Without any pause in his actions, he cleaned himself with cold water.
After changing into completely clean clothes, Qu Qing finally felt like he could breathe normally in this world. Then, he thought of a very, very serious issue – the shabby thatched hut had no extra bed or blanket. So… the two of them, the big and the small one, most likely could only sleep with him. If that were the case…
Hua Guo’er, whispering to Mao, saw Qu Qing coming out after washing up and was instantly stunned.
Qu Qing was fair-skinned, completely different from the wheat-colored skin of the villagers. His gaze was clear and bright, his nose high and straight, and his long semi-dry jet-black hair scattered behind him. Under the sunlight, he seemed to emit a faint glow all over his body.
He… actually looked this good?
Then he noticed that Qu Qing’s gaze was fixed on him and Mao. He walked towards them, exuding an aura completely different from the mundane. There was a solemnity in his expression, making Hua Guo’er feel as if the person in front of him was a divine being descending from heaven, not a mortal.
Qu Qing, with a furrowed brow, stared at them. Finally, his gaze locked onto the child’s hair.
“Cut the hair,” he said after a long while, his calm tone concealing the emotions on the verge of breaking.
In his heart, he developed a renewed understanding of the impoverished and backward world of this ancient era.
Head lice, this thing, seemed to be contagious.
Damn!
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Translator’s note: I apologize for the late update. School has been really demanding..
