Chapter 328 – Home

In the forest stood two wooden houses, with front and back courtyards. Purple wildflowers bloomed on the bamboo fences, and the brick floor in the courtyard was covered with moss.

Luo Wei stood in front of the carriage, looking at his and Wei Lan’s future home.

“Do you like it?” Wei Lan asked Luo Wei. He didn’t care what kind of house he lived in, as long as Luo Wei liked it.

This time, the old men didn’t interrupt but walked to the side. Having lived in the city for a long time, they now wanted to appreciate the greenery and breathe the rare air, free of yellow sand and dust, in this forest full of towering trees.

In front of the wooden house, Luo Wei asked Wei Lan, “Are we going to live here from now on?”

Wei Lan said, “As long as you like it, we’ll live here.”

Luo Wei carefully examined the home once again.

Wei Lan said, “The elders said there are a few more houses we can choose from, but this is the quietest place, so I brought you here first to take a look. Young master, if you don’t like it here, we can look elsewhere.”

“I like it,” Luo Wei turned to Wei Lan and smiled. “Lan, how did you know I would like it here?”

Wei Lan smiled and said, “Don’t you like peace and quiet?”

“Then let’s go in,” Luo Wei said, holding Wei Lan’s hand, ready to enter the courtyard made of green bamboo.

“Uncle,” Wei Lan turned back to call the old men. “Come in, we will live here.”

“Has Brother Fu taken a fancy to this place?” Old Wei came over and asked Luo Wei.

Luo Wei nodded and said, “I didn’t expect it to be such a nice house. Thank you, Uncle.”

“Then go in and have a look,” Old Wei smiled. “You two should take a look at the things inside first, if thre’s anything missing we’ll have Brother Lan go to the city to buy it.”

They all walked into the courtyard together.

“What kind of tree is this?” Luo Wei pointed to a large tree in the courtyard that covered the roofs of the two wooden houses.

Wei Lan said, “That’s a tung tree.”

“Oh, it’s a tung tree,” Luo Wei said.

Seeing that Luo Wei still didn’t recognize the tree, Wei Lan whispered to him, “Have you forgotten? In the small courtyard of the Senior Chancellor’s Mansion, didn’t the young master have such a tree?”

Upon hearing Wei Lan’s words, Luo Wei carefully looked at the lush tree again and said, “It seems like that tree wasn’t this tall. Is it the same kind of tree?”

“Yes,” Wei Lan chuckled. “This is the mountains, so the trees grow better here.”

“This tree is also called May Snow,” Old Wei interjected.

“I know that,” Luo Wei said. “This tree blooms white flowers, and when the flowers fall, it looks like snow.”

At this moment, Wei Lan remembered that Luo Wei didn’t like snow, so he whispered to Luo Wei, “If you don’t like it, I’ll cut it down.”

Luo Wei laughed quietly and whispered, “Are you crazy? I don’t like snowy days, what does that have to do with this tree?”

“Brother Fu,” while Luo Wei and Wei Lan were still talking about the tung tree in the courtyard, all the old men except for Old Wei walked into the wooden houses. One of the elders stood at the doorway and called out to Luo Wei, “Come in and take a look at this house, see if it needs anything else.”

Luo Wei responded and walked into the wooden house with Wei Lan.

“It rains lightly here,” Wei Lao Han said to Wei Lan. “So there’s no need to worry about the house leaking.”

Wei Lan tapped on the wooden wall. It sounded solid. The walls made of whole logs of red pine were very thick and no worse than brick walls.

Luo Wei walked over and sniffed. “There’s still a fragrance.”

“The scent of pine,” one old man said. “These are all red pine from the mountains. It’s a good house, but you can’t build it in the city.”

“Why?” Luo Wei asked.

“You’d have to transport the wood into the city,” the old men were now a bit worried whether Luo Wei, who came from a wealthy family, could live here with Wei Lan.

“Oh, right,” Luo Wei realized he had said something silly again and stuck out his tongue.

The old men shook their heads with a smile. At this moment, this Brother Fu seemed like a teenager.

“What else do you think we need?” Old Wei asked Luo Wei and Wei Lan after inspecting both wooden houses.

Luo Wei came out of the wooden house that had been used as a kitchen by the previous owner and said, “We have pots, bowls and chopsticks here, so we don’t need much else.”

“Don’t you dislike using utensils that others have used?” Old Wei asked Luo Wei.

“Just wash them, and they’ll be fine,” Luo Wei smiled. “What’s there to dislike about it?”

“There’s a stream behind,” Old Wei told Luo Wei. “You can wash things there. The water isn’t deep, so you don’t have to worry about falling in.”

“This old man has nothing good to say again!”

Several people laughed.

Wei Lan looked at the sky outside. They had left Xuanzhou City early in the morning, and now it was almost noon.

At this moment, Luo Wei said, “I’ll go cook some food. You gentlemen can have lunch before returning to the city.”

Wei Lao Han hurriedly said, “We already ate steamed buns on the way, how can we still be hungry? As long as Brother Fu likes it here, we’ll leave. Let’s go,” he called to his four old friends, “so we don’t end up unable to go home by nightfall.”

The old men all shouted that they were ready to leave.

Luo Wei and Wei Lan exchanged a glance but Luo Wei still insisted, “We have food in the carriage. I’ll cook it quickly. It’s better to have a meal before you leave.”

“Brother Fu, remember to come back to the city to see us,” Old Wei took Luo Wei’s hand and said, “It’s quiet here in the mountains, but it’s also simple. If you feel depressed, come to the city and talk to people.”

“Alright,” Luo Wei promised. “I will come to see the gentlemen.”

“Eat well,” Old Wei reminded Luo Wei again. “You’re too thin. Once you’re healthy, Brother Lan’s life will be easier.”

Luo Wei nodded hurriedly. He could naturally accept this kind of concern. Now he also wanted to be well and stay with Wei Lan, and grow older together a little longer.

The old men all walked out.

Wei Lan walked up to Luo Wei and asked, “I’ll take the elders back to the city. Can you stay here alone?”

“No problem. I’ll wait for you to come back,” Luo Wei said. “The sooner you leave, the sooner you’ll be back. Be back soon. I’ll worry if it takes too long.”

“Alright,” Wei Lan didn’t know why, but listening to Luo Wei’s words and seeing Luo Wei seeing him off, he suddenly felt that this was what life was about. Their life together was finally beginning.

“Go quickly,” Luo Wei stood at the door and pushed Wei Lan. “Why are you so stupid again? Is my face dirty again?”

Wei Lan turned around, saw the old men sitting in the car chatting. He quickly lowered his head and kissed Luo Wei on the lips.

Luo Wei covered his mouth, looking at Wei Lan with a smile. When Wei Lan was about to lift his head, he stood on tiptoe and kissed Wei Lan on the lips, “Come back quickly.”

“Okay,” Wei Lan promised as he turned to leave.

“By the way, there’s no lamp oil here,” Luo Wei added, “Remember to buy some when you go back to the city.”

“I’ll remember,” Wei Lan wanted to say that there was no need for lamp oil here at night. Burning wood could provide light. But he still agreed. As long as Luo Wei was happy, it was fine.