SOL Chapter 12

Balcony at Dawn and Dusk (Part 1)

The Balcony at Dawn and Dusk (Part 1)

The current Emperor is seriously ill, the court is in turmoil, and various forces in the capital are stirring. Coupled with the continuous disasters in recent years, local powerful families have become separatist, and war is imminent.

Peach Blossom Spring is located in a remote area, which has been a place uncontested by military strategists throughout dynasties. There are no wars, abundant rainfall, and fertile soil. There are no famines or disasters. It is truly a paradise and a beautiful place on earth. Many aristocratic families have moved here to seek peace and avoid disaster.

Several farmers were chatting idly in the fields.

“I heard that a big shot has recently moved into the village, said to be a collateral branch of the Hedong Li family.”

“I saw it too. The Liuyuan Garden was originally abandoned, but now this Master Li has renovated and refurbished it, decorating it very impressively, which must have cost a lot of money. No wonder they say that the Hedong Li family is related to the imperial family and has held official positions for generations. This looks like they have a great background.”

“Hey, why are you still talking about background? In this world, with natural and man-made disasters, even the old emperor is about to fall. Who cares about these monkeys?”

“The swallows that once nested in the halls of the Wang and Xie families of old now fly into the homes of ordinary people. What if the capital is as splendid as brocade? How can it compare to our Peach Blossom Spring, a comfortable nest?”

The local wealthy gentry of Peach Blossom Spring, upon hearing that a collateral branch of the Hedong Li family had moved here, became curious and successively visited.

Upon seeing this Master Li, they all exclaimed that he was a handsome and cultivated young man.

Seeing this, Master Li acted appropriately and specially set up a floating goblet party in Liuyuan Garden to entertain guests.

Seeing Li Huai Su’s every move showing the demeanor of a noble family, the guests dispelled their doubts and assumed that this person held an extraordinary position in the Li clan and was by no means an ordinary person.

A hidden current surged in the banquet, each with their own thoughts.

The customs of Peach Blossom Spring were simple and open. Landlord Zhou took the initiative to speak first, wanting to arrange a marriage for Li Huai Su: “We have long heard of the Hedong Li family’s good name. Seeing Master Li today, you are indeed a dragon among men. I, Zhou, am not talented and have no special abilities, but I have a daughter who is at the prime of her youth, born beautiful and virtuous. I wonder if the Master can do me the honor of meeting her during this beautiful spring scenery, to take a spring outing on the lake?”

The guests at the table glared at Landlord Zhou, scolding him for being shameless and complaining that this old fox had beaten them to it. Even if the court is in turmoil now, the Hedong Li family, such a large aristocratic family, is still a skinny camel bigger than a horse. Which of these wealthy households in Peach Blossom Spring doesn’t want to get on such a relationship?

Li Huai Su just nodded slightly, and said politely: “Thank you for your kindness, Landlord Zhou, but I already have a wife at home. It is probably not appropriate to take a spring outing with your daughter.”

Landlord Zhou’s face stiffened, he had flattered the wrong person.

Everyone looked at each other, after all, this Master Li looked young, and there were no women accompanying him at the banquet, no one expected that he was already married.

Landlord Zhou chuckled and joked, “Master Li is so young, one can’t tell that you are already married.”

Everyone echoed, glossing over the previous embarrassment, boasting: “Master Li is such a talented young man, your wife must be a celestial beauty.”

Some people suspected that this was Li Huai Su’s pretense, otherwise, why would the hostess, who should be in charge of the inner house and entertain guests with her husband at this kind of banquet at home, be absent, deliberately asking: “The young couple must be very loving, how come we don’t see your wife at today’s banquet?”

Li Huai Su’s expression was as usual, and he explained in a light tone: “My wife is weak. I moved my whole family to Peach Blossom Spring so that she can recuperate and recuperate here. But she has been bedridden these days, and the doctor said she can’t be exposed to the wind, so it is inconvenient to meet guests. Please forgive me.”

The crowd was inevitably disappointed after hearing this, but they couldn’t continue to ask, and just nodded in agreement.

The banquet ended, and after seeing everyone off, the maids and servants quietly cleaned up the hall. Li Huai Su got up and went to a quiet place in the inner courtyard.

The small courtyard was hidden deep in the inner house, surrounded by high walls, as if isolated from the world. The courtyard door was half-closed, the courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, surrounded by bamboo, revealing a bit of loneliness and coldness.

The small building in the courtyard was repaired in a simple and elegant manner. Li Huai Su pushed open the door of the small building, passed through the freehand screen set up in the house, and finally came to the innermost room. A very light calming incense was lit in the room, which was unusually quiet.

Li Huai Su sat down by the bed, and realizing that someone had come, the person on the bed immediately moved, happily crawling over to rub into Li Huai Su’s arms.

Li Shan had his long hair loose, wearing a gray upper garment, the empty sleeves tied together in a knot, so as not to make it inconvenient for Li Shan to move and trip himself on the bed. The hem was slightly longer and dragged on the bedding, obviously not his own clothes.

Since that meeting after giving birth, Li Shan seemed unable to accept Li Huai Su leaving his side, but Li Huai Su obviously couldn’t be with him all the time, so he put his clothes on him. Being able to feel the familiar and reassuring breath all the time, Li Shan became much quieter, and obediently shrank on the bed waiting for Li Huai Su to come back.

Li Huai Su hugged Li Shan to his lap and combed his messy hair with his fingertips. He asked, “Do you want to drink perch soup?”

Li Shan looked at him with bright eyes and nodded seriously. Probably because he was very happy, he bumped into his arms.

Li Huai Su was very helpless in his heart when he saw his stupid appearance, but his arms still honestly held Li Shan’s waist and abdomen, so as not to let him move too much and fall off his legs. He sighed and said, “Be quiet, I’ll ask the kitchen to bring it.”

Since coming to Peach Blossom Spring, with the demon blood in his body repairing his insides, and being far away from the Demon World, Li Shan’s physical condition has visibly improved. Li Huai Su calculated the time, and it would probably be fine in three months.

It’s just that Li Shan’s mind always seems to be unclear, and he can only repeat a few simple syllables, I’m afraid he can’t even recognize who Li Huai Su is.

Otherwise, seeing him, he would definitely shout to kill him to avenge his good master, first kill Li Huai Su and then kill himself. In a sense, this is actually a good thing.

Cultivators abstain from grains and cultivate themselves, abstaining from the desire of the tongue. Li Huai Su has already entered demonic cultivation, so naturally he doesn’t care about these; Li Shan is already like this, so it doesn’t matter if he cultivates or not.

The perch in Peach Blossom Spring is very delicious. Some diners commented that if you come to Peach Blossom Spring in autumn, it would be a waste of time if you don’t taste perch. I think this statement is indeed true, and Li Shan, who has always been sick, is willing to drink a few more mouthfuls when he sees it.

Seeing that Li Shan liked it, Li Huai Su kept it warm in the kitchen, so that Li Shan could eat something whenever he wanted.

A small maid born as beautiful as a flower quickly brought in the fish soup and shortbread pastries, put them on the small sandalwood table in front of the bed and retreated, watching her nose and heart, and didn’t feel that Li Shan’s deformed appearance with broken limbs was inappropriate.

After all, this little maid was originally a peach blossom in Liuyuan Garden, and she took on a human form after being transformed by Li Huai Su’s sorcery.

This Liuyuan Garden is nothing but an illusion. Overnight, the broken wells and crumbling walls of the past grew spring grass, and now they are carved beams and painted buildings in a peaceful village.

The villagers of Peach Blossom Spring are blinded by a leaf, completely ignoring the various strange things in it, and do not realize that this deserted house has been built into a tall building on the flat ground, blindly believing the identity fabricated by Li Huai Su, and only regard him as an ordinary young master from a large family.

However, if the trick is too successful, it is not good, and it actually provokes the enthusiasm of the villagers to make friends, adding a lot of trouble.

Li Huai Su picked up the bowl and tested the temperature, and after confirming that the temperature was right, he leaned down slightly and brought it close to Li Shan’s mouth, and passed the soup over with his mouth.

Li Shan was already used to this way of feeding, and obediently raised his head to lean over, like a puppy feeding, his tongue occasionally rubbing against the corners of Li Huai Su’s lips.

After feeding a bowl of perch soup and eating shortbread, Li Shan bit without knowing the severity, and the crumbs fell on the clothes on his chest. Li Huai Su subconsciously frowned, helped him pull open the ties on his clothes and shook off the food residue.

“It hurts…it hurts.”

Li Huai Su couldn’t help but stunned when he heard Li Shan suddenly speak, and opened his clothes to check his broken limbs, which had grown neatly with flesh covering the bones. Li Huai Su asked Li Shan: “Where does it hurt?”

Li Shan couldn’t say it, he could only gesture with his not-so-flexible body, his chest lightly rubbing against Li Huai Su’s arm.

The comfortable temperature came from the forearm through the fabric. In an instant, Li Huai Su suddenly realized where it hurt – Li Shan was lactating.

This was a situation that would occur after a woman gave birth, but Li Huai Su had never started a family or had children, and temporarily forgot about it, or rather, he never thought that these things would happen to Li Shan.

Li Shan’s clothes were already open, and his chest was still very thin, and it was almost impossible to see any problems.

Li Huai Su looked at his slender waist, narrow hips and narrow pelvis, and was very strange in his heart that he could give birth to Tian Chang’s child.

He stretched out his hand and pressed it on Li Shan’s chest, groping to feel the hard lump under the skin.

Li Shan’s body began to tremble slightly when his hand touched his skin, seemingly trying to endure the pain, and he could only endure it. Li Huai Su hugged him very gently, so that he had nowhere to escape.

This gave Li Huai Su a kind of illusion that he could completely control Li Shan. Like a wild rabbit struggling under the palm of his hand when he was a child, he wanted it to live or die.

And when the object was replaced by Li Shan, Li Huai Su felt that a piece of emptiness in his heart was filled, overflowing with a strange sense of satisfaction.

Li Huai Su exerted a little force on his fingertips, and the milky white juice flowed down his chest, soaking Li Shan’s clothes. Li Huai Su reached out and took the silk cloth from the small table to wipe off the juice on his hands, and roughly cleaned up the mess on Li Shan’s body.

Li Shan seemed to have experienced a severe torture, his body was covered in cold sweat. As soon as Li Huai Su let go, Li Shan rubbed his newly grown broken limbs to the end of the bed and shrank, burying his head and turning his back to him, as if deliberately trying to avoid Li Huai Su.

Li Huai Su was in a good mood, raised his eyebrows and asked: “Did I bully you? Doesn’t it hurt now?”

Li Shan was silent for a few seconds before answering: “…Tired.”

Li Huai Su leaned over and grabbed Li Shan’s waist, and reminded in a light tone: “The medicine hasn’t been changed yet.”

The laceration of the vagina was inside. When he first gave birth, the muscles were like a tattered fishing net, with every hole stretched open, almost torn into fibers, and naturally recovered slowly.

Li Shan did look very tired from being tossed around. Li Huai Su helped him clean up and fell asleep with his eyes drooping. His long hair was messily spread on the bedding, entangling into a black tangle.

The waxy suppository will melt and be absorbed after being warmed by body temperature. After a simple cleaning, the medicine can be changed directly. Li Huai Su simply wiped his body and changed the medicine for him, and found his old clothes for him to wear. After doing all this, he took off his coat and lay down on Li Shan, hugging him into his arms.

Li Shan’s body temperature was high, and he was small when he was hugged, but he was very comfortable.

Li Huai Su was raised as the heir of the Hedong Li family. His mother devoted herself to Buddhism and always stayed in the Buddhist hall. Li Huai Su rarely had the experience of sleeping with others like this. After really practicing it, he felt good.

There are no years in the mountains. For the long life of the demons, all the long and surplus concepts of time seem to be just a blink of an eye in their eyes. Li Shan’s body gradually recovered, and he was already able to move freely.

It’s just that he is mentally exhausted, always sitting silently by the bed, staring blankly at the sky cut out by the courtyard wall.

Demonic war continues. Li Huai Su cannot always stay here to accompany Li Shan to steal leisure, leaving flower maids and bamboo slaves to accompany Li Shan. Li Huai Su has never been able to see what he is thinking from his light-colored eyes, but he does not need to understand.

Li Shan was staring at the sky in a daze as usual, but saw a colored swallow kite falling into the small courtyard’s square sky. Li Shan’s eyes followed the kite, but the kite suddenly broke its string, and fell whirling in the small courtyard.

Seeing Li Shan staring at the kite, the flower maid got up, picked up the kite and handed it to Li Shan. Li Shan just lowered his head and fiddled with the novel toy in front of him.

Several round heads poked out from the wall, peeking into the courtyard. Li Shan looked over silently, and the heads immediately shrank back.

Perhaps after discussing a result, a little girl in a red dress flipped out from the wall. The courtyard wall was too high, she staggered and fell after jumping down, and then patted the dust on her skirt and ran towards the window.

The girl said to Li Shan in a crisp voice: “That’s our kite, can you give it back to me.”

Li Shan raised his eyes to look at her blankly. When the girl met Li Shan’s eyes, she suddenly stammered: “You…are you Master Li’s wife?”

When Li Huai Su rejected Landlord Zhou’s “kindness” before, he casually used Li Shan as Mrs. Li. His one nonsense word had an effect on the villagers of the entire Peach Blossom Spring.

Although Li Shan looked beautiful, it could be clearly seen that he was a young man. However, in the eyes of the villagers of Peach Blossom Spring, he was this Master Li’s weak and sickly wife who could not take care of himself.

Li Shan handed the kite back to the girl through the window.

The girl thanked him and ran away, turning her head every three steps, and said to her companion in a low voice: “Master Li’s wife is as beautiful as a fairy in the sky.”

Li Shan silently thought while watching the back of the red-clothed girl: So that is Master Li, and I am his wife.

Although Li Huai Su usually took care of Li Shan intimately, he never explained the identities and relationship between the two to Li Shan, so Li Shan’s knowledge of the outside world was blank.

This girl’s words were like a child writing the first stroke on this paper.

After that, these children often took new toys to find Li Shan over the wall. After all, Li Shan was always quiet, and sometimes he would play house with them, unlike other adults who wouldDislikethem annoying and scold them for being greedy.

Li Shan quickly became familiar with these children, piecing together a picture of this unfamiliar and blank world from their words and phrases.

Li Huai Su returned to Liuyuan Garden late at night. Usually at this time, Li Shan had mostly fallen asleep, but today there was still a warm lone lamp burning in the small building. The dim light shone through the window, as if it was specially left for him.

Li Huai Su came back to his senses and immediately found his subconscious thoughts too funny.

Pushing the door in, he saw a figure kneeling and sitting on the screen, hazy. Li Huai Su turned the screen, and the person behind the screen turned his head as if feeling it, stretched out his arms and rushed into his arms.

Li Huai Su raised his hand and pressed on the back of Li Shan’s neck, wanting to pull him out of his arms. Li Shan was now able to move freely, and it was not appropriate to pull and tug like before.

But before he could pull Li Shan away, he heard Li Shan gently shout: “Husband.”

Li Shan spoke softly, but Li Huai Su felt as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his ear, and he looked at Li Shan almost in horror.

Seeing that Li Huai Su did not respond, Li Shan looked up at Li Huai Su in a loss. But seeing that Li Huai Su’s face was a little ugly, as if he was suppressing his emotions with extreme impatience, he felt that he had done something wrong, and cautiously shouted again: “Husband?”

Li Huai Su took a deep breath and asked, “Who taught you to say that?”

The flower maid was standing by his side, and after hearing this, she told Li Huai Su the ins and outs of the matter. After listening, Li Huai Su felt a headache. Li Shan looked at Li Huai Su’s expression and stammered, “Husband, did I say something wrong?”

The words were all said by Li Huai Su himself, so he couldn’t swallow them back now, so he could only rub his eyebrows and said, “Don’t call me husband.”

Li Shan looked at him blankly, as if he didn’t understand: “Then what should I call you?”

Li Huai Su pondered his words and corrected his way of calling: “Call me Li Lang.”

Hearing this, Li Shan immediately followed suit and leaned close to Li Huai Su’s ear and softly called “Li Lang”, while reaching out to untie his belt.

Li Huai Su felt a heat blowing in his ear, but he was so excited that he immediately dodged back.

Li Shan rubbing back and forth in Li Huai Su’s arms had already made him very annoyed, and now he started to move his hands and feet and throw himself into his arms. He almost glared at Li Shan, held down Li Shan’s hand to take off his clothes, and couldn’t bear it anymore: “What are you doing again?”

Li Shan blinked at him, as if he didn’t understand: “Little Sister Zhou said that husbands and wives should sleep together.”

The little girl in red, Xiao Zhou, is the granddaughter of Landlord Zhou’s eldest daughter. She is precocious and speaks like a little adult, but she only knows how to grab two mud dolls and kiss each other.

Children’s words are innocent, but Li Shan took them all seriously, and when he saw Li Huai Su returning home at night, he would execute it in a proper manner.

Li Huai Su was speechless for a while. Since Li Shan’s body recovered, Li Huai Su had slept in separate rooms with him. After all, Li Shan no longer needed him to take care of him all the time, and it was not appropriate to always sleep together. He took a deep breath and had to find an explanation for not being able to sleep together to fool Li Shan: “Your body has not fully recovered, so you have to sleep in separate rooms.”

Li Shan seemed a little disappointed after hearing this: “Then when will my body be well?”

Li Huai SuPerfunctorysaid with a headache: “You have to ask the doctor.”

Then he pressed on Li Shan’s shoulders and urged: “Okay, it’s very late, you should rest.”

Li Shan blinked, as if he was selling his pitifulness. Seeing that Li Huai Su was unmoved, he had to grind back to his bed, curled up and shrank back into the quilt.

Li Huai Su blew out the candle, got up and walked to the courtyard. Outside the window, the moon and stars were sparse, and insects were chirping. Li Huai Su coldly looked towards the darkness, and said unhappily: “Since you are here, don’t hide your head and show your tail.”

Shi En appeared from the hidden darkness, walked slowly to Li Huai Su, and said in a frivolous tone: “What a Liu Xiahui who is not moved by beauty, this little monk has seen it today.”

Li Huai Su looked at him indifferently, but heard Shi En continue: “If Benefactor Li is not blessed to enjoy the grace of beauty, it is better to let this little monk…”

Li Huai Su interrupted Shi En’s foul language in a deep voice: “What are you here to do?”