CHAPTER 631: CHAPTER 631: GOLDEN SON-IN-LAW

Qin San Lang reminded, "Do you really want to eat it? Once you’ve eaten it, you can’t sell it for money."

Ever since they started curing these hams, Xiao Yu had been fixated on selling them for money, mulling over the idea for three years. Now, she was about to eat the largest one, and he was afraid it would pain her so much she wouldn’t be able to sleep.

After hesitating for a moment, Gu Jinli declared boldly, "Eat!"

Qin San Lang laughed hearing that. With a leap, his knife swept through the air, swoosh, severing the rope that bound the ham, and by the time he landed, he already held a ham in his hand, just not the one Gu Jinli had specified, "Eat this one instead, it looks good too."

Gu Jinli was pleased and agreed, "Mm, let’s eat this one."

She took the ham, sat down on the floor, took out the white cotton cloth she carried with her, wiped the ham, then pulled out a dagger and began to slice the ham.

First, she cut off the outer layer of skin and fat, and then slowly sliced off the pink meat, handing it to Qin San Lang, "Here you go, eat it."

Qin San Lang said, "It’s not cooked yet."

Not cooking it?

Since when did Xiao Yu like to gnaw raw meat?

"Ham that’s aged over three years can be eaten directly without cooking," Gu Jinli urged him, "Hurry up and eat it. Afraid I’ll poison you or something?"

Qin San Lang obviously wasn’t worried. He took the slice of meat she handed him and ate it.

The moment the ham touched his palate, his eyes brightened, the taste, "It’s delicious, it has an enriching and fragrant aroma."

Gu Jinli smiled, "It’s good, isn’t it?"

Qin San Lang nodded, "If Yanfu Building had this as a signature dish, it would surely attract gourmets from all over. The taste is too good, especially suitable as an accompaniment to alcohol."

Gu Jinli nodded and sliced another piece of ham for him, "Eating ham should be paired with alcohol."

Then she asked, "Do you want to drink some wine? There is some in the next room, but it’s sweet plum wine, you might not be used to it."

Qin San Lang, being in the military and mingling with people from the Military Office, had to know how to drink, and what he drank was always strong liquor.

Qin San Lang said, "I like to drink plum wine."

Hearing this, Gu Jinli glanced at him and said, "Wait up, I’ll get it for you."

She ran to the next room and quickly brought back a jar of plum wine, took out a bowl from the food box, and poured a bowl for Qin San Lang, "Here you go."

Qin San Lang took it, finished the bowl of plum wine in one go, "Tasty."

Gu Jinli said angrily, "Why are you drinking it so quickly? This is not water. At this rate, no amount will suffice for you."

After saying that, she poured another bowl of wine for Qin San Lang.

This time, Qin San Lang sipped it slowly, still looking at her with a smile.

Gu Jinli frowned and said with irritation, "What are you grinning about? Hurry up and slice more ham. I haven’t even had a bite yet. Do you expect me to do all the slicing while you keep eating?"

Qin San Lang’s smile deepened, he took over her dagger, "I’ll slice it for you."

His knife skills were better than Gu Jinli’s and quicker. In no time he had a plate full of ham slices, which he handed to her, "Eat."

Gu Jinli put the plate on the floor, contentedly ate three slices, then called out to him, "You eat too. Are you dumb just watching me eat?"

She suddenly felt that Brother Qin wasn’t very bright; when he came back this year to see her, he always liked to space out and smile foolishly, seemingly a bit slow-witted.

Qin San Lang, following her words, joined her in eating. After eating, he started slicing another plate, and the two did not stop until they had finished half of the ham.

"Are you full?" Gu Jinli asked, "Even if you’re not, you can’t eat any more. It’s not good to eat too much at once."

Qin San Lang nodded, "I am full. Are you tired?"

They had been out for more than two hours, and he was worried she might be tired.

Gu Jinli nodded: "It’s too late, let’s hurry up and get things in order to go to sleep. We have to go back early tomorrow."

Qin San Lang moved quickly, swiftly packing everything up, carrying the ham, and taking a torch, he left the house.

However, as he stepped out of the house, he felt he was moving too fast.

Gu Jinli, using the light of the torch, locked the door. The two of them left the yard one after another.

This time, Qin San Lang didn’t walk quickly, but the main courtyard wasn’t far. In just a little over a quarter of an hour, they had arrived.

He handed half of the ham to Gu Jinli, but she didn’t take it. She said, "You take the ham back with you. If Xiao Ji sees it, he will nag again."

Secretly sneaking out with Brother Qin to eat ham tonight was against the rules in Great Chu. If people found out they were together in the middle of the night, they would be taken to the government office to get married, so nobody could know about it.

Huh?

Why does it feel like wanting to be a thief?

Qin San Lang nodded, imitating her, he spoke in a low voice, "Hmm, you go back to sleep. I’ll hold on to the ham, and we will head back home together tomorrow morning."

Gu Jinli waved at him and turned to enter the main courtyard, locking the courtyard door behind her.

Qin San Lang did not leave immediately. Instead, he stood outside the courtyard door, listening to her footsteps fading away, and after hearing the sound of the room lock, he then stepped back to the guesthouse.

Early the next morning, Gu Jinli got up, packed everything neatly, and together with Xiao Ji, followed Qin San Lang back to the village.

...

Today’s Da Feng Village had changed significantly compared to three years ago. It was the last season for harvesting Mingya Grass. Entering the domain of Da Feng Village, one could see a vast expanse of red, which was the fully grown Mingya Grass.

Many families were already harvesting Mingya Grass by the roadside. Seeing the mule cart of the Gu Family pass by, they greeted them one after another.

Of course, more people greeted Qin San Lang.

Just entering the village, someone shouted to Qin San Lang, "Yo, the Qin family’s lad is back, how long can you stay this time? Hope you won’t just hang around for half a day and run off again?"

The speaker was He Laoqiao’s wife, a prominent gossip among the older generation. Ever since Qin San Lang became a Company Commander, she’d been eyeing him, dreaming of having him marry her granddaughter.

Qin San Lang pretended not to hear, kept a stern face, and rode his horse towards the end of the village.

He Laoqiao’s wife was anxious, and quickly ran over to block Qin San Lang’s path: "Qin family’s lad, the old woman is talking to you, you should at least respond!"

Crack!

Qin San Lang drew the waist knife from his side and directly split a small tree by the roadside.

His eyes, filled with murderous intent, glanced at the face of He Laoqiao’s wife, and he asked softly, "Did you hear that sound? What other sound do you want to hear? I can take you to the Punishment Room at the government office."

With a thud, He Laoqiao’s wife was scared and plopped down on her butt, trembling.

Qin San Lang, without even looking, rode his horse past her.

"Pfft~ Aunt Qiao, we all said San Lang doesn’t fancy your granddaughter, yet you still insist on dreaming. What’s the matter, you think because San Lang has become successful, you want to recruit him as your granddaughter’s husband? You’re really dreaming big," the village women who were watching the spectacle mocked her.

Feeling humiliated, He Laoqiao’s wife was determined not to give up on making Qin San Lang her granddaughter’s husband.

He Laoqiao’s wife stood up from the ground, hands on her hips, scolding, "Laugh all you want, the old woman knows what you’re thinking. Don’t you all wish your daughter, niece, or grandniece could marry a golden son-in-law? You’ve had your eyes on the Qin family’s lad for a long time, just too cowardly to say it. But the old woman dares to speak out."

"Saying Qin Family’s third son has an overbearing aura, that aura is what comes with his official position as Company Commander. Without that kind of aura, how can you command those soldiers below you?"

The village women felt exposed by her words, and immediately retorted, "Even if you dare to say it, it still depends on whether Qin San Lang fancies your granddaughter. If he doesn’t like her, shouting yourself hoarse is useless!"

Angered, He Laoqiao’s wife shouted, "Useless? Have you shrews thought about it, which man would like to stay single? The Qin family’s lad will be nineteen next year; if he doesn’t take a wife, can he endure the nights? A young man, his desires strong, won’t it burn him up?"