After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Chapter 216 Heat

[The previous chapter has been revised; you can go back and read it now!]

With his eyes slightly lowered, the young man's gaze fell on the young man's fair and soft cheeks. He parted his thin lips slightly and said slowly, "Uncle Gu is skillful and his cooking skills are even better than before. The potato feast is especially delicious."

Whether in the past or present, Zheng Hao, though taciturn, never hesitated to praise Gu Lin, so Zhao's wife and the others were not surprised by his praise.

However, Gu An paused, glanced at the two of them, and saw that after hearing Zheng Hao's words, Uncle Gu did nothing but look away from the other person. So Gu An looked away and, like Zhao Saozi and the others, focused his attention back on the potato feast.

Since leaving Yueming Mansion, the group hadn't had a meal together for a long time. Some of the dozen or so people were studying, some were officials, and some were merchants. Although they lived in the same mansion, sometimes they wouldn't see each other for half a month at a time.

The atmosphere was unusually lively, and the potato feast was novel and delicious, keeping everyone at the table eating non-stop.

Yu Ge'er was quick-witted. Looking at the delicious food on the table, he had an idea and started to calculate. While eating, he asked Gu Lin, "Lin Ge'er, can these potatoes be used in the restaurant? The taste here is strong. If potatoes are cooked with more seasonings, many people will definitely like to eat them."

Although Gu Lin also wanted to put the potatoes into use in the restaurant as soon as possible, the number of potatoes was limited. Compared with their appetites and the restaurant's profits, they still had to save the potatoes for seed cultivation and focus on the important business.

Gu Lin explained, and Yu Ge'er looked regretful but not very disappointed.

He said, "Of course, the most important thing is for everyone to fill their stomachs."

The dozen or so people who had stopped eating to digest their food were all shocked when they heard Gu Lin say that the potatoes they were eating had a higher yield than any grain they had ever eaten before, with each acre of land producing about eight shi (a unit of dry measure) of potatoes.

Especially Sister Zhao, who was an experienced farmer before meeting Brother Lin, asked with trembling lips, "Brother Lin, you're not joking, are you?"

Seeing Zhao's sister-in-law staring at him in disbelief, Gu Lin said helplessly, "Sister-in-law, why would I lie to you? If you don't believe me, you can ask Xiao Yao and Brother Zhao. They are in charge of planting potatoes."

Upon hearing this, Sister Zhao raised an eyebrow and turned to Brother Zhao, saying, "You know about this too?"

Brother Zhao nodded honestly: "When we were trying to plant potatoes, Brother Lin sent someone to find an old farmer to study. I thought that I had been taking care of crops for many years, so I studied with the old farmer how to plant potatoes."

"I even told you at the time that you told me to handle it myself."

Zhao's sister-in-law was surprised to hear that the other person had said this to her. Then, related memories surfaced in her mind. It turned out that the other person had said this to her at night when she was sleeping. At that time, she was so sleepy that she was not conscious and did not know how many times she had slept.

After the potato feast, everyone was satisfied and returned to their respective rooms. Zheng Hao did not go to the front yard, but followed the young man back to the back yard.

As soon as Gu Lin entered the house, he didn't stop. He had been covered in the smell of cooking oil while cooking, and felt greasy all over, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

After finding his clothes, Gu Lin went to the adjacent shower room and only returned to his room after washing up.

The room was very quiet at the moment. Apart from the young man sitting behind the table reading a book, there was no one else in the room.

Gu Lin walked towards the soft couch with his wet hair.

Zheng Hao looked up in this direction, put down his book, and walked over.

Seeing this, Gu Lin said, "You can look after yourself, don't worry about me."

He spoke while wiping his wet hair with a dry cloth.

The young man ignored him and continued walking towards him, taking the handkerchief from his hand and beginning to dry his hair.

Under the warm yellow candlelight, Gu Lin's brows held a slight hint of helplessness, but upon closer inspection, a touch of joy was also visible.

The young man moved gently, raising his hand to stroke the soft, damp, black hair in front of him. The young man sat with his back to him, feeling the gentle pressure from his scalp. A sense of comfort flowed to his limbs, and he couldn't help but relax his body.

Gu Lin spoke to the young man behind him, "In a while, the Marquis of Zhenbei will invite us to a banquet to thank us for saving Xiao An."

As Zheng Hao listened, he lowered his eyes and picked up a wooden comb to comb the young man's hair. Compared to the other young men and women, the young man's hair was black and shiny but not smooth. Zheng Hao had an excellent memory and remembered that when he was a child, Uncle Gu often combed his hair and marveled at how good his hair was. He didn't need to comb his hair every day, and his hair could stay tangle-free.

Zheng Hao lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the black hair that kept running through his fingers. Although it wasn't smooth, it wasn't frizzy. In his opinion, Uncle Gu's hair was exceptionally good—strong yet soft.

He replied, "Uncle Gu, then it's fine."

Gu Lin nodded and continued to enjoy the young man's service. After a while, Zheng Hao slowly stopped, and the young man's hair gradually dried.

Having prepared a large meal all day, Gu Lin was a little sleepy. He raised his hand to cover the yawn that had just formed on his lips and said to the young man behind him, "It's getting late, let's go to sleep."

Gu Lin was about to get up when Zheng Hao pressed his shoulder down and made him sit back down. Gu Lin turned his head and looked at him, his face full of doubt: "What's wrong? Is there something else?"

Zheng Hao moved his hand, and under the young man's puzzled gaze, his palm landed on the other man's upper arm and pressed down lightly. Gu Lin immediately frowned and hissed softly.

Seeing this, Zheng Hao's eyes flashed with helplessness: "Uncle Gu hasn't been in the kitchen for a long time. Today he cooked more than ten dishes. How come his arms are not sore?"

If the other party hadn't mentioned it, Gu Lin wouldn't have felt it at all. But now, with a gentle press from the other party, Gu Lin immediately felt the soreness in his upper arm.

However, the soreness was not obvious, and Gu Lin waved his hand dismissively, saying, "It's nothing serious, it will be fine tomorrow."

Despite his drowsiness, Gu Lin still longed to go to bed.

Just as he was about to get up, Zheng Hao reached out and wrapped his arms around him from behind. Although he didn't use much force, Gu Lin was unable to move while sitting on the stool.

The young man leaned down, resting his head on his shoulder. Gu Lin stiffened slightly, and Zheng Hao's deep voice slowly entered his ears, making it hard to refuse: "May I apply the medicine for Uncle Gu?"

Warm breath sprayed against his ear, and Gu Lin's body trembled sensitively. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and his light brown eyes gradually drifted away.

"Uncle Gu?"

The young man repeated, his broad chest pressed against the young man's back. Even though there were several layers of clothing between them, Gu Lin still felt his body slowly getting hot.

Gu Lin swallowed hard, and his voice was much lower than usual when he spoke: "Hmm... Let's go."

The sound of the ointment cap being opened rang out, and Gu Lin felt the young man move, but the other person's body remained close to his and did not move away.

Gu Lin didn't move. The young man raised his hand and slowly rolled up his sleeve, revealing a section of snow-white and delicate arm. Looking at the scene in front of him, Zheng Hao's eyes were deep and dark. If Gu Lin turned his head at this moment, he would definitely find the other party staring at him with the same focused and greedy gaze as a wild beast seeing its prey.

The scent of peach blossom milk, still warm from the young man's skin, wafted from his skin and gradually filled the room. Zheng Hao breathed in and out the scent of the other man, remaining motionless for a long time.

With his arm hanging loosely, a cool breeze swept over him, and Gu Lin couldn't help but shiver. He urged the young man, "Is it done? Can we apply the medicine now?"

Hearing Uncle Gu's voice, Zheng Hao came back to his senses and raised his hand to apply the medicine to the other party. The ointment was originally cool, but it was warmed by the young man's palm. Gu Lin did not feel any discomfort. He could only feel the other party's hot palm moving on his arm.

After applying the ointment to one arm, Zheng Hao rolled up the young man's other sleeve and started applying the ointment. Gu Lin wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the other man's movements were much faster than before.

After applying the ointment to Uncle Gu, Zheng Hao stopped and closed the ointment. Gu Lin lowered his head and put down his sleeves. The young man turned around and went behind the screen to wash his hands.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Gu Lin had already straightened his clothes. Just as he was about to turn around, he felt a sudden lightness in his body. Zheng Hao bent down and picked him up. Gu Lin subconsciously looked up, but before he could see the young man's expression, his light brown eyes met the other's dark eyes, which were deep and viscous. Although the young man did not say anything, Gu Lin's heart raced and his cheeks burned.

Zheng Hao lowered his head and parted his thin lips slightly, his voice low and husky: "I'm sorry to trouble Uncle Gu tonight."

What punishment did they suffer?

Before the young man could speak, Gu Lin felt a sudden heaviness in his breath, and his already slightly warm body became even hotter.

A gentle evening breeze caused the candlelight inside the room to flicker and then go out.

.

is the day.

Unlike usual, the young military supervisor did not spend his day relaxing in the mansion with the young men during his day off.

The Marquis of Zhenbei held a banquet at his residence and sent someone early in the morning to invite the two of them to the banquet. Gu Lin brought the prepared gifts and went to the banquet with Zheng Hao, accompanied by Gu An.

Upon arriving at the Rong residence, Gu Lin initially assumed that the Marquis of Zhenbei would send a trusted confidant to greet them, but to his surprise, the Marquis personally greeted them outside the residence, and Gu Lin and Zheng Hao got out of the carriage together.

Marquis Zhenbei stepped forward, not greeting Zheng Hao first, but looking at the young man with a smile, saying, "I have heard Lord Zheng and Xiao An mention Mr. Gu before. Without your kindness, generosity and careful cultivation, there would be no Xiao An today. I thank Mr. Gu here."

Marquis Zhenbei clasped his hands in thanks.

Gu Lin raised his hand in return: "Your Excellency is too kind. Xiao An has lived with us for many years and is already family. There is no need to be so formal."

Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Zhenbei showed no sign of unease. Instead, he laughed heartily and said, "Husband Gu is right. We're all family, so let's not be formal."

Gu Lin smiled.

The Marquis of Zhenbei raised his hand and said to them, "Come on, let's go inside first. The dishes are all prepared. I heard from Xiao An that Mr. Gu likes to eat beef and mutton, so I specially had someone prepare roast meat and a pot."

The main character of today's thank-you banquet is Gu Lin. Zheng Hao and Gu An did not speak, following behind the young man. Gu Lin was not shy at all. He smiled and accepted the invitation from the Marquis of Zhenbei, and stepped into the Rong residence with him.

Upon seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed across the Marquis of Zhenbei's eyes.

I thought that Gu Fulang, coming from the capital, would be more refined and I wouldn't be used to talking to a rough guy like him, but to my surprise, he remained calm and composed.

Such thoughts flashed through the mind of the Marquis of Zhenbei, but he was not too surprised. As a border region of the Great Qian Dynasty, Youzhou Prefecture did not have a serious distinction between men and women. Here, both men and women had to hold up half the sky. Men went to the army to fight the enemy, while women had to support their families.

The four entered the mansion and took their seats in turn.

Regardless of seniority or as the main character of today's thank-you banquet, Gu Lin should sit first below the Marquis of Zhenbei, followed by Zheng Hao, and Gu An, being the youngest in seniority and age, should sit next in line.

Gu Lin looked down at the copper pot and roasted meat on the table and realized that what the Marquis of Zhenbei had said outside the mansion was not a joke. The other party had really prepared a pot and roasted meat, as well as other dishes.

Marquis Zhenbei picked up his wine cup and said to Gu Lin, "Although Xiao An is family to you, Mr. Gu, I cannot take it for granted that Mr. Gu should raise Xiao An."

"I am deeply grateful to Mr. Gu for saving my life. You saved Xiao An, which is equivalent to saving my own life. I am not good at saying those touching words, but I owe Mr. Gu two lives. In the future, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask me to help you."

After saying this, the Marquis of Zhenbei drank a full cup of wine.

Seeing that the other party had spoken so boldly and was drinking so heartily, Gu Lin was not one to mince words. He pressed down the young man's attempt to drink for him with one hand, and then raised his glass with both hands and drank the wine.

After finishing his drink, seeing that the Marquis of Zhenbei wanted to urge him to drink more, Gu Lin said, "Your Excellency should take better care of your health now that you have found your beloved grandson. You should not be addicted to alcohol."

Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Zhenbei paused in pouring wine, looked up at the young man below, and saw that the young man was looking at the wine cup in front of him. The old Jiang Jun, who used to be able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, put down the wine pot and said to the young man, "Gu Fulang is right, let's eat."

The atmosphere among the four was harmonious. At first, the Marquis of Zhenbei focused on entertaining Gu Lin, but after seeing that Gu Lin was eating with all his heart, his attention gradually shifted to the young man.

With Gu An acting as a mediator, the Marquis of Zhenbei gradually lowered his guard against the young military supervisor. Although the Marquis of Zhenbei had known before that Zheng Hao was no ordinary person, he had not had much contact with him and therefore did not have a deep understanding of his situation.

During their conversation today, the two discussed everything from the political affairs of Youzhou Prefecture to the military affairs of Zhenbei Army and then to the situation in the imperial court. The young military supervisor's keen political sense and outstanding military talent surprised the Marquis of Zhenbei time and time again.

Originally, he was thinking about how to advise the other party on the way of officialdom. After all, Zheng Hao was not like an aristocratic family with elders to guide him. They regarded Xiao An as family, and the Marquis of Zhenbei regarded them as juniors.

He naturally had to teach his younger generation well. The officials in the court were cunning and ruthless, and even he had to deal with them carefully. The Marquis of Zhenbei did not want the young military supervisor to fall into a trap.

But the young man before him was beyond his expectations. His ability to view politics and analyze the situation in the court was nothing like that of a novice official.

He used to think that Zheng Hao's ability to rise from a low-ranking official to a prefect was due to his talent, but more so to the favor of Emperor Jian'an. Now it seems that he underestimated the talent of the young man before him.

At the thank-you banquet, the four guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely. The conversation between the Marquis of Zhenbei and the young military supervisor never stopped. Gu An listened attentively without interrupting, but every word he uttered pointed out the key point, attracting the attention of the Marquis of Zhenbei. Gu An's performance pleased him greatly. He had not expected that without the guidance of famous teachers and scholars, his grandson's vision and knowledge could be no less than that of the young masters from prominent families in the capital.

As a political novice, Gu Lin could initially understand some of their conversation, but as the three of them delved deeper into the topic, he gave up and focused on eating.

[Gu Lin: I don't understand~~ You're a jerk!]