8: House renovation planning

"Wife, take care."

Seeing Su Jing walk out with a big belly, Lu Xuan gently reminded her.

The ground is slippery in winter, so it is right to be careful.

Moreover, Su Jing is now pregnant with their third child, and the due date is near, so Lu Xuan cannot help but be nervous.

After all, giving birth twice in five years is very hard for Su Jing, and this is in ancient times with backward medical conditions; every childbirth is a walk before the gates of hell.

It won't change just because you've done it a few times and are 'familiar with the path'.

"Dad, you caught another big wild boar. Does that mean we can eat meat tonight? It's been so long since Yaner last ate meat."

Before Su Jing could speak, Lu Jingyan, whom she was holding, spoke up first.

"Hahaha, you little glutton, didn't you just eat pheasant yesterday at noon?"

Saying this, he scooped up Lu Jingyan and held him in his arms.

"Ah, did we eat it yesterday? I thought it had been so long."

After saying this, he shyly burrowed into Lu Xuan's arms.

"Alright, then let's stew wild boar meat tonight, how about that?"

"Husband, ordinary families don't eat meat every day, this meat..."

Lu Xuan naturally knew his wife's thoughts; it was nothing more than feeling sorry for him risking his life to hunt, wanting the meat to last longer, with no need to eat it every day.

Moreover, their standard of living had been rising over the past few years, from eating a little bit of grease and meat once a month to eating meat every few days now.

"Rest assured, your husband has great ability, just eat with peace of mind."

Lu Xuan took Su Jing's hand and patted it twice.

"Yaner, go help your father boil some water."

Lu Jingyan is three years old now, sensible early, clever, and can do these basic chores.

"Yay, yay, meat time, meat time."

After saying this, he skipped off to the kitchen.

"This rascal, Husband will go watch him."

Su Jing was worried about Lu Jingyan and immediately followed.

"Careful!"

In no time, Lu Jingyan had the hot water ready.

Lu Xuan, with practiced ease, placed the wild boar next to a large iron pot, with a straw mat underneath.

A fire was burning under the pot.

Lu Xuan moved the hot water Lu Jingyan had boiled into the pot.

"Yaner, move to the side, don't get scalded by the hot water in a moment."

Lu Jingyan obediently stood behind Lu Xuan, while Lu Xuan used the boiling water to scald the wild boar over and over again, the water falling onto the straw mat and flowing back into the pot, repeating this cycle.

By the time the wild boar's hair was cleaned, it was already more than an hour later.

Then Lu Xuan took out a sharp knife and, with practiced ease, cut open the wild boar, placing the internal organs and offal into winnowing baskets, filling two full baskets.

With the Heaven Rewards the Diligent talent, Lu Xuan learned technical things like butchering a pig after trying a few times.

"Daddy, these offal smell so bad."

Seeing the offal, Lu Jingyan pinched his nose and hid to the side.

"Haha, then Yaner just doesn't have to eat them later."

"This, I just said the offal smells, not that I won't eat it."

He twisted his two fingers in front of him.

Lu Xuan and Su Jing were both amused by his cute appearance.

Although Lu Jingan inside the room felt his heart itching from the laughter of his parents and brother outside, he still focused on copying the Thousand Character Classic.

Since the weather is cold now, there's no need to worry about storage; Lu Xuan directly processed the offal and put it together with the wild boar meat into his self-made natural refrigerator.

At night, the family sat around the fireplace.

In winter, one must eat hot pot.

Fortunately, this world has sufficient seasonings; what existed in his previous life basically exists here or has substitutes, and what didn't exist in his previous life also exists here.

Lu Xuan made a spicy hot pot; the beef tallow in the pot was something Lu Xuan had traded venison for when an old cow was killed in the village earlier.

Wild boar has a gamey smell, so you must use heavy spices to suppress it; hot pot is a very good choice.

Just this pot of ingredients cost Lu Xuan three qian of silver; when Su Jing found out, she felt pained for several days.

It wasn't that she felt pained about the money, but rather she felt pained for Lu Xuan, feeling for everything he sacrificed for this family.

Lu Xuan didn't care; in his view, you can treat anything poorly, but not your own stomach. Besides, this soup base could be used a few more times, and on average, the cost per time was acceptable.

As for Su Jing, Lu Xuan had the experience of taking care of her during the previous two pregnancies, so he specifically made her two dishes, one meat and one vegetable, and a bowl of fine rice.

At home, only Su Jing could eat fine rice; even Lu Xuan could only eat mixed grain rice with 60% brown rice.

However, even so, this living condition was definitely unique in West Mountain Village.

After all, most people here are thinking about saving money to buy land, build houses, and get married and have children.

Lu Xuan naturally wanted these things too, but he never thought about reducing his standard of living to achieve them; his idea was to increase income as much as possible rather than cutting expenses.

"Dad, it's so hot, this hot pot is really fragrant, even more fragrant than what the chefs from the county made when we had feasts in the village before."

Lu Jingyan got burned and said loudly.

"Eat when you eat; do not talk while eating or sleeping."

Su Jing spoke up appropriately.

At home, if you ask who Lu Jingan and Lu Jingyan fear the most, it's not Lu Xuan, but Su Jing.

This was also something the couple had agreed upon; Lu Xuan plays the good cop, while Su Jing plays the bad cop. Usually, when Su Jing disciplines the children, Lu Xuan doesn't say anything.

"Mom, I was wrong, it's just that what Daddy made is too delicious."

"Speak softly, chew slowly, do not make a loud noise at the dining table, don't do this next time."

Su Jing was still quite tolerant of Lu Jingyan, who was only three years old.

After eating, Lu Xuan brought a bowl of red medicinal liquid to the table.

This is a medicinal recipe derived from the qi and blood grass he planted; its main effect is to nourish qi and blood.

Although Su Jing is not a Martial Artist, drinking it once a month has the effect of strengthening the body.

After obtaining the recipe, besides drinking it himself, Lu Xuan would also make some for Su Jing every month. As for the two children, it wasn't time for them yet.

After Su Jing finished drinking, her face immediately turned rosy.

"Husband, I feel like I should be giving birth soon."

Having been ill for a long time makes one a doctor; having given birth twice, Su Jing also had some of her own insights.

"Hmm, I will stay at home recently and won't go anywhere. Anyway, winter has just begun, and food and such are enough. Added to the wild boar from today, this winter won't be too much of a burden."

"Hmm."

Su Jing responded softly, then seemed to hesitate to speak.

"If you have something to say, just say it directly; what concerns could there be between us husband and wife?"

Lu Xuan leaned against the head of the bed, watching Su Jing's expression. After years of sharing a bed, her thoughts were completely exposed on her face.

"Husband, I was thinking, when the third baby is born, the house might not be enough. Currently, Jing'an and Jingyan live together, but if the third baby grows up, that room definitely won't be enough."

Su Jing looked at her husband's face and said seriously. Although this is something for a few years from now, planning ahead is better than being in a rush later.

"Hmm, it is time to expand the house. How about we make plans after this batch of qi and blood grass matures?"

Lu Xuan pondered for a moment and said.

"Everything is up to you, husband."