"If you guys want to be lazy, you might as well go home now."
Hearing his eldest brother reprimanding the servant again, Dongfang Shiming turned his head and took a look, then went back to his own business.
The servants were busy until noon, and in the afternoon they should go back to spend time with their families. It's only a moment before noon, but fortunately, most of the necessary things at home have been done.
Dongfang Chengtian clasped his hands behind his back. The moment he saw his younger brother, his expression changed from serious to relaxed.
Dongfang Shiming brought the white glutinous rice paste over, and Dongfang Chengtian asked for the first time: "Shiming, you haven't rested since just now. I see that you are tired. Why don't you go around and leave the work here to others."
Dongfang Shiming raised his head: "How can it be done? Work must start and end. Brother, you don't have to worry about me. I'm not tired yet."
As he spoke, he placed the bucket under the elevated ladder in front of the door and assisted several servants in pasting the Spring Festival couplets.
Dongfang Chengtian smiled and turned around elsewhere.
When he came back, Dongfang Shiming was still elsewhere, hanging the red rope connecting the houses, on which lanterns and decorations needed to be hung.
Dongfang Chengtian raised his head and said, "Shiming, father is calling you in the house. Please come over."
As soon as Dongfang Shiming heard his father's instructions, he got down from the ladder. Patting the dust on his clothes, he quickly headed towards Nuanzhuzhai.
After opening the door, the father was in front of the bed, watching his wife and several maids making dumplings together. There were people cutting paper to make burning offerings on the table over there, so it was very lively.
Seeing the door open, the owner of the house raised his head and saw Dongfang Shiming: "It's you here. Is something wrong?"
Dongfang Shiming was stunned for a moment, and then understood his elder brother's intention. He smiled lightly and said: "It's okay, I just came here to take a look. If you want some snacks, I'll go to the kitchen and get them."
"No, no need." The owner's cheeks were flushed and he waved for him to come over and sit down. Dongfang Shiming did not hesitate and quickly went over to sit next to his father.
The head of the family had no work at hand, so Dongfang Shiming was unable to help. He was silent for a while and gently stroked Dongfang Shiming's back with his hand.
The body temperatures of father and son were very close, and Dongfang Shiming could feel his father's palms trembling slightly.
"During this period, I heard from your elder brother that you are busy everywhere."
Suddenly, the head of the family spoke lightly. "What happened back then was really the most wrong thing I did. Now I have to ask you to make up for my regrets. My child, I feel very guilty for you."
Dongfang Shiming shook his head without thinking: "Father, what you said is too outrageous. I now have an idea of what happened at that time. Finding the truth is also an explanation for myself."
"You left home when you were young and endured hardships outside. You finally returned home, but I'm about to die." The head of the family took a few breaths, "...but Chengtian loves you very much. Hey...from now on, Dongfang's family will be his home. , even if I am no longer here..."
Dongfang Shiming's face froze: "Father, stop talking."
The head of the house was stunned for a moment. After a long while, he smiled bitterly: "It's okay. I have been working on this ancestral business all my life, and I have already looked away from many things that I should have looked away from."
Dongfang Shiming gently held his father's hand and slowly placed it on the table.
Since just now, the wife of the house owner has been glancing here from time to time. Dongfang Shiming naturally noticed it, but the head of the house said to his wife at this moment: "You stay here. The others can go out for a while... let's have a good chat."
The servants and maids responded one after another and exited the door. His wife was obviously a little nervous. Facing this "godson" whom he had never met before, Dongfang Shiming was also a little embarrassed.
The owner of the house looked around at the ingredients and cutting papers scattered around the house, just like the Dongfang family usually did on the eve of the Spring Festival. But this year was different for him after all. Thinking of this, he sighed with complicated emotions.
"Hey, after sitting for a long time, my back hurts..."
Hearing what his father said, Dongfang Shiming hurriedly stood up to help him get on the bed, and his wife also stood up to help. But my father just shook his head and did not stand up. He smiled lightly and said, "It's okay. I said that because I wanted you to rub my shoulders."
Oriental poetry smiles brightly. Nodding, he stood behind his father and pressed gently with his hands.
The wife then sat back. The owner of the house closed his eyes and enjoyed his son's massage, seemingly very happy.
"Hey... I have never dreamed of such a situation before." The head of the family said soothingly, "I couldn't have imagined that it would become a reality today. Hey, on the left..."
Dongfang Shiming appropriately increased the intensity, and his father's breathing was very steady, like a sleeping child.
"If you still want me to rub your shoulders in the future, just call me over at any time." Dongfang Shiming said.
The head of the family chuckled twice: "We'll talk about it later. There are no outsiders now, so don't use that kind of honorific. You and I, father and son, need to be more cordial, so that we can feel like family."
"Then..." Dongfang Shiming thought for a while, "Would you like me to call you...Dad?"
As soon as he heard this word, the small wrinkles on the owner's face suddenly piled up in one place, and he seemed to be extremely happy: "Hey! Hey... Haha, I didn't expect that I was the one who was really embarrassed, hey, hey..."
Dongfang Shiming's heart is warm. My father is indeed like an old child around him, very easy to be satisfied. But the more this happened, the more it made him feel a little pain in his heart.
"Dad, is it comfortable to press like this?" Dongfang Shiming changed his position.
"Comfortable, comfortable." The head of the house agreed, and then said: "Now, I want to ask you something."
"Father, tell me." Dongfang Shiming said.
"It's about the engagement I made for you without permission..." Who would have thought that Dongfang Shiming was caught off guard as soon as the head of the family opened his mouth, "Do you think the little girl from the Bai family is suitable?"
Bai Hao went back to Bai's house yesterday to celebrate the New Year, so she didn't show up at Dongfang's house. The head of the family suddenly asked this question, and Dongfang Shiming didn't know how to answer.
My wife is also looking here, as if she is hiding a little smile. Dongfang Shiming hesitated for a moment, then simply told the truth.
"She's a good girl. She's been running around with me all this time, and I'm grateful for her."
The owner of the house squinted his eyes and seemed to be still enjoying his son's massage. After Dongfang Shiming finished speaking, he took a moment and then slowly spoke:
"Ahem...a good girl doesn't mean a good wife."
At the same time, the wife seemed a little regretful. Dongfang Shiming noticed that both of them seemed to feel the meaning of his words, and couldn't help but hesitate a little.
The head of the house opened his eyes and met his wife's eyes at the same time. After thinking for a while, he said calmly: "Gratitude is greater than emotion. Son, you don't want to say it clearly for fear of making me sad. But at this age, we can still see the thoughts of young people."
Dongfang Shiming's eyes suddenly flashed with the appearance of Bai Hao. His heart was inexplicably twitched by his father's words, and at the same time he felt a vague sting in his heart.
