Yin Xiaoyu had thought all hope was lost with the Yan family. He was already planning to visit the clinic first thing tomorrow morning to ask if Yan Xingmao could stay there a few more days.

Unexpectedly, as dusk fell and darkness began to settle, Yan Shaocheng arrived.

Yan Shaocheng’s smile was warm and open. “Shaoxuan mentioned you came by this afternoon, hoping to rent our old residence?”

“Yes.” Hope surged in Yan Xiaoyu’s heart as he nodded eagerly. “Brother Yan, would you be willing to rent the house to us?”

“Yes. I came specifically to clarify this with you, so as not to delay your plans. The house is indeed vacant and fully furnished. Shaoxuan and I clean it every few days, so it’s reasonably tidy. The thatched roof is a bit worn, and some items need repair, but with a good tidying up, it should be perfectly livable.”

Yan Shaocheng paused here before continuing, “However, my foster mother passed away in that house. Would that bother you?”

“Not at all,” Yan Xiaoyu waved his hand dismissively. “Birth, aging, sickness, and death—it’s all part of life. What’s there to be bothered about?”

Yan Shaocheng nodded, then turned his gaze to Yan Xiaoyue.

Ever since Yan Xiaoyu had changed his ways, the villagers often forgot about Yan Xiaoyue when talking to the siblings. Yan Xiaoyue didn’t like drawing attention and rarely spoke up, so she was surprised that Yan Shaocheng specifically asked about her.

She froze for a moment, then hurriedly shook her head, whispering, “It’s no trouble at all.”

Yan Xiaoyu glanced at the two of them, rubbing his hands together. “Brother Yan, how long would you like to rent the house for? And what’s the rent?”

Yan Shaocheng laughed heartily. “We’re neighbors. That house sitting empty is useless. How about a hundred wen a month? You can stay as long as you like. Just move out once your new house is built.”

Yan Xiaoyu’s heart leapt with delight.

When he’d tiptoed over that afternoon to peek, the Yan’s house had six rooms total—three bedrooms, plus a main hall, kitchen, and outhouse. Though all were mud-brick and thatched, the thickness of the walls suggested sturdier construction than their current dwelling. Plus, it had front and back courtyards enclosed by mud-brick walls. For a house like this, a rent of only one hundred wen per month was indeed quite reasonable.

A dwelling of this standard in town would easily fetch four or five hundred wen a month. Earlier, several families in the village had offered rentals, but even a three-room house cost two hundred wen.

Yan Xiaoyu expressed repeated gratitude and immediately sealed the deal to rent the house. Yan Shaocheng even offered to help repair the roof, but with such a low rent, how could Yan Xiaoyu possibly feel comfortable imposing further?

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

It was too late that day, so Yan Xiaoyu only mentioned the matter to Yan Xingmao and the others, not immediately packing to move.

These past few days, Yan Xingmao had been immobilized by his leg injury, forced to watch helplessly as his children ran errands. It weighed heavily on his heart. Yan Xiaoyu’s failed attempt to rent a house left him both anxious and self-reproachful. He constantly berated himself for being useless—a father who had to rely on his young son for everything.

Now that the situation had taken a turn for the better, he breathed a sigh of relief, the worry fading from his face. “The Yan family’s house is quite decent. The beams are made of fine timber. Though it’s just a thatched cottage, it was once one of the finest homes in the village. Your Uncle Dahu and Auntie are capable people; they’ve kept the place tidy and well-maintained…”

When the Yan family built their house, Yan Xingmao had helped out, so he knew the old residence well. He now described it in detail to his family.

Having narrowly escaped death this time, he’d barely clung to life. Yet first his employer had cast him aside, then his father and brothers had disowned him. Now he returned with a broken leg, awaiting Old Master Yan’s verdict on dividing the family estate and severing ties…

The successive blows and physical suffering had emaciated him further. He now resembled little more than a skeleton. The eldest branch, who had previously suspected him of feigning illness, now watched him with such concern they feared he might die at home.

He hadn’t slept well for nights on end. He Qiuhua saw this, her heart aching with worry. Now that he seemed in the mood for casual conversation, her own face relaxed considerably.

Yan Xiaoyue wasn’t as perceptive, but she too sensed the atmosphere at home had lightened considerably.

After Yan Xingmao spoke, Yan Xiaoyu also shared his plans with them.

Since they were to live together, major household matters should be discussed collectively, putting the family at ease.

“My original plan was to rent two rooms from someone in the village to get by temporarily. After the summer harvest, once we’ve paid the land taxes and sold some grain, we’ll have more money. Then the men in the village will have time to help us build a house. Once it’s built, I’ll start making food to sell outside. Otherwise, if I have to share a kitchen with others, how I acquired this skill—it’s hard to explain to others.“

”But now that we’ve rented the Yan family’s old house, just for our own family to live in, there’s no need to rush building a new one. Money’s tight now, so we can only build a simple thatched hut. It’s better to wait a while longer, until my food business gets going and we have more silver, then we can build a better one…”

Yan Xiaoyu was sharp-tongued with the eldest branch’s people, yet patient with the original body’s household. His tone was measured, his expression earnest yet gentle.

“Once we move in, I’ll show you what I can do—let you see my skills! But for the next few days, Mother will still need to handle the cooking. The summer harvest is coming soon, and Sister and I must prepare what we’ll need for it. This harvest, just the two of us will work the fields. Mother can cook for us and look after Father. His most important task now is to recover his health. He shouldn’t worry about the harvest. Just rest well at home…”

He had planned every detail meticulously, seemingly untroubled by any challenge.

Yan Xingmao felt much calmer after listening, both relieved and touched. “You’re more resourceful than your mother and me. From now on, you’ll be in charge of household matters. Your father may be useless, but I won’t hold you back. Tomorrow, you and your sister will go to the mountain to cut some bamboo. I’ll weave baskets and containers so we’ll have places to store the grain once it’s harvested.”

He Qiuhua chimed in cheerfully, “Mother can cook. You needn’t worry about the household chores.”

With the family discussing and deciding together, though many hardships remained, the four of them united in purpose. Their days held promise.