By the time all the guests had left, it was already late afternoon. The courtyard still radiated festive cheer—red couplets and the character for “joy” plastered on the door lent a touch of warmth to the simple courtyard.

Pumpkin seed shells and peanut husks littered the ground as Zhou Ning swept them up with a broom. Shen Linchuan took it from her. “Let me handle it.”

Zhou Ning carried the washed dishes from the courtyard into the kitchen. Soon, the small yard was spotless once more.

Shen Linchuan rather liked this little farmhouse courtyard. Though it was a thatched cottage, it was kept spotless inside and out, especially with the vegetable garden beside the courtyard sprouting fresh green shoots.

It was just a bit small. Tomorrow, when he had free time, he’d expand it a bit more.

There wasn’t much cooking needed for dinner. Plenty of dishes remained from the noon banquet; they just needed reheating before serving.

Country folk ate early. Before nightfall, smoke began rising from every household’s chimney.

The three sat right in the courtyard to eat, where it was brighter than inside. Zhou Da washed his hands and came over. Seeing the table laden with meat, he exclaimed, “Ning-ger, didn’t you say the banquet dishes were all gone?”

“Father, there are still some left.”

“Then why did you say there weren’t?”

“Father, Second Uncle tried to take advantage of us.”

Shen Linchuan chimed in, “Father, Ning-ger and I just got married, and we gave my eldest brother five taels for the betrothal gift. I figured our household must be tight on cash, so we shouldn’t give any meat to Uncle Er’s family. There’s still a big chunk left over. Why not sell it tomorrow? It’d be a waste to give it away.”

Zhou Da was delighted to hear his son-in-law was considering their family’s interests.

“Father, please don’t let Second Auntie take our meat anymore.”

Shen Linchuan was shocked to learn that Zhou Er’s family had been taking meat regularly. How could they be so shameless? They just couldn’t get enough of taking advantage!

“Ning-ger, does Second Auntie often come for meat?”

Zhou Ning nodded. “She comes every time we slaughter a pig to buy meat, never paying a single copper coin. She says she’ll settle everything next time.”

“That’s not right, Father! We can’t let this continue. We need to save our silver, too. What will our children eat when Ning-ger and I have babies?”

Shen Linchuan knew Zhou Da was a kind-hearted soul. Since he was also family, he hadn’t pressed the issue with the second son’s household. All these years, they’d been getting away with so many freebies!

He could tell Ning-ger was unhappy, but his father didn’t seem to mind much. One was simple-hearted, the other quiet—no wonder they’d been taken advantage of for so long. But now Shen Linchuan was here! From now on, his family’s advantages wouldn’t be so easily taken!

Zhou Da heard about the newborn, and that hit him right where it hurt. He really would need to save some silver at home from now on—how else would he raise this child?

He agreed immediately, “Father understands.”

Zhou Da was coaxed into laughter by Shen Linchuan’s words. He could already picture the little one crawling across his floor, chasing after him, and calling him Grandpa. The more he thought about it, the happier he grew, bursting into hearty laughter.

That night, Shen Linchuan moved into Zhou Ning’s room. The bed was covered with fresh quilts, far more comfortable than the small bamboo cot Shen Linchuan had slept on the previous night. The two lay motionless on the bed, neither making a move.

Shen Linchuan cleared his throat softly. “I’ll blow out the lamp and sleep now.”

“Mm.”

The room dimmed, yet the moonlight still cast enough light to see. Tonight’s moon was particularly large.

The moment the room darkened, Shen Linchuan felt the person beside him roll over and straddle him. Startled, Shen Linchuan jolted upright. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! I’m too tired tonight, too tired. Let’s sleep early.”

Zhou Ning didn’t wait for a response, tugging at Shen Linchuan’s inner garment. “It’s fine, you don’t have to move. Let’s make a baby soon.”

Shen Linchuan felt himself growing hot under the clumsy, fumbling hands on his body. Any lingering thoughts of brotherly affection had long since vanished into thin air.

“Zhou… Zhou Ning, let… let me be on top.”

“You’re frail. I’ll handle the hard work.”

Zhou Ning’s brow furrowed slightly. The pain was uncomfortable, but bearable. Just get it over with quickly—his man seemed to have a delicate constitution…

After their playful antics, Zhou Ning held his man close, smoothing his hair. “Shen Linchuan, were you crying just now?”

“No! It felt good!”

Zhou Ning frowned slightly. Was this supposed to feel good? He hadn’t felt anything. Uncomfortably, he shifted his hips.

Shen Linchuan felt a bit embarrassed being held like this. He wriggled out of Zhou Ning’s embrace. “Come rest your head on me. Your man will hold you.”

“I’m afraid I’ll crush you…”

Shen Linchuan attempted to salvage his masculine pride, reaching out to pull Zhou Ning toward him. When that failed, Zhou Ning seemed to understand something. Silently, he rested his head on Shen Linchuan’s shoulder and asked thoughtfully, “Is this okay?”

Shen Linchuan felt his heart skip a beat. “It’s… fine…”

Shen Linchuan wrapped his arms around his husband like a proper alpha male, having long since tossed yesterday’s “brothers” notion into some forgotten corner of his mind. Brothers? This was his husband!

Shen Linchuan cleared his throat. “Of course. Every man’s first time is like that. I’m perfectly normal.”

“Oh.”

The more he explained, the worse it sounded. Shen Linchuan thought his second attempt was decent. Just as he wanted to try again to prove himself, his husband was already lying down, ready for sleep!

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Linchuan felt the head on his chest quietly shift outward. He pressed it back down firmly. “Sleep.”

Zhou Ning had no choice but to sleep like that. Truth be told, his neck felt stifled. Not only was he uncomfortable, but Shen Linchuan couldn’t be comfortable either. This wouldn’t do—this body was simply too frail. How was he supposed to hold his husband close every night?

Shen Linchuan remembered the matter well. The next morning, when the rooster crowed in the courtyard, he climbed out of bed. His movement woke Zhou Ning, and both of them got dressed and rose.

Shen Linchuan looked refreshed and alert, but once outside, he silently rubbed his shoulders—half his body had gone numb from being pressed down.

Inside, Zhou Ning, not wanting to hurt his man’s pride, secretly rubbed his own neck. It felt so sore.

After coming out, both of them glanced at each other guiltily before going about their business.

Shen Linchuan saw that the water barrel was empty. He asked Zhou Ning where to fetch water, then carried two empty buckets out. Zhou Ning stayed home to start the fire and cook, simply reheating the leftovers.

The village had a well beside a tall poplar tree. Now, in the third month of spring, its small leaves were a vibrant green. A pulley system was mounted above the well, allowing water to be drawn up directly.

Though Shen Linchuan was using the well pulley for the first time, it didn’t feel particularly strenuous. He hauled the bucket up with ease.

Both wooden buckets filled to the brim, Shen Linchuan hoisted the carrying pole onto his shoulders. He took a few unsteady steps—this was his first time using such a pole. It looked simple enough, but as he walked, the buckets swung wildly at either end. Water splashed, soaking his pant legs, and his gait remained unsteady.

Laughter and teasing echoed nearby—the village women and men who’d risen early for work. Shen Linchuan didn’t mind. Let them laugh if they want. After all, in the countryside, you wouldn’t find a man who couldn’t even carry water.

Shen Linchuan swayed slightly as he walked along with the two buckets.

“That must be Ning-ger’s husband. Look at him—a scholar who can’t even carry water.”

“It’s just that Ning-ger had a hard time finding a husband. Otherwise, who would marry a man who doesn’t lift a finger?”

When country folk arranged marriages, the groom-to-be would help with farm work at the bride’s family home. If he were strong and skilled at labor, finding a match became much easier.

Someone like Shen Linchuan, who’d studied half-heartedly and never set foot in the fields, was indeed looked down upon by many families.

Back then, the original body had scorned the village girls and ger altogether. Instead, he hung out with a bunch of rich young masters, eating, drinking, and carousing. He read borrowed storybooks, daydreaming about secretly meeting some wealthy town girl or ger—how he could have both the person and the money.

Shen Linchuan carried the bucket home, but by the time he arrived, it was half empty. The hem of his robe was soaked through. The well was a hundred or two meters from the Zhou residence—not exactly far, but not exactly close either.

By the time he made it back, sweat beaded on his forehead.

Zhou Da saw this and immediately reached for the carrying pole. “Father will fetch the water. You’re a scholar—how could you possibly handle such heavy labor?”

“Father, let me do it. How could I, a younger generation, let you carry such a load?”

Shen Linchuan refused to budge, insisting on fetching the water himself. Truthfully, he couldn’t bring himself to say he wanted to strengthen his body. The original Shen family had pampered him rotten; he was nothing like a sturdy country lad.

After a dozen trips back and forth, Shen Linchuan finally filled the large vat. Sweat drenched him, but after several trips, the buckets at both ends had grown steadier.

Zhou Da was deeply gratified to see Shen Linchuan rise early to fetch water. Though frail, the boy showed genuine care—a quality that would serve his Ning-ger well in the years ahead.

Shen Lichuan worked at a leisurely pace. By the time he finished filling the water vat, Zhou Ning had already prepared breakfast.

Coarse corn cakes, half a bowl of leftover meat from yesterday, a plate of pickled vegetables, and a bowl of millet porridge each—it was a fairly substantial breakfast.

Shen Lichuan was famished by now. He grabbed a corn cake and devoured it in a few bites.

Shen Linchuan knew the Zhou family lived quite well for the countryside. Some households only had porridge for breakfast, never getting to eat proper rice. The poorer families might only eat two meals a day.

Back at the Shen household, breakfast was just a bowl of porridge per person. The Shen family had little land—three mu to feed five people, plus supporting a scholar. Life had always been tight.

Shen Linchuan reflected that now that he had married into the Zhou family, life for his elder brother’s family of four should improve.

After the meal, Shen Linchuan took the initiative to clear the tableware. Zhou Da sighed, “What man does such work? Linchuan, just have Ning-ger do it.”

Zhou Da was deeply traditional at heart. In rural households, it was customary for men to toil in the fields to support the family while wives managed the home—one handling external affairs, the other internal. He’d never seen a man in the kitchen.

Before, the Zhou household had only the father and son. Zhou Da raised and slaughtered pigs outside, while Zhou Ning-ger handled household chores or accompanied him to town to sell pork. Most of the heavy lifting fell to Zhou Da.

“Father, Ning-ger made breakfast this morning. I’ll wash the dishes.”