Today, the scholar was surprisingly docile. Just three days ago, he’d been causing a ruckus daily, refusing to marry, hurling insults at him and his father, calling his family nothing but filthy butchers.

For a moment, Zhou Ning wondered if Shen Linchuan was up to some new trick—perhaps waiting for them to lower their guard before slipping away?

The young ger kept sizing him up, and Shen Linchuan couldn’t miss it. He gave him a sly grin. Zhou Ning looked away, but when he grabbed the eggs, he took one extra.

Shen Linchuan had resolved to live a decent life. Both Zhou Ning-ger and his father were good people—he couldn’t afford to get screwed over again.

“Um, Ning-ger, sorry about earlier. Don’t hold it against me.”

Zhou Ning shook his head. “It’s fine.”

Shen Linchuan felt a twinge of pity for Zhou Ning. The boy was actually quite handsome—it was just that he wasn’t as delicate as most young ger, which was why he’d never been able to secure a match.

The ger had a tough life. Being a bit older, he’d become an unmarriageable bachelor, constantly the subject of village gossip. Shen Linchuan inwardly scoffed—how could he be considered old? He was barely nineteen!

Sure, compared to those who married off at sixteen or seventeen, he was older. But in Shen Linchuan’s eyes, that was hardly old!

Shen Linchuan recalled his previous life, when he’d been twenty-five and still single as a dog. Yet here he was, reincarnated at eighteen, with his wedding tomorrow!

Shen Linchuan felt dazed, as if caught in a dream.

Lost in thought, Shen Linchuan was jolted awake by the sound of Zhou Ning whisking eggs nearby. His stomach was rumbling too. Shen Linchuan knew his way around the kitchen—he often cooked dinner after work, following recipes, and his dishes turned out pretty tasty.

Shen Linchuan wanted to make it up to the father and son. He got up and approached them. “Ning-ger, you tend the fire. I’ll cook. What should I stir-fry?”

“I want to stir-fry some eggs and some pork liver.”

Shen Linchuan rolled up his sleeves. “Leave it to me.”

Without another word, Shen Linchuan picked up the half-piece of pig liver and began washing it. Fresh pig liver had a lot of blood, and one wash simply wasn’t enough to get it clean. Shen Linchuan decided to take the wooden basin to the kitchen doorway to wash it. There was a large stone there, about waist-high, perfect for setting the basin on.

Zhou Dao was trimming meat when he spotted Shen Linchuan’s hands—whiter than a young ger—washing the liver. Startled, he called out to Zhou Ning, “Ning-ger, why are you letting Linchuan handle this? You wash it.”

Zhou Ning gave a noncommittal “Oh” before stating flatly, “Father, I didn’t tell him to wash it. He insisted on doing it himself.”

“Then you should have washed it for him.”

It wasn’t that Zhou Da didn’t care about his own ger. It was just that Shen Linchuan was their new son-in-law. They hadn’t even formally welcomed him into the family yet. How could he be expected to do such work?

He also knew that Shen Linchuan was a scholar. He already looked down on their family for being butchers. Making him wash bloody pig liver? He feared that the scholar couldn’t stand the sight of blood and might be horrified.

Shen Linchuan smiled. “Father, it’s fine. I’ll cook today. You’ll get to taste my skills. Father, I’ve come to understand. Before, I was foolish. I won’t be like that anymore.”

Shen Linchuan’s use of “Father” now flowed more naturally. After all, in his previous life, he’d been an orphan with nothing to hold him back. Arriving in this place meant he finally had a home.

Zhou Da beamed with delight at Shen Lichuan’s use of “Father.” His smile was utterly uncontrollable now. He’d planned to scowl and intimidate the scholar when he returned after running away, but this guy seemed like a completely different person. Looks like he’s really come around.

Zhou Da grinned so wide his teeth showed. “Alright, if you need anything, just call Ning-ger.”

“Yes, Father.”

Shen Linchuan resumed kneading the pig liver while Zhou Ning went inside to steam rice. Zhou Da, frustrated by his son’s stubbornness, called out to his younger son again, “Ning-ger, help Linchuan change the water. He can’t manage it alone!”

Why couldn’t this ger get along with others? Shen Linchuan had finally stopped causing trouble and was even helping with the cooking!

Zhou Ning obeyed his father, steaming the rice before coming out to help Shen Linchuan scoop water for washing the pig liver.

Shen Linchuan handled the cooking. It was the third month of spring, and the weather was splendid. The Zhou household consisted of three thatched cottages—two for living quarters and one as a kitchen. Their courtyard was quite spacious, with a large vegetable patch planted within.

A few chickens roamed the yard, and a small dog was kept. Though only Zhou Ning and his father lived there, their life seemed quite lively.

Shen Lichuan spotted a patch of chives in the garden and cut a bunch. For lunch, he prepared stir-fried pork liver with chili peppers and chives with eggs.

Zhou Da was preparing meat outside. The aroma made him swallow hard. He hadn’t expected this scholar to be such a skilled cook—his dishes smelled even better than those made by Ning-ger, the ger of his own household.

Zhou Ning was stoking the fire in the kitchen hut. Catching the scent wafting from the pot, he craned his neck. Shen Linchuan flashed him a toothy grin. “Smells good, huh? I’m not half bad in the kitchen. I’m not completely useless after all.”

“It’s fine. As long as you can bear me children.”

The young ger’s blunt words startled Shen Linchuan into a cough. Who exactly was the young ger here? Shen Linchuan felt a tinge of being teased.

After cooking, Shen Linchuan brought out the meal. The three sat in the courtyard to eat. Butcher Zhou couldn’t stop praising Shen Linchuan’s culinary skills. The Zhou family consisted only of father and son. On ordinary days, they had to collect, slaughter, and sell pigs, keeping them quite busy. Sometimes, when things got hectic, meals were just a quick fix.

Shen Linchuan smiled. Then he noticed the young ger tucking into a heaping bowl of coarse rice, shoveling it in big bites while constantly picking at the dishes with his chopsticks. Clearly, he enjoyed Shen Linchuan’s cooking too—especially that stir-fried pig liver, of which he’d eaten quite a lot.

Seeing Zhou Ning’s hearty appetite, Shen Linchuan couldn’t help but eat an extra half bowl himself. Watching the young ger eat made the rice seem even more fragrant.

By mid-afternoon, relatives from the Zhou clan arrived to help. Families brought over tables and stools for tomorrow’s use.

The Zhou family member closest to the Zhou household was Zhou Er. Though he hadn’t come to help that afternoon, Shen Linchuan assisted in receiving the items when the Zhou relatives arrived.

Word had spread that the eldest Zhou had taken on a son-in-law—a tongsheng, no less! Many hadn’t seen him before and now scrutinized Shen Linchuan with curiosity. His looks weren’t bad, though he did seem a bit bookish.

Some shook their heads in disapproval. According to villagers, this scholar never set foot on the fields, only knowing how to eat and drink. He had infuriated his elder brother and sister-in-law so much that they abruptly stopped supporting him after years of sponsorship.

If this scholar ever amounted to anything, the Shen family could bring honor to their doorstep. Why else would they let the Zhou family get the benefit?

Others shook their heads at Shen Linchuan. A half-baked scholar who knew nothing—his frame looked even less sturdy than Ning-ger’s. Even if he married into the Zhou family, what help could he be to the butcher? Could he slaughter pigs for him? This fellow wouldn’t even work the fields.

Shen Linchuan, however, eagerly took the table. “Uncle, let me handle it.”

After a moment of labor, sweat beaded on Shen Lichuan’s forehead. Suddenly, a pair of hands behind him took the table. “Let me handle this. You just rest.”

Standing close now, Shen Lichuan suddenly realized Zhou Ning seemed half a head taller than him! Compared to Zhou Ning, he felt more like a delicate ger.

Damn it! Shen Linchuan took two deep breaths, silently reassuring himself: It’s fine, it’s fine. He’d just turned eighteen, over a year younger than Zhou Ning. He could still grow!

At night, Shen Linchuan slept in the east room with Zhou Da, while Zhou Ning slept in the main room. Once they were married, Shen Linchuan would sleep with Zhou Ning in the main room.

For some reason, Shen Linchuan couldn’t sleep on the makeshift bamboo bed laid out for him. He found himself growing nervous. This was his first marriage in two lifetimes! Even if it was just for show, it was still a marriage!

Tossing and turning restlessly, Shen Linchuan heard the bamboo bed creak. In the darkness, Zhou Da’s voice drifted over: “Linchuan, you’re still awake?”

“Father, it’s still early. I’m not sleepy.”

“I know, son. You’re a scholar. You look down on our pig-slaughtering family.”

Shen Linchuan rolled over. “Father, I truly don’t look down on pig slaughterers. I’m just too nervous to sleep.”

Hearing this, Zhou Da finally relaxed, but a sigh drifted from across the room.

“Even if you don’t like Ning, try to be more understanding. He lost his father when he was six. Raising a young ger alone as a man, I couldn’t help but be a bit rough around the edges.”

“He started working the fields with me before he was even tall enough to see over the stove. When I went to town to sell pork, he tagged along. He was so young back then, I had to leave him in the care of the second son’s family. Poor Ning-ger must have suffered a lot.”

“By twelve or thirteen, he was helping me sell meat in town. What other boy does that sort of work? Ah, I’ve done him wrong…”

Zhou Da rambled on. Shen Linchuan knew little of Zhou Ning’s past, only that he was a capable ger. Hearing Zhou Da speak thus, his heart softened considerably.

Shen Linchuan had grown up in an orphanage and was later adopted, only to be returned when the family had their own child. He knew the bitterness of living under someone else’s roof, and surely Zhou Ning hadn’t had an easy life with his second uncle either.

Amidst Zhou Da’s chatter, Shen Linchuan drifted off to sleep. Early the next morning, Zhou Da roused him to change into fresh clothes. His outfit consisted of a deep blue robe with a white cross-collared neckline—a well-made garment indeed.

Zhou Ning also changed into a newly made short-sleeved tunic. Originally, Butcher Zhou had wanted the neighbor, Auntie Wang, to make Zhou Ning a red robe—after all, that’s what people wore for weddings. But Zhou Ning refused to wear red.

Besides, red cloth was expensive, and it would be worn out after just one use. Better to choose another color, treat it as a new garment, and wear it during festivals and celebrations.

Unable to persuade Zhou Ning, Zhou Da bought fine fabric to make him a short-sleeved tunic. It was blue, though a shade lighter than the one Shen Linchuan wore.

Glancing at Zhou Ning beside him, Shen Linchuan’s lips twitched. Compared to Zhou Ning, who looked every bit the groom, he felt like a bride-to-be.