Zhou Da watched Shen Linchuan carrying water and washing dishes early in the morning. The more he observed, the more pleased he felt—this man truly cared for Ning-ger.

Fieldwork could wait—after all, he had his father to rely on.

After breakfast, Zhou Da pushed his wheelbarrow out the door. Perched atop it was a bamboo basket holding yesterday’s leftover pork—a hefty chunk that should fetch at least three or five wen.

Zhou Ning fetched several steamed corn buns from the kitchen, packed some shredded pickled vegetables, and filled the water bag with hot water. Zhou Da took it and placed it on the wheelbarrow.

“Father’s gone to collect pigs. He won’t be back until early afternoon. You two just eat at home.”

Zhou Da addressed this to Shen Linchuan, though Zhou Ning knew full well his father rarely returned from pig herding until late afternoon.

Shen Linchuan replied, “Understood, Father.”

Once Zhou Da left, Zhou Ning got busy too. He chopped some wheat bran and wild greens to feed the chickens. With all the recent hustle, household chores had piled up. Zhou Ning also brought out the dirty laundry to wash in the courtyard.

Shen Linchuan had little to do at the moment. He wasn’t in the mood for studying anyway. His books were all at the town schoolhouse. In a couple of days, he planned to withdraw and study at home. His tuition was paid through this summer’s harvest, and he might even get a refund for any unused portion.

Shen Linchuan grabbed a shovel and began turning over the vegetable patch. The courtyard garden wasn’t large, but there was still plenty of open ground. Shen Linchuan wanted to plant more vegetables.

Zhou Ning glanced over. “You want to plant vegetables?”

“Yeah, it’s such a waste to leave all this space empty. I’ll head to town soon to buy some vegetable seeds.”

Zhou Ning nodded and went back to wringing out the clothes.

One tilled the soil while the other washed clothes. Bright spring sunlight spilled across the courtyard. A small, unassuming dog lay curled at Zhou Ning’s feet, and several chickens clucked nearby.

Shen Linchuan worked up a sweat digging, his long robe getting in the way. He tucked the hem into his waistband and kept at it.

Meanwhile, Zhou Da pushed his wheelbarrow out of the village to collect pigs. Passing through the hamlet, an old woman called out, “Butcher Zhou, off collecting pigs again? Your family just finished celebrating a wedding, and you’re not resting?”

“I can’t sit still. Nothing much to do at home anyway.”

“Your son-in-law sure is hardworking—carrying water this early already.”

Hearing the praise for his son-in-law, Zhou Da’s face lit up with a smile. “Linchuan is quite diligent.”

After exchanging a few words, Zhou Da pushed his cart away, leaving the gossiping old woman speechless. Several women sitting nearby giggled.

The old woman had intended to witness a spectacle, but Butcher Zhou hadn’t picked up on her sarcasm.

Zhou Da pushed his wheelbarrow to a more distant village to sell the remaining meat. He’d told the second son’s family yesterday that there was no meat left, and it wouldn’t do if they found out.

The meat was plentiful, fetching over three hundred wen. His money pouch bulged at his waist, and Zhou Da now brimmed with energy. There were plenty of places for silver to go in the household these days. If they were to have a child, wouldn’t they need to set aside more silver?

Then there was Linchuan. His elder brother said he was still studying in town. He couldn’t stop studying just because he’d married into the family. Supporting a scholar meant more expenses for the household.

Zhou Da was filled with hope for the future. Pushing his wheelbarrow with renewed vigor, he began hawking through the village, “Pigs for sale! Pigs for sale~” “

By mid-afternoon, Zhou Da returned with his wheelbarrow. Shen Linchuan’s field was already plowed. Hearing the pig’s squeals, he turned to see his father coming back—the wheelbarrow loaded with a pig that looked to weigh two or three hundred pounds.

The pig was tied to the cart but was still struggling. If it weren’t bound so tightly, most people wouldn’t be able to hold it down.

Zhou Ning approached. “Father, you’re back.”

“Ah, Ning-ger, go boil some water. If we slaughter it today, we can take it to town for sale tomorrow.”

Zhou Ning turned and headed to the kitchen to boil water.

Zhou Da pushed the wheelbarrow to an open space not far from the gate. He usually slaughtered pigs there to avoid dirtying his own courtyard.

Shen Linchuan saw this and hurried to help push the cart. Zhou Da groaned, “No need for you. I can manage it myself.”

Shen Linchuan gave the wheelbarrow a push. It was surprisingly heavy with the pig inside—no wonder Zhou Da later fell ill from exhaustion supporting his scholar son-in-law.

Standing over eight feet tall with a sturdy frame, Zhou Da possessed immense strength. Yet the daily grind of supporting a scholar took its toll, leaving him frail after just a few years.

Shen Linchuan felt a pang of sadness recalling this. Now that he was here, he would never let Ning-ger or his father down.

He forced a smile. “Father, how much silver do you get for one pig?”

“Three or four taels. Selling one pig nets over a tael of silver. Selling five or six a month brings in seven or eight taels.”

Zhou Da didn’t hide anything, laying it all out plainly. After all, they were all family living together—why keep secrets?

No wonder the original owner had run the Zhou household ragged. He and Ning-ger had only been married a single day, yet his father had already laid out every detail of their earnings without a shred of suspicion.

That was almost too honest.

Shen Linchuan felt a warmth in his heart. Though he’d come to this unfamiliar place, he’d encountered such kind people as Zhou Da and his son, not to mention his elder brother and sister-in-law, who all treated him with genuine kindness.

It was a shame the original owner had been such a scoundrel, ruining the lives of both families. Shen Linchuan silently resolved to make his new life a good one.

“Father, I’ll help you. I don’t know how to slaughter a pig, but whatever you need me for, just call me.”

“It’s fine. Ning-ger will be here to help soon. You can go inside. All this blood might scare you.”

Zhou Da feared the scholarly Shen Linchuan might be unsettled by the sight—it wouldn’t do if he were frightened.

“Father, it’s fine. I’m not afraid.”

“Alright. But if you do get scared, just go back to the courtyard. Neither Father nor Ning-ger will laugh at you. It’s not just scholars—even timid farmers can’t bear to watch a pig being slaughtered.”

Zhou Da grabbed the pig’s leg and hauled the huge, fat pig down. Shen Linchuan hurriedly pushed the cart aside.

“Help Dad get a basin to catch the pig’s blood.”

“Got it!”

This was Shen Linchuan’s first time witnessing a pig slaughter. Blood didn’t faze him—he’d killed chickens before.

Zhou Ning was boiling water in the kitchen to scald the pig later. Shen Linchuan ran over and asked, “Ning-ger, which basin should we use for the pig’s blood?”

Zhou Ning pointed it out, and Shen Linchuan took the basin outside.

Zhou Ning blinked. This Shen Linchuan seemed different from a few days ago. He had cursed his father as a stinking pig butcher, yet now he was actually volunteering to help slaughter the pig.

Shen Linchuan returned carrying the wooden basin. Zhou Da had already kneeled on one leg atop the pig, pinning it down, ready for slaughter. Shen Linchuan placed the basin beside him. “Father, I’ll help hold the pig.”

“No need. Stand back. You don’t want pig’s blood splattering on you.”

Shen Lichuan obediently moved away. He watched as Zhou Da raised his knife and brought it down, slaughtering the pig. The pig’s screams echoed through half the village.

Shen Lichuan wasn’t fazed. He ran back into the courtyard and fetched boiling water with Zhou Ning.

The two assisted from the sidelines while Zhou Da single-handedly processed the pig. It filled a basin, and he deftly scraped the bristles with a sharp knife.

Just as the three were busy, Hu Caiyun came fluttering over, waving her handkerchief. Her home wasn’t far from here, and the pig’s bellow had alerted her that the eldest family was slaughtering again.

She hadn’t gotten any meat at yesterday’s banquet. Today, they were slaughtering a pig—they couldn’t very well tell her there was no pork now.

Hu Caiyun stood nearby, covering her nose with her handkerchief in disgust. “Big Brother, you’re slaughtering a pig.”

“Aye.”

Shen Linchuan and Zhou Ning were close by. Zhou Ning was scooping boiling water to pour over the pig, while Shen Linchuan rolled up his sleeves and scraped the pig’s hair with Zhou Da. He craned his neck slightly to speak to Zhou Ning, “What’s Second Auntie doing here? Is she trying to get some of our meat?”

Zhou Ning hummed in acknowledgment, her ears flushing slightly as Shen Linchuan’s warm breath brushed against them. “She comes every time we slaughter a pig.”

Meaning she always comes to take advantage, right?

Hu Caiyun had thick skin—she wouldn’t help with the work, but she’d certainly take her share of the benefits.

All three were busy. Zhou Da was skilled; with a swift stroke of his knife, he split the pig in two. Shen Linchuan hurried to help lift one half onto the cutting table.

Zhou Da twirled his small knife and began deftly deboning the carcass. His skill left Shen Linchuan gaping in astonishment. The knife didn’t look particularly sharp, yet in Zhou Da’s hands, it sliced through flesh as easily as cutting paper.

“Dad, your skills are truly amazing!”

Zhou Da chuckled heartily. “You bet! Your old man started apprenticing as a butcher at eight, doing every dirty and grueling job there was. I was fully trained in three years, and now I’ve got over twenty years of experience under my belt. Honestly, I could butcher a pig with my eyes closed.”

Shen Linchuan’s eyes brimmed with admiration. Truly the work of a seasoned craftsman!

Zhou Ning glanced at Shen Linchuan. Were all scholars so skilled with words? He’d only been in their home a few days, yet he’d already charmed his father into a daze.

Zhou Da was slaughtering a pig. Its screams were so loud they echoed through half the village. Though rural families were poor and rarely ate meat, some would come over upon hearing the slaughter to buy cheap pig’s blood or offal—at least a taste of something meaty.

By now, three or five people had gathered nearby—some to watch the spectacle, others hoping to buy some meat.

Hu Caiyun waited until the pig was slaughtered before approaching. “Brother, that plum blossom cut looks good. Cut it for me.”

Hu Caiyun certainly knew how to pick. The cut she pointed to was indeed the plum blossom meat—located on the shoulder, perfectly marbled with fat and lean, resembling a plum blossom in appearance. It was rich, tender, and succulent, with a fresh, savory flavor.

A single pig yielded only five or six pounds of this prized cut, yet here she was asking for a large piece.

Zhou Ning’s face darkened at the request. Just as he was about to refuse, Shen Linchuan gave a soft chuckle and tugged discreetly at his sleeve. If his ger were to reject her outright, it would deeply offend her and tarnish their family’s reputation.

Shen Linchuan smiled. “Second Auntie, you have excellent taste. Such prime pork shoulder isn’t available to outsiders. Since we’re family, I’ll sell this cut to you. Father, how much is the pork shoulder per pound?“

”This pork shoulder is quite expensive—forty-five wen per pound. That’s the price for outsiders. But since you’re family, I’ll give you a discount. Forty wen will do.”