“What opportunity?” Yan Xingsheng looked puzzled. “Didn’t you say yesterday we’d wait until Yan Yonghe returns?”

These days, the second branch’s tofu business was thriving. Yan Xingsheng and his wife watched it all, feeling quite envious.

Though Yan Yongfang’s in-laws also ran this business, it was ultimately someone else’s venture. No matter how much silver they earned, only a limited portion would ever reach their hands.

If they could get their hands on the second branch’s tofu recipe, wouldn’t that be like getting a free hen that lays golden eggs? With a steady stream of income thereafter, why would they ever have to look to Qian Hong’s father for favor?

For this very recipe, they’d been scheming lately to coax the second branch back.

Their original plan was to wait until the second branch’s business faltered, then step in with “helpful advice”—offering aid in their hour of need. They’d bring up Old Master Yan to tug at their heartstrings, confident Yan Xingmao and his wife would soften.

Unexpectedly, the second branch’s tofu business flourished. Not only did they avoid setbacks, but they seized most of the Qian family’s rural holdings, and Yan Xingmao’s leg healed completely.

One plan failed, so Tao Cuiqing devised another: wait for Yan Yonghe’s return and have him persuade Second Uncle.

Yan Yonghe was a scholar, and Yan Xingmao would have to give him some face.

But today, Yan Xiaoyu had chased Granny Wang away in a commotion, giving Tao Cuiqing another idea.

“Sister Yue being betrothed to a cripple this time is rather disgraceful. In the village, people curse Granny Wang to her face, but behind her back, they can’t help but laugh at her misfortune. Yue is eighteen this year, and Yu-ger is sixteen. With neither of their children’s marriages settled, I don’t believe my sister-in-law and her family are anxious. It just so happens that my nephew Tao Zhan and my cousin’s son Tao Yong are still unmarried. Let’s propose Yue and Yu-ger to them. If my sister-in-law agrees, we can persuade them to return later. That should make things much easier.”

“What a brilliant idea!” Yan Xingsheng praised repeatedly. “Your two nephews are well-educated townspeople—more than suitable for Yu-ger and his peers! Won’t Second Brother be overjoyed when he hears of this match?”

This couple planned other matters with remarkable synergy. Tao Cuiqing had laid the groundwork, and Yan Xingsheng had already mapped out the next steps.

“Since it’s a marriage of high status, they ought to provide a more substantial dowry. We could lend them some silver, then have them offset it with the tofu recipe. Wouldn’t that be a win-win?”

Tao Cuiqing gave him an appreciative look, but Old Master Yan frowned. “Lend them silver? Wasn’t the fifteen taels earlier enough?”

Yan Xingsheng waved his hand. “Father, you can’t catch a wolf without sacrificing the bait. We’ll have plenty of chances to recoup this silver later.”

Only then did Master Yan agree: “Very well.”

Puffing on his pipe, he strolled toward the door. Just before leaving, he shot Tao Cuiqing a lukewarm glance: “Xiaobao’s hardly home these days. As his mother, you ought to keep a closer eye on him.”

Tao Cuiqing lowered her head, a flicker of resentment flashing in her eyes. Her fingers tightened around the embroidery needle so tightly that her fingertips turned white.

Nearly two months had passed since the Yan family split. Over these months, the friction between her and Old Master Yan had only grown.

Marrying Yan Xingsheng had been considered a downgrade for her, yet Old Man Yang took it for granted that all household chores fell to her as the daughter-in-law. With the free labor of the second wife’s household gone, she suddenly found life unbearably difficult.

She now washed clothes for all four family members, cooked meals, washed dishes, tended the vegetable garden—every chore piled onto her shoulders, leaving her no respite.

Worse still, her efforts earned her no praise. Old Master Yan complained she wasn’t as quick as He Qiuhua and spoke in a sarcastic tone. Yan Xingsheng coaxed her behind his back, but in front of Old Master Yan, he only played the peacemaker. Her heart felt stifled.

With the father-in-law and daughter-in-law at odds, Tao Cuiqing began to take issue with Yan Xiaobao, the son who bore a striking resemblance to Grandfather Yan. Yan Xiaobao was indeed a handful, often causing trouble in the village and neglecting his homework entirely. While Tao Cuiqing had once been patient with him, her patience had now worn thin. She frequently scolded him with a cold face.

Today was no different. Yan Xiaobao returned home to a tirade, skipped lunch in anger, and ran out again.

Tao Cuiqing had gone to her parents’ home to discuss arranging a marriage for her nephew, while Yan Xingsheng had gone to town to buy pastries for the second wife’s family the next day. Both were busy with important matters and paid no attention to Yan Xiaobao.

Grandfather Yan, however, felt sorry for his grandson. At the dinner table, he scolded indirectly. Tao Cuiqing’s face turned ashen with fury, unable to swallow a bite.

 ━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

The following evening, the couple carried two large boxes of pastries and a pound of meat down toward the mountain foot.

Villagers who saw them seemed to think they were heading to Yan Xiaoyu’s house, puzzled. Hadn’t they severed ties?

When questioned, Yan Xingsheng answered without a hint of embarrassment.

“Though we’ve split our households, we’re still blood brothers connected by the same flesh and bone. My niece has suffered such a tragedy—how could I, as her uncle, not feel heartbroken? Any grievances from the past fade away in this moment. Her aunt is also deeply distressed. She cried bitterly yesterday. And today, she spent a fortune buying pastries and meat, intending to go comfort my sister-in-law and niece.”

His heartfelt expression left the villagers speechless.

After the couple departed, the villagers gathered in small groups to discuss.

“Are they really that kind-hearted? Why didn’t they treat Yan Xingmao when he was injured like that?”

“Didn’t they say they weren’t refusing treatment? It was just that the silver wasn’t readily available. They asked them to plead with the clinic first and pay later. But since Xiao Yu wasn’t well, he went around saying his uncle wouldn’t treat him. Even after the family split, they gave over ten taels of silver! That’s pretty generous.“

”Both sides have their own version of the story. Who knows which one’s true?“

”Well, I believe XiaoYu. Aunt He and the others saw it with their own eyes. It’s the truth—it was Uncle Yan and the Yan family who refused treatment!”

“Regardless, Xiao Yu needs brothers. If they can reconcile with their eldest uncle’s family, it would be a blessing—they’d have support in the future.”

Someone murmured under their breath: “Could it be they’re eyeing the tofu business from the second Yan household?”

As expected, the gate to Yan Xiaoyu’s courtyard was wide open. Yan Xingsheng and his wife walked straight in to find the second family of four sitting in the yard, enjoying the cool evening breeze.

“Second Brother!” Yan Xingsheng paused, then called out with unusual warmth, “After Sister Yue was treated so badly, why didn’t you come home and tell me?”

His face held a mix of reproach and reproach, his expression sincere.

Yan Xingmao and He Qiuhua were utterly baffled, wondering what on earth was going on now.

Yan Xiaoyu sat slumped in his chair, legs crossed, munching on a peach. He merely narrowed his eyes to size up the two. Seeing no reaction, Yan Xiaoyue lowered her head and continued taking peach cookies from the box.

The family remained motionless for a long while. Finally, Yan Xingmao, the lame one, stood up: “What are you doing here?”

Yan Xingsheng, left hanging for so long, struggled to maintain his smile. As soon as Yan Xingmao spoke, he hurriedly explained, “After hearing about what that Wang woman did yesterday, your eldest sister-in-law and I felt so heartbroken. We specially bought some meat and pastries to sweeten Xiao Yue’s mouth and help her regain her strength!”

He finished, then flashed a smile at Yan Xiaoyue.

Yan Xiaoyue was so startled she nearly dropped her peach cookies.

Her eldest uncle had always looked down on her. Back at the Yan household, he’d rarely deigned to speak to her, only occasionally frowning at her during meals to remind her to stop eating before she overindulged.

Why was he bringing her food today? Smiling at her? Yan Xiaoyue felt a flicker of fear and pressed closer to her younger brother.

Tao Cuiqing saw this and stepped before He Qiuhua, her face set in shared indignation: “That Wang woman has truly gone too far this time. How I wish I’d been there to give her a proper scolding!”

“Sister-in-law, I know you’ve been troubled by the marriage prospects for Yue’er and Yu’er. Truthfully, even before the family split, I’d been planning for you both and discussed it with you. But after yesterday’s incident, I feel children marrying into other families carries inherent risks. We need someone we know inside out to put our minds at ease as parents, and to make future visits easier.“

He Qiuhua had held her tongue until now, but at this point, she couldn’t contain herself any longer: ”Wh-what do you mean by that?”

Seeing her take the bait, Tao Cuiqing’s expression grew even more confident.

“My nephew Tao Zhan and my cousin Tao Yong are still unmarried. Yesterday, when I saw how Mrs. Wang mistreated Sister Yue, I was so furious that I rushed back to my in-laws’ home. I told my eldest sister-in-law and the others about Sister Yue and Brother Yu’s situation, speaking every kind word I could think of. Finally, they agreed to the match. As long as you and Second Brother agree, Yuge and Yuejie can marry into the town, to my maternal family.“

”My two cousins are decent in character and appearance, well-educated. If Yu-ger and Yuejie marry them, their future lives will be good.

If they prove unreasonable and cause our children any hardship, I, as their aunt, and Yonghe, as their elder brother, will not let them off lightly. We will stand up for Yuge and Yuejie.“

”So, are you willing?”

Tao Cuiqing finished speaking and waited with a look of certainty. She had expected He Qiuhua to eagerly agree, but to her surprise, the woman did seem somewhat tempted. Yet, after glancing at her son, she refused with a pained expression.

“Thank you… for your kindness. The children’s marriages… we have our own ideas.”

Tao Cuiqing and Yan Xingsheng froze.

“What? Second Brother! You’re letting the children’s marriages run wild? Yue’er is eighteen! If you keep delaying, she’ll have trouble finding a match later!”

Yan Xingmao sighed. “As long as the children are willing, that’s enough. I’m powerless to force them.”

Seeing his brother’s spineless demeanor, Yan Xingsheng flared up. “Parents’ will, matchmaker’s word! Which family doesn’t let the parents decide their children’s marriages? If you won’t help plan, what good match can they possibly find?”

“Well, that’s not exactly it,” He Qiuhua interjected cautiously. “These days, quite a few families in the village are lining up to marry my Yue’er and Yu’er!”

Her face flushed with embarrassment, yet her tone carried a hint of glee, clearly brimming with pride.

Yan Xingsheng and his wife exchanged glances, incredulous—their second son and daughter, long considered unmarriageable, were now being fought over? Someone was beating them to the punch?

Impossible! Those suitors have ulterior motives! Yan Xingsheng felt he’d grasped the truth and declared haughtily.

“Second brother, sister-in-law, don’t let them fool you. They’re up to no good—they’re eyeing your tofu business!”

So it was all about the tofu business. Yan Xiaoyu, who had been observing coldly, finally understood.

He scoffed. “Uncle, how did you guess so accurately? Could it be you also have designs on our tofu business, so you’re in cahoots with them?”

Yan Xingsheng was furious and about to argue, but Tao Cuiqing stopped him with a single glance.

“Xiaoyu, your uncle travels far and wide year-round. He’s seen many things, so he guessed correctly. But to say it’s about your family’s tofu business—that’s truly unfair! Your cousin’s husband’s family runs this operation. If they truly had such intentions, why go to all this trouble to involve you? We’ve severed ties—how could they possibly let you meddle in their business? Wouldn’t it be easier to scheme through their own daughter?“

”You know full well what kind of man your husband is. I can’t be bothered to argue with you. “ Yan Xiaoyu leaned back in his chair, his face brimming with impatience. ”Our family doesn’t welcome you. Don’t ever come back. Otherwise, I’ll go to the county seat and find my cousin. I’ll make sure he keeps his parents in line—stop them from always coveting our tofu recipe!“

Yan Xingsheng exploded in fury: ”You keep threatening me with your cousin! Do you really think I’m afraid of you?!”

He turned to Yan Xingmao: “Second brother, your son shows no respect. I came bearing gifts to comfort you, yet he insults your elder brother like this. Where is the father in this household? Who truly holds the reins in your family?!”

Yan Xiaoyu rolled his eyes and flung the half-eaten peach pit at him without hesitation: “Get lost! Don’t make me chase you out!”

After the pit hit its mark, Yan Xingmao withdrew his hand, which had tried to intervene, and awkwardly rubbed his nose: “I told you all on the day we divided the family estate—our household is run by Yu-ger.”

Yan Xingsheng rubbed his cheekbone where the peach pit had struck, watching the round pit roll away with a clatter. When he looked up again, his expression was one that could have killed Yan Xiaoyu.

Enraged beyond reason, Tao Cuiqing struggled to calm him down and finally coaxed him away.

 ━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

‌After they left, He Qiuhua muttered, “They’re… they’re so pushy. Our tofu recipe—not a single one of them is decent?”

She was referring to the families who had come yesterday evening and this morning to sound them out, attempting to arrange marriages with Yan Xiaoyue and her brother.

After Yu-ger’s outburst yesterday, the village seemed to suddenly discover the siblings’ worth. Within two days, three families had come to test the waters.

Yu-ger had his mother reject them all.

“Maybe there are good ones, but they’re not pure-hearted. Why should we insist on finding someone here?”

“Ah!” He Qiuhua sighed, her face full of regret. She had truly gotten her hopes up for nothing.

Yan Xiaoyu stood up and stretched lazily: “I’m going next door to ask Brother Yan if he can accompany me to the mountains tomorrow to catch fish. Big Sister, are you coming?”

Yan Xiaoyue thought for a moment and followed along.

After the siblings left, Yan Xingmao sighed softly too. “No wonder he looks down on those others. With the Yan brothers standing out like that, how could any other village lads measure up?”

“Husband, what—what do you mean by that?” He Qiuhua froze, “Xiao Yu has taken a fancy to… the Yan brothers next door?!”

She nervously leaned closer to Yan Xingmao and whispered, “Is it… Yan Daliang? Or… Yan Erlang?”

“Most likely Yan Erlang. He’s more handsome. When Xiao Yu saw him, his eyes lit up.”

Yan Xingmao looked deeply troubled. “He’s set his heart on that family. Ah, Yan Erlang is so sought-after. I wonder if our boy can compete?”