Lin Yu whispered a few words to Wei Qingshan. Wei Qingshan nodded. “The shop in the county seat belongs to my husband. He wants to take two or three people to help out there. Would you be willing to go?”

Uncle Ding replied, “Sure, sure. Just give us a meal. We’ve got a lot of kids at home. As long as they can eat their fill…”

Lin Yu had glanced over earlier. Between the adults and children, plus the grandchildren, there were seven people in these two households. Boys, girls, and ger—all bundled up in thin clothes for the deep winter, each huddling with their necks tucked in against the cold.

Lin Yu, being a ger himself, knew how tough life was for girls and gers. With families being poor, they were often married off to nearby villages by fifteen or sixteen, which could also help support their birth families.

Living in such hardship tugged at Lin Yu’s heart. Plus, the shop genuinely needed help. He could lend a hand where he could; once they were taken on, it would be up to their own luck.

“Is anyone willing to go? You’d serve customers, help with dishes, and tidy tables.”

The children, big and small, all huddled silently. The timid ones flinched back at the mention of serving people. One ger, seeming bolder, looked at Lin Yu with admiration. “Cousin, is that shop really yours?”

“Mhm.” Lin Yu nodded.

The ger stepped forward. “Cousin, I want to go.”

“Anyone else?”

A girl twirled her fingers, head bowed, taking a step forward. “C-Cousin, I want to go too.”

Lin Yu scanned the group. Two boys of suitable age remained unmoved. He asked no further. Country boys generally had it easier than girls and gers. With so many children in the household, the family likely counted on marrying off the girls and gers to secure dowries—enough to afford a bride for themselves.

Lin Yu sighed inwardly. These boys lacked the courage of their gender. “Alright. Come find us in Lujia Village on the eighth. Arrive early.”

The ger and girl nodded.

Lin Yu asked their names. “What are your names?”

“I’m Ding Xiaohe.”

“I… I’m Ding Xiaosui.”

Coincidentally, both willing to come along were children from the second son’s family. Lin Yu told them the pay was thirty copper coins a month, with room and board included.

Hearing they’d get thirty copper coins a month, Uncle Ding and Second Uncle Ding looked utterly shocked. ”That much!“

”These coins aren’t easy to earn. The shop has a lot of work and starts early. Lin Yu said deliberately, so they wouldn’t think the copper coins were easy money, and refused to let the two children take any.

Uncle Ding nudged a boy beside him. ”Take my second son, too. He can work hard.“

”I won’t go. I won’t go.” The boy backed away, unwilling to go. He had never even been to the town, let alone the county seat. He dared not go there.

Wei Qingshan handed Uncle Ding ten taels of silver on credit and gave Second Uncle Ding thirty copper coins. “This covers half the wages for the first month.”

Second Uncle Ding was deeply grateful, surprised to receive payment in advance. “Thank you, thank you.”

Lin Yu, accompanied by his young son, couldn’t linger long. After handling the matter, they departed.

The Ding family members escorted Lin Yu and the others out with great care. The children all peeked out from behind the door. “Big Brother, they actually have a carriage!”

Ding Xiaohe looked at Lin-ger with admiration. A ger could actually run a shop in the county seat!

After wrapping up their business, the group stayed at their residence for two more days. They packed their belongings, preparing to return to the county seat on the eighth day of the new year. Wei Qingshan still had duties to attend to and needed to head back sooner.

Lin Yu had asked Ding Xiaohe and Ding Xiaosui to come early, but unexpectedly, the two arrived before dawn. Lin Yu and the others were still asleep when they heard someone calling at the door outside. “Cousin Lin Yu! Cousin Lin Yu!”

Lin Yu was roused by the commotion. Assuming it was the Ding children, he sent Wei Qingshan to open the door.

Seeing it was already late, Lin Yu decided it would be best to depart early to reach the county seat sooner. He rose as well.

Ding Xiaohe and Ding Xiaoshui were shivering from the cold, holding a nearly extinguished torch. Lin Yu invited them inside to warm up. “Why come so early? Didn’t anyone see you off?”

Ding Xiaohe, the older one, was thirteen this year. Ding Xiaosui, the younger, was eleven. This remote village of Hulu was so isolated that even when Lin Yu and the others had visited last time, it had taken them half an hour to reach it. These two children didn’t know the way and had somehow found their way here on their own.

Ding Xiaohé rubbed his hands together. “I was afraid we’d be late, so we came early.”

Zhao Yueniang had also gotten up. She knew her brother was taking the two to help at the county seat this time. Technically, she was their cousin too.

Zhao Yueniang glanced inside with a smile before rising to stoke the fire and prepare breakfast.

Ding Xiaosui, a girl already this age, wore nothing but a tattered single-layer shirt. Her shoes were so worn that they had holes, exposing her toes. Seeing Zhao Yueniang in her brand-new cotton coat and fair complexion, she felt ashamed and tried to retreat to the back.

Ding Xiaohe held Ding Xiaosui’s hand. Both children sat stiffly on stools around the brazier, too nervous to move. Only after warming themselves by the fire did their bodies begin to thaw.

The two children looked truly pitiful from the cold. Lin Yu took one of his own padded jackets and put it on Ding Xiaohe, then had Zhao Yueniang give another jacket to Ding Xiaosui.

Ding Xiaohe stood with his hands behind his back, shaking his head. “I don’t want it.”

“Put it on. What if you catch a chill?”

Ding Xiaohe still shook his head. “I’m too dirty.”

He was filthy, his clothes were filthy, and he feared soiling Lin Yu’s coat. Besides, this coat was clearly satin-lined—what if he dirtied it?

“Just wear it for now. We don’t have clothes that fit you at home. We’ll buy you some when we get to town.”

Ding Xiaohe stubbornly refused to wear Lin Yu’s clothes. Lin Yu had no choice. “Then you two just huddle around the brazier to warm up. We’ll buy some when we get to town.”

Ding Xiaohe said nothing, only thinking about how he had no silver.

There was a brazier in the room, and the carriage would have a charcoal stove—it wouldn’t be cold. Once they reached town, he’d buy the children cotton-padded jackets. Just look at how frozen they were.

Plenty of food remained at home. Zhao Yueniang hadn’t skimped while cooking—she’d made meat patties, simmered congee, and steamed a meat-and-egg custard for Tuan-ger.

After finishing her preparations, Zhao Yueniang brought the breakfast over. The two young children sniffed the aroma and began swallowing hard. Lin Yu called them twice before they dared to approach and eat, clutching the meat pies and devouring them in big bites.

Ding Xiaohe felt he had done the right thing. They had meat for their very first meal. From now on, with him taking care of Xiaosui, they would surely live better than they ever had at home.

When his cousin visited their home that time, he brought a whole piece of meat. The family split it in half, but with so many children at home, Ding Xiahe barely got a couple of bites. His eldest uncle had earned ten taels of silver. He heard his uncle say they would use that silver to build two new rooms, meaning his uncle’s family would no longer live together with them.

After the meal, Zhao Yueniang cleared the dishes and washed them. Ding Xiaohe wanted to help, but seeing how dirty he was, he feared he’d soil the cleanware and held back.

Even when Wei Qingshan and Zhao Yueniang were loading quilts and other belongings onto the cart, he didn’t step forward. Only when he saw baskets did he dare to help lift them up.

Ding Xiaosui clutched Ding Xiaohe’s tattered clothes tightly. “Brother, how are we getting to the county seat? Following the cart? I can’t run fast—wait for me!”

“Mhm. I’ll ask for directions. We’ll make our way to the county seat slowly.”

Lin Yu first carried Tuan-ger onto the cart. It was small, but inside felt warmer than the main hall.

Zhao Yueniang climbed in, too. Seeing the two still standing, she called out, “Xiaohe, Xiaosui, hop in!”

“Can we get in?” Ding Xiaohé asked.

Zhao Yueniang chuckled. “How else are you two going to get to the county seat? Hurry up and get in.”

Only then did Ding Xiaohe bring Ding Xiaosui over. Zhao Yueniang reached out and pulled them both up. ”Sit closer to the stove—it’s warmer there.”

The moment Ding Xiaohe climbed in, he felt the warmth was like spring. His cousin held a beautiful baby in his arms, dressed in a red satin jacket, looking just like the New Year paintings on people’s doors.

Once everyone was seated, Wei Qingshan drove the carriage away. He had completed all the necessary errands for this trip. When they reached the town, the carriage stopped. Lin Yu asked Zhao Yueniang to take the two of them to the tailor shop to buy them jackets.

Zhao Yueniang led them down, purchasing a well-fitting cotton-padded jacket for each, plus two pairs of shoes. Cotton was expensive, and the two outfits cost over three taels of silver.

Ding Xiaohé, wearing such warm clothes for the first time, couldn’t believe it as he put them on. “Cousin, you really don’t want any silver for these coats?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just wear them and work hard when we get to the county seat.”

Ding Xiaohé nodded repeatedly, his admiration for Lin Yu deepening. How could a ger possess such remarkable abilities? He longed to be as capable as his cousin.

After purchasing the coats, they went to fetch Shi Xiaoliu. As soon as Shi Xiaoliu climbed into the carriage, she spotted two dirty little children huddled by the door. “Lin Fulang, who are these?”

“Distant relatives of mine. The boy is Ding Xiaohe, the girl is Ding Xiaosui. They’ll be working in our shop from now on. Help teach them when we reach the county seat.”

Shi Xiaoliu gave a light “Aye.” 

“My name is Shi Xiaoliu. You two will be working under me from now on. Just call me Xiaoliu.”

Ding Xiaohe nodded. This boy named Xiaoliu seemed like a ger, getting along quite warmly with his cousin.

Wei Qingshan drove the cart toward the county seat. After the New Year, the weather had warmed considerably. Today’s sunshine was perfect for the journey.

They barely rested at noon, so by the time they reached the county seat, night hadn’t yet fallen.

Wei Qingshan helped everyone down. He led the cart through the back gate first while Shi Xiaoliu knocked on the door. “Xu Nainai, we’re back! Open up!”

Xu Nainai lived in the front row of houses. Hearing the voices, she hurried to open the door. “Master Lin is back!”

She busied herself helping carry things inside. Ding Xiaohe stared blankly at the large mansion ahead. “I’ll be living here from now on?”

Shi Xiaoliu called to them, “Hurry inside!”

The two hurriedly followed.

Lin Yu led Tuan-ger into the house first. He instructed Shi Xiaoliu, “Xiaoliu, make arrangements for Xiahe and Xiaosui. Have them stay with Xu Nainai in the front. Get them some water so they can freshen up.”

“Yes, understood, Lin Fulang.”

After a full day in the carriage, everyone was tired. Lin Yu felt a bit sluggish, but at least the county residence didn’t need tidying—Xu Nainai had already cleaned it spotless. He decided to let Tuan-ger rest first.

Shi Xiaoliu and Xu Nainai boiled water to help Ding Xiaohé and Ding Xiaosui bathe, then laid out two beds. So the two could sleep in the same room for easier care.

Lying in bed that night, Ding Xiaohé and Ding Xiaosui couldn’t believe they were sleeping in such a fine room on such soft beds. Even bundled up in thick clothes, they no longer had to hunch their necks.

Ding Xiaohé snuggled into the quilt, feeling so comfortable it seemed like a dream.

Ding Xiaosui called out to her, “Brother, I can’t quite fall asleep.”

“Me neither. It’s just too comfortable.”

Back home, the whole family had crammed onto one rickety bed, unable even to turn over. Here, they had quilts and their own beds, and the house itself was a brick-and-tile structure— draft-free yet bright!

“Brother, am I dreaming?”

“No. Following cousin Lin Yu here was the right choice. I want to be like him someday.”

The two tossed and turned, chatting until exhaustion finally overtook them.

Lin Yu slept in a bit that morning, too. Upon returning, he took a hot bath that left him feeling light and refreshed. The two of them slept soundly all night, with little Tuanguo nestled between them.

Wei Qingshan rested at home for a day before returning to duty. Lin Yu’s steamed bun shop was set to open on the tenth day of the month. Shi Xiaoliu now managed the shop, and with Ding Xiaohé and Ding Xiaosui joining the team this time, they had more than enough hands.

With Shi Xiaoliu now in charge, Lin Yu didn’t need to visit the shop much or get his hands dirty. He stayed home with Xu Nainai to care for Tuan-ger.

When the shop opened on the tenth, Shi Xiaoliu addressed the staff. Having worked alongside Lin Yu, he’d grown more commanding. He exchanged auspicious greetings with the workers and reminded them to work diligently.

“I don’t care if you’re connected to Uncle Wei or Lin Fulang. I’m in charge here, and my word is final. If you slack off or cut corners, I’ll report you to Lin Fulang and have you fired.”

Shi Xiaoliu’s words were really meant for Ding Xiaohé and Ding Xiaoshuai. He feared they might slack off, relying on their connection to Lin Yu. So he played the stern enforcer. Not only would slackers be dismissed, but anyone with dishonest intentions would never be tolerated in the shop.

Shi Xiaoliu assigned Ding Xiaohé and Ding Xiaosui the task of clearing tables after customers finished their meals—the simplest job in the shop.

Ding Xiaohé managed reasonably well on his first day, gradually getting the hang of things with more practice. Ding Xiaosui, however, was young and timid. She fumbled clumsily while working and accidentally dropped a bowl, which frightened her into tears.

Morning was the busiest time at the steamed bun shop. Shi Xiaoliu hurried over to help her clean up. “No crying. Get back to work. If you can’t handle it, you can go wash dishes in the back.”

Shi Xiaoliu’s tone was stern, making Ding Xiaosui cry even harder. Ding Xiaohe, protecting his sister, glared at Shi Xiaoliu. Shi Xiaoliu crossed his arms. “You’re both shop assistants. We’re not making you pay for the broken bowl, so why all the crying?”

Shi Xiaoliu knew crying was useless. He’d spent over a year roughing it in beggars’ dens, then followed Lin Yu when he started peddling. He’d journeyed with Lin Yu from roadside stalls to rented shops in town, then to rented shops in the county seat.

Shi Xiaoliu understood why Lin Fulang entrusted him with managing the shop—partly because he trusted him like family, partly as a promotion.

Ding Xiaohé wiped the tears from Ding Xiaosui’s eyes. “It’s okay. Go back to serving bowls.”

Ding Xiaosui nodded. She was timid, and suddenly finding herself in the county seat made her nervous. She kept her head down while working. Shi Xiaoliu lifted her chin. “You’ll bump into people if you walk like that. Keep your head up.”

Ding Xiaosui nodded nervously and hurried back to her tasks.

All day, Ding Xiaosui remained tense. Shi Xiaoliu silently shook his head. Ding Xiaohé worked quite well, but Ding Xiaosui was another story. Lin Fulang had brought them out of that poverty-stricken valley—she couldn’t afford for them to be useless.

After dinner, Lin Yu summoned Shi Xiaoliu to inquire about the two’s progress. Shi Xiaoliu recounted everything truthfully, “Ding Xiaohé is learning well enough. It’s Ding Xiaosui who’s either timid or too young—she dropped a bowl and then bumped into a customer.”

“Let’s observe her for a while longer. Xiaosui might just be adjusting to the county seat.” Lin Yu chuckled softly. “I heard from Yueniang that you scolded Xiaosui at the shop?”

Shi Xiaoliu looked a bit embarrassed. “If I don’t stay strict, I won’t be able to keep the shop staff in line. Besides, what good does crying do? If you know you’re not doing well, you just have to work harder.”

Lin Yu ruffled Shi Xiaoliu’s hair. “That’s how it should be. You’re growing up, Xiaoliu.”

Shi Xiaoliu flushed slightly. Lin Yu’s touch was so gentle when he stroked his hair. Though he wasn’t much older than him, he simply loved being close to him.