Sang Niang felt a lump in her throat, and tears almost fell again. She had been working day and night weaving cloth for three years at the Qian family, yet she had never had a single bite of meat. Now, her Qing-ger had grown so big, yet he didn’t even know what meat was.

Yesterday, she had sold some extra cloth and made a few copper coins, so she secretly hid them away. She wanted to save up a little and buy something good for Qing-ger to eat in a while. But unexpectedly, Qian Gui’er came back suddenly and found it.

Sang Niang gently comforted Qing-ger, “Go to sleep. When you wake up, there will be delicious buns to eat.”

Qing-ger, too hungry to resist, sucked on a piece of straw, his little hands tightly clutching Sang Niang’s clothes. “Mama, I’m hungry, I can’t sleep.”

“Be good, sleep now.”

Lin Yu, wearing a bamboo hat, cautiously approached the Qian family’s firewood shed. The shed was full of holes, and he could clearly see inside. He saw Sang Niang holding Qing-ger and comforting him. Qing-ger, weak and limp, was leaning against Sang Niang’s arms, eating straw.

Lin Yu thought about the time he spent with his own mother after his father went missing, and how his mother had also fallen ill. But despite her sickness, she still sat up to embroider to support the family.

Lin Yu touched the hot buns in his arms and felt a bit better. He whispered, “Sang Niang, Sang Niang.”

Qing-ger, seeing the kind Ama who gave him delicious buns, wanted to speak, but Sang Niang covered his mouth. She shook her head at Qing-ger. “Don’t speak.”

Lin Yu tossed the two buns into the shed and ran away. Sang Niang quickly put Qing-ger down and rushed to pick up the little cloth bundle on the ground. It was soft and warm, and she knew it was food. She hurriedly walked over to Qing-ger. “Be good, eat this, eat this.”

Qing-ger, terribly hungry, immediately began to bite into the bun. Sang Niang patted his head. “Shh, don’t speak.”

Qing-ger nodded obediently, his pale little face puffing out as he chewed. “Mama, you eat, eat.”

Qing-ger held out the bun to Sang Niang, urging her to take a bite. His little hands were dirty, and the white bun had several black fingerprints on it. Sang Niang lowered her head and took a bite. “Be good, Mama has another one.”

Sang Niang immediately tasted the meat in the bun. Lin Yu had given her the one with meat in it. She picked up the other bun and devoured it eagerly.

When Lin Yu returned, he looked for Wei Qingshan. Wei Qingshan was boiling water, and he waved at Lin Yu. “Come sit by the fire and warm up.”

Lin Yu obediently sat down by the fire. His clothes were damp from being outside, and the spring rain had been falling steadily for almost a day.

After they washed up, they lay down on the newly made bed. Lin Yu, in the dry and warm blanket, listened to the soft rain tapping on the window. “It should stop soon, right?”

“Yeah, if it doesn’t rain tomorrow, I’ll go into the mountains to take a look.”

“I… I want to go too.”

“The mountain roads are hard to walk on after the rain. Stay at home, and I’ll go in a couple of days.”

Lin Yu hid half his face in the blanket, and even Wei Qingshan, who was next to him, was lying particularly straight today. Lin Yu whispered, “Qing… Qingshan.”

Wei Qingshan turned over and pressed against the person beside him. “If it hurts, tell me.”

Lin Yu bit his lip and didn’t dare make a sound, fearing it would ruin the mood like the night of their wedding. But it really hurt so much. He trembled and held onto Wei Qingshan’s neck, breathing in small gasps.

Wei Qingshan gently stroked him, but it still hurt.

Wei Qingshan didn’t dare to be too forceful. After two tries, he hugged his little husband and sighed deeply, feeling content. It was a pleasure he couldn’t describe, even happier than the day he and his master killed the tiger.

Wei Qingshan patted his little husband’s back. Lin Yu, half-asleep, trembled slightly. “No… no more.”

“Alright, go to sleep. Does it hurt?”

“No… it doesn’t hurt.”

Wei Qingshan, content, hugged his little husband. He assumed that the other person felt the same but was just too shy to speak up.

The next morning, when Wei Qingshan woke up, Lin Yu was still asleep. Half of his face was exposed, and he was sleeping soundly. His long black hair spread neatly across the pillow. Wei Qingshan couldn’t help but chuckle. His little husband must have been exhausted, and the craftsmanship of the stone bed was really good—there wasn’t a single squeak.

Wei Qingshan quietly went to the kitchen to cook. Yesterday’s leftover mixed-grain wild vegetable dumplings were still there. Wei Qingshan felt a little regretful. Although the food he ate now was better than before, he didn’t want his exhausted little husband to eat such coarse food.

He made a few flatbreads and, knowing his little husband might hesitate to eat them, he quickly scrambled two eggs.

After he ate a few wild vegetable dumplings himself, he left to go hunting in the mountains. His little husband was really too thin. Wei Qingshan was afraid to exert too much force, worried he might hurt himself.

Wei Qingshan carried his bamboo basket and went into the mountains. When Lin Yu woke up, the sun was already up.

“Qingshan, Qingshan,” he called twice, but got no answer. It seemed that Wei Qingshan had already gone into the mountains.

Lin Yu moved a little, feeling uncomfortable. Aunt Li had been right—it really did hurt the first time. He felt sore all over and got up to boil some water.

His legs felt weak as he walked, and when he lifted the pot lid, he saw several white flatbreads and a plate of scrambled eggs warming inside.

Lin Yu felt warmth in his heart. After boiling some hot water and changing into clean clothes, he finally had his meal.

After eating, he felt a little better and let the little chicks out of their cage to run around. Baixue was also let out to play in the front yard.

After the spring rain, the seeds in his little vegetable garden sprouted all at once. Lin Yu was very happy, looking at them over and over, unable to get enough of them.

“Yu-ger! Are you at home today?” He Dongdong came over with his embroidery basket. “Ah, it rained yesterday, and I couldn’t go out. I was so bored. My mother made me embroider flowers all day. It’s really good that you’re home.”

Lin Yu was also happy. He moved a stool and sat with He Dongdong in the yard to bask in the sun.

Lin Yu had nothing to do at that moment, and when he saw He Dongdong’s embroidery frame, his hands itched to try it. He hadn’t embroidered in many years, and his hands had become stiff.

He Dongdong showed Lin Yu his embroidery frame. “Yu-ger, look, I can’t seem to get the leaves right.”

“I’ll take a look.”

As soon as Lin Yu stretched out his hand, He Dongdong immediately handed it to him, as if he had seen a savior. “You do it, you do it. I’m just not cut out for this. My mother insisted I learn.”

He Dongdong sat back, lazily kicking his feet. He heard the chirping of the chicks. “Yu-ger, do you have chicks?”

“Yes, I bought some from the town a few days ago.”

He Dongdong was instantly interested. He stopped embroidering and went to the backyard to see the chicks.

Lin Yu lowered his head and continued working on the embroidery. He wondered if, in his spare time, he could embroider some silk handkerchiefs or sachets to help with household expenses.

He Dongdong played for a while and then returned. Lin Yu had already embroidered quite a bit for him. He leaned forward to look. “Yu-ger, you’re really good. You embroider better than my sister-in-law.”

Lin Yu smiled. “If you really don’t like it, why don’t you tell your mother?”

He Dongdong, who was usually carefree, didn’t say anything, rubbing his hands and blushing. “I’m already fifteen. My mother is making me learn. Once I learn, I’ll be able to embroider my own wedding clothes. Ah, you’re really naughty, Yu-ger, I can’t just tell my mother that I don’t like it!”

He Dongdong pushed him. “Yu-ger, is marriage good?”

Lin Yu’s face turned bright red. He stammered, “It’s… It’s fine.”

His marriage with Wei Qingshan was pretty good, much better than his time at the Zhao family. Wei Qingshan was considerate of him, and though their family didn’t have much money, they were slowly saving up.

Everything was fine, except for what happened yesterday, which he didn’t like much.

He Dongdong relentlessly asked, “What do you mean by ‘fine’? How is it really?”

“It’s… It’s good.”

Lin Yu hurriedly lowered his head, embroidering, afraid that He Dongdong would continue asking. After all, which young man wasn’t interested in love? He Dongdong, feeling a bit embarrassed, murmured, “I want to find someone good-looking, hehe~”

Lin Yu didn’t respond, his face was still red as he focused on his embroidery. After a while, though still a bit awkward, his stitching improved a lot.

“Sang Niang, Sang Niang! Where’s the hot water you promised me? Hurry up!”

From next door, the voice of Qian Gui’er was heard. He Dongdong pricked up his ears. “Oh, Qian Gui’er is back.”

Lin Yu hummed in response, and He Dongdong, gossiping with him, said, “This Qian Gui’er isn’t a good person. He only knows how to drink and gamble. Despite him acting like this, Qian Laotai still treats him like a treasure. When he gets home, he beats Sang Niang. Sang Niang has been married for three years, but I hardly ever see her. She’s always working at home.”

He Dongdong snorted, “I’d rather not get married my whole life than marry such a scoundrel.”

“Does Sang Niang still have anyone from her family?”

“I heard she has a brother, but I’ve never seen him.”

Lin Yu didn’t want to gossip about others. He didn’t even tell He Dongdong about what happened at the Qian house yesterday. The two of them spent the entire morning stitching and talking.

Around noon, He Dongdong went back home. His mother was cooking. “Mother, I’m home!”

Hearing the sound from the yard, He Ersao came out. “Dong-ger, you’re back. How did your embroidery go today?”

“It was fine.”

He Ersao glanced at He Dongdong. Dong-ger was already fifteen and of marriageable age. Earlier, when she went out, she ran into Xia Hehua, who mentioned her older brother.

He Ersao had a good relationship with Xia Hehua and thought that if Dong-ger married her older brother, it wouldn’t be bad. This idea began to form in her mind.

He Dongdong didn’t notice the calculating look in her eyes. He put down his embroidery basket and went into the kitchen.

After lunch, He Dongdong wanted to go out and play with Lin Yu again, but He Ersao stopped him. “Dong-ger, don’t run off. Stay at home and embroider.”

“I want to go find Yu-ger.”

“You’re a young ger who isn’t married yet. You shouldn’t be running around every day.”

He Dongdong was unhappy when he heard this. What was wrong with him going out to play? His mother didn’t say anything, and his eldest sister-in-law added, “If Dong-ger wants to go out, let him. I see that Yu-ger’s embroidery skills are quite good, much better than mine. It would be just right to go learn from him.”

He Dongdong cheered up again. “Exactly, exactly.”

“Hey, Dong-ger, wait a minute.” He Ersao pulled him back. “I have something to say to you.”

“What? You can just say it.”

“Wait, wait a moment, and you’ll know.”

He Ersao was acting mysteriously. He Dongdong was eager to find Lin Yu, but now he couldn’t leave. While the two were talking, Xia Hehua walked in. “Dong-ger is at home?”

Dongdong’s mother didn’t particularly like Xia Hehua, but she didn’t want to offend her. They were all from the same village. He Daniang moved a stool for her. “Hehua, you’ve come.”

After a few polite words, Xia Hehua warmly took He Dongdong’s hand. “Dong-ger is fifteen this year, right? He’s really growing more and more beautiful.”

He Dongdong shuddered. What was Xia Hehua up to? Just a few days ago, she had rolled her eyes at He Dongdong, and now she was acting as if nothing had happened.

He Dongdong didn’t like Xia Hehua at all, especially since she had bullied Yu-ger.

Seeing He Dongdong’s cold expression, Xia Hehua awkwardly smiled a couple of times. “Well, Dong-ger’s mother, I came here today to discuss a marriage proposal for Dong-ger. My older brother is of age now. You can rest assured, my family is close to the town. We’re halfway from the town, so it would be convenient for them to run a small business in town.”

He Daniang immediately knew Xia Hehua wasn’t here with good intentions. She pulled He Dongdong close. “Dong-ger is still young. I want to keep him here for another year or two.”

“What’s there to fear? A marriage can be arranged in six months to a year for preparations,” He Ersao added, supporting Xia Hehua’s proposal.

He Daniang glared at her. “Dong-ger’s matters don’t concern you.”

He Dongdong was furious when he heard about Xia Hehua’s older brother. He grabbed her embroidery basket and left. “Mom, I’m going to find Yu-ger.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

“Hey, Dong-ger, Dong-ger, wait, wait!” Xia Hehua wanted to say something, but He Dongdong completely ignored her.

He Daniang didn’t pay attention to her anymore and snorted as she went inside. He Ersao awkwardly saw Xia Hehua out. “You can see that my mother doesn’t agree.”

Xia Hehua warmly grabbed He Ersao’s hand. “Then you can help me say a few more good words. My family’s condition isn’t bad. I just think Dong-ger is good, so I came to propose.”

Once He Ersao went inside, Xia Hehua changed her expression. She swung her handkerchief and left. “That He Dongdong actually gave me a cold shoulder. If it weren’t for him looking decent, I wouldn’t have thought about giving him to my older brother.”

As soon as He Ersao entered, she was called by He Daniang. “Second daughter-in-law, come here.”

“Mom.”

“Who started this?”

“Who started it? Xia Hehua mentioned it. I thought it was worth considering.”

“Dong-ger’s mother is still me, and you’re also only her sister-in-law. It’s not your place to interfere. I’ve already told you not to associate with that Xia Hehua, but you wouldn’t listen.”

He Ersao was scolded harshly and felt aggrieved. “I’m doing this for Dong-ger. Xia Hehua’s family is close to the town, and their life is better than ours.”

“Shut up, He Ersao, shut up!”

Hearing the voices, He Erzhu walked in. “What’s going on, Mom?”

“What’s going on? What’s going on?” He Daniang glared at him angrily. “Look at your good wife! She actually wants to marry Dong-ger to Xia Hehua’s older brother. Who is Xia Hehua? Can her brother be any good? Besides, Xia Hehua is already married, and her brother hasn’t even gotten married yet. If he were a good match, wouldn’t he already be married?”

He Erzhu dragged his wife away, giving her an annoyed look. “Mom doesn’t like Xia Hehua. What are you getting involved with her? Besides, Dong-ger’s marriage will be decided by our mother.”

“I’m just thinking of what’s best for Dong-ger,” He Ersao said, feeling wronged. She hadn’t gained anything and now had a reputation for causing trouble. “Besides, we can’t just avoid Xia Hehua because our family is close to Wei Qingshan’s family.”

He Daniang sighed after hearing this from inside. Her second daughter-in-law wasn’t bad at heart, but she was too carefree. With someone as cunning as Xia Hehua, she would help her count the money after being sold out.

He Dongdong was also angry. As soon as he arrived at Lin Yu’s house, he glared at the air. Lin Yu poured him a bowl of hot water with two red dates inside. “Who made you angry? You were fine this morning.”

“My second sister-in-law! I can’t believe she tried to match me with Xia Hehua’s older brother. I’m so mad!”

“Ah?”

Lin Yu didn’t dare to comment. Xia Hehua had caused a scene at his house last time, and he didn’t have a good impression of her. He didn’t know her brother at all.

“Don’t be angry. Drink some water.”

He Dongdong angrily took a sip of water. The sweet red date water helped to calm his anger a little. “You don’t know, with Xia Hehua acting like that, how could her brother be any good? Besides, when the Wei family hadn’t yet split up a few years ago, Xia Hehua often swaggered around with wild chickens and rabbits to bring back to her mother’s house.”

Lin Yu nodded. Those wild chickens and rabbits must have been hunted by Wei Qingshan.

In the afternoon, Lin Yu continued helping He Dongdong with his embroidery. He Dongdong really liked the idea of turning that piece of cloth into a pouch to hang on his body. When he was heading back in the afternoon, he ignored her second sister-in-law. When he saw her, he snorted and went into the house.

Lin Yu took two copper coins to buy tofu. There wasn’t much food at home, but even though life was tough, he couldn’t let Wei Qingshan eat badly after working hard all day. He couldn’t come home and not have a decent meal.

In the evening, Lin Yu made fried tofu with mixed vegetables, and a few mixed wheat cakes were crispy at the edges, made with a mixture of white flour and cornmeal. He looked at the door and noticed that Wei Qingshan was coming back late again. He was worried about him because it had just rained, and the mountain path was slippery and hard to walk.

Fortunately, Wei Qingshan came back when it was fully dark. Lin Yu quickly went up to help him take off the bamboo basket. “You’re back.”

“Yeah, I went to town and came back a bit late.”

When Wei Qingshan entered the house, Lin Yu saw that he was covered in mud. Lin Yu exclaimed with a worried face, “What happened? Did you slip?”

“No, I didn’t go too deep into the mountains today. I harvested a lot of water celery yesterday and found fish in the grass nests downstream, so I caught quite a few. It’s probably because of the rain that a lot of big fish came down!”

Lin Yu felt heartbroken. It had just rained, and the weather was cold. He had already put on his small jacket at home, but Wei Qingshan had jumped into the water to catch fish, getting mud all over his waist. It must have been so cold!

Wei Qingshan brought over the bamboo basket. “These fish were fresh and would sell for a good price. I went to town with the fish and wild vegetables, that’s why I came back late. Look, I even saved one for us to eat.”

Lin Yu peered into the basket. The big fish was about the length of his arm. He took the fish to the kitchen and quickly brought Wei Qingshan some hot water. “Hurry up and wash, dinner’s ready.”

“Yu-ger, can you get me more hot water? I’ll wash up and change clothes.”

“Sure.”

Since dinner was already prepared and the pot was cleaned, with the food kept warm, Lin Yu quickly ladled some hot water from the pot and brought it to the living room. “Hurry up and wash, I’ll go prepare more for you.”

“That’s enough.”

While Wei Qingshan was washing himself, Lin Yu quickly cleaned the fish. He used half of it to make fish stew. He added plenty of red chili peppers to the stew to drive away the cold. The spiciness made Lin Yu sneeze several times.

While Wei Qingshan was bathing in the room, he heard and asked, “Yu-ger, did you catch a cold yesterday?”

Lin Yu’s face turned red. He quickly replied, “No, no, it’s the chili that made me sneeze.”

Wei Qingshan felt relieved. He had been worried that he hadn’t noticed and that he might have caused his little husband to catch a cold.

After Wei Qingshan finished bathing and changed into clean clothes, Lin Yu’s fish was just ready. He brought in the food: chili fish stew, dandelion fried with tofu, and the mixed wheat cakes.

Wei Qingshan was hungry and immediately picked up a mixed wheat cake. Although it was made with mixed flour, the bottom was crispy, and it was delicious when dipped in the fish broth.

Lin Yu couldn’t eat much spicy food, but the fish he made was so delicious that he ate a few bites with the cake, and ate a good amount of tofu on the side.

Wei Qingshan poured a bowl of hot water and placed it in front of him. “You can dip this in and eat more. Don’t make such spicy dishes in the future.”

“I can eat spicy food, it’s just that this one is too spicy.”

After they finished eating, Wei Qingshan poured out the copper coins he earned today. “I was really lucky today, I found that group of fish, and also sold a lot of the water celery.”

He poured the copper coins onto the table, and Lin Yu was shocked. “So much!”

“I caught a lot of fish today. Fish are still in high demand, so they were sold for a higher price.”

The weather was cold, and not many people were catching fish, so Wei Qingshan had sold the fish he carried over in a half-basket very well. The two of them counted the copper coins they earned today, and there were more than three hundred coins!

Lin Yu found some hemp rope and tied the coins into bundles of one hundred each. When they had enough, they would take them to the town and exchange them for silver taels.

Lin Yu brought out a small wooden box where they kept the copper coins. With the coins from earlier, they now had eight bundles inside. If they saved up another two hundred coins, they could exchange them for a silver tael!

“Tomorrow, I’ll go into the mountains with you. After this season, wild vegetables won’t be so scarce.”

“Alright.”

“We’ll go into the mountains before dawn. Otherwise, when we go to the town, the wild vegetables won’t be fresh anymore.”

“You’re working hard, my husband.”

At this time, wild vegetables were even more scarce than the animals he hunted. He could make a decent profit selling wild vegetables all day. In previous years, he would only catch a few small animals in spring, but this year was different. He had a little husband now, and he couldn’t let him suffer.

The two of them went to bed early that night. Wei Qingshan only held Lin Yu to sleep. Not long after the rooster crowed, Lin Yu woke up. He nudged Wei Qingshan beside him. “Qingshan, get up.”

“Are we going so early?”

“The wild vegetables sold well the other morning. We’ll harvest wild vegetables and still need to go to the town.”

After they had breakfast, they set off with their bamboo baskets. Lin Yu had locked the little chickens in the living room, and it was still too dark to see the path clearly, so they walked with torches. Both hunting dogs followed them.

The mountain path was rugged and hard to walk on. The deeper they went, the denser the forest became, and it got darker. Dahei led the way, Wei Qingshan held Lin Yu’s hand and walked in the middle, while Baixue followed behind to keep watch.

As they walked, they startled the doves resting in the forest. They flapped their wings and flew away. Lin Yu was a bit scared as it was his first time walking in the forest at dark, but holding Wei Qingshan’s hand helped him feel much steadier.

When they reached the water celery patch, it was just getting light enough to see. They set down their baskets and began harvesting wild vegetables. By the time the sky brightened fully, they had already gathered a lot. This patch of water celery had a good amount, enough to last them several days.

Wild vegetables were only fresh during this time. After a while, fewer people would buy them, so Lin Yu was eager to harvest quickly and sell them in the town.

Wei Qingshan took off his shoes and rolled up his pants. “I’ll check the water. I brought a dip net today.”

“Be careful.”

“It’s fine.”

Wei Qingshan brought a dip net with him today. The net was supported by two sticks, and he held the sticks in his hands to scoop fish, which was much faster than catching them by hand as he did yesterday.

After the rain, the water level in the small river had risen, bringing fish downstream. Before leaving yesterday, he had intentionally placed some branches to block the middle of the river.

Wei Qingshan walked slowly in the water, holding the sticks. When he felt something in the net, he pulled it up. He threw the fish onto the bank, and Lin Yu picked them up. The first time they came here, the river only had small fish, but after the rain, large fish had come!

The first big fish that came ashore was as long as his forearm!

Wei Qingshan continued walking to the areas with thick water plants by the shore. The fish liked to hide in the plants, and sometimes when he lifted the net, there were two or three fish in it!

After about half an hour, most of the big fish in this small area had been caught. The branches were still blocking the downstream area, so they decided to come back tomorrow and check again.

When Wei Qingshan came up, Lin Yu quickly handed him a bamboo tube. “Drink some ginger water to ward off the cold.”

Wei Qingshan took the tube and drank a few sips. Although the spring water was cold, it felt fine to him since the ginger water was still warm. He had a lot of internal heat, so the ginger water worked well for him.

Today’s catch was better than yesterday’s. Yesterday, he caught about half a basket of fish, but today, the basket was full. It looked like quite a lot.

When they finished packing up, the sun had already risen. To sell more, Wei Qingshan added a lot of water celery to his basket, and Lin Yu’s basket was also packed full. Wei Qingshan felt sorry for his husband and asked him to carry less, but Lin Yu insisted, “I can carry it.”

The two of them took a different path down the mountain to the town, which still took about an hour. Even when the baskets were empty, they were half the height of Lin Yu. Walking through the mountain with them packed full wasn’t easy, and Lin Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead, gritting his teeth to keep going.

When they reached the official road, they encountered an ox cart heading to the town. Seeing his little husband exhausted and sweating, Wei Qingshan felt sorry. They had just started living this good life, and already he was working hard.

“Yu-ger, let’s ride the ox cart to the town. Otherwise, the wild vegetables and fish won’t look as fresh.”

Lin Yu thought for a moment and agreed. They couldn’t save these little bits of copper coins only to have their things sell for less.

Wei Qingshan flagged down an ox cart and put their baskets on it. Lin Yu felt much lighter and was wiping his sweat. Wei Qingshan placed his hands on his waist and gently pushed him onto the cart. “Driver, let’s go.”

Lin Yu shook his head repeatedly. “I don’t want to sit, I don’t want to sit.”

Wei Qingshan walked beside the cart, pressing him down onto it. “You’re exhausted. How can we harvest wild vegetables and earn money if you’re too tired? Be good.”

Lin Yu reluctantly sat down. This was his first time riding an ox cart, and he felt a bit awkward. He had never ridden in one before. Back at the Zhao family’s, he could never have imagined such things.

Wei Qingshan walked quickly and kept up with the ox cart. What would have been a one-hour trip only took them half an hour. When they arrived at the town, the morning market was still bustling.

They found a spot to set up their stall, and Wei Qingshan went to pay the market fee and get their stall ticket.

Lin Yu, taking advantage of the fish still being fresh and the water celery still good, quickly set up the stall.

He laid two pieces of cloth on the ground and took the water celery off the top of the fish basket. There was quite a bit of water celery, almost half a basket’s worth.

The fish still had their mouths open and were flicking their tails. Lin Yu quickly took a few fish and placed them on the ground. The fish, fresh from the spring, were firm and delicious at this time of year.

As Lin Yu finished setting up, Wei Qingshan hadn’t returned yet. He squatted down beside the stall and watched. He tried to mimic the market vendors and called out, “Selling, selling fish, selling, selling water celery!”

His voice was so soft that only the stall next door could hear him. The old lady selling needles and threads laughed, “Little husband, you can’t call out like that. Your voice is too soft, and others won’t hear you. Also, it’s best to mention the price so everyone knows.”

Lin Yu nodded. Wei Qingshan had told him the prices when he left. He tried calling out, his face turning red, clenching his fists, and gathering his courage to shout, “Selling, selling fish! Big ones, twenty wen; small ones, fifteen wen! Water celery, water celery, two wen a bundle!”

A woman with a basket stopped. She immediately set her sights on the largest fish on the stall. “I’ll take this one.”

First-come, first-served. The big fish and small fish were divided into two piles, and in this market, his was the only stall selling live fish. The fish were so fresh, their mouths were still open!

The woman dropped a copper coin and took the fish. Lin Yu was still a bit dazed as he held the coin. Did he just sell one?

Lin Yu smiled and became braver. “Selling fish, big ones, twenty wen; small ones, fifteen wen! Water celery, two wen a bundle!”

Lin Yu’s fish were still alive, and the wild vegetables were fresh with water droplets on them, looking very appealing as they lay on the ground.

When Wei Qingshan returned with the stall token, a crowd had gathered in front of their stall. “Oh, you are so stubborn. This is clearly a small fish, but you insist on putting it in with the big ones. I’ll pay fifteen wen for it.”

“Auntie, this is a big fish. If you want a small one, just pick from the small ones.”

“Husband, I’ll take this one. Here’s your copper coin.”

Everyone wanted the biggest fish, and the small fish were also selling well. Those who were slow could only regret it as someone else snatched them up.

Lin Yu’s voice wasn’t loud, and amidst the voices of the women, gers, and their husbands, it was soft and gentle. He hadn’t expected that without him, his little husband would do so well.

“This lady, the fish you have is a big one. If you want a big fish, the basket still has some. I’ll pick them out for you.”

When Lin Yu saw Wei Qingshan return, his eyes lit up. “You, you’re back.”

“Yeah, you did well.”

Lin Yu smiled. Without Wei Qingshan, he had been a bit overwhelmed, with people wanting fish and others wanting wild vegetables. Some had bought fish and then also took his water celery, even taking more than they should have, but Lin Yu didn’t say anything.

Now that Wei Qingshan was back, he focused on selling the wild vegetables.

Wei Qingshan took out a few more large fish from the basket and placed them on the stall. The woman who had been haggling earlier quickly put down the fish she had and replaced it with a bigger one, and as she left, she even grabbed a few bundles of water celery.

Wei Qingshan turned to Lin Yu and spoke, “Don’t let them pick. Just grab the bundles yourself and hand them over, like before.”

Lin Yu nodded. He grabbed a bunch of water celery, tied it up, and when customers came, he handed it to them directly. Earlier, he had been busy with the fish, and some customers had picked through the vegetables themselves, even taking extra.

Now that he had free hands, he grabbed the bundles and neatly arranged them in a row. They looked very nice.

There were other stalls selling wild vegetables at the market, but none had as many as Lin Yu. His vegetables were fresh, and behind him, there was still a large basket of vibrant green water celery, looking very appealing.

Lin Yu’s small vegetable stall had also attracted quite a few people. The last time they came, the morning market had already dispersed. But today, they arrived early, and the market was still going strong. Many women and their husbands were out buying vegetables or breakfast, and Lin Yu’s business was better than before.

At two wen a bundle, the water celery wasn’t expensive, and after eating pickled radishes all winter, everyone wanted a change in flavor. The green vegetables from the fields hadn’t been harvested yet, so Lin Yu quickly gathered another pile and placed it in front.

Some people tried to haggle, “This ger, why are your wild vegetables so expensive? Over there, they’re selling two bundles for three wen.”

“I… my vegetables are better.”

Lin Yu was telling the truth. The stall the woman mentioned was visible from a distance, and they were selling wild shepherd’s purse, and plantain leaves—things that could be easily picked at the foot of the mountain, though it took a bit of time.

Wei Qingshan chimed in, “This water celery, my husband picked it from the mountain as soon as the rooster crowed. It’s fresh and we rushed to the town to sell it. You can see it’s fresh and still has water droplets on it.”

That was true. The other stalls were selling regular wild vegetables that looked dull, but Lin Yu’s were fresh and vibrant, with droplets of water on them.

Their business was going well, and in less than an hour, everything had sold out. When they were finished, it was still early—before noon even.

Lin Yu tidied up the stall and gave some of the leftover vegetables to the old lady at the neighboring stall. The old lady was very happy and thanked him repeatedly. Lin Yu smiled, remembering that it was this very old lady who had taught him how to call out at the market.

The copper coins from selling the fish and vegetables were all placed in the basket, with a piece of cloth lining the bottom. Lin Yu covered it with the cloth. They had done well today, and the copper coins filled the bottom of the basket.

Lin Yu felt excited and watched the basket closely, afraid it might get lost. Wei Qingshan, with the smell of fish on his hands, wiped his hands on the cloth. “Wait here for a bit. I’ll go buy some food, and then we can head back.”

Lin Yu obediently nodded. When Wei Qingshan left, he didn’t ask what his little husband wanted to eat. If he had, they would have just gotten something cheap, so Wei Qingshan decided to buy it himself.

Lin Yu sat by the basket in the sun. It had been cold when they entered the mountain this morning, and he was wearing a short brown coat with a small padded jacket underneath. But now, with the sun high in the sky, he was starting to feel a little warm.

He picked up the bamboo tube beside him and took a couple of sips of water. The old lady next to him started a conversation, “Where are you from? I just heard your husband say you both went up the mountain early. It must have been hard.”

Lin Yu smiled, “My husband and I are from Lu Village.”

“Ah, that’s not close at all.”

Lin Yu nodded.

“You and your husband are truly well-matched. There are few around here as handsome as you two.”

Lin Yu blushed at the compliment. When Wei Qingshan returned with the meal, he heard his little husband softly and sweetly speaking to the old lady, “My husband is a hunter.” Wei Qingshan paused for a moment, suppressing the smile at the corner of his mouth, and walked over, “Yu-ger, time to eat.”

Lin Yu hurriedly looked up, not sure if Wei Qingshan had heard, his face flushing.

Wei Qingshan handed him the food. He had bought meat pies, sugar cakes, and soft rice cakes. These were things Lin Yu had never eaten before, but since he had earned some money today, he wasn’t as concerned about it.

The two of them ate a little and then decided to head back. When they were about to call for an ox cart, Lin Yu grabbed his sleeve. “No need, there’s nothing left in the basket. We can walk back slowly.”

“It’s not expensive. Let’s get back early and rest. We need to get up early tomorrow.”

Wei Qingshan handed over the copper coins and gently placed Lin Yu on the cart, wrapping his arms around Lin Yu’s waist. He didn’t sit by himself. He had been traveling in the mountains for years and never felt tired, but his little husband was so thin. He had said he’d take care of him, but they had only just married, and now he was already following him into the mountains. Wei Qingshan felt a deep sense of love and care.

The ox cart waited at the village entrance for a while before it started moving. Wei Qingshan walked beside it. The cart swayed as it moved, and Lin Yu, who had gotten up early and worked so hard, soon started to nod off. His head tilted, and he rested on the cart’s frame. Wei Qingshan, ever attentive, quickly placed his hand under Lin Yu’s head to support him, letting Lin Yu sleep with his hand as a pillow.

Along with them on the cart were two old women and two children. One of the old women smiled and whispered, “This husband is really fortunate to have such a caring spouse.”

Wei Qingshan quietly replied, “I am the lucky one to have such a good husband.”

Lin Yu slept peacefully, his head resting on Wei Qingshan’s hand the whole way. When they reached the village entrance, Wei Qingshan woke him up. Lin Yu, still a little groggy, asked, “Are we here?”

“Yes, we’re here. Let’s go home, and you can sleep some more.”

Lin Yu felt much better after a nap. By the time they returned, it was already past noon. After eating in the town, they weren’t hungry.

Once home, Lin Yu let the chicks out of the room where they had been confined, while Wei Qingshan went to boil water and brought it over so Lin Yu could wash up.

He moved the largest wooden basin in the house to the main room. “Yu-ger, when you’re ready, come wash up.”

“Coming.”

Seeing the large basin in the middle of the room, Lin Yu blushed. During the cold weather, he had just wiped himself down, but now that the weather was warmer, it wasn’t cold enough that he would need to avoid taking a bath.

“You wash up first, I’ll go prepare some food for Dahei and the others.”

Lin Yu nodded. Wei Qingshan helped him close the door before leaving. Yesterday, there was still half a fish left. He chopped the fish head and made soup for the two hunting dogs, adding some cornbread to it.

By the time Lin Yu finished washing, he had changed into a clean short brown coat. His current clothes were all modified from Wei Qingshan’s, and he didn’t want to wear the new ones while working.

Once Lin Yu finished, Wei Qingshan went to wash. Lin Yu sat in the yard and started twisting his hair.

He thought that after this, he would wash their dirty clothes. After Wei Qingshan finished washing, he called out to Lin Yu, “Yu-ger, is your hair dry? If it’s dry, come back and rest.”

Lin Yu didn’t have the habit of napping at noon. “I’m not tired. You sleep.”

“Come here, Yu-ger.”

When Lin Yu heard the slightly stern tone, he went over. Wei Qingshan had already prepared the bed. “Hurry and sleep, or you’ll wear yourself out. Do you remember what I said?”

Lin Yu nodded, his face turning red as he lay down. He couldn’t let himself get too tired, or else he wouldn’t be able to have children.

Wei Qingshan took the water out, and after everything was set, he also took a short rest.

When he woke up, Lin Yu was still asleep. Wei Qingshan had already washed and hung up their clothes to dry.