After breakfast, Lin Yu went to check on his little vegetable garden. His vegetables were all growing well—pumpkins and gourds were shaking their palm-sized leaves in the wind, and the baby greens had all grown to about the height of a finger.

Lin Yu carried a water bucket and watered each plant one by one, hoping they would grow quickly.

Wei Qingshan, on the other hand, was holding a small knife in his hand, fiddling with something unknown.

The courtyard was full of greenery, two hunting dogs ran back and forth, and the weather had warmed up. Lin Yu had already taken off his padded jacket and was just wearing spring clothes.

“Yu-ger! You’re home today!”

He Dongdong was very happy. He had come by several times before but hadn’t caught Lin Yu at home. Today, he had finally managed to find him. “Where have you been these past few days? I came looking for you, but you were never in.”

“I went up the mountain with Qingshan. We were busy for a while, but we’ve been home these past few days.”

“Ah, Yu-ger, I haven’t seen you for a few days, and your complexion looks a lot better.”

“Really.” Lin Yu had a faint smile on his face. He had been taking tonic medicine these past few days and felt that the fatigue he used to feel was gone.

After chatting idly with Lin Yu for a few words, He Dongdong squeezed in next to Lin Yu and whispered secretly in his ear, “It’s so great that you’re home. The peach blossoms on the back mountain have bloomed. Can you come with me to see the peach blossoms tomorrow?”

Lin Yu looked a little puzzled. “What’s so special about those peach blossoms?”

He had been going up the mountain every day recently and saw them often. Not far from his home, there were a few peach trees. Peach trees weren’t rare in the village either. What was there to look at?

A blush spread across He Dongdong’s face. “Aiya, it’s just, just…”

He Dongdong felt embarrassed and leaned in close to Lin Yu’s ear to whisper a few words. Only then did Lin Yu realize what was going on. “Then I’ll come to your house early tomorrow to find you.”

“Mm.” He Dongdong was so shy he could barely stand it. After speaking with Lin Yu, he ran off.

“Going out to play tomorrow?” Wei Qingshan asked casually. He just wanted to chat with his husband. After yesterday, he had felt something was off between the two of them.

“Mm.”

“There’s not much of the dried fruit and pastries at home. I’ll go into town tomorrow and buy some for you two to eat.”

“No, no need. It’s because Dong-ger is going to check someone out. He asked me to go with him.”

“Oh, I see.”

Wei Qingshan didn’t ask any more. Affairs of a ger weren’t something a grown man like him should pry into.

At noon, Lin Yu stir-fried dried bamboo shoots and stewed them with meat. He figured that the bamboo shoots in the mountain’s bamboo grove should have already started sprouting. When he had time, he’d bring some back to stir-fry. Whatever they couldn’t finish, he’d dry and save for winter.

Dried bamboo shoots with stewed meat, a pot of chicken soup, and some steamed buns. Lin Yu’s cooking skills were great. With these dishes, Wei Qingshan ate three steamed buns.

Just as the two were eating, the neighbor’s house once again rang out with Qian Gui’er’s scolding voice. “What the hell kind of meal is this! This whole table of food is so green, not even a trace of meat—are you trying to starve Lao Tzu to death?!”

Sang Niang didn’t dare lift her head under Qian Gui’er’s scolding. Even Qing-ger was huddled in his mother’s arms, trembling.

Qian Gui’er had been in a foul temper these days. He had lost money gambling and was already in a bad mood. Now he had to smell the scent of meat from next door every day, and it made him even angrier.

“Still giving me that face? Just wait till I beat you to death! Putting on that dead look every day—who the hell is it for? Does Lao Tzu owe you something or what? Lao Tzu’s bad luck is all because of you!”

Lin Yu frowned slightly at the sound. This Qian Gui’er didn’t think about working the land, he only knew how to beat and scold his own wife.

Wei Qingshan served Lin Yu another bowl of chicken soup. “Drink a bit more.”

Lin Yu nodded and took the bowl, sipping it. People like that weren’t his business to interfere with. If Wei Qingshan saw that he was upset, he’d step in again, and that wouldn’t do any good. He just felt sorry for Sang Niang and little Qing-ger.

From next door, the cursing continued on and off.

“Later, you’d better go get some meat for me!”

“What! You don’t have any silver? How could you not have silver? Where’s the silver from selling that cloth?!”

“What do you mean you gave it to my mother! You even dare to hide copper coins from me and say you’ve got no money. Who knows if you’re hiding copper coins in other places, too!”

After the two finished eating, Wei Qingshan washed the dishes. Lin Yu took the white silk cloth he had bought and cut it into handkerchief-sized pieces, then started hemming them with a needle. Once that was done, he would embroider flowers on them.

Seeing this, Wei Qingshan also sat down beside him. “Rest a bit before working again. Didn’t you say you’d start embroidering in a few days?”

“I’m not embroidering flowers, I’m just preparing the silk cloth first,” Lin Yu replied softly.

Wei Qingshan chuckled. This little fellow had now learned how to find loopholes.

The next day, after breakfast, Wei Qingshan tidied up and prepared to go to town to exchange some silver. Lin Yu also went out with him. He was going to look for He Dongdong—today was the day Dong-ger would be checking someone out.

Lin Yu closed the main hall door and was about to leave when Wei Qingshan raised an eyebrow. “Not changing clothes?”

Lin Yu looked puzzled. “It’s Dong-ger going to see someone. Why would I change clothes?”

Lin Yu was reluctant to wear his new clothes, so he wore those few sets of short jackets made from old cloth. Not only were they convenient for working, but even if they got dirty, he wouldn’t feel bad about it.

“Alright then, I’ll be back by noon.”

“Mm.”

“Is there anything I should bring back?”

Lin Yu shook his head. “Nothing.”

Wei Qingshan walked with Lin Yu for a while before they parted ways. When Lin Yu arrived at He Dongdong’s house, He Dongdong was being held down by his mother as she did his hair.

Today, He Dongdong was wearing a spring robe in cyan—the same one he had previously lent Lin Yu to wear. He Daniang tied his hair up neatly with a hair ribbon. When He Dongdong saw Lin Yu had arrived, he looked a little embarrassed.

After finishing his hair, He Dongdong also fastened a sachet at his waist, which had a few stitches embroidered on it by Lin Yu.

He Daniang gave a few instructions, “When you get there later, stay composed. Don’t be so brash like last time.”

“I know, Mom.”

“I’ll have to trouble you, Yu-ger, to keep an eye on him for me. Don’t let him lose his manners.”

“He’s fine, Dong-ger is very good.” Lin Yu liked Dong-ger a lot—he wasn’t scheming and had a generous, open nature.

This meeting was arranged by the other party through a matchmaker. It was said that the young man could read and write and worked in town as a bookkeeper. He had an older sister who was already married, and only he, the younger one, had not yet wed.

As soon as she heard the other party was a bookkeeper in town, He Daniang’s first reaction was, with such good conditions, why would he be interested in her family’s ger?

It wasn’t that she lacked confidence in her own child, but with such qualifications, the man could easily find someone in town. Unless there was some problem, why would he take a liking to their ger when their family was just of average means?

The matchmaker for the other party said he had seen He Dongdong in town, and that was why he had asked someone to arrange the meeting.

After sending off the matchmaker, He Daniang had He Dazhu go inquire in the man’s village. The information was consistent with what the matchmaker had said: the family had five mu of farmland, and the villagers’ comments about them were generally positive.

He Dazhu came back and told He Daniang that there were no major scandals in the family, their household was quite solid, and being a bookkeeper in town was far better than people like them who lived off the land and relied on the weather to eat.

Only then did He Daniang agree to the meeting. She had only this one ger, raised dearly, and she was afraid he would marry poorly and be bullied.

He Daniang also wore new clothes today. She didn’t let too many people come along. She went ahead with Lin Yu and her group, and later, He Dazhu and He Erzhu would come. The two daughters-in-law stayed at home to watch the children.

This was just a meeting, so it wouldn’t be proper to bring too many people. As for outsiders, only Lin Yu was brought along. She feared that if too many people came, there’d be gossip behind their backs.

He Dongdong walked arm in arm with Lin Yu. He Daniang pretended to follow casually behind them. He Dongdong was not someone who could hide things and whispered to Lin Yu, “The other party is a bookkeeper in town. He said, he said he saw me in town.”

He Dongdong’s face was flushed. “He studied for a few years… why… why would he take a liking to me?”

“You’re very good-looking.”

He Dongdong let out a bashful sound, “Don’t say that nonsense.”

Soon, the two arrived beneath those few peach trees. They stood there admiring the blossoms. He Dongdong seemed nervous and kept fiddling with the sachet at his waist.

Not long after, a man dressed in a scholar’s long robe arrived on an ox cart. The ox cart stopped at a distance, and there were a few other people on it who had come along.

As soon as He Dongdong saw the man walking over, he was so shy that he kept his head lowered and didn’t dare look. That man, however, walked over and broke off a branch of peach blossoms, handing it over. “I am Gao Shuwen.”

The peach blossom in the man’s hand tilted slightly. He Dongdong raised his head in a flustered glance and took the flower. The man paused for a moment, then released his hand.

He Dongdong was extremely shy. When he saw the man about to leave, he stole a few glances at his back. “W-wait.”

He Dongdong fumbled to untie the sachet at his waist, then tossed it over. “I—I embroidered it.”

The man smiled as he took the sachet. He Dongdong became even more bashful, burying his head deeply and not daring to look. It was Lin Yu’s first time accompanying someone to a match-making meeting, so he also felt a bit unsure of what to do. Fortunately, having gone to town recently to sell goods with Wei Qingshan, he had become a bit bolder.

Not far away, He Daniang’s face was also full of smiles. She hadn’t expected the other party to not only have all his limbs intact but also to be good-looking—and he was even a bookkeeper. This was a good match! And the two children clearly liked each other!

After the people left, He Daniang hurried over. “Dong-ger, what do you think?”

He Dongdong held that peach blossom and giggled. “Mom, what are you saying!”

He Daniang already had a good idea. Just now, He Dazhu and He Erzhu had also taken a look. After thanking Lin Yu, she took He Dongdong home.

As soon as they got home, He Daniang began to discuss things with her two sons. “You’ve just seen them too. What do you think?”

He Dazhu scratched his head. “Mom, I think the guy’s conditions are pretty good, and he’s not bad-looking either.”

He Erzhu also nodded. “I think he’s pretty good, too. After all, he’s a scholar, and even a bookkeeper.”

When Lin Yu returned home, he began sewing silk handkerchiefs again. Once the edges were locked in place, he could start embroidering. This time, he didn’t pull too much cloth, fearing that if the embroidery wasn’t good, it wouldn’t sell.

Lin Yu felt a little empty inside. In the village, he had only this one friend. If Dong-ger got married, there wouldn’t be anyone left to talk with him.

As for Wei Qingshan, once he arrived in town, he first went to the money exchange shop and exchanged copper coins for silver taels. He tucked the four small silver taels into his chest.

Wei Qingshan headed toward a shop that sold books. When the attendant saw that he didn’t look like a scholar, he didn’t bother much with hospitality. “Customer, what are you looking for?”

“Do you have those yellow books?”

Upon hearing that, the shop assistant showed a knowing expression. “Customer, please follow me to the back.”

The assistant brought out quite a few erotic picture books for Wei Qingshan to see. “Look, we have ones with text, with pictures, and even colored prints.”

Wei Qingshan looked on with a cold expression. He casually picked one with both pictures and text, tucked it into his chest, handed over some copper coins, and walked toward the front of the shop.

He hadn’t taken more than a couple steps when he heard indecent laughter coming from behind the bookshelves.

“Brother Sun, look at this position, tsk tsk tsk.”

“Hehe, Brother Zhao, just go to Changchun Tower and try it with a woman, then you’ll know.”

“This one’s good, this one’s marvelous, marvelous.”

A few lewd voices laughed together. Wei Qingshan paused in his steps. He walked to the front hall and asked, “That Brother Zhao just now—who is he? Do you know him?”

“How would this humble one know?”

Wei Qingshan tossed two copper coins to the shop assistant. The assistant’s face instantly lit up with an ingratiating smile. “His name is Zhao Dazhi. He’s a regular customer at our bookstore. Zhao Dazhi passed the Tongsheng exam at ten years old and goes around bragging about it every day. Pfft, eight years have passed and he’s still just a Tongsheng.”

“Hmm, he’s also a frequent visitor of Changchun Tower. He goes there once or twice a month, always trying to cozy up to the young masters in town. He has no money, but he still likes to show off—even when looking at erotic books, he tries to mooch off those young masters.”

Wei Qingshan turned and left immediately. The assistant weighed the two copper coins in his hand and tucked them into his chest. That young man’s face was cold enough to freeze someone to death—not like someone seeking pleasure, more like someone seeking revenge. With such a chilly demeanor, maybe he had trouble in bed or something.

“Sir, wait a moment!”

The assistant stepped forward and whispered a couple of things to him. Wei Qingshan gave a light cough and cupped his hands. “Many thanks.”

The assistant hummed a little tune and went back inside. Sure enough, for the sake of two copper coins, he had told him.

Wei Qingshan’s steps were somewhat hurried. With the book tucked in his chest, it felt like carrying a hedgehog. He thought again of what the assistant had just told him. Though his handsome face stayed cold, the tips of his ears turned red.

Originally, after buying the book, Wei Qingshan had planned to return right away. But now he changed directions and went to a balm and cosmetics shop. When he came out, there were a few more boxes of balm tucked into his chest.

By the time Wei Qingshan returned, it was already a bit past noon. His little husband was in the courtyard sewing silk handkerchiefs. When he saw him return, he quickly set things down and went to serve food. “Why are you back so late? Hurry and eat.”

Wei Qingshan felt a little guilty, gave a light cough to cover the awkwardness. “I’m coming.”

While Lin Yu went to the kitchen, Wei Qingshan quickly went into the house and hid the book he had bought under the straw mat. He stuffed all the boxes of balm under his own pillow, afraid Lin Yu might find them. After doing all that, he washed his hands and got ready to eat.

As Lin Yu locked the edges of the cloth, he chatted with Wei Qingshan. “Dong-ger might be set for a betrothal in a few days.”

“That soon?”

“Mm, I heard the other party is a bookkeeper in town. His conditions seem quite good.”

Wei Qingshan made a sound of acknowledgement. He only cared about his little husband.

After the meal, Wei Qingshan gave the four small silver taels he had exchanged to Lin Yu. “Keep these safe.”

Lin Yu carefully cradled the four silver taels as if afraid to break them. He took out the small wooden box they used for storing silver. Now there were seven little silver taels neatly arranged inside!

A smile appeared on Lin Yu’s face. These were all earned through the hard work of him and Wei Qingshan.

In the afternoon, Lin Yu finished locking the edges on a few silk handkerchiefs, then began sitting in the courtyard embroidering. Wei Qingshan also sat at the main hall entrance, holding a small knife, doing something unknown.

Lin Yu was deeply focused on his embroidery when a large hand suddenly reached out in front of him. “This is for you.”

Wei Qingshan opened his palm, and lying quietly inside was a peachwood hairpin. “I carved it.”

Lin Yu’s face lit up with surprise. His eyes sparkled as he looked at Wei Qingshan. “Thank you.”

He immediately set down the embroidery hoop in his hands and picked up the peachwood hairpin to examine it. The head of the pin was a leaping little fish, with fish scales etched onto its body!

“It’s not made too well. Once we have money in the future, I’ll replace it with a silver one.”

Lin Yu stroked it a few times, clearly loving it. He immediately took off the wooden hairpin on his head and used this little fish pin to tie up his hair. His face reddened a bit and he said softly, “I really like this one.”

Lin Yu, after putting on the hairpin, lowered his head slightly and continued embroidering. Under the sunlight, a section of his slender neck was exposed, looking very beautiful. Wei Qingshan felt a little heated from looking at it.

After a while, He Dongdong also came over carrying his embroidery basket. Wei Qingshan brought a pot of hot water for the two of them, then went back into the house.

Seeing that Wei Qingshan had gone inside, He Dongdong finally felt comfortable enough to speak. His face was flushed with a red glow, “Honestly, back at home, my mother keeps asking me whether I’m willing, whether I’m willing—can’t they just decide for me? Really.”

There was a coquettish tone in He Dongdong’s voice. Lin Yu knew that this marriage was going to happen. “Then you’d better practice your embroidery well. Don’t let people laugh at you when the wedding comes.”

He Dongdong nudged Lin Yu gently with his body. “Yu-ger, you’re so bad.”

He Dongdong was so shy he didn’t even dare to lift his head, the silly smile on his face just wouldn’t go away. At home, his mother had teased him with questions, and he had come over to Yu-ger’s to escape it. Who would’ve thought Yu-ger would tease him too!

He Dongdong felt all flustered inside. With a little cry, he couldn’t embroider anymore. “Yu-ger, let’s go embroider on the grassy patch at the entrance of the village.”

He had some private questions he wanted to ask Lin Yu, but couldn’t bring himself to say them here.

Lin Yu let out a soft laugh, then took his things and went out with him. The weather was just right now. By the small river at the village entrance, the buds on the willow trees had started to stretch open. The breeze blowing in carried a trace of warmth.

The two of them found a patch of grass where there were few people and sat down. Lin Yu continued embroidering his flowers, but He Dongdong couldn’t focus. “Yu-ger, what do you think of Gao Shuwen?”

“His looks are decent.”

“Yu-ger, what was it like when you got engaged?”

Lin Yu paused for a moment. “I don’t know. Before we got married, I hadn’t even seen Qingshan. It should have been settled directly with ten taels of betrothal silver.”

Lin Yu’s marriage had been rushed. Three days after the engagement, he was married. He didn’t even know what other people’s engagements were like.

He Dongdong let out a little “ah,” “That’s it?”

“Mm. I was married three days after the engagement. My uncle Zhao Jiazhu and the others didn’t treat me well.”

He Dongdong had known that Lin Yu’s marriage was rushed, but he hadn’t realized his days at his uncle’s had been so hard. He reached out and hugged Lin Yu. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s fine. It’s all in the past now.” Thankfully, he had met Wei Qingshan.

While the two of them chatted at the village entrance, only Wei Qingshan remained at home. He took out the book hidden under the bedding. After reading for a while, he had to go drink two sips of cold water to calm himself down.

While reading, he frowned as if he were reading some serious text. He could read; in the few years he had spent with his master, he had been taught some literacy.

Only after reading did Wei Qingshan realize how reckless he had been. Just jumping into it—no wonder Lin Yu had been a little scared of such matters. It was all his fault.

After he finished reading, Wei Qingshan pressed the book back under the bedding again, deciding to wait a few days before doing anything. Last time, he had frightened his little husband.

Wei Qingshan rested at home for two days before heading back into the mountains again. Lin Yu stayed home to embroider handkerchiefs. Over at He Dongdong’s, good news had come—the groom’s family was coming to deliver the betrothal gifts.

He Dongdong specially told Lin Yu to come and accompany him that day. Lin Yu happily agreed. This was different from last time’s formal meeting—on the day of delivering the betrothal gifts, many people from the He family would come just to see the excitement. On this day, Lin Yu got up early and put on his new Spring robe, and used the little fish hairpin to half-pin up his hair. Wei Qingshan stared a little dumbfounded—these past few days of drinking tonic really had worked. His little husband’s complexion had visibly improved, now looking ruddy.

“Heading to Dong-ger’s place in a bit?”

“Mm, Dong-ger asked me to keep him company.”

Wei Qingshan saw Lin Yu off to the He family before heading into the mountains himself. When Lin Yu arrived, the He family was already bustling. He Dongdong, dressed in his Spring robe from before, sat on the bed. Seeing Lin Yu arrive, he quickly beckoned him over to sit.

Lin Yu handed over the gift he had brought. “I embroidered this myself. You can use it.”

He had brought a handkerchief he had embroidered himself. On one corner of it, he had stitched a few snowflakes with silver thread. He Dongdong liked it very much, holding it in his hands and caressing it lovingly. “Thank you!”

Lin Yu stayed in the room with He Dongdong to keep him company. When the sun was high in the sky, the Gao family came over in an ox cart.

Quite a few people had come to the He family courtyard to watch the fun—Qian Laotai, Xia Hehua, Chun-ger, Wang Fulang—all came. The yard was bustling.

Xia Hehua curled her lips. She really wanted to see just what kind of match the He family had found for He Dongdong. They said it was someone who worked as a bookkeeper in town. With those conditions, would he really fancy He Dongdong? He was probably some hideous cripple or freak!

The Gao family had indeed come in an ox cart. Gao Shuwen’s parents, as well as his married sister, had all come. They brought five taels of betrothal silver, two rolls of fabric, and two packages of dried fruits. The gifts were decent and within etiquette—nothing amiss.

The villagers who came to watch all said the He family had made a good match. The new groom was not bad-looking and was even a bookkeeper—that was definitely better than them, who were all just peasants.

Inside the room, He Dongdong peeked outside and saw Gao Shuwen raising his hand in greeting to the villagers. The moment Gao Shuwen lifted his head, He Dongdong shrank back down onto the bed, afraid of being seen.

“Yu-ger, Yu-ger, I’m a little nervous.”

“It’s alright.” Lin Yu handed him a cup of hot tea to take a sip.

In the crowd, Xia Hehua was so angry that her face was twisted. “What’s so great about being a bookkeeper? Really?”

Still looking down on her brother, this He family was really aiming too high!

Qian Laotai heard her and also chimed in. She knew Xia Hehua had wanted to marry Dong-ger to her brother. Though it hadn’t spread widely, there wasn’t anything in the village she didn’t know. “Isn’t it great? I heard a bookkeeper earns a tael of silver a month!”

The villagers who came to see the excitement, regardless of whether their faces were genuinely happy or just curious, all spoke words of blessing, saying how well-matched the two children were and how good the new groom’s family background was.

He Daniang smiled so broadly that the wrinkles on her face bunched up. “Thank you, thank you. When Dong-ger gets married, I’ll be counting on all of you for help.”

In the crowd, only Xia Hehua’s face showed displeasure. He Daniang ignored her. Xia Hehua still wants her Dong-ger? In her dreams!

With a sister-in-law like her, how could a household be peaceful? Besides, she had heard that Xia Hehua’s brother was a thug, a local rascal—always stealing chickens and doing petty things. Pah!