Cai Chunhua and the others went back clutching those twenty taels of silver. Zhao Jiazhu reached out to touch it and was slapped aside by Cai Chunhua. “Damn girl’s actually worth something.”

Yao Jinling was still complaining on the side. “Mother, we should’ve let Yueniang marry that Lord Gao in town. That way, we could’ve benefited from it too.”

“You think I didn’t want to? That damn girl is so stubborn. If something went wrong and we ended up losing both the person and the money, where would I go to cry?”

Cai Chunhua knew that Wei Qingshan wasn’t someone to be trifled with. If they wanted to get Zhao Yueniang back, it would take effort. But now they had twenty taels of silver in hand!

Yao Jinling waved her handkerchief unhappily. Her father had finally secured a good marriage. Lord Gao was the master of the household where her father and older brother worked. Lord Gao had even said that if the marriage went through, he’d give their family five taels of congratulatory money. Now it was ruined—those five taels were gone.

As soon as they got home, everyone stretched their hands toward Cai Chunhua. Zhao Dazhi couldn’t wait and demanded money. “Mother, a classmate is gathering in town tomorrow. Give me five taels, or I’ll be laughed at if I go empty-handed.”

“Didn’t you just go a few days ago?”

“Mother, it’s different this time. A certified Juren is attending this time. If I don’t bring a gift, I’ll be mocked.”

“A certified Juren!” Cai Chunhua’s eyes lit up. That was a big deal. She’d heard that if one donated money, even if they only passed the Xiucai exam, they could still become a magistrate. Then just how high-ranking was a juren?

Her son really had promise. The people he associated with were all Xiucais and Jurens. Her family was different from those mud-legged peasants in the village. Her son would be a Xiucai in the future.

“But five taels is too much.”

“Mother, it’s a certified Juren. I want to ask him for advice. If you don’t bring anything, who would bother talking to you?” Zhao Dazhi looked anxiously at the silver in Cai Chunhua’s arms.

Now that their family had silver, he definitely had to go show off at Changchun Tower—make those ger and girls serve him well. Let them know Zhao Dazhi wasn’t someone to be casually dealt with.

Cai Chunhua gritted her teeth and took out five taels. “My son, spend it wisely. Once you ask that juren for guidance, next year you’ll definitely pass the exam.”

Zhao Dazhi snatched it right away. “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll definitely pass next year.”

Zhao Dazhi walked into the house with the silver, and Yao Jinling quickly followed. As soon as they were inside, she shut the door and snatched a tael of silver from his hand. Zhao Dazhi reached to grab it back but failed. “Yao Jinling, what are you doing!”

“What do you mean, what am I doing? Didn’t we agree that once we married off Yueniang, I’d get a share? And now what? Your mother’s hugging the silver and won’t even let me look at it. Have you forgotten who helped arrange that marriage? And what about the ten taels of dowry I brought? Don’t you know what happened to it? I only took one tael. What are you yelling about?”

Zhao Dazhi knew he was in the wrong and huffed, flicking his sleeve. “I only spent a few taels of those ten taels of silver. Why didn’t you say anything when you were eating and drinking?”

“Zhao Dazhi, you heartless thing. Weren’t you the one who said you needed to buy brushes and ink in town? Weren’t you the one going to that classmate gathering?”

Seeing Yao Jinling angry, Zhao Dazhi hurried to coax her. “Alright, alright, wasn’t it all for me to pass the exam soon? Once I pass and become a Xiucai, people will call you a scholar’s wife when you go out. Even your maiden family will walk with heads held high.”

Yao Jinling giggled. Of course, she had brought such a big dowry to hope that Zhao Dazhi would one day pass the exam, and her family would benefit. She had married a scholar—her husband was still a tongsheng after all.

“A scholar’s wife, a scholar’s wife,” Yao Jinling repeated and began laughing, “Say it a few more times, I love hearing it.”

Zhao Dazhi coaxed her again, calling her a ‘Scolar’s wife’ several more times. Yao Jinling beamed with pride, as if she had already become the much-envied wife of a scholar.

Cai Chunhua hid away the rest of the silver. Zhao Jiazhu also reached in and took out a tael. “If I’d known ger and girls were worth so much, we should’ve had more back then. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about money.”

Cai Chunhua glared at him. “What, are you saying Lao Niang is too old now?”

“No, no.”

Zhao Jiazhu chuckled twice while holding the silver. Back then, when Yu-ger was getting married, their family still had the house and the betrothal gift. Altogether, it was thirty taels. This time, with Yueniang, they got another twenty taels. This was much faster than earning money from farming those few mu of land they owned.

After Cai Chunhua and her group left, the few people who had come to help were indignant. “Qingshan, just letting them leave like that—wasn’t that letting them off too easily?”

“There’s no such easy thing.” Wei Qingshan lowered his head and silently calculated.

“I truly never saw such shameless people.”

Inside the house, Zhao Yueniang was still crying. That was twenty taels of silver! And it was all because of her—her brother-in-law had to spend twenty taels of silver. What if he felt uncomfortable about it and treated her brother badly? Wouldn’t that mean she dragged her brother down with her?

The more Zhao Yueniang thought about it, the more guilty she felt toward Lin Yu. She sat at the bedside crying nonstop. Lin Yu and Sang Niang tried to comfort her, but Zhao Yueniang still couldn’t get past this mental barrier. “Brother, I shouldn’t have come to find you. I’m sorry. I caused you trouble.”

“Silly Yueniang, what are you saying? From now on, we’re one family, you know? Every time your brother went to visit you, he felt awful. He always thought, if only he could bring you out of there, how great it would be. And now he did. We finally made it out.”

As he spoke, Lin Yu’s eyes turned red too. He lowered his head and wiped the tears at the corners of his eyes. When he first went to the Zhao family, Zhao Yueniang had only been four years old. He had raised Zhao Yueniang himself. She was his real younger sister!

Yueniang was so considerate. When she saw him working, she helped him. When she saw he had nothing to eat, she secretly saved her food for him. He had no attachment to the Zhao family. The only one he couldn’t let go of was this younger sister. Every time he visited and saw she wasn’t doing well, he felt terrible. Now it was good—his sister was finally out.

Thinking of this, Lin Yu finally felt a bit relieved. “Yueniang, don’t cry anymore. If the silver is gone, your brother can earn more. I’m happy now, because I finally brought you out.”

But as soon as Zhao Yueniang thought of the twenty taels of silver, she still felt she had harmed Lin Yu. Her brother’s life had just gotten better, and she had put this burden on him. She feared all the family’s silver had been spent.

Zhao Yueniang stood up and quickly walked toward the courtyard. Lin Yu also hurried after her. “Yueniang, where are you going?”

Zhao Yueniang went straight to kneel in front of Wei Qingshan. “Qingshan-ge, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have come. Don’t blame my brother. It’s all my fault. I will repay the twenty taels.”

“Yueniang, what are you doing!”

Lin Yu hurriedly tried to pull the kneeling Yueniang up, but he couldn’t lift her alone. Wei Qingshan was also startled by her sudden kneeling. He quickly helped to pull her up, too. It seemed he hadn’t saved the wrong person. He didn’t ask for anything else, just that Zhao Yueniang could be a little more conscientious and treat his little husband well.

“This silver wasn’t all earned by me. Your brother and I earned it together. You don’t need to feel bad. Xiao Yu earned no less than I did. Besides, Xiao Yu is my husband—what’s mine is his.”

Lin Yu had also worried that Wei Qingshan might bear resentment over the twenty taels of silver. After all, their family’s money had been painstakingly saved by the two of them. But he knew what kind of person Wei Qingshan was. Since he had handed over the twenty taels, he wouldn’t dwell on it.

Wei Qingshan usually spoke little, except to Lin Yu. Today, he was willing to say so much to Zhao Yueniang, partly to comfort her, and partly to reassure his little husband. His little husband was sensitive. If he didn’t speak clearly, his little husband would keep it in his heart.

“Qingshan-ge, don’t worry. I will definitely repay you and my brother.”

Lin Yu took a handkerchief and wiped Zhao Yueniang’s tears. “What do you mean repay me? I’m your real brother.”

Lin Yu helped Zhao Yueniang back into the house. Sang Niang watched and kept wiping her tears. Life was hard for every ger and niang.

After resting for the whole afternoon, Zhao Yueniang got up. She didn’t cry anymore. She only kept her head down and worked, helping to build the house and serving tea and water to everyone. In the evening, when Lin Yu was going to cook, Zhao Yueniang wouldn’t let him—she insisted on doing it herself. Lin Yu had no choice but to let her.

At this time, the people who had come to help had already gone back. Lin Yu and Wei Qingshan sat in the main hall. Taking advantage of no one being around, Wei Qingshan hugged his little husband intimately. “Still thinking about it? Don’t think anymore. That’s your own little sister. Don’t say twenty taels—if it were fifty taels, we’d still save her.”

Lin Yu nuzzled against Wei Qingshan’s chest. “Qingshan, thank you.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. We’re one family. Who thanks each other in their own family? Now that Yueniang is here, you’ll have someone to help at home, too. Every day you take care of the pigs, do embroidery, and cook pig offal—I get tired just watching. Now Yueniang can help you out.”

Although Wei Qingshan said so, Lin Yu was still grateful to him. It must have been his mother’s blessing from above that let him meet Wei Qingshan.

Zhao Yueniang was also used to doing housework. Though her cooking wasn’t as good as Lin Yu’s, what she had learned from him wasn’t bad. She quickly finished cooking and brought it out. “Brother, Qingshan-ge, dinner’s ready.”

Zhao Yueniang had made stewed winter melon, stir-fried greens, and steamed rice. Lin Yu saw that both were vegetable dishes. There hadn’t been any pork the past few days, and there wasn’t any meat left. So he decided to fry some eggs. He got up and went to the kitchen to fry eggs. Zhao Yueniang thought she hadn’t done a good job and quickly followed. “Brother, what do you want to eat? I’ll make it.”

“Brother’s just frying some eggs. We haven’t slaughtered a pig these days. Once we do, there’ll be meat at home. Yueniang, don’t be so frugal. Just cook whatever we have in the kitchen.”

“Got it, Brother.”

Fried eggs didn’t take long. Lin Yu cracked four eggs and fried a plate.

At the dinner table, Zhao Yueniang only picked at the greens, not touching the eggs. Lin Yu picked up quite a bit for her. “Yueniang, eat up. You don’t know—your brother raised eight hens this year. When the weather was warm, we could collect seven or eight eggs a day. Your Qingshan-ge and I couldn’t finish them, and sold a lot in town. There’s still half a basket left at home.”

“Oh right, there’s an old hen nesting at home!”

Lin Yu picked a cheerful topic to talk about. “I originally thought none of the hens would brood this year, but this morning, when I was collecting eggs, I found a hen just sitting there, not moving. I put about ten eggs under her.”

Zhao Yueniang forced out a smile. “Brother, I’ll help you take care of it.”

“Alright, I’m worried it’ll be hard to raise the chicks if the weather gets too cold. But it should be okay—by the time the chicks hatch, it won’t be too cold yet.”

The three of them chatted while eating. Although Lin Yu wasn’t someone who talked a lot, he deliberately mentioned more cheerful things about home to make Zhao Yueniang feel better.

After dinner, the three of them went to rest. That night, Lin Yu leaned against Wei Qingshan’s shoulder, playing with his fingers. Wei Qingshan helped pull the blanket over them, and the two of them fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Zhao Yueniang got up earlier than both Lin Yu and Wei Qingshan. She started boiling water and cooking early in the morning. Lin Yu heard the commotion and got up too, helping to feed the fire. Wei Qingshan took the bucket of pig feed and went to feed the pigs.

Lin Yu added some firewood under the stove and then took Zhao Yueniang to the backyard. “Look, these are the pigs your Qingshan-ge and I are raising. By next year, they’ll be grown. And over there—that’s the brooding hen I mentioned yesterday.”

Lin Yu pulled Zhao Yueniang over to show her. “And that’s a mule we bought a few days ago. In the future, when your Qingshan-ge goes to town to sell pork, it’ll be much easier. Over there on the side are the family’s hunting dogs, Dahei and Baixue.”

The backyard was bustling with life—the snorting of pigs fighting over food, the clucking of chickens, and the snorts of the mule. Zhao Yueniang’s eyes reddened slightly. Seeing her brother living such a good life made her happy. “Brother, I’ll help you take care of them from now on.”

“Alright, just in time too. Sometimes, Brother really gets too busy to handle everything.”

Not long after breakfast, He Dazhu and the others came over to help. Lin Yu and Zhao Yueniang also pitched in. With more people, construction went quickly. By the third day, a thatched hut on the eastern side of the courtyard had already been built. After letting it air out for a couple of days, Zhao Yueniang could move in.

That afternoon, He Dazhu led the group in laying the thatch roof. Wei Qingshan drove out the pig from the backyard, and Lin Yu helped boil water to slaughter the pig.

Knowing that the thatched hut would be finished today, Lin Yu had soaked some dried bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms early on. He was just waiting to cook up a big meal at dinner to thank everyone for their help.

Wei Qingshan brought a basin of pig blood into the house, while Lin Yu and Zhao Yueniang were in the courtyard cleaning the pig offal and other parts.

The people who came to help worked even harder today. Though they had already helped for a few days, seeing that there would be a lot of meat today gave them more energy. Rural households rarely had meat. Wei Qingshan and Lin Yu were kind-hearted, and their hospitality was bound to be generous.

Even though they were volunteering, being able to eat meat made everyone happy. He Erzhu grinned from ear to ear. “Everyone works faster, don’t let the food be ready before the work’s done!”

“No way, hahaha!”

Laughter rang out from several men around the thatched hut. Everyone was in good spirits.

Lin Yu had boiled and stewed pig intestines, making several people sniff the air and comment, “Sister-in-law, what are you making? It smells amazing!”

“Pig offal. You’ll all get to try it in a bit.”

“What, pig offal can smell this good!”

Shi Tou also chimed in, “Sister-in-law’s pig offal is super delicious. Dong-ger really loves it.”

“Then we definitely have to try it later!”

Lin Yu shouted toward the roof, “Shi Tou, go call Dong-ger over. We’re almost ready to eat.”

“Sister-in-law, it’s okay. My mom is at home taking care of Dong-ger.” Shi Tou felt a little embarrassed that so many people had come over. After all, every household had its own hardships, and his Qingshan-ge’s family had just spent twenty taels of silver.

“If you won’t go, I will. I haven’t seen Dong-ger in a few days.”

Shi Tou jumped down from the roof. “Sister-in-law, I’ll go, I’ll go. You get back to your work.”

Shi Tou went to his home and brought He Dongdong back. He Dongdong’s belly had gotten big, and it was a bit difficult for him to walk. Shi Tou supported him as they walked. Before they even reached the courtyard, He Dongdong could already smell the aroma. He couldn’t help but speed up his steps. Shi Tou quickly said, “Slower, slower.”

“I’m going to help with the cooking.” He Dongdong walked into the courtyard. Everyone was busy helping with the work. He Dongdong gave Shi Tou a push, “Alright, stop fussing over me. Go do your work.”

“Ai.”

He Dongdong supported his waist as he entered the kitchen. “Yu-ger, is there anything I can help with?”

Lin Yu was worried the kitchen smell would choke He Dongdong, so he helped him out of the kitchen. “We don’t need that many people. Yueniang and Sang Niang are here. The kitchen’s small, can’t fit so many.”

He Dongdong let out a dissatisfied hum. “That won’t do.”

Lin Yu couldn’t refuse him, so he brought out a basin of wild scallions. “Then help me pick the vegetables.”

“Alright!” Only then did He Dongdong cheer up and sit in the courtyard to start picking vegetables.

Today Lin Yu was cooking. Everyone had worked hard for a few days, so they deserved a good meal. Both pots were boiling with food. One smaller pot held stewed fatty intestines, and the larger one had a bone-meat soup, with plenty of meat intentionally left on the bones.

There weren’t enough pots, so Sang Niang brought over her own small pot and placed it on a brazier to stir-fry vegetables.

The Wei family courtyard was bustling with activity today. Everyone was busy with their own tasks—slaughtering the pig outside, building the house inside, several women and ger were cooking, even Qing-ger was bouncing around helping to carry firewood.

When the sun slanted westward, several men had already finished laying the roof, then brought over the stone roller to roll the ground flat. Only after sweeping everything clean did they come out to wash their hands and rest. Zhao Yueniang helped pour water for a few of them.

Lin Yu’s cooking was almost done, too. The delicious aroma made a few people gulp involuntarily. Yu-ger’s cooking skills were truly excellent.

Sang Niang brought the dishes out. “Everyone, sit down, sit down, it’s almost ready.”

A few of them sat around the table with smiles on their faces. This table of dishes was better than what they had during the New Year. They had only helped for three days and felt a bit embarrassed.

Stir-fried pork, wild scallions with pig’s blood, stewed fatty intestines, wood ear mushrooms stir-fried with meat, meat stewed with dried bamboo shoots, winter melon bone soup—the whole table was full of meat dishes. No household dared eat like this even during the New Year.

Lin Yu helped serve the rice for everyone. “Come eat, come eat.”

Shi Tou scratched his head. “Sister-in-law, this is really too good.”

“How is that so? Two of the dishes are just pig offal.”

Every dish was meaty, and each one smelled amazing. He Dazhu held his bowl. “Thanks to Yu-ger, then we won’t stand on ceremony.”

Wei Qingshan also had a smile on his face. “Everyone, try my family’s husband’s cooking.”

Everyone held bowls of white rice. A few big men had quite an appetite, but Lin Yu didn’t mix in any coarse grains, letting everyone eat freely.

A few of them ate until their mouths were slick with oil. Considering there were ger and women at the table, everyone still ate rather politely. Wei Qingshan picked up a piece of meat for Lin Yu. “You’ve worked hard these past days.”

Lin Yu smiled at him. “Not as hard as you.”

He Erzhu took a bite of the stewed intestines. “Mm! This is pig offal? How is it so tasty!”

Hearing people praise Lin Yu’s cooking, Wei Qingshan also felt happy. “This is the pig offal my husband cooked and sells in town. Even though it’s offal, it tastes great. Everyone, try some.”

None of them could believe it was actually pig offal! They all picked up more with their chopsticks. He Dongdong also hurried to grab some. “Second Brother, save me some!”

He Erzhu chuckled sheepishly. “Second Brother will scoop some into your bowl.”

“There’s more, there’s more, lots still in the pot.” Lin Yu brought another bowl over.

Everyone ate until they were burping. Afterward, each person gnawed on a piece of bone and drank a bowl of winter melon soup, wiping their mouths with contented smiles. It had been a long time since they’d eaten meat so heartily.

The dishes in the bowls were completely cleared. After the meal, a few of them scrambled to wash dishes and clean up. How could they let the host clean up? Lin Yu tried to stop them, but Wei Qingshan pulled him aside. “It’s fine. None of them are outsiders.”

After resting for a while, the few of them left, all smiling as they went. “Thanks, Sister-in-law!”

Because they had been building the thatched hut these past few days, Wei Qingshan hadn’t gone to town. Tomorrow, he could finally take the mule cart to town.

Early the next morning, Lin Yu and Yueniang got up to make breakfast. Wei Qingshan brought out the mule, hitched it to the cart, and loaded it with the chopping board, half a pig, stewed intestines, the pot, brazier, and so on.

It was the first time using the mule cart, and Lin Yu was quite happy seeing it. This way, Wei Qingshan wouldn’t have to work so hard. There were only about twenty taels of silver left at home now. Although they probably couldn’t afford land next year, as long as everyone stayed safe and sound, Lin Yu was content.

Today, Lin Yu also packed a basket of wild walnuts and some dried bamboo shoots, and wood ear mushrooms onto the mule cart. “Have Xiaoliu help sell these.”

“Alright, head back, I’m off now.”

Wei Qingshan drove the mule cart and left. Lin Yu was happy to see that Wei Qingshan no longer had to bend over pulling the cart. Now, if he got tired from walking, he could sit down too. It used to take a full hour to get to town; now,w with the mule cart, it only took half an hour.

After Wei Qingshan left, the two of them cleaned the pigsty and fed the pigs and chickens. Lin Yu then sat in the courtyard embroidering wedding clothes for someone, while Zhao Yueniang felt restless with nothing to do.

“Brother, I’m going out to cut some pig grass.”

“Alright, don’t go too far, just cut some nearby and come back.”

“I know, Brother.” Zhao Yueniang carried a basket and went out.

Wei Qingshan had just reached the market entrance, driving the mule cart, when Shi Xiaoliu, who was sitting by the roadside, ran over. He had been squatting there every day recently, waiting for Wei Qingshan, but Wei Qingshan hadn’t shown up the past few days. Shi Xiaoliu felt a little disappointed—he had finally found a job that earned copper coins, and now Boss Wei and his husband hadn’t come.

Just as Shi Xiaoliu was about to leave, he saw a tall figure appear at the end of the street. Shi Xiaoliu excitedly stood up, and once he confirmed it was indeed Boss Wei, he quickly ran over. “Uncle! I thought you weren’t coming today!”

“I’m here. Things were a bit busy at home these past few days.”

Shi Xiaoliu rubbed his hands together, wanting to help Wei Qingshan push the cart. Only then did he notice that today, Wei Qingshan was driving a mule cart.

“Uncle, your family bought a mule cart!”

“Mhm, your Ama told me to buy it. He thought I was working too hard.” There was a faint, hard-to-detect hint of a smile in Wei Qingshan’s tone.

Shi Xiaoliu looked at the tall mule with envy. “Ama treats you so well.”