Lin Yu sat and chatted for a while at He Dongdong’s place before heading back. The past few days after the snowfall had been especially cold. Lin Yu shrank his neck from the cold, “Brother, didn’t your rabbit fur jacket get finished? Why aren’t you wearing it? It’s been so cold these past couple of days.”

“I’ll put it on when I get back. I’ve been staying by the fire inside every day—stepping out now feels freezing.”

This year, Lin Yu was wearing a newly made cotton robe. He was afraid of the cold, and he and Zhao Yueniang walked quickly toward home.

Wei Qingshan did not return at noon from hunting, so the two of them had hot hand-pulled noodles for lunch, and then sat around the fire brazier embroidering silk handkerchiefs.

The two of them were chatting in the room when they suddenly heard noise coming from next door.

“Sister, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just thinking, you’re working hard raising Qing-ger alone, so I let your nephew come to help you out a bit.”

“Get out, get out of here!”

Lin Yu put down what he was holding. “Let’s go out and have a look.”

The two of them went next door together. Lin Yu was still thinking in his heart—after Qian Gui’er and the Qian Laotai left, things had finally been peaceful next door for a while. How did trouble start up again?

Standing at the doorway, Lin Yu saw a middle-aged man with a married couple arguing in the courtyard. Sang Niang was shielding Qing-ger as she quarreled with them.

“This courtyard and this land will all belong to Qing-ger in the future. None of you better think about taking it! Try staying at my house and see what happens—I’m not afraid to trade my life for yours!”

The three of them still wanted to say something. Sang Niang went straight into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and charged at them like a madwoman. The three of them were so scared that they ran out quickly.

Seeing people watching outside, the three of them awkwardly slunk away.

“Are you okay?” Lin Yu asked from the doorway.

“I’m fine. That was my eldest brother from my parents’ family. Hmph, now he comes saying he wants to help out. When I was getting beaten by Qian Gui’er, where was he? Coming now just to try and snatch a dead person’s land? Life’s not that easy!”

Sang Niang was so angry that she was panting heavily. Lin Yu helped her back into the house. “It’s cold outside. Come in.”

Sang Niang wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes. “Yu-ger, I’m fine. You go do your thing.”

“Alright. If anything happens, just call out.”

“Mm.”

Sang Niang knew that now that Qian Gui’er and the Qian Laotai were dead, all those messy relatives were thinking of seizing her courtyard and farming her land. It was not going to happen. Back then, she dared to chase after Qian Gui’er and the old woman with a knife, and today she’d still dare to fight these people with one.

Her life was finally just starting to improve. Her family had a few mu of land, and she had weaving skills. She could support Qing-ger. No one was going to take that away from her!

Since Sang Niang seemed fine, Lin Yu went back. In this short year, Sang Niang had changed a lot. He remembered the first time he met her—she was timidly holding Qing-ger, constantly getting beaten by Qian Gui’er and the old woman. Now, life was finally getting a little better.

Sang Niang now dared to carry a knife and chase people down—those people probably wouldn’t get much out of her now.

As the sky grew dark, Lin Yu kept glancing toward the door from time to time. Why hadn’t Wei Qingshan come back from hunting in the mountains yet? Just when he was starting to get anxious, a figure appeared in the distance. Dahei and Baixue were already joyfully bounding toward him.

Lin Yu quickly ran out to greet him. “Why are you only coming back now?”

“It just snowed. The prey was easier to catch, so I stayed a bit longer.”

Lin Yu took the bow and arrows from Wei Qingshan’s hands. The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder toward the house.

As soon as they got home, Lin Yu hurriedly told Wei Qingshan to warm up by the fire. Going into the mountains with snow that thick must have been freezing. Wei Qingshan had a good haul today—his basket held two wild chickens, a silver fox, and two snow ferrets.

“I’m really lucky today. After a snowfall, it’s easier to spot paw prints, so I managed to hunt a bit more.”

“So many, how impressive.”

“Yeah, these furs are worth some silver. Once we exchange them for money, we can buy land next year.”

“The mountain must’ve been cold.”

“It was alright.”

How could Lin Yu not know? He went to Dong-ger’s house today and already felt cold—never mind Wei Qingshan going into the mountains in this heavy snow.

Lin Yu busied himself bringing him hot water, letting him hold a bed-warmer to warm up. The corners of Wei Qingshan’s mouth lifted. Being pampered like this by his little husband—he was really afraid he’d get used to it and find it cold every time he went into the mountains again.

Lately, the weather had been cold, so Lin Yu always made soupy dishes. Today, he specially made a chicken hot pot and placed it over the fire brazier to simmer while they ate.

Once the snow melted, Wei Qingshan drove the mule cart to town again to sell meat. He and Lin Yu had discussed it—after this snow, they wouldn’t be selling braised pig offal anymore. The weather was too cold. Washing all those pig innards was too troublesome. Wei Qingshan didn’t want Lin Yu’s hands getting chilblains, so he wouldn’t let him do it anymore. They’d wait for spring next year when it was warmer.

Although Lin Yu was a bit reluctant to part with that silver, what Wei Qingshan said made sense. Washing pig innards in the winter was indeed difficult—even if you used hot water, if your hands stayed exposed outside too long, they could still freeze stiff.

Lin Yu had no choice but to give up. It was fine to do embroidery inside the house. He brought some things over to Shi Xiaoliu, including a tael of silver, hickory nuts, chestnuts, and even asked Wei Qingshan to cut him a string of meat.

Shi Xiaoliu worked nimbly and was not lazy. In a few days, it would be New Year, so he treated it as giving him New Year’s gifts in advance. Although Lin Yu had deliberately told Shi Xiaoliu that he would not be setting up the stall during the snowy days, Shi Xiaoliu still came every day to take a look, afraid that the stall might open without him knowing.

Shi Xiaoliu came to the street as usual today. He stood for a while in a place sheltered from the wind. He did this every day—if no one came after a while, he would go back.

Just as Shi Xiaoliu was preparing to leave, he saw Wei Qingshan driving a mule cart over. His face lit up with joy. “Uncle Wei, you opened the stall today!”

“Mm.”

Shi Xiaoliu quickly followed the mule cart to the stall. When he was about to lift the wooden buckets, he noticed they weren’t on the cart. Shi Xiaoliu was a little disappointed. “Uncle Wei, are we not selling today?”

Wei Qingshan handed Shi Xiaoliu the cloth bag that Lin Yu had prepared. “I’ve discussed it with your Lin Ama. The weather is too cold now, and pig offal is hard to clean. We won’t be doing it before the New Year. This is what your Lin Ama asked me to give you.”

Shi Xiaoliu received it and touched the contents—it seemed to be some mountain goods. Wei Qingshan also handed him a strip of pork. “These are your New Year’s gifts. When spring comes and it’s warmer, we’ll resume selling.”

Shi Xiaoliu was originally a bit upset that he had lost this job, but Uncle Wei and Lin Ama had even prepared New Year’s gifts for him. Shi Xiaoliu was very grateful. “Thank you, Uncle Wei. Then next year, you still have to come find me to do the job.”

“Mm.”

Shi Xiaoliu carried the things and went back. Uncle Wei and Lin Ama had given him such generous gifts, even a whole string of meat. What kind of employer would give such lavish gifts to a worker? Shi Xiaoliu felt a little greedy. Although it was fifteen copper coins a day, his family had managed to save up a bit over these days. Even if they ate more poorly, it would still be enough to keep their stomachs full through the winter.

Thinking this way, Shi Xiaoliu became cheerful again. Also, because he had done this job this year, his family’s winter was much better than before.

Uncle Wei and Lin Ama had given him a strip of meat! It had been a while since the family had tasted meat. His younger siblings would definitely be very happy when they saw it!

Shi Xiaoliu ran back home with the goods. “Mother, I’m back!”

Seeing Shi Xiaoliu return so early, Madam Wu thought that Boss Wei and the others hadn’t set up the stall again. “Hurry inside and warm up.”

Now that it was cold, Madam Wu no longer did laundry and starching. In previous years, she would still be washing and starching clothes for people in cold water during winter, but this year, their life was a little more comfortable, so she switched to a mending job. Although it didn’t earn as much as laundry and starching, at least she didn’t have to soak her hands in cold water.

“Mother, look what I got! Uncle Wei and Lin Ama gave me New Year’s gifts!”

“Such a big piece of meat.”

Shi Xiaoshu and Shi Xiaohua also gathered around. “Mother, it’s meat!”

“And there’s more.” Shi Xiaoliu placed the cloth bag on the table. “Little brother, little sister, you two eat.”

Shi Xiaoliu told Madam Wu about how they would no longer be selling pig offal before the New Year. Madam Wu nodded. “Indeed, cleaning pig offal in this weather is really difficult. If it’s gone, then it’s gone. Our family is also having an easier winter this year. Boss Wei and Lin Fulang are really kind people.”

Shi Xiaoshu and Shi Xiaohua opened the cloth bag to see what good food was inside. As soon as they opened it, they saw a tael of silver. Shi Xiaoshu cried out in surprise, “Mother, there’s silver inside!”

Shi Xiaoliu also opened his mouth wide in astonishment. “How come there’s silver!”

Madam Wu was also very surprised. After realizing it, she wiped away tears. “This is the New Year’s gift Boss Wei and Lin Ama gave you.”

Shi Xiaoliu was struck dumb by the tael of silver. He was already very happy to bring back a strip of meat—he hadn’t expected Boss Wei and Lin Ama to give him a tael of silver. This was even more than he had earned working every day at the stall before the New Year!

Shi Xiaoliu’s nose turned sour, and he felt like crying. Why were those two treating him so well?

With this tael of silver, their family would be able to live much more comfortably this winter.

Wei Qingshan had set up the stall at the market today. As soon as people who regularly came to buy braised pork offal saw him, they all gathered around. “Boss Wei, why don’t you have pig offal today?”

Wei Qingshan explained over and over that the weather was cold and pig offal was hard to handle. They would sell again when spring came next year. The regular customers looked disappointed. “Ah, we won’t get to eat it again until next year?”

Because of the snow, Boss Wei hadn’t come by for a few days. When they saw him today, they all rushed over. But because of the cold, he had temporarily stopped selling. In the middle of this harsh winter, if they could warm up a pot of wine and have a bowl of braised offal, a few people drinking together—it would be so comfortable. But he wasn’t selling anymore! That was really such a pity!

With the braised offal business gone, Wei Qingshan’s pork business was a bit slower, but he still had loyal customers, so business wasn’t bad. By afternoon, half a pig had been sold. But on the way back, it was already getting dark.

Lin Yu became very anxious when he saw it was already dark and Wei Qingshan still hadn’t come back. He was worried something might have happened on the road because it was too slippery.

He kept carrying a small white lantern and going to the doorway to look. Zhao Yueniang was also starting to get anxious. “Brother, wear your rabbit-fur jacket. It’s cold now that it’s dark.”

Zhao Yueniang took out the rabbit fur coat and put it on Lin Yu. Once Lin Yu wore it, he was wrapped up all fuzzy and warm, and not a bit of wind could get in.

“Yueniang, it’s getting late, you should rest early.”

“Mm.”

Zhao Yueniang responded with her mouth, but still sat in the main room, accompanying Lin Yu and waiting together.

Wei Qingshan, driving the mule cart, saw from a long distance that there was a small light at the entrance. He shouted, “Yu-ger.”

It was too dark for Lin Yu to see what was in the distance. Only after hearing the familiar voice did he know that Wei Qingshan had returned, and he quickly picked up the lantern and went to find him.

Wei Qingshan jumped down from the mule cart. “How come it’s dark already and you’re still not inside?”

“You didn’t come back. I was worried about you.”

“It’s my fault, I thought I’d finish selling off this half side of pork before closing up the stall.”

Wei Qingshan held Lin Yu’s hand and walked toward home. Zhao Yueniang heard that her older brother and her brother-in-law had come back, so she returned to her own room to rest.

There was still warm water in the pot. Lin Yu hurried to help Wei Qingshan draw water and told him to quickly wash up and eat.

Lin Yu placed the small iron pot on the fire brazier, heating up a pot of chicken soup, and also served a bowl of rice for Wei Qingshan. Wei Qingshan entered the room, took off his hat, and started eating. As soon as he began eating the hot meal, his whole body felt warm.

Lin Yu sat beside him and accompanied him. “In the future, come back earlier. If you can’t sell it all, then just leave it. Winter meat can be kept for a few more days.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you. Today, it was my fault for making you worry.”

“What are you sayin’? Don’t talk like that. You were just trying to sell a bit more,” Lin Yu said with a trace of complaint in his tone, softly as if he was acting spoiled.

When Wei Qingshan went to the town to sell pork, he usually returned by mid-afternoon, regardless of whether he could sell the half side of pork or not. Once it got close to time, he’d pack up and come home.

Even though the weather was cold, the elderly couple at the neighboring stall was still selling baked flatbreads. With the weather turning cold, their business wasn’t great either. The old man saw Wei Qingshan packing up while it was still early. “Boss Wei, heading back so early today?”

“Mm, my husband is worried that if I return late, the road might be hard to walk.”

The old woman laughed. “Boss Wei, you and your husband really have a good relationship.”

Wei Qingshan smiled at them, packed up his stall, and drove off in his mule cart.

Just as Wei Qingshan was leaving town, he happened to run into an acquaintance. Even though it was already the depths of winter, that woman was still wearing only a single layer of clothing, hunched up from the cold.

When the mule cart passed by her, the woman was startled and quickly stepped aside. Wei Qingshan wore a rabbit fur hat and a rabbit fur-lined jacket, all bundled up tight. Yao Jinling didn’t recognize him at all.

She was simply too cold and hungry. Wanting to save her strength, she called out from behind, “Kind boss, could you give me a ride?”

Wei Qingshan stopped the mule cart. He hadn’t recognized who was standing in the middle of the road when he passed by, only after Yao Jinling spoke did he realize who it was.

As soon as Wei Qingshan stopped, Yao Jinling thought he was willing to give her a ride, so she hurried over, still thanking him nonstop with her mouth.

“Yao Jinling.”

When Wei Qingshan called her name, Yao Jinling finally recognized who it was in front of her—it was actually Wei Qingshan. Yao Jinling lowered her head. “No, no, I’m not, you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

Yao Jinling hurriedly ran off to the side, afraid that Wei Qingshan might give her a few lashes. Wei Qingshan glanced at her and drove the mule cart away. In such cold weather, if it were someone else stopping him, he would’ve given them a ride along the way. But Yao Jinling—he wouldn’t take her.

Only after Wei Qingshan drove the mule cart far away did Yao Jinling dare to keep walking forward. Didn’t Zhao Dazhi always curse at this poor cousin-in-law of his, saying he was a poor hunter? Even though he now ran a butcher’s business, the Zhao family still looked down on these mud-legged folks.

But now, the poor hunter they looked down on was actually driving a mule cart, while their family didn’t even have food to eat and were wearing thin clothes. They didn’t even know how they would survive this winter.

The silver from selling the Zhao family land had long been squandered. At that time, she was left with just two taels of silver, which were used to buy grain. The whole family fought over it, and after eating their fill for just a few days, they didn’t even have silver to buy more grain.

She was starving and couldn’t take it anymore, so she had no choice but to go to her maiden family, hoping to borrow some rice. As soon as she knocked on the door, her sister-in-law kicked her out.

Because of those twenty taels of silver, the eldest sister-in-law of the Yao family hated Yao Jinling bitterly. Her own family wasn’t having a good winter either. Almost all their savings had been taken by Yao Jinling. If it hadn’t been for the few sacks of grain they hauled back from the Zhao family, their whole family would be left drinking the northwest wind in the dead of winter.

The eldest sister-in-law of the Yao family didn’t even let her in the door. “Isn’t this our scholar’s wife? What’s with this pitiful look, coming here like this?”

Back when Yao Jinling hadn’t married yet, she often bullied her sister-in-law. When she got married, she even took ten taels of silver from the household. Only after Yao Jinling married off did the sister-in-law’s days start to improve a bit. After marrying Zhao Dazhi, Yao Jinling acted all high and mighty just because she had married a scholar, giving orders back at her maiden home.

Now that Yao Jinling had fallen into such a state, the sister-in-law no longer showed her any courtesy.

Yao Jinling was shivering from the cold. “Sister-in-law, are my father and my eldest brother at home?”

“What is it?”

Yao Jinling no longer had her former arrogant attitude. Shrinking her neck, she tried to squeeze her way inside, but Yao Laoda’s wife shoved her to the ground.

“They’re not home, they’re not home. Where did this stinky beggar come from? Get lost!”

Yao Jinling patted the dust off herself and got up. “Sister-in-law, lend me some rice. Life at home is really hard, I can’t go on anymore.”

“My family was also about to be ruined by you, and you still dare come ask me to borrow rice? The ten or so taels of silver my family lost—return that to me first before we talk.”

Yao Laoda’s wife got angry just seeing her. She slammed the gate shut and went inside.

Yao Jinling refused to leave, clinging to the door and knocking. “Father, Big Brother, lend me some rice! Father! Big Brother!”

No matter how she pounded, no one inside made a sound. Instead, neighbors stuck their heads out to look.

“Yo, it’s Jinling. How did she end up like this?”

Yao Jinling kept her head down and didn’t dare look at anyone. Back then, she had been known throughout this alley for being fierce and domineering, never letting anyone take the slightest advantage of her. Now that she looked like this and was being mocked by others, Yao Jinling fled in panic.

It wasn’t until the sound at the door had faded that Yao Mazi dared to speak. “She’s gone?”

“She’s gone.”

Yao Mazi was now terrified that the Zhao family would come over to ask them for silver or to borrow rice. It was all the fault of that daughter of his and that son-in-law, who did nothing but brag all day. They had ruined his family to this point.

Unable to borrow rice, Yao Jinling had no choice but to head toward Dali Village. The Zhao family still had a house there to keep out the wind—it was better than being outside.

When she got home, everyone was lying half-dead on the straw-padded beds. When Zhao Dazhi saw she was back, he propped himself halfway up.

“Did you get any rice?”

“No. If it weren’t for you, would our family be like this!”

Zhao Dazhi couldn’t be bothered with her. He was already starving—where would he get the energy to argue with her? He lay back down in the straw nest and closed his eyes. In his dream, he had become a top-ranked scholar dressed in a red robe, with a golden belt and black boots, eating lavish meals, resting in a fragrant and warm chamber, surrounded by beauties, and spending every night in a bridal chamber…

As the weather grew colder and the New Year approached, Wei Qingshan’s meat stall business began to pick up. After the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, he could sell a whole pig each day.

In the days leading up to the New Year, Wei Qingshan went to town every day. People in the village also came to ask if he could slaughter a pig and sell it in the village.

Wei Qingshan completed his last round of business in town before the New Year on the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month. The closer it got to the new year, the better his business became—today, he had sold out right after midday.

After closing up the stall, Shi Xiaoliu and a woman carrying a bamboo basket came over. Madam Wu looked a bit reserved as she said,

“Boss Wei, I’m Xiaoliu’s mother. Thank you and Lin Fulang for taking care of my Xiaoliu. I made some hickory nut steamed buns—please take them back with you.”

Wei Qingshan didn’t refuse, thanked her, and accepted the gift. Shi Xiaoliu was also full of smiles.

“Uncle Wei, Happy New Year! Please pass on my regards to Lin Ama.”

Wei Qingshan nodded at the two of them. Madam Wu took Shi Xiaoliu by the hand and left.

After seeing them off, Wei Qingshan didn’t rush home. He had sold a fox pelt and two mink pelts. As the New Year approached, even the fur business was picking up. These pelts were of good quality—just right for rich merchants or minor officials to use as gifts.

Wei Qingshan pocketed the silver and bought some cloud cake and other expensive snacks, carrying back two packages. In his arms, he also had something wrapped in red cloth—it wasn’t clear what it was, but he held it close to his chest.

Wei Qingshan was especially busy today. That afternoon, he had agreed to slaughter a pig for the village. Now that the New Year was near, even the poorest families would still buy some meat to take home. After saving all year, they couldn’t possibly go without even a taste of meat at the end of the year.

Wei Qingshan dragged the pig out. Lin Yu and Zhao Yuanyuan helped boil water.

As soon as the pig squealed, several nearby families rushed over. More and more villagers showed up one after another, afraid they wouldn’t be able to buy any. Even Wei Er and Hehua came. The front of Lin Yu’s house was bustling.

Wei Qingshan hadn’t even finished slaughtering the pig yet when a crowd had already gathered around waiting to buy pork.

Once the pig offal was taken out, Lin Yu carried it into the house. He didn’t plan to sell this offal—he wanted to prepare it and give some to the families he was close with as New Year gifts.

He Dongdong, feeling stifled indoors, followed Shi Tou out to see the commotion. There were too many people outside the courtyard, so Shi Tou, worried he might get jostled, helped him into the yard.

Lin Yu hurriedly helped him into the house.

“Why did you come too? It’s so crowded and chaotic right now.”

“I’ve been stuck at home all winter—I’m about to suffocate. Now I finally get to join the excitement.”

He Dongdong just sat inside watching. Outside, it was full of people talking. Even though he didn’t join the crowd, just listening from inside made him happy.

“Yu-ger, is your New Year’s shopping all ready?”

“Not yet. Qingshan’s not working tomorrow—we’re taking the mule cart to the town to buy stuff.”

He Dongdong pouted. “The market in town is going to be so lively tomorrow. I want to go with you guys.”

Lin Yu and Zhao Yueniang were washing the pig offal at the main room entrance. After Lin Yu’s offal business had stopped, Wei Qingshan sold these offal bits cheaply each time.

This time, Lin Yu planned to make them into New Year gifts, so he was washing them again.

Hearing He Dongdong say that, he chuckled. “You just stay home.”

Outside, Wei Qingshan had already finished dealing with the pig. The crowd noisily began to buy meat, afraid the best cuts would be snatched away.

Wei Qingshan first cut off a front leg and put it in a basin. This was saved for his own family to eat during the New Year.

“Hey! Don’t push! Cut mine first, cut mine first!”