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The mountains were quiet, yet there was some movement. Tang Xianling couldn’t quite describe it—most of the time it was very quiet, with just the sound of the wind, but every now and then there were animal cries. Afterward, either the sound would die down, or there would be some intense cries.

“Is someone hunting them?” Tang Xianling asked quietly, tilting his chin upward. Huangfu Tieniu: “It’s not people.”

“Besides hunters, animals also hunt one another in these mountains.”

Tang Xianling understood. Listening to that piercing cry, even though it was the height of summer, he felt a chill in the air, making the hairs on his arms stand on end. “I think I sense a killing intent.” He murmured softly.

“The log cabin is old and dilapidated, with wide cracks that let the wind through.” Huangfu Tieniu held his husband in his arms, wrapping the thin blanket completely around his back. “You sleep outside.”

When his husband first went to sleep, he had the habit of sleeping against the wall. But this wasn’t home; leaning against the wall here was colder and damp. He’d forgotten that.

“It’s a hassle,” Tang Xianling muttered, unwilling to move.

Huangfu Tieniu then wrapped the quilt around his husband and lifted him up with both hands—

“Oh no, oh no, I’m going to fall!” Tang Xianling squealed on top of Tieniu. 

Huangfu Tieniu: …A sweet dilemma.

Yet he said nothing, letting his husband thrash about on top of him.

Through the thin layer of the quilt, Tang Xianling faintly sensed something “rock-hard.” He fell silent instantly, glared at Tieniu, and thought, You— “Pervert.” 

Huangfu Tieniu picked up on the implication.

Tang Xianling snorted. At least he knew what was going on.

But this time, he deftly flipped them over. Huangfu Tieniu slid deeper inside, one hand cupping his lover’s waist. The bed was narrow— don’t fall off.

“You’ve wrapped me up like a rice dumpling.”

“It gets cold at night in the mountains, and you’re always cold.”

Tang Xianling: You’re so clueless.

He pulled back the blanket and draped it over Tieniu. “You’re hot. We’ll be warmer if we share it.” 

“Okay.” Huangfu Tieniu couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at his lips—his husband was worried about him.

Tang Xianling shifted closer, pressing against Tieniu’s chest. He ran a hand over him. Huangfu Tieniu looked down, his voice no longer the mature, steady tone of before, but slightly stammering: “W-what are you doing?”

“I can’t even touch you anymore!” he snapped, glaring at him. Boss Tang turned the tables on him, feigning surprise: “I can’t even touch my own husband?! Is there no justice in the world? Is there no law?”

Huangfu Tieniu couldn’t hold back a smile. “Touch? I’m just shy. We’re going up the mountain tomorrow—you’d better watch out, or your legs will go weak, and you won’t be able to walk…” He paused here. “I can carry you.”

It didn’t seem like it was out of the question. 

Tang Xianling: ???

Who said they were gonna do it? He was just touching his abs and pecs.

But in the end, they did it. Tang Xianling claimed he was just “touching” and acted all virtuous, but in reality, he’d been teasing and provoking the whole time. Huangfu Tieniu possessed a beastly instinct; he could instinctively sense what his husband truly desired.

Outside the little cabin, deep in the mountains at midnight, danger lurked everywhere. Inside the cabin, the atmosphere was heated and lively—it wasn’t nearly as cold and damp as out in the mountains.

The next day, before dawn had fully broken, Huangfu Tieniu got up first. He lit a fire with a flint, boiled a kettle of hot water, and toasted the flatbreads and eggs Uncle Wang had brought them. First, he dampened a washcloth with the hot water and wiped his husband’s face.

Tang Xianling was still asleep, sprawled out, and the warm cloth felt very comfortable on his face.

“Mmm… what time is it?”

“It’s not light out yet, but we have to head into the mountains to tend the graves,” Huangfu Tieniu called out.

Tang Xianling got up without hesitation. He took the clothes Tieniu handed him, stretched, and said with full energy, “Alright.” 

“I’ll carry you later.”

“No need, I’m naturally gifted,” Tang Xianling affirmed.

Actually, he’d only had one bout last night. For someone with his constitution, a little water was no big deal.

Tang Xianling felt a bit smug. He took a small cup of mouthwash outside to brush his teeth, then grabbed some dry biscuits and an egg to eat on the way. Huangfu Tieniu had already packed everything up, was carrying the bundle of joss paper, and had locked the wooden cabin door. He took his husband’s hand and led him into the mountains.

“Have a bite. It’s too early; I don’t have much of an appetite.” Tang Xianling broke the biscuit in half and handed it to Tieniu. “I don’t eat the yolk; you can have it.”

Huangfu Tieniu ate the parts his husband didn’t like, savoring every bite.

“Did you choke?” Tang Xianling asked.

Huangfu Tieniu shook his head, but took the water flask from his waist and offered his husband a sip. Tang Xianling took a sip to moisten his throat and said, “You drink some too; the egg yolk is too dry.”

That’s why he didn’t like it.

Huangfu Tieniu took a sip of water.

The morning dew was heavy in the mountains; everywhere was covered with wild grasses, twigs, and rotting leaves, making it extremely damp. Tang Xianling stayed close to Tieniu’s side, keeping a steady pace; they hadn’t brought a mule, as this narrow path was too rugged and difficult to traverse—only pedestrians could pass.

“My foster father loved peace and quiet; he didn’t like crowded places. Before he passed away, he chose a spot and asked me to bury him there.”

“There’s an old maple tree over there. When the leaves turned red, my foster father liked to sit under it for a while.”

“I’d go look for him every time and bring him some food.”

Tang Xianling listened, sensing that his foster father was hiding something.

“My foster father never spoke of the past, but he mentioned it when he was gravely ill.” Huangfu Tieniu looked at Xianling; Xianling must have misunderstood, thinking his foster father had died with regrets over a lost love. He then explained the circumstances: “When the Founding Emperor established the dynasty, there was a loyal and capable general named Song Ji. Later, he was falsely accused of treason, and his entire family was executed.”

Tang Xianling：？

At first, he was startled. Could it be that his adoptive father had taken in a descendant of General Song? But then he realized that couldn’t be right—the timeline didn’t add up. It had been nearly a century since the Founding Emperor established the dynasty.

“My foster father’s ancestors were lowly servants—the lowest of the low. Unwilling to see General Song’s body dismembered and discarded in a mass grave without a proper burial, they secretly transported his remains and gave him a proper burial.”

Tang Xianling was instantly captivated by the story, and the rough terrain beneath his feet no longer felt arduous.

A lowly laborer couldn’t pull off the daring feats of rescuing a prisoner from execution or swapping places with the condemned, as seen in novels and ballads; even burying a body was a risky undertaking.

“Later, the current emperor posthumously exonerated General Song.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Xianling immediately said, “Isn’t that wonderful? My foster father’s ancestors did a good deed. Since General Song had no descendants, loyal and virtuous people throughout the land can now sweep the grave and pay their respects.”

“Later, my foster father’s family was implicated in various scandals. Some died, others were injured. My foster father was exiled with his mother, but the two of them escaped along the way. Unfortunately, his mother didn’t survive much longer. Afterward, my foster father became a young beggar, scraping by in various parts of Xidu Province, where he honed the skills necessary to survive.”

Huangfu Tieniu finished his story.

The story took a sudden turn, and Tang Xianling froze in his tracks. He hadn’t expected this at all. He immediately looked over. “Wait—you said the Emperor had already cleared General Song’s name. How could this—”

“My foster father’s ancestors merely collected the remains of loyal ministers and brave generals and gave them proper burials.” 

“Even setting aside their merits, that shouldn’t have led to the entire family meeting such a fate.”

Tang Xianling stood frozen in place, his mind reeling. He had never imagined such an outcome.

“My foster father said maple trees are good. When his mother passed away, he had no money for a proper burial, so she was laid to rest beneath a maple tree. The fallen leaves covered the ground, concealing her remains.” Huangfu Tieniu reached out to take Xianling’s hand.

The two set off again. This time, Tang Xianling fell silent for a while; he didn’t have the same vigor he’d had that morning. He buried his head in deep thought, wondering if perhaps it was because his foster father’s ancestors had “paid lip service while acting contrary to orders,” disobeying the authorities’ commands—

But his adoptive father’s ancestors hadn’t stormed the execution ground; they’d merely gathered the remains and laid them to rest. Besides, the Emperor had already cleared General Song’s family of all charges.

Tang Xianling felt a tight, heavy ache in his chest. Watching Tieniu’s back, he said, “Your foster father is just like his ancestors—a man of chivalry and righteousness.” 

“Mm.”

His voice was somewhat heavy.

They had reached the grave.

Huangfu Tieniu and Tang Xianling cleared the weeds from the grave, lit incense and candles, and burned joss paper and gold ingots. Huangfu Tieniu spoke softly, his voice slightly hoarse: “Foster father, Xianling is my husband now; we’ve been married. He treats me very well, and I will do the same for him. You can rest assured.”

There was no name on the tombstone.

“My foster father never revealed his surname, nor did he let me take his. He feared it might bring trouble upon me. Uncle Zhang only knew him as ‘Third Brother’—my foster father was the third son in the family.”

Tang Xianling knelt before the grave and kowtowed three times to his foster father.

After paying respects to his foster father, Huangfu Tieniu gently wiped the dirt from his husband’s forehead. His eyes were red as he said, “I’ll carry you down. I want to carry you.” 

“All right. My legs are too weak to walk anyway.” Tang Xianling climbed onto Tieniu’s back.

The bundle containing the incense, candles, and joss paper had already been burned. Now, on their way back, Tang Xianling lay across Tieniu’s back. Tieniu looked as if he had been crying; Tang Xianling pressed his head against one side of Tieniu’s head and rubbed it gently.

“Am I heavy?”

“Not at all.” Huangfu Tieniu’s voice was hoarse, yet his tone rose and fell as he said, “Actually, it feels heavy—but having you press down on me makes me feel safe and grounded, Xianling, thank you.”

If he hadn’t met Tang Xianling, he didn’t know how he would have gone on living.

Tang Xianling reached out and pinched Tieniu’s ear, saying, “You’re welcome. We’re husband and husband, family—no need for formalities.” Huangfu Tieniu curved the corners of his mouth; they were family.

With Tang Xianling on his back, Tieniu walked even faster than on the way there. In the blink of an eye—he didn’t even know how they’d gotten there—they saw the little wooden hut. The two of them carried their back baskets, with the mule following behind. Huangfu Tieniu wanted to carry his husband, but Tang Xianling said, “You carry me; I’ll carry the basket!”

“No need. I’ll carry it in one hand, or put it on the mule.”

Tang Xianling: …He really loves carrying me through the mountain paths.

“Fine.”

The descent was easy. Once Tang Xianling was seated on the mule, they reached the village. First, they heard a child’s voice:

“Brother Tieniu, Wu-ger—” 

“You’re finally back! My dad’s stewing chicken at home.”

Hainiu’s shouting was so loud that the whole village must have heard him. Anyway, after he finished, the kids around Hainiu started drooling, saying the chicken smelled delicious, and wondering why no guests ever came to their homes.

Hainiu planted his hands on his hips. “That’s my Brother Tieniu and Wu-ger!”

As Tang Xianling was about to dismount from the mule, Huangfu Tieniu went to embrace his husband. Tang Xianling swallowed hard and said, “Stewed chicken!” Huangfu Tieniu couldn’t help but let his eyes crinkle with a smile.

Xianling looked so adorable with that hungry expression—and no wonder, since he’d only had half a flatbread for breakfast and was already starving. So he said, “Come on, let’s go home.”

“I’m heading back. I’m not playing with you guys anymore,” Hainiu called out to his friends, acting quite magnanimous. “Banzheng, hold onto my whistle for me. Give it back later.”

Banzheng: “Got it. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t lose it even if I tried.”

This was a toy Hainiu’s older brother had bought from the city, and Hainiu loved it dearly. Since he was Hainiu’s best friend, and Hainiu had trusted him enough to lend him the whistle, of course, he’d take good care of it!

Hainiu ran ahead, bouncing along, a dark shadow glistening in the sunlight. Tang Xianling: “I’ll have to tell Uncle we still need sunscreen.”

“It wouldn’t be good to get sunburned.”

“There’s no way to prevent it,” Huangfu Tieniu said.

Tang Xianling: …You bet. That kid runs as fast as a loach—one minute he’s off in the distance, the next he’s back, asking to help carry things. Huangfu Tieniu refused, saying, “Go see if dinner’s ready yet.”

“Got it.” Hainiu ran back home empty-handed, dashing to check if the food was ready.

Watching Hainiu dart back and forth, Tang Xianling found it amusing. By the time the two of them reached the Zhang family’s courtyard, they heard Uncle Zhang scolding Hainiu: “What’s with all the fuss? You can’t sit still—you’ve even knocked over a bowl.”

“It’s just one broken bowl—he didn’t mean to. Hainiu, stay put so you don’t cut yourself,” Wang Susu admonished his son. Zhang Huai scolded him with his mouth but picked up the broken pieces with his hands.

“That little rascal is so impatient.”

“I was the one who called Hainiu back to check if dinner was ready,” Huangfu Tieniu said.

Hainiu puffed out his little chest. “Brother, it’s not your fault. I’ll take full responsibility—I’m the one who broke it. I just didn’t see it coming.” 

Tang Xianling: “You’re actually pretty loyal.”

“Since your brother’s taking the blame, Dad definitely won’t scold either of us,” Tang Xianling said with a smile. Anyway, let’s eat!

The family set the table in the main hall. Zhang Huai wouldn’t let Hainiu serve the food, afraid he’d knock over the bowls and ruin the meal. “Your dad’s been stewing this all morning. Don’t make a mess of it.”

“Oh, I’ll be careful,” Hainiu insisted, still wanting to do it.

Zhang Huai didn’t trust his son; the kid was always getting into trouble and had never been able to sit still since he was little.

But Uncle Wang doted on his son and handed the boy a bowl of rice. Hainiu carried the bowl out of the kitchen with the utmost care. Just as he was about to safely reach the main hall—with nothing in his way—he tripped, and the bowl nearly flew out of his hands.

Hainiu: …Standing at attention, terrified, looking at his father.

Zhang Huai let out a long sigh; he couldn’t even be bothered to scold him.

“If you two ever have a child, don’t let him turn out like this kid,” Zhang Huai said.

Tang Xianling, afraid of hurting Hainiu’s feelings, politely replied, “Hainiu is quite good. Being like him isn’t bad—he’s sturdy and lively, and such a charming person.” Wang Susu couldn’t help but burst out laughing, and soon the whole main hall was filled with laughter.

It was obvious to everyone that Xianling was just trying to cheer Hainiu up. They sat down to eat.

The rice was a mixture of grains, mostly white rice with a little yellow rice, and there were actually some flower-shaped steamed buns left over from yesterday. Yesterday, as soon as Zhang Huaiwang Susu saw the flower buns, she was taken aback.

After hearing about the customs in the city, he babbled on about this and that, though no one could quite make out what he was saying. Huangfu Tieniu, however, didn’t see anything wrong with it; he said it was all because the spirit held him in high regard. Zhang Huai and Wang Susu then laughed it off. By then, the flower buns had warmed up, and Zhang Huai teased his older nephew, asking Tieniu which flower he would eat.

“This flower bun is for Uncle Zhang and Uncle Wang. Pick one for Tieniu—I think Tieniu should have the peony one.” Tang Xianling was quick to defend his own.

So Hainiu was given a peony-shaped steamed bun, but he couldn’t bring himself to eat it, saying that only the pretty girls in the village were allowed to eat such a thing. Everyone at the table burst into laughter.

A pot of stewed chicken—likely made from an old hen—was brought to the table, along with a plate of pickles Uncle Wang had pickled himself and a plate of stir-fried Chinese cabbage. The aroma made Tang Xianling’s stomach growl with hunger, and Huangfu Tieniu used a spoon to scoop out a piece of chicken for his husband.

“Try some. Uncle Wang stewed it with mushrooms from the mountains—he usually doesn’t treat himself to this,” Zhang Huai said.

Tang Xianling: “I knew it would smell amazing—it smells so good even before I take a bite.”

The chicken was stewed with mushrooms and diced potatoes. There was plenty of chicken, while the potatoes and mushrooms served merely as accompaniments. Yet it was precisely these two ingredients that made the dish exceptionally fragrant. The broth was rich and thick, the potatoes soft and fluffy—even without much seasoning, it was delicious, and the chicken was tender and juicy.

Tang Xianling had his head buried in his bowl.

“It’s so delicious.”

Wang Susu smiled, a happy smile. “Eat more. It’s hard work going into the mountains. You don’t usually walk mountain trails in the city; a trip like this must be exhausting.” 

“He carried me on his back, so I didn’t have to do much,” Tang Xianling said casually.

Wang Susu laughed and said, “Tieniu knows how to take care of his husband now. He used to seem so clueless.” 

“Once you’re married and have a husband, you learn everything,” Zhang Huai couldn’t help but remark.

After the meal, Wang Susu said, “You two don’t need to bother. Xianling said he wanted green-shelled duck eggs. Take a look—do you think these will be enough?”

Tang Xianling took a look. Inside the large bamboo basket, layers of dry grass alternated with layers of duck eggs. The eggs were all very large, and the basket was heavy with them. Not knowing exactly how many there were, he asked Uncle Wang.

“You said yesterday you wanted to start a business, so I figured there’s no such thing as too many. I bought two hundred from the village. Is that enough?”

Tang Xianling: “That’s enough.”

He asked Uncle Wang how much the items cost and handed him the money.

Wang Susu refused to take it, and Zhang Huai waved his hand, indicating they should just take it.

“If these were just for me and Tieniu to eat, I’d gladly accept your kindness, Uncles. But since I’m buying these to resell, I can’t accept them for free. I’ll need more in the future—wouldn’t that mean I’d be putting you both out of pocket every time? I really can’t accept them,” Tang Xianling explained.

Let’s keep things separate.

Wang Susu looked at Zhang Huai, and Zhang Huai agreed with his reasoning, so he nodded. Only then did Wang Susu say, “One duck egg costs one wen. I’ve packed over two hundred in here because I gave you a few extra, just in case they got damaged on the way.”

That’s two hundred wen—no small sum. Tang Xianling: “Tieniu’s money.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huai looked at Tieniu in surprise. Could it be that Tieniu was the one managing the household finances?

That didn’t seem likely.

“He used his secret stash to buy duck eggs,” Tang Xianling said with a grin.

Huangfu Tieniu’s face turned bright red. It wasn’t secret savings at all—it was just a few wen left over from last time. He’d offered them to his husband, but his husband had refused, joking that this was his “secret savings.” Tieniu had blushed deeply, and later completely forgot about the money.

“He has secret savings?” Zhang Huai was shocked, then frowned and said, “I’m not trying to lecture you, Tieniu, but living with your husband, you shouldn’t be hiding things like this.”

Wang Susu tugged at his husband’s sleeve and gave him a meaningful look, implying, “Look for yourself—it’s not like Tieniu is hiding any secret stash of money—”

“No, Uncle Zhang, don’t blame Tieniu. I was just teasing him,” Tang Xianling hurried to explain.

Seeing Xianling speak up for him, Huangfu Tieniu felt a warm glow in his heart.

Because of this misunderstanding, Zhang Huai and Wang Susu accepted the money without any hesitation or back-and-forth—it was all very smooth.

The money was in silver taels; there were only a hundred copper coins. In the village, silver wasn’t as widely used as copper, and two silver coins were a small amount—easy to lose. Huangfu Tieniu looked at Xianling, and Tang Xianling said, “I left my money pouch in the toothbrush bucket. You know that, don’t you?” Why was he even asking him?

Huangfu Tieniu: “I’ll go get it.”

Zhang Huai and Wang Susu watched this scene unfold. Later, after the two had left, Zhang Huai said to Susu, “How come Tieniu is more under someone’s thumb than I am?”

Susu replied, “Who’s controlling you?”

“I’m not accusing anyone.”

Zhang Huai chuckled: “I manage myself. I just love managing myself.”

That’s how a man should manage himself—he shouldn’t make his husband worry about him.

Huangfu Tieniu fetched the money pouch and returned to count the money. Wang Susu said, “Why don’t you count the duck eggs again?”

“No need. Uncle’s already packed it all up; it’d be a hassle to keep taking it back and forth.” As Tang Xianling said this, he suddenly remembered how Tieniu had laughed at him for carrying the hay, so he mentioned it right away.

Wang Susu couldn’t stop laughing.

Xianling wasn’t tattling at all; he was just showing how close the two of them were. Wang Susu accepted the two hundred wen.

Tang Xianling said, “Uncle, if the salted duck eggs and century eggs sell well, I’ll come back to buy more later.”

“That’s wonderful. The village is far from the town, the county seat, and the city. If the villagers have to carry the duck eggs there themselves to sell, they’re bound to break along the way. It’s good that you’re coming to collect them; the villagers will remember your kindness,” Wang Susu remarked.

When he went out this morning to inquire about the duck eggs and mentioned he’d buy them, he naturally prioritized the few households he was closest to. But they were all surprised when he asked for two hundred. Later, he visited several other families, and after buying them all, they all sincerely thanked him.

He explained that relatives in the city needed them for their small business—it was a divine sign. The village elders also thanked him for his help and efforts.

It was getting late, and the two of them still had to catch the cart back.

The family saw them off to the village entrance. Once the mule cart was out of sight, Zhang Huai and Susu, accompanied by their son, began their walk back, chatting casually as they went.

“They’re doing well, so I can rest easy knowing I’ve done right by Third Brother.”

“Back then, Tieniu was such a stubborn, quiet one—he’d just stay up in the mountains and never come down. I was worried sick about him, but things are fine now.”

Wang Susu knew their family had received a lot of help from Third Brother. “Xianling is a good one; he really looks out for Tieniu. They’re both doing well.” 

“Those flower-shaped buns—the lotus and water lily ones—you ate them all. They looked pretty.” Zhang Huai suddenly brought this up.

Wang Susu shot his husband a reproachful glance, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Just before sunset, the two arrived in town, and the mule cart turned into an alley in the Baxing District.

Before they even reached home, they could hear Mother and Sister Zhou talking through the courtyard gate. Sister Zhou seemed to be scolding someone, while Mother just hummed in agreement, saying, “Yes, that’s right, she shouldn’t have.” Tang Xianling listened for a moment without knocking, then gave Tieniu a meaningful look.

Huangfu Tieniu found his husband’s appearance amusing—his face was a bit sunburned, his eyes bright, and he had a mischievous, lively look about him. He hadn’t even heard what was being said inside; he was too busy watching his husband.

“I’ll put some cooling ointment on you when we get back. You’re all sunburned.”

Tang Xianling: …I was trying to let you eavesdrop!

“Who’s out there?” Jiang Yun noticed and called out. Tang Xianling shouted at the top of his lungs,

“Mother, we’re back!”

Inside, everyone was overjoyed. They hurried out to open the courtyard gate. Jiang Yun pulled the latch and, upon seeing the two of them, bent down to lift the threshold. Huangfu Tieniu wouldn’t let his mother lift a finger; he did it himself.

“You two must be sunburned. Go inside and rest,” Jiang Yun said with concern.

Tang Xianling said, “I’m just pale; a little sun brings out my color. I’m actually not sunburned.” He then greeted Sister Zhou, “Hello, Sister.”

Zhou Xiangping said cheerfully, “Your mother was just worrying about you two, wondering why you hadn’t come back yet. Well, now that you’re back, I’ll be on my way. Auntie, we’ll talk later.”

“Oh, okay.” Jiang Yun was busy and didn’t have time to keep Xiangping around.

The mule entered the courtyard; they unhitched the cart and gave the mule some slack.

Huangfu Tieniu wouldn’t let Xianling carry the large basket.

“It’s too heavy—I’ll do it.” The basket was filled with duck eggs. 

Tang Xianling stepped aside. “Put it under the table by the kitchen door. I’ll take care of it.”

Jiang Yun fetched water for the two of them, telling them to wash up and have a drink before they started cleaning. Tang Xianling took the cup and gulped down the water while carrying the teapot over to Tieniu. He also took a moment to tell his mother, “Actually, I’m not tired. I’ve been sitting in the cart for half a day—my butt is killing me.”

Huangfu Tieniu glanced at his husband’s butt. 

Tang Xianling:! Glare!

Huangfu Tieniu cheerfully took the teacup and drank. He needed to feed the mule, so he carried a bucket of water over to give it a quick wash and cool it down; the mule had been running hard these past two days and was exhausted.

Meanwhile, Tang Xianling was sitting with his mother at a table by the corridor in the kitchen, peeling duck eggs.

“This many?”

“It’s fine. We can pickle them to preserve them. We don’t have to worry about the heat—we’ve got a cellar at home,” Tang Xianling told his mother.

She arranged them neatly, one by one, in a large wicker basket.

Tang Xianling counted them and let out a gasp. Jiang Yun asked what was wrong—had some gone missing?

“No, there are exactly thirty-eight extras.” Tang Xianling said to Tieniu, “We owe Uncle some money.”

Uncle Wang was worried they might get damaged, so he gave us a few extra, but they were packed very well—with plenty of straw padding—and none were damaged along the way. After counting, there were two hundred and thirty-eight of them.

“I suppose some families gave a few extra here and there, so the total came out higher. Just keep them—it’s no big deal. Uncle said a wen per egg. The villagers of Xu Village are honest folk; if we go collect them, it saves them the trouble. Uncle definitely didn’t pay for the extra ones.”

Huangfu Tieniu was right. Most of the villagers in Xu Village were simple, honest folk. When they heard Wang Susu had come to buy duck eggs—meaning they wouldn’t have to run around and could just sit at home to get paid—they immediately felt bad. Some gave a few extra from this household, others gave more from that one, saying, “Don’t let them get knocked around and broken on the way; pack them all in.”

“Thank you all so much. If we need duck eggs again in the future, we’ll come back to collect them,” said Tang Xianling.

While there were a few shrewd individuals in the village, most of the villagers were simple folk who lived and acted according to their conscience.

It wasn’t even dark yet, and Tang Xianling wanted to pack up the 238 duck eggs right away.

“One hundred salted duck eggs and one hundred thirty-eight century eggs.”

“Salted duck eggs need to be cured for at least twenty days, and century eggs for about ten.”

“Once they’re ready, we won’t be able to eat them until next month.”

Huangfu Tieniu went to fetch water, and upon his return, the three of them got to work… After washing up that night, they fell asleep the moment their heads hit the pillow.

The next day, Tang Xianling barely managed to get up; he still had to run his breakfast stall—if it weren’t for his sense of responsibility keeping him going, at that very moment, Tang Xianling really, truly wanted to shut down the breakfast stall and open a small restaurant instead.

Open at 10:30 every day, close at 6:00 p.m. Two days off a week.

He’d settled into a routine of opening at ten and closing at six. Oh, when will this kind of life come my way!