Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 12

Madam Li did not refuse and went home with the fish.

Before long, she came back with a plane and a hatchet. She thought Cuihua must want them to make some household wooden tools, but how could a woman possibly do carpentry?

“Cuihua, do you want the plane to make furniture?” Madam Li asked curiously.

Ying Su nodded. “Yes, I want to make some simple wooden tools.”

“You’ve learned carpentry from someone?” Madam Li saw how natural Ying Su looked and thought she really knew woodworking.

The corners of Ying Su’s lips curved slightly. Back when she was training on Yihu Island, she had practically learned everything there was. Carpentry? She could definitely do it! She had even studied how to craft crossbows and sleeve arrows, which required precision far beyond common woodworking. Her skill was certainly no worse than a carpenter’s, perhaps even better.

“Mhm, I once learned a bit from a carpenter. I can manage some rough work.” Ying Su answered modestly.

“Why don’t I… go back and tell Dalang what you need? I’ll ask him to make it for you.” Madam Li thought for a while. She felt a woman like Cuihua surely couldn’t manage carpentry. Better to wait until Dalang returns from working in town and ask him to make some household tools.

Ying Su shook her head. She knew Dalang and his wife had no fondness for Shen Cuihua. Madam Li had been secretly helping take care of Shen Cuihua and her child all these years, and Ying Su was grateful for her kindness.

Seeing Ying Su refuse, Madam Li sighed. “Cuihua, actually Dalang and his wife, Chuncao, are good people. Chuncao may have a fiery temper, but she isn’t malicious. She only disliked you back then because of the gossip in the village. All these years, I’ve secretly come to look after you and your child, but Dalang and Chuncao knew about it. They only pretended not to.”

“I know they meant no harm. Back then, I was the one who brought them trouble.” Gossip in a small village could ruin lives. When Shen Cuihua suddenly became pregnant, rumors flew everywhere. For Liu Chuncao to drive her out was not entirely wrong.

Everyone in the village knew Madam Li had been looking after Shen Cuihua and her child. How could Dalang and Liu Chuncao not know? Pretending ignorance all these years was, in fact, an act of kindness.

Hearing Ying Su speak so reasonably, Madam Li’s eyes reddened. “You really suffered wrongs. Dalang and Chuncao are working in town now, and don’t know you’ve recovered. If they did, they’d be happy.”

Whether they would be happy or not didn’t matter to Ying Su. As long as they didn’t cause her trouble, she had no intention of being unfriendly.

Ying Su smiled at Madam Li, then looked down at the plane, weighed it in her hand, and found it satisfactory. She turned to Madam Li. “If you’re free, could you watch Huzi for a while? I want to go to the mountain to get some wood.”

At once, the little bun objected. “Mommy, I’ll go with you. I can help!”

Ying Su chuckled, pinching his cheeks. “With that tiny body, what help can you be? If the wood is too heavy and crushes you, my heart would break! Be good and wait at home.”

The little bun pouted reluctantly, making Ying Su laugh again. Her little treasure cub could even throw tantrums. She squeezed his little gourd-shaped mouth. “A good child listens.”

Though unhappy, the little bun nodded. “Fine… but Mommy, you must be careful. Don’t go up too high, and don’t go deep into the mountains.”

“Alright, alright, Mommy knows.” Ying Su loved how her little bun sounded like a small adult lecturing her with concern. She picked up the plane, then told Madam Li, “I’ll be going.”

Madam Li nodded. “I’ll take good care of Huzi. You should be careful up there, don’t go too deep.” Thinking about Ying Su chopping wood, she added worriedly, “Fresh wood is heavy. How can a woman carry it down the mountain? Why not wait for Dalang and let him fetch it?”

Ying Su shook her head. “I can manage. It may take me a little longer though, so I’ll have to trouble you to stay here a while.” She planned to shape the tools directly on the mountain, saving the effort of carrying whole logs.

Madam Li agreed and, with the little bun, watched her walk away.

Since the thatched hut was close to the mountain, Ying Su soon reached the foot of Dongjun Mountain. It was towering and vast, with three great peaks connected in a line. Looking up, she saw ridges stretching endlessly into the sky, covered in dense forests.

Ying Su raised her brows and looked at the tall, steep peak to the west. If she was not mistaken, that was West Ridge Mountain. Shen Cuihua’s home was at the foot of that mountain, in West Ridge Village. 

In her memories, Shen Cuihua had loving parents, an even-tempered father, a gentle mother, and an affectionate elder brother, as well as a younger brother who always followed her around as a child.

Ying Su withdrew her gaze. West Ridge Village was Shen Cuihua’s home, and those people were Shen Cuihua’s family. What did they have to do with her, Ying Su? She had always lived alone in the world without family, walking her own path. Only now, she had gained a little bun. At the thought, her lips softened into a gentle smile.

Villagers often came to the foothills to chop firewood, dig wild vegetables, or pick mushrooms. The lower slopes were gentle and covered in trees. Because people came often, there weren’t many wild animals, not even hares or pheasants. Only in the deeper areas would one encounter boars, black bears, tigers, or wolves. Apart from a few highly skilled and daring hunters who ventured deep in groups, most villagers never went beyond the outskirts.

Ying Su circled the foot of the mountain, familiarizing herself with the terrain. She also found the dozen hawthorn trees the little bun had mentioned. Seeing the branches heavy with bright red fruit, her phoenix eyes lit up. She planned to come back in a day or two and strip the trees bare.

After looking around, she chose a sturdy elm tree. Elm wood was strong and durable, with tough grain excellent for making furniture. Since her household lacked too many things, she decided to start with the essentials, one at a time.

Buckets, basins, a bath barrel, ladles, bowls, and chopsticks, these were what Ying Su planned to make today.

With practiced skill, she felled the elm tree, picked up the plane, and worked quickly. Wood shavings flew like blossoms, scattering everywhere. If anyone saw, they would be astonished, her skill was no worse than that of a carpenter with decades of experience.

By the time the evening sky was aflame with red clouds, Ying Su came down the mountain carrying a bath barrel. Inside were a bucket, basin, and other tools. Outside the thatched hut, the little bun and a boy about his age were crouching on the ground, scratching shapes with sticks, while Madam Li watched them with loving eyes.

Hearing footsteps, the little bun looked up, saw Ying Su, and jumped up at once. He dropped his stick and ran toward her, shouting excitedly, “Mommy, Mommy…”