Chapter 4

Cheng Qiao’er realized she had spoken too hastily and lowered her head in embarrassment.

Xue Defu knew his wife couldn’t keep her mouth shut and was exasperated by his sister, though helpless about it. “Brother Shen just got married. His relationship is going strong. I owe him my life this time!”

Cheng Qiao’er gasped, “What happened?!”

Her shout startled the entire household awake. Xue Cui rubbed her eyes, brows furrowed, but the moment she saw the wild boar on the ground, her expression shifted instantly. “Did Shen Qing hunt this? Did he come to deliver the betrothal gift?!”

Xue Defu and Cheng Qiao’er both rolled their eyes at the same time.

Xue Zhengyang walked out with his brows knotted tight. “Get back in your room this instant!”

He had heard every word his son and daughter-in-law said just now.

Then he gave an order, “Butcher half the boar and send it to Shen Qing!”

Mrs. Liu shrieked, her voice shrill and sharp like being strangled. “Why?! Are you giving more to the Shen family again, I’ve had enough!”

Just as she was about to throw a fit, Xue Zhengyang barked, “Enough! Is your own son worth less than half a wild boar to you?!”

…

Xiao Wanling sat by the window cutting fabric. The scissors and sewing kit had been borrowed from Aunt Wu, so she needed to finish and return them promptly.

She had skipped tea picking today to finish some clothes—using leftover fabric to make a waistband, breast cloth, and undergarments. Now that she could eat properly, her smaller clothes no longer fit.

With the remaining scraps, she hemmed two washcloths.

She heard footsteps approaching and looked up—only to see Shen Qing rushing toward her.

He still wore that sun-bleached, dirt-colored short jacket.

As he got closer, she caught the scent of blood. His chest bore a dark red stain, and with him returning empty-handed and looking so flustered, she immediately assumed the worst.

Had he been attacked by a wild animal and escaped death?

Alarmed, she asked, “Are you hurt? I’ve got twenty cents, let’s go see a doctor and get some medicine!”

Her heart ached a little; that was one-fifth of a day’s wages gone in a blink. Still, she added casually, “I was out by the mountainside picking wild vegetables and fruit. I’ve got a bit of money—starting a teahouse should be enough to keep us fed. Are you… in a lot of pain?”

Was it so bad he couldn’t even talk?

She hurried to lift his shirt, but he caught her wrist.

His voice was deep and a little congested from the nose. “It’s not my blood. I heard Xue Cui and the others were giving you trouble?”

Xue Cui was the one who first called him a wild man, threw mud and rocks at him, and set the dog on him. Since he had secretly beaten her once, she had been too afraid to bother him again—but Wanling was so small and delicate. How could she deal with someone like that?

Xiao Wanling pulled her hand back. “She’s not faster than me. I finished a row of tea leaves while she was still scrambling behind. When she tried to cut in and steal my spot, I reported her to the steward. He docked her pay.”

Xue Cui had been furious, but no one sympathized with her.

Shen Qing asked again, “She didn’t put dirt in your tea? Spit in your food?”

Xiao Wanling nodded. Just childish tricks.

Shen Qing’s heart tightened. “Then… then you—” He couldn’t finish. He felt she had been wronged.

Footsteps sounded outside. Xue Defu appeared at the door.

Xiao Wanling whispered, “Someone’s coming. She didn’t get her way—I switched it back.”

She recalled how Xue Cui had tried to gloat while she ate and drank, but ended up eating it herself. It was honestly kind of funny.

Shen Qing thought his wife was really clever. Still, he’d remember this grudge.

Xue Defu wiped the sweat from his brow and tugged at his clothes stuck to his back. From afar, he called out, “Shen Qing! Come have dinner at our place later. My father said we should send you half the boar. Thanks for saving my life!”

At the mention of this, Shen Qing’s face turned grim. “No need. I don’t want tea with dirt or rice with stones. Don’t send it.”

Xue Defu choked on his words, caught awkwardly between speaking and swallowing. “Alright, then… I won’t disturb you two.” He turned and left in a hurry, already dreading how to explain to his father.

Shen Qing dropped his scowl.

Xiao Wanling was busy cooking. She glanced back and said, “Food’s almost ready. Wash your face.”

“You eat first. I’ll be back soon.”

“It’s just about done!” she called again, but only caught a glimpse of his retreating figure.

She set the food near the stove and pulled out the half-finished underclothes hidden beneath her pillow, sewing swiftly until sweat beaded on her forehead.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps again. Shen Qing returned—this time carrying a black-haired wild boar on his shoulders. He heaved it forward, dropping it onto the ground with a thud that shook the floor.

Xiao Wanling was briefly stunned. Shen Qing looked quite pleased. “I hunted it!”

She quickly stuffed the little garment back under the pillow and walked outside.

The boar looked to be at least two hundred jin. She praised him, “Shen Qing, you’re amazing!”

The corners of his lips curled up. He sniffed the air. “Let’s eat first, then I’ll butcher it.”

As she ate, Xiao Wanling couldn’t stop glancing at the boar. It’s too hot to finish it all now, she thought. I’ll render the fat into lard, fry some chunks, and preserve it in oil.

Shen Qing devoured soft white rice, silky jade tofu with a numbing spice, and fish stew without even a hint of fishiness and just freshness. He ate with gusto.

He scraped the pot clean, full and satisfied, and began tidying up.

In just a few days away, the house had transformed.

The stone stove had become a clay one. Two bamboo doors leaned against the house. The weeds at the entrance had been completely cleared.

Shen Qing froze mid-motion, realizing how much she had done while also picking tea every day. Had she been working without rest, day and night?

She had barely finished eating and was already back to work. Shen Qing instinctively stepped over. “Let me handle the heavy stuff. You rest a bit! Go borrow some salt from the village head’s family. I’ll give them some meat in return.”

Xiao Wanling went inside to fetch the scissors and thread to return to Aunt Wu, folded a banana leaf over her head for shade, lifted her skirt, and called back, “Okay!”

She passed by the Xue house and saw Xue Defu and his two brothers helping Xue Zhengyang butcher a boar. The four of them shared the same facial features.

Xue Zhengyang squinted at the unfamiliar girl passing by. “Whose daughter-in-law is that?”

Xue Defu grinned, “She’s Shen Qing’s.”

Mrs. Liu rolled her eyes. “You always take the outsider’s side. Can’t even say one nice thing for your own sister!”

The mention of that sister made Xue Defu’s smile vanish. “Mother, if you keep spoiling her, she’ll never get married.”

Xue Zhengyang barked, “Enough! Cut the meat quickly. I’ll go deliver it myself.”

He wanted to talk things out with Shen Qing—though honestly, he didn’t hold much hope. Even his own family found his daughter insufferable.

Soon, Xue Zhengyang and Xue Defu carried half a boar to the Shen house.

What they saw left them dumbstruck—Shen Qing was butchering a wild boar all on his own.

Xue Zhengyang cleared his throat. “Shen Qing, thank you for saving Defu.”

Shen Qing wiped his hands with a rag. “No need. Take the meat back.”

Seeing Shen Qing’s firm tone, Xue Zhengyang offered a compromise. “Then let Defu sell the meat at the market and bring you the money.”

He glanced at his son, who reluctantly turned and walked away with the meat.

Thinking of his daughter’s future, Xue Zhengyang braced himself and said, “You and Wanling haven’t registered your marriage yet. Cui’er has liked you since childhood. Can’t you reconsider?”

Shen Qing replied without hesitation, “Uncle Xue, that won’t be necessary.”

Still trying to salvage the situation, Xue Zhengyang added, “Cui’er’s temper isn’t great, but once she has kids, she’ll settle down.”

Shen Qing said flatly, “I have no feelings for Xue Cui. She said herself she doesn’t want to marry me.”

Xue Zhengyang froze, eyes wide in disbelief.

Shen Qing continued, “Let’s not bring this up again. Please discipline your daughter.”

Xue Zhengyang felt completely humiliated.

It was clear that Cui’er had turned her nose up at Shen Qing before, but now that someone liked him, she had grown jealous.

The Xue father and son left in a hurry.

**

At lunch, Xue Cui returned home. Mrs. Liu sat fanning herself. “See? Eating at home is better! The food’s warm, and there’s no stones in your rice.”

Not seeing Xiao Wanling today had put Xue Cui in a good mood that she even ate an extra bowl.

Suddenly, her father stormed in, slammed the door, and lashed her with a cane.

She screamed, “Father! Have you lost your mind?!”

…

Xiao Wanling borrowed some salt from the village head’s wife and asked to borrow their ox cart.

The village head’s wife readily agreed. “Of course! If you need anything else, just say so. Son! Take the cart over, and see if they need help loading it.”

The village head’s son responded, went to the barn, and hitched the ox.

Shen Qing had only wanted her to rest—he hadn’t expected her to return so soon, much less with an ox cart. She always thought further ahead than he did.

They reached the town by afternoon. Shen Qing drove the cart to the back door of a restaurant. Four workers came out to carry the wild boar in. They handed Shen Qing a money pouch—clearly they were familiar.

The village head’s son went to deliver eggs to his sister and agreed to meet them at the city gate after shopping.

Shen Qing tucked the pouch away and sat at the front of the cart. “What do you want to buy?”

Xiao Wanling listed it off: “A big iron wok, rice, flour, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, storage jars, bowls and chopsticks… and a bathtub.”

They needed a bed too—but money was tight, so only essentials for now.

The general store clerk was polite. “The fastest turnaround is ten days. If you want quality, you’ll need seasoned wood that’s been dried at least a year—it won’t warp or leak.”

Xiao Wanling decided to check elsewhere for something ready-made.

They bought rice, flour, oil, seasonings, jars—all totaling 260 cents. Only 10 remained. Money burned fast. Shen Qing had paid the 400 cents for the iron wok.

Grains and beans could be bartered with the village head or Aunt Wu. They still owed Aunt Wu a bolt of cotton fabric. Xiao Wanling resolved to set up the tea stall the next day.

None of the shops had a bathtub in stock. As these bathtubs took lots of space, they can only be pre-ordered.

It was getting late, so she can only wait until next time to buy it.

The village head’s son waited at the gate, carrying a basket.

Shen Qing was quite generous and paid him ten jin of pork for borrowing the cart.

On the way back to Qishan Village, Shen Qing remained quiet, focused on driving.

The village head’s son said his father sent a letter saying that the thugs had been sentenced to two years. Once the marriage papers for Shen Qing and Xiao Wanling were submitted, he would return.

Shen Qing couldn’t help but smile. He drove the cart even faster.

By the time they returned, it was dark. Shen Qing loaded the jars into a basket, carried the rice and flour with both hands.

Xiao Wanling thanked the village head’s son and walked home with Shen Qing.

She pointed to a spot where the tea path met the mulberry groves. “What do you think of setting up the tea stall here?” She had inquired that paying five taels in tax annually would suffice.

The small mountain village has light taxes, and because it has a large population, there is no strict separation between men and women, and women also work hard to make a living.

Shen Qing mumbled, “Mhm.”

The night was still warm, and without a bathtub, washing was difficult.

Shen Qing made a few more bamboo tubes. When he saw Xiao Wanling walk out with a towel around her damp hair, he quickly said, “I can make a bathtub too!” He had just run down the mountain to borrow tools.

Xiao Wanling’s eyes lit up. “Thank you!”

Shen Qing’s ears flushed red. “It’s okay. We’re husband and wife.”

Xiao Wanling swallowed the words she had meant to say. She ground rice flour, washed mulberry and stevia leaves, and laid them out to dry.

She also prepared wild garlic and other condiments before going to sleep.

Shen Qing brought hay inside, made a bed on the floor and slept soundly.

The next morning, Xiao Wanling woke to find the clothes that had covered her had slipped off and now lay on the hay.

She shifted gently to the side of the bed to reach for them, just as Shen Qing opened his eyes.

He saw her delicate, scallion-like fingers and then her face leaning over the bed.

He handed her the clothes, catching the faint fragrance from her hair. Embarrassed, he quickly got up and went outside.

Face flushed, Xiao Wanling got dressed. When she stepped outside to gather laundry, she noticed the small undergarments she had hidden under her pillow were all hanging neatly on the line, fluttering in the breeze.

Her face heated. When did he wash those?

She really has to talk to him about this.