Jicheng had just settled down when Chunfu found herself busy again. The Pei family’s teahouse had opened and specifically requested her to make some unique pastries, which were not to appear in any other shops in Changfeng County. Chunfu racked her brains to come up with a few ideas, but even those few kept her occupied for quite some time.
The eldest son of the Pei family was meticulous about business matters. He sat outside personally watching Chunfu work, and after the pastries were made, he sampled them himself and pointed out areas for improvement. Chunfu was kept busy under his direction for most of the day before finally earning his approval. She had planned to take the leftovers back for Jin Liuer and Jicheng to try, but to her dismay, Pei Qian fed them all to his beloved dog, Ru Niang, as if all her hard work had gone to waste.
Chunfu was deeply disappointed, but Pei Qian was pleased. Stroking Ru Niang’s head, he said, “I’ll be staying in Changfeng County for a year or so. I quite like your skills—how about coming to my teahouse for just half a day’s work?” Since he had already signed an agreement with her, the teahouse’s pastries had become rather plain and ordinary, leaving him no choice but to seek her help.
Chunfu was genuinely tempted. She had heard that the Pei family treated their employees generously, paying well without being overly demanding. Someone with her skills would surely earn a decent wage, wouldn’t she? Half a day’s work wouldn’t interfere with other matters, but the daily commute from Dongpo Village to the town would be exhausting. Glancing at Jicheng waiting outside, she hesitated and said, “Let me discuss it with my husband first before giving you an answer.”
Pei Qian’s deep eyes narrowed slightly as he followed her gaze. Standing in the shade outside was a tall, imposing man whose simple coarse clothing couldn’t hide his commanding presence. He watched as Chunfu hurried over to the man, whose gentle, affectionate gaze was as dazzling as the sunlight. The man’s calm and composed demeanor, even when surrounded by trouble, had once caught Pei Qian’s attention. This man was indeed a worthy match for her.
Standing beside Jicheng, Chunfu felt his large hand gently stroking her hair, soft and comforting. She pouted and pulled it away, “You’ll mess up my hair. Pei Qian wants me to work at his teahouse, but I want to come home with you every day. Leaving you with a cold stove and empty pots feels unfair. I don’t know whether to agree—you’ll have to decide for me.”
Jicheng sighed, looking at her with tender exasperation. “Do you want to go? I don’t want you to overwork yourself.”
Hearing this, Chunfu knew he was reluctant but didn’t want to stifle her desires for fear of upsetting her. Pressing her lips together, she said, “It’s such a good opportunity to earn money—I can’t bear to pass it up. Before, we had to beg others and follow their rules, but now that chapter is behind us. With my skills, I actually have some bargaining power. If it doesn’t work out, we can manage with less income. Besides, we owe our current stability to Miss Jin’s help. I can’t just bypass her and pocket the earnings for myself.”
Jicheng rested his hands on her shoulders and said softly, “You decide. You understand these matters better than I do. Even if I can’t help much, I’ll always stand behind you—just call if you need me.”
Chunfu turned to the Pei family servant and said, “Please inform Young Master Pei that the teahouse’s pastries must be supplied by the pastry shop. Chunfu doesn’t take private jobs. I’m just a laborer—leave the complicated matters to Manager Jin.”
The servant relayed her words to Pei Qian, who was sipping tea inside. Putting down his cup, Pei Qian chuckled, “Now she’s playing modest. If she were a businesswoman, she’d be worth befriending—trustworthy and principled. That Miss Jin is truly lucky to have someone like her. Since she’s unwilling to get involved, have someone invite Manager Jin tomorrow. We can’t delay the teahouse’s business.”
Pei Qian found the little woman increasingly intriguing. Though her background was humble and she was likely illiterate, she was far more perceptive than many educated young ladies. With proper guidance, she could have gone far.
When Jin Liuer heard Chunfu’s words, she was both surprised and touched. She hadn’t expected Pei Qian to try poaching Chunfu directly. Even if Chunfu had agreed, Jin Liuer wouldn’t have blamed her. Chunfu’s skills and intelligence had turned Jin Liuer’s idle shop into a thriving business. Keeping her as an obscure little baker was truly a waste.
Holding Chunfu’s hands, Jin Liuer said, “Even if you had gone, I wouldn’t have blamed you. Your decision only makes me feel more indebted to you.”
Chunfu shook her head. She now regarded Jin Liuer as a sister. In a world where people often fawned over the powerful and trampled the weak, Jin Liuer had always treated her and Jicheng with kindness—a debt she could never repay. Besides, her heart was still tied to Jicheng. Smiling, she said, “Why should you feel guilty? You gave me the chance to earn money, and Manager Jin has looked after Jicheng all these years. What I’ve done is nothing in comparison. Though, I’ll still take it easy—don’t be mad at me.”
Jin Liuer immediately understood her meaning and laughed. “I know—it’s all for your Jicheng, isn’t it? You’re the only woman I know who’s so shamelessly devoted to her man. If this works out, the success will still be yours.” She didn’t mention that her father had been feeling increasingly fatigued lately, leaving her to manage the shop alone. Once things settled, she planned to discuss it properly with Chunfu.
Chunfu waved her hand. “You’re always busier than I am with the shop. I know you’ve been lenient with me because you worry about my livelihood. Even if I struggle, Jicheng can support me. This is what you deserve—I’ll take one less share as usual. I’ll go over the details with Master Cheng in the next few days. Focus on your own work without worry.”
As they left the shop, they unexpectedly spotted Cen Niu on the street, escorting a delicate-looking woman into a fabric store. Unlike his usual sly demeanor, he now appeared earnest and proper. Seeing Jicheng’s confusion, Chunfu explained with a smile, “I’ve been chatting with Liansheng’s wife lately and heard that Cen Niu is getting married. The girl is from a neighboring village. Apparently, he pursued her relentlessly until her family finally agreed. It seems this girl has brought him luck—he’s become diligent and kind, even finding steady work in town.”
Jicheng, exhausted from work, barely paid attention, only half-listening as Chunfu sighed, “Men can always marry younger women. Look at Chunju—she’s fallen into another pit. Her future looks even bleaker now.”
Jicheng ruffled her hair, amused by her overthinking. “Other people’s lives have nothing to do with us. Chunju chose her own path. If she had endured a little longer, maybe Cen Niu would have changed for the better. Some people are just made for each other—one to beat, the other to endure. Once winter passes, let’s buy a carriage. It’ll make traveling easier instead of being tied down like this.”
Chunfu lifted her chin proudly. “I’d also like to buy a small house in town or even the county. If business keeps growing, we’ll need to oversee things personally. Wasting time on the road isn’t sustainable—we don’t have that much energy. We once said we’d live simply, but now it seems impossible to step back. I can’t bear to give it up.”
Jicheng smiled, watching his wife’s face light up with dreams and excitement. His heart felt younger just being with her. “Don’t overwork yourself. Even if we earn a little less, our life is already enviable.”
The days that followed grew busier but more fulfilling. Li Xiu’e, unwilling to give up, often visited Chunfu’s home with Xiu Hua, only to find her merely cutting fruit each time. Unbeknownst to them, Chunfu had adjusted her schedule due to the heat—preparing the fruit during the day and making the preserves at night to avoid spoilage. If they truly wanted to learn, they should have stayed overnight.
By September, thanks to the Pei family’s teahouse and the shop’s thriving business, Chunfu’s earnings had soared. Over the past few months alone, she had saved seventy taels—a sum even Jicheng found astonishing. She later learned that Pei Qian had initially dismissed the small town but stayed to accompany his sister, opening the teahouse as a pastime. The main branch in Changfeng County required even more pastries, keeping Jin Liuer’s shop bustling. Jin Liuer, beaming, had even asked why Chunfu hadn’t moved to town yet—her earnings were more than enough for a comfortable home.
But Chunfu had other plans. She wondered if now was the time to lease Qingshui Mountain. After living here so long, she had realized that mushrooms, wood ears, and other wild goods vanished in winter, while fish had to be laboriously caught through ice holes, driving up prices. She didn’t want to rely solely on pastries—people’s tastes changed, and business had its ups and downs.
This was the perfect season for drying fish, with ample sunlight and occasional breezes. Through Jin Liuer, Chunfu had met the daughter of a restaurant owner, a shrewd businesswoman who was intrigued by Chunfu’s idea of fish preserves and agreed to try them, opening a new avenue. To avoid village gossip about profiting from communal resources, Chunfu decided to lease the mountain outright—earning openly and honestly.
Jicheng agreed. Money was important, but peace of mind mattered more. The next morning, they visited the village head, who laughed at their request. “Qingshui Mountain isn’t something you can lease for a few taels. It’ll cost at least this much.”
When the village head held up five fingers, Jicheng inwardly sighed in relief—he had feared a far higher demand. Handing over two hundred coins for the village head’s trouble, he said, “Please arrange the paperwork at the county office. This is for your efforts.”
To the village head, two hundred coins was a decent sum. “That mountain’s worthless—why lease it for twenty years? That money could last your family generations.”
Jicheng smiled faintly. “It’s close to our home—just convenient.”
Chunfu watched as the village head carefully wrote the contract, ensuring the terms—fifty taels for twenty years—were correct before Jicheng pressed his thumbprint. Before they even returned home, news had spread: the quiet couple had struck it rich, spending fifty taels without blinking. Now Qingshui Mountain was theirs, and villagers could no longer forage there freely.
Li Xiu’e, sitting with the pale and frail Chun Mu as he wove baskets, was interrupted when Xiu Hua burst in, gasping, “How can you sit here? Your Chunfu and Jicheng just leased Qingshui Mountain for fifty taels! The whole village is talking!”
Li Xiu’e bolted outside without a word to Chun Mu, finally catching up to the couple. “Chunfu!” she called sharply.
Chunfu, discussing fishing plans with Jicheng, turned and said coolly, “Sister-in-law.”
After learning of Chun Mu’s illness, Chunfu had sent two fish but kept her distance, her resentment lingering. She had expected Li Xiu’e’s envy once their wealth became known.
Li Xiu’e’s face was dark with anger. “You two hid your riches well! When I begged you to lend money for your brother’s illness, you refused. Now you spend a fortune on a worthless mountain? Is his life worth less than dirt? He’s your own brother! How can you watch him suffer after raising you? Where’s your conscience? Hate me if you must, but he’s done nothing wrong!”
Villagers gathering around murmured disapprovingly. One spoke up, “This is too much. We’re all poor, so refusing loans is understandable. But hiding wealth while family suffers? That’s unforgivable. An elder brother is like a father—we all saw him raise you.”
Chunfu glanced at Jicheng, her faint smile sharp as a blade. Chun Mu, who had followed, felt a pang of bitterness. Whether he had treated her well or not, he had raised her—yet now that she prospered, she forgot him entirely.
Knowing silence would only invite future trouble, Chunfu prepared to speak, but Jicheng stepped in. “Our family matters are none of your concern. I was the one who refused the loan. I’ve lost respect for Chun Mu and Li Xiu’e—I won’t pretend otherwise.”
Chun Mu, stung, pointed at Chunfu. “After all I’ve done for you, you repay me like this? Marriage made you forget your own family!”
Jicheng pulled Chunfu closer. “Why blame her? I said it was my decision. Or have you forgotten how you plotted to sell her to a brothel? Those words came from your own mouth.”
Li Xiu’e paled, realizing Jicheng had overheard their private conversation. Chun Mu forced a laugh. “That was just anger talking! How could I ever do such a thing? I raised her—how could I send her to such a vile place? Jicheng, you—”
Jicheng’s voice turned icy, his presence radiating menace. “Just a joke? Then the thought must have crossed your mind. Chunfu’s luck is my family’s blessing—mine alone. Anyone who tries to take advantage will answer to me.”
The villagers, long wary of Jicheng’s temper, recoiled. Older onlookers, hearing of Chun Mu’s intentions, berated him. “Your parents would rise from their graves in fury! You ruined Chunfu’s mind as a child, and now you’re still scheming? We watched you grow up—we know your nature. Chun Mu, you’re truly heartless!”
Chunfu held Jicheng’s hand silently as they walked home, her joy undimmed by the confrontation. Qingshui Mountain was theirs now—twenty years of security. The future was bright, and petty grievances meant nothing. As long as they were left in peace, let the gossips talk.
Chun Mu watched them leave, fury simmering. So Jicheng, the so-called reasonable one, was just as foolish, letting that wretched girl run wild.
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