Chapter 38:

Early in the morning, as the eastern sky showed the first hints of red, Jicheng was about to leave after closing the door when he noticed Liansheng standing outside the courtyard, seemingly waiting for some time. He couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Liansheng, is there something you need?”

Liansheng rubbed his head and smiled. “I wanted to talk to you yesterday, but I figured you and your wife must have been exhausted after coming back late. Jicheng, I heard you’ve become a foreman in town? Do you think… I could go with you? Don’t worry, I promise I won’t cause any trouble. Erbao is old enough to start school now, and your sister-in-law and I have decided we want him to attend. Even if he doesn’t achieve much in the future, just learning to read a few words would be good. I can’t keep going to Uncle Xiangcheng’s place either—I already caused him some trouble before. If this is too much to ask, just forget it.”

Jicheng curved his lips slightly. “Brother Liansheng, I can only take you to meet the head foreman. Whether he hires you or not, I can’t guarantee. Is that alright? If I had the authority, I’d definitely help you, but…”

Liansheng understood Jicheng’s meaning perfectly. The fact that Jicheng agreed at all was already a huge favor. He’d heard just yesterday that even Cenniu, who had tried to cozy up to Jicheng, had been turned down. Jicheng was diligent and reliable, and with his recommendation, the head foreman would surely think more highly of him. Overjoyed, Liansheng said, “Just introducing me is more than enough. If this works out, I’ll owe you big time.”

Jicheng had agreed readily at first, but then it struck him that if they ended up traveling to town together, Chunfu’s secret might be exposed. He had just promised Chunfu not to reveal anything, and now here he was, already messing up. Last night’s events must have addled his brain. But then he reconsidered—perhaps he was overthinking it. After all, he and Liansheng’s family had been neighbors for years. Though they hadn’t interacted much before, he knew Liansheng’s character well. Shaking his head with a smile, he said, “Don’t mention it, Brother Liansheng. We live so close, and there’ll be plenty of times we’ll need to help each other out. Besides, I’m often away from home, and I’m grateful to your wife for looking after Chunfu.”

Liansheng’s wife sat on the kang, occasionally glancing outside. The burden of supporting the entire family fell on her husband’s shoulders. Though he always seemed cheerful, she alone knew the hardships they faced. Watching them leave together, her anxious heart finally settled. She was a proud woman—if Chunmu’s child could go to school, so could her Erbao.

Chunfu was utterly exhausted and slept until the sun was high in the sky. Thankfully, she didn’t have a mother-in-law to serve, or else she’d surely be scolded for sleeping so late. After tidying up the house, she took the dog to the back to wash the clothes Jicheng had changed out of the day before.

Sunlight filtered through the trees in scattered patches, and the babbling stream made a pleasant, tinkling sound. As she approached with her basin, she noticed someone already busy washing there. The figure was petite and slender, her dark hair swaying as she tossed clothes into the water. She seemed unfamiliar. Sensing movement behind her, the woman stiffened before turning around. Recognizing Chunfu, she relaxed and smiled, revealing two adorable canine teeth. “Oh, it’s you! You scared me.”

Chunfu thought for a long moment before remembering—this was the young woman who had rushed into her room on her wedding day to tell her that Jicheng was being harassed. But she didn’t know whose wife she was. Stepping closer and squatting down, Chunfu asked curiously, “I recognize you, but I don’t know which family you belong to.”

The woman had fair, delicate features, but when she lifted her sleeves, bruises like black snakes marred her arms. She kept her head down, her voice soft and quiet. “I’m Zhao Si’s wife. I just married into the village this year. You can call me Jinjuan. The river at the village entrance is always crowded with people washing clothes, so I came here instead to avoid the noise.”

Chunfu picked up Jicheng’s clothes, but her movements were a bit too vigorous, stirring up dust. Embarrassed, she smiled apologetically at Jinjuan. “Sorry, he usually washes his own clothes. I didn’t know…”

Jinjuan shook her head, dismissing the apology. Then, as if remembering something, she leaned in conspiratorially. “That day, I went in my mother-in-law’s place. I watched you for a long time and thought you didn’t seem foolish at all. Turns out I was right. The village women all say you’re living the good life—that fortune favors fools. I see it too. It’s really enviable.” As she spoke, she turned back to pounding the clothes, her soft profile tinged with melancholy.

Chunfu glanced at her but kept working, chuckling lightly. “What fortune? Aren’t we all just living our lives?”

Jinjuan paused, then laughed along. “How is it not fortune? Your husband dotes on you—that’s the greatest fortune of all. Which wife in this village hasn’t suffered indignities?”

Chunfu didn’t respond. She had no interest in village gossip and didn’t care to pry. She focused on washing the clothes, shaking them out in the water when done, wringing them dry, and placing them back in the wooden basin.

Despite her delicate appearance, Jinjuan worked efficiently and soon stood up, basin in hand, ready to leave. Chunfu couldn’t help but glance back. Jinjuan seemed about her age, but why did she walk with a slight limp? Remembering the bruises, Chunfu shook her head. These things were beyond anyone’s control.

After hanging the washed clothes on the drying rack, Chunfu ate a quick bite to fill her stomach and decided to head up the mountain. She needed to check how many fruits had ripened over the past couple of days—she wanted to gather more, not just to sell but also to keep some at home as snacks.

By noon, most households had started cooking, and the roads were quiet. Chunfu carried her basket up the mountain, first picking ripe fruits from her usual spots. Curiosity got the better of her, and she ventured deeper, where dense trees blocked the sunlight, creating an eerie, shadowy atmosphere. Afraid of encountering wild animals, she quickly retraced her steps, thinking she’d explore further when Jicheng had time. With her basket half-full of fruits and some mushrooms, she felt satisfied. The mushrooms looked large now, but once sun-dried, they’d shrink significantly—several baskets’ worth would barely fill a small bag.

She sat at the foot of the mountain for a while, admiring the vibrant wildflowers. Plucking two, she held them to her nose—they had no scent. Standing up, she headed home. Just as she reached her courtyard, she heard a man’s shouts and a woman’s muffled sobs from nearby. Puzzled, she saw Liansheng’s wife step out of her house, also looking in the direction of the noise. After a moment, Liansheng’s wife said, “That’s Zhao Si’s voice. He’s probably beating his wife again. He used to at least have the decency to do it behind closed doors, but now he’s getting worse. Poor Jinjuan—her family was even poorer than ours, which is why she married here. At such a young age, beatings have become routine for her. Zhao Si’s mother is no better, always egging him on, blaming Jinjuan for not bearing children. Everyone in the village knows it’s his son who’s the problem. What a sin.”

Since they often went out to cut pigweed together, Chunfu hadn’t hidden her regained wits from Liansheng’s wife. Hearing this, Chunfu recalled Jinjuan’s words that morning about envying her and finally understood why. At an age when young couples should be affectionate, Jinjuan’s life was nothing but misery. She hadn’t realized Jinjuan lived so close.

Soon, a loud voice cut through the shouting: “Enough! Big brother, why are you hitting her again?”

The abusive voice retorted, “What’s it to you? If you care so much, why didn’t you stop me back then?”

Perhaps fearing worse words, the other man pulled Zhao Si back inside, and the commotion died down.

“Zhao Si’s over thirty and still doesn’t know how to treat his wife. Uncle Zhao never should’ve arranged this marriage—it’s ruined a perfectly good girl.”

Chunfu sighed inwardly. What a cruel fate. She took a handful of fruits from her basket and handed them to Liansheng’s wife for her children to enjoy.

She never expected her sister-in-law to step into her courtyard. At the time, Chunfu was sitting in the shade of the silk tree, washing fruits, and looked up indifferently as the woman entered.

Li Xiu’e had barely stepped into the yard when she saw Chunfu working diligently. For once, her lips curled into a smile as she called out, “It’s only been a few days, but you’ve improved so much at chores, Chunfu. Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve had these. I’ll take some back for Zhang Tong and his brother.”

Chunfu glared at her, moving the basin away. Coldly, she said, “If you want some, go pick them yourself. There are plenty on the mountain.”

Li Xiu’e snatched a handful anyway. Hearing Chunfu’s sharp tone, she raised her hand to strike Chunfu’s head—a habit from the past she couldn’t shake. But Chunfu was quicker, sidestepping and shoving her to the ground. Swallowing her anger for the sake of her agenda, Li Xiu’e’s face flushed, but she didn’t dare lash out. Brushing herself off, she picked up the fallen fruits and wiped them clean. “I wasn’t going to hurt you. Why so jumpy? Chunfu, your sister-in-law has a question for you.”

Chunfu disliked her fake friendliness and frowned silently. Li Xiu’e chuckled and said, “Zhang Tong smelled something fragrant in your basket at school yesterday. What was it? Tell your sister-in-law. I’m just curious—no other reason. I promise I won’t tell a soul.”

“…”

“Whisper it in my ear. No one else will hear.” She actually leaned in.

Chunfu pressed her lips together, staring at this foolish, pudgy woman. She wanted to laugh but held back, replying flatly, “I don’t know. I’m going back to sleep. Jicheng told me to lock up.” With that, she carried the washed fruits inside and locked the door, leaving Li Xiu’e standing in the yard, cursing.

Chunfu hadn’t planned to sleep, but as soon as her head touched the pillow, she drifted off. When she woke, the sun was already slanting westward. Figuring Jicheng would be on his way back from town, she washed her face and started preparing dinner. She thought about making him noodles—filling and hearty. But when he returned with a piece of meat, she decided to stew it with potatoes instead. Jicheng, without resting, went to the mountain stream to catch fish.

By the time he returned, Chunfu had already prepared the meat stew. After he cleaned the fish, she busied herself at the stove. She’d prepped the seasonings earlier, so things went smoothly. She made both fish mildly spicy—too much heat after a long day’s work might upset his stomach, and she didn’t want him uncomfortable.

Chunfu truly didn’t want to visit her brother’s house, but it was better for her to go than Jicheng. At least she could control unnecessary expenses. If it had been Zhang Yan going to school, she might have contributed more, but for Zhang Tong—full of mischief—she had no such inclination.

When Chunfu entered her parents’ home, she found her eldest brother sitting gloomily at the small dining table, several dishes laid out. Zhang Yan and Zhang Tong sat stiffly, not daring to breathe loudly. Li Xiu’e, still resentful from earlier, snapped, “What’s this? Are we not good enough for you two? We wanted to celebrate something good, but you’ve ruined the mood. Might as well have kept it to ourselves.”

Chunmu looked up, brows furrowed, and asked sternly, “Jicheng didn’t come? Does he not respect me as his brother-in-law? Should I send a sedan chair to fetch him?”

Chunfu was tired of their self-righteous blame-shifting. Not wanting to stay longer, she smiled and said, “Brother, Zhang Tong starting school is a good thing, but shouldn’t the eldest son come first? In the future, it’s Zhang Yan you’ll rely on, not Zhang Tong. What’s the point of sidelining him? He’s kind and doesn’t complain, but if he were more sensitive… Jicheng just got back from town—he’s exhausted from working all day and couldn’t come. But I thought it wouldn’t do to skip entirely. We don’t have much, but Jicheng asked me to bring a fish.”

Opening the basket covered with a clean cloth, Chunfu looked at Li Xiu’e. “Could you fetch a bowl, sister-in-law? We barely have enough at home.”

After handing over the delicious-looking fish, Chunfu relaxed. She urged Zhang Tong to study hard before leaving, ignoring their stunned expressions. She was in a hurry to get back and eat with Jicheng.

After she left, it took Chunmu a while to recover. “Since when does that girl speak so clearly? Is she… not foolish anymore? How else could she talk like that?”

Zhang Yan, unable to hold back, blurted, “Auntie was never foolish. You’re the ones who treated her like she was.” He didn’t dare say more—if his parents found out his aunt could run her own business, they’d only harass her more. But Auntie wasn’t the same pushover she used to be. She wouldn’t let them bully her now. Tomorrow, he’d go ask her if her goods had sold.

Li Xiu’e grew angrier the more she thought about it. Chunfu had clearly been normal all along, yet she’d played along with the charade, making a fool of her. Humiliated, she stormed over to Zhang Yan and began hitting him, yelling, “So you’ve been mute all this time, huh? You ungrateful brat! I gave birth to you, raised you, and this is how you repay us? If it weren’t for the law, I’d have smothered you long ago. If you’re so unhappy here, get out! Consider all those years of food wasted on a dog.”

Her blows were heavy—usually, she only hit his backside, but this time, she aimed for his head. Tears welled in Zhang Yan’s eyes as he looked pleadingly at his father, who merely frowned and scolded, “You’re not even grown, yet you’re already defiant. Can’t take a little criticism? Stop crying and suck it up!”

Dinner was ruined. Zhang Yan’s hair was a mess from Li Xiu’e’s pulling. His chest heaved with suppressed sobs—he was on the verge of exploding, but he had nowhere else to go. His aunt’s life was hard enough; he couldn’t burden her further. So he endured, as he had for years. He should be used to it by now.

His silence finally calmed Li Xiu’e. Panting, she sat down and began serving food, muttering, “You’re just like that Jicheng—a jinx. Ever since you were born, you’ve brought nothing but trouble. We spent all our savings on you and only paid off the debts the year before last. If I’d known you’d turn out so useless, I’d have let you die back then. What a waste of money.”

Chunmu had heard enough. Waving his hand, he said, “Enough. Let’s eat.”

Zhang Yan couldn’t stop his tears. He knew boys weren’t supposed to cry so much, but his heart felt like it had sunk to the bottom of a frozen lake—cold and hopeless. He clenched his fists, biting his lip until his father’s words shattered him completely: “Zhang Yan, I’m not dead yet. Why the mourning?”

And so, the celebration in Chunmu’s household passed amid curses and tears.

When Chunfu returned, Jicheng had already cut the noodles and ladled the meat broth over them. The dish looked inviting. Sitting under the tree, Chunfu watched Jicheng eat hungrily and gently reminded him, “Slow down. No one’s fighting you for it.”

Jicheng smiled. He was truly famished—he’d been working nonstop the past two days, afraid of missing deadlines, even skipping most of his lunch breaks. Between bites, he said, “Today, I took Brother Liansheng to meet the head foreman. He thought Liansheng looked honest and capable, so he hired him. Now I’ll have company on the way to work. But… I’m afraid your secret might not stay hidden much longer.”

To his surprise, Chunfu only laughed, eating her noodles delicately. After a moment, she said, “So what? I kept quiet to avoid trouble from jealous folks—we don’t have time for that. If they find out, we’ll handle it. There’s always a way.”

Jicheng frowned thoughtfully. “If anyone dares cause trouble, they’ll regret it. But I worry about you being alone at home. If anything happens, go straight to Liansheng’s wife. You’re so slight—I can’t help but worry. Eat more and build up your strength.”

Chunfu nodded. Thinking about her mountain trips, she sighed. “You’re so busy every day. I want to go up the mountain, but I don’t feel safe alone. Never mind—I’ll figure something out.”

“If it’s urgent, I’ll ask the foreman for a day off. We’ll go together and pick as much as you need.”

Though touched, Chunfu knew how much a day’s wages meant to them. She’d find another way—maybe make more frequent trips, sticking to the safer areas. What she didn’t expect was to run into Qiaoyun on the mountain.