Chapter 50

Chapter 50

After trying on the new clothes, Pei Yan opened his chest to retrieve clean old garments. The new attire was valuable; he'd need to put them away before going out to work in the fields.

"Go ahead and change. I'll wash the dishes," Gu Lan said, not lingering in the room.

Despite sharing the same bed at night and being accustomed to seeing each other undress, as they both wore undergarments, it wasn't a big deal. Normally, they would turn their backs on each other when changing their inner clothing, so Pei Yan certainly didn't feel comfortable watching.

Lost in the joy of his new attire, Pei Yan carefully folded the freshly removed clothes, smoothing out even the slightest crease, before placing them back into the chest.

He dug through the pile of dirty clothes on the chair to find his small purse. Opening it, he revealed the ten copper coins he had earned that day. He had loaded two cargo ships, but that was all the pay he received.

Placing the coins on the table, he stepped outside and stood by the kitchen door. "I'm going to gather grass."

It was still daylight, and with livestock at home that ate grass, fresh or dried, the more the better. In case it rained the following day, it wouldn't be good for the animals to eat wet grass. Stocking up a little couldn't hurt.

Gu Lan replied, "Alright, go ahead."

Pei Yan didn't immediately move, adding, "Today's wages are on the table, ten coins."

Gu Lan placed the freshly washed chopsticks into the bamboo holder, then, upon hearing this, lifted his head and said, "I'll put them away later. Oh, right, since you're free now and have gathered some grass, would you like to go to Zhou Village to buy a clay stove?"

Pei Yan nods. "Alright, I'll gather a basketful as soon as possible."

Upon his departure, Gu Lan finished scrubbing the pot, added firewood to the hearth to boil the water used for cleaning, prepared a basin of bran for the piglets by diluting it with cool water to the right temperature, and then carried it to the backyard to feed the pigs.

Within a temporary fence made of hedgerows was a wooden feeding trough, crafted by Pei Yan himself. Though not as meticulously made as one from a carpenter, it served its purpose just fine.

While the piglet was busy eating and drinking, he fetched wooden planks and a chopper to cut the grass. The piglet was still small and didn't eat as much as its mother. He poured the chopped grass into the feeding trough, some of which landed on the piglet's head. Unperturbed, the piglet kept its head down, snuffling and feeding contentedly.

Gu Lan Shi laid down the wooden plank and ax, reassured by its sturdy condition. After washing his hands, he entered the room to find the copper coins on the table. From beneath the bedding, he retrieved a plain, unadorned money pouch, which contained all the wages Pei Yan had earned in recent days.

Both of them were illiterate, but they could still keep track of their daily earnings. Earning a living was no easy feat; lately, business at the dock had been slow. The most they had made in a single day was fifty copper coins, while on other occasions, it was only ten or twenty.

Gu Lan Shi poured out the coins to count them. Including today's earnings, they amounted to one hundred and five copper coins. A clay stove cost fifteen coins; thus, he counted out fifteen and set them aside, leaving him with ninety. Recalling that he had previously taken three coins from the string, he picked out another three from the pile.

Buried beneath the bedding trunk, he found a string of coins tied with hemp rope. He threaded the three coins onto it. The weight of one hundred coins felt substantial, and a smile spread across his face. Now, everything was in neat denominations.

The six taels and three catties of silver fragments in the chest should remain untouched unless absolutely necessary. Gradually, it would accumulate through the accumulation of one hundred copper coins at a time.

Gu Lan Shi placed the string of coins back to the bottom of the chest. There were still eighty-seven copper coins left outside, which he put into his money pouch and stuffed back under the mattress. This way, he could easily retrieve them for purchases.

When Pei Yan returned with a basket of grass, Gu Lan Shi, thinking he had nothing else to do, decided to take a stroll with him. Coincidentally, his eldest sister was in Zhou Village; he could drop by to chat casually.

During the day, they were each occupied with their own tasks and rarely walked together. Pei Yan deliberately slowed down his pace.

Passing by their doorstep, Gu Lan Shi glanced inside and called out with a smile, "Mother."

Miao Qiulian was fetching water under the trellis of gourds. Upon hearing his voice, she came out of the wooden structure and asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to buy a stove," replied Gu Lan Shi without entering the house. It was already late in the day, so even with Pei Yan accompanying him, it was better to return early.

Seeing that it was just a casual errand, Miao Qiulian waved her hand and said, "Alright, go quickly, both of you."

On their way, they encountered a few villagers. Gu Lan Shi addressed them as uncles, aunts, and grandmothers. Knowing that Pei Yan was not talkative, he had previously ignored people. However, for their future life, they couldn't afford to be disconnected from their fellow villagers. Gu Lan Shi felt uncertain but still turned to signal with his eyes for Pei Yan to greet them.

Fortunately, Pei Yan wasn't as stubborn as Gu Lan Shi had imagined. Following behind, he called out, leaving these villagers with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Gu Lan Shi was inwardly delighted and didn't bother to explain further to outsiders. He wore a smile throughout the journey until he saw the Pei family's gate.

Pei Yan's eyes drooped slightly, his expression colder than before. Gu Lan Shi secretly glanced at him but remained silent. Fortunately, it was dark, and no one from the Pei family came out. They didn't hear any sounds from within the courtyard either.

The two walked straight ahead, their gazes fixed. Gu Lan Shi, who often stayed in the back mountain, wasn't aware of the recent happenings in the Pei family. However, Pei Yan, who accompanied Gu Lan Sheng and Gu Lan He to the dock daily, had occasionally heard snippets of village gossip along the way.

Ye Jinrong, who had once held sway at home, was now constantly scolded by her daughter-in-law, Fang Yun, without daring to retaliate.

For Fang Yun, her husband had first been crippled, and now he had lost two fingers, making even holding chopsticks difficult. How could she not hate this turn of events?

When she married into the family, Pei Sheng was strong and healthy, and they didn't have to live on meager rations. There was hope for a better future. But suddenly, everything changed, and she found it hard to accept. It felt as if all prospects for her life were gone, leaving her wondering how she could continue living.

Fortunately, she still had two sons, which brought some hope to her heart.

She hated Ye Jinrong with every fiber of her being. Even with a limp, he could still weave bamboo baskets and mats, contributing to the household. But after losing his fingers, Pei Sheng seemed to lose his spirit, spending his days in a daze, like an old man on the brink of death, devoid of vitality.

No one willingly chooses widowhood. Fang Yun still had feelings for Pei Sheng and wanted their sons to have a father. So, she borrowed money from her parents to buy medicine for him. In recent days, he had finally shown some signs of improvement.

After his leg was broken, Pei Sheng dared not provoke Pei Yan. Yet, Ye Jinrong's restless actions brought retribution upon him, stirring up resentment and anger within him.

To have a better future, he needed his two sons to grow up first. The family must stay united, especially since he was physically impaired and unable to take action. Each day, he could only watch Ye Jinrong's resentful expression and occasionally endure her scolding.

In Ye Jinrong's heart, she knew she was at fault. If not for her actions, their family could have still managed. Now, not only were they in debt, but everyone in the family despised her, even the two grandsons who joined Fang Yun in blaming her for harming their father.

At night, as she gazed at Pei Xingwang lying on the bed, half-dead but not quite, merely a burden to others, her spirit gradually waned. Her hair turned gray and brittle, and her posture stooped with weariness.

Exiting the village, Pei Yan lifted his gaze forward. He recalled his childhood when he finally had a bowl of food, only for it to be smashed by Pei Sheng, who then lied to Ye Jinrong, saying he had done it himself.

Dishes were cherished possessions in every household, and upon seeing the broken bowl, which couldn't be mended, Ye Jinrong flew into a rage, beating him fiercely and withholding food from him for two days. Starving, he resorted to scavenging for sustenance in the woods and soil during his wood-gathering trips.

The specifics of what he ate were long forgotten, but the searing hunger in his belly and the bloating sensation from drinking water remained etched in his memory. Desperate with hunger, he snuck into the kitchen one night and devoured a coarse bread loaf, nearly choking in his haste.

Joining the military camp later allowed him access to meals, but the blades and swords were ruthless, and injuries were commonplace.

His hatred for Pei Sheng reached its peak when he was severely wounded and almost died. A deep gash across his chest left him among many casualties in that battle. The overwhelmed military doctor couldn't provide adequate care, and with the hot weather, the wound festered, attracting flies.

Winter brought northern winds as sharp as knives, bitter cold, and harsh rain, never an easy time. He understood Pei Sheng's temperament all too well; had he truly gone to that battlefield, he wouldn't have survived. Yet, these sufferings were originally meant for Pei Sheng to endure.

"As we pass by Sister Yu's place later, why don't you get the stove while I drop by for a quick visit? I'll ask her to give me two salted duck eggs. Her mother-in-law's eggs are absolutely delicious. You should try them too."

Upon hearing Gu Lan's words, Pei Yan ceased dwelling on his troublesome memories. He was now married and no longer needed to confront the Pei family. The resentment in his chest dissipated, and his expression visibly relaxed as he replied affirmatively.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, and a gentle lavender twilight seemed to weave a dreamlike tapestry across the sky, blending with the fleeting clouds at the edge of the world.

A breeze stirs, and the wheat field undulates with a sea of emerald.

Pei Yan cast a glance at the man walking beside him. Compared to himself, Gu Lan was of average height, with slender limbs, yet he never complained about exhaustion when working.

Restlessness subsided, replaced by a sense of grounded resolve. He gazed at the distant village and realized that dwelling on right and wrong, debts of gratitude, and enmities were less important than earning more money so that Gu Lan and Lan Shi wouldn't have to endure hardships anymore.