Chapter 108

Chapter 108

Sui Yu had forgotten to buy pork bones, so there was no need to make soup. She extinguished the fires in both stoves, and they locked the door and headed home.

As soon as they entered the military settlement, snow began to fall. Sui Yu took a deep breath of the cold air and turned to Tong Huaer, saying, "I expect few people will come out for breakfast tomorrow. We can go a bit later, and you can sleep in a little longer."

Tong Huaer nodded in agreement.

But the next morning, just as the night's darkness faded, she came knocking on the door through the snow.

Zhao Xiping opened the door and whispered, "They're still in bed. Go into the kitchen and warm up by the fire."

Tong Huaer nodded lightly, walked into the kitchen, sat down in front of the stove, and started the fire without much conversation with Zhao Xiping.

Zhao Xiping stood in the kitchen for a moment, then left to feed the camels and sheep. Finding it awkward to be in the kitchen without talking, he decided to clean the animal pens after feeding the livestock.

"Leaving late today," Dongzi’s Father said loudly as he carried a jar inside. "I saw smoke coming from your chimney when I went to fetch firewood, so I thought someone was home. I’ll bring the ashes over first. Do you need more radishes? I’m delivering two baskets to the shop today."

"There are a few more shovelfuls of pig manure to clear," Zhao Xiping replied.

Dongzi’s Father was about to enter the kitchen to warm up but paused when he saw that the person tending the fire wasn’t Sui Yu. He turned and looked into the animal pen instead.

"Wow, your pig is quite fat, must weigh around two hundred catties," Dongzi’s Father called out, noticing it was a sow. He pondered, "You’ve been raising it for two years, right? Hasn’t had any piglets yet?"

Zhao Xiping glanced at the pig disdainfully. It had grown fat but hadn’t done its job.

"No piglets, never seen it in heat. All it does is eat and sleep. Even when we take it outside, it just sleeps," Zhao Xiping said, carrying out a basket of manure. "I wonder if it will come into heat by spring."

"Maybe it hasn’t seen a boar?" Dongzi’s Father asked, looking into the pen again. "When it has piglets, I’ll pick one to raise."

Zhao Xiping waved his hand. "It’s not my pig; ask Boss Sui."

Dongzi’s Father laughed heartily. "That’s funny." He looked inside and said, "Is Boss Sui here? I thought she’d already gone to the shop." Then he lowered his voice, "Who’s sitting by the stove? Don’t get any ideas."

Zhao Xiping gave him an annoyed elbow.

Sui Yu opened the door and greeted Dongzi’s Father, then quickly ran into the warm kitchen.

Zhao Xiping waited for her to wash her face before washing his hands. He shouted toward the room, "Get up, the food is ready."

"We’re already up," Zhao Xiaomi called back, her voice raised. Hearing movement next door, she started getting dressed but was too slow. She knew that as long as her sister-in-law stayed in bed, she could stay in bed too. But once her sister-in-law got up, the other heartless person would start nagging.

Dongzi’s Father collected his payment and left, and Sui Yu and the others began eating.

After the meal, they trudged through the snow to prepare for the midday business at the shop.

Just as business was picking up, Dongzi’s Father brought someone over. Seeing Zhao Xiping was absent, he called out to Sui Yu, "Your brother-in-law is here."

"Second Brother?" Sui Yu was shocked. She put down her bowl and hurriedly led him inside to warm up by the fire.

"Second Brother, why did you come now?" Zhao Xiaomi was surprised and frightened. She gave him a bowl of noodle soup and anxiously asked, "Did something happen at home?"

Her second brother was too cold to speak, shaking his head slightly and sitting silently by the stove with the bowl in his hands.

"Let Second Brother warm up first," Sui Yu said.

With customers waiting, Zhao Xiaomi couldn’t ask further and focused on serving them.

Zhao Xiping returned from deliveries and handed Sui Yu a handful of copper coins. "Two families have ordered soup noodles for tonight—one order for three bowls, another for one bowl. Write four wooden markers for me; I’ll deliver them later."

Sui Yu pointed to the stove. "Second Brother is here."

Her second brother had warmed up and continued drinking his noodle soup, giving Zhao Xiping a stern look.

Zhao Xiping, knowing nothing bad had happened at home, guessed the reason for his visit—likely about him and Xiaomi. He picked up the food boxes and rushed off to deliver the meals.

An hour of busy work passed, and after delivering all the orders, Qin Dashun counted the returned bowls and utensils, settled the wages, and left quickly.

Some customers lingered in the shop after their meals. Tong Huaer cleared the tables and, passing Sui Yu, whispered, "Should I stay here and watch the shop while you talk?"

Sui Yu looked at Zhao Xiping, who waved his hand. "Go ahead with your work. I’ll talk with Second Brother."

Her second brother finished the last bite of his noodle soup and glared at the third brother, asking angrily, "Why didn’t you send word when you came back?"

Zhao Xiping remained silent, acknowledging his oversight.

"And you," he grabbed a stick and hit Zhao Xiaomi, "you left home without a word. Have you forgotten your parents?"

Zhao Xiaomi stood still, accepting the blows, knowing she was at fault.

Sui Yu and Sui Liang exchanged worried glances, neither daring to speak.

"No news is good news. We were planning to return for the New Year," Zhao Xiping finally spoke. "We always go back for the New Year, so I assumed you knew. But why did you come in this cold weather? You should have sent word."

Her second brother looked at Zhao Xiaomi and said, "Mother wants me to take her back."

"I won’t go back," Zhao Xiaomi defiantly said, raising her chin. "I won’t go back."

Her second brother ignored her and looked at Zhao Xiping.

Zhao Xiping frowned. "So soon? The New Year is only a month away. When the weather improves, I’ll take her back with me."

Her second brother nodded. "It snowed again last night, and it looks like it will continue. I can’t leave now. I told the family not to expect any more news."

With matters settled, Sui Yu saw no further involvement and left with a pocket full of copper coins. "I’ll buy tofu and bones. You carry on with your tasks."

Sui Liang noticed her signal and followed her out.

"You’ve been sleeping with your brother-in-law’s second brother recently. There are only two rooms in the house, and you’re a boy, so you have to squeeze in," Sui Yu said.

Sui Liang had no objections. He considerately said, "It's warmer with more people sleeping together."

Sui Yu patted his hair and led him to the street to buy some candy from a Hu merchant's shop to sweeten his mouth.

When the evening guests arrived, Second Brother Zhao saw that everyone was busy, so he decided to help by wiping tables, collecting dishes, and washing them, as standing around idle would only be in the way.

They worked until nightfall, after all the guests had left. Sui Yu took out bones to make soup, while Sui Liang was responsible for tending the fire. Sui Yu and Zhao Xiping were busy mixing flour with wine lees, kneading dough. Zhao Xiaomi and Tong Huaer were tasked with washing dishes and cleaning tables and chairs. Second Brother Zhao couldn't find anything to do, so he silently sat down beside the oil lamp. After observing for a while, he understood that it was likely Sui Yu's idea to run the business. The shop was well-organized, and the business was thriving. Xiaomi was full of enthusiasm, which explained why she didn't want to go back.

After finishing all the chores, they closed the shop and started walking back. It had started snowing again, making the night path slippery. The six of them walked cautiously through the cold wind.

As usual, they first sent Tong Huaer home, waiting until she entered her house before Sui Yu and Zhao Xiping continued on their way.

Zhao Xiaomi and Sui Liang had already gone ahead to open the door. Second Brother Zhao carried in the ashes and kitchen waste, put them down, and then went next door to lead the camel from the Qin family.

Qin Dashun leaned against the door to block the wind, waiting for Sui Yu and Zhao Xiping to approach. He whispered, "Do you still need me tomorrow?"

"Of course, do you have something else?" Sui Yu asked.

"No, no, I don't," Qin Dashun smiled. "I just thought your in-laws might be enough help now that they're here."

Sui Yu had no intention of involving her in-laws in her business; at most, she would include Zhao Xiaomi.

"You're overthinking it. As long as you're not fired, come as usual," Sui Yu said, heading towards her house. "It's freezing, let's go inside."

Hearing the neighboring gate being locked, Qin Dashun also closed his wooden door and went inside.

In the kitchen, Second Brother Zhao was talking to Zhao Xiaomi. Passing by, Sui Yu overheard and instructed Zhao Xiping to feed the pigs. She didn't enter the kitchen but went straight to the main room with the money box to count the earnings.

Business was good on snowy days, with many delivery orders. Sui Yu quickly strung copper coins, each string representing one thousand cash. Once a string was complete, she tied it and threw it into the wooden box. The money box was almost full again, but she didn't plan to exchange it for silver. These funds would be perfect for paying taxes at year-end.

"The foot-washing water is ready," Zhao Xiping came in with a basin of hot water. Seeing the scattered coins on the table, he asked, "Still counting?"

Sui Yu nodded, counted another twenty coins to make a round number, and then washed her hands and face.

"Is Second Brother here mainly to take Xiaomi back? Is there something specific? Or do her parents not want her staying here?" she whispered.

"A matchmaker came, and her parents want to find her a husband, so Second Brother came to bring her back," Zhao Xiping whispered back, gesturing towards the next room. "Xiaomi cried and refused to go back."

Sui Yu wanted to say that Xiaomi was young and didn't need to rush into marriage, but considering she was her sister-in-law and not her own sister, and that Xiaomi had parents, it wasn't her place to speak up. She swallowed her words.

"I'm seven years older than Xiaomi. When I left home, she was only eight, about the same age as Sui Liang. Now she's old enough to marry," Zhao Xiping sighed. "Time flies."

"Let her stay a couple more years if the marriage isn't settled. Being a girl is carefree, but once married, she'll have to worry and work hard," Sui Yu added softly.

The water had cooled down, so she lifted her foot, signaling him to get a towel to dry it.

Zhao Xiping chuckled coldly, rubbing her foot roughly, causing Sui Yu to kick him. She complained, "The towel is too rough, it hurts."

"This is what you call worrying and working hard?" he slapped her foot, mocking her. "What kind of complaint is this? You get your feet washed in bed and your feet warmed in bed. If you itch at night, I scratch them for you. And this isn't enough?"

Sui Yu laughed heartily but insisted, "It's still worrying and working hard. I cook, right? I run the business, right? Early out, late in, where is it not tiring?"

"I'm not idle either. I get up early to cook and bring you foot-washing water at night," Zhao Xiping lifted her and placed her on the bed, continuing to nag. "You only had to suffer when you first married me. I remember you told me on your first day that you could wash clothes and cook for me, clean the house. Now, when I'm home, I take care of the livestock, clean the pigsty, sheep pen, and camel pen. All the dirty and smelly work is mine..."

Sui Yu covered his mouth, surrendering, "You have quite a grudge."

"It's not a grudge, it's injustice," Zhao Xiping huffed, imitating her tone. "Being someone's wife means worrying and working hard? Am I unjustly treated?"

"Unjust, unjust, unjust!" Sui Yu laughed uncontrollably, correcting herself. "Being your wife is a blessing. I spoke wrongly."

Zhao Xiping felt guilty. Sui Yu following him wasn't exactly a blessing, with all the farming and earning. But he rationalized that even without him, she'd still have to farm and work hard with any other man.

"Xiaomi's situation is different. She has parents and siblings. Why rush into marriage when she can enjoy being a girl? If she marries someone like you who cares, she can sleep in longer. If she marries someone who doesn't care, she'll have to wake up early to cook for the whole family," Sui Yu undressed and climbed into bed, shivering in the cold. She curled up, saying, "Xiaomi is mature and has her own ideas. Talk to her more, don't just threaten or scold her."

Zhao Xiping had no interest in talking to Xiaomi and didn't know what to say. After washing his feet, he went to sleep.

But seeing Xiaomi's swollen eyes and gloomy face the next morning, he felt a twinge of guilt and promised, "When we get back, I'll talk to our parents. If you don't want to marry yet, wait another year or two. Don't cry, it's ugly."

Hearing this, Zhao Xiaomi immediately brightened up. She enthusiastically massaged her brother's shoulders, flatteringly saying, "Third Brother, you're the best. No wonder my beautiful sister-in-law chose you. You deserve such good fortune."

Zhao Xiping was satisfied with her words and warned, "Back home, don't mention your sister-in-law's business or how much money she makes."

He wasn't worried about his parents taking advantage but knew they loved to show off and meddle. He feared relatives might ask them to send younger family members to work in the shop.

"Don't worry, Third Brother, I won't say anything," Zhao Xiaomi assured him, whispering, "What about Second Brother?"

Zhao Xiping had asked his Second Brother to help with the livestock and gather firewood when it wasn't snowing, paying him wages but keeping him out of the shop's affairs.