Chapter 062

Chapter 062

On the afternoon of the twenty-seventh, the last twenty-odd spears in the Tong family's backyard were completed.

The workers were paid daily, and as they collected their copper coins from Zhou Qing, each one wore a satisfied smile.

"Aman's mother, do you still need these scraps? If not, I'll take some home for firewood. I've been running here every day recently and haven't had time to collect wood from the mountains."

Zhou Qing smiled and said, "Everyone, feel free to take what you need. It will help me clear space. Just leave some for us and Mr. Song."

Hearing this, the villagers only took what they could carry, not daring to bring carts from their homes.

After everyone left, Tong Sui said to Master Wang, "You've worked hard these past few days. Go rest with Little Master Wang. The second young master will be here tomorrow, and then we'll send you both to town."

Master Wang was indeed exhausted. He and his son packed up their tools and went to rest in the neighboring courtyard.

While others could rest, the Tongs still had work to do.

Tong Youyu carried the twenty-odd spears to an empty room on his nephew's side and did another count. Zhou Qing led her nephew and daughter to clean the backyard, putting the burnable scraps into the woodshed and sweeping the non-burnable shavings into a pile to be discarded later.

As they were busy, a loud voice came from the front gate: "Second Sister-in-law, we're here!"

Tong Sui walked to the main hall and looked south, seeing Xiao Zhen leading a donkey cart into the yard, followed by the tall and sturdy Xiao She.

Zhou Qing quietly asked her daughter, "Is that the fourth or which one?"

Apart from Xiao Zhen, Zhou Qing had only met the other three Xiao brothers once or twice. They all had strong, muscular builds and handsome faces. After such a long time, she wasn't entirely sure. She thought her son-in-law would bring his younger brother, the fourth, but the person before her didn't quite match her memory of Xiao Ye.

Tong Sui smiled and explained, "This is the fifth from the second uncle's side, the youngest one, Xiao She."

Zhou Qing accompanied her daughter to the front yard and continued, "Why didn't he bring the fourth one?"

Tong Sui, feeling a bit embarrassed, explained, "He said I'm most relaxed around Fifth Younger Brother."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing could imagine how reserved her daughter must be around Xiao San and Xiao Si, and she became even more pleased with her son-in-law.

Everyone gathered in the front yard.

As Xiao Zhen introduced his younger brother to his in-laws, Tong Sui noticed many things on the cart—rice, flour, two chickens, and even a bucket with two large live fish.

Zhou Qing scolded her son-in-law, "The last two times you came, you brought so much stuff—wine, meat, and now this. If you keep being so polite, you might as well not come anymore."

Xiao Zhen replied, "I caused so much trouble this month. If I didn't bring anything, I wouldn't have the face to come."

Tong Gui happily picked up a spear from the cart and interrupted them, "Second Young Master, what's this?"

Xiao Zhen smiled, "I promised to give you a real spear. This is it."

Tong Gui couldn't see anyone else, touching the meticulously crafted spear shaft and testing the sharp tip that gleamed in the sunlight. He had previously considered the seven hundred spears in the storeroom as treasures, but now, seeing the real iron-tipped spear, those wooden ones seemed insignificant.

Tong Youyu added, "By the way, all the spears are done. There are seven hundred and sixty-nine in total. Not many extras. Want to take a look?"

Xiao Zhen replied, "No rush. Let's help clean up the yard first."

With the addition of Xiao Zhen and Xiao She, the Tongs' front and back yards were quickly tidied up.

Master Wang and his son joined them to inspect the spears.

Tong Sui and her mother didn't join the crowd but started preparing dinner together.

To entertain her son-in-law, Zhou Qing opened the bag of rice he brought and decided to steam a meal. After a month of hard work, they deserved a good meal.

For the dishes, Zhou Qing told her daughter, "Let's eat both fish while they're fresh. We can also stew a chicken and stir-fry two plates of bok choy."

Considering the eight men, including the Song father and son, they needed extra vegetables to ensure there was enough food.

The stove for steaming rice burned with wood, so the mother and daughter took the fish and chicken to the river to prepare them.

Tong Sui was responsible for cleaning the fish.

Watching her daughter, Zhou Qing remarked, "Did you learn this at the Xiao family's?"

Tong Sui nodded, "Yes, his second aunt is excellent at cooking fish. It's delicious."

Zhou Qing observed her daughter's face and figure, smiling, "You've put on a little weight since your marriage. It shows that the food at the Xiao family's is better than ours."

Tong Sui paused and looked at her mother, "Is it that obvious?"

Zhou Qing replied, "A little. Don't worry; gaining weight is good. It means you're living well and blessed."

Tong Sui thought of Xiao Yuchan, who she had teased about gaining weight to encourage her to practice riding a donkey. If she gained weight like Xiao Yuchan in a year or two...

She glanced at her own clothes and couldn't imagine herself looking like that.

---

During dinner, Xiao Zhen said to Master Wang, "With so many spears, it would be hard to explain if someone saw us on the road. If you don't mind, let's leave tonight at midnight and unload the goods at our place before dawn. Then I'll take you back to town."

Master Wang and his son had stayed in Taohuagou for over twenty days and were eager to return. If it weren't for the distance and the tools, they would have left in the afternoon without waiting for Xiao Zhen.

"No problem. We can sleep in the cart anyway."

Xiao Zhen then turned to Tong Gui, "One donkey cart won't be enough. Could you ask Ah Gui to borrow another cart from the village and accompany us?"

Even wooden spears weighed four pounds each, making seven hundred spears weigh nearly three thousand pounds. Even if a donkey could barely pull that weight, Tong Sui would prefer to go along rather than let the donkey strain itself.

Sun Dian knew they were coming tonight to load the goods and wanted to bring a cart to help, but Xiao Zhen had come to Taohuagou to visit family. What reason did the Sun family have?

It made more sense for Taohuagou to provide the cart.

Tong Gui: "Sure, I'll go borrow one after dinner."

Song Zhishi stole a few glances at Tong Sui. When he first learned that she would be staying until the guns were finished, he was thrilled. But he didn't expect the Tong family's courtyard to be full of people during the day, leaving him with no excuse to approach Tong Sui. By the time the villagers left, it was already dark, and he had even less chance.

Song Lan discreetly stepped on her son's shoe under the table.

Song Zhishi had no choice but to focus on eating.

Since the fish and chicken on the table were brought by Xiao Zhen, Song Zhishi, with great integrity, did not touch the meat and only ate the cabbage grown in the Tong family's backyard.

Tong Youyu urged him twice, "Zhishi, eat some meat. Why are you being so polite with us?"

Song Zhishi: "..."

Xiao Zhen, as a son-in-law, didn't need to entertain guests. He first placed a chicken leg on his brother-in-law Tong Shan's plate and then picked a piece of fish with fewer bones and put it into Tong Sui's bowl.

Tong Sui blushed instantly.

Master Wang chuckled, "No worries, we're all familiar now. A man should cherish his wife, especially in front of his in-laws."

Xiao She immediately vouched for his second brother, "Second Brother also cherishes Second Sister-in-law at home; he often helps her carry the slop bucket!"

Xiao Zhen: "Eat your food."

Xiao She: "..."

Look, Second Brother treats him completely differently from how he treats Second Sister-in-law!

Everyone at the table laughed, except for Song Zhishi, who felt a sour taste in his mouth.

---

As night fell, Master Wang and his son, along with the Song family, returned to their house next door. Tong Gui also borrowed a mule cart.

Tonight, Xiao She slept in the same room as Tong Gui.

In the main room's west chamber, Xiao Zhen closed the three large windows and then lifted the blanket off his young wife, covering her like a mountain.

Tong Sui: "Aren't we leaving in the middle of the night?"

Xiao Zhen looked into her eyes, "If you don't give me what I want now, I'll be thinking about it until morning."

Tong Sui: "..."

She shouldn't have asked.

The last time Xiao Zhen came to Taohuagou, Tong Sui was menstruating, and they hadn't been together for nearly two weeks since then.

Tong Sui's sweat came and went, and he entangled her twice before they could finally sleep. But her throat was parched.

She tossed and turned several times.

Xiao Zhen: "What's wrong?"

The girl in his arms spoke hoarsely, "Thirsty."

Xiao Zhen got up immediately.

There was no water in the room, so he sneaked into the main hall and filled a large bowl from the cupboard, then returned to the west chamber.

Tong Sui, drowsy, crawled to the edge of the bed, supporting herself with one hand while reaching for the bowl. Xiao Zhen said, "Just drink."

Tong Sui gulped down half the bowl in one go, her hair falling loose. Xiao Zhen used his other hand to push it away for her.

After drinking enough, Tong Sui lay back down. When Xiao Zhen returned, she had already fallen asleep.

There was still more than an hour until midnight.

Xiao Zhen dozed for a bit, then dressed without disturbing his in-laws. He woke up Tong Gui and Xiao She in the side room, and the three of them quietly hitched the mule cart and began loading the guns.

Tong Youyu heard the commotion and came out to help. Zhou Qing also woke up, but there was nothing for her to do outside, so she went to the west chamber. She expected her daughter to be awake, but instead found the little girl still lying in bed, covered warmly, with only her peaceful face visible.

Zhou Qing's heart melted. No matter whether her daughter was eighteen or eight, she always saw her the same way.

She gently nudged her daughter's shoulder.

Tong Sui was sleeping soundly and thought Xiao Zhen was coming again, instinctively pulling the blanket tighter around her head, "No more."

Zhou Qing: "..."

It was understandable for newlyweds to be intimate, but the cart was loaded quickly, and Zhou Qing reluctantly woke her daughter up.

Tong Sui forced herself to get dressed.

Zhou Qing: "Come, let me comb your hair."

Tong Sui sat on a stool, leaning against her mother with her eyes closed.

Zhou Qing couldn't bear it, "This time, you probably won't come back until Mid-Autumn Festival, right?"

The Dragon Boat Festival coincided with wheat harvesting, and her daughter had only stayed home for half a month. Even if her daughter wanted to return for the Dragon Boat Festival, Zhou Qing would have to discourage her. The other two young wives in the Xiao family had lost their parents, and frequent visits by her daughter might upset them.

Tong Sui suddenly became alert.

The wheat harvest in Lingshui Village was uncertain, and Mid-Autumn Festival was too far away.

She couldn't worry her family, so she couldn't say anything. Tong Sui turned and hugged her mother tightly.

Zhou Qing thought her daughter was just being playful and smiled. "Alright, alright. Seeing how good your husband is to you, I don't even miss you that much. I should focus on finding a wife for your second brother."

Suddenly, Tong Youyu's voice came from outside the window. "Has Aman gotten up yet? Hurry up; we need to go call Master Wang and the others."

Tong Sui couldn't delay any longer. She quickly packed their belongings and left with her mother.

The wooden guns on both carts were wrapped in old curtain cloths, with a space left on one side of the cart boards for someone to lie down.

Master Wang and his son lay on the cart driven by Tong Gui.

The other cart was driven by Xiao She, while Xiao Zhen sat cross-legged. After leaving Taohuagou, he gently laid the reserved girl down, letting her rest her head on his lap to sleep.

Tong Sui still wanted to look ahead at the first cart.

Xiao Zhen said, "Master Wang and the others are asleep. Ah Gui is focused on driving and won't look back at you."

Xiao She added earnestly, "Second Sister-in-Law, feel free to sleep. I promise not to look back!"

His loud voice made the three people in the front cart laugh.

Tong Sui was indeed tired. With the two carts moving one after the other and the surroundings dark, she settled down comfortably.

But she didn't fall asleep right away. With her eyes open, she saw the sky filled with countless stars, with a dense and dazzling Milky Way running through them.

In the past few years when they fled into the mountains to escape trouble, sometimes when she couldn't sleep, Tong Sui would see such a sky.

In the mountains, there were crickets chirping and the faint sounds of unknown creatures passing by. Now, as the mule carts moved slowly along the quiet, flat dirt road, there were no insect sounds, only the steady hooves of the two large black mules and the creaking of the wheels on the road.

"Sleep."

A long, broad hand came down and covered her eyes.