Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Old Mrs. Zhang continued, "This is bad enough, but it doesn’t stop there. At least we know the child is a good one, but it’s just that Song Daniang’s foster son is truly not a good person and has deceived her."

Lin Chunyan listened attentively and heard Mrs. Zhang go on, "But her mother is no easier to deal with. When the scandal broke, fearing that her daughter wouldn’t be able to marry off, she decided to marry her to a wealthy out-of-town merchant as a concubine."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong both stood up at once. "How could this be? At her tender age, even if she can’t find someone perfect, it’s unthinkable for her to become a concubine."

The difference between a concubine and a formal wife is like night and day. A formal wife could sell a concubine or send her away like an object, with no say in the matter.

Mrs. Zhang nodded. "It’s truly tragic to have such parents."

Second Aunt Lin was equally worried about this. She hadn’t slept a wink the previous night, feeling that her family had wronged Shuangjie. Initially, she blamed Erlang as well, but when she saw the dark circles under his eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything more and simply went back to her natal family.

When she got home, her second brother hadn’t returned yet, and Shuangjie was nowhere to be found. When she asked, she found out that the girl had already been sold off.

The merchant had come by boat and only stayed for a day. Second Aunt Lin fell to the floor, her finger shaking as she pointed at her second sister-in-law. "Are you even a mother? How could you sell her off without considering what life she’ll have as a concubine?"

Wu Ersao, with a somber expression, replied, "I’ve genuinely been planning for Shuangjie’s future. The merchant is young and doesn’t have a wife. Shuangjie could manage his household, which is a far better fate than marrying some peasant."

They were determined to chase after a wealthy future. Whether it was Erlang or Song Daniang’s foster son, if they had no money, Wu Ersao wouldn’t spare them a second thought.

Second Aunt Lin took a deep breath, her anger rising, but when she thought of how good Shuangjie was and that she didn’t know where she was, her eyes welled up. She forcefully yanked at Wu Ersao’s hair.

Wu Ersao thought Second Aunt Lin was being unreasonable. "Although you are a respected aunt in the family, you have no right to interfere. Do you still see me as your second sister-in-law? Besides, Shuangjie agreed to go with him willingly."

Wu Ersao then covered her face and started crying. "Do you think I wanted to send her away? It’s hard for me too, knowing we’ll rarely see each other. But now the entire village knows what happened. Your Erlang didn’t marry her, so what was she supposed to do? The rumors have gotten so bad that some even say she’s pregnant. If this continues, we’ll have no choice but to hang ourselves."

Second Aunt Lin remained unmoved. "Even so, you shouldn’t have so rashly sold her off to that merchant. If we can’t find anyone suitable nearby, we could look further, in the county or the city. There are plenty of decent people there, but they just don’t meet your standards."

After crying for a while, Wu Ersao’s eyes were redder than Second Aunt Lin’s. She said with a hoarse voice, "Given Shuangjie’s beauty, are you suggesting she should marry a peasant? As her aunt, would you be content with that?"

Second Aunt Lin spat in disgust. "We all come from farming backgrounds. As long as the heavens bless us with good weather, we can all have enough to eat. What more can we ask for?"

Wu Ersao waved her hand weakly, unable to make Second Aunt Lin understand. She told her to come around less. "If Erlang had agreed to marry Shuangjie, none of this would have happened. Don’t pretend to be a good person now. If it weren’t for that merchant, the two of us would have already hanged ourselves."

Frustrated, Second Aunt Lin had no way to deal with her second sister-in-law and returned home dejectedly, unable to find peace of mind.

Both Mrs. Zhang and Madam Sun took turns comforting her. "It’s too late to change what’s been done. The best you can do now is take care of yourself. Try to find out who the merchant is and see if we can get him to marry Shuangjie properly as a wife."

Upon hearing this, Second Aunt Lin had a revelation but didn’t know who to ask. Lin Chunyan suggested first finding out more about the merchant, including where he was from and his name, and then asking the escort agency for help. They might be able to find out something.

Second Aunt Lin wiped her face, thinking this was a good plan. Instead of confronting her second sister-in-law again, she sought details from two other sisters-in-law in her natal family and then went with Lin Chunyan to the escort agency.

On the way, she couldn’t help but say, "While I blame my second sister-in-law, she does have a point. The rumors are so awful that they probably had no choice but to resort to this."

Lin Chunyan sighed and comforted Second Aunt Lin, saying that Shuangjie’s mother was somewhat similar to Xinghua’s mother but also different.

Both wanted a better life, having been terrified by poverty. It was girls like Xinghua and Shuangjie who suffered the most from these circumstances.

Unfortunately, many people thought this way.

Lin Chunyan was familiar with the escort agency and felt at ease. She greeted them and explained their purpose. "I’m not sure if you handle such tasks, but we need to find out about this girl from our family."

Sun Anyuan thought for a moment and nodded. "The place isn’t far from us, and it’ll be easy to find out. We haven’t been busy lately, so we can help with this."

Second Aunt Lin immediately asked about the price. "Whatever the cost, please don’t charge us less. We wouldn’t want to feel guilty."

Sun Anyuan quoted a number, and Second Aunt Lin realized he had charged them much less. She felt uneasy and glanced at Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan looked at Aunt Lin soothingly and, after thinking for a moment, said, "Since that's the case, we'll acknowledge your favor. When the time comes, I'll send over two extra jars of wine."

Da Zhuang and Hu Zi, who were standing behind, immediately broke into happy smiles. "That couldn't be better. We'll definitely get everything cleared up for you."

Lin Chunyan then returned with Aunt Lin. On the way back, Aunt Lin said, "No matter what, as her aunt, I've done my part. It's just that our Erlang doesn't have the fortune to marry such a good young woman."

Be that as it may, the adopted son of Lady Song absolutely cannot be let off the hook.

If he hadn't been spreading those baseless rumors, Shuangjie wouldn't have been so affected by the gossip.

When Lin Chunyan returned to the shop, she saw that Mrs. Zhang wasn't sitting there cracking sunflower seeds. Instead, she was holding some yarn, attempting to knit a jumper. However, her movements were clumsy, and the yarn had become a tangled ball, completely unruly. Seeing this, Lin Chunyan couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Hearing the laughter, Mrs. Zhang realized she had returned and asked about the situation. Learning that the escort agency would handle the matter, she breathed a sigh of relief and handed the yarn to Lin Chunyan. "How do you work this thing? It just won't cooperate in my hands."

Lin Chunyan explained again, "You should ask Third Auntie for advice. I only know this one method."

"This will do, as long as I can knit something," Mrs. Zhang replied.

After this, Mrs. Zhang asked Lin Chunyan, "Xuetuan has a lot of fur, and it's quite white. Can that be used for knitting?"

Lin Chunyan, clutching her stomach, couldn't stop laughing. Mrs. Zhang looked at her, puzzled. "What's so funny? I'm seriously asking. Xuetuan has been shedding so much fur recently, it’s almost like sheep wool. If it can be used for knitting, I’ll shave all his fur off."

After laughing her fill, Lin Chunyan said, "Mother, you usually treasure Xuetuan so much. If someone criticizes him, you get upset. How can you bear to shave him now?"

Mrs. Zhang looked completely justified. "Shaving his fur won’t make him uncomfortable, and he might even feel cooler. Sheep live just fine after being shorn, so what's the issue?"

Lin Chunyan replied, "I've never heard of using cat fur for knitting. It probably can't be done. Don't just shave him on a whim, or Xuetuan might get upset and refuse to let you hold him again."

Upon thinking about Snowball's disinterested, doesn't-like-to-pay-attention-to-people look, Mrs. Zhang lost interest in the idea and remarked, "They’re all so hard to please, even the cat."

Mrs. Zhang sat down and continued to figure out how to knit the sweater. She was still concerned about saving up for the dowry. Shuangjie's situation reminded her that she had to prepare her two young girls at home well, ensuring they had thick enough dowries so no one would dare look down on them, and they could live comfortably in the future.

Lin Chunyan assumed Mrs. Zhang was just knitting for fun. In the afternoon, when she finished cooking and came out, she saw Mrs. Zhang still there, knitting. Perhaps from bending over too long, her neck and shoulders were stiff, and she shook herself to relieve the tension.

Lin Chunyan walked over and gave her a couple of shoulder rubs, advising her to stop knitting. "Even if you want to wear it, it’s still half a year until late autumn."

Lin Taohong, who had been serving food to the messenger for a long time, felt exhausted. At that moment, she sprawled on a chair, sipping her drink, and said, "Big Sister, don't bother with her. She knits for three days and rests for two. Once she gets bored, she'll stop altogether."

Mrs. Zhang shot her a sideways glance and told her to clean up the sunflower seed shells. "There’s food everywhere! How many times have I taught you? Is this how you should eat?"

Lin Taohong tidied up the shells and deliberately mimicked Mrs. Zhang's usual way of eating sunflower seeds, making a show of it for Lin Chunyan to see. "Big Sis, do you think I'm doing it right? I’m just doing what she does! She eats like this herself."

Lin Taohong pulled Lin Chunyan over to watch, and even Mrs. Zhang couldn't help but glance that way. Seeing Lin Taohong's strange and funny imitation, Mrs. Zhang widened her eyes, put the knitting down on the table, and prepared to stand up to chase her.

Spotting this, Lin Taohong quickly ran to the backyard, her earlier tiredness forgotten.

Just then, Mrs. Song came in from outside. Seeing the two of them, she couldn't help but laugh. "If you two don’t spar for a while, you get restless, huh?"

Lin Chunyan, standing by the counter, bent over in laughter, echoing Mrs. Song's words. "They can’t be apart for even half a day without starting to miss each other. It’s really something."

Mrs. Song, seeing the good relationship between the three, felt a strong sense of envy. Thinking of her own Juan'er, who had once been just as close to her, Mrs. Song felt a mix of emotions. The intense sadness she once felt had faded, leaving only a mild sense of regret.

Lin Chunyan, aware of Mrs. Song's sorrow, knew that her pain was different from Mr. Song's. Mrs. Song had carried Juan'er for nine months and raised her with great effort, a kind of suffering that others couldn’t understand.

Fearing that Mrs. Song might become sad again, Lin Chunyan quickly changed the subject. "The sky looks overcast. Do you think it's going to rain?"

Mrs. Song came to her senses and replied, "It does look like rain. In summer, the rain does come more frequently. We need to put up a couple more mats on the shed outside to prevent any leaks."

Lin Chunyan said, "If it rains, we can invite them in for tea. We can just put a few tables by the door; it won't be in the way."

Mrs. Song didn’t stand on ceremony with her, saying, "If it pours, we’ll do that."

The main reason she came over was to talk about the matter of Ershazi raising bees. It had been weighing on her mind, as she knew Lin Chunyan had asked Song Niangzi to inquire about it. She had returned to the village to get all the details straight before coming back.

"I have to see it with my own eyes! You wouldn't believe how badly his brother and sister-in-law were stung by the bees. But the bees wouldn’t sting Ershazi! At first, they didn't know how to raise them. They had Ershazi collect quite a few from the mountains by picking and catching them, but no honey was produced. It wasn’t until after inquiring for a long time that they learned about the complexities of these boxes. They need ventilation holes, and there has to be a queen bee..."

Lin Chunyan was astonished, saying, "That sounds incredibly difficult."

Mrs. Song nodded, "It is difficult, but if they succeed in raising the bees, they won't have to worry about food in the future. Thinking about the good days ahead, who cares about the stings? They even told me not to worry."

As they were talking, a dull rumble of thunder sounded outside, and the sky grew even darker. Within moments, gusts of wind bent the trees outside.

Outside, Jin Niangzi and the old man selling steamed buns quickly packed up their things. In no time, raindrops as big as beans began to fall, pelting down hard enough to sting the face.

"This rain is too heavy; we need to find somewhere to take shelter."

"Let's go to Old Song's shed."

"No, let's head to the shop. This rain is too heavy; the shed might not hold up."

Cursing the weather, Jin Niangzi rushed into the shop and looked around. Not seeing Mrs. Zhang, she called out a few times toward the backyard.

During previous heavy rains, Lin Chunyan had let them take shelter inside. Everyone was familiar with her by then and didn’t hesitate. Seeing the rain, they headed inside her hall to take shelter.

Before Lin Chunyan had this shop, these vendors would huddle with her to escape the rain and snow, cursing the heavens.

Soon after, Song Niangzi and Meizi came over, followed by two peddlers and a tea master who walked the streets. They were more drenched and squatted by the door to avoid dirtying the floor.

Seeing this, Hu Daqiang reassured them, "Come further inside; it’s much colder outside."

The tea master felt a little embarrassed, saying, "We're already taking up space here to hide from the rain. What if customers come to eat?"

Lin Chunyan pointed to a few tables, saying, "There's still space over there. Besides, when it rains, most people order delivery. Not many come to eat in the shop."

Just then, Erlang and Sanlang ran in. They were farther away and got quite wet. Afraid they might catch a chill, Lin Chunyan went to the kitchen to boil a large pot of purple perilla leaf and brown sugar water, which she carried out.

"Have a bowl each; it’s the least we can do."

"Wow, there's brown sugar in this! It’s a waste for me to drink this."

The old man selling steamed buns, who was always smiling, took the bowl of purple perilla leaf and brown sugar water and gulped it down. He felt immediate relief, the sweet taste lingering and making his mouth water. It had been a while since he had anything so sweet.

The two peddlers hesitated, saying their bodies were strong and they were fine.

"It's nothing, just a bit more water in the pot."

After much coaxing and Sanlang cracking jokes, the three finally drank the perilla water, feeling a bit embarrassed. The two peddlers even took out some items to give to Lin Chunyan.

This attracted Lin Taohong and Meizi, who stared eagerly at the things in the peddlers' baskets. They were captivated as one moment a dough figurine was taken out, the next a rattle drum, and many floral hair ornaments.

The two peddlers were actually brothers, traveling the streets to sell their wares. Seeing the two young women’s interest, they gave each of them a floral hair ornament as a token of thanks for the perilla water.

Song Niangzi joined in and jokingly said to Lin Chunyan, "Since you offered the water, I'll give you a bowl of fish soup, so it’s not like you're drinking it for free."

Since she was quite familiar with Song Niangzi, she readily accepted the bowl of fish soup. "It's been a long time since I've had this. I’ve got to see how it tastes now."

Song Niangzi laughed cheerfully, "You should know the taste by now. If you want more, just come to me. I won't let you go without a bowl."

As Lin Chunyan drank the soup, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes and nodded in approval. "Niangzi, your skills have really improved. This actually tastes even better than before."

Song Niangzi was delighted by the compliment, her eyes and brows curving with joy. "I've got nothing much to do all day, just experimenting at home with my grandma. We were worried if it would taste good or not, but your words have put my mind at ease."

Seeing them enjoy the soup, Old Man Zeng, the steamed bun seller, took out a few coins and asked Song Niangzi for a bowl of soup. He then handed a few steamed buns to Lin Chunyan. "Miss Lin, please taste my buns. We're neighbors now, so your feedback would make my day."

Lin Chunyan declined humbly, "You flatter me. You've been running your stall at the dock for many years, and your skills are top-notch. No need to be so modest."

Everyone laughed and chimed in, "If anyone else said that, we'd believe it, but coming from you, Lin Xiaoniang, we're not convinced."

"Exactly, you're the one being humble here. Everyone knows your skills are the best. We wouldn't dare to show off in front of an expert like you."

The peddler was nudged by his brother for saying something wrong. "Don't say such nonsense. It's like showing off in front of Lu Ban with an axe."

Both Meizi and Lin Taohong couldn't help but burst into laughter, their shoulders shaking, while the two peddlers blushed in embarrassment.

As they talked, various dishes appeared in front of Lin Chunyan—sesame cakes, bean buns, and pastries. The Tea Master, who had been quiet until then, started grinding tea leaves and brewed a cup of "Distant Green Mountain" tea, placing it in front of Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan clapped her hands and laughed. "What a rare treat, a rainy day! Instead of just seeking shelter, it feels like we've stumbled into some kind of food festival."

Everyone found the term novel and nodded in agreement.

Lin Chunyan then asked Hu Daqiang to help her serve small portions of the dishes she had just prepared. "Since it's a food festival, we shouldn't just taste each other's food. We should exchange and learn so we can all improve."

Lin Cuixiang and Zhao Zilan, who had prepared many of these dishes, heard the commotion and came out, eagerly awaiting feedback.

For a while, the shop was bustling with noise that could be heard from far away.

Someone with an umbrella came to buy sesame cakes but didn't see anyone at the stall. Just as they were about to leave, they heard the lively chatter from the shop and peeked inside, only to see all the stall vendors gathered there. Surprised, the person asked softly, "Are you still selling sesame cakes?"

The sesame cake vendor, absorbed in Lin Chunyan's conversation, didn't hear the customer at first. It was the Tea Master who nudged her to get her attention.

When she realized someone wanted to buy sesame cakes, she pushed the basket forward and let the customer take the cakes, forgetting to collect the money.

The customer left four coins and took four sesame cakes, looking back several times, confused. Usually, the sesame cake vendor was very enthusiastic, but today she seemed distracted, not even worried about someone taking extra.

The sesame cake vendor, regretting her advancing age and failing memory, listened intently as Lin Chunyan mentioned filling the cakes with red bean paste, tofu skin, chives, and cabbage. Her eyes lit up at the idea.

Old Man Zeng, watching this, couldn't help but express his envy. "You're so lucky, old woman. Miss Lin is giving you tips. You should remember this and try it at home."

The sesame cake vendor immediately found it difficult and glared at Old Man Zeng. "It’s easy for you to talk. I'm old and can't even remember these names, let alone how to prepare the fillings."

Having made sesame cakes for many years, she knew that if they had fillings, the outer crust would remain crispy, but the filling's flavor was the key.

Old Man Zeng, who had known her for years, was anxious seeing her miss this opportunity. "If I knew how to make sesame cakes, I’d definitely give it a try."

The sesame cake vendor shot back, "You might not know how to make sesame cakes, but you can make steamed buns. Just give me the filling, and I’ll make meat-filled cakes."

Old Man Zeng hesitated and didn't say anything further.

As the conversation continued, Lin Chunyan also felt like trying tofu skin sesame cakes. Since there was plenty of tofu skin available, she went to the back kitchen, prepared the filling, and brought out a large basin of it.

Not only did the sesame cake vendor and Old Man Zeng show interest, but Song Niangzi and Jin Niangzi also joined in.

Lady Jin was the first to go and wash her hands, saying, "Just let me have two when they’re done."

Her appetite had also been stirred by the mention of all those fillings.

Lin Chunyan agreed, and Hu Daqiang simply brought over two more basins, letting anyone who wanted to help wash their hands.

The sesame pancake vendor first divided the dough, letting everyone fill them. Then she rolled each into a round cake and placed them directly into the oven.

For a while, the shop was filled with laughter and chatter, and even Mrs. Song came over to join in the activity, wrapping a few herself.

"I've made a mark on these; no one is allowed to fight with me over them later," she said.

The joke drew more laughter as Old Man Zeng's sesame pancake had the least filling, which made everyone chuckle.

Lady He braved the rain to come and buy something, only to find the shop lively and bustling. Unlike the earlier customer who had been shy, she was quite cheerful and greeted everyone as soon as she entered, "Why is it so lively today? I didn’t see any vendors out there; I thought they had all gone home, but it turns out everyone is here in this shop."

The aroma of the baked tofu pastries had started to fill the air. With her sensitive nose, she took a deep sniff and guessed they were making something delicious.

Not in a hurry to leave, she first asked for a bowl of fish soup, waiting for the pastries to finish baking.

"There aren't any extras; we made these ourselves. But I still have my steamed buns and wontons available if you'd like some of those," someone said.

Lady He wasn’t satisfied, "I see there's plenty of filling left; why can't we make some more? Besides, with today’s rain, I’m probably the only customer. I just want a dozen."

"That's quite a large order; we don’t have that many," came the reply.

The tofu pastries were quickly baked, and the sesame pancake vendor's skill was evident from the crispy outer layers, which gave off a steamy aroma. In the cold weather, the warm steam made everyone feel a little warmer.

Though Mrs. Zhang hadn't helped with the preparation, she had no qualms about helping herself and, like Lin Taohong, took two each.

Lin Taohong, eager to eat, forgot to let it cool and bit right into the pastry, causing her to gasp. Lin Chunyan gently scolded her and broke the pastry in half, letting it cool before giving it back to her.

Lin Taohong smiled sheepishly, realizing she had forgotten again about not eating hot food. She and Mrs. Zhang sat there, taking turns eating until the pastries were gone, unable to stop.

The tofu filling was indeed delicious, making it impossible to stop eating. Old Man Zeng ate two but still wanted more. He asked the sesame pancake vendor if she had mastered the recipe.

The sesame pancake vendor shook her head, "The deliciousness comes from the filling, not my pancake-making skills."

Having sold pancakes for many years, she knew that the flavor was all in the filling.

Old Man Zeng, seeing how busy they were, felt the vendor was missing out on a great opportunity. "If I knew how to make these, I’d definitely try," he said.

The sesame pancake vendor replied, "You may not know how to make these, but you can make steamed buns. Just give me the filling, and I’ll make meat pancakes."

Old Man Zeng hesitated but didn’t say anything more.

As Lin Chunyan talked, she too began to crave tofu pastries. Since there was plenty of tofu skin available, she went to the kitchen, prepared the filling, and brought out a large basin full.

This time, not only the sesame pancake vendor and Old Man Zeng were interested, but Mrs. Song and Lady Jin also gathered around.

Lady He ended up buying a dozen pastries, paying half to the sesame pancake vendor and half to Lin Chunyan, saying, "If you make something this delicious again, be sure to call me."

After getting her pastries, she braved the rain and left.

Lin Chunyan stopped after eating just one, thinking about their limited menu at the shop. They only had vegetarian steamed buns and rice, with a few fried doughs and meat buns in the morning, but nothing else. If they offered these filled pastries, they would likely sell well.

However, with their current lack of manpower, Lin Chunyan didn’t want to make too many more pastries. The sesame pancake vendor shared the same thought and began discussing it seriously with her.

The sesame pancake vendor felt like she had hit a stroke of luck that day and thought she should check her almanac before leaving the house and light a stick of incense for the Bodhisattva at home, hoping for more good fortune like this.

Mr. Zeng was very envious and asked Lin Chunyan if there was anything he could improve about his steamed buns. "I'm a thick-skinned person, so feel free to tell me and let me taste the feeling of having good fortune fall into my lap."

He had always been straightforward, and in the past, whenever Old Man Song and Old Woman Song were feeling down, he had gone over to comfort them a few times. Sometimes, he would leave some unsold steamed buns for them to eat. Old Man Song, in return, would speak up for him, saying, "Old Zeng is very generous. If Yan Niang really knows something, she should tell him."

Seeing how delicious the tofu skin sesame pancakes were, Peddler Du Dalao had an idea and asked Lin Chunyan if they could take more once the pancakes were done so they could sell them door to door.

Sanlang, seeing that someone had the same idea as him, immediately jumped up and said, "Your carrying pole is full of other goods; it's not suitable to carry food to sell. I think it's better to let me go."

The two of them, Du Dalao and Sanlang, started arguing, each refusing to back down.

Lin Chunyan, who had a headache from the noise, finished speaking with Mr. Zeng and then turned to the two of them. "You two sell in different areas. Du Dalao usually goes to the village, and Sanlang, you mostly stay in the town. It's not suitable for you to sell the same things together."

Hearing this, the sesame pancake vendor was both happy and worried. It hadn't even been made yet, and so many people were already fighting over the chance to sell it.

Now that she was getting older, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to make so many pancakes. But with determination, she thought, *I'd climb out of my coffin for such a great opportunity.*

She decided it would be best to have her daughter-in-law and daughter come back to help. With three of them, they could definitely manage the pancake stall.

After the rain stopped, everyone left the shop. Even from a distance, they could still be heard talking about the delicious tofu skin sesame pancakes they had made that day, saying it was a rare treat.

The rain had lessened, and after the heat from the previous night, it had become quite cool. Mrs. Song invited them to stay, saying, "You have everything here anyway, so there's no need to go back and forth."

But Lin Chunyan still wanted to go home. Living at home felt different from staying elsewhere.

She put on her raincoat, just in case it rained again, and slowly made her way back.

Sanlang and Lin Cuixiang were still quarreling. In the past, Lin Cuixiang would keep her unhappiness to herself, but now she spoke her mind, which inevitably led to clashes with Sanlang.

Lin Taohong, who loved making trouble out of nothing, would always fan the flames and even pull Lin Chunyan over to watch the spectacle.

Lin Chunyan didn't know what to say about her. "If they weren't our sisters, and you were someone else, I wouldn't be surprised if someone gave you a beating one day."

Lin Taohong snorted, "I'm not helpless. Let's see who dares to hit me."

From afar, they saw Aunt Lin and the others were waiting at the village entrance, holding several raincoats and umbrellas. When they saw them, they said, "We weren't sure if you were coming back today, so we brought these in case you forgot and got caught in the rain."

The group laughed and chatted as they made their way home together.

After the rain, a thin mist rose in the mountains. The trees along the road looked more vibrant than they had in previous days, no longer drooping. It was likely they would survive, which meant Uncle Lin and the others' hard work hadn't been in vain, planting trees in the hot weather.

Ding Hui Niang went around the house and noticed her son hadn't come back yet; he was still playing with Niuniu at Mrs. Sun's house. She didn't call him back but instead carried her basket up the mountain.

Walking through the village, she could smell the scent of burning firewood, and in the distance, she could see the smoke rising from the houses, blending with the mountain homes before quickly dissipating.

The smell of burning firewood made Ding Hui Niang feel calm. It was a smell she often encountered while working in the kitchen, a sense of security that reassured her there would be food to eat.

Walking in the mud, her shoes inevitably got a lot of mud stuck to them. Lin Taohong was glad she hadn't worn her embroidered shoes; otherwise, she would have been heartbroken over the mud stains.

The shoes made by Li Shi were so precious to Lin Taohong that she only wore them occasionally and always lifted her skirt to show them off.

In just a few days, Wang Yingniang had passed on all her dyeing skills to Li Shi. She then told Lin Chunyan, "Aunt Li learned so quickly. There were many things I hadn't thought of that she already knew how to do. It won't be long before she can dye various fabrics."

Similarly, for knitting, Lin Chunyan hadn't mastered the basic stitch yet, but Li Shi was already able to knit patterns.

Lin Chunyan didn't know the name of the pattern, so Li Shi casually named it "braided stitch," as it resembled little braids.

When Mrs. Zhang heard about it, she went to take a look and decided not to learn from Lin Chunyan anymore, thinking that her single stitch pattern didn't look as nice when knitted. She seemed to forget what she had said earlier.

Currently, Li Shi is very courteous to her, having personally taught Zhang Daniang, guiding her hand every step of the way. "The wool is getting used up too fast. The sheep at Old Zhou's place have all been sheared, and it'll take some time before they grow more wool."

Zhang Daniang suggested, "Send your third brother to inquire in other villages. Our village isn't the only one with sheep. If that doesn’t work, ask Dogdan's father to help inquire as well."

Moreover, her brother from her natal family can travel even farther and would find it convenient to look for more wool if needed.

Li Shi nodded and mentioned that the wool could also be dyed. "When it's knitted, the result will probably look even better."

Zhang Daniang couldn't help but admire Li Shi. "With your skills, once you’ve knitted it, it will definitely fetch a high price."

Li Shi smiled sincerely, "Yes, when I think about this, I feel our future is looking bright."

In the courtyard, Silang was huffing and puffing as he chopped wood. Seeing Zhang Daniang, with whom he used to chat, he wanted to catch up with her, but Uncle Lin was keeping a close eye on him, so he couldn't find a chance.

When Zhang Daniang was about to leave, Silang finally spoke with a plaintive tone, "Auntie, I haven't visited your place for a long time. How come you didn’t come find me? Do you even remember you have a nephew like me?"

His pitiful expression and tone made Zhang Daniang laugh out loud. She quickly said, "Come with me; I could never forget you."

Silang was still watching Uncle Lin's expression, and at that moment, Wu Lang ran over, took Zhang Daniang's hand, and dutifully called her "Auntie."

When Zhang Daniang returned, she had three young ones following her into the courtyard. Lin Fengdie ran to find Lin Chunyan and chattered away.

"I was bored to death."

Today, Young Zhang's Wife came to vent her frustrations, pouring out a bellyful of grievances. "We used to chat, but now that I don’t come to learn crafts here, you don’t even visit me."

Li Shi was worried that Lin Fengdie might be influenced by Young Zhang's Wife's complaints and might do something rash, so she watched closely.

Fortunately, Young Zhang's Wife knew that Lin Fengdie was now close to Lin Chunyan and didn't say anything inappropriate, only complaining about her family issues.

Lin Taohong, who was knitting a scarf, overheard and asked curiously, "I heard they're discussing a marriage alliance with Mr. Li's daughter. Has there been any progress?"

Lin Fengdie nodded. This time, the Village Headman had been planting trees for several days and was filled with frustration. Regardless of what Zhang Tianhe said, he insisted that Zhang Tianhe must get married.

Zhang Tianhe couldn't resist and was forced to meet Mr. Li's daughter.

Lin Chunyan had been paying attention to Lin Taohong and noticed her slight displeasure, so she quickly changed the subject.

Dogdan and Heizi also came over, seeing Silang and Wu Lang there, and started playing with them. The four of them discussed and decided they wanted to take the big yellow dog out for a walk.

"This big dog is really pitiful, always tied up at home. It needs to get some fresh air."

Lin Taohong, who had been holding in her frustration, snapped back, "It's not always kept at home. Don't you see us taking him out for walks?"

Dogdan knew how fierce Lin Taohong could be, even more formidable than his two older sisters combined, so he was a bit scared and hid behind Heizi.

Heizi tried to pull away but couldn't free himself from Dogdan's grip, so he took a few steps back. He was also wary of Lin Taohong.

Seeing their reactions, Lin Taohong realized she had been too harsh and softened her tone. "This big yellow dog is quite fierce. Since you're not familiar with it, what if it bites someone when you take it out?"

After saying that, Lin Taohong went back into the house.

The last time Lin Fengdie visited, Lin Taohong also lost her temper for no reason. This time, Lin Fengdie quietly asked Lin Chunyan, "What's wrong with her? Why is she so angry?"

Lin Chunyan, understanding Lin Taohong's slight emotions, said, "It's just that she gets more irritable in the heat. It's nothing serious."

Lin Fengdie stopped worrying about her and went over to see what Lin Chunyan was preparing to cook. "Now that you live next to Second Uncle's family, if you make something good, don't just think about them. Think about us in the village too."

Wu Lang didn't pay attention to what had just transpired. He sat on a small stool, stuffing food into his mouth without lifting his head, his cheeks puffed up like a cute little squirrel.

Lin Chunyan couldn't resist walking over to wipe his mouth and, picking him up, said a few words.

Seeing that it was lively there, Lihua brought her work over. She was making clothes for Li Youfu to wear when going out.

Now that he often followed Zhang Xiaojiu when going out, his clothes couldn’t be too shabby, or people might look down on him.

As soon as Lin Fengdie saw her approach, she stopped talking. With a single glance, Lihua knew what they were talking about and smiled, saying, "Are you talking about Zhao Huai’s marriage?"

Lin Fengdie nodded awkwardly, "But Wang Danie was originally your sister-in-law, so it felt inappropriate for me to intervene."

Lihua shook her head with a smile, "It’s not a big deal. It’s just a swap in the betrothal gifts, and nothing has been finalized yet. To be honest, it’s our family who owes them."

Feeling relieved that Wang Danie had found a good home, Lihua didn’t want others to be implicated in her affairs.

Lin Fengdie leaned closer to Lihua and asked, "How does your brother feel about it? Is he upset?"

Lihua shook her head, "I’m not sure. My brother is a few years older and rarely talks to me about things."

Li Youfu’s personality was similar to Erlang’s; he liked to keep his thoughts to himself, so Lihua really couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

Li Youde followed Lihua over and saw Wu Lang eating happily. He eagerly approached but didn’t dare to take any food, only asking Wu Lang if it was tasty.

Wu Lang didn’t understand the hidden meaning and just kept nodding, his hands never slowing as he continued stuffing his mouth.

A few years older, Li Youde had become more restrained and didn’t dare to roll on the floor out of hunger when he smelled the delicious aromas from the neighbors.

His newfound restraint and self-discipline made him much more likable than his former gluttony.

When Lin Chunyan saw this, she brought another plate from the kitchen, saying, "You two eat peacefully here, and just don’t fight over the food."

Seeing the dish being served, Li Youde's eyes lit up. He first glanced at Lihua, and only reached for the food after she nodded, saying "thank you."

Wang Yingniang remarked, "Youde has really improved, as if he's become a different person."

Lihua always used proper rules to teach Li Youde at home. Mrs. Zhao, having studied etiquette formally, acknowledged that Lihua taught well and simply let go of managing it, following Li Tiedan to the fields every day.

The couple had figured out some effective methods. While it was good to work for Lin Chunyan, many of the things she handled were for consumption, so she only employed trustworthy people. Whether someone could work for her depended on fate.

It was wiser to focus on their farming. Whether planting grain, vegetables, or raising more chickens and ducks, they could exchange these with Lin Chunyan for money, which was already incomparably better than what people in other villages could manage.

The couple was determined to work hard. They left before dawn and only returned at sunset, tending their field so diligently that their crops grew better than everyone else's.

Apart from discussing everyday matters, the young girls enjoyed talking about the flowers in their hair and the colored nails on their hands. The nail flowers hadn't bloomed yet, so it would be a while before they could dye them various colors in the future.

"I transplanted some yellow ones from my grandmother's house. They'll look beautiful when dyed," I said.

The nail flowers came in several colors: red, pink, purple, yellow. Each dye produced a different shade.

Lin Taohong was listening for any sounds outside her room. Seeing that no one was looking for her, she felt an irresistible urge, so she tidied her hair and went out to join the others.

Everyone noticed her coming out but didn’t mention what had just occurred. The topic had shifted from nail flowers to soap made from pig pancreas.

"That product is truly useful. Next time I buy a pig's pancreas, Yan Niang, you'll have to help me make a piece," one said.

Lin Fengdie chimed in, "I need to wash my hands with that soap every time I come to your house. It keeps them fragrant for a long time."

Lin Chunyan said, "We're running low on it too. Yingniang suggested adding some bamboo leaves, which should give it a light bamboo scent. When we make more, you can all come over and learn how to do it."

Lin Chunyan never kept her good things to herself. She always taught everyone without holding back.

But Lihua didn't know about this and only widened her eyes in surprise, kept saying, "That won't work."

Lin Chunyan pulled her to sit back down. "What makes you think this can't be done? It's not just us using this pig pancreas soap. It's a good thing and can clean hands very clean. Haven't you ever heard that disease enters through the mouth? Washing your hands clean can help avoid getting sick."