Chapter 112

Chapter 112

The fragrance in the air grew more intense, and several people were drawn to the aroma as they learned how to make pancreatic soap.

"Yan Niang is incredibly skilled. I see she’s making chicken wrapped in lotus leaves."

No one would have guessed that these overlooked lotus leaves could create such fragrant dishes. In the past, people wouldn’t have given them a second look, but now, the resulting meal was wonderfully aromatic.

Whether it was the enticing aroma or the promise of good fortune ahead—just now, Lihua mentioned that a small piece of the soap they made could fetch three coins, and smiles spread across their faces.

After all, one piece of pancreatic soap could produce over a dozen bars.

Shiliu was the most diligent learner. She didn’t dare to crowd forward but stayed at the back, memorizing everything. After seeing Ju Miao finish, she mentally reviewed the process and breathed a sigh of relief once she felt confident she understood it. Only then did she allow herself to look around the kitchen.

Initially, she couldn’t fathom why Madam Hong had raised the price, which had offended Lin Chunyan’s family.

Fortunately, Lin Chunyan and her family were kind people. Even though there had been some quarrels, they bore no grudges.

Shiliu felt nothing but gratitude. Just now, when Liu Niangzi said those words, she noticed Mrs. Zhang moving her lips as if she were about to shoo her away. For some reason, she remained silent.

"When you go back, try making it yourselves. If you run into any issues, don’t hesitate to ask us."

Lihua also demonstrated once more. The soap she made contained dried flowers, which made them sell at a higher price, but the cost was almost the same.

When they left, the group was exceptionally cheerful. Qian Niangzi even took out some coins to buy snails and river shrimp to take home.

Her family’s men were all working in the fields, so they couldn’t afford to eat too simply during this period.

Liu Niangzi also bought some, and Mrs. Zhang made sure to give them ample portions.

Shiliu thought for a moment and then took out a copper coin to buy some snails to take back.

She hurried, as she still needed to help harvest the wheat.

Mrs. Zhang sighed, "It’s tough for her. They had initially agreed with her in-laws that she could stay at home longer, but recently they changed their minds and insisted she marry into the family by mid-year."

Even without it being a financial transaction or becoming a concubine, many people were still struggling and couldn’t control their own fate.

Lin Taohong’s attention was already on the sticky rice chicken. Seeing Lin Chunyan take the lotus leaves off the steamer, she quickened her pace and asked, "Is it ready to eat?"

"It’s edible now, but it’s still a bit hot. If we wait another half hour, the glutinous rice will become soft and chewy, making it even tastier."

Lin Taohong stopped pressing and decided to wait for the best version.

Wang Yingniang had observed the entire process and lent a hand. She then said, "It feels like wrapping zongzi."

It was even simpler than wrapping zongzi, requiring no continuous folding.

"Yes, and the taste is also very good."

Lin Chunyan took the lotus leaf package to Zhao Huaizi as a token of gratitude for his past help. The package she wrapped was quite large, enough for two people to eat.

Lin Taohong followed her and brought up the refugees who had saved Zhao Huaizi on the way.

"They came down the mountain a few more times, and in the end, Uncle Huaizi and the Village Headman pleaded for them, so they were able to settle in our village."

It was a life-saving grace, and Zhao Huaizi didn’t want people to say he was ungrateful.

A few refugees were settled in a dilapidated house next to their own. They had been quite well-behaved so far.

Unfortunately, they arrived when Wang Danie was also there, her eyes red from crying.

Seeing them, Wang Danie looked away, embarrassed, and hurried off.

Lin Taohong's eyes brightened and she looked around the room for a long time, wondering if Wang Danie still intended to marry Zhao Huaizi.

Mrs. Zhang had told them that when Zhao Huaizi was first injured, Wang Danie didn’t come, only arriving the next day with her brothers.

Zhao Muyang seemed much more spirited than before. Smelling the aroma coming from the lotus leaf-wrapped package Lin Chunyan was carrying, he took a deep sniff and asked, "Sister Chunyan, what's inside?"

"Sticky rice chicken with scallops and sausage," she replied. "You two can have it for dinner."

Zhao Huaizi was recovering quickly from his injuries, so Granny Dong no longer brought Niuniu over, as Zhao Muyang could handle things at home.

Zhao Muyang had become much more steady than before, but upon hearing about the sticky rice chicken, he still jumped with joy. After seeing that Zhao Huaizi had agreed, he happily took the package to the kitchen.

Lin Taohong followed him there. Seeing that Zhao Huaizi was in a low mood, Lin Chunyan didn’t stay long in the room. She simply told him to take care of his health and then left.

In the kitchen, Zhao Muyang was quietly complaining, "It's my aunt who doesn't want to marry into our family, so she came and had a fit with my uncle."

Lin Taohong was puzzled and lowered her voice, afraid that Zhao Huaizi might overhear. "If she doesn't want to marry, then she doesn't have to. Who can force her?"

"Of course someone can force her," Zhao Muyang said matter-of-factly. "Her brothers from her birth family told her to hurry up and marry my uncle. They said that since she had broken off the engagement with Brother Fuyou, if she didn’t marry Uncle, she wouldn’t find a better match."

These were the words Wang Danie had spoken just now. She didn’t want to marry an injured man. There wasn’t much of a foundation for feelings between them, and she only wanted to break the engagement and find someone else.

This was understandable. She was so young, and if she married into the family, she would have to take care of Zhao Huaizi and his half-grown nephew, Zhao Muyang.

Zhao Huaizi had agreed to the breakup early on, although he felt uneasy about it.

But unexpectedly, Wang Danie’s family disagreed. They said that if she didn’t marry Zhao Huaizi, she would only end up as a second wife to some widowers.

Wang Danie couldn’t understand why her brothers, who had supported her before, had now changed their tune.

She could ignore the rumors about her bad fate, but the insistence on marrying Zhao Huaizi made her feel very uncomfortable.

In a moment of impulse today, she came and berated Zhao Huaizi, blaming him for going up the mountain to hunt wild boar, which had led to her current predicament.

After Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong came out, they were still troubled by this matter. "Why are people so gossipy! Don’t they have better things to do than watch others?"

One was Shuangjie, and now Wang Danie had followed in her footsteps.

"Perhaps they don’t have sisters or mothers themselves."

If they did, understanding the women’s positions might reduce the harmful gossip.

Shortly after they came out, they encountered the refugees. The three adults and two children were noticeably cleaner than before, with wheat stalks on their clothes. When they saw Lin Chunyan, they waved and greeted her.

Lin Chunyan waved back with a smile, guessing that they had probably been helping to harvest wheat.

Second Aunt Lin had planted a lot of wheat at home, but with only Uncle Lin harvesting the wheat, they couldn’t complete the harvest in time.

Second Aunt Lin had to take a few days off to prioritize the grain harvest.

Initially, some households had planned to delay the wheat harvest for a few more days, but when Granny Dong mentioned the upcoming rain, everyone panicked.

Once wheat ripens, it is most vulnerable to rain. If it gets wet, it will spoil.

More than half a year’s hard work would go to waste, and people of all ages could no longer stay put. Even at night, despite the poor visibility, they rushed to the fields.

The priority was to quickly harvest and store the grain at home.

Over the past few days, many people have been buying meat, and some, too exhausted to do it themselves, asked Lin Chunyan to prepare it for them.

Compared to last year, they had a bit more money.

The fish Sanlang collected from them, the mung beans, soybeans, various fruits, and autumn oak nuts that Lin Chunyan collected from them... all could be sold for money.

Qian Niangzi was no longer in a rush to make pig pancreas soap. They had a considerable amount of land to farm, and her children were so tired that they fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed. Sometimes, they were too tired to return home and slept right in the fields.

Qian Niangzi was also determined and brought money and chicken over, to ask Lin Chunyan to make the sticky rice chicken.

The aroma from the last batch was so enticing that it lingered in her mind.

Lin Taohong also craved it. When the sticky rice chicken was opened, it released a burst of fresh lotus leaf fragrance. Both the outer layer of glutinous rice and the various fillings inside were fragrant and flavorful.

Lin Chunyan did not use the lotus leaves they had dried previously. These could be stored for a long time, and she planned to make sticky rice chicken again in the fall.

In the fall, she would use seasonal ingredients, adding chestnuts, walnuts, and torreya nuts, which were highly nourishing.

However, making individual portions was too troublesome, so Lin Chunyan decided to make a large bowl of stew.

Stew was a dish commonly prepared by families hosting banquets. First, they fried the marbled pork belly, then simmered it with water for a while before adding tofu, kelp, and meatballs.

The pan-fried tofu was the best. The surface had a slight golden crisp, and inside, it was very soft and tender.

The braised meat’s broth was already delicious, and the tofu and meatballs absorbed the rich flavors of the broth, making it especially good with rice.

Every time Lin Chunyan ate it, she could finish two large steamed buns. If it were made in the winter, it would taste even better with some well-cooked napa cabbage added, making it even more delightful.

Lin Chunyan planned to sell it for four wen per bowl.

Mrs. Zhang was worried that no one would come to buy it. Four wen for a bowl—not many people would be willing to spend that much.

"But it contains a lot of meat!" Lin Taohong didn’t think it was expensive. She happened to pick up a large piece of well-cooked braised meat and waved it in front of Mrs. Zhang twice, "If they were to buy the meat themselves, it would cost several wen, and they wouldn’t be able to cook it as well."

However, Mrs. Zhang was clearly overthinking. There were quite a few people like Qian Niangzi who were willing to spend the money. Everyone wanted to eat well during the wheat harvest.

After all, every time the wheat was harvested, it was like going into battle. Coming back home exhausted, they still had to sharpen their sickles. At that moment, eating a bowl of fragrant braised pork stew felt like a comfort to both body and soul.

Some regretted not harvesting their wheat earlier. The wheat harvested earlier wouldn’t fall out, but if harvested a day or two later, when it was fully ripe, it would easily shed its grains.

With the low yield this season, losing any grain would be heartbreaking.

Both adults and children worked day and night, fearing that it might rain on any given day.

Liu Niangzi originally thought that learning to make pig pancreas soap would allow her to avoid going to the fields to harvest wheat, but when the sky suddenly darkened, she could no longer sit still. She grabbed her sickle and rushed to the fields.

There were quite a few like her. Even those who didn’t believe Granny Dong’s words had to believe her now. It seemed that Heaven was really going to rain.

Every household put down their work. Even those who had finished harvesting early didn’t sit idle at home. They went to help their close relatives harvest together.

Harvesting a little more grain could be life-saving!

After the wheat was harvested, it wouldn’t be long before the bailiffs came to collect taxes.

Lin Chunyan was also infected by this atmosphere and quickened her pace, no longer strolling as she usually did when going up the mountain.

They needed to pick those fava beans from the mountain again before it rained.

After picking these fava beans, Lin Chunyan planned to stir-fry them. They could be used as snacks or as a side dish for drinking.

Erlang and Sanlang were still going to the town to sell things these days. Uncle Lin and Aunt Lin thought the two could manage, but seeing that it was about to rain, their hearts panicked. The two of them worked as if their lives were on the line, heads down, wanting to get the wheat in as soon as possible.

Second Aunt Lin was so exhausted that she straightened her back to catch a brief rest, regretting how many times she hadn’t kept Erlang and Sanlang to help.

However, Second Aunt Lin’s eyes soon lit up. She saw her second and third brothers.

Wu Erge had been busy harvesting wheat at home and immediately came to help Second Aunt Lin after finishing, knowing that they probably still had a lot left to harvest.

Behind him were several sons from Wu Erge and Wu Sange’s families.

Uncle Lin also breathed a sigh of relief, and after a brief exchange of greetings, everyone quickly started working.

The heavens don’t wait for anyone. After finishing here, he still had to help the third branch.

While cutting the wheat, Second Aunt Lin calculated in her mind that the grain, which had taken most of the year to grow, wouldn’t fetch much money.

But if they gave up farming, they would feel very reluctant.

With money in hand, most people would want to buy more land. Only by owning land could they feel secure.

“You can’t keep working this way,” Wu Erge said, noticing that Second Aunt Lin had lost weight and looked exhausted over just a few days. “Next time, if you can’t finish, hire some help. It won’t cost much!”

Initially, Second Aunt Lin was reluctant to spend the money, but now she nodded in agreement. “If it doesn’t work, we’ll lease the land.”

The second branch’s land was next to the third branch’s. Lin Fengdie and Li Shi had never worked the fields before, and with only Lin San and Silang working, they couldn’t finish. He was so anxious that he hadn’t slept since the night before as the rain was about to fall.

Fortunately, by this time, those displaced people had finished helping others and, seeing that there was still a large patch of wheat left in Lin San’s field, they immediately started helping without hesitation.

Large raindrops finally started falling from the sky. After the last bit of grain was brought inside, Lin San collapsed on a stool, breathing heavily.

Li Shi, feeling heartbroken, handed him a bowl of water. “Next year, we won’t plant so much land.”

But Lin San shook his head with a smile. “We still have to plant, but it’s only busy for a few days.”

He calmed his breathing for a moment. “Once the wheat is ready, we’ll send some to Elder Brother’s household.”

Paying taxes with grain was more cost-effective than paying with money.

Ever since he started helping Lin Chunyan make wooden boxes, the villagers knew he wasn’t just relying on Li Shi, and no one said those things anymore.

But Lin San still remembered how people used to talk, and he worked harder than others because of it.

“We still need to treat those who helped us to a meal.”

Without caring that it was still raining, Lin San threw on a straw raincoat and headed out.

By this time, many people had gathered at Lin Chunyan’s house. They were eating ravenously under the large table set up in the shed.

Qian Niangzi and those displaced people were called by Lin San, and they weren’t polite. They all took bowls and lined up.

Wu Erge and Wu Sange were also there. These men had worked hard and, being hungry and tired, could smell the delicious aroma even before reaching Lin Chunyan’s house.

It was the unique smell of meat.

Second Brother Wu had long known that Lin Chunyan had excellent cooking skills, and the Lin Second Aunt's family had to rely on them. So, he was especially polite when he arrived.

Lin Chunyan also called him uncle, following Lin Cuixiang's lead, and gave them big bowls, saying, "It's all thanks to you coming; otherwise, my second uncle and second aunt would have been very worried."

The two men exchanged pleasantries for a moment and then invited the several boys behind them to sit down and eat together.

The children salivated at the sight of the food, and only when the adults said it was okay to eat did they start, using one hand to scoop the stew into their mouths and the other to hold a white steamed bun.

"There's meat too!"

One of the boys murmured, a smile on his face as he put the meat into his mouth.

"There's plenty of meat, and it's really delicious!"

"And meatballs, I love meatballs the most!"

They ate quickly, and in no time, the big bowl of stew was gone.

When Big Aunt Zhang saw this, she worried there wouldn't be much stew left.

"Probably no one else is coming now."

By this time, with the heavy rain pouring down, anyone who was going to come for the stew would have already arrived.

The refugees, however, ate slowly. These past few days, they had been helping others harvest grain, and besides receiving some money, the families also provided meals.

The first time they came, the food from the big pot was so fragrant they wished they could savor every bite. When they saw the meat and white steamed buns in the stew, they hesitated to eat.

Many of their acquaintances had died of hunger and cold during that natural disaster. After escaping to this place, they never expected to eat white steamed buns and meat again.

They were overcome with emotion for a long time before the villagers urged them to start eating.

After coming a few times, they had clearly relaxed more than at the beginning and were less restrained.

Naturally, some people took the dish home. Ten wen could buy a small pot, and adding some vegetables from home would still make it a fragrant accompaniment to rice.

Liu Niangzi, after working for several days, was so tired that she didn't even want to move her fingers. When Wei Ruo called her to eat, she just waved her hand weakly.

Wei Ruo also bought a small pot of stew from Lin Chunyan and added wild vegetables picked from the mountain.

This way, a full pot could feed the whole family.

Old Man Peng returned with the group. He had also helped with the emergency harvesting of grain, and even if Peng Pingan wanted to act superior, he couldn't say anything since it was his own father. Even if Wei Ruo's expression wasn't good, he had to endure it.

Old Man Peng first mentioned the matter of the wheat sprouts at Hong's house, "This child is no good, so young and already with bad intentions."

Wheat Sprout was severely punished by Hong and hadn't been able to get out of bed for several days.

Before Shiliu’s father was alive, they also planted a piece of land, but most of their livelihood came from Hong’s tofu-making skills, so the grain from that land wasn't much.

Ding helped them harvest, and even if Wheat Sprout couldn't get up to work, it didn't matter.

No one replied to Old Man Peng. He glanced into the room a few times and called out to Liu, "You lazy thing, aren't you coming to eat? Do I have to bring the bowl to you myself?"

He used to say this, not because he thought Liu was lazy, but to show Wei Ruo that he was better than Liu.

Why can’t I live in such a nice house?

Wei Ruo, however, placed her chopsticks heavily on the bowl, not looking up at Old Man Peng, and said in a voice that was neither light nor heavy, "Mom has worked all day today. Her body isn't strong, and she hasn't fully recovered from getting wet in the rain last time! I’ve saved some food in the kitchen; I’ll bring it to her later."

Old Man Peng was momentarily puzzled by the situation. Not long ago, Liu Niangzi and Wei Ruojie had conflicts with each other, so how come they were now like mother and daughter.

As soon as Wei Ruojie finished speaking, she began eating with her head down. Peng Pingan never lifted his head throughout the entire time. Old Man Peng thought for a moment but couldn’t understand it. Seeing that the big pot dish was almost gone, he quickly lowered his head and began eating.

Liu Niangzi felt smug. By the time Wei Ruojie brought her food, she was able to sit up by herself.

"I didn’t care for you for nothing. You still know how to look after me."

After spending so much time together, Wei Ruojie could tell just by looking at Liu Niangzi’s expression that she was overthinking things again. Her pride was probably through the roof. Wei Ruojie quickly pulled her down, "We’ve worked hard today, and you’re not in good shape. You haven’t fully recovered from being caught in the rain last time. I’ve left some food for you in the kitchen. I’ll bring it over later."

Liu Niangzi was taken aback and groaned, "Oh my heavens, I can’t even get out of bed!"

"The wheat is still stored in the house. Don’t we need to go to the threshing ground to separate the grains? We’re about to start planting rice soon. The fieldwork can’t do without people. If you don’t go, who will do it?"

Liu Niangzi knew there was a lot of work to do, but she didn’t want to move. She told Wei Ruojie to find Old Man Peng, "He can’t just eat for free."

"I’ll divide the food for him later," Wei Ruojie had already made up her mind, "Since we’re not sharing the same pot. It’s better to separate earlier."

Liu Niangzi stumbled over her words. Wei Ruojie thought she was going to advise her, but instead, Liu Niangzi said, "Alright, give him less. Just enough so he doesn’t starve. We should keep the bigger share."

Wei Ruojie chuckled, "Of course. I think we should also split up during the rice planting. Ever since the beginning of spring, it’s only Pingan who’s been busy with the fieldwork."

Old Man Peng, acting as if he had seen a ghost, always stayed at home. Whenever he ran out of food, he would ask Peng Pingan for more. Wei Ruojie had long been fed up with this.

When it rained, Mrs. Zhang urged them to take off the colorful ropes. Only then did Lin Chunyan realize it was the first rain since the Dragon Boat Festival.

The three of them placed the ropes in a puddle on the ground. Lin Taohong, very curious, stared at the colorful rope, "Can this really turn into a little dragon?"

Lin Chunyan was also curious, but after watching for a while, she got up.

Previously, Lin Chunyan had asked Dogdan’s father to help gather a good amount of peanuts and sesame. However, at that time they were rushing to harvest the wheat, so Dogdan’s father didn’t bring in much.

But it sufficed for Lin Chunyan’s purposes. She put the peanuts in the mill and had the family mule start working.

The wheat needed to be processed with a stone mill to get the grains out as well. In the village, very few could afford mules or donkeys, so most people manually turned the millstone in circles.

Compared to them, her task was relatively lighter.

The air after the rain smelled delightful, mingled with the scent of freshly harvested wheat fields. The peanut butter was ground out, still retaining some granular texture.

Placing a spoonful in her mouth, the rich aroma lingered, leaving her savoring it.

"This is incredibly fragrant!"

It tasted different from eating raw peanuts. Grinding released all the oils.

"What can we spread this on?"

"Many things, steamed buns, flower rolls, baked flatbreads, and noodles..."

Lin Chunyan intended to use it in liangpi first.

With the heat, it made sense to make more liangpi.

The process of making liangpi wasn’t too complex; it mainly involved repeated washing, similar to making tofu skin.

The water used for washing shouldn’t be too thick or too thin.

When nearly transparent sheets of liangpi emerged, it still elicited small exclamations from everyone.

"Mix in the seasoning and sesame paste, and cut some cucumber strips. The liangpi is ready."

The threshing floor was busy for several days. After Lin Chunyan finished making the liangpi, she served a bowl to each of them to taste. "Let's go sell them at the threshing floor later."

Lin Taohong and Wang Yingniang giggled, "They’ll say Big Sister is obsessed with money again."

The last time Madam Hong's family held a funeral and invited a small opera troupe, Lin Chunyan went to watch the show. Even then, she didn’t forget to bring some melon seeds and candy to sell.

Lin Chunyan let them laugh, placing the liangpi and empty bowls into the shoulder pole.

"Mom, are you coming?"

Mrs. Zhang thought for a moment and stood up, taking the sweater she was knitting.

The woolen pants were finished a couple of days ago and felt very warm to the touch. You could easily imagine how cozy they would be in winter.

After finishing, Mrs. Zhang was reluctant to sell them, intending to keep them for Lin Chunyan to wear.

Now, she was knitting a sweater for Lin Taohong, who wanted to see what it looked like.

Next, Mrs. Zhang planned to knit a set for Wang Yingniang as well. After all, they were both her daughters, and there was no reason to favor one over the other.

They walked to the threshing floor, and even though it wasn't early, there were still many people there.

Seeing Mrs. Zhang and Lin Chunyan arrive, many people greeted them as they worked.

"Why did you come?"

Mrs. Zhang pointed to the liangpi Lin Chunyan had prepared, "We brought something."

Everyone had been working for so long, and their stomachs were growling. But this wasn’t as exhausting as the wheat harvest a few days ago, so some people were hesitant to spend money and pretended not to notice them.

In front of everyone, Lin Chunyan took out the liangpi and added the seasoning and a full spoon of peanut and sesame paste.

"Is this the liangpi?"

Dan the Kid had come over earlier. He had been working these past two days, thinking back to this time last year when he hadn't even gone to the fields.

Lin Chunyan nodded and handed him a bowl of liangpi, "Eat, and try it out."

Dan the Kid felt embarrassed, "I’ll ask my mom for some money."

The liangpi was three coins a bowl. Mrs. Zhang, worried people would think it was too expensive, explained how hard they were to make. "It’s icy cold and perfect for cooling off."

"Not exactly the same." Mrs. Zhang had already eaten a small bowl at home and now sat down, starting to talk about it.

She had always been one to exaggerate, turning a little into a lot. Now, with some experience in cooking, she spoke even more confidently.

Dan the Kid had already asked for five coins and, after listening for a while, became more and more interested in how delicious it sounded.

"Sister Yan, please give me a bowl."

While Mrs. Zhang talked, a couple of bowls were sold. Lin Chunyan rarely saw the benefit in Mrs. Zhang’s talkative nature.

Wang Yingniang whispered with a smile, "The way Mrs. Zhang talks makes this dish sound heavenly, making people want to try it."

Dan the Kid had already finished a big bowl and nodded, "Really delicious. After a day of work, it’s such a comfort to have this."

Smooth, soft, and bouncy, the absolute highlight is the peanut and sesame sauce. It's so fragrant.

When he said this, he looked a bit like a little adult, which was quite amusing.

He ate a little and then, very reluctantly, put down his chopsticks and handed the bowl to Goudan's Mother, who was drying wheat.

When Goudan's Mother saw it, she ate a few bites and nodded, saying, "Delicious! This is refreshing and won't make you sweat while eating."

She then shouted to Lin Chunyan, "Yan Niang, save five more bowls of liangpi for us later."

Everyone around was impressed upon hearing this.

Goudan's Mother laughed heartily at their reactions, "It's been tiring these past few days, but we're not eating liangpi every day."

Only a very wealthy family could afford to eat liangpi every day. Many families couldn't bear the cost, not because they couldn't afford it, but because they were too frugal.

When Goudan heard his mother ask for five bowls, he knew one was for him. He eagerly offered some to Goudan’s Father.

Goudan’s Father saw through his plan and laughed, "You little rascal, if your mother didn't say we should buy more, you wouldn't let me have any, right?"

Goudan laughed awkwardly, not responding to that, and became anxious seeing Goudan’s Father eat several bites, "Dad, eat a little less. We have more at home."

He then took the remaining liangpi to find Heizi.

Naturally, some people muttered, "People who associate with the Lin family are different. They're all so generous."

"Exactly, who knows when we’ll have such good luck."

"Did you hear? Shiliu, Madam Hong’s daughter, has learned how to make pig pancreas soap. She's getting married in the second half of the year."

The news of Shiliu learning how to make pig pancreas soap had spread around the village, though no one knew who spread it. People considered Shiliu to be acting without restraint.

Some people, for some reason, even asked Madam Hong directly about it.

Madam Hong, who was managing the tofu-making on her own, no longer had the fiery temper she used to have. She didn't argue with anyone who said anything.

Only Maiya, who was still bedridden, was unhappy and comforted the upset Shiliu, "Sister, don't cry. When I get better, no one will dare to say that again."

Shiliu wasn't crying because of the villagers' gossip; that alone wouldn't have made her cry. It was the conflict with Madam Hong.

At this time, to properly marry off a daughter, one had to give a rich dowry, or the in-laws would criticize.

Madam Hong had taken out almost everything she could from the house to ensure a good marriage for Shiliu.

Shiliu didn't want this, saying the groom was just a villager and there was no need for such extravagance.

These days, people don’t want to have daughters, seeing them as a financial burden.

This financial burden originates from such practices.

Lin Taohong was awakened by mosquitoes and couldn't fall back asleep that night. She then asked Lin Chunyan about this issue.

Lin Chunyan briefly explained, and Lin Taohong said, somewhat confused, "So, if we don’t provide such a large dowry, no one will label us as a financial burden anymore?"

"That’s not possible," Lin Chunyan said firmly, something she rarely did, "Regardless of the amount given, people will still say it."

Neither Lin Taohong nor Wang Yingniang understood.

"My mother gave birth to me and said she wanted to drown me in the chamber pot."

These were the words Aunt He said herself, with a smile on her face as she spoke.

Even after all this time, Wang Ying-niang still remembered how she felt upon hearing it, as if a large hole had opened in her heart, letting the wind rush through.

"Later, there was no one to do the household chores. My father and three older brothers certainly wouldn’t help my mother, so she kept me."

The cold noodles they brought weren’t much to begin with, and after selling out, Lin Chunyan reminded them not to let them sit overnight.

She was afraid that people would be reluctant to eat them and end up getting sick from eating spoiled food the next day.

"We understand."

Those who bought the cold noodles nodded, saying, "Xinghua’s mother is still bedridden. It’s obvious she’s not doing well; who would dare to eat spoiled food?"

On her way back, Lin Chunyan would pass by Xinghua’s house. In the past, she could see the gate wide open with everything neatly arranged inside, but now, the gate hadn’t been opened for a long time.

Mrs. Zhang urged Lin Chunyan to leave quickly, "Don’t look, it’s bad luck."

After walking a long distance, she muttered, "She deserves it."

It had only cooled down for a little while after the rain, but now it was hot again. Lin Taohong chimed in, "She deserves it. Who told her to sell Xinghua."

She had once envied Zhao Xinghua’s beauty and even joined in the village gossip, calling her seductive and charming.

But Li Hua was nearly killed after being sold to the town, and they didn’t dare think about Zhao Xinghua’s situation now.

Mrs. Zhang added, "You don’t know, Xinghua’s father had long since stopped caring for her mother. At first, Xinghua’s mother had the money and looked after him for a while, even bringing in a doctor."

This immediately drew everyone’s attention. Mrs. Zhang didn’t lower her voice, only reminding them to walk slowly, as there were still many puddles on the road.

"Later, Xinghua’s mother’s heart softened and she told him everything when he asked, and from then on, he stopped caring, except for Mrs. Zhao occasionally bringing over some food, worried she might not last much longer."

Lin Chunyan felt little emotional about it. If someone were as heartless as Xinghua’s mother, they might still have a way out.

But to sell a child they had raised for so many years and trust a man?

Not to mention, no one remains filial under a long-suffering roof, so it wasn’t surprising that Xinghua’s father had done such a thing.

Many people in the town were also rushing to harvest wheat. Even a well-off family like Mr. Zhao’s had a lot of fields, but they didn’t need to do the work themselves; they just gave instructions to the servants.

Lin Chunyan also made and sold cold noodles.

The chestnuts they had stored at home weren’t enough anymore. Apart from cold dishes like mung bean noodles, scallion tofu, and tofu skin, there wasn’t anything new.

It was hot, and people preferred light and refreshing meals. As soon as the cold noodles were ready, many people came out to try a bowl of cold noodles.

Lin Chunyan specifically instructed Zhao Liu and Hu Daqiang to remind everyone not to keep the cold noodles overnight.