Chapter 37: A Leaking Roof

Chapter 37: The Leaking Roof

The large bowl of stir-fried loaches, placed on the table earlier, was tightly covered with a wooden lid to keep it warm. It wasn’t until the freshly made pancakes were all sliced and served, and the family had taken their seats, that He Guixiang finally lifted the lid.

The savory aroma of the stir-fried loaches instantly filled the room.

Paired with the hot, freshly made pancakes, the family ate with great relish.

Only after Lin Dashan and the others had eaten their fill and set down their chopsticks, with plenty of loaches still remaining, did Zhou Ye unceremoniously finish the rest. He even used a strip of pancake he had saved to scrape the bottom of the bowl, ensuring not a single drop of sauce went to waste.

The loaches had been stir-fried with lard, and the rich, pork-infused sauce was incredibly fragrant—so much so that it even masked the pungent taste of the Chinese mugwort. If no one had been watching, Zhou Ye would have licked the bowl clean.

Unfortunately, there weren't enough pancakes. He could easily have eaten ten more.

“Next time, Mom and I will make more pancakes,” Lin Shu offered.

Zhou Ye quietly replied, “It was enough. I’m just used to eating like this because I used to go hungry too often.”

“A Ye has been working so hard these past few days helping me dig the fish pond. We must make sure you eat your fill,” Lin Shu said with a slight smile.

“By the way, Dad, the fish pond should be nearly finished tomorrow. Then I’ll give A Ye back to you. You must have been tired working alone in the fields these past two days, right?”

Lin Dashan grinned. “We don’t have much land. I’m not tired at all.”

“Even if you’re not tired, I still worry about you, Dad.”

Lin Dashan beamed at this.

He was, in fact, a bit tired. Just Ping’er and A Ye alone could do the work of three people, so he had it much easier. It was only after working alone in the fields for two days that he truly realized how good A Ye was. The decision he had made back then, out of pride, now seemed increasingly wise.

“Keep the good stuff in the family.” Such a fine young man ought to become his son-in-law as soon as possible—only then would he feel more at ease.

Lin Dashan was well aware that, in the two years since A Yao’s departure, many in the village had had their eye on A Ye, wanting his strong back.

Though it bothered him, he didn't blame them. After all, A Yao was gone, Xiao Pu was still young, and he couldn’t very well forbid A Ye from marrying. Besides, A Ye was like a son to him, and any woman he married would have to be filial to him.

Still, the thought didn't sit right with him.

Even biological sons could turn unfilial. A Ye had no blood relation, and though he was a good man, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t be turned against them in the future. The best match for him would undoubtedly be someone from their own family.

Unexpectedly, after A Yao’s departure, his own daughter had returned!

Though A Shu didn’t seem as robust as A Yao, she was truly beautiful. There wasn’t a girl in the surrounding villages who could match her in looks—not even the rich girls from town could compare to his daughter!

With A Shu around, the only one A Ye would marry had to be A Shu.

That night, after the lights in every household had gone out, Lin Dashan and He Guixiang talked about it before bed.

“A Shu is sixteen this year, and A Ye is already twenty. We should pick an auspicious day soon, set up a few tables, and get the two kids married.”

He Guixiang immediately woke up completely at these words and hesitated before replying, “Husband, A Ye is wonderful in our eyes, but A Shu was raised in the capital. She’s used to seeing rich young men from wealthy families. If she doesn’t like someone like A Ye, we can’t force them together.”

Lin Dashan’s brows furrowed. “If she doesn’t even want A Ye, does she think she can marry into a wealthy family in town or even the county? Those rich families care deeply about family background. Her pretty face won’t help—at most, she’d be a concubine. I, Lin Dashan, will never allow such a disgraceful thing!”

He Guixiang pinched his arm. “Listen to yourself! Those who become concubines in wealthy families do it for money, but is our A Shu that kind of person? If she cared about such things, she wouldn’t have come to Tianshui Village. What I mean is, she might not like a strong, dark-skinned man like A Ye. Perhaps she prefers someone more pale and scholarly?”

Lin Dashan’s frown deepened. “You mean someone like Zhang Zongyao?”

Zhang Zongyao was the eldest grandson of Village Chief Zhang. There were few scholars in Tianshui Village, as most families were too poor to afford an education. But Zhang Zongyao was a true scholar, and he had inherited the best features of the Zhang family—handsome and dignified.

He was currently studying at a school in town and was said to be quite learned. He would take the government exams next year, and it was almost certain he would pass the first level, with a chance of even becoming a xiucai. Many families had been trying to arrange a marriage with the Zhang family over the past two years.

But Lin Dashan had never liked Zhang Zongyao. Two years ago, he had accidentally witnessed Zhang Zongyao bothering his A Yao!

By then, he had already bought A Ye, and everyone in the village knew his intentions. How could Zhang Zongyao not know?

If he had truly liked A Yao, he should have asked his mother to bring it up. Village Chief Zhang’s family was well-off, and if they had been serious, Lin Dashan might have considered it.

But the young man had never done so, undoubtedly because he knew his family was aiming for a better match, and the impoverished Lin family was not good enough for them.

Lin Dashan was good at keeping things to himself, and he had never even told He Guixiang about this incident.

The memory made him angry. “A scholar like Zhang Zongyao can’t carry or plow. Unless he actually becomes a xiucai, A Shu would only suffer if she married him. It’s better to find a strong man like A Ye—strong and hardworking, at least he won’t let A Shu go hungry.”

He Guixiang nodded along. “Yes, yes, I also think A Ye is the best. But we should still ask A Shu what she thinks. If she doesn’t like him, can you really force her?”

Lin Dashan raised his head slightly, his neck stiff. “Marriage matters are for parents to decide. I’m her father—would I harm her? She’s young and inexperienced. How would she know what’s good for her?”

He Guixiang wanted to say more, but Lin Dashan cut her off. “Enough. This matter is not up for discussion. A Shu must marry A Ye, unless you can find a man ten times better than him.”

He Guixiang sighed in exasperation. “You stubborn old mule, you never change. Fine, why am I even discussing this with you? I’ll try to sound out A Shu later.”

As for Zhou Ye’s opinion, He Guixiang didn’t even consider asking.

Just as Lin Dashan believed Zhou Ye was the best match in the area and never thought to ask A Shu’s opinion, He Guixiang was equally convinced that her daughter was unmatched. In her eyes, Zhou Ye would be incredibly lucky to marry A Shu, and the possibility of him not liking her never crossed her mind.

The couple eventually fell silent, and the neighboring rooms had long grown quiet.

These past two days, even Zhou Ye had stopped tossing and turning at night, and both Lin Shu and Lin Xiaopu slept soundly.

It wasn’t until midnight that Lin Shu was abruptly awakened by the sound of raindrops.

Soon, the rain grew heavier.

Lin Xiaopu rubbed her eyes and mumbled sleepily, “A’jie, is it raining?”

“Yes, and it looks like it’s going to be a heavy one.”

Lin Xiaopu let out a calm “oh,” then got out of bed and expertly pulled two cracked clay pots and three bamboo tubes from under the bed. She placed them in various spots around the room—one even right beside the bed.

As she arranged them, the little girl explained, “These two spots leaked last time, so we need big jars here. These other two only drip a little when it rains heavily, so a bamboo tube will do.”

Lin Shu was speechless.

“Wait!” Lin Shu suddenly remembered the items drying in the courtyard and exclaimed, “The shiitake mushrooms and the purslane we picked—I don’t think we took them inside!”

In a panic, she grabbed her clothes to rush outside, but Lin Xiaopu yawned and said calmly, “Don’t worry, A’jie. A Ye has probably already taken them inside. Every time it rains, he collects everything from the courtyard before the rain even starts. His ears are sharp.”

Lin Shu couldn’t help but click her tongue in appreciation. This rough guy was surprisingly thoughtful.

Satisfied there was no problem, the two sisters soon fell back asleep.

Outside, the rain grew heavier, while inside, the water started dripping—sometimes fast, sometimes slow. Eventually, a heavy drop would fall with a loud “plop,” as if a big raindrop had fallen into a jar of water, making a splash.

Perhaps because she had rarely slept well in her previous life, Lin Shu had been sleeping deeply every night since arriving in Tianshui Village.

Therefore, every time Lin Shu woke up, Lin Xiaopu had already risen before her. Lin Shu felt a bit embarrassed, but after the embarrassment, she just went back to sleep anyway.

Village folks went to bed early, so she also followed suit and slept early. Even if she woke up a little later the next morning, it was only by two or three *ke* (an ancient unit of time, roughly 15 minutes), which hardly mattered at all.

Especially last night, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain, Lin Shu wasn't disturbed in her sleep—instead, she slept even more soundly. If no one had woken her, she could have slept an extra half hour longer than Ping’er.

Lin Shu glanced around the room. The jars and bamboo tubes Xiao Pu had set out last night were already put away, but there were clear water stains on the floor. It seemed the roof had leaked during the night, filling the jars and tubes until they overflowed a bit.

Her little sister was just like a diligent little bee, rising early to empty those rain-filled jars and tubes, then tucking them back under the bed one by one.

Lin Shu yawned and shot a sleepy glare at Lin Xiaopu, who had woken her. "If you don’t give me a good reason for waking me up, A-jie's gonna tickle you."

In the past few days, Xiao Pu had always gotten up on her own, and she did so very quietly, careful not to disturb Lin Shu, which was really thoughtful. But today, she had taken the initiative to wake her up.

Lin Xiaopu said with an excited chuckle, "Come on, Sis, it rained last night! This morning, the back hill must be full of mushrooms. If we don’t go early, others will pick them all! Most importantly, we have to go pick that bamboo mushroom you mentioned last time!"