Chapter 114: Eggs

Chapter 114: Eggs

Before Lin Shu could press further, Zhou Ye turned the question back to her, “A Shu, why didn't you sleep in a bit more? Uncle and Aunt haven’t woken up yet.”

Lin Shu carried her small bamboo stool over and sat beside him, her voice still soft and drowsy from sleep. “I’ve slept enough. Dad and Mom hardly slept last night—they were exhausted. Xiao Pu, too—she just turned over and went right back to sleep.”

Her gaze softened as it rested on him. “But you—you didn’t sleep at all last night, and you carried me all that way. Even an iron man would be tired. Why didn’t you sleep a little longer?”

Zhou Ye wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. “I don’t feel tired.”

The thought that A Shu had fallen ill from a leaky roof kept him awake. He couldn’t rest until he did something to ease the anxiety in his heart.

The downpour had come unexpectedly, and more storms were coming, each one unpredictable. He never wanted to see A Shu suffer like that again.

Lin Shu studied him quietly for a long moment. Perhaps it was the lingering effects of her illness, but at that moment, she felt a strong urge to do something for this man who cared for her so deeply.

Before she could decide what to do, movement sounds came from inside the house.

Lin Dashan and He Guixiang had woken and emerged. Lin Xiaopu, a light sleeper, had also stirred at the noise and decided not to sleep any longer.

They could have slept more, but if they did, the day would be wasted.

The three family members were startled by the bundles of dried thatch piled in the yard. Seeing Zhou Ye weaving the thatch, they could easily guess what he was doing.

Lin Dashan felt guilty seeing Zhou Ye working on replacing the roof without consulting him.

Earlier that summer, when the first rain fell, A Ye had mentioned replacing the roof, offering to cut thatch and gather bark. At the time, Lin Dashan thought the leaks weren’t serious and the roof could last another year or two, so he said there was no hurry. After that, A Ye never brought it up again.

But last night, when A Shu fell ill, her mother discovered that the pillow had been soaked by rainwater leaking through the roof. If they had replaced the roof earlier, this wouldn’t have happened.

“A Ye, where did you get all this dried thatch? There’s so much!” Lin Dashan asked awkwardly.

Every household in Sweetwater Village kept a supply of thatch. After autumn, they would cut large bundles from the wild, dry them for three or four days, and store them in the shed or woodshed for later use.

Their own shed had several bundles, enough for minor repairs, but far from sufficient for rethatching the entire roof.

Zhou Ye replied, “Uncle, I borrowed it from several households.”

Lin Dashan thought to himself, *It can’t have been that easy. Borrowing a little is one thing, but this much?*

Dried thatch was useful for many things—mending roofs, stuffing bedding for warmth in winter, making nests for chickens and ducks, or fueling the stove. Though not valuable, it was a practical resource every household kept on hand. Who would lend so much for nothing?

He Guixiang, knowing Zhou Ye well, asked directly, “A Ye, did you promise something in return?”

Lin Shu also looked over anxiously, wondering if this fool had agreed to something unreasonable.

Zhou Ye explained casually, as if it were no big deal, “I visited several families and borrowed a bundle from each. This autumn, I’ll return two bundles to every household.”

At this, the others exchanged knowing glances.

Aside from Zhou Ye, it would be hard to find another person in Sweetwater Village willing to make such a deal.

But though Lin Shu silently called him a fool, a smile crept into her eyes.

Everyone knew why A Ye had chosen to replace the roof now—it was for her sake. She understood perfectly.

Lin Dashan and He Guixiang, not wanting to embarrass her, avoided mentioning it directly. But Lin Xiaopu giggled openly, earning herself a few light pinches on the cheek from her sister.

Replacing the roof was labor-intensive. Lin Dashan decided to skip work in the fields and help Zhou Ye, but Zhou Ye refused. “Uncle, go ahead with your work. I can manage this alone.”

Knowing how capable Zhou Ye was, Lin Dashan relented. He still needed to check on the two dryland plots where beans had been planted after the wheat harvest. While rain was beneficial, standing water had to be drained promptly.

After Lin Dashan left, He Guixiang insisted on helping Zhou Ye weave the thatch. “I’ve finished spinning the hemp at home, so I’m free now. I won’t interfere with other tasks, but I’m quite skilled at weaving thatch. How long would it take you to do it alone?”

Zhou Ye thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright, Auntie. If you’re not busy, your help will speed things up. Once we finish weaving, I’ll mix the mud. We’ll need a few sunny days to dry everything properly.”

“A Ye, what about Xiao Pu and me?” Lin Shu asked.

Zhou Ye replied, “You two don’t need to do anything. Just rest.”

Lin Xiaopu: *If you want A Jie to rest, just say so. Why drag me into it?*

Lin Shu took him at his word, moving her stool to a shaded spot under the eaves and chatting with the two as they worked.

“By the way, Mom, what did you say to Cousin Yu Shu?” Lin Shu felt a little guilty. She had been away in town yesterday and ill today, missing two days of teaching him.

He Guixiang said, “What else could I say? I told him the truth. Yu Shu said to take good care of yourself and not to worry; he’s using this time to memorize the primer books he bought.”

Hearing this, Lin Shu smiled warmly. “That’s right. Cousin Yu Shu already memorized the *Three Character Classic*. Now that he has the books, he can read along as he recites. Once he finishes one book, he’ll recognize many characters. With other books to study, he can memorize and learn on his own. That boy has a great memory and quick understanding—what I told Third Aunt wasn’t an exaggeration.”

He Guixiang remembered something else. “Your Third Aunt came by after she heard you were sick, but you and A Ye hadn’t returned yet, so she didn’t get to see you.”

As if on cue, while they were speaking of Zhang Qiaohua, she arrived.

“A Shu, are you feeling better? I brought some fresh eggs for you to regain your strength.” Without waiting for a response, Zhang Qiaohua headed straight for the kitchen, basket in hand, intending to leave the eggs there.

He Guixiang quickly stood up and stopped her. “Sister-in-law, what are you doing?”

“Eldest Sister-in-law, it’s just a few eggs. Why so polite? My niece is sick—can’t I, as her aunt, bring her some eggs? Let go—there aren’t many. Don’t make a scene in front of the children.”

He Guixiang was torn between laughter and frustration. “A few? I saw—there must be nearly twenty! Yu Shu is growing and needs nutrition for his studies. Keep them for him!”

“Sister-in-law, we still have more at home. I didn’t bring them all, don’t worry.”

After some back-and-forth, He Guixiang finally relented and accepted the eggs. When she transferred them one by one into the small bamboo basket in the kitchen, she counted exactly eighteen.

Lin Shu smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Third Aunt. I’ve been craving eggs lately. Our old hen isn’t laying as many as before—not enough for me to eat.”

Zhang Qiaohua laughed. “I like how straightforward you are, A Shu. Don’t learn from your mother—she takes forever to accept a gift.”

Lin Shu said, “Don’t blame Mom, Third Aunt. She was planning to ask you to sew a set of clothes, but now that you’ve given us eggs, she might be too embarrassed to bring it up.”

“A Shu, you!” He Guixiang sighed in mock exasperation.

Zhang Qiaohua quickly interjected, “Sister-in-law, you’re too polite! We’re family. What kind of clothes did you have in mind?”

He Guixiang explained, “I bought some hemp fabric to make new clothes for the family. You know my sewing skills are nowhere near as good as yours. The men and Xiao Pu and I can make do, but A Shu is at the age where she should look her best. I was hoping you could help tailor a new outfit for her.”

Zhang Qiaohua agreed readily. “That’s no trouble at all. I’ll go get my measuring tape and take A Shu’s measurements. I can finish the outfit in three days—it’ll fit her perfectly!”