Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Not only did they hunt a wild boar, they'd bagged two.

However, they only told outsiders they hunted one, just like with the wine—Old Man Zhao bought two jars but only mentioned one. When it comes to getting by, it's wise to keep some things hidden, not easily letting others know your full situation. While talk of caution might sound a bit petty, holding something back can save a lot of unnecessary trouble.

A house can't be built in a day or two, and going into the mountains is too exhausting. So, Li Dahe invited the Zhao family to stay at his place for a while, moving in only after the house was built. He laid out his reasoning: "You grown-ups might manage, you can sleep anywhere in a makeshift shelter, but what about the kids? The weather is hot right now, and the nights are full of mosquitoes—how can anyone sleep soundly? Fetching water would be a hassle too. My place isn't big enough for everyone, so we'll squeeze in at Dazhu's place. Our two families live close by; if anything happens, a shout will be heard. It's very convenient."

"That's right, come to my house. I have a few empty rooms; we can tidy them up and you can stay," Wu Dazhu said with a good-natured smile. He was the eldest son. After his mother passed, he and his two younger brothers split the household. The second and third brothers moved out of the old house with their wives and children to build new homes. Although the houses collapsed during the earthquake, when rebuilding, they followed the previous layout. The foundation was that large anyway; might as well use all the space you've got.

"This..." Old Man Zhao turned to look at his old woman. They had originally planned to put up a couple of makeshift shelters and make do for a few days, letting Xiaobao and his wife sleep in the wooden hut at night. The men, with their rough skin and thick flesh, could manage anywhere for a night. But thinking of his three daughters-in-law, he hesitated—women aren't as hardy as men.

After thinking it over, Wang Shi nodded decisively and said with a smile, "Then we'll have to trouble you for a while. Our family is large; I hope you won't find us too noisy."

"Trouble? A big crowd is livelier!" Li Dahe laughed heartily.

Wu Dazhu turned and called to his son, "Donkey, go home now and tell your mother to tidy up those rooms. Say Old Lady Wang and the others are coming to stay tonight. Make sure they're cleaned properly!"

"Yay!" Donkey cheered happily. He really liked Little Aunt Xiaobao now and was delighted she was coming to stay. He quickly tied his pockets into tight knots to keep the berries from falling out, then dashed off toward home.

Li Dahe also called to his grandson, "Dagouzi, you hurry back too and tell your grandma. Have her tidy up the empty rooms at home and cook more rice. Grandpa Zhao's family is coming tonight."

"Got it, Grandpa." Dagouzi responded and sprinted off after Donkey.

Zhao Xiaobao was overjoyed to hear they'd be staying at their houses that night. Kids always think the food at someone else's house tastes better, and going to someone else's home as a guest was exciting. Clapping her hands, she went over to Xiaohua and said, "Xiaohua, can I sleep at your house tonight?"

Xiaohua had already become familiar with her and nodded eagerly, her little face flushed with excitement. "Little Aunt Xiaobao, you're welcome to visit my house! Will you sleep with me tonight? I have my own room, and the bed is big enough for several people."

Zhao Xiaobao didn't agree immediately. Instead, she said, "I'd like to sleep with you too, but I have to ask my mother first. If she agrees, then we can sleep together."

Xiaohua nodded repeatedly, her eyes shining as she looked at Zhao Xiaobao. Little Aunt was willing to sleep with her!

The children from the Wu and Li families were all excited. Thinking that the Zhao Family would be visiting their homes for dinner and sleep that night, they played together without any reservations. Nowadays, being able to eat and sleep at someone else's house meant a very close relationship. And from the looks of it, they'd be staying for ten days to half a month! Great, great—their homes were going to be lively!

Children love liveliness the most.

After discussing with her eldest daughter-in-law, Wang Shi called over Zhao Ertian, who was busy working, and pointed to a sack of grain on the ground. She said to him, "First, carry this sack of grain to the Li house. Tell Aunt Feng to use this grain to cook tonight's meal and not to be polite about it. I'll be checking the kitchen later. If the grain hasn't been used, I won't stand for it." She said this in a joking tone, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Li Dahe shot Old Man Zhao a look, saying aloud that Old Sister-in-law was too polite, but thinking to himself that the Zhao family were truly decent folks to deal with—every aspect was impeccable. Getting along well with such a family made him feel very comfortable. Of course, his family could afford to host a meal, but Sister-in-law Wang's way of handling things was so considerate, which naturally made him feel pleased.

He couldn't help but shout loudly to his grandson, who was already almost out of sight, "Remember to tell your grandma to cut a piece of meat! We're having stir-fried cured meat tonight!"

"Got it!!"

Widow Li also wanted to invite them to stay at her place, but considering her status as a widow and that her house only had two rooms—not enough space—she kept quiet. Her reputation in the village was somewhat awkward now. Although, out of respect for their families, the villagers didn't dare say anything to her face, behind her back they whispered that she was the only one among those captured by the refugees who survived, while even Big Radish and Little Radish were unharmed. There must be more to the story, they said.

The Li family had also come to question her several times about what exactly happened at the foot of the mountain those days, why she managed to escape, even threatening her with her two sons, saying that if she was intentionally hiding something, the clan wouldn't look after her and her three children in the future.

It was only because Uncle Dahe arrived with people in time that the situation didn't escalate that day.

Anyway, after this incident, her own clan members, both openly and secretly, were wary and exclusionary toward her and her children. Widow Li had already decided: in the future, she needed to be even more alert. If the Zhao family needed anything, she would run faster to help. Even if she had her own work to do, she would prioritize their family first. The same went for Uncle Dahe's family. Big Radish and Little Radish were still young. This world is especially harsh on women, particularly widows. There were countless cases of people spreading baseless rumors about them. Until her two sons grew up, she could only live under the Zhao family's protection.

"Xiuhong, why didn't Big Radish and Little Radish come to play?" Wang Shi suddenly asked.

Widow Li was momentarily taken aback upon hearing that name, not realizing she was being addressed.

Since she got married, no one had called her by that name. Her relationship with her sister-in-law in her maiden family was poor. Her own mother was weak and couldn't control her daughter-in-law. Every time she returned to her maiden home in the first two years after marriage, she was treated poorly, so she eventually stopped going back.

People in Wanxia Village called her Li Shi. After she had sons, they called her Radishes' Mom. After her husband died, they called her Widow Li.

Xiuhong... yes, she was called Lü Xiuhong.

"There's no firewood at home. I told Big Radish to take his younger brother to the mountains to gather some," Widow Li, that is, Lü Xiuhong, said with a smile.

"Children going into the mountains alone is dangerous," Wang Shi sighed. "Later, when Little Wu and the others go into the mountains, have Big Radish go with them. Children should stick together with other children. There's safety in numbers, and they can look out for each other if anything happens." She genuinely felt for those two children. So young and already without a father, with no support from their maternal grandparents and their own clan not close to them. If her Zhao family had such obedient, diligent, and sensible youngsters, she would cherish them dearly. She really didn't understand what the Li family was thinking.

"Take care of your own family first. If you have time later, come give a hand then," Wang Shi said gently. "Don't worry about the autumn harvest either. My family has many people but little land. I estimate we can finish cutting the grain in a day or two. Then I'll have Ertian and the others go help you. It's no trouble."

"Alright." Lü Xiuhong nodded, then quickly lowered her eyes, hiding a tear the size of a bean that fell to the ground.

Wang Shi patted her shoulder and said no more.

Today, they cleared the ground. Tomorrow, they could start digging the foundation. As for wood, sand, stones, and other materials needed to build the house, they could all be found in the mountains. If not, they could buy them in town. The Zhao family's current wealth could actually build a decent house, even one more impressive than the village chief's. But once bitten, twice shy, Old Man Zhao and Wang Shi were psychologically scarred. They'd rather continue living in a thatched hut than spend a large sum to build a fine residence.

They'd make do for now. If they were to build a proper house, it would have to wait until Zhao Xiaobao brought a husband into the family.

That's what Old Man Zhao and Wang Shi thought. They would save the hundred taels of silver and that box of gold gourd-leaf ornaments. They would live as they had before, not splurging just because they had money. Money doesn't last long; they still needed to be frugal.

When their five boys grew up, just marrying them off would cost a large sum. And if the house became too crowded, they'd have to expand. Once you started calculating, there was never enough money. Not only could they not freely buy property, they had to save—save for their grandsons' marriages, save for Zhao Xiaobao to bring in a husband.

A girl needed to live under her parents' watchful eyes for peace of mind. Lü Xiuhong was a living example.

As for whether their future granddaughters-in-law could get along with Xiaobao, Wang Shi and Old Man Zhao weren't worried. If they really couldn't get along, then they'd have the grandsons move out. Once married, if they couldn't get along, there was no need to force it. They could live separately, be their own masters, manage their own household affairs, and just interact as relatives in the future.

Regarding the future, Wang Shi and Old Man Zhao had long made arrangements. They had a clear plan in mind.

With many hands, the work went quickly. In half a day, the area was cleared.

The whole family followed to Li Dahe's house. The Li family also had a large household living together, making it incredibly lively.

As soon as the Zhao family entered, Li Dahe's wife, Feng Shi, immediately came out from the kitchen to greet them. Both she and Wang Shi were the type in the village who didn't much interfere in others' family affairs and didn't enjoy gossip. Their families lived far apart, so they hadn't really spoken much before. But once they met, within a few sentences, they became very friendly, calling each other "old sister" and "younger sister" with affectionate familiarity.

"Come, let's go take a look in the kitchen. You told me to use your sack of rice, and I wasn't polite at all. I cooked a huge pot of rice tonight. Our family can be considered to have benefited," Feng Shi said, pulling Wang Shi toward the kitchen.

Li Dahe's two daughters-in-law were tending the fire and stir-frying dishes. Seeing Wang Shi, they also smiled broadly. Mancang's wife had a straightforward personality and spoke with a crisp, clear voice that was pleasant to hear. Manliang's wife was shyer. After greeting Wang Shi, she fell silent, just focusing on her work.

"If you were polite with me, I wouldn't dare trouble you! Our large family alone uses a lot of firewood every day. The grain is left in the kitchen. The two nieces-in-law should cook as they normally would; don't be stingy with the rice," Wang Shi said, calling over Zhao Xiaobao, who had trotted along behind. "Xiaobao, this is Aunt Feng. You must greet her when you see her in the future. And these two sisters-in-law—you must say hello when you see them in the village."

Zhao Xiaobao tilted her little head up and obediently greeted them, "Hello, Aunt Feng. Hello, sisters-in-law."

"What a well-behaved girl. You've made me feel younger," Feng Shi said, squatting down to gently pinch her chubby cheeks. She adored her. She picked up a piece of cured spareribs from the stove and handed it to her. "Good girl, this is cured spareribs that Aunt Feng made. It's very tasty to gnaw on. Take it and eat."

"Thank you, Aunt Feng. Xiaobao likes it very much," she said, praising it before even tasting it, which made Feng Shi laugh heartily, praising her for her sweet mouth and ability to charm.

"Little Sister Xiaobao has a good nature. I've seen her in the village before, and she greeted me too," Mancang's wife praised with a smile.

Manliang's wife also nodded with a smile.

The kitchen was buzzing with conversation, and the courtyard was equally lively. Wugu Fengdengxi had already blended in with Li Dahe's grandchildren. The Li family had three grandsons and two granddaughters: Dagouzi, Ergouzi, San Gouzi, Locust Blossom, and Pear Blossom.

Dagouzi and Locust Blossom were Li Mancang's children. Ergouzi, San Gouzi, and Pear Blossom were Li Manliang's children. The brothers had a good relationship, and the sisters-in-law got along well too, so naturally, the children were close.

Like the Zhao family, the Li family's grandchildren shared a room. The group of boys played all afternoon, their bond quickly deepening. They clamored to sleep together that night, their chattering making the neighboring Wu family's boys feel envious and wanting to join.

But it was time for the evening meal. Wu Dazhu kept his children from going to the Li house. The sleeping arrangements were set: Old Man Zhao and his wife, along with Zhao Xiaobao and Zhao Dashan and his wife, would stay at the Wu house. Zhao Ertian and Zhao Sandi and their wives would stay at the Li house. The five boys were being fought over by Dagouzi and Donkey and the others; where they would sleep hadn't been finalized yet.

Dinner was excellent: stir-fried cured meat with vegetables, scrambled eggs, and half a smoked duck stewed. The meal was truly sumptuous; they were treating the Zhao family as honored guests.

Wang Shi saw this and took it to heart, knowing this was a family worth deepening ties with—everyone, old and young, was genuine and sincere.

There were too many people to fit in the main room, so the men took the main table, while the women and children got their own table. The two daughters-in-law of the Li family stood holding their bowls to pick up food. Only after the children finished eating and ran off to play in the yard, freeing up seats, did they finally sit down.

After the meal, Zhu Shi and her sisters-in-law helped clear the dishes and went together to the kitchen to wash them. All young women, they quickly became familiar over the meal, chatting about their sons, their natal families, and their husbands. Laughter echoed from the kitchen from time to time.

Feng Shi took Wang Shi to get settled. After her eldest grandson returned with the news, she had already tidied up the rooms. Like the Wu family's house, these were rebuilt according to the old layout—one room was where her daughter had lived before marriage, and the other was where her mother-in-law had lived before passing away. Of course, since the rebuild, no one had lived in them; they were usually used as half-storerooms, holding various odds and ends.

Now cleaned up, they were practically as good as new.

"Go ahead and put your things in the rooms. My children are all honest kids. Just latch the door during the day, and they won't bother coming in," Feng Shi said with a smile.

"Elder Sister, you don't have to be so formal with us. Our families are as close as can be now. If anyone should say such things, it should be me. Don’t let my boys' rough edges fool you—they’re decent kids at heart who know right from wrong and would never do anything annoying," Wang Shi replied, patting her hand with a smile. Country folk didn't always teach their kids proper manners, and many kids would enter others' homes without following rules, touching things they shouldn't and being a general nuisance. Feng Shi’s words were straightforward, assuring them they could relax and that nothing would go missing in her home.

Wang Shi naturally wasn’t worried. Her family’s valuables were all in the wooden cabin. What remained outside were bedding, clothes, food, pots, pans, and other household items—the most valuable being the food and clothing. However, staying in someone else’s home, she didn’t plan to skimp on food. She knew exactly how much rice a few scoops would make, and once it ran low, she would immediately replenish it, so they wouldn't be out a single grain.

Once settled here, Feng Shi took Wang Shi to the Wu family’s house.

The Wu family lived just a couple of houses over, only a few steps away. Wu Dazhu and his wife had been keeping an ear out, with Donkey and Xiaohua keeping watch at the door. When they saw them approaching, they turned and shouted into the house, "Dad, Mom, Auntie Xiaobao is here!"

Goodness, their eyes were only on Zhao Xiaobao, who had given them fruit. Wu Dazhu slapped his thigh and hurriedly ushered Wang Shi and the others into the yard with his wife.

"Uncle, Auntie, just make yourselves at home," Wu Dazhu said, not being much of a talker, rubbing his sweaty palms on his pants legs, visibly nervous.

Wu Dazhu’s wife was even quieter than Li Manliang’s wife. She nodded when her husband spoke and stayed silent when he didn’t, both of them equally honest and reserved.

After some polite exchanges, Feng Shi helped them get settled and then had a little chat with Wu Dazhu’s wife and Wang Shi. Seeing that it was getting late, she went back to ask the boys if they had decided on a plan—where they would sleep that night.

"Grandma Feng, Gu Zi and I will sleep at your place. Fengzi, A Deng, and Xi'er will go sleep with Donkey," Zhao Xiaowu declared smugly, raising his eyebrows. It was such a hassle being so popular, he bragged—he almost wished he could split himself in two. Dagouzi and Donkey had nearly come to blows fighting over him, hahaha.

"Alright then, I’ll go make your beds. Don’t get too cold at night—remember to cover up with the blankets," Feng Shi said with a smile. She told Donkey to take Zhao Feng and his brothers home, while she had Dagouzi take Zhao Xiaowu and the others to wash up. It was about time for bed.

When the last candle was extinguished, the entire village sank into complete silence.

The starry sky stretched above, crickets chirped softly, and thunderous snores filled the courtyard, reverberating without end.