Chapter 58 Relocation

Chapter 58: Moving

Regardless, today's trip wasn't in vain—at least we've earned enough for the rent, which solves our immediate crisis. It really breaks your heart when you think about it.

At the inn entrance, they happened to run into Song Tingzhou returning alone. Meng Wan went up to him.

"The books are sold."

"Did you finalize the deal?"

They both spoke at the same time. Meng Wan laughed. "How did you know?"

Song Tingzhou pointed to the oxcart slowly disappearing behind him. If he hadn't made the deal and sold the books, Meng Wan wouldn't have bothered taking the oxcart back.

Meng Wan stepped forward, took his hand, and gave it a gentle shake. "Guess how much silver I sold them for?"

Song Tingzhou smiled and asked him, "How much?"

Meng Wan grabbed his shoulder and leaned in close to his ear. Song Tingzhou tilted toward him. They stood close, and whatever Meng Wan said made Song Tingzhou chuckle. They chatted and laughed all the way back to the inn.

"Did everything go smoothly when you reported back to the prefectural school?"

"There are many new students enrolling, some even later than me. The teacher gave me a few extra days off and told me to settle in before starting classes."

"That's perfect. Once we find a house, we'll also buy a cart to have at the house. You won't have to walk to and from school."

"Mm, okay."

Huang Zheng was only a few steps away, but felt like he was invisible. He scratched his nose and followed along.

Later, they bought some bowls of plain noodles and ate them. That day, after Song Tingzhou had his leave processed at the prefectural school, Xiao Yazi took him to look at houses.

"Xiao Yazi showed me a courtyard in the west of the city. Forget the others, there's one that's the cheapest—you can pay monthly. For a room, it's three taels a year; for a storefront, four taels a month, and you can sleep in the shop at night. But this place is in a large compound, with cramped rooms and about eight or nine families living in the courtyard."

Chang Jinhua immediately waved her hand in disagreement. "That won't do. It's too cramped and chaotic. We'd be better off renting in the north part of town."

Song Tingzhou agreed. "That's reasonable. There's another place with a shop in front and a courtyard in back. The layout is good and the house is sturdy, but the price is a bit high—seventy-five taels a year for rent, with the shop alone costing sixty full taels."

Meng Wan frowned. "For our breakfast business, we don't actually need a large shop—just a storefront will do. Although we have some silver now, a storefront for sixty taels is too expensive. If it doesn't work out, let's separate them. First, we'll rent just a courtyard to settle down, and we can find a shopfront separately."

With this in mind, the family searched for two more days until they finally found a suitable place.

The luggage was pulled by an oxcart. Song Tingzhou and Huang Zheng went ahead to tidy up the courtyard, while Meng Wan and Chang Jinhua walked behind the oxcart. Meng Wan told Chang Jinhua about the house they had settled on the day before. "It's not on the main street, but it's not far from it either. It's a small alley branching off to the east, called Liudi Lane. The courtyard is at the very entrance of the lane. Originally, it didn't have a shop, but one of the west wing rooms has a window facing the street. We've already discussed with the landlord—we'll have someone expand the window to serve as a storefront."

The main expense was the shop itself. Renting a standalone residential courtyard cost fifteen taels for a whole yard, but a larger shopfront cost ten taels or more per month, and even a small shopfront was at least twenty or thirty taels per year.

The courtyard they rented now had a good location, and the surrounding environment was decent. Although the annual rent of twenty taels wasn't cheap, the window of the wing room opened directly onto the street, making it a shopfront. It was the most suitable residence Meng Wan and Song Tingzhou had found.

Chang Jinhua said with relief, "That way I can find something to do. Living in a town like this, everything costs money—food, clothing, shelter, travel. Like when Da Lang was taking the prefectural exam that month, I got so anxious just sitting around."

Meng Wan said to her, "I see the prefectural city has a big population, and many people are willing to spend money. The west of the city is near the dock, so there's a constant flow of laborers and travelers. Whether we make a little or a lot, if we hire someone and produce more, we can still sell it. Once the business picks up, we could even hire more hands."

Chang Jinhua was startled. "Hire someone? What if they have bad intentions and learn your recipe?"

Actually, Meng Wan wasn't worried about people learning. There were three bun shops on two streets, and none had gone out of business. But the fact that Chang Jinhua even thought about doing business in the city was already more than she ever would have before. The idea of hiring an outsider still made her wary—that's only natural.

Meng Wan reassured her. "Oh, Mom, we can just hire someone to greet customers out front, or have them only fry the fried dough sticks. We'll knead the dough inside ourselves."

After he talked her through it, Chang Jinhua seemed much better and grew eager to see the new courtyard.

When they arrived at Liudi Lane, Huang Zheng was already standing at the entrance of the lane, looking out. Seeing the oxcart driver, he quickly called for him to stop at the courtyard gate.

This lane had six or seven houses. Though the courtyards varied in size, they were arranged quite neatly—much better than the north of the city.

Meng Wan and Chang Jinhua entered the courtyard together. Directly opposite was the main building with two rooms, similar in layout to the Song family's house, except the left and right rooms were the same size with no main or secondary room. Song Tingzhou let Chang Jinhua live alone in the east room—in the Yu Kingdom, the east was considered the place of honor for the elders. He and Meng Wan would live in the west room.

To the right of the courtyard gate was a full wall, behind which was the next-door neighbor's courtyard. There was no backyard. The latrine was in one corner of the courtyard, and a thatched shed in the other corner for storing firewood.

To the left of the courtyard gate was a row of wing rooms, with two doors and three windows. The room nearest the gate, Meng Wan planned to leave for Huang Zheng.

"It's fine for staying a few nights, but I don't plan to live here long." Huang Zheng and Song Tingzhou had unloaded all the luggage from the oxcart and happened to hear Meng Wan's words.

Chang Jinhua was surprised. "Then where will you stay?"

Huang Zheng squatted on the ground, sorting the luggage, without looking up. "I've been looking around the west of the city these past two days. There's a Zhujian Bookstore that's hiring workers. I asked around—they want literate men to do the work. They provide room and board and pay monthly—eight hundred coppers. I want to try it."

"That's great."

Huang Zheng looked up. It was Meng Wan speaking.

"You didn't get scared off from this line of work after what happened at Baojin Studio. That's already rare. And you thought of finding work on your own—that's very good. I support you." Meng Wan raised his arm and pumped his fist at him.

Huang Zheng didn't understand what kind of gesture that was, but he found it very endearing. He couldn't help smiling. "Thank you, Sister-in-law."

Song Tingzhou said solemnly, "If things don't go well, come back to us."

Chang Jinhua also urged, "Yes, yes. Come by when you have time. If it doesn't work out, come to us and help Auntie sell fried dough sticks."

Huang Zheng's eyes got misty, and he answered in a low voice, "Mm, I'll remember. Brother Zhou, Auntie."

They began to organize the luggage. The rooms were completely empty—nothing but the stove and the kang, clean and bare.

First off, they needed to buy at least three sleeping mats for the night. Fortunately, the place was near the street, and there was a general store nearby. They bought three mats. Chang Jinhua spread out the bedding they'd brought from home. Because Song Tingzhou and Meng Wan had gotten married, they'd made two large wedding quilts, leaving the two old quilts unused. Chang Jinhua had washed and dried those, then took them to the wing room and laid out a set of Song Tingzhou's old bedding for Huang Zheng.

The extra set of bedding and some clothes, since there was no wardrobe, were piled in the corner of the kang for now.

They had brought all their pots and pans—two round pans and one square pan. The big pot in Chang Jinhua's room fit perfectly, but the stove opening in their west room was too large.

The small pan wouldn't fit, so they would have to find a mason tomorrow to modify the stove in the wing room to be rectangular to hold the frying pan for fried dough sticks. The stove opening in the west room would have to be reduced in size to fit their small pan.

They also needed to buy ready-made cabinets from the carpenter's shop. Rice, flour, and other supplies couldn't be left on the floor—they'd attract mice. Clothes couldn't be left in such a mess either.

At the far end of the lane was a well. Since they'd be running a business, they needed at least three or four buckets. Meng Wan was cleanly, so he needed a bathtub too.

Desks, chairs, a dining table, small stools—all the furniture they needed for the shop, they'd have to buy.

It was still early, so Song Tingzhou went to the nearby carpenter's shop to order cabinets. He called Huang Zheng to come along, and they brought back two buckets and three wooden basins.

"Nothing else was ready-made. I've already paid a deposit. When the rest is done, they'll deliver it by cart." The carpenter's shop had several apprentices. Larger items might take longer, but these small pieces would be ready in a day or two.

Meng Wan thought about it. "Then let's stop here for today. The courtyard doesn't even have a single piece of firewood. Remember we ordered firewood from the Ding family in Daguancun Village north of the city? Should we go find them? That's too far."

Huang Zheng could speak to this. "Sister-in-law, I've seen messenger boys in the city who deliver messages. For a few coppers, they can go and deliver messages or news. And they know the towns and villages around the prefectural city well. Why not find one to deliver a message?"

Meng Wan was pleasantly surprised. "That's pretty handy. We'll go find one right away."

Huang Zheng stood up. "No need to wait. I'll go now. It's the Ding family in Daguancun, north of the city, right? Have them send a few bundles for now?"

Meng Wan considered it. "Have them send around seventeen or eighteen bundles for now. We'll figure out the rest when he gets here."

Even if we sent word now, it's already too late. There's no way Woodcutter Ding could make it into town overnight. Who knows how long this place has been empty. Song Tingzhou first fetched water, and the three of them cleaned and wiped the floors and walls several times.

Meng Wan, on the other hand, headed next door to see if he could borrow some firewood to tide them over. There was no helping it; he was the only one in the family with a friendly face.

The neighbor's gate was half open, half closed. Meng Wan stood at the entrance, peering in.

"Is anyone home?"

Someone inside answered, "Coming!"

"Who's there?" The visitor was an elderly woman, her hair salt-and-pepper, around sixty years old. She had a slight stoop, walked slowly, and her voice was shaky. When she saw a stranger at the door, she gave Meng Wan a good once-over.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, warm and disarming. "Grandma, I'm from the newly moved-in family next door. We've just arrived, and our yard has no firewood. Could I borrow a bundle? I'll bring some back tomorrow or just pay you for it."

The elderly woman was about to answer when an impatient voice cut her off.

"Mother, who is it?"

The voice belonged to a young woman, average height, a little plump, but not as pleasing as Brother Man. She had monolids, a flat nose, thin lips, and a broad forehead.

She wore her hair in a maiden's bun, with a silver hairpin in her hair and a silver bracelet on her left wrist.

She stepped briskly behind the elderly woman, eyeing Meng Wan with contempt, and snapped, "What's your business?"

Meng Wan repeated himself.

He figured he looked friendly and harmless, but to his surprise, the woman just barked "No!" and slammed the door in his face.

Meng Wan wiped the dust from his nose, speechless for a moment. Who would've thought his first day in the neighborhood would end with a door slammed in his face.

"Hey, young man, over here."

Someone seemed to be calling him?

Meng Wan looked to his right. The second house to the right of his, which was the neighbor's next neighbor, had its door open, and someone was calling him.

"Sister-in-law, are you calling me?"

A woman stuck her head out the door. "Oh, don't call me 'sister-in-law'! Just call me Auntie."

Meng Wan walked over, rubbing the back of his head like Huang Zheng did. "You're too young for me to call you Aunt."

The woman couldn't stop laughing. "You're a character, you know that? Did you move in today?"

Meng Wan played dumb. "Yeah, we just moved from the countryside. We didn't have any firewood, so I figured I'd borrow a bundle from next door. Little did I know they'd be so unfriendly!"

The woman waved her hand dismissively. "Don't mind that old spinster from the Li family. She's bitter because she can't find a husband. You need firewood? I've got some. Come on in."

Meng Wan was over the moon and replied, "Then thank you, Sister-in-law."

"Hey, stop calling me that! I'm thirty-six, and you're just a kid. People would laugh their heads off. My married name is Zhou, so just call me Aunt Zhou." She said this, but her smile was impossible to hide.

Meng Wan was laying it on a bit thick, but Aunt Zhou really was fair and youthful. Chang Jinhua was only four years older, but she looked seven or eight years older.

After borrowing the firewood, Meng Wan dragged it home. Song Tingzhou came out to find him, took the firewood, and carried it in himself.

"I thought you were going next door?"

Meng Wan whispered, "I'll tell you when we get home."

Aunt Zhou watched them from the crack of the door and muttered, "Who'd have thought her husband was so handsome? Better hope that crazy Li girl doesn't get her claws into him."

Back home, Chang Jinhua had already scrubbed the pot in the eastern room, rinsed the rice, and added water. Once the firewood arrived, she lit up both stoves.

"Cook some thin porridge for the evening, Dalang, go buy a few buns, and when Huang Zheng comes back, have him light the stove in his room. We'll just make do like this today."

Song Tingzhou replied, "Alright." He went out and bought seven or eight buns.

When Huang Zheng returned, Meng Wan ladled out the porridge from the pot. The four of them made do with the buns for the meal, then cleaned up the dishes, scrubbed the pot, and added fresh water.

Since there was no bathtub, Meng Wan washed himself with a basin of water, changed into clean long johns, and climbed onto the kang.

He called to Song Tingzhou, who was washing up in the kitchen, "Cousin, help me pour out the water."

Song Tingzhou pushed the door open, came in, took his used basin out, and after a short while, finished tidying up and entered the room. He closed their door and lit an oil lamp.

Meng Wan looked at him puzzled. "We're about to rest, why light the lamp?"

Song Tingzhou said nothing; the faint light of the oil lamp cast a large shadow beneath him, and Meng Wan suddenly understood something.

"Well, better put out the lamp. You've been busy all day, and you're tired."

Song Tingzhou slipped into the quilt and wrapped his arms around Meng Wan from behind, asking in a low voice, "Tired?"

Meng Wan was silent for a moment, then turned over under the quilt to face him, burying his head in the side of Song Tingzhou's neck, and said in a muffled voice, "Actually... it's not so bad."

Newlyweds, they had been traveling non-stop without being close, and upon arriving in the city, they didn't share a room. It wasn't just Song Tingzhou who wanted to be intimate.

Song Tingzhou cupped his face with his hand, his gaze tender and longing. He slightly raised himself and gently kissed Meng Wan's forehead and nose, then bent down to find his lips half-hidden in the quilt, softly teasing them—lip against lip, tongue entwining with tongue.

This tenderness carried an urgency; first satisfying the craving, then stirring up desire, it made Meng Wan voluntarily lift his arms and wrap them around his neck...

The quilt tossed like red waves, the night deep and satisfying.