The sky was still dark when Yu Li woke up.
Today was her first day working in the county town. She had been thinking about it all night and didn’t dare sleep too deeply. Estimating that it was about time, she woke up.
The sky outside was dark, and the room even darker.
Fortunately, Yu Li was already very familiar with the Fu household. Even in complete darkness, she moved without difficulty. She swiftly got dressed and tiptoed toward the door.
“Li Niang?”
A slightly hoarse voice came from the bed, sounding as though it had just woken up.
Yu Li responded softly and paused to ask, “Did I wake you?”
She was a bit puzzled. Normally, when she got up, he was still fast asleep. It was rare to see him awake this early.
“No.” Fu Wenxiao groped his way to a sitting position and looked toward the door. The room was too dark to see clearly; he could only vaguely make out a silhouette and knew she was standing there.
He asked, “You’re heading out already?”
Yu Li answered with another soft “mm,” patiently watching him, thinking he might not be feeling well. Otherwise, why would he suddenly wake up?
Fu Wenxiao, noticing her silence and her still standing at the door, quickly understood her thoughts.
He slightly curled the corners of his lips and said warmly, “Li Niang, be careful on the road.”
Yu Li couldn’t see what was happening on the bed and could only infer from his voice. Seeing that he didn’t get up, she asked, “Do you need something?”
For someone unfamiliar with her, it might sound like she was impatient. But Fu Wenxiao already understood her character and knew she was just asking a simple question.
“Nothing.” His voice remained gentle. “Li Niang, you can go.”
Yu Li, seeing that he really didn’t need anything, opened the door and left.
On the bed, Fu Wenxiao listened to the sound of the door closing, then shut his eyes again.
His health wasn’t good. He spent more time in a groggy sleep than awake each day, especially at night when he often fell into a hazy slumber, rarely waking unless sensing danger or another episode of his illness.
It was rare for him to wake up before dawn. Perhaps, somewhere in his heart, he was concerned about her first day of work in the county town…
How would she do? Would she adapt?
She was such a diligent girl—she should do well, right?
—
While fetching water in the courtyard to wash up, Yu Li noticed Zhou Shi coming out of the house carrying an oil lamp.
She had just woken up too. Her hair was uncombed, casually tied at the back of her head. She yawned and, upon seeing Yu Li washing up in the courtyard, said, “Li Niang, I’ll make you a few pancakes to eat on the road.”
Yesterday, after Yu Li returned from the Yu family, she had told Zhou Shi about her departure time today. Zhou Shi had kept it in mind, intending to wake up early to prepare something for her to eat so she wouldn’t have to walk on an empty stomach.
“Mother, there’s no need to trouble yourself,” Yu Li said. “I still have a few steamed buns left from yesterday—I’ll just eat those.”
She had bought steamed buns and dumplings yesterday afternoon, and there were still some left. Since they had eaten meat for dinner, no one had touched the buns and dumplings, so she had kept them in a cool place to save for breakfast today.
That way, she wouldn’t have to travel on an empty stomach.
Zhou Shi said it wasn’t any trouble and carried the oil lamp into the kitchen, quickly getting busy.
She was making egg pancakes, mixing water, eggs, chopped scallions, and fine salt into flour to form a batter, then spreading it in the pan.
Zhou Shi was quick at making pancakes. In no time, she had made several fragrant egg pancakes.
Yu Li had never eaten egg pancakes before. When she smelled the aroma, she couldn’t move her feet for a moment.
Zhou Shi smiled and handed her a pancake to fill her stomach.
The egg pancakes were made from the white flour Yu Li had bought yesterday. Freshly cooked, they were soft, fragrant, and delicious. When she took a bite, her mouth was filled with the rich aroma of eggs and scallions.
Yu Li squinted her eyes in satisfaction and said, “Mother, this is so good.”
“I’ll get up earlier tomorrow and make you more,” Zhou Shi said with a smile, feeling sorry for her having to rush to the county town for work before dawn. She had to eat well to avoid exhausting herself.
As Zhou Shi made more pancakes, she asked, “By the way, Li Niang, I still don’t know what kind of job you found.”
Yu Li answered while eating, “Slaughtering pigs.”
Zhou Shi: “…What?”
Thinking she hadn’t heard clearly, Yu Li swallowed the pancake in her mouth and repeated, “Slaughtering pigs.” Then she added cheerfully, “Mother, from now on, our family will have meat to eat.”
After all, slaughtering pigs would allow her to keep some meat for herself or buy it at a discount.
Zhou Shi finally processed the news, her expression a bit complex.
“Li Niang, how did you find such a job?” She seemed conflicted. A young woman slaughtering pigs… wasn’t that inappropriate?
Yu Li replied, “I’m strong, and the pay for slaughtering a pig is pretty good.”
Zhou Shi: “…”
Worried that Yu Laoda might be waiting too long, Yu Li didn’t linger. After finishing a few pieces of egg pancakes, she stopped eating and wrapped the rest in oil paper. She also packed the leftover steamed buns and dumplings from yesterday before getting ready to leave.
Zhou Shi held the oil lamp and saw her off.
The outside was pitch black. Though the sky was filled with stars, their light wasn’t as bright as the moon’s, making it hard to see the road clearly.
“Li Niang, be careful,” Zhou Shi said with concern.
Yu Li responded with a sound of acknowledgment, bid her farewell, and walked toward the village entrance under the brilliant starlight.
The entire village was silent, and the surrounding mountains were shrouded in stillness. Only the chirping of insects in the grass broke the tranquility, bringing a sense of vitality to the quiet night.
Yu Li had plenty of experience walking at night. She walked steadily, and even though she couldn’t see the road, it didn’t affect her pace.
Before long, she arrived at the village entrance, where she saw Yu Laoda holding a torch.
The torchlight wasn’t very bright, but it served as a guide. Yu Li quickly walked over.
Yu Laoda hadn’t waited long. Seeing her approach, he was finally relieved that he didn’t have to go into the village to call for her.
He glanced at her and asked, “Li Niang, you’re here. You didn’t trip, did you?”
It was dark, and with no moonlight tonight, the road wasn’t easy to walk on. People unaccustomed to walking at night could easily fall.
“No, I know the way,” Yu Li said, glancing at the torch in his hand. She then asked, “Uncle Tu, have you eaten breakfast yet? I have some egg pancakes here.”
She generously shared her egg pancakes with him.
The egg pancakes were so delicious that, truthfully, she was reluctant to share. But remembering that Yu Laoda had introduced her to this job and even given her a big chunk of meat yesterday, she decided to be magnanimous.
Yu Laoda hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and had planned to eat in the county town. Seeing her offer the pancakes, he didn’t want to reject the young lady’s kind gesture, so he accepted and ate them.
The egg pancakes were still warm, filled with the fragrant aroma of flour, eggs, and scallions—they were absolutely delicious.
Yu Laoda praised, “Did you make these egg pancakes? They’re really good.”
“No, my mother-in-law made them,” Yu Li said with a hint of a smile. “My mother-in-law can make a lot of delicious food.”
Not only could Zhou Shi embroider, but she was also an excellent cook. In Yu Li’s eyes, Zhou Shi was incredibly capable—so much so that Yu Li felt reluctant to leave the Fu family.
Maybe… when she eventually left the Fu family, she could take Zhou Shi with her?
Wait, if Zhou Shi left, Fu Wenxiao, Fu Yanhui, and Fu Yansheng would all come along too. In that case, there didn’t seem to be much difference, right?
Yu Laoda was surprised and asked, “You’re married? When did this happen?”
It seemed he had only been away from the village for a few months, yet somehow he had completely missed the news of her marriage.
“Last month,” Yu Li replied.
Yu Laoda couldn’t help but take a closer look at her. The firelight fell on her face, revealing a skinny girl. To be honest, she wasn’t attractive—she even looked a bit plain.
When someone is overly thin, even a good-looking person can appear unattractive.
“Who did you marry?” Yu Laoda asked again.
Since she was still living in Qingshi Village, it seemed likely that she had married someone from the same village.
“The Fu family,” Yu Li replied.
Yu Laoda thought for a moment before remembering which family she was talking about. He’d heard that they moved to the village three years ago but didn’t recall much else.
He didn’t probe further. Although the news of Yu Li being married surprised him, it didn’t really change anything. Since she was out looking for work to earn money, her husband’s family must have allowed it.
Besides, with Yu Li’s strength, it was unlikely anyone could bully her.
That much wasn’t a concern.
The two of them walked quickly, and after about an hour, they arrived at the county town.
After entering the city, they headed straight for Zhang Fu’s butcher shop.
The sky was still dark, and the town was quiet. Lanterns hung in front of some shops on either side of the street, emitting a faint glow.
There weren’t many people on the road, just a drunkard wobbling his way home.
Yu Li looked in the direction the drunkard had come from. That area seemed lively, filled with bright lights and a faint, distant hubbub.
“Butcher Tu, what place is that?” she asked curiously. “There are so many bright lanterns over there.”
She wondered what kind of place it could be. The lights were so bright, even at this hour when most people were still fast asleep. It seemed that the county town had a vibrant nightlife.
Yu Laoda, who was very familiar with the county town, felt his heart skip a beat when he heard her question.
He chuckled awkwardly and said vaguely, “That… that’s not a good place. A young girl like you shouldn’t go there.”
Yu Li felt something was off with his response. “Not a good place? What kind of place is it? I can’t go? When can I go?”
She wasn’t really planning to go—she was just intrigued by how lively it seemed and wondered if there might be good food there.
Yu Laoda: “…”
He suddenly felt a headache coming on, like he had somehow ended up babysitting, even though he wasn’t married or a father.
He wasn’t even thirty yet, so why did he suddenly feel so old?
Seeing that she was genuinely curious, he had no choice but to say, “It’s a place where people spend money. If you don’t have money, it’s best not to go… Even if you have money, you shouldn’t go.”
Yu Li was completely confused. What kind of place was that?
In the end, Yu Laoda couldn’t dodge her questions any longer and had to explain honestly: “It’s a flower house and a gambling den. In short, it’s not a place for young ladies.” Thinking of something, he added, “And it’s not a place for men either.”
He remembered that she was already married, though he didn’t know what her husband was like. Hopefully, he was a good man and wouldn’t have wandering eyes. Otherwise, given Yu Li’s strength, that man would definitely not end up well.
On second thought, maybe there was no need to worry.
Yu Li still didn’t understand what a “flower house” was. Could it be a place that sold flowers?
If that were the case, Yu Laoda wouldn’t have called it “not a good place.”
The gambling den, however, she understood. Just from the name, it was clearly a place for gambling. Gambling had always been something that couldn’t be eradicated throughout history.
Though still puzzled, Yu Li didn’t dwell on it any longer since they were almost at the butcher shop.
The butcher shop’s door wasn’t closed, just slightly ajar. The inside was quiet, with no sounds. When they pushed the door open and entered, they saw a small oil lamp lit inside.
The two of them walked through the shop and into the courtyard at the back.
Zhang Fu was squatting in the courtyard, gnawing on a steamed bun while yawning. When he saw them arrive, he greeted them.
“You’re here. Came pretty early. Wait a bit longer; Uncle Luo and the others will be here soon.”
Then he invited them to have some steamed buns.
Yu Laoda didn’t stand on ceremony and led Yu Li over to eat.
The steamed buns had just been steamed and were all meat buns. Each was thin-skinned, generously stuffed, and exceptionally solid. Even for a grown man, two buns were enough to be filling.
Yu Li took a bite, and her eyes lit up.
These meat buns were far better than the plain buns she had bought yesterday. One bite of the fluffy dough soaked in meat juices, combined with the fragrant and savory filling, was absolutely delicious. She couldn’t resist and ended up eating three.
When she reached for a fourth, Zhang Fu exclaimed, “Li Niang, you’ve got quite an appetite! Be careful not to overeat.”
He himself felt about 80% full after eating two and completely full after three. For a young lady, one bun should have been enough. It was the first time he had ever seen a girl eat three large meat buns, especially someone as skinny as her.
Yu Laoda was equally astonished. “Didn’t you already eat steamed buns and egg pancakes earlier?”
Yu Li cleared her throat lightly, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I’m strong, so I eat a lot.”
Anyway, they’d eventually find out just how much she could eat. It wasn’t something she could hide. She was in her awakening phase and couldn’t afford to skimp on food…
Maybe she should contribute some money for food expenses?
Both men nodded in agreement with her statement.
Indeed, those with great strength tend to have big appetites—how else would they sustain their energy?
The buns were specially ordered by Zhang Fu from the neighboring bun shop. The buns were intentionally made larger so everyone could fill their stomachs and have the strength to slaughter pigs.
As they were chatting, two more people entered the courtyard.
One was a tall, thin man in his forties; the other was a dark-skinned, skinny youth—the shop assistant who had been guarding the butcher shop yesterday.
Yu Laoda introduced them to Yu Li. The older man was Uncle Luo, and the boy was Zhang Yaoping, a member of Zhang Fu’s family, who called him Seventh Uncle.
Seeing a young woman here, both Uncle Luo and Zhang Yaoping were visibly surprised. When they learned that she was going to work here and would be slaughtering pigs, the two were completely stunned.
This girl looked so thin, as though a gust of wind could blow her away—could she really slaughter pigs?
Zhang Fu didn’t bother explaining to them. Whether or not she could do the job would become clear soon enough.
Time was running out, so Uncle Luo and Zhang Yaoping quickly grabbed a bun each and got to work.
The pigs were kept in a pen in the backyard. Uncle Luo and Zhang Yaoping drove three pigs into the courtyard while Zhang Fu and Yu Laoda prepared the tools and stoked the fire under the pot of hot water.
Yu Li, being new, had nothing to do. Zhang Fu told her to observe for now.
When the three pigs were herded into the courtyard, Yu Li looked at them curiously.
Suddenly, all three pigs’ legs buckled, and they collapsed onto the ground, groaning and squealing softly.
Uncle Luo and Zhang Yaoping exchanged confused glances. “What’s going on? Are they sick?”
Worry was evident on their faces.
For people in the butchering trade, the worst-case scenario was encountering sick pigs. Meat from sick pigs was absolutely inedible—if consumed, it could make people seriously ill. They would never sell meat from sick pigs and would rather burn the carcasses in the countryside to prevent any risks.
Zhang Fu also approached with concern. He grabbed one pig by the ear, trying to lift it up for inspection.
Only Yu Laoda, who had witnessed the scene yesterday, understood what was happening. Unable to hold back, he glanced at Yu Li and said, “Li Niang, step back a little.”
Yu Li obediently retreated a few steps.
As soon as she moved further away, the three pigs slowly stood up, trotted past her, and entered the courtyard.
Everyone: “…”