After the rain, snow followed continuously without end, and the temperature dropped another few degrees.
Yu Tingwan ran up the mountain every day.
But due to a misstep underfoot, she slipped and rolled down. In the end, she crashed heavily into the root of a tree.
The pain in her body made her unable to get up for quite a while.
But it was also here that she dug up a section of yam as thick as an arm.
“Remember, the herb I want looks like this—it stops bleeding and reduces swelling. Your family’s A’Lang can use it.”
Not far off, a voice came.
Old Man Qian casually tossed the freshly picked herb to Hui-niang.
Hui-niang quickly received it with both hands: “Alright.”
She was afraid of offending Old Man Qian.
Ever since her man took back the money, the mother-in-law came to make trouble during the day and at night, making it impossible for Old Man Qian to have peace.
Old Lady Wei was old and shameless. She sat at Old Man Qian’s door, crying, rolling around, and even said she didn’t want to live anymore—slamming herself against the door. Even the village head couldn’t drive her away.
What could be done about her?
Watching Old Man Qian’s face grow darker by the day, Hui-niang feared he’d be unwilling to treat A’Lang anymore.
Old Man Qian was a widower, had no sons under his knee, and no women to manage the household—filthy and messy.
Hui-niang cleaned up the entire Qian household, and when cooking, she would also prepare a portion for Old Man Qian. Wei Shouzhong helped carry water and chop wood.
Old Man Qian had been living quite comfortably these past few days. To the point that every time he wanted to drive them out, he… couldn’t say the words.
“All right, let’s search separately.”
Although they said separately, the distance between the two wasn’t actually far.
Old Man Qian used a wooden stick to knock around at the thick snow, hands behind his back, suppressing his temper and shouting: “That mother-in-law of yours—her mouth is both filthy and stinks, just looking at her makes me disgusted!”
Hui-niang’s expression dimmed, and she bit her lip hard.
Old Man Qian: “It’s one thing if she scolds you, but she even dares to scold me!”
“Want some Duanchang grass?” [断肠草 (duàncháng cǎo): literally “gut-breaking grass”; refers to a highly poisonous herb, used in literature to imply killing or suicide.]
Hui-niang froze, hesitated: “To use poison to fight poison for A’Lang?”
“To give your mother-in-law to eat.”
He vented through his mouth: “She won’t die from it anyway!”
Yu Tingwan: …
She probably should’ve left.
But… it was really too fascinating.
Yu Tingwan cleared her throat and limped out from one side: “Can I have a stalk too?”
Old Man Qian: ???
Why is there someone here too!
The mountain had many thick, lush trees—if Yu Tingwan hadn’t spoken, it really would’ve been hard to tell.
Yu Tingwan: “My aunt also desperately needs it.”
Hui-niang: …What kind of people are these.
“That really won’t do.”
Hui-niang saw that she looked unfamiliar but still tried to persuade: “That Duanchang grass, if eaten, will really kill someone.”
Yu Tingwan: “I just want to scare her.”
After that night, Wang-Shi had behaved herself a bit more.
But people like her don’t have long memories!
Yesterday, Yu Tingwan dug up three bird eggs and took them back to boil. She ate two at night, and left one for breakfast.
But Wang-Shi stole and ate it.
She looked at Old Man Qian with hopeful eyes: “But I don’t have money. Can I buy on credit?”
Old Man Qian: “Do you even know what my surname is?”
In the end, Yu Tingwan didn’t get the Duanchang grass, and dejectedly picked up her big yam, ready to leave.
Yam could be used as medicine—Old Man Qian’s eyes were sharp.
“Wait.”
“Are you selling that yam?”
Yu Tingwan was very short on money.
She asked: “How much are you offering?”
Old Man Qian: “Ten wen.”
That small amount—who was he trying to send away? If she took it to town, she could at least sell it for twenty wen.
But the road was still blocked… and Yu Tingwan didn’t have even one wen on her.
She was really poor.
The chilblains on her hands had been scratched open; they itched and hurt. The daughter-in-law from Aunt Wu’s house next door once applied some ointment on her—worked extremely well.
One jar cost twelve qian.
It was bought from the town, and now she couldn’t get it.
But she could pay the Wu family’s daughter-in-law to spare half a jar.
Otherwise, her hands would be ruined.
After receiving the money, Yu Tingwan gave the yam to Old Man Qian and prepared to go down the mountain.
She walked slowly, afraid of falling again.
Behind her came Hui-niang’s sigh: “That girl’s appearance is really quite fine.”
“When A’Lang’s body recovers, I’ll find him a pretty wife. I just hope the young couple can live harmoniously and beautifully.”
Only… she worried.
The family conditions were poor, and with Old Lady Wei making a mess of everything, she feared no one would be willing to become in-laws with her.
Old Man Qian didn’t laugh out loud at her for thinking too far ahead.
But…
He furrowed his brows tightly.
“Better not.”
“Your son, the way he is—more vicious than a wolf cub… who knows, the new bride might get stabbed as soon as she enters the door.”
“Funeral and wedding might end up being held together.”
Yu Tingwan: ???
Even someone like her, who was always calm like drifting clouds and flowing water, was a bit dumbfounded.
Clearly, getting married needed to be done cautiously!
Wasn’t that Wei Shen a soldier? How come he sounded like some savage bandit?
She was extremely attached to life, and couldn’t help but feel glad that the Wei family lived at the village tail end, while the Wang family was at the village head.
Later on, when she married Butcher Wu, there’d be even less chance of contact.
This little side episode, Yu Tingwan didn’t dwell on much.
Next door, when Wu’s young wife heard the reason for her visit, she was initially displeased. But when she saw Yu Tingwan take out six wen, her face immediately changed to a smile.
That ointment had been bought the year before she married in—more than half of it remained.
After she got pregnant, she stopped using it.
Now that Yu Tingwan wanted to buy it, she couldn’t have wished for anything better. She gave it to her directly, ceramic jar and all.
She even covered her mouth and whispered: “Your cousin-sister-in-law’s family came to visit. You’d best sit a while at my place and go back later.”
Yu Tingwan wasn’t surprised.
“She’s about to give birth. Her natal family coming to visit isn’t strange.”
Though she said that, no one understood better than her the real reason for the Xu family’s arrival.
The snow and wind had been heavy these days; the Xu family’s house was crude, the roof even blown off—how could they possibly shelter from the cold?
But a house couldn’t be built in a single day, so the whole family could only shamelessly come over and stay.
In her past life, they had brought food with them, and even painfully cut off a piece of meat. Wang-Shi didn’t agree, and drove them all out.
But the Xu family had nowhere to go, so they cried outside the Hu family’s gate.
The villagers all came to watch the commotion.
Wang-Shi cared about face, so she had no choice but to open the door.
But this life… was probably different.
After all, the water vat at home was shallow, and no one went to fetch water. The firewood at home was also left unchopped.
Wang-Shi had no one to order around anymore.
The Xu family coming over—she likely wouldn’t bear to drive them off either.
Yu Tingwan’s gaze slowly lowered, landing on the belly of Wu’s young wife, who had just begun to show.
“Returning to your maiden home the day after tomorrow?”
Wu’s young wife was surprised: “Yes.”
“My third younger brother is about to get married, I have to go back and help.”
“Sister-in-law best not go out.”
Wu’s young wife: ???
Yu Tingwan knew her husband had injured his leg half a month ago and still needed to rest these days. After thinking for a moment, she added:
“If it’s really urgent to go, then have Aunt Wu accompany you for the trip.”
Wu’s young wife: …
She didn’t dare.
Her mother-in-law had many opinions about her returning to her maiden home, always nagging that she only cared about her own family.
Yu Tingwan: “Our houses are close, and the roads are slippery in the snow. I’m afraid something might bump into you.”
So that’s what it was.
Wu’s young wife waved her hand dismissively: “You’re overthinking it.”
What kind of bad luck could she have? As long as she was careful on the way back, how could anything happen?
Yu Tingwan was very blunt: “Then you’ll miscarry.”
“I don’t joke about things like that.”
When it came to the child, Wu’s young wife’s face darkened.
“Don’t talk nonsense! Wan Niang, are you cursing me? Even the fortune-teller said this pregnancy is stable!”
Yu Tingwan looked at her sincerely, staring directly, the tear mole at the corner of her eye strangely dazzling like a yao spirit’s: “Then maybe he’s not as accurate as I am.”
She couldn’t help but ask: “How much does he charge per reading?”
“Thirty wen.”
How much???
She had practically lost half her life and only earned 12 wen—and that was already with good luck.
Yu Tingwan fell silent and said nothing.
It was at this moment that Aunt Wu came over. She looked at her daughter-in-law, whose expression was unpleasant, then looked at Yu Tingwan, who seemed lost in thought.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m thinking…”
“Thinking about what?”
Yu Tingwan murmured softly: “Thinking about whether I should set up a fortune-telling stall to make money.”