Snow fell fluttering down, and not long after, the just-swept path was again dyed into a bone-deep white.
After sending off Li Lian, Yu Tingwan returned to the house.
She didn’t walk fast, but every step seemed to carry both heaviness and relief.
By her ears, the sharp voice of Wang-shi from the previous life played back over and over.
【“Your sister-in-law’s chest doesn’t have a few taels of flesh, not even milk, the child’s crying like that. Crying every day making my head ache, are you deaf? Still not going out to see whose family raises sheep, to go get some sheep’s milk.”】
Wang-shi disliked girl babies, but after all, it was still the Hu family’s bloodline — couldn’t really watch with open eyes and let her starve to death.
【“How come the rice isn’t cooked yet, are you trying to starve me to death?”】
【“Quickly go shovel the snow in the courtyard, even this kind of thing I have to urge? How can you be this lazy!”】
【“You’re tired? Tired of what? Could it be you still want clothes to come with a stretch of the hand, food to come by opening your mouth, the whole family to serve you? All day long only know how to wail, could it be I’ve even treated you harshly? Go, go scrub the diapers.”】
Oh, and also that little Xu-shi.
After giving birth to a daughter, she couldn’t lift her head in front of Wang-shi.
Mn, all submissive and soft in front of Wang-shi, but turning around, vented all her anger on her.
【“Now you look at me like this, feeling quite pleased, right! It’s not like I can’t conceive again in the future! Sooner or later I’ll birth a big fat son. I am the Hu family’s daughter-in-law, and you? What kind of thing do you count as?”】
【“Oh right, Mother hasn’t told you yet. She matched a good marriage for you. Just don’t know how long you can live after marrying over there.”】
Though the child was innocent, because of these two people, Yu Tingwan couldn’t give rise to the slightest good feeling toward that girl baby.
The emotion in her eyes grew lighter and lighter, finally tugging at the corner of her lips, leaving behind a soft sneer when stepping over the threshold.
Who knows whether it was mocking Wang-shi or mocking her own past self who was stupid and didn’t want to create conflict.
A few more days passed, wind and snow surged.
The wind was especially strong, like the sharp tip of a blade, as if it could cut skin and flesh, sweeping off branches and hurling them into the sky, then smashing them down hard.
Yu Tingwan didn’t leave the courtyard, but often went to the corner wall to reap without sowing. Sometimes she could pick up an egg, sometimes a steamed bun.
In her eyes they were all delicacies, which showed that Wei Shen was really picky.
Today was her fourth time flipping around the wall corner, but there was nothing.
Could it be that Wei Shen’s body was really about to give out?
Last time she saw him, he was already half-dead not-alive.
So, Yu Tingwan once again stepped through the Wei family’s door, carrying the basket taken last time from the Wei family.
It was Hui-niang who opened the door. Upon seeing her, she smiled: “Wan-niang, why have you come?”
Looks like Wei Shen is fine.
Yu Tingwan shrank her head coldly: “The basket from auntie’s house taken last time, still haven’t returned it.”
“That basket was woven by me, we have plenty at home, no rush to use it.”
Seeing her shivering from cold, Hui-niang directly let her in.
“You came at just the right time. If you’re not busy, help your auntie burn the fire, let’s also have a chat.”
“I was just preparing to make meat sauce for your Aunt Shi. Making food pays attention to the fire’s timing, but something happened in the village, your uncle went to help. I’m really short of hands right now.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Tingwan couldn’t find a reason to refuse.
She asked, “What happened in the village?”
Hui-niang didn’t hide it from her.
“Some outsiders came. Originally they were going to the county, but you also know the road’s blocked now, they can’t go.”
“This kind of weather can freeze a person to death. Those people went to find the lizheng, begging him to help arrange a place to stay.”
The village is poor. Most villagers’ homes are already crowded with their own families. It really isn’t easy to arrange places for more than a dozen outsiders.
And it’s almost New Year. Who knows what kind of temperament these outsiders have? If the mountain roads aren’t unblocked soon, are they supposed to be taken in through the New Year?
No one wants to provide lodging for free.
The lizheng had no choice but to mediate, gathering the families with slightly more spacious homes to go over and see how to divide them up.
Wei family was among them.
Hui-niang told her: “The lizheng already negotiated with the outsiders. Those people are willing to pay three wen per night to stay, just clearing out a room is enough. If you provide meals, then the money is calculated separately.”
Who doesn’t know that Wei family’s young master is a bottomless pit—if the Wei family can save a single wen, they’ll save a single wen.
Yu Tingwan’s memories from her previous life were really fragmented, she hadn’t even known about the outsiders: “So Uncle went to bring the people back?”
Hui-niang paused slightly, her gaze falling on Wei Zhao who sat not far away, not even blinking, her eyes tinged with worry.
“There’s space at home to house people.”
That room of Xiao-niang’s has been empty for a long time.
Hui-niang: “But his father and I discussed it for a long time, still felt it wasn’t appropriate.”
“A’Lang’s condition isn’t good, I’m afraid with more people around, he won’t feel comfortable.”
Yu Tingwan: …
You’re still worried your son is shy?
Hui-niang: “More people in the house means more matters. The lizheng is trying to look out for us, and the good intention is appreciated, but let’s forget it.”
Once inside the kitchen house, Hui-niang let Yu Tingwan go warm herself by the fire, while she herself sat on a wooden stool handling shrimp caught from the river, skillfully pulling out the shrimp veins.
These had all been arranged ahead with Widow Shi, who was told to prepare and bring everything.
This meat sauce used plenty of ingredients. Aside from fatty and lean pork, there were also beans, firm shrimp meat, and fresh jizong mushrooms…
Hui-niang worked swiftly: “Later, come eat at our place.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Tingwan became eager.
“Then Auntie, should I peel garlic for you?”
“No need, be careful or it’ll sting your hands.”
Yu Tingwan looked down at her frostbitten hands, several spots already cracked open.
Such a simple sentence, yet it made her eyes turn red.
In the Hu family, all she would hear was—
【“Who in the countryside isn’t like this? What are you being so delicate about?”】
She didn’t insist further and set the basket down.
After all, one shouldn’t speak when eating someone’s food.
Seeing that Hui-niang wasn’t paying attention this way, Yu Tingwan looked around, then took out the bowls from the basket and quickly stuffed them into the place where the Wei family stored bowls and dishes.
After she finished, she felt a gaze fall on her.
It wasn’t intense.
But it also didn’t carry goodwill.
Yu Tingwan followed the feeling and looked over.
She saw Wei Zhao lying on a chair not far away, quiet and still, as though his presence didn’t exist.
Who knew how long he had been lying there?
The Wei couple only felt at ease when they had him under their eyes.
Wei Zhao didn’t carry a trace of human liveliness — his whole being dull, lifeless, slumped, and defeated.
Instead, it was that day when he stood in the courtyard getting rained on while speaking nonsense — that moment felt more like a real person.
No one knew what exactly he had been through.
Wei Zhao drooped his eyelids and met her gaze.
Oh, Yu Tingwan recognized what kind of look that was.
The look one gives when watching a monkey perform.
However, Yu Tingwan didn’t bicker with him over it.
After being fed a few times, she felt Wei Zhao was actually kind of nice.
So, Yu Tingwan wasn’t afraid of him.
The little girl didn’t hold back and smiled brightly at him.
Wei Zhao slowly withdrew his gaze and looked down at the safety talisman in his hand.
“Aiyo.”
Hui-niang suddenly remembered something.
“I was wondering what I’d forgotten — turns out I forgot to decoct the medicine.”
She scolded lightly: “A’Lang, why didn’t you remind your mother?”
Yu Tingwan: …
He dumped out the medicine already, how could he possibly remind her?
Sure enough, Yu Tingwan saw Wei Zhao’s dark pupils shift slightly, full of intense resistance.