As her words fell, the surrounding air became thin.
But Yu Tingwan didn’t want to say more, so as to avoid extra complications and getting herself stained with a body full of fishiness.
The Zhou family’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law could ignore human ethics—what else could they not do? If they saw that things were exposed and bore hatred in their hearts, taking advantage of Wei Shouzhong not being home to come make trouble at the Wei household—she and Hui-niang, two womenfolk, how could they hold up against it?
Truly no need to throw herself in for fifty wen.
Better one less trouble than one more trouble.
However, she still spoke in a gentle tone, implicitly revealing: “This matter can’t be hidden. Estimate that after a few more days, it will…”
She paused, caught the thread of conversation, and only said: “Auntie doesn’t need to rush.”
Yes, Matchmaker Liu will be caught in the act.
Seeing her speak so assuredly, Aunt Wu believed it seventy percent.
Zhou Qin was someone she watched grow up. In the early years, no one knew how much suffering she had endured under her stepmother, Matchmaker Liu! But her short-lived father and mean grandfather disliked that she was a girl and turned a blind eye, letting the stepmother abuse her.
At that time, Matchmaker Liu even wanted to marry the stepdaughter far away. Using her glib tongue, she talked up a drunken womanizer as a rarely-seen fine husband.
If Zhou Qin’s maternal grandmother hadn’t heard the news and come over to cause a big fuss, with several imposing uncles carrying hoes to back her up, this child would probably have been ruined.
Though a scandal like that made the whole family lose face—
Still…
Aunt Wu slapped her thigh: “Alright, then I’ll let her go back and wait!”
She and Zhou Qin couldn’t wait for Matchmaker Liu to suffer bad luck!
Aunt Wu felt soothed in her heart and wasn’t so gnashing her teeth anymore.
She looked at Yu Tingwan with smiling eyes.
Don’t know if it was an illusion, but it seemed that after just a few days, this girl’s face was a little less pale and had gained a bit of blood-red vitality.
Even her chin wasn’t so pointy anymore.
“Came to find you today, also for one more thing.”
Aunt Wu: “My second boy caught a rabbit, very fat. Planning to stew it later and eat it. You must come to our house for supper.”
If not for Yu Tingwan, the child in Xiufen’s belly probably couldn’t have been kept. Aunt Wu cherished Yu Tingwan and was also happy to be generous.
Just then, voices came from next door as well.
“Master of the house, where did the evergreen plant go? I just put it in the room yesterday, how did it disappear.”
“Did you paste all the couplets inside and outside the house? Aren’t there still some sheets of ‘Six Livestock Flourish’? Don’t forget to use paste to stick them on the chicken coop.” [‘六畜兴旺’ liù chù xīng wàng – an auspicious phrase wishing for prosperity in raising livestock, often used in rural settings during festive times.]
“Great-uncle, the old man, his legs aren’t convenient. Master of the house, remember to personally go fetch him. These years he’s treated us well—we can’t lack in courtesy.”
All of it was Hui-niang’s voice.
Aunt Wu found it curious. In the countryside there wasn’t much entertainment, so whatever happened in anyone’s household could be privately talked about for several days.
She motioned with her mouth toward the next door at Yu Tingwan.
“Also a strange matter—this Wei family is going to have a happy event? That Wei family A’Lang was injured so badly—when he came back, he collapsed on the ground all bloody—everyone said he couldn’t be saved.”
She didn’t believe in Old Man Qian’s medical skills.
Before, when Xiufen had a stomachache, Old Man Qian couldn’t even detect that she was pregnant.
Aunt Wu couldn’t help but inquire: “Wan-niang, you live close to the Wei family. Do you know who they’re marrying?”
Yu Tingwan: …..
Well, you’re finally asking the right person.
She knew too well!
But before she could open her mouth, Aunt Wu beat her to it.
She slapped her thigh: “Look at me, muddle-headed. You and the Wei family don’t interact—probably just the kind to greet each other when bumping into on the road. What could you know?”
Yu Tingwan always came and went alone, truly not a girl who liked to socialize with others.
Aunt Wu recalled that Yu Tingwan was just about to go out. She knew Yu Tingwan often entered the mountains, and her expression couldn’t help turning serious.
“My second boy once learned hunting from the old hunter. He often goes into the mountain for some meat, but he doesn’t dare go deep. Always just circles around the outer areas. But this morning, when he came back, he said he saw footprints of a fierce beast lingering in the snow.”
Aiyo, just thinking about it is scary.
“These days, you absolutely must not go into the mountains.”
Yu Tingwan: “Won’t go into the mountain.”
That’s good.
Aunt Wu then reminded again: “Remember to come to our house for dinner. Auntie’s rabbit is really delicious.”
Yu Tingwan mildly: “Then… might not be able to come.”
“What is it, do you have something to do?”
Yu Tingwan’s tone floated lightly: “I have to find time to go next door and get married.”
Aunt Wu: ???
———
Yu Tingwan stepped into the Wei household with light steps.
When she arrived, Hui-niang was wiping down the evergreen plant in the courtyard. Beside her were pieces of red paper, dyed red wedding eggs, and peanuts.
“Why are you up so early?”
Seeing her, Hui-niang’s smile grew even deeper.
She spread the wedding eggs and peanuts onto the red paper, then carefully wrapped the evergreen plant together with them. Afraid they’d scatter, she didn’t forget to use red string to loop around and tie it tightly.
This was for the bride to carry in her arms and cross over the fire basin later. [抱着跨过火盆 – a traditional custom in Chinese weddings meant to ward off evil and bless the marriage.]
Hui-niang grabbed a peanut beside her, pinched the head part slightly with force—only a crack was heard—and it opened. She then bit onto the evergreen leaf.
Before long, the evergreen plant was decorated with red and green peanuts, very festive.
Seeing Yu Tingwan leaning nearby to watch, Hui-niang said:
“Steamed a few red sweet potatoes. Go to the kitchen room and eat some to pad your stomach.”
Yu Tingwan responded with a sound.
Inside the kitchen room, aside from sweet potatoes, there was also… Wei Zhao, listlessly peeling sweet potato skin with hollow eyes.
Wei Zhao had been woken up early by Wei Shouzhong and Hui-niang’s talking.
He wanted to keep lying down, but Wei Shouzhong insisted he get up to try the walking stick that had been made overnight.
He peeled a few times, stuffed a piece into his mouth.
It tasted like chewing wax.
Seeing Yu Tingwan come in, he didn’t even bother to lift his head.
Yu Tingwan picked up the walking stick by his feet and examined it with interest, even testing the grip.
“Uncle…”
Yu Tingwan paused.
That form of address had to be changed.
She spoke with utmost naturalness, not a trace of shyness: “Our dad’s craftsmanship is really good.”
Wei Zhao didn’t know how Yu Tingwan managed to adapt and say it so smoothly.
He listlessly: “You like it?”
Yu Tingwan nodded: “Mm-hmm.”
Now that he had a cane, Wei Zhao ought to move around more. Lying around all day—never mind being sick, even if he wasn’t sick, he’d get sick.
Wei Zhao: “Then it’s yours.”
Didn’t even need him to go throw it away himself.
Strictly speaking, this was a wedding gift from Wei Zhao.
Who gives a cane as a wedding gift?
Can she even use it?!
Even if Yu Tingwan could guess he had ulterior motives, she still held back from throwing a fit.
It was a joyous day—can’t get angry.
The little girl stayed silent for a long time.
So long that Wei Zhao felt the kitchen room had become oddly quiet.
Wei Zhao, puzzled: “What’s wrong?”
Yu Tingwan finally found her voice, without any emotional fluctuation: “I was just thinking whether I should cripple my leg too. Otherwise, keeping it will only collect dust.”
If it were someone with even half an ounce of emotional intelligence—knowing that girls were best at saying one thing and meaning another—they’d already be smiling and apologizing.
But Wei Zhao didn’t.
His eyeballs just moved a little.
“Need help?”
Yu Tingwan finally couldn’t hold back anymore and raised her hand to punch him.
Her strength was really strong.
It actually hurt quite a bit—yet even at this point, she still knew to avoid his vital areas and injuries.
Having lived so many years, this was the first time Wei Zhao had ever been hit.