Yu Li carried a basket on her back and held a wooden bucket in her arms, looking every bit like she had returned with a full harvest.
However, Old Madam Yu didn’t notice any of this and was only worried that she might have gone back to her mother’s house to freeload a meal.
Hearing her words, Yu Li said, “I originally didn’t plan to eat here, but since you’ve mentioned it, I might as well stay for dinner.”
Old Madam Yu was instantly speechless, regretting her words so much that she nearly wanted to slap her own mouth.
Serves you right for talking too much! Serves you right for talking too much!
The commotion drew the attention of the three Yu Jin sisters, who came out of the house.
In the past, no matter what happened outside, they would never take the initiative to go out, for fear of inviting a scolding from Old Madam Yu.
But this time, wasn’t Yu Li back?
“Elder Sister, you’re back,” Yu Jin said with concern. “Why are you back so late? Are you okay? Are you hungry?”
They all assumed she had only wandered around the outskirts of the mountain and would have returned to the Fu family by now, typically within half a day.
Seeing her current state, they realized she must have just returned from deep within the mountain and couldn’t help but worry.
Old Madam Yu, with her back to Yu Li, glared fiercely at Yu Jin and shouted, “It’s already dark. I’m going to rest. Do whatever you want.”
Her tone carried a hint of bluster, something that anyone familiar with her could easily discern.
With that, Old Madam Yu darted back into her room, refusing to come out again no matter what.
If she had known earlier that the person who had come in was Yu Li, she wouldn’t have come out in the first place, even if threatened. She hadn’t noticed that the third branch of the family had initially wanted to see who had arrived but had immediately retreated upon hearing Old Madam Yu’s words.
The Yu Jin sisters found this quite amusing and covered their mouths as they laughed.
Yu Li didn’t mind Old Madam Yu running off. She turned to Yu Jin and the others, saying, “I brought you fish and some fruit.”
The sisters followed her into the main hall. The lighting in the room was dim, so Yu Jin lit an oil lamp.
When they saw the fish in the bucket, the Yu Jin sisters exclaimed in delight.
A river ran through Qingshi Village, and while people could buy fish from the boatmen if they wanted, it cost money. Moreover, fish had many bones, so most families were reluctant to spend on it. The Yu family was no exception.
Yu Yin, in particular, loved eating fish and liked any kind of fish.
Unfortunately, whenever the family rarely bought fish, it never reached the sisters.
Yu Jin fetched an empty bucket, and Yu Li scooped out half of the fish to leave with them, keeping the rest to take back to the Fu family.
The bucket holding the fish belonged to the Yu family, so Yu Li said, “I’ll bring the bucket back tomorrow.”
Yu Jin said happily, “Elder Sister, when you come tomorrow, I’ll make pickled fish for you.”
“Sure!”
Yu Li’s eyes sparkled brightly as she took out the fruit from her basket and distributed it to her three sisters.
Seeing the fruit wrapped in leaves and sorted into different kinds, the sisters were even happier. They didn’t mind that the fruit hadn’t been washed and picked it up to eat immediately. As they ate, they asked, “Elder Sister, where did you pick these raspberries? When I go into the mountains to chop firewood, I rarely see any.”
“That’s right. There aren’t many mulberries in the mountains either. As soon as they ripen, they’re picked by others.”
“These wild grapes are both sour and sweet, so delicious.”
The variety of wild fruits Yu Li brought back was abundant. There was no need to ask—it was obvious she had ventured deep into the mountains, not just stayed on the outskirts.
The outskirts were often frequented by villagers chopping wood or specifically gathering fruits. Anything that grew there was quickly gone.
Only by going deep into the mountains could one gather so much.
The Yu Jin sisters couldn’t help but feel concerned, but seeing that Yu Li didn’t think much of it, they knew there wasn’t much to worry about.
While the sisters were happily eating, Yu Lao’er and his wife arrived.
The smile on Yu Jin’s face faded slightly. Yu Yin quietly continued eating her fruit, while only Yu Zhu smiled cheerfully and said, “Father, Mother, come and eat some fruit. Big Sister brought these back.”
Yu Lao’er and his wife seemed a little uneasy. Seeing the fruit on the table, they were also a bit surprised.
“Li Niang, did you go into the mountains?” Liu Shi asked worriedly. “Are you okay?”
Yu Li replied, “I’m fine.”
She didn’t elaborate further.
Her silence left the second son and his wife unsure of what to say.
The couple was usually so busy with endless chores that by the end of the day, they were utterly exhausted, with little energy left for their four daughters, let alone to chat with them.
Over time, the lack of communication had led to emotional distance between the couple and their daughters. Only the youngest, Yu Zhu, still felt a sense of attachment to her parents and was relatively close to them.
Yu Li divided half of the fruit among the Yu Jin sisters, then packed up the rest and prepared to leave.
Yu Jin asked, “Big Sister, do you want to eat something before you go? I can make you something…”
Hearing this, the second son and his wife opened their mouths to speak but then silently closed them again.
There wasn’t much food left in the kitchen, and if they wanted to cook something, they would have to ask Old Madam Yu for grain. With her miserly nature, that would be akin to asking for her life.
However, now that their eldest daughter had become so capable, even if Old Madam Yu scolded her, it probably wouldn’t matter much, right?
“No need,” Yu Li shook her head. “It’s too late, and it’ll take too much time. I’ll eat back at the Fu family; they’ve saved me a meal.”
Yu Jin looked guilty. “Big Sister, next time you go into the mountains, I’ll save you a meal.”
They hadn’t expected their sister to come down from the mountain so late and hadn’t thought to save food for her. Now they realized she must have gone hungry all day.
Yu Li nodded, shouldered her basket, picked up the bucket, and left.
Shortly after she left, the door to the main house opened. Old Madam Yu came out and saw the Yu Jin sisters carrying things back to the west wing. She asked, “Why was Li Niang here?”
“Big Sister came to bring us things,” Yu Yin said softly.
Hearing this, Old Madam Yu’s interest was immediately piqued. She craned her neck to look and, spotting the bucket in Yu Lao’er’s hand, exclaimed, “Where did that fish come from?”
“Big Sister caught it,” Yu Zhu replied. Her eyes darted mischievously, but she didn’t reveal where it was caught.
She didn’t want everyone knowing that the pond in the mountains was full of fish. What if everyone went into the mountains to catch them?
Old Madam Yu’s eyes lit up with envy. The fish looked lively and fresh. With everyone busy harvesting and drying peanuts recently, they were all exhausted. This fish would be perfect for a nourishing meal tomorrow.
When she saw the fruits cradled in the sisters’ arms, she immediately said, “Hand those over! You girls, what do you need fruit for? Eating more won’t change the fact that you’re money-losing goods! Don’t waste it!”
“No way, these were given to us by Big Sister!” Yu Jin said loudly. “If you take them, I’ll tell Big Sister tomorrow!”
Her words were also meant for the cousins from the third branch of the family—anyone who dared to snatch their things would be reported to Big Sister.
As soon as she said this, Old Madam Yu no longer dared to ask for the fruits.
Grumbling and cursing under her breath, she angrily returned to her room.
The sisters exchanged glances and couldn’t help but smile, though they kept their laughter quiet. Still, the joy in their hearts was evident from the brightness in their eyes.
Yu Lao’er and his wife were at a loss. Liu Shi said softly, “You shouldn’t talk back to your elders.”
Her face, already burdened with worry, seemed even more troubled now. She was afraid her daughters would gain a reputation for being unfilial, which would make it hard for them to secure marriage proposals in the future.
The eldest daughter was beyond their control, but fortunately, she was already married. Though the Fu family’s young master had poor health, at least she had a settled home. But the other three daughters were still unspoken for.
Yu Jin’s smile froze. She glanced at her parents but said nothing and quietly went back to her room.
Yu Yin’s expression also dimmed, and she remained silent.
Only Yu Zhu pouted and muttered, “We didn’t even talk back…”
—
When Yu Li returned to the Fu family, she found that they had indeed saved her a meal.
Seeing the fish and fruits she had brought back, Fu Yanhui and her brother were overjoyed. Like little shadows, they followed Yu Li wherever she went. When she sat down to eat, they propped their chins on their hands and watched her with faces full of admiration.
Their little aunt was amazing—she could catch fish and gather so much fruit!
Zhou Shi picked out the bruised fruits Yu Li had brought back, washed the rest, and arranged them neatly on plates. She set one plate on the table for Yu Li and the two children to enjoy, and brought another to Fu Wenxiao’s room for him to try.
Fu Wenxiao looked at the ripe wild fruits, none of which he recognized.
“These are raspberries, these are mulberries, and these are wild grapes… They’re all common wild fruits in the mountains here. Every summer, there’s an abundance of them, and they’re the kind of treats that rural children often eat. Xiao Ge’er, try some,” Zhou Shi said with a smile.
She had grown up in Qingshi Village. As a child in the countryside, there were few snacks, so she had often gone into the mountains to forage for edible treats.
Though many years had passed, Zhou Shi found that she still remembered these things.
Fu Wenxiao reached out and took a raspberry, putting it in his mouth. A burst of sweet and sour flavor filled his mouth, sharp and stimulating.
His expression shifted slightly but was quickly suppressed, leaving him looking calm and composed.
Zhou Shi found his reaction amusing and said, “Xiao Ge’er, you still can’t handle even the slightest sourness. These raspberries are actually quite sweet.” She added, “Li Niang has a good eye—she only picked the ripe ones. They’re just a little sour, but already sweet enough.”
Fu Wenxiao drank some water to wash away the sourness in his mouth and remained silent.
—
When Yu Li returned to her room, she saw the fruit platter on the table, piled high and seemingly untouched. She asked, “You’re not eating any?”
Fu Wenxiao was resting with his eyes closed. Hearing her question, he opened them to look at her.
“They’re very tasty,” Yu Li said, popping a fruit into her mouth and savoring its juicy, sweet-and-sour flavor. The rich taste spread through her mouth, and she found it delicious.
Seeing her sincerely inviting him to try, Fu Wenxiao replied, “Thank you, but I don’t enjoy sour foods.”
“Sour? How could they be sour? They’re clearly very sweet,” Yu Li said, finding the hint of sourness negligible as the sweetness completely balanced it out.
She sifted through the fruit platter, picked out an entirely sweet fruit, and handed it to him. “This one is sweet.”
Meeting her bright, expectant eyes, Fu Wenxiao took the fruit from her, holding it delicately between his fingers before placing it in his mouth.
This was indeed very sweet—she hadn’t lied.
“Sweet, right?” Yu Li asked with a cheerful smile.
When she ate something delicious, it made her happy, and she assumed it would make him happy too.
He nodded slightly. “Very sweet.”
As Yu Li continued eating the fruit, she said, “Tomorrow, I’ll find you some purely sweet ones, absolutely no sourness at all.”
Most of the fruit on the platter ended up in her stomach, leaving only a few purely sweet ones for Fu Wenxiao.
Watching her eat nonstop, Fu Wenxiao couldn’t help but comment, “Don’t eat too much before bed—it’s hard to digest.”
“Too much?” Yu Li blinked and said slowly, “But I’m still not full…”
After a brief silence, Fu Wenxiao said, “…I’ll ask Mother to cook more food in the future. If you’re not full, let her know.”
Yu Li’s face lit up with joy. “Alright, alright!” She glanced at him, then said sincerely, “Fu… Xiao Ge’er, you’re so kind.”
She had heard Zhou Shi call him that, so she decided to follow suit.
Fu Wenxiao’s eyelid twitched slightly, and he was momentarily speechless.
Was it really that simple to be considered “kind”?
For the first time, someone was telling him he was good, instead of cursing him as heartless, cold-blooded, or cruel…