After finishing all her work, Yu Li collected her wages and left the butcher shop.
Thinking about how the Yu family had just divided their household, and given the Old Madam Yu’s notoriously stingy nature, the second branch must have received an incomplete share, especially when it came to daily necessities. She decided to buy some things for her three younger sisters.
Yu Li purchased items like salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, as well as some maltose and brown sugar.
She had heard that eating eggs cooked with brown sugar could replenish blood, so she decided to buy extra brown sugar. She wanted her sisters to eat more of it to nourish their bodies, and of course, she needed some nourishment herself.
The preserved fruits at home had all been eaten by her, so she needed to buy more.
The preserved fruits and candies were originally meant for Fu Wenxiao to sweeten his mouth after taking medicine, but Yu Li had ended up eating most of them.
But it didn’t matter—she was earning money now. Once she finished something, she could just buy more. There was no need to feel bad about spending. After all, money was meant to be spent, and if it wasn’t used on food, what was the point?
As Yu Li walked through the town, she bought whatever she deemed necessary from the shops she passed.
She also bought some pastries and similar items.
By the time she was ready to return to the village, her basket was completely full, and she had spent all the money she earned that day, leaving almost nothing.
Returning to Qingshi Village in the early afternoon, Zhou Shi had saved a meal for her.
After eating, Yu Li went to wash up and changed into clean clothes. Then, she unpacked the items from her basket and sorted them out.
Zhou Shi sat nearby, working on embroidery for a table screen, while the two children were napping in another room.
Seeing Yu Li had bought so many things, Zhou Shi was startled. “Li Niang, why did you buy so much?”
“They’re for Jin Niang and the others,” Yu Li replied. “The family just split, and their house must be lacking a lot of things, especially daily necessities, so I bought them some.”
Hearing this, Zhou Shi said nothing more.
The money was Yu Li’s own, and she could spend it however she liked.
Having lived through hard times herself, Zhou Shi knew that poverty in the countryside could mean not even having clothes that could be patched up anymore, especially for village girls, who were like wild grass—no one cherished them.
Every time Zhou Shi saw the girls of the Yu family’s second branch, she couldn’t help but think of her own childhood, when she was similarly destitute, degraded to the dust. The thought filled her with a deep sense of empathy.
Yu Li buying things for her sisters and treating them well didn’t seem out of the ordinary to Zhou Shi.
If she had had a capable elder sister back then, she thought, surely her sister would have been willing to treat her just as well.
She placed the meat wrapped in banana leaves in a cool place, intending to bring it along when she visited the Yu family later.
Afterward, Yu Li took the preserved fruits and other items back to her room.
Returning to the room, she saw Fu Wenxiao bent over the table, writing as he copied books. She couldn’t help but glance at him again. No matter how many times she looked, she still found his handwriting delightful, elegant, and vivid, as if it gave life to the paper, making even the paper seem more precious.
She placed the preserved fruits on the table and then sat down to eat some.
Even though she had already eaten a lot earlier, her stomach still had room for snacks and desserts.
Fu Wenxiao finally put down his pen, taking a break. He turned to the girl whose cheeks were puffed out as she ate the preserved fruits and said, “Li Niang, why aren’t you sleeping yet?”
After lunch, she usually took a nap and woke up in the late afternoon.
Yu Li replied, “Your health isn’t good, don’t overwork yourself.” Thinking about how he copied books to earn money, she expressed her approval and encouragement of his actions. But she didn’t want him to overexert himself, as seeing a doctor would cost money too.
Fu Wenxiao’s lips carried a faint smile as he said, “I know. Don’t worry, Li Niang. I’ll take care of myself.”
He was well aware of his physical condition. Although he often needed to rest, there were times he could move around a little.
Yu Li glanced at him but said no more. She rinsed her mouth and finally lay down on the bed.
A while later, she felt someone lie down beside her.
The breathing was faint and shallow; she didn’t need to open her eyes to know who it was. Accompanied by that weak breathing, she gradually drifted into a deep sleep.
In the evening, Yu Li woke up drenched in sweat.
It was the last phase of summer heat, and autumn was approaching. However, even when autumn arrived in this area, the weather remained oppressively hot, with the “autumn tiger” particularly ferocious. It wouldn’t cool down until after the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Yu Li took a moment to gather herself and finally felt more awake.
When she woke up, she saw Fu Wenxiao sitting there reading a book. He no longer appeared as frail as he did before, when he spent most of the day lying down in a semi-conscious state. He seemed to have improved significantly.
Of course, that was surely an illusion. His breathing rhythm hadn’t changed, still giving her the impression that he could stop breathing at any moment.
Yu Li washed her face and, after speaking briefly with Zhou Shi, packed the items she had bought into her basket. She covered the basket with a piece of coarse cloth and then stepped out of the house.
On the road, she encountered several villagers.
Everyone greeted her warmly and began questioning her about the reason for the Yu family’s division.
“Did your grandfather and grandmother not say before that as long as they were alive, the family wouldn’t split? Who would’ve thought it would suddenly happen? I heard from your third uncle that it’s because your eldest uncle returned, and your grandfather decided to divide the household. Is that true?”
The division of the Yu family had been the talk of the village since yesterday. Everyone gathered to discuss it extensively.
The main reason was that the Yu family’s division came too suddenly, without any prior signs. Moreover, with three scholars in the family, the Yu family had always been a focal point of attention. This sudden division naturally attracted widespread curiosity.
To make matters worse, the reason behind the division was shrouded in mystery, which only heightened everyone’s desire to uncover the truth.
Yesterday, the Yu family had been busy organizing their belongings, so the villagers didn’t disturb them by asking questions.
But this morning, when the second and third sons of the Yu family and their wives went to work in the fields, someone deliberately approached them to inquire.
The second son and his wife were like blocks of wood—nothing could be extracted from them. The third son and his wife, however, did respond, saying something similar to what the third son had told the village head that night.
This, to the villagers, sounded like the eldest son of the Yu family had done something unfilial, prompting Old Master Yu to decide to split the family.
As for what exactly the eldest son had done, the third son and his wife were vague and did not give a clear answer. This only made everyone itch with curiosity, desperate to find out more.
Unfortunately, the third son and his wife refused to elaborate.
The truth was, they dared not say anything. Firstly, they feared Yu Li would get angry. Secondly, the sight of the eldest son being forced to kneel was too shocking, and Old Master Yu had issued a stern warning: no one in the Yu family was allowed to spread the matter, or their legs would be broken.
Even the youngest, Yu Jingyi, didn’t dare say a word.
Ultimately, Old Master Yu still wanted to protect his eldest son and avoid disgracing the main household.
Over the past two days, except for the second and third sons and their wives going out to work, no one else from the Yu family had left the house. Naturally, the villagers couldn’t find out anything.
As for visiting their home to ask questions?
The Yu family had just split and was in the midst of chaos. No one would be so thoughtless as to visit and ask questions now—it would only invite scolding.
Now, spotting Yu Li, the villagers seized the opportunity to interrogate her.
Yu Li didn’t answer them and instead said, “Aunties, I have something to do. Please step aside.”
“Just say it, Li Niang.”
Yu Li replied, “If you want to know, go ask my grandpa and grandma. They know.”
The group of enthusiastic village women fell silent.
Though Yu Li was surrounded by a crowd of persistent aunties, was her strength something they could stop?
The aunties themselves weren’t quite sure what happened. Initially, they intended to block her path and press her for answers, thinking that since she was a young girl with a shy temperament, she might spill the truth. But suddenly, they unconsciously stepped aside, clearing the way for her to leave.
They couldn’t help but feel regretful.
“Forget it, forget it. Li Niang is introverted; we probably wouldn’t have gotten anything out of her anyway.”
“That’s right. Let’s go ask Yu Laosan and his wife instead.”
“I think Li Niang has a point. We should ask her grandpa and grandma. They’ll have to come out eventually; they can’t stay cooped up forever.”
Old Master Yu had always been a diligent man and rarely stayed home instead of working in the fields.
This unusual behavior led some to speculate whether he was reluctant to divide the family.
Such an abrupt division must have upset him deeply, which was why he stayed home and even Old Madam Yu hadn’t stepped out.
—
Yu Li ignored the chatter behind her and headed straight for the Yu family home.
In front of the house, she ran into Aunt Feng and her daughter, Feng Yuanniang, who were on their way back home. Feng Yuanniang greeted Yu Li obediently, and despite Aunt Feng’s attempts to decline, Yu Li gave her a piece of white rice cake.
Aunt Feng could only sigh helplessly and let her daughter thank Yu Li. She first asked about Yu Li’s recent life and then said, “Now that the Yu family has split, your parents and sisters can run their own household. Jin Niang and the others can eat better and take care of their health. Life will start to improve for them, so you don’t need to worry too much about your natal family.”
She didn’t ask about the reason behind the Yu family’s division but was genuinely happy for Yu Li.
Putting herself in Yu Li’s shoes, she understood that if she were Yu Li, she would also care about her parents and sisters and worry about their well-being, frequently checking on them. After all, they lived in the same village; it was just a short walk away.
Now that the Yu family had split, the second branch could finally see the end of their suffering.
After chatting briefly with Aunt Feng, Yu Li entered the Yu family home.
The courtyard gate was tightly shut, likely to avoid dealing with the curious villagers. But this didn’t bother Yu Li; she simply reached out, and with a push, the latched door swung open.
Yu Qin happened to step out of the kitchen at that moment, holding a firewood stick in her hand. Her cheeks and clothes were smudged with ash, making her look quite disheveled.
Hearing the noise, she looked up and saw Yu Li entering.
“Li Niang!” she exclaimed. “You—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Yu Jingzong burst out of a room, holding a stick in his hand. He charged at Yu Li, yelling, “I’ll beat you to death, you troublemaker—!”
Yu Qin’s face turned pale, and she shouted, “Zong Ge’er, no—!”
But it was too late. Yu Li had already snatched the stick from Yu Jingzong’s hand and sent him flying with a slap. He spun a few times before landing headfirst into a haystack in the courtyard, his entire body buried within it.
Hearing the commotion, Yu Jingxin and his younger brother from the third branch came running out. Seeing Yu Jingzong stuck upside down in the haystack, they burst out laughing without the slightest concern for his dignity.
In the past, they wouldn’t have dared to laugh like this. But now, with the family divided, the first branch no longer held any authority over them. They didn’t need to hold back or tolerate the first branch’s behavior.
Soon, Old Madam Yu, Chen Shi, and others from inside the house came out.
When Chen Shi saw what had happened, her face darkened, and she quickly called out, “Zong Ge’er, what happened? Who did this to you?”
Chen Shi rushed over to pull her son out of the haystack.
Yu Jingzong spat out bits of grass, saying indignantly, “Mother, it’s Li Niang, that troublemaker! She hit me again.”
Chen Shi saw a new slap mark on his face.