The two didn’t rest after getting inside. They imdiately got to work heating the kang and cleaning the house. They had already taken off their thick outer jackets before the kang even had a chance to warm up.
"Here, have so hot soup first!" Since the start of winter, Jin Qianqian had taken to storing so piping hot soup in her space, ready to be taken out at any ti.
Ancient Wen Heng washed his hands and cupped the bowl in his palms. "This was a tough trip back. If we weren’t so well-equipped, I really wouldn’t have had the courage to make the journey."
Jin Qianqian said, "I think it’s been over a month since we were last back. Let’s have a snack to tide us over, and then we should take a stroll through the village. We need to pay a visit to so of the elders."
Although they lived in the county town, very few villagers actually went there for the market. Even those who did wouldn’t necessarily drop by their shop and bother them.
"Yes, we should make the rounds." ’Here, maintaining good relationships with the clan is essential.’
With the onset of winter, most people started to stay cooped up at ho. As Ancient Wen Heng and Jin Qianqian made their way through the village, they found everyone they intended to visit was in.
Carrying two boxes of pastries, Ancient Wen Heng stood outside the courtyard gate and called out loudly, "Mom, are you ho?"
"I’m here, I’m here!" Li Cuicui pushed the door open without even throwing on her padded jacket. "Why have you co back in this cold weather?"
Ancient Wen Heng helped Jin Qianqian brush the snow off her clothes before shaking his own feet. "It’s been a long ti since we were last here, so we ca back to see you all."
"Hurry and get inside," Li Cuicui said, pulling one of them in with each hand. "What’s there to see? We just stay ho all day. Our lives are much better than they used to be.
When the snow is this heavy in the future, you should just stay ho."
Ancient Wenheng replied, "It’s alright. We have a donkey cart, and we had a canopy built for it, so it really wasn’t that cold."
"You’re just trying to fool an old woman like . The driver still has to sit outside, and it’s even colder when you’re moving," Li Cuicui said, exasperated. "You two sit down. I’ll go cook sothing for you."
Jin Qianqian quickly stood up. "Mom, please don’t go to any trouble. We ate before we ca over."
Ancient Wenheng added, "We already ate. We couldn’t possibly eat another bite right now.
By the way, where’s Dad? I don’t see him around."
"Who knows what he does all day. He’s hardly ever ho. He just finished his al and went out again." Li Cuicui knew her husband had been getting a lot of praise from everyone lately, and it had gone to his head.
"Has everything been okay at ho lately?" Ancient Wen Heng couldn’t help but frown as he looked around the bare-looking room. "Mom, didn’t I bring so cabinets ho for you? You haven’t used them!"
Li Cuicui let out a long sigh. "There are a few families in the village arranging matchmaking interviews for their sons. To make their hos look presentable, they’ve all co to borrow our furniture. All the pieces you brought back have been lent out."
Jin Qianqian and Ancient Wen Heng were surprised to hear this. "But they have to return it after it’s been borrowed, right? Isn’t that just deceiving people?"
Li Cuicui said, "How is that deceptive? When guests arrive, you have to have sowhere for them to settle down. You can’t just offer them a bare kang, can you?
Those kang cabinets and tables you brought back might not be brand new, but they have intricate carvings and elegant designs. Everyone wants to borrow them to make a good impression."
A wave of guilt washed over Ancient Wen Heng. "Mom, I didn’t consider that. Have I caused trouble for you?"
Li Cuicui patted his hand. "What trouble? Besides, it’s not like they borrow them for free. They always give a little sothing in return. We’re all fellow villagers here; we should help each other out when we can."
Ancient Wenheng asked, "Are a lot of people getting married?"
Li Cuicui replied, "The harvests were poor in the past few years, so a lot of weddings were delayed. So couples have been engaged for years. If they don’t marry soon, the girls will be considered old maids. Plus, now is the ti of year when everyone stays indoors for the winter, so yes, there are quite a few."
Jin Qianqian imdiately thought of the social niceties. "Mom, what about the wedding gifts?"
Li Cuicui said, "You don’t have to worry about any of that. I’ve already sent gifts on your behalf. They weren’t anything valuable, just so vegetables or a few eggs."
"We’ve made you spend your own money, Mom." Ancient Wen Heng reached into his pouch and took out two small pieces of broken silver. "Please, take this silver. Since we’re not here to help, you and Dad must take good care of yourselves. Don’t neglect your own needs."
Li Cuicui glanced at Jin Qianqian. Seeing no disapproval on her face, she pushed the silver back toward him. "I have silver. You have far more expenses at the academy these days."
Seeing that his mother absolutely refused to accept it, Ancient Wen Heng had no choice but to give up.
"Oh, right, Mom, you still haven’t told us who cleared the snow off our roof for us."
Li Cuicui’s face lit up with a smile as she explained, "Your eldest brother brought your other brothers over to do it. Since you’re back, you should find so ti to pay them a visit."
Ancient Wenheng and Jin Qianqian were completely taken aback. It would have been normal if it were their Eldest and Fifth Brothers, but for Third and Fourth Brother to pitch in... that was truly a rare occurrence.
Li Cuicui didn’t read so much into it. She was just happy that her sons were looking out for one another and willing to lend a helping hand to their brother. To her, that was a good thing.
After a bit more small talk, Ancient Wen Heng and Jin Qianqian took their pastries and headed over to their other brothers’ hos.
On this trip back, it seed everyone was much warr than before. Even Li Xiaohua and Liu Liu, who had always been at odds with them, managed to restrain themselves and exchange a few words with Jin Qianqian, albeit with stiff smiles.
"This is so strange," Jin Qianqian said on the way back, shaking her head. "Don’t you feel like everyone is acting a little odd?"
Ancient Wenheng replied, "It’s perfectly normal. It’s just human nature—people flatter those in high positions and look down on those below them. The two of us have reached a new standing in the village. Since they can’t look down on us anymore, their only choice is to look up to us."
Jin Qianqian sighed. "So if you manage to earn a title in the future, does that an we’ll face endless troubles?"
’Thinking of all the entanglents that ca with the clan, she could only imagine how heavy the burden on their shoulders would beco.’
"That’s actually sothing I wanted to discuss with you," he said. "We just received a sum of money, and I was thinking of using it to build a private school in the village to give the children here a future."
’It was impossible to simply keep to oneself here.’
’Since he had already identified this weakness, the only thing to do was to resolve it as best he could.’
Jin Qianqian asked, "But what about a teacher? Would anyone be willing to co out here?"
Ancient Wenheng said, "There are a few child students at the academy who have given up on trying to pass the exam to beco a Scholar. They would be more than qualified enough to give the children a rudintary education.
However, this is sothing that requires long-term planning. It’s not a decision I can make all by myself.
I’m telling you now just to give you a heads-up. Wife, I’m afraid your purse is about to get a lot thinner."
Jin Qianqian clutched her small purse, her heart aching. "Sigh. It’s bad enough that I can’t seem to get any fatter, but my purse has to keep getting thinner."
Ancient Wen Heng looked at Jin Qianqian, who was bundled up like a fluffy ball, and suddenly burst out laughing. "Do you rember sothing Li Tian’ai once said about you?"
Jin Qianqian shook her head. "She said so many things. How could I possibly rember?
But seeing how hard you’re laughing, it can’t have been anything nice. I’d rather not try to rember."
But Ancient Wen Heng wouldn’t let her off the hook. "’What you lack in figure, you make up for with clothes.’ Ring a bell?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers