Chapter 016

"Second Brother, are we going into the mountains today?"

"You go. I'll rest for a few more days. We also need someone to stay home recently."

"I wonder if anything happened in the village last night. I'll go find out."

"Come back early; it's almost time for breakfast."

The conversation between the brothers was brief, but because Xiao Ye’s voice was rather loud, Tong Sui was startled awake. She saw the bright light by the window.

Breakfast is almost ready?

Her drowsiness vanished instantly, and Tong Sui quickly sat up to get dressed. Just as she finished folding the quilt, Xiao Zhen entered.

Without even looking at him, Tong Sui’s face began to burn, both from his outrageous proposal last night and from the nonsense she had muttered when he had made her lose herself. He, on the other hand, remained silent, as composed as he always was during the day, exerting himself without a word.

"Awoke? I’ll fetch some water for you."

The man on the ground seemed to have put last night’s events behind him, carrying a basin of water from the washstand and leaving.

Tong Sui took the opportunity to put on her shoes and walked to the bronze mirror. Her hair was as messy as wild grass; she wondered what it looked like to him and quickly grabbed a comb to smooth it out.

Soon, Xiao Zhen returned with a steaming basin of water.

As she combed her hair, Tong Sui glanced at him sideways. "Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?"

Xiao Zhen looked over. "Today isn’t your turn to cook, so you can sleep in a bit longer."

Tong Sui lowered her eyes and muttered softly, "I’ve never slept this late except when I was sick."

Xiao Zhen’s voice was not loud either. "I tried to be as quiet as possible."

Tong Sui: "…"

Knowing she was uncomfortable, Xiao Zhen left again. The couple met again only during breakfast at the elder’s place, one sitting among the women, the other among the men, each quieter than the other.

Xiao Ye shared the news he had gathered: "Last night was peaceful; no one reported any trouble."

Xiao Mu: "Good. Today, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, and Fifth Brother will go into the mountains. Don’t spread out too far and don’t come back too late."

Xiao Yan and his brothers nodded.

Huo Shi, holding a bowl, looked at Xiao Zhen, who was seated to the elder’s right, and asked, "Isn’t Second Brother going?"

She did not know that Xiao Zhen had killed nineteen refugees and was injured; she thought he was just trying to take a few days off after getting married.

Xiao Mu usually ignored his daughter-in-law’s provocations, but Xiao Shouyi helplessly glared at his wife. "We need to guard against the refugees. From now on, one of the four brothers will stay home each day."

Huo Shi laughed dryly. "Oh, I thought Second Brother was clinging to his wife and didn’t want to leave."

Xiao Yuchan: "Mother, what are you thinking? Second Brother isn’t like Third Brother."

Xiao Yan: ...

Xiao Shouyi’s voice sank as he scolded his wife and daughter. "Eat your food. When you’re done, go feed the pigs."

The mother and daughter finally fell silent.

Tong Sui secretly glanced at Lin Ningfang and saw that this third sister-in-law, born into a noble family, remained unperturbed, unaffected by the situation. She couldn’t help but admire her.

After breakfast, the men went about their business, and Lin Ningfang did not linger.

Huo Shi, holding her waist, said to Liu Chu, "Liu’er, I twisted my waist this morning. I can’t keep working. Could you help me wash the dishes?"

Xiao Yuchan quickly supported her mother and looked at Tong Sui. "I’ll take Mother back to her room. Second Sister-in-Law, could you help me for a bit?"

Previously, when Tong Sui had obediently helped Liu Chu make a hundred pancakes, Huo Shi and her daughter had treated her like a soft target. It didn’t matter if she was still a little tough; they would soften her up with repeated manipulation.

Tong Sui stopped the mother and daughter from leaving. "If Second Aunt really can’t walk, let me and Elder Sister-in-Law help you back. Yu-chan can finish the remaining tasks, even if it takes a bit longer. There’s nothing else urgent at home."

Xiao Yuchan raised an eyebrow. "There’s indeed nothing else to do. Since that’s the case, Elder Sister-in-Law and Second Sister-in-Law are idle anyway. Why can’t they help me?"

Tong Sui: "Grandfather set the rule of taking turns cooking so that everyone could work one day and rest the next. If it becomes ‘I help you today, you help me tomorrow,’ no one gets a break. That would defeat Grandfather’s intention. Go ahead and finish your work; we’ll help Second Aunt."

With that, Tong Sui pulled Xiao Yuchan aside, supported Huo Shi’s left arm, and gestured for Liu Chu to come over.

Liu Chu, being soft-natured, used to comply with Huo Shi’s requests, but now she preferred to stand with her fellow sisters-in-law.

Huo Shi, pretending to be ill, couldn’t maintain her cold demeanor and said, "Aman can support me. Yu-chan is clumsy and inefficient. Liu’er, you should help her to avoid delaying lunch."

Tong Sui: "I was clumsy when I was young, but practice makes perfect. Second Aunt, please don’t spoil Yu-chan too much."

Xiao Yuchan, hearing this, became furious. "My mother can spoil me if she wants. What’s it to you? I’m asking Elder Sister-in-Law for help, not you. Why are you interfering?"

Huo Shi’s face turned sour.

No one pretended anymore. Tong Sui released Huo Shi’s arm and stood beside Liu Chu. "If Second Aunt wants to spoil your sister, then take over all her responsibilities instead of making excuses while using your niece-in-law. That would bring ridicule upon us."

Xiao Yuchan: "We know you’re capable. We wouldn’t dare ask you!"

Tong Sui: "Elder Sister-in-Law and I work together. If Elder Sister-in-Law has ten units of strength, we both contribute ten units, finishing our tasks early and resting. But if you use her the day before, she only has five or six units of strength the next day, forcing me to compensate. How is that different from directly using me? And how is it unrelated to me?"

Xiao Yuchan: "..."

Huo Shi reevaluated Tong Sui and said, "The matchmaker praised your running ability, but I didn’t expect you to be so articulate. You look so innocent, yet you were able to argue with your aunt and cousin. Even Second Brother probably doesn’t know you have such skills."

Tong Sui smiled. "Second Aunt, there’s no need to bring that up. You know the current state of the world. This month, we deal with refugees; next month, it might be bandits. We need to be vigilant about many things. As a family, we should all contribute to living well. If you and Yu-chan truly fall ill, Elder Sister-in-Law and I won’t stand idly by. But if you want to be lazy and just use us, I’m telling you now that no excuse will work. We won’t do what’s not our responsibility. Whether you talk to Second Uncle or Grandfather, my answer remains the same."

Tong Sui thought clearly. Since she wouldn't cater to the He family mother and daughter, it was better to speak her mind outright rather than feign politeness and maintain superficial harmony.

He Shi was taken aback, stepping back in shock.

Xiao Yuchan was equally speechless.

"Eldest Sister-in-law, let's go. We need to cut some grass for the mules outside the village."

Tong Sui had never been lazy. Even if it meant making the mules eat better, she found joy in her work.

Perhaps He Shi enjoyed staying at home in leisure, but having Tong Sui sit by the hearth and chat all day would be torture for her.

Liu Chu naturally followed Tong Sui's lead.

The sisters-in-law were both wearing old clothes today. They locked the inner room door in the eastern courtyard, each took a hoe and a basket, and left through the back gate.

The Xiao family lived in the northwest part of the village, with fields on the west and north sides. The northern field extended about a mile before reaching the Lingshui River. Beyond the river was a small hill, one side of which had been cultivated by villagers, while the other side, unsuitable for farming, served as a burial ground for ancestors.

Spring plowing had not yet begun, so wild grass and vegetables grew everywhere—fields, field edges, riverbanks, and hillsides—varying only in density.

From a distance, some wives and children could already be seen searching for wild vegetables.

Seeing that the hilltop was barren without a single thick tree, Tong Sui felt relieved. She said to Liu Chu, "Eldest Sister-in-law, let's go to the riverside; there's more grass there."

Liu Chu hesitated.

Tong Sui continued, "There are many people washing clothes by the river now. We won't cross it, so it should be fine."

Liu Chu adjusted the basket on her arm, embarrassed. "Actually, I haven't left the house in years."

Her family had died during the war, and her husband's family only needed her to cook. There was also someone in the village who had designs on her, so Liu Chu stayed home to avoid gossip.

Although Tong Sui had only been married into the Xiao family for five or six days, she had already figured out Liu Chu's character and guessed that she was wary of her widow status. She said, "Then Eldest Sister-in-law, you can go back and finish Mianmian's dress early. I can go alone."

How could Liu Chu bear that?

As He Shi had said, Tong Sui looked too innocent, with fair skin and bright eyes, like a little sister who hides behind her elder sister when meeting strangers.

Even though Liu Chu had seen Tong Sui confidently handle He Shi and her daughter, she still worried about Tong Sui being bullied alone outside.

"Let's go together. If we meet villagers, I can introduce you."

Tong Sui: ...

After years of not leaving the Xiao family, could Eldest Sister-in-law really remember everyone outside?

But Liu Chu insisted on going along, so Tong Sui had no choice but to take her.

The sisters-in-law had just stepped out from the northwest corner of the Xiao family's backyard when Xiao Mu and his sons, preparing to teach martial arts on the western open ground, spotted them.

Xiao Mu and Xiao Shouyi continued checking their homemade wooden spears and sticks, while Xiao Zhen walked toward them from the north.

Clearly, he had something to say, so the sisters-in-law stopped.

Tong Sui tilted her head slightly, lacking the composure she had shown to He Shi and her daughter. After all, the latter only used words, whereas Xiao Zhen could strip her bare and devour her whole.

Xiao Zhen greeted Liu Chu as Eldest Sister-in-law, then looked at Tong Sui and asked, "Going to dig wild vegetables?"

Tong Sui looked at his tall figure and replied, "Cutting some grass for the mules. If we find any wild vegetables, we'll dig those too."

Xiao Zhen: "Don't go too far."

Tong Sui: "I know. We'll go as far as the riverbank and return once the baskets are full."

Seeing that he had nothing else to say, Tong Sui gave Liu Chu a nod and turned to walk north.

---

Warm light enveloped them as Tong Sui focused on the ground, looking for edible wild vegetables. Most had already been dug up, but there was plenty of bitter sesame grass left for pigs.

By the time they reached the riverside, Tong Sui's basket was already two-tenths full of grass and bitter sesame.

She glanced at Liu Chu and noticed a layer of sweat on her forehead.

Liu Chu smiled apologetically. "It's been a long time since I've walked this far."

Tong Sui smiled back. "Eldest Sister-in-law, do you know why I run fast? Because I've been following my father into the mountains since childhood, climbing up and down every day, which built up my stamina."

Women like Lin Ningfang and Liu Chu would surely lag behind if they ever needed to flee.

Liu Chu knew this well. In the past, she had no chance, but now...

"From now on, whenever Aman goes out, I'll go with you."

Tong Sui: "Good, then I'll have company."

At that moment, Ah Fu and Ah Zhen, squatting by the river washing clothes, noticed the two women. Ah Fu stood up, waving excitedly. "Madam, Second Madam, what brings you here?"

All the women and girls by the river turned to look.

Liu Chu looked away, while Tong Sui responded, "We came to cut grass for the mules. Remember to call us when you're done."

Ah Fu: "Sure!"

Ah Zhen hadn't met the new Second Madam much. Once the sisters-in-law walked away, she quietly asked Ah Fu, "What is Second Madam like? How does she treat you?"

Ah Fu briskly beat the clothes. "She's quite nice, similar to Eldest Madam. She's beautiful and gentle. The first time I called her Second Madam, she even blushed."

Ah Zhen envied her. Her true mistress, Lin Ningfang, was impeccable, but unfortunately, she had married Third Master. He Shi and her daughter often made her run errands, leaving her no peace.

If I had known this would happen, you should have relied on Master Xiao Er back then. With your beauty, if you had slightly compromised, how could Master Xiao Er not be moved? Instead, you ended up with a rough man and an evil mother-in-law.

—

On both sides of the Lingshui River are wide stone beaches. The edges of these beaches are more than a foot lower than the adjacent farmland, forming a gentle slope.

The grass on the slope grows even more lushly. Tong Sui and Liu Chu chatted as they cut grass, soon filling two baskets.

"Aman, look, there's a patch of horseweed over here." Liu Chu circled around a large rock and called out in surprise.

Tong Sui hurried over with her basket and indeed saw a dense patch, saying happily, "This is enough for a batch of dumpling fillings."

Horseweed makes the filling slightly sour but incredibly delicious. My grandfather also said that horseweed clears heat and detoxifies, and eating it regularly is good for your health.

Even when the baskets were full, pressing down the grass inside made room for more.

After harvesting all the horseweed, the sisters-in-law went to the riverbank to wash their hands and rest.

The water was clear, but unfortunately, it was too shallow, only having some tiny fish no longer than fingernail length, which wouldn't grow much even if caught and brought home.

Seeing Tong Sui squatting by the river looking for fish, Liu Chu laughed and said, "There are big fish in our village pond, but they are raised by others. Either pay to buy the fish directly or pay to fish, and how much you catch depends on your skill."

Tong Sui: "If someone is really good at fishing, wouldn't the family lose money?"

Liu Chu: "They charge more for fishing. Most people buy the fish directly. When Second Brother and the others were young, they spent money to fish a few times, but it wasn't worth it compared to buying the fish directly. By the way, Aman, do you know how to fish since you hunt?"

Tong Sui shook her head. "We don't have such large ponds where I'm from, so I've never fished."

Liu Chu glanced in Ah Zhen's direction and whispered, "I heard Third Sister-in-Law is skilled at this, but she had a garden at home back then, and she fished only for relaxation, not to eat the fish."

Ah Zhen would tell A Fu about some old stories from the Lin family, and A Fu couldn't keep secrets, so she inadvertently shared them with her.

In Tong Sui's mind, a scene emerged: a high-born lady in silk robes sitting quietly by her own pond, gently fishing, smiling when she caught a fish, and then releasing it back into the water.

Such a lady would never sit by the village pond to fish for food while being watched by the villagers; it was simply unimaginable.