Chapter 19.
Around midday, Yu Ying borrowed a pottery jar from Aunt He to start cooking.
Two pottery jars were used, one for cooking rice and the other for stewing vegetables.
When she went inside to fetch rice, Yu Ying noticed the balsam pear fruit on the ground had disappeared.
After pondering for a moment, she seemed to guess something and headed to the neighboring thatched hut.
Behind the grass curtain, she whispered, "I'm coming in."
Only after giving this reminder did she enter the room.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the He family saw the new bride from the Fu family coming out of another room, and noticed that she announced herself before entering the main house, finding it peculiar.
She quietly asked her mother-in-law, "Mom, why doesn't the new wife from the Fu family live with Fu Erlang?"
Aunt He glanced at Yu Shi entering the house through the grass curtain and explained in a low voice, "Well, it's because those two youngsters haven't properly married yet, not to mention Fu Erlang's leg... Ah, better not to ask, and certainly don't mention this in front of them."
The daughter-in-law of the He family dared not ask further.
Entering the room, Yu Ying saw the table covered with cleaned balsam pear skins, and the new wooden basin nearly full of seeds.
Yu Ying's gaze moved from the basin of seeds upward to Fu Wei.
Fu Wei's face still bore a detached expression, his hands, originally fair, were somewhat dirty, probably from the fruit not being thoroughly washed.
His hands rested in front of him, he glanced towards the seeds on the table and then at Yu Ying, speaking in an indifferent tone, "I've prepared them all for you. Please bring some water so I can wash my hands."
Yu Ying wanted to say something, but Fu Wei, as if seeing through her thoughts, calmly said, "Doing some work makes me feel less like a burden."
The words "Are you sure you want to get better?" that Yu Ying almost said were swallowed back after hearing his response.
She simply said, "Wait here for a moment," and then went out to fetch water.
After returning with the clean water, she glanced at the fruit skins on the table, set the water on a bamboo stool, and remarked, "Even if you didn't do this, I would have had you working in a day or two. Overexerting like this is just like Fu An."
Fu Wei, soaking his sticky hands in the basin, asked, "How are he and I alike?"
Yu Ying replied, "Both of you are too stubborn. With his small frame, he should only fetch water once, but he insists on doing it three times a day, rain or shine."
Excessive physical labor could potentially affect his growth.
Fu Wei seemed indifferent, simply stating, "He's had to take charge early, while I just don't want to sit idle."
Yu Ying muttered softly, "Stubborn people never admit their stubbornness, just like drunk people never admit they're drunk."
Fu Wei remained silent.
He didn't argue further, only asking, "Now that the seeds are extracted, what's next?"
Yu Ying answered, "I'll handle the rest of the work, and I’ll teach you in a couple of days."
After a pause, she added, "This morning was too hectic. I'll apply medicinal wine to you after lunch."
Without a response from Fu Wei, Yu Ying left the room after he finished washing his hands.
As Fu Wei dried his hands with a new towel, a thought seemed to cross his mind, causing a slight furrow in his brow.
He turned to look at the medicinal wine by the bed, then glanced down at his shoulder and chest, falling silent for a moment.
She had just said she would come to apply medicinal wine on him after lunch…?
Since the yard was being renovated, Yu Ying had to move the clay stove inside the house and opened both the window and door curtains to cook inside, with little Fu Ning following her around to help stoke the fire.
Yu Ying planned to cook a dish of pork stewed with cabbage, using one head of cabbage, known in future times as Chinese cabbage, and about four taels of pork.
Then there was boiled radish. After boiling the radishes, she would lift them out, heat some pork fat, pour it in, and simply season with salt.
Lastly came the staple food.
With less than three catties of rice left in the house, using it all would leave them without any reserves, so Yu Ying scooped only one and a half catties of rice. She washed seven or eight taros, smaller than a fist, peeled and diced them, and cooked them with the rice to make taro rice.
Soon, a delicious aroma wafted outside, and after a busy morning, everyone was ravenous. The smell only intensified their hunger.
Aunt He pondered for a while; the kitchen and toilet were mostly complete, only needing the thatch put on top, and reinforcing the old thatched huts would finish by the afternoon.
Having planned this, she told the others, "Let's go back and rest for a bit. We'll resume work when the sun is less intense in the afternoon."
The others readily set aside their work, preparing to go back for lunch and a short rest.
Yu Ying, hearing Aunt He's words inside the house, understood they were considerate of the Fu family's situation and didn't want to burden them, so she also planned to go back for lunch.
Yu Ying quickly wiped her hands and stepped out of the house, calling out, "Lunch is almost ready, why are you leaving?"
Aunt He replied with a smile, "We're going back for lunch and a bit of rest. You can keep the lunch for your dinner."
Yu Ying, feeling helpless, said, "Aunt He, I made quite a lot. Even if we tried, our family couldn’t finish it all."
Walking over to Aunt He, she continued, "These past days, I’ve been earning some money by helping a small eatery in Yu County, so you don’t have to worry about us going hungry."
Yu Ying's trips to Yu County to deliver food were done secretly; apart from the Fu family, no one else in the village knew about it.
Now that Yu Ying understood the He family's situation and received their help, she disclosed half of the information to ease Aunt He's mind.
Aunt He looked surprised, "You're preparing food for a small eatery in Jade County?"
Yu Ying smiled, "Indeed. If you don't believe me, you can ask my mother and Fu An."
Aunt He turned to the grandmother and grandson, and saw Fu An nodding, who added, "It's true, Auntie. We even had rice and pork scraps yesterday. It was so delicious."
Luo Shi also chimed in, "Let's do as Liuniang suggests and stay for the meal."
Aunt He was inwardly amazed, noting that the Fu family seemed to be very supportive of Yu Ying, unlike a month ago.
Could it be that the Fu family's days were indeed improving?
Yu Ying continued to Aunt He, "Please wait a moment; I'll go with Fu An to bring out a table, and we'll eat outside. If you have to leave, we'll bring the food to your house."
Then, turning to Song Jun, she said, "Song Jun, you too. If you're not staying, I’ll have Fu An take the food to your house."
After speaking, Yu Ying released Aunt He’s hand and turned to walk inside the house, with Fu An following.
The He family members all looked at Aunt He, even Song Jun, as if waiting for her to make a decision.
Aunt He was momentarily speechless.
But now that Yu Ying had made such an offer, what choice did she have but to stay?
At worst, if there wasn’t enough food, they would simply eat less.
Aunt He nodded, "Then we'll stay."
Soon, a bamboo table was carried out and placed under a tree.
The Fu family's yard, once overgrown with weeds, was now tidy thanks to Yu Ying's efforts.
There were two trees in the corner of the yard, their names unknown to Yu Ying, but she found their shade a cool refuge for her daily work.
Yu Ying and Fu An then brought out long bamboo benches before serving the food on the table.
Though there were only two dishes, they were plentiful.
The sight of meat in the dishes surprised everyone, including the family and Song Jun.
This cabbage stewed with meat was usually a main dish at village banquets.
How much could Yu Ying earn from cooking for the small eatery?
It seemed she might have supplemented the food with her own dowry, something everyone understood but left unspoken.
They thought highly of Yu Ying for valuing them so much, resolving to help her in the future if needed, within their means.
As there weren’t enough dishes and utensils, Aunt He's daughter-in-law went back to fetch more.
The three men, used to heavy labor, had hearty appetites and thus received full bowls of taro rice. The women, with smaller appetites, had their bowls filled only three-quarters.
Knowing that Fu Wei was controlling his food intake to avoid frequent restroom visits, Yu Ying served him only a half bowl, topped with vegetables, and had Fu An take it to him.
After the meal, everyone returned to their respective homes to rest.
Yu Ying and Fu An began to clean up. Before Yu Ying could react, Fu An had already taken the dishes to the river to wash.
Yu Ying watched Fu An's retreating figure, then turned to Luo Shi, "Take Ningning to my room for a nap. I'm going to apply some medicinal wine to Erlang."
Hearing about the medicinal wine, Luo Shi asked, "Was Erlang's fall serious?"
Knowing Luo Shi couldn't handle too much stress, Yu Ying didn't tell the whole truth, "It's nothing serious, just a bruise on his arm. Some medicinal wine to reduce the bruising will help."
"Is that really all?" Luo Shi seemed skeptical.
"Why would I lie to you?" Yu Ying looked at Fu Ning and gently said, "Help grandma into the room for a rest."
Fu Ning nodded lightly and took her grandmother's hand, leading her into the house.
Watching them enter, Yu Ying then turned and went to the adjacent room.
Fu Wei had been restless all night and busy all morning. He was exhausted from chopping a heap of wild fruits and digging out seeds, so he had dozed off after lunch.
When Yu Ying entered, he was half-asleep but instinctively opened his eyes at the slight sound, gripping the stick beside the bed with a wary look in his eyes.
Recognizing Yu Ying, his wariness faded.
Seeing his guarded demeanor, Yu Ying understood the torment he had endured since falling from grace - not just physically, but mentally too.
Abandoned by those he was once close to, how could he not feel disheartened?
Hence, he remained wary of everyone, even after returning to the Fu family, cautious around his own mother and nephews.
Yu Ying had observed all this in the past few days.
Gathering her thoughts, she said to him, "I came to apply the medicinal wine to you."
Fu Wei, now fully alert, replied, "No need, I can do it myself."
Knowing that applying medicinal wine required specific techniques and massage for effective bruise healing, Yu Ying, driven by her professional instincts, offered, "Let me apply the medicinal wine and give you a massage."
After a moment's thought, she added, "Sitting for too long can cause stiffness and discomfort in your shoulders, neck, and back, making it difficult to sleep at night."
Fu Wei frowned slightly, "No need, I can manage it myself."
Yu Ying couldn't understand why this usually stoic and seemingly indifferent man was suddenly so insistent.
After pondering for a moment, she recalled his bruises and remembered that as the son of the Wuling Prefecture's Governor, he was known for his extreme personal cleanliness, always served by male attendants, never females.
Yu Ying surmised this was the reason for his refusal.
He glanced at her and said coldly, "Men and women should not touch."
As she suspected.
Yu Ying, however, picked up the medicinal wine from the bedside and said, "Though we are married in name only, we are still husband and wife. The rule of 'men and women not touching' doesn't apply to us."
When she was an intern at a traditional medicine hospital, she did massages regardless of gender. She wasn't sure how things would be in future generations, but at least for now, it didn't bother her.
After all, the household needed someone to work, and although he was disabled, his hands were still functional. Leaving the bryony fruit processing to him would free her up for other tasks.
With this in mind, Yu Ying spoke gently but firmly, "Take off your clothes. I need to apply the medicine."
Chapter 19.
Around midday, Yu Ying borrowed a pottery jar from Aunt He to start cooking.
Two pottery jars were used, one for cooking rice and the other for stewing vegetables.
When she went inside to fetch rice, Yu Ying noticed the balsam pear fruit on the ground had disappeared.
After pondering for a moment, she seemed to guess something and headed to the neighboring thatched hut.
Behind the grass curtain, she whispered, "I'm coming in."
Only after giving this reminder did she enter the room.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the He family saw the new bride from the Fu family coming out of another room, and noticed that she announced herself before entering the main house, finding it peculiar.
She quietly asked her mother-in-law, "Mom, why doesn't the new wife from the Fu family live with Fu Erlang?"
Aunt He glanced at Yu Shi entering the house through the grass curtain and explained in a low voice, "Well, it's because those two youngsters haven't properly married yet, not to mention Fu Erlang's leg... Ah, better not to ask, and certainly don't mention this in front of them."
The daughter-in-law of the He family dared not ask further.
Entering the room, Yu Ying saw the table covered with cleaned balsam pear skins, and the new wooden basin nearly full of seeds.
Yu Ying's gaze moved from the basin of seeds upward to Fu Wei.
Fu Wei's face still bore a detached expression, his hands, originally fair, were somewhat dirty, probably from the fruit not being thoroughly washed.
His hands rested in front of him, he glanced towards the seeds on the table and then at Yu Ying, speaking in an indifferent tone, "I've prepared them all for you. Please bring some water so I can wash my hands."
Yu Ying wanted to say something, but Fu Wei, as if seeing through her thoughts, calmly said, "Doing some work makes me feel less like a burden."
The words "Are you sure you want to get better?" that Yu Ying almost said were swallowed back after hearing his response.
She simply said, "Wait here for a moment," and then went out to fetch water.
After returning with the clean water, she glanced at the fruit skins on the table, set the water on a bamboo stool, and remarked, "Even if you didn't do this, I would have had you working in a day or two. Overexerting like this is just like Fu An."
Fu Wei, soaking his sticky hands in the basin, asked, "How are he and I alike?"
Yu Ying replied, "Both of you are too stubborn. With his small frame, he should only fetch water once, but he insists on doing it three times a day, rain or shine."
Excessive physical labor could potentially affect his growth.
Fu Wei seemed indifferent, simply stating, "He's had to take charge early, while I just don't want to sit idle."
Yu Ying muttered softly, "Stubborn people never admit their stubbornness, just like drunk people never admit they're drunk."
Fu Wei remained silent.
He didn't argue further, only asking, "Now that the seeds are extracted, what's next?"
Yu Ying answered, "I'll handle the rest of the work, and I’ll teach you in a couple of days."
After a pause, she added, "This morning was too hectic. I'll apply medicinal wine to you after lunch."
Without a response from Fu Wei, Yu Ying left the room after he finished washing his hands.
As Fu Wei dried his hands with a new towel, a thought seemed to cross his mind, causing a slight furrow in his brow.
He turned to look at the medicinal wine by the bed, then glanced down at his shoulder and chest, falling silent for a moment.
She had just said she would come to apply medicinal wine on him after lunch…?
Since the yard was being renovated, Yu Ying had to move the clay stove inside the house and opened both the window and door curtains to cook inside, with little Fu Ning following her around to help stoke the fire.
Yu Ying planned to cook a dish of pork stewed with cabbage, using one head of cabbage, known in future times as Chinese cabbage, and about four taels of pork.
Then there was boiled radish. After boiling the radishes, she would lift them out, heat some pork fat, pour it in, and simply season with salt.
Lastly came the staple food.
With less than three catties of rice left in the house, using it all would leave them without any reserves, so Yu Ying scooped only one and a half catties of rice. She washed seven or eight taros, smaller than a fist, peeled and diced them, and cooked them with the rice to make taro rice.
Soon, a delicious aroma wafted outside, and after a busy morning, everyone was ravenous. The smell only intensified their hunger.
Aunt He pondered for a while; the kitchen and toilet were mostly complete, only needing the thatch put on top, and reinforcing the old thatched huts would finish by the afternoon.
Having planned this, she told the others, "Let's go back and rest for a bit. We'll resume work when the sun is less intense in the afternoon."
The others readily set aside their work, preparing to go back for lunch and a short rest.
Yu Ying, hearing Aunt He's words inside the house, understood they were considerate of the Fu family's situation and didn't want to burden them, so she also planned to go back for lunch.
Yu Ying quickly wiped her hands and stepped out of the house, calling out, "Lunch is almost ready, why are you leaving?"
Aunt He replied with a smile, "We're going back for lunch and a bit of rest. You can keep the lunch for your dinner."
Yu Ying, feeling helpless, said, "Aunt He, I made quite a lot. Even if we tried, our family couldn’t finish it all."
Walking over to Aunt He, she continued, "These past days, I’ve been earning some money by helping a small eatery in Yu County, so you don’t have to worry about us going hungry."
Yu Ying's trips to Yu County to deliver food were done secretly; apart from the Fu family, no one else in the village knew about it.
Now that Yu Ying understood the He family's situation and received their help, she disclosed half of the information to ease Aunt He's mind.
Aunt He looked surprised, "You're preparing food for a small eatery in Jade County?"
Yu Ying smiled, "Indeed. If you don't believe me, you can ask my mother and Fu An."
Aunt He turned to the grandmother and grandson, and saw Fu An nodding, who added, "It's true, Auntie. We even had rice and pork scraps yesterday. It was so delicious."
Luo Shi also chimed in, "Let's do as Liuniang suggests and stay for the meal."
Aunt He was inwardly amazed, noting that the Fu family seemed to be very supportive of Yu Ying, unlike a month ago.
Could it be that the Fu family's days were indeed improving?
Yu Ying continued to Aunt He, "Please wait a moment; I'll go with Fu An to bring out a table, and we'll eat outside. If you have to leave, we'll bring the food to your house."
Then, turning to Song Jun, she said, "Song Jun, you too. If you're not staying, I’ll have Fu An take the food to your house."
After speaking, Yu Ying released Aunt He’s hand and turned to walk inside the house, with Fu An following.
The He family members all looked at Aunt He, even Song Jun, as if waiting for her to make a decision.
Aunt He was momentarily speechless.
But now that Yu Ying had made such an offer, what choice did she have but to stay?
At worst, if there wasn’t enough food, they would simply eat less.
Aunt He nodded, "Then we'll stay."
Soon, a bamboo table was carried out and placed under a tree.
The Fu family's yard, once overgrown with weeds, was now tidy thanks to Yu Ying's efforts.
There were two trees in the corner of the yard, their names unknown to Yu Ying, but she found their shade a cool refuge for her daily work.
Yu Ying and Fu An then brought out long bamboo benches before serving the food on the table.
Though there were only two dishes, they were plentiful.
The sight of meat in the dishes surprised everyone, including the family and Song Jun.
This cabbage stewed with meat was usually a main dish at village banquets.
How much could Yu Ying earn from cooking for the small eatery?
It seemed she might have supplemented the food with her own dowry, something everyone understood but left unspoken.
They thought highly of Yu Ying for valuing them so much, resolving to help her in the future if needed, within their means.
As there weren’t enough dishes and utensils, Aunt He's daughter-in-law went back to fetch more.
The three men, used to heavy labor, had hearty appetites and thus received full bowls of taro rice. The women, with smaller appetites, had their bowls filled only three-quarters.
Knowing that Fu Wei was controlling his food intake to avoid frequent restroom visits, Yu Ying served him only a half bowl, topped with vegetables, and had Fu An take it to him.
After the meal, everyone returned to their respective homes to rest.
Yu Ying and Fu An began to clean up. Before Yu Ying could react, Fu An had already taken the dishes to the river to wash.
Yu Ying watched Fu An's retreating figure, then turned to Luo Shi, "Take Ningning to my room for a nap. I'm going to apply some medicinal wine to Erlang."
Hearing about the medicinal wine, Luo Shi asked, "Was Erlang's fall serious?"
Knowing Luo Shi couldn't handle too much stress, Yu Ying didn't tell the whole truth, "It's nothing serious, just a bruise on his arm. Some medicinal wine to reduce the bruising will help."
"Is that really all?" Luo Shi seemed skeptical.
"Why would I lie to you?" Yu Ying looked at Fu Ning and gently said, "Help grandma into the room for a rest."
Fu Ning nodded lightly and took her grandmother's hand, leading her into the house.
Watching them enter, Yu Ying then turned and went to the adjacent room.
Fu Wei had been restless all night and busy all morning. He was exhausted from chopping a heap of wild fruits and digging out seeds, so he had dozed off after lunch.
When Yu Ying entered, he was half-asleep but instinctively opened his eyes at the slight sound, gripping the stick beside the bed with a wary look in his eyes.
Recognizing Yu Ying, his wariness faded.
Seeing his guarded demeanor, Yu Ying understood the torment he had endured since falling from grace - not just physically, but mentally too.
Abandoned by those he was once close to, how could he not feel disheartened?
Hence, he remained wary of everyone, even after returning to the Fu family, cautious around his own mother and nephews.
Yu Ying had observed all this in the past few days.
Gathering her thoughts, she said to him, "I came to apply the medicinal wine to you."
Fu Wei, now fully alert, replied, "No need, I can do it myself."
Knowing that applying medicinal wine required specific techniques and massage for effective bruise healing, Yu Ying, driven by her professional instincts, offered, "Let me apply the medicinal wine and give you a massage."
After a moment's thought, she added, "Sitting for too long can cause stiffness and discomfort in your shoulders, neck, and back, making it difficult to sleep at night."
Fu Wei frowned slightly, "No need, I can manage it myself."
Yu Ying couldn't understand why this usually stoic and seemingly indifferent man was suddenly so insistent.
After pondering for a moment, she recalled his bruises and remembered that as the son of the Wuling Prefecture's Governor, he was known for his extreme personal cleanliness, always served by male attendants, never females.
Yu Ying surmised this was the reason for his refusal.
He glanced at her and said coldly, "Men and women should not touch."
As she suspected.
Yu Ying, however, picked up the medicinal wine from the bedside and said, "Though we are married in name only, we are still husband and wife. The rule of 'men and women not touching' doesn't apply to us."
When she was an intern at a traditional medicine hospital, she did massages regardless of gender. She wasn't sure how things would be in future generations, but at least for now, it didn't bother her.
After all, the household needed someone to work, and although he was disabled, his hands were still functional. Leaving the bryony fruit processing to him would free her up for other tasks.
With this in mind, Yu Ying spoke gently but firmly, "Take off your clothes. I need to apply the medicine."
