Chapter 44
Fu Wei struggled to sleep, surrounded by the faint scent of herbs in her breath and the warmth of her presence so close at hand.
In the next room, Fu Zhen and his wife were also unable to sleep.
Partly due to the excitement of being back home and seeing their loved ones, and partly due to the significant changes in the house.
Fu Zhen had started doing heavy labor to support the family from a young age, and nearly emptied his savings when he got married.
The construction of an additional thatched hut was possible thanks to the help of Uncle He and Song Sanlang.
Before any other buildings could be constructed, he was sent to labor, and it was only after several years and upon his return that Fu Ning was born.
Ever since Fu Ning was born, his health was frail, requiring constant care with soups and medicines, which left the family nearly destitute.
Fu Zhen worked himself to the bone, but given his lowly status, he earned only meager wages.
When his wife was conscripted, Fu Zhen handed almost all his earnings to his mother and took the place of the previous Erlang in service.
Fu Zhen’s decision to serve in place of Erlang stemmed from guilt towards Erlang and the knowledge that his wife was too gentle for the harsh conditions of the quarry; without someone to accompany her, survival would have been doubtful.
Now back home, Fu Zhen saw the improved conditions and was filled with deep emotions.
Lying with his arm under his head, his wife beside him was also restless and unable to sleep.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Hearing her husband's voice, Wen Xing turned towards him, speaking in a hushed tone to avoid disturbing her mother-in-law and the children, “I can’t sleep.”
After a pause, she added, “Dalang, I’m happy we could return, but after the happiness fades, I worry about how to repay the huge debt of gratitude we owe to your sister-in-law; it keeps me awake.”
Fu Zhen was silent for a moment, then whispered, “Don’t think too much about it now. Even if you ponder it, you won’t find an answer. Try to sleep, we can think about it tomorrow.”
After a quiet moment, his wife softly called out again, “Dalang.”
“Hmm?”
“Should I follow your sister-in-law tomorrow and help her when she needs it?”
Fu Zhen thought for a moment before responding, “If you want to follow her, then do so.”
A short while later, she called out again, “Dalang.”
"Ah Fu dutifully responded with a weary 'Hmm.'"
"Wen Xing quietly clung to her husband's arm, just as she did in the quarry, finding comfort and safety in his presence."
"Her voice was soft and gentle, 'No more stone quarry. I'm so happy, happy to be home, to see mother-in-law, to see Ān Ān and Níng Níng. Everything feels like a dream. I’m afraid I’ll wake up and find myself back in that dark, sunless quarry.'"
"Fú Zhèn sighed softly, 'You won’t have to go back there. Don’t worry too much, just sleep.'"
"'Okay.'"
"The next morning, when Yú Yíng opened her eyes, she found herself close to Fú Wēi. Confused for a moment, she then regained her composure."
"Turning her head, she saw Fú Wēi, still asleep and close by, her cheeks flushing slightly."
"She carefully got up from the bed, trying not to disturb him."
"After getting up, she quickly combed her hair and stepped out of the room."
"As soon as Yú Yíng left the room, Fú Wēi slowly opened his eyes, dark circles faintly visible under his eyelids."
"Fú Wēi, who hadn’t slept all night, let out a heavy sigh and then closed his eyes to catch up on sleep."
"When Yú Yíng came out of the house, she saw smoke rising from the kitchen and a pile of firewood next to it."
"While washing up, Yú Yíng noticed that the water jar was still full."
"Her sister-in-law came out of the kitchen and hurriedly said to Yú Yíng, 'Sister-in-law, breakfast will be ready soon.'"
"Yú Yíng responded, and after washing up, Fú Ān, Fú Níng, and Mrs. Luò also came out of their rooms."
"Fú Ān yawned and called out to Yú Yíng, 'Auntie, good morning.'"
"When he saw his mother, he paused for a moment and then greeted, 'Mother, good morning.'"
"Upon hearing the word 'Mother,' Wēn Xìng's face lit up with a radiant smile, and she gently responded with a 'Good morning.'"
"At that moment, Fú Zhèn returned from outside, carrying a bundle of firewood, which he placed on the firewood pile."
"Fú Ān hesitated for a moment before awkwardly calling out, 'Father, good morning.'"
"Fú Zhèn, hearing his son's voice, turned to look at him and nodded in acknowledgment."
"Breakfast was almost ready – a simple wild vegetable porridge."
"Perhaps due to her sister-in-law's accustomed frugality from her hard life, the porridge contained very few grains of rice."
"Yú Yíng didn’t comment. She took a bowl of porridge intending to bring it to Fú Wēi, but seeing him still asleep when she opened the door, she closed it gently, not wanting to wake him."
"His broken bones were healing, which might cause itching, possibly making it hard for him to sleep well at night."
"Yú Yíng placed the porridge back in the kitchen, then went inside to have her breakfast."
"After eating half a bowl, Yú Yíng spoke to her elder brother and sister-in-law, 'Rest for two more days, and we’ll go into the mountains to gather herbs the day after tomorrow.'"
"Fú Zhèn said, 'I can do it today.'"
"Yú Yíng shook her head slightly, 'I need to go to Yù County today, and Uncle Hé and Auntie Hé, having traveled for several days, also need a day or two to recover.'"
"Yú Yíng added, 'I haven’t explained to my elder brother and sister-in-law why we need to gather herbs. I’ll briefly explain now.'"
"She continued, 'I’m currently involved in some herbal medicine trade and have signed contracts with herbalists. By October, I need to deliver several hundred pounds of herbs. In the meantime, I’ll also deal with other small traders, so I’ll be busy gathering herbs in the mountains.'"
"Fú Zhèn had gathered from Uncle Hé and Auntie Hé's hints en route that his brother’s wife was a capable woman, knowledgeable in identifying medicinal herbs and treating illnesses. So, hearing that she was trading in herbs didn’t surprise him much."
"'If there’s heavy work, let me handle it,' Fú Zhèn offered."
"Doing chores at home is far less strenuous than the backbreaking labor in the quarry."
"Yú Yíng said, 'The mountains are dangerous, so having my elder brother join us might be safer.'"
"Elder Brother Fú is tall and strong, much more so than Yú Yíng herself or Uncle Hé, making it safer to go into the mountains with him."
"Yú Yíng had initially been worried that buying a new bamboo bed might attract trouble, so she had arranged with Uncle Hé to temporarily store it at his house and bring it over in the evening. But now, seeing Elder Brother Fú’s robust physique, she felt reassured."
"Fú Zhèn nodded, 'Just call me for any work.'"
"Hearing this, Yú Yíng decided to share her future plans, 'In addition to gathering herbs, I’m planning to rent some land to grow grains and herbs. It’s too late for rice planting, so we'll start with herbs. Cultivating herbs ensures consistent quality and trade, even if we don’t go into the mountains.'"
"The main reason was that in a year or two, the world would be in complete chaos, and both food and medicinal herbs would be in critical demand."
"She needed to store as much grain and herbs as possible in this relatively short period."
"But based on the current situation, having enough money was the first priority."
"Mrs. Luò, hearing about renting land, felt a sudden jolt of worry, 'After redeeming Elder Brother and Sister-in-law, will there be enough money to rent the land?'"
"Yú Yíng replied honestly, 'I’ve reserved some money from selling valuable herbs previously for renting the land. Before, I was alone and feared being overwhelmed, so I didn’t proceed. But now that my elder brother and sister-in-law are back, we have more hands to help, so we can’t delay any longer.'"
"Wēn Xìng, hearing her sister-in-law’s words, was amazed at her capability and couldn’t help but admire her."
"Unaware of her sister-in-law’s thoughts, Yú Yíng continued, 'Today, I’m going to the county town to deliver some jelly to the Huò official and also inquire about renting land.'"
"Of course, Yú Yíng had another task to accomplish."
"After finishing the porridge, Yú Yíng asked, 'I need to sell some things and could use a hand. Would my elder brother and sister-in-law like to come with me to Yù County?'"
"Wēn Xìng looked at her husband, remembering her mother-in-law’s words from the day before to follow her sister-in-law’s lead. After hesitating, she agreed, 'I’ll go with my sister-in-law.'"
"Fú Zhèn, however, didn’t agree, 'After yesterday’s trouble with Auntie Cuìlán, I don’t think she’ll let it go. I’ll stay home to protect the family, just in case she causes more trouble.'"
"Yú Yíng, thinking that Auntie Cuìlán might indeed cause trouble after falling for the trick, nodded in agreement."
"Wēn Xìng, upon hearing her husband wouldn't be going, felt a sudden pang of anxiety and turned to look at him with a hint of unease in her eyes."
"Fú Zhèn knew his wife relied on him excessively, but now that they were not in the quarry anymore, she needed to gradually adapt to being alone. He lowered his head, finished his porridge, and pretended not to notice her gaze."
"Wēn Xìng wanted to discuss with her sister-in-law about staying home to help, but struggled to find the words. After hesitating, she eventually followed her sister-in-law outside."
"Yú Yíng realized her sister-in-law might have wanted to stay behind because her elder brother wasn’t going. But Yú Yíng needed someone who knew how much cloth was required for a garment to avoid waste or shortage."
"Moreover, Wēn Xìng thought they would walk to Yù County, but to her surprise, they were taking a bullock cart. Without any money on her, she felt embarrassed and initially refused to board."
"Her face flushed, Wēn Xìng whispered to her sister-in-law, 'I can walk there.'"
"Yú Yíng, understanding her sister-in-law’s discomfort, pulled her onto the cart, saying, 'There are many things to do. Walking there would take too long.'"
"While speaking, she handed two copper coins to Old Man Chén."
"Receiving the coins, Old Man Chén noticed the unfamiliar woman with Madam Yú and asked with a smile, 'Did you bring your family back?'"
"Yú Yíng replied, 'Thanks to Boss Chén’s help, I was able to bring back my elder brother and sister-in-law. I must properly thank Boss Chén in a few days.'"
"Old Man Chén chuckled, then said, 'The bamboo bed is ready. I’ll come half an hour earlier today and bring it to Língshuǐ Village.'"
"Yú Yíng quickly agreed and thanked him."
"After waiting for her sister-in-law and the cart driver to finish their brief chat, Wēn Xìng gently tugged at her sister-in-law's sleeve."
"Turning her head, Yú Yíng met her sister-in-law's expressive eyes, and then heard her whisper, 'Sister-in-law, I’ll pay you back for the cart fare.'"
"After a pause, she added, 'And I’ll also gradually repay the redemption money.'"
"Yú Yíng smiled softly and responded, 'Okay.'"
"Feeling a sense of closeness to her easygoing sister-in-law, Wēn Xìng's expression became serious and sincere, 'Sister-in-law, thank you so much for helping me and the Fú family so much. If you ever need help, just let me know.'"
"Yu Ying spoke, 'I actually need a favor from my sister-in-law.'"
"Wen Xing blinked and asked, 'What favor?'"
"Yu Ying inquired, 'Sister-in-law, do you know how to make clothes?'"
"I can."
"After her sister-in-law agreed, Yu Ying sighed in relief, grateful to have someone skilled in sewing."
"Although Yu Ying was capable of simple mending and making cloth bags, she wasn't proficient enough to make clothes."
Chapter 44
Fu Wei struggled to sleep, surrounded by the faint scent of herbs in her breath and the warmth of her presence so close at hand.
In the next room, Fu Zhen and his wife were also unable to sleep.
Partly due to the excitement of being back home and seeing their loved ones, and partly due to the significant changes in the house.
Fu Zhen had started doing heavy labor to support the family from a young age, and nearly emptied his savings when he got married.
The construction of an additional thatched hut was possible thanks to the help of Uncle He and Song Sanlang.
Before any other buildings could be constructed, he was sent to labor, and it was only after several years and upon his return that Fu Ning was born.
Ever since Fu Ning was born, his health was frail, requiring constant care with soups and medicines, which left the family nearly destitute.
Fu Zhen worked himself to the bone, but given his lowly status, he earned only meager wages.
When his wife was conscripted, Fu Zhen handed almost all his earnings to his mother and took the place of the previous Erlang in service.
Fu Zhen’s decision to serve in place of Erlang stemmed from guilt towards Erlang and the knowledge that his wife was too gentle for the harsh conditions of the quarry; without someone to accompany her, survival would have been doubtful.
Now back home, Fu Zhen saw the improved conditions and was filled with deep emotions.
Lying with his arm under his head, his wife beside him was also restless and unable to sleep.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Hearing her husband's voice, Wen Xing turned towards him, speaking in a hushed tone to avoid disturbing her mother-in-law and the children, “I can’t sleep.”
After a pause, she added, “Dalang, I’m happy we could return, but after the happiness fades, I worry about how to repay the huge debt of gratitude we owe to your sister-in-law; it keeps me awake.”
Fu Zhen was silent for a moment, then whispered, “Don’t think too much about it now. Even if you ponder it, you won’t find an answer. Try to sleep, we can think about it tomorrow.”
After a quiet moment, his wife softly called out again, “Dalang.”
“Hmm?”
“Should I follow your sister-in-law tomorrow and help her when she needs it?”
Fu Zhen thought for a moment before responding, “If you want to follow her, then do so.”
A short while later, she called out again, “Dalang.”
"Ah Fu dutifully responded with a weary 'Hmm.'"
"Wen Xing quietly clung to her husband's arm, just as she did in the quarry, finding comfort and safety in his presence."
"Her voice was soft and gentle, 'No more stone quarry. I'm so happy, happy to be home, to see mother-in-law, to see Ān Ān and Níng Níng. Everything feels like a dream. I’m afraid I’ll wake up and find myself back in that dark, sunless quarry.'"
"Fú Zhèn sighed softly, 'You won’t have to go back there. Don’t worry too much, just sleep.'"
"'Okay.'"
"The next morning, when Yú Yíng opened her eyes, she found herself close to Fú Wēi. Confused for a moment, she then regained her composure."
"Turning her head, she saw Fú Wēi, still asleep and close by, her cheeks flushing slightly."
"She carefully got up from the bed, trying not to disturb him."
"After getting up, she quickly combed her hair and stepped out of the room."
"As soon as Yú Yíng left the room, Fú Wēi slowly opened his eyes, dark circles faintly visible under his eyelids."
"Fú Wēi, who hadn’t slept all night, let out a heavy sigh and then closed his eyes to catch up on sleep."
"When Yú Yíng came out of the house, she saw smoke rising from the kitchen and a pile of firewood next to it."
"While washing up, Yú Yíng noticed that the water jar was still full."
"Her sister-in-law came out of the kitchen and hurriedly said to Yú Yíng, 'Sister-in-law, breakfast will be ready soon.'"
"Yú Yíng responded, and after washing up, Fú Ān, Fú Níng, and Mrs. Luò also came out of their rooms."
"Fú Ān yawned and called out to Yú Yíng, 'Auntie, good morning.'"
"When he saw his mother, he paused for a moment and then greeted, 'Mother, good morning.'"
"Upon hearing the word 'Mother,' Wēn Xìng's face lit up with a radiant smile, and she gently responded with a 'Good morning.'"
"At that moment, Fú Zhèn returned from outside, carrying a bundle of firewood, which he placed on the firewood pile."
"Fú Ān hesitated for a moment before awkwardly calling out, 'Father, good morning.'"
"Fú Zhèn, hearing his son's voice, turned to look at him and nodded in acknowledgment."
"Breakfast was almost ready – a simple wild vegetable porridge."
"Perhaps due to her sister-in-law's accustomed frugality from her hard life, the porridge contained very few grains of rice."
"Yú Yíng didn’t comment. She took a bowl of porridge intending to bring it to Fú Wēi, but seeing him still asleep when she opened the door, she closed it gently, not wanting to wake him."
"His broken bones were healing, which might cause itching, possibly making it hard for him to sleep well at night."
"Yú Yíng placed the porridge back in the kitchen, then went inside to have her breakfast."
"After eating half a bowl, Yú Yíng spoke to her elder brother and sister-in-law, 'Rest for two more days, and we’ll go into the mountains to gather herbs the day after tomorrow.'"
"Fú Zhèn said, 'I can do it today.'"
"Yú Yíng shook her head slightly, 'I need to go to Yù County today, and Uncle Hé and Auntie Hé, having traveled for several days, also need a day or two to recover.'"
"Yú Yíng added, 'I haven’t explained to my elder brother and sister-in-law why we need to gather herbs. I’ll briefly explain now.'"
"She continued, 'I’m currently involved in some herbal medicine trade and have signed contracts with herbalists. By October, I need to deliver several hundred pounds of herbs. In the meantime, I’ll also deal with other small traders, so I’ll be busy gathering herbs in the mountains.'"
"Fú Zhèn had gathered from Uncle Hé and Auntie Hé's hints en route that his brother’s wife was a capable woman, knowledgeable in identifying medicinal herbs and treating illnesses. So, hearing that she was trading in herbs didn’t surprise him much."
"'If there’s heavy work, let me handle it,' Fú Zhèn offered."
"Doing chores at home is far less strenuous than the backbreaking labor in the quarry."
"Yú Yíng said, 'The mountains are dangerous, so having my elder brother join us might be safer.'"
"Elder Brother Fú is tall and strong, much more so than Yú Yíng herself or Uncle Hé, making it safer to go into the mountains with him."
"Yú Yíng had initially been worried that buying a new bamboo bed might attract trouble, so she had arranged with Uncle Hé to temporarily store it at his house and bring it over in the evening. But now, seeing Elder Brother Fú’s robust physique, she felt reassured."
"Fú Zhèn nodded, 'Just call me for any work.'"
"Hearing this, Yú Yíng decided to share her future plans, 'In addition to gathering herbs, I’m planning to rent some land to grow grains and herbs. It’s too late for rice planting, so we'll start with herbs. Cultivating herbs ensures consistent quality and trade, even if we don’t go into the mountains.'"
"The main reason was that in a year or two, the world would be in complete chaos, and both food and medicinal herbs would be in critical demand."
"She needed to store as much grain and herbs as possible in this relatively short period."
"But based on the current situation, having enough money was the first priority."
"Mrs. Luò, hearing about renting land, felt a sudden jolt of worry, 'After redeeming Elder Brother and Sister-in-law, will there be enough money to rent the land?'"
"Yú Yíng replied honestly, 'I’ve reserved some money from selling valuable herbs previously for renting the land. Before, I was alone and feared being overwhelmed, so I didn’t proceed. But now that my elder brother and sister-in-law are back, we have more hands to help, so we can’t delay any longer.'"
"Wēn Xìng, hearing her sister-in-law’s words, was amazed at her capability and couldn’t help but admire her."
"Unaware of her sister-in-law’s thoughts, Yú Yíng continued, 'Today, I’m going to the county town to deliver some jelly to the Huò official and also inquire about renting land.'"
"Of course, Yú Yíng had another task to accomplish."
"After finishing the porridge, Yú Yíng asked, 'I need to sell some things and could use a hand. Would my elder brother and sister-in-law like to come with me to Yù County?'"
"Wēn Xìng looked at her husband, remembering her mother-in-law’s words from the day before to follow her sister-in-law’s lead. After hesitating, she agreed, 'I’ll go with my sister-in-law.'"
"Fú Zhèn, however, didn’t agree, 'After yesterday’s trouble with Auntie Cuìlán, I don’t think she’ll let it go. I’ll stay home to protect the family, just in case she causes more trouble.'"
"Yú Yíng, thinking that Auntie Cuìlán might indeed cause trouble after falling for the trick, nodded in agreement."
"Wēn Xìng, upon hearing her husband wouldn't be going, felt a sudden pang of anxiety and turned to look at him with a hint of unease in her eyes."
"Fú Zhèn knew his wife relied on him excessively, but now that they were not in the quarry anymore, she needed to gradually adapt to being alone. He lowered his head, finished his porridge, and pretended not to notice her gaze."
"Wēn Xìng wanted to discuss with her sister-in-law about staying home to help, but struggled to find the words. After hesitating, she eventually followed her sister-in-law outside."
"Yú Yíng realized her sister-in-law might have wanted to stay behind because her elder brother wasn’t going. But Yú Yíng needed someone who knew how much cloth was required for a garment to avoid waste or shortage."
"Moreover, Wēn Xìng thought they would walk to Yù County, but to her surprise, they were taking a bullock cart. Without any money on her, she felt embarrassed and initially refused to board."
"Her face flushed, Wēn Xìng whispered to her sister-in-law, 'I can walk there.'"
"Yú Yíng, understanding her sister-in-law’s discomfort, pulled her onto the cart, saying, 'There are many things to do. Walking there would take too long.'"
"While speaking, she handed two copper coins to Old Man Chén."
"Receiving the coins, Old Man Chén noticed the unfamiliar woman with Madam Yú and asked with a smile, 'Did you bring your family back?'"
"Yú Yíng replied, 'Thanks to Boss Chén’s help, I was able to bring back my elder brother and sister-in-law. I must properly thank Boss Chén in a few days.'"
"Old Man Chén chuckled, then said, 'The bamboo bed is ready. I’ll come half an hour earlier today and bring it to Língshuǐ Village.'"
"Yú Yíng quickly agreed and thanked him."
"After waiting for her sister-in-law and the cart driver to finish their brief chat, Wēn Xìng gently tugged at her sister-in-law's sleeve."
"Turning her head, Yú Yíng met her sister-in-law's expressive eyes, and then heard her whisper, 'Sister-in-law, I’ll pay you back for the cart fare.'"
"After a pause, she added, 'And I’ll also gradually repay the redemption money.'"
"Yú Yíng smiled softly and responded, 'Okay.'"
"Feeling a sense of closeness to her easygoing sister-in-law, Wēn Xìng's expression became serious and sincere, 'Sister-in-law, thank you so much for helping me and the Fú family so much. If you ever need help, just let me know.'"
"Yu Ying spoke, 'I actually need a favor from my sister-in-law.'"
"Wen Xing blinked and asked, 'What favor?'"
"Yu Ying inquired, 'Sister-in-law, do you know how to make clothes?'"
"I can."
"After her sister-in-law agreed, Yu Ying sighed in relief, grateful to have someone skilled in sewing."
"Although Yu Ying was capable of simple mending and making cloth bags, she wasn't proficient enough to make clothes."
