Chapter 57
Lingshui Village was one of the poorest in the area, where villagers usually only saw ox carts. When had they ever seen horse carts in the village?
Seeing horse carts in the village for the first time, the villagers curiously followed them to the Fu residence to see what was happening.
Manager Luo alighted from the horse cart and glanced at the thatched cottage, unsurprised given his knowledge of Yun County's poverty.
For the first time, Fu Ning saw so many strangers at their home and timidly hid behind his grandmother.
Yu Ying welcomed Manager Luo into the thatched cottage where the herbs were stored, and upon entering, they were greeted by the strong scent of medicinal herbs.
The room was kept dry, and the herbs were not yet packed into sacks; instead, the room was filled with shelves of herbs, with winnowing baskets on the shelves brimming with medicinal plants.
Manager Luo, without much small talk, got down to business and began inspecting the herbs.
After a short inspection, he couldn't help but see this young woman in a new light.
The herbs were exceptionally well cleaned and stored, even better than those he had purchased elsewhere. Such high-quality herbs would fetch a premium price in the north.
After about fifteen minutes of inspection, Manager Luo had his men weigh the herbs before packing them into sacks.
The He family, Song Sanlang, and the elder brother all came in to help.
Meanwhile, Yu Ying went out to assist with the cooking.
Preparing meals for over a dozen people today was going to take some time.
After boiling two full pots of rice, she served it in the basins usually used for washing vegetables.
She cut some fatback to render lard, using the cracklings to cook green vegetables.
Then, she stir-fried the chopped pork in two batches, adding half to the cooking pot and the other half to a shallow earthenware pot, along with tofu cut into chunks.
Yu Ying had always waited until the afternoon while in Yuxian, so she never bought tofu as it could easily go bad by then.
Without many other vegetables, the menu was limited to pork stewed with tofu and vegetables cooked with cracklings.
The herbs were packed up just as the meal was ready.
By noon, after more than an hour of busy preparations, everyone, already famished, was drawn to the aroma of the food, making their own packed lunches seem unappealing.
Yu Ying wiped her hands dry and approached with a smile, saying to Manager Luo, “I’m very grateful that you could come to Lingshui Village to collect the herbs.”
Manager Luo responded, “It’s just a small effort, hardly worth mentioning.”
Yu Ying warmly invited, “It’s almost the end of the Wei hour now, and I’m sure everyone must be hungry. I’ve prepared some simple food and tea, and I hope Manager Luo won’t mind.”
Naturally, Manager Luo wouldn’t mind. After all, traveling merchants often wander far and wide, and if they don’t come across a post station or a farmhouse, they have to camp outdoors. Having a hot meal is already a luxury.
Despite this, Manager Luo initially declined, saying, “Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Yu, but we can make do with some dry food.”
Yu Ying insisted, “The meal is already prepared. Please don’t refuse, Manager Luo. Besides, after lunch, I’d like to inquire if you have any other herbs from different regions, as I need some.”
Manager Luo asked, “What herbs does Mrs. Yu require?”
Yu Ying replied, “I need some Baitouweng, Baizhi, and Gansong.”
After pondering, Manager Luo said, “The herbs we transported from the north have mostly been sold. The ones you’re asking for are available, but in limited quantities.”
“That’s perfect, I only need about two pounds in total.”
Manager Luo recalled and said, “There should be two pounds available. Once we return, if Mrs. Yu wants them, she can collect them from Tongyue Inn. The price won’t be too high, but carriage fees are included, so it’s forty wen per pound.”
The price of herbs increases when transported elsewhere, with distance being a significant factor.
Yu Ying nodded in agreement.
After several persuasions, Manager Luo finally stayed for the meal.
After dining, they began settling accounts in the dining room.
In the room, there were only Manager Luo and two attendants carrying wooden boxes, along with Yu Ying and her elder brother.
As Manager Luo worked the abacus, he said, “Herbs at sixteen wen per jin amount to four hundred and two jin, totaling six thousand four hundred and thirty-two wen. The ones at twenty-one wen per jin are eighty-nine jin, adding up to one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine wen. And for the ones at six wen per liang, about thirteen and a half jin, that comes to one thousand three hundred wen.”
Concluding his calculation, the movement of the abacus stopped, and he looked up at Mrs. Yu.
He announced, “The total comes to nine thousand six hundred and one wen.”
The herb quantity was slightly more than anticipated, but it wasn’t an issue.
Yu Ying quickly ran the numbers in her head and nodded, finding no errors.
Manager Luo gestured, and his attendants placed the wooden boxes on the table.
The boxes felt noticeably heavy as they were set down, causing the table to shift slightly.
Upon opening, each box contained five strings of cash.
Manager Luo stood up, had a medium-sized balance scale brought in, and explained, “Each string of cash weighs precisely five jin, with a margin of error of five zhu.”
They weighed each of the ten strings of cash, each differing by only two or three zhu.
After weighing, Manager Luo instructed his attendants to count out three hundred and ninety-nine wen from one string.
In half a moment, the two attendants counted out all the copper coins.
Manager Luo looked at Mrs. Yu and asked, “Does Mrs. Yu wish to count them again?”
There were over nine thousand copper coins, which would take several people a long time to count. Counting them would also delay Manager Luo's return to Yuxian.
Even if there were a discrepancy of a dozen or so coins, Yu Ying wouldn’t lose out. After all, Manager Luo had personally come to collect the herbs, saving her the cost of hiring an ox cart for delivery.
Yu Ying smiled and said, “Manager Luo needs to return to Yuxian before dark, and I trust him, so there’s no need to count again.”
Manager Luo smiled and replied, “If I come to Yuxian to collect herbs again, I will send someone to Wu's Restaurant in advance to inform Mrs. Yu.”
After thanking him, Yu Ying saw Manager Luo off.
Watching the departing horse cart, she quietly sighed in relief.
After two months of busyness, she finally saw tangible silver and coins.
Turning around, she noticed some villagers who had gathered to watch, causing her brows to furrow slightly with worry.
As the Fu family’s fortunes improved, it was inevitable that others would start feeling discontent.
One villager boldly inquired, “Mrs. Fu, with so many herbs sold, you must have made a lot of silver, right?”
Yu Ying replied indifferently, “It’s just a small business, not enough to earn much.”
Having said this, she turned and went back to the dining hall.
After Manager Luo left, the crowd eventually dispersed.
Still, some tried to pry information from Manager Luo, but he remained tight-lipped, revealing nothing.
Waiting until there were no more people outside, Yu Ying placed the copper coins into a basket. As it weighed nearly fifty jin, she asked her elder brother to help carry it inside.
After Fu Zhen brought the basket inside, he left the room, perhaps to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
Yu Ying spread an old mat on the ground, then took the strings of coins out of the basket and placed them on the mat, sitting down beside them.
Looking up at Fu Wei, she couldn't hide her smile, “We've truly earned money this time. Our future looks brighter, and the He family can bring back He Erlang too.”
Her mood was like the sky clearing after a storm, a heavy burden lifted, feeling immensely relieved.
Fu Wei's eyes softened as he looked at her smiling face, his heart relaxing with her uplifted mood.
These past few days, she had been worried about the delivery going awry, her face often showing traces of concern. Even her smiles were tinged with fatigue.
Fu Wei gently said, “All this, thanks to you.”
Yu Ying shook her head and said, “It’s not all my doing. Without everyone's help, it wouldn’t have been this smooth. After all, I couldn’t have delivered five hundred jin of herbs all by myself.”
She thought for a moment and began to list, “Apart from gathering herbs, everyone helped build the thatched hut, set up herb shelves, and weave winnowing baskets. Moreover, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, Fu An, and Fu Zhen regularly helped clean and dry the herbs. You too were always cutting herbs. All these tasks are part of the work and can't be overlooked.”
She opened the lid of the bamboo tube. Since Fu Wei’s mobility was limited, he had been cutting herbs indoors, which everyone allowed, giving him something to do. Consequently, most of the herbs were cut by him.
Fu Wei joked, “So, are you going to give me a share of the silver too?”
Yu Ying nodded seriously, “Of course, everyone’s work contributed to the sale, so why shouldn’t they be paid?”
Fu Wei was only joking, but seeing her earnestness, his smile paused, and he declined, “I don’t need it; give it to the others.”
Yu Ying playfully insisted, “No way, if you don’t take it, how will I repay you for the ink, brush, and paper? Those are expensive.”
Fu Wei, hearing this, couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Then give as you see fit.”
Yu Ying firmly stated, “Business is business, personal is personal. If we don’t keep them separate, even the closest brothers can fall out over money.”
She then bowed her head, deep in thought.
Fu Wei watched her with a gradually softening gaze.
Her integrity was something many could not match, and his eyes followed her accordingly.
After a moment of thought, Yu Ying said, “If we calculate daily wages as five wen per day, you’ve helped for about a month over these two months, so that’s one hundred and fifty wen.”
As she spoke, Yu Ying counted out the coins, threading them with a hemp rope, and handed them to him.
Fu Wei accepted them, but then returned them, “I don’t need them now. Keep them with you. Deduct the cost of the ink, brush, and paper. When I need something, I’ll ask you to buy it for me.”
Yu Ying looked at the copper coins, handed out and returned so quickly, and was momentarily stunned.
…Was this akin to a husband handing over his salary to his wife?
Just an illusion, right?
Yu Ying shook her head and replied, “No, no, you keep it. I’ll calculate the cost of the stationery with you tonight. Right now, I need to work out the share for everyone else, so they can come and collect their pay this evening.”
"Rejected, Fu Wei glanced at the heavy string of coins in his palm, a fleeting look of loss in his eyes, but he still placed the coins on the table."
"Yu Ying said to him, 'If you have time, could you help me count them? Divide them into strings of a hundred coins, making a total of forty-five strings.'"
"Fu Wei stood up, supporting himself on the bamboo bed, and sat down slowly on the old mat to help her count the coins."
"An hour later, they finished counting forty-five strings."
"After an hour of counting, Yu Ying’s hands were numb, a literal case of counting money until her hands cramped."
"Despite this, she cherished the feeling now more than ever."
"After a deep breath, she said to Fu Wei, 'I’ve estimated, and four thousand five hundred coins should be enough.'"
"At that moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by her sister-in-law's voice, 'We had a late lunch, so I thought we’d have porridge tonight. But I'm not sure if you and my brother-in-law would prefer porridge or rice?'"
"Yu Ying looked at Fu Wei, who replied, 'I’m fine with either.'"
"Yu Ying was about to respond but then remembered she needed to send Ah Fu to the He family, so she decided to go outside to reply."
As Yu Ying started to get up, her leg, numb from sitting too long, suddenly felt a piercing, tingling pain, causing her to fall forward.
Fu Wei, with quick reflexes, reached out to steady her by the shoulders, preventing her from falling.
Yu Ying took a sharp breath and tried to relax, but the tingling pain in her leg was so severe that she dared not move; any motion caused sharp pain. She tensed up and said in a strained voice, "Don't move, let me recover a bit."
Fu Wei remained still, looking at the woman so close that he could see the fine fuzz on her face.
Unconsciously, he swallowed, his Adam's apple moving up and down slowly.
As the most intense pain subsided, Yu Ying regained her composure. She was about to ask Fu Wei to wait a bit longer but then realized how close they were.
Only a foot apart.
Their eyes met, and a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere slowly enveloped them, making Yu Ying feel inexplicably nervous and uncomfortable.
Yu Ying had always known that Fu Wei possessed striking looks and a handsome face, which became even more apparent up close.
Fu Wei's features were deep-set, especially his peach blossom eyes, resembling a profound pool of water with a mesmerizing allure.
Meeting those deep eyes, Yu Ying's heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
The hands holding her arms were broad and strong, their warmth seeping through her clothes to her arms.
At that moment, Fu Wei's lips parted slightly, his voice low and resonant, "Be careful."
Yu Ying suddenly came to her senses, blinking a few times before saying, "I think I've recovered; you can let go now."
Fu Wei released his hold, and Yu Ying, propping herself up on the ground, slowly sat down, averting her gaze while gently massaging her legs.
The sister-in-law, receiving no reply, called out doubtfully, "Second brother, sister-in-law?"
Yu Ying responded, "Just make some porridge, no need for anything elaborate."
The room fell silent again, the two of them wordless for a long time, the atmosphere subtly charged.
After rubbing her legs and feet for a while, the numbness gradually faded. Yu Ying then stood up, leaning on the bed, not even glancing at Fu Wei, and said, "I'll step out for a bit."
With that, she left the room, dragging her still somewhat numb legs.
Fu Wei watched her retreat, as if fleeing, his lips pressed thinly and his gaze lowered.
In just a short time together, without saying anything, he still felt her resistance towards him...
After leaving the room, Yu Ying went to the dining hall, drank half a bowl of tea, and sighed, her emotions gradually calming down.
Matters of the heart were not currently in Yu Ying's thoughts.
She might have once considered staying with the Fu family, even casually thought about continuing as husband and wife, but that was just a fleeting idea, not something deeply contemplated.
Even knowing she might never return to her original world, she still harbored hope.
What if.
What if one day she really could go back, but by then had a family in this era? What would she do?
By that time, it would only add to the worries of being tethered across different eras.
Right now, she wanted nothing more than to have money and the ability to protect herself, to live a better life.
After quelling the restlessness in her heart, Yu Ying emerged from the dining hall, casually summoning Fu An to send a message to He's and Song Sanlang's families, instructing them to visit the Fu residence after nightfall.
She simply told them to come to the Fu house after nightfall.
Chapter 57
Lingshui Village was one of the poorest in the area, where villagers usually only saw ox carts. When had they ever seen horse carts in the village?
Seeing horse carts in the village for the first time, the villagers curiously followed them to the Fu residence to see what was happening.
Manager Luo alighted from the horse cart and glanced at the thatched cottage, unsurprised given his knowledge of Yun County's poverty.
For the first time, Fu Ning saw so many strangers at their home and timidly hid behind his grandmother.
Yu Ying welcomed Manager Luo into the thatched cottage where the herbs were stored, and upon entering, they were greeted by the strong scent of medicinal herbs.
The room was kept dry, and the herbs were not yet packed into sacks; instead, the room was filled with shelves of herbs, with winnowing baskets on the shelves brimming with medicinal plants.
Manager Luo, without much small talk, got down to business and began inspecting the herbs.
After a short inspection, he couldn't help but see this young woman in a new light.
The herbs were exceptionally well cleaned and stored, even better than those he had purchased elsewhere. Such high-quality herbs would fetch a premium price in the north.
After about fifteen minutes of inspection, Manager Luo had his men weigh the herbs before packing them into sacks.
The He family, Song Sanlang, and the elder brother all came in to help.
Meanwhile, Yu Ying went out to assist with the cooking.
Preparing meals for over a dozen people today was going to take some time.
After boiling two full pots of rice, she served it in the basins usually used for washing vegetables.
She cut some fatback to render lard, using the cracklings to cook green vegetables.
Then, she stir-fried the chopped pork in two batches, adding half to the cooking pot and the other half to a shallow earthenware pot, along with tofu cut into chunks.
Yu Ying had always waited until the afternoon while in Yuxian, so she never bought tofu as it could easily go bad by then.
Without many other vegetables, the menu was limited to pork stewed with tofu and vegetables cooked with cracklings.
The herbs were packed up just as the meal was ready.
By noon, after more than an hour of busy preparations, everyone, already famished, was drawn to the aroma of the food, making their own packed lunches seem unappealing.
Yu Ying wiped her hands dry and approached with a smile, saying to Manager Luo, “I’m very grateful that you could come to Lingshui Village to collect the herbs.”
Manager Luo responded, “It’s just a small effort, hardly worth mentioning.”
Yu Ying warmly invited, “It’s almost the end of the Wei hour now, and I’m sure everyone must be hungry. I’ve prepared some simple food and tea, and I hope Manager Luo won’t mind.”
Naturally, Manager Luo wouldn’t mind. After all, traveling merchants often wander far and wide, and if they don’t come across a post station or a farmhouse, they have to camp outdoors. Having a hot meal is already a luxury.
Despite this, Manager Luo initially declined, saying, “Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Yu, but we can make do with some dry food.”
Yu Ying insisted, “The meal is already prepared. Please don’t refuse, Manager Luo. Besides, after lunch, I’d like to inquire if you have any other herbs from different regions, as I need some.”
Manager Luo asked, “What herbs does Mrs. Yu require?”
Yu Ying replied, “I need some Baitouweng, Baizhi, and Gansong.”
After pondering, Manager Luo said, “The herbs we transported from the north have mostly been sold. The ones you’re asking for are available, but in limited quantities.”
“That’s perfect, I only need about two pounds in total.”
Manager Luo recalled and said, “There should be two pounds available. Once we return, if Mrs. Yu wants them, she can collect them from Tongyue Inn. The price won’t be too high, but carriage fees are included, so it’s forty wen per pound.”
The price of herbs increases when transported elsewhere, with distance being a significant factor.
Yu Ying nodded in agreement.
After several persuasions, Manager Luo finally stayed for the meal.
After dining, they began settling accounts in the dining room.
In the room, there were only Manager Luo and two attendants carrying wooden boxes, along with Yu Ying and her elder brother.
As Manager Luo worked the abacus, he said, “Herbs at sixteen wen per jin amount to four hundred and two jin, totaling six thousand four hundred and thirty-two wen. The ones at twenty-one wen per jin are eighty-nine jin, adding up to one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine wen. And for the ones at six wen per liang, about thirteen and a half jin, that comes to one thousand three hundred wen.”
Concluding his calculation, the movement of the abacus stopped, and he looked up at Mrs. Yu.
He announced, “The total comes to nine thousand six hundred and one wen.”
The herb quantity was slightly more than anticipated, but it wasn’t an issue.
Yu Ying quickly ran the numbers in her head and nodded, finding no errors.
Manager Luo gestured, and his attendants placed the wooden boxes on the table.
The boxes felt noticeably heavy as they were set down, causing the table to shift slightly.
Upon opening, each box contained five strings of cash.
Manager Luo stood up, had a medium-sized balance scale brought in, and explained, “Each string of cash weighs precisely five jin, with a margin of error of five zhu.”
They weighed each of the ten strings of cash, each differing by only two or three zhu.
After weighing, Manager Luo instructed his attendants to count out three hundred and ninety-nine wen from one string.
In half a moment, the two attendants counted out all the copper coins.
Manager Luo looked at Mrs. Yu and asked, “Does Mrs. Yu wish to count them again?”
There were over nine thousand copper coins, which would take several people a long time to count. Counting them would also delay Manager Luo's return to Yuxian.
Even if there were a discrepancy of a dozen or so coins, Yu Ying wouldn’t lose out. After all, Manager Luo had personally come to collect the herbs, saving her the cost of hiring an ox cart for delivery.
Yu Ying smiled and said, “Manager Luo needs to return to Yuxian before dark, and I trust him, so there’s no need to count again.”
Manager Luo smiled and replied, “If I come to Yuxian to collect herbs again, I will send someone to Wu's Restaurant in advance to inform Mrs. Yu.”
After thanking him, Yu Ying saw Manager Luo off.
Watching the departing horse cart, she quietly sighed in relief.
After two months of busyness, she finally saw tangible silver and coins.
Turning around, she noticed some villagers who had gathered to watch, causing her brows to furrow slightly with worry.
As the Fu family’s fortunes improved, it was inevitable that others would start feeling discontent.
One villager boldly inquired, “Mrs. Fu, with so many herbs sold, you must have made a lot of silver, right?”
Yu Ying replied indifferently, “It’s just a small business, not enough to earn much.”
Having said this, she turned and went back to the dining hall.
After Manager Luo left, the crowd eventually dispersed.
Still, some tried to pry information from Manager Luo, but he remained tight-lipped, revealing nothing.
Waiting until there were no more people outside, Yu Ying placed the copper coins into a basket. As it weighed nearly fifty jin, she asked her elder brother to help carry it inside.
After Fu Zhen brought the basket inside, he left the room, perhaps to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
Yu Ying spread an old mat on the ground, then took the strings of coins out of the basket and placed them on the mat, sitting down beside them.
Looking up at Fu Wei, she couldn't hide her smile, “We've truly earned money this time. Our future looks brighter, and the He family can bring back He Erlang too.”
Her mood was like the sky clearing after a storm, a heavy burden lifted, feeling immensely relieved.
Fu Wei's eyes softened as he looked at her smiling face, his heart relaxing with her uplifted mood.
These past few days, she had been worried about the delivery going awry, her face often showing traces of concern. Even her smiles were tinged with fatigue.
Fu Wei gently said, “All this, thanks to you.”
Yu Ying shook her head and said, “It’s not all my doing. Without everyone's help, it wouldn’t have been this smooth. After all, I couldn’t have delivered five hundred jin of herbs all by myself.”
She thought for a moment and began to list, “Apart from gathering herbs, everyone helped build the thatched hut, set up herb shelves, and weave winnowing baskets. Moreover, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, Fu An, and Fu Zhen regularly helped clean and dry the herbs. You too were always cutting herbs. All these tasks are part of the work and can't be overlooked.”
She opened the lid of the bamboo tube. Since Fu Wei’s mobility was limited, he had been cutting herbs indoors, which everyone allowed, giving him something to do. Consequently, most of the herbs were cut by him.
Fu Wei joked, “So, are you going to give me a share of the silver too?”
Yu Ying nodded seriously, “Of course, everyone’s work contributed to the sale, so why shouldn’t they be paid?”
Fu Wei was only joking, but seeing her earnestness, his smile paused, and he declined, “I don’t need it; give it to the others.”
Yu Ying playfully insisted, “No way, if you don’t take it, how will I repay you for the ink, brush, and paper? Those are expensive.”
Fu Wei, hearing this, couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Then give as you see fit.”
Yu Ying firmly stated, “Business is business, personal is personal. If we don’t keep them separate, even the closest brothers can fall out over money.”
She then bowed her head, deep in thought.
Fu Wei watched her with a gradually softening gaze.
Her integrity was something many could not match, and his eyes followed her accordingly.
After a moment of thought, Yu Ying said, “If we calculate daily wages as five wen per day, you’ve helped for about a month over these two months, so that’s one hundred and fifty wen.”
As she spoke, Yu Ying counted out the coins, threading them with a hemp rope, and handed them to him.
Fu Wei accepted them, but then returned them, “I don’t need them now. Keep them with you. Deduct the cost of the ink, brush, and paper. When I need something, I’ll ask you to buy it for me.”
Yu Ying looked at the copper coins, handed out and returned so quickly, and was momentarily stunned.
…Was this akin to a husband handing over his salary to his wife?
Just an illusion, right?
Yu Ying shook her head and replied, “No, no, you keep it. I’ll calculate the cost of the stationery with you tonight. Right now, I need to work out the share for everyone else, so they can come and collect their pay this evening.”
"Rejected, Fu Wei glanced at the heavy string of coins in his palm, a fleeting look of loss in his eyes, but he still placed the coins on the table."
"Yu Ying said to him, 'If you have time, could you help me count them? Divide them into strings of a hundred coins, making a total of forty-five strings.'"
"Fu Wei stood up, supporting himself on the bamboo bed, and sat down slowly on the old mat to help her count the coins."
"An hour later, they finished counting forty-five strings."
"After an hour of counting, Yu Ying’s hands were numb, a literal case of counting money until her hands cramped."
"Despite this, she cherished the feeling now more than ever."
"After a deep breath, she said to Fu Wei, 'I’ve estimated, and four thousand five hundred coins should be enough.'"
"At that moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by her sister-in-law's voice, 'We had a late lunch, so I thought we’d have porridge tonight. But I'm not sure if you and my brother-in-law would prefer porridge or rice?'"
"Yu Ying looked at Fu Wei, who replied, 'I’m fine with either.'"
"Yu Ying was about to respond but then remembered she needed to send Ah Fu to the He family, so she decided to go outside to reply."
As Yu Ying started to get up, her leg, numb from sitting too long, suddenly felt a piercing, tingling pain, causing her to fall forward.
Fu Wei, with quick reflexes, reached out to steady her by the shoulders, preventing her from falling.
Yu Ying took a sharp breath and tried to relax, but the tingling pain in her leg was so severe that she dared not move; any motion caused sharp pain. She tensed up and said in a strained voice, "Don't move, let me recover a bit."
Fu Wei remained still, looking at the woman so close that he could see the fine fuzz on her face.
Unconsciously, he swallowed, his Adam's apple moving up and down slowly.
As the most intense pain subsided, Yu Ying regained her composure. She was about to ask Fu Wei to wait a bit longer but then realized how close they were.
Only a foot apart.
Their eyes met, and a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere slowly enveloped them, making Yu Ying feel inexplicably nervous and uncomfortable.
Yu Ying had always known that Fu Wei possessed striking looks and a handsome face, which became even more apparent up close.
Fu Wei's features were deep-set, especially his peach blossom eyes, resembling a profound pool of water with a mesmerizing allure.
Meeting those deep eyes, Yu Ying's heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
The hands holding her arms were broad and strong, their warmth seeping through her clothes to her arms.
At that moment, Fu Wei's lips parted slightly, his voice low and resonant, "Be careful."
Yu Ying suddenly came to her senses, blinking a few times before saying, "I think I've recovered; you can let go now."
Fu Wei released his hold, and Yu Ying, propping herself up on the ground, slowly sat down, averting her gaze while gently massaging her legs.
The sister-in-law, receiving no reply, called out doubtfully, "Second brother, sister-in-law?"
Yu Ying responded, "Just make some porridge, no need for anything elaborate."
The room fell silent again, the two of them wordless for a long time, the atmosphere subtly charged.
After rubbing her legs and feet for a while, the numbness gradually faded. Yu Ying then stood up, leaning on the bed, not even glancing at Fu Wei, and said, "I'll step out for a bit."
With that, she left the room, dragging her still somewhat numb legs.
Fu Wei watched her retreat, as if fleeing, his lips pressed thinly and his gaze lowered.
In just a short time together, without saying anything, he still felt her resistance towards him...
After leaving the room, Yu Ying went to the dining hall, drank half a bowl of tea, and sighed, her emotions gradually calming down.
Matters of the heart were not currently in Yu Ying's thoughts.
She might have once considered staying with the Fu family, even casually thought about continuing as husband and wife, but that was just a fleeting idea, not something deeply contemplated.
Even knowing she might never return to her original world, she still harbored hope.
What if.
What if one day she really could go back, but by then had a family in this era? What would she do?
By that time, it would only add to the worries of being tethered across different eras.
Right now, she wanted nothing more than to have money and the ability to protect herself, to live a better life.
After quelling the restlessness in her heart, Yu Ying emerged from the dining hall, casually summoning Fu An to send a message to He's and Song Sanlang's families, instructing them to visit the Fu residence after nightfall.
She simply told them to come to the Fu house after nightfall.
