Chapter 19.2: Getting off the Kang Wasn’t Easy

With Su Yi’an idle, the tasks of feeding the chickens and cooking meals fell to her.

Today, she had just emerged from the chicken coop, an egg in her hand, when a figure suddenly appeared behind her, startling her.

“You…”

“You…” They spoke simultaneously.

Su Yi’an noticed his hesitant demeanor and decided to wait, curious about what he wanted to say to her—and why he insisted on saying it by the chicken coop.

“If you want to leave, I’ll ensure your safe return,” He Yunhuai said, having been mulling over this since he woke up.

He knew why the Su Family’s daughter had married into their family, and he understood how foolish his family had been at the time.

They weren’t yet husband and wife, and there was still room to rectify things. If she wished to return…

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, Su Yi’an was stunned by his unexpected words. Feeling her time was being wasted, she turned and headed back to the kitchen.

Thinking she hadn’t understood, He Yunhuai hurried after her. Fortunately, his recent walking practice had paid off, and he managed the short distance without stumbling.

Su Yi’an placed the eggs in the basket and counted them again. They now had fifteen eggs—enough to sell in town if they collected two more.

“Don’t worry about the marriage certificate. When the time comes, I’ll…” He Yunhuai’s words trailed off as Su Yi’an approached him.

“Do you have someone you fancy?” she asked.

“No, I don’t.”

“Then why are you letting me leave?” Su Yi’an pressed, her gaze unwavering.

Caught off guard, He Yunhuai blurted out the truth: “I fear I’ll hold you back.”

At seventeen, He Yunhuai seemed to Su Yi’an like a fresh-faced college freshman.

Both his words and mindset were laughably immature.

She had already married into the He family. To outsiders, she was his wife—yet here he was, asking her to go.

Where would she go if she left? Back to the Su Family?

Su Yi’an scoffed coldly. “Really? You’re so worried about holding me back?”

He Yunhuai lowered his head, avoiding her gaze, unsure of what to say.

Seizing the opportunity, Su Yi’an said, “Since you don’t want to hold me back, why not help me with something?”

He Yunhuai looked up at her.

“I want to sell these sausages in town, but as a woman, I can’t set up a stall in the market. If you’re willing, you can come with me,” Su Yi’an said, sizing him up.

At his age, young men were particularly concerned about their reputation. A scholar like him hawking goods in the market would be considered beneath him.

Su Yi’an didn’t expect him to agree immediately; there was no rush.

“Alright, I’ll go with you,” He Yunhuai said, pursing his lips.

He truly didn’t know how else to repay his debt to her. If she had a request, he would simply agree.

And so, their plan to set up a market stall in town was settled.

Three or five days later, the family’s rice and flour were nearly gone. If they didn’t go to town soon, they would have nothing to eat in a few days.

Mother He had originally planned to go to town herself, but as December approached, the days grew colder and colder.

“Mother, let me go,” Su Yi’an offered. “I want to take the sausages from last time to see if anyone in town will buy them.”

The sausages had been hanging under the eaves since they were made, and since the bamboo fence was built, no thieves had dared to enter the yard.

“You can’t go alone,” Wan Xu said, worried. With the Lunar New Year approaching, idle hands were bound to turn to petty theft, and Su Yi’an, a young woman, would be vulnerable.

“I’ll go with Auntie!” He Xingchen declared, raising his small hand.

The room erupted in laughter. Wan Xu patted her pregnant belly, stifling a chuckle. “Then both of you would get lost!” she teased.

He Xingchen bristled at the implication of his smallness, but he couldn’t deny the truth. Standing, he barely reached his aunt’s waist—how could he possibly protect her?

“I’ll go with her,” He Yunhuai suddenly spoke up from the table, where he had been silent until now.

He knew his own limitations best. Though he couldn’t carry heavy loads, walking to town was well within his capabilities.

Mother He’s heart was torn. After hesitating for a long moment, she finally relented when no one objected.

He Yunhuai had just begun to recover, and his mother, Mother He, was terrified something might happen again. Yet, knowing this trip was her son’s own wish and realizing such an opportunity was rare, she couldn’t help but hope that spending time together might foster feelings between the two young people.

That night, Mother He rummaged through her belongings and retrieved the winter cotton-padded clothes she had been saving. She delivered them to Su Yi’an and He Yunhuai.

“It’ll be cold on the road. Don’t let yourselves freeze,” Mother He fussed, even though this wasn’t the first time Second Son had ventured out. She couldn’t resist offering a few extra words of caution. “When you reach town, don’t hesitate to buy a bowl of hot soup noodles.”

“Mother, don’t worry,” He Yunhuai reassured her, accepting the clothes and coin pouch.

Inside was a hundred copper coins, all Mother He had saved from selling firewood. This trip to town was primarily to buy grain with the money.

“You two take your time on the road,” Mother He cautioned Su Yi’an again. “There’s no rush.” Only when they nodded did she feel reassured.

The next day, before dawn, Mother He rose from her kang to prepare breakfast for them.

Each received a bowl of steaming noodle soup. The warm broth chased away the chill, making them unafraid of the morning’s biting wind.

Su Yi’an carefully wrapped the sausage and eggs before placing them in her back basket. The embroidered pouches made by Wanxu and her younger sister were packed into a bundle and placed in He Yunhuai’s basket.

This was He Yunhuai’s first time leaving home since his illness. Though the village path was familiar, he couldn’t help but gaze at it with fresh eyes.

“Let’s take the oxcart later,” Su Yi’an said, deliberately slowing her pace. If she walked too fast, He Yunhuai would soon be out of sight.

“Can I ride too?” He Yunhuai asked, then immediately regretted the question.

“Why turn down easy money?” Su Yi’an understood his unspoken concern.

The villagers ostracized the He Family, avoiding them so thoroughly that they would cross the street rather than greet them. In the past, He Yunhuai had always walked to town; the oxcarts refused to carry him.

After Yun Niang’s arrival, Su Yi’an had ridden the oxcart several times. Seeing that no one in the village openly objected, she pretended not to notice their disapproval.

If you don’t tell me I can’t ride, I’ll just pay like everyone else and get on.

The unusually cold weather that morning had significantly reduced the number of people heading to town.

The cart driver stood beside the oxcart, rubbing his hands together as he waited for passengers. When someone finally approached, he recognized the Second Young Master He of the He Family—the one who had miraculously recovered from near death.

“Four wen,” Su Yi’an said, placing the copper coins one by one into the jar in front of the driver. Two wen each for the two of them made exactly four.

Before the driver could react, Su Yi’an had already climbed onto the cart.

Noticing He Yunhuai’s hesitation, she assumed his weakened condition made it difficult for him to board. “Take my hand,” she offered, extending her hand toward him.

He Yunhuai hesitated, caught between accepting and refusing. Seeing other villagers approaching, he quickly grasped her hand.

Their hands touched briefly before separating.

Su Yi’an paid no attention to the fleeting contact and didn’t notice the faint blush creeping up He Yunhuai’s ears.

The approaching villagers were mostly women, though a few men were among them.

“It’s bitterly cold today,” Fourth Wife Yu remarked as she hoisted her basket onto the cart, turning to a woman beside her.

“Exactly! I didn’t even want to get up this morning, the wind was so biting. My eyes are still half-closed with sleep,” the woman said, settling down directly across from He Yunhuai.

Her yawn froze mid-air, startled by the sight before her.

“You…” She slapped Fourth Wife Yu hard on the arm. “Look! Isn’t that Second Young Master He from the He Family? What’s he doing here?”

Fourth Wife Yu, barely seated, nearly toppled over from the force of the blow.

“What nonsense! How could he possibly be here… here…”

Noticing the pair’s panicked reaction, He Yunhuai nodded politely.

Though they had heard Second Young Master He had survived, this was the first time they had seen him alive in so long.

The initial shock on the oxcart faded quickly.

Once they recovered, the passengers couldn’t resist stealing glances at him. No one even thought to ask him to get off the oxcart.

The oxcart rattled into Huai’an Town just as dawn broke.

The two women wasted no time and hurried straight to the market.

Eggs were now selling for six wen apiece, and their twenty eggs fetched one hundred and twenty wen.

Their embroidered pouches and handkerchiefs also sold well. Wanxu’s eight pouches brought in two hundred and forty wen, two wen more per pouch than before.

He Ningwen’s handkerchiefs, made of finer fabric than before, fetched one more copper coin each. Her purses, however, sold for slightly less due to Wanxu’s superior embroidery skills.

These embroidered items alone brought in three hundred copper coins.

Su Yi’an, finding the coins cumbersome, asked the shopkeeper to exchange them for small silver pieces.

“Only the sausages left,” she muttered to herself. “I wonder if they’ll sell well.” When no one responded, she looked up.

He Yunhuai was staring intently at the nearby study, completely absorbed.

“Let’s go take a look,” Su Yi’an suggested.

He Yunhuai lowered his gaze and replied softly, “Never mind.”

Not that he refused to go, but he simply didn’t care.

“It’s still early, and we have time. Besides, He Xingchen has been practicing calligraphy lately. We can check the prices of paper and brushes while we’re there.” With Su Yi’an’s insistence, He Yunhuai had no choice but to accompany her.

The study had just opened, and only a young shop assistant was inside, tidying up.

Seeing their patched coarse cloth garments, the assistant assumed they couldn’t afford anything and continued his work without greeting them.

Su Yi’an couldn’t distinguish between the brushes, but the quality of the paper was immediately apparent. Some sheets were yellowed, while others were as white as snow.

“This paper costs a hundred wen per sheet. Don’t touch it and ruin it,” the shop assistant called out sharply, noticing Su Yi’an’s hand reaching for the paper.

“Can’t I touch it?” Su Yi’an asked twice, but the assistant turned away without answering.

There was nothing wrong with touching the paper; customers naturally wanted to feel it before buying. The assistant was likely just being rude because of their shabby clothes.

Su Yi’an withdrew her hand and wandered around the Study. Finally, she pointed to a book near the counter and asked, “How much for this book?”

“That’s a Literacy Primer. Do you want it? One tael of silver,” the assistant said, glancing at it before looking away.

Su Yi’an was about to ask if there was anything cheaper when a scholar entered the Study.

“Assistant, bring me the latest vernacular novel,” the scholar said.

The assistant’s face lit up with a fawning smile as he hurried over with a copy. “Young Master has excellent taste! This novel arrived just yesterday. One tael of silver.”

The scholar pulled a silver tael from his robe and tossed it to the assistant. “Keep the change,” he said.

The assistant weighed the coin in his hand, his smile barely contained.

“Anything else?” Seeing the two still lingering, the assistant asked casually, his mood improved.

“Let’s go,” He Yunhuai said, setting down his book and hurrying to Su Yi’an’s side as they left the study together.

Su Yi’an opened her mouth to comfort him. “People are like that. Don’t take it to heart. We’ll save up and come back to buy it later.”

He Yunhuai hadn’t actually wanted to buy the book. He’d heard from students at the academy that copying books could earn money, and he’d come today to examine the quality of handwritten texts. If his own calligraphy could match it, he’d hoped to earn some silver to help his family. But the shopkeeper’s attitude had dashed his hopes.

“Alright,” he replied without explanation.

After leaving the study, they wandered into the food market.

“Sausage! Fresh sausage!” Su Yi’an called. He Yunhuai joined in.

No one had ever heard of sausage before. Curious onlookers gathered at the sound, but when they asked the price, they quickly dispersed. After nearly an hour of hawking, they hadn’t sold a single link.

Su Yi’an had started at fifteen copper coins per link, eventually lowering the price to ten. Despite the crowd, no one bought any.

Was it really too expensive?

Just as Su Yi’an was about to take the sausages home, a young servant called out to her.

“Miss, wait!”