Chapter 29 1/2

As October approached its end, the wind blowing in the early morning already carried a chilling coldness.

The canopy hanging beside the bed suddenly swayed, and Taoyu, nestled under the blanket, instinctively hugged her shoulders tighter and curled up further into the warmth of the covers.

In a daze, the room brightened considerably, and suddenly a slit was opened in the bed curtain.

“Xiao Taoyu, wake up.”

Taoyu heard her mother’s familiar voice and muttered, “It’s so cold, Mom, please don’t lift my blanket.”

Huang Manjing tapped the tightly curled Taoyu through the bedclothes and said, “I won’t lift your blanket. Get up quickly. Today, I’ll be slaughtering chickens and ducks, and I need your help.”

Feeling the cold outside, Taoyu relied even more on the warmth of her blanket: “I dare not slaughter chickens and ducks.”

Huang Manjing chuckled at the muffled voice, saying, “I’m not asking you to slaughter. Get up and help me light the fire. It’s warmer by the stove than under the blanket.”

With that, Huang Manjing stood up and said, “Hurry up, your father will start complaining soon.”

Taoyu buried herself lower in the blanket, barely acknowledging, almost slipping back into sleep. But remembering her mother’s words, she eventually opened her eyes.

Recently, due to the events concerning the You family, she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep. Now that things had settled down, she finally got a chance to rest, but it seemed like the sleep she had missed for the past few days had caught up with her, leaving her feeling perpetually tired.

Taoyu reached out an arm, intending to bring the clothes from the bedside cabinet into the canopy to dress. However, after groping around for a while, she couldn’t find them. She rubbed her eyes, grabbed the bed curtain, and poked her head out, only to discover that she had placed the clothes on the shelf by the window last night.

“Ah!”

Taoyu grimaced, feeling a bit disappointed, and retreated back into bed. How could she have put the clothes so far away last night?

After struggling in bed for a while, she finally wrapped herself tightly in the warm blanket and hurriedly fetched the clothes onto the bed.

“Let’s get some fish and shrimp as well. Our pond has just been stocked, so let’s not buy from other places.”

Ji Yangzong, with her hands behind her back, walked into the kitchen, glanced at the chickens and ducks that had just been slaughtered and bled, and stuffed them into a wooden barrel, ready to scald them to remove the feathers.

She also noticed her daughter-in-law taking out some preserved pork, pig heart, pig liver, and sausages. She suggested, “Little Peach also loves shrimp.”

Huang Manjing said, “Alright, later you can buy a few more.”

As they spoke, there was a sudden cry from behind, “It’s almost New Year, why so much food preparation!”

Taoyu walked into the warm kitchen, seeing the steaming boiler, the ingredients on the stove, bustling as if it were a festival.

Ji Yangzong saw his daughter finally waking up and said, “The village’s grain taxes are finally collected this year. We’ve been busy for a month with all sorts of troubles, so let’s have a good meal.”

Taoyu heard there would be lots of good food and smiled, “Dad, you’re really kind.”

As she spoke, she went to light the fire.

“Um, your dad wants you to do something.” Taoyu took a few steps but was pulled back by Ji Yangzong, who said somewhat awkwardly, “We’ll cook later. You, go to the Zhao family and invite Huo Shu over for dinner.”

“Why do you want to call him over?”

Taoyu, puzzled, looked at her father with wide eyes, “Besides, he’s busy now, learning to butcher animals and manage the shop with Master Qiao, he may not be at home.”

Ji Yangzong said, “Just go when asked, no need for so many questions.”

“Why doesn’t dad go?”

Taoyu, not wanting to go out in the cold, said, “I have to help mom.”

But Ji Yangzong persisted, pushing Taoyu out while saying, “He helped our family so much before, running around for us. We have to invite him for a meal to thank him. Da Niu knows how to help your mom. Go quickly and come back.”

“It’s for a thank-you banquet, dad even said something about celebrating after the taxes are collected.” Taoyu muttered, “If it’s a proper thank you, shouldn’t the head of the household go instead?”

“Dad will go to Qian’s house and buy shrimp for you. Now go.”

Taoyu was pushed out the door, turning her neck to say to Huang Manjing, “Mom, look at dad!”

This time, Huang Manjing sided with her husband, “Taoyu, just go. Your dad has other things to do.”

Hearing her mother’s words, Taoyu narrowed her eyes, “Okay, okay, I’ll go.”

Ji Yangzong saw his daughter off and disappeared into the ink-like gray mist, then turned back with his hands behind his back.

“You, with your improper thoughts, how could you think of sending Taoyu to call someone over so early in the morning? It’s cold today.”

Ji Yangzong glanced at his wife, not angry but said, “After that incident, everyone avoided it, but Huo Shu still helped find a solution. I think, this kid has a rare character, still being able to handle things despite the hardships of the past.”

“Oh, now it’s the hardships of the past? Weren’t you complaining about him being old before?”

Huang Manjing said, “Are you planning to betroth Taoyu to him now?”

Ji Yangzong immediately straightened his neck, “When did I say he’s old? I’ve always said he’s become more stable. It seems in this era, a man being stable is a good thing.”

“Furthermore, I didn’t say I want to betroth Taoyu to him. I can’t just promise anyone like before, and then cause another incident like the one with You Lingxiao.”

Ji Yangzong muttered, “Even if I think he’s suitable, I still don’t know if Taoyu is willing.”

Seeing this, Huang Manjing chuckled, she actually thought, maybe Taoyu is willing.

—

“Arsu, it’s cold today. Wear an extra layer when you go out.”

Yuan Huiru got up early, changed into thick clothes, and made an appointment with the villagers to go to the temple. While dressing, she reminded Huo Shu.

“I heard the Buddha at the Golden Dragon Temple is very effective in granting marriage blessings. The matters between Ji and You families have finally settled down, I need to hurry and pray for you.”

Huo Shu, as usual, got up early in the yard to practice a set of boxing. According to his previous habit, he would also chop up two baskets of firewood, but the firewood stored at home couldn’t withstand his daily chopping. Now, all of it had been chopped into pieces and stacked under the eaves at the back of the house.

He didn’t believe in any gods or spirits, but seeing Yuan Huiru so interested, he agreed with a sentence.

“Thank you, mother. If it works, I’ll donate some money for oil.”

Yuan Huiru chuckled at his words, “You, usually reserved, are willing to say a few more words for Taoyu’s sake.”

“Don’t worry, mother, I’m sure you’ll convey your wishes to the Buddha. I’ll bring incense and candles. The ones sold in the temple are precious.”

“Mmm.”

Huo Shu responded and prepared to tidy up and leave the house.

Today, someone in the village was going to slaughter a pig. Master Qiao asked him to go together. He would slaughter the pig at the village head in the morning, so he wouldn’t need to go to the city later. Instead, Huan Fang would look after the shop in the city.

“Huo Big Brother.”

Huo Shu had just reached the eaves when he heard a familiar voice.

Turning his head, he saw a round figure approaching through the gray mist, with only a pair of eyes visible under the cloak.

It goes without saying who it was. Before the person came over, Huo Shu opened the courtyard door.

“So early, why are you here?”

Taoyu sniffed and looked at Huo Shu, who was standing tall in the wind, wearing only a mid-shirt in the early morning, still like an unshakeable mountain, lively as if he had sweated a bit.

He couldn’t help but envy him a little as he was huddled in his cloak. “Aren’t you cold, Huo Big Brother?”

Huo Shu glanced down at the hem of his clothes swaying gently in the wind and said, “Come inside first.”

But Taoyu shook her head, “I won’t go in. Dad asked me to come and invite Huo Big Brother over for dinner.”

“Your dad asked you to come?”

Huo Shu looked at Taoyu, who seemed to be acting on someone else’s orders to run errands, and raised an eyebrow, “I’m going to slaughter a pig later.”

Taoyu replied, “Is it a family in the village, or elsewhere?”

“In the village.”

Taoyu blinked, “I haven’t heard of anyone slaughtering a pig. They didn’t invite my dad either.”

Huo Shu said, “They’re not slaughtering a pig for their own use for the New Year; they’re directly selling it.”

“Oh.”

Taoyu responded. It wasn’t surprising that they didn’t invite them to the pig-slaughtering feast if they were selling the pig themselves.

He said Huo Shu was busy, but Dad didn’t believe it.

But for this, he was actually a bit disappointed.

“Are you going to my house then?”

Taoyu’s voice lowered, sounding a bit clingy.

“It depends on the situation, if there’s time, I’ll come over.”

Taoyu pursed her lips at this, hesitated for a moment, and said, “Or it’s better to come earlier. Today, I’ll be cooking as a thank you for helping me before.”

Huo Shu’s eyebrows raised at the words. “That’s fine. I’ll come after I finish my work.”

Taoyu, hearing Huo Shu’s promise, could be seen gleaming in her eyes. “What would you like to eat?”

“Anything you make.”

Huo Shu saw Taoyu’s slight surprise and added, “I mean, your cooking skills are decent, so whatever you make should be fine.”

Taoyu smiled happily, “Okay, great.”

“Taoyu’s here, Arsu, it’s so cold today, why don’t you invite Taoyu in to sit?”

Yuan Huiru came out after tidying up, and saw Huo Shu standing at the courtyard gate, completely blocking Taoyu from view. From a distance, she thought he was muttering to himself.

As she approached, she discovered there was someone in front of him. Seeing that it was Ji’s son, Yuan Huiru smiled especially kindly.

“Madam Yuan, why don’t you and Big Brother Huo come to our house for a simple meal at noon?”

Yuan Huiru was even more delighted to hear that Huo Shu was being invited for a meal. The Buddha hadn’t even been worshiped yet, and there were already signs!

She glanced at Huo Shu and said, “Unfortunately, I’m going to the temple today to pray and offer incense, and I’ll have a vegetarian meal there. Please apologize to Madam Li and Mrs. Huang for me.”

Taoyu said, “Okay, next time.”

Yuan Huiru said, “Taoyu, next time, come over here for a meal, okay?”

Taoyu nodded, “Okay.”

Yuan Huiru tactfully didn’t want to interfere with the two, and pretended to leave with her basket:

“Then you two continue talking, I’ll take a step first, so Mrs. Xu won’t have to wait too long. We’ll take the ox cart at the village entrance together. If we’re late, the cart might leave.”

“Alright.”

Seeing Yuan Huiru walking away, Taoyu suddenly felt embarrassed to say more to Huo Shu here, “Then I’ll go back first, you, come over after you finish your work.”

After saying that, Huo Shu saw the young man leave in a hurry.

There was a smile in Huo Shu’s eyes. He watched the figure disappear before entering the house.