Chapter 43

Yun Yin: “…”

Yun Shuang silently looked up at the sky, slightly regretting the little lie she’d told them. She decisively changed the subject, scooping the two little ones onto the bed. “Alright, enough chatter. Mother has to get up early tomorrow for work! Yi’er and Yin’er will help out too.”

The bed, once cold and hard, now felt warm and cozy thanks to the thick blankets she’d laid out.

Yun Yi immediately fell for her crafty mother’s scheme, giggling as she pounced onto the soft pillow. Tilting her head, her curious eyes blinked brightly. “Mother, what are you going to do?”

“A secret,” Yun Shuang replied, blinking playfully. “You’ll find out tomorrow.”

The next morning, Yun Shuang rose early and hauled out the half basket of hawthorns they’d gathered—those which Yun Yin had thoroughly scorned. She carefully washed each one, then removed the pits. Afterward, she tossed the pitted fruit into a pot, added the right amount of sugar and water, and began simmering everything down. While she worked, the two little ones followed her around step by step.

Yun Yi couldn’t help asking, “Mother, what are you making?”

Yun Shuang turned and smiled. “A really tasty snack for you two.”

“A tasty snack?” Yun Yin looked suspiciously at the large pot. How could something so sour and astringent make a good snack?

Yun Shuang didn’t rush to explain. Instead, she patiently simmered the mixture until it became a thick fruit paste. When it was ready, she dipped a bit out with her chopsticks, crouched down, and asked, “Who wants to try it?”

Yun Yin immediately took two cautious steps back.

Yun Yi always gave Yun Shuang plenty of face. She bounced forward excitedly, exclaiming, “Me! Me!”

Yun Shuang let her taste the fruit paste directly off the chopsticks. Yun Yi carefully licked it, and her eyes lit up instantly. “So yummy! Sweet and tangy! Way better than malt candy!”

Yun Yin once again cast a deeply skeptical look.

Yun Shuang chuckled and dipped the chopsticks in again. “Look at you, acting all fussy. Do you think your sister would lie to you? Come on, just a taste—help me test the flavor.”

Only then did Yun Yin walk over hesitantly and lower his head for a try. The moment the paste touched his tongue, his eyes widened slightly.

Yun Shuang almost imagined little pink blossoms blooming around him. Holding back a laugh, she asked, “Tasty?”

Though Yun Yin was proudly aloof, he was still just a child. Unable to hide it, he looked up, eyes sparkling. “It’s really good! Mother, how did you make this?”

He’d never imagined that the sour, puckering fruit could taste so good.

“When your mother makes it, how could it go wrong?” Yun Shuang raised her chin in triumph. Standing up, she took a taste herself, nodded in satisfaction, and turned off the fire. She waited for the pot of fruit paste to cool. Then, she carried the paste out to the courtyard. Taking out a square wooden board she’d prepared earlier, she laid down a sheet of oiled paper and slowly poured the fruit mixture onto it, smoothing it out carefully.

After finishing everything, she stood up and smiled. “Now, we just let it dry under the sun, and it’ll be ready to eat. The sunshine’s been nice these past few days—two days should do the trick!”

The two little ones, having just tasted the delicious snack, were now filled with eager anticipation. Upon hearing it would take two whole days, Yun Yi pouted and said, “That long?”

“All good things take time.” Yun Shuang beamed. “In the meantime, let’s go gather more hawthorns from the woods!”

Her first public “bucket of gold” came from those adorable little red fruits!

This time, Yun Yin didn’t turn up his nose at the hawthorns. Eagerly, he ran over and carried three baskets back.

Once the mother and children were ready, they headed out. Not long after, they saw Sister Hua returning from the river with freshly washed clothes. A few village women were walking alongside her. Upon seeing Yun Shuang, they warmly greeted her.

The group stopped before her, and one woman dressed in dark green laughed, “Shuangniang, Sister Hua said you’ve really pulled yourself together lately. I didn’t believe it, but watching you walk up just now—full of spirit and so charming—I’ve got to eat my words.”

“Yes, yes,” chimed in another woman dressed in dark red, smiling brightly. “I was just wondering when such a beautiful young lady appeared in our village!”

But the woman beside her, dressed in a plain grey skirt, frowned slightly. “Shuangniang, these days you really shouldn’t be going out too much…”

Yun Shuang paused. “Why’s that?”

“Ah, I only just heard something awful,” Sister Hua said, brow furrowing. “They say two days ago, in Zeng family village near Changsheng, a young lady died. She had just turned seventeen. Supposedly, she was gorgeous, and the moment she came of age, so many suitors came that they nearly broke down her family’s door. Her parents wanted to profit off her marriage and kept stalling for the highest bidder. She was still unwed at seventeen. Then two nights ago, she vanished. The villagers searched all night and eventually found her in the little grove near their village. It was horrifying; they say her clothes were all gone—and her heart had been ripped out while she was still alive…”

Yun Shuang stiffened. She’d quietly told Yun Yi and Yun Yin to step aside the moment she realized Sister Hua was about to say something dreadful.

The incident had happened just two days ago—while Yun Yi had been sick and she’d been consumed with worry.

The women around them couldn’t help adding to the noise: “Yes, it’s just awful. That murderer didn’t just kill her; he tore out her heart! I’m starting to think maybe barbarians from Jinmeng Kingdom snuck in. Only they could be so cruel!”

“I heard the authorities think so too! Around that time, they discovered traces of Jinmeng raiders in the area. Several soldiers from the garrison were dispatched to scour the mountains and arrest suspects…”

“Oh dear, it’s truly a time of turmoil. Better to stay safe at home as much as possible!”

Sister Hua shook her head and said, “Especially you, Shuangniang. You’re so striking, and your household only consists of you and the children. That makes you an easy target. If you ever need to travel far or go somewhere secluded, just let me know. I’ll have my men escort you.”

Yun Shuang smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Sister Hua—I really appreciate it…”

She hadn’t even finished speaking when a greasy, raspy voice suddenly rang out nearby: “Oh, Madam Wu is far too kind! Not only did she reward me so generously, she even personally came to see me off…”

The ladies instinctively turned to look and saw, not far from the Liu household, a tall, flamboyantly dressed woman in deep purple emerge. Right behind her came Liu Pei’er and her mother, Madam Wu.

Liu Pei’er wore a brand-new cream-colored dress, her expression shy and demure as she stood quietly to the side—like a delicate bud ready to bloom.

Madam Wu clung to the other woman’s hand, smiling fawningly as she said, “Madam Gu, you’ve worked so hard these past days, running around for Peier’s marriage. It’s all thanks to you that we were able to settle on such a fine match. No matter what I do, it’s only right! Once Pei’er marries into the Cao family, we’ll be sure to thank you properly again!”