“If the old house doesn’t have it, don’t push it. Go ask the brigade leader—we’ll borrow from them.”  

“With so much debt already, one more won’t hurt. We owe the brigade leader a huge favor from yesterday—what’s one more?”  

Brigade Leader Zhao Qianjin was a highly responsible leader and a kind-hearted elder.  

If not for him, Ye Zhoushan’s reckless behavior would have long since caused trouble.  

Without him, the destitution she faced after marrying into the family would never have given way to the stable life they had now.  

Ye Zhoushan agreed with a calm expression, his thoughts unreadable.  

Little Fuman had a tiny appetite. After just a few minutes of nursing, she was full, smacking her lips before drifting off to sleep in her mother’s arms.  

Lan Qingshuang was worried. How could the child grow properly eating so little?  

Ye Zhoushan was anxious too, but all he could do was try to get better food for his wife. If her milk was plentiful, their daughter would fare better.  

Using the makeshift outdoor stove, he prepared breakfast for Lan Qingshuang—eggs that Aunt Deng’s eldest daughter-in-law had brought over the day before.  

After tidying up briefly, he prepared to head out.  

Just then, Aunt Deng arrived with several other women, all carrying items.  

“Ye boy, you heading out?”  

Ye Zhoushan quickly replied, “I was just about to trouble you all, Aunt Deng. Perfect timing!”  

Aunt Deng shot him a look. “No trouble at all. Take these things and make sure your wife eats well.”  

Ye Zhoushan’s throat tightened, but he didn’t refuse.  

The women had brought eggs, brown sugar, white flour, and other miscellaneous items—all things his family urgently needed but couldn’t afford, things they themselves rarely indulged in.  

Everyone knew his family had suffered a disaster the day before and had just welcomed a baby whose survival was uncertain. They wanted to help in whatever small way they could.  

It wasn’t much, but it was the thought that counted.  

Though the villagers generally avoided the Ye family, Ye Zhoushan was an exception.  

He never acted like a typical Ye.  

The Ye family had a bad reputation—raising rents for tenant farmers, mistreating hired laborers, and encroaching on neighboring farmland.  

When the family was targeted during the revolution, the surrounding villagers showed no mercy.  

The Ye family resented the villagers, and the villagers looked down on the Ye family. Neither side interacted, and even the younger generations were taught to keep their distance.  

Only Ye Zhoushan paid no mind to the villagers’ cold shoulders or the Ye family’s disdain for his friendliness with them. He did as he pleased.  

Over time, the villagers stopped seeing him as an outsider and got along well with him.  

“Thank you, thank you, Aunt Deng, and all of you aunties. I won’t forget this kindness.”  

The women, rough-spoken and unaccustomed to emotional displays, were flustered by his sincerity.  

“Enough, enough! You’ve got a good heart—that’s all that matters. Focus on your wife and child, and don’t go causing trouble again.”  

Ye Zhoushan wiped his eyes and grinned broadly. “I know.”  

Aunt Deng couldn’t stand his foolish expression. “Your Uncle Brigade Leader said to go see him. We need to figure out who those people from yesterday were and how to deal with them—it’s up to you.”  

“We’ll keep an eye on things here. Don’t worry.”  

At the mention of the Zhou family, Ye Zhoushan’s eyes turned cold. “Alright, I’ll trouble you all then. I’ll be back soon.”  

“Go on, go on,” Aunt Deng waved him off impatiently.  

Once Ye Zhoushan left, the women entered the house.

Lan Qingshuang hadn’t slept. When she saw the women entering, she greeted them warmly. These were the same aunties who had helped with the delivery the day before, and she was deeply grateful.  

“Aunt Deng, everyone, please sit. Thank you so much for yesterday.”  

“No need for thanks,” they waved her off. “How’s the baby? Has she eaten?”  

Lan Qingshuang lifted the blanket slightly to show them. “She’s doing well. She didn’t fuss at all last night. She woke up a while ago, nursed, and went back to sleep.”  

The women’s hearts ached at the sight of the bare little thing.  

But she did look better than the day before—maybe she really would make it.  

“Is your milk enough?”  

“For now, yes. She doesn’t eat much.”  

“That’s good,” Aunt Deng said, unwrapping a small bundle. “These are swaddling clothes my own children used. I figured you had nothing prepared, so I brought them. They’re old, but they’ll do.”  

The others also offered small garments or cloth diapers.  

“They’re all hand-me-downs, but don’t turn your nose up at them. A baby can’t go around naked forever.”  

Lan Qingshuang’s nose stung. “I’d never refuse. Thank you all so much. Her father and I were just worrying about where to find these things. We’re truly grateful.”  

Aunt Deng, ever impatient, cut her off. “Enough with the thanks! I’ve heard ‘thank you’ from you two so many times these past two days, my ears are sore. Just get the baby dressed so you can rest a little.”  

Lan Qingshuang smiled helplessly and swallowed her gratitude. With the women’s help, she dressed little Fuman and wrapped her snugly in the swaddling cloth.  

Now that her arms were free, she could finally stretch her stiff limbs. Sitting still for so long had been unbearable.  

The aunties chatted as they worked, tidying up the ruined kitchen. It would need to be rebuilt later.  

The bowls and jars had been smashed, but fortunately, the valuable cast-iron wok was unharmed.  

That wok had been a hard-won treasure Ye Zhoushan had procured from outside the village. Many families didn’t own one so large—it was worth a fair bit.  

Aside from that, the kitchen held little else.  

Their meager grain stores were in the cellar, and Lan Qingshuang had long made a habit of keeping their small stock of oil and salt in the house to prevent wild animals from getting to them.  

Their home was remote, close to the mountains, and animals often wandered down. They had to be careful.  

Listening to the bustle of the women working, Lan Qingshuang’s chest swelled with emotion—warm yet bittersweet.  

…

At the brigade office, Ye Zhoushan was pulled aside by Zhao Qianjin.  

“Do you know who those people were and why they came?”  

Though unfamiliar, Zhao Qianjin knew they hadn’t shown up without reason.  

He’d had them gagged to prevent them from shouting anything incriminating.  

Ye Zhoushan held nothing back from Zhao Qianjin, who already had some idea of Lan Qingshuang’s past.  

Hearing it was her former husband’s family, Zhao Qianjin frowned. This was a messy situation.  

“What do you and your wife plan to do?”  

Ye Zhoushan’s voice was low. “Report them to the police.”  

Zhao Qianjin was silent for a moment. “If you involve the authorities, your wife’s past will come out.”  

“Gossip is vicious. Who knows what rumors will spread?”  

“Besides, if the Zhou family insists on taking her back, there’s little we can do to stop them.”  

Ye Zhoushan gritted his teeth, eyes dark. “My wife isn’t one of them. The Zhous trafficked her—that’s a crime.”  

“Besides, she and Zhou Dalang never registered their marriage, never held a ceremony. They were never truly husband and wife.”  

“She’s a Ye now—my wife. No one’s taking her anywhere.”  

“As for rumors? I don’t care.”  

Seeing his resolve, Zhao Qianjin didn’t press further. “Alright. If that’s your decision, I’ll send someone to report it.”  

“The Zhous came here to assault you, burn your house, and nearly killed two lives. This won’t end quietly.”  

“But they don’t seem like a family with means. Don’t expect much in compensation.”  

Ye Zhoushan nodded silently. Compensation meant nothing—he wanted them to pay.  

Zhao Qianjin added, “Since we’re not busy these next few days, I’ll gather some men to help rebuild your kitchen. Don’t go wandering off—this is important.”  

Ye Zhoushan nodded eagerly. “I’ll stay home. Thank you, Uncle Leader.”  

Zhao Qianjin glared. “Save your thanks. Just cause me less trouble, and I’ll thank you.”  

Ye Zhoushan grinned but said nothing.