Chapter 4: Hard Times

The He family had few men to begin with. After the eldest son fell ill, the second son, He Yunhuai, became the sole provider.

With daily medicinal expenses draining their savings, He Yunhuai had no choice but to join fellow villagers working in town. He hauled sacks by the river, earning around twenty wen on good days and just a few on bad ones.

Her second brother, He Yunhuai, had always been devoted to his studies, spending his days either at the academy or holed up in his room. He had never even seen, let alone done, such rough labor as hauling sacks. Those days working in town were truly grueling; he returned home each evening covered in bruises and cuts.

Despite the hardship, the daily income kept the family afloat, giving them a glimmer of hope—until the day He Yunhuai was carried back home unconscious.

“Second Brother was covered in injuries that day,” the youngest daughter of the He family murmured, her lips pressed tightly together. “Mother was terrified. We rushed to fetch a physician, but even after days of medicine, he remained unconscious.”

Every time she recalled that day, she felt a shiver run down her spine.

“Why was he beaten so badly? Didn’t those people give any reason?” Su Yi’an couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. What could possibly lead to someone who merely hauled sacks by the river being beaten to such a state?

This was an attempt to kill him.

He Ningwen shook her head. “Those men didn’t say anything, and Brother Yang told us not to ask.”

“Brother Yang?”

“Little Yang’s brother. Their house is south of the village. Second Brother always went to work with him,” she explained. “Brother Yang is a good person. If not for him, Second Brother might never have come back.”

Su Yi’an could only offer a few words of comfort. The rest of her questions and concerns remained unspoken.

Having just arrived, she was unfamiliar with everything. She couldn’t fully trust what they said, whether about the He family’s decline or the truth behind Second Young Master He’s beating.

Though the He family seemed decent enough, Su Yi’an had witnessed the Su family’s two-faced nature and couldn’t help but be cautious.

Perhaps relieved to have shared her burden, He Ningwen soon fell asleep, her body pressed tightly against Su Yi’an as if seeking refuge.

The night stretched on endlessly. Lying on the earthen kang, Su Yi’an pondered her decision. She didn’t know if she had made the right choice, but she couldn’t abandon the He family now.

If she left, they might not survive the coming winter.

The wind howled outside, rattling the door and making it creak.

Mother He felt the straw beneath her, a shiver running through her. It wasn’t even winter yet, and the cold was already biting. If it snowed, how would her family survive at the foot of the mountain?

“Tomorrow, I’ll go up the mountain for more firewood,” she said. “Wanxu, you stay home and watch the children. Don’t let them out in this bitter weather.” She tugged the quilt higher and pressed down on her restless grandson, who kept squirming. “Weren’t you sleepy just now? Why won’t you lie still?”

He Xingchen grinned mischievously and pulled out a “stone” from somewhere, presenting it to Mother He like a treasure.

“Grandma, stone!” The dim light in the room made it hard to see clearly, but the object felt like a river pebble.

Mother He assumed he’d picked it up while playing and was about to toss it aside when Wanxu stopped her.

“Mother, don’t throw it away.” A sliver of sunlight had just peeked through a crack in the window, and Wanxu noticed the stone didn’t look quite right. Its surface had a whitish sheen, like silver.

But how could there possibly be any silver in the house?

Hearing the sound, Mother He leaned closer to examine it. To her astonishment, it was indeed silver.

“What’s this?” Mother He’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly grabbed He Xingchen’s small hand and asked, “Where did you find this?”

Silver was a serious matter in the village. If anyone found out, they might accuse him of stealing.

The He family’s branch was already struggling in the village. If they were now branded as thieves…

“Grandma, it was right under me,” He Xingchen said, patting the thin mat beneath him. “This stone was poking me.”

Beneath the mat lay rice straw, which had been laid down months ago when they first arrived. How could they have only just discovered the silver now?

Yet the silver couldn’t have simply appeared out of nowhere. Mother He sat up halfway, staring blankly at the silver in her hand.

“Mother, Yi’an came to this room today while you were unconscious,” Wanxu said suddenly, as if remembering something important.

Yi’an was the only one who had visited the room that day. If someone had deliberately placed the silver here, it could only have been Su Yi’an.

But why would she leave silver here? Her dowry chests had been empty—the Su family had cruelly given her nothing. This silver must have been saved up by Yi’an herself over a long time.

Yet she had hidden it here.

Tears welled in Mother He’s eyes, and a surge of resentment rose in her heart.

But they had reached a point of no return. Nothing could be changed now. Even if she had made mistakes, she had no choice but to continue down this path.

“Mother,” Wan Xu called out, noticing Mother He’s troubled expression.

“I’m fine,” Mother He replied with a faint smile. She carefully tucked the silver into her inner garment and lay down after a long moment.

The next morning, Su Yi’an woke up just as dawn was breaking.

She hadn’t slept soundly that night, waking several times. The unfamiliar surroundings and everything else made her uncomfortable, but since she was already here, she had no choice but to make do.

The person beside her was long gone. Su Yi’an reached out and touched the bedding; it was completely cold.

It seemed the youngest daughter of the He family had been up for a while, but hadn’t woken her, seeing she was still asleep.

“Sister Su, are you awake?” He Ningwen’s voice came from outside the door.

Su Yi’an quickly replied, “Yes.”

The door was pushed open from the outside, and He Ningwen entered, clutching a piece of clothing in her arms, looking somewhat nervous.

“What’s wrong?” Su Yi’an asked, still sitting on the earthen bed, her wedding dress from the previous day lying at her feet.

He Ningwen set the garment down and murmured softly, “Mother asked me to bring this over. It’s one of Eldest Sister-in-Law’s old clothes.” Sensing Su Yi’an’s possible discomfort, she added quickly, “It’s been washed thoroughly.”

Su Yi’an understood perfectly. Her meager dowry hadn’t even included everyday clothes. If she didn’t wear someone else’s, would she have to wear her wedding dress again?

Besides, wedding attire is only worn once. Who wears their wedding clothes the day after the ceremony?

Su Yi’an nodded, picked up the garment, and held it up to herself. It fit perfectly. Though the style was outdated, the fabric was excellent, suggesting it was an old, cherished piece the family had been reluctant to wear.

“Where are they?” Su Yi’an asked, still unable to bring herself to call her “Mother.”

“They’re in the yard. You’ll see them when you’re ready,” He Ningwen replied. Seeing Su Yi’an had no further questions, she turned and left the room.

The He family had no courtyard. Stepping outside led directly to an open space where Su Yi’an immediately spotted the family members who could still work the land huddled together, their backs turned to her.

“Grandma, it’s been simmering for so long! Why is there still so much rice porridge?” He Xingchen whined, his eyes fixed on the pot, struggling to contain his hunger.

“Just a little longer, dear. This is all the rice we have left. I’ll go buy more later. Eat this for now,” Mother He soothed.

As she spoke, Su Yi’an approached from behind. Wanxu was the first to notice her.

The cloth garment, though worn, was made of exceptionally fine material. Wanxu had been saving it, planning to make clothes for her child when it was born in winter.

In the past, she would have hesitated to lend such a precious garment to anyone. But considering that Miss Su had no clothes of her own yet still slipped money under the bedding, Wanxu couldn’t bear to deny her this simple comfort.

Seeing that the garment fit Su Yi’an well, Wanxu felt relieved.

“Little Aunt!” He Xingchen turned to see Su Yi’an, his small face beaming with delight.

He was the only one in the household who dared to call her whatever came to mind. Even the youngest daughter of the He family now addressed Su Yi’an as “Sister Su,” too timid to call her “Sister-in-law.”

Su Yi’an smiled, patted his head, and then glanced at his clothes.

He was still wearing yesterday’s outfit. Though slightly dusty, it wasn’t dirty. The coarse cloth was a far cry from the fine material of her own garment.

This He family, truly…

“Little Aunt, let’s go to the back mountain together after breakfast!” By “back mountain,” he meant the hill behind their house, accessible via a winding path.

The villagers usually stayed near the front of the mountain. The peaks stretched endlessly into the distance, and venturing deeper was dangerous. Ordinary families rarely went beyond the foothills, leaving the inner reaches to the hunters.

Wanxu flicked He Xingchen on the head. “Why do you insist on going into the mountains? What if a wolf snatches you?”

When Wanxu first arrived, she had heard tales from the villagers about wild beasts in the mountains. During winter, when food became scarce, these creatures would sometimes descend to snatch children from the village.

Though it was likely just village gossip, as a mother, Wanxu couldn’t help but worry. She never allowed He Xingchen to go to the mountains alone.

Moreover, Su Yi’an had only arrived yesterday. For her to venture into the mountains today would raise eyebrows.

“I have something to take care of today. I’ll go with you next time,” Su Yi’an said, her mind already made up. This matter couldn’t wait.

Wanxu looked puzzled. “Something to take care of? What could it be? Are you planning to leave the He family?”

Su Yi’an didn’t hide her intentions. This couldn’t be delayed, and it was best to act now, while the villagers were still aware of her presence.

Winter was approaching, and the He family was penniless. This was the quickest way to earn money, and the villagers couldn’t object.

After much deliberation, Su Yi’an finally spoke the words, “Mother, I want to sell my wedding dress today.”

With a crash, the items in Mother He’s hands scattered across the floor. She hastily bent down to gather them.

That single word, “Mother,” sent a tremor through Mother He’s heart. For a moment, she didn’t know how to react, finally muttering vaguely, “Just keep the dress.”

The wedding gown was made of fine, soft cotton, embroidered with rare designs seldom seen in town. Selling it would undoubtedly fetch a good price.

But who would sell their daughter’s wedding dress? Such garments were usually kept at the bottom of chests, to be altered for their own children’s weddings.

Su Yi’an didn’t care about tradition. To her, it was simply a useless garment, impractical for everyday wear and serving no purpose in storage.

“But you can’t just… sell it like that…” Mother He couldn’t overcome her inner reservations, feeling that Su Yi’an’s actions would only deepen the He family’s debt to her.

“Selling it would at least bring in some money to treat Second Son’s illness,” Su Yi’an countered. “If we keep it and those men from yesterday return, we’ll lose everything anyway.” Her words struck at the heart of their shared pain, yet they were undeniably logical.

After a moment of contemplation, Mother He finally nodded.