Chapter 10: The Roasted Sweet Potato from Her Husband

As the night deepened, Zhou Ruiyuan began to feel drowsy. Supporting himself on the edge of the table, he straightened his waist and carefully maneuvered his paralyzed legs onto the bed.

Although his legs were disabled, he had developed a strong core. Simple tasks like getting in and out of bed were things he could handle on his own.

If he were to remove his clothes, one would see his toned and well-defined abdominal muscles—a stark contrast to the frail image he presented before others.

After getting onto the bed, Zhou Ruiyuan leaned against the wall, tilting his head slightly to quietly observe the sleeping Du Wanchun. His deep, unfathomable eyes unknowingly softened with a hint of tenderness.

The person in front of him felt like a rare and precious treasure that had suddenly appeared in his life—illuminating the dim room, yet shining so brightly that he almost hesitated to get too close.

He watched her for a long time. Suddenly, Du Wanchun turned over in her sleep, kicking her blanket aside, exposing a small, frail arm.

Zhou Ruiyuan’s gaze softened even more with a trace of pity. He bent down and carefully pulled the blanket back over her.

The candle flickered. The small wooden window creaked faintly. The worn-out wooden bed, the bright red quilt, and the girl’s steady, peaceful breathing transformed the previously cold and gloomy room into a place of inexplicable warmth.

Zhou Ruiyuan lay down with his clothes still on, yet sleep eluded him for a long time.

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The Next Morning

The Zhou family was awakened by the loud scolding of Madam Jiang from next door.

When Du Wanchun woke up, she found that Zhou Ruiyuan was already gone. She quickly dressed and stepped outside, only to see Madam Zhou standing at the door with Zhou Zhao and Zhou Feng, watching the commotion unfold.

“Mother, what happened at Aunt’s house?” Du Wanchun looked toward the neighboring courtyard.

Madam Zhou smiled and replied, “That Jiang Qiujun—yesterday afternoon, all the chickens in her backyard were killed by a weasel. Then, this morning when she woke up, she found that her newly bought piglet had run away.”

At the entrance of the Jiang household, Madam Jiang was pointing at her husband, Chen Tieniu, yelling, “I told you to secure the pigsty properly, but you wouldn’t listen! Now look—the piglet is gone! What are we supposed to eat this year?”

The Chen family bought a piglet every year, raising it until the New Year, when they would slaughter it for fresh pork and cured meat.

Each time they butchered a pig, Madam Jiang would deliberately bring over a bowl of leftover bones and dump them right at the Zhou family’s doorstep—mocking them for their poverty.

Over time, the discarded bones would rot and stink up the yard, forcing Madam Zhou and her sons to clean them up.

Now that the Chen family had lost their piglet, it seemed they wouldn’t be able to slaughter a pig this year. Buying a new one would cost a hefty sum of silver.

Madam Zhou felt delighted by this turn of events. With a satisfied heart, she turned back to the kitchen and called out to the children, “Wanchun, I made steamed duck eggs. Come and have a taste.”

Du Wanchun turned around and saw a bowl of golden, soft steamed eggs. It had been years since she had eaten something like this.

Madam Zhou placed the bowl on the table, her face beaming with joy. “Last night, those two skinny ducks laid several more eggs. Not only do we have enough to eat, but we can even sell some.”

As she spoke, she pulled out twenty copper coins from her pocket and continued, “It was quite lucky, really. Just now, when I went to the Hu family on the west side of the village to borrow some rice, their daughter-in-law, who is pregnant, developed a pregnancy-related toxin and was craving duck eggs to help cool her body. So, I sold the remaining duck eggs to them. We got these copper coins in return, and they also gave us a bowl of rice.”

Having rice, eggs, and money was a great fortune for the Zhou family, who had been struggling to even put food on the table.

Du Wanchun felt genuinely happy and picked up the bowl to eat.

The steamed egg melted in her mouth. Even though no salt had been added, it still carried a subtle, savory flavor.

Zhou Zhao and Zhou Feng also came over for breakfast. They had great respect for their new sister-in-law and always let her eat first before taking their own portions.

Just then, Zhou Ruiyuan returned, slowly pushing his chair toward the table.

Seeing him, Zhou Zhao quickly stepped forward to help push his chair and asked, “Big Brother, why did you come out?”

Zhou Ruiyuan took out several roasted sweet potatoes from his arms and said, “Third Aunt brought these sweet potatoes a few days ago. I roasted them.”

As soon as the delicious aroma reached her nose, Du Wanchun’s eyes lit up with excitement. In farming households, sweet potatoes roasted until their juices caramelized were considered an absolute delicacy.

Zhou Ruiyuan handed one to Zhou Feng and Zhou Zhao. Then, he carefully selected the best-looking one and patiently peeled off the steaming hot skin.

His hands were strikingly beautiful—not rough like those of a typical farmer. They were fair and slender, yet they didn’t seem weak at all. His broad palms radiated a quiet strength.

Du Wanchun watched him peel the sweet potato, momentarily lost in thought.

After a while, Zhou Ruiyuan handed the peeled sweet potato to her. “Here.”

“Thank you, husband.” Du Wanchun accepted the sweet potato, noticing its heat. When she glanced at Zhou Ruiyuan again, she saw that his fingertips were slightly red.

She was a little surprised. She had no idea how he had endured the heat while peeling it so calmly, as if it didn’t bother him at all.

Taking a bite, she found the sweet potato soft and glutinous—sweeter than anything she had ever eaten.

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After breakfast, Madam Zhou took Zhou Zhao and Du Wanchun to the Chen family to reclaim their land.

Zhou Feng and Zhou Ruiyuan had wanted to go as well, but they couldn’t argue against Madam Zhou and Du Wanchun’s insistence. In the end, they had no choice but to stay home.

Since recovering his hearing, Zhou Zhao had become much sharper and more capable. With his tall stature, he was quite reliable when it came to handling matters outside.

When Madam Jiang saw the Zhou family approaching, she was immediately enraged. Standing akimbo, she sneered and scolded, “Chen Yue’e! What are you all doing here? Are you here to laugh at our misfortune?!”

Madam Zhou couldn’t be bothered to argue with her and got straight to the point. “Jiang Qiujun, your family has occupied our land for two years now. Isn’t it about time you returned it?”