Chapter 8: Let Zhao Feng Help

Ye Miao wasn’t afraid of Zhang Xiaohua.  

Zhang Xiaohua no longer had any control over his marriage.

Thinking about how he had almost been kidnapped by Zhao Dafu earlier, Ye Miao put the small spade he was holding into his basket, dusted off the soil from his hands, and slowly began to speak:  

“Zhang Xiaohua, if you want to talk about scoundrels, it must be your Zhao Yuanbao. Who doesn’t know he got caught red-handed stealing melons last summer?  

Twenty years old and still can’t get married. Serves him right.”  

It was precisely because of this that Zhao Dafu and Zhang Xiaohua had planned to kidnap him to exchange for silver to arrange a marriage for Zhao Yuanbao.  

But Zhao Yuanbao was the real scoundrel. He’d been caught stealing chickens and other things around the village multiple times. Even if they managed to get some silver, which decent family would be willing to marry off their daughter or ger to him?  

Now they had the audacity to call Qin Jin a scoundrel. Humph, Zhao Yuanbao wasn’t even fit to carry Qin Jin’s shoes!

When Zhang Xiaohua heard Ye Miao’s words, she immediately flew into a rage.  

Zhao Yuanbao’s failure to find a spouse was a sore spot for her. However, she would never admit that it was her son’s fault. In her eyes, all the eligible young women and gers from the neighboring villages were blind and greedy for wealth!  

As for Zhao Yuanbao’s incident of stealing watermelons from the Zhang Tofu family last year, she completely dismissed it. They were neighbors; making such a fuss over one lousy watermelon and escalating it to the village chief? Petty beyond belief!  

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua toss her basket to the ground, ready to put her hands on her hips and start a shouting match, Ye Miao quickly added:  

“Instead of coming to curse at me, you might as well kneel and apologize to me in front of the entire village. Maybe then the villagers would take pity on you and actually consider marrying someone to Zhao Yuanbao!”  

These words made Zhang Xiaohua even angrier. She rolled up her sleeves and stomped toward Ye Miao:  

“You foul-mouthed brat, let’s see if I don’t rip your mouth apart!”  

But in her heart, she began to wonder. Since when had this little brat become so sharp-tongued?  

Back when he was at her house, it was hard to get even a word out of him!  

Ye Miao stood still. He was on the riverbank while Zhang Xiaohua was by the water. If she wanted to hit him, she would have to climb up the bank first.  

Watching as Zhang Xiaohua stormed toward him and stretched out her plump hand to grab him, Ye Miao suddenly reached out with both hands and gave her a hard shove.  

Caught off guard, Zhang Xiaohua cried out as she rolled down the riverbank.  

The slope wasn’t steep, but Ye Miao had pushed her with enough force that she rolled all the way into the water.  

The water was shallow, and the riverbank was covered with grass, so she wasn’t hurt. She immediately got up, crawling on all fours while cursing and spewing obscenities that were truly vile.  

Ye Miao ignored her words and simply said:  

“Zhang Xiaohua, go home and ask Zhao Yuanbao if he envies Qin Jin and whether he’d like to be his lackey. But even if he wanted to, Qin Jin wouldn’t pay him any mind!”  

With that, he picked up his basket and left.  

Before insulting someone, they should take a good look at their own situation!  

Mocking him for being poor? Wait until they find out that Qin Jin was running a small business. They’ll be so jealous they won’t be able to sleep at night!  

From now on, his days will only get better.  

As for Zhao Yuanbao and Zhang Xiaohua? Humph.

Ye Miao walked home cheerfully. Zhang Xiaohua initially thought about chasing after him to hit him, but Ye Miao’s words kept gnawing at her mind. Why would that brat suddenly say such a thing for no reason?  

The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Grabbing her basket, she went back home.  

Zhao Yuanbao was nowhere to be seen, and Zhao Dafu was snoring away. She shook Zhao Dafu awake and repeated what Ye Miao had said.  

Hearing it, Zhao Dafu was so angry that he almost smacked the bed. What kind of nephew dared to speak about his uncle like that?!  

But it was true that Qin Jin had started a small business—everyone in the village knew about it.  

Feeling annoyed, Zhao Dafu casually mentioned the pea cake business. Zhang Xiaohua staggered back a few steps in shock: “So, the Qin family isn’t poor anymore?!”  

“Go and find out for yourself!” Zhao Dafu snapped irritably.  

Zhang Xiaohua: “…”  

She didn’t dare to.  

Zhao Dafu only had one sibling ger, Zhao Feng, and in their generation, Zhao Yuanbao was the only male heir. Her two daughters were already married off. But Qin Jin’s family had four brothers, all tall and strong!  

On top of that, Qin Jin had two cousins. While they weren’t particularly close, they still bore the Qin family name.  

Six grown men in their prime—who would dare provoke them? If she caused trouble at the Qin household, she’d end up sulking at her mother’s house for days afterward.  

But the thought of Ye Miao not gathering wild vegetables out of poverty, and his life improving in the future, was like a thousand ants biting at her heart.  

Why should that brat get to live such a good life?  

The sheer thought infuriated her!  

Meanwhile, after Ye Miao got home, he immediately forgot all about Zhang Xiaohua and her foul mouth. She no longer affected him.  

He sat on a small stool, sorting the wild vegetables he’d dug up.  

Today, he had gathered some Indian lettuce and amaranth. Both were perfect for making steamed stuffed buns.  

However, they were running low on wheat.  

The wheat they harvested last month had mostly been used up during the wedding. Now there were only two sacks left, totaling less than 300 jin.  

Fortunately, last year’s corn harvest still had about seven or eight sacks remaining.  

Additionally, there was over one sack of millet.  

This grain would be enough to last until winter. By then, they’d have harvested this year’s corn and millet.  

Just then, Qin Jin came out of the main house.  

“Why aren’t you sleeping a little longer?” Ye Miao immediately asked.  

“I’m not tired today,” Qin Jin replied. He dragged over a small stool, sat beside Ye Miao, and began helping with the vegetables.  

“Even if you’re not tired, you should rest a bit more,” Ye Miao said.  

Selling pea cakes was exhausting. 

Standing under the scorching sun for hours wasn’t easy.  

Although Qin Jin had started using an umbrella recently, it was meant to shade the pea cakes, while he wore just a straw hat that offered little protection.  

“You should rest too. Wild vegetables will always be there,” Qin Jin remarked.  

He’d come to realize that Ye Miao, his young spouse, was incredibly hardworking. Wang Xiuqin hadn’t exaggerated.  

Every night, like clockwork, Ye Miao would wake up at 1 a.m. to prepare the pea cakes.  

Afterward, he’d cook breakfast. Once Qin Jin ate and left to sell the cakes, Ye Miao would catch up on sleep.  

When Qin Jin returned at noon, lunch was always ready.  

The vegetable garden would already be watered.  

The laundry would be done.  

And the house would be spotless.  

Even after lunch, Ye Miao didn’t rest. He’d either gather wild vegetables or collect firewood. He was busier than a honeybee.  

Hearing Qin Jin’s suggestion, Ye Miao shook his head. “I’m not tired.”  

Then he looked at Qin Jin with anticipation: “When are we buying chicks?”  

On the first day of their marriage, they had cleaned the backyard. While vegetables had already been planted, the chicken coop remained empty.  

Without chickens, they’d have to buy eggs when they wanted them.  

In the countryside, that was considered wasteful, even shameful. People would surely gossip.  

Besides, they didn’t have the money to buy eggs regularly. And even if they did, he wouldn’t feel right about it.  

Moreover, they still had debts to pay off. Until those were settled, they needed to live frugally.  

But Qin Jin worked hard, selling pea cakes in the morning and farming in the afternoon. With no meat or eggs in their diet, Ye Miao could only use extra oil when cooking. Yet even the lard they rendered during the wedding was nearly gone.  

Once it ran out, they’d need to spend money to buy more.  

So Ye Miao wanted to raise chickens—plenty of chickens.  

Eggs could be a daily source of nourishment, and during holidays or special occasions, they could have meat. Not only would it help Qin Jin regain his strength, but it would also save money.  

Qin Jin had already discussed buying chicks with Wang Xiuqin and his three older brothers. Since chicks weren’t expensive, they wouldn’t delay repaying debts.  

Now that everyone had agreed, why not get them soon?  

After thinking for a moment, Qin Jin said, “Once we save up 500 copper coins, we’ll buy them.”  

There were over 300 coins in the money box right now. But with so many expenses, they needed some savings for emergencies.  

“I still have 500 coins,” Ye Miao reminded him, eyes sparkling. “I want to raise chickens, lots of chickens.”  

“That’s your dowry. We can’t touch it,” Qin Jin replied with a shake of his head.  

Hearing that, Ye Miao scooted closer with his stool. Taking Qin Jin’s large hand, he shook it playfully. “Please agree. Once the debts are repaid, you can pay me back.”  

“Will you?”  

Qin Jin: “…”  

When did he learn to act coquettishly?  

Clearing his throat, Qin Jin suppressed the urge to pinch Ye Miao’s cheek. “How about this: If we keep selling ten jin of pea cakes a day, I’ll increase production and sell until the market closes.”  

“But doing all this alone is too tiring. Let’s hire a helper.”  

“A helper?” Ye Miao was shocked, his mouth slightly open. They barely made any profit, and now they were hiring help?  

Shaking his head furiously, he said, “No way. Even if I have to make five more jin, I can handle it. Besides, what if they learn our recipe?”  

“We don’t pay them; we just feed them,” Qin Jin explained.  

“That’s still a no,” Ye Miao insisted.

After finishing his words, a pang of guilt hit his heart. He dared not look at Qin Jin and quickly lowered his gaze.

His refusal was too resolute.  

After all, Qin Jin was the head of the household, and big decisions should be made by him. Recently, Qin Jin had been treating him so kindly, making him feel confident and enabling him to straighten his back. But refusing Qin Jin so bluntly…  

What if Qin Jin got upset?

As he worried, Qin Jin’s voice rang out again. “How about you ask our dad?”

“…Huh?”  

Ye Miao was taken aback and immediately looked up.  

So the helper Qin Jin had in mind was his own dad? Ye Miao had just been planning to cook some extra meals over the next few days…

“Our dad only has you as his child. We’ll have to take care of him in his old age. Since making pea cakes on your own is tiring, let’s ask him to help.”  

Without Ye Miao’s embroidery, Zhao Feng’s income from selling firewood was too meager, only enough for him to have meals supplemented by plenty of wild greens.  

Ye Miao and Zhao Feng had a close bond, and instead of letting Ye Miao fret over his dad, Qin Jin took the initiative to bring up this matter.  

“This… this wouldn’t look good, would it?” Ye Miao was at a loss. Anyone with a discerning eye could see this was an attempt to support his dad.  

But he felt deeply moved. Qin Jin wasn’t upset with him at all, and instead found a dignified reason to support his dad. He… he felt like crying.  

He had been agonizing over how to send his dad a bowl of food, yet here was Qin Jin, directly stating that he wanted to take care of his dad in his old age!  

Taking care of him in old age!  

Such a wonderful turn of events—how could he hold back the tears welling up in his eyes?

“What’s so bad about it? Our dad will be working, not idling around. It’s settled. Talk to him about it later,” Qin Jin said firmly.  

“Then you can use my five hundred coins,” Ye Miao said with slightly reddened eyes. Never mind five hundred coins—he would give Qin Jin his heart if he asked for it.  

Grasping Qin Jin’s hand tightly, he pleaded, “If you won’t use this money, it means you don’t see me as your husband. Don’t distance yourself from me, alright?”  

Qin Jin: “…”

His young spouse was begging him.  

He looked both pitiful and utterly sincere, so much so that Qin Jin subconsciously nodded. “Alright.”

Ye Miao’s face immediately broke into a radiant smile. “Then can we buy the chicks tomorrow?”  

“…Alright.”  

Qin Jin came to his senses, inwardly chiding himself. He must have been bewitched to have agreed so easily.  

Using the blood-earned savings from Ye Miao’s meticulous embroidery was his failure.  

“I’ll pay you back tenfold once the debts are settled,” he quickly added.

Ye Miao nodded eagerly, his cheeks glowing with happiness. He didn’t care about repayment. They were family now; why draw such fine lines between them?  

In a cheerful tone, he said, “Then skip the fields for now—let’s head to the mountains to gather some branches and build a chicken coop.”

He was finally going to raise his own chicks!  

Seeing Ye Miao so happy, Qin Jin naturally indulged him. That afternoon, the two gathered branches and constructed a large chicken coop in the backyard, using the courtyard wall as a base. They planned to buy fifty chicks at five coins each.  

Fifty seemed like a lot, but not every chick would grow up healthy, and some losses were inevitable.  

With Zhao Feng helping out, caring for them wouldn’t be an issue.  

That evening, Ye Miao explained the helper plan to Zhao Feng. Upon hearing it, Zhao Feng held Ye Miao’s hands and patted them, saying with emotion, “I really don’t know how to repay him.”  

“Just work hard—that’s enough,” Ye Miao said with a smile.  

Zhao Feng also smiled and patted his head. “Alright.”  

Ye Miao then urged him to rest early that night and headed home.

***

At midnight, Zhao Feng arrived punctually to help with the pea cake preparation. Dad and son worked together seamlessly.  

The only particularly laborious part was mashing the cooked peas into a paste, but even that wasn’t excessively strenuous. Understanding the process made Zhao Feng even more grateful to Qin Jin. Heaven had been kind, blessing their family with such an excellent son-in-law.  

He couldn’t rest easy taking Qin Jin’s kindness without giving back. So in the afternoon, when Qin Jin went to the fields, Zhao Feng insisted on helping.

Qin Jin couldn’t dissuade him and had to let him come along.

With an extra pair of hands, weeding indeed went much faster.

A task that would have taken two more days to complete was finished that very day.  

The weeds in the five acres of cornfields were all cleared, though the sweet potato and millet fields still needed attention. Summer was when vegetation grew rapidly, and the main farm tasks were irrigation and weeding.  

When Qin Jin and Zhao Feng returned home, they saw Ye Miao crouching in the yard, examining a fluffy little chick. When he noticed them, he quickly set the chick down and smiled. “Wash your hands—I’ve already prepared dinner.”  

“Second sister-in-law just brought over some sweet potato leaves, so I steamed some sweet potato leaf buns. They’ll taste great with garlic sauce!”  

“Second sister-in-law came by? Why?” Qin Jin asked curiously.  

Qin Wen’s house was a bit far from theirs.  

Ye Miao’s eyes darted slightly. “She picked too many sweet potato leaves, so she brought some over.”  

Qin Wen’s wife, Li Mei, had a straightforward personality. Their two acres of sweet potato fields were adjacent to Zhao Dafu’s cornfield. Earlier, when Zhang Xiaohua cursed loudly while working, including the entire Qin family in her rants, Li Mei had heard everything.

She had immediately started a fierce argument with Zhang Xiaohua, matching her word for word. Afterward, she used the excuse of delivering sweet potato leaves to check on Ye Miao.

That was just a minor incident—not something Qin Jin needed to know.

He had no intention of revealing how sharp-tongued he had been while arguing with Zhang Xiaohua.  

In front of Qin Jin, he had always been well-behaved.