Chapter 48: Guo Nier

Not long after, Zhou Yu came out with his sleeves rolled up and asked, “Is there anything I can help with?”

“No, no,” the three women hurriedly replied. “We’ve already tidied everything up. We’ll just reheat the food when it’s time to eat.”

“Aren’t you making dumplings?” Zhou Yu leaned over. “I may not be good at other things, but I can wrap dumplings just fine. How about this—let’s make more and deliver some to the villagers?”

Although the villagers had all received some oil, it was natural that none of them were willing to actually use it.

Xu Xia grinned and came over too. “Count me in, I can do it too!”

Zhou Yu simply asked him to call over Zhang Jinzhih and the others.

As the New Year approached, aside from Zhou Yu and Xu Xia, only Zhang Jinzhih, two clerks, and two guards had stayed behind. The rest had all gone home for the holiday.

With more people helping, someone could now take care of chopping the fillings, and the women only needed to knead dough and roll out dumpling wrappers.

Since Uncle Chen Jiu’s house didn’t have enough kitchen tools like knives, cutting boards, and basins, Zhao Hu was sent to borrow some from around the village.

When the villagers heard about it, they came over on their own to help. Eventually, there wasn’t even room left for Zhao Auntie and the other two women.

After discussing it briefly, Qin Ying and Zhao Auntie decided to quietly take An An and head home.

Who would’ve thought that not long after they got home, Xu Xia would come chasing after them with a bundle over his shoulder and a food basket in his hand. “Auntie, how did you disappear in the blink of an eye?”

“The lord said that everyone who helped today shouldn’t leave empty-handed. This is your share. It’s not much, so you can add a little more yourselves if you like.”

“The bundle has the New Year gift that the lord prepared for An An.”

With that, he dropped the items off and ran away.

Zhao Auntie opened the bundle and, seeing what was inside, immediately felt uneasy. She quickly called over Qin Ying. “Yingzi, we can’t accept this! It’s too valuable!”

Zhao Hu didn’t understand, but she could tell just by looking at the fabric and craftsmanship that the clothes weren’t cheap. If taken to a pawnshop, they would fetch quite a sum!

That’s how things were—when money was tight, clothes could be used like cash, because not many people could afford to wear good materials.

Their village, Tongshu Tun, was considered a large one and was once quite prosperous, but at most, people wore homespun cloth made at home.

Those who were worse off often wore paper clothing.

Most farmers couldn’t afford cotton either, and usually only bought new cotton bedding when they got married or had a son.

Qin Ying touched the new clothes thoughtfully, then said after a long pause, “Mom, let’s accept it.”

“Huh?” Zhao Auntie and Zhao Hu were both surprised. “Why?”

Qin Ying sighed. “Mom, Huzi, these clothes were clearly made to fit An An’s size.”

“They believe they owe us a great favor for helping them find their family, so in their eyes, any kind of repayment is not excessive.”

“If we insist on not accepting it, they’ll either think we’re being coy and fishing for something better, or they’ll think we don’t know how to behave.”

“People from wealthy families are usually very generous. What seems too much for us is nothing to them.”

“If we accept it, both sides can feel at ease. Let’s just not bring it up again in the future.”

Zhao Auntie still felt uneasy. “But this Lord Zhou keeps sending us things again and again. When will it end?”

Qin Ying thought for a moment. “How about I speak to Lord Zhou properly in a couple of days?”

“Alright then.” Zhao Auntie sighed. “I can’t really speak to people like that. And to be honest, although Lord Zhou usually seems kind, when he gets serious, he’s actually quite intimidating.”

“Mom! How could you say that about Lord Zhou?” Zhao Hu protested. “He’s such a good person!”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t!” Zhao Auntie smacked the back of his head. “You silly boy!”

Zhao Hu rubbed the back of his head and pouted. “All you do is hit me all day!”

Zhao Auntie raised her hand again, and he shrank his neck, stepping back two steps. “I’ll go check on An An!”

An An was already fast asleep.

Lowering her voice, Zhao Auntie said, “Yingzi, to be honest, I don’t really mind accepting those gifts. If it weren’t for An An, Lord Zhou’s affairs wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”

“They were able to find his sister this time—who’s to say it wasn’t thanks to An An’s blessing?”

“But we can’t say any of this out loud! Imagine An An going out wearing those new clothes—what would the neighbors say?”

She gently patted Qin Ying’s arm and said earnestly, “Yingzi, your brother and I aren’t afraid of anything. But you’re still young, and your life is still ahead of you. You have to care about these things!”

“What if Guo Wen comes back and you two end up having problems because of gossip? What then?”

“If he died somewhere out there, it’d be easier to deal with.”

Qin Ying couldn’t help laughing and crying. She and Guo Wen didn’t have romantic feelings, but he had taken good care of her for years. Even if they weren’t destined to be husband and wife, she still hoped he could return safely.

While the two of them were speaking, a sharp voice suddenly came from outside. “Qin Ying! Where the hell did you go? Why’s there not a single soul in my house?!”

It was a young girl’s voice.

Although they hadn’t heard that voice in two years, Zhao Auntie immediately recognized it. “Guo Nier?”

She held Qin Ying back and went outside herself. She looked coldly at the hunched little girl from the house next door.

The girl hadn’t grown much in the last two years. She was thin and frail, wearing dirty, torn, and ill-fitting clothes. Her hair was dry and yellow, tied messily into two buns.

Her cheeks were red from the wind and full of cracked patches. Her cheekbones stuck out from her thin face, and her upward-turned, glaring eyes were full of impatience.

The Guo family’s yard next door had its fence gate tied shut with hemp rope, and the house door had been locked.

Although Qin Ying had moved out to live with the Zhao family, she still occasionally went back to the Guo house to clean, so it wouldn’t decay from neglect.

But now, half the fence gate was broken, and the main house door was wide open.

“Well, well, look who it is,” Zhao Auntie crossed her arms, speaking sarcastically. “If it isn’t Guo Nier, who went off to enjoy the good life with her uncle!”

When Guo Nier turned and saw her, she forced a smile. “Auntie Zhao! It’s been two years. Looks like your family’s doing well!”

Guo Nier eyed her cotton-padded jacket greedily. It looked nearly new—probably nine-tenths new! Not a single patch on it! That kind of coat could be traded for a lot of food.

Unconsciously stepping closer, she plastered a smile on her face and asked, “Auntie Zhao, do you know where Qin…” She quickly corrected herself, knowing Zhao Auntie didn’t like how she used to bully Qin Ying. “Do you know where my sister-in-law went?”

“Why is my house so cold and empty? There’s nothing left at all!”

“You still expect anything to be there?” Zhao Auntie sneered. “Didn’t you and your uncle take everything with you when you left? Even the pot was scraped away—how could there be a cold pot left behind?”

Just then, another woman came out of the house, smiling as she greeted Zhao Auntie. “Auntie Zhao, Happy New Year! I heard your village is doing well these days? We just came back, but haven’t seen my nephew’s wife around. Do you know where she is?”