After dinner, Zheng Shi might have been suppressed by Wang Shi and did not come to ask the eldest room where they got the money to buy the dowry. There was no commotion in the second room.

Father Su and Mother Su breathed a sigh of relief, and Su Qingyu’s ears became clear.

Then he and Mother Su discussed which pieces of cloth should be used to make clothes.

She planned to make a red wedding dress and a few more casual clothes. Time was tight, so Mother Su called Feng Shi, Xia He, and Qiu Ju to help.

Zheng Shi couldn’t convince her, so she just went along with her.

That afternoon, she spent the whole afternoon making clothes and shoes at home… After a tiring day, Su Qingyu slept particularly soundly at night.

And Lu Bocheng also went to bed early that day.

He woke up early for two consecutive days and went to bed earlier than usual, falling asleep almost as soon as he hit the bed.

In his dream, a plump, fair-skinned woman adorned in a bright red bridal gown gracefully entered. She looked shy and tender, calling out to him, “Husband…”

Lu Bocheng grinned, drooling slightly.

He dreamed that they had a daughter—fair-skinned, tender, and plump. Her face bore a rosy fingerprint, and her arms were as soft and delicate as lotus roots, seemingly ready to release water with a gentle squeeze.

Then, he dreamed of those years when he was absent. Stepmother Wu would incessantly put pressure on his wife and daughter, making them do all the chores like laundry and cooking, ordering them around until his originally chubby and fair daughter turned into a skinny country girl.

Following that, news of his death reached home. His wife, worn down by the constant pressure, and heartbroken after being left with their daughter, couldn’t endure any longer. The daughter, now without parents, struggled to maintain her identity.

In less than two years, his daughter was sold by Wu Shi to a pig butcher. The butcher subjected her to further torment, and within two short years, she passed away at a young age.

Then, in another two years, he couldn’t find the graves of his mother, his grandparents, and his wife and daughter.

Lu Bocheng gradually stopped drooling, replaced by tears streaming down his face. He sobbed, and his pillow was soaked.

Then he dreamed of a skinny country girl pointing at his nose, scolding him for being useless. She berated him for not studying properly, neglecting martial arts, and dying so early without protecting his wife and daughter. Her thin fingers, like chicken claws, poked at his forehead, the scolding relentless. Just as he was about to argue back, he looked into her dark, indifferent eyes—a gaze that seemed to see through his soul.

It felt familiar, like someone he knew.

She stared at him, scolding with determination.

Lu Bocheng was scolded awake.

In the darkness, he sat up at the bedside, panting heavily.

He remembered the absurdities of these years. He neglected his studies just to provoke Lu Shengcai, engaged in senseless activities to gain his attention and reveled in the chaos when Lu Shengcai got upset.

He also remembered the dream he just had and the misery his wife and daughter endured. It felt so real as if he had experienced it firsthand.

If he had focused on his studies from the beginning and attained a good position, he wouldn’t have been conscripted. Even if life were mundane, he wouldn’t have had to risk his life on the battlefield, unable to protect his family.

Lu Bocheng had never thought about his future. He had lived day by day.

Unable to sleep the entire night, he rushed out the next day. Before dawn, without eating, he headed to a steamed bun stand, bought two buns, devoured them quickly, and soon arrived at the entrance of the Yang Wei Martial Arts School.

“Bocheng, you’re here?”

“Are you on duty today?” Greeting the disciple on duty at the entrance, Lu Bocheng entered.

“Yes. You came early enough today. Is it going to rain red?”

Lu Bocheng punched him, and the two of them fought at the door before stopping.

The disciple on duty rubbed his hands and feet, secretly complaining that this guy was good at martial arts today, and said: “Master and his brothers are fighting in the school field, you go quickly.”

“Okay.”

Lu Bocheng responded, feeling the wind blowing under his feet. He ran toward the school grounds.

On the other side, Su Qingnyu felt refreshed and rejuvenated after a good night’s sleep. She didn’t know why she dreamed about that guy Lu Bocheng yesterday. What was she dreaming about?

Can’t remember.

Turning around, she saw the twins were still sleeping. When she saw the sky outside, she pinched the faces of the two little things in a bad way, waking them up.

The three siblings had a fuss on the bed for a while before getting up to wash up.

There was no such thing as breakfast among the two meals in a farming family. After getting up early in the morning, before the sun came out, all the laborers went to the fields. They worked until the sun rose and the temperature in the ground warmed up, then they came back to rest and had lunch.

Then rest for a long time to avoid the sun, and then go to the ground. They had to work until the sun went down, and then they called it a day and went home for dinner. Then, while it was still light, wash up, did laundry, did some small work, and then went to sleep as soon as it got dark.

It costs money to light a lamp.

Su Qingyu gradually got used to this kind of life. It was just that the two little ones were growing and were hungry easily, so she would occasionally get something for them to eat.

By the way, she would find some ingredients and sell them to her take-out system that worked sometimes, so that she could satisfy her cravings when she was hungry.

After washing up, she gave the two little ones a few pieces of cake that Lu Bocheng bought yesterday, just to send the two little ones out to play. Unexpectedly, the two little ones didn’t want to go out and insisted on sticking to her side.

Su Qingnyu had no choice but to let them stay.

She moved a small stool to sit at the door and cut clothes, while the two little things were playing by themselves beside her.

After a while, Su Mucheng came over with his two sons and several nephews to install partitions for her.

The two beds were not finished yet, but the partitions were quickly installed and the sliding doors were installed.

The two little things found that to be so novel and happy that they pulled together and couldn’t bear to let go.

Xiao Chunxing was happily in the inner room, pushing the sliding door back and forth, locking it, and shouting: “Brother, you can’t open it!”

Xiao Qingyang heard this and pushed it with her hands, and then closed it with both hands: “Sister, you locked it, and brother can’t open it.”

Xiao Qingxing opened the buckle from the inside again, moved the door, walked out with a smile, and said to Xiao Qingyang: “From now on, I will live inside, and my brother will live outside. We are still in the same room. I am not afraid of living alone in it, and we can still whisper at night.”

After saying that, she ran over and hugged Su Qingyu’s thigh: “It would be great if my sister didn’t get married. The three of us are still living in the same room. In the same room, we can even whisper together at night.”

This made everyone in Su Mujiang’s family laugh.

“If your sister doesn’t get married, she will become an old aunt in the future. Who will raise her?”

The two little things said in unison: “I will raise her!”

Su Qingyu was so moved that she held them in her arms and rubbed them.

Su Mucheng laughed loudly when he saw this, and asked, “Are you satisfied, Qingyu?”

Su Qingyu nodded. He was indeed a rare craftsman around here, and the partition was made to her liking.

He praised her several times. The younger members of the Su family all had smiles on their faces, and it was worthwhile for them to rush to work as a family.

“The two beds are almost ready. You don’t require carving or other craftsmanship, and they are made very quickly. The two chests of drawers and the rails were made by your uncle himself. They must be beautiful for you. Before you get married, I can do it all for you.”

Su Qingyu thanked him repeatedly, said a few more words, and sent them away.

Although the construction schedule is a little tight, Su Qingyu was worried that if she didn’t finish the house before she gets married, her two honest parents wouldn’t be able to handle Wang Shi after she gets married.

By noon, everyone from the fields had returned, and the attention of the entire family turned to the partition in the house.

Zheng Shi kept uttering sarcastic remarks. Seeing the room, Yǒufù and Yǒuguì insisted on having one room each. While Zheng Shi continued with her sour words, she and her two sons went to make a fuss with Wang Shi and Old Su.

Feng Shi felt somewhat regretful.

Originally, she planned to talk to her mother-in-law after Qingyu got married, suggesting that Qingxing stay with Xiahe and Qingyang with the Yǒufù, freeing up the room for Youwu. Youwu was growing up, and in the next few years, they would need to find a suitable match for him too. If they waited until the last minute like Youwen, it would be difficult to find a good family.

Wang Shi and Old Su were disturbed by the commotion, naturally recognizing the advantages of separating the house. However, by agreeing to accommodate Yǒufù and Yǒuguì, it meant Xiahe and Qiuju’s rooms would need modification as well.

Modifying two rooms—how much would it cost?

Wang Shi glared fiercely at Su Qingyu, blaming her for meddling in affairs that didn’t concern her.

Su Qingyu paid no attention, not even bothering to meet her gaze.

Su’s parents, however, were pleasantly surprised. They had also considered the possibility that they might not be able to keep this room. Little did they expect Su Qingyu to arrange a partition with the carpenter’s family.

By dividing the house into two smaller rooms, both children would have their own space. The twins would turn seven next year and couldn’t continue sharing a bed. Although the rooms were smaller, the two children could live comfortably for several years.

Now it wasn’t easy for his father to suggest giving the room to Youwen for his wedding; he didn’t want to dismantle the partition that had cost money.

Mother Su secretly rejoiced. Now, this room could stay in their main house. In the future, when the two daughters come to visit, they will have a place to sleep.

The couple felt a mix of happiness and melancholy, unable to do anything for their daughter, yet she was constantly taking charge and making decisions for the family.

(End of chapter)