Chapter 50.2

After Qin Qingman left, Wei Ling began mixing the bathwater for Chuchu. The child was small, with delicate skin, so the water couldn’t be too hot.

Once the water was ready, Wei Ling checked the temperature but, still uncertain, had Chuchu feel it himself. When Chuchu nodded, Wei Ling decided not to add any more hot water.

While Wei Ling tended to the stove, Chuchu had already stripped down and hopped into the bath basin.

Being small, Chuchu was submerged up to his shoulders as soon as he sat down, with only his neck and round head poking out of the water.

Fully immersed in the warm water, he didn’t feel cold at all. The delighted child even dipped his head under, sending streams of bubbles rising to the surface.

Seeing Chuchu happily playing on his own, Wei Ling left him to it.

As long as there was no danger, he saw no reason to interfere.

In their time, even children from military families weren’t raised with such care—they were often raised freely, learning resilience by fending for themselves. Those who thrived under this upbringing developed strong constitutions, so as long as Chuchu wasn’t doing anything dangerous, Wei Ling wouldn’t interfere with him.

“Brother-in-law, could you pass me the soap nut?” Chuchu asked, lifting his head from the water and wiping his face after a bit of play.

“Here.” Wei Ling handed him the soap nut from the side.

People here used soap nuts to wash both hair and body; they were effective at removing dirt and also gentle on the skin.

Chuchu spread the soap nut across his little head and began to scrub. After a few minutes of soft scratching, he rinsed away the minimal foam it created. Since soap nuts didn’t produce much lather, there wasn’t a lot of foam left floating in the water.

With his hair clean, Chuchu started washing his body.

“Chuchu, do you need any help?” Wei Ling offered, noticing Chuchu’s small hands and feet and thinking he might need a bit of assistance.

“No need, Brother-in-law! I can wash myself.”

Determined to be independent, Chuchu clung to the edge of the basin, floating and paddling around. After playing for quite a while, he noticed the water cooling down and quickly started washing himself. A few minutes later, he called out, “Brother-in-law, could you get me a basin of clean water to rinse off?”

He’d washed his hair and used the soap nut, so he needed a final rinse with clean water before getting dressed.

“Of course.”

Wei Ling had already prepared fresh, warm water for him. He had Chuchu stand in the middle of the basin, then used a ladle to pour the warm water over his head and body.

This simple rinse served as an improvised shower.

After rinsing him off, Wei Ling took a towel and began drying Chuchu. First, he dried his hair, then his body. Standing by the warm stove, Chuchu quickly dressed himself, and with his layers on, his cold-weather bath was complete.

While Wei Ling went to clean out the bath basin, Chuchu grabbed a small mop to dry the floor.

The water from his bath had splashed onto the wooden floor, so he mopped it up and decided to give the entire room a quick once-over.

The floor in his house was often mopped, so it was very clean.

Qin Qingman had walked for quite a while to reach Zheng Ankang’s home because his house was on the outskirts of Kaoshan Village, a bit far from the Qin family’s home.

“Is Uncle Ankang home?”

Standing at the gate of Zheng Ankang’s courtyard, Qin Qingman took a moment to observe the Zheng household.

Zheng Ankang’s house was near the mountain, at the edge of the village. The courtyard was stacked with large pieces of timber, whole logs. It was said that these logs were obtained through work-point exchanges, as Zheng Ankang enjoyed woodworking. Since private sales were not allowed, he would spend his free time making furniture to keep at home, not to sell, purely for his own enjoyment.

Of course, if someone offered a trade, he would exchange some items as well.

When Zheng Ankang heard Qin Qingman’s voice, he was busy working in the room he had set aside for woodworking.

Winter days were long, and he wasn’t fond of going out to drink or gossip with the neighbors. Instead, he spent his time doing woodworking projects with his fifteen-year-old grandson.

From large pieces like tables, chairs, benches, bathtubs, and foot tubs, to smaller items like wooden bowls, he could make them all.

When he heard Qin Qingman’s voice, Zheng Ankang didn’t react, but his wife, who was mending clothes by the fire in the main hall, got up to go answer the door.

“Is that… Qingman girl?”

Zheng Ankang’s wife had poor eyesight, and it took her a moment of squinting across the courtyard to recognize Qin Qingman.

“Yes, Auntie, it’s me, Qin Qingman.” she replied.

Qin Qingman waited at the gate of the Zheng family’s courtyard for someone to come and open it.

The gate wasn’t locked, as it was daytime, but without the master’s invitation, she wouldn’t just walk in unannounced.

When Zheng Ankang’s wife saw Qin Qingman standing outside, she realized that her guest was here on purpose and called out, “Qingman girl, the gate’s not locked; come on in.”

“Oh, alright, Auntie, I’ll come in then.”

With the owner’s permission, Qin Qingman pushed open the gate and entered the Zheng family’s courtyard.

“Qingman girl, come in and warm yourself by the fire.” said Zheng Ankang’s wife warmly, inviting her into the main hall.

“Auntie, is Uncle Ankang home? I’d like to have some furniture made.” Qin Qingman replied, not following her into the hall but instead asking about Zheng Ankang.

Zheng Ankang’s wife immediately understood why Qin Qingman had come.

Everyone in the village knew that Qin Qingman and Wei Ling had recently registered their marriage, and they also knew they planned to build a house and hold a ceremony in the spring next year.

Naturally, a new house would require new furniture.

She had previously mentioned to her husband that the Qin family might ask them to make the furniture. Her husband had laughed, saying that with the Qin family’s money and ration coupons, they wouldn’t be interested in the rough items he made and would most likely go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy ready-made furniture.

“Old man, old man! Qingman girl is here looking for you!” Not wanting to delay anything important, Zheng Ankang’s wife turned and called loudly toward the room where her husband was working.

In the dead of winter, it was impressive that her husband and grandson could spend so much time working together.

This time, Zheng Ankang heard her clearly. Realizing that Qin Qingman was there to see him, he looked over to his grandson, who had just lifted his head from a pile of wood, and said, “Shanwa, go open the door and bring your Aunt Qingman in.”

“Got it, Grandpa.”

Shanwa put down his plane, brushed the wood shavings from his clothes, and went to open the door.

As he opened the door, he saw his grandmother accompanying a beautiful young woman who was approaching. She was very young, and her eyes, in particular, were strikingly bright, almost as if they could speak.

Shanwa took one look at Qin Qingman, his face reddened slightly, and he lowered his head. “Aunt Qingman.”

“This is Shanwa?” Qin Qingman recognized him from her memories, surprised by how tall and sturdy he’d grown.

Shanwa’s parents were no longer around, so he had lived with his grandparents from a young age. Perhaps due to the loss of his parents, he tended to avoid socializing and spent most of his time helping his grandfather. It had been years since the original owner had seen him.

Now, he was quite different from what she remembered.

“Yes, that’s Shanwa. He’s a bit quiet, so please don’t mind him.” said Zheng Ankang’s wife, looking at her grandson with deep affection.

“Oh, Auntie, why would I mind?” Qin Qingman replied warmly. “Shanwa has grown up now, and the Zheng family will be better off than ever. You and Uncle Ankang can finally enjoy a good life.”

Qin Qingman knew how difficult it was for two elderly people to raise a child alone.

“A few more years, just a few more years, and once Shanwa has a family of his own, we’ll be able to finally rest easy.” sighed Zheng Ankang’s wife, though there was worry in her eyes.

This year, she had begun to feel the cold more deeply, and her legs and feet had become stiffer. She didn’t know if she would live to see Shanwa marry and start his own family.

Sensitive as she was, Qin Qingman immediately picked up on the underlying worry in Zheng Ankang’s wife’s smile. She knew she couldn’t help directly, so she shifted the conversation instead. “Uncle Ankang, my family plans to build a house next spring, and you have such fine craftsmanship. I’d like to commission some furniture from you. I can trade you some grain coupons.”

In those days, one couldn’t use the word “buy” – it had to be “trade.” Otherwise, they risked being accused of harboring capitalist tendencies.

“What kind of furniture would you like to order, Qingman girl?” asked Zheng Ankang, setting down his work and inviting Qin Qingman inside. A stove heated the room, as working with wood in the middle of winter would have been impossible otherwise.

“Uncle, I’d like to custom order some tables and chairs, two large cabinets, a dish cabinet, a countertop…” Qin Qingman listed the pieces of furniture she and Wei Ling had carefully planned, then added that she would provide the designs for each item.

Hearing her list, Zheng Ankang realized this was a major order.

It was essentially a complete setup for furnishing an entire home—quite a valuable commission.

Wiping his rough hands on his clothes, he invited Qin Qingman to sit by the fire as he studied the sketches she handed over.

Shanwa, quick on his feet, brought Qin Qingman a cup of honey water.

In the northeastern forested region, as long as one was diligent, authentic honey wasn’t hard to come by, and serving honey water was one of the highest forms of hospitality there.

Qin Qingman accepted the honey water from Shanwa and took a sip.

Although it was winter and cold, staying hydrated was still important.

While she was drinking, Shanwa tilted his head to look at the sketches in his grandfather’s hands. Even at a glance, he could tell that these designs were different.

The furniture shown in these sketches was more refined and attractive. Take the large wardrobe, for instance. Even the county’s Supply and Marketing Cooperative didn’t carry such elegant designs. The cabinet was tall and would require a substantial amount of quality wood to make.

“Qingman girl, I can make all of these pieces, but it’ll require quite a bit of material.” Zheng Ankang said after a long moment of consideration.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it; he was just worried that the cost might be too high, and she might reconsider having the furniture made by him.

“Uncle Ankang, I know these pieces will require a lot of wood and time, so don’t worry about that. I’ll compensate you at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative rate.” Qin Qingman replied, recognizing his honest reluctance to bring up the labor involved.

She couldn’t bring herself to take advantage of the elderly man, so she offered the fair price herself.

Hearing this, the Zheng family visibly relaxed, and they became even more hospitable toward her.

“Two hundred jin of grain.” stated Zheng Ankang, naming the price. It was fair, given the substantial materials and time needed for the two large wardrobes alone, along with the vanity, the tables and chairs, benches, and the shrine. He and his grandson would have to work non-stop, probably until the spring, to finish everything.

Qin Qingman, having browsed the county’s Supply and Marketing Cooperative with Wei Ling before, knew the typical prices for such furniture.

After mentally calculating, Qin Qingman realized that two hundred jin of grain was indeed a fair price for the Zheng family; they weren’t getting any particular advantage. She nodded and agreed, “Uncle Ankang, I agree, but…”

“But what?”

The three members of the Zheng family anxiously looked at her, fearing she might back out of the deal.

The Zheng family’s grain consumption was no small matter. Grain was essential, and earning work points was difficult. Both Zheng Ankang and his wife were getting older, and their legs were no longer as agile. It was hard for them to earn high work points during team labor, which was necessary to earn enough food, so the family relied mainly on fifteen-year-old Shanwa’s work points.

But even a hard-working child couldn’t fully feed a family of three, so their grain supply often ran short. This was why, every winter, when the village was snowed in, the family stayed home to make wooden furniture to trade for grain.

Yet Kaoshan Village was small, and the furniture they made was crafted from high-quality wood.

Good wood meant durability and long-lasting furniture, so over the years, the demand for new pieces decreased as villagers didn’t need replacements. In recent years, even as they barely managed to make ends meet, Shanwa’s appetite grew with his height, and now, their grain shortage was a growing worry.

Today, Qin Qingman’s visit brought a glimmer of hope to the Zheng family.

Worried that she might try to negotiate the price down, the elderly face of Zheng Ankang creased as he offered, “Qingman girl, perhaps…we can lower it to one hundred eighty jin of grain?” This was as low as he could reasonably go.

Seeing their misunderstanding, Qin Qingman quickly clarified, “Uncle, two hundred jin is settled—I won’t bargain. I just noticed you have a wardrobe already made, and I’d like to trade some wild boar meat for it to take home.”

She could tell the family had been lacking in meat for a long time and thought of how hard it was for the elderly couple to raise their grandson, so she wanted to help them in a way that preserved their pride.

Perhaps with some meat, the elderly couple’s health might improve.

“Trade the wardrobe for wild boar meat?” Both Zheng Ankang and his wife looked over at the wardrobe a few paces away.

The wardrobe was built to appeal to the average villager’s taste—sturdy, without intricate carvings, and not particularly refined, but it was durable and practical, just what rural families preferred.

“Yes, I only have storage chests at home and no wardrobe. Since you have one ready-made, I can trade for it and use it right away.” Qin Qingman replied thoughtfully, keeping her tone gentle, without any hint of pity or charity.

Her family wasn’t wealthy either, so she wouldn’t act as if she were doing a noble deed. She simply did what was within her means.

A fair trade would let both families feel at ease.

“Qingman girl, how would you like to make the trade?” asked Zheng Ankang, glancing at his wife and grandson, his eyes filled with gratitude as he looked back at her.

Almost sixty years old, the elderly man had experienced much in life and could sense the kindness behind Qin Qingman’s gesture.

“Uncle, I’ll trade you twenty jin of meat for the wardrobe.” Qin Qingman offered, knowing she was giving more than the wardrobe’s material worth, but understanding that sometimes value wasn’t purely transactional. “Uncle, please don’t refuse. I still remember that you made my parents’ coffins at a loss.”

By taking on this life, she felt it only right to repay Zheng Ankang’s past kindness.

“Alright, I’ll accept.” Zheng Ankang agreed, turning his head to discreetly wipe a tear, then looked back at her with a grateful smile.

“Uncle, I’ll head home now and send someone to pick up the wardrobe. No need for you to handle it in this snowy weather.” Qin Qingman added, not wanting Zheng Ankang to lift a finger. In snow this thick, a fall could mean serious injury for an elderly man.

Besides, with Wei Ling’s strength, he and Shanwa could easily carry the wardrobe themselves.

“Alright, alright, go ahead and call them. I’ll tidy up the wardrobe a bit for you.” he replied, and with bright, beaming faces, the entire Zheng family walked her to the gate.

Once Qin Qingman was out of sight, they turned back toward the house.

“Good deeds bring good returns.” Zheng Ankang sighed, feeling that today’s kindness was a reward for his past good deeds. After saying “good deeds bring good returns” several times, he looked at Shanwa and instructed, “Shanwa, you must always respect your Aunt Qingman. She’s a true benefactor of our family.”

“Grandpa, I understand.” Shanwa replied, then helped his grandmother, who had begun to tear up, back into the main hall, where the floor was clean and free of scattered wood—an ideal spot for someone with poor eyesight.