Chapter 23

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, the couple woke up together from the warm bed.

Chen Rou was nestled in Han Guobin’s arms. Winter mornings were the most comfortable, and with Chen Rou being pregnant, she was even more relaxed and languid. Her expression alone made Han Guobin feel incredibly soft-hearted.

“Wife, Happy New Year,” Han Guobin said, holding her like a precious treasure.

“You too, my love. Happy New Year.” Chen Rou chuckled.

Their quilt wasn’t particularly warm, but with her husband by her side—radiating body heat like a human furnace—there was no fear of the cold. She felt cozy and snug.

Naturally, they’d had a great night’s sleep.

Han Guobin, holding his wife, was deeply content.

The couple didn’t get up immediately after waking. They lazed in bed until around seven before getting up to boil water and wash up.

Sure enough, there was snow piled up outside. It must’ve snowed heavily last night.

Han Guobin got up first to wash the pot and boil water. When it was ready, he brought the warm water into the room for his wife to wash with.

Chen Rou brushed her teeth and washed her face, then applied a bit of clam oil to protect against frostbite.

Once Han Guobin had washed his face, she helped apply some to him as well.

“Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law! Come over to our place for New Year’s Eve dinner later!” Han Guolin’s voice rang from outside.

Han Guobin looked at his wife. Chen Rou nodded. No matter how biased Father and Mother Han might be, they still needed to attend the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Outwardly, the Han family was still one unit. Just because they’d split households didn’t mean they could skip the New Year meal—that would be disgraceful.

Disagreements were one thing, but unity was still necessary.

Han Guobin went outside to talk to Han Guolin.

“Second Brother, you look like you’ve put on some weight this year!” Han Guolin said, suddenly examining his brother with curiosity, as if he’d discovered something new.

Just look at how energetic and radiant his second brother looked!

“Really? I think I look the same as every year,” Han Guobin replied.

Truth be told, ever since farming had slowed down for the winter—especially after the snow began—he hadn’t gone out hunting much. His wife had been cooking him delicious food every day.

He hadn’t exactly gained much weight, but his energy was through the roof.

“Is that the sweater Second Sister-in-law knitted for you?” Han Guolin asked, eyeing the garment.

Han Guobin wasn’t even wearing a coat—just that sweater.

But it looked very warm, clearly well-made.

Han Guobin nodded. “It’s warm. If you want, ask your wife to knit one for you too.”

Don’t doubt it—he’d worn it out on purpose. Ever since his wife had made him that sweater, he hadn’t had a chance to show it off.

It was hand-knitted from wool yarn, long-sleeved and very warm. He wore just one shirt underneath and a pair of thick cotton trousers. With his own strong body heat, he could wear just that and still go outside comfortably in this weather.

But Han Guolin wouldn’t be willing—wool yarn was expensive. He’d rather save the money. Honestly, his second brother and sister-in-law just didn’t know how to live frugally.

After Han Guolin left, Han Guobin returned inside and got scolded by Chen Rou.

He scratched his nose sheepishly and obediently put on his cotton coat.

Chen Rou went into the kitchen to steam mantou. Underneath the steamer was a big stew—a mix of pork loin, mushrooms, freshly washed cabbage, and even peeled boiled eggs, all cooked together.

Besides that, she also made an egg drop soup.

Once the food was ready, they brought everything inside for breakfast.

“We’ve still got some wheat flour left. Tomorrow morning, we’ll make dumplings,” Chen Rou said.

Today was New Year’s Eve. Tomorrow, the first day of the new year, dumplings were a must.

Han Guobin replied, “How about we go visit my parents to pay New Year’s respects on the morning of the second day?”

“Sure,” Chen Rou smiled.

After breakfast, Han Guobin cleaned the dishes, and Chen Rou welcomed Zhou Zhen and a few other village women.

Han Guobin simply left. With all the women at home, there wasn’t much for him to say.

Chen Rou served sunflower seeds and tea for the guests.

The group of women chatted and laughed for over an hour before moving on to someone else’s house.

Chen Rou tidied up the house, opened the windows to air it out—she really couldn’t overestimate the etiquette of certain women. But it was fine. Living in the village meant adapting to the village lifestyle. Besides, it only happened once a year.

Since Chen Rou rarely socialized, their home wasn’t often chosen as a gathering point. Most people preferred the Lu or Cai households—those places were far livelier.

That was just daily life, not to mention today was New Year’s Eve. There was no reason to drive guests away. They came, so she hosted.

Not long after, Sister-in-law Han came over.

“We’re all going to the main house for dinner tonight. What dishes are you planning to bring?” she asked.

Chen Rou had known she’d come to ask this. She replied, “It’s just the two of us. You have four people—how could that be the same?”

“Tiedan and Ludan are just kids. How much can they eat?” the sister-in-law replied, annoyed.

“Well, telling me won’t help. If you don’t bring something decent over there, they’ll start nagging. If you’re not afraid of the fuss, go ahead and do as you like,” Chen Rou said.

“So what are you planning to bring?” the sister-in-law asked, returning to the topic. “Let’s not bring the same thing.”

“Potato stew with pork and braised tofu,” Chen Rou replied.

The two of them bringing two dishes total was more than enough—not just eating from the host’s table without contributing.

“I’ll bring eggplant stewed with pork and a cabbage tofu dish then,” said Sister-in-law Han.

“Up to you,” said Chen Rou.

Sister-in-law didn’t leave right away and asked, “Your husband must’ve made quite a bit of money hunting this year, right?”

Chen Rou glanced at her and said, “A little, but not much. He just used it to buy meat for me to eat.”

“Don’t try to fool me—I’m not asking to borrow money.” The sister-in-law rolled her eyes.

“Fool you about what? Haven’t you noticed my face is rounder this year?” Chen Rou asked, feigning surprise.

She had genuinely plumped up. Their household had meat almost every day. If not meat, then fish or eggs—and she didn’t even have to do any chores. Of course she gained weight.

Just a few days ago, Han Guobin had gone into the mountains to cut ice and fish. He’d said the water there was warmer, so more fish gathered, and sure enough, he brought back a whole bucket.

He gave two fish to Father and Mother Han, three to her maiden family, and even Sister-in-law Han got one.

They kept the rest to stew at home. Han Guobin also took a fish weighing over four jin to the Old Yang household.

Old Yang gifted them back a chunk of pork belly in return, about two jin.

Chen Rou’s complexion had improved immensely from all the good food.

Sister-in-law Han, of course, had noticed. Not just Chen Rou—even Han Guobin looked better than ever. Clearly, the couple had been eating well this year.

“Aren’t you afraid of running out of money?” the sister-in-law asked.

As the saying goes, when you have money in your hand, your heart is at ease. Now that they lived on their own, every penny had to be spent wisely.

Chen Rou said, “Of course, but I’m pregnant now. I need nutrition.”

The sister-in-law rolled her eyes again but returned to the main subject: “Before spring work starts, is Second Uncle going back into the mountains to hunt? Let Tiedan’s father go with him.”

She had arrived early and knew full well that Second Uncle could make money hunting. Who else supported that niece through high school?

Not to mention, she’d seen it with her own eyes when Second Uncle gave their mother five yuan each year. Of course she was tempted.

Chen Rou said, “We don’t know yet if he’ll go. Let’s talk about it later.”

“Are you saying no?” the sister-in-law frowned.

“It’s the New Year. Can we talk about it after the holiday?” Chen Rou said.

Unhappy with not getting a clear answer, the sister-in-law didn’t press further but said, “Fine, we’ll talk after the holiday. I’ll speak to Second Uncle myself then.”

After she left, Chen Rou told Han Guobin about the conversation.

Actually, Chen Rou wouldn’t have minded her older brother-in-law tagging along with her husband. After a winter of hibernation, wild animals would be starving come spring.

Even though her husband had the watermelon knife, she still worried about his safety.

But Han Guobin didn’t want to share any of the profits—even with his older brother.

“No. I can go alone,” he said.

Taking someone else meant splitting the haul—not worth it. Han Guobin wasn’t keen.

“How about you bring your brother along, but just give him a small share? You keep the majority,” Chen Rou suggested.

“Nope. I’ll bring Gao Zheng instead,” Han Guobin shook his head.

When it came to money, he didn’t want to get entangled with family.

“Gao Zheng?” Chen Rou was momentarily confused, trying to remember who that was.

“You probably don’t know him—he’s from the neighboring village, just turned twenty this year,” Han Guobin explained.

Chen Rou didn’t ask how he knew the guy or whether he was trustworthy. She trusted her husband. If he was bringing someone along, it meant he trusted him.

Han Guobin had long had this plan.

Before spring labor began, he planned to go deep into the mountains to hunt wild boars. But he wasn’t confident going alone, so he wanted someone to accompany him.

With two people, he had no worries. And honestly, it was all thanks to the watermelon knife from his wife.

Without it, he wouldn’t stand a chance against a wild boar. But with it, any boar he saw would become their meat.

Wild chickens and rabbits were fine for selling, but they didn’t compare to the returns from a wild boar.

At noon, the couple ate at home. After lunch, it was time for baths.

In their area, people bathed on New Year’s Eve at noon. Chen Rou had been wanting one.

Last time Han Guobin delivered fish to Old Yang, he came back carrying a large wooden bath barrel—the kind used for medicinal baths.

Brand new, one meter tall, half a meter wide. With a small stool inside, one could sit and soak. It was incredibly comfortable.

The day he brought it home, Chen Rou took a bath right away. Now, after a few days, she wanted another.

Back during the apocalypse, bathing was a luxury. She didn’t mind holding out, but now that she had the means, she wanted to bathe often. One good bath would keep her feeling clean until the Lantern Festival.

Of course, it was mostly because it was so cold. Laundry dried slowly and had to be placed over the pot lid to warm up before being brought to the bed to dry completely.

After she finished bathing, Han Guobin took his turn. Chen Rou helped him scrub his back and added hot water when needed to keep it warm.

“This tub is great, wife,” Han Guobin said, satisfied. He had originally asked Old Yang for a large basin, and got a big bath barrel instead.

But it was worth every cent.

“It is nice. I’ll scrub your back whenever you want a bath,” Chen Rou said.

After she scrubbed him for a bit, Han Guobin washed himself. It felt amazing. The bath barrel had cost a hefty three yuan, but it was money well spent.

After bathing, the couple took a nap. Maybe it was because they were clean, but Han Guobin started getting handsy again.

“It’s the middle of the day—behave and just sleep,” Chen Rou said, playfully annoyed.

“Alright, alright, we’ll sleep now. Tonight, then,” Han Guobin grinned.

Chen Rou rolled her eyes at him but leaned gently into his arms. Han Guobin kissed her, and they napped together.

When they woke up, it was time to prepare the dishes to take to the main house.

As she’d said, they brought potato stew with pork and braised tofu. The stew didn’t have a lot of meat, but it was all pork belly from Old Yang—each piece cut about the size of a pinky, totaling around half a jin. Together with the tofu, it was more than presentable.

Sure enough, when they arrived, Mother Han glanced at the dishes and said nothing.

It was New Year’s—no one wanted to cause trouble.

But when Eldest Sister-in-law Han’s family came over, Mother Han immediately glared when she saw the dishes being taken out of the small food basket.

“What is this you brought?” Mother Han snapped.

“Braised eggplant with meat, and cabbage stewed with tofu,” Eldest Sister-in-law Han replied.

“And the meat?” Mother Han demanded.

Eldest Sister-in-law Han pointed to the four or five thin slices of meat placed on top and said, “Mother, didn’t you see it?”

“This is meat?” Mother Han was about to blow up.

“Mother, it’s the New Year. Harmony brings wealth,” Song Xiaoyu tried to smooth things over. She herself wasn’t happy with what Eldest Sister-in-law Han had brought either—those few pieces of meat? Wasn’t that just trying to freeload?

Because she spoke up, Mother Han had to swallow her anger, but she still shot Eldest Sister-in-law Han two sharp glares.

Eldest Sister-in-law Han couldn’t help turning to Chen Rou and asking, “Second Sister-in-law, what did you bring over?”

She thought she’d brought quite a lot. So much meat—what more did they want?

She noticed that her mother-in-law had only thrown a fit at her and not at the second household, and she wasn’t having that.

“That plate of braised potatoes with meat was brought over by Second Sister-in-law,” Song Xiaoyu said before Chen Rou could answer, pointing to a generously portioned dish on the stove.

Eldest Sister-in-law Han was momentarily stunned and looked at Chen Rou. “You brought that?”

What was wrong with this second daughter-in-law? Potatoes were bad enough, but she had even added so much meat! Didn’t she realize how little each household was allocated?

Chen Rou hadn’t intended to compete over this. After all, the eldest branch had two sons to raise, so it was understandable if they couldn’t bring much.

But the look on Eldest Sister-in-law Han’s face—as if Chen Rou were stupid—made her want to snap back. “It’s the end of the year. Of course, we should honor our parents. It’s only right that I bring more.”

Eldest Sister-in-law Han gave her a look that said, Yeah, right. She spoke so nicely now, but when asking for money earlier, there had been no mercy in her tone.

Mother Han wasn’t too touched either. She still felt a sting in her heart whenever she thought of the hundred yuan that had been taken from her.

But Chen Rou pressed on. “Mother, did you and Father enjoy the fish Guobin brought earlier? I heard you made fish dumplings with it. It was a huge fish—Guobin picked it out himself. He doesn’t say much, but when it comes to filial piety, all the neighbors see it.”

Song Xiaoyu’s mouth twitched. “Second Sister-in-law is right. Second Brother is certainly filial.”

“You’re the sensible one, Third Sister-in-law. The fish didn’t go to waste on you,” Chen Rou nodded.

Mother Han was now displeased. What did that mean? That she just ate the fish for free?

“It’s Guobin’s duty to be filial to us!” she huffed.

“Yes, of course. It’s our duty. Starting the year after next, when you and Father turn fifty, even though you’re still young, we’ll allocate some of our labor points to support you both. But there’s no need to say more—it’s only natural to care for one’s parents. None of us would shirk that duty,” said Chen Rou.

Thinking about how, once the old couple turned fifty, both the eldest and second households would have to give up some of their labor points, Eldest Sister-in-law Han wasn’t thrilled—but what could she do? Refuse and get drowned in gossip?

Song Xiaoyu glanced at her articulate Second Sister-in-law. She really knew how to say all the right things.

She claimed it was no big deal, but every word emphasized how filial they were.

Mother Han didn’t want to argue with this daughter-in-law who, ever since hitting her head, had become alarmingly sharp-tongued. The household might be divided, but the obligation of filial piety remained. There was no bargaining on that!

After all the talking, they got to cooking and setting the table.

The dishes from the host’s side were indeed plentiful—meat, fish, and more. Chen Rou’s two dishes added nicely to the spread, both in quantity and quality. Her cooking was delicious and aromatic.

Han Guobin couldn’t help but glance at his wife with satisfaction on his face.

In contrast, Elder Brother Han looked a bit embarrassed. The two dishes his wife had brought were placed right in front of the two of them by Mother Han, clearly signaling: These are just for you two.

Despite a few arguments, the New Year’s Eve dinner went reasonably well.

After dinner, Chen Rou handed out red envelopes. At the moment, there were only two children in the Han family—Tiedan and Lüdàn. Technically, they also had Han Guli’s son.

Chen Rou gave Tiedan and Lüdàn one fen each as lucky money.

The two boys were overjoyed!

Lucky money was the thing kids looked forward to most at New Year!

Song Xiaoyu hadn’t planned to give any. She hadn’t even had her child yet—why should she give? If anything, it would be next year, and by then she’d expect one in return.

But she hadn’t expected Chen Rou to give first. How could she not give now?

Eldest Sister-in-law Han was thrilled—she got four fen without needing to reciprocate.

“They’re just kids! Why give them lucky money?” Mother Han grumbled, annoyed by her smug face. Even though the boys were her grandsons, the one she truly wanted was the one her youngest son would have.

She didn’t dislike Tiedan and Lüdàn, but as for lucky money—definitely not happening.

Eldest Sister-in-law Han didn’t argue. She cheerfully helped clean up the dishes.

There was a saying: “On New Year’s Eve, stay up all night.”

But since the family had been divided, each household returned to their own home to observe the tradition.

Han Guobin was in high spirits that night. He playfully teased Chen Rou in bed. She was pregnant and tired easily. Used to going to bed early, she soon fell asleep.

Han Guobin stayed up until past midnight. Only when the lights in the Ma household next door went out did he turn off his own and cuddle up with his wife.

The next morning was the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Han Guobin got up early to knead dough. Chen Rou woke up too, but he told her he didn’t need help—it was just kneading and wrapping dumplings. He could handle it.

Once the dough was kneaded, he brought it to the heated bed to rest, then went back to the kitchen to boil water.

Chen Rou stayed snuggled in the warm bed.

She wasn’t usually lazy, but ever since getting pregnant, she had been feeling sluggish, especially in the mornings. She really didn’t want to leave the bed.

So, she waited for him to finish making something tasty for her.

Han Guobin had been generous with the meat, and also added mushrooms, cabbage, and pickled vegetables.

They were making three kinds of dumplings: pork with mushrooms, pork with cabbage, and pork with pickled vegetables.

It wasn’t often they had dumplings, and they were almost out of flour—so they might as well enjoy themselves this once.

The first day of the New Year—definitely a good day.

As Han Guobin was busy in the kitchen, Chen Rou asked if the water was ready. He said yes, so she got up.

As soon as she lifted the blanket, she shivered from the cold.

The six-jin (about 3kg) cotton quilt really wasn’t enough for this kind of weather.

They would make do this year, but next year, if possible, she planned to make a new mattress and thicken the quilt. Right now, they didn’t even have a mattress—just a sheet over straw.

After dressing warmly, Chen Rou came out to wash up. Han Guobin said, “Why didn’t you sleep in longer? You’re still not fully recovered.”

“I went to bed early last night. I couldn’t sleep anymore,” she replied.

She brushed her teeth and drank some water. Having a thermos at home was really handy. The heated bed made the air dry, so they needed to drink more water.

They went through three thermoses a day—one for each meal.

After drinking water, Chen Rou took over from Han Guobin, telling him to go wash up. While washing, Han Guobin was already planning to take Gao Zheng hunting in the mountains after the fifth day of the New Year.

Otherwise, if they missed a few trips, they’d soon have to start working again and wouldn’t make much money.

Chen Rou had already prepared the fillings. After washing her hands with warm water, she handed him some cooled boiled water to drink and applied clam oil to his hands. “What are you thinking about? You’re totally distracted.”

“Wife, you’re so beautiful,” Han Guobin grinned as he hugged her waist.

Chen Rou rolled her eyes. “Don’t sweet-talk me. If you’re thinking about hunting, you’ll have to wait until after the Lantern Festival.”

Even after the fifteenth day, it would still be bitterly cold. If he didn’t have someone to go with, she wouldn’t let him go.

Han Guobin was surprised she figured it out so quickly. “Wife, I was thinking of going right after the fifth. Going after the Lantern Festival would be too late.”

Chen Rou huffed. “I already heard from Eldest Sister-in-law that you usually don’t go until after the Lantern Festival.” And back then, it depended on his mood.

Han Guobin thought: That’s different! I had no motivation back then. Now I’m full of it. I want to build a brick house for my wife.

“I know you want a better life for the two of us,” Chen Rou said softly, “but it’s too cold. I can’t bear it.”

She was still cold under the quilt. In the mountains, it would be even worse.

Asking him to go just after the fifth day? She wasn’t that desperate for money.

Han Guobin’s heart softened, but he really wanted to go earn some.

Chen Rou could see his disagreement and asked, “Those fish you brought last time—did you catch them from the river in the mountains?”

He had caught a lot last time: silver carp, grass carp, bighead carp—all good fish and all quite large.

“Fish don’t sell for much,” Han Guobin replied helplessly.

Old Yang did buy fish, but for things like grass carp and silver carp, he only paid three fen a pound—ten pounds was just thirty fen. How much could that earn?

But if he caught a wild boar, he could make over three yuan in one go—equal to a hundred pounds of fish.

One wild boar could cover their family’s expenses for a whole year and still leave extra.

“Go fishing. After the fifteenth, then you can go hunting,” Chen Rou said firmly. She had a strong feeling that going into the mountains too soon could be dangerous.

Her instincts were not wrong. After the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month, when Han Guobin took Gao Zheng deep into the mountains and forests, they saw quite a bit of wolf dung.

Judging by the appearance of the dung, it had been there for some time, but it must have been left around the New Year.

Han Guobin couldn’t help but recall how his wife had firmly stopped him from going deep into the mountains and made him go fishing instead.

Fishing hadn’t made much money. After so many days, he had only earned a few yuan. The only benefit was that there was stewed fish to eat at home every day.

“Brother Bin, look at all this dung. Could this mean there’s a wolf pack around?” Gao Zheng couldn’t help but say.

With his rich hunting experience, how could Han Guobin not recognize it?

He wasn’t afraid of a lone wolf—in fact, he would be excited by the hunt—but running into a wolf pack, even with Gao Zheng by his side, would be dangerous.

Han Guobin asked, “Are you scared?”

“Scared of what? The only thing I’m scared of is not having enough money to marry a wife,” Gao Zheng said boldly. He was already twenty this year, but his family was incredibly poor—so poor it echoed. He was his parents’ only son, but his father had fallen ill previously, and they had borrowed a lot of money to treat him. Fortunately, his father had recovered.

Now, he and his parents were repaying the debt. This entire winter, they had tightened their belts just to pay off most of what they owed, with only a bit left.

But everyone in the village knew how poor his family was. Though he wasn’t bad-looking, not a single matchmaker had come knocking.

He didn’t want to be a lifelong bachelor, but apart from farming, how else could he earn money?

He had met Han Guobin a while back when working on a reservoir. He had fainted from exhaustion, and it was Han Guobin who revived him and gave him food.

Since then, he’d been calling him “Brother Bin.”

But this year, he was really no longer young—twenty already. Many others had already gotten married, and he wanted a wife too.

Han Guobin, who understood the joys of having a wife, smiled and said, “You’ll definitely get a wife.”

Having a wife was a wonderful thing. She could think of everything for you, care for you, be considerate. There was nothing better than having a wife.

Of course, he’d seen his share of difficult women too, but his wife was perfect—soft and fragrant, and no matter how much he kissed her at night, it never felt enough.

The wolf pack had clearly moved on. Both Han Guobin and Gao Zheng were bold men and weren’t afraid, so they began hunting in the mountains.

At home, Chen Rou was chopping beef.

Before Han Guobin left, she had been nourishing him with food every day—stewed fish cooked in a variety of ways, all delicious.

But she was a bit helpless—no matter how much she fed him, he didn’t seem to gain any weight, nor did he put on any muscle. The only thing was that he seemed quite energetic at night.

Still, he was sensible and rarely bothered her.

This man could be rough at times, but he could also be gentle.

Before he left this time, she had made him a lot of flatbreads to take along. They were nothing fancy, just something to get by on. During the New Year, when she visited her parents’ home, she had already told her mother about wanting a military canteen.

If her uncle had access to one, she’d buy it, so her husband could carry it with him and at least have some hot water to drink when in the mountains.

Now that he wasn’t home, how the household ate was up to her. Usually, they wouldn’t bring out the beef, but now she was eating it.

She chopped up the beef and made beef congee.

With a good appetite, she ate three bowls. The rest was saved for lunch and dinner. While no one was around, she stored it in her space, where the temperature was kept constant. When she took it out at noon or night, it would still be fresh and hot.

After locking the door, she went over to her parents’ home.

Lately, Han Guobin had been fishing every day, but the money earned was quite limited. It really wasn’t as good as hunting. Though fish was still meat, it was far cheaper than wild chicken or rabbit meat.

So every now and then, she would have Han Guobin send a fish over to her parents’ place as a kind of nourishment gift.

That’s why, when she arrived, her three sisters-in-law smiled and said, “Little sister-in-law is back!”

“Good morning, sisters-in-law,” Chen Rou nodded.

Chen Mother came out of the house and, seeing her arrive, said, “I was just about to have your third brother go fetch you.”

“Looks like mother and daughter are connected by heart,” Chen Rou said with a smile.

Chen Mother pulled her into the house and looked at the basket she was carrying. “Why did you bring bean sprouts?”

“Soybean sprouts. I grew them myself. They’re very fresh, so I brought a handful for you and Dad to try,” Chen Rou said.

“You and Guobin just take care of yourselves. Your father and I don’t need you two to worry about us,” Chen Mother replied.

“It’s just a handful of sprouts,” Chen Rou didn’t take it seriously.

Chen Mother went to get a military canteen and said, “There’s no brand-new one, only this slightly used one. But don’t worry—it came from a retired soldier who willingly exchanged it.”

“You made the exchange, Mom?” Chen Rou asked in surprise.

“Your uncle had a connection, but these canteens are hard to come by. This one came from Old He’s family in the village—their retired son traded it to me,” Chen Mother said.

Chen Rou had thought it came directly from her uncle. She asked, “How much did it cost?”

“It was free. Just take it back and let Guobin use it. That way, he won’t be without even a sip of hot water when he’s in the mountains. I tested it—water I poured in yesterday is still hot today. It’s excellent,” Chen Mother said.

“If it didn’t cost anything, then I’m not taking it,” Chen Rou said, examining the military canteen with satisfaction. “Just be honest with me, or I’ll ask around myself. Everyone’s in the village anyway.”

“You little rascal. Your older sister never asks about money when I give her things, but you won’t take the slightest advantage,” Chen Mother scolded.

“I used to try and take every little benefit. But after that time I kowtowed, I came to understand—don’t force what isn’t yours. Forcing things brings no good. Guobin and I living a good life is worth more than anything. Besides, the money you and Dad have is shared with big brother and the others. If I take it secretly, I wouldn’t feel right,” Chen Rou shook her head.

Chen Mother looked at her daughter, full of emotion. She had really grown up and no longer needed her mother to worry.

She had always been especially fond of her youngest daughter for a reason.

Back when the family was desperately poor, this little girl had nearly died. That night, she held her daughter all through the night, preparing herself for the worst, even too numb to cry. In the end, it was her brother who gave them some food, and that saved her.

Since then, she had always favored her youngest.

She admitted that the girl had been spoiled, but now she was so sensible it made her heart ache.

Seeing her truly unwilling to take it for free, Chen Mother finally quoted a price. Chen Rou estimated it was fair and paid every penny in full to her mother.

“How’s the baby?” Chen Mother asked, glancing at her belly.

“Other than feeling a little lazy, I don’t feel much of anything,” Chen Rou replied with a smile.

She stayed a good while at her mother’s before saying goodbye and heading home.

Chen Mother took the money her daughter had given and divided it among her three daughters-in-law. “Rou Rou came today to get the canteen and paid me back every cent. I figured you three could use a bit of pocket money.”

The three sisters-in-law lit up with joy!

Chen Mother handed them each their share and warned, “Take good care of the household and don’t stir up trouble. Rou Rou hasn’t taken a single thing from the family for free. Guobin has brought over how many fish now? You’ve all eaten them. We’re still family, and we’ll continue to visit each other, so don’t be petty!”

“Of course, Mom. We understand,” the three daughters-in-law said happily. Their mother-in-law’s word was law.

Still, knowing that the military canteen was for their sister-in-law made them feel a bit resentful. They’d often brought it up with their husbands at night.

But now there was nothing to say—hadn’t their sister-in-law refused to take even a drop of the family’s hard-earned money?

And from the looks of it, she really had grown up. This marriage would be one to maintain.

Chen Rou didn’t concern herself with her maternal family’s matters. Although the military canteen was good, after she brought it home, she still boiled it thoroughly inside and out before using it.

She had just poured in hot water to test its heat retention.

The military canteen had cost a bit of money, but Chen Rou didn’t mind at all. It would be useful in many ways in the future. Whenever her Guobin went hunting or worked in the fields to earn labor points, she could bring it to him so he would have hot water to drink.

Even in peacetime, people always said, “Drink more hot water—it cures all ailments.” Of course, her Guobin had to have hot water with him

This wild boar alone brought in more than forty yuan.

The wild chickens and rabbits weren’t few either—around eight yuan. Together, it totaled over fifty yuan.

With the money in hand and a piece of meat cut for himself, Han Guobin went home.

He was exhausted, so his pace slowed, and by the time he got home, it was almost six o’clock. Some villagers saw him returning.

When Han Guobin arrived, Chen Rou had already prepared hot water. Not only that, there was also steaming hot millet porridge waiting for him.

Seeing how tired he was, Chen Rou felt a real pang in her heart and said, “Quick, wash up. Once you’re done, eat and get some rest.”

Han Guobin was indeed tired. He nodded and didn’t say much.

After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he went to eat porridge. Chen Rou had sliced up some of the meat he brought home and pan-fried it, used a bit of oil to fry him an egg, and stir-fried some bean sprouts with a bit of meat.

Han Guobin was famished and devoured the food ravenously.

Once he finished eating, Chen Rou didn’t let him do anything else and sent him straight to the bedroom to sleep.

Sister-in-law Han soon heard the news and came over, curious to ask if he made any money.

Chen Rou was just in the kitchen and said, “He traded everything for this chunk of meat to bring home and eat.”

Sister-in-law Han came in to look at the meat. It wasn’t a small piece—after cutting off some to fry and make eggs for Han Guobin, there was still over two jin left.

Looking at the meat, Sister-in-law Han couldn’t help but feel greedy and exclaimed, “You’re really daring to eat like this!”

She truly believed they must have made a decent profit. Otherwise, how could they bear to buy such a large piece of meat? But at the same time, she couldn’t help but wonder—with this kind of eating, how much could they really save, even if they did earn money?

“I’m pregnant—I have to be willing to spend a little,” Chen Rou said.

In truth, she was also reluctant to spend. She still had quite a bit of meat in her space, so there was no real need to buy so much. But since her Guobin had bought it, she wouldn’t say a word against it.

“Big sister, do you want some? I can cut a piece for you, charge you at market price,” Chen Rou offered.

But Sister-in-law Han couldn’t bear to spend money on meat. To her, it felt like slicing off her own flesh.

So she soon went back home.

Chen Rou took the chance to secretly take another jin of meat from her space.

The production team was about to start work, and Han Guobin would need to shoulder his hoe and head out tomorrow. From then on, they’d be busy. How could they do without eating meat?

She took out a jin of pork belly, sliced and fried it all. The smell was amazing, and she stored it in a big ceramic bowl to eat slowly.

She started kneading dough again. For lunch, she was going to make corn buns for her Guobin.

Many villagers had seen Han Guobin return, and some even caught the smell of meat coming from their home.

After the New Year, every household had saved quite a bit of lard from the pig slaughter, but they had to make it last until the next meat distribution. They were all reluctant to use it.

Neighbor Zhou Zhen came over.

Hearing people say that Chen Rou’s family had earned money and bought meat, Chen Rou simply said, “Yes, we bought some meat to eat.”

“But you should try to save a little. You two are really willing to eat well,” Zhou Zhen remarked.

Living next door, how could she not know about the tempting aroma coming from their place recently? Not to mention that Han Guobin had brought the Ma family a fish too.

“Once the team starts working, even if we want to eat, we won’t have the time,” Chen Rou replied.

Zhou Zhen stayed for a short while before going back—she still had laundry to do.

Han Guobin slept straight through to noon and still hadn’t had enough rest. It was only after Chen Rou finished cooking that she woke him up to eat while it was still hot.

There were corn buns, egg drop soup, and potato stew with meat.

Han Guobin got up and drank a glass of water before joining his wife for lunch. After eating his fill and getting some rest, he finally felt refreshed.

He brought over his cotton-padded jacket and started pulling money out of it. After deducting the cost of the meat, he had brought back fifty-two yuan.

Seeing her husband’s wide smile and her own eyes widening in shock, Chen Rou heard him say, “We hunted a wild boar, so I earned a bit more this time.”

It finally felt like the recent trips into the mountains hadn’t been in vain—they had encountered a wild boar.

“I haven’t paid Gao Zheng yet,” Han Guobin suddenly remembered.

“How much are you giving him?” Chen Rou asked.

“Five yuan,” Han Guobin replied.

“Really?” Chen Rou looked at him in surprise. She had expected they’d have to give at least ten yuan.

“Five is enough,” he said.

Gao Zheng came over at two in the afternoon, and Han Guobin gave him five yuan. Gao Zheng actually felt it was a bit much.

He hadn’t really helped with the wild boar—at best, he helped carry it a short distance. The rest was all Han Guobin’s effort.

As for the wild chickens and rabbits, he had contributed some, but he knew in his heart that even two yuan was already generous.

Getting five yuan, he felt a bit embarrassed.

The wild boar had nothing to do with him. How could he deserve five yuan for the rest?

“Take it. We can go together again in the future,” Han Guobin said.

Although Gao Zheng was embarrassed, seeing that his Brother Bin truly wanted him to take it, he brought it home. As for the wild boar hunt, he never mentioned a word of it to anyone.

Not even his own parents. He gave them three yuan and kept the remaining two for himself.

Brother Bin had said it was good to hide a little pocket money, so he could give it to his future wife after marriage—she’d be really happy.

Over the past few days, Gao Zheng had saved up a few yuan in private funds. He had also given his parents around eight yuan to help repay debts. By the end of the year, with the dividends, they’d probably be debt-free.

Then he could start preparing to find a wife.

Meanwhile, Chen Rou was calculating their family’s finances. Although they had spent a little, it wasn’t much compared to what they earned.

Their total savings now approached four hundred yuan. It wasn’t quite enough to build a brick house yet, but that was okay—living like this for now was no problem.

Now that they had the military canteen, there really wasn’t anything else they needed. Chen Rou didn’t plan to spend more money.

She couldn’t have Guobin working hard at the front while she splurged at the back. How would they ever save anything that way?

Han Guobin didn’t return from this mountain trip until three days later.

He brought back six yuan.

“I gave two yuan to Gao Zheng,” he said.

Chen Rou asked, “Did he mind?”

“No,” Han Guobin shook his head.

Gao Zheng was brave, but he wasn’t very good at hunting and had no sales channels—that all depended on Han Guobin.

Naturally, Han took the lion’s share. That was understood.

Besides, Gao Zheng didn’t even know how much they had earned, but even getting two yuan made him happy.

He had nothing else to do anyway. It was easy money for him, and not a small amount either.

After resting for a day, the next day Han Guobin headed out again with dry rations his wife had prepared—and the military canteen.

“Brother Bin, where did you get that military canteen? That must’ve been expensive, right?” Gao Zheng asked.

“My wife was afraid I’d have no hot water to drink. She made sure I brought it,” Han Guobin said.

As for how much it cost, he hadn’t asked—his wife made all the decisions at home. Whatever she decided was fine.

But clearly, his wife cared about him. And Han Guobin had to admit, having that canteen really was a comfort.

From the sixteenth day of the lunar new year, he kept hunting until it was almost time to start spring planting, but Han Guobin never encountered another wild boar. He was a little disappointed.

After all, once he went back, he’d have to start working in the fields. There’d be no time to go into the mountains.

So, that afternoon, Han Guobin gritted his teeth and took Gao Zheng deeper into the mountains.

Under the high moon, Han Guobin slowly unwrapped a piece of candy and put it in his mouth. Lying beside him was a massive wild boar—bigger than the one he caught the first time.

Gao Zheng jumped down from a large rock, his face still filled with lingering fear.

“Brother Bin, are you okay?” he asked.

His Brother Bin was the bravest man he had ever seen in his life. That boar must’ve weighed over 200 jin!

His sickle had been useless. He hadn’t dared get involved at all. Brother Bin had taken it down alone!

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help glancing at Brother Bin’s long knife—so sharp, so deadly.

“I’m fine,” Han Guobin said after finishing the candy and resting. “But you need to come with me now.”

“Okay!” Gao Zheng nodded.

The two of them walked over four hours through the night. Then Han Guobin parted ways with him and told him to come by the house tomorrow afternoon.

Gao Zheng knew he was going to sell it, and didn’t follow. The less he knew, the safer he’d be.

Han Guobin carried everything himself and walked another hour before reaching the pig farm.

Old Yang was stunned when he saw the massive wild boar: “Wow! Another wild boar?”

“Caught it with a partner,” Han Guobin said as he threw down a burlap sack.

This was the final trip. From the start of spring planting until the end of the farming season later in the year, there would be no more mountain trips.

They had to make the most of this one.

And it really was a big haul. This wild boar was enormous—not quite 200 jin, but 193 jin—a true giant.

Live boars were worth 0.23 yuan per jin, so just this one brought in…