Chapter 18: The Package at the Door

Liu Shi hesitated, looking at the fruit in her hand.

“Mother, won’t this tire you out too much?”

Zhao Qiao’e took a small handful of vegetables from the basket and sprinkled water on the rest, spreading them in the cool shade of the corner.

“I’ve been doing this for years.  It’s nothing. You’re pregnant; you should rest.”

Liu Shi pursed her lips. “Okay, then Mother, take your time.”

“Got it.”

Zhao Qiao’e smiled, glanced at Liu Shi’s back, and sighed.

Her daughter-in-law was indeed a good woman, someone who could live a good life.  But her own daughter’s personality… it would be difficult in the future.

Wealthy families would certainly look down on their circumstances. If she married into an ordinary farmer’s family, either she or her husband would suffer.

“Oh dear! What should I do?”

…

Lunch was just finished when the three men returned from the fields, and Zhuzi and Zhuangzi returned from the private school.

“Mother, we have a new teacher at the private school today.”

Zhao Qiao’e stopped what she was doing in surprise. “What happened?  Isn’t Mr. Xu coming anymore?”

Zhuzi shook his head. “He’s not gone, he went to town this morning and asked a friend to teach in his place.  The substitute teacher, Mr. Zhuang, is a Tongsheng.”

Zhao Qiao’e breathed a sigh of relief.

“So that’s it. I thought Mr. Xu wasn’t going to teach you anymore.” She continued, “Go wash your hands and come eat.”

Lunch was still rice porridge with a small bowl of vegetables.

After lunch, Song Jinsheng went to help Song Ma Zi.

It was too hot, so Song Jinbao and Song Jinyuan rested at home before going to the fields after noon.

Zhao Qiao’e had worked in a tailor shop before, so she spent the afternoon embroidering handkerchiefs in her room. Liu Shi hadn’t left her room after lunch.

“Knock knock knock!”

A soft knock sounded, easily missed in the hot summer.

Song Yuntang stretched her neck to look out the window. Seeing no one going to open the door, she became curious and went outside.

Zhao Qiao’e, sewing in the room, felt her neck stiff and raised her head to stretch, just as Song Yuntang was walking to the gate.

“Tang’er, it’s so hot. Where are you going?”

“I think I heard a knock.” Song Yuntang said, already opening the gate.

No one was outside.  Only a piece of oiled paper lay on the doorstep, with a piece of meat, some pastries, and a bag of candied fruit on it.  Underneath the pastries and candied fruit was an unsigned envelope.

Seeing these things, Song Yuntang felt a moment of surprise, but not knowing who sent them, she didn’t immediately take them.

She looked around. Every household had its doors closed. The sun made the air seem to shimmer.

“Tang’er, if no one’s there, come in quickly.  Heatstroke would be troublesome.” Zhao Qiao’e’s voice came from inside.

“Got it.” Song Yuntang squatted down.

She didn’t know who sent the things, but leaving them at the door wasn’t good.  Even if they didn’t spoil, someone else might take them.

Seeing her enter with a pile of things, Zhao Qiao’e was surprised.

“Tang’er, what did you bring?”

“I don’t know who left it at the door.”

Song Yuntang placed the things on the long table outside the kitchen and opened the letter.  It contained only one line: The Huang family matter is temporarily resolved.  Rest easy for now.

Zhao Qiao’e also came out, looking at the meat and snacks on the table with surprise.

“Goodness, who left this at the door?”

Song Yuntang’s eyes lit up.

“It’s Mr. Xu. He said the Huang family matter is temporarily resolved.”

“So fast?” Zhao Qiao’e breathed a sigh of relief.  “Good.  We won’t have to worry anymore.  Now that the Huang family is busy, we should quickly find a matchmaker to arrange your marriage.”

Song Yuntang was uninterested in getting engaged.

“You handle it.”

Seeing her expression, Zhao Qiao’e felt a little helpless.

“This child, you never seem to care about anything.” She looked at the things on the table. “Mr. Xu helped us so much.  Shouldn’t we return these things?”

“Why not?” Song Yuntang opened the pastries and candied fruit, taking a pastry and some candied fruit, eating as she spoke. “His life is worth more than these things. Besides, he sent them, and returning them would make me seem petty.”

Then, she went back to her room.

Zhao Qiao’e shook her head, watching her back.

This girl is still as troublesome as ever.

And Mr. Xu too, ill for so many years without improvement, yet he believed her daughter’s words.  She wondered if her daughter was truly skilled or if Mr. Xu was desperate.

Zhao Qiao’e cut the two jin of pork into strips, stringing them up to air in a dark, well-ventilated place.

She kept some fresh pork to make a pork and vegetable soup that night.

As for the remaining pastries and candied fruit, since Mr. Xu sent them to Song Yuntang, Zhao Qiao’e didn’t distribute them but put them back in her room.

Seeing the two packages on the table, Song Yuntang looked at Zhao Qiao’e in surprise.

Zhao Qiao’e approached, taking her hand. “When I came back at noon, I saw your sister-in-law was upset. I didn’t dare ask her. Did something happen while I was out this morning?”

Song Yuntang withdrew her hand, not denying it.

“Something happened.”

“What? Tell me.”

Seeing Song Yuntang didn’t speak, Zhao Qiao’e sighed. “Your sister-in-law has suffered some grievances here. She’s simple and straightforward, someone who can live a good life. Now that she’s pregnant, her emotions are naturally more volatile. We should be more tolerant.”

Song Yuntang raised an eyebrow. “What happened this morning wasn’t because of me. Tian Qiuyan was stirring up trouble.”

Zhao Qiao’e was surprised.

“Tian Qiuyan too?”

“She told my sister-in-law that I gave her the wrong medicine and tried to harm her baby.”

Zhao Qiao’e’s expression turned serious. “Did your sister-in-law believe her?”

“Almost,” Song Yuntang said calmly. “If I hadn’t arrived in time to chase Tian Qiuyan away, she might have believed her.”

“Unbelievable!” Zhao Qiao’e stood up angrily. “That troublemaker Tian Shi caused chaos in her own family after marriage, and now she dares to interfere in our family! I’ll go tear her mouth apart!”

Zhao Shi was usually gentle, but when she got angry, no one could stop her.

Letting her deal with Tian Shi was good.  Hopefully, they would become sworn enemies, preventing Tian Shi from interfering again.  She didn’t have time for such petty squabbles.