Chapter 16: Wu Linghong

“Mom, I’m thinking of using these two bolts of cloth to make clothes for you, Dad, and Gou Wang. Who in the village is good at sewing?”
Yu Nuan held the bolts of linen and went to find Yu Mother.

Hearing this, Yu Mother quickly replied, “Just make a couple for you and Gou Wang. I don’t go out anymore and don’t need much. If you must, make a set for your dad.”

“There are a few skilled needlewomen in the village,” she added, “Zhao family’s daughter-in-law who came today and the lady from the Wu family at the village’s edge are the best.”

Yu Mother thought of how she herself used to be excellent with needlework.
If her eyes hadn’t gone bad from overworking in the dark, she wouldn’t be unable to even sew her own clothes now.

“Alright. I’ll visit them in the next couple of days,” Yu Nuan replied without refuting her.
She still planned to make something for her quietly.
The elderly had worked hard all their lives, yet didn’t even own a decent outfit.

Lowering her gaze to the ragged clothes on herself, she thought: Even patchwork is better than nothing.

After leaving Yu Mother’s room with Gou Wang in her arms, she returned to her own room and gave the baby another bottle of milk.
Maybe it was the effect of the goat milk powder, but the baby’s skin was now glowing pink and tender—looking more and more like a little fortune doll.

Once he was fed, she headed toward the outhouse near the yard.
Two black piglets, each over ten jin, were lazily sprawled in the sun, looking wilted.

After glancing at the yard, she decided to build a pigsty on the other side of the bamboo fence gate.

At that moment, Yu Father returned from outside.
He had just checked on the cornfield—
the husks were large, but the kernels small.
Still, with the brothers’ grain contribution this year, they should make it through.

Seeing Yu Nuan crouched down staring at the piglets, he approached.
She heard the movement, looked up—and noticed his red-rimmed eyes.

Don’t tell me he went out to cry… sigh.

“Dad, let’s build the pigsty over here,” she suggested, pointing across the yard.
Give him something to do—keep his mind busy and his thoughts might ease up.

“Alright,” he nodded, “there are quite a few dead trees behind the house.”

“I’ll go collect some branches for you now,” she said.

Yu Father leaned against the fence, deep in thought.
Just fencing wouldn’t do—it wasn’t sturdy enough. They needed to build mud walls.
But with only one good leg, he wouldn’t manage on his own.

Yu Nuan headed around back and checked out the tree growth.
Her teeth hurt just looking—those eucalyptus trees were thick as arms.
Even the dried ones wouldn’t be easy to chop—
Cutting trees? I’ve got no experience!

She gave up for now and decided to gather some wild grass to feed the piglets first.
After tossing the grass into their bamboo basket pen, she clapped her hands and shouted to Yu Father:

“Dad, should we call in a couple people to help?”

Sitting by the house, Yu Father thought for a moment.
The pigsty wasn’t exactly large, but it wasn’t small either.
With just the two of them, it’d take days.

“Alright, I’ll go to the village and find someone.”

Just then, a figure began walking up the slope.

Yu Nuan, facing away, didn’t see it—
but Yu Father spotted him immediately: “Wu boy~”

“Hey, Uncle Yu!” came a bright, cheerful voice.

Hearing that, Yu Nuan turned her head—and was stunned.
Wow.

Tall—at least 1.9 meters.
Dark-skinned.
Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs.
Thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a short, neatly trimmed beard.
There was a wild, rugged energy about him—
he looked like one of those strong Tibetan highland men.

He glanced at Yu Nuan at the gate and gave her a faint smile before stepping inside.
As he walked, he spoke:

“Uncle Yu, I came to discuss something with you.”

“Alright, alright—come, sit!”

Yu Nuan was puzzled. She had no memory of this person.
He must not have interacted much with the original host.
But judging by how warmly Yu Father treated him, it was probably because of that life-saving incident the other day.

“Uncle Yu,” Wu said, “my family wants to build a house. The old spot isn’t good anymore.
A few days ago, I spoke with Village Chief Li. I want to set the foundation beside your house. He told me to come ask your opinion first…”

Yu Nuan walked closer and caught bits of the conversation—
Turned out his family’s land was just too inconveniently located.
Their house was built on a patch of wild land, completely surrounded by other people’s farmland.
Behind the house was a paddy field used by villagers.

Whenever it rained or irrigation was in full swing, the rising canal water would flood the back wall of their house.
Though the house was built using stones mixed with mud bricks,
after years of dampness, the eastern kitchen had already been flooded multiple times.
The inside of their house was often dark and clammy.

His mother had long suffered from rheumatism.
Years of herbal treatments did nothing—her condition only worsened.
Come rainy season or the cold of autumn and winter, the pain would keep her up all night.

He’d looked around the village, but nearly every plot of land had already been claimed and cultivated.
To him, the wasteland near the Yu house was perfect.

Also at the foot of the mountain, it was on high ground and free from flood risk.
He had even surveyed the back mountain—it had a smooth, full shape.
The hill in front of it wasn’t steep or full of loose rock.
Even during heavy rain, there was no danger of landslides.

While villagers saw it as unwanted wild land, he saw a strategic location:
backed by mountains, facing water, with a solid foundation and good sunlight.

After hearing him out, Yu Father was momentarily stunned.
Then he smiled, “Of course you can. The back mountain belongs to me, but this patch of land isn’t part of it.
Still, if you want to build a house, go ahead. Your grandfather’s three plots of mountain land are linked to it anyway—this is a good spot.”

Yu Father was genuinely happy.
Distant relatives aren’t as useful as nearby neighbors.
Having someone next door was a plus.
Besides, this young man had saved Yu Nuan’s life—how could he say no?

“Alright, I’ll go speak with Village Chief Li about it.”

“Come here, Nuan girl—this is your Brother Wu. He’s the one who saved you…”

“Here, Nuan girl—these two rabbits are for you to raise. We have too many at home.”

Huh? Only then did Yu Nuan notice he was holding two plump, snow-white rabbits.

“Wu…” She couldn’t quite say gege (big brother).
He looked to be barely in his twenties.
And the whole seniority thing was way too messy…

“Just call me by my name—Wu Linghong.”

…

“Pfft—” she suddenly laughed.

“What is it?” Wu Linghong was baffled by her reaction.

“Sorry, it’s just… light…”

“Light?”

Cough cough— “Nothing. Anyway, you should take the rabbits back. I can’t possibly repay a life-saving favor…”
The old cliché sounded weird even to her.

“I’ve got too many at home. Besides, we’ll be neighbors now. Helping each other is natural.”

He was still confused about that “light” comment,
but seeing that Yu Nuan wasn’t about to explain, he let it go.

“Alright then. If you ever need help from my place, just ask.
Dad, I’m going to chop some branches.”

Yu Nuan glanced at him again as she turned, but couldn’t help laughing softly.
Wonder if he believes in light…

“I’m off, Old Yu,” said Wu Linghong.

“Alright—oh, let’s go together. I need to find a couple of people in the village to help build a pigsty,”
Yu Father said as he picked up a stick and stood up.

“Dear, don’t forget to ask about the seamstress too…”
Yu Mother called from inside the house.
It was the busy farming season—who knew if anyone had time to sew.

“Got it!”

“Old Yu, you’re building a pigsty?”

“Yes! Look—these two piglets have nowhere to go.”
He pointed to the pen as they walked.

“No need to go. I’m free today anyway. Let me help build it for you.”