Although Xie Hanshuo had anticipated this, seeing the scene with his own eyes still made his heart grow cold. After returning to their room, he lay down on the floor mat, fully clothed, without a word, showing only a stubborn back to Ye Yao. Ye Yao stared at his broad shoulders and back, feeling a sense of loneliness emanating from him. Vague questions from her previous life seemed to find their answers now.
Back then, the silver and game that Xie Hanshuo had risked his life for always flowed silently to the eldest brother’s household. He had always been silent, and as the eldest daughter-in-law, even if she felt it was unfair, how could she speak up for someone else? Circumstances dictated her position; she had neither the time nor the strength to care for his plight. Thinking about it now, this long-term neglect and constant taking were perhaps exactly why Xie Hanshuo had eventually chosen to leave decisively.
In the dim light, Ye Yao sighed softly. This second Xie son, who appeared tall, fierce, and unapproachable, who would have thought he was actually… like this? With that dejected look, he was just like a puppy that had been wronged but could only suffer in silence. Ye Yao couldn’t help but chuckle softly. She propped herself up on the kang and gently kicked his stiff back; it felt solid, as immovable as a rock.
“Hey.”
“What is it?” Xie Hanshuo immediately pricked up his ears, his defensive posture making him look even more like a startled dog. The foot behind him remained lightly pressed against his back, bringing a warm, soft touch. Xie Hanshuo reacted as if touched by fire, suddenly sitting up, his breathing becoming heavy and rapid for no reason. He looked up and glared at Ye Yao, his eyes filled with a feigned fierceness as he whispered hoarsely, “Ye Yao!”
Ye Yao blinked innocently. “Can’t I even kick you once? Look at you, why are you getting worked up again?”
Xie Hanshuo was speechless, the veins on the back of his hand bulging slightly. His heart hammered like a drum, and his cheeks warmed with a heat imperceptible in the moonlight. Fortunately, the moonlight was dim tonight, and Ye Yao did not notice his anomaly.
“I just wanted to ask if you were hungry,” Ye Yao’s tone softened. “I’ve hidden the zeng gao so I can sell it tomorrow. I specially saved a piece for you, wrapped in oil paper.” As she spoke, she pulled a palm-sized piece of zeng gao from her clothes as if by magic and pushed it into Xie Hanshuo’s hand, coaxing him softly like a child: “Stop being angry, try it.”
As if ice meeting the warm sun, the frustration in Xie Hanshuo’s heart instantly dissipated, and a wave of warmth surged in his chest. He responded with a low grunt, his tone softening involuntarily: “You… you eat too.” He clumsily wondered how to respond and finally made a stumbling promise: “After I sell the game tomorrow, I… I’ll buy you something delicious too.”
Ye Yao smiled and accepted. The two quickly finished sharing that piece of sweet, sticky zeng gao, and Ye Yao urged him to rest. They had much to do tomorrow, and once she earned money from selling the zeng gao, her priority was to visit her uncle’s family in Xinghua Village. Having lived two lives, the relatives she truly cared about could be counted on one hand. A flash of determination crossed Ye Yao’s eyes; this time, she would protect them and never let the tragedies of her past life repeat themselves.
The next morning, before dawn, the two rose to pack. Before leaving, Ye Yao carefully hid the five taels of silver earned from the snakes in the brick crevices behind the bed in the east room. It was hers to inhabit, making it a relatively secure hiding spot. This wasn’t entirely out of suspicion toward Xie Hanshuo, but because they hadn’t divided the household yet! Mother Xie and Xie Moyan would inevitably set their sights on this income. If it came to a direct confrontation, she could manage, but she worried Mother Xie would use soft, pleading tactics, acting weak and pitiful. No matter how tough Xie Hanshuo was, he might not be able to harden his heart against his closest kin. Ye Yao didn’t plan to divide the house or burn bridges yet, but she didn’t want to put him in a difficult position, so she had to hide the money to deal with things calmly later. After all, only by guarding the money could there be room for maneuver.
Sure enough, when Mother Xie saw the cart loaded with game entering the courtyard, with Xie Hanshuo leading a mountain goat by the rope, she greeted them with smiles, saying: “Oh, Second Son, you’ve finally returned! Have you eaten? Hurry back to the room and rest; Mother will make dumplings for you at noon.”
Mother Xie spoke while eyeing the game, calculating its value. The goat in the yard would be exactly enough to pay Moyan’s tuition. Xie Hanshuo ignored her request for the goat leg; a whole goat fetched a much higher price, and he wasn’t willing to let her give it to his brother for appearances.
The sky was still dark, and the road was quiet. This time, Ye Yao refused to ride the cart; the load was heavy, and she couldn’t bear to let Xie Hanshuo pull it alone. They reached the city gate just as the dawn light appeared. After paying the tax, they entered.
“Where do you usually sell your game?” Ye Yao asked softly. “I’m going to the morning market at the entrance of Nanyu Alley to sell the zeng gao. Do you want to come with me?”
The morning market at Nanyu Alley was always lively; Ye Yao chose it because there were many wealthy families there willing to spend money on snacks.
“I usually sell my game at the North Market,” Xie Hanshuo pondered. “Never mind, I’ll go with you today.” He was worried about leaving her alone.
They found a good spot in Nanyu Alley. Ye Yao laid out the zeng gao, using the remaining oil paper she had bought earlier. She seemed familiar with where to buy more, not looking like a novice at all. Xie Hanshuo had his doubts but didn’t ask, focusing on shouting his wares.
“Fresh game, come and take a look!”
Game wasn’t a hot commodity, but the rabbit meat was fresh, and some customers asked for prices. Ye Yao’s stall wasn’t far away, and business was brisk. The novelty of the zeng gao attracted attention. Since it contained nuts and dates, people knew it wasn’t cheap. Once they heard it was sweetened, they asked for prices.
“Seven wen a piece, it tastes great, care to try?” Ye Yao offered.
For a palm-sized, half-catty piece of sweetened cake, it was a bargain. Soon, people were buying. She had prepared two pots—about thirty pieces—and they were soon nearly sold out. A woman from the breakfast stall next door smiled and asked, “Young woman, I’ve never seen this before. You’re not from around here, are you?”
Ye Yao looked up, seeing a familiar face, and felt a lump in her throat. She suppressed her tears and smiled, “This is a recipe passed down by my mother. I made extra today; please, have one on the house.”