“Mother, you’ve forgotten. That Guanyin tofu I made yesterday was something I saw in a book, and today’s fishing method also came from an ancient text.” Lin Shu tilted her chin up with a beaming smile. “Your daughter didn’t spend all those years in the Marquis’s manor for nothing.”
He Guixiang’s face first lit up with joy, but then a hint of guilt flickered in her eyes.
If the babies hadn’t been switched back then, all of this should have belonged to A-Yao, shouldn’t it?
The moment Lin Shu saw her expression, she knew her mother was thinking about the female lead again. However, she wasn’t the least bit jealous. When she left the Marquis’s manor, she had done so decisively, preserving the dignity of both parties. The Marchioness would likely think of her from time to time as well; a bond nurtured for over a decade wasn’t something that would fade just because someone said so.
Lin Shu acted nonchalant and asked, “Mother, are you thinking of Sister Yao again?”
Suddenly exposed, He Guixiang’s face showed a flash of panic and helplessness, followed by guilt. “No, A-Shu, listen to Mother’s explanation… I just… I just thought…”
“Mother, don’t be anxious. I’m not going to be jealous of Sister Yao.”
Lin Shu hugged her arm and rested her head on her mother’s shoulder, saying, “I know Mother feels guilty, and so do I. But to put it bluntly, when the daughters of great families learn the zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting, it’s partly for appearance, but ultimately it’s so they can marry into a good family later. Sister Yao has already won the affection of the Duke of Ying’s manor. The heir to the Duke of Ying is as elegant as a jade tree and as refined as polished jade—a dragon among men. Many young ladies in the capital admire him, but he has eyes only for Sister Yao. Even without learning these arts, Sister Yao can find happiness through her own merits. Mother, if you think about it that way, doesn’t it make you feel much better?”
Lin Shu had learned the art of persuasion during the apocalypse. Under her coaxing, He Guixiang’s furrowed brows truly began to relax.
In truth, many young ladies in the capital didn’t actually enjoy learning those arts; it was simply that everyone else did, and if you didn’t, you seemed inferior. Beyond that, the original host had studied particularly hard because of a comment made by Gu Yi’an when they were children, becoming almost a model student. Throughout that process, she had been in pain and found no joy in it whatsoever.
Yet, no matter the pain, the benefits the original host gained were tangible. Learning these things had broadened her horizons, cultivated her temperament, and enhanced her aura—things the reborn female lead would find difficult to compensate for after missing out on them for fourteen years.
However, Lin Shu didn’t want He Guixiang to constantly worry about the female lead or live in perpetual guilt. It was an evil servant of the Marquis’s manor who had intentionally switched the children; what did that have to do with He Guixiang?
The Marchioness was the mother of a child separated from her for over a decade, but wasn’t He Guixiang, a mere village woman, also separated from her flesh and blood for over a decade?
If one really looked at it, He Guixiang had every right to resent the people of the Marquis’s manor for switching her child.
It was only because the Marquis’s manor was a powerful and noble house that He Guixiang, despite having reason on her side, felt she was in the wrong, believing her own biological daughter had stolen someone else’s good life.
If things had gone according to the original book’s ending—where the original host died on a manor after committing endless evil—everyone would have been happy. But who would have spared a thought for Lin Dashan’s family far away in this small mountain village?
What did He Guixiang ever do to anyone to deserve losing a daughter for nothing, only to be told her biological daughter’s death was her own fault?
“A-Shu, Mother understands now. I won’t get stuck in that rut anymore,” He Guixiang said. Looking at her soft and delicate biological daughter, her heart felt warm.
Heaven had been kind to her. A-Yao had left, but it had sent back such a thoughtful “padded jacket” of a daughter.
“Mother, Sister, I want a hug too!” Lin Xiaopu mimicked Lin Shu’s behavior and snuggled up to He Guixiang.
The three of them chatted affectionately for a while.
Just as He Guixiang had expected, not long after breakfast, Third Aunt Wang Qiaohua arrived carrying a bamboo basket.
The gate to the courtyard was wide open, and the three of them saw her as soon as she reached the entrance.
“Second Sister-in-law. Xiaopu and… the eldest daughter are both here.”
Wang Qiaohua sounded a bit uneasy when she first called out “Second Sister-in-law,” but after that initial awkwardness, her attitude quickly became familiar. “Yushu brought back a large grass carp, and I made braised fish. the whole family loved it. I only found out after asking that it was a gift from the eldest daughter and Xiaopu. Look at you two, why be so polite? Third Aunt can’t just eat your food for nothing. These are two pairs of cattail straw sandals I wove when I had some free time. They have toe coverings. The eldest daughter is different from us; she’s from a refined background, so wearing these will be more respectable. Here, take them and wear them. If they wear out, Third Aunt will make more for you.”
Wang Qiaohua pulled back the floral cloth on the basket and took out two pairs of straw sandals.
Lin Shu looked over and was surprised. These were straw sandals woven from cattails, with thick soles and smooth, rounded toes. They were much more exquisite than the ones on her feet and looked quite comfortable.
Seeing that they weren’t speaking, Wang Qiaohua directly stuffed a pair into Lin Xiaopu’s hand and another into Lin Shu’s. “Quick, try them for size. I see Xiaopu often, so her size can’t be wrong. For the eldest daughter, I only caught a few glimpses of her in the crowd when she arrived, so I’m not sure if I estimated the size correctly.”
Lin Shu looked at He Guixiang, and after receiving a nod, she happily accepted the sandals. “Thank you, Third Aunt. These sandals are woven so beautifully; I like them very much.”
As she spoke, she immediately took off her old sandals and changed into the new ones. She stepped around the courtyard and found they fit perfectly.
This Third Aunt was truly impressive to be able to estimate the size accurately after just a few glances in a crowd.
Lin Xiaopu couldn’t bear to wear hers yet. She measured them against her feet and then tucked the new sandals away.
“You’ve gone to a lot of trouble, Sister-in-law. Please, sit down,” He Guixiang invited.
Wang Qiaohua waved her hand and said, “I won’t sit, I won’t sit. The sun is good these two days, so I have to go back and dry the hemp. Later, when it’s time to spin the hemp, shall I bring it over to your place so we can do it together?”
He Guixiang smiled. “Good, I was just feeling bored by myself.”
Wang Qiaohua glanced at Lin Shu, then at Lin Xiaopu. “How could you be bored, Second Sister-in-law? You have Xiaopu and your eldest daughter to keep you company. Not like me; my Yushu went to the fields with his father before dawn.”
He Guixiang remained silent.
The corners of Wang Qiaohua’s mouth dipped, and the bitterness on her face deepened. “Second Sister-in-law, I was being petty before. I’ve moved past it now. A person has to accept their fate; our Yushu just isn’t fated for schooling. Look, after the family division, I’ve worked all these years and still can’t save enough for the boy’s tuition. Why did I blame others back then? Yushu stopped mentioning school long ago; I’m the one who couldn’t let it go. In the end, I made you dislike me and caused a rift between his father and Second Brother.”
Wang Qiaohua had originally intended to just bow her head and apologize, hoping the relationship between the two families would slowly return to how it was. But as she spoke, she thought of the bitterness she had kept bottled up inside for years; sorrow welled up, and her eyes grew moist.
Seeing this, He Guixiang also felt a bit uneasy. Remembering what A-Shu had said earlier, she couldn’t help but look over at her.
Lin Shu gave her a reassuring look and said to Wang Qiaohua, “Third Aunt, I have a way for Cousin Yushu to continue his studies. There’s no need for tuition. He just needs to study for one hour every day after breakfast. If he has good talent, he can achieve something in just half a year. I’m not saying he’ll pass the imperial exams, but being a bookkeeper in town or even in the county wouldn’t be a problem.”
Wang Qiaohua was stunned. “No tuition? Is there really such a good thing in this world?”
Lin Shu said with a chuckle, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world, but Yushu is my cousin, after all.”
Wang Qiaohua still hadn’t snapped out of it until Lin Shu pointed to herself. “Third Aunt, I am a well-bred lady from a Marquis’s manor in the capital. When it comes to reading and writing, I’m no worse than those old scholars. I will personally teach Yushu to read. I won’t charge tuition; he just needs to help me with some odd jobs from time to time.”
Wang Qiaohua’s eyes suddenly widened, and a flash of ecstatic light burst from them. “Eldest daughter! Eldest daughter, are you telling the truth?!”
“It’s absolutely true. He was very helpful today, and he looks like he has the potential for study; it would be a shame if he didn’t. If you and Yushu don’t mind that I’m a female teacher, I will be his tutor.”
“Mind what?!” Wang Qiaohua grabbed her hands in excitement. “Eldest daughter, good girl, since you care so much for your cousin, I’ll have him kowtow to you and show you filial respect once he makes something of himself. No, no—I’ll go call that boy here right now and have him kowtow to you immediately!”
Lin Shu immediately held her back. “Third Aunt, you’re being too formal. My word is always good. Don’t be in such a hurry; go back today and discuss it properly with Third Uncle and Yushu himself. If you all agree, just have Cousin Yushu come over tomorrow after breakfast.”
“Yes, yes, yes. Good, good, good,” Wang Qiaohua replied repeatedly. Remembering something, she hurriedly asked, “Eldest daughter, is it okay to just come over? Do we need to prepare anything? Like brushes, ink, paper, or inkstones?”
Lin Shu smiled and said, “Third Aunt, you can just call me A-Shu like Mother does. Let’s not worry about preparing those things yet. I’ll teach Cousin Yushu to read and write first. In the beginning, we’ll write on the ground. Once he’s learned enough, we’ll buy the supplies to practice calligraphy. That way, we can save a lot of money.”
“Aye! Third Aunt will listen to you!” Wang Qiaohua thanked her profusely once more before leaving happily.
He Guixiang watched her go and felt moved, yet she also felt her daughter was incredibly capable.
“Teaching one is teaching, and teaching two is the same. Xiaopu, from now on, you will learn alongside him.”
Suddenly called out, Lin Xiaopu looked dazed. “But Sister, I’m a girl.”
“What’s wrong with being a girl? Girls can also read and write. You don’t need to take the imperial exams, but it’s always good to be literate and read more books. Have you forgotten why I could make Guanyin tofu and catch so many fish?”
Lin Xiaopu was instantly convinced and nodded obediently. “Then I want to learn to recognize characters and read more books.”
He Guixiang opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing.
What was the use of a girl knowing these characters? In the end, she would still marry, assist her husband, teach her children, and stay busy by the stove.
But whatever, she would let them be.
“Mother, is Brother A-Ye coming back today?” Lin Shu asked.
He Guixiang replied, “He’s coming back. Your father and I warned him that he’s only allowed to stay in the mountains for one night. Two days and one night—no matter what he finds, he must come out. You’ll see; he should be back by dinner time. A-Ye has been working in the mountains for two days; he must be starving. We’re having dry rice for dinner tonight!”
Lin Shu picked up the conversation. “Brother A-Ye hasn’t tasted the fish Xiaopu and I caught yet. I still have to ask him to dig a fish pond for me later. When he gets back, I’ll personally make a pot of pickled cabbage fish for him!”
He Guixiang smiled and replied, “Alright, Mother will help you start the fire, and A-Shu can cook it herself.”
Lin Shu was already looking forward to Zhou Ye’s quick return so she could stuff him with a huge pot of fish. As it turned out, the dinner was ready, and the family of four had already finished eating, but Zhou Ye still hadn’t returned.
It was already getting dark.
Lin Dashan looked at the sky, his brow tightly furrowed. He Guixiang also looked worried.
After a moment, Lin Dashan suddenly said, “You all wait at home. I’ll go to the village and find a few men to go into the deep mountains and take a look.”
Lin Dashan was just about to grab a torch and head out the door when suddenly, a commotion broke out outside.