After the exciting ceremony of worshipping the Sea Goddess concluded, Lu Wanwan and Su Yurou, who had been observing the rites outside the Sea God Temple, finally caught sight of the idler Yue Zhixian. Their faces twisted with envy.
Su Yurou’s husband was named Zhuang Xiaomeng. She was a talented woman who preferred words over people, and the name Zhuang Xiaomeng had given her endless reverie.
“Zhuang Sheng’s dawn dream bewitched the butterfly.”
How beautiful.
Thus, she accepted that her husband was a burly, dark-skinned brute, yet carefully observed his gentle and considerate nature.
He listened to her, and with a little coaxing, he would do anything.
Such an obedient man, vigorous at night, even if illiterate—his name was lovely after all.
What more could she want?
Hadn’t she seen plenty of educated, well-mannered men on the exile road? Weren’t the compilers of the Hanlin Academy just like that? Disregarding their shameful use of their bodies to trade with the escorts, these men couldn’t even fill their own mouths on the journey.
All they knew was empty talk.
So she had come to terms with it—what use were talented youths if they couldn’t survive?
As for Lu Wanwan’s husband, Leng Guangyue, he could play the ocarina. On the way back, seated on the cart, the cool silver twilight bathed him entirely.
He played a Silver Moon Beach tune for Lu Wanwan.
Though not eloquent, he was highly skilled in music. Lu Wanwan felt that, given her current circumstances, encountering such a kindred spirit was immense luck.
How could she demand literacy from him?
Besides, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to learn—Lingnan lacked the environment, and Silver Moon Beach offered no opportunity.
It wasn’t his fault.
Given the chance, he might even surpass those talents in the capital!
Both women had reconciled with fate, accepting their present husbands, even secretly feeling somewhat smug—at least these husbands had a few qualities that suited their tastes.
But humans are visual creatures.
Though they claimed not to care about appearances, seeing others possess them stirred a fervent longing in their hearts, making them wish they had the same.
So, after the men went to install beams and roof the house, on the way back to Sha Pozi’s home, the two cornered Xie Mingzhu in a secluded spot.
Su Yurou fumed, “Is this what you call ‘a little small’?”
“Isn’t he small? He’s only seventeen, the same age as my sister-in-law’s husband, and even younger by months!” Xie Mingzhu looked utterly bewildered, unsure what she had said wrong.
Seeing her respond so earnestly, Su Yurou couldn’t help but laugh first. “Very small, very small, you’re not wrong.” But then she remembered his face. “Yet you didn’t mention he’s this handsome.”
“Handsome is one thing, but how could you not say he’s this good-looking? All the noble sons of the capital combined can’t compare to half his face!” Lu Wanwan grew frantic as well.
“Is it really that exaggerated?” Although Xie Mingzhu had mostly stayed indoors and seldom seen the capital’s young masters, upon reflection, those young masters did seem rather lacking in quality.
Su Yurou recalled the villagers’ descriptions of Yue Zhixian and felt quite puzzled. “This is the idler everyone talks about? Looking at him like this, I’d immediately wash my hands and cook broth for him.” He didn’t seem lazy at all today?
Lu Wanwan found Su Yurou’s words somewhat exaggerated. “No need to trouble yourself like that. Besides, no one would dare eat the broth you make.” However, she also disagreed with the villagers labeling Yue Zhixian as an idler.
An idler? He was just a pitiful man without a home.
If he had been at the government office back then, she would have definitely chosen to care for this helpless soul.
But what’s done was done, and she couldn’t possibly steal her sister’s husband.
In the end, both could only express their envy, “Sister Xie, you’re eating quite well.”
Xie Mingzhu actually understood this remark and gave an awkward smile, “Haven’t eaten yet!” How could she bring herself to? In reality, she was already twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
“No rush. Once your house is built today, you can move in within a couple of days.” Su Yurou patted her shoulder. It was just a matter of time.
Speaking of which, though the village was small, it had all essential facilities.
There were potters, carpenters, even blacksmiths and silversmiths, most of whom could utilize local materials.
So for the simple furniture in their new house, Xie Mingzhu planned to seek help from the villagers later.
But in two more days, it would be time for the regular five-day fishing expedition.
The village men hadn’t gone to sea for ten days. In two days, would the Sea Goddess permit them to set sail?
Now that Yan Ge’er was considered Yue Zhixian’s son, would he have to join the fishing trips too?
That evening, Xie Mingzhu shared her concerns with Sha Pozi, “From now on, will A Xian also go to sea?”
Sha Pozi was twisting hemp fibers. Hearing this, she slowly looked up and hesitated before speaking, “The rule at Silver Moon Beach is that men should go to sea once they marry and have children. But…”
Yan Ge’er wasn’t of his own bloodline, even though he was now registered under Yue Zhixian’s name.
Since he wasn’t his biological son, Yue Zhixian couldn’t join the fishing expeditions.
That meant he wouldn’t get a share of the village’s catch, leaving him without a livelihood.
This worried Sha Pozi that Xie Mingzhu might despise Yue Zhixian for being useless, so she quickly explained, “Don’t worry, earning money isn’t urgent right now.”
“Earning money?” Xie Mingzhu was confused. Did they actually sell the fish they caught?
Though she hadn’t been to the seaside yet, seeing the old boats in the village made her feel these small vessels were too dangerous for the turbulent sea.
She wasn’t keen on Yue Zhixian taking such risks.
She had also noticed many nets hanging on village fences, all worn and torn – probably unable to withstand larger fish.
What good fish could they possibly catch with those?
Sha Pozi explained, “They say mountains sustain mountain dwellers, waters sustain fishermen. Here at Silver Moon Beach, if we just seek basic sustenance, no one will starve as long as we work hard in the mountains or sea. But weddings, funerals – these all require money.”
So fishing was naturally for earning money.
They dried all the caught fish into salted goods, and every two or three months, merchants would come specifically from the city to purchase them.
It wouldn’t make them rich, but in a good year, they might earn three to five taels of silver.
Bit by bit, these savings could eventually buy a decent set of silver jewelry for one’s son and daughter-in-law.
Xie Mingzhu suddenly understood—so the villagers made their living by fishing. No wonder she had noticed most men and women wore silver ornaments.
She had assumed they were family heirlooms, but they were actually earned through fishing.
No wonder Yue Zhixian had nothing—since he couldn’t participate in fishing, naturally he had no salted fish to sell to merchants. Now she understood why he was so eager to go sea fishing.
Seeing Xie Mingzhu’s silence, Sha Pozi feared she might resent Yue Zhixian’s inability to provide jewelry and hurriedly explained: “Don’t worry, in a year or two when you have a son, he’ll be able to go to sea. A Xian clearly dotes on his wife—he’ll definitely make up for your jewelry then.”
Actually, daughters were preferable, but girls lacked men’s strength. Even if they followed men to sea, they couldn’t even pull fishing nets.
Realizing the misunderstanding, Xie Mingzhu waved her hands repeatedly: “I don’t want any jewelry! I asked earlier because I was worried about his safety at sea. Now that I know he can’t go, I’m actually relieved!”
What was jewelry compared to life?
Sha Pozi looked surprised, then laughed: “Good child, it’s touching how concerned you are for his safety. For him to marry you—he must have accumulated blessings over several lifetimes.”
Other wives would have long urged their husbands to sea.
But A Xian’s wife was truly exceptional—virtuous, diligent, capable, and so considerate of A Xian.
Unlike Zhuang Jia and the Leng family’s daughters-in-law who were all thumbs.
Unaware that Sha Pozi was comparing her to Su Yurou and Lu Wanwan, Xie Mingzhu simply thought: since they only aimed for basic sustenance, there was no need to risk their lives.
With such abundant resources here, proper utilization alone could prevent starvation.
Yue Zhixian’s survival all these years without storing any grain was living proof.