Lu Yunfei held onto Han Xiuxiu’s hand and wouldn’t let go.
“What are you going out for?”
“I promised Xiaoxiao this morning that I’d fix her shuttlecock. I almost forgot. If you’re sleepy, take a nap. We’ll head home after you wake up.”
Only then did Lu Yunfei release her hand.
Han Xiuxiu picked up the sewing basket from the room and closed the door behind her as she left.
As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Han Xiaoxiao sitting on a little stool by the doorway, still clutching the damaged shuttlecock and waiting expectantly.
Han Xiuxiu threaded a needle and quickly repaired it until it looked as good as new.
She handed it back to Han Xiaoxiao.
Taking it carefully, the little girl bit her lip.
“Big Sister… I shouldn’t have fought with Dongdong this morning. If I hadn’t, the shuttlecock wouldn’t have been broken…”
Han Xiuxiu gently rubbed her head.
“Silly girl. The shuttlecock is yours. He’s the one who shouldn’t have tried to take it.”
“But… I’m older than him… I should let him have it…”
Han Xiuxiu sighed.
She knew Xiaoxiao had been forced to learn patience and submission from a very young age. She had learned to lower her head, to read other people’s expressions, and to endure.
If this shuttlecock hadn’t been a gift from her beloved elder sister, she probably wouldn’t have fought Han Dongdong over it at all.
For her, this might have been the first time she had ever stood up for herself…
…and perhaps the last.
“Xiaoxiao,” Han Xiuxiu said, stroking her little face, “remember this. There’s nothing shameful about protecting something precious to you. Even if people scold you or laugh at you, it doesn’t matter.”
She smiled softly.
“You’ve already given in enough. Sometimes you have to fight back a little so people know you’re not easy to bully.”
Han Xiaoxiao blinked, then smiled faintly.
“I understand now, Big Sister.”
“Go outside and play.”
Han Xiuxiu patted her gently on the back.
“Go show everyone your beautiful shuttlecock.”
She was still just a child.
Encouraged by her sister, Han Xiaoxiao happily ran outside, eager to show off her colorful shuttlecock to the other village children.
Just as she stepped out the gate, she saw someone standing there.
Looking closer, she recognized her.
“Sister Xianglan! You’re here to see my sister, right? She’s home!”
She turned and shouted into the courtyard,
“Big Sister! Sister Xianglan is here!”
Li Xianglan smiled awkwardly, took a quiet breath, and walked inside.
Li Xianglan had been the original Han Xiuxiu’s only close friend in the village.
Both had lost their mothers young, both had fathers who remarried, and both had difficult lives under their stepmothers.
Perhaps because of their similar circumstances, they had become each other’s closest companions, comforting one another through hardship.
“Xianglan, come sit.”
Han Xiuxiu invited her over and brought out the sunflower seeds from inside the house.
The two women sat together chatting.
Li Xianglan looked at Han Xiuxiu.
She wore a pink floral cotton blouse with a blue skirt. Her complexion was rosy, and all the sorrow that had once lingered on her face was gone.
Softly, Li Xianglan asked,
“Xiuxiu… are you happy after getting married?”
Han Xiuxiu thought back over the past few days before answering honestly.
“It’s been… pretty good.”
Li Xianglan smiled wistfully.
“I’m really jealous of you. You got to marry the man you liked. If my married life could be like yours, I’d already be satisfied.”
“I’m sure it will be.”
Li Xianglan twisted her fingers nervously.
After a long silence, she looked up.
“Xiuxiu… I’m engaged.”
Han Xiuxiu froze.
Before her own wedding, she hadn’t heard a single word about Li Xianglan becoming engaged.
It had only been a few days.
Everything had happened so suddenly.
“I’m sorry—I didn’t know! Congratulations! When did it happen? Which family? Do you know them?”
“It was the day before yesterday…”
Li Xianglan lowered her head.
“The Zhang family.”
“The Zhang family?”
Han Xiuxiu’s eyes widened.
“It can’t be… that Zhang family?”
There were plenty of families with the surname Zhang nearby.
Surely it wasn’t the same one…
But Li Xianglan immediately shattered her hope.
“It’s the same Zhang family you refused to marry.”
Han Xiuxiu grabbed her friend’s hand.
“Xianglan! You know he’s mentally disabled! Did your stepmother force you? Or your father?”
Li Xianglan shook her head.
“No.”
“No one forced me.”
“I chose this myself.”
Han Xiuxiu stared at her in disbelief.
“How could you agree to marry a fool?”
Li Xianglan answered calmly.
“After everyone found out the Zhang family’s proposal drove you to jump into the river, no family was willing to marry their daughter into the Zhang household anymore.”
“I was the one who told the matchmaker I wanted to marry into the Zhang family.”
She looked at Han Xiuxiu.
“You’d rather jump into a river than marry that fool.”
“But to me…”
“…it’s an opportunity I could never have begged for.”
Han Xiuxiu looked at her silently.
Even after living two lifetimes, she still felt Li Xianglan’s decision required incredible courage.
She squeezed her friend’s hands tightly.
“Xianglan… have you really thought this through? Marriage isn’t simple. Let alone marrying someone who’s mentally disabled.”
“If you regret it now, it’s still not too late.”
Li Xianglan lowered her eyes.
“Thank you, Xiuxiu.”
“I’ve thought it through.”
“I know this isn’t exactly a good road.”
“But I’m tired of never having enough to eat or enough to wear.”
“As long as I can have enough food, I’ll do anything.”
“The Zhang family never worries about food or clothing.”
“So what if I’m marrying a fool?”
“I’m not afraid.”
She gave a bitter smile.
“Rather than marrying a man like my father…”
“…I’d rather marry a fool.”
“At least he won’t beat me.”
“He won’t curse at me.”
“They say the young master of the Zhang family became like this after a fever damaged his brain when he was little.”
“Everyone says he’s like a child.”
“I’ll just treat him like a younger brother.”
Her voice grew quieter and quieter.
“Xiuxiu…”
“Will you look down on me?”
Han Xiuxiu immediately frowned.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Why would I look down on you?”
Relief spread across Li Xianglan’s face.
“That’s good.”
“I just… felt a little guilty.”
“The Zhang family originally wanted to marry you.”
Han Xiuxiu smiled.
“That’s all in the past.”
“Besides, I’m already married now.”
“Why bring that up?”
She held Li Xianglan’s hand.
“No matter what happens…”
“I truly hope you’ll be happy.”
Li Xianglan smiled.
“I already feel happy.”
“I can finally leave that house.”
“Just thinking about it makes me happy.”
As the two chatted, Madam Li walked into the courtyard.
Seeing Li Xianglan, she smiled without warmth.
“Well, if it isn’t Xianglan.”
“I heard the Zhang family proposed to you.”
“Shouldn’t you be at home embroidering your dowry instead of coming here?”
Li Xianglan’s face immediately flushed crimson.
Embarrassed, she stood up.
“I just came to talk with Xiuxiu for a while.”
“Auntie, I’ll be leaving now.”
The moment Li Xianglan stepped outside, Madam Li slammed the gate shut.
“Oh my, she even came all the way here just to show off.”
“You probably don’t know yet.”
“Xianglan’s engaged.”
“To the very Zhang family you refused.”
“They already delivered the betrothal gifts two days ago.”
“They’re worth a full one hundred taels of silver.”
“Far more than what you received.”
Han Xiuxiu let out a cold laugh.
“Instead of comparing with me…”
“Why don’t you compare with yourself?”
“When you married my father, how much was your bride price?”
When Han Daliang had married Madam Li, he was already a widower.
The Li family had only received nine taels and nine mace of silver.
Her previous fiancé had drowned while catching fish before their wedding, and everyone had spread rumors that she brought bad luck to husbands.
Otherwise, why would a perfectly healthy young woman marry a widower?
Madam Li’s face turned bright red.
She pointed at Han Xiuxiu, so angry she couldn’t even speak.
Just then, Han Daliang came out of his room.
Seeing the two women facing off, he frowned.
“What are you two arguing about now?”
“Our son-in-law is still here.”
“Behave yourselves.”
Madam Li shot Han Xiuxiu a glare but finally fell silent.
Han Xiuxiu smiled at her father.
“Father, I’d like to raise a few chickens at home.”
“Does anyone in the village have chicks for sale?”
“I’d like to take a few back. Once they grow up, we’ll have eggs to eat.”
Han Daliang thought for a moment.
“There are chicks.”
“But they’ll take at least half a year before they start laying.”
“For now, just take two hens from home.”
Han Xiuxiu immediately took advantage of the offer before Madam Li could object.
“Thank you, Father.”
“When the chicks grow up, I’ll return them.”
Han Daliang laughed.
“We’re family.”
“There’s no need to talk about returning anything.”
“I’ll ask around.”
“Maybe I can even get a few chicks for you too.”
“Just a few is enough.”
Han Daliang grabbed a basket and headed into the village.
Han Xiuxiu took out twenty copper coins from her sleeve.
Eggs currently sold for two copper coins each, or sometimes two eggs for three coins when prices were low.
Chicks were a little more expensive, probably around three coins each.
She handed the money to her father.
He refused.
“I have money. Keep yours.”
“Father, please take it.”
“If you won’t, then I won’t accept the chicks.”
Only then did Han Daliang reluctantly accept the money and happily leave.
The moment Madam Li heard Han Daliang intended to give Han Xiuxiu two laying hens, she became so angry that she stormed back inside.
Han Xiuxiu ignored her completely.
After all, she had been the one who raised those chickens in the first place.
She deserved a share.
Meanwhile, Lu Yunfei hadn’t actually been asleep.
As a hunter, his hearing was exceptionally sharp.
He had heard everything happening outside.
He hadn’t expected the Han household to be quite so lively.
In front of him, Han Xiuxiu had always behaved like a gentle, obedient little wife.
He never imagined she could stand toe-to-toe with Madam Li in an argument.
It surprised him.
When things finally quieted down outside, he pretended to have just woken up and opened the door.
“When are we heading home?”
“As soon as my father comes back with the chicks.”
Han Xiuxiu spoke naturally, without any ceremony.
“Father promised us two laying hens.”
“Go catch them.”
“I’ll get some straw.”
The chicken coop stood in the courtyard.
Lu Yunfei quickly caught one hen, gripping both wings with one hand.
Han Xiuxiu tied its legs together with straw so it couldn’t run away.
After catching both hens, they placed them on the ground and squatted beside them, waiting for Han Daliang.
Before long, he returned carrying a basket filled with eight fluffy yellow chicks.
“I went to your Fifth Uncle’s house,” he explained.
“He just hatched a batch a few days ago.”
“When he heard they were for you, he gave you one extra.”
Han Xiuxiu reached into the basket.
The tiny chicks immediately pecked curiously at her fingers.
Their little beaks were still soft.
It didn’t hurt at all.
Instead, it tickled pleasantly.
They couldn’t delay any longer.
Otherwise they’d have to travel home in the dark.
Lu Yunfei carried the two hens.
Han Xiuxiu carried the basket of chicks.
They prepared to leave.
When they’d arrived that morning, the entire family had welcomed them.
Now, only Han Daliang and Han Xiaoxiao stood outside to see them off.
By the time they reached home, dusk had nearly fallen.
Black Panther rushed over excitedly, licking their hands.
He was especially fascinated by the chickens, circling them over and over.
The two hens were placed directly into the newly built chicken coop.
Inside were bamboo feeding troughs and water containers.
After only a short while, the hens calmly wandered around as though nothing had changed.
The chicks were still too fragile.
They remained inside the basket.
After being fed broken rice and water, they huddled together for warmth.
That evening, the couple ate a simple supper.
As they lay in bed, Han Xiuxiu was just about to drift off to sleep when Lu Yunfei leaned close to her ear and whispered,
“I heard everything you and Xianglan talked about this afternoon.”
“Xiuxiu…”
“When did you start liking me?”
Han Xiuxiu’s mind exploded.
W-What…?
Are this man’s ears made like a dog’s?
He actually heard our conversation?
Han Xiuxiu: “…”
How on earth was she supposed to answer that?