Shen Xihe had heard everything from beginning to end. He had personally heard Gu Xiao say she wished he would appear before her immediately.
How shameless—she dared to say anything.
Madam Chen held a bunch of freshly washed scallions, still dripping water. Shen Xihe nodded and greeted her, “Sister‑in‑law.”
Madam Chen smiled. “Third Brother, you’re back. The road must have been tiring. I’ll take these scallions to Mother.”
Madam Chen went into the kitchen, leaving only Gu Xiao and Shen Xihe in the front yard.
Shen Xihe’s expression was calm. He glanced at Gu Xiao. She thought he would, as before, call her inside and scold her. He opened his mouth to speak, but before the words came out, Gu Xiao quickly said, “I’ll go help. There’s cool water inside—wash your hands first. The food will be ready soon.”
Gu Xiao hurried into the kitchen. She wasn’t foolish—why wait around to be scolded? Better to cook than to stay with him.
Cooking was fragrant and joyful. At noon they made scallion pancakes. The most important part was the scallion oil and the dough. A large piece of pork lard was slowly heated in the pan, then a handful of scallions sprinkled in. The hot oil sizzled, filling the house with aroma.
Oil was added to the dough to create layers—spread a layer of oil, fold, spread another, fold again. In the end, one pancake could have many layers.
The dough was mostly wheat flour mixed with some sweet potato flour, giving it a faint yellow hue. Tender scallions were scattered inside, so the soft interior was dotted with green—beautiful to look at.
Meanwhile, a clay pot simmered with rib soup, the lid lifted now and then by steam, fragrance drifting everywhere.
The meal was Gu Xiao’s work. Madam Chen kneaded dough, Madam Li added firewood, and Madam Zhou watched from the side—keeping an eye not only on the flour but also on how much oil was being used.
Half a jar of pork lard had already been scooped out by Gu Xiao, leaving Madam Zhou distressed. If used sparingly for stir‑fries, it could last a long time. Madam Zhou frowned. “Too much oil. Next time you mustn’t use so much.”
Gu Xiao said, “I understand, Mother. Wait until it’s out of the pan—you’ll see, it’s delicious.”
Madam Zhou scowled. “With this much oil, even boiled ox horns would taste good!”
Madam Chen and Madam Li exchanged surprised looks. That was all?
Back when they cooked, if they accidentally used too much oil, Madam Zhou would lecture them endlessly. Yet Gu Xiao used both flour and oil, with ribs simmering in the clay pot, and Madam Zhou let it pass with just a few words.
Gu Xiao exhaled softly. “Mother, the kitchen is full of smoke. Please go rest inside, so you don’t get choked. My sisters‑in‑law and I can handle things here.”
Madam Zhou said, “Mm. When the food is ready, call your father and the others back.” With that, she really did leave the kitchen.
Madam Chen had been married into the Shen family for over ten years, and she had never seen Madam Zhou like this. Madam Zhou usually managed the household strictly—every meal’s oil and salt carefully measured. Never had she been so lenient. But lately the family had been buying meat, and even saving some money. Thinking of that, Madam Zhou’s change wasn’t so strange.
Madam Li, heavily pregnant, sat on a stool tending the fire. “Today’s meal smells wonderful.”
The pancakes were golden, visibly rich with oil.
Madam Chen said, “All thanks to Xiao Xiao. We’re benefiting from Third Brother. And he came home early today…”
Shen Xihe’s walk home from the academy usually took half an hour. Today he arrived a quarter hour earlier than usual.
Madam Li said, “Perhaps he hurried back. After five days at the academy, he must have missed home.” She teased, glancing at Gu Xiao.
“Indeed. Xiao Xiao spoke of Third Brother, and Third Brother appeared.” Madam Chen smiled gently.
Gu Xiao’s face was flushed from the steam of the pan. Since she had said it, she had to smooth it over. “I was only speaking casually. How could I know Husband would really come back?”
From now on, she resolved to speak less and do more. And if she did speak, she mustn’t let Shen Xihe hear.
That stiff, old‑fashioned man, always with a stern face—Gu Xiao could already imagine what Shen Xihe was thinking now.
—Gu Xiao was truly unbearable!
—No matter what was said, it was irritating.
Shen Xihe washed his hands. He hadn’t brought much back—two sets of clothes and a small packet of pastries for Madam Zhou.
The room was very clean, the quilt neatly arranged on the bed, the window open with sunlight streaming in.
He couldn’t help but recall Gu Xiao’s look at the doorway—her lively brows and eyes. They had only seen each other yesterday at noon, yet she had dared to speak so boldly.
Spring was bright and clear. Shen Xihe paced the room twice, then went out to call Old Master Shen and the others to eat.
At lunch, as usual, Madam Zhou divided the pancakes. A pound of ribs yielded only a few pieces: one for Old Master Shen, one for Shen Xihe, two for Gu Xiao, and one each for the first and second households.
The remaining two pieces Madam Zhou didn’t touch—she couldn’t bear to. One she saved for Shen Xihe’s supper, the other for Xiao Xiao.
Around the table, everyone’s eyes were fixed on those few pieces of meat, each wishing for a taste. Gu Xiao lowered her head and picked up the rib from her own bowl.
Last time, Gu Xiao had given her two pieces of meat to Shen Xihe. This time, she placed the rib into Madam Zhou’s bowl.
Madam Zhou gave a soft “Mm.” Since Gu Xiao offered it sincerely, she accepted. A little favoritism was fine.
“The meat was bought by Xiao Xiao to nourish Third Brother. There are only a few pieces—no more than that.” After dividing the meat, Madam Zhou divided the pancakes. The scallion pancakes were still steaming, one piece for each person, with the men receiving a second.
Madam Zhou’s expression eased somewhat. She bit into a rib—boiled in clear water for over an hour, tender, fragrant, and falling apart. Truly delicious.
Shen Xihe ate with his head lowered, his thoughts complicated.
After lunch, they rested briefly before heading to the fields. Gu Xiao wanted to lie down a little longer. Whenever Shen Xihe was home, she had to sleep on the couch. But before long, the door opened. Shen Xihe said to her, “Xiao Xiao, step outside for a moment.”
Gu Xiao sat up. “Why should I go out?”
Shen Xihe: “I need to change clothes.” For fieldwork, he had to wear coarse cloth; his current clothes wouldn’t do.
Was there anyone more domineering and unreasonable than Shen Xihe? Just to change clothes, why should she leave—as if she would peek? Gu Xiao took a deep breath and got off the couch. “Fine, I’ll go out now.”
Shen Xihe stood by the bed, a little at a loss. He hadn’t meant to drive her out. He said in a low voice, “Xiao Xiao…”
“Don’t worry, I’ll close the door too.” Gu Xiao didn’t even bother to look. Even if he gave her silver, she wouldn’t. She left the room, growing angrier the more she thought. What did Shen Xihe take her for? Did he think she would spy on him?
Shen Xihe quickly changed clothes. When he opened the door, Gu Xiao was nowhere outside. He searched the courtyard, then the kitchen—still no sign.
Madam Chen was tidying bowls and chopsticks. Shen Xihe asked, “Sister‑in‑law, where’s Xiao Xiao?”
Madam Chen replied, “She just went out. Likely to the fields.”
It was midday, and Old Master Shen had not yet come out of the house. Shen Xihe said, “Sister‑in‑law, I’ll go to the fields first.”
The Shen family’s land lay behind the village. In recent days they had planted five acres. Since there had been no rain, they had to carry water to irrigate.
The river was some distance from the fields, and hauling water was hard work. Gu Xiao stood by the riverbank, holding a large bundle of grass stalks.
Shen Xihe was good at studying, but not so clever otherwise. He ought to wash in the river. The books said his temperament resembled Madam Zhou’s, but Gu Xiao had never seen it. Her hands never stopped moving, weaving the stalks into rope. At this season the grass was tougher, so the rope came out strong.
Gradually, the rope became a fishing net. Gu Xiao’s anger eased. Shen Xihe was in his own home, and she was only the child bride to be summoned or dismissed at will. Whatever he said, she had to obey. She needed to save more money to leave sooner.
The net wasn’t large. Gu Xiao tried casting it into the river. She had made nets before, but never caught fish. The river was thick with weeds. After waiting a while, she tried pulling it up—the net was astonishingly heavy. Her strength was small, and hauling the net was exhausting. Yet she couldn’t bear to let it go—what if it was full of fish?
It had been so long since she’d eaten fish. If they were big, she could stew them; if small, she could ask Madam Zhou for oil. Frying might not work, but pan‑searing would.
Gu Xiao strained to pull the net. Shen Xihe finally came searching from the house. From afar he saw her at the riverbank, half her body leaning dangerously over. Alarmed, he shouted, “Gu Xiao!”
She jumped. “Shen… Husband, come quickly! There’s something in here!”
Shen Xihe’s heart tightened. He scolded her fiercely: “Why are you at the river? Do you know how deep and cold it is? It’s noon, no one else is around. If you fell in, who could save you?”
Gu Xiao: “Don’t talk—pull the net, pull it!”
Shen Xihe pressed his lips together, moved past her hands, and hauled the net up. Inside were five or six lively fish, along with green river weeds.
There really were fish. Gu Xiao’s eyes lit up. “This must weigh two or three jin!”
Shen Xihe said nothing.
Gu Xiao beamed. “Wonderful, wonderful—we’ll have fish to eat!”
Shen Xihe kept brooding, but Gu Xiao was too happy to mind. “Ah, I’d never let the net drag me in. At worst I’d let it go. Husband, the fish can nourish you—fish soup is the most strengthening.”
Gu Xiao had said such things many times before. As long as she put Shen Xihe first in whatever she did, everything became much easier. So the words came smoothly.
Six fish—one weighing two or three jin. Braised, stewed, made into fish balls—any way would be delicious!
Shen Xihe’s throat tightened. “You came out here to catch fish to nourish me?”
Gu Xiao blinked. Since Shen Xihe would eat them anyway, saying so wasn’t wrong. “Of course. Studying tires your mind. You can have all the fish heads.”
Eat what strengthens what—form nourishes form. Let it nourish Shen Xihe’s brain, always full of restless thoughts.