“Little Aunt, Little Aunt”—just a form of address, yet to Shen Xihe it sounded unbearably harsh. He had once thought: if that day Gu Xiao hadn’t spoken first, then facing Chen Ningyuan, Shen Xihe would also have said—“This is my younger sister.”
Gu Xiao liked him so much. How aggrieved and hurt she must have felt.
Just as now, he wanted to say Gu Xiao was not his sister, but couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Da‑Wa said, “Little Aunt coming all the way at noon—it’s hard work.”
Shen Xihe’s face was like frost. He pressed his lips, trying to soften his expression.
Gu Xiao said, “I came to bring some food. I’ll leave shortly.”
“Xiao Xiao.” Shen Xihe called her name. “I have something to say to you.”
Looking into Gu Xiao’s eyes, his words were directed at Chen Ningyuan: “Brother Ningyuan, if you’ve finished eating, head back first. Da‑Wa, give me the rolls, then you go too.”
Da‑Wa thought: Gu Xiao had come all this way, hot and tired, perhaps without even eating yet. How could he just leave?
“Little Uncle, I’m not in a hurry. I’ll wait for Little Aunt.”
Shen Xihe: “…Fine, wait then. Xiao Xiao, come with me.” He led Gu Xiao to the corner under a tree. He didn’t know how to begin when Gu Xiao frowned and said, “You don’t need to say it. Today I came only because Da‑Wa wasn’t free.”
Gu Xiao knew Shen Xihe didn’t like her—perhaps even despised her.
Shen Xihe’s future was bright. The fortune‑teller’s words were nonsense. Even without her, Shen Xihe would rise to high office.
Gu Xiao thought about the heroine. She remembered she was an official’s daughter, gentle and kind. The novel had little romance; the two lived in harmony, like honored guests. She herself would never like Shen Xihe. Once she saved enough silver, she would take back her contract and leave.
Shen Xihe, flustered, said, “That’s not what I meant! I’m glad you came…”
Gu Xiao’s coming made him happy.
Afraid of saying more wrong things, he said instead, “I didn’t mean I don’t want you here. I called you because I wanted to ask—should we set the stall at the academy gate?”
Gu Xiao had already thought of that. Shen Xihe had come to the same idea.
Shen Xihe said, “At noon, all the students eat at the gate. Most meals are brought from home, but they’re cold by the time they arrive. There are three food stalls—plain noodles, soaked bread, scallion cakes. I think pancake rolls… are excellent.” He coughed. “If the stall is at the academy gate, I could come help too.”
He knew how to earn money by copying books, living frugally. He repeated, “After class I’ll come help, Xiao Xiao…” Feeling uneasy, he clasped his hands behind his back, pinched his finger until a white mark appeared. “Is that alright?”
Gu Xiao said, “You focus on your studies. Don’t worry about earning money.”
It was already good that Shen Xihe thought of easing the family’s burden. Madam Zhou had raised a fine son. If possible, Gu Xiao wanted to recognize Madam Zhou as her mother—then Shen Xihe would be her true brother.
Gu Xiao said, “Third Brother, I’m earning too. The stall makes thirty to forty coins a day. We’ll soon save enough silver for the exams.”
Shen Xihe’s heart was a tangle of feelings. All he managed to say was a dry, “I just want to help a little.”
Gu Xiao thought of his studies, thought of him. Even if he said things that were unpleasant or wrong, she would forget them.
Seeing the crowd at the academy gate thinning, Gu Xiao knew it was time to leave. “Eat the rolls while they’re hot. Tell me if you need anything. If you run out of ink or paper, I’ll buy it for you.”
Shen Xihe felt reluctant. “Leaving already… Will you come again tomorrow?”
Gu Xiao said, “Isn’t tomorrow a rest day?”
Shen Xihe slapped his forehead. “Right! Tomorrow is the rest day. I’ll come home earlier.”
Gu Xiao nodded, then called to Da‑Wa. “Let’s go.”
Da‑Wa stood under the tree. “Little Aunt, have you finished talking with Little Uncle?”
Shen Xihe walked a few steps to see them off. He didn’t know what Gu Xiao and Da‑Wa had said, but he knew that if Da‑Wa called her ‘Aunt (Uncle’s wife),’ then Chen Ningyuan would realize Gu Xiao wasn’t his sister.
Gu Xiao said, “We’re done. Let’s go.”
Shen Xihe gave a soft “Oh.” “Then… be careful on the road.”
Gu Xiao hadn’t eaten yet. She went to the stall and had a pancake roll. Madam Li worked quickly, baking and rolling with order, while Second Brother tended the fire and collected money.
Seeing there was nothing for her to do, Gu Xiao went to the bookshop.
Manager Zhang was straightforward and offered fair prices. Gu Xiao wanted to continue doing business with him. She just didn’t know if the bookshop would accept oil‑paper umbrellas.
“Oil‑paper umbrellas?” Manager Zhang was stunned for a while. “I’ve never sold those before.”
Never sold before didn’t mean never in the future.
“Miss Gu, you can make umbrellas?”
Umbrellas were not as simple as fans. Polishing fan handles and making fan faces were easy tasks. To stand out required skill, and the rest depended on ingenuity.
Gu Xiao’s fans were excellent—handles carved, paintings flawless.
But umbrellas? Manager Zhang didn’t understand. He had oil‑paper umbrellas at home: yellow paper, delicate ribs inside, able to open and close—even the most ordinary umbrella cost sixty coins. Ordinary households rarely had one.
Gu Xiao nodded. “I like tinkering with these things. I can make them.”
Manager Zhang thought of the fans she had made and asked, “And what’s special about the umbrellas?”
Special? Blocking wind and rain was the most basic. The real marvel lay in the ingenious mechanisms—modern craft combined with ancient skill —that opened and closed uniquely. Another point was beauty. An umbrella with seventy‑two ribs, each flexible and clear, opened wide yet folded small, never clumsy or heavy. The handle carved, the canopy sturdy and rainproof, blending with ink landscapes of mountains and rivers.
Gu Xiao said, “Naturally, they’re beautiful.”
The manager’s heart itched. “Then make one first. I’ll send it to Shengjing. Once it sells, we’ll discuss the price.” He admired Gu Xiao. A young woman, yet so inventive. Her painting skill wasn’t high, but she had spirit—each branch and leaf vivid.
“If you need money urgently, you can take some from me first.” From her clothes, he could tell her family wasn’t wealthy. The trip from Guangning to Shengjing took time—at least a month. Waiting until the umbrellas sold would be too late.
Gu Xiao was surprised. Manager Zhang was willing to do this. Fans were paid for directly—two or three hundred coins each, no more.
Gu Xiao said sincerely, “Thank you.”
Manager Zhang smiled. “No need to thank me. I want to sell the oil‑paper umbrellas to noble ladies in the capital. They have plenty of silver. Since you make them, you should earn more. I’m a businessman—I won’t let myself lose.”
Gu Xiao was still grateful. If the price were high, perhaps just two or three umbrellas would be enough to save seven taels of silver. Then she would be able to leave the Shen family.
Gu Xiao finished her talk with Manager Zhang, bought parchment and Chengxin paper at the bookshop, along with brushes, cinnabar, and two shades of green. Just these cost six mace of silver, leaving her with half a tael. No matter what, she had to save it carefully. She carried the supplies back to the Shen household. Madam Zhou naturally assumed they were for Shen Xihe. “Stop buying things for Third Brother all the time.”
Gu Xiao was silent. Shen Xihe was only useful in this way. “Mother, I won’t buy anymore.”
Tomorrow Shen Xihe would return.
Madam Zhou said, “Xiao Xiao, tomorrow Third Brother comes home.”
She opened the kitchen cupboard. Inside was a basket of eggs. The family had five hens, each laying one egg a day. They ate four daily, so quite a few had been saved. There was still rice and flour—more flour eaten than rice. And one jin of lamb, one jin of ribs, one jin of pork belly, plus two pig’s feet.
Madam Zhou instructed, “It’s hot. Cook all the lamb and pork belly tomorrow at noon so everyone can eat some. The pig’s feet and ribs, make separately for Third Brother in the evening.”
She wished she could save a little each day until New Year, but in the heat it wouldn’t keep. “Next time don’t buy so much. None of them earn money—what meat do they deserve to eat!”
Gu Xiao hugged Madam Zhou’s arm. “Don’t give it to them—give it all to you, Mother!”
Madam Zhou felt Gu Xiao’s words were sweet as honey, always touching her heart. “What do I need so much meat for? I’m already half buried in the earth…”
Gu Xiao said, “Not at all. Husband will surely become a great official. Maybe he’ll even earn you a noble title.”
Madam Zhou snorted. “Sweet talker. That lamb skewer is still saved for you. Go eat it quickly.”
Gu Xiao answered cheerfully and went out to eat the lamb skewers.
These kinds of foods, Madam Chen and the others never had. After living in this household for so many years, Madam Chen had long grown used to it. She was simply grateful she had borne two sons, which earned her some measure of Madam Zhou’s care. Tomorrow there would be braised meat. Just one bite would be enough to satisfy her.
Madam Zhou saved four skewers for her. The lamb was well‑marinated, the outside crisp and charred, sprinkled with chili and cumin—delicious. Gu Xiao finished them in a few bites. Shen Xihe’s return had one benefit: she could eat an extra meal at night.
But with Shen Xihe back, everything in the west room had to be hidden away, put in order.
The next morning, Gu Xiao rose early to prepare and braise the meat. Madam Li, eager to earn more, had gone to the county at dawn to set up the stall, returning only at noon.
Madam Chen stayed behind to help.
With plenty of spices, the aroma of meat soon filled the air. By midday, the braise had been simmering nearly two hours. A large piece of lamb, pork belly bound tight with string, chunks of ribs, and tied pig’s feet—all unseen in the pot, but Madam Chen could imagine their color. The sauce was rich and glossy.
Madam Chen breathed deeply. “Truly, we’re blessed by Third Brother. I wonder when he’ll be back.”
Gu Xiao said nothing. Twice already Shen Xihe had overheard her words—better to say less. “I don’t know. Soon, perhaps.”
Madam Chen smiled. “Still, Xiao Xiao cares for Third Brother. Every time he returns, you buy meat.”
Shen Xihe was hiding behind the door. He had been back for a while. He knew it wasn’t the conduct of a gentleman, but he wanted to hear what Gu Xiao would say.
She cared for him. Every time he came home, she did this…
Gu Xiao’s voice carried out: “Sister‑in‑law, add some firewood.”