Li Jiao’s face was filled with heartfelt distress as she cautiously said, “As long as I’m with you, nothing else matters. I’m just worried you might think I acted on my own, forcing the family division on you.”
Qin Lie pursed his lips and lowered his head, hiding the amusement in his eyes.
How could he blame her? He couldn’t have asked for more!
Now everyone knew they could only rely on each other. Jiao Jiao, you really are adorably naive.
Li Jiao grew even more anxious inside. Seeing Qin Lie remain silent, she thought he was deeply upset and quickly hooked her little finger around his, giving it a gentle shake.
“Listen, Qin Lie, the red soil on that rocky slope isn’t worthless at all. It’s rare cinnabar soil, perfect for growing some precious medicinal herbs.”
As she spoke, Li Jiao grew more confident. “I learned a lot from my grandfather… well, from the esteemed traditional Chinese medicine master, Old Mr. Li. In the future, we can grow medicinal herbs and sell them for a good profit.”
Most importantly, she remembered clearly that beneath that barren land lay a faint remnant vein of a hot spring.
Though not enough to tap into for a proper hot spring, it kept the geothermal warmth lingering in the soil year-round. Even during the harshest winters when snow sealed the mountains, that land wouldn’t freeze completely. With just a simple shed, it would become a natural greenhouse.
Qin Lie turned his hand to grasp hers, his expression earnest. “Then I’ll help you plant them. Don’t do the heavy work yourself.”
Li Jiao gave a delicate, proud hum. “Of course! You’re the pillar of this household, so all these tasks are yours. That’s why you need to focus on healing your leg quickly. Come on, let’s go home. From now on, our days will be nothing but good ones!”
Warmth surged in Qin Lie’s chest, and a wild tide of affection churned in his eyes, making him yearn to pull Li Jiao into his arms and cherish her properly.
But he didn’t dare, nor could he. He had to wait… until Jiao Jiao couldn’t bear it anymore and threw herself into his arms on her own.
Two dilapidated thatched huts stood alone at the foot of the mountain at the village’s edge. Their roofs were rough and sparse, so much so that looking up, one could even see the dim, grayish sky through the gaps.
Occasionally, snowflakes drifted beautifully through the cracks. The window frames were crooked, lacking even a sheet of window paper, with only a half-tattered straw mat hanging over them.
Li Jiao helped Qin Lie sit on the only broken earthen kang in the room.
She was no stranger to such rundown scenes. In her previous life, she had even slept in a pigsty.
“Jiao Jiao, I’m sorry…” Qin Lie began to apologize again. “It’s my fault for being useless, making you suffer in a place like this with me…”
“What are you talking about? This is us starting our own household,” Li Jiao replied, completely unfazed. She blew a warm breath onto her hands and rubbed them together, just about to look for something to block the windows when hurried footsteps sounded at the door.
“Brother Lie, Sister-in-law!”
It was Da Niu. He carried a bundle of dry straw on his back and held a stack of old newspapers and paste in his arms.
“I heard from the villagers that you split from the family and were given the melon shed area. I figured this place wouldn’t be livable.”
Da Niu set down his things and, looking at Qin Lie’s leg, said urgently, “Brother Lie, you sit still and don’t move around. Leave the heavy work to me.”
With Da Niu’s strong help, what would have been a difficult repair job became quick and efficient.
Qin Lie sat on the kang directing, while Li Jiao handed him tools and materials.
Da Niu scrambled up and down, bustling about, and before long, the room was sealed tight against the wind.
Li Jiao set up the iron pot she had brought, while Da Niu went to the back hill to gather some dry firewood, heating the kang until it was warm and cozy.
Once the kerosene lamp was lit, the once desolate thatched hut instantly took on the appearance of a home.
“Alright, everyone, stop fussing,” Li Jiao rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair, delicate forearms, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Today, we’re celebrating our move to a new home. Your sister-in-law is going to cook you a delicious meal.”
She took out the two jin of pork fatback and placed it on the cutting board.
“Sister-in-law, what are you planning to do?” Da Niu watched as Li Jiao took out the entire large slab of fatback, his eyes nearly popping out of his head in shock. “That must be two jin, right? Are you going to render it all in one go? This… this would last my family half a year! Wouldn’t it be better to save it for the New Year?”
“Save it for what? What goes into your belly is truly yours.”
With a swift chop of her knife, Li Jiao cut the fatback into mahjong-sized cubes and poured them all into the heated iron pot. “Your brother Qin Lie needs nutrition for his leg to heal properly, and you’ve been working hard, so you need nourishment too. What’s the point of saving a little oil? I can earn more in the future.”
Li Jiao casually added a small splash of water. As the flames in the stove leaped upward, the steam in the pot evaporated, and the once snow-white fat slowly turned translucent, its edges tinged with a golden hue.
“Sizzle—”
The sound of the fat rendering was particularly pleasing, followed by a rich, savory aroma that filled the air.
Da Niu crouched in front of the stove, tending to the fire, drooling uncontrollably.
Li Jiao gently stirred with a ladle until the cracklings turned golden and crispy, then scooped them out to drain the excess oil.
She grabbed a small handful of salt and sprinkled it evenly over the cracklings.
“Here, try some, but be careful—it’s hot.” Li Jiao first picked up a piece and placed it in Qin Lie’s mouth, then handed a handful to Da Niu.
The crispy cracklings burst in their mouths, the scalding oil blending with the savory saltiness, instantly spreading across their tongues, so fragrant it made their scalps tingle.
A little oil remained at the bottom of the pot, and Li Jiao tossed in the chopped Chinese cabbage.
The cabbage leaves quickly soaked up the lard, becoming glossy and vibrant green.
She had long prepared for the family split and had everything ready for it. This outcome was exactly what she had wanted, so she had deliberately prepared these kitchen utensils in advance.
Li Jiao added the softened sweet potato noodles and water, letting it all simmer, her heart brimming with contentment.
The money was well spent. Even though only thirty yuan remained, she felt she had been remarkably foresighted.
The aroma of pork cracklings stewed with cabbage and noodles was incredibly rich, carried by the wind to the not-so-distant Qin family’s old house.
Inside the old house, the family sat around the table, gnawing on hard, stone-like black cornbread, with only a plate of dark, pickled vegetables on the table.
“Sniff…” Da Bao, Wang Cuifen’s eldest son, suddenly sniffed the air and burst into tears. “I want meat! It smells so good! Who’s eating meat? I want some too!”
The scent of rendered lard was too tantalizing, clawing at their hearts like a cat’s paw, making the cornbread in their hands instantly unappetizing.
Wang Cuifen, who had been gloating over getting rid of a burden, turned ashen-faced the moment she caught the smell.
“All you know is eating! That’s their last meal before doom! That wasteful wretch must have spent their last penny on this extravagance! Let’s see how they starve tomorrow after eating it all tonight. Stop drooling and eat your cornbread!”
Wang Cuifen slapped her son on the back of his head.
Though she cursed fiercely, her stomach betrayed her with an audible growl as she inhaled the tantalizing aroma.
In contrast, the thatched hut was filled with warmth.
Without a table to eat at, the three of them sat cross-legged on the warm, heated kang.
Li Jiao served a large bowl of vegetables—the vermicelli soaked in savory broth, soft and chewy, the cabbage fresh and sweet, paired with crispy fried pork fat and fluffy steamed buns. It was simply heavenly.
“Qin Lie, open your mouth.” Without hesitation even in front of Da Niu, Li Jiao picked up the largest piece of fried pork fat and fed it to Qin Lie, her eyes crinkling into crescents.
“It’s wonderful. From today onward, this is our home. As long as I’m here, I’ll make sure you eat well and live comfortably, making up for all the hardships you’ve endured.”
Qin Lie’s eyes instantly overflowed with affection. This was their home—he loved hearing those words.
But soon, hesitation crept in.
As he chewed the fried pork fat, panic surged within him.
The way the family separation had unfolded today was clearly prearranged by Li Jiao. This young woman was far more decisive and capable than he had imagined.
Could she truly… no longer look down on him?
It didn’t matter. Even if she did, it didn’t matter. She was easily moved by compassion. At worst, his leg… could remain unhealed. He could drag it out for as long as possible.
Qin Lie raised his head and nodded firmly at Li Jiao. “Yes, our home.”