Second Sister suddenly sat up straight and clapped her hands. “That settles it—I approve of this match.”
“Given what Little Sister has said, there truly is nothing to worry about,” the eldest sister-in-law chimed in agreement.
Second Brother looked at Eldest Brother and asked, “You have no objections now, do you?”
Fu Changgui looked at Fu Ruyi. The siblings had identical phoenix eyes, and at this moment, those young phoenix eyes sparkled with spring light, the eager gleam within them practically sprouting wings and flying out.
“Let her have her way.” Fu Changgui found that no matter how many objections he had, he could not voice them. He declared, “Our family spans four generations under one roof, with plenty of hands to go around. We’ll each dig a few more furrows and help that Xianbei man get his fields planted.”
Cao Xin nodded. “I’ll put in my share of effort when the time comes.”
“Me too.” Fu Yuan, the youngest son of the family, finally found his chance to speak. “Never mind two years—even if Little Sister brings that Xianbei man to live with us for five or eight years, I’d have no objection.”
Everyone turned to look at him in unison. After a few moments, Fu Changgui rose first. “It’s getting dark. Time to head back for dinner.”
“What about the matter between Little Sister and Wang Erlang?” Cao Xin asked as he followed behind.
“What about it? We’ll tell the truth. Little Sister asked Granny Wei to go to the Lou family as a matchmaker—who can that be hidden from? Even a fool could guess that the youngest daughter of the Fu family has been seduced by good looks and changed her mind.” Cao Peiyu picked up the thread.
“What I told the Wang family was that they had taken a liking to our Fu family’s candle-making formula, and that I therefore refused to marry into their family. I even declared that I would never bring the formula to my husband’s household,” Fu Ruyi explained as she followed behind.
The others all stopped in their tracks and turned to look at her.
“I mean what I say. This is something I’ve considered for a long time—it’s not a rash decision,” Fu Ruyi said seriously. Back when she had produced the candle formula under the pretext of a divine revelation in a dream, apart from Fu Yuan, her other four elder siblings had already married and had children, and they were living in considerable hardship—especially Second Sister Cao Peiyu. Taking this into account, Fu Ruyi had insisted that Eldest Sister and Second Sister also be brought into the family business and share in the profits from the candle trade. At the same time, to prevent the formula from leaking out and to avoid mutual suspicion among the siblings, she had drawn up a contract stipulating that the final step of candle-making could only be handled by the old couple and the six Fu-Cao siblings, and only at the Fu family’s old residence. Should the formula leak from anyone’s hands, once discovered, a man would be barred from the ancestral graves upon death, and for a woman, her natal family would not attend her funeral.
Everyone had pressed their fingerprints on the contract at the time. Whether the formula had become known to others, Fu Ruyi could not say, but in the past ten years, no second candle-making household had appeared within ten li in any direction. The six Fu-Cao siblings had all prospered more and more, and the outcome had been good.
Cao Peiyu seemed to want to say something but held back. She then composed her expression and said, “Ruyi is the youngest, yet she has the greatest integrity of us all. Your Second Sister admires you.”
Fu Ruyi smiled freely and clasped her fists. “If I do marry that Lou Zhaoshui, I hope you’ll all be patient with your little sister and look after us.”
“We are brothers and sisters of one family—no need to say more.” Fu Changgui tossed out a single remark and strode away.
The eldest sister-in-law followed him.
“We’re off. Fifth Brother, come close the gate,” Cao Xin called out, then left with his wife and sister.
Fu Changgui and Cao Xin had moved out after marrying and starting their own families. The Fu family’s old residence had been left to Fu Yuan, the biological son of Father Fu and Mother Fu. Now only Fu Ruyi and Fu Yuan’s family lived there with the old couple.
Fu Changgui’s family lived behind the old residence, Cao Xin’s family lived in the south of the village, and Cao Peiyu’s marital home was in the north. Cao Xin and his sister had left a few steps later, but Fu Changgui and his wife were already almost home.
“Come on, your sister-in-law and I will walk you back first,” Cao Xin said.
Cao Peiyu didn’t refuse. Once they were far from the old residence, she spoke up: “The fact that this family of ours, each with our own agendas, can still gather together—it’s all thanks to our little sister holding us together like thread stitching through cloth.”
“Mm,” Cao Xin agreed. “Whether today’s decision by our little sister was intentional or not, I can’t tell.”
In a family of six siblings, the oldest and youngest were eighteen years apart. The youngest was about to marry, while the oldest was already holding a grandchild, three generations under one roof. The other siblings were much the same—each with a houseful of children. Between the greater family and their own smaller ones, how could there not be partiality? Recently, when Ruyi set a date to meet with the second son of the Wang family, everyone in the household had been quietly watching, yet no one brought up the most crucial issue. They were all waiting for Ruyi’s decision. Once she took the candle-making formula to her husband’s family, the others would immediately set up their own operations.
Once the ties of profit were gone, once the old couple passed away, this loosely bound family of six Fu and Cao siblings would never come together again.
“Our little sister values family most of all,” Cao Peiyu said.
“Yes. Whether you’re surnamed Cao or Fu, close to her in age or far apart, she treats everyone the same.” A smile spread across Cao Xin’s face. “She’s been like that since she was little—clever as a fox.”
Cao Peiyu smiled with relief. “Ruyi, Ruyi—may things go as she wishes.”
They reached the north end of the village. Cao Xin stopped and said, “Go on in. Your sister-in-law and I will head back.”
“Won’t you come in and sit for a while?” Cao Peiyu asked.
“No, the kids at home are waiting.” Cao Xin turned to leave, but hearing footsteps approaching from inside the gate, he paused.
“Is that Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law? Come in and eat!” Cao Peiyu’s husband hurried out to receive them.
“No need—we’ve already made dinner at home.”
“Really, we made elm-seed steamed buns tonight, and there’s plenty extra.”
“We steamed some last night too, and there’s still some left,” the second sister-in-law, who had been silent, finally spoke. “You go ahead and eat. We’ll be on our way—it’s getting late.”
“Wait, let me pack you a basket to take home—eat them fresh.” Cao Peiyu hurried back inside, saying as she went, “Wait now, don’t leave. When you pass by the old residence, give a few to Ruyi. She loves the elm-seed steamed buns I make.”
Cao Xin and his wife had no choice but to wait.
Half an incense stick’s burning time later, the still-steaming elm-seed steamed buns had all made their way into Fu Ruyi’s hands. She was overjoyed, showing them off to her parents, brother, and sister-in-law as if holding golden nuggets. “Second Sister thinks of me the most!”
Fu Yuan snatched one of the buns and took a bite, speaking with his mouth full: “That’s not true—Second Sister thinks of Second Brother the most.”
Fu Ruyi kicked at him, but Fu Yuan dodged. He shouted, “Silly girl, always grabbing at small bargains and losing out big!”
“Fifth Fu, don’t eat my buns!” Fu Ruyi was angry. She shot him a glare and scolded, “You ungrateful thing—are you being shortchanged? A grown man fussing over every little thing, you’re nothing but a shit-stirrer.”
Though Fu Yuan was her elder brother, he was already used to being scolded. He wasn’t angry at her words, but protested, “I’m looking out for you! Whose side are you on?”
“Scram.” Fu Ruyi’s good mood had been ruined by him. She gave her niece and nephew a bun each, then carried the rest back to her own room to eat.
“Can’t tell good intentions from bad,” Fu Yuan muttered.
“Shut up,” Father Fu snapped coldly. “Say one more useless thing, and you can skip dinner.”
Fu Yuan immediately went mute.
Mother Fu sighed, ladled a bowl of thin soup, and handed it to her little granddaughter. “Take this to your aunt.”
In no time, the little girl came trotting back and said, “Aunt said tomorrow she’ll take me to meet my uncle-to-be to pick elm seeds.”
Everyone was momentarily stunned before realizing who this “uncle-to-be” referred to.
“Shameless girl.” Mother Fu chuckled.
Lin Juan, the wife of Ruyi’s youngest brother, smiled and swallowed her mouthful of food before saying, “If only that Xianbei man could settle down here with us. If he doesn’t leave, Little Sister won’t leave either.”
Like Fu Ruyi, Lin Juan adored all the brothers and sisters. She loved watching the Fu and Cao siblings gather to laugh, argue, and banter. Every winter, when the six Fu and Cao siblings gathered at the old house to make candles in a cheerful bustle, just hearing the commotion made her happy. After Ruyi agreed to a matchmaking meeting with Wang Erlang, she’d worried that Ruyi’s marriage would put an end to this big family’s momentum of working together toward a better life.
Thankfully, Ruyi had sided with her.
“Xianbei people have wild natures and restless temperaments—they’re not the type to settle down and live a steady life. Who knows, maybe once Little Sister gets past the novelty, she’ll tire of him and come back.” Fu Yuan didn’t think highly of this match.
Father Fu’s chopsticks flew toward him, and Fu Yuan dodged with a lurch. He slurped down the rest of the thin soup in his bowl and ducked out the door, saying, “Don’t believe me? Just wait and see. I don’t think Ruyi herself even knows what kind of man she wants. That Xianbei man and Wang Erlang have nothing in common—they’re completely different people—yet Ruyi is willing to marry either one.”
Father Fu and Mother Fu fell silent. The old couple had no idea what to make of this sudden turn of events—neither whether the marriage would come to pass, nor whether it would last.
“There will always be a place for Little Sister at home. She can come back whenever she wants.” Lin Juan gave her word. She was willing to live with her sister-in-law for the long haul.
Mother Fu patted her youngest daughter-in-law’s hand. “With you sisters-in-law looking out for each other, even if we two old folks went to sleep tonight and never woke up, we could die content.”
“Don’t say such inauspicious things.” Lin Juan gathered the dishes and went to wash them.
Father Fu and Mother Fu rose. Fu Yuan had already gone ahead to their room to fetch a candle, lit it in the kitchen, and now held it up to light their way.
Chickens roosted, dogs slept, and people settled in for the night. All of Dapo Village grew quiet. In the pitch-black darkness, only four scattered households still had candles burning.
Once even the ox fell silent and the last spark of light died out, the black night swiftly swallowed both banks of the Yellow River.
The stars wheeled and shifted. When the light of dawn crept over the horizon, the surging Yellow River was the first to wash away the night. Rosy clouds reflected off the water, and light spread rapidly across both shores.
Skiffs took to the water, people crossed the pontoon bridge—a new day had begun.
Fu Ruyi, holding Fu Yuan’s eldest daughter Fu Ying by the hand, crossed the pontoon bridge with light steps. The aunt and niece looked around curiously as they walked into Pinghe Village, and under the villagers’ odd stares, entered the Lou family’s small courtyard.
They had arrived neither too early nor too late. At the Lou household, only Lou Zhaoshui and two children were present—his eldest brother’s child and his eldest sister’s child.
“You’re here again?” The golden-haired boy smiled.
“I drank your water yesterday and couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I came back today.” Fu Ruyi glanced meaningfully at Lou Zhaoshui.
The golden-haired boy looked at his golden-haired uncle.
Lou Zhaoshui wanted to laugh but also felt a bit embarrassed. He pretended not to understand and pointed at the water vat by the wall, indicating she was welcome to drink as she pleased.
“I’m not thirsty right now—can I fill a waterskin to take with me?” As she spoke, Fu Ruyi actually pulled a waterskin from the bamboo basket and went to fill it. Once it was full, she turned and looked at Lou Zhaoshui with a beaming smile. “We’re going to pick elm seeds. Are you coming? The elm seeds are at their tenderest right now—in a few more days, they won’t be worth eating.”
Lou Zhaoshui shook his head, but the two children’s faces showed longing.
Seeing this, Fu Ying stepped forward and took the young Xianbei girl’s hand, saying, “Come with me. My home is right across the way—I’ll take you over the pontoon bridge and show you how to pick mulberry leaves to feed silkworms. Do you keep silkworms?”
The girl shook her head.
“I’ll give you ten.”
The girl looked at her youngest maternal uncle.
“Go on, go on—you too, Little Blondie,” Fu Ruyi urged them on, speaking matter-of-factly. “You know, I’m only interested in your uncle. I’ve got no interest in kidnapping children.”
“We’re going out to play.” Fu Ying was a bit flushed as she pulled the young Xianbei girl along, hurrying outside. “Do you speak Chinese? What’s your name? I’m Fu Ying.”
Their voices faded into the distance as the two girls stepped out the door. Little Blondie looked left and right, then hurried after them.
“Let’s go.” This time it was Fu Ruyi’s turn to raise an eyebrow at Lou Zhaoshui. She pointed toward the Wang family’s house to the east and said, “Come with me—they’re bound to be furious.”
Lou Zhaoshui could barely string a sentence together, and he had no other option. He could only accept the way out she offered.