Jiang Zhu nodded. “Yes, I… I, carried, you, back.”
Fu Shiwen looked at her small frame, finding it hard to believe she could have carried him back, but there was no one else to be found in the room. Other than her, there was nobody.
He said, “Thank you. Once I recover, I will repay you.”
Jiang Zhu didn’t refuse and gave an “Mm” in response. She thought that when the time came, she’d have the man pay her for the food and a little bit of the medical expenses.
She suddenly remembered she didn’t even know the man’s name yet, so she asked, “What’s, your, name?”
“Fu Shiwen.” He told her, and at the same time noticed something odd about the way she spoke. “You speak…”
Jiang Zhu bit her lower lip. “I… have, a bit, of a stutter… I’ll go, make, dinner.”
With that, she hurried over to the other side of the room, tidying up the food supplies she had just moved in.
Her mind uncontrollably wandered to whether this man would mock her stutter.
Because of her stutter, she had been ridiculed since childhood. Some cruel people would even imitate the way she spoke, filling her with shame!
She hoped Fu Shiwen wouldn’t be that kind of bad person. Otherwise, having to spend an entire winter with him would be agonizing for Jiang Zhu.
Fortunately, Fu Shiwen said nothing more—not a single mocking word. He just sat quietly on the bed, watching her small figure bustle about in the tiny room.
If it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t move right now, he would definitely have gone over to help.
The room fell quiet, with only the sounds of Jiang Zhu cooking filling the air. Thinking that Fu Shiwen’s body needed nourishment right now, Jiang Zhu cut a bit of cured meat and stir-fried it with some greens.
Before dark, she finished cooking and divided the food into two portions. She brought the one with the cured meat to Fu Shiwen and said with her head lowered, “Eat.”
Fu Shiwen was very hungry—he’d only had a bit of porridge all day and had long since felt famished.
Seeing this, he didn’t refuse. He said “Thank you” and took the large bowl to eat.
The food in the bowl didn’t look particularly appetizing—a world apart from the delicacies he ate in the capital—but given his current situation, he didn’t have much choice.
The moment he took his first bite, his brows furrowed. The food was too salty.
Jiang Zhu thought he was turning his nose up at the meal, since the clothes he wore were so fine that his family’s circumstances probably weren’t too poor.
She twisted the hem of her clothes with both hands and said, “There’s, only, this, at home.”
Fu Shiwen looked up and saw her expression, realizing she had misunderstood. He said, “It’s just a little salty—not bad at all.”
Hearing this, Jiang Zhu let out a breath of relief and offered a faint smile. “Eat, more.”
“Alright, thank you for making dinner…” He wanted to call her by name but realized he still didn’t know it.
“I don’t know your name yet, my great benefactor.” He smiled slightly, his expression appearing very gentle.
Jiang Zhu felt inexplicably nervous inside, but she sensed he wasn’t hard to get along with—he seemed like someone with a good disposition.
“My, name, is Jiang, Jiang Zhu—Jiang, as in river, Zhu, as in bamboo.”
“Jiang Zhu…” Fu Shiwen savored the name. “Jiang Zhu, I’ll be troubling you in the days ahead. Once I recover, I will definitely repay you.”
“Alright, I’ll, eat, now.” Jiang Zhu said, walking back to the dining table on the other side to eat her own meal.
Her bowl only had rice and a bit of greens, with some pickled vegetables laid out on the table. It was enough.
She was very thin, clearly malnourished, with slightly sallow skin. Her features, however, were delicate and refined—she was good-looking.
As Jiang Zhu ate, she secretly observed Fu Shiwen, not daring to look too much, only stealing occasional glances to see how he was eating.
Fu Shiwen ate his meal seriously. He had already carefully examined this small room when he first woke up.
It might be small, but it had everything needed. Jiang Zhu had also kept the place neat and tidy, making it feel comfortable to be in.
It was a little wooden cabin, small and snug—a novel experience for Fu Shiwen.
After the meal, Jiang Zhu washed the dishes and chopsticks, then went outside to check on the chickens. She fed them and, on a whim, collected an egg.
She kept three hens, all of them layers. She couldn’t bear to slaughter them, so she kept them for their eggs.
In winter, the hens weren’t laying as much. Getting even one egg a day was a stroke of luck.
After collecting the egg, she hurried back inside. It was too cold outside, and it looked like snow would fall tonight.
She hoped the snow would be light—tomorrow she still needed to return the donkey to Li Shan.
Darkness fell quickly. Jiang Zhu boiled some water to soak her feet, and soon it was about time to sleep.
Tonight, she would sleep beside Fu Shiwen again, in that little chair from last night.
There was only one bed in the house. With Fu Shiwen lying in it, she could only sleep in the chair. It wasn’t comfortable, but at least it was a place to rest.
But sleeping in the chair forever wasn’t a solution either. She couldn’t share the bed with Fu Shiwen—not only because of propriety between men and women, but also because the bed was too small. She couldn’t get on it without risking pressing against his wounds.
Jiang Zhu helped Fu Shiwen lie down, tucking the blanket around him. “It’s… dark. Time to sleep.”
Fu Shiwen asked, “Sleeping this early? What time is it now?”
“Almost… seven.”
Fu Shiwen opened his mouth as if to say something, but found no words. Finally, he said dryly, “Goodnight, Jiang Zhu.”
“Goodnight, Fu… Fu… Fu Shiwen.” It was the first time she’d said his name, and it came out haltingly.
Fu Shiwen let out a chuckle, finding her a little endearing.
Jiang Zhu’s face flushed instantly. She sat in the chair and pulled the blanket over her face, trying to block out his laughter.
Her muffled voice came from under the blanket: “Don’t… laugh.”
Fu Shiwen turned to look at her burying herself like a little animal, finding it even more adorable. “I just think you’re cute. I didn’t mean anything else.”
Jiang Zhu froze beneath the blanket. This was the first time anyone besides her family had ever complimented her.
The villagers—let alone complimenting her—it was already a blessing if they didn’t call her a curse or a bringer of misfortune!
“Th… thank you.” A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She was in good spirits.
It was still early, and Fu Shiwen couldn’t sleep at this hour. He chatted with Jiang Zhu: “You sleep in the chair at night? Last night too?”
Jiang Zhu pulled the blanket down a little, revealing a pair of big eyes and a few slender fingers. “Mm, I sleep here. There’s only… one bed… in the house.”
Fu Shiwen pondered for a moment, then said, “Sleeping in a chair isn’t comfortable. How about… you sleep on the bed? We can squeeze in together.”
“No, no… no need. I’m fine… sleeping here!” She closed her eyes. “I’m… going to sleep.”
Fu Shiwen also felt it wasn’t quite proper, but given the circumstances, this was all they had.
It was only natural that she was unwilling, and Fu Shiwen did not press the matter. He said “goodnight” to her once more, then closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep.
Jiang Zhu gave a soft “mm” in response and said nothing further, leaving the room quiet once again.