Han Qingmo held the medicine bowl, the bitter scent of traditional herbs lingering on his breath. As he listened to He Yannuo’s blunt declaration, his brow twitched imperceptibly. He couldn’t help but grumble internally: Is it really appropriate to say things like that right in front of me? I’m a living person, not some object!
He glanced up at Yannuo. Seeing her composed expression—clearly showing she felt absolutely nothing was wrong with her words—he sighed secretly. This second sister of the He family is truly something else.
Xiang Yang, standing nearby, couldn’t contain himself after hearing his girlfriend’s domineering remark. He burst into a laugh and winked at Han Qingmo with a look of pure schadenfreude. “Brother Mo, you’d better treat my little sister well, or she’ll kick you to the curb!” His shoulders shook with laughter, clearly enjoying Han Qingmo’s rare moment of being at a loss for words.
Han Qingmo let out a cold snort, his gaze sweeping over Xiang Yang like a chilling breeze. He countered nonchalantly, “I won’t speak of the future, but for now, Chuchu has already agreed to marry me. As for you? I suspect Sister Nuo hasn’t even considered the idea of marrying you yet.”
He intentionally emphasized the word “Sister,” his eyes flashing with provocation—a clear retaliation for Xiang Yang’s teasing.
Xiang Yang immediately clutched his chest and took an exaggerated step back, feigning the agony of a thousand arrows piercing his heart. “That’s a low blow! Your tongue is as poisonous as ever!” He shook his head and sighed woefully. “Nuo’s only reluctantly agreed to date me because I’ve been pestering her and doing favors for her every single day. Marriage? That is a very long and difficult road ahead!”
As he spoke, he stole a glance at Yannuo. Seeing her face remained unchanged, he felt both relieved and helpless. Alas, the revolution is not yet successful; the comrade must continue to strive…
Yanchu watched Xiang Yang’s antics and gave her sister a playful nudge with her elbow. “Sis,” she whispered with a giggle, “where did you find this character? Is he really your boyfriend?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief, clearly curious about this potential brother-in-law.
Yannuo glanced at Xiang Yang. Seeing him looking at her expectantly—like a large dog waiting for its owner’s approval—the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly. Her tone remained cool, yet carried an undetectable softness. “He’s an internal medicine doctor who was transferred from the capital recently. I couldn’t stand his relentless pursuit anymore, and since he seemed interesting enough, I agreed to give it a try.”
Though she spoke dismissively, the softening of her gaze suggested she was far from indifferent toward him.
Yanchu looked back and forth between her sister and Xiang Yang, nodding inwardly. They actually make a great pair. Sis is cool and elegant, while Xiang Yang is bright and handsome—their personalities complement each other perfectly. Most importantly, it’s obvious Xiang Yang is head-over-heels for her. Marrying someone who’s a total ‘love-brain’ ensures a happy life!
She smothered a laugh, already imagining her sister being hopelessly pampered by him in the future.
Yannuo watched her sister’s eyes darting around before Yanchu started giggling to herself. The brightness of that smile made Yannuo recall something their mother had said: “Xiaochu is a bit quiet, but she’ll come out of her shell eventually.”
As the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her sister’s face, Yannuo realized that this vibrant girl was who her sister was meant to be. Compared to the silent, submissive girl who always kept her head down, she much preferred this sister with light in her eyes.
“What are you daydreaming about?” Yannuo reached out and pinched Yanchu’s soft cheek, feigning a stern face. “Stop prying into my business and focus on preparing for your own wedding.”
“Ow, ow, ow!” Yanchu cried out dramatically, though her eyes crinkled into crescents. A wave of warmth surged through her, like hot soup on a winter day. The memories of her past life—struggling all alone—felt distant. Now, she had a sister to pinch her cheeks, a brother to dote on her, and…
Her gaze drifted toward Han Qingmo under the pomegranate tree. She met his smiling eyes, and the sheer intensity of his look made her ears burn. She quickly turned away and asked, “Sis, where are Brother Cheng and Brother Hua?”
“They went up the mountain early,” Yannuo said, releasing her cheek and pointing toward the kitchen. “They left some sweet potato porridge for you.”
Yanchu stamped her foot, her shoe carving a small divot in the dirt. “They didn’t wait for me!” she grumbled playfully—a tone of voice the timid “old” Xiaochu would never have used.
Just then, silvery laughter rang out from outside the wall. A few girls in embroidered Miao skirts poked their heads over the gate, carrying bamboo baskets. The leader, Wang Ni, called out in accented Mandarin, “Yanchu! Let’s go forage for mushrooms!”
Yanchu’s eyes lit up instantly. She turned to bolt, but Yannuo caught her by the back of her collar. “Drink your porridge first.” The tone was final, but her hands were gentle as she straightened Yanchu’s collar.
“I know, I know—” Yanchu drawled, waving to Wang Ni. “Go on ahead!” She scurried toward the kitchen, her hair bouncing in the morning light like a happy sparrow.
Under the tree, Xiang Yang nudged Han Qingmo. “Your fiancée…” He trailed off, stunned. His usually stoic friend was watching the girl’s retreating figure with a smile more tender than the morning sun.
“Tsk, the iron tree is finally blooming,” Xiang Yang teased. Catching a sharp glance from Yannuo, he immediately switched to a fawning grin. “Nuo, let me help you set the table!” He looked exactly like a loyal dog hoping for a bone.
As they were eating, the courtyard gate creaked open. The two cousins returned triumphant. He Yanhua held a basket containing a dozen Jizong mushrooms with closed caps, their snow-white stalks still dusted with fresh soil.
“Jizong!” Yanchu gasped, abandoning her porridge to rush over. She carefully cradled a mushroom and inhaled its scent, the memory of its delicious flavor reviving on her tongue. “This is best in soup…” she murmured, her “greedy cat” expression making Yanhua laugh.
“We’ll stew them for lunch,” Yanhua said, ruffling her hair with fond affection.
Han Qingmo and Xiang Yang looked at the two overflowing baskets with hidden shock. In the high-end restaurants of the capital, these forest delicacies were priced by the gram; here, they seemed as common as wild grass.
“This… this is so much…” Xiang Yang stammered, his finger brushing the smooth cap of a porcini. “Where we’re from, this basket would be worth half a month’s salary.”
He Yancheng unbuttoned his sweat-soaked collar and chuckled. “Let Xiaochu take you guys later. There’s a pine forest on the back mountain; the Matsutake should be popping up about now.”
“Matsutake?!” Xiang Yang’s voice cracked, as if he’d just heard there was gold in the hills. He shoveled the last of his porridge down and moved to stand, only for a single look from Yannuo to pin him back to his stool.
Han Qingmo looked thoughtfully at a Jizong mushroom. “Have you ever thought about selling these outside?”
“It’s hard,” Yanhua sighed, counting on his fingers. “It’s a half-day trek to the county seat, and a whole day to reach Chun City. Fresh mushrooms are delicate; they’re wilted by the time you get there.” He pointed to the bamboo trays drying mushrooms in the corner. “We can only dry them for winter. In years with heavy rain, there are more than we can pick, so we end up feeding them to the pigs.”
“Feeding them to the pigs?!” Xiang Yang shrieked. He looked as pained as if he’d heard someone was using top-shelf liquor to water the lawn.
Yanchu burst out laughing. “Brother Xiang Yang, stay calm. After you’ve eaten sautéed mushrooms for a month straight and the mere smell makes you want to gag, you’ll understand.” She winked mischievously. “Last year Wang Ni’s family picked too many; they still haven’t finished their dried stash.”
As the group laughed together, Han Qingmo’s gaze never left Yanchu. The more I look at this wife of mine, the more I like her. Seeing the light in her eyes as she joked with her siblings made his own heart swell with warmth.
Yannuo suddenly tapped the table. “If you’re going up the mountain, move fast. The sun will be brutal soon.” She stood up to clear the dishes, a faint smile playing on her lips. A lively morning like this really does lift the spirits.