Jiang Wan curved her lips slightly and smiled nonchalantly. "Father, when it comes to snatching food from others' mouths, how could there be no danger?"
She looked steadily at Zhou Xianggui, her eyes clear and composed. "Since we've chosen this path, we're destined to start a new game of chess with Chen Ji. Father, there's no turning back…"
"Alas…" Zhou Xianggui let out a long sigh.
After a long moment, he finally rasped out, "If this matter fails, you should leave."
Jiang Wan's brow twitched sharply, and she stared in slight astonishment at the gaunt old man on the bed.
By all accounts, no matter how kind-hearted the Zhou family was, at the end of the day, they were still merchants.
They surely wouldn't do something so "foolish" as losing both the person and the money.
"Father… do you truly mean what you say?" She suppressed the shock in her heart but couldn't help pressing further.
Zhou Xianggui struggled to prop himself up, looking at Jiang Wan with an open and honest expression. "I originally wanted to bring a daughter-in-law into the family, so that when Qi Shan is out there, he'd have someone to hold in his heart…
But everyone knows those northern barbarians are tall and burly, with thick hair and sturdy builds.
With him going there, nine times out of ten he'll…"
His choked throat stopped him from continuing.
He lowered his head, unconsciously rubbing his fingers, his tone growing increasingly sorrowful. "You're an exceptionally clever child. You shouldn't be trapped here, sinking with the Zhou family's ship.
Sending you off would also be planting a seed of kindness.
If one day Xiao He comes begging at your door, I hope you'll…"
"Father." Jiang Wan stood up, cutting through the suffocating atmosphere. "Let's save these words for after we've paid off the debts and life has smoothed out."
She took a deep breath, rose, and bent down to push the stool back to its original position.
The movement was crisp and clean.
"I won't eat at noon. I'll go find Butcher Zhu and secure the leaf lard."
With that, she no longer looked at Zhou Xianggui's grieving face, turned around, and strode out of the main room.
The moment she stepped out of the main room, Jiang Wan's breathing suddenly eased, yet her turbulent emotions took a long time to settle.
Regarding Zhou Xianggui's nearly entrusting-like arrangement, it would be a lie to say Jiang Wan wasn't tempted.
If she could just endure through this half month, she could cast off this pile of mess and trade it for her freedom.
But the Zhou family had truly treated her well.
Her stepmother in her natal family was no easy character to begin with. If she were dragged back under the pretense of "filial piety," she might well be sold off in marriage to some widower or fool for money.
Moreover, Zhou Ji Grocery was the best choice for selling goods at present.
Stable channels, excellent reputation.
If she truly left the Zhou family and Zhou Ji Grocery, starting from scratch in this world would be nearly impossible.
All told, she'd only been here for two days. In these two days, she'd carefully calculated everything.
Rather than wasting effort gambling on an uncertain tomorrow, she'd rather use the Zhou family's foundation to grow and expand her own business!
After all…
A reputation as a loyal and devoted widow could save her a great deal of trouble.
Jiang Wan lowered her gaze, glanced sideways at the open door of the main room, then strode off toward Butcher Zhu's house in town.
The sun was at its peak, and the scorching rays baked the bluestone road.
The cicadas chirped louder and louder, piercing the eardrums.
At this hour, the town's streets were desolate, with no idle figures in sight. Only a few shops had their doors half-open to let in some air.
Jiang Wan took a familiar shortcut into the butcher's alley, catching the distinctive smell of raw pork from a distance.
As she turned the corner, she spotted Butcher Zhu, bare-chested, raising a gleaming thick-backed cleaver and hacking fiercely at a pork leg on the chopping block.
With a dull thud, the leg split in two, sending bone fragments bouncing off the block.
Startled by the sudden noise, Jiang Wan flinched.
After catching her breath, she steeled herself and walked over.
Out of the corner of his eye, Butcher Zhu noticed her figure and paused mid-swing.
His tone was impatient. "Wife of the Zhou family, what are you wandering around for at this hour? Isn't anyone watching over Uncle Zhou?"
"Brother Zhu," Jiang Wan called out, getting straight to the point. "My father sent me. He wants to order some leaf lard from you—as much as you can spare, and it has to be tonight's freshest batch."
Hearing that Zhou Xianggui had sent her, Butcher Zhu's tense expression softened a bit.
He pulled the coarse cloth towel from his shoulder, wiped his face, and looked Jiang Wan up and down, his brow furrowing deeply.
"What do you need that much leaf lard for? Is Uncle Zhou doing alright?"
It was a fair question.
Yongxing Town was small, and everyone already knew that the manager of Zhou's Shop was bedridden and drowning in debt.
Ordering that much leaf lard at a time like this was bound to raise curiosity.
Jiang Wan didn't hide anything, speaking matter-of-factly. "Just buying some leaf lard to render into lard oil. Father's still the same—lying in bed."
Butcher Zhu sighed at that.
His gaze toward Jiang Wan carried a hint of sympathy, but his words were sharp as ever. "Hmph! Uncle Zhou always has to be stubborn—won't rest even when he's sick or hurt. Serves him right! Doesn't he realize how old he is? Just making more trouble for his family!"
Jiang Wan wasn't sure where she stood with him, so she simply repeated herself. "Brother Zhu, about tonight's leaf lard—"
"No time!" Butcher Zhu refused without a second thought, his voice booming like thunder. "I have to get up before dawn to slaughter the pigs for tonight's leaf lard. Do you think I've got nothing better to do? You want me to trim leaf lard for you in the middle of the night?"
His voice was hoarse, carrying the usual ferocity of a butcher, and he looked at Jiang Wan with displeasure. "Your father's sick, and instead of tending to him at his bedside, you've got the leisure to fuss over this. You're a greedy woman, aren't you?"
Jiang Wan wasn't intimidated by his demeanor—if anything, it sparked a bit of fire in her.
She straightened her back and met his gaze squarely. "The Zhou family's debts aren't paid off yet. I need to find a way to make a living. If I render the leaf lard, the shop can stock two more items. That's more useful than sitting by Father and sighing."
She took a deep breath to steady her rising emotions and continued, "Brother Zhu, I know it's a hassle, but you're the only one who can help us.
Father said your leaf lard is the cleanest—the oil you render has no gamey smell at all. He wouldn't trust anyone else's."
Butcher Zhu stared at her for a long moment, and just as Jiang Wan thought she'd failed and turned to leave—
He finally spoke.
"How much?"
Jiang Wan's eyes lit up.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead and quickly said, "We'll take the leaf lard from two pigs. Is that alright?"
Butcher Zhu glanced at her sideways without a word, merely curling his fingers and tapping the chopping block in front of him.
Jiang Wan froze for a moment, not yet grasping his meaning, when he started bellowing impatiently.
"What are you standing there for? The deposit!"
"Oh, oh, right away!" Jiang Wan hastily took out the two hundred copper coins she had counted in advance and handed them over with both hands.
Butcher Zhu snatched the coins, weighed them in his hand, and said gruffly, "Fine! Come pick it up at the third watch tomorrow morning. I'll trim it for you in advance, so you won't be picking and choosing when you get here."
As he spoke, he shot Jiang Wan a dirty look.
Frowning, he muttered, "You've got a clever scheme, don't you? You've reserved the leaf lard from both pigs. What's left for me to sell at my pork shop? Just the lean meat…"
Knowing she was in the wrong, Jiang Wan could only force a smile and say, "It's only because Brother Zhu is so kind-hearted. Any other butcher shop wouldn't be willing to sell us all the leaf lard."
Butcher Zhu snorted through his nose and sneered, "Hmph! Smooth talker. I reckon you'll run your family into the ground sooner or later!"
Despite his words, he suddenly reached out, grabbed the half-cut pork leg on the chopping block, and tossed it in front of Jiang Wan.
"This is what was left over from this morning. Take it back and let Uncle Zhou build up his strength."
His gruff exterior but kind interior left Jiang Wan momentarily puzzled.
She lowered her head and looked at the pork hock he had thrown over.
Although this was meat from the front leg, not as thick as the rear leg, this large piece with skin and bone weighed at least two or three catties, easily worth several dozen coppers.
And Butcher Zhu just gave it away?
Seeing her hesitate to respond, Butcher Zhu, being the impatient sort, could no longer wait.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, picked up the hock, and with a few quick chops, cut it into small pieces and wrapped them in oil paper.
"Is this fine now? Keep dawdling and we'll call off this deal!"
Jiang Wan blinked rapidly and declined, "Brother Zhu, this—this won't do. It's too valuable."
"What's the problem with it?" Butcher Zhu glared at her irritably, slapped his cleaver onto the chopping block, and threatened ferociously, "If I say take it, you take it!"
Seeing how resolute he was, even with a hint of embarrassed anger, Jiang Wan stopped refusing.
She nodded gratefully at Butcher Zhu, then picked up the heavy bundle of pork hock and jogged all the way home under the scorching sun.
Entering the main room, she found Madam Yu and shoved the oil-paper bundle of pork hock toward her, explaining breathlessly, "Mother, Butcher Zhu gave this to us. I couldn't refuse."
Madam Yu took it, feeling its solid weight, pressed her lips together, and said softly, "That boy is still too honest."
"Should we give something back?" Jiang Wan asked.
Madam Yu shook her head. "No need. Your father has plans for this."
With that, she turned to Zhou Xianggui, who was staring intently at the oil-paper bundle, and said gently, "I'll stew this hock in a bit. You and Xiaowan should eat a bit more tonight."
Only then did Zhou Xianggui snap out of his daze. He nodded and agreed.
Dusk settled in, and wisps of cooking smoke rose from the chimneys.
The entire Zhou family courtyard was enveloped in a rich, savory aroma of meat.
Jiang Wan had taken a nap at noon and woke up to find herself drawn to the kitchen by the smell.
At the moment, Madam Yu was bent over, stirring the bubbling broth in the pot with an iron ladle.
The broth was as thick as amber, and with every bubble, it released an even heavier, richer meaty fragrance.
It made Jiang Wan unable to resist swallowing her saliva.
Hearing the noise, Madam Yu turned around. The moment she saw Jiang Wan, a gentle smile bloomed at the corners of her mouth.
She set down the ladle and patted Jiang Wan on the shoulder. "No rush, let it simmer a little longer."
With that, she turned to fetch the bowls and chopsticks.
"Sister-in-law, come sit for a bit?" Xiao He patted the empty spot beside her and called out.
Jiang Wan immediately walked over and sat down next to Xiao He by the mouth of the stove.
The kitchen was hot, and the stove opening was even hotter.
The red flames licked the bottom of the pot, reflecting the identical smiles on the two women's faces.
When Madam Yu returned, she saw this scene.
Her nose suddenly stung, and the corners of her eyes grew moist.
Somehow, even though the family couldn't even scrape together tomorrow's meals, she still felt that life had hope.
She let out a self-deprecating laugh and reached up to lift the lid.
The pork hock in the pot had already been stewed until it was soft and falling off the bone.
The soaked soybeans had absorbed all the broth, becoming even plumper and fuller.
Madam Yu scooped out the pork hock, picked up a small piece with tendon and meat, blew on it, and brought it to Jiang Wan's lips.
"Try it, see if it tastes right."