After they left, the man was still staring blankly at Meng Wan’s back.
Zhang Xiaoyu slapped his shoulder in exasperation, “Dongzi, what are you still looking at? He’s already disappeared. Look at him, he’s a complete wretch with no manners and no parents. He didn’t even say hello. It is just a pretty face and you are already completely infatuated with him. If you marry him, he’ll be a disaster.”
Dongzi was still immersed in Meng Wan’s smile and frown, muttering, “Third Aunt, why don’t you go to his house and ask him for a chance? Isn’t Uncle and his uncle brothers? If I can really marry him, I’ll ask my mother for ten taels of silver as a betrothal gift!”
He saw Meng Wan for the first time at Mange’er’s wedding banquet. Who in the surrounding area had ever seen such a handsome young man? Not only him, but many people were asking about Meng Wan. He had to urge his aunt to propose marriage as soon as possible!
Zhang Xiaoyu slapped him even harder in anger, “Are you trying to kill me? You didn’t take a single word your aunt said to heart! You’d rather marry him than a decent young woman with ten taels of silver?”
He launched into a tirade against his nephew, saying all sorts of bad things about Meng Wan, but Dongzi wouldn’t listen to a word he said.
When Meng Wan returned home, Chang Jinhua was sweeping snow in the yard. With the tofu stall at home, she had much more free time. When someone came, she would go into the house to get tofu, and when no one was around, she would do some chores.
“It’s still not very convenient. It’s not good for outsiders to come and go all the time when Wan’er and I are at home. Although it’s mostly women and gers who come to buy tofu, it’s inevitable that people will gossip when so many people come and go.” Chang Jinhua said a few words to Aunt Song Liu.
Aunt Song Liu advised her, “The Little New Year is just a few days away. You’ve been busy for so long, it’s good for you to take a break.”
In the winter off-season in the north, almost every household is idle. Chang Jinhua starts making tofu before dawn every day, earning her money through hard work.
She wasn’t afraid of being tired, but she was cautious and, having been a widow for many years, was most afraid of gossip. She asked Meng Wan, “Wan-ge’er, what do you think?”
Meng Wan moved a stool to the kitchen and sat down to sew shoe uppers, while glancing outside to see if anyone was coming to buy tofu. “Then let’s not make any more. We’ll make a lot before the Lunar New Year and sell it at the market in Hongmiao Village. One batch will be enough for all these days.”
Chang Jinhua and Aunt Song were sewing clothes inside when Meng Wan’s words gave them an idea. “There’s also a big market in the town of Twenty-Eight. It’s even more crowded and lively there, with all sorts of things for sale. When Dalang was little, he wrote the character ‘福’ (fortune) and sold it to earn a few coins to buy fruit. The village chief’s oxcart also takes people to town every year at this time, charging two coins per person. Let’s make more tofu and use his oxcart to take it to town to sell, giving him a few extra coins.”
Aunt Song Liu also agreed, “Everyone will be going to the market then, and my family has also saved up two baskets of eggs to sell. Man Ge’er is skillful and has embroidered a few handkerchiefs. Dali will accompany him to the market then. Tingzhou and Wan Ge’er will be engaged by then, so let the younger ones get together and play.”
Meng Wan’s voice came from the kitchen, “I’m not going shopping, I’m going to help my aunt sell tofu.”
Chang Jinhua retorted, “Other families’ children all go out to play, but I’m the only one with a black heart who insists you do all the work, right?”
Meng Wan explained helplessly, “Auntie, that’s not what I meant. We’ll be going to town on the 28th. We’ll definitely make a lot of tofu, and you won’t be able to handle it all by yourself. I can help you sell it all and then we can go shopping in the meantime.”
Aunt Song praised Meng Wan to Chang Jinhua: “Look how sensible your little boy is.”
Chang Jinhua cut the fabric, smiling without saying a word, thinking about how to use the remaining fabric to make clothes for Wan Ge’er.
Aunt Song said loudly, “Don’t worry, Wan-ge’er. On the 28th, your sixth uncle and I will go to town. Your sixth uncle will guard the eggs, and I will help your aunt sell tofu. Auntie is a bit clumsy, but I can still scoop out a tofu.”
”Then thank you very much, Aunt Liu.” Since she had said that, how could Meng Wan refuse?
Yesterday’s heavy snow made the roads difficult to travel, so fewer people came to buy tofu today. In the afternoon, Aunt Song went home, and Chang Jinhua was sewing clothes inside the house.
Meng Wan stood up from the small stool in the kitchen and stomped his numb feet. Even though he was sitting in front of the stove, his feet were still freezing. It was so cold.
”Wan-ge’er, you’re home.”
A crunching sound came from outside the door, the sound of people walking on the snow.
Meng Wan looked up and saw that it was the nephew of the second aunt he had met at the village entrance.
”Are you buying tofu?” Meng Wan asked in a nonchalant tone.
Dongzi was taken aback. “Huh? Yes, yes, I’m eating at my aunt’s house tonight. I’ll just buy two pieces.”
Meng Wan lifted the burlap lining covering the tofu. “Didn’t you bring a bowl?”
Dongzi kept a close eye on his every move. “No, I haven’t forgotten.”
Meng Wan took a deep bowl from his cupboard, put two pieces of tofu in it, and said, “Hey, four coins, remember to return the bowl.”
Dongzi took the bowl, pulled out four copper coins from his pocket, and blushed as he tried to put them in Meng Wan’s hand. Meng Wan looked at him speechlessly, “Just put them on the stove.”
”Hey, I… I’ll take the tofu back now, and I’ll bring you a bowl later, just wait a bit!”
He grabbed the tofu and darted out; Meng Wan was genuinely afraid he would drop it.
Later that evening, Meng Wan saw that the tofu outside was frozen solid. He happily chopped some pickled cabbage and planned to roll out some flatbreads later. There was still some bone broth left over from yesterday, which would be perfect for stewing the pickled cabbage. He was still missing some blood sausage, but unfortunately, he didn’t know how to make it.
While he was cooking, Chang Jinhua wanted to finish making the clothes in time for their engagement, so she didn’t get off the kang (a heated brick bed) for a long time.
Just then, Dongzi arrived again, carrying his family’s bowl. He walked in absentmindedly, no longer as enthusiastic as before, and seemed to be putting on airs, but his gaze toward Meng Wan was still unpredictable.
”Well, I’ve heard about it.”
Meng Wan was baffled, and he ignored Dongzi, continuing to roll out the pancakes by himself.
”Wan-ge’er, who is it? Buying tofu so late.” Chang Jinhua heard the noise from inside the house.
Meng Wan didn’t even look up. “My second aunt’s nephew bought tofu this afternoon and is returning the bowl now.”
Chang Jinhua fell silent, but Dongzi became even more enthusiastic. “So you’re not a child of the Song family. I heard from my third aunt that you have no parents and came here to stay with your aunt.”
”My third aunt said that it’s hard for children without parents to find a husband.”
”My parents also said they wanted to find me someone they knew well.”
”But you are also a distant relative of my third aunt.”
Finally, he confidently concluded: “Although you have no family to rely on and are a boy who is not good at having children, I don’t look down on you. I’ll just waive the bride price.”
Seeing that he was rambling on and on and showed no sign of leaving, Meng Wan had no choice but to say, “Thank you for your concern, but don’t worry about it. I’ve already found someone to take care of me.”
Meng Wan and Song Tingzhou are not engaged yet, and he shouldn’t have said such things, but his second aunt and nephew were too annoying. They had no sense of propriety and kept nagging, so he couldn’t help himself.
Dongzi’s face turned pale after hearing what he said. He grabbed Meng Wan’s arm and said, “Impossible. If you had found a good match, how come my third aunt didn’t know? If I knew, I would not have come directly to talk to you about marriage, and I knew you were just shy, so you said that on purpose.”
Meng Wan was still holding a rolling pin in his other hand. Hearing this, he really wanted to hit him with it, but afraid that Chang Jinhua would hear the noise and worry, he lowered his voice and said, “Let go.”
Dongzi belatedly realized that he shouldn’t have touched an unmarried young man inappropriately, and hurriedly let go of his hand.
Meng Wan quickly took two steps back, and Dongzi felt a tremendous force on his lower back. He thrashed and fell to the spot where Meng Wan had just been standing, lying on the ground in dull pain, unable to get up.
”Ouch…which heartless idiot kicked me!”
Song Tingzhou still had his book box on his back. His face was ugly, and he said coldly, “Who do you think you are, so shameless as to come to my house in broad daylight and harass my fiancé?”
Chang Jinhua felt increasingly uneasy as she listened from inside the house, so she quickly put on her shoes and ran into the kitchen.
”Is this Zhang Xiaoyu’s nephew? Why is he lying on the ground?”
Meng Wan remained silent, and Song Tingzhou also kept a straight face.
Surrounded by the family, Dongzi was filled with shame. He clutched his waist and got up from the ground. “Auntie, I slipped and fell in at the door.”
Chang Jinhua glanced at her two children and greeted Dongzi, “Are you alright?”
Dongzi rubbed his lower back and said awkwardly, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing.”
Meng Wan was speechless. “If there’s nothing else, you can leave now. My family is about to have dinner.”
”Alright, I’m leaving now, Wan-ge’er.” Dongzi put one hand on his waist, turned sideways and backed away, his eyes still lingering on Meng Wan.
How could Wan-ge’er have actually chosen someone? He could have married him for fifteen taels of silver!
Song Tingzhou slammed the book box down on the kitchen floor and said calmly, “I’ll go see the guests off.”
When Chang Jinhua saw that Meng Wan was going to make pancakes, she squatted down to help him add fuel to the fire. Meng Wan then brushed oil on the pancakes. Occasionally, two muffled thuds came from the doorway. Soon after, Song Tingzhou walked in. Meng Wan noticed out of the corner of his eye that his knuckles were red. He didn’t know if it was from the cold or from hitting someone.
He truly overturned my stereotype of ancient scholars; he would avoid speaking if possible and simply take action.
Chang Jinhua understood everything. She sighed. Wan Ge’er was good in every way, but it was precisely because he was good that he attracted people’s attention. Things should be better once he got married and tied his hair up.
When the food was served, Meng Wan said to Chang Jinhua, “Auntie, try my frozen tofu and see if it’s good.”
Chang Jinhua picked up a square piece of frozen tofu from the sauerkraut. “Is this what you froze this morning? It’s got big holes in it. How can it taste good?”
Meng Wan said with a smile, “Why don’t you try it!”
Upon hearing this, Song Tingzhou decisively picked up a piece and ate it. The small tofu was soaked in a mixture of pickled cabbage and bone broth, and it had almost no bean flavor left, but it was chewier than regular tofu.
”tasty.”
Chang Jinhua also took a bite. “This is what it looks like after freezing? It’s alright.”
She prefers smooth, tender tofu to frozen tofu.
Seeing that they had all tried it, Meng Wan said, “Now that it’s cold, we’ll freeze the tofu that we can’t sell overnight and try to sell it at the market. If we can’t sell it, we’ll keep it at home to stew and eat.”
Chang Jinhua said, “There are only four pieces left today. I’ll freeze them outside in a bit. From now on, we won’t sell tofu at home anymore. Dalang won’t have to grind soybeans tomorrow either. Wan’er and I will make less during the day and freeze a block of tofu, either to sell at the market or to eat at home.”
”Hmm.” Song Tingzhou rarely speaks while eating, and he is usually quiet anyway.
After the snow, the weather was terribly cold. Since his family no longer sold tofu, Meng Wan didn’t have to get up so early anymore. He would occasionally get up to make breakfast for Song Tingzhou, but only once or twice, as Chang Jinhua said she didn’t need him to.
People from other villages would occasionally come to ask Chang Jinhua to buy tofu, and Chang Jinhua would tell them that she would not sell it before the New Year except at the market, and they could come back to buy it after the New Year.
Once the news spread, things calmed down considerably at the Song family’s residence.
Meng Wan finally finished making his first pair of shoes, and he even added cotton to the uppers. Just then, he overheard Man Ge’er saying that they should give some handmade items as engagement gifts, so he decided to give them to Song Tingzhou when they got engaged.
Meng Wan had mixed feelings, and as he went on and on, he began to feel somewhat resigned to his fate.
The day before the Lunar New Year, Song Tingzhou’s private school was closed for the holiday, so the Hongmiao Village market gained an extra source of labor. They made five slabs of tofu that day, and they sold out completely. The tofu stall next door made even more, and the whole family came to help. Zhou Niangzi was so happy counting the money that her face was practically cramping from smiling.
Chang Jinhua was even happier, not for the extra copper coins, but because her son was getting engaged the next day.
”We need to hurry to the butcher’s stall before all the good, fatty cuts are gone.”
”I need to go to your sixth aunt’s house to pick up some fish later. I ordered two carp for tomorrow’s banquet.”
”We still have six chickens at home, and we need to slaughter two of them and prepare them.”
”I’ll buy another bag of sugar, we still have about half a bag of peanuts at home, and I need to buy some sunflower seeds…”
Chang Jinhua left Meng Wan and Song Tingzhou to pack up the stall, and hurriedly headed towards the meat stall, muttering about what she needed to buy as she went.
After Meng Wan finished packing up the stall, he inexplicably met Song Tingzhou’s gaze, and the next second they both looked away at the same time.
How bizarre! I’ve never even had a partner in modern times, and now I’m really going to get engaged to this ancient person?
Even the next morning, when he put on the new apricot-yellow cotton-padded jacket that Chang Jinhua had made for him, he was still in a daze.
”Wan-ge’er, you look really good in this.” Man-ge’er touched the new cotton-padded jacket he was wearing, his eyes full of love, clearly this outfit suited his taste very well.
Meng Wan looked down, feeling dizzy and lightheaded. He had never imagined he could dress so flamboyantly in his life.
Chang Jinhua didn’t invite many people to the engagement ceremony today. Song Tingzhou’s grandparents had passed away early, and only Song’s second uncle, who was Song Tingzhou’s father’s brother, was invited.
The clan head’s family, Aunt Song’s family, and the feng shui master who chose the auspicious dates for Song Tingzhou and Meng Wan were also invited. They filled two tables with people. Other relatives, such as Chang Jinhua’s relatives, were not invited.
Since Meng Wan had no family to rely on, she asked Aunt Song Liu to act as his matchmaker.
The ceremony was quite simple. The feng shui master consulted and immediately determined an auspicious date for the couple. Aunt Song Liu then said a few auspicious words. The two newlyweds stood face to face and exchanged tokens, both wrapped in cloth, so it was impossible to tell what was inside.
Meng Wan handed the pair of shoes he had sewn to Song Tingzhou. He took a deep breath. He had only wanted to give the shoes to Song Tingzhou out of gratitude, but he never expected them to be used for something else today.
Song Tingzhou also handed him something wrapped in red cloth, which felt like a box. Meng Wan hugged it to his chest and lowered his head without saying a word.
Song Tingzhou’s attire today was nothing out of the ordinary; he wore his usual long cotton robe. With an inscrutable expression, he gazed down at the crown of Meng Wan’s head. Had he spoken up then—suggesting they simply drop the matter—Meng Wan would surely have been relieved, even if it meant becoming a laughingstock and breaking his mother’s heart. He would have continued to care for his mother in the role of a devoted nephew until he eventually found someone he truly loved and married.
Song Tingzhou pursed his lips and calmly exchanged tokens with Meng Wan.