With two more Lu Hua chickens in the house that couldn't be kept together with their own flock, Yan Shichang got up early the next day. As soon as dawn broke, he went up the mountain to cut some bamboo, planning to weave a coop for these two outsider chickens as well.
Chen Lanfang looked down on the Zhao family, and by extension, these two chickens irritated her too.
If it weren't for the fact that the household had been eating well lately and she wanted to collect two extra eggs each day, she would have long since sent those two beasts to the chopping block.
Hearing her grumble in a low voice, Yan Shichang said, "What's this 'yours' and 'theirs'? Once they're in our home, these animals are ours."
"You do have a point there." Chen Lanfang helped Yan Shichang split the bamboo tubes into strips, and listening to the two Lu Hua chickens clucking away, she said, "Actually, people aren't so different from livestock sometimes."
Yan Shichang shot her a glance. "We've been married all these years—since when did you start talking to me in such roundabout ways?"
Chen Lanfang smiled at him. "If you can catch my meaning, then I'm not being roundabout at all. That Wen Shishan and Li Qiaozhen couple are rotten, but Xi ge'er is a good one. He's someone who lives his life steadily. Since he came, not only has Feng'an's illness gotten better, even his temperament has reined in a bit. He has a connection with our family—we can't treat him too poorly."
"He hasn't lacked food or clothes. How have we treated him poorly?"
"Never mind the food—just look at what he wears. Clothes that don't fit, shoes that are falling apart. They say you respect the clothes before you respect the person. I bet that dog Zhao Shoutian bullied him precisely because he saw him dressed in rags."
That was indeed possible. Yan Shichang kept working with his hands, his tone casual. "Then buy him a few outfits."
"That was my plan, but don't I need to discuss it with you, the head of the household first?"
Catching her teasing tone, Yan Shichang chuckled. "The head of this household isn't that stingy. Handle these matters as you see fit. The doctor said Feng'an can stop taking the medicine once he finishes this batch. With that expense saved, our family's life should ease up a bit. In a few days I'll take our eldest and second sons to pick up some more work. Things will get better little by little."
Yan Shichang was a carpenter. Of his three sons, apart from Yan Feng'an, who was still in school, the other two followed him in the carpentry trade.
Not only did the father and sons have a craft, but the youngest son had also passed the xiucai examination, which exempted their family from corvée labor. Whenever anyone in the village mentioned their family, they couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.
A few years back, their family had indeed enjoyed a stretch of prosperity, but ever since Yan Feng'an passed the xiucai exam, their finances had somehow started to grow tight.
The old couple didn't want to pin all the blame on Yan Feng'an, but to be honest, the sorry state of their once-flourishing household really couldn't be separated from him.
It was never easy for a farming family to support a scholar, and Yan Feng'an loved to compete with his classmates at the academy. Not only did he insist on the finest brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, he also had to wear splendid clothes, even imitating the young masters of the city by wearing jade pendants and sachets and carrying fans inscribed by famous calligraphers.
At the end of the day, he was nothing more than a mud-legger's son. Even having passed the xiucai exam, he had no business being so ostentatious. Yan Shichang and Chen Lanfang loved him dearly but didn't spoil him. Seeing that his desires were like a bottomless pit that could never be satisfied, the old couple stopped indulging his whims with extra money.
Because of this, Yan Feng'an had behaved himself for a while, but somehow later he took a fancy to Wen Liu. Not only did he find all sorts of ways to send him jewelry, he even offered a sky-high betrothal gift of thirty taels of silver when arranging the engagement.
Thinking of these things, Yan Shichang felt a tightness in his chest, unable to breathe. His son had been clever and quick-witted since childhood—even a wandering Daoist passing through had said he would amount to something someday. Who knew that as the boy grew up, he would turn out like this?
Seeing his expression, Chen Lanfang knew exactly what was on his mind and couldn't help comforting him: "After going through such an ordeal, I think Feng'an has learned his lesson. He'll get rid of all those bad habits of his."
Yan Shichang let out a long sigh, only hoping his child truly meant to reform.
After discussing it with Yan Shichang, Chen Lanfang took Wen Xi into town the next day.
Before going out, Wen Xi deliberately put on the new shoes his two sisters-in-law had made for him. Seeing him pacing around the room like a child who'd been given a treasure, Yan Feng'an couldn't resist teasing him: "The little pitiful one has someone to dote on him now, and even new shoes to wear. How enviable."
Wen Xi was delighted with his new shoes, but being teased like that made him a little embarrassed.
Since it was this man who had taken him in, he worked up the courage to curry a little favor with Yan Feng'an: "I know how to stitch shoe soles. Next time, I'll make you a pair too."
"No need, I have plenty of shoes." Yan Feng'an opened the cabinet, revealing the bottom shelf, which was packed full with all kinds of shoes.
Most of these shoes had been bought from shops in the city—Wen Xi's meager skills couldn't compare. Looking at those shoes, he silently warned himself not to ask for embarrassment again next time.
"Actually, never mind—you should make me a pair after all. I don't want any of these shoes."
The one who had occupied his body certainly knew how to enjoy himself. Not only were most of the clothes made of silk, but there were even several pairs of boots. That shameless thing had not only stolen his body, but had also squandered the family's money freely under the doting of his parents and the tolerance of his brothers and sisters-in-law. The moment Yan Feng'an saw the clothes and shoes that thing had worn, he felt utterly disgusted.
Wen Xi had lived through hard times and couldn't stand extravagance and waste the most. Hearing Yan Feng'an's words, he said anxiously, "These shoes are still in such good condition. How can you not want them?"
Yan Feng'an said, "You've got the wrong idea. When I say I don't want them, I don't mean throwing them away."
Seeing that Wen Xi still looked anxious, he explained patiently: "I remember there are shops in town that specifically buy used clothes and shoes. I plan to sell all these clothes and shoes."
So that was what he meant. Wen Xi asked him, "Then… do you want to come to town with me and Mother later?"
Yan Feng'an nodded and took out all the unworn clothes from the cabinet: "You start sorting these for me first. I'll go tell Mother."
Selling off clothes wasn't anything unusual in the countryside. Poorer families would even pawn their winter padded clothes at pawnshops when spring came, then redeem them when the weather turned cold again.
Of course, a family like the Yan household certainly had no need for that. Though life at home wasn't what it used to be, it wasn't so difficult as all that. Chen Lanfang was puzzled: "Why would you suddenly think of selling off your clothes, when everything's fine?"
Yan Feng'an had long prepared his explanation: "These clothes are flashy but impractical—not suitable for a family like ours. I don't want to wear them anymore."
"If you can think that way, that's best." Seeing that he truly meant to turn over a new leaf, Chen Lanfang naturally supported his plan. "Will you take the clothes to sell yourself, or shall I help?"
"I'll go myself." Having been cooped up at home for so long, Yan Feng'an was eager to get out and see the world.
These days, aside from still being a bit weak, his health was no longer a serious concern. A trip to town wouldn't hurt, though he still couldn't overexert himself. Chen Lanfang said, "Your father took your eldest and second brothers to work in the neighboring village, and there's no one to hitch the ox cart. If you want to go, we should head out early and wait by the main road."
Daoxiang Village wasn't far from Yongle Town—half an hour's walk at a brisk pace. According to Chen Lanfang's original plan, she had intended to walk there with Wen Xi.
Now that Yan Feng'an was coming along, and with his health in mind, taking the ox cart was naturally the better choice.
Once mother and son finished talking, Wen Xi had also packed the clothes and shoes Yan Feng'an was pawning into a bundle. The bundle looked fairly large, and Yan Feng'an reached out to take it, but Wen Xi shook his head in refusal. "It's not heavy. You're still weak—let me carry it."
Though Yan Feng'an badly wanted to prove himself, he had to admit the truth: at present, he really was an invalid in need of his husband's care.
After giving Li Wan a few instructions, Chen Lanfang led the young couple out the door. As they walked toward the edge of the village, they ran into quite a few neighbors along the way.
In the past, Chen Lanfang hadn't cared to chat with them much, but now that her son had recovered, she could hold her head high.
A few days earlier, when they'd heard the two children from Yan Feng'an's household say his madness had been cured, everyone had been skeptical. Only today, upon seeing him in person, did they truly believe it.
Quite a few people on the road greeted Yan Feng'an, the xiucai. He nodded calmly, calling out to people from memory.
Once the three of them had walked some distance away, a group of people muttered, "How strange. One knock on Scholar Yan's head, and out came his manners."
After leaving the village, a short walk brought them to the main road. It happened to be market day, and before long an ox cart came along. Besides the driver, there was a young man and a ge'er of about thirty sitting on it.
After Wen Xi and the others boarded, they ended up seated facing the two. Since these two were from a village upstream, Chen Lanfang didn't know them, so neither side exchanged greetings.
Faced with strangers, Wen Xi always felt somewhat awkward and shy. After boarding, he didn't dare look around, keeping his legs together and his head lowered, staring fixedly at the bundle in his hands.
The moist morning breeze drifted gently past, and a rich fragrance of osmanthus wafted into his nose. The osmanthus had long since finished blooming, so it must be that the ge'er across from him had applied scented balm.
Judging by his age, that ge'er was likely already someone's husband. Unlike the timid Wen Xi, he was not shy at all—from the moment Yan Feng'an boarded, his eyes had been fixed on him, sizing him up from head to toe.
If a man stared at a girl or a ge'er like that, it would be terribly rude; with the roles reversed, others couldn't quite say anything, only privately thinking the ge'er a bit frivolous.
Especially after Yan Feng'an's gaze happened to meet his, the ge'er even smoothed the hair at his temples and blinked at him.
Yan Feng'an closed his eyes and leaned toward Wen Xi.
Seeing him with his brows tightly furrowed and a vexed look on his face, Wen Xi assumed he was feeling unwell. Though unaccustomed to his closeness, she still propped herself up on her arms with effort so that his tall frame could lean more comfortably.
Riding was indeed faster than walking. Along the way the ox cart swayed and jolted, stopping and starting, but they reached the town in less than half an hour.
Dust swirled up as the ox cart gradually rumbled away. Chen Lanfang covered her nose and spat. "What a piece of work."
Wen Xi had no idea why her mother-in-law had suddenly grown angry, and assumed she was complaining that the fare of two copper coins per person was too steep. Just as she was growing anxious, Chen Lanfang took her hand with a smile and said, "Come on, let's go have a look over there."
Chen Lanfang came to town for the market often, and with a scholar son to boot, many of the stall keepers in the market knew her. After greeting everyone with cheerful smiles and looking around a bit, she casually—as if it were nothing—led the young couple to the secondhand clothing shop.