Yun Cheng finished drawing his paper patterns, and it was only two days later that he finally found the chance to go out.
The tree bark had already been soaked to the right degree. The part that consumed the most time was finally over, and after a full day of boiling, he would be able to pulp it and start making paper.
For the first time since arriving in ancient times, he finally had something that could truly earn him money. The realization filled him with genuine joy.
Unfortunately, some of the scholars in Dagu Village could recognize things. They had already announced to everyone that the illustrations were clearly man made products.
Openly and secretly, they spread rumors that someone was trying to frame Li Half Immortal, warning that the villain behind it should beware of thunder striking them from the heavens.
Yun Cheng, a transmigrator who feared hardship and feared going hungry, had never been afraid of ghosts or strange supernatural things. When he accompanied Second Uncle Ye to retrieve the soaked bark, he casually tossed the newly drawn paper pattern near the bend of the river as well.
Whether it worked or not was another matter. What mattered was putting the attitude out in the open.
Let everyone see clearly who was actually scared of being struck by lightning.
The small thatched hut, temporarily turned into a makeshift workshop, was not large. It could not fit too many people.
Yun Cheng went with Liu Yun and her husband. When they arrived, Ye Wangzu was already waiting.
For the boiling step, the most crucial ingredient was the addition of plant ash. Plant ash was no rare commodity in ancient times. It was far easier to find here than in a modern city.
They prepared everything carefully, then added the water, bark, and plant ash into the pot in order.
Liu Yun, feeding firewood into the stove, sat at the mouth of the hearth looking a little dazed. “So… this is all we do?” she asked uncertainly.
Ye Wangzu, who had not witnessed the previous time when old paper was transformed into new, was just as confused. “We just keep burning it until tomorrow morning?” he asked.
Most of the tutorials Yun Cheng had seen were like this. Only the steps before pulping differed a little. Some recipes added juice from other plants, while others skipped that part, but the basic raw materials were the same.
He had asked Ye Cunshan earlier, and learned that there were wood ginger leaves in the back mountains. People here called the plant “mountain ginger fruit.”
It was most abundant in the eighth and ninth month, but the supply dwindled as winter approached.
Ye Wangzu said he would go collect some, if only to contribute something. Otherwise he would feel uncomfortable simply sitting there roasting beside the fire with nothing to do.
Once he left, only three people remained inside the hut. The room grew very quiet.
Liu Yun was nervous about the entire affair, and while tending the fire she kept glancing anxiously into the stove.
Ye Yan could not concentrate on his reading today. His mind was restless. Seeing that Yun Cheng had brought over his sand tray and book, he took the chance to check his homework and also teach him a few new characters.
Yun Cheng had stayed in their home for two days, not exactly idle. He had already memorized the characters from the first three pages of the Three Character Classic.
After teaching him the pronunciations, Ye Yan had him copy them out on the sand tray.
When someone watched him, Yun Cheng wrote in a crooked, awkward way, though it was still recognizably correct.
When no one looked, he scribbled much more loosely, writing only to the degree that he himself could understand.
Ye Yan praised him with genuine admiration. “You really do have talent. You learn characters incredibly quickly.”
Liu Yun agreed wholeheartedly. “I took two or three days back then just to learn how to write the names of our own family,” she said.
Two of those names even shared the character Ye, which meant there really were not many characters involved.
She could recognize characters when shown them, but when it came to writing them with a stick, she could not manage it.
Too many strokes, and her hands were simply not accustomed to it.
Yun Cheng laughed.
“You were simply too busy. I am the one with nothing to do, muttering them all day long until I memorise them. And I still make mistakes, don’t I?”
He was not intentionally writing wrong characters. Back in modern times, the only handwriting practice he had came from helping his little sister with her primary school lessons. Because his own work was all done on computers, he barely wrote anything by hand in an entire year.
The characters he truly did not know were simply ones he had genuinely never learned. His so called talent only showed in recognizing characters quickly, and that was because he had memorized the Three Character Classic long ago and could rely on memory and guesses to preview each section.
Ye Yan, following his usual rhythm, taught him two new lines, twelve characters in total, then let him copy them from the book.
He murmured to Liu Yun while watching the time, “Cunshan should be back soon.”
Yun Cheng perked up his ears to listen. Liu Yun, unused to being out and not used to asking after her male relatives’ business, also listened quietly.
Ye Yan went on speaking, shifting to the topic of the academy examinations next year. “He only left the academy at the beginning of last month. If he rests for a month and then goes back, he can still catch up. Now that we can make our own paper, household expenses will go down. He can focus on preparing for the exams with a calmer heart.”
Only by earning distinction could one truly stand firm after the family eventually split apart. Relying only on clan kinship would not last long.
He himself was the proof of that.
Thinking this far, Ye Yan felt his restlessness settle a little. He told Yun Cheng to borrow a book, then went to Ye Cunshan’s bamboo chest to rummage through it.
Last time, Yun Cheng had brought two books to deliver to Ye Cunshan, but Cunshan had only taken one.
The remaining volume had been newly purchased by Ye Yan and he had not yet fully absorbed it. He took another book, sat by the stove, warmed himself by the fire, and read.
Meanwhile, Liu Yun was already regretting not bringing some needlework to do. Sitting idle made her restless and uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Ye Wangzu returned quickly. After exchanging a few words with him, she hurried down the mountain to fetch her work.
On the way, she ran into Qingyang. He wore a peculiar expression and kept looking toward the mountain. Seeing her, he greeted her with unusual eagerness.
“Cousin sister in law, is Brother Wangzu up there? I have something to tell him.”
He was referring to the matter of the paper drawings. Earlier that day, while the weather was still clear, he had taken all the shoes at home to wash at a spot slightly downstream. On the way back, he found a sheet of paper.
It was the underworld wanted poster again, this time with a newly drawn portrait of Daoist Li.
Liu Yun replied, “He is not too busy. Once I pick up my spinning, I will go up and switch places with him.”
The families had already discussed arrangements. Yun Cheng and Liu Yun, one being a young man, the other a woman, were not suitable to stay overnight in the mountains by themselves.
Ye Yan, a scholar with a weak constitution, could not endure a full night either. So Ye Wangzu would come early in the morning to familiarize himself with the process, then return home to rest, and take over the night shift later.
This clashed entirely with the plan he and Ye Qingyang had made to go to Dagu Village that night to scare Daoist Li.
By the time Liu Yun returned to the hut, Yun Cheng had already begun learning the second set of characters, another twelve.
It was Ye Wangzu’s first time learning that Yun Cheng had started studying literacy. He was astonished beyond measure by the speed at which the young man learned.
“You really were held back when you were younger,” he exclaimed.
Yun Cheng returned the greeting with a polite smile. He was still not familiar with Ye Wangzu, so his social anxiety quietly switched on by itself.
Ye Wangzu did not mind at all. After hearing from Liu Yun that Qingyang was looking for him, he guessed it must be something important and stood up to leave right away.
When he met up with Ye Qingyang, Ye Cunshan had also arrived at Second Uncle Ye’s home at the entrance of the village.
The family placed great importance on this paper making attempt, yet they had not stopped any of their other daily work.
Madam Zhao, just like always, was weaving cloth in the side room with Sister Chan helping her. Second Uncle Ye, having purchased sheep wool for Yun Cheng, was busy cleaning and preparing it.
Yun Cheng felt embarrassed that he was eating and living under their roof and even making them work for him, so he suggested that someone simply teach him and he would do the work himself.
But Second Uncle Ye and his family immediately waved this idea away. They insisted that the favor of teaching them paper making was far greater. They had neither fine food nor fine lodging to offer him, so giving a bit of help was nothing at all.
When Ye Cunshan entered and did not see anyone else, he knew everyone must be up in the mountain hut.
He greeted the family, then asked how Yun Cheng had been these past few days.
Second Uncle Ye was surprised to see him return so early. “You came back this fast?”
At that, Ye Cunshan could not hide his bright smile. “I earned silver, so I came back.”
The radiance on his face made it clear this was no small sum, and Second Uncle Ye could not help feeling a little envious.
“They are all in the mountains. Today is the first day they are making the paper. Go up and take a look,” he said.
Eager to see Yun Cheng, Ye Cunshan first spoke with Second Uncle Ye. “Yun Cheng and I will need to stay here for another two days. There is no heated platform in the mountain hut. Once the paper is done, we will move back.”
Two days was no trouble at all. Second Uncle Ye agreed at once. “Of course.”
Leaving the house, Ye Cunshan walked upward along the river trail. Only then did he notice that the village was oddly quiet today.
He found it strange but, anxious to go see Yun Cheng, he did not stop to ask around.
Along the path, he encountered Ye Wangzu and Ye Qingyang. The moment they saw him, both their eyes lit up.
The people of Dagu Village had just spread the news that the mysterious paper drawings were man made. Since the rumor had only begun today, both brothers had the same thought.
If one wanted to scare someone, one had to strike quickly. Delay even a single day and the effect would be greatly reduced.
Tonight would be the best chance.
Originally, Ye Wangzu had planned to let Ye Yan take the first watch while he and Qingyang went to play their little trick and returned afterward.
Now that Cunshan was back, that arrangement was no longer necessary.
They had all grown up together as clan brothers. Whether any of them harbored mischief in their hearts, they all knew perfectly well.
These were the kinds of matters one did not tell the elders, but among the three of them, speaking about such things was smooth and natural.
After explaining the situation, Ye Wangzu teased him, “So, have you decided? Will you go with Qingyang to Dagu Village, or will you stay here and take the night watch while your wife is at home waiting for you?”
Qingyang immediately chimed in to block the escape route, “You must not think of staying back to keep your wife company. Wangzu and I will still take over the watch when we finish. You will have someone warming your blanket, while he has to guard the fire all night.”
Ye Cunshan was speechless. That was exactly what he had been thinking. He had been gone for several days. Why would he choose mischief over spending time with his wife?
But Dagu Village was not far. It was hardly troublesome.
“Fine,” he agreed simply.
With that promise, the two let him go.
Inside the thatched hut, the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. The three of them each tended to their tasks. Yun Cheng silently recited the Three Character Classic, not making a sound.
In early winter, the only noises were the crackling of burning firewood, the bubbling of water coming to a full boil, the occasional cluck of chickens from somewhere outside, and the soft, persistent howl of the wind.
The entire ambience resembled the white noise recordings Yun Cheng sometimes listened to when he suffered from insomnia. He actually started to feel sleepy.
So when Ye Cunshan entered the hut, Yun Cheng thought for a moment that he must be dreaming. Surely not, he told himself.
Broad daylight, and he was just squatting there drifting off?
His dazed reaction made Ye Cunshan laugh. Just like the day he had left, Yun Cheng looked silly and stunned, irresistibly adorable.
With Ye Yan and Liu Yun still in the hut, Cunshan did not go overboard. He crouched in front of Yun Cheng and poked his cheek lightly. “Come back to your senses.”
Yun Cheng dropped the wooden writing stick and leaned over to wrap his arms around him.
If not for Cunshan’s steady footing, the sudden embrace would have knocked him straight onto his backside.
But his mood was so good that he simply stroked Yun Cheng’s head and ignored the teasing looks in Ye Yan’s and Liu Yun’s eyes. He said that he would take Yun Cheng home for a bit.
Yun Cheng let himself be led out obediently, his cheeks burning hot. He had not been in this era long enough for it to smooth out his modern habits. His way of expressing emotion remained direct and unreserved.
But he had never expected himself to pounce into someone’s arms like that.
That moment of courage was brief. The instant they entered the house and closed the door, he shrank his head like a startled quail.
He remembered how, when Ye Cunshan left, he had kissed the tiny beauty mark at the corner of Yun Cheng’s eye.
The memory made a rush of dramatic thoughts burst across his mind like scrolling comments.
With Ye Cunshan’s personality, would he hug him back today? Or would he go even further and kiss him again? And if he kissed or held him, what would he do? Reject that affection, or respond to it?
The more he thought, the hotter his face grew.
Ye Cunshan was so amused he laughed out loud. “You have nothing you want to say to me?”
Yun Cheng refused to lift his head, and his lowered gaze happened to fall on Ye Cunshan’s waist.
He froze.
He actually saw that ugly, lumpy little safety charm still hanging there.
He did not even feel embarrassed at how ugly it was. He actually wore it at his waist like that.
Seeing him come home safely had swept away all of Yun Cheng’s worry. He had forgotten completely the mood and hoped he had stitched into that charm back then.
The first thing that left his mouth was, “It is so ugly. Why are you still wearing it?”
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
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ChaptersChapter 1 · I Shall Go With YouChapter 2 · You Are ResponsibleChapter 3 · Just make A DoChapter 4 · You Have To Hold MeChapter 5 · Live A Good LifeChapter 6 · Meet The ParentsChapter 7 · Lucky for My husbandChapter 8 · ThreatenChapter 9 · Turning Waste paper into NewChapter 10 · New Paper!Chapter 11 · He will look good in thisChapter 12 · Too HonestChapter 13 · Make Him HappyChapter 14 · WorshipChapter 15 · Feeling Sorry for moneyChapter 16 · I’m so reluctant to leave you.Chapter 17 · My feelings for him are no longer pure.Chapter 18 · Thinking about helping him in some wayChapter 19 · Buy one for my husbandChapter 20 · Cause troubleChapter 21 · Aftermath of the incidentChapter 22 · He led him home obediently.Chapter 23 · Why are you hugging me?Chapter 24 Part 1 · Sweet TalkingChapter 24 Part 2 · Sweet TalkingChapter 25 · You are my drean ManChapter 26 · I don’t fall for flirtingChapter 27 Part 1 · Teaching You How to Like MeChapter 27 Part 2 · Teaching You How to Like MeChapter 28 Part 1 · Picking up kid from schoolChapter 28 Part 2 · Picking up kid from schoolChapter 29 Part 1 · I Have a FriendChapter 29 Part 2 · I Have a FriendChapter 30 Part 1 · Pampering My HusbandChapter 30 Part 2 · Pampering My HusbandChapter 31 Part 1 · Don’t compare yourself with othersChapter 31 Part 2 · Don’t compare yourself with othersChapter 32 Part 1 · Come here and kiss me yourselfChapter 32 Part 2 · Come here and kiss me yourselfChapter 33 Part 1 · Let me explainChapter 33 Part 2 · Let me explainChapter 34 Part 1 · Little SecretChapter 34 Part 2 · Little SecretChapter 35 Part 1 · Going to the New Year MarketChapter 35 Part 2 · Going to the New Year MarketChapter 36 Part 1 · Please coax his little husbandChapter 36 Part 2 · Please coax his little husbandChapter 37 Part 1 · I want you to pamper meChapter 37 Part 2 · I want you to pamper meChapter 38 Part 1 · He wants to marry into the family!Chapter 38 Part 2 · He wants to marry into the family!Chapter 39 Part 1 · This is a separate priceChapter 39 Part 2 · This is a separate priceChapter 40 Part 1 · Husband, children, and a warm bedChapter 40 Part 2 · Husband, children, and a warm bedChapter 41 Part 1 · Biting SpringChapter 41 Part 2 · Biting SpringChapter 42 Part 1 · Isn’t managing you the important thing?Chapter 42 Part 2 · Isn’t managing you the important thing?Chapter 43 · Shameless!Chapter 44 Part 1 · Head of the HouseholdChapter 44 Part 2 · Head of the HouseholdChapter 45 · DatingChapter 45 Part 2 · DatingChapter 46 · You Were the One Who Got HookedChapter 47 · I Like Being Looked AfterChapter 48 · A Weighty AffectionChapter 49 · Go On, Say It AgainChapter 50 · There’s plenty of time in the futureChapter 51 · Karma and RetributionChapter 52 · Playing the “Villain”Chapter 53 · I’ll Be Very Gentle!Chapter 54 · Rural RomanceChapter 55 · Don’t CryChapter 56 · Unable to Afford TuitionChapter 57 · Coax MeChapter 58 · Do You Want Me to Keep You Company?Chapter 59 · You’re Not Good EnoughChapter 60 · WoofChapter 61 Part 1 · Are the Words “I Love You” Too Hot for Your Mouth?Chapter 61 Part 2 · Are the Words “I Love You” Too Hot for Your Mouth?Chapter 62 · My skin gets itchy if I don’t take care of it for a day.Chapter 63 · ClingyChapter 64 · Night TalkChapter 65 · Top Scholar TransmigrationChapter 66 · Imperial examinationsChapter 67 · Exams Over!Chapter 68 · You’re making fun of me as soon as you get back?Chapter 69 · Shameless!Chapter 70 · Truly unbelievableChapter 71 · One taelChapter 72 · Did you draw one for my brother?Chapter 73 · Bad LuckChapter 74 · Look like youChapter 75 · You’re so clingyChapter 76 · Careful your elder brother doesn’t beat you upChapter 77 · If you’re going to hit me, then just hit meChapter 78 · Cheng GegeChapter 79 · Thank you, DidiChapter 80 · Poor scholars from humble backgrounds usually have strong prideChapter 81 · Twenty two?Chapter 82 · Have you started preparing a new book yet?Chapter 83 · We’re PoorChapter 84 · I Still can’t believeChapter 85 Part 1 · But What happened in the end?Chapter 85 Part 2 · But What happened in the End?Chapter 86 · I’m a little kidChapter 87 · The person in this painting is my younger brotherChapter 88 · Yun Xiaocheng Even Has This SkillChapter 89 Part 1 · Preparations Before DepartureChapter 89 Part 2 · Preparations Before DepartureChapter 90 Part 1 · On the Road, a Transitional ChapterChapter 90 Part 2 · On the Road, a Transitional ChapterChapter 91 Part 1 · NarrativeChapter 91 Part 2 · NarrativeChapter 92 · Narrative, transitional chapterChapter 93 · Make you happyChapter 94 Part 1 · Burial and AdmonitionChapter 94 Part 2 · Burial and AdmonitionChapter 95 · Song Jin said she was very good to Cheng HuilanChapter 96 · She has a good older brother.Chapter 97 · Simplicity is the bestChapter 98 · HomecomingChapter 99 Part 1 · Going homeChapter 99 Part 2 · Going HomeChapter 100 Part 1 · AugustChapter 100 Part 2 · AugustChapter 101 Part 1 · How come you’re pregnant but still have such a slim waist?Chapter 101 Part 2 · How come you’re pregnant but still have such a slim waist?Chapter 102 · This is the love you have for me.Chapter 103 Part 1 · SeptemberChapter 103 Part 2 · SeptemberChapter 103 Part 3 · SeptemberChapter 104 Part 1 · Ye Xiaoshan, you’re so shamelessChapter 104 Part 2 · Ye Xiaoshan, you’re so shamelessChapter 105 · Ye Xiaoshan, what are you doing?Chapter 106 Part 1 · Daily lifeChapter 106 Part 2 · Daily lifeChapter 107 · The novel has many plotsChapter 108 Part 1 · Daily life + novel plotChapter 108 Part 2 · Daily life + novel plotChapter 109 · Monthly Exams and Daily RoutineChapter 110 · Mainly exams