Yun Cheng furrowed his brows in thought. From the skills he knew, he picked one that fit the current expectations of a “ge’er” and said:
“I can do embroidery and make clothes.”
He could also knit sweaters and scarves, but those shed fur, so he rarely did them.
Ye Cunshan only nodded. Poor families couldn’t afford more than a few pieces of cloth a year. Even the most skillful wife couldn’t cook without rice, without fabric and thread, Yun Cheng couldn’t make clothes or embroider.
Not seeing much use in Yun Cheng’s skill, Ye Cunshan asked again: “What else?”
Yun Cheng’s pale skin flushed easily. Now, embarrassment and shame spread across his face until it turned red.
He couldn’t stand oily smoke. Though he’d watched many food videos, he couldn’t cook. He had learned two foreign languages, but they were useless here.
Streaming wasn’t possible. Writing novels required costly paper and ink, and he didn’t know traditional characters.
In other areas, his knowledge was broad, he understood a lot, but he had no practical experience. All he could do was talk on paper.
Standing there in the street, Yun Cheng’s head hung so low it almost sank into his chest. Like this, unless a wealthy household in the county took him in out of charity, no one would accept him.
Before coming, Yun Cheng had even hoped no one would take him. But now, he was uneasy.
He had no competitiveness at all. Ye Cunshan had no reason to keep him.
Taking two deep breaths, Yun Cheng calmed himself and tried to think along the usual transmigration logic. If he couldn’t cook, and had no business skills, then he had to invent something.
And he really thought of one, “I know how to make paper, but I don’t have—”
Before he could finish, someone called out Ye Cunshan’s name.
“It really is you! What are you doing in the county? Going to class?”
The newcomer had delicate features, looked young, dressed like a scholar in a long robe and headscarf, and even in this season, carried a folding fan.
As he walked closer, he theatrically waved his hand.
“Oh right, I forgot! Brother Ye said he was strapped for money and stopped coming to the academy at the start of the month.”
Yun Cheng guessed his identity.
Ye Cunshan had his pride but lacked the thin skin of a scholar. He took it all with composure: “Yes, yes. I’m too poor to even cook porridge. Unlike Brother Du, so wealthy—just one inkstick could pay my tuition for two years.”
Du Zhichun froze at the flattery, failing to hear the sarcasm. Then he burst into laughter.
“I told you before, if you’re short of money, I can lend you some!”
Ye Cunshan casually pushed Yun Cheng forward, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and smiled at Du Zhichun: “Well isn’t this just perfect? Tell me, doesn’t my fellow villager here look like someone who’s missed a few meals?”
Yun Cheng: …
He certainly did.
Skinny and dried-out. His top was clean with no patches, but it didn’t fit, it was clearly someone else’s hand-me-down.
His indigo pants were patched layer upon layer, even his cloth shoes had patches.
His complexion was fair, but because he was too thin, his almond-shaped eyes looked especially large on his small, palm-sized face
Now, with his cheeks flushed and his eyes watery, he looked even more pitiful.
Du Zhichun didn’t understand Yun Cheng’s embarrassment, nor did he catch Ye Cunshan’s undertones. He snapped his folding fan against his palm and declared: “What luck! I was just about to eat, let’s go together!”
Ye Cunshan: “…”
Yun Cheng saw his expression and couldn’t help but laugh.
Ye Cunshan must have realized: however he had brought this man along, he’d now have to take him back the same way.
He became much more casual toward Yun Cheng, no longer distant and aloof as before.
He gave Yun Cheng a sidelong glance: “Happy, are you? Just wait till we get home, you’ll be the one crying.”
For Yun Cheng, “home” counted as a small promise. His mood really did lift.
Du Zhichun chose a restaurant.
Holding to his scholar’s identity, and since he was treating, he wouldn’t stoop to a street stall. Instead, he led them into a proper tavern.
Two meat dishes: stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork, and steamed crucian carp.
Two vegetable dishes: stir-fried lotus root and braised tofu with bok choy.
The conversation circled back. Du Zhichun asked:
“So, what are you doing in the county today? Visiting relatives?”
But his gaze kept sneaking to Yun Cheng’s face. This ge’er was simply too pretty.
Ye Cunshan tapped his finger on the table to draw Du’s attention back. He didn’t poke at Yun Cheng’s sore spots, only said: “His looks attract too much trouble, and his relatives in the village can’t be relied on. So I brought him to the county to see if he could find some work.”
Du Zhichun widened his eyes in surprise: “Unreliable relatives? My family’s relatives are all wonderful, they often bring us vegetables and eggs. Around New Year, they’ll even bring pork and live chickens!”
Yun Cheng sipped his tea and almost choked. Only one word came to mind: Versailles.
He glanced at Ye Cunshan.
Ye leaned back, one arm on the table, the other holding a teacup, and at just the right moment, showed an expression of envy.
Yun Cheng drank another sip of tea.
To keep him here in the county, Ye Cunshan was really going to lengths.
After boasting about his relatives, Du Zhichun paused only when the waiter brought the dishes. Then he eagerly picked up the thread again: “What’s your fellow villager’s name? What can he do? Can he read?”
At the bookshop, there were always copying jobs, poor scholars could earn a little by transcribing texts.
After asking, he shook his head himself:
“Most likely not. I know nearly all the scholars around Yuxian, and I’ve never seen him.”
If he wasn’t recognized, then he’d only learned a few characters at best, nowhere near enough to do the work.
Yun Cheng stayed silent, then quietly said: “My name is Yun Cheng. I can embroider and make clothes.”
Like Ye Cunshan, Du Zhichun didn’t take it too seriously.
Women and ge’ers could all sew and embroider. No matter how good, they could never compare to professional tailors or embroidery houses and tailoring shop wouldn’t hire outsiders.
It seemed there was no path here. But unexpectedly, after the meal, they gained a small breakthrough.
Though Du Zhichun liked to show off by stepping on others’ sore spots, he did actually help.
Tailor shops often had embroidery tasks that were only given to familiar embroiderers.
Since the Du family had face in Yuxian, and all their clothes were made in the tailor’s shop, he had some connections there. He managed to get embroidery work for Yun Cheng.
Thread and fabric were provided, with a deposit given by Du Zhichun.
Yun Cheng had wanted to pay himself, but Ye Cunshan pressed his hand down.
Ye Cunshan: “Next time I go hunting, I’ll bring some mountain goods to your home.”
At first, Du Zhichun declined, they weren’t lacking food.
But Ye added: “You could invite some classmates over for a gathering.”
Du’s eyes lit up, and he agreed. Ye Cunshan was well-known at the academy, talented, sociable, surrounded by friends. If Ye sent him mountain goods, he could boast about it.
So Du Zhichun was very satisfied with today’s meal. Before they even parted ways, he was already plotting: “You must come quickly. I’ll write the invitations tomorrow!”
The benefit had gone to Yun Cheng, who gave him a sincere thanks.
That afternoon, Ye Cunshan took Yun Cheng to the Du family’s bookshop, to see if he could do copying work, every bit earned was something.
He had been a frequent visitor before, and the shop boy still remembered him, saying the old rules applied.
While they discussed business, Yun Cheng browsed the shelves. Of course, his target was the storybooks.
Recognizing traditional characters was a strange skill while reading, he could half-guess, and surface-level reading wasn’t hard.
Writing, however, was another matter; used to simplified characters, his attempts were clumsy.
As he expected, most of the stories were romances between poor scholars and rich young ladies, or tales of rescuing courtesans.
Before Ye Cunshan returned, Yun Cheng put the book back and quietly stood in the corner, also thinking about papermaking.
He’d watched many related videos and read books. He could recite the steps fluently, it was only practice he lacked.
Reviewing it silently, he decided the hardest parts were sourcing materials and boiling them.
Without materials, everything was empty talk. As for boiling, that was a problem of his own knowledge.
He remembered how in many novels, even boiling an egg was described as something the “useless” couldn’t do right.
But in truth, the point wasn’t incompetence—it was the difference between a soft-boiled egg and a hard-boiled egg.
The bigger question was: where could he even boil it?
This matter still needed to be discussed with Ye Cunshan.
From the study, Ye Cunshan came out carrying a book. Like Yun Cheng, he had already left a deposit.
He had even bought fresh paper. Just like that, two taels of silver were gone.
Yun Cheng stroked his chin in imitation of a merchant. Paper-making could really be a profitable trade.
Since both of them carried valuables, they didn’t linger in town. Instead, they went straight to the meeting point to wait for Ye Cunshan’s uncle’s ox cart.
Yun Cheng nudged Ye Cunshan’s arm.
“I’ll stay at your place again tonight, alright?”
The moment the words slipped out, his ears burned red. Last night had been different, he had barged in on impulse, thinking things couldn’t possibly get worse.
But now, knowing for certain that Ye Cunshan was a good man, the same words suddenly felt… ambiguous.
Not daring to look at him, Yun Cheng kept his head down, eyes fixed on the little puddles along the road.
He hugged the bundle of embroidery supplies tightly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the rough cloth wrapping.
Ye Cunshan’s voice came low and husky, carrying a just-woken rasp: “Do you know what it means, staying with me?”
Two young bachelors, under one roof. When the time came to part ways, Ye Cunshan could still marry.
He had education, could continue with the imperial exams if conditions allowed. Even if not, he was a strong laborer, capable of farming, hunting, managing both inside and outside the household.
But Yun Cheng? He didn’t have that kind of future. He was a “ge’er”—low in status, with no family backing.
The gossip about him had been swirling for more than a decade. Repeated enough times, the whole village took it as truth.
His reputation was already poor, and few decent families came forward with marriage proposals.
If he lived with another man, then later tried to marry… who knew what sort of people would come knocking?
Yun Cheng understood all of this perfectly, “I know,” he said.
Ye Cunshan didn’t reply, his gaze also dropping to the puddle at their feet, as if weighing the matter.
Yun Cheng lowered his voice. “Do you… have someone you like?”
Ye Cunshan: “No.”
“Are you engaged?”
He shook his head.
Yun Cheng opened his mouth, but lacked the courage to ask the question he truly wanted to know what Ye Cunshan thought of him. So he fell silent.
Ye Cunshan said instead, “For now, let’s just get by together.”
Uncle Ye Liang had half a cart of goods with him—oil, salt, melons, sugar, even little trinkets like hair ties.
Half a peddler himself, he would resell these things back home for a few coins’ profit. Those unwilling to spend could always buy on their own.
On the return trip, Ye Cunshan chatted idly with his uncle.
Yun Cheng didn’t listen this time. He was busy scheming how to make money, he didn’t want their partnership to collapse halfway through because they couldn’t put food on the table.
He had a bad habit: once absorbed in his thoughts, he lost awareness of his surroundings.
By the time they reached the village entrance and climbed down, Yun Cheng noticed something strange. Uncle Ye Liang was looking at him differently.
Before, the man had treated him like thin air, as if he were invisible. Now, his eyes brimmed with curiosity.
Yun Cheng had no idea what had changed. Smiling politely, he followed Ye Cunshan away.
Once out of earshot, he asked, “Why was he staring at me like that?”
Ye Cunshan replied, “I asked him to help inform the clan head. Tomorrow, I’ll be taking you to register in the genealogy.”
The corners of Yun Cheng’s eyes crinkled with a smile he couldn’t hold back.
Though they’d only met after his sudden arrival in this world, barely a day of proper acquaintance. It already felt like he’d grown roots here.
In Great Qian, marriage laws had changed several times. For common folk, restrictions weren’t too heavy.
At first, registration was done at the county office, but the distances were far, enforcement difficult. Now, all that was required was to be entered into the clan genealogy.
The story went that some high-ranking minister’s daughter had been abducted and lost for years, which spurred this new system.
That was also why Yun Cheng was in a rush to be listed under Ye Cunshan’s clan. He didn’t want his uncle’s family selling him off.
And speaking of them, speak of the devil, and they appear.
On the way back, they took a detour by Yun Cheng’s house to collect his clothes, only to find a commotion at the gate.
His uncle Yun Renyi and his wife Li Qiuju were quarreling with a tall, thin woman, while villagers crowded around to watch.
The two of them hadn’t been noticed yet, so Yun Cheng clutched Ye Cunshan’s sleeve tightly, body tense.
In a trembling voice, he whispered, “Why don’t we just go register in the clan records right now…”
He feared his uncle’s family had already sold him, bringing the buyer here to inspect him, only to find him missing, hence the dispute.
But Ye Cunshan said calmly, “No need. The one fighting your uncle’s wife is my stepmother.”
Yun Cheng: “…”
He couldn’t fathom how the two families had gotten tangled together like this, but at least his panic faded.
In fact, he even felt the urge to grab a melon and eat while watching.
Ye Cunshan reached into his uncle’s cart and handed him a handful of melon seeds.
“Let’s watch the show.”
Yun Cheng: “……Fine.”
The two women had such loud voices that they didn’t need to stand long before the whole story became clear.
Chen Jinhua had heard that Ye Cunshan and Yun Cheng were together. The very day after Yun Cheng’s father’s funeral, in the middle of the rain, they’d gone into the county to shop.
She claimed it had to be Yun Cheng pressuring him, rushing things indecently.
Her true aim, of course, was to ruin the match, dragging up the “barely cold grave” argument to make the Yun family block him.
But Yun Renyi and Li Qiuju couldn’t care less who Yun Cheng was with, or when he married. All they wanted was money.
As it happened, Chen Jinhua’s fifteen-year-old daughter from her second marriage had worn a wedding dress worth three taels of silver.
And when that daughter had married recently, rumor said the bride price had been eighteen taels.
Yet the wealthy merchant couple Yun Renyi had been in touch with had only offered eighteen taels in total. And the go-between still wanted five of it.
At first, Yun Renyi and his wife had sided with Chen Jinhua. But realizing how the math worked out, they switched stances midstream.
They scolded Ye Cunshan for trying to get a “free wife,” and turned on Chen Jinhua, calling her a venomous woman.
She had driven out Ye family’s own son within a year of marrying in, and now instead of helping with his marriage, she was trying to sabotage it.
Chen Jinhua was furious, laughing in disbelief. The ones plotting to sell their nephew dare to accuse others of cruelty?
The quarrel had already lasted over half an hour.
When Yun Cheng heard his aunt insulting Ye Cunshan, the melon seeds suddenly lost their flavor.
He leaned closer, whispering, “What are we going to do later?”
Ye Cunshan: “Are you scared?”
Yun Cheng nodded.
Ye Cunshan said, “We’ve both split from our families. We run our own households now. Marriage or divorce, betrothal feasts or bride price, that’s up to us. If we’re in a good mood, we send invitations. If not, we go collect red envelopes instead.”
Yun Cheng was at a loss for words.
He really does make it sound reasonable.
Just then, they were finally spotted.
Someone shouted, “Ye Cunshan and Cheng-ge’er are back! Both carrying bundles!”
The two women, who had nearly come to blows, turned in unison, eyes locking precisely onto them.
At that exact moment, both Yun Cheng and Ye Cunshan spat out their melon seed shells. Ye Cunshan was even worse, he let out an audible “ptoo!”
Yun Cheng is full of worries while Ye Cunshan is unbothered 😂 but then I can understand Yun Cheng’s issue. If I get transmigrated, I might end up offending the whole village 🫠
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
A little coffee for the person who made these words happen? (｡•́‿•̀｡)
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
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