Pei Qianhuai swallowed and said, “…That’s already impressive.”
After a brief pause, he added quickly, “Actually, you don’t have to overdo it. Just enough is fine.”
Song Shiyu laughed.
“Perfect. I wanted to talk to you about something anyway.”
“From now on, I’ll take care of all the physically demanding work in this house.”
Pei Qianhuai frowned. “Physical work?”
Song Shiyu nodded.
“Exactly. Chopping firewood, carrying water, the farm work in the fields… I’ll handle it all!”
Without thinking, Pei Qianhuai refused immediately. “That’s not allowed.”
“Why not?”
“You’re a woman. How could you do such work? I’m a man of this house…”
Song Shiyu waved him off. “Don’t underestimate women. You still don’t have as much strength as I do.”
Pei Qianhuai’s face immediately flushed red.
Song Shiyu’s lips curved into a confident smile.
“I already said before, I can’t just live here and freeload. I’m not comfortable with that.”
Pei Qianhuai: “…”
He opened his mouth, intending to argue, but the words stuck.
Indeed, her strength was formidable!
“Go sleep! It’s late. Tomorrow morning, I’ll get to work!”
Song Shiyu pumped her fist with excitement, reassuring Pei Qianhuai to rest early.
“Don’t worry. I said I’d help you, Sanlang. You just focus on your studies. I’ll take care of everything at home.”
Pei Qianhuai lay on the soft bed, eyes fixed on the beams above, feeling unusually stifled.
..
The next morning.
As expected, Song Shiyu woke up early and immediately began her work.
She carried two full buckets of water from the river back and chopped all the remaining firewood, stacking it neatly in the woodshed.
At first, she thought she was doing well—but when she entered the shed and saw the firewood Pei Qianhuai had chopped, she was stunned.
“He can get all of this done to this level… he’s not even human.”
At least, she couldn’t match it right away.
Frowning, she took a deep breath.
“If the male lead can chop wood this well, then I have to do even better!”
With that, she set herself a small goal.
After all, she had no idea what the male lead might do to her in the future.
She had to reach or come close to his level to protect her own life.
With that in mind, Song Shiyu consciously began matching the size of the logs Pei Qianhuai chopped, training herself.
..
Pei Qianhuai had also woken up.
He had planned to fetch water and chop wood himself, but the moment he moved, he saw Song Shiyu already up.
He paused, observing her next series of actions closely.
Meanwhile, the two children were still waking up.
Pei Jin’an frowned.
“Where’s Song Erxiao?”
Pei Qianhuai: “…Already up. Probably busy outside.”
Pei Jin’an hummed.
Then he looked through the window and saw Song Shiyu swinging an axe, chopping firewood vigorously.
Pei Jin’an: “…”
His face darkened, and he turned to Pei Qianhuai.
“Wait… isn’t this work usually yours? Why is she doing it now?”
Pei Qianhuai cleared his throat and ground his teeth, trying to find a way to explain.
Pei Jinxi, silent until now, spoke:
“What’s so strange about that? It’s normal. Song Erxiao’s strength should be… much greater than Uncle’s, right?”
Pei Jin’an: “Oh… that’s true.”
Pei Jinxi looked at him seriously.
“You’d better not challenge her. Don’t anger her—life won’t be easy if you do.”
Pei Jin’an stayed silent.
In the past, he would have retorted immediately.
But recalling Song Erxiao’s ferocious wood-chopping yesterday, he suddenly realized how powerless he really was.
Better not.
Pei Jin’an snorted. “I’m a good man; I don’t fight with women!”
Then he couldn’t help but resent his uncle even more, glaring at Pei Qianhuai:
“Uncle! You’re a man, yet you’re weaker than a woman! That’s why we can’t resist at all. It’s all your fault!”
Pei Qianhuai: “…”
At that moment, he realized this kid was unusually infuriating. Truly a wasted effort on his part.
By now, the two children were fully awake, and Pei Qianhuai had no choice but to get up and wash.
As soon as he stepped out, Song Shiyu greeted the three of them cheerfully:
“Good morning!”
The three of them: “…”
They glanced at the neatly stacked firewood and obediently replied with a “good morning.”
Polite, after all.
Song Shiyu was very satisfied.
See! Not freeloading pays off.
..
Breakfast wasn’t rushed or careless. Song Shiyu had risen nearly an hour and a half earlier—roughly three hours in modern time.
Aside from fetching water, she had done everything necessary.
She lit the fire, cooked, and used the fresh ingredients she had bought.
She felt capable and satisfied with her own survival skills.
After breakfast, Pei Qianhuai planned to take Pei Jin’an to the clan school.
Pei Jinxi would also attend, but since the boys’ and girls’ classes differed, they went separately.
Pei Qianhuai would stay home to study, then pick them up at noon.
Song Shiyu, curious, asked:
“The clan school looks nice. Aren’t you going?”
Pei Qianhuai shook his head.
“No. I’m keeping a low profile these days, so those uncles and cousins don’t give me trouble.”
Song Shiyu immediately understood.
In the original story, Pei Qianhuai was already at odds with the eldest uncle’s household.
Though not openly hostile yet, the eldest, second, and third uncles’ children liked to gather together. Being there would surely cause trouble for him.
Better to avoid it.
Song Shiyu asked casually:
“What about lunch? I can make it for you.”
Pei Qianhuai: “Anything. I don’t mind.”
Song Shiyu: “Alright. I’ll make some fried sauce noodles.”
After that, she went back to chopping wood.
By afternoon, she planned to do some woodworking.
The few books she had rented were exactly what she needed for now.
Song Shiyu considered it practical study, a way to improve herself.