Chapter 48: Chapter 48: A Virtuous and Lovely Woman
Sometimes, haggling over every little thing does more harm than good. Taking a step back to move forward might yield unexpected results.
"It wasn’t a big deal anyway," Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. "As long as they can be happy and focus on getting better, that’s all that matters."
"I hope so," Li Guihua said with a sigh, looking a bit tired. She then sat on the ox-cart. At the same time, her good impression of Zhao Nuanyue, this clever girl who knew when to push and when to yield, grew even stronger.
Hua Yusen was also quick to act, fetching two thermoses of hot water.
Zhao Nuanyue quickly took out an enamel mug, drank a cup of water, and then poured another for her brother.
"Uncle Miao, Aunt Li, you haven’t eaten, have you? I have some peach crisps here. Have a couple to tide you over." From Miao Dahai and Li Guihua’s condition, she could tell they were exhausted from the day.
Hearing Zhao Nuanyue’s words, Li Guihua finally realized she was hungry and didn’t stand on ceremony with her.
"Well, thank you then." Li Guihua took four pieces from the oil-paper packet, eating two herself and giving two to Miao Dahai.
The peach crisps had sugar and oil, with sunflower seeds on top. Though there were only two pieces, they were high in energy and managed to stave off their hunger.
After also drinking some hot water, they felt warm all over and a bit more energetic as they rode the ox-cart back to Nianqiao Village together.
In the past, if Li Guihua had seen Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen carrying two large bundles, she definitely would have asked what was inside. But right now, she wasn’t in the mood. She was exhausted and just closed her eyes to rest on the ox-cart.
Along the way, Hua Yusen and Miao Dahai took turns driving the ox-cart, finally reaching the village shortly after dark.
It was dark and especially cold that night, so there was almost no one out in the village. Everyone was huddled inside their homes.
So, no one saw Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen with their two large bundles as they went straight to the Dragon King Temple.
Now, only Hua Yusen, Zhao Nuanyue, and Zhao Nuanyang were inside the Dragon King Temple.
Knowing how much her brother loved to draw, Zhao Nuanyue eagerly took a sketchbook and two pencils from a bundle and gave them to him.
She had wanted to buy paints as well, but the store didn’t have any.
Seeing this, Hua Yusen also took out a stack of draft paper he had acquired, along with two handfuls of pencils, and handed them to Zhao Nuanyang.
"For me?" Seeing something he loved, Zhao Nuanyang’s eyes lit up, and he managed a rare, almost complete sentence.
Hua Yusen nodded. "Yes!"
"Thank you!" A pure, warm smile spread across Zhao Nuanyang’s face. Without any hesitation, he took the items and went straight inside.
Watching her brother, Zhao Nuanyue’s eyes filled with tears. She choked up as she said, "Nuanyang only acts... a little more normal when it comes to drawing. All that paper and those pencils must have been very expensive. Thank you for being so thoughtful toward my brother. Hua, where did you get them? How much were they? Let me pay you."
"Haha, no need," Hua Yusen said with a smile. "I found them at a scrap collection station. They didn’t cost anything. I’m just glad you don’t mind them."
"Things this good are hard to find even if you have the money, how could we possibly mind!" Zhao Nuanyue said quickly. "Since you won’t take my money, I’ll just have to repay you by making more delicious food from now on."
Zhao Nuanyue wasn’t one to be overly sentimental. If she accepted someone’s help, she would repay them in a way they were willing to accept. With that settled, she got busy making dinner.
Tonight’s meal was duck egg and dough drop soup again. Because they had been out in the cold wind all day, she added extra ginger and chili peppers to the soup, making them feel warm all over after drinking it.
Hua Yusen took advantage of the darkness to deliver some to the old men.
Zhao Nuanyue found the sourdough starter she had borrowed from another villager, mixed it into a dough, and placed it in a basin. She covered it with a clean flannel cloth and then put it under her quilt to speed up the rising process.
At three-thirty in the morning, while it was still pitch black outside, Zhao Nuanyue was already up. She checked the dough—it had risen perfectly. She then took out the fish and pork filling she had prepared the night before and made several dozen steamed buns.
By the time Hua Yusen woke up, the buns were already steamed.
"Hua, hurry and pack some of these hot buns to take to the old men so they can eat them while they’re warm." Zhao Nuanyue was busy in the kitchen, her forehead already covered in sweat, a clear sign she had been working nonstop all morning.
When Hua Yusen came closer, Zhao Nuanyue reached out, grabbed two buns, and handed them to him. "They’re fresh from the steamer and still hot. Quick, eat a couple."
The buns were giving off steam, their fragrance filling the air around Hua Yusen.
’The pale white buns, the pale, slender hands—both were so alluring!’
"You’re an amazing homemaker," Hua Yusen praised. He took the buns and bit into one. The rich aroma of the pork, the fresh tenderness of the fish, and the fragrance of the dough all blended together. "This is delicious. Even better than the buns I’ve had in Jincheng City."
"That’s not it," Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. "It’s because here in Nianqiao Village, we’re short on oil and salt. Anything to eat is considered a treat, so that’s why you think it’s delicious. There are ten buns in this basket, and that pottery jar has hot soup with pepper to help with the dampness."
"Mm-hm, I’ll take it over right now." Hua Yusen nodded repeatedly, feeling incredibly fortunate to be working with Zhao Nuanyue. ’Women are just naturally more talented than men when it comes to cooking, especially home-style dishes. Otherwise, even if I had good ingredients, I wouldn’t be able to make anything with them. I’d just end up wasting them.’
Hua Yusen felt his way through the dark to the lean-to. Inside, apart from He Qiang, who was in his forties and a sound sleeper, the others were all in their fifties and sixties and were already awake at this hour.
Seeing Hua Yusen bring food, they didn’t stand on ceremony and came over to eat.
Gu Qingyu looked at Hua Yusen, his heart filled with emotion. ’To think I’ve fallen to such a state, yet my old brother-in-arms hasn’t abandoned me, even sending someone to look after me. Without the meticulous care from Hua Yusen and Zhao Nuanyue, I might not be dead, but my body would be completely broken. On the surface, Hua Yusen knows Mr. and Mrs. Qian, but I know that I’m the primary one he’s here to protect. We are all fallen souls in the same boat. And everyone here is upright and honest—otherwise, we wouldn’t have ended up in this situation. This way is better, too. No one will go snitching, and we can live a few peaceful days even under these harsh conditions.’
After the old men finished eating, Hua Yusen immediately gathered the things, ready to leave.
Just then, Gu Qingyu asked, "Xiaohua, I’ve noticed a lot of discussion in the village the past few days. It seems like something big has happened. Do you know anything about it?"
Hua Yusen stopped. Seeing that the old men had also noticed something was amiss in the village, he nodded. "There was a vicious incident in the village. Someone tried to assault two female volunteers, and one of the young men with them was injured. Luckily, I got there in time and saved them. This village has good people and bad people. You all need to be careful as well."
