Chapter 31

On Sang Luo’s side, after Shen An sent off Shen Jin and his brothers, he turned to help his sister-in-law carry things into the house.

When they realized the two new buckets were new purchases their sister-in-law had made that day, they opened the small carrying basket on top and discovered several liters of millet and a pork bone inside. The siblings were so excited they could have jumped for joy.

Seeing the two children focused entirely on transferring the millet into their own grain bags, completely missing the flatbread tucked to the side, Sang Luo took out the oil-paper parcel herself. "Come over here and look at this. What is it?"

The siblings turned their heads in unison, spotting the grease-stained oil-paper parcel in their sister-in-law's hand. As she unfolded it, it revealed more than half a piece of flatbread that looked delicious.

"A flatbread?" Shen An asked, sounding uncertain.

Sang Luo was surprised. "You've had this before?" She recalled that nothing like this was sold at the market.

The siblings nodded together, their eyes dimming slightly. "Big Brother bought it for us once."

Well, she had triggered their memories of their older brother again. Sang Luo quickly diverted their attention. "Go wash your hands and come eat. This is best while it's warm. If there's a chance in the future, I'll take you to the county seat to eat them fresh out of the oven."

Shen An nodded and pulled Shen Ning along to wash their hands.

When they returned to the room, Shen An divided the remaining portion of the bread into three shares. He handed the largest piece to Sang Luo, but she shook her head. "You two eat it. I already had some in the county."

She turned and headed for the bed, not even bothering about the fact that her clothes were certainly not clean after walking all day. She was truly exhausted; she had carried a load for twenty miles round trip. At this moment, even her hair felt tired. The room, aside from the bed, didn't even have a stool to sit on.

Sang Luo didn't want to move a finger; she just wanted to collapse onto the bed like a limp noodle. That was exactly what she thought, and exactly what she did.

Seeing her like this, the siblings stopped eating and huddled over. Shen Ning climbed onto the bed and asked, "Sister-in-law, are your feet hurting?" She looked ready to start kneading them.

Sang Luo was ticklish and hurriedly dodged. "I'm just tired. Don't worry about me, you and An go eat your bread."

The siblings didn't listen. Shen Ning checked twice, and seeing her sister-in-law really didn't want a massage, she climbed off the bed and went to start a fire to make soup.

Sang Luo had mentioned days ago that the radish they had left at home should be stewed with the pork bone. Now that the bone was bought, Shen Ning didn't need to ask—it was lunchtime, so she set about preparing the soup. Her sister-in-law’s health was poor, and she had been so tired lately; what if she got sick? She had to nourish her.

The two siblings worked with quiet understanding. Shen Ning tended the fire, while Shen An used a clean bamboo tube to pour a cup of cooled boiled water for Sang Luo. "Sister-in-law, drink some water first." He then went outside with the clay pot used for cooking, filled it with water, and washed the chopped pork bone.

When Shen An returned, Shen Ning had the fire going. Once the pot was placed on it, she turned to Sang Luo. "Sister-in-law, should we put the radish in now?"

"Wait for the water to boil first," Sang Luo replied, propping herself up to sip her water. "Use a wooden spoon to skim off the foam, let it simmer for a while, and then peel and chop the radish to add in. Don't throw away the radish peels either—peel them a bit thick, chop them into small pieces, and marinate them with a little salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. We'll have them with white porridge tonight."

Marinated radish peels—one of her favorite side dishes, tasty and rich in calcium. It was a pity there were no chili peppers here, and their family didn't grow garlic.

The siblings had never heard of eating radish peels this way, so they made a mental note. One watched the fire, the other went out to wash the radish and set to work peeling and chopping. It was tedious work, as they only had a sickle, a bamboo knife, and a stone blade—no proper kitchen knife—but the children were already practiced and managed the tasks well without needing much supervision.

While the bone soup simmered, despite their hunger, the siblings didn't touch the bread. Soup and bread were a full meal; it was only right to wait until the soup was ready and eat together as a family.

With nothing else to do, Shen An explained to Sang Luo why he had hired Shen Jin and his brothers with pork cracklings. He was nervous, afraid she would mind. The family's money was earned by her, and after she had nearly died of hunger and illness due to the indifference of their aunt and uncle, he felt guilty using her money to feed his cousins.

He laid out the reasons, his concerns, and how he intended to handle it. Shen An hung his head and said, "Xiao Yin and Xiao Tie really can't do much work. It'll just be two days. Once the cracklings are gone, they won't come anymore." His voice was faint; he felt soft-hearted toward the cousins he had helped raise.

Sang Luo didn't take it to heart. A five-year-old and a six-year-old were just toddlers; she wasn't going to fuss over a few bits of pork fat. However, she took note of Shen An’s concern that Shen Jin might become greedy and snoop around the house.

It was true; she made "Fairy Tofu" every day, and it was impossible to leave no traces. She buried the dregs for fertilizer, but the filter cloth had become stained, and a sharp-eyed person might guess the secret. Plus, she planned to buy a stone mill to make tofu, which would require more tools. She looked at the small thatched hut; it was too cramped, and there wasn't even a proper stove. Making tofu required boiling soy milk, and while the makeshift stone stove and small pots could work, it was incredibly inefficient.

It seemed she needed a kitchen, a courtyard wall, and a lock. Otherwise, she would have no privacy.

"Your caution is correct. You and Ning should keep an eye on things. If Shen Jin really does clear the land, don't worry about the cracklings; consider it paid."

With the partnership with the Chen family to sell tofu in the county, Sang Luo’s energy was stretched thin. The distance was greater, and the production requirements were higher. She didn't want to overwork herself, but she also didn't want to be ungenerous.

Hearing her affirmation, Shen An’s heart settled, and he beamed. She hadn't just approved; she had praised him! He turned back to the fire, smiling to himself. Shen Ning, standing nearby, saw this and giggled softly without teasing him.

...

Back at the Chen family, Qin Fangniang had handed over the coin purse as soon as she arrived, excitedly counting the eighteen coins earned. She even brought out the small piece of flatbread she had carefully wrapped, dividing it into five tiny portions. Everyone had a taste. She watched them eat, unable to stop smiling.

At noon, the Chen family gathered together, listening to Qin Fangniang recount her experience in the county with great enthusiasm—from entering the city to the bustling East Market and how well the tofu sold.

She praised Sang Luo incessantly: for giving her an extra share to sell, for offering to pay the city tax to help her get a good start, and for thinking of the Shen siblings even while in the county. In short, she was a kind soul.

She also praised her mother-in-law, saying that because she had helped Sang Luo in her time of need, they were now reaping the rewards.

Old Mrs. Chen was surprised to see her daughter-in-law so eloquent. "It seems the market has sharpened your tongue," she thought.

Qin Fangniang, oblivious, continued, "Mother, the daughter-in-law of the Shen family suggested that I pick wild vegetables this evening, bundle them with straw, and take them to the East Market tomorrow. They sell for a copper per two bundles. She sold all of hers today."

Old Mrs. Chen nodded. "Then go out this evening."

Qin Fangniang hesitated, then added, "Mother, if we sell wild vegetables, maybe we can earn enough to buy a pork bone tomorrow and stew it with radish? She said it's nutritious and helps children grow, and it’s good for your and Father’s legs. It’s not expensive."

Old Mrs. Chen sighed. "You've really been influenced by the Shen woman." But seeing her daughter-in-law so lively, she agreed. "Fine, if you can sell the vegetables, buy the bone."

She asked about the tofu production for the next day. Qin Fangniang slapped her forehead, "I almost forgot! It sells so well. We decided that she’ll make more tonight, and we’ll take the cart tomorrow to set up stalls in both the East and West markets."

Old Mr. Chen, who had been silent, spoke up while tapping his pipe. "If she makes that much, will her little hut be able to hold it all? With all those buckets and basins, there won't be any room left to stand."

The old couple exchanged a look. "What do you mean?"

"I'm thinking," Mr. Chen said, "that since she's helping us make a living, maybe she needs a proper kitchen. If she’s planning on it, I’ll take You-tian and some neighbors to help her build one before the busy farming season. The mud walls will set firmly this time of year."

Mr. Chen didn't know how to read, but he knew the value of reciprocity. Helping her was a way to ensure their supply remained steady and a way to repay her kindness.