Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 21

Chapter 21

Li-ge’er picked up the new shoes on the low table and exclaimed, “Such big feet, like boats!”

Ye Xi covered his mouth and chuckled. “When I got his shoe size, I also thought I had misread it. They’re almost twice the size of ours!”

Li-ge’er winked. “The elders say, big feet mean a big body. I’m afraid your future husband’s broad shoulders will crush you, you might have a hard time.”

Ye Xi blushed at his words and scolded him, “Aren’t you ashamed? You’re still an unmarried young man, talking like that! I’ll tell Aunt Liu, and she’ll teach you a lesson.”

Li-ge’er covered his mouth and laughed. “Alright, alright, I was wrong, okay?”

The women outside were also chatting and laughing, and Li-ge’er and Ye Xi eavesdropped a bit.

Li-ge’er noticed the silver bracelet on Ye Xi’s wrist and exclaimed, “Oh my, Xi-ge’er, don’t move, let me see this treasure.”

Ye Xi generously extended his wrist. “Look, look, I’m not hiding it.”

Since Lin Jiangshan gave him this, he would wear it openly, to show his appreciation.

Li-ge’er enviously touched the patterns on the silver bracelet and said, “This is the first time I’ve touched a silver bracelet. My mother has been talking about it for years, but she’s never been willing to buy one. After the harvest, she would save all the money. I’ve only seen the village chief’s wife wear one.”

Ye Xi smiled. “I didn’t expect him to be so thoughtful.”

“This probably cost two or three taels of silver. When farming families marry young men, even a few taels of betrothal gifts make the groom’s family feel like they’re being cut to pieces. Who would be willing to spend a few more taels to have a bracelet made?”

Ye Xi coaxed him, “Your mother will definitely find someone better than mine and have a pair made for you, so dazzling that everyone will be envious, and so heavy that your wrist will hurt.”

Li-ge’er said, “That would be great. Now that you’re getting married to such a good man, I’m so happy for you.”

Ye Xi put down his needlework. “There’s another thing worth celebrating.”

Li-ge’er looked up at him, puzzled.

Ye Xi smiled and slowly untied the veil from his face, revealing his burned cheek.

Li-ge’er’s eyes widened as he stared at Ye Xi’s face in shock, speechless for a long time.

The bumpy scar on Ye Xi’s left face had faded to a faint red mark, like a blush, only the surface of the scar was peeling, revealing patches of old skin.

“No way, your face!”

Ye Xi gently touched his face with his fingertips. “I was also surprised. I’ve been applying the ointment he gave me every day, without fail. He gave me another jar a few days ago, so I’ve used more than two jars in total. It wasn’t until the day before yesterday that I felt my face peeling. At first, I thought it was because the weather was too dry and didn’t pay much attention, but the scar didn’t feel raised anymore, it had flattened. I observed it for two more days and realized it was actually healing.”

Li-ge’er was so happy he couldn’t speak. “My heavens, you’re so blessed! Your face is healing, and your wedding is coming soon, isn’t this perfect! Is that ointment a magical medicine? How is it so effective?”

Ye Xi said, “He said it’s a secret recipe from the capital, used by officials and nobles. I didn’t have much hope at first, but I didn’t expect it to be true.”

Li-ge’er smiled at him. “If your face fully recovers, that Lin Jiangshan will be stunned.”

Ye Xi lowered his eyes and said softly, “He’s not someone who judges people by their appearance. If he cared about looks, why would he agree to marry me and bring such generous gifts? Adversity reveals true character, and it shows who is truly a good man.”

If his face hadn’t been burned, he would probably be married to the Cao family now. This was a blessing in disguise, allowing him to see the true colors of that family and escape that fate, and find a truly good husband.

The two drank tea and embroidered flowers, chatting for the entire afternoon.

Li-ge’er went home in the evening, and Liu Xiufeng, after seeing off the women who helped, went to the kitchen to check the ingredients again.

“We should get a cat. Now that it’s autumn, mice and insects will come out to steal grain and prepare for winter. A cat would be good for protecting our grain.”

Father Ye washed his hands by the well and replied, “Then I’ll take a catty of salt to Wang Ba-zi’s house tomorrow and ask. I heard his cat just had a litter of kittens. If there’s a suitable one, we’ll bring one home. Feeding a cat doesn’t cost much.”

Liu Xiufeng instructed, “Get a black and white one, they’re good at catching mice.”

Father Ye replied, “I know, I know.” Liu Xiufeng then mixed the wheat bran in the basin and turned to ask Ye Xi, “Xi-ge’er, are your wedding clothes and your husband’s new clothes and shoes ready?”

Ye Xi was setting the table. “They’re ready, I’ll take them to him tomorrow.”

Ye Shan sat in the courtyard, repairing a hoe with a hammer. “He’s alone without any help, how about I go to his house tomorrow and help him with the preparations, see if there’s anything I can do?”

Ye Xi said, “You still have work in the fields tomorrow, Brother. I’ll go. There’s not much to do at his place. I’ve already told him to just hang some simple wedding decorations.”

Ye Shan thought that the work in the fields couldn’t be delayed. Father Ye was getting old and wasn’t as strong as before, and he was helping with the hard labor. “Alright, if there’s anything that requires strength, you come back and tell me.”

After dinner, they turned off the lights, another day ending in the farming household.

The next day, Ye Xi took the new clothes and shoes he made to Lin Jiangshan. Lin Jiangshan was hanging red cloth under the eaves. He looked down and saw Ye Xi standing there, smiling.

Lin Jiangshan smiled. “Are you here to supervise? Afraid I’m not decorating well enough?”

Ye Xi shook the cloth bag in his hand. “I came to bring you new clothes and shoes, and also to see if you’re slacking off.”

Lin Jiangshan jumped down from the bench. “Don’t worry, I’ll do my best. But I have no family or relatives, so everything will be simple.”

Ye Xi handed him the new clothes and shoes. “That saves money. If we were to have a grand ceremony, the red cloth, candlesticks, and everything else would cost money. Just hanging some red cloth is fine. We can use the saved money to eat more pork, wouldn’t that be better?”

His future husband’s thoughtfulness warmed Lin Jiangshan’s heart. He nodded. “Don’t worry, after you marry me, I’ll make sure you have meat every day.”

Ye Xi smiled. “Then I’ll be very fortunate. Even wealthy landowners’ wives don’t eat meat every day, I’ll be better off than them!”

They chatted for a while, and Lin Jiangshan took the new clothes and shoes into the house to change. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and the clothes fit him well. Ye Xi had sewn the clothes with dense stitches and good tailoring, so the new clothes made Lin Jiangshan look even more robust and imposing. No other man in the village could compare.

Ye Xi’s eyes shone as he looked him up and down, smiling. “These clothes suit you! You look good.”

Lin Jiangshan also tried on the shoes. They were soft and comfortable, not rubbing his feet at all. He said with satisfaction, “Your skills are excellent. I couldn’t buy such good clothes and shoes even in town. I’m fortunate to have married such a virtuous and skillful husband.”

Ye Xi blushed at his praise and scolded him, “You used to be so cold and distant, and now you’re so sweet-talking, completely different. I’m afraid I’ve been tricked by you.”

Lin Jiangshan laughed. “I was alone and helpless in Shanxiu Village before, so I had to be cautious and keep my distance. Now that my in-laws treat me sincerely, and my husband cares about me, I naturally reciprocate with sincerity. I can’t keep up that aloof and reserved facade anymore.”

Ye Xi stepped forward and smoothed the wrinkles on his shoulder, feeling tenderness for him. “Yes, Shanxiu Village is your home now, let’s live a good life together.”

Lin Jiangshan’s large, rough hand gently held Ye Xi’s hand, his thumb caressing his palm, his eyes filled with deep affection. He said in a low voice, “Alright, let’s live a good life together, as a family.”

The wild chrysanthemums by the roadside in Shanxiu Village withered and bloomed again. In a blink of an eye, the wedding day arrived. Tomorrow was Ye Xi’s big day.

Liu Xiufeng boiled a large pot of hot water in the kitchen. Before the wedding, one had to take a proper bath, so as not to appear unkempt on the wedding night and be laughed at by their husband.

Except for the cold winter months, Ye Xi liked to bathe, especially in the summer, almost every day. “Mother, there’s no need for this, I’ll just wash up quickly, I’m already clean.”

Liu Xiufeng sent Ye Shan and Father Ye out, closed the kitchen door, and said to Ye Xi, “Everyday is different from your wedding day. You have to take a proper bath at home today. You won’t be able to use your parents’ water after you get married.”

Ye Xi’s nose tingled. He was happy about getting married, but the sadness of leaving home was also real. Liu Xiufeng’s words almost made him change his mind.

Liu Xiufeng scolded him jokingly, “You’re still a child. How can you not get married? Besides, you’re just next door, it only takes a short walk to come home for a visit.”

This comforted Ye Xi, thankfully he was marrying close by.

Liu Xiufeng took out a cloth bag, unwrapped it, and revealed a few red beads. “These are the bath beads your father bought for me, with added fragrance, they smell very nice. I’ve been saving them these past two years, and there are a few left. Use them tonight for a good bath, so you’ll smell nice tomorrow when you get married.”

Ye Xi refused. “Mother, you keep them, I’ll just use soap pods.”

Liu Xiufeng glared at him and urged, “You silly child, do you know what will happen tomorrow night? You have to use something nice, or it would be a waste.”

Ye Xi was shy and always blushed when hearing such things. Now that his mother was talking to him so directly about this, he blushed even more.

“Mother…”

Liu Xiufeng laughed at him. “You’re about to get married, what’s there to be shy about? Listen to Mother, just let your husband do his thing tomorrow night, bear with it.”

Ye Xi blushed and mumbled in agreement.

“Don’t let him have his way every night, be careful not to damage your health. It’s normal for couples to have private conversations in the bedroom, don’t be too shy.”

That night, Liu Xiufeng secretly taught her son about marital intimacy in the kitchen.