Chapter 42

Tian Yao’s eyes widened.

Only then did Yu Nian continue. “Our family doesn’t have any land, and the game on the mountain needs time to replenish itself. We can’t rely on those things forever.”

After hearing Yu Nian’s words, Tian Yao nodded heavily. This was also why he had gone to work for Squire Liu’s family a few days ago. He only had sheer physical strength and didn’t know what else he could do to supplement the family income.

“So, would you like to hear my idea?”

Tian Yao propped his head up, looking at Yu Nian very seriously.

“Do you remember the dish I made for you when I came to see you a few days ago?” Yu Nian looked at his face and asked.

Of course, Tian Yao remembered. Not only did he remember, but he had also planned to see if he could find another rabbit tomorrow and then have Yu Nian teach him to cook it. After all, he had eaten every last bit of what Yu Nian made last time; Yu Nian hadn’t had any himself, for sure.

“So, what do you think about using that to start a business?”

Tian Yao’s eyes widened. He had never thought about going into business. Although he had set up a stall in town before, if he were to rely on this as a livelihood, he didn’t feel confident he could do well. But hearing Yu Nian suggest it, a thought secretly stirred in him. He felt he should be the type of person who could succeed at anything.

“If we were to go into business, I think that street full of food stalls wouldn’t work. I know a place where business would definitely be booming.”

Yu Nian watched the brilliance that instantly lit up his face and listened to him voice his opinion, realizing that this kind of exchange between husband and husband was also very comfortable. “Oh? Where do you think is suitable?”

“Of course, it’s the quarry by the town edge and the dock by the canal!”

Yunxi Town bordered mountains on one side, but on the other side was the canal connecting north and south. Although the river section at Yunxi Town was just a small branch, boats traveling the north-south canal route also stopped here to rest. In past springs, Tian Yao would even go to the main river up ahead to dredge silt.

“There are a lot of laborers there, so their appetites are surely big. That dish you made for me before, just a tiny bit goes a long way with rice. Economic and satisfying things like that would definitely sell well there.”

Yu Nian hadn’t expected that he’d only mentioned a preliminary idea, and Tian Yao had already thought several steps ahead.

“But there’s one major problem right now, and that’s the raw ingredients.” Yu Nian timely interrupted Tian Yao’s enthusiastic planning. “Relying solely on the bit of chili peppers Father left behind, we certainly can’t run this business long-term. If we truly want to pursue this path in the future, we must have an ample supply of chili peppers.”

Tian Yao, who had just been dreaming about the days of earning money, immediately became crestfallen. “But not a single one of those chili peppers we planted last time sprouted.”

“So, I’m only at the initial stage of this idea. Everything still has to start from scratch.”

Tian Yao said, “Even if we learn how to grow them, we don’t have land to grow them on a large scale.”

“Then when the time comes, we’ll have to think of a way, see if any families in the village are willing to rent their land to us. But ideally, we’d have our own land.” Yu Nian said. “With our current silver, the Village Chief says we could buy two mu.”

Tian Yao immediately shook his head. “No way. That silver has to be used to treat your legs first.”

He was very resolute. No matter what Yu Nian said, he disagreed. So Yu Nian had to drop the matter and then said, “But the most important thing right now is to carefully study the notes Little Dad left behind and figure everything out.”

Tian Yao felt as if he had found a new direction for his life. Filled with drive in everything he did, after talking with Yu Nian for a while longer, he went back out to the vegetable garden.

The seeds they had planted according to Little Dad’s method were growing very well now. Tian Yao bent over to take a close look and actually noticed something different. On the emerald-green stalks, there were a few scattered spots of white.

“Yu Nian, Yu Nian!”

Yu Nian, who had been in the room, thought something had happened. Little Gray also immediately ran to Tian Yao’s side.

“Look at that!”

Following Tian Yao’s pointing hand, Yu Nian saw why Tian Yao was so excited. “Those should be flowers!”

Tian Yao jumped for joy. “Flowering means fruit is coming, right?”

“Yes.” Yu Nian breathed a sigh of relief. Before, Tian Yao could get low-spirited for half a day over seeds not sprouting. Now they finally saw some hope, and Yu Nian hoped Tian Yao could be a bit happier.

Perhaps good news came in threes. In the chili pepper patch, where there had been absolutely no sign of life before, a tiny green sprout now poked through the soil.

“Yu Nian! Look!”

Yu Nian naturally saw it too. Tian Yao could no longer contain his excitement. He threw his arms around Yu Nian’s neck and covered his face with kisses. Little Gray, seeing this, turned its head and went back to its spot beside the chicken coop.

Time quickly passed, and it was soon the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month – the official opening day of Huailing Village’s Enlightenment School.

Tian Yao had wanted earlier to make a long scholarly robe for Yu Nian, but Yu Nian had refused. Yu Nian had said at the time that he was never a true scholar to begin with. Even wearing a long robe wouldn’t give him that air. He much preferred his current style of dress, so there was no need to waste the silver on new clothes. Tian Yao tried to persuade him for a long time but couldn’t sway him, so he had to let it go.

Although he wasn’t wearing new clothes, the moment Yu Nian appeared there, one could tell he was different from the rest of the villagers.

The Enlightenment School was built simply, but certain ceremonies could not be omitted. People often spoke of respecting teachers and valuing education, so the formal ceremony to honor the teacher upon entering school could not be skipped.

Yu Nian knew all the children coming to study at the Enlightenment School this time. The oldest was the one who had once helped push his wheelchair home – the youngest son of that particularly talkative Male Wife of the Li Family.

There was also the son of Aunt Ge from the village entrance. They were all wearing new clothes, looking very restrained and uneasy right now, clutching the hems of their clothes as they stood in the center of the school courtyard.

The Village Chief was managing all ceremonial matters. Tian Yao stood outside watching. No matter the situation, Yu Nian was always composed and collected. Even with his crippled legs, his aura was enough to overshadow everyone present.

After setting off firecrackers and making offerings to the ancestors of Huailing Village, the rest of the people dispersed, leaving only Yu Nian and the few children who were to attend the school.

Tian Yao watched from outside for a long time. Only after confirming nothing seemed amiss did he head home.

Just as Tian Yao got home, he saw several aunts and male wives heading towards their house.

“We were just saying you might not be home, and then we ran into you.” The Male Wife of the Li Family was carrying a basket of eggs and fell into step behind Tian Yao.

“What brings you all here?”

Only then did Tian Yao notice they were all more or less carrying something – eggs, meat, even baby chicks.

“Now that the Enlightenment School has opened, Yu Nian is our children’s teacher. We can’t afford anything valuable to give him, only these ordinary household items. We hope you won’t think less of us for it.”

Tian Yao was greatly startled. Although these gifts didn’t seem precious, they were daily necessities for every family. He dared not accept them.

“How about this…” Tian Yao scratched his head. “My husband isn’t home right now, and I can’t accept gifts on his behalf. Why don’t you all pick a suitable time, and when Yu Nian gets back, you can discuss it with him?”

Seeing that Tian Yao truly didn’t want to accept, they had no choice but to agree. “Then we’ll come by when Yu Nian is home.”

This was the first time Yu Nian was not home during the day. Tian Yao looked at the somewhat empty house. Although Little Gray followed him diligently, never leaving his side, the house still felt empty to him. So he picked up his hoe and headed towards the bamboo grove behind the house.

Putting down his bamboo basket, he saw that in the dense bamboo forest, some shoots had already poked their tips through the soil. Now was the season when bamboo shoots were at their freshest, the perfect time to eat them.

He found a shoot that had just barely sprouted and very carefully dug away the soil beside it first, afraid of damaging the shoot. He’d always had a knack for digging bamboo shoots. These were good, appetite-stimulating treats in seasons when vegetables were scarce.

In Huailing Village, only behind his house was there this bamboo grove. According to the Village Chief, the grove had been planted by Tian Yao’s fathers, which was why virtually no one came to this grove to dig for shoots.

But every spring, Tian Yao would dig up some shoots and give them to the people he was close to – Aunt Shun, the Village Chief’s family. Later, when Liu Zhi married into the village, they became good friends, and he would always set aside an extra share for Liu Zhi too when he had things.

Digging bamboo shoots required extreme care; the slightest carelessness, and you’d snap the shoot, rendering it inedible.

After Tian Yao dug out the soil on both sides, Little Gray mimicked his actions, pawing the dirt away. The cooperation between man and dog was much faster than when Tian Yao dug alone! In the past, he’d maybe get ten or so shoots in an afternoon; now, he could fill a whole basket.

After he finished digging, he didn’t wash off the dirt. He just picked out a few good-looking ones to give away.

The first stop was Aunt Shun’s house. He gave Aunt Shun bamboo shoots, and she gave him some newly grown greens from her garden. Next was Liu Zhi’s home. Liu Zhi’s pregnant belly was getting bigger and bigger, and Tian Yao hardly dared get close to him now, afraid even a sneeze might startle Liu Zhi. But Liu Zhi was very happy to see him and pulled him inside to chat.

“I heard it was really lively over at the Ancestral Hall today,” Liu Zhi said, his face rounder now. Because he was so heavy with child, he hadn’t gone out today.

“It was very lively,” Tian Yao recounted the day’s amusing events in detail, and also mentioned his hesitation about accepting their gifts of tuition.

Liu Zhi laughed at him. “Why are you being so polite? It’s only right to accept them. I think the Village Chief feels the same way.”

“We’ll let Yu Nian handle it himself when he gets back.”

Liu Zhi noticed his basket. “Who else are you delivering to?”

“The Village Chief’s place, and I also want to bring some to Brother Qiao. After all, he tried to help me figure things out before,” Tian Yao replied.

Liu Zhi frowned. “Brother Qiao hasn’t been out for a stroll in a long time. I wonder what he’s busy with at home all day.”

Only then did Tian Yao remember that day when Yu Nian was taking him to town. Passing by Song Yao’s house, the sounds they had heard… He asked Liu Zhi, “How long has it been since Brother Qiao went out?”

Liu Zhi thought for a moment. “Over half a month, probably? I’ve been too heavy to go out myself.”

Tian Yao immediately stood up. “I’ll go over right now.”

Liu Zhi stood up too. “I’ll come with you. Being cooped up at home all day, a person feels suffocated.”

When Chen Xu heard Liu Zhi wanted to go out, naturally he wasn’t willing. But thinking Tian Yao would be with him, there probably wouldn’t be any major issue, so he let them go. Mother Chen, however, watched Liu Zhi leave with Tian Yao and, seeing their retreating figures, kicked Chen Xu. “That Yao Ge’er has never given birth himself. And you feel at ease? Hurry up and follow them! Xiao Zhi is at a critical time, don’t let anything go wrong.”

Mother Chen calculated the time. Liu Zhi’s delivery date was around next month. They absolutely couldn’t let anything happen now.

Chen Xu immediately dashed out, following behind the two.

To accommodate Liu Zhi, Tian Yao didn’t walk fast. He watched everywhere, straining his ears, terrified that Liu Zhi might stumble.

The Song family home was some distance from Liu Zhi’s house. Their house was on the road leading to town. Because many people passed by, the house was built a bit further from the road.

From afar, the Song house looked closed up tight. Liu Zhi was beside him, grumbling at Chen Xu for not giving him any freedom.

Chen Xu let him scold him but still held him firmly.

Only when they got closer to the Song house did they hear some faint sounds.

“If someone’s home, why are the doors and windows shut so tightly?” Liu Zhi supported his waist. “Yao Ge’er, call out to him.”

Tian Yao shook his head. Last time they went to town, the sounds were similar. An ominous feeling rose in his heart. He looked at Chen Xu. “You and Ah Zhi, don’t come any further.”

Chen Xu stopped, Liu Zhi’s eyes full of confusion.

Tian Yao put down his basket and gently pushed open the gate of Song Yao’s house.

The ominous premonition in his heart grew stronger. He pushed open the door to the main room and saw Shen Qiao lying on the ground, barely clinging to life, and Song Yao continuously raining punches down on him.

Rage surged from the bottom of Tian Yao’s heart. His mind went blank with fury. With one motion, he yanked Song Yao off Shen Qiao and landed a punch squarely in Song Yao’s stomach.