Chapter 5

Li Qinghe snorted and turned to go inside.
Madam Qian's face froze at the sound of her scorn and she grew more downcast. "I really was trying to keep it safe for her. Ten taels, it's enough to build a modest courtyard. What if she loses it?" Her voice was anxious.
Even after she stepped inside, Li Qinghe kept listening to them from the doorway. "I earned that with my life. Even if it were lost, I'd accept it gladly."
"What's with that attitude?" Li Fu scolded. "Even if you don't acknowledge her, she's still your elder."
“I never said she wasn't,” Li Qinghe opened the door and leaned against the frame. “I don't disrespect her either, but you can't be after my money.”
Li Fu snapped, “We're not asking you for silver, that's Aunt Qian's generosity. Even leaving the past aside, who looked after you while you were hurt? Who hired the doctor and had the medicine brewed?”
“I didn't eat for nothing. Have I brought back less meat and bones these past two years?” Li Qinghe stared straight at Madam Qian. “I never saw any of that stuff.”
Back when Li Qinghe helped at the tavern, the assistants there usually didn't eat at home. Going to the tavern and grabbing whatever was available still meant a fuller belly than at home.
Madam Qian looked away. “I couldn't bear to eat it myself, I gave it all to your father.”
Li Fu agreed, “So you brought some things back, what's the fuss? In any case, Aunt Qian hasn't mistreated you.”
Li Qinghe didn't argue. Before the money issue, Madam Qian had been decent: she managed things inside and out and genuinely treated Li Fu well. She had worked hard.
If they didn't touch her money, the two households could surely get along peacefully.
Li Qinghe nodded, then remembered something. “I forgot to tell you, the tavern owner let me go.”
“What!” Madam Qian exclaimed, surprised and too flustered to be angry. “On what grounds?”
Li Qinghe sighed, “There was no reason. They just said I was injured and told me to go home and recover.”
“That's not right. You were doing fine, why would the owner fire you?” Madam Qian paced anxiously. “Did you go to see the owner?”
“No.” It wouldn't have helped even if she had.
“How can you not go? Tomorrow you must see the owner. The manager must not have told him, such a good job, how could you lose it?” Madam Qian grew angrier as she spoke. “And you, how could you just come back? Bring back meat and bones, your father could use them to regain his strength. It's been half a month without meat; your father has wasted away.”
Li Qinghe laughed in exasperation. So if she didn't bring meat home they'd go without? “I won't go.”
Madam Qian, as if not understanding, paced again and smacked her forehead. “Your mother helped you find that job before, ask her about it.”
Li Qinghe flatly refused, “I'm not going; I simply don't want to do it anymore.” In truth, in her previous life she had gone to the owner, but the owner sided with the manager and still dismissed her. It had always been unrealistic to expect otherwise, the manager, after all, had the owner's trust; why would he favor a mere assistant?
“You don't want to work!” Madam Qian's voice rose. “If you don't, there won't be any work for you at home either. You can't just idly play around, can you?”
After saying it she realized she'd been too heated, and she softened her tone to speak to Li Fu. “Why not have Qinghe look for another job? We don't want her money, but she should be saving a dowry, shouldn't she?”
Her words were sincere. Li Fu agreed and instructed, “Tomorrow go to town and look for work.”
It sounded as if the work would be easy to find. In any case, during the slack season who in the village wouldn't want a short job to earn a little silver? But the jobs that paid were all hard labor.
“You won't find anything.” Li Qinghe looked at Li Fu. “My last job was found by my mother, isn't it Dad's turn to find one for me this time?”
At that, Li Fu swallowed the words he had been about to say about having her see Madam Xu.
Not wanting to speak to them further, she said, “My wound hurts, I need to rest.” Then she closed the door.
Li Qinghe didn't come out for dinner. She nibbled on two steamed buns she'd brought back for herself, and as she ate she felt regret. In her memory, Madam Qian had been cold to her but not cruel; she hadn't expected people's nature to crumble under test. If she'd known, she wouldn't have bought those buns.
Li Qinghe stayed inside but wasn't idle; she helped with chores. The worst part was that at mealtimes Li Fu would always urge her to go to town and find work, with Madam Qian chiming in. The only quiet one was Zhao Wanwan, who ate with her head bowed and never said a word.
Two days passed. Early one morning Li Qinghe rose, considering whether to go ask the town chief and get the land deed sooner. As soon as she stepped out she ran into Zhao Wanwan, who seemed about to knock on the door.
Zhao Wanwan forced a small smile. “Sister, my mother told me to tell you to dress nicely today.”
Country girls don't ordinarily hear 'dress nicely' unless it's for a match.
A bad feeling rose in Li Qinghe. “Why?”
“My mother told me not to say,” Zhao Wanwan said, looking embarrassed.
Hearing that, Li Qinghe wanted to curse. She stepped closer and asked softly, “Is it a match?”
Zhao Wanwan glanced toward the kitchen and gave a slight nod.
“What sort of man?” Li Qinghe asked.
“He's from our village, you know him,” Zhao Wanwan said so quietly it was almost inaudible, and she glanced again at the kitchen. “He's my cousin.”
The Xu family had long since cut ties with the Lis; Zhao Wanwan's cousin could only be someone from the Qian family.
The elderly Qians had only Madam Qian and her useless younger brother. Before their youngest son was born they had adopted a nephew from another household who was two years younger than Madam Qian, raising him for seven or eight years. After the youngest was born, they sent him back.
Though an adopted son, he had a good relationship with Madam Qian and with her biological brother. Now that the Qians were old and couldn't afford to keep their son in school, the adopted son had given quite a bit of money to the brother. He also frequently sent fabric and grain to the Qians.
Even now many envied the Qians for being rewarded for their kindness. The cousin Zhao Wanwan referred to was likely from that household.
For a moment Li Qinghe felt every emotion at once. No wonder Madam Qian didn't want her wages, everything was being calculated in favor of the Qians.
Of course, she might be overreacting. Either way, she didn't want to do as Madam Qian wished. After a quick wash she went into the room, took the savings she'd stashed away, and left.
Madam Qian hurried after her. "Qinghe, it's time for breakfast, where are you going?"
"You don't need to wait for me; I'm going to find work," Li Qinghe blurted out. If she hadn't answered, Madam Qian would probably come looking for her in a bit.
The excuses were ready-made: the girl didn't like the match, she stormed out, and they came searching in their worry.
After all, it was normal for a young woman her age to be introduced for marriage; when that happened, everyone would blame her.