Chapter 60

It wasn't until early March that the two pigsties were finally finished. Some families in the village kept sows, and Zhou Chengkang went and rounded up six to bring home. Most households, if they didn't have many women to tend them, wouldn't keep that many pigs; the amount of fodder they ate each day was considerable.
But those who knew their situation didn't stop them, like Li Fu and Mrs. Zhou.
Because in the wheat fields over there the sweet potato slips were growing lush; regardless of whether they'd yield a harvest later, cutting those shoots to feed the pigs was a good plan.
At this stage the piglets hardly ate much, so with spare time on their hands the two of them went to the market at every fair to buy chicks, this year they kept more than last. There were even extra bricks from before. She had built a small shed specifically for the chicks; in all they bought and raised nearly two hundred.
Then news came from the Zhou household: Zhang Haiyao had given birth; mother and daughter were safe.
Well, she had the baby, Li Qinghe's household wasn't short on eggs, so they counted out thirty and sent them over. In the village they didn't make a fuss at the three-day mark; only the full-month celebration was a grand affair.
In the blink of an eye it was March 27. By village custom you're expected to go help a day early, and Li Qinghe and the others were no exception. They went from the overgrown lot where they kept the chickens, it took them an extra quarter hour compared to the other route, and by the time they arrived many villagers had already come.
Because she’d hired people to build the house and clear the land, Li Qinghe knew quite a few people. With Yu Yan and Third Aunt all there, she didn't feel bored; she too went into the kitchen to help prepare the food.
At village celebrations like this, whenever she went to help they always put her on vegetable duty. Even if someone else had already started, once they saw her arrive they'd give up the spot, everyone assumed she chopped faster and neater.
Li Qinghe didn't refuse the task either. Yu Yan stood beside her, handing over veg to be chopped and taking away the sliced, and the kitchen was lively.
Just as things were buzzing, Madam Qian appeared at the kitchen door. "Need any help?"
Actually Madam Qian and Li Fu didn't have the best reputation in the village, it all stemmed from what happened before they married... But that was long ago now; most people only murmured about it behind their backs. Outwardly things were acceptable, and no one went out of their way to pick on them. Third Aunt waved at her. "Come over and sort the vegetables."
Li Qinghe didn't even look that way. Beside her, Yu Yan said in a low voice, "Honestly, I didn't want to come."
At that, Li Qinghe agreed. Folks only gossiped that she had been hopelessly in love with Xu Changjie because she'd saved him, whereas Yu Yan had actually had a liaison with Xu Changjie. Usually it didn't matter, but on a day like this, if she hadn't shown up it would have looked calculated.
She lowered her voice again, "With things like that having happened, why haven't they gotten engaged yet?"
That question struck Li Qinghe to the core. Matters of romance and impropriety among peasant families were still simple; if they had really married, people wouldn't be spreading gossip.
And yet Xu Changjie still wasn't married. As for Li Qinghe, she was all right, married for a year, no children yet, but life treated her well enough, so people had stopped talking about her and the Xu family. Yu Yan, on the other hand, refused to settle for just anyone, which left her in an awkward spot.
But today she had come openly and without shame; after this, people shouldn't bring up the old stories anymore.
"I really regret it," she said. "How on earth did I ever think he was handsome? Looking now, he's really nothing special."
Following her gaze, Li Qinghe saw Xu Changjie in the yard. The scar on his face was gone; he had returned to his former soft, handsome looks. Quite a few village girls stole glances at him, their cheeks flushing.
Looking at him now, she truly felt detached. "Yeah, nothing special."
As on the day she moved, the dishes prepared today were meant for the next day, there would be no cooking here. Those helping were to eat in the Yang family's old courtyard, which happened to be next door to Xu Changjie's house.
At mealtime, a grand procession of seventy or eighty people headed into the village. Li Qinghe and Zhou Chengkang walked together in silence; in a blink they saw the familiar courtyard.
This was the first time she had come here in daylight in this life; the last time had been to deliver news at dawn, and she had been in such a hurry to go to town for work that she hadn't looked closely, partly because she had been afraid to. Passing Xu's house, she cast a glance inside and felt everything both familiar and strange. Her gaze fell on the woodshed in the corner, in her previous life that was where she had been forced to swallow medicine and had breathed her last.
Zhou Chengkang seemed a bit nervous; he reached for her hand and asked, "What's wrong?"
His hand warmed hers, and Li Qinghe collected herself. "It's nothing."
At the Yangs' place everything felt familiar; she could still picture scenes in and out of the courtyard, as if everywhere she looked she saw the gentle way Xu Changjie's features used to be when he was with Yang Lanrou.
But when she saw the people beside her, she quickly closed off her thoughts; now she had nothing to do with those two, so there was no point dwelling on it.
Most of the food today was plain enough, but the Yangs had put on a fine spread, almost up to the level of a proper wedding feast. Li Qinghe and her companion weren't lacking meat in their daily meals, so it didn't feel that special to them.
After the meal, everyone returned to the Yangs' new house. Li Qinghe helped finish preparing the dishes and then went back to her own home. The excuse was ready-made: she had to feed the fish and chickens, the horses and pigs.
Li Fu followed her home and even helped with the feeding.
While feeding the chickens, Li Qinghe casually asked Li Fu, who was helping, "Has Aunt Qian mentioned wanting to raise a child again?"
Li Fu shook his head, thought for a moment, and said, "Could I come and stay for a few days?"
At that, Li Qinghe was surprised. A father-in-law staying at his son-in-law's place for a couple of days was one thing, but when the two households lived so close, what difference would it make where he stayed?
"Your Aunt Qian..." Li Fu looked embarrassed. "Never mind if it's not possible."
Li Qinghe suspected perhaps something had happened between them again. "Sure, why not." But curious, she lowered her voice and asked, "Why is that?"
"She still wants to have a child," Li Fu answered quickly.
He spoke softly and rapidly; Li Qinghe almost didn't catch it at first. Once she understood, she was suddenly speechless.
Someone in their thirties nowadays was already of grandmother age; that Madam Qian would still want to have a child was startling. Li Qinghe couldn't help but ask, "You don't mean she wants to have a baby with the Qian surname, do you?"
Li Fu shook his head. "I didn't ask."
"At her age, and she isn't even embarrassed, why have a child? Better to find some way to make ends meet. If she has a child now, she won't even dare to die later. Besides, she hasn't had kids for so many years..."
He paused, seeming to realize such talk wasn't proper in front of his daughter. "I'll just stay for a couple of days. If she gets the idea, that's enough. I'll also help you chop wood."
Li Qinghe laughed; did he really have to do chores to earn a meal? Neighbors weren't usually so distant. She said, "Just chop your own wood. Come eat here and sleep here at night."
The next day, at the Yangs' housewarming celebration, Li Qinghe went over, ate, and washed a few dishes before returning, after all, they were just ordinary neighbors.
Afterward Li Fu brought over some clothes and bedding. Seeing his daughter exhausted from daylong chores, he even volunteered to help feed the fish and chickens.
As the weather grew warmer, Li Qinghe finally found some free time. The sweet potato sprouts were spreading, nearly filling the gaps in the wheat field, it looked promising. She strolled along in a good mood; today she planned to stop by the Zhous' household because in a few days Zhang Haiyao's full-month celebration would be held.
When she arrived at the Zhous' house, she noticed two carriages outside the yard. At first puzzled, she then thought perhaps the Zhang family had come.
Sure enough they were from the Zhangs: Zhang Haiyao's birth mother and her uncle. To Li Qinghe's surprise, Madam Xu was among them too.
When she came in, Madam Xu went up to her and took her hand. "I was just thinking I'd drop by your place later and have a look at your new house," she said.
Li Qinghe was pleased to see her, Madam Xu seldom came home, and since she herself didn't like visiting the Zhangs, mother and daughter only saw each other a few times a year.
Madam Xu waved to a child. "Haiya, come here."
This was Zhang Haiya, Li Qinghe's half-brother by the same mother. He was eight this year and already reached her shoulders; his small face was set and surprisingly composed.
He stepped forward and bowed slightly to Li Qinghe. "Sister."
Li Qinghe had never been close to this brother in either of her lives, but seeing him so polite and sensible warmed her. Once he grew up, Madam Xu's time at the Zhangs should be easier. She couldn't help smiling. "Haiya, come visit my house, okay?"
She said a word to Mrs. Zhou and led Madam Xu and Haiya back home. In the yard Li Fu was mixing pig feed; when he saw the three enter he froze for a moment, then recovered. "You're here? And this is…"
"My son." Madam Xu said matter-of-factly and began to stroll through the yard.
After the mother and son had walked off, Li Fu lowered his voice and asked, "Why did your mother come?"
Li Qinghe was at a loss, she couldn't very well say that Madam Qian wanted a child and Li Fu had moved out because of it, could she?
After a moment she said, "Father's fine, he came over to help me feed the pigs."
Madam Xu snorted. "He's only got you, he ought to treat you better, otherwise there'll be no one to carry his coffin. That woman… even if she outlives him she'd only wail; you can't count on someone like that."
Li Qinghe thought it over and admitted it was quite possible.
She took out a small purse. "You've built a house and set up such a big household; silver might not be enough to tide you over. Take this."
With that she pushed the purse into her hands without another word.
Li Qinghe held it; there was silver inside, several taels. She sighed and handed it back to Madam Xu. "I'm getting by. Keep this for yourself and use it to educate Haiya. Last year my third sister-in-law even told me that Uncle Zhang forbade Haiya from going to school; it was her father who helped settle it."
Madam Xu frowned. "No way. Did she really say that?"
Li Qinghe nodded. "She even borrowed silver from me, but didn't say anything about repaying it."
That Madam Xu had come to congratulate her today showed she was on good terms with Zhang Haiyao's mother; it was necessary that she know about the things Zhang Haiyao had done behind her back.