CHAPTER 4 : A New Beginning

 

The cold night wind howled through the village, rattling the window panes. Xu Shuyue curled up beneath the bright red quilt Madam Wei had prepared for her, listening to the distant clamor outside. Slowly, she drifted into sleep.

Snow fell steadily through the night. At the break of dawn, Xu Shuyue woke up, quietly tidied her bedding, and stepped outside. A gust of icy wind mixed with snowflakes hit her face. Even though she held her breath, the frigid air still rushed into her lungs, causing her to cough uncontrollably.

Fearing she would wake the two elders, she suppressed her coughing and quickly ran to the back kitchen.

Meanwhile, Madam Wei opened her eyes. She hadn’t slept all night. Her face, already lined with grief, looked as though it had aged ten years overnight. Hearing the faint movements outside, she nudged Qi Ansheng awake and said in a weary tone, “It’s time to get up.”

It was the first morning of their new daughter-in-law’s arrival. As custom dictated, the new bride should serve tea to her in-laws, and the two elders had to be present for the ritual. Xu Shuyue had just joined the family, and the days ahead would be long. If they neglected this first interaction, it might foster resentment, making the future unbearable for everyone involved.

Qi Ansheng sighed. His wife hadn’t slept, and he hadn’t either. Tossing and turning all night, he finally blurted out, “Wife, do you think we chose the wrong person?”

When the Taoist priest gave his instructions, they had rushed to Xu’s house to arrange the marriage. They didn’t even compare horoscopes properly. Looking back now, they couldn’t help but wonder: in a world filled with women burdened by misfortune, how could they be sure Xu Shuyue was the person the Taoist had meant?

Madam Wei, who had spent most of her life with him, understood his thoughts without needing an explanation. She turned over and said in a muffled voice, “What’s done is done. There’s no point in regretting it now.”

Her words seemed to be both a reassurance to Qi Ansheng and a way of convincing herself.

Xu Shuyue, used to modern kitchen appliances, struggled to handle the primitive tools of the rustic kitchen. Her hands were clumsy and inexperienced. The bowl of porridge she had made the previous evening had taken her half an hour to prepare, and this morning’s meal looked like it would take even longer.

She felt discouraged as she absentmindedly chopped some pickled vegetables pulled from a jar. Suddenly, she flinched as a sharp pain shot through her finger.

Madam Wei, who had just entered the kitchen, immediately saw what had happened and scolded her in a panicked voice, “Put down that knife right now! What were you thinking, child? How could you cut yourself just chopping vegetables? Ansheng! Go grab the jar of medicine powder from the bedside!”

Xu Shuyue stared blankly at her hand, only now realizing she had injured herself. Blood dripped steadily from the small wound, forming crimson drops on the floor like tiny blooming flowers.

She was still in shock as Madam Wei grabbed her hand and hurriedly led her into the house. When Qi Ansheng saw the bleeding wound, his face darkened.

Knowing that spilling blood on her first day in the household was considered a bad omen, Xu Shuyue stammered, “I… I woke up early and wanted to make breakfast for you, Aunt —uh, I mean, Mother and Father. But the knife was too sharp, and I wasn’t careful…”

The word “Mother” came out hesitantly and awkwardly. Bowing her head, she looked guilty. Her dry hair fell over her pale face, making her appear frail and pitiful. Madam Wei’s heart softened at the sight.

Regardless of the circumstances, this was the daughter-in-law she had personally welcomed into the family.

One cry of “Mother” meant they were bound for life.

Madam Wei shot a glare at her husband before soothingly scolding Xu Shuyue, “That knife—your father had it sharpened just last month. I told him not to make it so sharp, but he wouldn’t listen. And now, see? You got hurt.”

Qi Ansheng snorted, grumbling, “And who was it that complained every day that the knife was too dull to use?”

Madam Wei cast him another sideways glance, and Qi Ansheng, recognizing the look, wisely fell silent.

Xu Shuyue sat quietly as Madam Wei tended to her wound. Despite her focused expression, a small smile flickered on Xu Shuyue’s lips.

In that moment, she thought, perhaps staying here wouldn’t be so bad after all.

After bandaging her wound with a cloth and applying medicine, Madam Wei forbade Xu Shuyue from helping in the kitchen any further. “You can’t get that wound wet. Go do something else. Siming’s room hasn’t been used in a long time. The wedding was rushed, so we didn’t have time to tidy it up. If you’re free, you could organize his things. Or…”

Here, Madam Wei paused, her tone turning somber. “Or, if Siming really isn’t coming back, you can sort out some of his clothes. His father and I will build a grave for him.”

In these times, people believed in the importance of returning to one’s roots after death. Though Qi Siming had died far from home, with no body to return, his spirit would still need a resting place in the village. Building a grave was the last thing the two grieving parents could do for their son.

Looking at the elderly woman, who seemed to have aged decades in a single night, Xu Shuyue thought of her own grandmother. When her father had passed away, her grandmother had been just as heartbroken, nearly collapsing under the weight of her grief. If it hadn’t been for Xu Shuyue by her side, her grandmother might not have survived the loss.

Xu Shuyue felt a heavy ache in her chest. She wanted to say something to comfort Madam Wei but realized that no words could ease such profound sorrow.

Resolving not to abandon the Qi family in their time of need, Xu Shuyue moved a small stool to the stove and insisted, “We can clean up after breakfast. Mother, let me tend the fire for you.”

Without waiting for a response, she stuffed a handful of straw into the stove and struck the flint. Sparks flew, and soon, the flames roared to life.

The warm light from the fire illuminated Xu Shuyue’s earnest face. Madam Wei, watching her, quickly understood that Xu Shuyue had stayed behind to keep her company out of concern. Moved by the gesture, Madam Wei wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes and pulled herself together.

“You’re right,” Madam Wei said with a faint smile. “On such a cold day, it’s best to sit by the stove and warm up a bit.”

Xu Shuyue smiled back. “I’m glad Mother doesn’t mind having me around.”

“How could I mind?” Madam Wei thought to herself. What a good daughter-in-law… I can’t help but spoil her.

As the fire crackled, Xu Shuyue placed a piece of firewood at the edge to prevent the porridge from burning and casually asked, “Mother, can you tell me more about our family’s situation? I’ve just married in and don’t know what work needs to be done yet.”

Madam Wei bent down to retrieve three eggs from a jar. “Siming has a younger brother, as you know. He’s studying in the county under a tutor and comes home once a month. Most of the time, it’s just me and your father here. We have three acres of dry land and about an acre and a half of wetland. The harvest each year is just enough to cover the taxes and provide food for the four of us.”

“The land halfway up the hill is ours too. We planted fruit trees there. Selling the fruit has been how your father and I raised Siming and his brother.”

Madam Wei’s voice carried the weight of years of toil, marked by hardship and love.

With Qi Siming gone, the Qi family had grown even more fragile. Their numbers had dwindled, leaving them vulnerable.

Xu Shuyue nodded thoughtfully. If there was one thing in this era that drained money faster than anything else, it was supporting a scholar preparing for the imperial exams. With the Qi family’s remaining able-bodied labor force so limited, the road ahead would not be easy.

The Qi family had lost a strong laborer, leaving the burden of supporting the younger son’s education squarely on the shoulders of the two elders. It was no small pressure.

Now that she was married into the Qi family, Xu Shuyue knew she had to contribute her share to supporting her brother-in-law’s studies. But if they didn’t want to live hand-to-mouth, they needed to find a way to make more money.

As Xu Shuyue mulled over the situation, Madam Wei plated the golden scrambled eggs and continued, “With the heavy snow outside, there’s not much to do right now. The only thing left is to sell the unsold dates, pears, and apples at the market when the town has its big market day. But that’s not much work.”

Apples, Xu Shuyue noted. That aligned with her assumptions—during the winter, rural families typically hunkered down and waited for spring. But what surprised her was that this family still had leftover fruit to sell.

Frowning, Xu Shuyue asked, “Won’t the fruit spoil if it’s kept too long?”

By now, snow was falling, which meant the Qi family’s fruit must have been stored in their cellar for at least half a month. Even in the cold weather, fruit left too long would lose its texture, turning dry and mealy. Once that happened, it would be even harder to sell.

Madam Wei sighed deeply. This was exactly what had been troubling her. This year’s harvest had been abundant, but that only drove prices down. Much of the fruit hadn’t sold, and now it was on the verge of spoiling. Adding to her worries was the fact that they still hadn’t figured out how to pay for their younger son’s tuition fees next year. Madam Wei had been losing sleep over it.

“If worse comes to worst, we’ll just have to sell it at a lower price,” she said, resigned. “At least we won’t lose everything.”

Madam Wei hung her apron on the wall and called over to Xu Shuyue, “Alright, stop the fire. Let the rice stew a little longer, and it’ll be ready to eat.”

Xu Shuyue followed her instructions, extinguishing the fire and watching the glowing embers fade. As the warmth from the flames began to dissipate, an idea sparked in her mind. Her eyes lit up, and she suddenly looked up at Madam Wei with excitement.

“Mother, why don’t we turn the leftover fruit into candied fruit?”

“Candied fruit sells for a much higher price than fresh fruit, and it’s easier to store. Even if we don’t sell it all this year, we can keep it for next year.”

Xu Shuyue’s bright eyes gleamed as she looked expectantly at Madam Wei. “What do you think?”

For a moment, Madam Wei was tempted. The candied fruit shop in town used to buy fruit from her and Qi Ansheng, so she knew exactly how much profit was made on candied fruit. It was, without a doubt, a profitable venture.

But Madam Wei hesitated. “In the middle of winter, how would we dry the fruit without sunlight? And besides, your father and I don’t know how to make candied fruit.”

These two concerns hung in the air as the family sat down to eat. Xu Shuyue patiently explained as they ate. “Father, Mother, I know how to make candied fruit. If you don’t believe me, you can let me try a small batch first to show you. As for the lack of sunlight…”

She smiled confidently. “Drying isn’t the only method. We can also use a stove to bake or roast the fruit until it’s ready.”

Qi Ansheng remained silent, his deeply wrinkled face drawn in contemplation.

Madam Wei spoke up, voicing his concern. “If we do that, how much firewood will it require?”

The village relied on the nearby mountains for firewood. Every winter, families collected large bundles to get through the season. The Qi family had done the same—two elderly people working tirelessly to gather enough wood to fill their shed. While they had enough for cooking and heating the house, it wouldn’t be nearly enough for drying fruit on a large scale.

Xu Shuyue realized she hadn’t considered this issue carefully. Giving up on such a good money-making opportunity felt like a bitter pill to swallow.

The room grew quiet as the three sat in thought. Finally, Qi Ansheng picked up his chopsticks and said calmly, “Let’s eat first. We can talk about it after we’ve had our meal.”

His words broke the heavy silence, and Madam Wei let out a small breath of relief. Smiling, she urged, “Shuyue, listen to your father. Eat first. I used lard to fry these eggs—they’re extra fragrant. Try them and see how they taste.”

While Madam Wei was cooking earlier, Xu Shuyue had been lost in thought. Now, looking into the simple brown earthenware bowl before her, she saw a heap of golden, fluffy scrambled eggs that took up nearly half the bowl. Before she could take a bite, Madam Wei reached over with her chopsticks and piled even more eggs into her bowl.

Madam Wei and Qi Ansheng, however, didn’t eat much of the eggs themselves. Instead, their chopsticks kept returning to the smaller bowl of pickled vegetables on the side.

Watching this, Xu Shuyue’s eyes grew hot with emotion. While the two elders might have brought her into their home for selfish reasons, their care for her was genuine—so real it put even gold to shame.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she picked up her chopsticks and placed a serving of scrambled eggs into both of their bowls. She said earnestly, “Father, Mother, there’s plenty of eggs. You should eat some too.”

Madam Wei hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “Good child. Alright, alright, we’ll eat some too.”