Chen Jiu flushed red, lost in thought. After a long silence, she finally spoke: “I berated him, yet he didn’t retaliate. I used to think he was giving my cousin face—that with my maternal family backing me, I had nothing to fear from him. But now I realize that might not be the case. After all, my cousin isn’t particularly close to me.”
Lu Liu couldn’t say anything. He didn’t know whether Li Feng was affectionate toward Chen Jiu, his younger brother.
He could only resort to the universal compliment and tell him, “Wang Meng cares about you.”
He’d once told Yao Fulang, “Daqiang cares about you,” and Yao Fulang had loved hearing it.
Chen Jiu seemed to like it too, lifting his chin. “Do I need you to tell me that?”
Lu Liu just smiled softly, refusing to argue.
After chatting for a while, Yao Fulang arrived with her embroidery basket.
His sister-in-law had given him some scraps of fabric—mostly small pieces, not many large, good-quality ones. He cut them into roughly equal sizes to make a patchwork baby blanket. Once the child was born, it would be ready to wear.
Fabric was precious, so he measured and measured before cutting. The leftover strips were all long and narrow; he planned to save them for buttons. He folded each strip in half lengthwise, gathered the edges inward, sewed the loose ends closed, then twisted and knotted them.
They knew few button styles. The most common everyday one was the knot button. For large buttonholes, they tied two knots; for small ones, just one.
At first, the buttonholes were small, but after long wear, they stretched into large ones.
Sometimes they skipped buttons altogether, sewing the fabric into a sash instead, tying the ends themselves.
Yao Fulang knew what kind of books Lu Liu was sewing. Upon arriving, he took one of the finished books without hesitation, flipping through it and asking, “These all have the same pictures. Are you selling them?”
Lu Liu nodded. “Mm-hmm. Dafeng said once he returns, we’ll take the books out to sell.”
Yao Fulang inquired about the price. Lu Liu truthfully stated that their books, only ten pages long, sold for two qian of silver—much cheaper than those in the study and far more convenient to read.
Yao Fulang paid for two copies.
Lu Liu was puzzled: “But you’ve already seen them! Why buy them?”
Yao Fulang shook his head at him. “Lu Fulang, you really don’t know how to do business. I’ve read it, but my sister-in-law and my friends haven’t. How else can I keep lending your stuff out? If it’s for sale, let them buy it. They feel awkward buying books outright, and borrowing them is even more inconvenient. Keeping one copy in their own room is perfect.”
Lu Liu held the copper coins, his eyes finally sparkling with genuine joy.
He’d made money! He’d sold the books—a great start!
Chen Jiu listened to their conversation, his eyes drifting to Lu Liu’s embroidered basket—all those books meant for sale.
Since they were for sale, he didn’t bring up why he couldn’t borrow them to read with Wang Meng.
He hadn’t taken the money yet. Once more people gathered in the courtyard, it would be even harder to take.
Shun Ge still peered over, glancing this way. He was very curious about those books. His mother wouldn’t let him read them, saying they were for married people and he should wait two years. Reading them now meant he wasn’t a good boy.
He was half-understanding, half-confused. Watching these grown men whispering and murmuring seemed so interesting, he was stomping his feet in frustration.
Chenjiu turned around just in time to see him frowning and stamping his feet, seemingly angry at someone. He asked, “What are you doing?”
Caught red-handed, Shun’er’s face flushed. “I saw you chatting so nicely and wanted to ask if you’d like some tea!”
Yao the Groom teased him straight away, “You definitely want to be a groom too, trying to join the conversation!”
Everyone else in the courtyard laughed and teased him.
Shun could start looking for a match now. The actual marriage could wait a couple years—half a year or a year to search. He could start getting to know families in the same village who might be interested.
Whether it was an engagement or a wedding by year’s end, either would be a joyous occasion.
He stomped his feet several times in place, unable to win the argument. Finally, he ran back inside to hide.
Lu Liu said to Yao Fulang, “You’re picking on him.”
Yao Fulang denied it. “I’m telling you, young lads his age are the most fun. They’re half-understanding, not quite children anymore. Tease him for a couple years, and he’ll be ready for marriage. It won’t be long before that happens. Even after he’s married, he’ll still be shy, so we can keep teasing him.”
Lu Liu couldn’t help recalling how Yao Fulang had teased him when he was newly married. “You’re so mean,” he said.
Yao Fulang roared with laughter, watching the pair act like bickering lovers. He teased them both at once, “You two missing some manly company?”
Chen Jiu denied it immediately, “Who says I miss men?”
Lu Liu admitted it but asked him, “Don’t you miss Daqiang?”
Yao Fulang groaned, “After so long married, it’s like touching your left hand with your right. What do I miss him for? When he’s not home, I don’t have to wait on the masters. I’m perfectly happy!”
Whether he meant it or not, Lu Liu felt a pang of envy.
Missing someone was truly agonizing. One moment you’d be laughing, the next a random remark would trigger longing. Your mood shifted like June rain—clear one instant, downpour the next, unpredictable and fleeting.
He burst into tears. Yao Fulang set down her needlework and spoke honestly: “How could I not miss him? Left hand or right hand—they’re both hands. Missing either one feels strange.”
Lu Liu wiped his eyes and asked, “How does it feel to be carrying a child? Are you eating well?”
Yao Fulang felt nothing yet. He ate well, drank well, slept well, and his stomach showed no signs. Daqiang had been away on business, and he hadn’t kept track of the days, growing confused. Sometimes he’d wake up thinking it was just like before, imagining how things would be once the child arrived—mainly, how it would lift his spirits. Married for over two years, they were now entering their third year. If the child didn’t come soon, he wouldn’t be able to hold his head up. He didn’t even have the guts to pick a fight with anyone anymore.
It wasn’t until he started bustling about with the day’s chores that his memories slowly returned, and he realized he was already carrying a child.
“You feel like you’re getting dumb,” Yao Fulang said earnestly.
Chen Jiu stared at him, and Lu Liu asked, “How dumb?”
Yao Fulang listed the signs of his dulling mind, glancing at Lu Liu as he spoke: “Come to think of it, I’ve been tearing up a lot lately too.”
Chen Jiu turned to Lu Liu: “You’re pregnant too?”
Lu Liu touched his belly: “No, this is all Da Feng’s fault.”
He promptly shifted the blame elsewhere.
Chen Jiu was speechless. “What husband blames the man when they can’t conceive?”
Lu Liu had a point—his brother had taught him!
He explained farming and sowing to Chen Jiu, then raised his hand to tap the pregnancy mole on his forehead, gesturing for Chen Jiu to look. “See me? My mole’s turned red. This plot of mine is fertile, prime land. If seedlings don’t sprout, it’s because Big Feng didn’t till and sow properly. Don’t blame me.”
Chen Jiu’s nature meant he’d never discussed such matters with anyone. Before marriage, his mother had taught him, but he’d listened impatiently. After marrying in, fear gripped him. That night, pain overwhelmed him. By the time of the post-wedding visit to his mother’s home, he cried for a divorce, frightening even Wang Meng. Later, his mother advised him again, prompting his father to tell Wang Meng to buy a small book for him to read. Only then did things improve between them at night.
Now, in broad daylight, Lu Liu was explaining this and that. It sounded like farming, but it was really about matters of the bed. He didn’t want to listen, his face flushing red enough to fry pancakes.
He wanted to leave, but he also wanted a child. Even though Lu Liu wasn’t pregnant yet, he stubbornly sat through the entire lecture.
After it ended, he and Lu Liu turned to Yao Fulang, hoping the experienced woman who was carrying a child would offer some clear advice.
“Is that how it works?”
Yao Fulang spread her hands helplessly. “I don’t know. This is my first pregnancy. I’m clueless.”
Lu Liu firmly backed her brother: “That’s exactly how it is! My brother knows everything!”
The chatting hours flew by. Just as they settled in, Chen Guizhi returned.
With her watching the front yard, Lu Liu could go back inside to print some illustrations.
People gradually dispersed from the courtyard. As the sun began to dip toward the west, it was time to head home to prepare dinner.
Seeing Chen Jiu arrive, Chen Guizhi kept him talking and asked if he wanted to go to the county seat with her: “I plan to visit a few shops to discuss partnerships, see if they’d be interested in selling sauces.”
Chen Jiu glanced toward the house and asked in confusion, “Aren’t you taking Lu Fulang with you?”
This time, Chen Guizhi wasn’t taking Lu Liu: “There’s a lot going on at home that needs my attention. I’ll bring Shun along to teach him. If you want to come, you’re welcome. It’s been a year since you got married. It’s time to stand on your own two feet. You can’t keep throwing tantrums over every little thing and expect Wang Meng to bail you out every time.”
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