Waking up early in the morning is truly a chore, especially when leaving a warm quilt and feeling a shiver run through your body!
Fan Zehao got out of bed, the first thing he did was add more firewood to the stove. Only then did he have time to relieve himself, and he found himself missing the chamber pot from the prince's mansion.
The early bird catches the worm.
After finishing, he glanced at the sky, which was just beginning to lighten, the eastern horizon showing a fish-belly white. He then picked up his hunting tools and headed back into the mountains.
As daylight broke, Zhao Jiaqi finally woke up. She turned her head and saw that the person beside her was gone, and she sighed softly.
He was indeed diligent. She rolled over, wanting to sleep a little longer. But then she thought that if he came back and couldn't have a hot meal, he wouldn't be warm at all.
Even though she wanted to be lazy for a while longer, she had to get up. She thought, this might just be the reality of their lives.
She didn't need to add firewood in the morning, but after sleeping in the room all night, it was covered in ash.
She couldn't help but wonder, how could there be so much ash in the morning when she usually wiped it five or seven times a day?
Just as breakfast was ready, Fan Zehao returned, carrying a bamboo basket on his back. Granny Li followed him, and as soon as they entered the yard, he called out towards the kitchen, "Wife, I've brought Granny Li over!"
Zhao Jiaqi poked her head out from the kitchen. Seeing Granny Li arriving with a cheerful smile, she said, "We'll be eating soon!"
Granny Li hurried into the kitchen to help, and during their conversation, she mentioned the food delivered yesterday: "Your little wife's hands are truly skilled. The dishes were delicious, and the steamed dumplings were fragrant too. I ate two last night and was so full that I didn't fall asleep until late in the night!"
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and replied, "If you want to eat them in the future, we'll make them!"
The steamed dumplings she made were not small. For herself, if she didn't eat any vegetables, she would eat at most three. For an old lady, two steamed dumplings were indeed a lot, especially since they were made with hot water and were not as easy to digest as those made with fermented dough!
Breakfast was simple: a bowl of hot noodle soup, with a splash of sesame oil at the end, filling the room with fragrance!
Each person had a large bowl of noodle soup, accompanied by some pickled radish, and they were sweating as they ate!
Eating the most simple meal, Fan Zehao ate like a wolf, as if it were more delicious than meat. He was the first to finish, and as soon as he put down his bowl and chopsticks, he went to work.
Granny Li watched him the entire time. After he left, she praised him, "Your husband doesn't talk much, but he's truly good-hearted and capable. I see you're not too young anymore, so it's time you had a child!"
Hearing about having a child, Zhao Jiaqi's face immediately turned a deep shade of red, and she almost choked on her soup.
She didn't remember what it was like when they were together before, but ever since she lost her memory, they hadn't been together. Now, suddenly mentioning having a child was like a young girl going to be married for the first time.
Zhao Jiaqi stammered for a long time and said in a small voice, "Granny Li, we have children. A daughter and two sons, and they are all with my mother-in-law now!"
So, they had mothers. Granny Li was curious why they were living separately, but some things were difficult to ask.
Granny Li didn't ask any further questions. After finishing her meal, she voluntarily helped to clear the dishes. She was also a quick worker and finished in no time. Zhao Jiaqi then took out a chicken from the water bucket and handed it to Fan Zehao, "Husband, when you have time, chop it up, then soak it in water for me. I'll cook it at noon!"
Fan Zehao looked at the plump chicken. It was clearly the hen he had specifically set aside. He was about to say it was for her to make soup with, but when he looked up, she had already gone inside.
Without a word, he directly switched to a rooster from the water bucket, chopped it up with an axe in a few swift movements, and then took the remaining roe deer bones. He went to the village chief's house to trade for two cabbages and put them in the kitchen. Only then did he kill the wild duck he had caught that morning, cleaned it, and placed it in a large缸 outside the window.
He then put the game he had hunted in the previous days into the water bucket into the large缸 as well. Seeing that the缸 was one-third full, he thought about hunting more and taking it to town to trade for more grain and vegetables, so they could eat until the first month of the new year.
With his mind full of plans, Zhao Jiaqi, inside the house, was diligently learning needlework from Granny Li. Before long, Liu Qinshi and Wang Zhangshi arrived.
The three elders chatted for a while, and then began to do their own things. Zhao Jiaqi glanced out the window and didn't see Meng Sunshi. She smiled and asked, "Why isn't Aunt Meng here?"
Liu Qinshi replied, "She has something at home, so she can't come this morning!"
"Oh!" Zhao Jiaqi didn't ask any more questions and continued to learn from Granny Li.
However, she thought to herself that this Meng Sunshi was like a swindler, and honestly, she was a little afraid of her!
Granny Li explained the crucial steps for making sachets to her, and Zhao Jiaqi learned very attentively, making one immediately.
"Don't say it, after Granny Li's guidance, my sachet is much prettier than before, it has shape!"
Granny Li saw that the sachet looked like it had been gnawed by a dog, yet she still said it was better than before. At that moment, she knew that this daughter-in-law was not lying, she really didn't know how.
Fan Zehao, who came in for some water, heard this, walked over, took a look, and exclaimed in surprise, "It is pretty, wife, you've made great progress!"
The couple's exclamations startled the woman who was making a cotton jacket. They were also curious, was this sachet really as good as they said?
When they looked, the stitches were passable, but the sewing was misaligned, and the opening was uneven, one side higher than the other.
Liu Qinshi and Wang Zhangshi exchanged glances. It was a good thing she wasn't making a cotton jacket for them, otherwise, with her skills, the jacket would be wrinkled and messy, like a beggar's!
Liu Qinshi tactfully remarked, "Mrs. Fan, there is still a lot of room for improvement!"
Zhao Jiaqi understood the implied meaning and smiled, "If I set my mind to something, I will do it well. Just watch, I will definitely make a sachet that I'm proud of!"
Fan Zehao's eyes curved with joy. His wife wasn't learning anything else, but was learning to make sachets. She must have felt bad about the ugly sachet she had given him, so she wanted to make a few more beautiful ones for him!
However, even if she gave them to him, the previous sachet couldn't be thrown away; it was their love token.
Happy, he had more energy for work. After drinking water, he went outside to chop firewood again. The axe swung with a whistling sound. In less than an hour, a whole wall of firewood was neatly stacked. This firewood would only last them through the winter.
As it was nearing dinnertime, Liu Qinshi and Wang Zhangshi hurried home. If they had stayed any longer, they might have been invited to stay for dinner again.
Although the young couple meant well, everyone had to live their lives. In those days, money was tight, and food was scarce. Only Fan Da, who was a hunter and had a small family, could afford to eat meat, but they couldn't always eat at other people's houses.
Zhao Jiaqi had wanted to ask them to stay for dinner, but seeing their attitude, she understood what they meant.
Fan Zehao saw this and comforted his wife, "When we're done, I'll send some game to the three aunts. That will be more comfortable than eating here!"
Zhao Jiaqi thought it made sense and didn't say anything more.