Chapter 23.1

Translated by Aviana

The newlyweds were just like honey in the oil kind* phase. Besides, as the newlyweds didn’t have to do any work these three days, both of them, apart from going out for a meal, Yang Tiezhu didn’t go anywhere, dragging Lin Qingwan too in the room.

* 蜜里调油 (mì lǐ tiáo yóu): Metaphor used to describe people who are very intimate and super duper lovey-dovey.

Lin Qingwan also discovered that the man who used to blush previously whenever he saw her could also be this clingy.

However, he was actually truly very good towards her, wishing to just preciously hold her in the palm of his hands, and was even unwilling to let her pour water in foot wash.

These past days, every time he clung to her, she pretended to have body aches. As such, even though he wanted to it, he no longer clung to her. In the end, seeing him restraining made her feel uncomfortable, to the extent that every time she pretended to be unwell, she failed terribly at all times.

This day, Yang Tiezhu finally stopped clinging on to her, so Lin Qingwan decided to arrange the room, wardrobe, and trunk.

While sorting out all the clothing and other personal items, she came to know, to her surprise, that this man’s clothes were pitifully low. If each and every piece of clothing were not worn out, they were torn. Only the clothes she made for him were neat.

Lin Qingwan took out the needlework basket from the k’ang cabinet, indenting to stitch Yang Tiezhu’s clothes.

She was just about to take out the needle and threads from the basket when Yang Tiezhu, who was leaning on the k’ang, sat upright and took away the needlework basket from her hands.

“My good wife, you must by all means not stitch my clothes.”

Lin Qingwan looked at him, astonished. “Why?”

“The new bride must not do any work the first three days, especially you shouldn’t touch the needlework.”

As they say, if the newlywed bride does the needlework, she would have to work hard for a lifetime. He certainly didn’t want his wife to work her whole life!

Lin Qingwan tried to recall it in her mind. Apparently, there seems to be such a saying?! In the end, she sighed and stuffed the needlework basket into the k’ang cabinet.

Bored, she then leaned on k’ang for a while, before abruptly she recalled about one matter.

She got down from the k’ang, ran to the place where her trunk was placed, and opened it before digging out a tiny box from it.

Returning to the k’ang, she placed the tiny box on the k’ang table and opened it. She then said to Yang Tiezhu, “Last time you gave me altogether 58 taels of silver. Of which, we had used 30 taels for the wedding arrangements and 12 taels for preparing my dowry. As such we still have…”

Saying so, she began to count the silver, “We still have sixteen taels** and two hundred and thirty-five wen* coins remaining.”

* 文 (wén): The denomination used for copper cash in ancient china was wen. It was used in the retail markets and smaller transactions.

** 兩 (liǎng): Also called as tael. The denomination for silver ingot was one liang. They were used in wholesale markets and for larger transactions.

Yang Tiezhu took out two pieces of broken silver from his bosom and handed it to her, “I still have three taels left…”

After saying so, he got up, raised half of the woven mat* on the k’ang, lifted the thin slab, then removed a block of k’ang brick, and scooped out a worn-out cloth bag before handing it to her.

*Woven mats are used as beddings on K’ang (Checj the image beow for reference)

“There are also two taels in here.”

Lin Qingwan was stunned, looking at his actions. He really had a hidden place to hide his secret stash.

Anyway, she likes it.

Lin Qingwan moved closer and peeked inside to look at the hole. It was about the size of one k’ang brick. She took the small box and held it to the spot to check if it fitted in it, just enough place to put the box in.

She then secretly decided that in the future, she would hide her money in here.

It was not that she was narrow-minded for making a big fuss over a minor issue and whatnot. It’s just that Lin Qingwan had earlier found that in these times in the countryside, almost all households don’t lock their doors and courtyard gates when going out.

If there happened to be a little thief, then even without any effort, everything would be wiped out. Of course, one of the reasons as to why they left their doors open was that most of the households here are too poor, and there is nothing to steal.

However, Lin Qingwan nevertheless didn’t think so. It’s a must to prevent the troubles before the event happens – this principle any modern person would be aware of. She was also not any different. After all, when all is said and done, from a young age, she had also grown up behind security doors with numerous locks and steel mesh windows in metropolitan cities. As such, she had already developed a regular habit of avoiding any insecure factors.

Satisfied with the hole in the k’ang bed for future uses, she once again turned around and calculated the silver.

“Adding five taels silver you gave, altogether, we have twenty-one taels and two hundred and thirty-five wen coins.” She then took out a small embroidered pouch from the small box,” And also adding the bride price you gave…we have 30 taels of silver currently.”

After finishing the counting, Lin Qingwan summed up everything.

Looking at his wife with an appearance of being a small money-grubber, Yang Tiezhu wanted to cherish her and generously waved his hand.

“Wife, this money you can keep with you, in future when I earn the silver, I will give them all to you.”

Upon hearing these words, Lin Qingwan smilingly looked at him, feeling sweet in her heart.

Who said this man was honest and sincere? She had watched him every day coax her sweetly.

She put all the silver in the small box. After thinking a bit, she once again took out a piece of broken silver and a few copper coins before closing the box. She then asked Yang Tiezhu to put the small box in the hole in the k’ang. He then put the k’ang brick back, covered it with the plank, and spread the woven mat.

After which, she took a few copper coins to put them inside Yang Tiezhu’s torn bag, but her brows wrinkled into a frown when putting in the bag. This bag was truly very ugly, and seemed to patched several times. Thereupon she inwardly bore in mind that she should find time to make a new embroidered pouch for him later.

She then put the remaining pieces of broken silver into the embroidered pouch, went to the chest, opened the lid, and stuffed the pouch inside before covering it with the clothes.

After which passed the worn-out bag to Yang Tiezhu, “A man should always have few pieces of silver with him at all times.”

Yang Tiezhu held the ‘pocket money’ given to him by his wife, happily grinning from ear to ear.

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