Chapter 45.3

Translated by Aviana

In the kitchen, Yao-shi was cooking.

Seeing Lin Qingwan coming in, Yao-shi smiled and asked her to wait a while. The meal would be ready in few minutes.

Lin Qingwan glared at her, scoffing, could it be that she would come to the kitchen only to eat?

Yao-shi smiled, knowing that Lin Qingwan had come to help her. As such, she had her sit by the stove pit and tend the fire.

Yao-shi was cooking on the stove, while Lin Qingwan sat by her side, helping her tending the fire as both idly chatted.

Looking at the water gruel in the pot, Lin Qingwan couldn’t help ask, puzzled, “Why are you having water gruel for lunch?”

Yao-shi remained silent for a while before she said, “Today, mother-in-law gave only these ingredients and asked me to cook this way.” After a pause, she again added: “Mother-in-law said that for a while, it would only gruel at home. Anyway, currently, we don’t have to do any work in the fields and won’t be needing much food.”

Lin Qingwan became silent.

Yao-shi covered the pot with a lid, and let the gruel slowly simmer.

And there wotou were also appropriately steamed. Thus, Yao-shi moved her small stool and sat next to Lin Qingwan, as both of them got lost in thought while watching the fire.

(Wotou, also called Chinese cornbread, is a type of steamed bread made from cornmeal in Northern China.)

“How did Yang Xuezhang manage to get those 50 taels of silver?”

When they were in the medical center, she and Yang Tiezhu had discussed. The silver in He-shi’s hands should be enough to pay for Yang Xuezhang’s exam questions. Others might not be aware of how many silver He-shi had, but Yang Teizhu nevertheless had a rough idea how much silver he had given He-shi till now. From Yang Tiezhu’s words, He-shi should still have a bit less than 50 silver taels.

Yao-shi used the fire poker to stir the fire and reduce the flame a bit.

“Mother-in-law only had a little over 30 silver taels. We and eldest brother’s branch gave them two silver taels. Father sold the food grains at home to make up for the rest of the amount.”

So that’s why the whole family had to have a gruel every day!

Lin Qingwan inwardly rolled her eyes.

“Mother also had the eldest sister go back home, saying that it wouldn’t be good for a married woman to sat long at her natal family’s house.”

Actually, she just wanted to save food, right!

Have to say, Lin Qingwan’s guess was actually true.

“That’s also good. Everyone can be assured in the future now.” Lin Qingwan said with a smile.

In fact, she felt wronged Eldest Sister Yang a bit. Ever since the last time she had slapped Eldest Sister Yang, she had also restrained a lot. And she rarely meddled in the house, too, as she silently stayed in her natal home.

Lin Qingwan wasn’t clear how Eldest Sister Yang’s family was, but she was nevertheless aware that they were quite poor. In the initial years of her marriage, their financial situation was not bad. But later, as her mother-in-law got bedridden, gradually, the situation at home collapsed.

Just as these two were chatting, He-shi’s voice greeting Yang Xuezhang came from outside.

“Xuezhang, you have returned. How did the matter go, is it done?”

Lin Qingwan and Yao-shi peeped out from the kitchen to see Yang Xuezhang walk towards the main room, all smiles, appearing enormously proud of his achievement.

踌躇 满志 (chóuchúmǎnzhì): enormously proud of one’s success (idiom); smug/complacent

The two of them exchanged a look and once again turned around. Regarding Yang Xuezhang, their younger brother-in-law, as his eldest saozi(s), it wasn’t good for them to assess him.

嫂子 (sǎozi): sister-in-law

Lin Qingwan truly wished Yang Xuezhang would be able to pass the exam. Whether he engaged in corrupt practices and bought exam questions or relied on his own ability, Lin Qingwan truly wished for Yang Xuezhang to pass the exam. After all, just to pool the silver to buy exam questions for him, the entire Yang jia was overturned. Yang Tiezhu even got injured in the process.

If Yang Xuezhang could qualify the exam, Yang jia’s situation would ease a lot. And later on, when they separate from the family, the process would also be a bit smoother.

Yes, separate!

After seeing the entire Yang jia’s response post Yang Tiezhu’s injury, this thought got deeply rooted in Lin Qingwan’s heart. But Lin Qingwan hadn’t yet mentioned this to Yang Tiezhu. Nevertheless, she was aware that even though Yang jia’s heartless treatment had gravely disappointed and angered Yang Tiezhu, it wasn’t to the point of separating from the family.

This wasn’t because of his unquestionably filial piety. Rather these were the shackles that bound people’s hearts by virtue of the ancient dogma. Here, they are not allowed to separate from their parents. Filial piety is always prioritized. Children can’t, by any means, suggest separating from their parents. Besides, this kind of thought to separate from the family is not even born in their hearts, no matter how harsh the parents are.

AS such, this matter had to be planned slowly. Anyway, Lin Qingwan wasn’t in a hurry to separate from the family. She was aware that this matter couldn’t be hastened.

After helping Yao-shi with lunch, Lin Qingwan took her family’s portion and went back to her room. She didn’t go to show her face in the main room. The people in the main room also seem to have gotten accustomed to Lin Qingwan’s conduct for the past two days and didn’t comment much on it. All of their attention was at the moment was placed on Yang Xuezhang, who had just returned from the academy.

“Fourth brother, this matter has been cast in stone. Congratulations in advance,” Wang-shi flattered.

“Laosi, in the future, this eldest brother would depend on you.” Yang Tieshuan’s attitude was still casual and careless as always. However, his words truly made Yang Xuezhang feel at ease.

Have to say, the eldest branch’s, both husband and wife, are truly acute. They are aware that, in the family, their status can never surpass Yang Xuezhang’s in the old couple’s hearts. As such, whenever it came to Yang Xuezhang’s matters, they would be taciturn if they can be, or they would try to smooth things; without saying where they stand.

老四 (lǎosì): appellation used for a fourth child in the family.

Thus, even though He-shi used all the silver at home to buy questions for Yang Xuezhang and even sold all the food grains at home to pool the money, even though both of their faces didn’t look that good, they nevertheless didn’t dare to say anything. Because the past experiences have clearly revealed that even if they firmly oppose it, it would be nothing but futile effort.

Of course, when it was time to fawn, two of them didn’t shy away from generously buttering them up.

After all, for flattering, one doesn’t need to expend any silver. So long as one flaps their lips, the words would automatically come out.

And in the future, when it came to bask in the light, the benefits wouldn’t be any less.

One might say they are without any sense of shame but can’t say that what they did was wrong either. After all, everyone’s approach towards life is distinct.

He-shi also had a smile all over her face. Even Yang laoyezi, who was always calm and collected, also showed seldomly seen smiles.

In recent days, many matters have been stressing Yang laoyezi, almost making him unable to breathe. Yang Xuezhang’s matter of exam questions going well was no less than any joyous matter.

The third branch’s couple nevertheless had their meals in silence. With this couple’s honest nature, it was impossible for them to be able to curry favor. Both of them saying anything pleasant was even more difficult. Furthermore, both of them also didn’t have any intention of getting Yang Xuezhang’s good side. After all, regardless of whether laosi qualifies or fails, they would still have to continue living through their life. Even if he qualifies or fails the exam, they can’t stop living their lives, no.

Have to say, everyone has their own level of smartness towards life. The third branch’s couple’s smartness is in not harboring delusions in the things that don’t belong to them. When there is no hope, naturally, there won’t be despair either….

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