Lin Qinghe cleaned every corner of the house and then went to the room where she had woken up yesterday.
She dared not rummage through anything in the room, fearing that You Rong would misunderstand upon his return. She merely took the dirty clothes You Rong had piled on a wooden chair and the bedding from the bed to wash.
After a full hour of washing, Lin Qinghe’s back ached from squatting by the stream, and her hands were red from scrubbing, before she finally finished cleaning the clothes and quilt.
When Lin Qinghe returned after washing and hung the clothes and quilt on the fence in the yard, she saw You Rong’s mother emerge and suddenly remembered it was time for lunch.
Lin Qinghe quickly said, "Mother, what do you want to eat for lunch? I'll make it for you!"
You Rong’s mother’s eyes flickered and she said, "No need. When You Rong left this morning, he cooked enough sweet potatoes for the whole day. Eating some of that will suffice."
Lin Qinghe suddenly realized.
Yesterday she had eaten bran and vegetables, and both yesterday and today You Rong had only cooked sweet potatoes to fill their stomachs. It seemed the family had no rice or flour.
It was not yet autumn harvest, and how could the common folk in impoverished households have fine rice and white flour as their staple? They could only cook sweet potatoes and potatoes to fill their bellies.
Lin Qinghe walked over and helped You Rong’s mother up, saying, "Okay, then let's go inside and have lunch."
There weren’t many sweet potatoes. Lin Qinghe ate one and said she was full, letting You Rong’s mother have the rest.
Lin Qinghe knew that You Rong had only cooked enough sweet potatoes for You Rong’s mother in the morning. You Rong’s mother, feeling reluctant, had let her share. She couldn't possibly eat it all without considering the situation and make You Rong’s mother go hungry.
After lunch, Lin Qinghe pondered for a moment and asked, "Mother, where do we usually get the vegetables we eat? Do we grow them ourselves?"
You Rong’s mother said, "My health is poor, and I cannot do farm work. You Rong usually works odd jobs with the villagers. When there's no work, he goes hunting in the mountains. Also, our land is not much, we only planted some corn and couldn’t grow other crops."
Thinking Lin Qinghe wanted to eat vegetables, You Rong’s mother added, "However, there are many wild vegetables in the small mountain behind us, and they grow very well. It’s not impossible to pick some wild vegetables to eat."
Lin Qinghe felt the bitter and astringent bran and vegetables she ate the day before were not as good as growing some vegetables herself.
Lin Qinghe’s dark eyes rolled, and she said, "Mother, look how big our yard is. It's a waste to leave it idle. Why don't we plant some vegetables and spring onions? It would be convenient when we want to eat them, just pick them and stir-fry. We wouldn’t have to go up the mountain to pick them, would we?" S novel network
You Rong’s mother said, "This… it’s not impossible. When You Rong is free in a few days, I'll have him till the land in the yard, and then we can ask your Aunt Li for some vegetable seeds to plant."
"Mother," Lin Qinghe said, "You Rong isn't needed. Just tell me where the hoe is kept in the house. I have nothing to do, so I'll till the yard later, and we can plant the seeds tomorrow."
"You want to till the land?" You Rong’s mother couldn't help but be a little skeptical.
Lin Qinghe nodded vigorously, "Yes, I can! When I was younger… at my parents' home, I often worked in the fields."
Although You Rong’s mother didn't quite believe Lin Qinghe’s words, many people in the surrounding villages knew that Lin Qinghe was notoriously lazy and overly ambitious, and never lifted a finger in her parents' home.
However, seeing Lin Qinghe’s persistence, You Rong’s mother finally told her the hoe was kept behind the house.
Lin Qinghe took the hoe and immediately got to work, burying her head in tilling the land.
In her real world, Lin Qinghe had been sent to live with her maternal grandparents in the countryside by her parents for a period. She spent her days in the fields, helping with the work. Tilling the land, a simple physical task, was not something she couldn't do, apart from being tiring.
After tilling for the entire afternoon, Lin Qinghe finally finished tilling all the vacant land in the yard, and then divided it into ridges for easy planting.
Having tilled the land and seeing that it was still early, Lin Qinghe followed You Rong’s mother's instructions and went to Aunt Li’s next door to ask for cabbage seeds and spring onions. She planted them and watered them.
Standing in front of the yard, Lin Qinghe pondered that it was almost autumn. When the cabbages grew, she would ask if there were chilies here and if kimchi could be pickled to try.
Lin Qinghe looked at the vacant land on the other side of the yard. She thought about fencing it off with wood in the future for raising chickens, ducks, geese, and other poultry.
However, she was penniless now, so this idea had to be put aside for later.
You Rong’s mother came out of the house and saw that Lin Qinghe had indeed tilled the land and planted the vegetables properly. Apart from surprise, she felt more satisfaction.
You Rong’s mother finally began to believe what Lin Qinghe had said that morning; she truly wanted to have a good life with You Rong this time.
You Rong’s mother called out, "Qinghe, come in for dinner!"
"Yes! Alright, I'll put the clothes and quilt away, and then we'll eat."
Lin Qinghe folded and put away the clothes, and then spread the quilt again. She sat with You Rong’s mother in the front room to eat dinner.
The dinner was, of course, sweet potatoes. Lin Qinghe was indeed hungry, having worked all day and only eaten two sweet potatoes. She let You Rong’s mother have the rest.
"Mother, You Rong is out doing odd jobs. Will he be back tonight?" Lin Qinghe asked.
According to yesterday’s situation, she wished You Rong would return in a few days, otherwise she would definitely have to sleep on a pile of straw again tonight.
Unfortunately, You Rong’s mother said, "He will be back. This time they are helping people build houses. The place is far, two villages away. It will be after dark when they return."
"..."
Lin Qinghe sighed inwardly and comforted herself, luckily it wasn't cold yet. Sleeping on a pile of straw in the kitchen wouldn't kill her.
Lin Qinghe cleared the table and washed and put away the bowls and chopsticks. Before You Rong returned, she couldn't bear her sweaty body anymore. She heated some water and washed herself simply in the room. Then she boiled another pot of water for You Rong to wash when he returned.
When everything was done, Lin Qinghe saw the sky gradually darken and inexplicably began to feel nervous.
When You Rong returned, he would surely give her a cold face and drive her out, wouldn't he?
You Rong’s mother was mending clothes for You Rong with needle and thread, but her eyesight was poor, and she fumbled while mending, which was quite tiring. Lin Qinghe took it over.
She couldn't sew, of course, but the original body had done a lot of embroidery and similar tasks. She had absorbed the original body's memories, so she knew what to do.
Outside, the sky was completely dark. You Rong’s mother lit an oil lamp. Lin Qinghe chatted with You Rong’s mother while slowly mending the clothes in her hands.
So, when You Rong returned and pushed the door open to enter the house, he saw this scene.
The oil lamp inside was lit, and under the dim yellow light, Lin Qinghe, with a slight smile on her face, was talking to his mother, her hands steadily mending clothes.
A scene common in ordinary households, but it made You Rong pause.
Lin Qinghe heard the movement, turned her head, and met You Rong’s unfathomably deep eyes. Startled, she didn't pay attention and pricked her finger with the needle.
Lin Qinghe gasped in pain. You Rong’s mother quickly asked, "What's wrong? Did you prick your hand? Does it hurt a lot?"
Lin Qinghe forced a dry smile, "Mother… I'm fine, just a small prick, it's nothing…"
You Rong frowned and walked over. Lin Qinghe’s heart trembled, and she swallowed nervously.
He glanced at Lin Qinghe and said displeasedly, "Why haven't you left yet?"