Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Registration

Su Cai Xia ran off, crying hard enough to choke.

Qin Hui Yin let out a soft sigh. “Another lovesick girl with a shattered heart.”

Tang Yi Chen glanced at her, eyes cool. “Was the show entertaining?”

“Heaven knows I wasn’t here for a show,” Qin Hui Yin protested. “I really did just run into you.”

Tang Yi Chen didn’t answer. He walked off with the vegetable basket as if the whole scene had been nothing but a minor inconvenience.

Qin Hui Yin looked down at the fish in her hands and called after him, “With skills like that, even if you never make a name in the exams, you could still be a fisherman.”

Tang Yi Chen didn’t even turn his head.

By the time he returned, Qin Hui Yin had already cleaned the fish and stuffed the bellies with seasonings. Steam soon fogged the kitchen as she worked.

Dinner that night was generous by village standards: steamed fish, cabbage fried with minced garlic, pork trotters stewed with soybeans, and a stir-fry of pork intestines.

Li Tao Hua hovered nearby, eyes practically glued to the pot.

Then she noticed. “Why are there two bowls?”

“I saw Song Rui Ze earlier,” Qin Hui Yin said, not bothering to hide it. “He’s injured and running a fever. He could barely move, so I told him I’d send over a portion.”

At the name, Li Tao Hua’s expression tightened on instinct. “Didn’t you used to hate him the most? That brat is sinister. His eyes are always icy—like a snake. Stay away from him. Don’t get involved. I’ve remarried. I don’t need to care about his affairs.”

“He’s sick,” Qin Hui Yin said simply. “I can’t pretend I didn’t see him. And… after Uncle Song died, you sold his family’s land. He didn’t say a word back then. For the sake of that land alone, we can’t just ignore him.”

Guilt crossed Li Tao Hua’s face so fast it was almost like pain.

Back then she hadn’t thought she was wrong. Lately, with her precious daughter calling things out in plain words, shame had started to catch up.

“I’ll take it over,” Li Tao Hua said at last, stiff with distrust. “I don’t trust that little wolf cub.”

“I’ll go instead,” Qin Hui Yin said. “If he sees you, he might get worked up. I saw him earlier and he didn’t do anything to me.”

Tang Yi Chen reached out and took the bowl before either of them could argue further. “I’ll go.”

Qin Hui Yin blinked. “Brother Chen—”

“Eat first,” Tang Yi Chen said, already turning away. “Don’t wait.”

She didn’t refuse again.

If Tang Yi Chen delivered the food, it was safer. In her mind, he was the male lead—the one who would eventually stand on the opposite side of Song Rui Ze. Anyone else might stumble into trouble. Tang Yi Chen wouldn’t.

He came back quickly.

Everyone was still sitting, chopsticks untouched.

Tang Yi Chen’s brow twitched. “Didn’t I tell you not to wait?”

“We’re family,” Qin Hui Yin said. “Of course we eat together. How is he? Did you see him?”

“I did.” Tang Yi Chen picked up his chopsticks. “He doesn’t look good. He seems truly ill. But his mind is clear and he can still get out of bed, so it isn’t the worst case. I brought the food and told him you sent it. He didn’t say a word.”

“I told you,” Li Tao Hua muttered, frowning. “Cold-blooded. No need to care for him. He was like that even when his father was alive—never spoke all day. If he weren’t breathing, you’d think he was a wooden statue.”

Qin Hui Yin placed a piece of fish into Li Tao Hua’s bowl. “Mother, eat.”

The fish was tender, the seasoning just right. Li Tao Hua’s eyes softened, emotion rising unexpectedly. For a moment, she forgot about everyone outside their gate.

“My daughter’s cooking gets better every day,” she said, and the bitterness drained from her voice.

After the meal, Tang Lu Wu washed the dishes, Tang Yi Xiao swept the yard, and Tang Yi Chen went back to splitting firewood as if he could chop away worries with each swing.

Li Tao Hua lounged in a chair and fanned herself, looking almost carefree.

Then two figures appeared at the gate.

“Brother Chen!” Zhang Da Zhu and Zhang Er Zhu carried in a large wooden tub between them. “The bathing tub you wanted is finished.”

Tang Yi Chen set his axe down and strode over. “Thank you, Da Zhu. Er Zhu.”

“No need for thanks,” Zhang Da Zhu said, shifting his grip with a grunt. “It’s heavy, so we carried it over. Where do you want it?”

Tang Yi Chen looked toward Qin Hui Yin as she came out. “Where do you want it?”

“Your room is too small,” Li Tao Hua said immediately. “Put it in the woodshed.”

“The woodshed’s not convenient either.” Qin Hui Yin pointed behind the kitchen. “There’s open space there.”

The Zhang brothers set it down where she indicated, wiping sweat from their brows.

Qin Hui Yin brought out a piece of braised meat and pressed it into their hands.

They tried to refuse, one after another, but Qin Hui Yin didn’t back down. In the end, they accepted with broad, helpless smiles.

“Thank you,” Tang Yi Chen told them. “Once things at home are settled, I’ll treat you both to a drink.”

“That can wait,” Zhang Da Zhu said honestly. Then his expression turned serious. “Brother Chen, what’s your family’s plan? How will you handle the Dam Worksite matter?”

“Don’t worry,” Tang Yi Chen said. “My family decided to pay silver instead of providing labor. I have to take the Imperial Exam this time. I can’t spare the time.”

“That’s the right choice!” Zhang Da Zhu nodded hard. “Two taels is a lot, but it’s nothing compared to your future. If you pass and earn a title, the whole family benefits.”

Er Zhu gave a sheepish laugh. “We’re dull-witted. Books don’t stay in our heads. Otherwise we wouldn’t be doing this kind of hard labor.”

“You two elder brothers have real craft,” Qin Hui Yin said. “Any trade can produce a top talent. With skills like yours, aren’t you better than plenty of scholars who never pass?”

Zhang Da Zhu’s grin widened. “Heh. Sister’s right. Straightforward, too. How did we never notice you were so sensible?”

He scratched his head, then remembered something. “Oh—when I handed silver to the Village Head earlier, I ran into someone. Song family’s second uncle. He insisted the Village Head submit Song Rui Ze’s name.”

Tang Yi Xiao’s head snapped up. “What?”

“He said Song Rui Ze is young and has no father, so his uncle should ‘take care of him,’” Zhang Da Zhu said, clearly disgusted. “He claimed that makes the boy part of their second branch. So their family is sending Song Rui Ze to work the Dam Worksite.”

Tang Yi Xiao scoffed. “His abacus is clacking so loud you can hear it across a mountain. Shameless.”

Qin Hui Yin’s brows drew together. “If they’re saying he’s too young, then the grown men in their household should do that kind of work. Why drag him into it? And the Village Head agreed?”

“He wrote it down,” Zhang Da Zhu said. “I don’t know the exact arrangements, but… it’s on the list.”

Qin Hui Yin turned to Li Tao Hua. “Mother, I’m going out for a bit. I’ll be right back.”

“You girl.” Li Tao Hua’s fan stopped mid-swing. “Didn’t I tell you not to meddle in his business?”

“I’m just going out for air,” Qin Hui Yin said, already stepping away. “I’m not doing anything.”

Li Tao Hua snorted. “Only an idiot would believe that.”

Qin Hui Yin didn’t go far before the Song household came into view.

She approached the gate, craned her neck, and lowered her voice. “Song Rui Ze. It’s Qin Hui Yin. I’m here.”

Then she pushed the gate open and stepped inside.

At the same time, Song Rui Ze walked in from outside.

His hair was dripping wet, dark strands plastered to his forehead. Water slid down his jaw and soaked into his collar, drawing Qin Hui Yin’s gaze straight to the bandaged area beneath.

They stared at each other for a heartbeat, wide-eyed like two people who’d walked into a trap without noticing.

Qin Hui Yin’s eyes dropped to his wound, and her frown deepened. “Elder Brother, your injury is serious. You went and bathed?”