Move-In Preparations

No matter how you said it, Heng Yi was a familiar face in the Han household.

He often took a few strong Han boys into the mountains to help him hunt and cut down trees.

Whenever he killed wild animals, he would go home and have a feast for himself, then have Bai Cha to take the rest to the restaurant. All if it would count towards his earnings.

Han Qiao was also very busy. She was walking all over the place, collecting withered grass and calamus. Once dried, she had Bai Cha take them to sell at Jimintang.

She and her three daughters dried ten catties of grass a day, but there was only so much withered grass during the summer. In two days, it would all be gone, and so would the calamus. Han Qiao was very brave. She took Sun Xiu and Sun Yi deep into the mountains. Apart from all kinds of herbs, they were lucky to find a wild pear.

They picked it and took it home. Han Qiao spent some effort to make it into loquat leaf pear paste.

She made enough to fill a huge jar.

She also gave her uncle and aunt a small jar. Heng Yi, too, also received a jar.

Han Qiao didn't sell the big jar of loquat leaf pear paste. She kept it for the children to drink when autumn and winter came.

They painstakingly dug for herbs. All she found she sold for one or two taels of silver in total.

However, only those close to her knew how hard they were working.

It was clear enough from their tanned faces and coarse hands.

But they never complained. For Sun Xiu and Sun Yi, the hard life brought with it much promise.

Soon, their new house would be finished.

They had already chosen a date–July 17th–to hang the top beam and place the roof tiles.

There were many people in the Han family. When the top beam was finally in place, they set off firecrackers, then started on the roof.

Once the roof tiles were in place, they made the floor of the house flat and smooth with wooden blocks. It was bright and shiny.

That day they also installed the doors and windows.

In the front there were three buildings. The middle was the central hall, and the other two were side rooms. Because they were long enough, the two side rooms could be further divided into front and back rooms.

The back room had a door to the kitchen, which was very convenient.

The central room was the same. In the middle of the hall, there were small doors on the left and right. At the back of the hall, there was a door that led to the kitchen. That way one wouldn't have to circle around from the side room in order to get to the kitchen.

The courtyard was set up according to Han Qiao's instructions. The main door led into a vegetable field. To the left, there was a stone road. The stone road extended along the wall of the yard to the side room and the kitchen in the backyard.

A door was opened by the well to the woodshed. The main part of the woodshed was made of bamboo. Next to the woodshed were chicken and duck pens, which were circular and also made of bamboo.

It looked safe, but it also prevented the chickens and ducks from escaping.

In accordance with Han Qiao's request, two large beds were made, each 1.8 meters wide. She wanted to sleep on a new bed, and so did her children.

There were two large wardrobes and a long table.

They also needed bamboo chairs, bamboo baskets, bamboo baskets, baskets for rice-washing, sun mats and cool mats. Han Qiao went to one of the ladies in her uncles' wife's household for those, since her father and brother were bamboo cutters. They were practically half-buying and half-giving, so she gave them a lot of small things that could be used at home in return.

Father Han chose the date of Han Qiao's arrival by divination according to her birthdate characters. The date chosen was the 25th of July.

Han Qiao thought of inviting her relatives to lunch that day to celebrate her arrival. She also wanted to thank everyone for their help. Without them, her house would never have been built.

The house was almost ready. Everything that needed to be moved in was moved in. The brand-new building was finally beginning to look like a home.

Although it was simple, it meant the four of them would finally have their own home.

That day, Han Qiao was waiting for Heng Yi to return by the roadside.

He came back with quite a bountiful harvest.

From afar, he could see Han Qiao pacing back and forth at the intersection. Clearly, she was waiting for him.

He quickened his pace.

"Heng Yi," Han Qiao called out softly.

Her voice was gentle with joy and sweetness.

Heng Yi felt that sweetness from the bottom of his heart.

"Mhm."

Heng Yi responded, then casually placed his prey on the ground. He raised his hand and wiped the sweat off his face.

However, his hands were dirty. After wiping the sweat off, a few black marks appeared on his face.

Han Qiao passed him a handkerchief. "Use this to wipe off."

"..."

Heng Yi was stunned.

He looked at Han Qiao again.

Han Qiao, too, had been exposed to the wind and the sun quite a lot recently. She looked more tan, but also more healthy and energetic.

Her hands were still very beautiful.

"No, no need. I don't want to dirty your handkerchief."

"It's fine. It's just a handkerchief."

It was indeed just a handkerchief.

She had cut it from the cotton cloth, which she normally used when wiping sweat and cleaning her hands.

This color was light green. Since cutting it, she hadn't used it yet. If she had, then she wouldn't have been willing to give it to Heng Yi.

Heng Yi hesitated for a moment, then took it and used it to wipe the sweat off his face.

However, he didn't return it to Han Qiao. Instead, he changed the topic and asked Han Qiao, "Why were you looking for me?"

"I'm moving in on the 25th. I was thinking of inviting the relatives over for lunch. Can I ask you to kill a wild boar and a dozen pheasants?"

"Sure."

"I'll pay you when the time comes," Han Qiao hurried to add.

She was afraid that Heng Yi would mistakenly believe she was trying to take advantage of him.

Heng Yi shook his head and said, "There will be no need for that."

"No, I have to pay you," Han Qiao hurriedly refused.

"I think you are misunderstanding me. I'll send you a wild boar, then when I come down the mountain, I'll have lunch with you before going home. Does that work?"

"?" Han Qiao was puzzled.

Heng Yi said again, "I haven't eaten lunch or drunk any hot water all day."

"Bai Cha should bring me some, but after half a day it will already be cold. Cold water is really hard to swallow."

Han Qiao was stunned.

She thought of how difficult it was for him to go hunting in the mountains, but she never knew how tough he was.

The temperature would be livable in summer and autumn. But in spring and winter, it would be very cold.

She looked at the prey he had killed and his hunting tools. His hands were empty. Since they were already so familiar with each other and could be considered friends, it was really hard for her to say no. "Sure, as long as you don't mind."

"Then it's settled. I'll kill a wild boar and pheasants for you on the 24th." Heng Yi picked up the prey and left.

Han Qiao stood where she was and felt like something was wrong. For a moment, she couldn't pinpoint just what it was.

She went back home and told Han Yuan about this.

Just as she was about to tell her, Uncle Yao showed up.

He chuckled.

"Uncle Yao, why are you laughing?" Han Qiao asked.

"Nothing, nothing." Uncle Yao waved his hand and went into the central room to talk with his brothers. He wanted to see if they could take care of the wine for Han Qiao's move-in.

Han Qiao originally prepared five taels of silver for this small courtyard, but she ended spending another three taels on it.

It had turned out well, thankfully.

"You've been working hard these past few days," Father Han said seriously.

That Han Qiao's courtyard had turned out so well for only 8 tales was thanks to the four brothers, as well as all the nephews and grandsons.

If it weren't for them, even an extra two taels may not have been enough.

"No need to be so formal," Uncle Han said with a smile.

He was full of a sense of accomplishment.

The small courtyard was spacious and bright. No matter how he looked at it, it looked good. He thought that once he saved enough money, he would build one just like this for his own sons.

Living in a comfortable place with a woodshed and livestock was quite extravagant.

Han Qiao came into the room with tea. She greeted her relatives one by one before finally sitting down.

"Father, Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Uncle Yao, on the 25th, I want everyone in the family to come to the new house. On the 23rd, Uncle Yao and I are going to the county capital to buy food."

"How can the whole family come? Just us adults will do," Uncle Han immediately retorted.

He then said to Han Qiao, "I know you still have some money, but you can't spend it like this."

"Uncle, I know what you said. Moving in is a joyous occasion. The children have helped a lot these past few days. They can just come over for lunch. It won't cost much."

Uncle Han stared at Han Qiao for a moment and smiled, "Then we'll do as you say. Once we buy the food on the 23rd, we can discuss how to put together the banquet. Since it's your treat, you'll have to call on your aunts and great-aunts. If they come, you'll have to start visiting them from now on. If they don't come, then I guess you won't have to."

"Alright, I will do so."