Chapter 3: Heart-to-Heart

The news that the Gu family was holding a wedding spread through the whole village. With little to do during the farming off-season, people were bored, and a few gathered together could spin endless variations of the story.

Zhang Lan’s house was especially crowded. She had always loved to gossip, and those who enjoyed prying went straight to her home.

“Is it really happening?” one person asked.

Zhang Lan glanced outside and lowered her voice. “I saw it with my own eyes—how could it be false! He’s gorgeous, and I don’t know if he’s ill, but he’s wrapped in a blanket even during the day. That blind one must really dote on him—he’s the only one resting in the house.”

“Oh my, how can that be? Lying in bed during the daytime—even women pregnant with a child wouldn’t dare do that!”

“Xi-ge’er is a fierce one—he can actually tolerate it?”

Zhang Lan continued, “What can he do if he can’t tolerate it? That blind one will be nineteen after the New Year.”

“Tsk tsk, an outsider is nowhere near as reliable as someone from the village—who knows what kind of past he has.”

“Who cares what kind? Anyway, it’s the blind one getting married, not your son—what are you afraid of?”

Zhang Lan said, “Don’t even mention it—that young ge’er really has a fine face. You’d better keep an eye on your own sons, don’t let them get seduced and ruin your family’s peace. I only took one look through the window and was quite smitten.”

“That good-looking? The way you tell it, he’s prettier than a fairy!”

“When I went to Xi-ge’er’s this morning to borrow a saw, I peeked through the window but couldn’t see his face—he was sleeping soundly, though.”

“I heard Zhuzi writes all day—what a waste of paper and ink. They actually let him study, and now with his disability, he can’t even enter the examination hall. What’s the point of learning?”

“Don’t say that. Xi-ge’er only has this one boy. His man’s fate is unknown—isn’t Zhuzi all he has to rely on? He goes to the county bookshop every few days to exchange books for Zhuzi. Who knows, maybe the boy can recognize characters by touch.”

“That ge’er is really lazy—the sun’s been up for how long and he’s still not out of bed? Xi-ge’er even cooks and serves him. Since when did Xi-ge’er have such a good temper?”

“Isn’t it because they’re counting on him marrying in? Otherwise what—would you give your daughter to Zhuzi? Are you willing?”

Everyone burst out laughing again. No one believed Zhang Lan’s words—who would take a fancy to a blind man who took medicine all day and was useless? Still, they all felt the Gu boy should be getting married.

Zhang Lan’s eyes were sharp—she spotted Li Xi walking past her fence. Ignoring the cold, she pushed the door open and called out, “Xi-ge’er, where are you going in this freezing weather?”

The others started clamoring too.

“I heard the Gu boy is getting married? You kept that well hidden!”

“Oh my, when’s the wedding feast?”

“Whose family is the bride from?”

Li Xi’s good mood was completely ruined. He pointed at Zhang Lan’s nose and cursed.

“You pest—you come running to my house at the drop of a hat. Lin-ge’er’s health was already poor, and after your ruckus yesterday he caught a cold draft—he still hasn’t broken his fever! You ask where I’m going? That’s right, the window you tore down still isn’t fixed! You’re in fine spirits, and I don’t see you compensating my family. It’s all because our Gu Xi isn’t here—everyone bullies me, alone with my poor Zhuzi!”

Gu Xiaoli supported Li Xi and put on a sorrowful look, chattering on.

“Poor my kind-hearted sister-in-law—she saw someone had suffered a disaster and couldn’t bear to let a good person die in the snow, so she had Lin-ge’er stay in her own room. Never mind that my Zhuzi can’t see—even if he could, no one goes into their stepfather’s room every day. Who knows whose loose mouth has been sullying the young ge’er’s honor.”

“Fortunately, Lin-ge’er knows gratitude and doesn’t disdain my Zhuzi. He’s also considerate of my sister-in-law, so they thought to just treat the family to a meal and consider the betrothal done. But how could it be handled so casually? He’s a ge’er—someone marrying in. At the very least they need to buy a couple of bolts of cloth, set up a few tables, and invite the neighbors to a meal, so others won’t look down on him and he can hope for better days ahead.”

“We originally said we’d take him out today to look around and buy some things. Poor thing—yesterday the room got a draft, and he’d already been frozen. He’d barely recovered, and now the fever’s back. I just brewed medicine and got him to drink it, and he’s finally asleep. We’re just praying he gets better. Oh, heaven have mercy—what suffering the child has endured. That’s why we’re hurrying while the weather’s a bit better to go to the county and buy window paper to patch things up, so the draft doesn’t ruin him again. If he can’t hold on, that would be terrible.”

Gu Xiaoli pulled Li Xi along. “Sisters, I won’t say more—we need to hurry. It’s getting colder.”

Li Xi, dragged by her, glared at Zhang Lan, who was about to retort, and said fiercely, “I’m telling you, if you don’t watch that mouth of yours and keep chewing on my family’s gossip, be careful with that mouth. My maiden family were pig butchers—I grew up at my father’s stall. Even though they’re gone, I still know a thing or two of the trade!”

With that, he followed Gu Xiaoli and left, leaving everyone staring at each other.

Zhang Lan clutched her aching chest and pointed at the receding figures. “How come his boy can do that kind of thing and I can’t even talk about it? It’s obvious he’s lying in their bed! And he wants to tear my mouth off! Bah! No wonder Gu Da ran off and never came back.”

But the others didn’t dare chime in anymore. The village folk were shrewd. Gu Xiaoli had married into a good family—her husband went hunting in the mountains every few days and brought back plenty of good game. They were well-off, just tucked in a corner of the village, far from everyone.

Now that she had shown up, it was probably true. That ge’er from out of town must be seriously ill—Xi-ge’er couldn’t handle everything alone.

“Speaking of it, he’s a living person. When disaster strikes, who has time to think of anything else? The Gu family is kind-hearted.”

The person who had mentioned returning things earlier also said, “He’s staying in Xi-ge’er’s room anyway. Gu Xi hasn’t been back for over a year—who knows if he’s even still out there. Sleeping with Xi-ge’er isn’t a big deal.”

“I was wondering why the window was broken in such cold weather. Speaking of it, there’s a table between them—Xi-ge’er and that ge’er sleep separately. Even mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law sleep together sometimes—what’s the big deal between two ge’ers?”

“Exactly. That Zhuzi is blind—he can’t see anything. What could he do? Still, they say scholars have grain saved up—feeding someone and treating their illness. Truly kind-hearted.”

“Ah, it’s also good fortune. That ge’er knows to repay them. Now there’s a wife, and in time a child—the family will be lively. At least there’s something to look forward to. Otherwise, who knows how long he’d stay a bachelor.”

The group laughed again. Around mealtime, they all said their goodbyes and went home to cook, leaving Zhang Lan alone cursing in place.

Meanwhile, the Shen Mulin that Li Xi had described as feverish was perfectly fine, bouncing around with no problem at all. Last night, Uncle Li had taken out all the thick quilts in the house and piled two layers on him, afraid he wouldn’t be used to sleeping there. They hadn’t squeezed together either—a small table separated them.

Shen Mulin slept refreshingly well. He put on the clothes Uncle Li had altered for him and went to find Gu Xiangzhu.

But he was still recovering from a serious illness, so his face was still pale. He had slept until the sun was high—it felt just like being at home, with no one waking him.

Shen Mulin stretched and walked to the outer hall. Outside was a world of silver—the grass shed in the yard was covered in a thick layer, and the occasional cluck of a chicken rang out.

A clean-swept path wound its way out. He followed it and found the kitchen.

Gu Xiangzhu sat on a small stool adding firewood. His movements were practiced, and even in a short jacket he carried the dignity of a long robe. Judging by his back alone, no one would guess his eyes were afflicted.

“Awake?” Gu Xiangzhu heard him. “I’ve made congee. Have some.”

Shen Mulin squatted beside him to warm himself by the fire and made conversation. “Is this a special greeting where you’re from?”

Gu Xiangzhu froze for a moment, then pretended nothing had happened and turned his head—only to present his reddened ear tips right to Shen Mulin.

Shen Mulin couldn’t hide his smile. One sentence and the man was blushing again—it made him want to tease him even more. “Being your wife is easy. Can I sleep like this from now on too?”

Gu Xiangzhu heard the word “wife” and felt the firewood before him was burning too brightly, making him warm all over.

He sat up straight. “If there’s work at home, you’ll probably need to lend a hand. Stepfather works too hard alone, and I can’t help much. If there’s nothing to do, you can do as you like—just try to eat something in the morning before sleeping again, so you don’t ruin your stomach and cause yourself pain for nothing.”

Gu Xiangzhu answered properly, but Shen Mulin’s intentions were not proper at all. He touched Gu Xiangzhu’s red ear tips and laughed. “What counts as work at home? Cooking, sweeping, washing, or the field work?”

Gu Xiangzhu tried to dodge slightly, but Shen Mulin wouldn’t let him. “What are you dodging for? You’re going to be my husband.”

“We’re not married yet—it’s not proper,” Gu Xiangzhu refused in a low voice, then changed the subject. “I can do most of the household chores, just a bit slowly. The fields and the small house in the county have been rented out in previous years. We have a few chickens—I can feed them too. Stepfather ordered a piglet earlier; we’ll bring it home after the New Year.”

Gu Xiangzhu paused. These rough, strength-consuming tasks shouldn’t have fallen mainly to a ge’er or a woman. Before his father left, he had hardly let Stepfather lift a finger for the household work. When there was free time, he had taken care of cooking and the like too.

But now he had the will but not the strength for many things—even cooking a hot meal took extra effort.

Shen Mulin suddenly understood. “So I handle outside matters and you handle inside ones.”

Gu Xiangzhu was stunned and said hoarsely, “You don’t think it’s too tiring?”

“What’s so hard about that?” Shen Mulin said. “Before, I could help farm over a hundred mu of land by myself. Don’t worry—I’ll definitely earn enough silver to get your eyes treated.”

This was the first time Gu Xiangzhu had heard him say he wanted to help treat his eyes. He had thought it was a joke. After a year of useless effort, he had nearly given up hope. Now that Shen Mulin had said it again, he finally took it seriously—so the man really did have this idea.

“…No need,” Gu Xiangzhu said. “You should save more silver for yourself. Don’t waste it for nothing.”

Shen Mulin just laughed and squeezed in beside him. “Save for myself? We’re not even married yet and you’re already thinking of sending me off on my own—or are you planning to divorce me in the future?”

Only then did Gu Xiangzhu realize the impropriety in his words. And being trapped at such a close distance, he didn’t dare move. He could only say, “The food’s almost ready.”

“Oh my, embarrassed again. You’re so thin-skinned—when we get married, how will you handle the wedding night pranks?”

Shen Mulin spoke without seriousness. He had always been a lively sort—raised by his grandparents as a child, he had often climbed up to tear off roof tiles. Add to that doting parents, and he was mischievous at school too. But his grades were good, he never made big mistakes, just endless small ones, until his teachers lost their tempers. Later, when he went to do agricultural support work and took over the company, he had to put on a proper front and had held it in for years. Now there was no one to discipline him, and he was cutting loose completely.

He lifted the pot lid and reached for Gu Xiangzhu through the steam, accidentally touching his thoroughly flushed cheek. His mischievous hand was caught and then flusteredly pushed away.

Shen Mulin wasn’t annoyed. “Alright, alright, no more teasing. Let’s eat!”

Today’s meal was the simmered congee, cooked for over an hour until soft and melting in the mouth. Steamed on top were corn buns and a few pieces of sweet potato. In the neighboring pot were stir-fried bamboo shoots and half a plate of pickled radish—refreshing and tasty.

The stove fire hadn’t been completely extinguished—some tiny embers remained to slowly warm the congee for Uncle Li when he returned. Starting a fire wasn’t easy, so this was better and didn’t use much firewood either.

The two sat by the stove and finished their meal. Shen Mulin volunteered to wash the dishes, then helped Gu Xiangzhu back inside.

The young scholar tried to refuse, but Shen Mulin caught his hand. “It’s so cold outside—hurry in and warm up.”

He carefully studied the layout of the home. Facing south, the main hall was in the center, with a bedroom on each side. On the east side, one room stored miscellaneous items, and the other was the kitchen.

On the west side was a simple grass shed, tightly wrapped with wheat stubble, where a few chickens were kept. Closer to the gate was a vegetable plot, covered in a layer of white snow, with the ridged furrows faintly visible.

“What do you plant over there?” Shen Mulin asked.

“Mostly cabbage and radishes,” Gu Xiangzhu explained. “The family has six mu of fertile land and thirteen mu of dry land. In previous years it was all rented out—the grain they gave us was enough for us to eat and drink. If you don’t want to farm it, we can rent it out again in the future.”

He paused and lowered his head. “…The eyes don’t need to cost more money in the future. Father and Stepfather have worried plenty over the years—it can’t be cured anyway.”

Besides, he didn’t want to treat them anymore. Ever since Stepfather met a newly arrived doctor in the county, the hope he had finally let go of had stirred again.

Gu Xiangzhu couldn’t argue with Stepfather. Every time the appointment came around, he’d be nagged at. If he really refused to go, Stepfather would find his two younger cousins and have them carry him to the cart and drag him to the county.

Originally the family’s silver had been enough for him and Stepfather to live on, but the past six months of medical treatment had added expenses.

If he married, who knew how many more mouths there would be to feed. If there really were children, he couldn’t let the whole family be dragged down by his eyes.

As Gu Xiangzhu thought this, he was startled again and couldn’t help but reproach himself—he must have lost everything he’d read in past years, to be thinking of such things.

The matter of children should be discussed with Lin-ge’er first. Otherwise, precautions should be taken—it was already very damaging to a woman’s or ge’er’s body. He must not, for his own selfish desires, wrong Lin-ge’er.

Shen Mulin, however, didn’t know his tangled thoughts. Hearing Gu Xiangzhu’s words, he grew somewhat angry—and didn’t notice the form of address in his words.

“Am I really so spendthrift that I’d eat two pots of your family’s rice and take money from your eye treatment? If you really don’t believe me, then forget the marriage—I won’t take advantage of you!”

“…I’m only afraid it would be wasted effort.” Gu Xiangzhu was moved but still rational, and felt even more indebted.

Shen Mulin held his hand and said firmly, “There are plenty of hard things in the world—should we not do them just because they’re hard? The world is vast—there’s always a miracle doctor or a skilled healer. If you truly don’t intend to spend your whole life cooped up at home, then you should get them treated. Even if you can only see a little light, that’s better than nothing. You’ve read so many years of sage books—have you forgotten all of it?”

He softened his tone. “Don’t worry about money. My family was in business before—I learned a lot from my parents. Let me try. If it really doesn’t work, then it won’t be too late to talk about giving up.”

Gu Xiangzhu sensed his earnest gaze and couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

In today’s world, it was very difficult for a ge’er to carve out a path. People gossiped whether things were good or bad. He vaguely worried that Shen Mulin would suffer grievances outside, and he hated his own ruined eyes, giving rise to a sliver of deluded hope that they might be cured.