Chapter 38: Not Eating Rabbits
Returning to the kang room from the old woman’s room, the huge temperature difference made Lin Shuang shiver.
She had, of course, felt the subtle change behind her just now.
In fact, she had never had any thoughts about such things before, because in the countryside, it was not uncommon to see young mothers breastfeeding in public, or young sisters bathing together.
Only with Jiang Huaizhen did she feel a strange feeling in her heart for the first time.
But the other seemed to have no reaction, which made her too embarrassed to think otherwise.
But she had to admit that her heart had fluttered at that moment.
She had lived two lives and was already twenty-seven when she died in her past life. For anyone else, their children would have been running all over the place. But when she had entered the Qin family, Qin Chong was already dying. They had never had any contact until he died. She didn’t even have to clean his body.
In the following days, she had worked hard and was forced to be a medicine slave, testing medicine for the Qin family. Her whole body, due to the effects of the medicine, had dry hair and a sallow, emaciated face. No one had taken a liking to her, and she had never tasted the flavor of love and desire until she died.
Only Jiang Huaizhen had shown her care in the final moments.
And it was because of this that she relied on Jiang Huaizhen, and even had the thought that if Jiang Huaizhen were a man, she would be willing to marry her and become her wife.
Only because Jiang Huaizhen was a good person, and they could support and understand each other and live a good life.
It was only just now that she realized that Jiang Huaizhen was not just a good person, she was also…
Lin Shuang’s limited vocabulary didn’t know how to describe the strange feeling that came over her when she realized Jiang Huaizhen’s female characteristics. Perhaps it had been there before, but she had ignored it. Until tonight, that hard and soft feeling against her back, so clear and so real, she felt that half of her body was about to go numb.
She shook her head, driving the messy thoughts out of her mind, and got into the quilt. So as not to let the other see, she said impatiently, as she usually did, “Get into the quilt quickly.”
The quilt was cold. Although Jiang Huaizhen was also cold, she was at least a person.
Jiang Huaizhen, as usual, prepared the clothes she would wear the next day and placed them on a stool by the bed. Seeing her urge, she quickened her pace and soon got into bed.
Seeing her get into the quilt, Lin Shuang quickly moved closer, turned on her side, and hugged her arm tightly.
Jiang Huaizhen lay there quietly, letting her snuggle.
It was as if what had happened in the kang room just now was just Lin Shuang’s illusion.
When the quilt finally warmed up, Lin Shuang asked, “What did you mean by that look just now, when you said to let Grandma take the silver?”
Jiang Huaizhen considered for a moment and replied, “This money, in the end, is still yours—”
Hearing this, Lin Shuang interrupted directly, “If it’s still this topic, then I’m not listening. We agreed before we started selling flatbreads that we would spend the money we earn together and get treated together when we’re sick. If you bring it up again, I’ll get angry.”
Jiang Huaizhen pursed her lips and said nothing.
Lin Shuang thought for a moment. “If you think I’m really a good money-maker, then if you find out one day that I’m not that good, don’t be angry with me, and don’t drive me away.”
Her biggest fault was probably abandoning the other and going to her own death.
This was something that Jiang Huaizhen might never know in this life, but she was always a little worried, because in her past life, on the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month, Qin Chong had died.
Today was the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month.
She had been thinking yesterday that she wouldn’t set up her stall today, but she was afraid of missing some news, so she had insisted on going out.
But all day long, the passing merchants and pedestrians had not mentioned the death of the Qin family’s young master. She didn’t know if it was because these people were not familiar with the Qin family, or if the news had not yet spread.
If Qin Chong didn’t die, then that would be a variable. Who knew what other variables there would be in the future? Who knew if Jiang Huaizhen would suddenly awaken the memories of her past life, just like her?
Jiang Huaizhen, of course, did not know what she was thinking and asked, “Why are you always afraid that I will drive you away? I said I would not do such a thing, so I will not break my promise.”
Lin Shuang said, “I can’t help but worry. After all, I’m not your real family.”
In the darkness, Jiang Huaizhen looked at the dark ceiling and replied, “There is no need to worry about this. I will not drive you away until I die.”
“What if Grandma drives me away?”
Jiang Huaizhen wanted to say that Grandma would not drive her away, but thinking that she would definitely continue to refute, she simply said, “Then I will find another place outside and raise you.”
Lin Shuang suddenly raised her head. “Really? Then let’s pinky swear.”
Jiang Huaizhen didn’t seem to expect her to be so serious about this question, but when she reached out to grope for her, she still hooked that small finger.
Of course, Lin Shuang knew that Jiang Huaizhen would not drive her away, but she didn’t expect the other to give her such a promise.
Thinking that if there really was such a day when she was raised by Jiang Huaizhen outside, she felt a sense of security and a hint of shyness.
Why did it feel like being a mistress kept outside?
She turned on her side and looked in Jiang Huaizhen’s direction. In the darkness, she could only vaguely see a faint outline.
Thinking of the softness against her back just now, Lin Shuang felt that the air she was breathing out was hot.
Jiang Huaizhen was good-looking and kind-hearted. Although she was taciturn, she was not cold. Her consideration was quiet, like warm water. You couldn’t feel it at the time, but when you thought back on it, it made you feel incredibly warm and attached.
But she was a woman, and the other was also a woman. Were there two women in this world who were husband and wife or lovers?
Realizing that she was thinking too far, she quickly stopped.
Huaizhen’s heart was pure, and she was her savior, like a clear breeze and a bright moon. How could she have such dirty thoughts about her? If she knew what she was thinking, she would probably be disgusted.
Lin Shuang suppressed the sudden urge and, recalling her promises just now, put her heart at ease. She snuggled up to her, closed her eyes in satisfaction, and fell asleep.
She slept without a dream all night, in a deep slumber.
When she woke up the next morning, it was already broad daylight, and she found that the warm body beside her was still there.
She rubbed her eyes and sat up. Jiang Huaizhen on the other side moved and also opened her eyes.
“It’s cold outside, and there’s nothing to do. You can sleep a little longer.”
“What time is it now?”
“It’s the third or fourth quarter of the Hour of the Snake(9:00 AM to 11:00 AM).”
Lin Shuang was taken aback. “It’s almost noon. We slept for too long.”
Other than the time she was sick, she had never slept so long in her two lifetimes.
Jiang Huaizhen yawned slightly. “You’ve been exhausted these past few days.”
Lin Shuang shook her head. “It’s alright. You’ve been doing the same things as me, and even more. We have to get up and cook breakfast for Great-grandmother, so she doesn’t starve.”
With that, she lifted the quilt and got out of bed.
Jiang Huaizhen said, “I got up in the morning and made porridge. She ate it with some sauce and told me to come back and continue sleeping.”
Hearing this, Lin Shuang lay back down.
“Are you hungry? If you’re not hungry and don’t want to get up, you can continue to sleep. Everyone at home is lying down, and no one will say anything about us,” Jiang Huaizhen said.
“I’ve had enough sleep, and I’m not hungry. I’m just lazy. Once you get lazy, you can’t get up. I still have to get up. My bones will get soft if I lie down for too long, and I’ll have no energy.”
With that, she got up to get dressed.
The heated kang was still burning, and there was a constant supply of hot water on the stove. She washed up with the hot water.
Just as she finished, she saw that Jiang Huaizhen had also gotten up and asked, “Aren’t you going to lie down for a little longer?”
Jiang Huaizhen shook her head. “I’ve had enough sleep too.”
With one person gone from the quilt, it felt much cooler, and it wasn’t comfortable to lie down. It was better to get up.
“I’ll go to the village entrance in a while. If there’s a butcher passing by, I’ll buy some meat.”
Lin Shuang said, “I’ll go with you.”
“It’s cold outside. You stay at home.”
Lin Shuang poked her head out the door and felt that the wind outside was quite strong. She had originally wanted to go out and inquire about the Qin family, but in the end, she was lazy.
“Then if you see a peddler, buy some snacks.”
Jiang Huaizhen agreed and went out after washing up.
Lin Shuang took her needle and thread to the old woman’s room and got on the kang to make shoe soles.
She had made a pair for Jiang Huaizhen last time, and she had to make a pair for herself as well.
Jiang Huaizhen returned an hour later. Lin Shuang had already cooked the rice. Seeing her enter, she asked, “What took you so long?”
“I waited for a long time for a peddler.”
“Silly. If there wasn’t one, just forget it. We can buy some when we go to the city the day after tomorrow.”
Despite her words, the things had already been bought. Lin Shuang took a plate, arranged the snacks on it, and brought it to the kang. Then she turned to make the food.
Jiang Huaizhen had some free time now and was busy tidying up the little rabbits’ nest.
Of the litter of rabbits they had caught on the mountain a month ago, the big ones had already been eaten. There was still one male and one female, and six little rabbits, which had all miraculously survived.
The curse of everything she raised dying was broken. Jiang Huaizhen was happy and took even better care of them. Thinking that it was getting cold now, and rabbits were also afraid of the cold, she had to make their nest a little warmer.
Lin Shuang heard the clattering outside and, during a break from stir-frying, came out to take a look. “These little guys have been here for over a month, right? They’re growing quite fast. They’re so fluffy. It won’t be long before we can eat them.”
But Jiang Huaizhen looked up and said, “We can’t eat this litter.”
She rarely objected to what Lin Shuang said or did, but this time, she was insistent. Lin Shuang was a little surprised, but she quickly remembered what Old Madam Jiang had said when they had brought this litter of rabbits down the mountain, that she couldn’t raise small animals and had even cried secretly. She chuckled. “Alright, alright, we won’t eat them. We’ll let our Huaizhen raise them, okay?”
In front of the old woman, she would obediently call her “Sister Jiang,” but when the two of them were alone, her tone and manner were different.
Hearing the teasing in her words, Jiang Huaizhen was a little embarrassed and annoyed. She turned her back to her and continued to work.
A smile touched the corner of Lin Shuang’s lips, and she turned back to the kitchen.
Jiang Huaizhen had bought a piece of pork bone and a piece of half-fat, half-lean pork belly. Lin Shuang changed to a clay pot and stewed the bones on the stove connected to the heated kang. She then blanched the pork belly in water, took it out when it was cooked, sliced it thinly, and stir-fried it in hot oil until fragrant. She then added the sauce from the flatbreads, fermented soybeans, and chili, and stir-fried it with garlic sprouts to make twice-cooked pork.
By the time the dish was ready, Jiang Huaizhen had also finished her work. She washed her hands and came into the kitchen to help.
Seeing her enter, Lin Shuang asked, “Are you hungry?”
Jiang Huaizhen nodded. “It’s cold, so I get hungry quickly.”
“Go and ask Grandma if she wants porridge or dry rice. If she wants porridge, just heat it up.”
Jiang Huaizhen hummed in agreement and went into the room. When she came out, she said, “Grandma said she’ll have dry rice. No need to heat up the porridge.”
The old woman also had a dog’s nose and had already smelled the fragrant and savory taste of the twice-cooked pork. A dish like this had to be eaten with rice to be fragrant. And it was cold now. If she drank porridge, she would have to go to the latrine frequently, and she would be hungry again in a little while. She had recently eaten the ginseng that the Xue family had given her, and her body was much better than a month ago. These past few days, she had been alternating between dry rice and porridge.
“Then you go and ladle out the bone and radish soup from the soup pot over there and bring it to the room.”
After several days, they were finally having meat again. The old woman had received some money last night and was in a good mood, and her spirits seemed particularly good.
The twice-cooked pork with fermented soybeans and chili was particularly appetizing, and the rich and pungent fragrance of the garlic sprouts made it very good with rice.
The meat she had bought was three-layered pork belly, fat but not greasy. The oil that was rendered from the stir-frying was about two fingers thick at the bottom of the bowl. However, this was the kind of cooking that was most suitable for the taste of country folk. After all, they did hard physical labor, and their daily meals were simple. They were short on oil and salt, and their stomachs were growling. They were just hoping to have a meal of fatty meat.
Even though she was the daughter of a wealthy family, she had been raised in the countryside since she was young. Jiang Huaizhen had long been accustomed to such a rough life, and her taste in food was no different from other commoners. She was very fond of this dish of twice-cooked pork, which was beautiful in color, fragrant, and delicious.
Lin Shuang was also particularly satisfied with her own skills.
She took a bite and chewed it carefully. The fat of the pork belly melted in her mouth, perfectly blending with the texture of the lean meat and the skin. The crispness of the garlic sprouts suddenly came through, and the spicy, salty, and sweet flavors danced on her tongue. Mixed with a mouthful of rice, it was simply addictive.
Lin Shuang had woken up late and was only having lunch at noon. She was starving and, without realizing it, had eaten two large bowls of rice.
Perhaps influenced by the dining atmosphere of the two of them, the old woman’s appetite had also improved, and she could finish a bowl of dry rice.
After eating, she wiped her mouth and said, “I haven’t had such a full meal in hundreds of years. I’ll have to eat less for dinner. Otherwise, if I sleep on this kang with a full stomach, it will be uncomfortable. You young people, it’s alright for you to eat more.”
Lin Shuang smiled. “It’s alright. If you feel bloated, you can just walk around in the room.”
In these times, being able to fill your stomach was already a blessing. To be able to eat until you were full, if you told the villagers, they would be envious to death.
Jiang Huaizhen, as always, was the last to clear the dishes and wash them.
The old woman hobbled in and out with her cane to aid her digestion. Seeing her scooping hot water from the stove by the heated kang, she stopped and watched for a while, then said with emotion, “It’s a good thing we have this kang and this stove. We can have hot water at any time. Last new year, you went to wash clothes for others, and your two hands were frozen like radishes. Sigh…”
At this, she seemed to see the scene of her granddaughter coming back with her two hands hidden from her, and her eyes, which had been so happy just now, turned red.
Jiang Huaizhen’s hands paused, and she said softly, “It’s all in the past. Don’t think about it.”
Lin Shuang, who had just come over with some firewood, heard this and asked in surprise, “Did Sister Jiang go and wash clothes for others?”
Old Madam Jiang sighed. “Her father died the year before last, and last year, we couldn’t make ends meet. I was sick, and she went up the mountain to hunt. Unfortunately, she was born with bad luck and didn’t find anything good. She had no choice but to go to the city to wash clothes for a wealthy family. They wouldn’t let her take the clothes back to wash, so she could only wash them there. She washed in cold water for a whole winter in the cold weather. Every time she came back, her hands were frozen like radishes, red and swollen.”
Lin Shuang had lived a hard life in her past life and knew how difficult it was. But she didn’t know that Jiang Huaizhen had also had it so hard.
In her heart, even though Jiang Huaizhen had become an executioner and beheaded people, she had never thought that she would go and wash clothes for others, because she had never thought that such a proud person would be so miserable and succumb to life. Hearing the old woman say this, her heart ached, and her nose also grew sour.
She stood up and said, “From now on, I won’t let you wash the dishes or the clothes. I’ll do it.”
Jiang Huaizhen carried the hot water to the other stove and said, “Won’t it be hard for you to wash them? Besides, there’s hot water. What are you fighting over?”
Lin Shuang followed her over. “Then let’s wash them together.”
Jiang Huaizhen didn’t look up. “You cook, I’ll wash the dishes and sweep the floor. No one is at a disadvantage.”
Lin Shuang turned and looked at the door. Seeing that Old Madam Jiang was no longer in the kitchen, and driven by her surging emotions, she went forward and pressed against her back. “I want to share the burden with you.”
Jiang Huaizhen said, “I don’t feel tired. There’s no need to share.”
Lin Shuang didn’t speak, but she didn’t let go.
Jiang Huaizhen lowered her head and washed the dishes seriously, letting her cling to her back.
