A person born into poverty, uneducated and without principles, yet still maintaining a kind heart, must be of pure character.
Take taro, for instance.
"I went to find taro earlier and gave him the silver. He told me not to look for him anymore, saying you would be angry. Xiao Shan, would you be angry?"
Xiao Shan froze. So she had gone to find that taro? He picked a piece of grass from her hair and remained silent.
Xue Niang smiled slightly and continued, "It's so funny, a child lecturing me on gender segregation. You say that those who haven't studied don't understand reason, but he's an orphan, raised in the wild. Though he lives in the mud, he still thinks of me. Isn't that a sign of innate kindness?"
"...Yes." Xiao Shan listened to her cheerful tone, like pearls falling on a jade plate. He knew instantly she was in a good mood.
He pursed his lips, "So, taro is a child?"
"Yes, fourteen years old."
Xiao Shan choked. A fourteen-year-old child, and she could say that with such ease. When he was fourteen, he was already over seven feet tall and fighting on the battlefield.
This was clearly a young man, at the peak of his youthful vigor.
She was wrong. He was angry, very angry!
"His house is too dilapidated, it looks like it's about to collapse. I even told him that after we move into the new house, he can live in our old one. Xiao Shan, do you think that's okay?"
Xue Niang's eyes, clear as a mountain spring, looked at Xiao Shan. Though she was asking, she was certain Xiao Shan would agree. He never cared about these small matters.
As expected, Xiao Shan nodded, "You decide."
Xue Niang smiled, her eyes curving like a new moon.
Xiao Shan sighed. He really didn't want her mind to be entirely occupied by others, but her mood was so rarely good, and he didn't want to spoil it. He decided to find time to investigate that taro, to see if he was truly pure of heart.
By afternoon, the village chief had found the workers. There were five of them, all men from the village with experience in building houses. After a brief discussion with them, Xiao Shan led them to the open space next to Granny Hua's neighbor at the village entrance.
Xu Da Niu was the eldest daughter in her family, always with endless chores and never-ending laundry. Ever since the incident of jumping into the river, her relationship with her family had grown increasingly strained. She was already a woman of few words, and now she was even less inclined to speak. Her younger sister, Xu Er Niu, also dared not provoke her and kept a wide berth.
Her father was in the fields, and her mother was taking care of their less-than-one-year-old brother, changing his soiled diapers. Needless to say, these chores were hers. Her troublesome sister had long since disappeared somewhere. Her mother was too biased; a word from her would surely be an order, as if she didn't have another daughter.
She truly wondered if she was their biological child!
With a swipe, another large basin of dirty clothes appeared. Several more pieces couldn't fit, meaning she'd have to wash in two batches.
She recalled Xue Niang's fair, tender hands, like soft tofu, and then looked at her own. Several cuts and scars were from gathering grass on the mountain.
Even a bought woman lived better than she did. So, what was the point of having parents if you didn't have a man who doted on his wife?
But she was already eighteen. People had proposed marriage a couple of years ago, but now, no matchmaker had visited for a long time. She overheard gossip that her parents were asking for too high a bride price.
If this continued, how long would she have to wait?
Xu Da Niu carried the basin to the riverbank, where a few women were already present.
"Da Niu, come over here, Auntie. We were just talking about you!"
A broad-faced aunt beckoned her, making space for her beside her.
"Aunt Gui Xiang."
"Da Niu, hasn't your mother arranged a marriage for you yet?" Liu Gui Xiang asked with a gossipy tone. Her voice wasn't low, and it immediately drew others' attention.
Xu Da Niu again thought of Xue Niang's delicate and soft voice, finding Aunt Gui Xiang's current voice truly unpleasant.
She didn't reply.
Liu Gui Xiang tutted twice, "Your mother is truly something. How old can she hold out? Past eighteen is an old maid, no one will want her. Then she'll only be able to marry those who have been married before, to become a stepmother. She really has no idea. You're not even good-looking, and the price you ask—Aiyoh!"
Xu Da Niu flicked her clothes, splashing water all over her.
Liu Gui Xiang smacked her lips, "Oh dear, my loose tongue. My words are unpleasant. Da Niu, don't be angry with your auntie."
Xu Da Niu knew she was just a gossip, not ill-intentioned. But her words truly made her both angry and wronged.
"Such a capable girl..." Liu Gui Xiang mumbled a few more words.
Xu Da Niu lowered her head and vigorously rubbed the clothes in her hands. Tears pattered down her cheeks.
What good was being capable? She was born to suffer.
She truly wished she could stay far away from these gossips.
Someone started it, and the women nearby began discussing Xiao Shan again.
"You haven't seen it. Tian Lu Hua's hand was pierced right through, and that hunter Xiao even said he wanted her life! Oh my, the wife he bought is dressed so well, all new clothes. The silver hairpin she's wearing is quite fine, must be worth more than an ounce of silver!"
"Isn't she very ugly? Doesn't that hunter Xiao mind?"
"She has a good figure. You know men, when the lights are out, who cares about looks? He guards her very closely. When they walked away, he was holding her hand. Sigh, even when I was newly married, my husband never held my hand!"
"Tian Lu Hua suffered a great loss. It's not over yet. Those brothers of her family..."
"Don't say that. I think that hunter Xiao has some skills. You haven't seen it, Tian Lu Hua was almost scared to wet her pants at the time. Her husband hid behind the door and didn't even dare to fart."
...
As Xu Da Niu carried the washed basin away, she heard someone behind her muttering, "Da Niu has a bad temper, she's so gloomy. No wonder my daughter doesn't like playing with her. She doesn't have the demeanor a young girl should have."
That's because your daughter doesn't have so many chores to do! Xu Da Niu wished she could rush over and curse her out.
Who would want to play with those crude village girls!
They even had the nerve to call Xue Niang ugly. She was much better looking than their rough daughters, polite, spoke nicely, and had a figure that could mesmerize even a woman!
Should she go find Xue Niang to wash clothes together later?
She remembered Xue Niang carrying a basin of clothes when she saved her last time.
Xu Da Niu quickly went home to hang the clothes to dry, then picked up another basin and headed towards Xue Niang's house.
Just as she reached the village entrance, she encountered Xiao Shan walking briskly, carrying two logs.
Such thick logs, and he was carrying two at once. Behind him were two villagers, each carrying one log together.
Xu Da Niu was dumbfounded. His strength was truly immense.
"Da Niu, going to wash clothes!" one of them greeted her.
"Yes, Brother Zhu Zi. What are you doing?"
"Brother Xiao's family is building a new house, and they've hired us as helpers!" Zhu Zi replied cheerfully.
Building a new house?
Xu Da Niu was stunned. They were building a new house already?
Were these the "paupers" her parents talked about?