“How can we accept this? It’s not easy for you to cut this much of wood.” Qin Mian hurriedly refused. This big bundle of firewood was very finely chopped and one could see that it had been dried in the sun, could burn for at least five or six days. This Zhang Dashuan was really a warm-hearted man.
Lei Tie heard the voices and went out, “Brother Zhang, many thanks. We have firewood.”
“I give to you, so take it. I’ve already carried it here and I don’t want to carry it back.” Zhang Dashuan wiped the sweat on his forehead as he laughed heartily.
Qin Mian had to accept it. “Then, thank you very much, Brother Zhang. Brother Zhang, come in and have a seat. Right, how do you know we’ve split up from the family?”
Zhang Dashuan waved his hand to express that he didn’t need to sit, “Not only do I know, but all the villagers knew. Most probably heard it from Aunt Zhao.”All in all, Lei Daqiang and Du Shi were Lei Tie’s parents, so in front of Lei Tie, he couldn’t say much.
“You guys are busy, I’m going back. There’s work in the field.”
“Thank you, Brother Zhang. Take care, Brother Zhang.”
After sending off the visitor a few steps, Qin Mian came back to finish drying the clothes.
“Have you fixed the chair? There are too many things to buy; there aren’t even bowls and chopsticks for eating. We’d better go to town soon.”
“En.”
Lei Tie stared at Qin Mian’s back, where he stood on tiptoe to dry clothes on the tree for a while before he went to the pond to wash his hands, took out a key from his bosom and walked into the house to open the smaller one of the two wooden chests. He took out a gray money pouch from it and handed it over to Qin Mian along with the key.“Wife, take it.”
It was a bit heavy in Qin Mian’s hand. He guessed it was silver money and hurriedly pushed it back. “Better you keep it. Another thing, don’t call me ‘wife’.”
Lei Tie didn’t take it and didn’t promise not to call him ‘wife’ anymore. He went out the door and said in a low voice, “Going?”
Qin Mian held the money pouch and felt it was a little hot. His heart beat faster than usual. Lei Tie was not afraid that he took the silver money and ran away? Did Lei Tie trust him, or did Lei Tie think he could catch him even if he ran away? He didn’t want to think about it. At the beginning of the marriage with Lei Tie, Lei Family found Li Zheng to apply for his household registration and registered him in Lei Family with the identity as Lei Tie’s ‘wife’. As long as the household registration was not settled, he couldn’t leave. And being only 14 years old, it was not safe for him to wander outside alone. It was the best choice to stay in Green Mountain Village temporarily. In this respect, Lei Tie’s ‘wife’ status was not without any benefits. In this period of time, he totally couldn’t eat and live for free all the time, but also needed to earn money. It was also good to hold this money for a while.
Thinking like this, he felt relieved.
“How much is it?”
Lei Tie answered: “20 taels and some bits and pieces.”
“How much is it to buy a home base? How much does it cost to build a house?”
Lei Tie answered every question: “The home base of three rooms, 12 taels; the building, more than a tael.” This ‘building’ referred to building a thatched cottage.
Qin Mian calculated the sum of bill in his heart and could not help but lament: really poor.
“Don’t go first. Let’s see what we need to buy.”
Hearing that, Lei Tie followed him into the house.
There was no need to count what needed to be added in the kitchen. Almost everything was missing. Qin Mian went directly into their bedroom.
He looked at the bed first. It was still that bed, padded with an old cotton-padded mattress. The mattress was covered with a dark blue sheet and a coarse quilt. “Quilt need to be added…. One. This one is too old and course, and how about replacing the mattress?” He would like to add two quilts, but the problem was that there were so many places to spend money now. If some could do without, then better be doing without.
Lei Tie nodded.
Qin Mian went to the two wooden chests and looked at Lei Tie. Seeing that he didn’t mean to stop him, he opened one of the chests with folded clothes inside. He picked them up one by one and counted them. Lei Tie’s five sets of clothes, three of which were thin for summer and two of which were slightly thicker for spring and autumn. The other three smaller ones were his, one old and the other two brand new ones should have been prepared when he married.
Qin Mian closed the chest and opened another wooden chest, which was empty. He couldn’t help shaking his head. Let’s fill it up over time.
He looked around the room and then looked back at Lei Tie. He thought it was safer to put the silver money on Lei Tie’s person for the time being.
“You hold this first, lest we meet a thief in the market.”
Lei Tie complied and took it. Then, the duo went out together.
Qin Mian locked the door and thought of another thing, “The door lock need to be replaced.”
“You make decision.” Lei Tie had only three words.
Without a pocket, Qin Mian handed him the key.
“Big brother, sister-in-law!” Lei Xiangzhi came over quickly and handed Qin Mian a stack of paper in his hand as he smiled slightly, “These papers are for you to mend the windows.”
Qin Mian saw that these papers were new and white; it was not unused at all. He secretly though that Fifth was thoughtful and smiled at him sincerely, “Thank you, fifth brother. We’re going to town, so we won’t invite you in.”
“Sister-in-law is too polite. You guys are busy, I’m going back.” Lei Xiangzhi smiled back and turned to leave.
Qin Mian rolled the paper into a tube and squeezed it into the window pane. With the sun on top of the head, he headed to town with Lei Tie. His hands were empty, while Lei Tie back-carried a large basket woven of bamboo strips. There was only one water pouch in the basket.
“That… Our social connection in the village is too weak. Brother Zhang is very nice, let’s invite him to dinner in the evening.” Qin Mian spoke with Lei Tie as he walked. He couldn’t call ‘Brother Tie’ without outsiders present.
“Listen to you.” Lei Tie had no objection.
Qin Mian was used to his introvert character, he didn’t mind. He looked at the sun and estimated it was almost 12 o’clock. It was too hot and the road was far away. He didn’t talk anymore and looked at the road while shading his head.
In the fields on both sides of the road, the golden rice was about to mature completely, the stalks were heavy. On the ridge, experienced farmers were observing the rice to determine when the harvest was most appropriate.
When the busybody women saw Qin Mian and Lei Tie, they gave ambiguous laughter.
Without changing his expression, Qin Mian muttered to himself, you guys better not ask me for anything in the future.
