The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 8: Cured Meat

Because he had caught a ride on the mule cart for part of the way, Qiu Huanian returned home earlier than yesterday and wasn’t as exhausted.

He had been thinking about the pork in the vat, so as soon as he got back, he took it out.

Since no one lived in the storage room and the windows were kept closed, the deep vat provided an additional layer of insulation. The temperature inside remained below ten degrees, so the raw meat could last for two or three days without any issues.

Qiu Huanian sliced the meat, added salt, and stir-fried it with scallions and ginger to render out the pork fat. Once there was enough lard to submerge the meat, he scooped the meat out and stored it in a jar along with the lard, then covered the jar’s opening with a bowl.

This was a traditional method of preserving pork called “cured meat.” When properly stored in a cool place, it could last for months without spoiling.

Farm-raised pigs that had never been fed commercial feed had a naturally rich flavor and tender texture, far superior to the pork sold in modern supermarkets.

One jin of raw meat, when cooked, could fill nearly half a jar. Using a little each time when stir-frying dishes would be enough for many meals.

After preparing the meat, Qiu Huanian cleaned the bones he had bought along with the pork and set them to simmer in a pot with sheep’s stomach mushrooms, tofu, and chopped corn. He added a small pinch of salt for seasoning and a thin slice of ginger to remove any gamey taste. After bubbling for over an hour, the broth turned into a thick, milky white soup.

Just as Qiu Huanian was ladling out a bowl of soup, Hu Qiuyan arrived with Jiujiu and Chunsheng.

“It smells amazing! You can smell the scent of meat just by passing by your house,” Hu Qiuyan exclaimed as she stepped inside. “When I came in, I saw several village children peeking over the wall outside.”

Qiu Huanian felt a bit helpless, but there was nothing he could do. His outdoor stove was right beneath the south wall, so whenever he cooked, the aroma would waft through the village.

“You earned this money fair and square, so there’s nothing to be afraid of. Eat whatever you want!” Hu Qiuyan reassured him with a laugh.

That morning, after Meng Fuyue relayed the village chief’s message about buying sugar beets, the entire village learned that Hua Ge’er had actually managed to make sugar. They also found out that his sugar only cost one wen per stick and was selling well in town.

With the village chief backing him and his words sounding reasonable, the villagers now praised Hua Ge’er, saying he was capable and generous, never forgetting his fellow villagers’ welfare. He was considered outstanding.

“Except for those in Du Baoquan’s family, who doesn’t praise you now? Even if they want to stir up trouble, they won’t be able to make waves,” Hu Qiuyan said.

Qiu Huanian thanked her and insisted she take the bowl of bone broth home. Hu Qiuyan tried to refuse, but in the end, she had no choice but to accept.

For dinner, Qiu Huanian stir-fried some pickled vegetables with a few slices of pork and ate it with gluten and bone broth.

The bone broth was rich and flavorful, and the soft gluten had absorbed the soup, bursting with delicious juices when bitten into. The crispy pickled vegetables and the fatty pork created a delicate balance of flavors, making the dish unforgettable.

Jiujiu and Chunsheng each drank several bowls of soup, eating until they were full and burping, reluctant to put down their chopsticks.

Children absorb nutrients quickly. After just a few days of proper meals, they had already put on some weight and no longer looked like the skin-and-bones figures they had been when Qiu Huanian first met them.

Qiu Huanian put away the leftover soup and food, covered them with a woven wicker lid, and saved them for breakfast the next day.

While joy filled Qiu Huanian’s home, the atmosphere in the spacious brick house of the Du Baoquan family was much heavier.

“Mother, about the sugar beets…”

“Shut your mouth, you fool!” Madam Zhao, sitting on the heated brick bed, scolded. “This household only has thirty or forty jin of sugar beets, which would sell for at most twenty wen. Why are you so short-sighted? Truly a pauper from the mountains!”

Du Baoquan’s eldest daughter-in-law, Wei Liuhua, lowered her head and said nothing, though she felt wronged.

Although the Du family was well-off compared to most villagers, they were still a farming family. They had to support the second son, Du Yunjing, who lived in the county town for his studies, and frequently bought new clothes and sweets for their youngest son, Fubao. As a result, they could only cut back on expenses for others in the household.

The eldest son, Du Yunhu, was the one being shortchanged. In the five years since Wei Liuhua had married into the family, she had never seen her mother-in-law distribute anything fairly. Her husband worked hard farming and taking on odd jobs, and she herself embroidered and sewed to earn money, yet all their earnings were taken away, leaving nothing for their own use.

Twenty wen might be nothing to Madam Zhao, but for Wei Liuhua and her small household, it was a significant sum. With that money, she could secretly buy a few eggs to nourish her little Ge’er.

Her poor son, You Ge’er, had been born prematurely and had always been weak. Madam Zhao despised him for being a Ge’er and would rather buy sweets for Fubao than spare even half an egg to improve You Ge’er’s health.

But what could she do? Du Yunhu was the son of Du Baoquan’s previous wife—he wasn’t Madam Zhao’s own flesh and blood.

Madam Zhao’s gaze swept over Wei Liuhua, fully aware that her daughter-in-law harbored resentment. But so what?

A girl from the mountains had been lucky to marry into their family—who knew how many past lives of good fortune she must have accumulated? And now, after giving birth to a frail little Ge’er, she dared to have other thoughts? If she wasn’t properly suppressed, she might forget her place!

“You, go back to your room and sew clothes for Fubao. Don’t light the lamp. I’ve already cut the fabric—it’s on the table. Fubao specifically asked for this color, so be quick about it,” Madam Zhao said impatiently, waving her hand to dismiss Wei Liuhua.

After Wei Liuhua left, Madam Zhao still felt irritated.

“Isn’t he just buying sugar beets for one wen per two jin? He needs them to make sugar, yet he didn’t even offer a high price. But somehow, he’s making it sound like some great act of charity, and now the whole village is speaking in his favor!”

Zhao Shi felt like her heart was bleeding whenever she thought about the old rooster that had been tricked away by Qiu Huanian. Even though it was old and thin, it could still have been sold for a hundred wen, but now that little fox spirit had taken advantage of her!

Du Baoquan was unaware of his wife’s resentment. Stroking his chin, he said, “He said he wanted to use sorghum to make sugar. At first, I thought it was a joke, but who would have thought he actually managed to do it? He does have some skill, no wonder Yun Jing would…”

Zhao Shi slammed the kang table heavily, cutting off Du Baoquan’s words.

“You’re bringing that up again! What is he? A worthless thing that Widow Li exchanged for two dou of sorghum—he’s not even fit to warm Yun Jing’s bed!”

“Yun Jing was just inexperienced and got seduced by that little fox spirit. But now that Yun Jing has been recognized by the teachers at the county school and one of them is considering him as a future son-in-law, how could he still look at some village ge’er like that?”

“If you ask me, it’s a pity that when Fubao pushed him down the other day, he didn’t just break his neck and save us all this trouble!”

Zhao Shi cursed about these old grievances for a while. It wasn’t until Fubao yawned that she finally stopped and dismissed everyone to sleep.

“Mother! Don’t be angry. Next time I see that fox spirit, I’ll push him again and help you get rid of him!” Fubao whined in Zhao Shi’s arms.

“My good boy, so thoughtful.” Zhao Shi hugged her youngest son. “But that fox spirit is a bit strange. After what happened last time, he’s definitely on guard. You’re still young, and I don’t want you to suffer a loss.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already sent someone to Shangliang Village to find his maternal family. There are plenty of ways to deal with an arrogant little ge’er who doesn’t know his place.”

“……”

The last to leave, Du Yunhu closed the door behind him and let out a silent sigh, feeling incredibly heavy-hearted.

When he returned to the west wing where his small family lived, You Ge’er was already asleep on the kang, while Wei Liuhua sat there holding a piece of brand-new fabric, staring blankly.

“Put it down and wait until daylight to work on it. Don’t strain your eyes—there’s no rush,” Yunhu said, feeling distressed.

Wei Liuhua sighed softly without looking at him. “You Ge’er is three years old now, yet he has never worn new fabric, not even a single piece of clothing made from a whole piece of cloth.”

Everything he wore was patched together from scraps cut from garments that were too tattered to be used anymore. If it weren’t for Wei Liuhua’s skilled hands, they probably wouldn’t even be wearable.

Du Yunhu sat on the doorstep, facing the inside of the house, his hands covering his face, a wave of sorrow washing over him.

Having a stepmother meant having a stepfather. His parents’ favoritism wasn’t new, and now nearly all the farm work was done by him and his wife. During the off-season, they also took on odd jobs, embroidering and sewing clothes to supplement the household. Yet, not a single wen they earned could be spent on themselves.

With the word “filial piety” hanging over them and his father above him, what could they do?

Wei Liuhua turned to look at their frail little ge’er on the kang, his breathing so weak it was barely audible. Tears streamed down her face.

“My cousin from my maiden village married into town and has a good relationship with a doctor. Last time I went to the market, I secretly took You Ge’er to see him for a free consultation.”

“He said that You Ge’er is weak because he was born prematurely, but it’s not a real illness. As long as he is properly nourished, he can get better.”

“You Ge’er is so frail all the time because he’s starving.”

“Du Yunhu, he is starving…”

Wei Liuhua opened her mouth, her tears falling uncontrollably. She wanted to wail but was afraid of alerting her mother-in-law nearby, so she could only dig her nails into her palm to keep herself quiet.

Du Yunhu wiped his face, his hand coming away wet.

His voice was hoarse as he said, “You want to sell sugar beets, but Mother keeps track of everything in the house. She’ll definitely notice if anything goes missing.”

Wei Liuhua shook her head. She had already thought about that. “My maiden village is deep in the mountains, and the land there isn’t as good as in Du Family Village. But in the places where nothing else can grow, people plant sugar beets. The leaves are fed to livestock, and the roots are barely edible as vegetables.”

“We could find an excuse to take the mule cart there and buy a bunch of sugar beets to bring back and sell to Hua Ge’er at a markup. What do you think?”

Du Yunhu furrowed his brow, relaxing and tensing again, unable to make up his mind. He had spent his whole life being an obedient son and had never lied to his elders before.

Wei Liuhua grew anxious. “Do we have to starve to death and be buried in the ground before you’re satisfied?”

Her voice was slightly louder, startling You Ge’er awake. He let out a soft whimper, and from the main house, Zhao Shi’s scolding immediately followed, telling them to cover the child’s mouth and stop disturbing Fubao’s sleep.

Du Yunhu took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest.

After Zhao Shi finished cursing, he whispered to his wife, “Hua Ge’er said he would start collecting sugar beets tomorrow morning. Your maiden village is so far away—taking the mule cart there and back would take most of the day. I’m afraid we won’t make it in time.”

Wei Liuhua shook her head. “Hua Ge’er said he’ll take as many as he can get, and with the village chief supporting him, I think his sugar must be selling very well. Once our village runs out of sugar beets, he’ll have to source them from elsewhere.”

“How about this? Tomorrow night, I’ll sneak over to his place and ask him how many he really needs. If Hua Ge’er says he’ll buy, then we’ll make the trip.”

Du Yunhu was still hesitant. “Fubao pushed Hua Ge’er, and Mother just had a fight with him. I’m worried Hua Ge’er won’t be willing to deal with us.”

Wei Liuhua clenched her teeth. “We have to try. If we’re too afraid of everything, we’ll never find a way to make money. The one who caused trouble isn’t me. At worst, I’ll kneel and beg Hua Ge’er. For You Ge’er, I’ll do anything!”

When the doctor told her that You Ge’er’s condition was due to starvation, and when she came home only to see Fubao throwing away egg yolks because he found them too dry, Wei Liuhua’s heart had turned completely cold.

Du Yunhu opened and closed his mouth several times before finally letting out a long sigh, silently agreeing with his wife’s plan.

This was his wife.

And the frail little ge’er on the kang was his child.

As a man, he had to find a way to support his own family.

“Tomorrow night, when you go to see Hua Ge’er, make sure to remind him of one thing. Just now, I heard Mother telling Fubao…”