Chapter 44: Shen Min’s Planning
A few days ago, Shen Min secretly sold the jade bracelet his mother gave him when he got married, and got three taels of silver for it.
Of course, no one knew about this, and the money he earned was hidden away.
That day, after Wang Heyao was scared away from home with a kitchen knife, he staggered back late at night, drunk from who knows where.
He sat on the ground outside, crying and laughing intermittently, muttering drunkenly.
After a while, he suddenly got up from the ground, kicked Shen Min’s door vigorously with his feet, and cursed obscenely, “You little bitch, come out! You said we would live or die together, but now life is unbearable. I’ll kill you first, then my mother, and we’ll all live together in hell!”
He kicked the door a few times, but instead of breaking it down, he was bounced back and sat on the ground. This fall hurt his tailbone, and he was in pain, unable to get up for a long time.
Later, he actually fell asleep sitting like that.
The next day, when Shen Min got up and left the house, he woke up Wang Heyao who was lying like a dead dog at his door.
After Wang Heyao woke up, it seemed like he had forgotten all the harsh words from yesterday.
His eyes were vacant as he stood up and sat down at the dining table, muttering, “I smell meat, who’s stewing meat? Smells delicious.”
Old Mrs. Wang also got up. Obviously, she had heard Wang Heyao’s harsh words last night.
Now she remained silent, her wrinkles on her face particularly prominent, quietly boiling the moldy porridge.
Shen Min said he was going out for a while and would be back soon, but no one asked, and no one responded. The whole room was dead silent.
After a short while, Shen Min did indeed return, carrying two pounds of pork buttock meat in his hands.
When Old Mrs. Wang saw it, her eyes lit up. Wang Heyao also perked up, his eyes turning blue, and he fiercely asked, “Where did you get the money to buy meat? If you have money, why not go to the gambling den to recover your losses!”
Shen Min, with lowered eyelids, replied indifferently, “Where did I get the money to buy meat? It was given to me by Qingyan.”
Wang Heyao cursed, “It’s all that damned old man’s fault for causing this trouble. He sold the shop to outsiders, and they’re living well.”
Shen Min didn’t even raise his eyelids, concealing the light inside and said, “They have skills and make money, isn’t that what they deserve!”
The room fell silent for a moment. Wang Heyao’s eyes flickered, lost in thought.
After the meat was stewed, Wang Heyao almost ate it all by himself, leaving only a few bites for his mother.
After finishing the meat, Wang Heyao stared blankly at the empty plate.
Shen Min’s voice woke him up, and he looked up fiercely at him.
Shen Min said, “Come in, I have something to tell you.”
Wang Heyao followed him in, and then saw Shen Min take out a cloth bag from under the bed, open it, and inside was a whole bunch of copper coins.
Wang Heyao’s face immediately turned fierce, snatched the money away, and harshly said, “You bitch, you really hid the money.”
Shen Min said, “This money is for buying a shroud for myself when I die.”
Wang Heyao sneered, took the money, and left the house.
The next day, Wang Heyao returned with dark circles under his eyes, his pockets empty, sitting in the yard in a daze.
He shouted a few times for someone in the house but no one answered. He cursed a few times and was about to go back to sleep in the house.
Just as he was about to lie down, his movements suddenly stopped. He got up again and went into Shen Min’s neighboring room next door, heading straight for the drawer under the bed.
Inside, there was a small cloth bag. He picked it up and opened it, exclaiming, “This bastard, he still has more!”
Inside were several hundred wen of money.
On the third day, Wang Heyao went to the drawer under the bed again and found more money.
On the fourth day, there was more again.
It wasn’t until the fifth day that the money bag in the drawer was empty.
On the sixth day, Wang Heyao sneaked into Qiu Henian and Qingyan’s house. There were no dogs in the yard this time. Once inside the house, he went straight to the drawer under the bed. After rummaging for a while and finding nothing, he felt frustrated.
Thinking of leaving, but unwilling to give up, he pulled out the entire drawer and only then saw a cloth bag blocked by a plank at the deepest part. Wang Heyao took the bag, felt its weight almost unable to lift his hand, and suddenly felt ecstatic. Carefully restoring the doors and windows, he secretly left.
Back home, Wang Heyao was arrogant and proud. When he saw Shen Min, he slapped him hard and kicked his old mother who asked him for money, making the old lady sit on the ground patting her thigh and crying.
Now, Wang Heyao could pay back Wang Lei’s money, his shoulder injury was probably healed, and it would be difficult to accuse him again. He was fearless again.
Wang Heyao wanted to deal with Shen Min first but was anxious to go to the gambling den. So, he left a stern warning that he would deal with him when he returned.
He never expected that once he left, he would never come back again.
…
The next day, Qiu Henian went to the village chief’s house. The hired worker was still locked in the village chief’s woodshed.
It’s unknown what he said to the man, but after the hired worker was released, he packed his bags overnight and left the area hurriedly, as if he were being chased by a ghost.
The incident of Wang Heyao being arrested and thrown into the dungeon was a major event that had never happened in Liusi Village, and the villagers chattered about it for a long time after meals and in their free time.
Privately, Qingyan also talked about this matter with Qiu Henian.
Qingyan said, “That note was written by Shen Min. I recognize his handwriting. When I was recuperating at home, he saw me practicing calligraphy and wanted to learn, so I taught him some characters.”
Qiu Henian said, “When I saw the bailiff pick up the note from the ground, I immediately thought it was probably him.”
With that, Qingyan remembered something, went to Wang Tiejiang’s house, and found the calligraphy papers he had practiced before. He flipped through them one by one, found the ones Shen Min had practiced, and as he looked, Qingyan’s face changed. He handed those papers to Qiu Henian.
Qiu Henian looked down and read them for a while, his expression also turning serious. After a while, he took those papers to the outside room and threw them into the furnace pit without hesitation, burning them all.
Qingyan stood beside him and watched without stopping him.
Most of the characters Shen Min learned to write were on those papers, which were also on the note.
During the days when he was bedridden and unable to get up after jumping into the well, Shen Min had already figured out how to send Wang Heyao to prison, and had already started implementing his plan.
…
According to the laws of the dynasty, if a husband kills his wife, as long as he can prove that his wife was disobedient or having an affair, he would not be punished. Proving disobedience was simple; it only required the recognition of an elder.
Other daughter-in-laws or husbands with maternal backing, no matter how scoundrelly their husbands were, would not dare to do so lightly, but Shen Min did not.
Shen Min knew he had no way out. He couldn’t hold on for long. If Wang Heyao didn’t die, then he would.
It was two days before Qingming, and Shen Min was still recuperating at Qingyan’s house.
Qiu Henian found an excuse to call Qingyan into the house, and when he came out, both of their faces were a bit flushed. Shen Min naturally knew what had happened and couldn’t help but cover his mouth and laugh.
At that time, the door was half open, and Shen Min saw Qingyan put the silver coins given by Qiu Henian into the drawer under the bed. He made a slight adjustment to his originally planned plan.
Originally, he intended to use his neighbor as the scapegoat. Seeing this scene, he changed his mind and chose Qingyan’s family, which was more reliable.
Because the more he stole, the heavier the punishment, and the less likely Wang Heyao was to return.
…
After this storm subsided, Qiu Henian and Qingyan invited the Liu family and the village chief’s family, as well as the two brothers from the village chief’s family, to have a meal together at home, with chicken, duck, fish, good wine, and a sumptuous feast.
Those days they had been helping out and had spent a lot of effort.
Qingyan arranged this meal very clearly, and after a hearty drink, the relationships between the families became closer.
Qi Yinglan had already passed the period of morning sickness. With a hearty appetite, the Liu family’s life was good. He was kept much fairer and fatter than when he first married. His face, which was not outstanding, looked a little more handsome.
Liu Cai was quite concerned about this husband of his. As he drank, his eyes kept glancing at Yinglan’s bowl. When he saw it empty, he stretched out his arm and used it to pick vegetables into her bowl.
Liu Fa’s wife teased, “Okay, enough. Your arm can reach half the table. Yinglan has me and Qingyan to take care of. You don’t have to worry!”
Liu Cai’s face reddened a little and he laughed, “I’m not afraid Yinglan’s face is too small to dare to stretch out chopsticks!”
Yinglan blushed and blamed him teasingly, “Brother Qingyan, I’ve been here to your house several times, where would I dare not to eat? Come on, finish your own meal.”
Liu Cai wasn’t bothered either, he chuckled and said, “Ah,” contentedly, but still occasionally passed some dishes over.
Recently married and having the news of pregnancy, the young couple enjoyed their time together.
After the meal, the men knew to help tidy up, but Qingyan wouldn’t let them lift a finger since they were guests. He brewed some tea for them to enjoy at the table.
Liu Fa’s wife and Qi Yinglan were persuaded to rest on the bed, cracking melon seeds and chatting.
As Qingyan moved in and out, he overheard the men chatting inside.
They started with Wang Heyao’s matter, but Liu Fa’s wife on the bed’s edge objected, saying it was unlucky to discuss such things now. They changed the topic.
While Qingyan heated water for their teapot, Liu Fa was patting Qiu Henian’s shoulder, saying, “My wife and I had three kids in three years of marriage. Your younger brother will likely become a father soon after the new year. The two brothers of our village chief’s family should marry within these two years. Brother, you should hurry up too!”
Liu Fa’s wife from the bed’s edge added, “Once you have kids, you’ll understand. They’re so soft and tender. When they call you ‘father’ and Qingyan ‘dad,’ you’ll want to give them your heart!”
Qiu Henian, a bit drunk, had a flushed face and slowed speech, repeating his usual line, “Qingyan is still young, no rush.”
Liu Fa’s wife widened her eyes, clapped her thigh, and exclaimed, “He’s not that young! I got married at eighteen, Yinglan is only nineteen this year. Even if Qingyan isn’t in a hurry, you, Big Brother, will turn twenty-seven after the new year. Look around our village, except for those too poor to marry, how many men of your age aren’t fathers yet!”
Liu Fa then added, “Having children gives a home its true feel, doesn’t it? With more people in the house, it’s not as lonely.”
The two brothers from the village chief’s family nodded in agreement.
Finally, Liu Fa said, “Last time you drank at my place, you got quite drunk and told me that the night Wang Tiejiang passed away, you sat alone in the yard the whole night.”
He sighed, “I understand your feelings too well. When my father passed away, Liu Cai wasn’t quite capable yet, struggling in a strange place with a tough business. I was so worried. If I hadn’t married and had your sister-in-law, then later had children, I wouldn’t have been able to hold on!”
He shook his head and advised, “Brother, once you’re married and have children, that’s when you truly won’t feel lonely!”
Qingyan didn’t hear the end of the conversation as he continued tidying up outside, but he couldn’t shake off the phrase “sat alone in the yard the whole night” from his mind.
Not long after, there was a sound from Wang Tiejiang’s room. Qingyan turned to see Qiu Henian slowly closing the door behind him and approaching him.
Qingyan looked up at him and asked softly, “Had a bit too much to drink?”
Qiu Henian nodded, his eyes somewhat dull, and spoke slowly, “A little.”
Qingyan rarely saw him like this and couldn’t help but smile, saying, “After they leave, don’t go to the shop. Just rest at home.”
Qiu Henian didn’t reply but looked calmly into Qingyan’s eyes.
Puzzled, Qingyan stared back at him.
After a moment, Qiu Henian unexpectedly lifted his hand and flicked Qingyan’s nose lightly, with a hint of reproachful meaning in his slow voice, “You always avoid me when we get to bed!”
Qingyan was momentarily stunned. He could tell Qiu Henian, drunk as he was, wasn’t quite his usual self.
Indeed, he’d noticed it all along but hadn’t brought it up.
Seeing Qingyan’s stunned look, Qiu Henian smiled, took a step closer, and in a low, serious tone said, “Don’t listen to them. If you don’t want children, we won’t have them. As long as I have you, I won’t feel lonely at all!”
Spoiler for the Next Chapter:
Qiu Henian kissed his forehead with a smile, “I’ve seen every part of you. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
