dwimmered path

  Chapter 50 “Rent a shopfront?” Zhang Fangyuan saw his wife return with a sweat-soaked forehead. He wiped it for him while learning of this plan. Without a second thought, he said, “Alright.” “You agree that readily?” Xu He thought Zhang Fangyuan would at least ponder it carefully, or even drag his feet. He never expected him to agree outright. Zhang Fangyuan laughed. He had actually disliked Xu He setting up a stall at Tianjie every day for a while now. Day after day, he was like a sweet potato roasting in an oven. Whenever Zhang Fangyuan brought food over, he'd see his spouse drenched in sweat. Although those stalls had cloth awnings for shade, they didn't cover everything. Not like the meat market here, where the entire roof was covered, not a bit of sun got through, and it was open on all sides for ventilation—much cooler than setting up an outdoor stall anyway. He knew he couldn't persuade Xu He to stop going out to earn money, and recently he'd been annoyed by th...

  Chapter 49 Xu He woke up rather late the next day. When he got up, Zhang Fangyuan had already left. That butcher, knowing Xu He wasn't going to town to set up the stall today, had used it as an excuse to be even more unrestrained, carrying on for quite a while. This morning, that man had gotten up at his usual time, still full of vigor. Xu He, who had always considered himself physically fit, felt slightly deflated. How could the gap between people be so vast? Thinking that Zhang Fangyuan was already gone, and that it wouldn't matter if he got up a bit earlier or later, he lazed in bed for a while longer before rising. His whole body ached terribly. Perhaps Zhang Fangyuan was right. When they went a while without doing it, they had become a bit awkward again, not as smooth as before. Though he felt the same way, he couldn't very well agree with Zhang Fangyuan out loud. Otherwise, he'd use it as an excuse to indulge even more. Poor rest at night delaying the next day...

  Chapter 48 Xu He carefully covered the two bolts of fabric with a wrapping cloth and stowed them at the very bottom of the cart. Only then did the two head back to the village. The village was restless during this period. Collecting taxes wasn't something that could be finished in just a couple of days; the yamen runners came daily, making everyone anxious and troubled. After entering the village, seeing the cart had a carrying basket and a knife, Xu He told Zhang Fangyuan he’d go cut some grass from their vegetable plot to feed the livestock, saving a trip later. So, Zhang Fangyuan dropped him off on the main road. “Alright. I'll go back first and tidy up.” Xu He acknowledged and, carrying the basket on his back, headed to their family plot. The cabbage patch was especially prone to weeds—things like chickweed, crabgrass, and purslane—all growing quite tender. Cutting them would both clear the weeds that hindered the cabbage growth and provide greens to chop up for feeding t...