Xiao Shan was listlessly clearing the table when Xue Niang entered the kitchen. "Extend your hand!"
Xiao Shan's eyes lit up, unsure what she intended, but obediently offered his large palm.
Xue Niang placed a pearl into his hand. "Tomorrow, when you go to the market, sell this."
The pale pink pearl, originally quite large, looked like a soybean in Xiao Shan's big hand.
"This is... a pearl? Where did it come from?"
Such a rare item. Although its quality was average, in this dilapidated little village, he doubted anyone else possessed one.
"It belongs to someone else. Although the quality is rough, it should fetch some money, right?"
Someone else's? How could they be so generous as to give it to her? The villagers were all poor, so it couldn't be from them. Had outsiders come in recently to collect mountain goods?
Xiao Shan frowned, his mind racing.
"Xue Niang, you mustn't trust people too easily. Whose is it?"
"No, they gave it to me, but I didn't take it. You sell it, and we'll give the money back to them."
This made Xiao Shan even more uneasy, his brows furrowing as if they could trap flies.
"If you don't tell me whose it is, I won't sell it."
Hmph!
Xue Niang glared at him, then pried his hand open, snatched the pearl back, and declared, "I wouldn't dare trouble the great general. I'll sell it myself. Can't I live without you?"
Such a temper! Xiao Shan grabbed her, truly a handful!
"Is it that I can't live without you? Fine?" Xiao Shan took the pearl back from her hand again, examining it closely. The luster was insufficient, and it seemed unprocessed. It was pale pink, with no holes for setting or anything similar, just a bare bead.
Xue Niang chimed in from the side, "It's far from a Dongzhu."
She even knew about Dongzhu!
Indeed, she was a lady from an official family.
One had to know that Dongzhu came from the frozen north, with only a few dozen produced annually, all offered as tribute. Except for the Empress and the Emperor, not even the imperial concubines were qualified to wear them.
It was strange that she had amnesia; she had forgotten people, yet she remembered these things.
"This isn't that effeminate scholar's possession, is it?" Xiao Shan asked with a stern face.
If it belonged to him, he'd rather die than sell it.
The scholar hadn't wronged him, so why was he always so sarcastic? A grown man, acting so awkward and unmanly.
Xue Niang pouted, too lazy to argue with him.
"It's Yutou's."
"Who is Yutou?"
Where had another Yutou sprung up from? And what about Sweet Potato? Did this mean Xue Niang had gone out and spent so much time with this so-called Yutou? Was there such a person in the village?
"If you don't know, then forget it!" Xue Niang turned and went back to the bedroom.
Xiao Shan felt like throwing the pearl away.
"Qing He, ask Tang Gege, that effeminate scholar, and now this Yutou pops up. Why are you so attractive? I only have you by my side. Really, it infuriates me!"
Xiao Shan muttered to himself as he tidied the kitchenware.
"Is Xiao Gege home?"
Someone else had arrived. Xiao Shan had a good memory; the voice sounded like the dark-skinned girl from that day.
Now he knew. She was Da Nizi from Xu Da Fu's family, who had wanted to marry him. He had clearly refused her father that day. Why was she here again?
Disliking this family, Xiao Shan put on a stern face and went out.
Xu Da Niu was still quite afraid of such a Xiao Shan. When she approached him, he towered over her, making her lower her head in fear, not daring to look up.
He was so different when facing that woman. Why was he so fierce towards her? She hadn't done anything wrong.
"Xiao Gege, I've come to thank your family, and my sister-in-law. The mushrooms in this bag are ones I just picked. I hope you don't dislike them."
Xu Da Niu tipped out the cloth bag in her hand. There were quite a few mushrooms, of several varieties. They looked freshly picked, still with soil on them, very fresh.
However, she had come to thank Xue Niang, not to find him?
Thank Xue Niang for what?
After pouring out the mushrooms, Xu Da Niu ran off before Xiao Shan could ask.
Xiao Shan had no one to ask.
Thinking of the wound on her hand yesterday, had something else happened by the river? That effeminate scholar hadn't said anything yesterday, only that Xue Niang was weak and couldn't wash so many clothes.
Regarding his own wife's affairs, he, as the man, didn't know, yet outsiders seemed to be aware of everything. This made him very displeased.
Xiao Shan picked up the mushrooms and put them in the kitchen, planning to kill a chicken tonight and stew it with the mushrooms. It would surely be delicious.
He didn't plan to go into the mountains today. Xiao Shan went to the bedroom. Just as he reached the door, he heard grunting sounds from inside.
"Xue Niang? What's wrong?" Xiao Shan pushed the door open.
Xue Niang was lying on the bed, looking listlessly towards the door.
"Stomach ache?"
Xiao Shan saw her clutching her stomach, her lips slightly pale, and groaning intermittently.
Could it be her period again?
He calculated, and it had indeed been a month. Linglong had said that the first few times would be painful, and the timing wouldn't be very regular.
Xiao Shan effortlessly flipped Xue Niang over and slipped his hand under her clothes.
"Take your stinking hand away." Xue Niang swatted at him.
"Stop fooling around. This is no joke. If it's not treated properly, you'll suffer later." Xiao Shan's expression was somewhat serious as his hot palm covered her lower abdomen.
It was indeed very cold.
"What are you touching? It's not here."
Although he hadn't found the right spot, his body heat was high, and it felt very comfortable when his hand rested there. Her stomach was uncomfortable, so she moved his hand up, placing it over her stomach.
"Rub it."
Xiao Shan was somewhat surprised. Not her lower abdomen, then it wasn't her period. Had she eaten something bad?
"What did you eat at noon?"
"Crab, river mussels."
Xiao Shan was so angry he wanted to hit someone. "You ate with that Yutou again? They are both cold-natured foods, can't you eat them carelessly? I finally managed to improve your health, and you go and abuse it! How much did you eat?!"
Xiao Shan was furious, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot. Xue Niang felt a pang of fear and whispered, "Eight large crabs, four large river mussels. This big—"
Xue Niang stretched out her hand to gesture.
Good heavens! As big as Xiao Shan's palm!
"Are you not happy unless you make me furious? And you endure discomfort and don't say anything? Don't you have a mouth? I really want to—"
"Hit me?" Xue Niang opened her eyes, looking both frail and innocent.
Hit her? If only he could hit her! She took advantage of his affection and didn't take him seriously.
Xiao Shan stood up and walked outside.
"Where are you going?"
With the source of warmth gone, Xue Niang's stomach began to ache again. She looked at Xiao Shan aggrievedly.
"I'm going to boil you a bowl of brown sugar water to warm your stomach! You truly are my ancestor!"
"So fierce, no wonder you're so old and couldn't find a wife."
Xiao Shan paused, amused and angered. She dared to call him old? He'd deal with her when he got back!
After the brown sugar water was ready, Xiao Shan brought it over and fed Xue Niang a large bowl.
Her stomach immediately felt warm, but his hand was also comfortable.
Xue Niang regained some strength and pulled Xiao Shan's hand over again, placing it on her stomach over her undergarment. "Rub."
Little thing, she ordered people around so smoothly. It was her who asked him to rub!