Chapter 144: Chill

As soon as Qin Huiyin stepped through the door, Li Taohua observed her expression and noticed she seemed significantly more cheerful.

Though she had been quite composed just moments ago, she could never hide her daughter’s joy or sorrow from her mother, who had relied on her for so many years.

"Mother, where is that new quilt we weren't using?"

Li Taohua: "..."

She had truly underestimated that wolf cub. Previously, it had only been some food, and she hadn't wanted to dampen her daughter's spirits, so she let it slide. But now, it had escalated to a quilt. How could a daughter as clever as hers be so foolish when it came to him?

"Daughter, a quilt isn't cheap," Li Taohua reminded her.

"He gave me all his wages; it's enough to buy several quilts," Qin Huiyin said, assuming Li Taohua was simply being thrifty.

Li Taohua muttered, "Is this about the price of a few quilts? If you keep being this generous, our entire household will be emptied out."

Tang Yixiao curled her lip. "That man is truly terrifying. Everyone says he never speaks, but look at how he’s managed to coax our second sister into serving him so diligently. If he were actually talkative, what would happen then?"

Tang Liuwu put a stop to Tang Yixiao’s sarcasm. "Yinyin thinks he’s a good person, and she must have her reasons."

Qin Huiyin carried the new quilt out and said to Li Taohua, "Mother, I’m going out for a moment. I’ll be right back."

Li Taohua: "..."

'Momo' followed closely at Qin Huiyin’s heels.

When Qin Huiyin arrived, she saw Song Ruize waiting not far away. She looked at him in surprise, only to see him stride over and take the quilt from her hands.

"I’m leaving tomorrow," Song Ruize said.

"You must have time off eventually, right? You’ll have to come back and stay here next time you’re off. Besides, there’s a holiday for the New Year when working on the dam. Don’t you think you’ll need it when you come back then?"

Qin Huiyin followed Song Ruize back into the desolate courtyard.

"You’ve been gone so long that the weeds are taller than you are," she remarked offhandedly as she followed him into the bedroom and bent down to spread the quilt for him.

When she came back out, she saw Song Ruize squatting there, pulling weeds. Qin Huiyin walked over and joined him in the task.

"Don't do it," Song Ruize said, pushing her hands away. "These weeds will cut your skin."

"Are you going back to the dam tomorrow morning?"

"I still have some things to finish, then I'll head back."

"Then you go ahead and get busy; I’m heading back now."

"Wait a moment..." Song Ruize called out to her. He stood up and cautioned, "Stay right there."

After Song Ruize left, Qin Huiyin continued weeding, only to find that the grass not only cut her hands but was also difficult to pull. She looked around, grabbed a hoe, and dug directly, pulling the weeds up by their roots.

"Here," Song Ruize said, pressing a cloth parcel into her hand.

Qin Huiyin felt the weight of the object in her arms; she opened it to find several large silver ingots. Each ingot was ten taels, totaling fifty taels.

"If you have this much silver, why do you still go to work on the dam?"

"I don't want to stay in the village."

"But working on the dam is so exhausting," Qin Huiyin said. "Still, it’s not all bad; perhaps this is a turning point in your life. If you just kept hunting in the village, even with all your talent, you’d never see a way out in this lifetime. You’re so young and possess such great skills; you really should go out and make your own way."

As she spoke, she tried to press the silver back into his hands. "You have so much money, why give it to me? Keep it well."

"Think of it as prepaying for those sauces."

"If I have a meal to eat, you’ll never go hungry; why give me money?" Qin Huiyin said, displeased. "If we have to account for everything so clearly between us, then I won't bring you anything anymore."

"Then keep it for me," Song Ruize said calmly. "I’m rarely back, and it’s not safe to keep it at home."

Qin Huiyin hesitated, stroking the silver ingots. "I’ll make a separate ledger for you and keep it temporarily on your behalf. Whenever you need it, come to me, and I’ll give it to you."

"Hm."

Qin Huiyin said goodbye to Song Ruize and headed home, feeling lighthearted. She hummed a melodic, cheerful tune all the way, not noticing the figure following closely behind her until she stepped through her door.

Song Ruize stared at the tightly closed door.

Qin Huiyin’s voice drifted out from inside: "Mother, your favorite precious daughter is home!"

Her voice was bright and airy, like a warm little sun.

"Move aside, can't you see I'm applying the mask you mixed for me?" Li Taohua said with mock disdain. "I thought you’d run off with that Song boy!"

"My mother is so cute when she’s jealous!"

"Get out, get out, get out!"

"Sister Liuwu, stop what you’re doing and come over here; I’ll help you apply your mask," Qin Huiyin called to Tang Liuwu.

"Ah? Do I need it too? That’s not necessary!"

"Hurry up and come over, let's all put on masks together."

Song Ruize leaned against the wall, listening to Qin Huiyin’s voice until the sky grew dark, at which point he finally turned to leave.

Third Uncle Tang emerged from their neighbor the carpenter's house. Seeing Song Ruize walking ahead, he called out loudly, "Song boy, wait for me..."

Song Ruize hesitated for a moment but ultimately stopped. Had this been in the past, he certainly would have ignored him.

Third Uncle Tang caught up to him and looked at him. "I heard from Erzhu that you’re doing quite well for yourself—managing hundreds of people at such a young age."

"It's just being a target; it's nothing special," Song Ruize replied coolly.

"You’re doing great as you are now," Third Uncle Tang said. "But it’s not enough to just be on good terms with your sister; you have to see where the real influence lies."

Song Ruize looked confused.

Third Uncle Tang laughed heartily. "Silly boy, who is the person your sister cares about most? It’s not those folks in the Tang family—it’s her mother. You need to make her mother like you. That way, you and your sister can be as close as you want, and no one will stand in your way."

"She doesn't like me," Song Ruize frowned.

"You have to prescribe the right medicine, kid," Third Uncle Tang said, patting him on the shoulder. "You’re smart; I believe you’ll figure it out."

Third Uncle Tang and Song Ruize walked together for a stretch before parting ways, each returning to his own home.

Song Ruize knelt in the courtyard to pull weeds.

The sky was already dim, and the light was fading, but a figure remained, crouched in the yard. Not until the very last weed was pulled did he gather them up and stack them in the corner by the wall.

This house hadn't been tended to in a long time. In the past, when he was hunting in the mountains, the existence of this home felt indifferent; he spent more time sleeping in trees than in this house. But now, he felt he should have a place to call his own.

After tidying up the yard, Song Ruize took his spare clothes and headed to the river. When he returned, his body was damp. Even in such cold weather, he had gone to the river to bathe.

He touched the soft, fluffy quilt.

He had never used such a comfortable quilt before.

He lay on the bed, pulling the covers over himself. The chill on his body vanished, and even the coldness in his heart dissipated quite a bit.