Chapter 29: Grandfather and Grandmother

Before Meng could even respond, Ning Xin had already walked quite a distance away.

Ning Dalao, however, was filled with curiosity. "Huinang..." He struggled to find the right words, offering only subtle hints.

Meng shot him a glance, turned back into the house, and opened the cabinet. Looking at the bag of silver, her heart ached.

"How much is it?" Ning Dalao asked.

"Dalao, no matter how much it is, today is the last time Xin will give me silver. Tonight, I will tell her that from now on, no matter how much she earns, she must keep it for herself."

"..." Ning Dalao was stunned.

"When you go to the county seat, do you ever let yourself eat well?"

Ning Dalao shook his head.

"Our daughter is the same; she doesn't indulge either. Even with all this money, she bought the pots for the new house, and the pry bars and hammers were for you."

"But Dalao, she is our daughter. It should be us showering her with care and love."

"It is our responsibility to support this household." Meng sighed heavily.

"In the early days when we had no money, she spent every day catching rabbits and pheasants. She never let anyone in the family go hungry, and while she managed to save some, it was never enough to buy land or build a house."

"It was only when Xin brought the silver back the other day..."

"But the more she brings back, the more I feel indebted, and I’m terrified that I’ll grow accustomed to it—that my heart will become increasingly greedy, and I’ll end up demanding more."

"Especially given Ning Xin’s personality—she’s carefree, simple-minded, and a bit naive. If we don’t teach her to prioritize herself, she’ll be completely devoured by her future in-laws."

She was already a fifteen-year-old girl. Even if they kept her for a while, she would have to marry by eighteen.

Since her parents couldn't provide a large dowry, she had to save it herself. With money in her hands and the wisdom to spend it on self-love, she wouldn't be taken advantage of in her future marriage.

"Then we won't let her marry out. We'll take a son-in-law into our home." The mere thought of his daughter suffering in someone else's house made Ning Dalao unable to sit still.

"As if that’s so simple."

Taking in a son-in-law wasn't easy. What decent young man would be willing to live as a matrilocal son-in-law? Only the bottom-of-the-barrel types—lazy, foolish, or wicked—would think of such a thing to avoid honest work. Or perhaps someone from a family with so many brothers that they were starving...

At the thought of such a possibility, Meng felt a chill. She asked Ning Dalao in a low voice, "Did you hear what I said? Do you have any objections?"

"I heard you, and I have no objections. I think you're absolutely right, Huinang. We'll do exactly as you say." Ning Dalao sighed with emotion. "It's my own lack of ability, but my daughter is capable. As her father, I feel a sense of pride, heh."

He quickly comforted himself. Meng couldn't help but laugh despite her frustration. But there was truth in it. Today, who in the village didn't envy her for raising such a fine daughter?

"Stop dawdling here. Go find someone to pick an auspicious date. We’ll retrieve the house and land deeds tomorrow, and once the day arrives, we’ll start clearing the land." Did he really think building a house was easy?

Those stones, for instance—lining the wall along the creek would take many days.

"I'm going right now."

Ning Xin, however, was oblivious to her parents' thoughts. She was currently busy trekking along the road. After reaching her maternal grandparents' village, she had to navigate flat paths, climb a mountain, walk along a short ridge, and then hike up a slope for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense before their house would come into view—though there was still a distance to go.

Her grandparents didn't live in the deep, untamed wilderness. It was her great-grandfather who had come here to clear land and farm to escape the turmoil of war. Later, they found it difficult to move back down. There was no land or fields below, they had no money, and most importantly, they lacked household registration. Now that they finally had the registration, where would they go if they moved down? So, they simply stayed. There were about a dozen other households nearby, forming a small village.

Spotting someone moving near the house, Ning Xin, with her sharp eyes, recognized her grandfather.

"Grandfather!" Ning Xin shouted at the top of her lungs.

Meng Jiacai, now sixty-one, was still sturdy and full of vigor. He had been carrying a load of manure to fertilize the vegetables when he heard the shout. He looked toward the foot of the mountain.

"..." That figure? It looked like his Xin. "Xin?"

"Grandfather!"

Oh my. Meng Jiacai was overjoyed. He hurried to shout into the house, "Old woman! Old woman! Boil some water quickly, Xin is here!"

"Who's here?" Meng Linshi walked out of the house.

"Your precious granddaughter."

"How many came?"

"Just one, Xin is here."

Hearing this, Meng Linshi was equally delighted. "I'll go boil the water right now and make her some egg drop soup with sugar." She turned to her husband, "And you, stop with that manure. Go wash up; don't let the stench bother Xin."

"I know, I know."

When Ning Xin arrived, Meng Jiacai and Meng Linshi were both waiting at the path, and seeing her carrying a bamboo basket, Meng Jiacai rushed forward to take it from her.

"Grandfather, Grandmother."

"Oh, my dear grandchild." Meng Linshi truly cherished every one of her children and grandchildren. Having not seen Ning Xin for three months since the second day of the New Year, she was overjoyed. "Come, Grandmother will make you some egg drop soup."

Ning Xin smiled like a happy little simpleton, following Meng Linshi contentedly. "Grandmother, have you been well lately?"

"I'm fine, just missing all of you." Thinking of her daughter's situation, Meng Linshi looked worried. "Did you come today because something happened at home? Is there enough grain to eat?"

"There is enough." Ning Xin took her grandmother's arm and sat down beside her. "Grandmother, Grandfather, the things in the basket were sent by Mother to honor you. We’ve already bought the wasteland and are preparing to build a house."

The weight on Meng Linshi’s heart finally lifted. Overjoyed at the news that her daughter was finally building a home, she asked, "How many rooms are you planning to build, and when do you start? After the spring plowing, I'll have your uncles and cousins come over to help."

"We haven't picked a date yet. Once we do, I'll come back and tell you." Ning Xin answered every question.

Meng Jiacai brought over the bowl of egg drop soup and placed it in front of Ning Xin. "Xin, drink it while it's hot."

Ning Xin smiled as she took it. "Thank you, Grandfather."

"Drink up, taste if it's sweet enough. If not, I'll add more sugar," Meng Linshi said, beaming, her eyes fixed on Ning Xin with deep affection.

Ning Xin took a sip and nodded vigorously. "Grandmother, it's very sweet."

Meng Linshi laughed even more happily, her face creasing with wrinkles. "Are you staying the night?"

"I'm heading back shortly." She had to deliver the deer to Manager Yuan tomorrow; she couldn't afford to delay making money.

Meng Linshi was silent for a moment, then told Meng Jiacai to go pack some grain for her.

"Grandmother, we have grain at home, and I can earn money now, too." Her grandparents had long since separated from her uncles and lived alone; it wasn't easy for them to save grain. "Grandmother, I really can earn money. A wild boar gets me over a thousand wen, and a deer gets me five taels of silver."

"How much?" Meng Linshi was stunned.

Ning Xin held up her hand to show the amount. Meng Linshi’s eyes widened in surprise, and she kept repeating how good that was. "Our Xin is so capable."

As for the grain and eggs, Meng Linshi thought it wouldn't matter if Ning Xin didn't take them back; in a couple of days, she and the old man would head down to Ning Village and bring them over themselves.

However, after Ning Xin left, looking at the two catties of salt, two catties of sugar, five catties of glutinous rice, two catties of fine rice, and two catties of flour she had brought, Meng Linshi’s eyes turned red. "This Huinang... bringing all these things here, is she not planning to live her own life?"