The moment the topic of arranging a match for Yan Xue was brought up, Bai Xiuzhen’s eyelids twitched.
Before she could react, however, Grandma's sister—Yan Xue’s great-aunt—had already hobbled off to fetch Yan Songshan from the main house and then called over the Second Old Lady from the western wing.
With all six of them crowding into Yan Xue’s small rural adobe house, the space immediately felt cramped. Yan Songshan managed to maintain a gentle smile, but Bai Xiuzhen’s face had already darkened.
Without wasting words, Grandma's sister pulled out a small stack of ten-yuan bills and placed them on the kang. "This is a hundred yuan—the betrothal gift from the groom’s family."
Before anyone could speak, she added, "It’s an advance. If the match doesn’t work out, the money must be returned. But if it does, they’ll provide clothes, bedding, and household items separately."
Bai Xiuzhen promptly shut her mouth.
She couldn’t very well claim the betrothal gift was too meager—some families in the village couldn’t even afford this much for a wedding.
Still, resentment simmered in her chest, and she couldn’t resist muttering, "What kind of job pays enough to hand out this much money? Is there something wrong with him?"
"I’m not some heartless relative looking to sell a child for profit," Grandma's sister retorted, shooting her a glance before turning to Yan Xue. "He’s the grandson of an old friend of mine. His family moved to the Northeast years ago, and now he works at a forestry station. I know his grandparents and parents well—they’re honest, hardworking folks who live frugally. He’s tall too, over six feet."
A forestry worker—no wonder he could casually offer a hundred yuan. Unlike their rural lives, where they barely saw a penny all year.
Bai Xiuzhen’s envy began to gnaw at her. "Why find someone from the Northeast? I’ve heard those who fled there were so poor they couldn’t even eat, and they’ve got no manners—letting women sit at the table and all."
In the past, people were deeply attached to their hometowns. Unless driven by desperation, few would leave.
But Grandma's sister’s eldest daughter, Shan Qiufang, had also married into the Northeast. When she returned, she kept the habit of eating at the table, which had earned her ridicule.
The old woman said nothing, merely lifting her eyelids to give Bai Xiuzhen another look.
Yan Songshan frowned, clearly displeased with his wife’s tactlessness, and Yan Xue felt the same.
No matter how many times she encountered such attitudes, she could never get used to them—let alone accept them. Thankfully, in the era she’d come from, such outdated customs had long vanished.
Amid the awkward silence, Grandma's sister was the first to speak again. "I also told them about Jigang’s situation."
She couldn’t be bothered to argue. Bai Xiuzhen was, at best, blunt—at worst, utterly thoughtless. She played the villain while others reaped the benefits, hiding behind her to act virtuous.
Seeing Yan Jigang, who had been quietly listening, lift his head with a worried expression, the old woman gave him a reassuring smile. "Don’t fret. They didn’t object—otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent the betrothal gift."
Now Bai Xiuzhen truly had nothing left to say.
The gap between this suitor and the one she’d suggested was too vast. Even if her candidate hadn’t been disqualified earlier, bringing him up now would feel like an insult.
Her gaze drifted toward the stack of bills, but Grandma's sister was quicker, snatching it up and pressing it into Yan Xue’s hands. "Their forestry station is busy in winter, so he can’t take leave. If you’re interested, you should go meet him. Your aunt Qiufang lives in the same town—I’ll ask her to accompany you."
Shan Qiufang was Grandma's sister’s eldest daughter.
With the matter seemingly settled, Yan Songshan finally spoke up. "The conditions sound excellent, and her aunt and I agree it’s a good match. But it’s so far away—if anything happens, we won’t be able to help."
Remembering that Grandma's sister’s daughter was already there, he added, "Besides, Xue is still in mourning. I don’t know if they’re willing to wait two years."
"Exactly," Bai Xiuzhen chimed in quickly. No matter what, she had to sabotage this.
But before the words had fully left her mouth, Yan Xue shot her a puzzled look. "Auntie, when you came to introduce me to someone the other day, didn’t you say these customs don’t matter anymore? That one year of mourning is enough?"
Immediately, Grandma's sister and the Second Old Lady turned to stare at Bai Xiuzhen—their gazes heavy, making her squirm.
Unable to bear the scrutiny, Bai Xiuzhen abruptly stood and stormed out.
Yan Songshan, at least, tried to save face. "Xiuzhen had something to attend to—she was about to leave anyway." He excused himself and followed, his expression darkening the moment he stepped outside.
They weren’t Yan Xue’s parents, after all. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
Still, it was awfully convenient how her great-aunt had swooped in with a marriage proposal the moment they made their move…
Back in Yan Xue’s room, once the couple had left, the Second Old Lady—who had remained silent until now—finally spoke. "You sought this out yourself, didn’t you?"
Before Yan Xue could answer, Yan Jigang, who had been sitting beside her, looked up in shock.
He’d been worried earlier, but now, with the sudden turn of events, he was both relieved and bewildered.
Across the kang, Grandma's sister chuckled. Though she said nothing, her expression was confirmation enough.
The Second Old Lady’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "I knew you wouldn’t be so easily manipulated."
"I was just being cautious. Besides, I’ve been wanting to leave this place anyway." Yan Xue smiled, pouring hot water for the two elders.
She hadn’t just been waiting to come of age—Yan Songshan and Bai Xiuzhen had been waiting too.
So the moment she noticed Bai Xiuzhen’s suspiciously eager matchmaking, she’d gone straight to Shan Village to seize control of her own fate.
Leaning against her great-aunt, Yan Xue asked, "So… what’s he really like?"
"Such a brazen girl," Grandma's sister scolded lightly, but she still reached into her cloth bag and pulled out a photo. "There wasn’t enough time to get a recent one. This is from when he was little—take a look."
It was a family portrait. Yan Xue scanned it for a while before following the old woman’s finger to a boy of six or seven.
With so many people in the black-and-white photo, his features were hard to make out, but she could vaguely tell he had regular features and large eyes.
"Your aunt Qiufang saw him a few years ago—said he’s a fine young man. His family has no burdens either. His parents died during the famine in 1960, and he has no siblings. He was raised by his aunt and uncle, but since they’re not his direct relatives, they won’t interfere if you marry him."
No wonder they didn’t mind her being an orphan or her bringing her brother along.
No meddling relatives, no financial burdens, a stable job, and decent looks…
Given Yan Xue’s current circumstances, even if she waited, she might not find a better match. She made her decision instantly. "Then it’s settled. I’ll leave in a couple of days."
After seeing Grandma's sister off, the Second Old Lady lingered by the threshold. When Yan Xue returned, she sat back down on the kang. "For this trip to the Northeast, Jigang shouldn’t go with you right away."
Yan Xue froze mid-step, and Yan Jigang’s face paled with alarm.
The Second Old Lady quickly patted his shoulder. "You’ll go later, not never. Your sister needs to establish herself there first."
As for whether Yan Xue could manage in a strange new place, the old woman had no doubts.
How she handled this matter revealed her true character—calmly managing Yan Songshan and his wife while simultaneously asking Grandma's sister to arrange another match for her. She remained composed, not at all like a girl who had just turned eighteen.
But no matter how capable she was, bringing her younger brother along to her new marriage would put her at a disadvantage from the start, making it hard for her to stand tall.
The Second Old Lady had clearly given this careful thought. "Yan Xue should go first. Once she’s settled there, or has a child, she can bring Yan Jigang over. As for Jigang, don’t worry—I’m still here. Your grandmother may not be good for much, but I know how to hatch eggs. At the very least, I won’t let you go hungry."
She was famous for her ability to hatch eggs and raise chicks, earning a modest income from selling them every year. If she had relied solely on others for survival, she would have endured countless humiliations by now.
But the Second Old Lady had always kept a low profile, rarely interacting with them in the past. After Yan Baishan passed away, however, she began quietly looking after the siblings. Never before had she taken on such a significant responsibility.
Yan Xue instinctively wanted to refuse. "Grandmother—"
The Second Old Lady seemed to know her concerns. "Jigang is my grandson. There’s an adoption certificate, and the villagers can vouch for it. If anyone tries to interfere, they’ll have to answer to me first. When the family was divided, I received my share—two rooms and a chest."
Her eyes were firm as she spoke, a stark contrast to her usual reclusive, almost invisible demeanor as a widowed old woman.
Yan Xue was about to say more when Yan Jigang unclenched his tightly balled fists. "Sister, l-let me stay. I’m not afraid."
The young boy looked up at her, his face still uneasy but his gaze resolute. "When you’re s-settled, come b-back for me."
Thinking of his stutter, his fear of going outside, and his forced bravery…
Yan Xue gritted her teeth. "Six months at most."
Sentimentality wouldn’t solve anything. She gave herself half a year to establish herself there—at the very least, she needed to find a way to earn money. She couldn’t expect others to support her brother.
On the day Yan Xue left, Yan Songshan’s family didn’t come to see her off. Their children peeked out but were quickly called back by their parents.
The couple was fuming. They had assumed that even if the marriage fell through, at least the house would be vacated. They never expected Yan Xue to leave Yan Jigang behind.
Hadn’t this girl always cared deeply for her brother?
Could it be that she had been pretending all along, eager to dump her burden the moment a better opportunity arose?
But whether they came or not, no one cared. Yan Xue had the Second Old Lady escorting her to the courtyard gate and her younger brother walking her to the edge of the village.
As the distance grew, the boy carrying her bundle showed no sign of stopping. Finally, Yan Xue halted.
Without her saying a word, Yan Jigang understood. He pressed his lips together before blurting out, "Sister, y-you’ll come b-back, right?"
"Six months at most." Yan Xue removed her gloves.
Yan Jigang did the same, hooking his pinky with hers. Before she could say anything else, he shoved the bundle into her arms, turned, and ran. Only after covering some distance did he sneak a glance back at her.
Too far to see his expression, Yan Xue still noticed him wiping his face with the back of his hand after turning away…
Three days later, an old green train pulled into a snow-covered town at the foot of Changbai Mountain.
When the conductor announced their arrival at Chengshui Station, Yan Xue wrapped her scarf tighter, gathered her luggage, and stepped out. A woman holding a cardboard sign with "Yan Xue" scrawled on it caught her eye.
She approached. "Aunt Shan Qiufang?"
The heavily bundled woman stomped her feet and nodded, giving Yan Xue a once-over. "You’re Yan Xue?"
When Yan Xue confirmed, the woman immediately folded the cardboard under her arm and reached for her luggage. "It’s been years—you’ve grown into a young woman. I wouldn’t have recognized you if you hadn’t spoken."
Then she asked, "Cold enough for you here in the northeast? When I first arrived, I didn’t know any better—got frostbite on my ears and hands. Took years of soaking them in boiled wormwood water to heal."
Clearly a talkative sort, Shan Qiufang led the way as Yan Xue followed. "It’s alright. Grandma's sister warned me about the winters here, so my grandmother altered my padded clothes."
"Your Grandma's sister worries too much. Ever since I mentioned the cold, she’s asked about it in every letter."
Shan Qiufang laughed, and Yan Xue’s eyes crinkled in response. "She cares about you. She even had me bring sweet potato strips for you and the kids."
"Making you carry stuff all this way—what a hassle." Though she complained, her smile deepened.
She guided Yan Xue through the crowd. "Come to my place first. I’ll cook you something warm. You can head to the forestry station tomorrow after resting."
"Better to go today. The sooner I meet him, the sooner I can put my family at ease. My grandmother and brother are waiting for news."
After all, they were distant relatives who hadn’t seen each other in years. Yan Xue didn’t want to impose. Besides, housing was tight in the cities, and food was rationed per person. Some families barely had enough for themselves, let alone guests.
She hadn’t even planned on asking Shan Qiufang to accompany her. But when Shan Qiufang saw she couldn’t be dissuaded, she found someone to relay a message to her family and insisted on crossing half of Chengshui to take Yan Xue to the forest railway station.
"To get to the forestry station, you’ll need to take the narrow-gauge train. It’s remote—some areas don’t even have proper roads. Buses can’t get through."
Unable to resist, she asked again, "Sure you don’t want to stop by my place first?"
"If I end up settling here, there’ll be plenty of chances later," Yan Xue replied with a smile. "I’ll bring you a proper matchmaker’s gift then."
"Your happiness is gift enough. Who cares about that?"
The forest railway station was small, just a row of single-story buildings. As they entered, a train was about to depart. Shan Qiufang asked around, then immediately pulled Yan Xue into a run.
"This is the one. No time to buy tickets—we’ll pay onboard."
She pushed Yan Xue onto the train and was about to follow when someone shouted from behind, "Aunt Shan Qiufang! Is Aunt Shan Qiufang here?"
One foot already on the iron steps, Shan Qiufang turned. "Who’s looking for me?"
A girl of twelve or thirteen skidded over, her homemade ice skates still strapped to her shoes. She panted as she jumped onto the platform. "Y-your Da Qiang fell through the ice! My mom told me to come get you—"
Before she could finish, Shan Qiufang’s face paled. "Da Qiang fell in? Was he pulled out?"
This was the dead of winter, with temperatures plunging below -20°C. A person could freeze to death in minutes.
Though frantic, the girl spoke clearly. "He’s out. Lots of people were skating nearby—"
"I’m going back." Shan Qiufang leapt off the steps and sprinted away. After six or seven meters, she suddenly remembered something and spun around. "There’s an emergency at home—you’ll have to go alone, Yan Xue. His name’s Qi Fang, at Jinchuan Forestry Station. Anyone there can point you to him."
"I’ll come with you—"
But as Yan Xue grabbed her luggage, the train lurched into motion.
With a thud, the conductor shut the door, and the two figures vanished from sight.
It wasn’t until late at night, after giving medicine and wiping the child’s body with strong liquor to finally bring down the fever, that Shan Qiufang suddenly remembered something.
There were two forest farms called Jinchuan in this area—one was Jinchuan, the other was Little Jinchuan. She couldn’t have misspoken earlier, could she…
