On her way home carrying groceries, Ye Yunniang was knocked down by someone hurrying past.
The chicken, meat, vegetables, and wild jujubes in her hands scattered all over the ground.
The person who bumped into Ye Yunniang didn't pause for a moment, leaving hurriedly.
Ye Yunniang lay on the ground for a moment to recover before getting up and starting to gather her things.
The chicken's feet were tied; it clucked a few times.
The meat was stained with mud and would need careful washing when she got back.
The troublesome part was the wild jujubes, which had rolled everywhere.
Someone walked over, crouched down, and began picking up the jujubes. "Let me help you."
Ye Yunniang looked up. It was Ma Hui.
"I can manage. You must be busy."
"I'm in no hurry." Ma Hui remained crouched, helping to gather the jujubes.
"Really, it's not necessary. I can do it myself." Ye Yunniang said, speeding up.
"Two people are faster." Ma Hui did not get up to leave.
After picking up the last jujube, Ma Hui placed the ones in his hand into Ye Yunniang's basket.
"Thank you." Ye Yunniang took two steps back, creating distance.
"We're neighbors. No need to be so polite." Ma Hui waved his hand.
"Please, have some jujubes." Ye Yunniang grabbed a handful and offered them to Ma Hui.
"No need, it was just a small thing. I'll be on my way." Ma Hui walked off in the opposite direction from Ye Yunniang.
Watching Ma Hui leave, Ye Yunniang picked up her basket and continued toward home.
After Ye Yunniang had gone, Ma Hui and Wang Qiang emerged from around the corner of the alley.
"Brother Hui, why didn't you walk her home?"
"Qiangzi, let's just live our lives properly. Don't think about other things." Ma Hui advised Wang Qiang.
Wang Qiang had always felt he owed Ma Hui something and wanted his Brother Hui to have a descendant,
unlike himself, who was destined to have no heirs.
"Brother Hui, trust me one more time. I'm absolutely sure of this plan." Wang Qiang grasped Ma Hui's hand. "Don't you want a child to call you father?"
How could Ma Hui not want that? "Qiangzi, my elder brother and sister-in-law adopting a child seems quite good too. How about—"
"No." Wang Qiang disagreed. He insisted that if they were to raise a child, it must be Ma Hui's own flesh and blood. Adopted children were bastards, ungrateful wolves you could never truly tame.
Ma Hui couldn't win the argument against Wang Qiang and agreed to follow his plan.
"Will this really work?"
"Don't worry, I've planned everything. There will be absolutely no problems." Wang Qiang revealed a confident smile, as if everything was under his control.
The two men speaking did not notice Tong Mo crouching on a tree branch above them.
After hearing their plot against Ye Yunniang, a flicker of killing intent rose in Tong Mo's eyes.
Ye Yunniang returned home, boiled water, and killed the chicken.
Now, Ye Yunniang could slaughter a chicken without blinking, swiftly and efficiently letting its blood.
The chicken stewed on the stove.
Ye Yunniang went to wash the jujubes that had gotten dirty.
After washing them, she filled a bowl and took it next door to Liang Maimiao to pick up Li Ping.
Liang Maimiao pulled Ye Yunniang aside to share the latest news she knew.
"Wang Qiang and Ma Hui are holding their bonding ceremony banquet next month."
"Bonding ceremony banquet?" Ye Yunniang was puzzled. What kind of banquet was that?
Liang Maimiao explained to Ye Yunniang that a bonding ceremony banquet was when two men decided to be together, live like an ordinary married couple.
Since a union between two men went against the natural balance of yin and yang, it couldn't be called a wedding. To the outside world, they called it forming a brotherly pact.
The bonding ceremony banquet was, plainly speaking, their wedding feast.
After listening, Ye Yunniang remarked with a sigh that people in big cities certainly had many novel customs.
"Will everyone be going?"
"They've invited us, so of course we'll go."
"How much should the gift money be? What's the amount?"
"For neighbors getting married, close relations might wrap thirty copper coins, while more casual acquaintances wrap eighteen." Liang Maimiao stated the amount her family usually gave.
Ye Yunniang made a mental note and discussed the bonding ceremony banquet with Cai Damei that evening.
Next month, Cai Damei's pregnancy would reach six months. She couldn't stay in Evening Glow Alley.
Cai Damei, uneasy about Ye Yunniang going alone, suggested she simply leave with her.
"Mother, if we hide from them this time, there will be a next time." Ye Yunniang didn't want to hide. There was no sense in being on guard forever.
“That day, you must stick with Maimiao or Chunyao. Don't be alone.” Cai Damei urged uneasily, looking at her own belly and feeling that the timing was inconvenient.
Ye Yunniang listened carefully, noting Cai Damei's instructions.
After this, Ye Yunniang would run into Ma Hui whenever she went out.
Ma Hui always greeted Ye Yunniang warmly each time. An uninformed observer might think the two were very familiar.
In response, Ye Yunniang consistently maintained a polite but distant attitude. No matter how enthusiastic Ma Hui was, she treated him coolly.
If anyone asked, Ye Yunniang explained they were merely neighbors and not close, leaving no room for gossip.
Ye Yunniang's impenetrable resistance made Ma Hui consider giving up again.
Wang Qiang soothed Ma Hui. "Don't worry, Brother Hui. Ye Yunniang won't get away." Wang Qiang had made meticulous arrangements to fulfill his lover's wish.
Unaware of Wang Qiang's scheme, Ye Yunniang was currently packing Cai Damei's luggage.
Even the thick clothes of late autumn couldn't fully conceal Cai Damei's six-month belly.
After several discussions, Cai Damei persuaded Bao Min to agree to her leaving Jiangcheng to give birth in a secluded place. This place wasn't Ye Yunniang's farmstead, but one of Bao Min's manors.
Bao Min had prepared midwives, doctors, wet nurses, and all necessary caretakers at the manor.
Cai Damei's public reason for leaving was that their winter vegetable reserves were insufficient and she needed to go south to purchase more.
After informing the neighbors on both sides, Cai Damei set off in a security escort's carriage.
Watching the carriage gradually disappear into the distance, Ye Yunniang felt a hollow emptiness in her heart. But she quickly rallied her spirits. She had to care for three children, manage Little Cai Ji, and also deal with Wang Qiang and Ma Hui.
Time soon arrived for Wang Qiang and Ma Hui's bonding ceremony banquet.
Ye Yunniang got up early, made breakfast, woke the children for their meal, and sent Li Pan and Li An to Madam Du's school.
Returning, she brought Li Ping to the Xu house next door.
"Aunt Xu, sorry to trouble you to look after Pingping." Ye Yunniang placed Li Ping on Aunt Xu's bed.
Aunt Xu had sprained her foot two days prior and was resting at home.
"No trouble at all. I should thank you for having Pingping come chat with me. I love chatting with Pingping. Isn't that right, Pingping?" Aunt Xu reached out and gently touched Li Ping's little cheek.
"Grandma Xu." Li Ping called out obediently.
“Yes, our Pingping is so well-behaved.” Aunt Xu liked Li Ping more and more the longer she looked. If only her own grandson were this well-behaved.
Ye Yunniang wrapped eighteen copper coins in red paper and went with Liang Maimiao to No. 7 Courtyard.
No. 7 Courtyard was crowded inside and out with many people.
Several decades had passed since the last bonding ceremony banquet in the nearby alleys, so many came to see the spectacle.
Wang Qiang and Ma Hui had many friends, and relatives from both families had also come.
Approaching the table for recording gifts, Ye Yunniang gave her name and handed over the red paper-wrapped coins.
After the record was made, Ye Yunniang and Liang Maimiao walked into the courtyard.
Chunyao was chatting with someone and, seeing the two enter, quickly waved for Ye Yunniang and Liang Maimiao to come over.
As they drew near, Ye Yunniang saw that Chunyao was talking to Hongyan.
Ye Yunniang was very surprised that Hongyan would come!
