Su Yaoguang applied a bit of lipstick on Zhang Zhaodi's lips, then handed her a bronze mirror to see.
Zhang Zhaodi's originally plain face suddenly became lively with just a touch of red.
"These days, Mother doesn't have anything to do and can help you. Teach Mother how to make it," Zhang Zhaodi immediately showed interest.
"Besides lipstick, I also want to make stone dye, fragrant powder, rouge, flower ornaments, face cream, and other products," Su Yaoguang said. "There are many varieties of these items. I'll make two or three types of each one, with ten boxes of each type, and once I have enough, I'll send them to the city to sell."
"Mother will help you."
"Mother, don't you wonder how I know all this?"
"I'm often not at home, and you're always by yourself at home. I heard people say you often like to eavesdrop on the teacher's lectures from outside the private school and that when you go to the city, you disappear, and they want me to keep an eye on you so you don't go astray. I once secretly followed you and found that you were helping with cooking at Landlord Li's house. You must have learned those skills from various people. There's nothing I need to ask, I trust you."
Su Yaoguang felt a bit dazed.
Indeed! It was so long ago, she almost forgot about the time she used to run around everywhere for a living, trying to help Mother relieve the burden by finding odd jobs.
Zhou Wangshu was up and about on the fifth day.
His external injuries had crusted over, and as long as he didn't get hurt again, he could help with some light work.
Zhang Zhaodi saw that Zhou Wangshu had recovered well and no longer treated him coldly. She brought up the topic of writing a marriage contract and registering it with the government several times. Zhou Wangshu expressed his full cooperation, but it was Su Yaoguang who deflected by saying they were both still young.
"You want to come up the mountain with me?" Su Yaoguang glanced at Zhou Wangshu following her, assessing him. "Your injuries haven't fully healed yet, it's better not to risk it on the mountain."
"I'm pretty good with a slingshot. If we encounter any wild animals, I can help scare them away," Zhou Wangshu said, taking out the slingshot he'd already prepared.
Zhang Zhaodi fiddled with flower petals on the side, saying, "Let him follow. If a grown man can't protect you, should you be taking care of him instead?"
Zhou Wangshu was wearing Su's father's clothes, which seemed a bit too big on him. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his scarred arms.
The body was marked with scars everywhere except the face. It's hard to imagine what kind of life he had been living before.
Su Yaoguang had been hurt by men before and knew that pitying men never ended well. Yet somehow, the desperate youth in her past memories overlapped with the boy now.
"Then follow me and don't wander around." Su Yaoguang said, "Don't carry the back basket; you still have injuries. Just take a basket and gather some wild vegetables."
Su Yaoguang led Zhou Wangshu up the mountain. As they passed through the village, many people looked on. Only then did they take a good look at Zhou Wangshu's appearance, all exclaiming in amazement.
"That Yao Guang girl really got lucky. Such a handsome man for just ten cents, no wonder she took the risk to buy him."
"People said she missed out by not buying that Jiang Family guy, but now it seems the Jiang Family one would cost one and a half taels of silver and is useless in everything. This one only cost ten cents, and is just as good-looking if not more, and most importantly, he is sweet-talking! Look how sweetly he smiles at that Yao Guang girl, he's instantly likable."
"Auntie, hello... Sister, hello... Brother, hello... Uncle, hello..." Zhou Wangshu greeted people along the way, making the villagers lose their bearings.
He was good-looking, with clear eyes, and his injuries added a touch of vulnerability. When he smiled, it was as vibrant as mountain flowers blooming.
Xiao Yanci had a cold demeanor, held himself above others, and was proud. In his previous life, his attitude offended many people, but she and her mother protected him. Later, when he joined her rations, he had the opportunity for official examinations, and the villagers, seeing his academic potential, sought to curry favor, which only made him more aloof.
Compared to Xiao Yanci, Zhou Wangshu's quick integration gave her immense peace of mind. She realized she had chosen well this time.
After climbing the mountain, Su Yaoguang began to pick flowers. She needed a large quantity of fresh flowers to make rouge and other cosmetic powders, necessitating daily trips up the mountain for fresh blooms.
"Don't wander off." She advised Zhou Wangshu, then set out to find her target.
Zhou Wangshu aimed his slingshot at a pheasant in the bushes. With a snap, the pheasant clucked twice and fell over.
Su Yaoguang: "..."
She jogged over, picked up the pheasant from the bushes, and said in surprise, "It's actually dead?"
Her traps had yet to catch anything, and yet he managed to hunt with just a slingshot. His value was increasing, making her look at him in a new light.
Zhou Wangshu blushed, embarrassed, and said, "It was just luck."
"Well, you're lucky then."
Su Yaoguang located a patch of flowers and began to pick petals.
She had no time to focus on Zhou Wangshu, only occasionally glancing up to confirm he was nearby and hadn't wandered off before continuing her harvesting.
Once she finished, her basket was full. She dug up a dozen or so plants, placing them in the basket Zhou Wangshu had brought, intending to transplant them into her garden later.
With long-term plans to venture into the cosmetics business, she needed a steady supply of flowers. The mountain was one source, but she also needed to cultivate some herself to avoid running out of stock.
"Where did these rabbits come from, and two of them?" Su Yaoguang was curious.
Zhou Wangshu pointed to a rabbit hole not far away, "Caught them over there, it's a male and a female. Let's take them back to raise."
"Are you a lucky charm? Bringing you out here and the bounties keep coming." Su Yaoguang said, "Can you carry them?"
"Even injured, I can handle two rabbits and a pheasant." Zhou Wangshu replied, "Heading down now?"
"Yes, let's go!"
As Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu headed back with their haul, they ran into Xiao Yanci at the foot of the mountain. Xiao Yanci was carrying firewood, face smudged with dirt and dripping with sweat.
Seeing Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu, Xiao Yanci stopped wiping his sweat, his gaze lingering on what they were carrying, a flash of chagrin in his eyes.
For these past few days, he had been eating nothing but corn bread, with only Jiang Yihuan occasionally sneaking him something else—sometimes an egg, sometimes a few pieces of meat.
Zhong Lanhua may look pretty, but she is extremely harsh, nothing like her kind-hearted daughter. He needed to find a way to change his current situation, he couldn't continue being at someone's beck and call. He heard her son would soon be on leave, still studying at the private school; perhaps this was his opportunity.
Su Yaoguang passed by Xiao Yanci.
Zhou Wangshu glanced at Xiao Yanci, then picked up the rabbits and caught up with Su Yaoguang.
"Yaoguang, I don't want chicken soup; can we have it braised?" Zhou Wangshu asked.
"Sure," Su Yaoguang replied, "You caught the chicken, so you can decide how we prepare it."
Listening to their conversation, Xiao Yanci suddenly felt a twinge of envy.
Hmph, nothing to be envious about. That village girl is just a shrew, even more uncouth and rude than Zhong Lanhua.