Chapter 84

The rain was still falling, and the listener was getting very sleepy.

Mu Jin yawned softly, put the half-finished garment aside, lay down gently, and dozed off for a while.

Zhou Lin, however, was full of energy. He glanced at the fine raindrops outside the window, too lazy to move, and went to sleep with Mu Jin.

The bed in Wen Zhaoran's room was very large. After working for a short while, Bai Qiqiu lay down on the bed in his room in a relaxed manner.

I chatted with Wen Zhaoran for a while, still half asleep.

The voices inside gradually subsided, and apart from the sound of rain, only the breathing of the sleeping people inside could be heard.

The autumn rain lasted all day, and the weather grew colder and colder.

With winter approaching next month, the family's dye shop has received a lot of fabric these past two days.

When the sun came out, Mu Jin and Bai Qiqiu got busy dyeing the newly received fabrics.

The rain had soaked the village roads thoroughly; although it had stopped, they were still not easy to walk on.

Zhou Si couldn't sit still at home when she had some free time. After lunch, she and Mu Mian went to find Mu Jin, Bai Qiqiu, and Wen Zhaoran to chat.

Because of the Zhou family's affairs, Zhou Si felt somewhat ashamed in her husband's family.

Although neither Mu Liehu nor Mu Shumo were the type to tease their husbands, Zhou Si was thoughtful and prone to overthinking.

With no one else around, Zhou Si sighed deeply.

As she helped put the cloth into the dye vat, Zhou Si complained softly, "Brother, just thinking about what happened at home yesterday makes me feel so ashamed."

Mu Jin pulled out the still-burning firewood from the stove and put it out.

Hearing this, she sighed softly. Although the young men and women are married and follow their husbands, the affairs of their maternal families will still have some impact on their status in their maternal families.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "You should live your life well. Brother Lingyun and Uncle Mu are not the type to nitpick."

Zhou Si nodded gently. He knew it too, but he always liked to think about it.

Mumian helped hang the dyed cloth to dry and then walked in from the yard.

"Jin'er, I heard from Zhaoran that you're planning to build a wooden house after the New Year?"

Mu Jin nodded and smiled, "It's cheaper than building a brick house, and it's more comfortable to live in."

"That's truly something special for our village. The food Zhaoran brought over a few days ago was so delicious, tsk tsk, I still drool just thinking about it now."

"Then you can savor it slowly, because it might be a while before you can eat it again."

Mu Jin smiled and chuckled.

Mu Mian smiled and said, "It's enough to have this once in my life."

As the two were talking, a sudden clap of thunder rang out in broad daylight.

The group was startled. Bai Qiqiu's face turned helpless. "Is it going to rain again? We just hung it up to dry."

No sooner had he finished speaking than raindrops began to fall from the sun, startling Bai Qiqiu and Mu Jin, who quickly moved the cloth drying poles from the yard into the house.

"Why is it raining even though the sun is out?"

As Wen Zhaoran spoke, he glanced at the entrance of the dye house. The rain was not heavy, and a rainbow appeared on the distant mountains.

It's strangely beautiful.

Fearing the rain would get heavier later, Mu Mian and Zhou Si got up and went home after chatting for a short while.

Before leaving, Mu Mian asked Mu Jin a question.

"Lingqiao and the others are planning to invite a few strong and healthy men to go to the mountains for about ten days to catch more game while the autumn animals are plump. Would your husband be able to come along if he has the time?"

Mu Jin was somewhat tempted, "But he doesn't know how to hunt."

Mu Mian smiled and said, "This time we're going into the mountains to hunt big game and track down the animals. Father and Lingqiao are coming, along with one or two hunters from neighboring villages. With more people, it's easier to hunt big game. If we're lucky, we can get ten or so taels of silver. If I weren't familiar with you, I really wouldn't have told your husband about such a good thing."

Mu Jin saw him and Zhou Si out and said with a smile, "When A Lin comes back at noon, I'll talk to him and see if he'll have time."

"They will be heading into the mountains the day after tomorrow. Call me back quickly, lest they find everyone."

Zhou Si chimed in, "Brother, if you have the time, it would be best to go."

Mu Jin understood this principle perfectly well. Ten or so taels of silver, half a year's income, was something no one could refuse.

He nodded and smiled, "If your older brother has the time, even if he doesn't want to go, I'll make him go."

When Zhou Lin returned from Mu Heng's place at noon, Mu Jin told him about it.

Upon hearing that it was ten or so taels of silver, Bai Qiqiu perked up. "Brother-in-law, let's go! In just ten days or so, with this money, our family can have a very prosperous New Year."

Mu Jin glanced at Zhou Lin, worried about the dangers of the deep mountains, yet secretly yearning for the silver.

After thinking it over carefully, Zhou Lin realized that his master's work was almost done, and he could deliver the remaining wood frame on time by himself.

When he went to deliver vegetables to the town every day, he inquired about the situation and found that there were not many jobs available recently.

Nowadays, unless you're a close relative, you certainly won't take him hunting.

He nodded. "Okay, I'll let Master know when I'm done with my work tomorrow."

The carpenters in the village were not like the carpenters in the lumber shops in town, who always had a constant stream of work.

After a busy period, one might have a few days of free time, and when that time comes, one will usually find other jobs to keep busy.

Mu Jin instructed, "When you go to deliver the vegetables tomorrow, buy some realgar powder. If you find any other snake and insect repellent powders, buy them all. Don't go into the mountains and get bitten by snakes and scorpions."

Zhou Lin nodded, feeling a little nervous about going hunting in the mountains the day after tomorrow.

After thinking for a moment, Mu Jin said, "I'll embroider two sachets for you to take with you tomorrow. I'll put some medicine inside if you get injured, so you can have it in case."

After lunch, Mu Jin went to the home of the hunter Mu.

Mu Lingqiao had his mouth and hands covered in the sticky yellow juice of persimmons. When he saw Mu Jin arrive, he quickly drew a bucket of water from the well in the yard and washed up.

Hearing from Mu Jin that Zhou Lin would be going into the mountains with them the day after tomorrow, she shook the water off her hands.

"We'll be heading into the mountains at dawn the day after tomorrow. Brother Lin, remember to come early."

Mu Jin smiled and said, "When I get back, I will tell him that I would like to trouble Brother Lingqiao to take good care of my husband. He has never hunted before and is clumsy. I will have to trouble you to teach him."

Mu Lingqiao smiled and said, "We're all family, no need to be so polite."

Once the matter was settled, Uncle Mu brought back a basket of persimmons for Mu Jin.

"The persimmon tree at home has yielded a lot of fruit this year. We can't eat them all, and the birds have pecked off the top ones. Take these home and eat them. Come back and get more when you're done."

Mu Jin didn't stand on ceremony with Uncle Mu and accepted it with a smile.

"It just so happens that we don't have any persimmon trees at home, and I was really craving some. Thank you, Uncle Mu."

Uncle Mu's eyebrows curved into a smile. He liked Mu Jin the most for her generous and unpretentious manner.

The persimmons Uncle Mu gave us were mostly still hard; we had to leave them at home for a few days until they softened before we could eat them.

………

Three to five days have passed since Zhou Lin went into the mountains. Mu Jin went to the foot of the mountain to collect firewood, and every now and then she would glance into the deep mountains, her heart always clenched with worry.

Without Zhou Lin's warm embrace beside him at night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Mu Jin carried the firewood on her back, glanced at the deep mountains and forests, and couldn't help but regret letting Zhou Lin go hunting with her.

I wonder if he's injured or not, and whether he'll sleep well tonight.

My husband can make furniture, and although we don't sell as many vegetables as we do in spring and summer, we still have some income.

We shouldn't have let Zhou Lin take this risk for a mere ten taels of silver.

The more Mu Jin thought about it, the more regretful she became, and she was quite depressed these past two days.

Bai Qiqiu said helplessly, "Brother, there are so many people. Don't worry, your husband is so big, he can protect himself."

Mu Jin sighed and secretly decided that no matter what, she would not let Zhou Lin go up the mountain next year.

As autumn deepens and late autumn arrives, withered yellow leaves are blown down by the autumn wind.

Mu Jin swept up the fallen leaves in the yard, then sighed as she looked at the doorway.

It's been fifteen days already, and Zhou Qiang has already arranged a marriage, but Zhou Lin, who promised to come down the mountain in ten days or so, still hasn't done so.

Mu Jin had to admit that since their marriage, he had never been separated from Zhou Lin for so long, and he missed him terribly.

Speaking of Zhou Qiang, because he has a strong liking for male friends, he went on several dates but didn't find anyone he liked.

Finally, Zhou Wushi and Zhou Laosan gritted their teeth and spent ten taels of silver to arrange a marriage for him with a rather handsome young man from Baiyun Village.

When Mu Jin heard about it, the marriage between the two had already been arranged.

Now that Zhou Lin has stopped talking about Zhou Qiang at home, Mu Jin is even less inclined to care.

He would pretend he didn't know unless the Zhou family invited him.

Looking towards the door for the tenth time, Mu Jin sighed softly. Zhou Lin should be back in the next couple of days.

As soon as I put the broom in the woodshed, I heard Bai Qiqiu, who had gone to deliver dyed cloth to the villagers, rushing back in a great hurry.

"Big brother, big brother, big brother's husband and the others are back! Three carts full of game! They're at Uncle Mu's doorstep now."

Mu Jin was overjoyed. She called Wen Zhaoran, closed the door, and hurriedly went to the Mu Hunter's house.

There were six men in total who went up the mountain, and the three large carts were full of game, which looked quite spectacular.

The villagers who went up the mountain to collect firewood saw this and were all extremely envious.

The two wild boars, with their black bristles and large tusks, looked terrifying. Each one looked to weigh nearly two hundred pounds.

Six wild sika deer, five wild goats, hares, foxes, pheasants, wild ducks, and countless others.

"My goodness! How much silver would we get if we sold this?!"

"Young man, can this wild boar be sold in the village?"

The six men coming down the mountain were covered in dirt, but their eyes shone brightly.

Mu Jin's eyes welled up with tears. She walked to Zhou Lin's side and asked, "You said you'd be back in ten days or so. Why are you only coming back now?"

Zhou Lin was hunting a wild sika deer when he got a cut from a bush branch. When he saw Mu Jin coming over, he hid behind his back.

"We encountered a herd of sika deer, which delayed us for a while," Zhou Lin said with a gentle smile.

Mu Jin didn't notice Zhou Lin's subtle actions. Seeing him return safely, she breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"You guys did all of this?"

Zhou Lin nodded with a hint of pride in his expression, and added, "Except for the fox on the cart, which Brother Lingqiao and the others hunted themselves."

Mu Jin smiled, and then Mu Lingqiao laughed and said loudly, "We'll keep one wild boar and one wild goat for sale in the village. If anyone wants to buy one, come back in an hour."

After saying that, the group, without even washing up, led their mule over and borrowed oxen and mules from Mu Sheng and Mu Zhaoye.

Immediately, while the game was still fresh, we went to town and sold all the prey.

Mu Jin, Wen Zhaoran, and Bai Qiqiu stayed behind to help Uncle Mu light a fire to boil water and remove the bristles from the wild boar that had been left behind.