Ch 33: Reborn to Raise My Husband

Qi Beinan poured a cup of ginger shred soup for Xiao Yuanbao to hold and drink, to drive off the chill clinging to his body.

He then fetched a clean cloth and gently wiped down the boy’s rain-soaked hair.

The already fine, soft strands had flattened even more after the rain; the boy looked like he’d thinned out all over.

Qi Beinan asked, “Was the banquet lively?”

“Mm!” Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes lit up as soon as Qi Beinan asked. He nodded eagerly, then quickly set down the ginger soup and started describing everything:

“There were a lot of people at Village Head Ma’s house! The night before, they set up fifteen tables, and at noon today, another ten. There were two chefs!”

He couldn’t remember all the dish names, but he did remember getting to eat rabbit meat and lamb—things they hadn’t had at the banquet in Zhou’s village.

The other meats—pork, chicken, duck, cured meat, fish—were also present but cooked differently than before.

“Teacher said the village head was celebrating a birthday, and the family’s well off, so the dishes for the banquet were more plentiful—twelve dishes per table.”

Jiang Fulang made six dishes, and the other chef made the remaining six.

“Rabbit and lamb were both made by the other chef.”

The reason for hiring two chefs, Xiao Yuanbao explained in his own words, was partly because there were so many tables that one chef might not be able to manage everything, and partly because having two chefs made the host appear more impressive—and people liked to compare which one cooked better.

The other chef, Master Wang, was young and said to be from the city. He carried himself with an air of superiority, claiming to be familiar with meats that ordinary farming households rarely got to eat.

He implied that Jiang Fulang, being a village cook, didn’t have his breadth of experience, and so took charge of the rabbit and lamb dishes himself.

Although Xiao Yuanbao didn’t fully understand the adult drama, he could still sense there was competition involved.

“Since Master Wang took the rabbit and lamb, Teacher made a peach blossom rice dish with minced pork and glutinous rice—it looked just like a real peach and smelled fruity and sweet. The village head really liked it!”

Xiao Yuanbao was visibly excited. “Everyone at the table said the rabbit and lamb were special and tasty, but the dish people reached for the most was Teacher’s stir-fried pork slices with scallions!”

Qi Beinan listened carefully and couldn’t help reaching over to pinch his cheek.

“You’ve got a good memory.”

Xiao Yuanbao shyly leaned his head against Qi Beinan’s arm.

Then he remembered something, jumped up, and brought over his little bundle.

Inside were his personal items he’d taken on the trip. Besides those, there were two oiled-paper parcels and a small red envelope.

He took everything out—inside the parcels were some assorted lamb offal and four osmanthus rice cakes. The little red envelope held eight copper coins.

Xiao Yuanbao raised his delicate brows proudly and showed the coins to Qi Beinan. “These were specially given to me by the village head! Teacher got a separate one~”

Qi Beinan laughed. “Our Xiao Bao is amazing already—earning his own money.”

Xiao Yuanbao beamed. “In the future, Xiao Bao’s going to earn even more! I’ll buy Gege paper and ink, and a big bow for Father!”

Xiao Hu had just come back from washing up and overheard his son talking about buying him a big bow. His heart felt warm and comforted.

That night, Xiao Yuanbao returned to his own room.

He lay flat on the floor and dragged out a narrow-neck, round-bellied earthen jar from under the bed. Carefully, he dropped each of his hard-earned coins inside one by one.

So far, he had thirty copper coins: eight earned himself, twenty-two gifted by Gege and Father.

He hugged the jar to his chest, gently pressing his cheek against it, full of hopeful dreams.

Once he could cook too, the jar would fill up quickly.

Then he’d buy a big ox, a big house, and eat meat at every meal!

…

The next morning, Xiao Yuanbao struggled to leave his dreams behind. When he finally got up yawning, Xiao Hu had already gone into the city.

Although Qi Beinan had told him that the manor would continue purchasing mountain goods but he didn’t want to see Qin Niazi so, Xiao Hu still decided to go himself and take the goods to market.

After making sure the boy was well rested and had eaten breakfast, Qi Beinan resumed literacy lessons—after all, they’d missed two whole days while out.

That morning, he ground ink to write the next part of the study manual for Zhao Guangzong, and while he was at it, he gave Xiao Yuanbao a short-handled brush made with pig bristles to let him scribble and draw freely on rough paper.

He figured it was good for the boy to get used to holding a brush. Later, he’d begin teaching simple characters. Recognizing words without writing wasn’t a long-term plan.

At the desk by the window, one grown-up and one little one each sat at their own end, holding brushes in quiet concentration.

The warm spring breeze blew in gently, brushing across their faces, comfortable and calming.

Once Qi Beinan entered a focused state, nothing could distract him.

He wrote two full pages in one go. While relaxing his wrist, he glanced over and saw Xiao Yuanbao’s small legs propped up on the footrest of the chair. The boy sat upright, back straight like him, holding the pig-bristle brush with impressive focus.

Qi Beinan was surprised. He quietly leaned in and saw that on the rough paper, a properly drawn branch of a plum tree had emerged.

In the spring light, shadows from the plum tree in the courtyard fell just right onto the desk.

Xiao Yuanbao had adjusted his paper so that the buds of the plum blossoms lined up perfectly with his page.

He lifted his brush and traced the shadow of the branch—it wasn’t bad at all, quite true to form.

Qi Beinan’s lips lifted in a smile. He took his own brush and began to teach Xiao Yuanbao how to dot in a tiny plum blossom.

Xiao Yuanbao tilted his head, watching Qi Beinan sketch blossoms beside him, smiling wide enough to reveal his little tiger teeth.

…

A few days later, the two of them made a trip to the county town and stopped by the clinic to see the physician.

Dr. Yang stroked his beard and praised how well Xiao Yuanbao’s health had improved. He said there was no longer any need to get tonics from the pharmacy.

Qi Beinan was quite pleased. They stopped by the fabric shop and purchased two bolts of spring cloth—he planned to have Xiao Yuanbao deliver them to Jiang Fulang.

Over the past weeks, Jiang Fulang’s care and guidance for Xiao Yuanbao hadn’t gone unnoticed. Even though he’d refused any return gifts, it wasn’t right to just keep taking without giving anything in return.

Over time, that sort of imbalance would always sit uncomfortably in the heart.

Any relationship had to go both ways.

After finishing their shopping, Qi Beinan and Xiao Yuanbao boarded an ox cart out of town.

“Wait a moment, Master!”

Just as the driver was about to prod the ox forward, someone called out behind them.

The voice sounded familiar. Xiao Yuanbao turned his head, surprised. “Brother Chao?”

Chao Ge’er came running with a bamboo basket in hand. As soon as he spotted them on the ox cart, he didn’t bother greeting them—he just clambered on and sat on the opposite end.

“Where are you going?” Xiao Yuanbao asked cheerfully, happy to see someone familiar. Even though Chao Ge’er didn’t answer his first call, he kept trying.

In his memory, Brother Chao had always been the kind of person who answered reluctantly anyway.

“Going to the manor, obviously.” Chao Ge’er lifted his chin with pride, clearly unimpressed by Xiao Yuanbao’s glee.

He opened the cloth covering his basket, revealing two toothbrushes inside.

Then he pulled out a small box, opened it up, and brought it to his nose for a sniff.

Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes widened. “Brother Chao bought tooth powder too?”

Chao Ge’er looked pleased, returning the tooth powder to the basket and giving Xiao Yuanbao a smug glance.

“Yeah. The manor steward gave me thirty copper coins and told me to go shop in town.”

He’d said he wanted to buy toothbrushes and powder, and his mother had scolded him for wasting money. But the steward had overheard and praised him for being clean, even gave him more money to buy an extra toothbrush for his mother.

Now running into Xiao Yuanbao, he was doubly proud—just the perfect time to show off.

“This tooth powder has jasmine in it—it smells better than the usual kind. It’s the most popular one right now. A lot of folks in town are buying it.”

Seeing the gleam in Xiao Yuanbao’s wide eyes, Chao Ge’er felt deeply satisfied. He shook out the cloth again and covered his basket as if guarding a treasure from jealous eyes.

Qi Beinan didn’t greet Chao Ge’er, simply sat quietly and listened to the two children talk.

He noticed Xiao Yuanbao’s envy and was about to offer to buy him a fruit-scented powder next time they went to town, but before he could speak, Xiao Yuanbao beat him to it.

“Later, I’m going to Teacher’s house alone to deliver the new spring cloth.”

Qi Beinan raised an eyebrow. What brought this up? “Why?”

Xiao Yuanbao answered seriously, “Brother Chao can go to town by himself, but I still need Gege with me. I want to start learning my way.”

Qi Beinan paused. This kid…

Then he thought about it—between the Xiao residence and Jiang Fulang’s was a clear, familiar road. It wasn’t far, and springtime meant more familiar faces outside. It wasn’t dangerous, and learning independence was a good thing. So he agreed:

“Alright. But if you see someone familiar, you can talk to them. If they give you something, don’t refuse it, but don’t eat it right away either. If it’s a stranger and they don’t know your name, ignore them. If they do know your name, still keep your distance. Don’t follow anyone home or let them into our house.”

Xiao Yuanbao listened carefully. “Mm, got it.”

On the other end, Chao Ge’er rolled his eyes. What kind of coward needed this many instructions just to go out?

He thought Xiao Yuanbao was pathetic. Why envy the tooth powder? Why not envy someone like him who could go into town alone? How small-minded.

Then he caught something—Xiao Yuanbao had said “teacher.” Curious, Chao Ge’er wondered what kind of teacher he had. Was the brat studying? Couldn’t be—it was only boys who studied. A little ger like that wouldn’t be going to school.

Though curious, he didn’t want to look ignorant by asking, so he swallowed his questions. But in the end, he still managed to lean that Bao Ge’er was learning to become a cook.

…

Qin Niazi had recovered from her illness after lying abed for several days.

Still, even after she got better, she kept lounging on the bamboo couch, calling servants to rub her legs or telling the kitchen to bring her bits of cooked meat to enjoy with wine.

Ever since she married into a manor household, it hadn’t taken long for her to learn how to snack in between meals.

Back when she lived as a farmer’s wife, she’d eaten three meals a day at fixed hours—never heard of nibbling meat with wine in between.

Now that she’d tried it a few times, she was hooked. Life really was comfortable these days.

Chao Ge’er said as soon as he saw his mother, “I want to apprentice under a teacher and learn a trade too.”

Qin Niazi sat up a bit straighter. “What’s the point of fussing with that? It’s thankless, hard labor.”

Chao Ge’er threw the basket he’d just been so proud of to the side, unwilling to back down. “Why can that little brat and I can’t? He doesn’t even seem as clever as me!”

Qin Niazi said, “Silly child, it’s not that your mother doesn’t want you to, it’s that learning a craft is nothing but labor for others. If you want a future, you should aim to be the one being served—not the one doing the serving.”

“Look at your mother—because of this figure and charm, the steward brought me here to enjoy a good life.”

“I’ve already thought it through for you. Learn some manners here on the manor, grow up with smooth skin and delicate hands, and when the time comes, I’ll ask Steward Zhu to send you to the main house in Jinling—those grand golden nests. Won’t that be better than learning some back-breaking trade?”

Chao Ge’er was initially upset about not being allowed to learn a skill, but hearing his mother’s grand plans for him, his heart floated with delight.

If life was already this good in a country manor, wouldn’t it be bliss in one of Jinling’s grand estates? He immediately tossed aside the idea of apprenticing to a cook.

…

Back at home, Xiao Yuanbao had just returned and quickly packed up the spring cloth before heading off alone to Jiang Fulang’s house.

Qi Beinan, of course, wasn’t entirely at ease. Even when Xiao Yuanbao went to the Fang household, he always brought him there and back. He had never actually let the child go out on his own.

This time, he let him go ahead but followed from a distance.

Xiao Yuanbao knew the way to Jiang’s courtyard. He was a little nervous being on his own, but the warm spring weather and clear skies made everything feel a bit less frightening.

When he saw familiar villagers, he’d greet them cheerfully—Auntie Zhang, Uncle Li, the uncles and aunties—if they asked where he was headed, he simply said he was going to Jiang Fulang’s house. He didn’t stop to chat and quickly made his way there.

Seeing that, Qi Beinan finally felt at ease. He didn’t follow all the way to Jiang’s place, instead turning back halfway.

Jiang Fulang was in the courtyard doing laundry. He was a clean person and didn’t raise poultry at home.

Every piece of clothing was washed with soap nuts after just one wear.

From a distance, he saw a familiar figure on the path—Xiao Yuanbao, clutching a bolt of fabric nearly as tall as he was, running fast.

“What are you doing here alone?”

Jiang Fulang had already opened the courtyard gate and saw sweat beading on Xiao Yuanbao’s forehead.

“Xiao Bao brought spring cloth for Teacher.”

Jiang Fulang accepted the bolt of fabric, peeled back the rough outer cloth, and saw a pale turquoise hue—quite pleasing to the eye.

“Who told you to bring this? Didn’t I tell your father and brother not to send gifts?”

He furrowed his brow.

“It’s Xiao Bao who chose it for Teacher.”

Hearing that, Jiang Fulang paused. His tone unknowingly softened.

“That cloth’s heavy. Look at you sweating all over.”

He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Xiao Yuanbao’s forehead.

“Just leave it here. No need to carry it back. You’re not even that tall yet, hauling around such a big piece of cloth.”

Then he led Xiao Yuanbao inside to drink sweetened water and gave him a few preserved fruits to nibble on.

After playing at Jiang’s for a bit, Xiao Yuanbao skipped back home with two meat pastries. When he arrived, he saw Brother Fang was at their house talking to Qi Beinan.

“She said she doesn’t want to marry yet—wants to learn… learn that hairdressing trade. I’ve never even heard of it. Is there really such a job where people earn money just brushing hair?”

Fang Youliang looked baffled. “I asked her where she learned about that, but she wouldn’t say. You’re the only one I know who’s well-informed, so I came to ask you.”

Qi Beinan thought, so Fang Jie’er was tight-lipped and didn’t mention him.

“To be honest, it was me who told her that there are women in the city who earn a living by doing hair.”

“The other day when I came to deliver a message for you, I ran into her and we were chatting. I casually brought it up—not thinking she’d take it to heart.”

“You said that!?” Fang Youliang was relieved. “If it came from you, then I’m not worried. Us farmers don’t see much of the world. I was just afraid she believed someone’s nonsense.”

“She wants to learn a trade. As her brother, I’m glad. But I’ve never heard of this kind of job before—how would I help her find a path? She’s always been sensible and keeps everything to herself, never asks for anything. Now she’s finally opened her mouth, and I don’t even know what to do.”

Fang Youliang often felt useless as an older brother.

Qi Beinan said, “It’s rare for her to be this motivated. If the family’s going to improve, that kind of ambition is valuable. Since I brought it up, I’ll try to find someone with the right connections.”

Fang Youliang was deeply grateful. He brought over ten jin of fresh bamboo shoots he had dug himself from the deep mountains.

Qi Beinan asked around at Village Head Zhao’s place and also sought out Matchmaker Qiao, but found nothing useful.

Hairdressing, it turned out, was a trade difficult to get into through a farming family’s usual network. Common folk didn’t need that sort of service. It wasn’t about cost—even if it were affordable, there was simply no demand.

Most people spent their days tending fields or managing their families’ meals and clothing. They were always trying to make themselves look neat and tidy in the simplest way possible. Who had time to fuss over hairstyles?

Only the rich or powerful hired professionals to style their hair into elegant buns.

Because the idle and wealthy have no need to worry about food or clothing, they spend their days attending banquets, taking boat trips, enjoying flowers—all refined activities—and naturally must keep themselves looking presentable.

As for people at the bottom, who’ve never had contact with the gentry, they wouldn’t even know such a trade exists.

Qi Beinan found it a little difficult too. If he were still living in Qiu County, this would’ve been easy to find.

In the city, alley after alley connects. Just a little inquiry and you’d find out where hairdressing women work. But in the village, news is slow and connections are few.

He passed the matter on to Fang Youliang, asking whether he knew anyone in the county.

Fang Youliang thought about it and said he only knew a workshop supervisor named Liu, who sometimes received deliveries of spring vegetables from the mountain. The Liu family was polite enough.

Qi Beinan recalled the man and said, “That’s perfect.”

“I remember you said Foreman Liu lives in a city alley and works in the county office. That part of town is busy and well-connected, and he might even have contact with the magistrate’s household. If even he doesn’t know, then it’ll be very hard for us to find a way in. Take some fresh bamboo shoots and spring produce over—use the chance to ask around.”

Fang Youliang immediately agreed, but then wondered aloud, “If it’s just asking around in the city, wouldn’t paying a few coins to the gossipmongers do the trick? They might know too.”

Qi Beinan laughed. “Those know-it-alls certainly know—but what good does it do you? At most, they tell you which alley a hairdresser lives in. But how are you going to get in touch with her? What matters is getting a foot in the door.”

Just like how they sought a teacher for Xiao Yuanbao—while Matchmaker Qiao knew of Jiang Fulang, she couldn’t actually get him accepted as a student. In the end, they had to go through Village Head Zhao for it to work.

Fang Youliang suddenly understood. “Then I’ll do as you say.”

Within two days, Fang Youliang came back with news.

In idle conversation with Foreman Liu, the man said that there’s a hairdresser in Jiaozi Alley who styles the magistrate’s wife’s hair—very skilled, and well-known.

Qi Beinan asked, “Then have you found out whether he actually knows her?”

“Liu’s wife has hired that hairdresser before. Only a couple of times, but they do know each other.”

Qi Beinan understood—this meant they needed to approach through the Liu household.

With families like the Fangs, it’s hard to offer meaningful favors to someone like Foreman Liu. So when asking for help, they could only present a gift.

But a truly impressive gift to stir someone’s heart wasn’t something the Fang family could afford. In that case, they’d have to be clever—find out what the Liu family liked.

Qi Beinan told Fang Youliang to find out everything he could—what Liu couple liked to eat or use, how old their children were, and whether they were attending school.

He asked many things because he knew Fang Youliang might not be able to get much, but even one more detail could improve their chances.

When Xiao Yuanbao heard that Fang Jie’er also wanted to apprentice, he was very happy—but also a little worried, knowing how hard it was to find a good teacher. Even his own teacher hadn’t officially taken him in yet.

So when Fang Youliang came over, he stayed close to Qi Beinan, ears perked, listening carefully to their discussion—eager to hear the outcome.

After much back and forth, in early April, Fang Youliang finally brought news.

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