With Shaohua providing intelligent monitoring, Xu Zifan could focus wholeheartedly on weaving the bamboo hat. His movements were initially slow, and he made two mistakes, almost cutting his finger. However, always cautious and meticulous, and adept at finding tricks, he soon figured out how to weave the hat and his movements became more skillful.
In one morning, he wove two bamboo hats, choosing the lightest and most practical styles. He even used the different shades of bamboo on both sides to weave a beautiful pattern around the women's hat. Xu Zifan patiently removed all the burrs and polished the hats until they were smooth and delicate. Only then did he clean the house, go outside, and sit on a small stool against the wall to bask in the sun.
He's too weak right now; getting some sun will do him good. Xiao Lian came back carrying a large basin of clothes and saw Xu Zifan with his eyes closed as if he were asleep. She quickly woke him up, "Third Brother, Third Brother, go back to your room and rest. Don't catch a cold."
"I'm not asleep, I'm resting with my eyes closed," Xu Zifan said casually without opening his eyes.
"Oh, then I won't bother Third Brother anymore." Xiao Lian nodded, walked to the middle of the yard, put down the basin, and started stretching and hanging the clothes.
Hearing the noise, Xu Zifan opened his eyes and glanced inside. There were at least a dozen pieces of clothing in the basin, filling the large wooden tub to the brim; all of these were washed by Xiaolian. He then looked at Xiaolian's hands; they were indeed very red, and her face was slightly pale. Even though it was only early autumn and the weather wasn't too cold, the river water was already icy. Making a fourteen-year-old girl like Xiaolian soak in cold water to wash so many clothes seemed inhumane. The Xu family wasn't exactly sexist; it was just that women in ancient times had such low status that washing clothes was considered an easy task. Who cared if a young girl was afraid of cold water?
Xu Zifan went to the kitchen, poured two bowls of hot water, added a little sugar, and handed one bowl to Xiaolian, saying, "Drink some hot water. You don't look well. Don't get sick like your brother."
Xiaolian, flattered, put down her clothes and took the bowl with both hands. The warmth of the bowl transferred to her palms, making her unconsciously grip it tighter. Xu Zifan finished the sweet soup in a few gulps and looked at her, "Why aren't you drinking? Afraid it'll burn you?"
"No, it's not hot." Xiaolian lowered her head and took a small sip, then froze. "Third Brother, did you put sugar in? Sugar is expensive. When Mother and the others come back later..."
Xu Zifan said nonchalantly, "How could Mom and Dad not give us sugar water? Now it's just the two of us and Mom and Dad, the four of us. Aren't you used to it yet?" He raised his chin and pointed to the clothes in the basin, "I'll have my brother and sister-in-law wash their own clothes and their children's clothes from now on. Oh, and I'll wash my own clothes too. You can just help Mom and Dad wash their clothes from now on."
"Huh? Is this...is this okay?" Xiaolian looked at the clothes, then at the two children playing in the yard, unsure whether she should listen to Xu Zifan.
Xu Zifan urged her to finish her water quickly, then picked up the bowl and hung a men's jacket on a bamboo pole to dry. "Separate the family property. They're afraid we'll take advantage of them, but we shouldn't let others take advantage of us all the time. Instead of washing their clothes, you should help your parents cook, clean the house, and feed the chickens. Remember, just be filial to your parents and mind your own business. When you get married, your third brother will be your family's support. Don't try to please your eldest and second brothers. Separating the family property so early clearly shows they don't care about your marriage. Are you waiting to rely on them later? Once your third brother earns some money, we'll move to the big house and completely separate from them, understand?"
Xiaolian found it like a fairy tale and couldn't help but ask, "Third Brother, how do you make money?"
"I'll go to town in a couple of days. Everyone says studying is good, but I've studied for so many years and I still can't earn money? What's the point of studying then? Don't worry about these things, it's no use worrying."
"Oh." Xiaolian came to her senses and noticed that Xu Zifan was hanging up the clothes. She was even more surprised. "Third Brother, you... you've been acting a little different these past two days. Why are you helping me pour water and hang up the clothes? You even helped me serve the dishes yesterday. Put this down. This isn't your job."
Xu Zifan stopped what he was doing, placed his hands on the bamboo pole, turned to look at her, and smiled. "I almost died when I fell into the river. When I was unconscious, how should I put it? I was somewhat conscious but also groggy. Anyway, I knew I had barely survived. People cherish their lives, especially since I heard that my eldest and second eldest brothers were fighting over dividing the family property as soon as I woke up. I felt that from now on, the four of us would be a family. I have to be filial to our parents, take good care of you, and get rid of my old bad habits like being lazy and lying. I need to live a good life."
Xiao Lian suddenly realized, clapped her hands and said, "I know, it means to have a complete awakening, right? Third Brother, so you're not going to take the imperial examination? You don't have the strength to farm, what will you do in the future?"
Xu Zifan thought for a moment and said, "I always get sleepy when I'm studying, but there's one type of book that keeps me awake the longer I read it: medical books. Actually, I think I've already understood quite a bit of it, I just haven't had a chance to practice. Maybe I can become a doctor someday."
Xiaolian's eyes lit up. "Really? Third Brother, you can treat illnesses? That Doctor Hu in our village is doing quite well. Everyone in the village goes to him for treatment. Some people who can't afford money give him gifts. I've seen them eating meat often. It would be great if you could become a doctor in the village!"
In this world, both barefoot doctors and physicians who practice medicine in clinics are called "Langzhong," while only those who have the ability to open their own clinics are called "Daifu." "Daifu" is a higher rank than "Langzhong," is more respected, and their medical skills are more trusted. Clearly, Xiaolian didn't understand Xu Zifan's meaning; her wish was very small.
Xu Zifan didn't correct her, just smiled, quickly hung up the clothes, and said, "It's still early. I hadn't planned on this before, but now that I've thought about it, I need to study hard. After all, it involves treating and saving lives, and it can't be taken lightly. I'll continue taking the imperial examination for the lowest degree, but I'll stop when we have some spare money. I have a plan in mind, so you can rest assured as parents."
A sweet daughter is all that matters; nothing is more important than making your parents happy. As for the affairs of the other two families, you can help if you want, but don't let it interfere with our family's affairs.
"Oh, I understand, Third Brother." Xiaolian replied with some doubt, deciding to ask her mother for advice later. Third Brother seemed to dislike both her eldest and second brothers' families. Since she was now with Third Brother's branch of the family, shouldn't she listen to him?
Xu Zifan asked Shaohua in his mind, "[Shaohua, what time is it?]"
[2:30 PM.]
Xu Zifan said to Xiaolian, "It's almost Shenshi (3-5 PM), go cook some food, make sure your parents have a good meal."
"Okay, Third Brother, would you like some steamed egg?"
"No need, just make one for yourself if you want to eat it."
Xiaolian dared not eat it if she wasn't sick or in pain. She went to Xu's parents' room to get some grain and went into the kitchen to cook. The steaming fire warmed her up. Thinking of the bowl of hot water and the clothes she had just received, she felt for the first time that her brother was taking care of her. If she could live like this every day after the family split up, then splitting up wouldn't be so bad.
Xu Zifan strolled slowly in the courtyard, casually stretching his limbs. Shaohua kept track of his activity level, reminding him when to stop and switch to a different exercise. The two children at the second house's door didn't speak to him, and he didn't approach them. He generally only liked his own children and was indifferent to other people's. Besides, transmigrated women tend to overthink things. If he had given those two children some sugar water earlier, Su Qianyun might suspect him of some ulterior motive when she returned. He simply treated them as the neighbor's children, preferring to avoid trouble.
About 15 minutes later, the Xu family returned. Xu Zifan went up and took the farm tools from his parents and placed them against the wall. He then prepared warm water for them to wash their hands and faces, and poured them water to drink. His thoughtfulness made the two elders very happy. Xiaolian also peeked out from the kitchen and said with a smile, "Dad, Mom, the food will be ready soon. We can eat in a little while."
"Okay." Xu's mother replied with a smile. Her children's thoughtfulness made her feel much better. Yesterday, the family divided the land, and naturally, the fields were also divided. Today, when she went to work in the fields, she felt a little embarrassed by the inquiring questions and strange looks from others. She buried herself in her work for most of the day, but when she returned home and saw how sensible her children were, she felt relieved.
Xu Zifan took out the bamboo hats he had woven for them from the house and showed them to them. "Father, Mother, I've been thinking about this all morning. I thought your bamboo hats were too bulky and heavy to wear, so I came up with a different design. Try them on. Mother, look, I even woven some patterns on them for you. Don't they look nice?"
"Wow, it looks really good! How did you make it?" Xu's mother happily put on the straw hat, went inside to find a mirror to look at herself, and came out saying, "This straw hat is great. It's comfortable to wear and looks good. It makes me look several years younger."
Mr. Xu put it on for a moment, then took it off and examined it carefully, nodding repeatedly. "Wonderful, this method is truly ingenious. It's light and airy to wear, yet it's also very secure. It's even better than what I make. You figured it out in just one morning? It seems that studying really does have its benefits."
Xu Zifan laughed and said, "I just thought of something because I saw that my parents were working too hard.
"You figured it out by just thinking about it! Your ideas are so different from ours, much more effective than your father's and mys." Mrs. Xu was overjoyed. This was the first time she had ever received a gift from her children. The gift itself wasn't valuable, but it was the thought that counted. At such a sensitive time, this straw hat was incredibly heartwarming. All the pent-up frustration from the day vanished. With her family so happy, who cared what others said?
Xiao Lian prepared the meal and set it in Xu Zifan's room. The four of them chatted and laughed as they entered to eat. They didn't deliberately ignore others; in fact, they were all focused on talking to Xu Zifan, and since he didn't mention anyone else, they didn't pay attention and simply went inside. The eldest and second wives' families were much quieter in comparison, which felt somewhat awkward. It seemed as if the third wife's family was the truly warm and loving one, while the others had been excluded—a situation they themselves had insisted on. It was as if they had abandoned Xu Zifan and Xiao Lian, who seemed quite happy.
It's hard to describe the feeling; they just can't seem to be happy, but upon closer examination, there's no reason why they should be upset—it's all inexplicable.
Now everyone shares a kitchen. After Xiaolian comes out, Cai goes to cook, and then Su Qianyun goes to cook. They've been working hard in the fields all day. Before, when they came back, they would just eat the food Xiaolian cooked and then go back to their rooms to rest, without feeling anything. Now, they have to cook when they get back, and after eating, they have to wash the dishes. Even the smallest chores make their backs ache. Hearing Xu Zifan and the others laughing and chatting makes them feel even more awkward.