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"What's wrapped up in those clothes?" Zhou Dafeng went over to look.

Although he was wearing a hat, Xie Ning was still afraid his face would frighten people. Startled by Zhou Dafeng coming closer, he let go, and the clothes fell open, revealing a snake's tail.

"Aah!" Zhou Dafeng jumped in fright. "A snake?"

"Ninglang caught it. We'll take it to town tomorrow to sell," Zhou Jinian answered, blocking Zhou Dafeng. "Don't let it bite you, Uncle. Ninglang, pick it up."

Coming to his senses, Xie Ning hurriedly gathered up the clothes, and Zhou Jinian took his hand and led him toward the third branch's quarters.

Neither husband had expected that even this would catch Zhou Dafeng's covetous eye.

Zhou Jinian fetched a straw mat and spread it on the ground to dry the schisandra berries. Meanwhile, Xie Ning fetched a wooden basin, filled it with water, and washed the dead snake.

At dusk, everyone working in the fields began heading home. Lin Jin came in with his arm linked through his husband's, only to get a fright as soon as he entered the back courtyard. A black snake was draped over a bamboo pole.

But the black snake hung motionless on the pole, and he realized it was dead.

"Where did you catch that snake?" Lin Jin called toward his son's room.

Xie Ning hurried out. "On the mountain, Dad. We'll have Jinian take it to the medicine shop tomorrow and sell it."

Zhou Sanfeng went closer to inspect the snake, then turned to ask Xie Ning, "You weren't bitten, were you?"

Xie Ning shook his head. "No. With the weather this hot, will it spoil? Should we sprinkle salt on it?"

Lin Jin did not know either. The three looked at one another, none able to offer an idea.

"Third Son? It's Mother. I'm here." She pushed open the door in the inner courtyard and entered their quarters. "Where's Third Son?"

"Mother," Zhou Sanfeng answered.

Soon, Grandmother Zhou approached their little courtyard and immediately spotted the black snake hanging from the bamboo pole.

Grandmother Zhou said, "Oh, what a thick snake!"

Seeing that Grandmother Zhou was not surprised at all, as though she already knew they had a snake, Lin Jin had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, Grandmother Zhou said, "Third Son, your eldest brother recently got a jar of fine wine. Give him this snake to steep in it. Consider it thanks for helping pay Jinian's betrothal gifts."

Xie Ning frowned at his father-in-law. Lin Jin looked troubled too. Xie Ning gritted his teeth, turned, and went back into the room. Zhou Jinian had just finished bathing and was getting dressed.

"Jinian, my snake..." Xie Ning complained pitifully in a small voice.

Zhou Jinian turned back with a questioning look.

"Grandmother wants us to give the snake to your eldest uncle!" Xie Ning hurried over, scooped up the clothes on the rack, and handed them to Zhou Jinian, urging him to get dressed and go out to help him reclaim his snake.

He had only just married into the family; it would hardly be proper for him to confront his husband's elders himself.

Out in the courtyard, Zhou Sanfeng tried to refuse. "Mother, the boys caught this snake on the mountain. They were planning to sell it so they could buy some paper."

Grandmother Zhou said, "If he needs paper, he can just get some from Wenshu. By the time they carry it into town to sell, it'll stink. The medicine shop won't want it, and it'll all go to waste."

"No, Grandmother." Zhou Jinian pushed open the door and came out. "Ninglang caught this snake especially to treat Father's leg ailment."

Zhou Sanfeng and Lin Jin looked in surprise at Xie Ning behind their son. Had this slender young man really caught such a thick snake?

"When Ninglang served Father tea this morning, he noticed that Father's leg ailment had flared up and his joints ached from dampness. Then he heard me say snake gall could treat it. Out of filial devotion, he followed me up the mountain and searched all day. He even fell down the mountainside."

Lin Jin hurried over, took Xie Ning by the arms, and looked him up and down. "Where did you hurt yourself? Was it serious?"

Xie Ning quickly shook his head to show he was all right.

Zhou Jinian continued, "I came down partway through to fetch hemp rope so I could pull Ninglang up. Ninglang nearly lost his life trying to fulfill his filial duty. If we gave it to Eldest Uncle, I'm afraid that once word got out, people would surely condemn him for letting Ninglang's filial devotion go to waste."

Lin Jin scolded his son. "So when you came down at noon for rope, it was to rescue Ninglang! How could you hide that from me? If something had happened, how could we have answered for it?!"

Grandmother Zhou's eyes shifted. She had indeed seen Zhou Jinian come back for rope. At the time, she had even urged Lin Jin to take lunch to the fields.

"Most importantly, I fear it could implicate Cousin Wenshu. He takes the prefectural examination next year, and nothing matters more to a scholar than his reputation." Having finished, Zhou Jinian raised his head and looked Grandmother Zhou straight in the eye.

Afraid it might affect her darling grandson, Grandmother Zhou could only drop the matter.

Grandmother Zhou lightly clapped her hands. "Since it's a token of the new husband's filial devotion, then forget it."

With that, Grandmother Zhou walked out of the little courtyard on her tiny feet.

Behind Zhou Jinian, Xie Ning gave his palm an admiring squeeze and flashed a toothy smile when the tall man turned to look at him.

Admiration shone in Xie Ning's eyes. Zhou Jinian could not help smiling and gave quiet instructions. "We won't sell it. Get some wine, and we'll remove the gallbladder and steep it."

"Yes!" Xie Ning nodded eagerly. "I'll remove the gallbladder."

He had originally intended to sell the snake for money, but he had not known about his father-in-law's leg ailment. Since it would help his father-in-law, what did money matter?

Lin Jin went to the cellar to fetch wine. Touched by his son-in-law's filial devotion, Zhou Sanfeng went to help Xie Ning, asking after him several times, afraid he might have been badly hurt in the fall.

Zhou Jinian watched his bold little husband in the courtyard. Seeing him take a knife, lift the snake, and slit open its belly, he sighed and returned to the room.

There were many people and many loose tongues in the Zhou family, and Zhou Jinian knew how to keep up appearances too. The snake's most valuable part was its gallbladder. Since they had kept that, and the nonvenomous snake was not poisonous, they might as well cook its meat for dinner and give the whole family a meat dish.

As usual, Lin Jin of the third branch and Lin Guihua of the fourth branch were busy making dinner. Lin Guihua cooked the rice, while Lin Jin, a man and somewhat bolder, marinated the snake meat.

Lin Guihua said, "Oh my, Ninglang really is something. How is that little ger so bold?"

When his sister-in-law spoke, Lin Jin paused in his work too. Thinking of the schisandra berries spread out to dry all over the little courtyard, he said, "That boy is just so eager to fulfill his filial duty. You know, Sister-in-law, I think Ninglang brings good fortune not only to his husband, but to the whole family."

That evening, the whole family gathered for dinner. Grandmother Zhou would not let Xie Ning join them, saying he should only come out once he had recovered. Zhou Jinian simply carried two portions of food back to his own little courtyard and called Ninglang out. They sat facing each other and enjoyed their dinner.