Chapter Summaries

Zhou Jinian advised Xie Yao on preparing for the prefectural academy examination, then began teaching Xie Ning to write his name. Meanwhile, Zhou Dafeng’s worsening injuries sent family members to town for treatment, leaving Xie Ning increasingly isolated and restricted at home.

• Xie Ning returned most of the silver Xie Dashu had given him and explained that his bathing had reduced his illness on its own.
• Zhou Jinian praised Xie Yao’s insights, advised him to memorize the Four Books and Five Classics, and helped him understand a weakness in his essays.
• Xie Ning asked Zhou Jinian to teach him to read, and Zhou Jinian guided him in writing his name in a sand tray.
• Xie Ning practiced writing his name at home while Zhou Jinian copied books.
• Physician Hu told the Zhou family to take Zhou Dafeng to town, so Zhou Dafeng, Zhou Sifeng, and Zhou Wenshu set out by ox cart.
• Grandmother Zhou limited Xie Ning’s food because she feared his illness and did not let him go out.

Grandmother Zhou restricted Xie Ning’s dinner, so Lin Jin took the family’s food back to their courtyard and concealed that he had gone hungry. After the family enjoyed Xie Ning’s steamed dried eggplant, Xie Ning told Zhou Jinian that Lin Jin had lied about eating in the main hall, and Zhou Jinian began to consider why.

• Grandmother Zhou and the sixth daughter-in-law limited the food Lin Jin served, and Lin Jin carried dinner back to the little courtyard in anger.
• Lin Jin told Zhou Sanfeng and the boys that he had eaten in the main hall, though Xie Ning noticed that he looked hungry.
• Xie Ning steamed dried eggplant and offered some to Lin Jin, who enjoyed it and told him to bring the whole batch back to the courtyard.
• Lin Jin and Xie Ning shared the eggplant with Zhou Sanfeng and Zhou Jinian, and Lin Jin ate the leftover steamed bun.
• Xie Ning followed Zhou Jinian outside and told him that Lin Jin had not eaten dinner in the main hall, leaving Zhou Jinian to wonder why his father had lied.

Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning planned to save money and eventually divide the household, but Lin Jin’s back ailment worsened after he overworked in the fields. Xie Ning gathered medicine for him despite his own poison flaring up, and Zhou Jinian urged him to rest as he took over brewing it.

• Zhou Jinian told Xie Ning to keep quiet about the impending household division and said they would save silver to move to town.
• Xie Ning offered to sell steamed dried eggplant with Zhou Jinian, but Zhou Jinian refused to take him on the hot journey and agreed to sell it himself.
• Lin Jin became unable to get up after working in the fields, and Physician Hu prescribed creeping fig vine, brown sugar, and half a year of rest.
• Xie Ning gathered creeping fig vine on the mountain and learned from Physician Hu how to prepare the medicine and treat Lin Jin’s back.
• Xie Ning hurried home to brew the medicine as his poison began to flare, and Zhou Jinian told him to rest while he took over.

Grandmother Zhou struggled to keep the household running and began suspecting Xie Ning after the sixth son's wife blamed him for the family's misfortunes. Meanwhile, Xie Ning caught fish and shrimp in the mountain cave and returned home to care for Zhou Jinian's sore hand.

• The sixth son's wife persuaded Grandmother Zhou to let her handle household chores while Fourth Sister-in-law worked in the fields, then blamed the family's bad luck on Xie Ning.
• Xie Ning collected plentiful meals for the third son's branch while Zhou Jinian worked hard to copy poetry so he could earn money for coarse sea salt.
• Worried about Zhou Jinian's strained eyes, Xie Ning went to the cave and explored its pool, finding an inlet but no visible outlet.
• Xie Ning caught five large fish and a dozen shrimp, hid them beneath the herbs in his basket, and hurried home.
• Zhou Jinian rubbed his sore wrist, and Xie Ning held his hand and massaged it.

Xie Ning cared for Zhou Jinian, cooked fish, and discussed selling dried eggplant in town with Lin Jin. He then proposed that he and Zhou Jinian catch fish at Pool Cave to sell, while Zhou Jinian planned to divide the household once Lin Jin could get out of bed.

• Xie Ning revealed the fish and shrimp he had caught for Zhou Jinian, who was moved by his thoughtfulness and nearly kissed him.
• Xie Ning steamed a fish for Zhou Jinian, but Grandmother Zhou took the remaining fish from his bucket.
• Xie Ning told Lin Jin he wanted to steam dried eggplant and sell it in town with Zhou Jinian, and Lin Jin approved while warning him not to enter the water again.
• Xie Ning realized he could catch fish and shrimp to sell, then asked Zhou Jinian to go fishing with him at Pool Cave the next day.

Xie Ning prepared food for a mountain trip and stood up to Grandmother Zhou when she challenged him for using the kitchen. Meanwhile, Zhou Jinian worked in the fields with his father and raised the possibility of dividing the household, but his father wanted to wait until the eldest uncle returned from town.

• Zhou Jinian agreed to accompany Xie Ning to gather herbs and catch fish, and Xie Ning prepared griddle cakes and shrimp paste for their trip.
• Grandmother Zhou scolded Xie Ning for using the kitchen, but he countered that he could sell the fish to buy medicine for Dad; she insisted he ask permission before cooking.
• Zhou Jinian went to the fields to help Zhou Sanfeng, while Xie Ning fed Lin Jin a cake topped with shrimp paste and considered selling cakes in town.
• Zhou Jinian told Zhou Sanfeng that Lin Jin should no longer farm because of his back, and Zhou Sanfeng said he planned to discuss splitting the household after the eldest uncle returned.

Zhou Jinian and Zhou Sanfeng agreed that the family should split the household and discussed moving to town, where Zhou Jinian could study and his parents could run a food stall. After Zhou Sifeng returned with Zhou Wenshu, Zhou Jinian examined Xie Ning’s worsening skin and told him to eat fish and shrimp while avoiding water; Xie Ning asked to go to town with him.

• Zhou Sanfeng explained that he now supported splitting the household because Zhou Jinian had become responsible and he wanted to care for Jinlang.
• Zhou Jinian suggested moving to town and earning money by copying books, while Zhou Sanfeng said he and Jinlang would sell fried dough sticks and porridge.
• Xie Ning brought fish soup to Dad and stayed quiet about Zhou Liufeng’s wife keeping most of the fish.
• Zhou Sifeng returned with his eldest brother, his sister-in-law, and Zhou Wenshu, and Lin Guihua offered to cook Wenshu a pan-fried fish.
• Zhou Jinian noticed Xie Ning’s skin had worsened, advised him to eat fish and shrimp and avoid water during the day, and Xie Ning asked to accompany him to town.

Xie Ning and Zhou Jinian went to Pool Cave to catch fish, growing more comfortable and affectionate with each other as they crossed the water together. The chapter left them resting by the pool, with Xie Ning delighted to see Zhou Jinian smile.

• Lin Guihua told Rong-ge'er to thank Xie Ning for the fish, while Zhou's Eldest Daughter-in-Law disparaged Xie Ning at dinner.
• Xie Ning rose early to decoct medicine for Father in the courtyard after Grandmother Zhou refused to let him use the kitchen.
• Zhou Jinian carried Xie Ning through the dark cave, then tied a rope to a rock so they could enter the pool.
• Xie Ning tried to carry Zhou Jinian through the water, but followed his advice and led him by the hand to the rocky bank.
• Xie Ning caught fish while Zhou Jinian practiced swimming, and they gathered enough fish to take home.
• Xie Ning rested with his arms around Zhou Jinian's legs and happily noticed when Zhou Jinian smiled.

Xie Ning and Zhou Jinian shared an affectionate moment after catching fish, then sold boiled shrimp with Zhou Sanfeng at home. The next morning they took their fish to Qingshui Town, where Zhou Jinian set prices at the market, but early customers walked away.

• Zhou Jinian kissed Xie Ning's forehead, and Xie Ning later kissed him back and invited him into the water.
• Xie Ning caught more than a dozen fish in a mountain pool, and Zhou Sanfeng helped them unload the catch.
• Xie Ning boiled shrimp in their courtyard, and the family ate them with sauce.
• Zhou Jinian borrowed an ox cart, and he and Xie Ning traveled to Qingshui Town with their fish and books.
• Zhou Jinian set up beside a pork stall and quoted prices for the fish, but several potential buyers left.

Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning sold their fish at the Qingshui Town market, collected payment for their bookshop work, and set out to find a broker. On the way, they stopped to watch a street performer, and Zhou Jinian amusedly watched Xie Ning imitate him.

• Zhou Jinian sold a fish to a well-to-do customer for eighty wen, and the customer’s purchase drew more buyers to their stall.
• Zhou Jinian traded a fish for three jin of pork belly and left their bucket with the butcher while he and Xie Ning went to eat.
• Xie Ning chose a noodle stall, listened to nearby vendors’ prices, and ate with Zhou Jinian before they headed to the bookshop.
• Shopkeeper Zhang checked their pages and paid them, leaving the couple with full purses as they went to find a broker.
• Xie Ning asked to see a street performance, and Zhou Jinian brought him to the front of the crowd, where Xie Ning mimicked the performer lifting a water vat.

Xie Ning and Zhou Jinian spent a day in town buying pastries, ordering Mid-Autumn mooncakes, and comparing rental houses before returning to the village. Meanwhile, Zhou Wenshu prepared for a festival gathering and summoned Grandmother Zhou to discuss something.

• Xie Ning pulled Zhou Jinian away from a street performer's tip bowl, and Zhou Jinian took him to buy dragon's beard candy.
• Zhou Jinian ordered three portions of mooncakes for his family, teacher, and father-in-law, then took Xie Ning to the Housing Office.
• Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning chose Upper North Alley as their likely rental, bought coarse sea salt, and headed back to the village.
• Xie Ning grew sleepy on the ox cart and slept until Zhou Jinian led him home.
• Zhou Wenshu recalled his planned Mid-Autumn gathering with academy scholars and ordered his mother to call Grandmother Zhou.

Zhou Wenshu persuaded Grandmother Zhou to give him silver for a literary banquet, while Xie Ning discussed his improving complexion and planned a new food to sell. Xie Ning settled on calling his steamed dried eggplant vegetarian jerky.

• Grandmother Zhou gave Zhou Wenshu silver for the banquet after he promised to be frugal and reminded her that passing the licentiate examination would benefit the family.
• Xie Ning asked Zhou Jinian whether his complexion had cleared, and Zhou Jinian confirmed it before examining the red lines on Xie Ning's arm.
• Zhou Jinian planned to take Xie Ning to the Pool Cave again, but told him they would not catch fish to sell.
• Lin Jin helped Xie Ning calculate a price for his steamed dried eggplant and suggested he give it a name.
• Xie Ning announced that he would call the food vegetarian jerky, and Lin Jin understood that he meant the eggplant would be sold under that name.

Lin Jin argued with Grandmother Zhou over how the family should divide the earnings from selling dried eggplants, and Zhou Sanfeng called for the household to be divided. Grandmother Zhou erupted in anger as the rest of the Zhou family gathered, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Lin Jin told Grandmother Zhou that he would either use household-provided eggplants and share the proceeds or buy them himself and keep the earnings.
• Grandmother Zhou demanded that Lin Jin pay for the eggplants and hand over half the money from their sale, and he refused.
• Grandmother Zhou reached for a broom and threatened to drive Lin Jin out of the Zhou family.
• Xie Ning stepped in to protect Lin Jin, and Zhou Sanfeng took the broom away and said they should divide the household.
• Grandmother Zhou shouted at Zhou Sanfeng for being unfilial, drawing the rest of the Zhou family to the courtyard.

Zhou Sanfeng confronted Grandmother Zhou over splitting the household and recalled how he permanently crippled his leg rescuing Zhou Liufeng, but his mother’s pleading stopped the dispute without a resolution. Meanwhile, Lin Jin’s family prepared vegetarian jerky to sell and planned to visit town to look at a house, with Xie Ning giving Zhou Jinian silver for the rent.

• Zhou Sanfeng demanded to split the household and reminded Grandmother Zhou that he had broken his leg carrying Zhou Liufeng home, while Zhou Jinian tried to shield him from her blows.
• Grandmother Zhou offered Zhou Sanfeng the silver back and begged him not to split the household, so he fell silent and the dispute ended unresolved.
• Lin Jin, Lin Guihua, Rong-ge'er, and Xie Ning packaged vegetarian jerky to sell during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
• Zhou Jinian told Xie Ning that the family would go to town to visit his teacher and look at a house in Upper North Alley.
• Xie Ning handed Zhou Jinian a piece of silver to rent the house.

Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning brought their dried eggplant to the crowded town market, where they struggled to attract customers until Xie Ning began selling it as vegetarian jerky along the street. The chapter ended with a curious passerby questioning its price.

• Zhou Liufeng's wife scolded their muddy five-year-old son and urged Zhou Liufeng to teach him before he started school.
• Zhou Sifeng collected vegetarian jerky, and Zhou Jinian, Xie Ning, Lin Jin, and Zhou Jinian's father traveled to town to sell it.
• The family set up at a quiet corner of the market and went nearly two hours without making a sale.
• When a steamed-bun seller walked through the market, Xie Ning decided to carry the vegetarian jerky along the street.
• Zhou Jinian caught up with Xie Ning and helped serve a customer who bought a packet.
• A passerby asked about the price, then remarked that twenty-five wen was almost as much as a jin of meat.

Xie Ning sold all the family’s vegetarian jerky at the market, exchanged the earnings for silver, and bought a courtyard house with his family. On the way home, he proposed starting a food business with fish-filled pan-fried dumplings, and Zhou Jinian agreed to support him.

• Xie Ning and Zhou Jinian sold their vegetarian jerky to eager market customers, then brought the remaining stock to their stall and sold it all.
• Xie Ning exchanged the day’s earnings for four taels of silver, and Zhou Jinian praised his success.
• Xie Ning’s family ate at the Drifting Fragrance Restaurant, viewed courtyard houses, and bought one after asking the broker to ensure its well was clean and safe.
• Lin Jin discussed selling fried dough sticks and steamed buns after they moved, and Xie Ning suggested making fish-filled pan-fried dumplings instead.
• Zhou Jinian agreed to Xie Ning’s idea, while Lin Jin remained convinced that Xie Ning brought prosperity to the family.

After Zhou Sanfeng brought home a profitable haul, his relatives tried to get recipes and ideas from Ninglang, but Zhou Jinian deflected their demands. Xie Ning prepared a new fish dish and coaxed Zhou Jinian into joining him at Pool Cave.

• Zhou Sanfeng gave Grandmother Zhou the household's share of the money he had earned selling eggplants, and she urged him to find ways to sell more crops.
• Zhou's Eldest Daughter-in-Law and Zhou's Sixth Daughter-in-Law offered to handle other crops while fishing for Ninglang's ideas, but Zhou Jinian redirected them toward their learned relatives.
• Grandmother Zhou gave Zhou Sanfeng extra coins to buy paper and ink for Zhou Jinian, while Zhou Sifeng suspected his eldest brother had previously kept some grain-sale money.
• Lin Jin cooked chili and glutinous rice sauce in his courtyard as Zhou's Eldest Daughter-in-Law and Zhou's Sixth Daughter-in-Law abandoned their attempts to use the kitchen.
• Xie Ning finished preparing the sauce and planned to catch fish at Pool Cave for pan-fried fish dumplings; Zhou Jinian teased him before agreeing to go.

Xie Ning and Zhou Jinian sold their shrimp-paste pancakes and dried mock meat at the foot of Praying for Grace Temple during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Back home, Zhou Liufeng confronted Grandmother Zhou about household expenses and demanded that the family divide the household.

• Xie Ning and Zhou Jinian set up a food stall near the temple steps and attracted customers with their shrimp-paste pancakes.
• Lin Jin and Lin Guihua brought more stock at noon and found that the baskets had sold out.
• Zhou Sanfeng returned home with a bulging purse after the successful day's sales.
• Zhou Liufeng learned that Zhou Wenshu had attended a scholars' Mid-Autumn banquet and criticized the family for spending money.
• Zhou Liufeng told Grandmother Zhou that they had to divide the household.

Zhou Sanfeng’s family joined the Zhou household division, while Zhou Jinian and Xie Ning prepared to move to town. After several failed recipes, Xie Ning made fish wontons and told Zhou Jinian he wanted to open a restaurant, and he left determined to sell wontons to support his husband’s exam ambitions.

• Grandmother Zhou proposed dividing the household and putting the family fields under Zhou Liufeng’s name until he passed the xiucai examination, but the branches argued until they agreed to divide the household evenly.
• Zhou Sanfeng’s family stayed out of the arguments, and Zhou Jinian watched Xie Ning and Rong-ge'er play together by the doorway.
• Xie Ning failed to make fish buns and pan-fried dumplings, then made tender fish wontons with Lin Jin’s help.
• Zhou Jinian noticed Xie Ning’s fingertips were red from carrying the hot bowl and soaked his hands in water before praising the wontons.
• Xie Ning said he wanted to open a restaurant, and Zhou Jinian encouraged him and explained how an honest merchant should conduct business.
• After hearing Zhou Jinian tell stories about Tofu Xishi, Xie Ning declared that he would sell wontons to support his husband.

Zhou Jinian gave Xie Ning control of the household money and grew more openly affectionate as Ninglang’s health improved. On moving day, Xie Ning’s father and brother helped the Zhou family reach their new home in Upper North Alley, where Lin Jin began carrying in the grain.

• Zhou Jinian put his money pouch in Xie Ning’s hand and told him to manage the household finances, then kissed him and planned to raise fish to keep him well fed.
• Zhou’s Sixth Daughter-in-Law quarreled with Zhou Liufeng over his books and complained that he could not cook.
• Zhou Jinian found Xie Ning practicing writing and gently kissed him after he finished.
• Zhou Jinian hired two ox carts, and the Zhou family moved their belongings with help from Xie Ning’s father and elder brother.
• Xie Dashu asked whether Xie Ning still got fevers, then embarrassed him by telling him to consummate his marriage more often and give the Zhou family a grandson.
• The group reached Upper North Alley, and Lin Jin carried the grain into the courtyard.