Chapter 167

William Stone lay on the clinic bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. His wife hadn’t even come to see him? His eldest cousin had clearly delivered the message last night.

"Sister-in-law, I’ll head back first. I’ll bring the ox cart tomorrow to pick up my brother," William said, rubbing his sore back. Sleeping on the hard wooden bed had left his whole body aching.

"Alright."

On the ox cart back to the village, several women eyed him curiously.

"William, what happened to you?"

"Did you fall?"

William tugged at his tattered cotton coat. "It’s nothing."

The women exchanged glances. He clearly wasn’t fine, but seeing his dark expression, they didn’t press further.

"Wife! Wife!"

The moment he stepped into the house, William bellowed.

"Dad!" Little George ran in from outside, his cheeks red from the cold.

"Where’s your mother?"

"She went to the private plot."

William’s heart sank. She hadn’t visited him last night, and now she wasn’t even home waiting for him. He trudged inside, stripped off his coat, and collapsed onto the heated bed.

"Dad, where’s the meat?" Little George asked eagerly.

"None," William replied without turning around.

The boy stood there, disappointed. David and Tommy’s family had meat every day—how could his father return empty-handed from the mountains?

Meanwhile, Michael Stone was chopping firewood in the yard.

"Take a break," Emily Johnson said, handing him a cup of warm water.

"I’m not tired. This is easier than fieldwork," Michael replied, taking the cup. His fingers brushed against hers, and they both froze for a second.

Emily suddenly realized that after the autumn harvest, no one in the family had gone to work. If this continued, they might not have enough grain by year-end.

"If thieves come, don’t hold back," Michael murmured.

"I’ll go cook," he said, turning toward the kitchen, his ears faintly red.

Emily glanced at the sun—it wasn’t even time to start dinner yet.

After lunch, Michael left the house. Since their quilts were being washed, David and Tommy had to nap in their mother’s room. But the two boys were full of energy, flipping through a picture book with her.

"Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law!"

Ethan’s voice called from outside the courtyard.

"It’s Ethan!" David jumped up to open the gate.

Ethan stood at the entrance, holding a cloth bag. "Sister-in-law, the kudzu starch..."

Emily took it and filled the bag with flour, then added a bundle of noodles and a packet of sugar.

"Your shoes..." She noticed his worn-out cloth shoes, his feet red from the cold.

She turned and fetched a pair of slightly used rubber boots. "Try these on."

Ethan rubbed his hands nervously. "Sister-in-law, this is too much..."

Emily shook her head with a smile. "You don’t know—the Supply & Market sells kudzu starch for eighty cents a pound. I feel like I’m taking advantage of you."

Ethan’s eyes welled up. Clutching the items, he bowed deeply, then turned and ran out of the courtyard.