The new year was almost here and villagers were crossing river more and more. Song Yuming made quite a bit of money ferrying people across. Every night, Xue Dongting would count the coins in the money bag the fisherman gave her, then carefully deposit them in a wooden box with the others before she retired. She never bored of this. And every time, Song Yuming would sit by the brazier smiling, watching his little wife who had money in her eyes, watching her absorbed, satisfied expression. The more he watched her the more he enjoyed it.

In the morning the fisherman went out to ferry as usual. Xue Dongting sat inside by the brazier with a new pair of men"s shoes on her lap, happily admiring her craftsmans.h.i.+p.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. She got up and opened the door to see a man standing there holding something. It was He Xu, the man who had come that night to ask Song Yuming to ferry him across the river so he could take his child to the doctor.

He Xu saw Xue Dongting and smiled broadly. “h.e.l.lo Sister, is Brother Song at home?”

“He went to the river. How is your boy, Guang"er?”

He Xu smiled. “He spent a few days in town recovering. He"s all better now. I came to offer you this little something for the trouble I caused you two that night. Please accept this bit of pork, Sister.”

Xue Dongting noticed the patches all over his clothes and knew he was hard up. How could she take this from him? “Don"t be such a stranger, we"re neighbors. Why go to all this trouble over that little thing? I just couldn"t accept this pork, please take it back and let your son eat it.”

He Xu was a simple, honest man. He had come here with all sincerity to give his thanks, but seeing her refuse the gift made his face turn red. He insisted on her taking the pork. They fumbled around and his hand accidentally touched her wrist. Xue Dongting paid it no mind, but He Xu seemed to have been given an electical shock the way he s.n.a.t.c.hed his hand back.

She smiled laughed awkwardly. She was not a mincing woman, and she knew He Xu had not done it on purpose. With the situation like this she had no choice but to accept the pork. “I don"t know how he will scold me when he gets back.”

He Xu breathed a sigh of relief when she took the pork. He scratched his head, smiling. “You and Big Brother saved my son"s life, this was only appropriate.” He paused. “He"s had a hard life, losing his mother at a young age, and then having to deal with this annoying ailment. I don"t have any plans to remarry, I just want to look after Guang"er. I thank the heavens that he"s better now…”

Xue Dongting could tell by the way his voice was trailing off that he was distressed over his son"s illness. “I know a bit of medicine. His asthma is not easy to cure, but it can be controlled. Don"t worry too much… I"ll prepare some herbal medicine packets for him to put on. They might prove helpful.”

He Xu had already seen Xue Dongting treat Guang"er before so his eyes lit up when she said that and he thanked her at once. They exchanged a few conventional greetings, then Xue Dongting invited him inside for tea, but He Xu was concerned to go in since Song Yuming was not at home. He didn"t want others to start in rumors. He would never do anything, but he was concerned for Xue Dongting"s reputation. Before there were some villagers gossiping that Song Yuming had married a floozie. He Xu had heard a bit of it. But now it seemed that not only was Song"s wife pretty, she also had a good heart. She was an out-and-out good person. What was this frivolous talk about her being a floozie? He exchanged a few courtesies, then said he was worried leaving his boy at home as a pretext to take his leave.

Xue Dongting watched him go and was about to close the door when she spotted the woman who have given Song Yuming shoes coming her way. The woman looked at He Xu walking away, then back to Xue Dongting at the door. She had an odd look on her face.

Xue Dongting knit her brows. She really didn"t like that woman at all. She had no intention in calling out a greeting, so she ignored her and closed the door.