Cao Wen and Xu Duoyan picked out four children from among their tenants in one go, all teenagers.
Two girls and two boys—the youngest just twelve, and the oldest already fifteen.
They would start by guiding the children.
If they weren’t too clumsy, Cao Wen planned to take them as apprentices and teach them cooking skills, so that eventually one of them could replace him.
Xu Duoyan spent the first two days training them to familiarize with running the stall.
Kids at that age learned quickly and were already competent at the tasks.
Afterward, he handed them over to Cao Yang for supervision.
Although these children basically earned their keep by working for their family, they were still human labor.
The family was already struggling to raise them, so letting them leave home at this age wasn’t quite right.
Xu Duoyan allotted one hundred and twenty wen per month per child as a subsidy for their families.
If the children stayed long enough and truly mastered Cao Wen’s skills, they could be a great help to the Cao household.
When that time came, their monthly stipend would increase.
With these arrangements made, Xu Duoyan stepped back from the market business.
The ninety taels of silver spent on the barren land was already paying off.
The tenants in the Xianqin were vigorously cultivating the fields.
Although Cao Yongquan was there to help oversee things, the start of the work still required everyone’s presence to keep watch.
Xu Duoyan transported a cart full of newly forged farming tools from the Tiejiangpu back to the land.
In October, Cao Wen took a few spirited children to do business at the market, while Xu Duoyan led the tenants in clearing the wasteland.
Before dawn, the tenants had already borrowed farming tools from Xu Duoyan’s hands.
After eating breakfast with him, they went to the barren land, having already worked for nearly two incense sticks’ worth of time.
The tall Wolf-tail Grass was cut down and neatly stacked on the soil ridges by sharp Moonblades.
Within just a few days, the once barren land began to reveal the original look of the earth beneath.
The new farming tools worked well, and the tenants worked with enthusiasm.
The piles of weeds and tree branches by the soil ridges grew taller and taller.
Xu Duoyan considered himself capable of hard labor, but compared to the tenants, he didn’t feel as skilled.
After half a day of cutting weeds, even though he tried to slow down carefully, the stubborn Wolf-tail Grass and Ma’er Silai leaves still tore many small cuts on his hands.
They weren’t serious wounds, but the crisscrossed abrasions on his palms and backs of his hands bled a little.
After working hard and sweating, his hands ached all over.
“Maybe you should stop. Let’s go home.”
Since the family had a donkey cart, Cao Wen usually didn’t leave for the market until close to noon.
In the morning, he gave instructions about preparing the dishes and would come to the fields to look around.
Seeing Xu Duoyan’s injured hands, he felt uneasy.
“Everyone else can do it, why can’t I?”
Xu Duoyan withdrew his hands.
“It’s nothing serious. If you treat me well when we get back home, then it’s worth it.”
Cao Wen was helpless and brought back two pairs of gloves for Xu Duoyan.
After about ten days, once the weeds and small trees were cleared, the next step was to dig out roots and smash stones, removing anything in the soil that would hinder grain growth.
This was the real heavy lifting of reclaiming the land.
Xu Duoyan told everyone that if they needed firewood, they could take the weeds they’d cleared from the land.
Once what was left was collected, they’d burn it all to fertilize the soil.
The tenants were thrifty people. Hearing they could take the weeds home, they made several trips at night to haul all the weeds back.
Though early winter’s chill had arrived, hard work soon warmed them through and through.
By noon, under the sun, they felt unbearably hot.
Many men stripped off their thick outer clothes and continued working lightly dressed.
Xu Duoyan felt the heat too.
He’d been up late with Cao Wen the night before and was a bit lightheaded.
Besides, cutting grass, digging soil, and smashing stones required bending and crouching; waking up the next morning, his whole body ached.
He thought he’d have Cao Wen massage his legs that night.
Thinking of this, his mood lightened.
He took off his coat and sat on the soil ridge to rest a while before heading home for lunch.
“Madam Xu is truly diligent, coming to the fields for many days in a row. Such hard work—by Cao family standards, it’s unnecessary to toil in the fields.”
“It’s our own land, of course we’re willing to work hard.”
Several tenants resting nearby glanced at Xu Duoyan sitting on the ridge not far away.
They saw him take off his gloves and place them aside, then squat down to pull off his shoes.
He turned the shoes over, shaking out the dirt and sand inside, then stepped barefoot onto the dry grass.
A woman clicked her tongue: “Seeing Madam Xu every day these days, it feels a bit strange.”
“She’s so pretty. That’s nothing strange. Not just in our Xianqin, but the whole village can’t find a second like her.”
“I don’t mean that.”
The woman lowered her voice, and the group nodded in agreement, leaning in: “She just doesn’t seem like a woman!”
A buzz of whispered speculation arose.
“Her voice isn’t very soft, but she used to be mute. It’s not surprising she only started speaking recently after all those years.”
“Look at how she dresses. All blue-gray cloth, her hair tied casually—almost like a man’s topknot.”
“She goes out to the fields, so why would she bother dressing up? It’s just convenient for work. Maybe those cloth scraps are leftover fabrics Cao Wen used to make clothes. That means she’s not arrogant, frugal and manages the household well!”
Some thought it odd; others argued in defense.
The discussion grew lively.
“Exactly, how could she not be a woman? I’ve seen how much Cao Wen cares for her. Every time they finish work, he comes to pick her up and takes her home by donkey cart, afraid she’d walk too far. Even Cao Yang calls her ‘sister-in-law’ happily, and that shy boy gets bashful when she teases him!”
“But look at the fact that they’ve been married for a good while now. There’s no sign of her belly getting bigger.”
The woman gestured at Xu Duoyan’s flat upper body and slender waist.
“Well, everyone’s constitution is different. Being thin isn’t strange.”
“Just one or two odd things wouldn’t be a problem, but if every little thing is strange, then that would be rare!”
Cao Yongquan, sticking his ear out, nodded as the woman spoke.
Finally, someone noticed something unusual.
He had asked Ayan several times before, but the simple boy only said Xu Duoyan treated him well.
He never quite grasped the meaning.
He had to admit to his wife that Xu Duoyan was like a man, but his wife scolded him for being rude after hearing their son’s praise for Xu Duoyan, making him too afraid to say more.
Seeing no one else noticing, he wondered if he was just losing his mind.
But this group of women had sharp eyes and sensed something was off.
He was about to listen closer when a tall figure came up behind the women and softly asked, “What are you all talking about so eagerly? Include me too.”
“They’re saying Madam Xu isn’t a lady, but a man.”
The women whispered back. Realizing their mistake, one said, “You’re a man. How can you gossip so much and join this fun? Listen…”
Feeling pleased, the man turned around with a smile.
“Cao…Cao Wen…”
Everyone instantly fell silent.
“Ah Wen, don’t misunderstand. We were just gossiping. The aunts have loose tongues and should be scolded. From now on, they won’t chatter anymore.”
Feeling guilty, everyone avoided looking at Cao Wen.
“I was wondering what you were talking about. Since everyone’s curious, why not ask him directly?”
The woman’s words made the others uneasy, and she quickly apologized: “We won’t gossip anymore. We won’t cause trouble for Madam Xu.”
“There’s nothing to be unhappy about.”
The group had really misunderstood him.
Cao Wen shrugged: “Ayan really is a man.”
“!!!”
Cao Yongquan, eavesdropping nearby, nearly popped his eyes out.
He dropped his hoe and rushed over to pull Cao Wen aside.
“I told you I didn’t hear wrong that day. It really is true!”
After saying this, Cao Yongquan quickly added, “What on earth are you playing at?”
Cao Wen frowned: “How am I playing?”
Cao Yongquan stammered, overwhelmed with words but unsure where to start.
Looking at Cao Wen’s indifferent face, he gritted his teeth and asked, “Xu Duoyan really is a man?”
Seeing everyone’s suspicions rise and noticing how openly Ayan acted, Cao Wen nodded: “Yeah.”
“How can you say that!”
Cao Yongquan cursed angrily, “You brat, stirring up trouble and being improper! Why are you so cruel? You let a man pretend to be a woman and marry into the family! Just because he was mute before!”
Cao Wen opened his mouth but found no way to explain.
For heaven’s sake, he never bullied Xu Duoyan.
He treated him well from the start and shouldn’t be blamed.
He pondered: “This matter…is because of Zheng Kui.”
Suddenly enlightened, Cao Wen said, “Yes, it’s because of him!”
“At that time, I was influenced by him and helplessly agreed when he said he’d help me arrange a marriage. Naturally, I was happy and accepted.”
“After bringing him home and living together for a while, I realized Ayan was a man. I was angry and beat Zheng Kui up, but by then I already liked Ayan. What could I do?”
Cao Yongquan cursed: “What a wicked thing, all these scoundrels!”
After scolding, Cao Wen was about to say Cao Yongquan had a temper but saw him sigh instead: “Even so, what you’re doing is still inappropriate.”
“What’s inappropriate? There are many men in town with similar tastes. Compared to keeping a male pet, our relationship is proper and respectful.”
Cao Wen said, “As long as he’s happy, I’m happy too.”
Cao Yongquan felt something was off but couldn’t explain why.
He stomped angrily: “Nonsense! Which of you can have children? Cao family’s line will die out!”
“That’s a worry only if we have enough to eat. If we can’t even fill our stomachs, who cares about lineage? Even if we could have children, raising them would be impossible. They’d be sent to wealthy families as servants. What kind of legacy is that? It’s just letting children suffer as beasts of burden.”
Cao Yongquan was silent for a moment, feeling guilty toward Cao Yang.
His tone softened but he said, “At least your life is better now.”
Cao Wen laughed, “Our good life isn’t due to one person. Without Ayan, there’d be no fields or business today.”
“One must not forget their roots. Would you use someone up and then throw them away?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Cao Yongquan’s face fell.
Something didn’t feel right, but Cao Wen’s words made sense.
Just as he was about to speak, he looked up and saw someone walking behind Cao Wen.
He shut his mouth.
“Uncle, don’t worry about us anymore. And don’t waste time trying to find a good girl to continue the family line.”
Cao Wen said, “I didn’t say anything before because I was afraid you’d get upset. Now that things are out, I can’t hide it. It’s done. We’re inseparable. If Uncle and the neighbors can’t accept it, we’ll leave.”
“Our ancestors were born in the Xianqin. Where would you go?”
Cao Yongquan hastily said, “The days are finally getting better. Don’t cause trouble with me!”
He glanced at Xu Duoyan behind Cao Wen but didn’t dare look longer or say more.
With a flick of his sleeve, he turned and left.
“Then I’ll take that as you accepting this.”
Cao Wen called out specifically.
Cao Yongquan cursed angrily but helplessly, “Wicked youngsters!”
“Who says it’s done and dusted?”
Hearing this, Cao Wen turned to see Xu Duoyan approaching quietly.
His brow twitched and he cleared his throat: “Did you hear everything?”
“Mm.”
Xu Duoyan exhaled heavily and looked at Cao Wen: “Are you really sure?”
“Hm?”
Cao Wen was puzzled: “Sure about what?”
Xu Duoyan fell silent.
Actually, after confessing to Cao Wen, he hadn’t immediately fully restored his male identity.
Letting people speculate wasn’t just because he feared elders’ judgment or gossip.
He and his mother had come this far through hardship and near-death many times.
Life and death meant little now.
In the end, he still feared Cao Wen—that he might face criticism and strange looks, and that one day, when passion cooled, he might regret it.
Not caring oneself doesn’t mean others can do the same.
Cao Wen was young and impulsive, quick to make promises, but he was older and had to consider leaving a way out.
Even if Cao Wen regretted it one day, the heartbreak would be his alone.
That would at least honor the tolerance and care Cao Wen had shown him.
But now, hearing Cao Wen openly admit it to Cao Yongquan and so confidently confirm it, Xu Duoyan felt an indescribable feeling inside.
He told Cao Wen plainly: “By saying this today, everyone will know you’re with a man. They’ll talk and judge. Are you prepared? There will be no turning back.”
Cao Wen’s brow tightened: “I never made that promise on a whim or to play. If I was afraid, I wouldn’t have kept you here.”
“Now it’s out in the open. If they spread nasty rumors and make life unbearable, I’ll sell the land and leave. If all goes well, then so be it.”
He grasped Xu Duoyan’s hand and suddenly addressed the tenants who were still struggling to digest the shocking news: “Ayan and I are both men. Past, present, and future, we will support each other through hardships. Today I tell you openly to give everyone a clear answer. There’s nothing more to discuss.”
The tenants showed shock, some suspicious, but most respected Cao Wen even more.
Xu Duoyan looked at the resolute man beside him and pursed his lips.
Perhaps because he had never been chosen before, especially not so decisively, even his tough heart couldn’t help but tear up slightly.
He squeezed Cao Wen’s hand in return: “As Ayan said, what I think and feel is the same.”
In his heart, he silently thanked Cao Wen.
Everything in the world changes in an instant; nothing lasts forever.
But at least this moment, he truly felt Cao Wen’s sincerity.