Her expression only flickered with surprise for a moment before she seamlessly switched to a smile and explained to Wei Xunzhou that she had been practicing skipping stones.
Wei Xunzhou didn't press further. Just as he was about to walk on, he paused and turned to look at Di Yao, indicating he would walk with her.
Di Yao glanced back at where the sachet had fallen. Seeing the Wangchuan River had already swallowed it, she followed without further worry.
This time, Di Yao didn't deliberately quicken her pace, but Wei Xunzhou's steps unconsciously slowed, so they walked side by side.
Last time, Cui Jue had said to wait at home for news about the seeds. In the meantime, Di Yao dragged Wei Xunzhou to Golden Rooster Mountain to gather some more seeds.
The golden roosters were already used to Di Yao, their frequent visitor, and she had grown accustomed to them because of Yuanbao. But Wei Xunzhou was still a stranger to the mountain chickens; every time they saw him, they would, with uncanny coordination, surround him, making it hard for him to move.
At such times, Di Yao felt it was her duty to protect Wei Xunzhou. She was diligent and never left his side.
Wei Xunzhou, for his part, remained calm in the face of the chicken siege, silently crouching to pick up seeds.
By the end of the day, Di Yao hadn't gathered many seeds, but Wei Xunzhou had filled two whole baskets—with seeds and some vegetables.
In the evening, Di Yao began sorting through the seeds, separating corn, rice, and millet. The task was heavy, and she didn't have time to cook.
Wei Xunzhou brought the finished meal directly into the room. Di Yao put down her work, lifted the bowl covering the plate, and found the dishes different from before—several dark spice leaves were mixed in with the greens.
"Wow, did Mother actually send us spices?" Di Yao eagerly picked up a bite and savored it.
"Mm," Wei Xunzhou replied. Hearing Di Yao call his mother "Mother" so naturally stirred an indescribable feeling in him.
He hadn't expected her to appear before Mu Qing that day; by the time he came to his senses, they had already chatted for a while. Although Mu Qing's expression was odd, her smile never faded when she heard Di Yao calling her "Mother-in-law."
She had never imagined that Wei Xunzhou would one day be willing to marry, and to such a lively, adorable girl.
Listening to the laughter beside him, Wei Xunzhou actually felt a hint of gratitude.
With seasoning, the food was transformed. Di Yao's appetite soared; she felt she could down three bowls of soup with the dishes today.
"Delicious." Before, without spices, as long as the food wasn't burnt, it all tasted the same—the original flavor of the ingredients.
Now it was different; seasoning was key. To Di Yao's surprise, Wei Xunzhou, who hadn't even known how to knead dough initially, had somehow mastered stir-frying to a perfect flavor.
She never stinted on praise, so with every bite, she complimented him, until his ears turned red.
Besides spices, Mu Qing had sent them many other things: silver notes, gold ingots, furniture, bedding, and various practical items.
She especially thoughtfully sent Di Yao several sets of beautiful clothes and shoes, from head to toe, inside out. Di Yao's eyes were dazzled.
If there weren't a limit on how much could be sent at once, Di Yao thought Mu Qing would have sent even more.
Initially, Di Yao had assumed Wei Xunzhou's relationship with his mother was poor; it turned out he was simply so cold that he didn't get close even to his parents.
She didn't know how he had treated Mu Qing before, but now that Mu Qing had sent them so much, she had to find time to drag Wei Xunzhou back to Zhuangzhou Post.
Having a child predecease them was a devastating blow to any parent. Since they could communicate through dreams, it was at least some comfort.
Di Yao quietly arranged everything in her mind, then reached for another bite, only to find the dish empty.
After finishing at home, Di Yao went to see Meng Po. She hadn't seen the old woman for a few days and missed her.
Meng Po, as honest as ever, dropped her work when she saw Di Yao and asked what she had been up to and if there was trouble at home.
Di Yao shared her plan. Initially skeptical, Meng Po stopped questioning when she heard it was Judge Cui of the Yinlv Division who had suggested it. She had a good impression of him; they had worked together a few times over the years, and he was reliable and well-intentioned.
Since she couldn't help with seeds or cooking, Meng Po thought for a moment and asked if Di Yao had found a location for the tavern.
Di Yao shook her head, saying she had no idea. So Meng Po offered her own main hall.
That was a huge stroke of luck for Di Yao. She confirmed it several times before finally believing it.
With the biggest worry resolved, Di Yao felt light as air all day, as if in a dream. She hadn't expected that in this strange Underworld, kind people would always be willing to help her. Her heart was full. Now, even the wandering souls and fierce ghosts on the road didn't scare her; she was beginning to feel a sense of belonging.
Though she finished early, she stayed to help and keep Meng Po company. By the time she headed home, it was already dark.
On the way home, Di Yao noticed something different about the Underworld. The usually deserted paths were bustling with pedestrians, lively and noisy.
Many people carried baskets, many containing river lanterns. Di Yao stopped a young woman and asked what day it was. The woman said it was the fifth day of the fifth month—the Dragon Boat Festival in the Mortal World, also known as the Tianzhong Festival in the Underworld.
The Mortal World's Dragon Boat Festival had many customs: dragon boat races, hanging mugwort, tying colored ropes, wrapping zongzi... In the Underworld, the customs were quite different.
Compared to the Mortal World, the Underworld had vast land but scarce resources and sparse population, with no entertainment or food and drink venues. So on festivals, most people went to Zhuangzhou Post to send dreams to their families, then at night they released flower lanterns and sky lanterns by the Wangchuan River to pray.
Hearing it was a festival, Di Yao's eyes lit up. This was indeed a lucky day.
She lifted her skirts and ran home. When she arrived, Wei Xunzhou had already prepared dinner and was sitting in the yard, looking up at the blood moon.
"Husband, come out with me later," Di Yao said, sitting at the table and taking a bite of a steamed bun. It puffed out her cheeks, making her words garbled.
Wei Xunzhou was about to refuse, but seeing her wolfing down her food, he agreed.
After finishing, Di Yao wiped her mouth contentedly and told Wei Xunzhou to wait outside while she went inside.
It was a festival, so there should be some ceremony. She carefully picked out a peach-pink chest-high ruqun from the new clothes Mu Qing had sent.
After changing, she stood before the bronze mirror. Feeling her hairstyle didn't match, she sat down to redo it.
Afraid Wei Xunzhou would grow impatient, she sped up. In the end, the result was excellent; normally, after a half-hour of careful styling, she was often dissatisfied.
She grabbed the last peach blossom hairpin and stuck it in hastily, then ran out.
Wei Xunzhou had already washed the dishes and was still sitting quietly in the yard.
Hearing her approach, he turned around. Seeing her dressed up, he was momentarily stunned.
"Husband, how do I look in this outfit?" Di Yao spread her arms and spun in place. The dangling ornaments on her hairpin swayed and tangled in her hair.
Di Yao always wore bright, vivid colors, and with a suitable hairstyle, she was always the most eye-catching in a crowd.
Wei Xunzhou didn't say anything, but stepped forward and raised his hand to free the strand caught in her hair.
Just as he lowered his hand, Di Yao caught his wrist with one hand and, with the other, took out the hastily placed hairpin, putting it in his palm.
"Husband, you can fix it for me." Di Yao was never casual about her appearance; she didn't think twice about this request.
Wei Xunzhou looked at the hairpin in his hand, curled his fingers, and finally inserted it where Di Yao had indicated.
He had never put a hairpin in a woman's hair before; it felt even more intimate than holding hands.
Di Yao was much shorter, so he could see the top of her head without tiling his head. Her hair was black and thick, and its fragrance slowly entered his nostrils, stronger than what he smelled when they slept.
After fixing it, he stepped back two paces and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Done."
Di Yao touched it and looked into his eyes. "Pretty?"
Wei Xunzhou deliberately avoided the question and looked away.
But Di Yao was intent on teasing him. She took his hand and said plaintively, "Husband, we've been married for a while, but I don't think I've ever heard you praise me."
She knew his nature, but she also knew he had mellowed lately. Whenever she asked for something, he granted it.
So if he was too shy to compliment her, she would just be forward. All she wanted was a word of praise; she didn't care if he meant it.
Sure enough, after a moment's struggle, he conceded. "Pretty."
Hearing what she wanted, Di Yao's mood improved. She leaned forward, looked up at him with a smile, and continued teasing. "What's pretty?"
Wei Xunzhou: "..."