Chapter 51: Morning Stew and Matchmaking Nonsense
The morning sun filtered through the kitchen window in gentle golden stripes, casting soft patterns across the clay stove and woven baskets. Su Yanyue stood at the counter, her sleeves rolled up and a faint dusting of flour on her cheek.
A pot of millet porridge simmered on the fire, and the rich aroma of stewed mushrooms and mountain herbs filled the small space. Outside, birds chirped and the village began to stir.
"Do we really need vegetables in the stew?" Su Zhi asked, poking at the mushrooms skeptically.
"Yes," Yanyue replied without looking up.
"But they're green," he whispered to Su Lin, as if the color alone made them suspect.
"That's the point," Su Rui said, walking in with a small basket of freshly picked greens. "It helps keep our immune systems balanced."
"Who taught you that?" Yanyue asked.
"You did," he replied proudly.
"Then eat it without complaints."
The boys pouted but obediently set the table, each placing chopsticks and bowls with the precision of small soldiers. The trio had become rather good at navigating daily tasks—as long as it didn't involve folding laundry.
Yu Shiming stepped into the courtyard, brushing specks of sawdust off his sleeves. He had spent the early morning helping fix a broken fence for a neighbor and now carried a bundle of dried firewood under one arm.
"Breakfast?" he asked, voice rumbling lightly.
"Stew with extra vegetables," Su Zhi warned, pulling a face.
Yu Shiming merely raised an eyebrow. "Good. You need strength. All three of you are starting to look like skinny radishes."
"We're muscular radishes," Su Lin muttered as he ladled porridge into bowls.
As they sat to eat, a loud voice floated in from the front gate.
"Yanyue! Are you home? I brought duck eggs and gossip!"
It was Auntie Ming—the matchmaker of the village and unofficial queen of unsolicited advice. Before Yanyue could stand, the older woman bustled in like a storm in skirts, cheeks flushed and arms full.
"Have you heard? Widow Liu from the next village was seen chatting with Scholar Wen by the riverside. Twice!"
"Shocking," Yanyue said, sipping her porridge.
"And—" Auntie Ming leaned in conspiratorially, "Elder He's niece came back from the town with silk ribbons and a new hairpin. Town fashions! Can you believe it?"
Su Zhi whispered, "Is that the same auntie who thought Papa should marry Widow Chen?"
Yu Shiming coughed on his porridge.
Yanyue nearly dropped her spoon.
Auntie Ming, thankfully, hadn't heard. "But more importantly, I had a dream. A dream that a phoenix was building a nest near a mountain lion's den. Very auspicious. You know what it means, don't you?"
"...That I should move?" Yanyue offered.
"That someone in this house is due for romance!" Auntie Ming declared dramatically, gesturing toward both her and Yu Shiming.
The triplets smirked.
Yu Shiming looked like he would rather face ten armed bandits.
Yanyue calmly ate another spoonful of stew.
Later, after Auntie Ming left—grinning and promising to "return with mooncakes and marriage charts"—Su Yanyue found herself sweeping the courtyard with a smile.
She glanced up to see Yu Shiming chopping wood again, avoiding her eyes.
"You know," she said mildly, "if you ever need help escaping an ambush, I have bun batter and a broom."
"I'll keep that in mind," he replied without looking at her, but his lips twitched.
In the soft rustle of leaves, the clatter of bowls, and the antics of three mischievous boys, Su Yanyue's days bloomed one after another—slow, warm, and quietly full of joy.