Chapter 13: Sun Chunlan Joins the He Family

After finishing their meal, the Sun siblings were about to take their bowls to the kitchen when a knock came at the door. They stood up and exchanged a glance. Sun Bomin went to the door and called out, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Brother Sun. Open the door,” Laifu called from outside.

The Sun siblings breathed a sigh of relief as Sun Bomin quickly opened the door. Standing there were Laifu and He Erlang.

The Sun siblings stared at them in surprise.

He Erlang clasped his hands and, pointing to the basket of tangerines in the room, smiled, “Miss Sun, Brother Sun, these tangerines are worth twenty wen each. I’ll buy them all.”

Laifu had returned carrying a basket of tangerines, raving about their refreshing taste, sweetness, and smoothness.

He Erlang, curious, took a bite. The moment he tasted it, he was hooked—he quickly devoured more than half the basket, belching contentedly, “No wonder they’re so expensive. They really are delicious.”

The flavor was unique, unlike any tangerine he’d had before—once tasted, it left you wanting more.

A devoted son and grandson, He Erlang immediately thought of his grandmother and parents upon tasting such a fine fruit.

Sure enough, they all praised the tangerines, and the basket was soon emptied.

His grandmother even asked if there were more, saying if so, buy plenty for home and gifts alike.

The taste was so distinctive that surely others would love it as well.

He Erlang shared the story of the Sun siblings with his family. The He family agreed to buy all the tangerines and asked if there were more at home. Five baskets were far too few; the He family had many relatives, especially in their clan, and they needed gifts to send.

He Erlang, accompanied by Laifu, sought out the Sun siblings. Though the tangerines were expensive at twenty wen each, they were worth it.

Sun Chunlan’s eyes widened in disbelief, “Young Master He, you mean you’ll buy them all? We’ve been selling all day and barely made a dent, and now you want to buy everything. This surprise came too suddenly.”

He Erlang nodded, “Yes, Miss Sun, I want them all. By the way, do you have more at home? How much?”

There was no way they could sell everything if there was a large supply, so he needed to know.

Sun Chunlan replied immediately, “Young Master He, we have about fifteen hundred jin left.”

A rare big buyer—she wished she could sell them all to the He family and quickly added, “If you buy them all, I can lower the price by one wen.”

One wen less didn’t sound like much, but their profit margin was slim to begin with.

He Erlang looked at Miss Sun with a wry smile. Fifteen hundred jin and only one wen off? That was barely more than a tael. This girl was stingy indeed.

Seeing his expression, Sun Chunlan blushed and said, “One wen is not little. We have to transport them from far away. The journey costs and the losses are many; we can’t lower the price more.”

Laifu snorted quietly, thinking the Sun sister was as tight as a miser for even mentioning a one-wen discount.

He Erlang waved his hand, not wanting to argue, smiling, “Forget it, no discount needed. Twenty wen per jin it is. We’ll take all fifteen hundred jin.”

The siblings had traveled far to sell their tangerines; perhaps they deserved some consideration.

Sun Chunlan smiled, “Thank you, Young Master He.” Since you said no discount, that’s even better—we can earn more.

Sun Bomin also expressed his thanks repeatedly.

Afterward, the Sun siblings carried the tangerines to the He family’s main courtyard. They weighed out a full five hundred jin.

He Erlang paid and asked, “Can the tangerines be stored until the New Year?”

Sun Chunlan quickly explained, “Young Master He, if you line a large jar with oil paper, clean it thoroughly, then layer the tangerines with clean, sand-free loess soil—one layer of tangerines, one layer of soil—and keep them in a dry room, they’ll stay fresh for three to four months.” This was how the Sun family preserved their oranges.

He Erlang nodded, acknowledging the advice.

The siblings left the He family courtyard and returned to their own small courtyard. Closing the door, they counted their earnings.

Five hundred jin sold for ten taels.

They only had to pay the escort two taels for the journey. After that, eight taels remained.

The orchard expenses, including buying pesticides and miscellaneous upkeep, cost just one tael. As for labor, the Sun siblings didn’t count their own work—their labor was considered worthless.

If they could sell all the tangerines from their orchard, the Sun family would have a bountiful year.

The siblings calculated the numbers, their eyes red with emotion. Sun Chunlan’s tears fell as she said excitedly, “Little brother, once we’ve sold more tangerines, we can buy land and farm.”

Sun Bomin cried as well. The family had spent everything to treat their youngest brother’s illness, only to lose both money and him in the end.

Their once-prosperous household under their father had become one of the poorest in the village.

Poverty weighed down the Sun family so heavily they could barely breathe. Fortunately, no one else had fallen ill in recent years, allowing them to survive by a thread.

Early the next morning, the Sun siblings bid farewell to the He family and retraced their steps back to the escort agency where they were staying. Coincidentally, a caravan was heading back to Huangyang County.

After two days and a night, they returned to the county, then traveled another half day back to their village.

Without wasting time, they hurriedly picked all the fruit from the trees, emptied the orchard, and sought out the village chief. Together with two elder uncles, they loaded the tangerines and brought them to the He family.

This time, they also brought dried sweet potatoes, bamboo shoots, and home-fried tea leaves as tokens of gratitude.

Through these exchanges, the Sun family went from selling tangerines to helping their neighbors sell dried bamboo shoots and other goods. The He and Sun families grew closer, and a romance blossomed between He Erlang and Sun Chunlan. He Erlang proposed marriage.

Naturally, the He family objected. A village girl from a remote mountain village and a young master from the provincial capital—the social gap was vast, their family status worlds apart.

But He Erlang presented a reason the He family could not refuse: Sun Chunlan had a large posterior and was fertile. Her mother had given birth to six children, though one had died. This did not diminish her ability to bear children; in fact, it meant she could better carry on the He family line.

This argument silenced the He family elders. They lacked nothing but a grandson.

The He family had only two sons: He Dalang and He Erlang. He Dalang had been married for six years but had no grandchildren, let alone a grandson.

He Erlang was twenty-two and reluctant to marry—a prime example of an “old bachelor” by traditional standards.

These two brothers had driven their parents to the brink, their hair turning white with worry. Every New Year, at the clan gatherings, the He family was a source of shame and ridicule.

Now that He Erlang wanted to marry, he had chosen a village girl, and the He family was unwilling.

He Erlang argued, “Chunlan looks like she will bear many children. What’s the point of noble birth if she can’t have sons?”

Of course, he only dared say this to his parents and grandmother. In front of his elder brother and sister-in-law, he wouldn’t dare utter such words.

The He parents pondered for three days and nights. The father asked the mother, “Is it true that Miss Sun really has a large posterior?”

Though the question was rude, for the sake of a grandson, the father had no qualms.

The mother thought it over. She had seen Miss Sun twice—her appearance was decent and graceful, her manner poised. As for her posterior, it was indeed large, just like the legendary childbearing hips.

The couple couldn’t sleep. In the dead of night, they went to consult the old matriarch. The three deliberated, and by some twist of fate, agreed to the marriage.

After the wedding, Sun Chunlan gave birth to a healthy, chubby grandson in the first year. The He family’s shame was washed away. They proudly paraded little He Shujin throughout the clan to prove the family line was secured.

The grandson’s one-month celebration was grander than He Erlang and Sun Chunlan’s wedding. The He father handed out red-dyed eggs and wedding cakes for three consecutive days.