Though they talked about sharing chores, Ding Qiyu hoped to take on more responsibilities to ease the burden on Madam He and Lian'er. With laughter and conversation, Lian'er decided to show Ding Qiyu around Hejia Village to familiarize her with the surroundings.
Madam He's household was among the poorest in Hejia Village, a fact made evident by their secluded small courtyard tucked away in a corner of the village, isolated from other homes. Behind the courtyard was a small hill covered with a bamboo grove, freshly green, though most of the spring bamboo shoots had already been harvested.
As they walked along the country path, Lian'er explained that Hejia Village was not far from Xingcheng, a major city in the north of Qianguo—just an hour away on foot. Nearby were other villages like Liujiacun and Fuze Village, creating a sort of "rural ring around the city," as Ding Qiyu understood it. Hejia Village consisted of dozens of households, all somewhat related, governed by a village chief who also acted as the clan leader.
Lian'er's family, now including Ding Qiyu, consisted of three people, but they had many relatives. Lian'er's father was the youngest of three brothers. While he was alive, the families got along well, but after his untimely death from illness, leaving behind only Lian'er and her mother, relations soured. The uncles offered no help and often bullied the two women. The family's savings were exhausted on Lian'er's father's medical bills, and after his death, Madam He had to sell their former home and move to this remote, smaller house, enduring hardship to get through the toughest times. Now, with Lian'er growing up and both women being diligent and hardworking, they managed to avoid hunger, despite their continued poverty.
Listening to Lianer's story, Ding Qiyu mused on how money often breeds discord, with all pretense and fragile relations crumbling under its weight. She resolved to protect and nurture this family, ensuring Madam He and Lian'er would no longer suffer.
Lian'er showed Ding Qiyu their few acres of land, which were not far from their home, though positioned at the edges. Ding Qiyu wasn't sure how the unit "acre" translated in this world, but the plot seemed modest compared to the sprawling fields of others. Lian'er pointed out the woods where Madam He had gone mushroom picking, explaining that while there were no large predators due to frequent human activity, small animals were plentiful. The firewood they used came from these woods, and sometimes villagers would hunt small game there. Beyond the woods lay a small tributary of the Xing River, where Ding Qiyu had met Madam He, and deeper within the forest was a road leading to Xingcheng, though it was seldom used due to its isolation.
After the woods, Lian'er took Ding Qiyu to a well near the fields, where they fetched water for daily use.
As they returned to the village path, heading towards the entrance to Hejia Village, Lian'er explained that any shopping was done at a small market near the village entrance. This "market" was more of a gathering of villagers selling surplus goods to supplement their income. For special occasions or larger markets, they would travel to Xingcheng.
Before reaching the village entrance, they encountered an elderly woman and a young girl. Spotting Lian'er with a stranger, the woman scrutinized Ding Qiyu, her gaze lingering disdainfully on the patchwork "beggar outfit." She turned to Lian'er with scorn, "Lian'er, where did you pick up this little beggar? Has your family sunk so low that you're begging now?"
Ding Qiyu felt uncomfortable under the woman's scrutiny, marking her as unpleasant. While she didn't mind being called a beggar, she disliked how the woman spoke to Lian'er. Just as she was about to retort, Lian'er, unfazed and seemingly used to such rudeness, spoke up. Her good mood from having Ding Qiyu join the family made her unbothered by the woman's words. She decided to use this encounter to introduce Ding Qiyu, knowing that news would spread quickly through the village thanks to this woman's gossip. "Auntie, Sister Gui, this is my brother Ayu."
