Zhao Ger couldn’t help but kiss him. Fang Zichen cupped his face. "I’ve thought about this. Three taels a month is enough for food, but if I want to advance further, it’ll cost a lot more in the future. So..."
Here, he hesitated, trying to phrase it nicely. "Behind every successful man, there’s a ger silently supporting him. So, Zhao Ger, I’m counting on you."
Zhao Ger wanted to be his support, but reality didn’t allow it. "But I don’t know how to make money."
He wasn’t like Fang Zichen, who was skilled at calculations. Though he’d been learning, he wasn’t yet capable of handling things independently.
Manual labor wasn’t an option either.
Washing clothes for others wouldn’t earn much.
He’d considered growing vegetables to sell like Zhou Ger, but they didn’t even have land.
Even a skilled housewife couldn’t cook without rice!
Fang Zichen had originally planned to take Zhao Ger and Guaizai to the government office on his day off to settle their household registration. But instead, they spent the day walking around town, surveying the market. By then, he already had an idea.
"Let’s sell blood sausages!" he said.
It was a fresh concept—no one in town was selling them yet. The ingredients were cheap, and Fang Zichen had eaten them before. An old man used to fry and sell them near his school gate, and they were delicious.
Zhao Ger had never heard of them. "Blood sausages? What’s that?"
"A type of food," Fang Zichen said. "I’ll buy the ingredients tomorrow and teach you how to make them."
Zhao Ger perked up, lifting himself slightly. "Are we starting a business?"
If they wanted money fast, they had to take the plunge.
"Mm," Fang Zichen nodded. "We’ll try selling first and see how it goes."
It was a small-scale venture, requiring little upfront capital or labor—perfect for their "starting from scratch" situation.
Fang Zichen had three days off a month. He’d already taken one, and today was another.
After breakfast, he kissed Guaizai, grabbed a basket, and headed out. Guaizai saw him off, standing at the gate and watching until Fang Zichen was far away.
He didn’t move, like a stone statue waiting for its lover.
He’d done the same before when Fang Zichen left for work—back then, it couldn’t be helped. But today wasn’t a workday.
Fang Zichen couldn’t stand it. He turned back.
"Father?" Guaizai ran over to take his hand, thinking he’d forgotten something.
Zhao Ger stepped out from the yard too.
Fang Zichen asked, "Do you still need to help Zhou Ger’s family today?"
Zhou Ger’s family only had a few plots of land. With two hardworking gers tending to them, even the weeds were nearly extinct.
Zhao Ger shook his head. "No, we’ve finished everything." They just needed to harvest when the time came.
"Then let’s all go to town together!"
Guaizai’s eyes widened as he looked at Zhao Ger. "Daddy?"
He wanted to go.
Zhao Ger did too. "Mm! I’ll go get the money pouch."
And so, the family set off together.
In the morning, the sky was streaked with orange-yellow clouds. By noon, it would be scorching, so everyone worked early. People were already busy in the fields along the road, some carrying hoes as they walked. In the distance, roosters crowed—a peaceful, idyllic rural scene.
Seeing the happy family of three, someone greeted them and asked where they were headed.
Ma Wen and his parents happened to be nearby. Fang Zichen glanced at them, then loudly replied with a smile, "Taking my fulang and son to town for a stroll! You take care, Uncle!"
Zhao Ger carried the basket. Guaizai’s short legs couldn’t keep up, so Zhao Ger put him inside.
Since they were buying a lot today, he’d brought a large basket. Guaizai barely peeked out over the rim.
Wildflowers dotted the roadside, unnamed but vibrant with dew.
Fang Zichen plucked one and tucked it behind Zhao Ger’s ear. "Flowers and beauty—a perfect match."
He sounded utterly sincere. Zhao Ger blushed. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Guaizai hugged Zhao Ger’s neck, sniffing the flower. "Father, Guaizai wants one too!"
Fang Zichen picked another and stuck it into Guaizai’s little topknot. Unable to see it, Guaizai carefully touched it, eyes sparkling. "Father didn’t praise Guaizai yet!"
Fang Zichen couldn’t resist teasing him. "Flowers stuck in cow dung."
Guaizai: "..."
Daddy was "beauty," but when it came to him, he was "cow dung"?
He knew what cow dung was—he’d even helped the village chief collect some when the family’s ox relieved itself outside.
Black, lumpy, ugly, and attracting flies.
Guaizai pouted, squatting in the basket. "Father is a meanie~"
Fang Zichen reached through the basket’s gap to poke his butt. "Angry? Gonna draw circles and curse me?"
Guaizai blocked with his hands. "No poke Guaizai’s little butt!"
"I’ll poke anyway."
"Then Guaizai will fart and stink up Father!"
Fang Zichen laughed, lifting him out of the basket and onto his shoulders.
The sudden height made Guaizai both scared and excited. He clung to Fang Zichen’s head, legs tightly gripping his neck.
Fang Zichen held his ankles. "Don’t squeeze so hard! You’re choking your father."
Guaizai giggled.
"Should we give Guaizai a proper name? In a few days, I’ll get my wages, and we’ll go to the government office to register the household documents." Fang Zichen asked, "Have you thought of any names for him?"
Zhao Ger hadn’t given it much thought—and his knowledge was limited. He shook his head. "You pick."
Fang Zichen said, "Most kids in the village are named things like ‘Ergou (second dog),’ ‘Tiedan (iron egg),’ or ‘Zhuzi (pillar).’ I’ve thought of a few options. See which one you like."
Zhao Ger: "What are they?"
Fang Zichen: "Fang Yigou (one dog), Fang Daye (grandfather/big master), Fang Tiezhu (iron pillar), Fang Xiaoshan (little mountain), Fang Baozi (steamed bun), Fang Dami (big rice), Fang Kourou (braised pork). Which do you prefer?"
Zhao Ger: "..."
Without waiting for a reply, Fang Zichen continued, "I think ‘Fang Daye’ is great—very imposing. Or ‘Fang Dami’ is nice too. What do you think?"
Zhao Ger: "..." I think they’re all terrible.
But he kept that to himself. He glanced at Guaizai, eyes full of apology. Guaizai didn’t understand, but seeing his daddy look at him, he grinned and called out, "Daddy!"
Zhao Ger’s guilt deepened.
He said, "I... I think they’re fine too."
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