W Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Finding Someone is Difficult

Yesterday, Xie Qingya sent a pottery pot of soy milk. At dawn, Xu Youfang cooked some for Ling Xing and Shen Hui to drink.

The soy milk had a strong bean flavor and was ground very finely. After settling overnight, Xu Youfang didn’t stir it, giving Ling Xing and Shen Hui the smoothest, sediment-free portion.

Although it lacked some flavor without sugar, for Ling Xing now, this bowl of sugar-free soy milk was extremely delicious.

Seeing Ling Xing liked it, Xu Youfang served him another bowl. Ling Xing held the bowl and gulped it down.

After another bowl of thicker corn paste, Ling Xing got up to pack things.

Like yesterday, he carried a bamboo basket containing the money box and steamer.

Walking along the mountain path, Ling Xing subconsciously reached out to tug at Shen Hui’s sleeve, but Shen Hui quickly moved away.

Ling Xing was a bit puzzled, watching Shen Hui searching for something not far away.

In a moment, a tree branch was thrust into his hand.

“Ge’er, hold onto the branch.”

Ling Xing thought that constantly tugging at his sleeve made it difficult for Shen Hui to walk, so he nodded without a word, “Okay.”

It was still dark when they reached the town, with little light.

Xu Qi sat on a stool, and seeing Shen Hui and Ling Xing, he waved with a smile.

After exchanging a few pleasantries about how delicious yesterday’s cold noodles and steamed buns were, he said that today he would take Wang Youmai to see the new stall.

Everyone was busy, so after a few words, they each got to work.

When going to the warehouse to get the stove and pottery pot, Ling Xing remembered Shen Hui asking for his help yesterday and directly followed Shen Hui inside today.

Unexpectedly, Shen Hui stopped him, “Ge’er, you can just wait for me outside. It’s not heavy. Yesterday morning I didn’t eat enough and felt a little weak, that’s why I asked Ge’er to help me.”

Ling Xing nodded, “Alright, then I’ll wait for you here.”

Shen Hui hummed in agreement. Turning around, he saw Li Huiyuan’s gaze on Ling Xing.

His brow furrowed tightly. Carrying the heavy bamboo basket, he strode away.

“May I ask how to address you?”

Li Huiyuan finally found an opportunity and mustered the courage to ask Ling Xing’s name.

He wanted to ask earlier, but Ling Xing always went inside together, and he couldn’t find a suitable moment.

In Ling Xing’s view, this kind of inquiry was extremely normal. He smiled and politely replied, “My name is Ling Xing.”

“Can I, can I call you Ling-ge’er?”

Li Huiyuan even scratched his head shyly after asking.

Seeing Ling Xing nod, he smiled and added, blushing, “I’m the third child at home, Ling-ge’er can call me Li Sanlang, or just Sanlang is fine.”

It was dark, and Ling Xing couldn’t clearly see Li Huiyuan’s expression. He didn’t care about the form of address. Since he brought it up, he would use whatever the other person said.

Adding an extra character was more awkward. Ling Xing tugged on the straps of the basket to make his shoulders more comfortable and casually said, “Okay, Sanlang.”

Shen Hui happened to be carrying the mud stove in one hand and the pottery pot in the other.

He came out just in time to hear that clear “Sanlang.”

“Ge’er.”

Shen Hui’s voice was low and strong, as if suppressing some emotion.

He stood in the shadows, coldly looking at Li Huiyuan.

He was only gone for a short while, and this person was already pushing his luck so much.

Sanlang? He even had the nerve to say it, telling his Ge’er to call him that.

Li Huiyuan didn’t notice Shen Hui’s cold gaze at all. He was also caught up in his own emotions.

Hearing Shen Hui call Ling Xing “Ge’er,” Li Huiyuan was like a frostbitten eggplant, losing his earlier vibrant spirit.

He knew Ling Xing’s status. He had heard Shen Hui’s address to Ling Xing several times when storing and picking up goods at the warehouse.

He was too happy and forgot that Ling Xing was already someone else’s husband after knowing his name.

But he couldn’t control himself. Since being praised like that, Li Huiyuan finally felt that he had hope again.

Over the years, he was always confused, repeatedly asking himself if it was really okay? Could he really pass the exam?

He couldn’t get an answer.

However, Ling Xing’s words that day restored Li Huiyuan’s confidence. It strengthened his original intention to continue moving forward.

It had been too long since he had received such positive feedback.

At that time, he felt like a long-awaited rain after a drought.

It also made him develop some subtle changes towards Ling Xing. He always hoped that the other person could praise him more.

Li Huiyuan looked at Ling Xing’s departing back, sighed dejectedly, and then sat back down to practice writing and reading.

After the steamed bun stall was set up, the noodle stall across the street didn’t appear.

Ling Xing guessed that Xu Qi must have taken the man to a new location.

He poured out the fermented dough and took out the pork filling that Xu Youfang had helped chop and season with salt yesterday.

The pork filling was thirty percent fat and seventy percent lean to ensure enough oil and juice.

Not much filling was left, only enough to make five large meat buns.

Yesterday, seeing Shen Hui carrying so many heavy things, he didn’t eat much meat. Ling Xing was afraid his body couldn’t handle it.

It wasn’t a joke when he said that Shen Hui looked thinner. Although he was still relatively strong, he was indeed not as robust as when they first met.

He had visibly thinned down in just a few days, showing how much energy he was expending.

He had to eat meat.

Ling Xing told Xu Youfang that later he would buy some meat separately to make meat buns for Shen Hui to eat, to nourish him.

His health was his capital; he couldn’t let it collapse.

Xu Youfang also knew this principle. In previous years, Shen Hui would go up the mountain himself during the spring, summer, and autumn to fill his stomach.

Once winter came, there wasn’t much work to do, and he would eat less and lose some weight. But it was still okay, and he could get stronger again in the spring.

This year, because he had to do heavy work, if he ate less again, even an iron body couldn’t take it.

The mountain didn’t have any produce at this time. For the sake of her son’s health, Xu Youfang agreed to Ling Xing’s proposal.

She also listened to Ling Xing, who said he would pay for the meat himself.

In Ling Xing’s words, even as a farmhand in a landlord’s house, you could drink some meat soup from time to time.

There was no reason for Shen Hui to work so hard for him, doing almost all the work except making steamed buns and mantou.

In the end, all he got was that ten percent split, and nothing else.

Xu Youfang was afraid that Ling Xing wouldn’t be frugal and wouldn’t understand how hard it was to earn money, and worried that he would only think about being good to his family and buy a lot of meat, so she said, “At most, spend ten copper coins on meat each day, enough to make a few buns to nourish Erlang’s body. Don’t buy too much, it’s best to save your money.”

Ling Xing naturally nodded in agreement, and following Xu Youfang’s instructions, today’s meat filling would be set aside from the meat bought at home. Ling Xing would buy the rest himself later.

While Shen Hui was fetching water and boiling it, Ling Xing had already wrapped the meat buns and placed them in the steamer first.

Guessing the time when the buns were cooked, Ling Xing took out the steamer layer containing the five meat buns, placed the buns on banana leaves, and put the newly wrapped steamed buns in.

“Second Brother, come and eat buns.” Ling Xing waved and called out to Shen Hui with a smile.

As usual, Shen Hui picked up a bun to eat, only to realize something was wrong after taking a bite.

The meat filling was salty and savory, with some juice, soaking into the fluffy dough.

“Meat buns?”

Xu Youfang packed the things in the bamboo basket. To keep the filling and dough basins clean, they would be covered with linen cloth.

When Ling Xing was wrapping the buns, Shen Hui was busy with other things and didn’t know there was meat filling.

He was a bit surprised to taste it now.

Ling Xing looked up at Shen Hui’s slightly surprised expression, and he smiled, “Yes, hurry and taste if it’s delicious.”

Shen Hui’s gaze briefly fell on Ling Xing’s face, and then quickly shifted away.

He felt a little flustered and uneasy, taking only one look before the face overlapped with the one in his dreams. He couldn’t swallow the meat bun in his mouth.

“Little Wu, Xiao Chun, and Xiao Xia haven’t eaten it yet, save it for them to eat.”

Shen Hui wanted to leave here.

Ling Xing raised his head and said, “The meat buns are specially made for you because you consume a lot of energy every day and need to replenish it. I will save tofu buns for Little Wu and the others, and I will also make extra mung bean cakes. These are all yours, obediently finish them.”

Specially made for you.

Obediently finish them.

Ling Xing’s words echoed in Shen Hui’s mind. Biting the fragrant meat bun, he didn’t dare to look up at Ling Xing again.

Ling Xing wasn’t actually very satisfied with the meat buns he made today. He could still taste some of the meat’s gaminess.

When he had scallions later, he could buy some ginger and use scallion-ginger water to remove the gaminess, and add some white scallions, which would taste even better.

It just so happened that he should have saved some savings by then, and the bun stall could launch a new flavor of large meat buns.

The sky was slightly bright, and the stall opened.

The shopkeeper of the painting supply store still came to buy them as usual, but no one bought copper wire yesterday, so he couldn’t exchange it.

He told Ling Xing that he would keep an eye out for him later, and Ling Xing gave him an extra tofu bun to express his gratitude.

The shopkeeper didn’t lack this bite to eat, but he was also happy with Ling Xing’s actions. Before leaving, he smiled and said that he would definitely help Ling Xing keep a good eye out.

Today there were only about fourteen pounds of flour, so it sold much faster than usual.

The stall closed early, and Ling Xing told Shen Hui that he was going to the meat market to buy meat.

Wu Dali cut ten copper coins’ worth of meat, and the knife strayed a little, cutting more than half again.

Before Ling Xing could refuse, he smiled and said to him, “The things you sent over yesterday were so delicious. My old folks loved eating them. They don’t have good teeth and love to eat soft things.”

“Knowing that you sent them, they told me that I had to give you some meat. If you don’t want it, the old folks will say that I’m unfilial and don’t listen to them.”

Ling Xing had no choice but to accept the meat, “Our stall is on Sugar Mill Street. If Uncle Wu’s family goes to buy, give our name, and I’ll give you a discount.”

“Oh, that’s great. I’ll tell the Ge’er in my family to go buy it then.”

Leaving the meat market, they turned to the grain store to buy flour and mung beans for tomorrow.

The shop assistant already recognized them. Without needing to say anything, he just asked if it was the same as usual. After receiving confirmation, he immediately started packing and weighing the goods.

After buying the grain, Shen Hui and Ling Xing went to the town gate. Xu Qi wasn’t there, another clerk was.

Seeing them, he hurriedly came forward, “Brother Xu told me to tell you that the noodle stall has been arranged on Sesame Oil Street, two streets away. Although the location isn’t in the center of the street, there are no noodle shops around there. It won’t earn too much, but it’s still okay like before.”

With one less thing to worry about, Ling Xing felt much more relaxed.

Back home, he prepared the things that needed to be prepared, and then went to count the money.

Yesterday, ten pounds of cold noodles weren’t sold for money, and eight steamed buns and mantou were left each to give to Wu Dali and Xu Qi.

Therefore, yesterday’s net profit wasn’t much, only 185 copper coins.

Today there were only about fourteen pounds of flour, but all thirty pounds of cold noodles were sold out. After deducting all expenses, the net profit was 208 copper coins.

Adding the previous earnings, they had earned 989 copper coins in six days.

Almost one tael of silver!

Ling Xing was happy. There were ten more days until the end of the month.

He planned to divide the money and use his share to buy flour specifically for making steamed buns, mantou, and cold noodles.

He would make them and send them to the surrounding stall vendors, asking them to help him keep an eye out for his younger brother.

Because he was sold by his stepmother, it was legal and legitimate, and he couldn’t even report it to the authorities.

Otherwise, Ling Xing would have wanted to go to the yamen to ask for help a long time ago.

At least he could get permission to post a missing person notice or something.

Thinking about finding Ling Yue, memories related to Ling Yue would inevitably float into his mind.

Because he had all of the original owner’s memories, Ling Xing could feel his love for his younger brother from those memories, as well as his younger brother’s reliance, admiration, and love for him.

The two brothers’ relationship was really good.

Affected by the memories, Ling Xing’s mood was a bit low.

He was afraid he wouldn’t find Ling Yue.

Returning to the kitchen, Shen Hui happened to be coming out of the house. He noticed that Ling Xing’s mood wasn’t right, walked forward, and stopped one step away from Ling Xing.

“Ge’er, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? Does your foot hurt?”

Shen Hui looked at the back of Ling Xing’s feet, but didn’t find any signs of abrasions.

Ling Xing shook his head and sighed.

“I’m not feeling unwell. I’m just afraid I won’t find my younger brother, and I don’t know how to look for him.”

Without money, power, or influence, he himself could barely move an inch, let alone find someone.

Shen Hui listened, and his heart sank slightly.

The Shen family had also been concerned about this matter. When they went to town to sell firewood before, they also helped Ling Xing ask around.

The result was naturally no gain.

In fact, even if they found the person, it would be difficult to bring him back.

He was sold by his family elders, not abducted by human traffickers.

Having been sold into servitude, he belonged to another family.

Even if they found him, they could only find an opportunity to meet, and they would still have to look at the master’s face.

And that was still the best-case scenario.

If he was sold to be someone else’s son, then they basically couldn’t meet even if they found him.

If the new parents reported it to the authorities, the government would come to arrest people.

Shen Hui mentally weighed all the various outcomes and situations, and none of them were good.

He looked down at Ling Xing’s drooping eyelashes, his fingertips moved slightly, raised for a moment, and then put back down, clenching into a fist, the blue veins on the back of his hand intertwined and protruding.

“Save up some silver, and you can ask Eighth Master Tu for help. He has a lot of brothers under him, with people in every street and alley. But he only recognizes money, not people. You have to prepare a lot of silver.”

Ling Xing’s eyes lit up. It would be best if he could find someone with silver.

He could save silver.

“Does Eighth Master Tu want a recipe? If I give him a recipe, can he help me find him faster?”

Shen Hui thought about it and felt it was feasible, “If you let Eighth Master Tu see the profit in it, he should accept it. But you have to talk to him in person.”

“How do I meet Eighth Master Tu?” Ling Xing asked.

“Find Brother Xu Qi tomorrow and have him arrange a banquet to invite people over. However, it’s hard to say whether Eighth Master Tu will give face and attend the appointment.”

Shen Hui hadn’t mentioned this person before because he was a bit eccentric.

He was moody and unpredictable.

You had to be very careful when contacting him, otherwise something might happen.

But if you wanted to find someone quickly, Eighth Master Tu’s connections were the fastest.

Seeing there was hope, Ling Xing smiled, thinking about what recipe he could give out.

Shen Hui saw that Ling Xing was smiling again, and smiled as well.

Shen Hui didn’t say the following words about what to do after finding the person, fearing that Ling Xing would be sad again.