W Chapter 56
by VolareChapter 56: A Three-in-One
Chu Tiand didn’t care at all about Sun Shuiye’s disdain. His somewhat chubby face wore a look of sadness as he clung tightly to the green bricks on the Zhu family’s wall.
“Auntie, I’m not a beggar. My father married a new wife and has a new son, so he doesn’t want me anymore. I came to Xiao Liucun to seek refuge with my mother.”
Sun Shuiye, being a mother herself, couldn’t bear to hear such things, and her attitude softened considerably.
“Who is your mother? I’ll take you to find her.”
The Zhu family certainly didn’t have anyone who remarried, so this child definitely wasn’t hers.
Sun Shuiye assumed that Chu Tiand couldn’t find where his mother lived, and started to move towards the door, intending to take him to find her.
“My mother is Cao Manyue, I know where she is.”
“Cao Manyue? The Shen family’s fourth daughter-in-law?”
Sun Shuiye carefully sized up Chu Tiand, not seeing any resemblance to Cao Manyue, but everyone in Xiao Liucun knew that Cao Manyue had remarried and had three children, her son being left in her previous husband’s home.
When Shen Gui married his wife, many women and “Ge’er” in the village were heartbroken for a long time and had a very poor impression of Cao Manyue. Her story spread among them.
Later, the whole village knew about it.
Sun Shuiye loved to chat with people, so naturally she was aware of it.
She never expected that Cao Manyue’s son from her previous marriage would actually come looking for her.
Remembering what her father-in-law had said some time ago, and seeing the surrounding neighbors looking over here intentionally or unintentionally, Sun Shuiye stepped aside, “Come in first.”
It was almost lunchtime, and in the center of the Zhu family’s kitchen, a large wooden table was placed squarely.
The children were squatting in the yard playing with mud. Wang Chunxia poured the water from washing vegetables into the vegetable garden, and turned around to see her second daughter-in-law followed by a little beggar.
She paused. Her second daughter-in-law loved to take small advantages, but extremely hated others taking small advantages of her and her family.
Whenever beggars came to the door, she would chase them away, not giving them a bite to eat, let alone bringing someone into the yard at lunchtime.
Sun Shuiye trotted to Wang Chunxia’s side and whispered in her ear, “Mother, this is the Shen family’s fourth daughter-in-law’s son.”
“Father said before that we should help the Shen family if we can. Cao Manyue is a Shen family member, so her son’s matter is also a Shen family matter, right?”
Wang Chunxia glanced at Chu Tiand, no wonder her second daughter-in-law brought him in.
But…
Wang Chunxia handed the ceramic basin to Sun Shuiye, “You stay away from your father today, don’t wander around in front of him.”
Her second daughter-in-law was a little clever when it came to taking advantage, but she was a fool. The child from her previous marriage, covered in dirt, came running to find his mother. What good could come of this?
Let alone helping the Shen family, wasn’t this just adding to their troubles?
Sun Shuiye saw that Wang Chunxia’s expression was not good, and she realized that she had misunderstood. She only thought that mothers couldn’t bear to see their children suffer, and felt sorry for Chu Tiand, being driven out of his home by a heartless father, so she brought him in.
“What’s your name? The Shen family is at the foot of the mountain, do you want Grandma to take you there?”
Wang Chunxia asked Chu Tiand with a kind smile.
He ignored the last question, touching his stomach with a pitiful look, “Grandma, my name is Chu Tiand, I’m so hungry.”
The Zhu family’s life was considered very good in Xiao Liucun. They couldn’t afford pork, beef, or mutton, but they could eat cheap fish a few times a month.
The kind of very small fish with many small bones. But if you stir-fry it with more lard for a while, the bones would become crispy. Sprinkle some ground salt particles on it, and you could eat it directly along with the bones.
The fish was fresh and the lard was fragrant, making it a rural delicacy.
Today, the Zhu family stir-fried small fish. The fragrance wafted out of the kitchen, and Chu Tiand slurped, his eyes glued to the kitchen door.
Chu Tiand’s eyes had a feeling of snatching, making Wang Chunxia furrow her brows slightly.
She couldn’t just ask him to leave directly, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to send him to the Shen family.
If she wasn’t mistaken, this kid had been kicked out by the Shen family before.
Zhu Rushan sat in the main seat at the square table, his loose eyelids lifted slightly, and a pair of slightly cloudy eyes landed on Chu Tiand, who was disregarding everyone and desperately stuffing fish into his mouth.
It was rare for the family to eat fish, and the children counted the days on their fingers, looking forward to it.
They had finally waited for it, but they hadn’t even had a bite, all eaten by the fat beggar who suddenly appeared.
Chu Tiand wasn’t unaware of the Zhu family’s displeased gazes.
He just didn’t care.
If he cared about these things, he wouldn’t be able to eat good food. Anyway, they were just looking at him, let them look, let them glare, he only cared about eating.
“Are you finished eating? I’ll send you to the Shen family.”
There were still three small fish in the ceramic plate, and Zhu Rushan directly took the plate away, not letting Chu Tiand touch it again.
He had already gotten a meal, and it had meat, oil, and salt, even better than what he ate at the Chu family. If they took it away, they took it away. Chu Tiand licked his dirty fingers indifferently, sucking the remaining meat flavor from them.
He wasn’t going to the Shen family either. Thinking of Shen Hui’s appearance, he couldn’t help but shudder. He definitely couldn’t go there today.
Moreover, it seemed that his mother really didn’t want him anymore. He wouldn’t get anything good from the Shen family.
“No, I won’t bother her since I see my mother is doing well.”
Saying that, Chu Tiand got up. Taking advantage of Zhu Rushan’s daze, he grabbed the last three fish in the ceramic plate and stuffed them into his mouth.
The Zhu family’s children were already pouting, on the verge of crying. Seeing that the fish was completely gone, they couldn’t control their emotions and started wailing.
Chu Tiand glanced at them, smiled when he saw the children crying.
Having gotten a meal, Chu Tiand left satisfied.
He was still smart, knowing to find the village chief’s house, otherwise, where else would he have meat to eat?
After leaving the Zhu family, Chu Tiand didn’t leave Xiao Liucun, but wandered around. He didn’t know how long he wandered, but when he felt thirsty, he looked for water to drink.
Walking to a small stream, he saw a few people catching fish in the water.
They were of different ages, the oldest looked twelve or thirteen years old, and the youngest was four or five.
“Who are you? I’ve never seen you before?”
Suddenly, a stranger came, and everyone looked over. Zhao Erbao stood in the stream, hands on his hips, questioning Chu Tiand.
There were many people on the other side, even if there were children, Chu Tiand couldn’t beat them. After weighing the situation, Chu Tiand put on a frightened look.
“My name is Chu Tiand, I came here to find my mother. I was thirsty on the way and heard the sound of water, so I came over to drink.”
Zhao Erbao said, “Oh,” and then, “Then drink.”
“What’s your mother’s name? Do you want us to help you find her?”
Chu Tiand drank two mouthfuls of water, and only after quenching his thirst did he reply, “My mother is Cao Manyue, the Shen family at the foot of the mountain.”
Speaking of the Shen family at the foot of the mountain, Zhao Erbao perked up, and Zhao Sancai behind him also stiffened.
In the end, the two brothers had some connection with the Shen family now in Xiao Liucun.
Back in the county office, Zhao Ping wanted to monopolize the fermentation recipe after he got it, not giving Zhao Fan any share.
Zhao Fan wanted to split the family, and finally, with the consent of the old lady Zhao, Zhao Fan gave the house and money, and completely separated from the Zhao family to live alone.
Not only that, but he also divorced Fang Xiuxia and wanted to marry a concubine “Ge’er”.
Zhao Ping didn’t care about Zhao Fan’s family affairs.
He focused on making and selling buns and steamed buns. The couple also moved from the countryside to the town, living in the courtyard that Zhao Fan used to have in the town.
It was now the old lady Zhao’s, and the old lady Zhao had promised Zhao Ping that the courtyard would be given to Zhao Ping after her death.
The business was okay for the first few days, but there was someone selling dumplings and wontons in the alley named Wang, and they took away a lot of business.
But luckily, his buns and steamed buns were also unique. He sold them from morning to night every day, making nearly one or two taels of silver.
He earned a lot of silver, but he didn’t have a son, and Zhao Ping began to feel uneasy again.
He wanted to buy another son, but he didn’t want to spend the money.
They were still ungrateful white-eyed wolves, only remembering their original family.
The old lady Zhao saw her precious son looking sad and distressed, and she felt bad too. She went to find Zhao Fan, still wanting him to adopt a son.
It happened that the two brothers Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai were clamoring every day for Fang Xiuxia to come back, and they were always bullying his husband and his youngest son.
Zhao Fan looked at the two sons who were brought up by Fang Xiuxia and were just like her, and his teeth itched with anger. He was also blocked at the door by his own mother, so he was extremely annoyed.
Finally, he flung his sleeves and said, “If you want a son, you can only adopt Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai, don’t even think about anything else.”
After Zhao Ping found out, he thought about it all night.
Erbao and Sancai were a little older, but after all, they were still related to him, with blood ties.
Now that his second brother didn’t like these two children and hurt their hearts, he would appear as a loving father and raise them for a few years to get them used to him.
More importantly, his business was going to get bigger and bigger, and he definitely needed a son.
Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai were both adopted by Zhao Ping.
Adopting both was also Zhao Ping’s intention, more sons could provide more security.
Who knew that just two days after the adoption, the county magistrate announced the fermentation recipe.
It was even an imperial edict from the Emperor.
Zhao Ping’s bun stall business plummeted. There were many people competing with him for business.
From nearly one or two taels of silver a day to toiling all day, earning a hundred Wen.
In fact, a hundred Wen was a lot, but Zhao Ping couldn’t stand it.
He had earned so much before, how could he accept so little?
Later, he didn’t even make a hundred Wen, only seventy or eighty Wen every day.
Zhao Ping didn’t dare to blame the county magistrate, let alone the emperor. He cursed Ling Xing for being black-hearted every day, definitely knowing it early on, but keeping it a secret from him at the time.
However, he didn’t dare to go to the Shen family to make trouble. They knew the county magistrate, so he could only accept this silently.
There was only so much silver in the family, and Zhao Ping didn’t want to go back to the countryside to farm.
How could it be as comfortable as in town?
It was said that a half-grown boy could eat his father out of house and home. In order to save rations and save money, Zhao Ping simply sent Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai back to Zhao Fan.
Zhao Fan didn’t recognize them at all, and shut the door, refusing to see them.
Zhao Ping ate behind closed doors, cursing and muttering, but he didn’t take them back and left on his own.
The two brothers had nowhere to go and were so hungry that they had to come to Xiao Liucun to seek refuge with their mother.
Fang Xiuxia’s life wasn’t easy at home either. Her eldest and second brothers lost their jobs at the grain shop and had to do hard labor to earn money.
Her two sisters-in-law looked at her with disapproval.
Now she had to take care of two sons.
Times were different now. The two brothers didn’t dare to eat more than one mouthful of food in the Fang family.
If they moved their chopsticks too much, the eldest sister-in-law and the second sister-in-law would cough and drop their chopsticks.
Zhao Erbao, influenced by Zhao Ping, also believed that the fermentation recipe was something that Ling Xing had deliberately set up to harm their family.
He would often stare in the direction of the foot of the mountain in a daze.
Chu Tiand didn’t know what the two brothers had gone through, but he could feel that Zhao Erbao’s attitude towards him was much more attentive.
“Why did you come to find your mother? And why do you look like a beggar?”
Chu Tiand replied, “My father doesn’t want me anymore, I wandered over here.”
Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai’s eyes flashed, and there was more sympathy in their eyes.
However, they were a little luckier than Chu Tiand. At least their mother could protect them a little, not letting them starve to death.
Chu Tiand wasn’t so lucky. His mother had already become someone else’s wife and definitely couldn’t support him or give him food.
“My younger brother and I are in a similar situation as you.” Zhao Erbao patted Chu Tiand’s shoulder and told Chu Tiand about what happened to them.
After listening, Chu Tiand’s eyes rolled, and when he looked at the two brothers again, there was a mischievous smile on his face.
“Do you want money?”
Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai looked at each other. Who wouldn’t want money?
Chu Tiand lived in a small cave that night, and Zhao Erbao sneaked some food from the Fang family to give him for dinner.
“I’ve found out that Shen Second Uncle is not at home every morning. The adults in the Shen family are only your mother and Xu Grandma in the morning.”
“How are you going to trick Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia out?”
In the afternoon, Chu Tiand had already learned from Zhao Erbao that his mother didn’t have any more children, and that the younger one was called Ling Yue, who was the younger brother of Shen family’s widowed Ling Xing.
He also had some connections with Zhao Erbao before.
Chu Tiand didn’t care about Ling Yue and Zhao family’s previous matters, as long as he knew that he wasn’t his mother’s new son.
In this way, his mother only had three children.
The reason his mother didn’t want him before was that she still had two children. As long as Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia disappeared, he would be the only child.
How could his mother not want him then?
“Find younger children. When Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia are playing outside, call them out and say you’ll play together.”
When they were at Chu’s house, these two really wanted to play with the other children of the same age in the village.
However, he would always keep them at home and not let them go out.
If children of the same age asked them to play together, they definitely wouldn’t be able to resist.
“Okay, then you keep them busy, and I’ll go to the Shen family and say the children are lost. Trick the adults out to look for them, and Sancai will hide in his yard. After people go out, then go into the house to steal things.”
Outsiders might not know how rich the Shen family was, but Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai knew.
During their first two days at Zhao Ping’s place, they heard Zhao Ping bragging a lot, saying how much money he made from steamed buns. He even asked them to call him father, and said that his money would be theirs later.
Although the business was not good later due to many competitors.
But that didn’t stop Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai from knowing that this business was profitable.
Zhao Ping had only done it for a few days and had a small savings. The Shen family had been doing it for so long, how much money would they have?
Later, he couldn’t sell steamed buns, but he still made money selling other things, and his reputation had spread to Sesame Oil Street.
If Zhao Ping wasn’t afraid of the officials behind the Shen family, he would have gone to make trouble long ago.
The Shen family was rich.
Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai were very sure.
After hearing Chu Tiand’s plan, the two agreed without much hesitation.
The stolen money would be hidden directly in the mountains. The Shen family lived at the foot of the mountain and had no neighbors, so who would have evidence that they stole it?
They didn’t know what Chu Tiand really wanted to do, which was for Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia to die.
They were still fantasizing about having a lot of money, so they wouldn’t have to worry about food and clothing and wouldn’t have to look at people’s faces anymore.
The three repeated the plan again and waited for action tomorrow.
Before dawn, the Shen family lit an oil lamp.
Xu Youfang got up early to cook for Shen Hui and Ling Xing so they could go out to set up their stalls.
Now that the family had some savings, Ling Xing didn’t have to cook extra for Shen Hui.
Xu Youfang would cook more when she cooked breakfast so that Shen Hui could eat his fill.
When it was slightly brighter, Shen Gui and Cao Manyue went to the kitchen to eat, and then set off for Chu family village.
After the Shen family elders and the four children finished eating, they packed their things and went up the mountain.
Ling Yue’s legs were sore from walking too much yesterday. Shen Hui ran an errand for Ling Xing to Xiao Xi Village to ask for leave for Ling Yue.
He also went to find Doctor Sun from the neighboring village, who said that there was no major problem and that he just needed to rest for two days.
Ling Xing was relieved then.
There were only four children left at home. Before leaving, the Shen family elders repeatedly told them not to open the door no matter who came to knock.
Just wait for Shen Hui and Ling Xing to come home.
Shen Lai was the oldest and promised loudly that he would protect Xiao Chun, Xiao Xia, and Ling Yue.
Xu Youfang was also in a hurry, wanting to go and return quickly, and didn’t delay any longer.
The villagers of Xiao Liucun finished their breakfast and began to work in the fields.
Zhao Erbao used a piece of maltose the size of a fingernail to coax a six-year-old “Ge’er” in the village to go to the Shen family to call Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia out to play.
Normally, Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia would be very happy if they were asked to play.
They would feel that they were kept in mind and remembered.
But today, the two only shook their heads at the courtyard door, and said from behind the door, “We have to stay at home, we can’t go out. Let’s play with you tomorrow.”
They had called them twice and hadn’t gotten them to come out, so that “Ge’er” couldn’t do anything either. He directly stuffed the candy into his mouth and ate it, afraid that if he kept it, Zhao Erbao would take the candy back because he hadn’t completed his mission.
The maltose was very small and quickly melted in his mouth.
The “Ge’er” saw Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai, smacked his mouth, and said, “Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia said there were no adults at home and they wouldn’t come out to play with me. I ate the candy, you can’t take it back.”
Zhao Erbao was about to get angry for not calling the people out, but he became happy when he heard the latter half.
It’s good that there were no adults at home!
Wouldn’t it be more convenient to steal things?
“There are no adults at the Shen family, Ling Yue has to go to school every day, and today only Xiao Chun, Xiao Xia and Shen Lai are at home in the Shen family. Sancai, Tiand, you lead them in talking at the front, and I’ll sneak in.”
Chu Tiand didn’t want to, if it was known that he stole the Shen family’s money, his mother wouldn’t want him even more.
But he didn’t dare to disobey Zhao Erbao, who was taller than him and much stronger than him.
Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia hadn’t come out, so Chu Tiand couldn’t implement the plan of taking them to the mountain to lose them, and felt a little depressed.
Chu Tiand didn’t want the Shen family to know that he was stealing things. If he ran into Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia, and things were lost at home again, he would definitely be suspected immediately, and they would know that they were in cahoots.
He made an excuse, “Otherwise, I’ll go steal, and you attract their attention. I know where things are.”
Zhao Erbao believed Chu Tiand quite a bit, after all, his biological mother was in the Shen family, and he definitely knew more than him.
“Okay, you go quickly.”
Chu Tiand climbed into the Shen family’s fence and hid. Zhao Erbao and the brothers kept pounding on the door outside.
“Shen Lai! Shen Xiao Chun! Shen Xiao Xia! Come out!”
The door was being knocked on loudly outside, and Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia were a little scared.
Shen Lai sounded familiar and after thinking for a long time, he finally remembered that it was Zhao Erbao.
He rolled his eyes, didn’t move his butt, and sat on the mat playing cat’s cradle with Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia.
Ling Yue was disturbed and couldn’t read, so he put down his book and prepared to go out to see what was going on.
Shen Lai glanced at Ling Yue’s movement and quickly put down the cat’s cradle.
He had promised with a pat on his chest that he would protect Xiao Chun, Xiao Xia, and Ling Yue today.
“Ah Yue, your leg is not good, sit down quickly, I’ll go out and take a look.”
The people outside were shouting fiercely, and Ling Yue was a little worried about Shen Lai going alone, “I’ll go with you.”
Shen Lai didn’t agree, “Husband said that you should rest well. I’ll take Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia to go, and he just called Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia too. You stay in the house and continue reading. I’ll solve it quickly and won’t let him affect you.”
“Okay, then Fifth Uncle, come back quickly.”
Ling Yue knew that his legs weren’t good and that he needed to rest well, so he didn’t dare to move too much. Otherwise, his brother’s money would be wasted.
Shen Lai took Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia out to open the door, and sure enough, it was the Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai brothers.
“Are you two sick! You’re looking for trouble early in the morning, are you looking for a beating!”
As he spoke, Shen Lai picked up the broom behind the courtyard door, ready to hit the Zhao Erbao brothers at any time.
Zhao Erbao saw Chu Tiand sneak into the house, put his hands on his hips and looked at Shen Lai, who was glaring at him, and snorted in his nose.
“No one will want a fierce “Ge’er” like you in this life.”
Shen Lai was so angry that he raised his hand to hit him.
He was staying at home peacefully, but this man was banging on the door like crazy and scolding him!
Wasn’t this asking for a beating!
Chu Tiand knew that the house on the east side was the main house of the villagers, and good things were placed inside.
After entering the hall, he turned right without hesitation, and lifted the door curtain to enter the house.
As a result, he met Ling Yue’s eyes.
Chu Tiand was stunned, why was there someone in the house!
Didn’t he say that this kid went out to study every day!
Ling Yue recognized Chu Tiand and was also shocked.
He heard Shen Lai arguing outside, mixed with the echoes of Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia helping him.
He immediately thought that Chu Tiand came in, and Shen Lai and the other two didn’t see him and didn’t know.
Seeing Chu Tiand’s sneaky appearance, he was most likely here to steal something.
Ling Yue shouted out, but Chu Tiand was faster and pushed him directly to the ground.
Chu Tiand rode on Ling Yue, clutching his neck tightly with both hands, “Don’t make a sound!”
The air quickly disappeared, Ling Yue’s face turned red, his hands gripped Chu Tiand’s wrist and pulled outward, but the other party didn’t move at all.
Under the lack of oxygen, Ling Yue was dizzy and his body was about to lose strength.
In a daze, Ling Yue saw that part of the cloth covering the small desk above was drooping down.
There was a small basin under the table with a small piece of ice in it.
Ling Xing specially put it in so that Ling Yue could read his books well and wouldn’t get heatstroke. The extra cloth was to block the coolness of the ice basin so that it wouldn’t dissipate too quickly.
Otherwise, the tablecloths were all calculated according to size, and no one would leave so much extra.
Ling Yue stretched out his hand and desperately pulled at the drooping cloth.
Clatter—
The pens, ink, paper, and inkstones placed on the desk were all pulled down along with the tablecloth.
Chu Tiand was startled by the sound and lost his mind for a moment. Ling Yue prepared to break free from his hand.
This action made Chu Tiand even more flustered, afraid that Ling Yue would run away and he would be in danger.
In the chaos, Chu Tiand touched something hard and a little damp.
Without thinking too much, he just wanted Ling Yue to lie down quietly. He lifted it up and smashed it down.
With a bang, Ling Yue lay motionless on the ground.
Chu Tiand saw the blood on Ling Yue’s forehead and was frightened out of his wits. His hand was like it had been scorched by fire and he hurriedly threw down the inkstone he had grabbed at random.
The inkstone was stained with Ling Yue’s blood.
It was all because this person was not honest and had to move. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have accidentally hit someone.
Chu Tiand thought to himself while panicking and getting up. During that time, his legs went soft and he almost couldn’t get up.
Shen Lai heard the crackling sound coming from the house and thought that Ling Yue had fallen because he hadn’t stood still. He didn’t care that the Zhao Erbao brothers were still scolding him and ran into the house with Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia.
Just as he ran to the door of the hall, a little fat man rushed out and knocked him directly to the ground.
How could there be other people in the house!
Shen Lai instinctively knew that something was wrong and hurried in to check.
Seeing Ling Yue lying on the ground with half of his face covered in blood and things scattered all over the place, his face turned pale with fright and his heartbeat seemed to stop for a moment.
“Ah Yue! Ah Yue wake up!”
Shen Lai was at a loss, but he still subconsciously tore off the tablecloth and pressed it against Ling Yue’s head to stop the blood from continuing to flow.
Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia were also frightened by the scene, but fortunately, Xiao Chun had experience and quickly recovered.
“Fifth Uncle, we need to get a doctor for Third Uncle.”
Shen Lai nodded repeatedly, yes, he needed to get a doctor.
It was a distance from here to the neighboring village, and it would take a lot of time to go back and forth.
Shen Lai directly carried Ling Yue on his back and said to Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia, “Don’t stay at home, go to Wang Fulang’s house and hide.”
The house was not safe, money was not as important as life.
Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia nodded obediently and went out with Shen Lai.
Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai outside hadn’t left yet. They were a little strange when they saw Chu Tiand running away in a panic before. At this moment, when they saw Shen Lai carrying Ling Yue, who didn’t know whether he was alive or dead, they were so frightened that they sat directly on the ground.
Kill, murder!
The two brothers swallowed their saliva nervously and fearfully, and ran away, afraid of being associated with human life.
Shen Lai was naughty since he was a child, and he could climb trees, go down to rivers, and nothing could be difficult for him.
He was thin, but he had a lot of strength and his body was strong.
Ling Yue had gained some weight after recuperating for a while. But he was still very thin, and Shen Lai didn’t feel burdened carrying him on his back.
Rushing to see the doctor, Shen Lai went running.
Xie Qingya saw Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia crying at his door and realized that something was wrong after asking the reason. He didn’t sell tofu anymore and asked Wang Juan to take care of the children, and he chased after Shen Lai.
It had to be said that Shen Lai’s legs were really fast. Xie Qingya caught up to him when he was already at the entrance of the neighboring village.
He waved his hand and shouted, “Xiao Wu! Shen Xiao Wu!”
Shen Lai didn’t seem to hear him and kept running towards Doctor Sun’s house.
The bloody taste in his throat became heavier and heavier, his throat was like it had been cut by a knife, and he couldn’t breathe because he was suffocating.
His eyes would occasionally be dizzy, Shen Lai gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay awake.
He couldn’t stop, he had to send Ling Yue to Doctor Sun’s house.
Doctor Sun was drying herbs in the yard and heard a thud. He raised his head and saw two children lying on top of each other at the door.
He hurried forward to check, “Oh, how did you get hurt like this!”
He picked up Ling Yue, who was lying on Shen Lai’s body, and the eight-year-old apprentice also had the good sense to pull up Shen Lai, who was lying on his face.
“Master, he’s bleeding from his nose.”
Doctor Sun held Ling Yue and glanced at Shen Lai, whose face was covered in ash.
“He’s fine, the nosebleed is from falling just now. Just wash his face with clean water.”
After speaking, he carried Ling Yue into the house in a hurry, this was the one that was going to die.
The younger the child, the more fragile the head.
Now that he was injured so badly, he could lose his life if he wasn’t treated in time.
Doctor Sun’s medical skills weren’t that great, but he had a set of unique acupuncture techniques that were his true means of making a living.
After a few needles, Ling Yue, who was unconscious and breathing weakly, finally had a larger rise and fall in his chest.
Doctor Sun breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately, he could be saved.
In the yard, Xie Qingya was stopped by the apprentice, “Master is treating people inside, you can’t go in and disturb him without making a sound.”
Afraid that Xie Qingya would insist on going in, the apprentice simply handed over the work of cleaning Shen Lai to Xie Qingya.
“You’re their adult, right? It’s good that you clean his face, I’m going to continue getting herbs.”
The little apprentice probably didn’t know the details of Ling Yue’s situation, and when Xie Qingya bent down to wipe Shen Lai’s face, he only asked about Shen Lai’s situation.
“What’s wrong with him?”
The little apprentice was playing with herbs in his hand. When he heard someone ask him, he felt like a real doctor and was quite happy.
The key was that he really knew.
He straightened his back slightly and said, “He’s too tired and exhausted. He’ll be unconscious for a while. If you have money, you can buy some brown sugar and pour it down him, and he’ll wake up quickly.”
Xie Qingya said, “Do you sell it here?”
The little apprentice nodded, “Brown sugar water is two Wen a bowl.”
“Give me a bowl.”
After receiving the two Wen, the little apprentice went to work, and soon made a bowl of brown sugar water at a moderate temperature.
Shen Lai was dizzy, and it was quite difficult to feed him. After drinking a bowl of brown sugar water, a long time had passed.
After feeding Shen Lai a bowl of brown sugar water, Doctor Sun also came out.
Xie Qingya knew from Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia that Ling Yue was seriously injured, and half of his face was covered in blood.
He didn’t know how he was injured.
Ling Yue was Ling Xing’s only brother, and Xie Qingya was also very worried.
“Doctor, how is the child inside?”
Doctor Sun glanced at Shen Lai, who was closing his eyes and smacking his lips.
“Fortunately, he was sent in time. He’s fine. He’ll wake up in a while. But he injured his head. It’s not certain what will happen after he wakes up. We need to observe him more and treat him in time.”
Xie Qingya nodded, and took out a string of copper coins from his pocket, a total of fifty Wen.
“Please take these, doctor. Please take care of the two children. I’ll go back to the village and wait for their adults.”
Seeing that the sun was almost the time when Ling Xing and the others would be back, Xie Qingya didn’t want to go to town to look for them, afraid that he would take the wrong road and miss Ling Xing.
Ling Xing and Shen Hui always took the mountain road, but the village entrance, Xie Qingya could only wait for them at the Shen family.
After waiting for more than half an hour, he finally waited for them to come back.
Seeing Xie Qingya sitting in the yard with a serious expression, Ling Xing’s heart suddenly panicked.
“Brother Xing, something happened.”
Ling Xing and Shen Hui rushed to Doctor Sun’s house in the neighboring village, and Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia could only temporarily entrust Xie Qingya to take care of them.
When the two arrived at Doctor Sun’s house, Shen Lai and Ling Yue had both woken up.
As Doctor Sun said, fortunately, they were sent in time, and Ling Yue didn’t have any major problems.
He just felt a little nauseous and his head ached slightly.
Doctor Sun said that he needed to have acupuncture for a few days, but it wouldn’t be a big problem, and Ling Xing’s hanging heart was relieved.
Ling Yue was lacking in energy and spirit, and wanted to sleep after saying a few words.
Doctor Sun’s house had a room that was specially for sick and injured patients to rest in. It didn’t cost money to stay overnight, but it cost ten Wen per night.
Ling Xing asked Ling Yue to sleep for a while, and he went out to check on Shen Lai.
The child had run out of energy to save Ling Yue, and his legs were still shaking uncontrollably.
Shen Lai was usually most afraid of Shen Hui, but at this time, he was sitting in the shade of the yard, but was clinging tightly to Shen Hui, seeking a sense of security.
He was very afraid that Ling Yue would die.
Scared Ling Xing would blame him, stop liking him.
“Ge fu…wuwuwuwuwuwuwu (sound of intense crying)…”
Having held his nerves taut for so long, Shen Lai cried himself out and fell asleep.
Shen Hui took him from Ling Xing’s arms, carried him inside, and laid him gently on the other end of the small wooden bed.
The two adults sat quietly, watching over the sleeping children.
That afternoon, Xu Youfang and Shen Chengshan descended the mountain, faces beaming.
Seeing Xie Qingya and Wang Juan at their home with Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia, they first blinked in confusion, then their smiles faded, guessing trouble had struck.
Hearing about Ling Yue from Xie Qingya, the elders’ brows furrowed deeply.
Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia, having recovered somewhat, saw their grandparents and finally felt safe. Huddled in their grandparents’ embrace, they revealed they recognized the person who had hurt Ling Yue and fled.
It was Chu Tiand.
Both children remembered Chu Tiand vividly. No matter how fast he ran or how much his hair obscured his face, they wouldn’t mistake him.
Hearing it was Chu Tiand, the Shen elders’ hearts sank further.
Ling Yue was their eldest son-in-law’s only kin. Chu Tiand was their fourth daughter-in-law’s only son.
Although they knew Cao Manyue disliked Chu Tiand and claimed not to recognize him as her son, he was still the child she had carried for ten months and birthed in pain. How could she truly not care?
They also knew Ling Xing’s temperament. He was good-natured, meticulous, considerate, always smiling.
Unless you crossed his bottom line.
And his bottom line was family.
The Shen elders held Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia, deeply worried.
Life had just started looking up. Why did this have to happen?
Around dusk, Ling Xing’s group and Shen Gui’s couple arrived home almost simultaneously.
Ling Xing’s group got back first.
Xu Youfang had already tidied the house. Shen Hui carried Ling Yue directly inside to lie down.
When Shen Gui and Cao Manyue returned, their expressions were also grim.
Sensing the tense atmosphere upon arrival, Shen Gui initially worried something had happened to his third sister.
“Father, Mother, why the long faces? Did something happen to Third Sister or her child?”
Shen Chengshan didn’t look at his dense son, but fixed his gaze on Cao Manyue.
This made the already distraught Cao Manyue even more panicked. “Father, what happened?”
That single look made her scalp tingle. She knew instantly that not only had something happened, but it involved her.
“Chu Tiand snuck in while no one was home, intending to steal. He ran into Ah Yue—”
As Shen Chengshan spoke, Cao Manyue’s vision blackened; she nearly fainted.
“He choked Ah Yue, then smashed his head with an inkstone. The doctor said if he’d arrived any later, Ah Yue might not have survived.”
Hearing This, Cao Manyue gasped, looking towards Ling Xing, who sat silently nearby.
Feeling her gaze, Ling Xing looked up. His emotionless glance sent a chill through Cao Manyue.
Her brother-in-law usually greeted everyone with a smile; apart from Xiao Wu, he was the liveliest in the family.
For such a cheerful person to look at her so blankly, so impassively – it was enough to fill her with dread.
The entire Shen family fell silent, all eyes on Cao Manyue.
Even Shen Gui watched quietly, awaiting her decision.
Under their collective gaze, Cao Manyue felt exposed, as if scorched by the sun. Her scalp prickled; she felt deeply uncomfortable, wanting to hide.
She dug her fingernails into the wooden stool. Recalling what she’d learned at the Chu house, she closed her eyes, her voice trembling.
“He is not my son. Do what needs to be done.”
The Shens were somewhat surprised by her choice.
Given Ling Yue’s injuries, handling it officially meant Chu Tiand would likely face severe consequences.
He was her biological son. The elders had braced themselves for Cao Manyue to plead for him.
Ling Xing had also prepared himself: if Cao Manyue pleaded, he wouldn’t put the family in a difficult position. He’d planned to separate households if necessary, but ensure Chu Tiand paid for his actions, perhaps asking Magistrate Lin for help with household registration matters.
But none expected Cao Manyue to side completely with Ling Xing.
Shen Hui, who could guess Ling Xing’s resolve, had been the most tense. Hearing Cao Manyue’s words, he subtly relaxed.
Xu Youfang, also a mother, understood the reluctance to abandon one’s child.
She was the first to notice something amiss with Cao Manyue earlier.
“Manyue, did something happen over at the Chu family?”
The question broke Cao Manyue. Her face instantly turned deathly pale.
Her lips trembled as she nodded.
Shen Gui looked over, confused. He had gone with her; what hadn’t he heard?
Shen Gui was unaware of this part.
They had reached Chu Village near noon. They ate the flatbreads they’d brought at the village entrance – stuffed with pickled vegetables, quite tasty.
Washing it down with water from a bamboo tube, they finished their simple meal before entering the village to inquire.
They didn’t approach Old Madam Chu directly. Cao Manyue covered her face, claiming a cold, while Shen Gui, unfamiliar with the villagers, subtly asked about Chu Tiand.
The villagers couldn’t explain why, only that Chu Youtian had suddenly exploded in anger one day and thrown Chu Tiand out.
Nothing more.
Old Madam Chu, usually loose-lipped, remained silent on the matter, refusing to answer anyone.
People urged them to find the boy – he was a son! How could they just abandon him?
Losing a son meant less security for Chu Youtian in his old age.
Yet, not only did Chu Youtian remain unmoved, even Old Madam Chu, who doted on Chu Tiand most, showed no reaction.
She even declared that anyone who urged them to find Chu Tiand again would be cut off forever.
Such harsh words stunned everyone. Feeling their kindness rebuffed, they stopped interfering.
It wasn’t their son who had run away, after all.
Cao Manyue found this increasingly strange. Knowing Old Madam Chu, who treated Chu Tiand like the apple of her eye, this reaction made no sense.
Unable to learn more from villagers, they went to the Chu house.
Chu Youtian was home. He looked startled seeing Cao Manyue and Shen Gui.
Then, his face soured, and he moved to drive them away.
Shen Gui shielded Cao Manyue from Chu Youtian’s push. “Who do you think wants to come here! Your son ran off to Xiao Liucun. Come back with us and bring him home.”
Mentioning Chu Tiand only enraged Chu Youtian further. Slam! He shut the door.
Fearing a spectacle, Shen Gui and Cao Manyue couldn’t linger. They left to regroup.
Near the village entrance, someone called from behind, “Eldest Sister-in-law?”
Huang Sanni, accustomed to the old address, hadn’t changed it.
“Ah, Sanni.” Cao Manyue turned. “Just call me Sister Manyue.”
Huang Sanni saw Shen Gui beside her. Having never seen Cao Manyue’s second husband, she was momentarily struck by his handsome appearance.
Her second marriage is much better than her first, she thought. Much better than Big Brother.
She had chased after them for a reason. Quickly averting her gaze, she asked Cao Manyue, “Sister Manyue, I have something to tell you. Can we speak elsewhere?”
It concerned Chu Tiand. He was Cao Manyue’s son; it wasn’t good for others to hear.
They needed privacy.
Especially away from Cao Manyue’s current husband.
Cao Manyue guessed it involved Chu Tiand. Though puzzled why it required secrecy, she agreed.
“Husband, I’ll be right back. Wait for me in the shade.”
Cao Manyue didn’t go far, just enough distance so Shen Gui couldn’t overhear.
Huang Sanni took a deep breath.
“Sister Manyue, I overheard… Chu Tiand found you?”
“Yes. We ran into him in town yesterday.” Cao Manyue pressed, “Why was he so dirty and wandering around town?”
Huang Sanni looked uneasy, even frightened.
“The family forbids speaking of this… but I fear I won’t sleep if I don’t tell you.”
In the past, jealousy had led her to make Cao Manyue suffer, forcing all the hard farm work onto her.
After Cao Manyue left, Huang Sanni became the new “Cao Manyue” of the Chu house. Only then did she understand the crushing exhaustion.
That’s why she had chased after them now.
“Chu Tiand was driven out because… he almost killed Baoqing.”
Chu Baoqing was the son of Chu Youtian’s later wife, Qin Caiyun, only two years old now.
When Qin Caiyun married into the Chu family, she was already heavily pregnant.
She also had a ruffian older brother for protection. On the wedding day, he brought a gang of thugs to intimidate the family, establishing Qin Caiyun’s position.
The Chus, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, treated Qin Caiyun like royalty.
Except for Chu Tiand.
Initially, Chu Tiand provoked Qin Caiyun constantly, often stealing food from her room.
Things he couldn’t use, he destroyed, ensuring she couldn’t use them either.
Heavily pregnant, fearing harm to the baby, she dared not physically confront Chu Tiand.
So, she told the Chus: if they didn’t control Chu Tiand, she’d have her brother deal with the Chu family.
The Chus panicked – that wouldn’t do! They began disciplining Chu Tiand.
At first, Chu Tiand threw tantrums when hit. But realizing tantrums only brought harsher beatings, he stopped.
He became an observer, learning to read expressions.
The beatings grew less frequent.
But Qin Caiyun noticed things still disappearing from her room.
An inside thief is hard to guard against. Qin Caiyun knew it was Chu Tiand but lacked proof.
One day, she hid, planning to catch him red-handed.
Hearing footsteps approaching, Qin Caiyun tensed, ready to whip open the curtain… when a hard blow struck her belly.
If her brother hadn’t dragged a doctor to the Chu house, the baby might have been lost.
In her delirium, Qin Caiyun thought she saw Chu Tiand staring at her, smiling.
After recovering, Qin Caiyun ignored Chu Tiand completely.
If things went missing, she pretended not to notice. Her priority was her child’s safety.
Living in constant fear, Qin Caiyun finally gave birth to a son. Her brother named him Baoqing.
The Chus didn’t dare object.
Chu Baoqing was a quiet, well-behaved baby.
He giggled when anyone played with him. Even Chu Youtian, usually indifferent to children, grew fond of him.
Qin Caiyun’s brother doted on his nephew, frequently sending expensive gifts.
Things Baoqing couldn’t use, Old Madam Chu hoarded away.
Her “little treasury” swelled, making her even fonder of Chu Baoqing.
Then, within two short years, the once-smiling, placid child transformed into a timid, tearful wreck, crying inconsolably at the slightest disturbance.
The Chus assumed Baoqing was haunted by spirits. Qin Caiyun’s brother hired numerous spirit mediums and Daoist priests, but nothing worked.
Until one day, Chu Youtian and Qin Caiyun witnessed Chu Tiand holding the two-year-old’s head underwater.
Later, Qin Caiyun’s brother arrived with a doctor to examine Baoqing.
Externally, the child seemed fine, no visible marks. But inside his body… they found needles!
The culprit was obvious.
Knowing he was caught, Chu Tiand stole the family’s silver and ran away.
Qin Caiyun’s brother warned the Chus: if he ever saw Chu Tiand in their house again, he’d make them pay.
Seeing the five needles extracted from Baoqing’s tiny body terrified the Chus as well.
Chu Tiand was only ten, yet capable of such cruelty towards a toddler. Who knew if, when older, he might kill his father, his grandparents?
Moreover, they didn’t know when the first needle had been inserted – possibly much earlier.
Faced with such viciousness, even Old Madam Chu and Chu Youtian were deeply afraid.
No one in the family mentioned searching for Chu Tiand. Good riddance. They’d pretend he never existed.
Huang Sanni finished her account, adding a warning: “Sister Manyue, Chu Tiand may be young, but his heart is utterly twisted. He’d try to kill Baoqing just for attention. He might do the same to Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia to gain your favor. Since he’s near you, even if you can’t bear to drive him away, you must be extremely careful protecting Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia.”
With her piece said, Huang Sanni turned and left.
Cao Manyue stood frozen, lips white, body trembling violently.
She remembered being deliberately pushed by Chu Tiand earlier, causing her miscarriage.
How old had he been then?
Cao Manyue relayed everything Huang Sanni had told her to the Shen family.
Shen Gui listened, rubbing his arms. Despite the summer heat, a chill ran down his spine.
No wonder his wife had been acting strangely all the way back. This was why.
Ling Xing hadn’t imagined Chu Tiand could be like this. No one could have.
This wasn’t a child; this was a monster.
“He could be anywhere now. We must report this to the yamen, have them post notices, find him,” Ling Xing stated.
The Shens agreed. Until he was caught, they couldn’t leave the children unattended; they were in danger.
As Shen Chengshan discussed arrangements for guarding the children, Shen Lai sat listening quietly.
He looked at Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia, potential targets, then thought of Ling Yue, injured, nearly killed.
He knew what he had to do.
He wanted to learn martial arts. To protect his family.
And he wanted to learn medicine. To save his family.
The next morning, Ling Xing and Shen Hui went to the county yamen to report the incident.
Magistrate Lin Qingyu, hearing Ling Xing had arrived, came out specially.
“Your timing is perfect. The books just arrived. My clerk was about to deliver them to your house while investigating a case.”
Two large crates of books had arrived from the Lin family in the capital.
After the books were delivered to the Shen house, the clerks dispersed through the village, making inquiries.
At the Fang house, they noticed Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai’s suspicious reactions. Experienced investigators, they knew the boys were involved and took them away immediately.
Fang Xiuxia’s wails echoed through the village, but she couldn’t prevent her sons’ arrest.
The clerks searched the village thoroughly and neighboring villages, but found no trace of Chu Tiand. He had vanished.
Looking towards the vast mountains behind the village, the clerks concluded he had likely fled into the wilderness.
They would have to search the mountains.
Indeed, they found fresh child-sized footprints near a muddy patch.
But further in lay the deep mountains, teeming with wild beasts. Even adults rarely survived there, let alone a child.
The danger was too great. The clerks retreated, informing the Shens of the situation.
Knowing Chu Tiand had likely fled into the deep mountains in panic meant his chances were slim – nine deaths, one life. It was up to fate.
The yamen’s wanted notice for Chu Tiand remained active; it wouldn’t be withdrawn unless his death was confirmed or he was approved.
With Chu Tiand still at large, the Shen family and Ling Xing remained uneasy.
Shen Chengshan considered getting a large dog, something intimidating.
That way, if Chu Tiand reappeared, the dog could provide warning,and it would deter common thieves.
Shen Hui thought of Xu Qi, who had connections. Coincidentally, the medicinal powder Xu Qi needed was ready, so Shen Hui could deliver it.
A few days later, a puppy joined the Shen household.
The dog had white fur from its chin down its belly, on its paws, and the underside of its tail. The rest was black. (武雪 – Wū Xuě, literally “Crow Snow”)
Still young, its round eyes peered curiously at people, looking incredibly cute.
Shen Chengshan patted the puppy’s head, voicing doubt, “This little thing looks rather dopey. Will it really deter thieves? It might get scared itself.”
Shen Hui placed the fluffy puppy in its prepared bed. “Its parents are trained hunting dogs, very intelligent and alert. I picked what I thought was the best from the litter. I’ll be responsible for training it.”
Shen Hui’s assurance eased the family’s concerns.
The puppy was named Wuxue, based on its colors.
The children adored it, and Wuxue loved wagging its tiny tail, hopping and running after them.
Wuxue’s arrival helped dispel the gloom that had settled over the household after the incident with Chu Tiand.
Life gradually returned to normal.
Ling Xing finally had time to open the book crates from Magistrate Lin. Inside, besides books, were four sets of brushes, ink, inkstones, and a good supply of quality paper.
He divided the paper into four portions, giving one each to Shen Hui and Wang Juan.
The remaining two were for Ling Yue.
Xie Qingya had been a great help during the crisis, running errands and sharing their worries.
Ling Xing had little else to offer.
Since Wang Juan was a scholar, these supplies were useful. For Xie Qingya, a known food lover, Ling Xing planned to send over special dishes later.
Ling Xing encouraged Shen Hui and Ling Yue to read the books together. Unsure which were suitable for immediate use, he placed the crates near the door of the eastern room, keeping the curtain raised for easy access for Shen Hui.
Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai were found guilty of aiding attempted theft. Though unsuccessful, they were sentenced to twenty days in jail and fined ten taels of silver each.
Failure to pay meant two years of road construction labor.
Fang Xiuxia’s sisters-in-law threatened suicide if the Fang elders paid the fine.
Twenty taels! Enough for a family to live comfortably for three years.
Moreover, the Fang brothers, He and Xing, no longer earned high wages from the grain store. Their combined monthly earnings from hard labor barely reached one tael.
How could they agree to spend their hard-earned money bailing out those two troublemakers?
They had their own children to raise.
The Fang elders ultimately relied on their sons and daughters-in-law for old age support. Their entire life savings barely amounted to twenty taels.
They wouldn’t touch that money for this.
Besides, road labor wasn’t a death sentence.
Two years, and they’d be back.
They hadn’t heard of anyone dying during road construction recently.
Fang Xiuxia couldn’t afford it either. She only had eighteen taels – her safety net, not to be touched lightly.
As for scraping together the remaining two taels, the thought never crossed her mind.
In the end, after serving their twenty days, Zhao Erbao and Zhao Sancai were sent directly to road construction.
Fang Xiuxia wept, wiping her tears.
She blamed Ling Xing internally – making such a fuss over a minor incident, causing her sons such hardship.
But she feared Shen Hui and dared not cause trouble, resorting only to silent curses.
July 19th was Ling Xing’s birthday.
It was also the original body’s birthday.
The family prepared a lavish meal: six dishes and a soup, steamed white rice. Wang Juan and Xie Qingya were invited.
Remembering how happy Shen Lai had been receiving a birthday gift from Ling Xing previously, the family had specially prepared gifts for Ling Xing too, wanting to make him happy.
Shen Chengshan and Xu Youfang gave a set of new clothes. Shen Chengshan paid for the fine fabric; Xu Youfang sewed the garment and embroidered cloud patterns, adding a touch of elegance. The material was breathable and cool.
Cao Manyue and Shen Gui presented an exquisite hair ribbon, its ends decorated with thin silver pieces.
Shen Hui offered a silver hairpin. As Ling Xing took it, he felt it was slightly damp.
He casually handed Shen Hui his handkerchief. “Wipe your hands.”
Nervous, Shen Hui’s palms had sweated, moistening the hairpin. He clenched the dry handkerchief, secretly absorbing the moisture into his grip.
Ling Yue and the other three children had also prepared a gift. They had conspired long beforehand, crafting a purely handmade fan for Ling Xing.
Shen Lai split the bamboo strips, then he, Xiao Chun, and Xiao Xia polished them smooth. Ling Yue prepared the paper and painted it.
He had learned some painting techniques at the village school.
The fan depicts a scene of an ink-wash starry sky.
The Milky Way required leaving white space – Ling Yue had practiced for a long time, even consulting Wang Juan, taking a month to achieve a satisfactory result.
Ling Xing adored the gift, his eyes glued to its beauty. He hugged each of the four children. “You are all incredibly talented!”
Xie Qingya and Wang Juan gave Ling Xing didi jin (Drip drop gold – “drip drop gold”) sparklers.
“When lit, these fireworks sparkle like starlight, dripping like gold as they fall. I’ve saved them for ages, reluctant to use them. So, I’m giving them to you, Brother Xing!”
Ling Xing opened the box. Inside were slender sticks, about half a box full.
Such fireworks were rare in the small county town. Even in the original body’s memory, didi jin didn’t feature, suggesting they were uncommon.
Or perhaps due to regional differences, they weren’t available in the original Ling Xing’s hometown.
After all, the Great Yu dynasty had only recently stabilized; materials for such things were prioritized for military use.
Given current progress, perhaps in a couple of years, such restrictions would ease, and fireworks would become common sights.
After dinner, the stars glittered in the night sky. The children, unfamiliar with didi jin, were bursting with curiosity.
Ling Xing was curious too. Wary of fire himself, he had Shen Hui light one.
Xie Qingya and the children squatted beside Ling Xing, faces alight with anticipation.
Shen Hui held a glowing ember on a stick. Under everyone’s eager gaze, he touched it to the tip of the didi jin Ling Xing held somewhat timidly.
Fearing burns, Ling Xing held the very end.
The whole sparkler drooped downwards. Shen Hui chuckled softly but didn’t tell Ling Xing to raise it, knowing he was apprehensive.
Crackle—Fizz!
The moment the didi jin ignited, it sprayed sparks like scattered starlight, flashing with dazzling golden light. Fiery droplets rained down continuously.
Ling Xing’s face lit up with surprised delight. “It’s beautiful! No wonder it’s called ‘drip drop gold’.”
The children gasped at the spectacle, finding it incredibly beautiful, clapping and cheering.
Wuxue, excited, raced in circles around the sparkler, tail a blur.
Ling Xing felt they were quite safe. With enough remaining for everyone, he distributed them.
Including the first one, Ling Xing got to enjoy two.
Contentment washed over him.
The children were ecstatic. Shen Lai, the boldest, even ran around with his lit sparkler.
Wuxue chased him, yipping happily (婷 – wū wāng).
The poor chickens scattered in the yard, scrambling into their coop, terrified by the commotion.
“Ahhhh— So pretty! I’m holding glowing stars!”
As Shen Lai ran, the falling sparks created a dreamlike trail.
Shen Hui quickly lit several more sparklers simultaneously, enhancing the dazzling visual effect.
Ling Xing’s second sparkler fizzled out, leaving him feeling slightly wistful.
Just as he turned, another cascade of brilliant sparks appeared before him.
Shen Hui offered his own lit didi jin to Ling Xing, his voice deep and magnetic. “Happy Birthday.”
Ling Xing’s eyes curved into crescents as he looked down at the flashing golden sparks in his hand.
Under the vast night sky, everyone stood, equally mesmerized, smiling at the burning “stars” in their hands.
Shen Hui lowered his gaze, watching the star in his eyes.
No one noticed the intense emotion swirling within him.
Only little Wuxue, tired from running, stopped, tail wagging. Tilting its head, blinking its round eyes, it looked towards Shen Hui and Ling Xing and let out a soft woof.
After the fireworks, it was late.
Xie Qingya and Wang Juan departed with lanterns. The Shen family washed up, preparing for bed.
Shen Lai lingered, the last to finish tidying up. He finally caught his Second Brother in a clearly happy mood.
While the others settled down, Shen Lai pulled Shen Hui aside before he could enter his room.
“Second Brother, I want to learn martial arts from you.”