The next day.
As usual, He Yi woke on his straw mat. It was light outside, but the sky still held a dark-blue cast and had not yet fully brightened.
Xue Ci, asleep on the mat beside him, had not changed back into his beast form. Perhaps because the weather was growing hotter, he had kicked the thin quilt onto the floor, and his clothes had ridden up above his stomach, exposing his flat belly as it gently rose and fell with each breath.
He Yi covered Xue Ci’s stomach with his own quilt, then picked up the thin quilt Xue Ci had knocked onto the dusty floor and took it outside to wash.
After hanging the quilt and clothes out to dry, He Yi went back inside for a look and found that Xue Ci still had not woken. He was sleeping soundly, though this time he had not kicked the quilt away again.
That was somewhat unusual. Normally, Xue Ci would already have gotten up and washed at this hour, then sat off to one side reading while he waited for breakfast.
Forget it. That trip up the mountain was exhausting, and Xue Ci did most of the work. Let him sleep. He Yi decided to weed the fields first and come back afterward to cook.
Unexpectedly, just after rounding the newly built eastern wall, he saw Zheng Yuanfeng approaching from afar, carrying the two golden pheasants they had given away yesterday.
“Why did you bring them back?” He Yi asked in confusion.
Zheng Yuanfeng sighed. “We didn’t know these birds were so valuable. If we had, we never would’ve accepted them so easily. My parents appreciate Xue Ci’s kindness, but we really can’t accept a gift this expensive.”
“How are they that valuable? They’re just two wild birds, and there’s barely any meat on them.” To He Yi, they were not much different from Chinese francolins.
Realizing that He Yi did not know their value either, Zheng Yuanfeng slowly told him what had happened during yesterday’s marriage-proposal visit.
When the Qu family saw them arrive, they had looked surprised. Afterward, their attitude had been perfunctory, and they even pulled the matchmaker aside for a whispered conversation, leaving the Zheng family waiting for quite some time without coming out to receive them. Zheng Yuanfeng and his parents were already angry enough at that, but when the other family finally returned, they rejected the proposal outright, making it clear both openly and indirectly that they looked down on the proposal gifts the Zhengs had brought.
“We figured if it wasn’t going to work, then forget it. Who knew some kid would run over and pull the red cloth off the chicken cage? The moment those two birds cried out, their attitude changed.”
The girl’s parents immediately changed their tune and said there was room to discuss the marriage. They held Uncle Zheng and Aunt Liu back and suddenly became all smiles. Their faces changed from one moment to the next without the slightest shame.
“I knew right then something was strange. After I told my parents, I picked up the proposal gifts and was ready to leave. Then they got angry and accused me of having no sincerity while still daring to think of taking a wife.”
Zheng Yuanfeng had fired back on the spot. “I said, who was the one without sincerity first? We agreed beforehand that the proposal gifts would follow our village customs, and the betrothal gifts would follow yours. But today you had Matchmaker Zhang nitpick and insult us endlessly, saying this wasn’t good enough and that wasn’t good enough. We haven’t even settled the marriage yet, and you’ve already made my mother this angry. If we became in-laws, how would we ever have a peaceful life?”
The other family could not save face after that, and the matchmaker said nothing. So the pheasants had been brought back, and naturally the marriage was off as well.
“So that happened… But we already gave them to you. Bringing them back feels awfully distant,” He Yi said, troubled.
“Aiya! Are we that sort of people? We really aren’t just being polite with you two. These are genuinely too valuable. My parents were so uneasy they couldn’t even sleep, and first thing this morning they chased me over here to return them! We asked around. These are golden pheasants, and clinics pay a high price for them. They’re valuable! Matchmaker Zhang is shrewd too. She recognized them but didn’t say a word.” Zheng Yuanfeng curled his lip in displeasure.
He Yi had not expected things to develop this way. A gift that was too expensive really was inappropriate, but this also showed how honest and straightforward the Zheng family was. They disliked taking advantage of others.
He Yi could only take the pheasants back. “All right. Then we won’t come for the meal either, since the gift didn’t end up being given.”
“No. My mother said you absolutely have to come eat. Remember to come between five and seven this evening!” With that, Zheng Yuanfeng hoisted his hoe and ran off.
“…” Which of us is being too polite here? He Yi shook his head with a smile and headed toward the chicken enclosure.
Afraid the golden pheasants would escape, He Yi did not let them roam. He kept them in the enclosure beneath an overturned basket, then split a section of bamboo lengthwise, filled it with a little water and grass seed, and slid it inside.
The chicks were extremely curious about the two newcomers and circled the basket chirping nonstop. The goose, meanwhile, stayed in its own enclosure. It would lower its head to take a bite of aquatic plants, then raise its head to glance toward the chicken enclosure, lower its head for another bite, then look up again, repeating the cycle over and over.
Seeing that Xue Ci still had not woken, He Yi continued on to the fields.
By the time Xue Ci woke, He Yi had not yet returned. But when Xue Ci stepped out of the woodshed, he happened to encounter Xu Peng, who had just returned from town.
Xu Peng’s first reaction upon seeing Xue Ci was to wonder whether he had come to the wrong house.
Yet within several li, this was the only house under construction. The foundation had been laid, several walls had been rammed up, a vegetable garden had been marked out, and a woodshed had been built.
The chicken and goose enclosures were on the other side, hidden by the wall, so Xu Peng did not see them.
In short, Xu Peng did not think he could possibly have mistaken the place. But Xue Ci’s presence made him uncertain.
And when his gaze met Xue Ci’s eyes, which appeared sky-blue in the sunlight, he froze. The color felt strangely familiar, but ultimately it was a sign of a foreigner. Xu Peng’s expression inevitably hardened, and the air around him became extremely distant.
Fortunately, before the two of them could descend into real awkwardness, He Yi happened to return from the fields.
Seeing the two of them almost facing off, He Yi was confused for a moment and nearly asked why they were blocking the way as though they did not know each other. Luckily, he realized in time that Xu Peng had never seen Xue Ci in human form, so of course he did not recognize him now.
He Yi hurriedly smoothed things over and introduced them to each other with a faint sense of awkwardness.
“This is my older cousin, Xu Peng. And this is my friend Xue Ci, who lives with me.” He Yi did not dare make up a story about Xue Ci being family, because Xu Peng knew who was in He Yi’s family. Besides, with Xue Ci’s unusual eye color, Xu Peng would not believe it anyway. Better to avoid unnecessary complications, so this was the only introduction He Yi could give.
Xue Ci did not understand why He Yi was introducing Xu Peng to him when he clearly already knew the man, but he did not ask. He merely blinked and looked at He Yi.
Xu Peng could hear the tenderness in He Yi’s voice when he said Xue Ci’s name. For He Yi’s sake, he put away his hostility.
He had no intention of exchanging pleasantries for long and went straight to the point. “I sold that sambar deer for you. I could only get three taels of silver and four hundred wen. The buyers were traveling merchants in town. They said the person in town who knew how to butcher the deer was imprisoned, so they could only send it to the county. We need their connections for what comes after. I’d guess they can make more than double when they resell it.”
“Imprisoned? Don’t tell me it was the chef from Qingfeng Teahouse…”
Xu Peng raised an eyebrow, his expression seeming to say, You know about that too?
He Yi briefly told Xu Peng what he had encountered at Qingfeng Teahouse and why the man had been imprisoned: the “camel” kuai.
Xue Ci listened intently too, even though He Yi had already told him the whole story some time ago.
After He Yi finished, he remembered the two golden pheasants that had been returned and asked Xu Peng, “Older Cousin, did you know those two birds we hunted earlier were golden pheasants?”
Xu Peng glanced at him and gave a simple “Mm.”
No wonder Xu Peng had not wanted the pheasants at the time and had chosen the wild rabbits instead. Rabbits truly were not worth much, and Xu Peng could usually catch plenty himself.
He Yi could only sigh. Since coming here, he truly had encountered a great deal of kindness.
He wanted Xu Peng to stay for breakfast, though there was not much worth serving him, and they did not even have a proper table. He and Xue Ci usually ate with their bowls in their hands or set them on stools.
But Xu Peng told him to take the pheasants to a clinic in town and ask whether they would buy them. The clinic’s price probably would not be especially fair, but there was no other good option. After saying that, he handed He Yi the money from selling the sambar deer, picked up his things, and headed toward the mountain.
“Won’t you stay for a meal?” He Yi called loudly after him.
“I’m going.” Xu Peng waved without looking back and continued on.
Ai. He Yi looked down at the money in his hand. He had no scale to weigh the broken silver, but the other four hundred wen were all there. He trusted Xu Peng, so the silver should be the correct amount as well. That made it even clearer that Xu Peng had not taken any cut at all, not even compensation for his trouble.
He Yi placed the money in Xue Ci’s hands. “This is the money from selling the sambar deer. You keep it. When we have time in a few days, we’ll go to town and buy some cloth, then ask Qianli to make you a few sets of clothes.”
But Xue Ci stuffed the money back into He Yi’s hands. “Keep it for me. I want to buy storybooks.”
“You still need clothes. After we buy the cloth, what’s left will definitely be enough for a few storybooks too. And I still have the five hundred wen Xu Peng paid for the honey.” Whatever remained could probably be used to have a table, stools, and a bed made. As for the timber, he could get Cen Pu to bring some in, which would make it cheaper.
Xue Ci glanced at the clothes he was wearing, which belonged to He Yi. He liked them quite well and did not understand why they needed to buy new ones, but since He Yi said they should, he did not dwell on it. He nodded and went to wash up.
After noon, Tang Huai made the rare choice to brave the blazing sun and visit their home. The moment he “entered,” he announced that he wanted a tour.
He Yi planned to make some honey water for Tang Huai, so he asked Xue Ci to show him around first.
Only half of the house’s exterior walls had been built, and work on the courtyard wall had not even begun. As things stood, the only place fit to sleep in was the woodshed.
They can only sleep in a woodshed? That’s miserable. Tang Huai leaned against the woodshed doorframe and looked inside. The place was piled with a jumble of earth, timber, and other materials, full of dust and mixed smells. The tiny space cleared for sleeping held two straw mats with only a few fist-widths between them.
If that person had not stirred up trouble and forced He Yi to move out, they would not have ended up living like this. Tang Huai felt the tiny scrap of conscience he had left give a faint twinge.
He glanced sideways at Xue Ci. Sensing his gaze, Xue Ci looked back in confusion.
Tang Huai patted him on the shoulder. “Show me the rest.”
Xue Ci led him toward the chicken and goose enclosures. Just then, He Yi returned with the honey water and handed a bowl each to Tang Huai and Xue Ci.
Tang Huai caught a faint sweet fragrance and took a sip. Surprised, he said, “Where did this honey water come from? This is the first time I’ve tasted anything like it…”
“This is good to drink. It’s sweet,” Xue Ci agreed, then gulped the whole bowl down.
He Yi had tasted a little while preparing it. Water made with Chinese milk-vetch honey was smooth and soothing to the throat, gently sweet without becoming cloying or sour. One sip made him want another, as though he wanted the flavor to linger on his tongue a little longer.
But honey was precious, after all, so he stopped after a taste.
“We gathered this honey on the mountain a few days ago. We originally sold it, but Xu Peng, my older cousin, left us a small jar.”
“You two are still in contact?”
“Every time I go up the mountain, I visit his place for a while. Sometimes he takes me hunting too.”
Tang Huai had initially wanted to buy the honey from He Yi, but when he heard there was not much left and that someone else had given it to him, he abandoned the idea.
After finishing his drink, sharp-eyed Tang Huai spotted the overturned basket. Curious about the flash of vivid red inside, he crouched down for a closer look.
The sight stopped him cold for a good while.
“…How do you have golden pheasants here?” Tang Huai even stumbled over his words.
“We caught them on the mountain.” He Yi did not say that Xue Ci had done it. Seeing Tang Huai’s slightly excited expression, his instincts told him it was better not to draw too much attention to Xue Ci, lest it invite suspicion.
Tang Huai did not care who had caught them. He hurriedly asked whether they were for sale. He Yi glanced at Xue Ci. Xue Ci showed no particular reaction and was even starting to look sleepy, so He Yi answered for him. “If you want them, Brother Tang, take them. We won’t charge you. You helped arrange Xue Ci’s foreign household registration before, and he still hasn’t figured out what to give you in return. He caught these golden pheasants, and if you have a use for them, that’s perfect. Consider them a return gift and accept them.” Since it was Xue Ci repaying the favor, He Yi did not want to claim the role of gift-giver for himself, so he changed course and directly admitted that Xue Ci had caught them.
Xue Ci thought over the meaning of He Yi’s long explanation and cooperatively nodded. “Thank you, Tang Huai.” The form of address was simply a little too casual.
Tang Huai was not someone who cared about such things. At the moment he was ecstatic. Ordinarily, he disliked calculating favors and social exchanges, but since He Yi had put it that way, he certainly could not let the opportunity pass. So he readily accepted the two golden pheasants.
Only when they reached the vegetable garden did Tang Huai reveal the true purpose of his visit.
“What did you plant in this vegetable garden?”
“Seeds Xue Ci picked up. He was curious what they would grow into, so we planted them on a whim. We still can’t tell what they are.” Seeing Tang Huai stare at the yao grass for a long while, He Yi quickly signaled Xue Ci not to say anything, then lied to Tang Huai.
Tang Huai nodded and stopped looking at it. Instead, he took two packets from his sleeve. “Didn’t you ask me to look for chili peppers before? I had people search around and found that they do exist, only they aren’t called that. Some call them fanjiao, and some call them haijiao. More people along the coast know about them.”
“You actually found them?!” He Yi could hardly believe it. There had been no trace of chili peppers anywhere in the village or town. People here had practically no habit of eating spicy food, ginger aside, so he had never really expected Tang Huai to find any.
Tang Huai had thought the same. “Farther north, quite a few people like eating these haijiao, and more and more people grow them there. But these seeds were brought back from the south. The people there don’t eat them, though some still grow them, so there are plenty of seeds.”
When the cloth was unfolded, He Yi and Xue Ci saw that it actually contained pale seeds.
So the seeds inside chili peppers are what you plant? He Yi thought.
“There are varieties in here that grow longer and others that stay shorter, but they’re all mixed together. Try planting them. I planted some too. If mine survive, I can give you more.” Tang Huai opened the other packet, revealing dark, round seeds. “These are green Sichuan pepper seeds. They’re treated about the same as the haijiao seeds. Soak them for about six to eight hours, then soak them again every day or two. After four or five days, once most have sprouted or shown white tips, you can sow them.”
“Will they sprout at this time of year? How long until harvest?”
“They’ll sprout. But I don’t know how long they’ll take to harvest. The people I asked didn’t say.”
Tang Huai also explained a few things they needed to watch for. Chili seedlings, for example, were afraid of direct sunlight, while green Sichuan pepper liked the sun.
The sunlight in their area was always intense, so they would probably have to ask the villagers how they handled seedlings that needed shade during the nursery stage.