Chapter 53: People Who Aren’t Family Don’t End Up Under The Same Roof

After they entered the town, the humans walking back and forth along the street kept making Hua Qi glance over. He had never seen so many humans all at once before.

The cries of vendors on the street corners, the noisy haggling, and the sounds of children playing and scuffling all rushed into his head at once.

Yun Shan rolled his big eyes, looking here and there, his two little hands waving excitedly in front of him.

Hua Qi tightened his hold on Yun Shan and pretended nothing was wrong as he said to Xiu Niang, “The towns here are really lively.”

“This is the biggest town around here. There are lots of people coming and going,” Xiu Niang said.

Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out. “You lunatic! Let go of my child!”

The crowd around them quickly gathered toward the source of the shout. Xiu Niang carried Chun Hua and tugged Hua Qi along, joining the others to watch the commotion.

A stout woman wearing green clothes edged in blue shoved away a woman in ragged clothing, whose hands were thin as dead branches and whose hair was a tangled mess. She shielded the child beside her and snapped, “This is my child!”

“This woman’s been staying in our town for several days now. Whenever she sees a child, she says it’s her own. Maybe her child died at home and she couldn’t take it, so she went mad,” someone watching from the side guessed.

The stout woman did not say anything more to the madwoman. Instead, she took out two coins and gave them to the bun seller beside the street. “Give her a bun.”

“She’s kindhearted,” Hua Qi said. “Good people will have good fortune.”

The madwoman snatched the white bun from the bun seller’s hand, stuffed it into her mouth, and wolfed it down.

Holding her own child close, the stout woman advised her with sympathy written all over her face. “You’re still so young. Just have a few more. Why torment yourself like this?”

“How pitiful,” Wan Niang sighed softly. “A child is a mother’s very life.”

After finishing the bun, the madwoman stared blankly ahead.

Then she suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Tuo Tuo’s arm. The messy strands of hair by her temples fell around her mouth, and a smile appeared on her face as she muttered, “Baby, baby, I finally found you.”

“What are you doing?!” Tuo Tuo cried out in fright and hurriedly tried to wrench his arm free.

But the woman was extremely strong. She clutched his arm tightly and would not let go. “Baby, Mother, Mother is here.”

Tuo Tuo twisted sideways, yanking his shoulder back as he shouted, “Dou Ming, save me!”

Wan Niang had just touched the madwoman and had not yet had time to use any strength when the woman toppled straight backward. When she turned to look, Dou Ming had already pulled Tuo Tuo behind him.

Tuo Tuo rubbed his aching arm and shouted, “I’m not your family’s baby.”

Xiu Niang carried the child and stepped in front of Dou Ming, raising her voice. “Go away! Your baby isn’t here.”

Xi Jue drove her off in a low voice. “Leave.”

The madwoman climbed to her feet. She looked at the group before her, and a glint flashed through her eyes. Very quickly, she lowered her head in fear, then staggered crazily out of the crowd, crying and wailing, “Baby, baby, Mother’s baby, where are you?”

Hua Qi sharply caught the fleeting gleam in the woman’s eyes. He frowned. For some reason, he felt that was not the gaze a madwoman should have.

“Protect Chun Hua well,” Hua Qi told Xiu Niang. “This woman seems strange. Dou Ming, help keep an eye on Chun Hua.”

“Of course she’s strange. She’s gone mad, so she’s definitely different from normal people.” Wan Niang still felt the woman was pitiful.

Dou Ming nodded cautiously and pushed Tuo Tuo over to Xiu Niang’s side. “You watch Xiu Niang and Chun Hua. If anything happens, I’ll handle it.”

“Mm.” Tuo Tuo had been badly startled by the farce just now. The madwoman was already nowhere to be seen in the crowd, but he still felt lingering fear. Quietly, he lifted his chubby face and reached out to touch Chun Hua. The bruises on his fair, tender arm stood out sharply.

“That woman really was quite strong,” Xiu Niang said, looking at Tuo Tuo with distress.

Xiao Cong held Da Mao and Er Mao by the hand, one in each of his, making sure both boys stayed by his side.

“I’m going to deliver the tables and chairs to the buyer. You all browse along this street first. I’ll come find you in a while.” Qiu Sheng took Xi Jue with him, and the two of them walked slowly down the street.

As they passed an alley, Qiu Sheng saw the madwoman supporting herself against the wall, slowly walking deeper into the lane.

He sighed to Xi Jue, “She’s truly pitiful. Who knows whether she has anyone else at home.”

From the moment Xi Jue first saw the madwoman, he had disliked her. Now that he heard Qiu Sheng call her pitiful, the corners of his mouth instinctively turned downward.

Qiu Sheng happened to see that expression. Confused, he asked, “Xi Jue, why do you look like that? Isn’t that woman pitiful?”

Xi Jue shook his head. Only after they passed the next alley did he slowly say, “That woman is somewhat strange.”

“Strange?” Qiu Sheng laughed. “You and Hua Qi really are alike. Sure enough, people who aren’t family don’t end up under the same roof.” Hua Qi’s reaction just now had also been that the woman was strange.

“She’s just a crazed woman looking for her child. Maybe she’ll leave town in a few days. I hope she can find her child.”

Xi Jue glanced at the carefree Qiu Sheng and said no more.

The tables and chairs sold for a total of five hundred coins. In the past, Qiu Sheng had earned little. He had to spend money to buy timber and could only earn a bit in labor costs.

Ever since Xi Jue’s family came, whatever material he wanted, Xi Jue could go up the mountain and find it for him. Now the money he earned was pure profit!

…

“Yun Shan really isn’t your biological child?” On the way back, Qiu Sheng suddenly asked.

“Who said that?” Xi Jue frowned and looked at Qiu Sheng beside him.

“Huaniang told Xiu Niang,” Qiu Sheng said. “I have to say, you really are something. You treat Yun Shan even better than your own three sons.”

Since Hua Qi had said it, then Yun Shan was not his biological child. As long as Hua Qi could make up something humans believed, Xi Jue would let him do as he pleased.

“He’s different,” Xi Jue said.

“I’m telling you, you two really are this.” Qiu Sheng raised his thumb, then changed the subject. “But you should talk to Huaniang. Treat Dou Ming, Xiao Cong, and Tuo Tuo a little better too.”

Xi Jue smiled without speaking. Even if he told Hua Qi, Hua Qi might not listen. Besides, he did not think Hua Qi treated the three little ones badly. The demons on the mountain were not as delicate as Yun Shan, this human cub.

Xiao Cong had been paying attention to both sides of the street the whole time. He saw several shops selling pomegranates. They were not as big as the pomegranates on the mountain, and they cost two coins each. That was much more expensive than peaches.

“With Dou Ming here this year, we don’t need to spend money on pomegranates at all.” Wan Niang smiled so widely her mouth would not close. Saving even one coin was still saving money. Xiao Cong had already said that he would pick pomegranates from the mountain for them tomorrow.

“After the Reunion Festival, the weather will turn cold. Tuo Tuo can’t keep wearing a dudou anymore,” Xiu Niang said, leading them into a fabric shop.

“Mother.” Da Mao said to Wan Niang, “Mother, I want a dudou too, one like Tuo Tuo’s. It’s cool to wear in summer.”

“What dudou?” Wan Niang shot him a glare. “You’re already eight. If you wear a dudou out, people will laugh at you. How old is Tuo Tuo?”

“Mother, I want a dudou too. I’m only six,” Er Mao hurriedly chimed in from the side.

“Forget it. Six-year-olds can’t wear dudou either,” Wan Niang said.

“Tuo Tuo can wear one!” Er Mao said indignantly. “I’m only one year older than him.”

“Whose family…” Remembering that the person in question was right there beside her, Wan Niang stopped herself and scolded them instead. “You two don’t lack clothes. Stop making trouble here and go play over there.”

Whose family still let such a big child wander around in a dudou? Up until now, Tuo Tuo was the first one she had ever seen. Children stopped running around bare-bottomed in dudou at three years old.

The rarely quiet Tuo Tuo had taken a liking to the red cloth placed on the counter. He ran to the counter, stood on tiptoe, touched the red cloth, and turned his head to smile at Hua Qi. “I want red clothes.”

“What red clothes?” Hua Qi rolled his eyes at Tuo Tuo. Money was tight. They had not even saved enough to buy hoes yet. Who knew when they would be able to farm? Where would they get spare money to buy fabric and make clothes for Tuo Tuo?

“Hmph!” Tuo Tuo unhappily pursed his lips.

Xiu Niang said to Hua Qi, “The weather will get cold very soon. He really can’t keep wearing a dudou.”

“We’ll buy some when the weather turns cold.” Hua Qi nodded. Humans feared the cold, so they also had to follow humans and wear thick clothes. That way, they would not seem like oddities.

The shop assistant smiled and said, “This is red cloth used by brides to make wedding clothes.” He had never seen any family’s child wear a whole outfit of red in everyday life.

Turning around, the assistant touched a bolt of fabric that clearly had something wrong with its color. “This bolt wasn’t dyed well, so the color is a little ugly. The price is also cheaper in comparison. When worn, it’s no different from cloth dyed in a proper color.”

Tuo Tuo’s clothes were not urgent, but the human cub’s clothes had to be made ahead of time. Humans could not withstand freezing, especially cubs.

Hua Qi directly ignored the cheap fabric the assistant introduced. How could his cub wear clothes with such uneven coloring? There were clearly so many nice-looking bolts of cloth.

And the clothes Yun Shan was wearing now, with that uneven color, were truly an eyesore. He did not know what Xi Jue had been thinking back then, to actually buy cloth like that to make clothes for Yun Shan.

He seemed to have completely forgotten the hardship of having no money when they had first come down the mountain, along with his original intention of raising Yun Shan casually.

Touching the soft silk and satin, Hua Qi’s eyes lit up. Soft cloth and a bright emerald green were what suited a cub. “How much is this bolt?”

The moment Hua Qi spoke, the group of humans who had come along were all stunned. Such fine material looked very expensive!

“Twenty taels of silver for one bolt,” the assistant quoted.

Sure enough, it really was very expensive!

Xiu Niang sighed inwardly. Huaniang really was a young lady from a wealthy family. She only picked expensive material to look at. In Xiu Niang’s mind, only people who did not lack money would even look at that kind of fabric.

Hua Qi laughed awkwardly and calculated the silver he had on hand. Right now, he had less than three taels of silver. Even adding the money for buying mooncakes for the little spirits, it was only around five taels. He absolutely could not afford this sort of cloth.

“If you want to buy it, I can cut however much you need,” the assistant said with a smile. He had misjudged her. He had not expected this beautiful woman dressed in patches to actually ask to buy such expensive fabric.

Hua Qi held Yun Shan against the fabric to compare the color and said to the assistant, “Enough to make Yun Shan one outfit will do.”

Tuo Tuo leaned over and said, “This color isn’t as nice as the red one. Buy Yun Shan the red.”

Hua Qi then held Yun Shan against the red cloth to compare it. Oh my, Yun Shan would look good in red too! The cub himself was good-looking, so he looked good in any color!

At this moment, Hua Qi felt an inexplicable surge of pride in his heart.

“I’ll listen to you this once. Assistant, cut the red cloth. The same kind of material,” Hua Qi said decisively. “How much?”

The assistant said, “The child is small. Two chi of cloth will be enough. One tael of silver.”

One tael of silver was fine. It was completely within what they could afford. Hua Qi said readily, “This one, then.” He paid with crisp efficiency.

“Have you gone mad?” Only then did Xiu Niang snap back to herself. “One tael of silver can buy so many things. What wouldn’t be more worthwhile than buying cloth? I know about cutting fabric. The leftover cloth Xi Jue bought last time is still enough to make Yun Shan two more outfits.”

“This is for Yun Shan to wear,” Hua Qi said. “Use the cloth at home to make clothes for Xiao Cong or Tuo Tuo.”

“I don’t want it,” Tuo Tuo refused very decisively. His eyes held only the color red.

“I know it’s for Yun Shan. The cotton cloth beside it is perfectly good. Didn’t you still need money to buy hoes?” Xiu Niang thought to herself that a young lady truly did not know how to live frugally.

Tuo Tuo took the red cloth the assistant handed over, pressed it to his face, and rubbed it there in bliss. Red cloth really was so pretty. He was very happy inside, and his big chubby face carried a trace of excitement. “It’s fine, Xiu Niang. We’ll earn money to buy fabric and make clothes for Yun Shan. We’ll buy lots and lots of red cloth.”

…

Xiao Cong pinched the red cloth and rubbed it between his fingers. He was also very satisfied with how it felt and echoed, “This cloth is very good. I’m going to make Yun Shan beautiful clothes.”

Xiu Niang thought that Tuo Tuo really was a silly boy. He himself had wanted to buy bright red cloth to make clothes, but Hua Qi had not allowed it. Then Hua Qi turned around and bought red cloth for Yun Shan.

Not only did he not argue or make a fuss, he even happily said he would earn money to buy fabric and make clothes for Yun Shan. She had never seen a child better than Tuo Tuo.

And there was Xiao Cong too. He was only eight years old, yet already so sensible. Just how had Xi Jue’s family raised their children? Each one made people more envious than the last.

The money had been paid and the cloth had been cut. It was too late to say anything now. Still, Xiu Niang could not help nagging, “One tael of silver is too expensive. Too expensive.”

Wan Niang’s family was so shocked they could not recover. Goodness. What background did this family have, to dare buy two chi of cloth for one tael of silver?

“It’s for Yun Shan to wear. It’s not expensive!” Hua Qi said with heroic generosity.

As long as Hua Qi lowered his head, Yun Shan was never stingy with his smiles. Especially when Hua Qi smiled at him, Yun Shan became overjoyed. His two little hands waved back and forth in front of his chest as he laughed, “Gegege.”

“Look, Xiu Niang,” Hua Qi said, turning slightly so she could see Yun Shan. “See how happy he is.”

“It’s like he knows he’s going to wear new clothes,” Xiu Niang joked, finally stopping her nagging.

When they left the fabric shop, they saw Qiu Sheng and Xi Jue looking around not far away.

Tuo Tuo raised the red cloth in his hand and happily shouted, “We’re here!”

“Who bought red cloth? It looks like a bridal veil,” Qiu Sheng said with a laugh as he came closer.

Tuo Tuo shook his little skyward braid and explained very seriously, “It’s for making clothes for Yun Shan.”

“Let’s go buy mooncakes.” Qiu Sheng handed the money pouch to Xiu Niang, took Chun Hua, and whispered in her ear, “Five hundred coins.”

Joy appeared on Xiu Niang’s face. “That much? It’ll be enough for us to use for a long time.”

The Qiugui Pastry Shop in the East Market had always offered fair prices. Xiu Niang did not consider any other shop and led Hua Qi and the others straight to Qiugui Pastry Shop.

“What would you like?” the young, tender-faced shop assistant asked with a smile.

“I want mooncakes with jujube paste filling,” Xiu Niang said. “Give me two.”

“I want six,” Wan Niang said.

“We want twenty-five,” Hua Qi said. The moment the words left his mouth, Wang Da Shan’s family looked at him in surprise.

What kind of family could eat five mooncakes per person? Huaniang truly was worthy of being someone who could spend one tael of silver to buy two chi of cloth.

“What?” Hua Qi swept his gaze around the group in confusion. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“You’re buying too many,” Xiu Niang said quietly. “Mooncakes cost ten coins each. What family dares to eat them like this? You have to learn how to manage a household. Things aren’t like they were before. You aren’t a young lady anymore.”

Hua Qi thought to himself, when was I ever a young lady? He said, “When we went up the mountain this morning, the masters at Yunling Temple asked us to bring mooncakes back for them.”

“How many Daoists are there in Yunling Temple? Why buy twenty?” Wan Niang asked curiously.

“Who knows?” Hua Qi pretended to be clueless. “Maybe they like eating them.”

“So they’re only ten coins each,” Xiao Cong suddenly said with some regret. Twenty mooncakes were only two hundred coins. If they had known they were not that expensive, they would not have gone to the temple to borrow money. They could have had Dou Ming carry a few more loads of firewood down the mountain to sell.

Tuo Tuo craned his neck and looked curiously at the mooncakes on the counter. They were shaped like flowers, with two strange symbols in the middle.

Tuo Tuo stretched out a chubby finger, pointed at the mooncakes, and asked the assistant, “What are the symbols drawn on them? Are they words?”

“What’s written on them is ‘mooncake,’” the young assistant replied.

“Moon. Cake.” Tuo Tuo pointed at the characters and read them one by one.

Hua Qi’s heart stirred. He had heard Uncle Dayun say before that there was a xiucai in the neighboring village who taught reading. Once their house was built, they would send the three little ones to learn characters. After they returned to the mountain, they could teach Yun Shan.

Less than half an incense stick after they left Qiugui Pastry Shop, a poor-looking young xiucai hurried over.

The young xiucai took out twenty copper coins and said to the assistant, “One jujube paste mooncake and one red bean paste mooncake.”

The assistant took out the mooncakes and wrapped them up, then smiled ingratiatingly at the young xiucai. “You said what’s written on these mooncakes is all ‘mooncake,’ so why are the red bean paste and jujube paste ones different?”

The young xiucai gave a faint laugh. “Who said what’s written on the mooncakes is ‘mooncake’?”

The xiucai pointed at the jujube paste mooncake on the counter. “What’s written here is ‘jujube paste.’”

Then he pointed at the red bean paste mooncake. “This says ‘red—bean paste.’”

The assistant chuckled. “The xiucai master really is impressive.”

The young xiucai looked embarrassed and quickly waved his hands, his face reddening. “What master? Don’t call me that.” Carrying his pastries, he fled in a panic.

Their household already had no money, and Hua Qi had spent another tael of silver on two chi of cloth. Now they had even less money to buy hoes.

When they passed the blacksmith shop, Xi Jue went in and asked. The hoes and iron shovels had already been made, but the three taels of silver left on them were only enough to take two large hoes, or one set for children to use.

Xi Jue was hesitating when Hua Qi’s voice came from outside. “Take two little hoes first. Let Tuo Tuo and Xiao Cong go open up the wasteland first.”

The assistant at the blacksmith shop had already witnessed how cruel Xi Jue, this birth father, was last time. This time, seeing that the person speaking was a woman holding a child, he thought to himself that sure enough, only people from the same family ended up under the same roof. This husband and wife were exactly alike!

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