“Dafeng! You’re finally back! The mosquitoes have bitten me all over!”
Li Feng dismounted, led his horse over, and in a few quick steps reached Lu Liu. He didn’t mind the strong smell clinging to him and scooped Lu Liu into his arms, running his large hand down his back. Then he pushed him gently back, draped an arm over his shoulder, and walked home together with him.
Seeing Lu Yang there as well, Li Feng briefly updated him on the market stall arrangements. Lu Yang said he would consider it, and the four of them went back to their respective homes.
The family had already eaten. Lu Liu had saved some food for Li Feng, worried about how late he was returning and how tired he must be. While Li Feng ate, Lu Liu quickly stir-fried another dish—eggplant, well-cooked and ready to serve, a soy-braised dish perfect with rice.
Li Feng had just spoken with his mother, and when Lu Liu brought the eggplant, she retired to her room. The couple sat together in the main hall.
A few remaining mosquitoes buzzed about; Li Feng swatted them without hesitation. Seeing the bites on Lu Liu’s face hadn’t yet faded, he reached out to touch him. “Why do you always wait for me at the door?”
Even back in the mountain stronghold, Lu Liu liked to wait outside the courtyard. No matter how late it was, a light would always burn for him.
Coming to the city hadn’t changed that habit.
Lu Liu insisted he focus on eating, offering him a pair of chopsticks to serve himself.
“I wanted to see you earlier, worried about you, so I waited at the door. I turned around and came inside—it’s so close.”
Li Feng said, “So many mosquitoes—just wait inside. Look at all the bites; I haven’t been bitten that badly.”
Lu Liu laughed, teasing him, “You’re so improper.”
“Can you bite me like a mosquito?” Li Feng joked.
Lu Liu continued, “While waiting for you, my mind was restless. The mosquitoes biting made me anxious. I thought—if only I were waiting under the mosquito net. That way, even if you came home late, I could sit under the net on the bamboo bed and wait for you.”
Li Feng laughed. “If the net’s up, why go inside? We could just sleep at the door—cool and you can watch the stars.”
Lu Liu shook his head. “Too many mosquitoes. That would be miserable.”
Li Feng chuckled again.
After eating, they didn’t rush to clear the dishes. Li Feng went inside, removed his outer jacket so no dust would fall on the children. He checked on the two little ones and chatted with Shun Ge’er. The younger ones hadn’t ventured out, not wanting to leave their big brother.
Seeing him home safely and noticing his sister-in-law’s scent, the children understood more about the hard work of running a household and looking after the family.
Shun Ge’er said he would wash the dishes and prepare hot water for their baths. “You’ll surely have things to talk about, so don’t fight me for chores!”
Lu Liu praised him for being thoughtful; Li Feng also commended him. Shun Ge’er left with a beaming smile.
The couple sat by the kang. Lu Liu expected Li Feng to sit opposite him, each holding a child, but instead, he sat beside him, holding him close as he entertained the children.
Lu Liu wriggled. “Why are you so clingy?”
Li Feng rested his chin on Lu Liu’s shoulder and smiled. “I’ve never distanced myself from you.”
Lu Liu relented and leaned back into him.
“Dafeng, are you tired today? When you came home, you seemed so relieved.”
Li Feng said he wasn’t tired. “We didn’t run far—just saw the market and learned something. Xiao Liu, if you get a chance, you must visit the market with your brother. They use suolu and coarse cloth for shade. I don’t know the material cost, just the market price. To set it up like this, it costs over 1,300 taels of silver. We’re still too poor.”
Lu Liu’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Ah?!”
Li Feng exhaled. “Hong Fifth said this year’s cost is over six hundred taels more than last year. All of this will be given to merchants. That young master of the Hong family didn’t even bat an eyelid. One day, I want you to live like that too.”
Lu Liu didn’t dare imagine it.
Li Feng whispered repeatedly into his ear, like a monk chanting: “Xiao Liu will spend freely without blinking… Xiao Liu will spend freely without blinking… Xiao Liu will spend freely without blinking…”
Lu Liu couldn’t listen anymore. Truly a nightmare!
Li Feng wanted to make that nightmare a reality.
Lu Yang woke early and made buns: meat buns, mushroom-and-meat buns, vermicelli buns, tofu buns, and two sweet ones—sugar buns and red bean paste buns.
All were small buns. He also made tiny steamed buns, storing them in two bamboo tubes.
He prepared mung bean paste and mixed mushroom soup.
Lu Liu and Shun Ge’er helped him in the morning. When finished, Lu Yang packed a bamboo tube of tiny buns, ten of each bun, along with the mung bean paste and mushroom soup. He also brought some dried osmanthus for tea after the meal.
He and Xie Yan set off for the Prefectural School.
On the way, Lu Yang told him not to delay in the afternoon and to accompany him to visit the Wu family.
Regarding setting up a stall at the grand market, Lu Yang wanted to consult Wu Pingzhi.
Xie Yan hadn’t seen Wu Pingzhi for a long time either, so it was convenient to go together. After the official matters, they discussed scholarly topics.
Xie Yan was hesitant for him to go to the market, warning, “It’s dangerous; don’t chase that money.”
Lu Yang linked arms with him. “Later, I’ll take Liu Ge’er and Shun Ge’er to the street. I’ll see first, then ask the God of Wealth tonight.”
Xie Yan suggested consulting Li Feng. “See if he’s confident. How dangerous is it really?”
Lu Yang thought Li Feng wouldn’t know the full extent beforehand. As a temporary guard, one only learns the danger when it comes.
Li Feng wasn’t very familiar with the Hong family, so crucial information couldn’t be obtained immediately. They’d observe first.
At the Prefectural School, Lu Yang encouraged him to enter. Soon after, Xie Yan delivered the food boxes. Lu Yang reminded him, “You’ve already eaten at home, don’t compete with Uncle Cui. Let him try each bun and see which he likes—I’ll make more for him later.”
Xie Yan agreed. Back in the quiet room, he helped himself to buns without hesitation.
Lu Yang usually made mostly meat buns, rarely other fillings, so Xie Yan hadn’t tried so many before. He wanted to eat.
Master Cui was astonished, as always. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m eating buns,” Xie Yan replied.
“Are these your buns?” Master Cui asked.
Xie Yan explained: “My husband offered them to you, and you offered them to me. No need for formalities.”
Master Cui: “…You’re the only one being casual.”
“You really have no sense,” he said.
Xie Yan grinned. “I do have sense. I only took them because you didn’t mind. I didn’t touch Ji Mingzhu’s or Sheng Daxian’s buns.”
Master Cui was surprised. He ate a small bun, sipped the mushroom soup, then playfully scolded him: “Picking the easy ones and avoiding the strong.”
Xie Yan didn’t argue, grabbing a sugar bun next. He had never had one before.
Biting into it, hot sugary filling flowed out with partially dissolved sugar crystals, giving a gritty, sweet texture.
Having eaten breakfast already, he could only manage two sugar buns. Wiping his hands and mouth, he sipped tea to rinse, then pulled a book from his bag.
Master Cui acted as a gatekeeper, which had its advantage—books could be borrowed home, normally they could not leave the school.
Last night, he had discussed the grand market with Lu Yang and barely read two pages, so he planned to read a little more early.
Master Cui, sharp-eyed, noticed a copybook in his bag labeled “Cui Zhongqing.”
He asked Xie Yan to show it. Opening it, he saw the title: “Copying the Thousand Character Classic of Lord Cui Zhongqing.”
Master Cui sighed. “Copying is useless. The provincial exam papers are graded by transcription; neat handwriting won’t help you win.”
