The village chief said, “Lin-geer from the Zheng family is currently doing business in the county town and needs to buy a large amount of melons and vegetables. Remembering our kinship as fellow villagers, he plans to buy them from everyone here in the village. Year in and year out, we farming folk break our backs in the fields and can hardly lay eyes on a few coins. Thinking that Lin-geer purchasing melons and vegetables is a major event, I called all of you over to discuss it.”
The village chief’s words were no different from a sudden clap of thunder rolling through the quiet of midnight.
The dozens of people in the courtyard instantly erupted into a commotion, raising their heads to ask the village chief, “Village chief, is what you are saying true?”
Whenever the topic turned to making money, nobody could remain calm.
Guessing that everyone’s reaction would be quite intense, the village chief had already anticipated this before bringing it up. Having taken a long time himself to calm his excited emotions after hearing Gu Lin’s proposal, he raised his hand to press down the crowd and said, “Quiet! I will let Lin-geer tell you himself.”
Only then did the crowd realize that, apart from the men, there was also a geer present in the courtyard.
After the village chief stepped back, Gu Lin walked to the front of the crowd.
The sky was pitch black, and apart from the moonlight spilling down and the torches held in the hands of the villagers, there was no other light source. Consequently, none of them could clearly see Gu Lin’s features. Under the shifting interplay of light and shadow, the young geer’s expression appeared obscure and unpredictable, giving the villagers a lingering illusion that the person before them was not a geer, but a young man.
Unaware of what the villagers were thinking, Gu Lin stood straight before the dozens of people and addressed them, “Thank you for troubling yourselves to rush over here late at night, uncles and elders. Tonight, I want to talk business with you all. I have set up a small stall in the county town selling food, and after many days, I have managed to earn some hard-earned money. Knowing how difficult it is for villagers to make a living and that my own vegetable supplies are running low, I would like to purchase melons and vegetables from you all. You can rest assured about the prices; I will buy them at the regular market rate of two jin for three wen, and I will never cheat anyone.”
“Whoa!”
Upon hearing the price offered by Gu Lin, everyone could not help letting out a gasp of astonishment. Their eyes lit up as they looked at the geer standing before them and asked, “Lin-geer, roughly which kinds of melons and vegetables do you need to buy?”
Gu Lin’s gaze fell upon the young man who had spoken, none other than the village chief’s nephew, Zhang Eryu. Having asked precisely the question Gu Lin was about to answer, Gu Lin readily replied, “Mainly melons and vegetables like eggplants, cucumbers, and radishes.”
As soon as Gu Lin finished speaking, everyone’s excitement surged even higher. They had originally assumed Gu Lin would want to collect relatively rare types of produce, not expecting that they would be common items that everyone had growing in abundance in their fields, so much so that they could not even finish eating them all. Zhang Eryu was especially tongue-tied; every household had more eggplants than they could possibly eat, with countless numbers rotting right in the fields, yet Gu Lin was actually willing to shell out three wen to buy them.
Zhang Eryu was not the only one with this thought; the others were thinking the same thing. For a moment, unable to curb their nervous anticipation, they asked Gu Lin, “Lin-geer, if the two jin of melons and vegetables I sell you are entirely eggplants, is it still three wen?”
The question came from an old man whose clothes were covered in countless patches.
Gu Lin’s gaze landed on him. Gu Lin replied, “Yes, as long as it is the kinds of melons and vegetables I mentioned, it is always three wen for two jin.”
“Good, good,” the old man repeated excitedly.
Seeing that everyone below was engaged in lively conversation without any further questions, Gu Lin stepped back, and the village chief stepped forward to take his place.
He tapped his tobacco pipe against the wall, producing a moderate sound, and the crowd in the courtyard gradually quieted down to look at him. Fixing his gaze on the gathered villagers before him, the village chief warned, “Listen here: the reason Lin-geer is willing to buy melons and vegetables in Xihe Village is purely out of regard for our kinship as fellow villagers. Do not any of you take advantage of being an elder to pull any sly or slick stunts. If anyone’s actions chill Lin-geer’s heart and cut off everyone else’s source of income, humph, do not blame me for being heartless.”
This was the harshest thing the village chief had ever said since taking office.
The men slapped their chests one by one and vowed, “Lin-geer, Village chief, rest assured. If anyone dares to be blind and ungrateful enough to pull something like that, you will not even need to lift a finger, because we will handle them ourselves.”
Seeing that his warning had achieved the desired effect, the village chief waved his hand and said, “Alright! The ugly truths have been spoken up front, so weigh things carefully yourselves. Disperse for tonight and do not let it interfere with heading out to the fields tomorrow.”
As the crowd gradually scattered, Gu Lin said to the village chief, “Village chief, we will be heading back first.”
The village chief let out a gentle “Mn.” Realizing that it would not be safe for the two of them, one young and one old, to walk back alone, he said to Gu Lin, “Do not leave just yet. I will have Daniu walk you home.”
Daniu was the village chief’s eldest son. He was momentarily startled when his father asked him to escort Gu Lin and Zheng Hao, but he quickly recovered and said to Gu Lin, “Let’s go.”
Leaving the village chief’s house, Zhang Daniu kept his mouth shut and strode ahead in silence to avoid any suspicion, while Gu Lin and Zheng Hao walked behind him.
As they walked, Gu Lin could not help raising his head to look at the sky. Unlike the pitch-black skies of modern times, the ancient night sky featured a moon radiating a gentle glow, with stars twinkling ceaselessly.
Gu Lin was very happy tonight because his and Zheng Hao’s safety was finally guaranteed; he no longer had to worry about suddenly being dragged away by Gu Lin’s original parents one day.
His sleeve was given a gentle tug downward, and Gu Lin lowered his head to look at Zheng Hao.
In the young geer’s eyes was a glimmer of hope that Zheng Hao had never seen before. Captivated by the brightness in Gu Lin’s eyes, Zheng Hao paused for a moment before reminding him, “Gu uncle, there is a stone ahead, watch your step.”
Gu Lin cast his gaze forward and only then noticed a large stone lying on the path just a few paces away. If he had not noticed it and just kept walking forward, he definitely would have taken a tumble.
Consequently, Gu Lin stopped admiring the night scenery and devoted his full attention to the journey.
For a moment, his focus inevitably drifted to the sides of the road. Compared to the beautiful night sky, the rural night felt somewhat terrifying. Lush thickets, dense woods, a slight breeze rustling through the leaves with a dry whisper, and the faint, flickering tree shadows dancing on the ground made Gu Lin feel as though with just a single blink, a tangible ghost or monster might appear right in front of him.
However, before he could let his imagination run wild any further, they arrived back at the Zheng family home. He said to Zhang Daniu at the doorway, “Thank you for walking us home. Are you thirsty? I will go pour you a bowl of water.”
“No need.” Zhang Daniu shook his head in refusal, turning and leaving the Zheng household before Gu Lin could even react.
When Gu Lin saw this, he immediately understood the other man’s intentions and could not help feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation. He had simply wanted to bring out a bowl of water for the fellow to drink, with no intention of inviting him inside.
Even so, this also showed that Zhang Daniu truly harbored no malicious intentions.
He turned to Zheng Hao and said, “Let’s go inside. I will cook up a late-night snack, and we can eat before going to sleep.”
Gu Lin and Zheng Hao had been kept behind for dinner by the village chief, and the village chief’s wife, worrying that they would not get enough to eat, had specially cooked a thick porridge.
The value of thick porridge in a farming household went without saying; it was considered a relatively high standard of hospitality. Normally, unless it was the busy farming season requiring tremendous physical exertion, everyone survived on thin rice water.
In the past, Zheng Hao had lived that kind of life too, but ever since living with Gu Lin, their household had white rice and white flour every single day, with meat never disappearing from the table. Therefore, having only had a bowl of thick porridge for dinner, both of them were feeling hungry.
“Lin-geer, up so early? Are you heading off to do business in the county town soon?”
Seeing Gu Lin and Zheng Hao stepping out of their house, an auntie living next door poked her head out from her doorway and asked.
Ever since Gu Lin began purchasing melons and vegetables from Xihe Village, the villagers had grown a good deal more polite toward him and Zheng Hao. It was not that the villagers had previously been cold or exclusionary toward them, but the change was visible to the naked eye: the villagers had now become much warmer and more approachable.
Ever since Hunter Zheng passed away, the villagers of Xihe Village had not dared to approach Gu Lin, terrified that he might latch onto them to borrow money or grain. Things were different now; whenever the aunts and sisters-in-law of the village bumped into Gu Lin on the road, they would stop to greet him and chat.
Gu Lin and Zheng Hao placed their bamboo baskets by the doorway, then looked up to converse with the auntie: “That’s right. You’re up so early too, Auntie? Why not sleep a little longer? It is not even dawn yet.”
The auntie waved a hand and said, “Us folk who scratch a living out of the dirt do not have the good fortune to sleep in. After I finish eating the morning meal, I have got to head out to the fields to tend the crops.”
At this, the auntie looked at Gu Lin and sighed with emotion, “We really have to thank you, Lin-geer, for buying our melons and vegetables. Thanks to you this year, we will not have to tighten our belts and scrape by like in past years. Once the autumn taxes are paid, we will not have to sell our grain for silver, and we can finally have a proper New Year this time. When New Year’s Eve comes around, Auntie’s family will cook up some good dishes and send a portion over to your place.”
Gu Lin smiled and said, “Then I will thank you in advance, Auntie. Your cooking skills are famous throughout the village.”
Gu Lin’s remark caught Zheng Hao’s attention.
Noticing the boy’s gaze, Gu Lin felt a wave of heat rise on his face. He had to admit that after doing business for over a month, he had become a lot more smooth-tongued.
The auntie who had been praised beamed with delight: “You little geer have the sweetest tongue. If this Zheng lad could learn even half of it, he would not have to worry about finding a wife in the future.”
Gu Lin smiled helplessly: “May your kind words come true, may your kind words come true.”
With that, the auntie’s gaze shifted to Zheng Hao. She saw that the half-grown boy, who used to run around like a wild monkey, was neatly dressed in a dark cyan long robe. His originally slightly tanned skin had grown fair, and his small frame carried a satchel. With his back straight and his gaze looking forward without dodging, he truly possessed a bit of the demeanor of a scholar from the theatrical plays.
And all of these changes were thanks to the geer standing before her.
The auntie said to Gu Lin, “Lin-geer, you really are the number-one step-parent in all the surrounding villages and towns. Zheng lad has been smart since he was little; just wait for him to show you filial piety in the future.”
Gu Lin’s ears were practically growing calluses from hearing remarks of this sort while doing business in the county town, but to him, Zheng Hao was a younger brother he had raised with his own hands, and he had watched the boy change bit by bit. Thus, hearing such words did not make him feel weary at all.
After exchanging a few more words with the auntie, Second Uncle Zhang’s ox cart arrived, and Sister-in-law Zhao also came out from home, lifting the bamboo baskets from the ground and loading them onto the ox cart.
After saying goodbye to the auntie, Gu Lin, Zheng Hao, and Sister-in-law Zhao boarded the ox cart and departed.
Along the way, recalling the look Zheng Hao had just given him, Gu Lin felt it necessary to offer an explanation to prevent the boy from misunderstanding his behavior. He lowered his voice and said to Zheng Hao, “Xiao Hao, even though the villagers all have their own little schemes and might not be entirely sincere toward us, the saying goes that you do not hit a smiling person. Since the other party treats us with friendliness, we should respond to them with kindness as well.”
“Of course,” Gu Lin continued. “While we value harmony above all, that does not mean we should grovel or pander to them. If they do something wrong, we do not have to swallow our pride and endure it. We show goodwill to people, but we are not weak and easily bullied.”
Faced with the young geer’s moral lesson, Zheng Hao nodded very earnestly and said, “I know.”
Seeing that the boy had not misinterpreted his actions, Gu Lin let out a subtle sigh of relief. Raising a child was too difficult; sometimes he worried that certain things he did might set a bad example for the boy.
Upon reaching the gates of the county town, Gu Lin paid the city entry fee for the ox cart and asked Second Uncle Zhang to help deliver the bamboo baskets to the cold-dish stall.
Second Uncle Zhang did not plan on leaving the city right away; he found a patch of shade opposite the cold-dish stall, tied up his ox cart there, and took a rest.
Once Zheng Hao helped set up the small stall, Gu Lin urged him off to the study school before turning around to busy himself.
Ever since the addition of Sister-in-law Zhao and the steady stream of melons and vegetables supplied by Xihe Village, Gu Lin had increased production by a hundred bamboo tubes of cold dishes, twenty portions of hand-shredded chicken, and cold-dressed pig ears.
Yet even with those extra hundred-plus portions of cold dishes, against the vast ocean of passing crowds, they were still like mere grains of sand dropping into the sea. Within a mere two hours, the bamboo tubes on the stall were completely sold out.
Gu Lin did not pack up his stall immediately. Signaling Sister-in-law Zhao, he retrieved an earthenware jar from behind the stall and lit a fire right there at the stall to heat it up. Soon, a rich, savory aroma of meat drifted down the street.
At this, customers who had not yet left immediately halted their steps, turned their heads, and asked Gu Lin, “Boss, what is inside this earthenware jar?”
As they spoke, customers who had not managed to buy any cold dishes stared straight at the jar in front of Gu Lin with burning eyes.
Without offering an immediate explanation, Gu Lin picked up a pair of long chopsticks and fished out a large, glistening piece of braised meat, which was a perfect mix of fat and lean and dripping with reddish oil. Using a clean pair of scissors, he cut the braised meat into small, bite-sized pieces and placed them into a prepared ceramic bowl.
Lifting his gaze to the customer, he introduced the meat chunks in the bowl: “This is a new food item the stall is making called braised meat. Have a taste.”
Even knowing that the cold-dish stall owner was generous, seeing him blinklessly fish out a palm-sized chunk of meat and then use scissors to snip it into thumb-sized pieces for everyone to sample, the customers still could not help marveling at his boldness.
Catching the rich, mildly spicy aroma of meat wafting from the earthenware jar, the customer’s stomach began to rumble even before tasting it. Swallowing the saliva pooling in his mouth, he picked up a piece of braised meat with a small skewer, unable to hold back any longer, and shoved the entire piece into his mouth.
With a slight bite into the braised meat, the fat and lean layers came together, proving to be neither greasy nor dry. The lean meat was tender and fragrant, while the fat melted instantly on the tongue. The flavor was richly savory and alluring, with a perfect balance of saltiness and spice, and the customer’s mouth was quickly filled with the fragrance of the braised meat.
Swallowing the meat, he said to Gu Lin, “Boss, your braised meat is too delicious! I have never tasted anything like it. How much is it?”
Seeing that the customer had received the braised meat so well, Gu Lin breathed a slight sigh of relief and smiled, “Today’s braised meat at the stall is just for tasting; we will not start selling it until tomorrow.”
A look of disappointment crossed the customer’s face, but hearing that it would be available for purchase tomorrow, he instantly perked up and told Gu Lin, “Boss, I will definitely come buy some tomorrow. You have to save a portion for me.”
Gu Lin replied, “Rest assured, any of our first ten tasting customers can request a designated portion of food saved for them at the stall for the next ten days. Come ahead tomorrow, and I will definitely leave a portion of braised meat for you before closing up shop.”
“Great!” The customer departed in high spirits.
In fact, Gu Lin’s idea to sell braised food was not a sudden whim. Ever since he noticed the weather turning cooler and losing the sweltering heat of a month ago, Gu Lin had realized that selling cold dishes was not a long-term solution. After inquiring with Sister-in-law Zhao and learning that winters here brought snow and freezing temperatures, Gu Lin had begun preparing for a rainy day.
Clutching the wooden box to his chest, Gu Lin calculated the sixty-five taels of silver he had saved up over the past month. Braised food required far more spices than cold dishes and was several times more expensive ingredient-wise. Fortunately, by relying on selling cold dishes, Gu Lin had accumulated a certain amount of capital, which was more than enough to purchase the spices needed for cooking braised dishes.