After Gu Lin and Zheng Hao returned home, Zheng Hao only stayed in the house for a little while before going out. With nothing to do, Gu Lin took out his box and calculated the remaining money. Today, buying meat and bones cost twenty copper coins, soy sauce, vinegar, and salt cost three hundred copper coins, and dried bean curd cost nine copper coins, leaving a little over six hundred copper coins.
Although they looked like scattered copper coins and, lacking silver, did not seem like much money at first glance, earning over seven hundred copper coins in a single day was actually a considerable sum in any era.
After putting the money away safely, Gu Lin went to the woodshed and took out the pork belly he had bought. He sliced it, divided it into two portions, and placed them into two bowls. He seasoned one portion with soy sauce and salt for marinating, and to the other portion, alongside the seasoning, he added minced garlic and wild pepper. After thoroughly mixing the meat with the seasonings, Gu Lin set them aside, took two large soup bones from the bamboo basket, washed them, and placed them into a pot, adding chopped lotus root to start simmering the soup. At this point, the pork belly was already marinated. Gu Lin wanted to start pan-frying it, but he discovered that apart from the iron wok on the stove, the Zheng family had no other pots.
If he wanted to make grilled meat, he would have to wait until the soup was finished cooking. Therefore, Gu Lin turned around and went to the vegetable patch in the courtyard to pull some greens in preparation for tomorrow’s cold dishes.
Boss, you are finally here. Seeing his boss heading toward him from afar, Gouzi ran up excitedly, stopping himself abruptly just a few steps away from the other boy.
Zheng Hao looked at Gouzi, his brows carrying a natural, fierce bandit aura as he said, I have been busy lately and had no time to look for you all. Exercise some restraint yourselves, and do not start conflicts with others.
Hearing this, Gouzi was stunned and failed to react at first, then asked with a face full of anger, Boss, is that cheap ge’er Gu Lin making things difficult for you? Is he making you stay home to do chores and refusing to let you out?
At the mention of that particular term, Zheng Hao’s expression darkened. Half-grown child though he was, he possessed a startlingly chilling presence, and Gouzi was instantly too frightened to speak further.
Zheng Hao said, It has nothing to do with him. Do not call him that in the future. No matter what, he is my stepfather, and I cannot stay out of it if he is being insulted.
Hearing Zheng Hao’s words, Gouzi turned pale with shock and explained, Boss, I did not mean to insult him.
With a gloomy expression, Zheng Hao replied, I know. Who told you that Gu Lin abuses me?
Seeing that his boss had not misunderstood him, Gouzi immediately blurted out what he had heard. Who else besides those old women and old ge’ers in our village? Word has been spreading since a few days ago. Hearing that, I was worried you were being beaten and scolded by Gu Uncle, and I wanted to check on what was happening to you. But my mom kept stopping me and wouldn’t let me go, saying you were fine.
At the end, Gouzi felt a bit guilty, because his mother’s exact words were that even if Zheng Hao was beaten and scolded by Gu Lin, what could Gouzi do about it? Zheng Hao and Gu Lin were family, while they were outsiders. It was entirely normal for parents to beat and scold their children; what right did they have to meddle in another family’s affairs?
Unconvinced, Gouzi had argued with his mother, saying that Gu Lin not only beat and scolded his boss, but also refused to feed him and wanted to starve him to death. But after falling silent for a moment, his mother had replied that every family had its own difficult scriptures to read and they could not interfere. If Zheng Hao went hungry and had no food to eat, they could offer some relief, but no one’s grain grew out of thin air, and long-term relief was simply impossible.
Caught between his boss and his family, Gouzi had been unable to make a choice.
At the mere thought of this, Gouzi felt utterly ashamed. In the past, if his boss had not led them to catch rabbits and hunt chickens, how could their families have eaten meat from time to time? Now that his boss was in trouble, he couldn’t even offer him a single bite of food.
Looking at Zheng Hao’s face and feeling that the boy had grown thin from being worn down by Gu Lin, Gouzi hurriedly pulled a steamed corn bun from his chest and handed it to Zheng Hao. Boss, hurry up and eat this. I brought it from home.
Zheng Hao saw the shift in Gouzi’s expression and understood his train of thought. As for feeling chilled, he felt none, because he had never expected to receive anything in return from others. As long as they followed his instructions and completed certain tasks, that was enough.
Zheng Hao said, I do not need it. Keep it and eat it yourself.
Gouzi immediately welled up with tears, feeling that even when his boss was struggling to protect himself, he still cared about others, whereas he himself couldn’t treat his boss with genuine sincerity. Gouzi felt like a terrible person.
Zheng Hao handed the bamboo tube he had brought over to the other boy. During these past few days, you and the others help me keep an eye on who in the village is talking about Gu Lin. A fierce glint surfaced in his expression. No matter who it is, write their names down for me.
Just as Gouzi was consumed by shame, hearing that his boss had a task for him instantly filled him with fighting spirit, and he resolved to do a good job to make up for it.
Watching his boss’s retreating figure, Gouzi opened the bamboo tube and was instantly captivated by the fragrance drifting from inside.
On his way back, Zheng Hao noticed many red fruits growing in the roadside bushes. Normally, he wouldn’t have given them a second glance and would have walked right past. But for some reason, Gu Lin’s bright, sunshine-like smiling face flashed across his mind, and for no apparent reason, Zheng Hao felt that Gu Lin would enjoy eating these little trinkets.
He pressed his lips together and walked toward the bushes.
Holding the red fruits wrapped in leaves, Zheng Hao walked home. However, as he passed by a certain household, his footsteps came to a halt.
Tian Dahua leaned against her doorway and said to Wang Ge’er standing before her, Who knows what that Lin ge’er went to the county town for these past two days? I haven’t even seen him sell many vegetables.
Who knows with him? That person never looked like a settled sort. Going to sell vegetables, who knows what kind of shady business he was actually up to, Wang Ge’er sneered, curling his lip in utter disdain.
His face was naturally long, and when the corners of his mouth turned down, he looked just like a donkey.
Hearing this, Tian Dahua’s excitement was piqued. You cannot say that! If that really were the case, why would he drag young Zheng along with him?
Wang Ge’er rolled his eyes. A widowed ge’er going to the county town every day without taking a child along would practically be shouting to everyone that he has illicit affairs with someone!
Hearing this, Tian Dahua felt it made complete sense, and with a look of utter contempt, she said, Indeed, I knew I was right about him before. With that seductive face of his, there is not an ounce of a decent ge’er about him.
Wang Ge’er’s eyes rolled around. Not just that. Even that Zheng boy in his house looks like he will grow up to be no good. He cannot compare to your Zixiang at all.
At the mention of her son, Tian Dahua straightened her back, previously leaning against the doorframe, and lifted her chin high like a victorious fighting rooster. How could he ever compare to my Zixiang? My Zixiang is a pure and proper scholar! What is Zheng Hao? Just a little punk whose father doesn’t love him and whose mother doesn’t care for him.
Wang Ge’er chimed in with a smile, Isn’t that the truth? That Hunter Zheng really thought that hiring a scholar to give his son a nice name would rub off some scholarly aura. Little does he know that a mud-legged peasant is still a mud-legged peasant. Unlike your Zixiang, who is the Wenqu Star descended to earth, how could he ever be associated with those unlucky stray cats and dogs?
After listening to Wang Ge’er’s flattery, Tian Dahua looked as though her eyes were about to reach the heavens.
Seeing this, Wang Ge’er felt utterly nauseated inside. If not for the fact that the woman’s son was a scholar, who would bother kissing up to her?
Wang Ge’er’s eyes flickered a few times as he prepared to continue speaking, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Zheng Hao standing not far away. He couldn’t help starting in shock, and when his gaze met the boy’s pitch-black, chilling eyes, Wang Ge’er felt a chill strike his heart.
Noticing that Wang Ge’er had remained silent long after she finished speaking, Tian Dahua shoved him a few times. Wang Ge’er snapped back to his senses, but when he looked back in that direction, Zheng Hao had already disappeared.
When Zheng Hao returned, Gu Lin was in the courtyard washing vegetables. Seeing him return, Gu Lin habitually asked, You are back? Where did you go just now?
The moment the words left his mouth, Gu Lin sensed a slight impropriety. If he were asking anyone else, it would be a casual question, but since it was Zheng Hao, asking like this felt as though he were interrogating the boy.
Before he could offer an explanation, Zheng Hao’s expression remained unchanged, as though he felt not the slightest offense. There was some leftover seasoning from the stall, so I mixed a tube of cold dishes and gave it to Gouzi and the others to eat. Then, Zheng Hao paused and said, I… There was money in his pouch, and if money was what was needed, he could provide it.
Looking at the half-grown teenager before him, knowing that in the future, this very person would wield terrifying power and authority, forcing even the young emperor to respectfully address him as Foster Father, Gu Lin found it quite amusing to see the future regent out sharing cold dishes with his little companions at this age. Smiling, he said, Sharing with good friends is the right thing to do. That is how friendships last.
Zheng Hao fell silent. He didn’t know how to explain that he didn’t actually consider Gouzi and the others friends; hanging out with them and leading them to hunt was merely because they were useful to him.
Unaware of Zheng Hao’s precocious and unfeeling thoughts, Gu Lin finished cleaning the vegetables in his hands, hugged a basket of leafy greens, and said to Zheng Hao, Let us go, time to eat! Today there is something you would never expect that tastes absolutely delicious!
Gu Lin placed the leafy greens and the freshly cooked rice onto the table, then walked into the woodshed. He poured a large jar of oil into the iron wok, picked up his chopsticks, and placed the two plates of marinated meat into the pan one after another to fry. Looking at the concave iron wok which could not hold too much meat at once, Gu Lin decided that it was really necessary for him to visit a blacksmith and have a flat-bottomed pan custom-made.
However, the fire in the stove was fierce, and it did not take Gu Lin long to finish frying the meat and bring it out.
Zheng Hao was already seated at the table.
Seeing the extra bowl of red berries on the table, Gu Lin raised his head to look at Zheng Hao and smiled gently. Taste the grilled meat I made. I specifically washed some vegetable leaves so you can wrap the meat in them to eat. Eating it this way keeps the grilled meat from feeling greasy.
Hearing this, Zheng Hao looked at Gu Lin with a strange, contemplative gaze.
Although he was born into a hunter’s family and didn’t lack meat quite as much as others, the game they caught still had to be sold for money and exchanged for grain, meaning he only got to eat meat a few more times a year than ordinary people.
Why would the other person think that ordinary people found eating meat greasy?
Picking up a vegetable leaf, Gu Lin wrapped two pieces of grilled meat inside and handed it to Zheng Hao. Have a taste.
Reminiscent of when meat had been handed to him the day before, Zheng Hao looked at the ge’er before him, who was brimming with smiles and possessed such soft features, took the meat from his hand, and began to eat.
The grilled meat was smoky, savory, and juicy, while the fresh greens were crisp and refreshing. Eating them together in a single bite perfectly neutralized the heavy greasiness of the meat’s fats, making it remarkably delicious.
Gu Lin wrapped a few pieces of grilled meat for himself and started eating as well. He had to admit that ancient black pork was truly delicious; every bite was full of rich fragrance without a trace of gamey pork odor. After eating several portions in a row, Gu Lin finally began to feel a bit greasy and stopped. He picked up a red berry and popped it into his mouth.
Immediately, Zheng Hao slowed down his chewing. He calmly observed Gu Lin’s reaction.
So sweet! The sweet and sour juices burst inside his mouth, and Gu Lin let out an exclamation of pleasant surprise.
He picked up another berry to eat, then pointed at the berries and said to Zheng Hao, Hao’er, eat some fruit. Do not just eat meat; eating too much makes it easy to feel greasy.
Hearing the affectionate moniker used for him, Zheng Hao’s pupils constricted, and the chewing motion in his mouth ground to a halt.
His deceased parents had always called him Hao’er, while other elders simply called him Zheng boy. Such a tender form of address falling from the lips of the ge’er before him was something Zheng Hao hadn’t heard in a very long time.
He looked at Gu Lin with a complexity unbefitting his age, a flash of moisture passing through his eyes too quickly for anyone to catch.
He picked up a berry, popped it into his mouth, and bit down. It was both sour and sweet. Stirred by this taste, the many emotions he usually suppressed became difficult to control. Zheng Hao’s expression looked stiff and fierce, and thinking that he had been startled by the sourness of the berry, Gu Lin hurriedly said, I did not know you couldn’t handle sour things. Hurry up and eat some meat to balance it out.
Swallowing the sweet and sour berry, Zheng Hao lowered his voice and said, it is fine. Not sour.
Seeing this, Gu Lin smiled. As long as it is not sour. These fruits are delicious; after a few days, I will go pick some more and we can squeeze them for juice to drink.
Okay.
Although Zheng Hao didn’t particularly care for sweet things and had no idea what fruit juice tasted like, he inexplicably wanted to agree to the ge’er’s words.
Watching Gu Lin eat berries with his cheeks stuffed full, Zheng Hao felt as though, in a daze, the home he had lost for so long had finally returned in this exact moment.