4
Selling Firewood to Raise Big Black
“That must be Huai Ge’er. Look how thin he is, Qing-Lin would be so heartbroken.” Someone spoke first, sounding somewhat nostalgic, and the others chimed in.
“Indeed, Qing-Lin was a good man.”
“Such a pity about his fate.” The speaker, slightly plump, wore patched blue clothing.
Though Liu Shuhuai heard their conversation, he acted as if he hadn’t, continuing toward Green Bamboo Mountain. The women tactfully fell silent and went about their work carrying their loads.
He Xunzhou had initially thought of approaching Liu Shuhuai, but considering his tiger form, the boy would likely be scared to death. Maybe he should follow secretly instead—that way he could protect him.
He Xunzhou watched helplessly as Liu Shuhuai roasted the pheasant. The aroma was so enticing his eyes gleamed with craving for cooked food.
“Owwoo, owwoo.” He could only whimper softly, desperately wanting to pounce on it. Watching Liu Shuhuai slowly turn the roast, he had no choice but to bury his tiger head in frustration.
Liu Shuhuai knew something was following him. Though the sounds were faint, he could tell it wasn’t human.
Gripping his wood-cutting knife, he trembled slightly while reassuring himself: Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Could it be Da Hei? After gathering the firewood, he went to his usual spot to roast the pheasant. Even when the cooking was done, whatever had been following him hadn’t appeared.
He crept over stealthily and saw a black tiger? Well, the tiger was lying on the ground with its head buried—a startling sight. Liu Shuhuai stood frozen behind the tiger, not daring to move a muscle. My life is over, he thought.
He Xunzhou raised his head. Huh? Where did the kid go?
Turning around, he saw Liu Shuhuai. His fur bristled, his tail shot straight up, and his eyes widened in shock as he scrambled backward. He accidentally missed his footing and tumbled down, landing right in front of the roasted pheasant.
“Oww!” That hurt.
Aaaah!
Could this actually be Da Hei? The eyes looked exactly the same. He suddenly realized—how could a cat catch a pheasant larger than itself? Liu Shuhuai immediately ran over, coming face to face with He Xunzhou.
“Da Hei?”
“Owwoo.” Uh, that’s me. He Xunzhou covered his eyes with his paws. So embarrassing.
Liu Shuhuai instantly found him utterly adorable and charming, as if he’d never been frightened moments earlier.
“Can… can I pet you?” So cute, I want to touch him. No wonder he’s mine. He decided he’d secretly sell firewood to raise Da Hei.
Liu Shuhuai got his wish and petted Da Hei. So soft, so obedient.
“Da Hei, let’s split this half and half.” Liu Shuhuai offered the pheasant to He Xunzhou, who nibbled at it slowly. But the moment Liu Shuhuai turned away, He Xunzhou gobbled up his entire portion with an “owwoo!”
So happy—finally got to eat properly. He was practically bubbling with joy.
When Liu Shuhuai turned back to look at Da Hei, the chicken was already gone. “Want more, Da Hei?” He offered his own chicken leg.
“Ow.” No more, you eat it.
Liu Shuhuai saw Da Hei shake his head. Huh, Da Hei is really smart. If anyone knew what he was thinking, they’d shake him awake shouting:
“Buddy, that’s a tiger! A man-eating tiger! And it understands human speech! Why aren’t you running? This thing has clearly become a spirit!!!”
“Da Hei, are you a tiger by day and a cat by night?” Lying against Da Hei was so comfortable. After all, he was a gift from the immortals—none of this should be surprising.
“Ow.” You bet. Blame that damn orb. He Xunzhou lifted his head slightly to respond.
“Then it’s settled. You’ll come to my place tonight and we’ll sleep together. Don’t worry, I’ll support you by selling firewood. We’ll meet here during the day, and just hide the meat here—don’t bring it to my house. You mustn’t let anyone discover you, or you’ll be killed.”
“Roar.” Don’t worry.
“I’m heading back now. See you tonight.” Liu Shuhuai stood up and shouldered the firewood.
“Roar roar roar.” Here’s the whistle for you. Blow it if you need me, and I’ll come.
Liu Shuhuai hung the whistle around his neck. It was truly beautiful, completely white and about the size of a person’s index finger.
He Xunzhou watched him leave.
Two men sleeping together shouldn’t be a big deal—we’re both men—so why do I feel somewhat guilty? He Xunzhou wondered.
“Liu Zhi, I heard you’ve found someone you like. Which family is he from?” Liu Xiao-Cao from the same village asked enviously. She’d heard he was a scholar from a decent family.
“He’s from the neighboring Wang Family Village, named Wang Wen-Bin. The private school teacher says both he and my cousin have the potential to become Tongsheng. Once he passes the imperial examination and becomes a Xiucai…”
She would then be a Xiucai’s wife. If she hadn’t constantly found excuses to deliver items to her cousin and speak with him, secretly flirting, she wouldn’t have secured such a good husband.
Amid her friends’ admiration, Liu Zhi swelled with pride. Let them be jealous—fortunately, she had the means and was reasonably attractive, embodying a delicate beauty.
Wang Wen-Bin had promised to send a matchmaker to her family once he became a Tongsheng. At sixteen, it was time for him to marry.
Noticing Liu Shuhuai washing clothes by the river, Liu Zhi approached him.
“Liu Shuhuai, with your looks, no one would ever marry you. Look at your hands—how can they compare to mine?”
Liu Zhi raised her own hands, revealing rosy palms as charming as rose petals. Her fair skin bore clear lines, smooth and flawless like congealed cream.
Like the Liu family grandmother, Liu Zhi wasn’t breathtakingly beautiful but exceptionally elegant, exuding an ethereal grace that brought a sense of tranquility. Unfortunately, her heart was foul.
When Liu Yao Zong pushed him into the water, she saw it but said nothing, calmly watching him struggle. Only when others approached from afar did she claim he’d fallen in accidentally. He tried to explain, but it only resulted in going hungry and being beaten.
Liu Quan merely said, “People might see. Can’t you be more careful?”
Hah!
Why were her hands unscathed? Because he did all the work. Grandmother doted on her for her looks, and here she was again, flaunting it (￢д￢.).
“Yes, cousin, you are very beautiful.”
“With your condition, you won’t end up clinging to our family forever if you can’t find a husband, will you? It’s really too much.” Liu Zhi was deeply displeased. People always talked about her having a dark-skinned cousin who seemed abnormal and was unpleasant to look at.
She despised it too, but there was no choice. To separate households, one had to be at least thirteen and be provided with land, a house, and silver to survive. There were three thatched huts at the village edge that could barely serve as shelter.
But they were at the foot of Great Black Mountain, where no one usually went, and wild beasts roamed. No one was foolish enough to go there, and Liu Shuhuai certainly wouldn’t agree.
The house was built by a hunter, spacious with three rooms, and the land belonged to that hunter. Since her grandfather was friends with the hunter, everything had been arranged while the hunter was alive.
The land deed and house deed were with her grandfather, and after the hunter’s death, they naturally became her family’s property.
Since that thatched cottage was located near Great Black Mountain, nobody wanted to take care of it, so it naturally fell into disrepair and would leak whenever it rained.
“No use talking to you anyway.” Finding it pointless, Liu Zhi left with her little followers.
Liu Xiao-Cao, Zhou Li-Li, and Liu Meng-Yu. Her cousin’s lackeys.
“Your cousin is so ugly, not pretty like Zhi-Zhi at all.” This was Liu Xiao-Cao speaking, whose jealousy surpassed everyone else’s.
“Of course not, how could he compare to Zhi-Zhi?” Liu Meng-Yu joined the discussion. Liu Zhi was quite generous—if anyone pleased her, she might even give them snacks, since she had her grandmother doting on her.
Even after they walked far away, their chattering voices could still be heard.