People Change

The following noon, Yazi Bay.

An old Covered Boat lay quietly moored by the water. The tea boat was famed for being cheap and good—three copper coins bought a whole day of barley tea at the bow, while the stove at the stern always burned bright.

The scattered customers were mostly porters and craftsmen, sitting about on the deck and chatting.

Today was the day several childhood friends from Yazi Bay had agreed to gather.

In a corner at the stern, Chen Qing, Liang Badou, Xiao Chun, Er Ya, Li Hu, and the others sat in a circle.

The slightly oversized dark-blue robe on Liang Badou made him seem less restless than before, lending him a touch of deliberately cultivated "maturity."

He cleared his throat and said with barely concealed pride, "Someone else is coming later."

"Who?" Er Ya immediately pressed curiously.

Chen Qing and the others also turned questioning looks his way.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Just then, a crisp voice rang out.

They turned around and saw a figure in dark robes standing at the threshold. The fabric of her gauze skirt gleamed delicately under the sunlight, while a plain silver hairpin gathered every loose strand into place.

She stood perfectly straight; even the folds of her skirt seemed carefully arranged.

Chen Qing said uncertainly, "Xu Fang?"

The young woman's lips curved into just the right smile, neither overly warm nor distant. "Brother Qing, it has been a long time."

Their families had once been neighbors. When they were little, they often hid among the reeds and blew reed whistles. Whenever water ducks on the shore flapped into the air, they would laugh until they doubled over.

Whenever they were hungry, Chen Qing would feel around the river branches for wild water chestnuts for her, often pricking his fingers bloody.

Er Ya's mouth fell open into a circle. Liang Badou awkwardly tugged at the rough hem of his clothes, while Xiao Chun swiftly adjusted his stance, trying to look a little more presentable.

Li Hu looked at her and sighed. "You've changed far too much."

Xu Fang had also been a fisher girl from Yazi Bay. Her parents had died in an epidemic three years ago, and she had later been taken away by her paternal aunt, who had married into a wealthy family in the city.

Since then, the children of Yazi Bay had never seen her again.

"I happened to run into her at Wangji Rouge Shop last time, so I tried inviting her to join us," Liang Badou explained, his voice a little louder than usual. "I didn't expect her to really honor us with her presence."

Xu Fang gently shook her head. "Why speak so formally? We were all raised on the waters of Yazi Bay."

Her gaze swept over everyone, lingering for an extra moment on Chen Qing's face. "Three years apart, and everyone has changed."

"You're the one who's changed the most!" Er Ya gestured dramatically. "Back when you followed behind me eating the 'Dragon King's meal,' who could have imagined—"

Chen Qing noticed Xu Fang's fingers curl slightly beneath the table, though her face still bore a composed smile.

Xiao Chun looked at Xu Fang and rose somewhat awkwardly. "If I saw you walking down the street, I definitely wouldn't recognize you."

After a round of sighing and reminiscing, the atmosphere gradually grew livelier.

Xu Fang undoubtedly became the center of conversation. No one had expected to see her again today.

No one had expected that the timid Xu Fang of old would reappear in such a manner.

Chen Qing quietly sipped his tea to the side, observing in secret.

Xu Fang had undoubtedly changed the most. Back when she was in Yazi Bay, she had been timid and clumsy with words, always following Er Ya around like a little tail.

Now, her words and manner were open and gracious. She had also grown into her looks, with a clear, delicate beauty between her brows and eyes that made Liang Badou and Xiao Chun glance her way again and again.

Whether in speech or bearing, she was utterly different from the rest of them.

Next was Li Hu. After that incident, his father had failed to make it through the winter and passed away. This chain of events had made Li Hu grow silent, and he spoke far less than before.

As for Xiao Chun, working as a junior clerk at Wanbao Hall had made him smoother in dealing with people, and he had learned to weigh his words before speaking.

Er Ya had not changed much. She was still blunt and straightforward. She now worked as a rough servant girl in a wealthy household. Though her station was lowly, she had seen a little of the world, and from time to time she boasted of her master's family's extravagance.

Liang Badou followed one of his relatives around the County Yamen, doing odd jobs while learning to read and write. Every gesture was deliberately touched with scholarly refinement, and his words could not conceal his satisfaction at having "someone in the yamen."

"Looks like A Qing isn't doing so well either."

Xiao Chun's gaze skimmed over Chen Qing's old, faded clothes, and for some reason, he felt relieved.

The Chen Family consisted of a widow and orphan, and they had no savings to support Chen Qing in learning a trade. Being able to barely keep food on the table was already decent enough.

Liang Badou seemed to have thought of this too. Sounding casual yet deliberately concerned, he asked, "A Qing, I remember you said you wanted to learn martial arts last time. Have you found a master?"

Everyone looked over.

Learning martial arts was a path forward. Once one mastered it and took the Martial Arts Examination, it meant bringing glory to the family and rising above the crowd.

But learning martial arts was far too difficult, especially for common folk—it was harder than climbing to heaven.

In their eyes, learning a trade to settle oneself and earn a solid meal was the proper path.

Learning martial arts was simply a daydream.

Chen Qing took a sip of tea. "For now, I'm learning martial arts at Zhou Academy."

"You really went!?"

Er Ya's eyes widened. "Learning martial arts is hard! Not only do you need good bones, you need meat at every meal before you even have a chance of making something of it!"

Xiao Chun could not help asking, "How do you know all that?"

"I heard it from those guards," Er Ya said. "Besides the leader, who's still somewhat respectable, the other two—tsk, tsk. For a single mouthful of food, they get summoned and dismissed all day, worked like dogs. And they say that tempering their bodies year after year leaves them covered in hidden injuries, and none of them live long..."

She suddenly caught the look Li Hu gave her and realized she had spoken too bluntly, quickly falling silent.

Xu Fang, who had been quietly listening, also looked at Chen Qing with a trace of surprise.

He had actually gone to learn martial arts?

At that moment, Liang Badou puffed out his chest. "A Qing, if you ask me, you might as well work with me. Once I become a clerk, I'll recommend you for the constable's squad. I can't promise you great wealth or high rank, but I can certainly guarantee you a steady meal."

It sounded like an offer of help, but the condescending air beneath it clearly showed that he wanted to take Chen Qing on as a follower.

Chen Qing shook his head. "Forget it. I'll learn for now and see where it goes."

Er Ya shook her head, looking as though she hated iron for not becoming steel. "A Qing, everything about you is good except that you're too single-minded."

Seeing Chen Qing refuse, Xiao Chun's heart finally settled quietly back into his stomach, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

In his eyes, being able to cling to Liang Badou's "little tree beside the yamen" was a tremendous blessing. Yet Chen Qing did not know how to appreciate it. He was foolish beyond measure.

Li Hu sighed. "Training in martial arts really isn't easy."

He had once imagined changing his fate through martial arts too, but that was all it had ever been—imagination.

Xu Fang glanced at Chen Qing, pressed her lips together, and seemed to want to speak but held back.

Brother Qing, Brother Qing, can't you see it yet? This world has long woven countless threads in the shadows. Some tighten around your throat, some bind your hands and feet, and others are quietly tied to the course of your life.

No one believed Chen Qing could succeed in martial arts.

Just as Er Ya had said, those guards who were barked at and worked like dogs might well be Chen Qing's entire life.

The group chatted for a while longer.

As Liang Badou refilled everyone's weak tea, he raised another topic. "You heard about Master Qian, right?"

"Pah! What Master Qian!"

Li Hu spat, satisfaction on his face. "That beast was walking alone at night and got beaten beyond recognition. He must have been killed by an enemy. What ordinary person would have that kind of nerve?"

"He died well," Er Ya said through clenched teeth.

And Chen Qing, the very 'mastermind' behind it all, was equally indignant.

Xiao Chun nervously glanced around and lowered his voice. "Keep it down. Master Qian had close ties with the Golden River Gang's leader, and they're searching everywhere for the killer."

The reason Qian Biao could run rampant through Yazi Bay was naturally not because of his own limited abilities.

Rumor had it that he was Song Tie, leader of the Golden River Gang, younger brother-in-law.

Liang Badou waved dismissively. "The Golden River Gang? They can barely protect themselves now. The Tiger Gang is hunting their people everywhere. Song Tie has probably crawled into some rat hole by now."

He paused, then lowered his voice mysteriously. "Li Hu, you saw Liu Laizi on Huai Shu Street yesterday? He's Song Tie's trusted lapdog. I reckon Song Tie is nine times out of ten hiding somewhere around there!"

Chen Qing's heart stirred, but his expression remained calm as ever. He merely lifted his tea bowl and took another sip.

Liang Badou seemed to feel the topic was too sensitive and changed the subject. "All right, all right. Enough of this unlucky business."

After that, they drank tea and chatted.

From time to time, they spoke of childhood antics and half-truly, half-falsely dreamed of the future.

Liang Badou dreamed of becoming a familiar face at the yamen. Xiao Chun dreamed of becoming the shop's second manager. Er Ya dreamed that one day the young master of her employer's family might take a liking to her.

Xu Fang listened quietly, a proper smile on her face, though her gaze drifted somewhat. Clearly, she had little interest in these subjects.

Still, she did not disturb the lively, earthy warmth of her childhood friends from Yazi Bay.

Before they knew it, afternoon had arrived.

Xu Fang checked the sky, then rose gracefully, preparing to take her leave.

Liang Badou drew a deep breath as though mustering his courage, then hurriedly stepped forward. "Xiao Fang, I happen to be heading to the Inner City. How about I escort you home?"

His words carried obvious expectation.

Suddenly, a clear jingle of horse bells rang out from the dock.

Everyone looked toward the sound and saw a carriage with blue curtains pull to a steady stop. The two jujube-red horses pulling it had glossy coats and shining horseshoes.

An elderly maid with graying temples jumped down from the shafts, dressed in plain cotton clothes.

"Miss." The old maid bowed to Xu Fang. "Old Madam instructed that you must return to the residence before the hour of the Monkey."

"I understand."

Xu Fang answered, sweeping her eyes over the companions of her childhood before finally resting them on Chen Qing's face.

The deck suddenly fell silent, leaving only the sound of river water slapping against the hull.

Xu Fang's lips trembled faintly, as though she had a thousand words to say, but in the end, she merely gave a soft sigh.

"If fate allows, let us meet again someday."

Her voice was soft, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy stone.

Her words were courteous, but everyone present understood that after today's parting, they would likely never meet again.

The carriage slowly rolled away, the rumble of its wheels over the bluestone paving gradually fading into the distance.

They stood dumbly at the bow, watching the carriage vanish into the dust stirred up at the mouth of the alley.

Er Ya unconsciously rubbed the corner of her clothes. Liang Badou clenched his fists, while Xiao Chun stared blankly at the water.

Chen Qing lowered his head to look at the coarse porcelain tea bowl in his hands. The tea had long gone cold, reflecting his blurred image.

A few rough tea stems lay sunk at the bottom of the bowl. No matter how they churned, they would ultimately settle at the very bottom.