A Bet

"Of course not!" Deng Tianxin pouted. "I saved this up myself! I spent the past year helping people all over the area with odd jobs. Village Chief, take it and use it to fix the roads. Grandma Third at the village entrance needs her roof patched, and Xiao Huzi needs a new pair of shoes..."

He counted off one thing after another on his fingers, listing concerns for every household in the village.

The village chief clutched the little cloth pouch, his hands trembling and his eyes turning red.

"You child..." The village chief's voice was a little hoarse. "You can barely feed yourself, and you still saved all this..."

"I eat plenty," Deng Tianxin said with a grin, showing a row of pearly white teeth. "I'm so capable. How could I not have enough to eat?"

Bibi Dong stood to one side, silently watching the scene.

She felt something gently stir in some hidden corner of her heart.

It was a strange feeling.

Just an hour ago, this little rascal had been pretending to cry and play the victim in front of her, acting so convincingly that she'd nearly lost control on the spot.

But now, he was handing over the dozen or so Silver Soul Coins he'd worked so hard to save over the past year, without even blinking.

She'd even noticed that the Silver Soul Coins in the pouch were different sizes. Some were badly worn, while others were fairly new. It was obvious he'd spent a long time saving them up.

A six-year-old child had saved a dozen or so Silver Soul Coins.

What did that mean?

How much work had he done for other people?

In a poor place like this, where even the adults couldn't get enough to eat, a child was lucky to earn a single Copper Soul Coin for his labor.

Those dozen or so Silver Soul Coins were probably the fruit of his entire year's hard work.

Bibi Dong had already changed her opinion of Deng Tianxin. She thought he was a very good child.

The village chief clutched the little cloth pouch in his hand for a long time before carefully tucking it into his clothes. Then he turned to Bibi Dong and suddenly bowed deeply.

The unexpected gesture made Bibi Dong take half a step back. "What are you doing?"

"Miss," the village chief said as he straightened, pleading in his eyes. "I can tell you're no ordinary person. Your clothes, that air about you—it's not something a poor place like ours could ever produce. For Little Tianxin to go with you is his good fortune."

He paused, his voice trembling slightly. "This child's had a hard life. No one knows where he came from. He's been with me for a year, and I've treated him like my own son, but I know I can't give him a good life. The village is too poor. We have nothing to offer him."

"Uncle Village Chief..." Deng Tianxin tipped his head back, his little lips pressed tightly together.

The village chief reached out and stroked Deng Tianxin's head, his rough palm gently ruffling the child's soft hair. "This boy can be a handful. Sometimes he says things that could make you furious, but he's got a good heart. He's one of the rare good children in this world. Miss, I beg you—please treat him well."

"I will," Bibi Dong said softly.

Only after the words left her mouth did she realize her tone had been much gentler than she'd expected.

When we get back, I'm spanking Deng Tianxin first.

The village chief bowed again, and this time Bibi Dong didn't move aside.

"One more thing," the village chief said in a low voice. He glanced at Deng Tianxin and waited until the boy was crouched on the ground, playing with the ants again, before continuing. "He never talks about where he came from or who his parents are. Whenever I ask, he changes the subject. If I ask again, he cries. I suspect... something probably happened to his family. Miss, if you're willing, please help him find them. If you can't, then... then don't look anymore."

Bibi Dong gave a slight nod, filing that detail away.

After saying goodbye to the village chief, the two of them left Iron Ox Village.

As they stepped out from under the old locust tree's shade at the village entrance, Deng Tianxin suddenly stopped and looked back.

The village lay quietly in the afternoon sunlight. The old folks sunning themselves by the entrance were still there, and the village chief stood beneath the old locust tree, waving at them.

Bibi Dong looked at Deng Tianxin and smiled. "What's wrong? Don't want to leave?"

Deng Tianxin thought it over, then answered honestly. "A little, but I have to leave."

"Why do you have to go?" Bibi Dong asked.

Deng Tianxin tilted his head and thought for a moment, then grinned. "Because Auntie, you're taking me to Spirit Hall. If I don't go, you'll get angry, and when you get angry, you'll hang me from a tree overnight."

Bibi Dong looked at his excessively bright smile and knew he was changing the subject.

But she didn't press him.

Everyone had their secrets, even a six-year-old child.

"Let's go." Bibi Dong turned and headed down the road.

Deng Tianxin looked toward the village chief and shouted, "Uncle, when I come back, I'll make the village a better place!"

Standing beneath the old locust tree, the village chief heard Deng Tianxin's shout and froze for a moment. Then he broke into a grin.

The smile spread across his wrinkled face like chrysanthemums unfurling in autumn. He raised the rough back of his hand to wipe the corner of his eye and nodded firmly.

"Good! I'll be waiting!" the village chief called, his voice carried over by the wind. "You'd better keep your word, you little rascal!"

"I will!" Deng Tianxin cupped his hands around his mouth like a little megaphone and called back in his childish voice. "I, Deng Tianxin, never lie! If I do, I'm a little puppy!"

Bibi Dong gave a soft snort and shot him a sidelong glance. "Are you sure? Did you not lie plenty when you put on that little act in front of me today?"

Deng Tianxin looked at Bibi Dong indignantly. "I keep my word. The next time I come back here, I'll make the village prosperous."

After hearing Deng Tianxin's words, Bibi Dong wore an expression of disbelief.

It was hard to say what the future held. Perhaps something would happen that changed Deng Tianxin.

"You say you're going to make this village prosperous?" Bibi Dong's lips curled slightly, a hint of amusement in her expression. "You're just a six-year-old brat. How do you expect to pull that off?"

Deng Tianxin raised his head and looked at Bibi Dong. "I can't do it now, but I definitely will in the future. Don't look down on me, Auntie. Once I've said something, it's like water poured out—it can't be taken back."

"All right." Bibi Dong crouched down so her eyes were level with Deng Tianxin's. "Then let's make a bet."

"What bet?" Deng Tianxin's eyes lit up at once.

"I'll give you ten years. Ten years from now, come back and make good on what you said today. If you really can make Iron Ox Village prosperous, it doesn't have to be wealthy. As long as the roads are repaired, the houses are renovated, and the villagers have enough to eat and warm clothes to wear, you win."

Deng Tianxin blinked. "If I win, what do I get?"

Bibi Dong thought for a moment. "If you win, I'll grant you one wish. Anything you want."

"Anything?" Deng Tianxin's eyes shone like two stars.

"Anything." Bibi Dong nodded, then added, "Of course, as long as it isn't too unreasonable. For example, you can't ask me to die."