Early the next morning, the freshly turned, damp soil in the backyard gave off an earthy smell.
Bare-chested, Lao Liu swung a large shovel polished to a shine.
"Sir, the holes are two feet deep already. The soil down there is nice and rich."
He wiped the heavy beads of sweat from his forehead and shouted up to the roof.
"Good. Toss all the peach seeds in and cover them with plenty of black soil."
Sen reclined in a bamboo chair on the roof, a battered straw hat hiding most of his face.
Warm sunlight fell across his belly, leaving him lazy from head to toe.
"You got it! Sir, I guarantee this place will be a sea of red blossoms next spring!"
Lao Liu answered and briskly scattered the pink seeds into the deep holes.
The soil churned, and the newly planted peach trees soon put out their first green shoots.
Gradually, warm breezes began blowing through the woods.
The peach trees in the backyard grew thicker than buckets.
Early each morning, the bell at the big red gate rang without pause.
"Sir, we brought in another hundred thousand ryo and change this morning."
Lao Liu carried a wooden basin upstairs, his face full of delight.
"Take your usual cut. Lock the rest in the hidden compartment."
Without looking up, Sen rolled over in his chair.
"Sir, there's a letter from the village. Shizune wrote it."
Lao Liu took out a yellow envelope and handed it over.
Sen tore it open. Inside was a reminder from Tsunade demanding her share.
"Always eyeing my hard-earned money. She really is something."
Sen curled his lip and casually crumpled the letter into a ball.
The grass withered and greened again; the leaves yellowed and fell.
When heavy snow arrived in the depths