Spring Breeze

For some time afterward, everything remained as still as an ancient well. Besides practicing martial arts as usual, Liu Yuanzhou went to Third Master's home every day to make a round, fetch water, sweep the floor, or chat with Third Master about matters in the city.

"Second Child, you don't need to keep hovering before my eyes every day. When there's news, I'll naturally tell you."

"I didn't come to ask about news. Can't I just come see you?" Liu Yuanzhou laughed sheepishly. "Ah, Third Master, you're too frugal with water. Why is the water vat still filled to the brim?" Liu Yuanzhou leaned in to inspect it. "Let me sweep your yard for you." With that, he picked up the broom from the corner and went outside to sweep.

"This brat really can't keep his cool." Third Master shook his head helplessly.

The twenty-fifth day of the second month. That day, the sky beyond the window was gloomy, and the cold wind howled.

Liu Yuan was curled up in his family's Cave Dwelling, reading out of boredom.

With a creak, the door was pushed open, and Liu Chuang came in. He hunched his neck, drawing in breaths through his teeth as he cried, "I'm freezing to death."

As he spoke, he went straight to the stove, moved aside the pot on top, and held both hands near the firebox to warm them.

Liu Yuanzhou raised his head to glance at him. "On a day this cold, why aren't you staying home by the fire? What did you come out for?" Then he lowered his head and continued reading.

"Alas." Liu Chuang sighed and kept warming himself by the fire.

Seeing Liu Chuang remain silent and even sigh, Liu Yuanzhou found it unlike his usual self. He closed his book, looked up at Liu Chuang, and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Liu Chuang stared at the flames in the firebox, his face lit red. After a long while, he finally said faintly, "Little Xiucai came back. Everyone says he passed some Tongsheng exam, and from now on he's one of the official folk. His home is surrounded by people now, all scrambling to congratulate him."

"Xi Zi and I went to congratulate him just now, but we got our noses rubbed in ash. Xiucai's mother spoke terribly, and Xiucai only glanced at us before going back inside. He didn't invite us into the Cave Dwelling at all."

Liu Yuanzhou's heart sank.

"Is that so?" Liu Yuanzhou murmured. A trace of jealousy, a faint sense of loss, and delight mingled together, leaving his heart a jumble of five flavors, impossible to describe. "He finally passed the County Exam. Next comes the Xiucai exam. His status is no longer what it was."

"Enough, don't dwell on it. You know what kind of person Xiucai's mother is." Seeing Liu Chuang still hanging his head in dejection, Liu Yuanzhou shook his head and softly comforted him.

"Alas, how could people change the moment they gain success? He passed the Tongsheng exam, and he's already forgotten his old friends." Liu Chuang sighed. He looked up at Liu Yuanzhou. "Second Child, if you make it big someday, will you change too?"

"I will. Then I'll have you drive my carriage and carry my sedan chair." Liu Yuanzhou was amused by his words and teased him.

"Tch, I'm not doing that." Liu Chuang shot Liu Yuanzhou a look, sat on the edge of the kang bed, and grabbed the book Liu Yuanzhou had been reading. "What are you reading? You're not even taking the Xiucai exam."

"I like reading, is that not allowed?" Liu Yuanzhou shrugged, snatched back the book, then asked, "Why haven't I seen Xi Zi? Where is he?"

"Heh, I don't want to mention that spineless traitor." Liu Chuang said angrily. "After Xiucai's mother spoke to him like that, he still shamelessly wormed his way inside. Xiucai's family is throwing a huge feast, and that kid followed them around to help."

"Don't call him that. What traitor? He's your friend and mine, and he's Xiucai's friend too. Whom he ultimately chooses is his freedom." Liu Yuanzhou frowned and stared at Liu Chuang. "Don't talk nonsense like that again." He was thinking that he would soon leave the village. If Liu Chuang's words and actions offended Li Mingzhong and the others, and they targeted and suppressed him, that would be bad.

"Hmph!" Liu Chuang turned his head away and ignored Liu Yuanzhou.

"Come on, go with me to Xiucai's home. He passed the Tongsheng exam. As friends, we ought to go congratulate him."

"If you want to go, go yourself. I'm not going." Liu Chuang snapped.

"What am I supposed to say about you? Even if you can't be friends, don't become enemies. Hurry up." Liu Yuanzhou put on his shoes, donned his sheepskin cap, and dragged Liu Chuang out the door.

Once outside, Liu Yuanzhou thought they could not go empty-handed. He turned back into the Cave Dwelling and took out two frozen fish, which Third Master had brought back from the city. He stuffed one fish into Liu Chuang's hands and carried the other himself as they hurried toward Li Mingzhong's home. Liu Chuang followed behind with his head lowered, silent, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Li Mingzhong's home was bustling with excitement. A table had been set up in the yard, laden with sunflower seeds, peanuts, candies, and the like. A great crowd of village men, women, old folk, and children stood in the yard. Children chased and played amid the crowd; several white-bearded old men squatted to one side talking; married women and young women gathered in twos and threes, whispering among themselves. A group of people also surrounded the entrance to their Cave Dwelling, peering inside. When Liu Yuanzhou and Liu Chuang entered the yard, no one paid them any attention.

"Oh, isn't this Second Child? So you heard that my Little Zhong passed too?" Someone suddenly called out loudly, drawing everyone's gaze. "Oh my, you even brought fish. No need—we brought back so much from the city that we can't finish it all."

The speaker was Li Mingzhong's eldest sister-in-law. She stood beside the table with a handful of sunflower seeds, a proud smile on her face.

I don't think I've offended her. Why are her words bristling with spears and clubs? Liu Yuanzhou wondered. He had not come to cause trouble, so he could not be bothered to argue with her. Suppressing his displeasure, he said, "This is just a small token from us. We didn't have anything else presentable, so please don't disdain it." He piled a smile onto his face. "Xiucai passed the Tongsheng exam, and we feel honored too. We specially came to congratulate him. Is Xiucai in the Cave Dwelling?"

Liu Chuang, meanwhile, felt his face burning. He wished he could turn around and leave at once.

"Little Zhong is inside talking with his great-grandfather. You'd better not go in. I'll tell him later." After saying that, she ignored Liu Yuanzhou and Liu Chuang, turned around, and entered the Cave Dwelling.

Liu Yuanzhou and Liu Chuang stood there holding fish, unable to leave yet unable to stay. Both were incomparably embarrassed.

So that's it. Li Laocai is here. No wonder she's targeting me. Hmph. Though Liu Yuanzhou was furious as well, he had been through some things and could keep his composure. Facing the strange looks of the crowd, he stood there waiting with an indifferent expression.

Liu Chuang could not endure it. His entire face was red, and he lowered his head, not daring to look at anyone. Besides gritting his teeth in hatred toward Li Mingzhong's sister-in-law, he also somewhat blamed Liu Yuanzhou. I said we shouldn't come, but he insisted. Now we've been humiliated beyond all humiliation.

After waiting a while without seeing Li Mingzhong come out, Liu Yuanzhou decided not to wait passively any longer. He shouted toward the inside, "Xiucai, I'm Second Child! Come out for a moment!"

The crowd instantly fell silent, and everyone looked toward Liu Yuanzhou and Liu Chuang.

"I say, Second Child, they don't want to see you. Why come shamelessly wagging your tail over here?" At that moment, four or five Li family youths who often hung around with Li Er emerged from the Cave Dwelling. The one speaking was Li Xiaoming. Since Li Er had gone to the city, he was temporarily the leader of this group.

Li Xiaoming and the others walked up to Liu Yuanzhou and Liu Chuang, shouting, "Move aside. A good dog doesn't block the road."

"Damn it, are you looking for trouble? The road is so wide, yet you insist on walking through grandpa's spot?" Liu Chuang stepped forward, his eyes wide as bronze bells as he glared at Li Xiaoming and the others. "You want to fight? Come on, who's afraid of whom?"

Seeing Liu Chuang step forward was exactly what Li Xiaoming wanted. They began shoving Liu Chuang, shouting loudly as they did.

"So what if we want to beat you?"

"We've hated the sight of you two for ages."

Liu Chuang's two fists could not withstand so many hands. He yelled loudly as several of them shoved him back a few steps, forcing Liu Yuanzhou behind him to retreat as well.

Liu Yuanzhou was angry too. He reached out and flicked Liu Chuang at the waist, sending him seven or eight steps away. Then, like lightning, he shot out his left hand, seized Li Xiaoming's wrist, and pulled and led him back. Li Xiaoming staggered straight before Liu Yuanzhou. Liu Yuanzhou then placed his right hand on Li Xiaoming's shoulder. Strength flowed through him, and Li Xiaoming spun in place like a top several times. Liu Yuanzhou released him, caught him again at the waist, and forcefully sent him forward. Li Xiaoming shot toward the four men behind him like a cannonball.

It sounded like a long sequence, but it happened in an instant. The four behind Li Xiaoming had not even reacted before they saw him crashing toward them. They hurriedly raised their hands to stop him, only to feel a tremendous force transmitted through Li Xiaoming's body. All four were knocked to the ground, and two of them were pinned beneath Li Xiaoming.

Liu Yuanzhou stood there with an indifferent expression, as though he had not been the one to make a move. Yet inwardly, he smiled bitterly. I came to make peace, but I ended up having to fight.

Liu Chuang was dumbfounded. Seeing Liu Yuanzhou casually knock down Li Xiaoming and the others, he rubbed his eyes. Is this really Second Child? Since when did he become this formidable? But this was not the time to step forward and ask.

The people in the yard were equally shocked. Several people who had been about to come forward to break up the fight stopped in their tracks, inwardly scoffing. These Li family boys are far too useless.

Li Xiaoming had been thrown into such a muddle that his head was spinning. The other four helped him up. Looking at Liu Yuanzhou, they did not dare come forward to continue fighting, and their hearts were filled with uncertainty. What medicine did Second Child take? How is he this strong?

For a moment, the yard was in complete chaos.

"What are you all doing?" someone suddenly shouted.