Fate

Mr. Liu asked with concern, "Qianqian, are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

Liu Qian smiled. "Father, I'm fine. I was merely a little distracted. What did you ask me just now?"

Mr. Liu said, "Did you bring this tea from home?"

Liu Qian understood what her father meant. "Yes, Father. It's the kind you often drink. When I came last time, I brought some along for myself. Do you find this tea especially delicious?"

Mr. Liu took another sip. "Yes. It tastes nothing like what I drink at home. The fragrance of this tea is truly irresistible."

Mr. Liu had few hobbies in his life, save for enjoying tea. He had drunk no small variety of teas and kept plenty at home; otherwise, Liu Qian would not have come to enjoy tea as well. Yet the tea he drank today was utterly unlike any he had tasted before. Its fragrance lingered indescribably on his tongue. The tea leaves were those he used every day, so the difference must lie in the water used to brew it. Mr. Liu was puzzled. Guo Village was far from Baligou, but it was only half a day's journey away. How could the water quality differ so greatly?

Mr. Liu asked, "Qianqian, why does the water in Guo Village taste so much better than the water in our Baligou?"

Liu Qian blinked at Mr. Liu. "Yes, Father. The water here is indeed clear and delightful."

Liu Qian knew that her uncle was famous for being blunt and unable to keep words bottled in his mouth. If he learned of anything, it was as good as every villager in Baligou learning it. She had already told him not to spread word of what had happened to her in Lu Town, but who knew whether everyone in Baligou had heard of it by now? The matter of the well water absolutely could not be allowed to slip from his lips.

Seeing Liu Qian blink at him, Mr. Liu tacitly refrained from asking further.

Liu the Butcher, however, had heard it and cut in, "Isn't that simple? Have Zhang Xiaolong deliver you a bucket every day."

Mr. Liu laughed. "Second Brother, not to mention the half-day journey from Guo Village to Baligou—even if it could be delivered, tea brewed with that water might not taste this good."

Seeing Liu the Butcher's baffled look, he continued, "The best water for brewing tea is drawn fresh from the river. Once it sits too long, it loses the living breath within the water, and the tea fragrance disappears."

Liu the Butcher wore a face full of disdain. "You scholars really have too many fussy rules. Why don't I feel any of that? Isn't that right, Old Brother Zhang?" With that, he raised his teacup and drained it in one gulp.

Zhang Cai chuckled without speaking and drank the tea in his cup as well.

Liu Qian stepped forward and poured everyone another cup.

Mr. Liu lifted his freshly poured tea, held it beneath his nose, and inhaled its scent carefully. Then he took small sips, savoring it bit by bit, looking indescribably content.

Liu the Butcher mocked him, "What's so good about this water bland enough to make birds shit? Drinking liquor is much more satisfying."

Mr. Liu curled his lip. "How could you understand my delight? Our interests differ, so there is no need to say more. What a pity—after drinking this tea today, how am I supposed to appreciate tea in the future?"

Liu the Butcher laughed. "Isn't that easy? Just move to Guo Village. I hear Guo Village has no schoolteacher. If you came, they would welcome you before they could even finish asking."

Mr. Liu's eyes lit up. "Even a rough fellow like you can think of a good idea. That is not wrong. The ancients said, 'If I could eat three hundred lychees a day, I would gladly live forever as a man of Lingnan.' It is rare to encounter such fine water and fine tea by fate. If I came to be a man of Guo Village for this fine tea, that too would make a fine tale."

The speaker had no such intention, but the listener took it to heart. Mr. Liu's words, "rare to encounter by fate," woke Liu Qian as if from a dream. It was like a bolt of lightning striking her heart, splitting apart the knot that had tangled her for days. Yes, it was rare to meet one bound by fate. Had she not felt a connection with Zhang Xiaolong just days ago? Yet now she had walked into a dead end and begun doubting that very fate again. Thinking it over carefully, from the time she met Zhang Xiaolong and he was injured saving her, to her coming to tend his wounds in repayment, to discovering the precious well water, and now to her father entertaining the thought of moving to Guo Village—it had utterly swept away her last concern: that she did not wish to marry far away because she needed to care for her father. She knew clearly that only the Zhang family had this well water; nowhere else in Guo Village could one drink it. Then there were the well water's miraculous uses. Her heart pounded even harder. This was a guarantee of her father's health! Did all of this not show that she and Zhang Xiaolong were bound by fate? This fate was ordained by Heaven—was that not enough to make her feel smug?

Once a single thought opened through, all things opened through. The great stone in Liu Qian's heart was carried away by Heaven.

Only then did she notice everyone's reaction after her father's words. Seeing that they did not understand, Liu Qian explained, "Lychees are said to be a kind of very delicious fruit that grows only in Lingnan. After the ancient ate one, he could never forget it, and sighed that if he could eat lychees every day, he would willingly move to Lingnan."

Only then did everyone understand.

Zhang Cai said delightedly, "If Mr. Liu wishes to settle in our Guo Village, we would certainly welcome you. When I return, I'll report to the Guo clan chief of Guo Village and arrange a place for you, Brother Liu."

Mr. Liu hurriedly said, "Old Brother, there's no rush, no rush. We can speak of it later and leave it to fate, hahaha."

Then Mr. Liu took another sip of tea and revealed the true purpose of their visit to the Zhang family. Looking at Zhang Cai, he said, "Old Brother, our main purpose in coming this time is to take Qianqian home for a while. This child has been here for some time, so she must miss home. Our household also needs her to go back and put things in order. As for Yueyue, she should have come long ago. She did not come with Qianqian last time because a girl was also needed to look after things at home. This time, we thought she could come and switch places with Qianqian. What do you think?"

Zhang Cai did not dare state his position and hurriedly turned to look at Guo Sufi.

Guo Sufi looked at the sincere expressions of Mr. Liu and Liu the Butcher, then at Liu Yueyue's expressionless face, and understood what was going on. Smiling, she said to Mr. Liu and Liu the Butcher, "We understand the two brothers' intentions. Qianqian has truly helped us greatly during her time here. Xiaolong, Xiaohu, and my husband have all recovered considerably from their injuries and can basically move about without trouble. Qianqian no longer needs to stay here and tend to Xiaolong and the others. If Mr. Liu wishes to bring Qianqian back, I'll pack the child's things now, and she can return with you after noon. There is even less need for Yueyue to remain."

At Guo Sufi's words, delight clearly surfaced on Liu Yueyue's face. Liu Qian happened to raise her head and see the disappointment between Zhang Xiaohu's brows, making her heart skip. Zhang Xiaohu is usually so quiet. I've never heard him ask about Yueyue, yet judging by that expression, this may be troublesome. When I have time, I need to give Zhang Xiaohu a reminder. My younger sister's heart is clearly not here.

Liu the Butcher, however, was rather unwilling. "Sister-in-law, listen to yourself. Didn't we already agree that Yueyue should do her share? Now that the time has come, how can we let her loaf around?"

Guo Sufi smiled. "Brother Liu, I know you are a forthright man. If we had any difficulties, how could we hide them from you? Look at these two children and Old Brother Zhang—they are all ruddy-faced and able to move about easily. We truly have no need for your girl to remain."

Mr. Liu also smiled then and stopped Liu the Butcher from persisting any further. "Since Sister-in-law says so, they must truly have no need for the child to stay. Second Brother, there is no need to insist any longer. As for whether Qianqian will return with us later, let us first ask what she wants."

Liu Qian thought for a moment. "How about this, Father? I won't go home with you this time. With Yueyue looking after things at home, there should not be much problem. I have been away for less than a month. Though I do miss home, it is not as though I must return at once. Besides, Xiaolong's injury has reached its final stage. I cannot begin like a tiger and end like a snake. I'll wait until he has fully recovered before going back."

The moment those words landed, Liu the Butcher could not help rising to his feet. "You didn't discuss this with your father beforehand, did you? Why do you sound so much like him?"

Liu Qian asked curiously, "Second Uncle, what do you mean?"

Before Liu the Butcher could speak, Liu Yueyue spoke up. "Sister, on the way here, the two elders made a bet. Your father said you definitely would not go home, while my father said you would. My father asked why, and your father said that Qianqian had never liked doing things that began like a tiger and ended like a snake. You had been in Guo Village for less than a month, and Zhang Xiaolong's injuries surely had not yet healed. Under such circumstances, you definitely would not return home. See? What you said was extremely similar to what your father said, so naturally my father was quite upset. He thought the two of you had colluded."

Liu Yueyue was sharp-tongued indeed. One "your father" after another "my father" made everyone laugh.

Liu Qian said to Liu the Butcher, "Second Uncle watched me grow up. How could you not know my temperament?"

Liu the Butcher said helplessly, "I only remember you as a little girl with snot running from her nose. Who knew that in just a few years, you and Yueyue would grow into young ladies? How could I remember what temperament you had? I thought you had never left home and would surely miss it, but I still know you less well than your own father."

As they spoke, Guo Sufi saw that it was getting late and went out to arrange lunch. Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue naturally went out to help, leaving only the men chatting inside.

The Zhang family's meal was as simple as ever, but it was soon ready. Zhang Xiaohua also returned from outside the village with wine, and Liu the Butcher was naturally beaming from ear to ear.

After lunch, the sun had already slanted westward. Mr. Liu and his group of three took their leave to return to the village. Mr. Liu invited Zhang Cai, saying, "Old Brother, tomorrow is the Second day of the second lunar month. There will be a temple fair in Baligou. Why not come to my place tomorrow for a small gathering?"

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Cai declined. "Though our injuries have improved greatly, they have not fully recovered after all. Going too far may easily cause trouble. Besides, the elder at home is ill, so it is best not to go far away. Once we have time in the future, I will certainly pay you a visit."

Mr. Liu knew this was the truth and did not press further. Everyone parted at the village entrance, while Liu Qian took Zhang Xiaohua and accompanied them a little farther down the road.

Only then did they part reluctantly, watching their relatives gradually disappear into the distance.