What Would You Like to Know, Honored Sir?

The young man in pale blue looked at the tall, thin, middle-aged man before him. "You're from Reed Flower Village. Do you know which household here took in three government slaves?"

The question pointed so clearly to them that Liu Xiaobo answered without thinking, "I do, I do."

The two young men exchanged a glance, and the one in pale blue gave a mild "Mm."

Liu Xiaobo could not tell whether they had come to throw stones at men already down a well or to take those three away to a better life. He asked ingratiatingly, "Have you two honored gentlemen come looking for them?"

"We knew them before. We've come to ask how they're doing now. Tell us about them. If you do well, there's a reward."

At the mention of a reward, Liu Xiaobo grinned so broadly his eyes disappeared. "Shall I tell you here?"

"Come with us, then." The one in pale blue took a small purse from inside his robe and handed Liu Xiaobo a tael of silver. "This is a deposit."

His earlier misgivings gone, Liu Xiaobo accepted the silver and tucked it into his robe. "Of course, of course."

Then he turned and gave Ruan Puchuan a light kick. "Take good care of Wenxiu at home. Hurry back."

Ruan Puchuan etched the two men's appearances firmly into his mind, gathered up the bowls and chopsticks, and headed back.

With no time to spare for the bowls and chopsticks, once he was out of their sight, he hurried toward the blue-brick, tile-roofed house in the north of the village.

"Brother Li, you're such a good cook. This is much better than anything I've eaten before."

Li Yun smiled and placed a piece of chicken in his bowl. "You and that sweet tongue of yours."

Lu Mingxi took a sip of chicken soup and exclaimed extravagantly, "This is so delicious!"

"Have more if you like it."

"Thank you, Brother Li!"

Su Yuhe looked at the three tiny pieces of chicken in her bowl, broken into the smallest possible scraps, and copied Lu Mingxi. "This is so delicious!"

Lu Mingxi had earned himself a piece of chicken, while Su Yuhe earned herself a bowl of chicken soup.

Hearing her, Li Yun rose and went to the kitchen, returning shortly with a bowl of chicken soup.

She stared at the thick layer of oil floating on top and looked cautiously at Li Yun. "Can I take that back?"

He lowered his head to eat, his tone allowing no refusal. "No. I stewed it especially for you. You need some nourishment these days. Chicken soup is nourishing."

Her period was due in a few days, and every time, both before and afterward, she was forced to take some nourishment.

Li Yun and Xubai both loved feeding her greasy chicken soup. One bowl was about enough; any more left her unbearably queasy from the grease.

Her bowl had red dates and an egg added to it, as well as a chicken drumstick.

She skimmed off the oil on top and slowly ate the egg.

She hated red dates in chicken soup most of all. Neither sweet nor savory, they dealt an even deadlier blow than the greasy chicken soup.

Li Yun put down his chopsticks and rose to go to the kitchen, not forgetting to urge her before leaving, "Drink it while it's hot."

The moment Su Yuhe saw him leave, she pushed the bowl toward Meng Zhixian. "Have some more. You've lost weight lately."

Meng Zhixian glanced toward the kitchen and pushed the bowl back, whispering, "Drink it yourself, Wife."

"You really don't want any?"

Seeing him shake his head firmly, Su Yuhe asked no more. She had just turned to Lu Mingyi and had yet to speak when Li Yun returned, so she obediently forced down half the bowl.

An urgent knocking sounded at the door. Li Yun rose to answer it, and Su Yuhe looked toward the doorway curiously while her chopsticks swiftly plucked out the drumstick and placed it in Lu Mingyi's bowl. She lowered her voice. "No refusing."

"Thank you, Wife."

She swiftly pushed the soup, full of chicken fat, in front of Lu Mingyi. "Drink plenty. It's nourishing."

Lu Mingyi did not refuse, and Su Yuhe took a mile when given an inch. "Finish it right now."

He skimmed aside the oil on top with a spoon, lifted the bowl, and drained it in one go, looking very much as though he were drinking poisoned wine.

"What are you doing here?"

Su Yuhe craned her head to look. It was Ruan Puchuan, still panting hard.

The carriage did not stop until it reached the largest restaurant in town. Amid the town's low buildings, this restaurant stood a full three stories tall. Liu Xiaobo followed the two men up to the third floor.

The young man in pale blue opened the door and stepped softly into the room. Bowing his head to the youth beside the window, he said respectfully, "Young master, we've brought him."

"Bring him in."

The youth in pale blue gave Liu Xiaobo a push, neither gentle nor hard. "Go in."

Liu Xiaobo entered with his head lowered. Catching a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye, he dropped to his knees with a thump. His knees did not hurt as he had expected; instead, he felt them sink into something soft.

"Honored sir, I'll tell you anything you want to know."

A clear male voice sounded above Liu Xiaobo's head, warm and full as pearls and jade. "Tell the truth. If you hide anything, don't expect to live long enough to spend all the money."

He rolled his eyes upward but could see only a swath of moon-white fabric. At first glance, it looked unremarkable, but light and shadow shimmered across it as it moved, making it exceptionally beautiful.

Someone nudged his back with a foot, and he hurriedly kowtowed. "Yes, yes. This lowly one understands. This lowly one understands."

"Answer whatever I ask truthfully. Answer well, and you'll be rewarded."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Xubai picked up a piece of peach blossom cake from the white jade plate with his fingertips. Rather than eating it, he held it and broke it apart for amusement.

"What is your relationship with those three government slaves?"

Liu Xiaobo darted a glance up at him, then hurriedly lowered his head. "I've only exchanged a few words with them."