The morning sun gradually rose, the thin mist dispersed, and the village market streets slowly grew lively. Vendors set out greens and coarse grains, children chased one another with giggles, and the sounds of chickens and dogs mingled with hawkers' cries, forming the most ordinary scene on the Great Yan Continent.
Just then, Qin Yu walked into the village market, holding the boy's hand.
The boy was already wearing the clothes Qin Yu had altered for him. Though slightly loose, they were clean and neat. His hair had been washed and combed, and the dirt had been cleaned from his face. He looked like a delicate-featured child.
A stir ran through the crowd.
"Huh? Isn't that the naked wild child from yesterday?"
"How come... he's wearing clothes now? Has he been given a name?"
"Qin Yu, you aren't really planning to raise this child, are you?"
Some women cast astonished looks their way and muttered:
"Honestly, that Qin Yu. She already has a hard enough time on her own, yet she's taken in a child of unknown origin."
"Who knows where he sprang from? What if he's some demon in human form?"
But others chuckled softly, their gazes gentle:
"The child looks so well-behaved. How does he look anything like a monster? He may have been naked yesterday, but perhaps he's just a poor soul who lost his memory and ended up wandering."
"Qin Yu has a good heart. With her looking after him, this child might finally have somewhere to belong."
Qin Yu lowered his head and gripped Qin Yu's hem tightly, a flicker of nervousness crossing his eyes. He could feel the gazes around him, some kind and others hostile, falling like knives and arrows upon his thin little body.
Qin Yu straightened slightly. Her voice was quiet but firm. "He has a name now: Qin Yu. From this day onward, he is my child, Qin Yu's child. Anyone who wants to make more snide remarks had better ask my fists first."
The crowd briefly fell silent. Some shook their heads and sighed; others nodded to themselves.
Qin Yu looked up and saw Qin Yu's gentle expression. An empty corner deep within his heart was filled once more. For the first time, he felt that he was being treated as an "ordinary child," rather than yesterday's "naked freak" whom everyone pointed at and talked about.
At that moment, although doubts and criticism still surrounded him, a trace of peace arose in the boy's heart.
He breathed softly, as though he had truly become part of this ordinary land.
The village market buzzed with voices, and vendors called out without pause. A middle-aged man selling flatbreads saw Qin Yu walking past with Qin Yu by the hand. His gaze lingered for a moment, and he sighed.
"Qin Yu, this child does look pitiful." As he spoke, he took a steaming flatbread from his stall and held it out to Qin Yu. "Here, little one. Have something to eat and fill your belly."
Qin Yu froze for a moment, his gaze falling upon the golden, steaming flatbread. Its fragrance made the tip of his nose twitch slightly. He reached out, only to stop halfway and look up at Qin Yu in bewilderment.
A trace of tenderness passed through Qin Yu's eyes. She bent down and said softly, "Child, when someone gives you something, you must be grateful and say 'thank you.'"
Qin Yu blinked, as though committing something to memory. He accepted the flatbread with both hands, his voice timid but clear. "Th... thank you."
Though childish, that "thank you" made the vendor break into a broad grin. "Good boy. Good boy."
Holding the flatbread, the boy carefully took a bite. Its fragrance spread, his eyes lit up, and his first genuine smile appeared on his face. That smile was clear and innocent, as though it had dispersed all of yesterday's coldness and pointing fingers.
Watching him, Qin Yu felt a little warmth in her heart. She reached out and gently patted his shoulder. "Come on. Let's buy you some clothes that fit."
And so she led the boy through the market to a small clothing shop. A faded cloth curtain hung over its wooden doorway, and coarse-cloth robes and old garments were neatly arranged inside. Qin Yu looked up at the shop, his eyes full of wonder and shyness, and could not help gripping Qin Yu's hand tightly.
At that moment, for the first time, he felt that, like an ordinary child, he was about to have clothes of his own.
Inside the clothing shop, shirts and long robes hung neatly on wooden racks, and the faint, fresh scent of plant-based laundry wash filled the air.
The shopkeeper was a kindly, solidly built middle-aged man with an amiable smile. Seeing Qin Yu enter with the timid boy by the hand, he greeted them with a smile. "Well now, Qin Yu, have you brought the child to buy clothes? Hmm... he looks like a good boy. He'll certainly look smart in a new outfit."
Qin Yu shrank behind Qin Yu, his small hands gripping her hem tightly, curiosity and shyness in his eyes. His lips moved, and he mumbled quietly, "I... I... I d... don't want..."
His words were as faint as dust in the wind, and even he stammered as he spoke.
Qin Yu smiled faintly and gently patted his shoulder. "Silly child, you need clothes of your own now. How can you keep wearing my old ones? You must have your own."
Her gaze paused on the clothing rack before finally settling on a light gray coarse-cloth robe. Its fabric was sturdy and its stitches fine. Though hardly splendid, it would wear extremely well. Dark teal stitching edged its cuffs and hem, giving it a clean, crisp look that would lend the boy a clear, bright bearing.
"This one." Qin Yu picked up the garment, her gaze gentle.
The shopkeeper nodded and said with a smile, "This garment is made from fine fabric, so it costs a little more: fifty copper spirit coins."
The currencies of the Great Yan Continent were:
Copper spirit coins: commonly used for buying vegetables and salt;
Silver spirit coins: used for large transactions or occasionally by cultivators;
Gold spirit coins: extremely precious, enough to purchase several mu of fertile farmland.
One hundred copper spirit coins could be exchanged for one silver spirit coin, and one hundred silver spirit coins for one gold spirit coin.
To the villagers, fifty copper spirit coins represented half a month's hard-earned income. Qin Yu normally made her living growing and selling vegetables. Money was tight, and she had little saved. Yet she did not hesitate, taking a small cloth pouch from inside her clothes and pouring out copper spirit coins one by one onto the counter.
"Since this child has accepted me as his mother, he is someone destined to be in my life. I'll buy this garment."
The shopkeeper paused. Looking at Qin Yu's resolute expression, then at the timid boy, he felt a surge of emotion. He waved a hand and said with a smile, "Qin Yu, you're a good person. This child is fortunate to be with you. Fifty is too much. How about this-twenty-five copper spirit coins."
"How could I..." Qin Yu faltered.
"This isn't business. It's a fated connection." The shopkeeper's tone was gentle. "It's the child's first time having clothes of his own. I can't let the price weigh on his heart."
Qin Yu looked up, a glimmer passing through his eyes. He bit his lip and tried hard to speak. "Th... th... thank..." His voice stammered, but it was sincere.
An ache rose in Qin Yu's heart, and her eyes reddened slightly. She gently dressed the boy in the gray robe. It was a little large, but it made him look clean and fresh, as though he had finally become part of the human world.
For a moment, the shop fell quiet. Only the morning light spilled over the backs of mother and son, warm and peaceful.
Qin Yu thanked the shopkeeper and, holding the gray cloth robe she had chosen for Qin Yu, took his hand and left the shop. Sunlight fell upon their figures, as though coating them in a layer of warm light within this ordinary village.
The boy followed carefully beside Qin Yu with his head lowered, yet from time to time he stole a glance up at her. For the first time, his eyes held a measure of security and dependence.
Not far away, a little bookshop stood quietly, a faint scent of ink drifting through its window lattice. Qin Yu glanced at the door, a decision already made in her heart:
Beyond clothing and enough food, she wanted to give this child more.
She wanted him to learn characters, read books, and understand how to walk through this world with his head held high.
And so, holding Qin Yu's hand, she slowly walked toward the bookshop.
Holding the boy's hand, Qin Yu slowly came to a stop outside the little bookshop. A breeze brushed past, carrying the faint scent of ink through the gaps in its wooden window.
She looked down at the child beside her, her voice gentle but touched with anticipation. "Yu'er, I'll buy you some simple copybooks and books first, and teach you to recognize characters and read. If you're clever, you can earn scholarly honors in the future and become an official in a government office. That would give you a bright, upright path to follow."
Qin Yu gazed timidly at her, only half understanding, and merely nodded gently. "Mm..."
Qin Yu smiled, warmth stirring faintly in her heart. She stroked his hair and led him toward the bookshop.
The bookshop's exterior was unremarkable, its wooden doors and windows already somewhat worn. A wooden plaque with mottled ink hung above the entrance, bearing two large, archaic characters-[Literary Workshop]. Several woven bamboo book racks stood outside, holding simple copybooks and introductory readers, with an outer covering of oilcloth to protect them from the morning dew.
When they pushed open the door and entered, a rich scent of ink and the fresh smell of paper greeted them. The room was small but orderly:
On the left stood long wooden shelves piled with all manner of introductory copybooks, from the simplest Thousand Character Classic to the basic Brief Record of Character Recognition, all sorted by thickness and height.
On the right stood a row of bookcases holding historical classics and tales of strange beings, most bound in coarse cloth.
In the center stood a long table bearing an inkstone and writing brushes. An elderly shopkeeper with graying hair and beard sat beside it, his head lowered as he copied an ancient text.
A bamboo curtain hung in the corner, partitioning off the back room. Beyond it, books could faintly be seen piled like little mountains, lending the place a quiet, old-world atmosphere.
Sunlight streamed through the paper-covered windows, illuminating the floating dust so clearly that even time seemed to flow especially slowly within this bookshop.
Qin Yu said softly to the boy, "Yu'er, this is somewhere you'll come often from now on. Books can open people's minds."
The boy raised his head, a trace of wonder flashing through his eyes as he timidly surveyed his surroundings. He seemed to realize for the first time that "writing" might be a power closely bound to his fate.
Inside the bookshop, the elderly shopkeeper looked up. Seeing Qin Yu approach with the boy by the hand, he paused briefly before breaking into a kindly smile. "Ah, Aunt Qin, it's been quite some time. This child is..."
Qin Yu smiled and nodded without explaining further, merely saying gently, "Shopkeeper, could you choose a few of the simplest copybooks and some introductory children's books for me? I want to teach him to recognize characters."
The old shopkeeper stroked his beard and smiled. Rising to his feet, he took several thin copybooks from the wooden shelves, then selected a copy of Essential Knowledge for Young Learners and a copy of Brief Record of Character Recognition. As he handed them over, he said, "These are the most suitable. The characters are large, with few strokes, and their meanings are simple. If he reads along every day, learning a few characters won't be difficult."
Qin Yu accepted the books, gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, shopkeeper."
The old shopkeeper waved a hand and smiled. "Such a small matter is hardly worth mentioning. If this child studies diligently, he may well make something of himself someday."
Qin Yu paid ten copper spirit coins, put away the books, and turned to lead Qin Yu out of the bookshop. The boy held the copybooks tightly against his chest, his eyes full of curiosity. From time to time, he lowered his head and ran his fingers over the pages, as though cradling a treasure.
After leaving the bookshop, Qin Yu bought some vegetables at the market: a few heads of greens, a basket of sweet potatoes, and two small fish freshly caught from the water. The vendor knew her well and, seeing that she had bought a little more, smiled and tucked in a few extra stalks of scallions and garlic.
With the vegetable basket in hand, Qin Yu looked at the boy beside her and spoke gently. "Yu'er, come on. Let's go home. Tonight, I'll make fish soup for you and teach you your first character."
Qin Yu held the books against his chest, his eyes sparkling. He nodded emphatically and, though he stammered, answered with great seriousness, "Mm... okay."
And so, beneath the setting sun, the two figures, one tall and one small, walked side by side along the road home.
The scent of vegetables, the scent of ink, and the smell of cooking smoke mingled into the first warm breath of Qin Yu's new life.