The Liu Family

Lin Xiao gestured for Jiang Youfu to put the roasted wheat grains on a clean wooden board, then said to Xiaoluan:

"Fellow Daoist Jiang brought this for you to eat tonight. Tomorrow morning, we'll bring you more food. Don't run around tonight. As long as you stay in this grass shelter, no danger outside can hurt you."

When Xiaoluan saw the roasted wheat grains on the board, Xiaoluan first gave Lin Xiao a very perfunctory reply, then happily thanked Jiang Youfu.

However, Jiang Youfu, who still couldn't understand beast speech, heard only Xiaoluan going "cluck, cluck, cluck" at him.

But even without Lin Xiao translating, he instinctively knew Xiaoluan was thanking him. He smiled at Xiaoluan a little shyly and said:

"You're welcome. I'll bring you more food tomorrow."

Xiaoluan couldn't understand what he was saying either, but felt valued and was delighted, so Xiaoluan kept clucking away.

Watching the chicken and the man communicate without understanding a word the other said, Lin Xiao smiled softly and didn't translate for them again.

After saying goodbye to Xiaoluan, everyone went down the mountain together.

At the bottom, they said their goodbyes and parted ways at the foot of the mountain, each heading home.

Liu Yunan's home wasn't on the way for any of the others, so he walked back alone.

Darkness fell very quickly that day.

A cup of tea ago, he could still make out the shapes and colors of things, but now it was so dark he could barely see the fingers in front of his face.

Liu Yunan had no choice but to hurry home, stumbling along in the dark.

After walking for a long time, he could finally see his family's courtyard.

But his family, who ordinarily couldn't bear to light even an oil lamp, now had a courtyard ablaze with light.

Looking from a distance, Liu Yunan saw several torches piercing the darkness in his little courtyard, illuminating the dilapidated space as brightly as day.

Several figures moved about in the torchlight.

In the darkness, he could hear his mother's cries from time to time, as well as whispers hidden beneath the night.

His heart suddenly tightened. His strides grew longer without his noticing, and after a few steps, he broke into a run.

He soon arrived outside his family's little courtyard.

The courtyard gate stood wide open. Liu Yunan immediately saw his mother surrounded by several people, and his little sister, who had only just turned eight, held tightly in her arms. Both had red-rimmed eyes, their faces full of grief and indignation.

He saw no one else.

Liu Yunan pressed his lips together and clenched his teeth as he walked in, one step at a time. He forced the crowd apart with both hands and placed his reed-thin frame in front of his mother and little sister.

He blocked the others in the courtyard from seeing Widow Liu and Liu Shengsheng.

He turned and raised his head, his face tense as he looked at the people in the courtyard.

They were his grandmother, eldest aunt, and third aunt.

When Grandma Liu saw Liu Yunan appear, she complained to him before he could speak:

"Xiaonan, just look at your mother! Oh, she's making it seem like we're trying to harm the two of them, isn't she? We're only sending Girl Sheng to do a little work for a wealthy household. Even the maids in a wealthy household eat and drink well every day and dress like proper people. But her mother's acting as if we're pushing Girl Sheng into a pit of fire! Just look at her!"

His eldest aunt hurriedly chimed in:

"That's right, Xiaonan. Let me tell you, the business your eldest brother's friend told him about is very profitable! Miss this village, and there won't be another shop! All it takes is ten taels of silver as capital, and in a month, he can earn twenty taels!

"Our family couldn't come up with that much silver for the time being, so your eldest brother had put the thought aside. But wouldn't you know it? Your eldest brother went to town to find work today, and he happened to see that a wealthy household in the county was recruiting maids, ten taels of silver apiece! Tell me, with everything falling into place so neatly, isn't heaven helping your eldest brother make this big-money deal?"

His third aunt promptly added:

"Exactly! That's twenty taels! Think about it. If our family had twenty taels, wouldn't you and your mother be able to eat and drink well along with us?"

Listening to them speak one after another, Liu Yunan understood at once.

Behind him, Liu Shengsheng grabbed his trouser leg and sobbed:

"Brother, I don't want to leave you and Mother. I don't want to be someone else's maid. Boo-hoo..."

"Pah, pah, pah! What does a little girl like you know? In those wealthy households, even maids live very well. Once you go, you might not even want to come back! Besides, if you go be someone else's maid, you can bring the family ten taels of silver! Then we won't have raised a money-losing burden like you for nothing!"

Liu Yunan turned and gave his mother and sister a reassuring look.

He watched the three people before him speak one after another, then gave a soft laugh and said:

"Where's Eldest Cousin?"

His eldest aunt waved a hand and said:

"Oh, it's just a matter of taking your sister to sign a contract. What do we need your eldest brother for? Your eldest brother is a man who does great things."

Liu Yunan nodded as if he understood, then turned to ask his third aunt:

"Where's Eldest Cousin Sister?"

Although Liu Yunan hadn't said why he had suddenly asked about his eldest female cousin, Third Aunt Liu's eyes flickered as if she knew what he was asking, and she said:

"Your eldest sister is older now. We've even started discussing marriage for her. How could she go be someone else's maid?"

Hearing that, Liu Yunan nodded again.

He said softly:

"What wealthy household is so generous as to offer ten taels of silver just to hire a maid... heh."

No one heard him.

Then he took a deep breath, sank his Qi into his Dantian, concentrated his mind and calmed his Qi, and assumed a horse stance.

Old Madam of the Liu Household and the other two watched him, not understanding what he was doing.

They couldn't see it, but the air around Liu Yunan seemed to be swirling around him.

Before they could ask what he was doing, Liu Yunan grabbed his eldest aunt's arm, supported her back, and with a heave, actually lifted her into the air!

Eldest Aunt Liu was suddenly hoisted off the ground by her nephew, and a terrified scream burst from her throat!

But just as she cried out, she found herself flying through the night sky, over the little courtyard wall of Widow Liu's home, before crashing heavily to the ground outside the Liu Household's courtyard with a bang!

The instant she landed, her head buzzed and her mind went blank. She was so frightened that she couldn't even feel the countless aches and pains all over her body.

Her nephew was only twelve years old!

Old Madam Liu and Third Aunt Liu, who were still in the courtyard, were also stunned by the unbelievable sight before them.

They weren't the only ones. Widow Liu and her daughter, behind Liu Yunan, were astonished as well.

But after Liu Shengsheng got over her shock, her eyes filled with delight and admiration, and she cheered:

"Brother, you're amazing!"

Jolted to their senses by Liu Shengsheng's words, Old Madam Liu and Third Aunt Liu screamed as if they had seen a ghost:

"Murder!"

Liu Yunan looked at the two of them and said in an icy voice:

"Are Old Madam Liu and Third Aunt Liu leaving on your own, or shall I send you off?"