Chapter 199
Xiao Feng had seen Fang Zichen do it once before, so he immediately taught Yang Mingyi how. The three children began playing right away.
When everyone came over to look, they saw Fang Zichen and Zhao Ger playing happily by the riverbank. The ground around them was already pitted and bumpy, like a field dug up by mice. They had seen Yang Mingyi before, and assumed he was just here to play for a couple of days before the New Year, so they didn't pay him much mind. Their attention was completely captured by the things in their hands.
"What in the world is that? How can it make such a loud noise, as loud as thunder?"
The village of Xiaohe sat nestled between two large mountains. Normally, firecrackers wouldn’t sound especially loud here, but the echo between the slopes magnified the noise, making it boom and roll like distant thunder. If someone set off a firecracker near one end of the village, the sound would carry clearly all the way to the other.
"No idea, but it looks like fun."
On the day Fang Zichen returned from taking the exam in Yuanzhou, someone went to the village entrance to greet him. Seeing him carrying a large bundle, they said, "He must have brought some toys back from the prefectural city."
Everyone thought of the bicycle Guaizai often rode and felt it made sense.
There were lots of novel things from outside. Since they hadn't seen these things in the town market, they figured they must be from the prefectural city.
They watched for a while, feeling this thing was truly magical. So small, yet who would have thought that lighting it could make such a big sound.
More and more people came over to join the excitement.
Someone watched and suddenly said, "That explosion sounds a bit familiar... isn't this... wasn't it this sound last time when the Ma family's kitchen got struck by lightning?"
Everyone thought about it. They hadn't made the connection before, but now it did sound somewhat familiar.
The night the Ma family had their trouble, it did rain, but it was odd. There was just that single clap of thunder—and of all places, it struck the Ma family’s house. In the middle of the night, no one could really tell clearly whether the sound came from the sky or from...
"What nonsense are you thinking?" someone said. "Are you suspecting Young Fang did it? Young Fang hadn't even gone to Yuanzhou back then! Where would he get such things?"
"He worked in town; maybe he knows some friends from Yuanzhou who brought them for him," someone suggested.
"Are you stupid? Look at what they're playing with. Sticking it in the dirt only blows such a small hole. The Ma family's kitchen, connected to the main hall, was so big, built just a few years ago with thick earthen walls. Could that thing really blow it up?"
That was true.
Moreover, Fang Zichen's conflict with the Ma family only started about half a month before the incident! If this thing could really blow things up, with Fang Zichen's temperament, if they argued today, he'd probably go blow them up tomorrow. How could he wait that long?
After this brief exchange, everyone went back to watching the fun.
Xiao Feng was laughing happily. Seeing this, several women couldn't help but sigh.
In the past, Xiao Feng had a very hard life. Liu Gouzi, when drunk, often took his anger out on him, and hardly gave him anything to eat. He was skinny, nothing but skin and bones. Even in harsh winter, he only had a set of thin clothes, wearing the same two outfits year-round. He never had a decent pair of shoes, only straw sandals in summer, and the same straw sandals in winter. He was often freezing, his skin purple. On rainy days, he'd often run up the mountain to chop firewood, never a day of rest.
In those years, the most pitiable in the village were, first was Zhao Ger and Guaizai, and second was him.
Now that he was with Zhao Ger, life had changed. Zhao Ger treated him kindly. He had new clothes now, the fabric not only looked nice but was thick and warm, too. Those three who were once the most pitiable had now moved ahead of everyone else, living a life others could only envy.
"Guaizai..."
Liuliu popped out from somewhere, greeted Fang Zichen and Zhao Ger, and immediately joined the firecracker brigade.
They hadn't brought many scratch-firecrackers, and the children went through them fast. Seeing the sky was dark and the wind by the river was getting chilly, Fang Zichen wanted to head back first. But Guaizai, noticing his father's cloth bag was still full, put on his most pitiful look once more. Holding up a tiny, short index finger, he said, "Father, Guaizai loves you. Guaizai wants to play a little more, just a little bit more, okay? Guaizai loves you the most!"
Fang Zichen touched Guaizai's face; it wasn't cold at all. From all the shouting, jumping, and running around, he even had a forehead full of sweat.
Guaizai tilted his head up, opened his big eyes wide, and gently tugged at his clothes. Xiao Feng also looked over. Although Yang Mingyi still wore a cool expression, he clearly also didn't want to go back.
Zhao Ger went without saying—he was still holding a firecracker, looking left and right, seemingly thinking about where to stick it and where to blow it up.
Although Zhao Ger was a father, he was still only nineteen. Not like himself, although just a little over eighteen, already a very mature, steady, and quite charming man.
If the children still wanted to play, then let them play. Let them play to their heart's content.
Fang Zichen pulled out a large bundle of "magic bullets" from his cloth bag.
The "magic bullets" were a type of firecracker shaped like a long tube, similar to a firework. He’d made the fuse extra long for safety. Holding it in hand like a gun, lit the fuse, and with a whoosh, a burst of fire shot skyward, exploding in the air. Another would follow, then another, continuing for a few minutes. The blasts weren’t too loud, and the blooms of light were only about the size of a basin, their colors simple. But to the children and adults who hadn’t seen much beyond the village, it was a dazzling, wondrous sight.
The four children pointed the sticks toward the sky. The tip of a stick first made a 'whoosh' sound, shooting out a ball of golden flame. The flame shot into the air, then exploded, forming a blooming flower. For a moment, the whole night sky seemed illuminated by it. The fireworks were dazzling, sparse sparks shooting in all directions, then disappearing. Immediately after, another firework bloomed in the air, reflecting the children's smiling faces.
From a distance, the onlookers stared with their mouths hanging open in wonder. Even as darkness fell, none of them could tear themselves away. It was beautiful, lighting up the night. How was such a thing even made? It seemed so strange, so magical.
They played until xushi (7-9 PM). Only after all the firecrackers they'd brought were burned up did the children reluctantly head home.
Zhao Ger's eyes were bright. "Husband, I want to set off firecrackers again tomorrow."
Fang Zichen: "..."
Playing with toys leads to neglecting one's duties. That saying holds true.
After working two more days, Zuixiao Restaurant was about to close for the holidays.
Yang Mutao had sent Yang Mingyi over so quickly because he thought that if the boy couldn't settle in, there would still be time to fetch him back before they all left for Yuanzhou.
Even though Yang Mingyi had a hard childhood and suffered grievances, in the last two years, with Yang Mutao keeping him by his side, everyone in the household understood. When Yang Mutao grew old, it would be this young master who would take charge. Knowing which way the wind blows, they had all served him attentively, making sure he was well-fed and well-cared for. A sudden move to the countryside might be more than he could adjust to.
At noon, after distributing the year-end bonuses and goods to the staff at the restaurant and sharing some future plans, Yang Mutao went with his servant to Xiaohe Village.
Fang Zichen still had to do the final accounting, so he couldn't return so quickly today.
As soon as the carriage entered the village, the villagers noticed. Without much thought, they knew it was probably heading for Fang Zichen’s place.
A kind-hearted person saw the carriage stop at a fork in the road and helpfully stepped forward to give directions.
Yang Mutao lifted the carriage curtain. "Thank you, fellow villager."
The man was stunned. He originally thought a wealthy city gentleman might look down on villagers, but he didn't expect this master to be quite amiable.
When Yang Mutao arrived, Zhao Ger was marinating duck intestines. Hearing movement outside, he pulled the fire from the stove and ran out.
Yang Mutao had brought all sorts of gifts—chicken, duck, fish, pork—everything he could think of for a proper feast. The servant made several trips to unload it all. Zhao Ger tried to decline, but Yang Mutao waved his hand, saying these were the year-end supplies and bonus owed to Fang Zichen—every employee received them. Since he was coming to see Yang Mingyi anyway, he had simply brought Fang Zichen’s share along.
Zhao Ger understood perfectly, but since he said so, he couldn't refuse further.
It was Yang Mutao’s first time visiting. He glanced around the courtyard: it wasn’t particularly large. To the left, a small plot had been cleared for vegetables; to the right stood a modest stone table. The ground was packed firm, clearly well-trodden. There weren’t many rooms, either. Zhao Ger understood why he had come and pointed toward Xiao Feng’s room, explaining that Yang Mingyi was staying there with Xiao Feng.
Yang Mutao asked, "Can I go in and take a look?"
Zhao Ger was taken aback for a moment. "Ah? Yes, you can."
Xiao Feng's room wasn't very big, but it was clean and tidy. Against the wall, the cotton quilt was neatly folded, thick and high. The cat plushie and rabbit plushie were placed side by side on the pillow. The bedding was also thick. Yang Mutao knew Fang Zichen and Zhao Ger well enough—they weren't the kind to put on airs or say one thing to your face and another behind your back. He trusted they would take good care of his child. Still, without seeing the boy and his surroundings for himself, he couldn't quite put his mind at ease.
After looking around, he still didn't see the child. From outside, there were occasional 'bang' sounds. Yang Mutao couldn't quite place the noise. He asked Zhao Ger where the child was.
Zhao Ger said, somewhat embarrassed, "I don't know. They're playing outside, running all over the place..."
"It's fine," Yang Mutao said. "It's been a long time since I strolled around a village. Since I'm here, I'll take a walk and look for the child along the way."
The child wasn't hard to find. Not far ahead, the sound of children's playful laughter came from the grass.
Yang Mingyi was the eldest among them. Though said to be eleven, he was actually just over eight, nearly nine. Usually quiet and somewhat distant, after two days at the Fang home he seemed like a different person—no longer that serious, reserved child. He had begun to show a bit of the liveliness and cheerfulness appropriate for a child his age
Yang Mutao stopped in his tracks, almost doubting what he was seeing. He rubbed them and saw about a dozen little mud monkeys ahead, lying in the grass playing who-knows-what. And his own little ger was among them, holding an incense stick in his hand.
Bang! The ground beneath their feet seemed to shake slightly. Yang Mutao was stunned. The children shouted.
"It's a mouse! The mouse ran out!"
Several little gers and little girls were terrified of this thing, screaming and running everywhere. The boys weren't afraid and chased the mouse. The little dog wagged its tail, darting about and barking—the whole scene was as noisy and chaotic as a marketplace packed with crowds.
The surrounding villagers were already used to it.
After all, the village hadn't been quiet these past two days. At first, with the occasional bang, everyone was startled and came out to look. Now, hearing it so much, everyone had become numb.
In previous years, the village wasn't this lively during New Year. These past few days, the whole village was filled with firecracker sounds and children's playful noise.
They would start at the village entrance in the morning, setting off firecrackers all the way to the far end, then turn around in the afternoon and work their way back, exploding wherever they went.
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