Lu Dongqing learned his bamboo craftsmanship under a strict master, and like his teacher, he also spoke a little. His father’s poor health had forced him to shoulder the family’s burdens early, leaving him with little inclination for laughter. He often intimidated those in the village who didn’t know him well because of his tall height and stern face.
Perhaps being frightened by his harsh appearance, many ge’r and girls were afraid to approach him, much less have a conversation with him. His mother fretted over this for a long time.
But these past two days, he noticed something odd after meeting Qiao Suiman, This ge’r seemed afraid of him, yet not entirely so. Intrigued, he found himself speaking more than usual: “Huichun Hall[mfn]回春堂 – its name meaning “Return of Spring Hall,” suggesting restoration of health[/mfn] in the north of town offers fair prices, but it’s farther away. It’ll take an extra half-hour to get there. If you sell there, you’ll earn a bit more.” He usually sold his herbs there and had become familiar with one of the shop assistants.
However, if Qiao Suiman, a ge’r, went alone and happened upon a less honest clerk, he might not get a good deal. After some thought, Lu Dongqing decided it’d be better if he take the herbs to sell himself, sparing Qiao Suiman the extra trip.
Still, since Qiao Suiman had already realized that Lai Chun Medicine Shop was trying to cheat him, he might have changed his mind about selling elsewhere. Turning the idea over in his head, Lu Dongqing voiced it aloud: “I know a clerk at Huichun Hall. If you trust me, you can hand everything over to me, and we’ll split the earnings afterward. If you’d rather go yourself, that’s fine too. Either way, it’ll be a fair half-and-half split.”
Hearing this, Qiao Suiman felt a wave of relief. His judgment wasn’t wrong. This man is knowledgeable, helpful, and unlike the village men who bullied him, he didn’t use his strength to take advantage.
During market days, Qiao Suiman was tied up selling drinks and couldn’t leave. His elder brother had to report early to the docks for work, and he didn’t want to trouble Uncle Ping with another errand. If Lu Dongqing was willing to take the herbs to the medicine shop, it really was the best solution. The only issue was that he couldn’t afford to be seen interacting too much with Lu Dongqing in the village because the people would gossip. He had already endured plenty of rumors and didn’t care much for himself, but he didn’t want to drag others into it.
“Then… then I’ll trouble you to take everything to Huichun Hall. With this strong sun, they should dry in two days. Before the fifteenth, I’ll have my brother deliver them to you, and you can give him my share of the earnings. Does that work?” This was the most suitable arrangement Qiao Suiman could think of. His brother got along well with everyone in the village and was always willing to lend a hand where needed. No one would think twice if he were the one making the delivery.
Unaware of Qiao Suiman’s concerns, Lu Dongqing simply assumed he was being cautious and agreed without further thought.
—
The two didn’t speak much more after that, focusing instead on gathering bamboo fungus. Qiao Suiman placed them one by one into his bamboo basket, and each one seemed to transform into copper coins before his eyes, making his movements quicker and more eager.
One, two, three… He counted as he picked. By the time he finished, the patch he worked on alone yielded eighty-four bamboo fungi. He couldn’t suppress the grin spreading across his face. This was an unexpected windfall.
Heijin, who was trotting excitedly beside him, circled around but cleverly avoided stepping on the bamboo fungi.
Meanwhile, Lu Dongqing had finished gathering the remaining bamboo fungi nearby. He didn’t bother counting them, as fresh as they were, they’ll shrink significantly once dried. Still, their high value made up for it. At the very least, they could fetch four mace of silver per jin.
Combined, their haul would weigh around five liang once dried, earning them roughly two mace. This is a considerable sum. A laborer at the docks can earn only twenty to thirty wen a day. But stumbling upon so many bamboo fungi is rare; this isn’t a stable source of income, and no one could rely on it to support a family.
Lu Dongqing carried his basket and walked toward Qiao Suiman, only to be struck by the sight of the boy’s beaming face. Qiao Suiman is still young, his cheeks soft with lingering youth, his round eyes bright and crescent-shaped when he smiles. For some reason, it reminded Lu Dongqing of a squirrel storing nuts for winter with its tiny paws clutching its treasure. He paused, momentarily dazed by the image.
When Qiao Suiman glanced his way, Lu Dongqing averted his gaze, suddenly self-conscious. First a pufferfish, now a squirrel—what was he doing, staring like a fool? If the boy noticed, he’d surely avoid him in the future.
Oblivious, Qiao Suiman waited eagerly for Lu Dongqing to hand over his share so he could hurry home and start drying them. Once that was done, he and Qin Yu still had drinks to prepare.
Taking the basket from Lu Dongqing, he quickly transferred the bamboo fungus into his own bamboo basket, filling what had been half-empty moments ago.
Looking up, he asked, “On the fourteenth, I’ll have my brother bring them to you. Where exactly do you live in the western part of the village?”
Lu Dongqing, holding the now-empty basket, wasn’t used to talking so much with ge’r or young women. Uncharacteristically nervous, he swallowed before answering, “The third house on the west end. The one with the tallest bamboo fence in front.”
Relieved that Qiao Suiman didn’t notice his earlier staring, Lu Dongqing exhaled quietly.
Qiao Suiman nodded. The western part of the village was more isolated, mostly inhabited by refugees from other regions. His brother had always warned him against going there, unsure whether the newcomers could be trusted. But the Lu family seemed decent. He stole a glance at Lu Dongqing, as if confirming this, then nodded again.
With their agreement settled, there was no reason to linger in the bamboo grove. Qiao Suiman left first with Heijin in tow.
Lu Dongqing remained where he stood, watching until Qiao Suiman disappeared from sight before taking a different path home.
——
When Qiao Suiman returned, Qin Yu was under the eaves, turning over the perilla leaves they’d dried the day before. His brother had gone to help reinforce the bridge. The village chief was worried that the recent heavy rains had weakened the structure, so he enlisted several strong laborers to stabilize it.
Since it was a public bridge, the village provided meals for the workers. The chief is kind-hearted and often calls on his brother for such tasks, even encouraging him to take extra food home.
That morning, he learned of the previous day’s incident and was furious when the chief saw the wound on his brother’s head. He insisted that his brother rest for a few more days. But his brother was restless, and Qin Yu, seeing the injury wasn’t serious, let him go.
With just the two of them home for lunch, they didn’t need to cook much.
Qiao Suiman placed his bamboo basket under the eaves and went to the main room to grab another bamboo tray, the one which he had woven himself. It wasn’t finely made, but it was sturdy and useful for drying goods or storing vegetables in winter. Qin Yu placed a small stool nearby, and Qiao Suiman sat down, opening his basket and lifting the layer of dandelion greens[mfn]婆婆丁 – the leaves of the dandelion plant, used as a wild vegetable or herb in Chinese cuisine[/mfn] ,covering the delicate bamboo fungi beneath.
He picked the dandelion greens on his way back. Whenever he foraged valuable goods, he made a habit of covering them with wild greens to avoid prying eyes. Lin Xiuhua once had yanked open his basket, demanding to see what was inside, then made a fuss about it. Since then, Qiao Suiman had learned to hide his finds—either under wild greens or beneath mugwort.
The joy of finding so many bamboo fungi still hadn’t faded. With a smile, Qiao Suiman started to clean them, removing the black caps and wiping the stems of any dirt before placing them on the tray next to Qin Yu. “Look, Qin Yu-ge,” he said, as if presenting a treasure.
Qin Yu had assumed Qiao Suiman only went to dig up cogongrass roots. He didn’t expect such a bounty of bamboo fungi that was far more than the last time. The last batch had sold for nearly a mace of silver! He immediately helped clean them, exclaiming, “Goodness! Where did you find so many? This is even more than before!”
“Same spot as before. Maybe all the recent rain made them sprout more.” Qiao Suiman worked quickly, transferring the cleaned bamboo fungus to the tray.
He knew his brother would lecture him endlessly once he found out about his arrangement with Lu Dongqing. He needed someone to back him up.
Glancing furtively at Qin Yu, Qiao Suiman lowered his voice. “Qin Yu-ge… these aren’t all mine. I found them with someone from the Lu family in the western part of the village.”
Qin Yu’s expression shifted. The west of the village? The Lu family? He wasn’t familiar with them, only recalling that they were a pair of brothers who fled there with their widowed mother. Frowning slightly, Qin Yu set down the bamboo fungus in his hand and gave Qiao Suiman a sidelong look, waiting for him to continue.
Qin Yu doted on him, but he was terrifying when angered. Swallowing hard, Qiao Suiman pressed on. “We… we agreed that he’d take them to sell. He knows a clerk at a medicine shop in town and can get us a better price. I can’t go to him directly, so once they’re dry, I’ll have my brother deliver them. He’ll sell them all together and give my share to my brother.”
“If he knows a medicine shop clerk, it must be the Lu family’s eldest son.” Qin Yu occasionally stitched shoe soles with Zhou Shuifen and had heard her mention that the Lu family’s eldest son apparently knew a thing or two about medicinal herbs.
Qin Yu almost burst out laughing when he saw Qiao Suiman’s lowered head and subtle glances. Unable to resist, he smacked Qiao Suiman’s arm a few times, his voice hushed but sharp. “You’ve got some nerve! You don’t even know him, yet you’re making deals? What if he’s a scoundrel? And you know better than to be seen with him. What if someone saw you? You—ugh!”
“I don’t think he’s a bad person. That’s why I suggested it. Ow—Qin Yu-ge, not so hard!” Qiao Suiman grabbed Qin Yu’s hand. His brother-in-law had quite the grip. “No one goes to that area. I didn’t run into anyone on the way.”
“Besides, I had Heijin with me. If he’d been a bad person, I would have had Heijin bite him.” He shot the dog a meaningful look, and Heijin, ever loyal, lifted his head and let out a few commanding barks.
Tch. This old trick again. Qin Yu glared. “And if he spreads rumors in the village? How will you stop him then?” The world was unkind to women and ge’r that even unfounded rumors could tarnish a reputation.
Qiao Suiman was such a sweet boy, yet he suffered so much at such a young age. He is always polite to the village elders, but that didn’t stop some from calling him a curse on his family. Qin Yu and Qiao Ruifeng were furious, but they couldn’t silence every wagging tongue. Just yesterday, they clashed with Lin Xiuhua.
Seeing Qin Yu’s distress, Qiao Suiman felt a pang of guilt. He knew how much his brother and brother-in-law worried endlessly over the gossip, working tirelessly to save up a dowry for him, something to fall back on if he never married well.
But how could he just accept that? His brother, only seven years older, had raised him single-handedly. Now married for three years, Qiao Suiman couldn’t keep being a burden. That was why he worked so hard to earn his own money, bit by bit, to ease the family’s load.
Not wanting Qin Yu to worry further, Qiao Suiman recounted his previous encounters with Lu Dongqing in the woods and on the road home. After crossing paths so many times, he truly didn’t think Lu Dongqing was the type to gossip.
After all, the man hardly spoke at all.
Qin Yu fell silent, torn between surprise at Qiao Suiman’s secrecy and reluctant trust in Lu Dongqing. Kids grow up and starts keeping things to themselves. At least nothing had gone wrong so far. They’ll just have Qiao Ruifeng handle the rest.
Still, he blamed himself for his recent leg troubles. Next time, he’ll have to go up the mountain with Qiao Suiman.
“Qin Yu-ge, when my brother finds out… could you put in a good word for me? He’ll lecture me forever otherwise.” Seeing Qin Yu’s expression soften slightly, Qiao Suiman quickly added, “I won’t do it again. I’ll steer clear of strangers from now on.”
His brother’s lectures were endless, sometimes leaving his head spinning. This time, he had to cling to his brother-in-law’s coattails.
Qin Yu knew exactly what he was thinking and snorted but said nothing. Still, Qiao Suiman took it as agreement and sighed in relief. Pushing the basket toward Qin Yu, he said placatingly, “There’s still some left to clean. You sit and work on these—I’ll make lunch.” With that, he hurried off to the backyard before Qin Yu could stop him.
Heijin tried to follow but was lightly nudged away. The dog turned instead to Qin Yu, resting its head on his leg and gazing up with big, shining eyes.
Qin Yu sighed. Heijin learned this act all too well from Qiao Suiman—acting sweet and docile whenever he feared Qin Yu’s anger.
And the worst part? It worked on him every time!
Such a cute story so far. Thank you very much for the translation.
I like the story too! And thank you for reading this with me (≡^∇^≡)