Chapter 22: You’re Quite the Sly One

As the last ray of sunlight vanished beyond the horizon, Zhou Qiuxiang, who sat at the doorway washing clothes, grew increasingly anxious and uneasy. The reason was simple: never before had her household seen such a day, with none of those who went out for work returning home as dusk approached.

Liu Ye, the mischievous one, should have finished school long ago. Since it was Friday, she assumed he was waiting at the village entrance with his sister, Liu Ziran, to walk home together. She felt no worry for them, for they always returned just before nightfall.

Her husband, Liu Dazhao, had gone to help at Wang Dachui’s house. He’d surely had a few drinks, perhaps even gotten drunk, lost in boasting among the villagers and forgotten the time.

As for Liu Xing and Liu Qingmei—nicknamed “Melon Seed”—her anxiety deepened further at the thought of them. She knew she shouldn’t have let Liu Xing go to the city to sell river snails at noon. If their father couldn’t sell them, how could these two children possibly succeed, overturning fate and selling the unsellable?

“Wait, what if they were caught?” she thought frantically. “Why else wouldn’t they be home so late?”

Her mind whirled in panic. Wiping her hands, she stood and changed into cloth shoes, preparing to go to Wang Dachui’s house. If possible, she’d send her husband to the city to look for the children. She couldn’t let Liu Xing and Melon Seed face trouble alone.

But before she’d even finished changing shoes, a familiar call echoed from the country road nearby: “Mom!”

Then a sweet, childish voice chimed in: “Grandma, I’m here!”

It was a little girl’s voice, stumbling adorably along the mountain path. Behind her, a lovely farm girl in her early twenties followed, carrying a woven bag and gazing at her with doting affection.

The girl’s delicate features bore a strong resemblance to Liu Xing. She was his eldest sister, Liu Dongju. The child in front was her daughter, Zhao Tingting—Liu Xing’s niece, just two years old, nicknamed “Little Bit” for her petite frame.

Hearing their voices, Zhou Qiuxiang turned, stunned and delighted to see her eldest daughter and granddaughter. She hurried out to greet them, and soon they met at the drying yard. After a brief, lively conversation, mother and daughter suddenly fell silent.

Little Bit, playing nearby, tilted her head in confusion at the sudden quiet.

Liu Dongju broke the silence first: “Mom, you seem to have aged lately. Has Liu Ye gotten into trouble again?”

Before she married, the second-born, Liu Ziran, was the most sensible in the family, followed by the third, Liu Xing. The fourth, Liu Ye, was mischievous and troublesome—if he wasn’t disciplined every three days, he’d grow restless. As for the youngest, Melon Seed, her personality was hard to gauge, but one thing was certain: she listened to Liu Xing above all, trailing after him everywhere at home.

“No, Liu Ye’s been very obedient,” Zhou Qiuxiang replied with a cheerful smile. “But what about you? Aren’t your feet sore after such a walk? Look at your pants, all muddy, and your clothes too.”

“Hurry inside and wash up, or they won’t dry by morning.” With that, Zhou Qiuxiang scooped up Little Bit and led the way to the brick house at the foot of the hill.

Liu Dongju followed, pulling a ripe loquat from her woven bag, peeling it, and offering it to Zhou Qiuxiang. “Mom, try this—it's from our tree, so sweet.”

“It’s true, so sweet!” Little Bit echoed.

“It’s very sweet, but now that you’re married, you shouldn’t keep bringing things from home,” Zhou Qiuxiang reminded gently after tasting the fruit. If outsiders saw this and word reached her in-laws, it could spell trouble. She’d heard that her daughter’s in-laws were difficult, especially her mother-in-law, notorious for her sharp tongue.

“Mom, it’s just a few loquats, not as serious as you say,” Liu Dongmei glanced around. “Huh, why isn’t anyone home?”

“No one’s back yet!” Zhou Qiuxiang replied.

“Uncle’s over there,” Little Bit said, waving a tiny hand toward the distant country road.

On the road, Liu Ye walked with a tall girl, chatting and laughing—a sight to envy. The tall girl was Liu Ziran, quiet and scholarly, radiating the aura of books. Behind them trailed a dozen other children from Xiaoshi Village, also returning from school.

The fields were emptying as dusk settled; villagers finished their work and began appearing on the road. Yang Dajun, carrying a shoulder pole laden with clean river snails, was among them. The road was suddenly lively and bustling.

“Oh! Second and fourth have really come back. The house will be lively tonight,” Zhou Qiuxiang said, setting Little Bit down. “Dongju, watch Tingting for a moment. I need to start cooking, or I’ll be cooking in the dark.”

There was no light in the kitchen, hence her urgency.

“I’ll help in the kitchen. Tingting can play at the door,” Liu Dongju offered.

“Good! Good!” Zhou Qiuxiang intended to fetch some White Rabbit candies for Little Bit, but her smile faded abruptly, anxiety flashing in her eyes. “Dongju, why don’t you help in the kitchen first? I’m going to Wang Dachui’s house to find your father.”

“What for? You don’t need to make such a fuss just because I’m here,” Liu Dongju laughed.

“It’s not for you. Liu Xing and Melon Seed rode the black calf to the city to sell river snails, but they’re not back yet! I’m worried something happened, so I need your father to go look for them,” Zhou Qiuxiang explained.

“What? Liu Xing and Melon Seed are that bold?” Liu Dongju exclaimed. “They dared ride the black calf to the city? And to sell river snails? River snails can’t be sold in the city!”

She fired off four questions, eyes full of surprise.

Zhou Qiuxiang knew there was no time for idle talk. With a sigh, she headed toward Wang Dachui’s house. But barely ten meters down the road, she was stopped by Yang Dajun and a tall, skinny boy of sixteen or seventeen.

The boy was Ma Lei, Liu Xing’s classmate—close friends, currently apprenticed to a local mason. Seeing Zhou Qiuxiang’s worried face, he asked, “Auntie, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just going to Wang Dachui’s house to find Liu Xing’s dad,” Zhou Qiuxiang replied, brushing him off.

“Where’s Liu Xing? I need to ask him something,” Ma Lei said with an awkward smile.

Yang Dajun laughed and set down his pole of river snails. “Liu Xing went to the city to sell river snails and hasn’t come back yet. Wait till he’s home,” Zhou Qiuxiang said, not wanting to waste time with Ma Lei. She pushed past him and disappeared down the eastern road.

“What’s with Auntie?” Ma Lei scratched his head, puzzled. She was always polite to him before.

Yang Dajun sneered, “Didn’t you hear Zhou Qiuxiang say Liu Xing hasn’t come back from selling river snails? He only left at noon—if he were back already, that’d be a miracle.”

For some reason, the news that Liu Xing couldn’t sell the snails made Yang Dajun positively gleeful, as if an enemy had been slapped.

“Watch your mouth. You shouldn’t call her by her name, call her Auntie. Got it?” Ma Lei glared at Yang Dajun, tempted to punch him, but held back since his mother was watching nearby.

They’d deliberately taken a detour past Liu Xing’s house, hoping to ask how the snails sold in the city. If sales were good, Ma Lei planned to take his mother’s catch to the city next day. If not, he’d just boil them for meat.

In short, he wouldn’t risk it without certainty. A few years ago, several villagers selling vegetables in the city were labeled as speculators, which frightened him deeply.

With Liu Xing absent and no answers, Ma Lei could only lead his mother home, but soon stopped in his tracks.

The reason was Little Bit, playing in the drying yard. She suddenly dashed on her short legs toward the road, shouting, “Uncle, Uncle’s back!”

Ma Lei turned and saw Liu Xing returning, riding the black calf with Melon Seed, slowly making their way home. He rushed forward in surprise.

Yang Dajun followed, but quickly felt awkward, seeing Ma Lei’s fierce look. In the past, he’d have ignored it—Ma Lei was just a kid, and he was an adult. Now he hesitated, realizing he shouldn’t have called Liu Xing’s mother by her name. Zhou Qiuxiang was older, and tradition dictated respect; any breach would be condemned.

Liu Xing, seated on the calf, was momentarily stunned by the lively scene at his gate. But he quickly recovered, helping Melon Seed down, leading the calf by the rope as he approached Ma Lei.

“Old classmate, weren’t you apprenticing as a mason? How come you’re free to visit today?” Liu Xing asked.

“Hey, it’s all about money,” Ma Lei answered, draping his arm over Liu Xing’s shoulder and smiling. “I heard from my mom you’ve made good money selling river snails lately—is it true?”

“Mm,” Liu Xing nodded. He had no reason to hide things from Ma Lei, his old friend.

“Did you sell out today?” Ma Lei lowered his voice, noticing Yang Dajun listening closely.

“The basket’s empty—what do you think?” Liu Xing replied with a grin.

Yang Dajun’s eyes widened in disbelief. River snails that Liu Dazhao couldn’t sell had all been sold by Liu Xing? Incredible. Did the boy have some secret trick? He wanted to ask, but lacked the courage, so he just listened on.

Ma Lei, however, was excited and pressed, “How much do river snails sell for per pound?” If they were so easy to sell, why bother apprenticing? One day’s earnings from river snails could match a month’s wages.

Liu Xing was about to answer directly, but seeing Yang Dajun shamelessly eavesdropping, he changed his tune, “I sold them at Donghe Vegetable Market, not a high price—just fifty cents a pound.”

“Fifty cents a pound? That’s plenty!” Ma Lei cheered, grabbing his mother and rushing home.

Yang Dajun memorized Liu Xing’s words, shouldering his snails and hurrying away.

“Wait, Ma Lei!” Liu Xing called after him.

“What is it?” Ma Lei paused.

“You’re at my door—why not come in and eat with us?” Liu Xing handed the calf’s rope and Melon Seed to his sister Liu Dongju and walked toward Ma Lei.

“We don’t need such formalities, we’ll eat together another day,” Ma Lei replied happily.

As the sky darkened and the crowd dispersed, Liu Xing whispered in Ma Lei’s ear, “I lied about the fifty cents—it was just to fool Yang Dajun.”

“Huh?” Ma Lei was puzzled.

“I didn’t want to give him any advantage,” Liu Xing explained.

“Haha, you’re crafty!” Ma Lei laughed. In Xiaoshi Village, everyone disliked Yang Dajun—he was annoying. Seeing him tricked by Liu Xing was a delight.

“If I didn’t, he’d think my family was easy to bully,” Liu Xing laughed. “I actually sold the snails at thirty cents a pound, sometimes forty cents at Donghe Market. But I suggest you keep your price low—more buyers that way.”

“Got it, brother!” Ma Lei patted Liu Xing’s shoulder. Those were heartfelt words; only true friends would share such honesty. With Liu Xing’s openness, Ma Lei knew he was treated as family. He was moved, unsure what to say.

“I won’t keep you for dinner—let’s gather another time. Remember, sell the snails where people gather,” Liu Xing said, hearing his mother call from the door. He turned to leave, bidding Ma Lei farewell.

Ma Lei watched Liu Xing go, smiled, and then disappeared into the night with his mother.

…

This chapter is four thousand words long. Please add to your favorites and vote for recommendations!