RMCF: Chapter 7

 

Chapter 7

Having been hit, Chen Si indeed stopped pestering Xu He for information about Xu Shaochun. He rubbed his sore chest, hissing sharply, whimpering softly—half from genuine pain, half pretending.

The two women on the ox-cart glanced sideways at Xu He, their probing intentions clear in their eyes. Zhang Fangyuan ignored Chen Si, instead frowning fiercely and glaring unkindly at the two women. His hand, resting on his knee clenched into a fist, the knuckles cracking audibly.

The women's hearts skipped a beat. They immediately averted their gazes properly, not daring to breathe heavily, and cautiously turned their heads to look elsewhere.

Xu He looked at Zhang Fangyuan. Their eyes met briefly across the short distance. Neither spoke. The vest lay peacefully on his lap, blocking most of the cold wind.

His hands were covered by the furry vest. The soft, smooth texture was very noticeable on the back of his hands.

The rabbit fur was of excellent quality and very warm. His second sister had a white rabbit fur scarf. A small piece like that cost forty wen. But it was indeed warm and pretty when worn around the neck, making sister's pink cheeks look even more jade-like, snow white, and lovely. Usually, she couldn't bear to wear it often.

Unless one knew how to hunt, which ordinary family could afford such an expensive fur vest?

Xu He felt a strange, indescribable pang within him. The care and protection never received from his own family or relatives, he was actually experiencing from someone in the village with a poor reputation.

How could this feeling be comfortable?

The ox-cart followed the main road for about two hours before reaching the city. Zhang Fangyuan went to pay the driver. The kind, business-savvy driver gave a discount of two wen for the three of them, charging ten wen in total.

Chen Si still remembered wanting Xu He to bring pastries for Xu Shaochun, but thinking of Zhang Fangyuan's solid punch, he swallowed his words. Standing alone at a distance, he waited for Zhang Fangyuan to go into the city together.

“Thank you.”

After getting off the ox-cart, Xu He returned the fur coat to its owner, thanking him for both paying the fare and the garment.

Zhang Fangyuan took the vest, which still held some body warmth, and casually tucked it under his arm, asking, “Do you have a chill?”

“Nothing serious.”

“Did you catch it from getting caught in the rain last time?”

Xu He replied, “I already had a slight cold earlier. Just seems worse lately because the weather is colder.”

Before Zhang Fangyuan could say more, Xu He directly ended their conversation, “I’ll head into town first.”

Zhang Fangyuan didn't pester him further. He watched the young ger walk away quickly with a basket on his back, lost in thought.

“When did you get so familiar with He Ger?”

Chen Si had seen the two of them whispering from afar. Seeing He Ger leave, he came over, looking suspiciously at Zhang Fangyuan. “He's already so far away, and you're still staring? First, you're afraid he'll catch a chill and give him your vest, then you pay for his ox-cart ride. Don't tell me you...!”

Zhang Fangyuan grabbed Chen Si's index finger, which was raised in sudden realization. “Don't talk nonsense.”

“Who's talking nonsense? You protecting He Ger like that is just to get closer to Shaochun, right? We're brothers, just say it straight. There are plenty of people in the village eyeing Shaochun anyway; you don't need to hide it. We can compete fairly.”

Zhang Fangyuan shot Chen Si a sidelong glance, speechless, and strode off towards the town.

“But you're already preparing to meet another family. Still thinking about Shaochun means you have even less chance, doesn't it?”

Chen Si was a bit confused but quickly chased after him.

Following his fourth aunt He Shi's instructions, Zhang Fangyuan first bought a box of honey-scented shortbread, then bought two bolts of cloth. To show sincerity, after these basic gifts customary for a village meeting, he added a box of silk flowers that a young woman might wear.

He found it really troublesome, buying from this shop and that, with so many varieties. It would be simpler to just take two pieces of meat to the Guang house. It would save him the trouble, and the Guang family would probably like it too.

Fourth aunt laughed and scolded him, saying that wasn't according to village custom, and a particular family might deduct points from the suitor's family during the meeting.

Since these items were specifically instructed by his aunt, he had no choice but to brace himself and enter a jewelry shop he had never set foot in before. As soon as he asked the shop assistant, the person immediately brought out boxes, large and small.

The boxes opened, revealing a riot of colors, every kind of flower imaginable. The price wasn't based on size but on craftsmanship; the more exquisite, the more expensive.

Zhang Fangyuan frowned as he fiddled with the pile of silk blooms. “Wouldn't it be better to just wear real flowers? Isn't that even more realistic?”

The shop assistant replied, “Look what you're saying, esteemed customer. Silk flowers last much longer than fresh ones.”

Zhang Fangyuan was completely ignorant about these things and had no interest in learning. He handled it as a matter of business. “Get me two pairs.”

“What kind of flowers would you like, sir?”

“Just pick two that look festive. They're for a marriage proposal meeting.”

The shop assistant was delighted. “Excellent. I'll pick two beautiful, festive ones for you. Guaranteed to please the young lady and help seal the deal.”

Chen Si was equally dazzled by the array, “Fangyuan, maybe I should pick one for Shaochun too? I think she'd like it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the assistant, having neatly boxed the silk flowers, smiled at Zhang Fangyuan and said, “Silk flowers are fifteen wen a pair, two pairs are thirty wen, plus a gift box is twelve wen. Gentleman, please pay over here.”

Chen Si immediately shut his mouth and carefully put back the silk flower he had been holding and admiring. These fake flowers were ridiculously expensive! Four flowers plus a box cost forty-two wen? You could buy two jin of pork with that! Jewelry shops really weren't for ordinary families.

No wonder they say marriage is a major hurdle—it’s terribly costly.

Zhang Fangyuan, however, didn't find it expensive, mainly because he used to spend money freely. Although he was determined to be frugal, he considered this money spent on proper business, not squandered. Back in his carefree days, he’d frequent the Fengyue Pavilion where a single meal could cost over a thousand wen. Even though he spent nearly three hundred wen on today's purchases, he only found it troublesome, not heartbreaking.　

After leaving the shop, Chen Si remarked, “My mother asked me to bring back some candles and salt. After we've bought everything, how about meeting at the tea shed outside town?”

Zhang Fangyuan agreed, “Fine.”

He needed to purchase some items his household was short on anyway. Splitting up to shop and then meeting up would be faster.

Zhang Fangyuan intended to visit the dried fruit shop to buy some snacks for Xiaomao. On the way, he passed a small medical clinic.

“Our clinic offers no credit, keeps no accounts—you pay what it costs!”

“Ordinary medicine for a common cold is only thirty wen for three doses. Why is it forty wen for two doses here?”

"Food, cloth and clothing can all go up in price, but medicine that saves lives can't?” The medicine apprentice sorting herbs said impatiently, “Can you afford it or not? It's only thirty wen; surely you have that?”

Xu He opened his mouth, “I don't want it anymore.”

Hearing this, the apprentice smoothed his sleeves. “The medicine is already prepared, and now you say you don't want it? You're something else, little ger. You can refuse the goods, but you have to pay compensation!”

Xu He had never encountered such blatant extortion before. His brow furrowed. Ignoring the apprentice, he turned to leave, only for two men to suddenly block the doorway.

“Think you can leave without paying? Not so fast.”

The apprentice set down his abacus, stepped from behind the counter, hands behind his back, sneering as he approached Xu He. “Well? Pay up or not?”

Xu He's heart was beating fast. He instinctively stepped back. Being surrounded by several unfriendly men, how could he not be scared? “How much do you want?”

“The medicine was specially prepared for you; it certainly can't be used for anyone else. Calculating labor and materials, you have to pay double the price!”

Xu He's eyes widened. He wanted to take out the money to settle the matter peacefully, but he didn't even have enough to buy the medicine, let alone that much. He was at a loss when two dull thuds sounded behind him. “Quite a crowd, very lively. What money needs to be paid? Let me see.”

The apprentice watched the two doormen getting kicked aside as a tall, burly man stepped through the doorway, silhouetted against the light . He swallowed slightly and took a step back. “N-nothing of the sort.”

Zhang Fangyuan threw the medicine packet at the apprentice's face and pulled Xu He out of the clinic by the wrist.

“Whether seeing a doctor or buying medicine, it costs money regardless. In the future, when you see these small, remote shops with few customers, a ger like you shouldn't go in alone. The town may seem peaceful with many people, but it's a mixed bag, much more troublesome than the village. There are plenty of shady shops that specifically target those who are alone and easy to bully.”

Zhang Fangyuan had spent considerable time hanging around in the city and was all too familiar with these things. If he hadn't happened upon the scene, being extorted for money would have been a minor issue; those black-hearted people might even have resorted to violence. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but scold him.

He talked for a while, but the person behind him didn't utter a single word in response, his head hanging even lower than on the ox-cart, his steps unsteady. Zhang Fangyuan stopped walking.

Xu He didn't realize the person in front had suddenly stopped. The earlier incident had genuinely left him shaken, but he had relaxed after Zhang Fangyuan entered. He felt a bit floaty, his mind not entirely clear, just following the large figure, not worried about taking a wrong turn. Then, with a thump, he walked straight into Zhang Fangyuan's back, nearly bouncing off and falling to the ground.

Zhang Fangyuan frowned. “Were you even listening to me?”

“Heard it. I'll remember.”

Zhang Fangyuan was exasperated, but seeing the person seemed rather out of it today, he softened his tone. “Sold everything?”

“Sold a chicken coop and a few carrying ropes.”

Later, his throat hurt too much to call out, his head felt dizzy, and his whole body heavy and sluggish. He had no choice but to find a clinic for medicine. He originally thought a small clinic would be more affordable, but didn’t expect to stumble upon a shady shop.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

Xu He looked up at him. His face was already flushed red, one could almost feel the heat radiating from his skin through the air.

Without another word, Zhang Fangyuan grabbed the wrist of the teetering figure again and strode forward.

Xu He was somewhat alarmed, but didn't have the strength to break free, nor the energy to ask what he intended. He just let himself be dragged into a large medical clinic on the main street.

The two-story, courtyard-style medical clinic bustled with patients, the physicians and their apprentices all busy. Xu He felt rather flustered; he’d never been to such a large medical clinic before and didn't even know where to collect the medicine. As panic rose in his heart, the person beside him said, “Wait here for me a while. I'll go find a physician.”

He was settled by Zhang Fangyuan in the waiting area for patients to rest. Watching the familiar figure go to the front counter to talk and negotiate with an apprentice, acting like a relative would, Xu He felt a sudden wave of weakness wash over him.. He didn't know if it was because being seriously ill made a person vulnerable, but in that moment of distraction, his nose soured, and his eyes grew misty.

 

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