Chapter 25: Busy Farming Season

Chapter 25: Busy Farming Season

Finally getting a chance to visit the county town, Qiu Huanian planned to explore the city a bit more.

They left their mule cart at a security bureau and strolled through the streets of the county town.

Zhang County revolves around the Bell and Drum Tower and the county government office, with four main roads extending in each direction. The northern part of the city is the wealthy district, with many finely decorated shops lining the streets. During the day, the shop doors and windows are wide open, revealing expensive fabrics, jewelry, spices, and books inside.

The southern part of the city is filled with narrow alleys and residential areas, with the mule and horse market and the vegetable market located here. Many street vendors loudly peddle their goods, and porters and laborers come and go, creating a lively, everyday atmosphere.

Having seen monotonous street scenes in his previous life, Qiu Huanian didn't enjoy shopping much, but in ancient times, he found the novelty of the streets appealing.

He dragged Du Yunse up and down the streets, looking around but not spending recklessly. In the end, he only spent five coins to buy a few balls of colored cotton thread. Jiu Jiu had recently been very diligent in learning embroidery, and the few single-colored threads at home no longer satisfied her creative desires.

Qiu Huanian initially thought Jiu Jiu was still too young and should only spend a little time each day on embroidery, but Jiu Jiu herself became fascinated with it, especially the art of embroidery. One day she wanted to embroider a frog, the next a small fish. Every time she completed a piece, Qiu Huanian would heap praise on her.

At first, Qiu Huanian didn't understand, but then he remembered that many girls of this age in modern times enjoyed doing crafts and playing house, and it all made sense.

If Jiu Jiu enjoyed it, she could embroider to her heart's content. Wearing clothes with tiny fish embroidered on the collar was quite the statement.

Before heading home, Qiu Huanian entered a neatly organized seasoning shop.

"Do you have brown sugar?" he asked.

Behind the counter was a woman in her twenties, with large hands and feet and a rosy complexion, clearly someone who could manage the household.

She stood up and said, "Yes, white sugar is 120 coins per pound, and brown sugar is 80 coins per pound."

"Give me two pounds of brown sugar," Qiu Huanian said directly.

This was for creating biological enzymes to safeguard cotton from pests. Qiu Huanian had originally planned to save more money before buying, but today he unexpectedly received a gift of thanks from Wei Dexing, so he decided to buy it all at once.

Biological enzymes, the longer they ferment, the better their effect.

Hearing the large order, the shopkeeper smiled and quickly went to weigh the brown sugar.

Qiu Huanian noticed that this seasoning shop seemed to be brewing its own vinegar and sauce, so he asked, "Shopkeeper, if I want to buy some vinegar residue left from brewing vinegar, how much would that cost?"

The shopkeeper waved her hand, "Our vinegar residue is usually used as fertilizer in the fields, never sold. But since you're a customer, if you only need a little, I can give you some for free."

Qiu Huanian smiled and shook his head, "I need half a vat of vinegar residue. Please name a price."

"Half a vat? This is the first time I've seen someone buy so much of this stuff," the shopkeeper said, pointing to the vinegar vats behind her. "Half a vat of vinegar residue for 20 coins, and you'll need to bring your own sack to carry it."

"I use it for planting. I'll come back to buy it in three months," Qiu Huanian casually explained.

Vinegar residue, like biological enzymes, is used to protect cotton from insects. Cotton is prone to pest damage during the flowering period, and improper handling can greatly reduce yield, so scientific methods must be employed.

This blend of biological enzymes and vinegar residue for pest control was a trick Qiu Huanian picked up from an old cotton farmer back in his modern-day hometown. It effectively prevents pests without using chemical pesticides.

While the shopkeeper was still weighing the sugar, Qiu Huanian looked around the shop. The shelves near the entrance were filled with various spices, but he didn't see what he was looking for.

"Shopkeeper, why don't you sell red fermented tofu?"

Wei Dexing's gift included a jar of red fermented tofu, and Qiu Huanian thought it was a common product in Zhang County's seasoning shops, so he was curious about the price.

The shopkeeper replied, "Only the Wei's Seasoning Shop on the next street has red fermented tofu. It's said that a traveling merchant friend of theirs brought it from the capital. If you want it, you'll have to go there."

"Is red fermented tofu selling well?"

"Most buyers are just trying it out for the novelty, since it's the only product from the capital. Some really love the taste, while others are just joining in the fun. After all, a jar of red fermented tofu costs 80 wen, and only households with plenty of spare cash can afford to keep buying it."

80 wen? Qiu Huanian's interest was piqued. He knew how to make red fermented tofu and could calculate that the cost of one jar was at most 20 wen. He hadn't expected it to sell for 80 wen.

"If it sells well even at such a high price, why don't other shops in the county make and sell red fermented tofu themselves?"

The shopkeeper chuckled at this. "It's not that easy. Even if you made a special trip to the capital, you wouldn't be able to learn the recipe."

"Wei Dexing, the owner of Wei's Seasoning Shop, claims that the taste of his red fermented tofu is unmatched even in the capital. The recipe is a closely guarded secret of that tofu workshop. Unless you have connections with a merchant caravan that travels to the capital like he does, you simply can't get your hands on the goods."

Qiu Huanian then realized his mistake.

Red fermented tofu is a traditional Chinese delicacy that dates back to the Northern Wei Dynasty. By the Ming Dynasty in Qiu Huanian's previous life, it had already developed a mature commercial production model, so Qiu Huanian subconsciously thought that anyone could make it if they wanted to.

But in reality, information spread slowly and was limited in ancient times, and many recipes and crafts were not easily passed on due to sectarian biases. During turbulent times, many good things were lost forever, disappearing into the annals of history.

This red fermented tofu might already be quite common in the capital, but its recipe had never made its way to the northeastern regions. Unlike modern times, where you can take out your phone, open an app, and immediately find dozens of different methods to reference and choose from.

"If there were a large supply of red fermented tofu, would you be willing to stock and sell it in your shop?"

"If there were, who wouldn't want to make money..." The shopkeeper at first thought Qiu Huanian was joking, but halfway through her sentence, she suddenly realized something and her eyes lit up. "I can only sell so much here, but if your goods are cheaper than Wei's, I can introduce you to a good place."

It turned out that this shopkeeper was named Huang Erniang, and she had an older sister named Huang Daniang, who ran a fairly large eatery in the county town. Both sisters had divorced their husbands and established their own households, making them somewhat famous figures in Zhang County.

"My sister's cooking skills are exceptional. After Wei's started selling red fermented tofu, she bought a few jars and developed several new dishes. When she invited regular customers to try them, the dishes received widespread praise."

"My sister originally planned to buy red fermented tofu in bulk from Wei's at wholesale prices to officially launch the new dishes. But when Wei Dexing heard about it, he refused to supply her, citing our lack of virtue as women, and demanded that she hand over all the recipes for the new dishes before he would sell to her. He even raised the price of red fermented tofu to 100 wen per jar."

"My sister, like me, has a strong temper. She couldn't stand this, so she simply stopped buying red fermented tofu, and the new dishes were put on hold."

After hearing this, Qiu Huanian felt some admiration for Huang Erniang and her sister Huang Daniang. In ancient times, it was not easy for two women to live so freely and build their own businesses.

As for Wei Dexing, Qiu Huanian had already witnessed his disdain for women and young men earlier. Hearing about his misdeeds again, he was not surprised, and his opinion of the man dropped even further.

Huang Erniang waved her hand and said, "Young man, I'll make the call for my sister. Let's talk about a fair price. Wei's red fermented tofu sells for about one jin per jar at 80 wen. If you have the recipe and can make it, my sister's eatery will buy it from you at 70 wen per jin."

"When the time comes, just bring the red fermented tofu directly to my shop. My reputation in the neighborhood is solid, and I would never deceive you!"

Qiu Huanian had found another profitable way to make money and immediately agreed. He planned to go back and first taste Wei's red fermented tofu, then improve upon the modern recipe to create the best version.

Because he had received a gift and found a way to sell red fermented tofu, Qiu Huanian was in high spirits. On his way back to Du Village, he spent 60 wen to buy a jin of high-quality lamb, planning to have a good meat feast that evening to celebrate.

In Zhang County, lamb was usually stewed or boiled. Qiu Huanian had bought tender lamb meat and felt that stewing it would be a waste, so he decided to try making lamb pies.

First, Qiu Huanian used clear water and half a handful of cornmeal to scrub away the gamey smell and blood from the lamb, then cut it into finger-sized cubes. The lamb couldn't be cut too finely, or it would lose its texture.

The cut lamb was then mixed with salt, chili powder, and scallion-ginger water, kneaded, and marinated for half an hour to fully absorb the flavors and remain tender and juicy.

While the lamb was marinating, Qiu Huanian took a full bowl of flour, added water, and kneaded it into a soft dough. As he cooked, Chun Sheng kept running back and forth, helping to add firewood to the stove, while Jiu Jiu sat under a tree embroidering, her eyes constantly glancing toward the stove, eagerly anticipating the evening's feast.

Once the lamb was marinated and the dough had rested, Qiu Huanian divided the dough into equal portions, rolled them out into thin wrappers with a rolling pin, grabbed a handful of lamb and chopped scallions, placed them in the wrapper, and pressed it into a round pie shape.

The white pie wrappers were thin, with large chunks of lamb visible inside, making one's mouth water. Qiu Huanian brushed both sides of the pies with soybean oil and stuck them directly onto the hot iron pan.

Soon, the aroma of lamb filled the entire courtyard, mixed with the scent of chili and scallions, whetting everyone's appetite. Chun Sheng stood by the stove, swallowing his saliva, while Jiu Jiu could no longer focus on her embroidery.

Qiu Huanian carefully controlled the heat, deftly flipping the pies with a spatula. The side that had already turned golden brown faced upward, and even Qiu Huanian himself felt his stomach growling.

He walked to the window of the main room and, through the open window, asked Du Yunse, who had returned and was busy studying, "They say books are food for the soul. If you've filled your soul with food, will you still have room for lamb pies later?"

Du Yunse emerged from his deep immersion in books, looking out the window with a helpless yet tender gaze. Brother Hua always came up with such original ideas, and this phrase "books are the food of the soul" was something he had never heard before, but upon reflection, it made perfect sense.

He smiled, "Books may nourish the soul, but this mortal body of mine still depends on Brother Hua for food."

Qiu Huanian admired the noble and handsome face of the young man for a while, finished his own "spiritual food," and went back to continue cooking.

One pound of lamb made ten thin, soft, and aromatic lamb pancakes. Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng each had one, and after Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse each finished one, they shared another pancake. The remaining five were stored in a basket, covered with a cloth, and could be reheated for lunch the next day.

Sitting in the courtyard under the golden-red hues of the setting sun, taking a bite of the crispy, thin, and soft lamb pancake, the rich meat juices immediately burst in the mouth. The large chunks of lamb were tender yet chewy, bringing immense satisfaction. Paired with a spoonful of wild vegetable and tofu soup, the deliciousness of the farmhouse meal was more pleasing to the body and soul than the exquisite and expensive banquets in the capital.

Eat hearty meals when busy, and lighter meals when idle. After a good meal, the days of working in the fields followed closely.

The temperature for cotton seedlings to thrive should not drop below seventeen degrees, and now was the perfect time for transplanting. The overall temperature in the northeast remained low throughout the year, and if delayed any further, it would be too late to produce mature cotton bolls before the autumn and winter cooling.

Cotton should not be planted too densely. The cotton merchant in the county town told Qiu Huanian that in his hometown, over three thousand cotton plants could be planted per acre. After considering the actual conditions of the land in Du Village, Qiu Huanian decided that planting a little over two thousand plants per acre would be sufficient.

To quickly transplant all the cotton seedlings into the fields and minimize growth discrepancies, all four members of Qiu Huanian's family pitched in. Du Yunse paused his studies, and Jiu Jiu stopped her needlework. Qiu Huanian made a large batch of Sorghum Candy in advance and entrusted it to Meng Wudong and Meng Yuanling to sell, dedicating all his time to the three acres of cotton.

At the crow of the rooster in the morning, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse got up. One prepared the day's meals, while the other fetched water and prepared the cotton seedlings, ensuring they could be easily separated from the breeding trays.

After the whole family had breakfast, they carried water baskets, held breeding trays, and shouldered farming tools to work in the fields.

The mule saved a lot of effort in plowing, but when it came to transplanting, it was still manual labor. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse each took a long hoe and dug shallow holes every foot along the prepared ridges. Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng followed behind, placing cotton seedlings into the shallow holes and covering them with soil.

Once the seedlings from one breeding tray were planted, the two children ran home to bring another tray.

Each breeding tray contained over three hundred cotton seedlings, and one acre required about seven trays of seedlings.

From morning until noon, they worked tirelessly, taking breaks to drink water and sit on the field ridges when tired, chatting when weary, until lunchtime when the four returned home to reheat the cold meal and rest on the kang for half an hour.

Fortunately, the three acres of irrigated land were close to the village; otherwise, there would have been no time to return home for a midday rest, and they would have had to nap under a nearby tree.

It was only through actual fieldwork that Qiu Huanian truly understood the hardships faced by farmers. Even though he had done some farming in modern times, he found it quite taxing.

His constitution was naturally frail, and by the afternoon, he could hardly get up, his arms and back aching as if they didn't belong to him. Qiu Huanian struggled to sit up, and Du Yunse, seeing this from outside, quickly came in and pressed him back onto the kang.

"I'll go alone this afternoon. You and the children should rest more."

Qiu Huanian wanted to protest, "How can this be? We agreed to work together. How can I let you go to the fields alone? Besides, we only planted four trays of cotton seedlings this morning, just over half an acre. I wanted to finish transplanting all the seedlings within three days."

Timing in agricultural planting is incredibly crucial. Often, just a delay of three or four days means that the later-planted seedlings won't grow as well as the earlier ones.

Du Yunse noticed that Qiu Huanian's pale palms had already become red and swollen from gripping the hoe handle. He turned to fetch water from the jar, soaked a piece of fine linen, and applied it to Qiu Huanian's hands.

The cool, damp sensation caused Qiu Huanian to instinctively inhale, and the delayed burning pain in his palms became apparent. If this continued, his hands would be ruined before the cotton was fully planted.

Du Yunse's heart ached, "I'll continue transplanting under the moonlight tonight. We'll definitely finish transplanting all the cotton seedlings within three days. You should rest now."

Qiu Huanian opened his mouth, feeling the heat from his hands spreading to his face. Unable to argue with Du Yunse, he could only nod reluctantly.

By dinnertime, Qiu Huanian's body finally felt less sore. He packed food in a basket, took a hoe, and the rough cotton gloves he had instructed Jiu Jiu to sew in the afternoon, and went to the fields to find Du Yunse.

The sun had set to the west, no longer blazing and dazzling. The air was filled with the fragrance of the earth, and many farmers were still working in the fields outside Du Village. Qiu Huanian spotted Du Yunse from afar.

He wore old short clothes, rolled up his trousers, and tied a hemp rope around his waist. His attire was no different from the surrounding farmers, but Qiu Huanian still found Du Yunse incredibly handsome, even the beads of sweat sliding down his nose and cheeks made his heart race.

Du Yunse looked up and saw Qiu Huanian, walking over with the hoe, "Brother Hua, why have you come?"

Qiu Huanian couldn't resist reaching out to wipe the sweat from Du Yunse's face with his sleeve. Du Yunse bent down, leaning closer to make it easier for Qiu Huanian.

"I came to bring you food. After you eat, I'll help you transplant the cotton seedlings together."

Seeing Du Yunse's disapproving expression, Qiu Huanian quickly added, "The sun isn't hot anymore, and I've rested all afternoon, so I'm not that tired. Besides, look, I asked Jiu Jiu to sew two pairs of cotton gloves. Wearing them, the hoe handle won't chafe my hands."

The family now had extra cotton fabric, and Qiu Huanian didn't skimp on it. He thought Jiu Jiu might be reluctant, but upon hearing that the cotton gloves could protect their hands from getting sore, she immediately cut the fabric and sewed a pair for each of her brothers as per Qiu Huanian's design.

Qiu Huanian showed off the finger-separated cotton gloves and pointed to a large willow tree not far away, "Come on, let's go sit over there and eat. After eating, we'll continue transplanting the cotton seedlings."

Du Yunse had transplanted a little over one tray of cotton seedlings in the afternoon, leaving a few tenths of an acre unfinished. To complete transplanting three acres in three days, they had to transplant another tray today.

Sitting under the willow tree, Qiu Huanian opened the basket, handed Du Yunse a bamboo tube filled with bone broth, and took out two freshly heated white flour flatbreads wrapped in linen, still fragrant.

The flatbreads were filled with tofu and wild vegetables. Qiu Huanian had been generous with oil and seasoning when mixing the filling. One bite of the oily filling and the pure white flour crust mixed in their mouths, instantly comforting their weary bodies.

Some villagers, returning home after work, passed by and saw the food in Du Yunse's hands, most smiling kindly.

"I asked Yunse this afternoon why Brother Hua wasn't in the field. He said Brother Hua couldn't handle it and was resting at home. I'm so envious!"

"If my husband were half as considerate as Yunse, I'd be overjoyed!"

"Stop dreaming! Look at what Brother Hua brought for Yunse—pure white flour flatbreads with tofu inside. You can tell just by the smell that a lot of soybean oil was used."

"Look at you talking! If I had that much white flour and soybean oil, I could make such flatbreads too!"

...

Qiu Huanian took all the good-natured teasing in stride, smiling along, occasionally joining in the banter. A few others, feeling jealous, made snide remarks, but Qiu Huanian didn't indulge them, retorting sarcastically on the spot.

After eating and resting for a while, Du Yunse and Qiu Huanian continued working. Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng brought them another tray of cotton seedlings and some room-temperature boiled water midway.

To prevent Qiu Huanian from working too fast and getting too tired, Du Yunse chatted with him while digging holes, distracting him. They chatted about everything imaginable, from the southern lands to the northern skies. As the red sun dipped below the horizon and stars began to dot the sky, the fatigue in their bodies became less noticeable in the relaxed atmosphere.

Finally, after transplanting the cotton seedlings for one acre, Du Yunse picked up the farming tools and basket, and they walked home under the starlight. The dark, serene countryside hummed with a tranquil melody, now and then, a dog's bark echoed their footsteps, soon returning to silence.

"I really didn't expect you to have such good stamina," Qiu Huanian said, stretching his arms to relieve the soreness as they walked.

It's often said that scholars are frail, but Du Yunse showed no signs of weakness while working. His strength far exceeded what Qiu Huanian had in his previous life. Qiu Huanian suspected that beneath Du Yunse's tall and slender frame, there was plenty of muscle, the kind that looks lean in clothes but is well-built underneath.

He must have abs...

As soon as this thought crossed Qiu Huanian's mind, he turned his face away, scolding himself internally for such thoughts, his ears warming up.

Du Yunse, unaware of the reason for Qiu Huanian's odd behavior, said matter-of-factly, "The six arts of a gentleman—rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics—two of which are related to physical fitness. I've always been diligent in practicing them."

"Our teacher often said that a Confucian scholar should not be weak and pedantic. One must be able to debate and understand laws, but also be capable of defending the Dao."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Huanian remembered theories about a "combative Confucius" from his past life, such as "If you hear the Dao in the morning, you can die in the evening," meaning if you know the way to someone's house in the morning, they could be dead by evening, or "The Master said by the river: 'What passes away is like this, day and night without ceasing,'" implying Confucius sat by the river, watching the bodies of countless enemies float by...

Some of these theories were deliberate jokes, while others were misunderstandings due to cultural differences and translation errors, misinterpreted by foreigners and brought back to China, not to be taken seriously. However, the historical Confucius was indeed not a frail pedant but a towering figure, eight feet tall, with countless disciples, traveling the states with a sword, advocating "repaying injustice with justice."

Qiu Huanian felt that the image of the great scholar Wen Huiyang in his mind had changed. "Your teacher, could he also be a... real tough guy?"

Du Yunse, having developed the ability to understand Qiu Huanian's strange remarks without difficulty, replied, "When our teacher was young, he once debated with Prince Pingxian over the latter's mistreatment of scholars. After failing to persuade him, he drew the sword bestowed by the emperor and sliced off Prince Pingxian's hat tassel."

Qiu Huanian was astonished. A tough guy indeed, a real tough guy.

He secretly glanced at Du Yunse. Having been taught by such a mentor, Du Yunse probably had a thunderous side too, though it was unclear what could provoke it.

Returning home, Du Yunse helped Qiu Huanian heat water, and after washing up, they both fell into a deep sleep on the heated brick bed (kang).

Before sinking into a deep, sweet sleep, Qiu Huanian's only thought was how grateful he was for the new cotton bedding; otherwise, the cold, hard kang would've been a nightmare.

In his dream, he saw vast fields of bountiful cotton. Before he could rejoice, he saw the persistent Qiu Chuanzong and Zhou coming to demand their cut, claiming that the harvest from these three acres of cotton was theirs.

Qiu Huanian was arguing with them when the village chief showed up with other villagers and ran the two off. Just as he was catching his breath, he turned around to see Zhao standing behind him with a sinister smile, shoving him into a pit. The shrill laughter of Du Yunjing, Li Guer, and Fu Bao cawed like crows above his head.

"Brother Hua, Brother Hua, wake up."

Qiu Huanian blearily opened his eyes to find himself still lying on the kang in the left side room. The sky outside was bright already, and Du Yunse stood by the kang, giving him a worried look. The two children had already gotten up and were nowhere to be seen.

"What time is it?" Qiu Huanian's voice was hoarse.

"The rooster just crowed. Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng saw you were still asleep and didn't disturb you. I saw you seemed to be having a nightmare outside the room?"

Qiu Huanian took a sip of the cool boiled water Du Yunse brought to his lips and shook his head, giving a quick rundown of the dream.

"Actually, if you think about it, Qiu Chuanzong's family has been escorted to the capital, and Zhao's family has gone to the prefecture city. They couldn't possibly appear. I just couldn't snap out of it in the dream, so I kept tossing and turning."

Du Yunse gently smoothed his hair, "You're too tired."

Qiu Huanian nuzzled his head into Du Yunse's warm hand and hummed in agreement, "After we finish planting the cotton seedlings these two days and pickle the red fermented tofu, we can rest for a few days. Once we sell the red fermented tofu, it will be almost time for you to go to the prefecture city for the exams. I'll go with you and have a look around."

Though Qiu Huanian spoke of resting, he still had a pile of tasks planned. Du Yunse could only silently decide to keep an eye on Brother Hua in the future, ensuring he rested more and didn't overwork himself.

The village chief's family only planted one acre of cotton, and all the seedlings were transplanted in one day. The next day, two more people came to help Qiu Huanian's family with the planting, greatly easing the labor burden.

They insisted on not taking any money, so Qiu Huanian had Jiu Jiu make two pairs of cotton gloves for them and provided them with three meals a day.

Holding the gloves Qiu Huanian gave them, the village chief's second and third sons marveled, "After so many years of farming, this is the first time I've worn cotton gloves. Brother Hua really knows how to take care of people. We're lucky to benefit too."

With these cotton gloves, the past two days of work didn't feel wasted. Moreover, the meals Brother Hua provided were hearty and delicious. Even if their father hadn't urged them, they would have been happy to help.

Seeing Qiu Huanian's strained expression and sore back, they both urged him not to push himself too hard. Du Yunse also insisted that Qiu Huanian go back and rest.

"Brother Hua, with us and Yunse, we can finish planting the three acres of cotton seedlings in another day and a half. You should go back. It would be a real loss if you overworked yourself."

Qiu Huanian thought it made sense and went home to cook, planning to bring water and food to the fields at mealtime.

Hu Qiuyan's family had fewer workers, but they only planted one acre of cotton and weren't in a hurry. It took them two or three days to finish planting the seedlings. They caught a fat carp from the fish pond and brought it to Qiu Huanian's house to celebrate.

Qiu Huanian used chili peppers and finally splurged on Sichuan peppercorns to stir-fry the pot, adding the pickled cabbage sent by the village chief's second daughter-in-law to create a fragrant aroma. He then added boiling water and thick slices of the big carp, making a large pot of sour and spicy pickled cabbage fish. He invited everyone who had helped to share the meal.

After the cotton seedlings were planted, there was a roughly two-week adjustment period where they needed to occasionally replant and transplant based on the seedlings' growth. However, this workload was much lighter compared to the large-scale transplanting.

For Qiu Huanian's family, who only planted cotton, the next long period would be a slack farming season.

Jiu Jiu got along well with Cun Lan, the daughter of the village chief's second son, Bao Yi. The two girls whispered and chatted throughout the meal. After the meal and when the outsiders had left, Jiu Jiu shyly approached Qiu Huanian.

"Brother Hua, can I... can I ask you for a favor?"