Chapter 85: Playmate

Chapter 85: Playmate

“A Shu, what’s wrong? Did I startle you by speaking so suddenly?” Zhou Ye asked.

Lin Shu’s face flushed bright red as she glared at him fiercely. “Yes, you did! You should know better! Next time, turn to face me and wait until I meet your gaze before calling out.”

Zhou Ye looked at her and readily admitted his mistake. “My bad. It won’t happen again.”

All of Lin Shu’s anger instantly dissolved. His swift admission made her feel as though she were bullying an honest person.

She quickly stood up and went to the stove, glancing into the pot at the diced termitomyces. “It’s almost done—no need to keep stirring. You… you can go back to your work.” She didn’t even glance at Zhou Ye.

But Zhou Ye watched her for a while, only stepping away from the stove after the blush on her cheeks had faded and her expression returned to normal. He then resumed working on the nearly finished bamboo reclining chair.

After that, the two quietly went about their respective tasks.

This time, Lin Shu diced and fried all the termitomyces from half a basket. Though it looked like half a basket, the mushrooms shrank considerably when fried—likely yielding only enough for about ten jars of termitomyces sauce. Last time, she’d used green Sichuan pepper; this time, she opted for red Sichuan pepper, whose milder numbing flavor suited both the elderly and children alike.

As she fried the termitomyces, Lin Shu slowly fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan.

Though constant stirring wasn’t necessary, she still needed to monitor the pot closely. The heat radiating from the stove was intense—even with the fan, she soon broke into a sweat.

Since arriving in Tianshui Village, she hadn’t taken a proper hot bath. To claim she didn’t miss it would be a lie.

Perhaps, after selling the termitomyces sauce, she could buy a bathtub for the house?

Using a bathtub would require heating a large pot of water—a significant amount of firewood. She wouldn’t use it daily—once every seven days would suffice. For the rest of the time, she’d manage with quick hot-water washes, as she did now.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, she heard Lin Xiaopu squabbling with someone in the yard. Though “squabbling” wasn’t quite accurate—it was clear Lin Xiaopu held the upper hand, while the other party yielded meekly.

From the voice, the other person appeared to be Wang Yingen, Aunt Li’s son—strong as an ox.

“I told you not to follow me! This is mine—I won’t let you play with it!”

“I already apologized! I even called you ‘sister’! Can’t you just let me play with it for a bit? Just for a moment!”

“You used to call me a sickly child—and even called me ‘short-lived’ a couple of times. Last time, you mocked my sister as a ‘fake young mistress’ from the Marquis’s household. Why should I hand it over just because you called me ‘sister’? You’re overestimating yourself!”

“I—I was wrong, okay? It wasn’t just me saying those things—everyone in the village said them! I was only repeating what others said. At least I said it to your face instead of behind your back like everyone else! My mom says that’s called being straightforward. Straightforward people never gossip behind others’ backs—they say it right to your face. Heroes in storybooks are like that too.”

Lin Xiaopu laughed incredulously. “Pfft—you? A hero? More like a bear!”

Wang Yingen gazed longingly at the bamboo water gun and slingshot in her hands. “Sister Xiao Pu, please! If you let me play with these, I’ll never call you a sickly child or ‘short-lived’ again. I’ll wish you a long life, okay? May you live longer than anyone in Tianshui Village—even longer than my own mom!”

Lin Xiaopu’s lips twitched. “What a filial son you are. If Aunt Li heard you say that, she’d skin you alive.”

Wang Yingen puffed out his chest proudly. “My mom would never skin me. I’m the only son of the Wang family.”

Lin Xiaopu: “…You really are bold because you’re protected.”

Wang Yingen looked confused. “Bold because I’m protected? What does that mean?”

Lin Xiaopu rolled her eyes. “It means you’re unafraid because you have something to rely on. It’s from the *Zuo Zhuan*.”

Wang Yingen gasped in awe. “Wow, Lin Xiaopu—how did you get so knowledgeable in just a few days?”

This time, Lin Xiaopu lifted her chin proudly. “My sister taught me. She’s full of knowledge—just as good as the schoolteachers.”

Wang Yingen had no interest in studying. After asking one question, he immediately returned to pestering her for the bamboo water gun and slingshot. “Let me play with them—just for a little while. You embarrassed me in front of all my crew by refusing me, and I didn’t even get mad.”

Lin Xiaopu replied, “My sister made these for me. If you want to play with them, you’ll have to ask her. My permission alone isn’t enough.”

Hearing this, Wang Yingen shamelessly barged into the yard. The moment he entered, his keen nose caught a whiff of a delicious aroma. “Wow—that smells amazing! Lin Xiaopu, is your family secretly stewing chicken soup?!”

Lin Xiaopu: “What do you mean, ‘secretly’? We can eat whatever we want. But it’s not chicken soup—my sister is making a sauce.”

Wang Yingen scratched his head. “Heh, my family always stews chicken soup in secret. My mom says if others smell it, they’ll gossip about how well we’re doing—and come to borrow money. Your family is smart to live at the end of the village. No one passes by here, so no one knows what delicious things you’re making.”

As he spoke, Wang Yingen hurried straight to the stove and peered into the pot. His eyes widened in shock.

Good heavens—they were using a whole pot of oil to fry something!

His mom was usually generous with oil when cooking, but she’d never used this much oil to fry anything. How much money did all this oil cost?!

He knew Aunt He had borrowed money from his family. How could people who had to borrow money from them afford to eat better than his own family?!

Lin Shu sensed trouble the moment she saw the boy barge in. Aunt Li could keep a secret—but she wasn’t sure whether Wang Yingen, this mischievous child, could keep his mouth shut.

“Sister A Shu, what delicious thing are you making?” Wang Yingen stared eagerly into the pot, calling her “Sister A Shu” without the slightest hesitation.

Lin Shu wasn’t one to hold a grudge against a child. Besides, something Wang Yingen had said earlier had actually pleased her—though his mouth was disrespectful, he was at least consistent, unlike some who talked behind others’ backs yet acted warmly to their faces.

“I’m making termitomyces sauce. It needs to fry a bit longer to taste good. Go play with Xiao Pu for a while. When it’s done, you can take some home to eat with your rice.”

Hearing this, Wang Yingen immediately declared, “Sister A Shu, you’re so kind! From now on, I’ll never call you a ‘fake young mistress’ again!”

Lin Shu chuckled. “You change your tune fast. I heard what you said earlier. I have no objections—ask Xiao Pu. If she’s willing to let you play with her bamboo water gun and slingshot, you should thank her.”

Wang Yingen took several deep breaths of the fragrant aroma before dashing off to find Lin Xiaopu. “Sister Xiao Pu! Sister Xiao Pu! Sister A Shu said I can play with them!”

“Fine. You can choose one—the bamboo water gun or the slingshot.”

“I want to play with both! Can’t I play with both?”

“Wang Yingen, don’t push your luck.”

“Sister Xiao Pu, Sister Xiao Pu, please! From now on, all my followers will call you ‘sister’ too!”

“…”

Lin Shu thought Wang Yingen truly was a talent—flexible, shameless, and unstoppable. Even Lin Xiaopu, who usually stood her ground, was worn down by his persistent pestering and agreed to let him play with both toys—but only in their yard; he couldn’t take them away.

Wang Yingen was so happy he nearly rolled on the ground like a little bear.

When Lin Xiaopu used the bamboo water pipe in the yard to fetch water, Wang Yingen was amazed again. The bamboo pipe actually produced water—how convenient!

Noticing the five beautiful small bamboo chairs in the yard, Wang Yingen was filled with envy.

He’d heard from Lin Xiaopu that the bamboo water gun and slingshot were both ideas from the “fake young mistress”—no, from Sister A Shu—and crafted by Zhou Ye. These bamboo chairs must have been made by Zhou Ye too. How impressive! They didn’t even need to go to Grandpa Gao.

Looking at what Zhou Ye was working on—a large, intricately designed bamboo chair—even Grandpa Gao might not be able to make it! Though Grandpa Gao could craft bamboo chairs and tables, he excelled at weaving bamboo strips. The chairs and tables he made were far simpler than what Zhou Ye was currently crafting.

Wang Yingen glanced several times at the tall, sturdy man bent over his work, wanting to speak but holding back each time.

He harbored a secret he’d never told anyone: he was a little afraid of Zhou Ye. Once, Zhou Ye had cornered him and sternly warned him not to bully Lin Xiaopu. Though Zhou Ye hadn’t laid a hand on him or scolded him, the encounter had left a deep impression on young Wang Yingen.

At the time, he’d stammered in retort, “Y-you’re an outsider! Stay out of us locals’ business!”

Zhou Ye, however, said, “I’m Xiao Pu’s elder brother. If you bully her again, I’ll hang you from a tree.”

Wang Yingen froze in terror—nearly bursting into tears—and avoided him for several days.

He genuinely feared Zhou Ye would string him up; Zhou Ye was so tall he could lift Wang Yingen off the ground with one arm.

After some time passed without incident, Wang Yingen gradually resumed his usual mischief—though he still instinctively kept his distance from Zhou Ye.

These days, he gorged himself daily, trying to bulk up, hoping someday to grow tall and sturdy like Zhou Ye—a figure so imposing that even speaking in a deadpan tone could frighten children.

Yet Wang Yingen suspected it might be difficult, since his own father wasn’t even as tall as Uncle Lin.

Wang Yingen glanced first at Zhou Ye, then at Lin Shu—and suddenly sighed.

He used to think Lin Xiaopu had a hard life—frail and sickly, forced to swallow bitter medicine every day, and later losing her elder sister, who’d gone to the capital to serve as a young lady in a marquis’s household. The only thing he’d ever envied was that she had a brother like Zhou Ye to protect her.

But now he no longer pitied Lin Xiaopu at all—in fact, he was utterly green with envy.

Lin Xiaopu had so many amazing toys! Her elder sister taught her to read and write—and cooked delicious meals for her. While he was catching loaches in the fields, he’d spotted Uncle Lin munching on a plump, green snack—no idea what it was, but it looked mouthwatering. Lin Xiaopu must have eaten it too!

It was because Lin Xiaopu had been playing with the bamboo water gun by the field after delivering the snack that he’d noticed it—and instantly coveted it. That bamboo water gun looked fantastic—it could draw up water and shoot it far, farther than he could urinate! And the bamboo slingshot Lin Xiaopu played with? Even cooler: load a small stone into the bamboo tube, pull back the bamboo rod, and—*whoosh!*—it could knock leaves and twigs right off the trees!

Wang Yingen was impossible to miss. Zhou Ye glanced over and spoke up: “From now on, protect Xiao Pu. Not only must you stop bullying her yourself—you must also prevent others from doing so. If you fulfill both duties, I’ll make you two brand-new bamboo water guns and two bamboo slingshots.”

As Zhou Ye spoke, Wang Yingen instinctively puffed out his chest, determined not to show fear. Hearing this, he was overjoyed—forgetting their past “grudge” entirely—and pounded his chest, declaring, “Deal! Deal! Leave it to me! From now on, no one will dare bully Lin Xiaopu!”

Over there, Lin Xiaopu had already called out, “The water’s ready! Don’t you want to play with the bamboo water gun?”

Wang Yingen turned to Zhou Ye and said, “You’d better keep your word!”—then dashed off, gleeful, to play with the water gun.

No one could match Wang Yingen when it came to games. He placed two slender bamboo tubes in the courtyard, stood a zhang away from Lin Xiaopu, and they took turns squirting water into their respective tubes. After ten rounds, they’d compare whose tube held more water.

When playing with the bamboo slingshot, Wang Yingen lined up ten firewood sticks in the center of the yard to see who could hit the most.

Meanwhile, Lin Shu simmered the Termitomyces sauce while watching the two children play, murmuring admiringly to herself. Wang Yingen truly knew how to have fun—and Xiao Pu was clearly happier playing with him than by herself.

Once the Termitomyces sauce was ready, Lin Shu asked Zhou Ye to craft ten small bamboo containers for her. One pot of sauce filled more than ten such containers.

Lin Shu handed one container directly to Wang Yingen and instructed him, “Yingen, Sister A Shu didn’t make much of this Termitomyces sauce—don’t tell anyone about it.”

Wang Yingen clutched the small container of Termitomyces sauce, grinning from ear to ear. “I get it—good food must stay secret! Don’t worry, Sister A Shu—I won’t breathe a word to anyone!”

Before leaving, Wang Yingen reminded Zhou Ye, “A-Ye, tomorrow I’ll come pick up my bamboo water gun and slingshot—don’t forget!”

Lin Xiaopu immediately shot back, “Pah! Who’s *your* A-Ye? He’s *mine*, not yours! So shameless!”

“I’m a man—I won’t sink to your level, little girl!” Wang Yingen retorted—and ran off.

Lin Xiaopu angrily planted her hands on her hips. “That brat’s a fair-weather friend! The moment he gets something good, he stops calling me ‘Sister Xiao Pu’!”

Lin Shu noticed that, despite her sharp words, Lin Xiaopu’s eyes sparkled with laughter—and knew she wasn’t truly angry. On the contrary, she’d thoroughly enjoyed playing with Wang Yingen today.

Though Lin Shu was always willing to take Xiao Pu everywhere, children naturally preferred playing with peers—a far healthier arrangement for both body and mind.

“A-Ye, you’re *not allowed* to make bamboo water guns or slingshots for Wang Yingen!” Lin Xiaopu declared, scowling.

Zhou Ye replied, “I’ll make them for *you*. If he wants them, he’ll have to win your favor first.”

Only then did Lin Xiaopu break into a wide smile.

She peered closely at Zhou Ye’s side and exclaimed in delight, rushing over to examine the bamboo reclining chair he held in his hands. “A-Ye, is your bamboo reclining chair almost finished?”

“There’s still quite a bit left—but it should be done before dark,” Zhou Ye replied—then glanced at Lin Shu, just as he caught her stealing a quick, furtive glance his way.

Though Lin Shu immediately looked away, Zhou Ye still called out to her, “A Shu.”

This time, he spoke only after meeting her gaze—so he likely didn’t startle her.