Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Once October rolled in, the days started getting shorter.

With several new rooms built, the house was much more spacious. Zhong Yizhu had Pei Mu build a desk in the new room and began teaching Pei Mu to read.

As for how Zhong Yizhu learned to read, that goes way back.

When Zhong Yizhu was little, he saw Zhong Yourong going to the schoolhouse, so he found a small cloth bag, slung it over his shoulder, and said he wanted to go too. Zhong Youzhi laughed at him like he was an idiot, smirking on the side, and Sun Yunniang stopped him, explaining that there were no schools in town specifically for young men and girls. Zhong Yizhu seemed to understand and obediently said he knew, not making a fuss to go, but he cried his heart out.

When Zhong Laoer came home and saw that, he mulled it over and figured he might as well spend the money to hire a tutor to come to the Zhong residence to teach Zhong Yizhu, along with his cousins, to read and write. Since Zhong Laoer had suffered many losses when he first started in business because he didn't know how to read, he believed literacy was a good thing—even for a young man or a girl, it couldn't hurt to learn.

However, Zhong Youzhi and Zhong Youtong gave up after just a few days, unwilling to continue. Only Zhong Yizhu stuck with it for over a year. Later, Zhong Laotai said that a young man didn't need to read so many books, so they let the tutor go.

Zhong Yizhu had a sharp mind. Although his study time wasn't long, he had no trouble with reading and writing. He hadn't let those skills rust over the years; he still remembered what he had learned back then.

He laid out the rough paper he had bought earlier on the desk, intending to first teach Pei Mu how to write his name.

Pei Mu had told him that the character "Mu" was given to him by their squad leader. The villagers were illiterate and just thought Pei Song had named him after the word for "wood." It wasn't until he was registered on the conscription roster and joined the army that the squad leader said his original name was too unlucky—afraid it would send the whole squad away—so he changed it to this character.

Solemn and still—it was a really good name.

Zhong Yizhu wrote it down, saying it softly as he did.

Pei Mu looked at him, and for some reason, his heart gave a little flutter.

He had heard many tones of Zhong Yizhu calling his name—happy, shy, sad—but the way Zhong Yizhu said it now made it feel like even his name was something treasured.

Zhong Yizhu stopped writing, looked up at him, his eyes soft and warm. "Come here. I'll walk you through it a few times first, then you can try on your own."

Pei Mu walked over and sat down. Letting Zhong Yizhu's hand guide his, he moved the brush across the paper. He studied very carefully, didn't want to waste paper, and even less did he want to waste Zhong Yizhu's thoughtfulness.

Zhong Yizhu guided him through it five times, then let go and let him write on his own.

Pei Mu looked at the characters in front of him and, very slowly, stroke by stroke, wrote his own name for the very first time.

These two characters had many strokes, especially "Mu." He couldn't control the brush well; his strokes were too heavy, and they bled into each other on the paper, turning into two dark, ugly smudges.

Pei Mu was a little embarrassed. He pressed his lips together, wanting to write another one, but Zhong Yizhu surprised him by praising him, saying that for his first attempt, he remembered it without a single mistake—amazing.

So Pei Mu no longer wanted to write.

He put down the brush, pulled Zhong Yizhu into his arms, and kissed him hard.

Zhong Yizhu had been kissed many times, but he still didn't know how to breathe properly. His tongue always stayed obediently tucked away, letting Pei Mu tangle and suck.

Pei Mu remembered the important matter at hand, so after a while he pulled back. But Zhong Yizhu's lips were still red and slightly swollen from the kisses.

Zhong Yizhu, lashes fluttering, curled up in Pei Mu's arms. Since it was daytime and they were entangled so intimately in front of the desk, he couldn't help but feel shy. Yet his heart raced, and he could hear Pei Mu's heartbeat against his ear—steady, powerful, and clear—beating just as fast as his own.

"Alright," Pei Mu's voice suddenly came from above him. Zhong Yizhu looked up at him, but Pei Mu gestured for him to look at the coarse paper in front of him.

There were several more blobs on it, but then the characters after them gradually became clearer, each one better than the last, until there were no more tangled, crooked ink marks.

Zhong Yizhu turned back, his eyes curved into crescents as he praised him.

He wasn't lying to Pei Mu; for someone learning to write for the first time, that kind of progress was really smart.

Pei Mu looked down at him. "How about we call it a day here? Tomorrow you can teach me your name."

Although Zhong Yizhu thought it was still early, he knew that this progress on the first day was already very good. You gotta take it step by step.

He nodded and had barely said "Okay" before the next moment, Pei Mu picked him up in that position and walked out.

Zhong Yizhu finally realized what Pei Mu meant by ending early. He struggled a bit, wanting to get down, but it only made Pei Mu suck in a sharp breath.

Pei Mu was holding him on his arm, like a child. Zhong Yizhu put his hands on his shoulders, feeling the tension in the body under his hands, and didn't dare to kick his legs anymore. His ears and cheeks were flushed red, the flush spread to his pale neck and beyond, under his clothes.

When he was laid on the bed, Zhong Yizhu's gaze involuntarily dropped, then quickly darted away as if burned.

Pei Mu leaned in to kiss him, his voice low and rough. "Zhu Ge'er, say my name."

"Hm? Pei Mu." Zhong Yizhu obediently said, then asked, "What's wrong?"

Pei Mu's heart was hot and full. "Nothing. I just wanted to hear you say it."

So Zhong Yizhu called his name softly, over and over again.

It was getting hot under the bed curtains.

Pei Mu rubbed the warmed ointment into him and held him close, deeply.

...

·

Before they knew it, it was market day.

This time, Zhong Yizhu chose not to increase the quantity of incense. The days were getting darker earlier now, and it was better to sell out early and get home early.

Most of the spices he had bought earlier were enough to last through the month, but a few popular ones had already run out. He needed to restock today.

Zhong Yizhu went to the spice stall he had visited last time. Just as he was about to select his goods, the shop owner who'd been all smiles last time cleared his throat and said,

"Young man, the spices at our stall are not for sale today. Try another stall, please."

Zhong Yizhu was puzzled, but since business was voluntary, he didn't push it and just moved on to another stall. This time, before he could even stop, the owner quickly said, "Not selling, not selling. Go somewhere else."

Zhong Yizhu realized something was wrong. He looked up at the owner, but the man avoided his gaze. When Zhong Yizhu's eyes swept over the nearby stalls, the other owners also looked away.

Frowning, Zhong Yizhu exchanged a glance with Pei Mu. They decided to split up and ask separately, but in the end, not a single stall on the entire street was willing to sell them spices.

Both of them understood that they were being targeted. The opponent was clearly a competitor, ruthless, leaving no room to maneuver, aiming to cut off his business at the root.

To make all the spice street vendors refuse to sell to him—that was something no market-stall owner could pull off.

Zhong Yizhu thought about Xu Lan, who had tried to recruit him before, and Liu's Fragrance Shop, but he also felt that this probably wasn't Xu Lan's doing.

Every spice vendor on the street had clammed up, refusing to sell spices or even tell them the reason.

Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu felt like punching a pillow. As they walked out of Spice Street, both were holding back frustration.

Zhong Yizhu wanted to say defiantly that he wouldn't come here to buy even if they begged him in the future, but Songyun County only had this one street selling spices. He couldn't afford to talk tough.

This wasn't the time to be stubborn. Glancing at the sun, which was still up, Zhong Yizhu discussed with Pei Mu finding someone else to buy spices for them.

There weren't many people in Songyun County they could ask. Gong Laosi probably wouldn't work—he also had a stall at the market and was obviously on good terms with them. They didn't know if the person behind this had tipped him off, and since they didn't know the opponent's background, they didn't want to drag Gong Laosi and his family into this mess.

Another option was Yao Sheng, whom Pei Mu had asked for help before. Pei Mu had already sought Yao Sheng's assistance, so they knew him well, trusted him. Asking him again wouldn't need a lot of explaining.

With the sun still up, Pei Mu led Zhong Yizhu toward Yao Sheng's pork stall.

At this time of day, there were few customers buying meat. Yao Sheng was dozing on a recliner behind the chopping board. The moment the light in front of him was blocked, he woke up, initially thinking it was a customer. When he recognized Pei Mu, a surprised grin spread across his face.

"Well, well, long time no see," he glanced at the basket on Pei Mu's back, "Got any good stuff this time?"

Then he noticed the other person beside Pei Mu and his eyes widened.

Pei Mu briefly explained that he hadn't been able to hunt due to poisoning, then introduced him: "This is my husband. Brother Yao, just call him Zhu Ge'er."

Though startled, Yao Sheng glanced at him but quickly looked away, not wanting to be rude. He was inwardly amazed—he'd been amazed at how Pei Mu had gone to such lengths to defend his husband, thinking Pei Mu seemed cold and indifferent but actually treated his husband well. Now he saw why: the man had married a celestial beauty, so of course he'd cherish him.

After greetings, Pei Mu got straight to the point.

"Would it be convenient for you to find someone to buy some spices for us? We'll cover the cost and add ten coppers as a runner's fee. They just need to be discreet and not let others know."

Pei Mu didn't hide anything, admitting they'd offended someone. He said he understood if Yao Sheng couldn't help, not wanting to put him in a difficult position.

Yao Sheng wasn't bothered. He called out to a group of children playing by the street: "Little Hei, go fetch your Le Ge'er for me, and I'll give you some candy."

A skinny boy darted out from the group and vanished into a nearby alley.

Soon, the same young man Pei Mu and Zhong Yizhu had seen before came running back with Little Hei. Yao Sheng threw a pine nut candy to Little Hei, who popped it into his mouth and ran off laughing.

Yao Sheng explained the situation, then said to Zhong Yizhu: "Zhu Ge'er, don't worry, Le Ge'er's dependable. Just tell him what you need, and he'll remember it perfectly."

Yao Le also thumped his chest. Though he hadn't met Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu before, he could guess from what he'd heard before. He smiled at Zhong Yizhu.

"Thanks for that incense ball you gave me before. I won't take the runner's fee. Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

Zhong Yizhu told him which spices needed restocking. Yao Le repeated them back to confirm, then grabbed a basket and ran toward the west market.

Yao Sheng packed up his stall and led them into the alley Yao Le had run out of.

After a short walk, he pushed open a courtyard door and invited them inside, saying: "It's a humble home, please excuse the mess."

Pei Mu shook his head: "Not at all, we're the ones intruding."

It was a tiny yard with only two rooms connected at a right angle, cramped together. A stove was built beside it, with a shed serving as a kitchen. The corner held what seemed to be the outhouse, and vegetables grew along the wall, leaving even less space.

Logically, Yao Sheng did well as a butcher, so his life shouldn't be so tight. Zhong Yizhu glanced at Pei Mu in confusion, but Pei Mu also seemed unaware of the reason, giving him a puzzled look.

They soon guessed the reason, though. When Yao Sheng pushed open the door to invite them in, they noticed a lingering smell of medicine.

This should have been their main room, but a bed was set up in the corner. It was obvious that even though Yao Sheng and Yao Le were brothers, one a man and the other a young lad, they'd need separate rooms.

Yao Sheng pulled two chairs for them, poured water, and sat on a rickety stool himself.

"Since someone's targeting you, it's safer to wait at home. Both of you are too conspicuous—even someone with a lousy memory would spot you right away."

Pei Mu and Zhong Yizhu thanked him. They hadn't known Yao Sheng was in such dire straits before coming in, and were worried even more about dragging him into it. Yao Sheng seemed to read their minds and smiled.

"Don't worry. In Songyun County, there are only a few fragrance shops. True, they've got their businesses, but they can't control a butcher like me."

Zhong Yizhu took the chance to ask him: "Brother Yao, do you know the backgrounds of those fragrance shops?"

Yao Sheng shook his head, then nodded: "I've only heard bits and pieces, not the details. But if you ask me, it's most likely Liu's Fragrance Shop that's targeting you. They've got the best business in Songyun County—if anyone's gonna make a move, it'd be them."

Zhong Yizhu also leaned toward that answer. But the most important thing now wasn't finding out who was behind this, because they couldn't negotiate, and the other side hadn't given them any chance to. Knowing wouldn't do any good; they needed to figure out how to get out of this mess.

Having someone else buy for them was an option. But if he couldn't pick the spices himself, an inexperienced person might be ripped off by the stall owners into buying inferior goods. Buying small amounts like today was fine, but if they bought in bulk, getting ripped off would cost a lot.

Moreover, if they kept using the same person, not only might the people behind them find ways to block them entirely, but it would also be an extra expense and add a bunch of unpredictable risks.

Zhong Yizhu thought, frowning slightly, while half-listening to Yao Sheng's questions about Pei Mu's injury. Pei Mu kept it short, but Yao Sheng was deeply moved: "Good that it's healed. Really good..."

Seeing this, Pei Mu quietly asked: "Is someone in your family ill, Brother Yao?"

Yao Sheng's face darkened: "It's my dad. Since before the New Year, he's been unwell. He wouldn't go to the doctor because he didn't want to spend money, so he kept putting it off. After the New Year, a cold laid him flat, and he never recovered. We've seen doctors and taken countless meds, but nothing helps."

Having just gone through Pei Mu's poisoning, Zhong Yizhu empathized deeply with Yao Sheng's feelings. He wanted to suggest taking his dad to Rongyang City, where there were many skilled doctors who might have a cure. But seeing Yao's current situation, all their money must've gone to medical bills—how could they afford to go to the city?

Doctors and meds are crazy expensive, easily drain a regular family. You can't just up and go.

Zhong Yizhu opened his mouth, then closed it. The atmosphere grew heavy. They could only say a few comforting words.

The courtyard door creaked, followed by Yao Le's voice: "I'm back."

Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu stood up. Yao Le pushed the door open and handed the basket to Zhong Yizhu, still sweating: "Check and see if these are right. Did they try to cheat you with bad stuff? If so, I'll go back and give them hell."

Yao Le looked delicate and not very tall, but he talked and acted tough, which made him seem fiercer than his brother.

Zhong Yizhu pushed his earlier feelings aside and examined the spices carefully. "These are all good. Thank you, Le Ge'er."

Yao Le grinned and handed back the change from buying the spices: "If you need help again, just come straight to me. I'm fine with running errands."

"Alright." Zhong Yizhu accepted, then pressed ten coppers into Yao Le's palm. Before Yao Le could refuse, he said: "If you don't take it, I won't feel right asking you again. Business is business—we agreed with your brother beforehand."

Yao Le was usually quarrelsome and good at twisting words, but faced with Zhong Yizhu's gentle demeanor, he didn't know what to say.

Suddenly, coughing came from the next room. Yao Le rushed over immediately. Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu took the opportunity to bid farewell—they still had to get back to the village and couldn't stay longer.

The two picked up the spices and left the city as the sun set. Zhong Yizhu turned to look toward the west market.

In just a few months of running a stall, they'd faced so many setbacks. Anyone repeatedly struck down would feel a bit disheartened. Though he was angry and actively seeking solutions, he couldn't help feeling deflated.

Pei Mu gently squeezed his hand. Zhong Yizhu looked over, and Pei Mu pressed his knuckle against Zhong Yizhu's brow, gently smoothing away the worry lines.

The fact that a single stall could draw this much heat showed just how skilled Zhu Ge'er was. Pei Mu knew Zhong Yizhu understood these truths, but everyone had moments of weakness. His Zhu Ge'er was still so young and already so impressive.

Running a business was indeed hard, Pei Mu thought. But at this juncture, no matter who came, they couldn't back down. He had to be there for Zhu Ge'er.

He understood Zhong Yizhu's frustration. Not all the spice stall owners were firmly unwilling to sell—two had hinted that if they paid more, they could conduct a secret transaction.

But why should they? The money they'd earned through hard, honest work—should they hand it over to scumbags like that?

Pei Mu led Zhong Yizhu out of the city and said quietly: "After you finish this batch of incense, there'll be a gap. I'll take you to Rongcheng County to buy spices. They're not the only ones selling—we don't need to buy from them."

"Don't force yourself, Zhu Ge'er. No matter who comes, don't be afraid. I've got your back."