17 This is Shanxiu Village (Bug Catching)

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Ye Xi’s scalp tingled in fear as he faced the towering figure blocking his path. Clutching the iron hoe tightly, he thought that if this man dared to cross the line, he would strike him with the hoe and make him bleed.

"Brother Xi," a familiar voice called.

Ye Xi’s eyelids fluttered. Slowly lifting his gaze, he saw that it was Lin Jiangshan standing before him.

It had been over a month since their last meeting. During that time, Lin Jiangshan’s skin had tanned darker, his cheeks firmed up, giving his features a more resolute and profound contour.

He stared intently at Ye Xi but said nothing.

Ye Xi turned his head slightly, lowering his voice. "Why are you blocking me?"

Lin Jiangshan was at a loss for words. After a long silence, he handed Ye Xi two freshly caught grass carp.

Ye Xi’s eyes warmed slightly. "I don’t want your fish."

Lin Jiangshan stubbornly held the fish out in front of Ye Xi, insisting he accept them.

Ye Xi shifted to the left, trying to leave. Lin Jiangshan moved to block him again. Ye Xi then moved to the right, and Lin Jiangshan blocked his way once more.

Frustrated, Ye Xi’s nose tingled as he shouted, "What exactly do you want? If anyone sees you stopping me, they could report you to the village elders!"

Lin Jiangshan’s tightly pressed lips finally parted. "Are you avoiding me?"

Ye Xi’s heart tightened. "No, why would I avoid you?"

Lin Jiangshan insisted, "You are."

Ye Xi retorted, "I’m not."

Lin Jiangshan repeated, "You are."

Annoyed, Ye Xi lifted his head and almost wanted to smash the basket of water chestnuts on him. "Fine, I am avoiding you. Isn’t it because you think I’m ugly?"

Lin Jiangshan frowned, puzzled. "When did I ever say that?"

Ye Xi grew angrier. It was precisely because he never said it that it hurt even more. "That day, you looked at me with such disdain! I know the scar on my face is ugly, and my appearance now is shameful. But your look was too cruel."

Lin Jiangshan looked bewildered. "When did I look at you with disdain? If I did, then poke out my eyes, and I won’t resist."

Seeing his sincere expression, Ye Xi’s anger faded. "Then why were you staring at my face silently that day?"

Lin Jiangshan blinked, a bit dazed.

Ye Xi glared at him. "See? You do despise me."

Lin Jiangshan shook his head and stammered a few words before saying, "I was thinking how much it must have hurt when you were burned. I’ve been injured many times in battle—look at the scars on my arms. My comrade once had hot oil poured on his back by the enemy; he moaned all night from pain. I know how much it hurts. So... I wondered if your burn hurt as deeply as his."

His words struck a chord deep within Ye Xi’s heart, his ears tingling. He had never imagined Lin Jiangshan thought that way—not out of disdain, but rather...

"You..." Ye Xi parted his lips but didn’t know what to say. Blushing, he muttered, "You sour scholar, where did you learn such cheesy lines?"

Lin Jiangshan didn’t catch the words clearly. He reached into his clothes and pulled out a small porcelain jar, offering it to Ye Xi.

Ye Xi took it suspiciously. "What is this?"

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"It’s ointment. I’ve wanted to give it to you for a while, but you’ve been avoiding me, and I never found the chance. I thought maybe you were angry because I looked at your face without your permission."

As Lin Jiangshan finished speaking, Ye Xi had already opened the jar. The brown ointment carried a faint, herbal fragrance—strong but not unpleasant.

"What’s it for?"

Lin Jiangshan replied, "To reduce scars. I heard the recipe from a healer on the road. He said it was passed down through generations and used by the nobles of Jingzhou Prefecture."

Ye Xi wasn’t too hopeful. "But my scar has been there a long time, and the burn covers a large area. I’m afraid even miraculous medicine won’t help."

Lin Jiangshan shrugged. "Just try it. I had it made at the pharmacy. You’re always so conscious about your looks; living with that scar must be painful. If it helps even a little, that’s good."

Ye Xi smiled. "Alright, I’ll take it. I’ll apply it twice a day—can’t let your kindness go to waste."

Finally, Lin Jiangshan smiled faintly.

Nearby, Li’er had already dug up a basket and came calling, "Brother Xi, where are you?"

Hearing the approaching sounds, Ye Xi quickly replied, "Here, coming right away."

"Forget it, I’m almost there," Li’er said, walking closer.

Ye Xi had just told Li’er that Lin Jiangshan was his beloved. If Li’er saw him alone with Lin Jiangshan amid the reeds, that big mouth might spread rumors, and others would only exaggerate.

Ye Xi hurriedly pushed Lin Jiangshan. "Go, hide in the reeds. Don’t let him see you."

Lin Jiangshan nodded and obediently slipped into the nearby reeds, though his large frame made it difficult.

Li’er approached, and Ye Xi bit his lip, giving Lin Jiangshan a kick in the backside, eliciting a muffled grunt.

At least Lin Jiangshan was hidden in the reeds before Li’er arrived.

"Hmm, I thought I heard you talking to someone just now," Li’er said, carrying his basket.

Ye Xi calmly replied, "You must have imagined it. Who else would I talk to? Probably the call of the egrets."

Li’er thought for a moment, then said, "How much did you dig? I got a basketful. I’ll share some with you when we go back."

Ye Xi smiled. "Alright, let’s go."

Before they left, Ye Xi glanced back at the reeds and smiled softly.

Little did he know that Lin Jiangshan had been kicked into a pile of mud.

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Carrying a basket of water chestnuts home, Ye Xi saw the corn already piled high and the excess drying under the eaves. Liu Xiufeng was kneading corn flour dough. Seeing him return, she said, "Tonight we’ll have baked corn cakes. I added a bit of sugar to the corn—sweet and fragrant."

Ye Xi smiled. "That’s perfect. I love that—fresh corn has the richest flavor."

Liu Xiufeng noticed his improved spirits after returning from his trip, likely from chatting with Li’er. "Hey, then come help me in the kitchen."

Ye Xi went to help stoke the fire. The cakes needed chili to go with them, so he chopped green peppers from the vegetable garden and bright red, crisp pickled peppers from the jar, frying them in fragrant oil.

He washed some water chestnuts, sliced them thinly, stir-fried them with pork slices, added minced garlic and chili segments, then poured in half a bowl of starch water along the pan’s edge, a scoop of soy sauce with fragrant vinegar, and garnished with scallions.

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Thus, the family sat in the courtyard, lit lamps, and ate.

Early autumn had brought cooler night breezes, and the crickets’ chirping in the fields had quieted considerably. The Ye family enjoyed their first corn cakes of the year by lamplight and moonlight.

Generously oiled, the cakes fried to a crisp golden brown, lips glistening with oil. Ye Shan quickly grabbed three from the basket and swallowed them whole, exhaling in satisfaction.

"Delicious!"

Ye Xi ate delicately. Liu Xiufeng noticed his slow pace and occasionally wrapped slices of meat in the cakes for him. "This year’s harvest is good. We saved enough corn for winter food and next year’s seed—plenty to spare. Eat as much as you want. I’ll grind the extra into cornmeal so we don’t have to mix it with bean flour anymore."

Ye Father was pleased too, pouring two cups of sorghum wine to drink with Ye Shan.

This year’s harvest was the best in years. With the government stable and taxes decreasing, farmers’ lives had improved. Eating meat occasionally had become common.

After the meal, with a few cakes left, Ye Xi washed the dishes and wrapped some in lotus leaves to take back to his room.

Seeing him, though not gaunt enough to stand out, he was noticeably thinner—likely from poor food lately. Ye Xi still remembered him and planned to bring these cakes over tomorrow.

Thinking of the porcelain jar Lin Jiangshan gave him, Ye Xi examined his reflection in the basin. The ointment felt cool and refreshing on his face, with a hint of mint.

Carefully rubbing the ointment into his left cheek, Ye Xi placed the jar safely under his pillow. With thoughts of the reeds and Lin Jiangshan, he slowly drifted into sleep.

The next day, carrying the cakes, Ye Xi headed out. At the village road’s persimmon tree, he bumped into Li’er and other village children, who were using bamboo poles to shake down persimmons. Yellow-green fruit fell from the branches, caught in cloths below—quite a lively scene.

Ye Xi edged to the roadside, hoping to avoid meeting them.

But a sharp-eyed boy spotted him and called, "Brother Xi, come pick some persimmons! Li’er’s treating everyone!"

Ye Xi stopped, politely refusing with a smile, "No thanks, I have a cold stomach and can’t handle cold foods."

This tree belonged to Li’er’s family. Today he was treating the villagers, so he shouted sharply, "These are lucky persimmons. You should pick a couple to take home, so in the future you won’t just be sensitive to cold but blessed with good fortune."

Ye Xi narrowed his eyes, smiling without warmth. "Whether it’s good fortune, I don’t know. But if you say so, then I’ll take some."

Li’er from the Lin family was about to be betrothed to the Cao family. A few days ago, Lin’s father had boasted around the village, proudly declaring his future son-in-law would become a scholar and official.

Li’er sneered, "You probably can’t find anyone now. If in three to five years you’re still single, I could find you an old widower in town. That would be a home too."

Ye Xi didn’t bother arguing and let him have his moment. "The village dogs don’t help cats catch mice; your concern about me isn’t needed."

With his sharp tongue, Ye Xi was rarely bested in verbal sparring.

Li’er’s face darkened instantly. That was an insult, calling him a meddlesome dog. He wanted to strike Ye Xi where it hurt.

"Fine. Your words are sharp, and I won’t argue. But I want to see when Brother Xi gets married. Don’t wait until I have grandchildren while you’re an old lonely man with gray hair."

Ye Xi glanced at him, said nothing, and turned away.