Chapter 37: Where There Is Something Abnormal, There Is Surely a Demon

Returning to the farmhouse in Kaoshan Village, Xiaodie and Liuxi were still awake, waiting for his return. Seeing Lin Feng, they both breathed a sigh of relief. Xiaodie asked, "Big Brother, why are you back so late?"

"Is this late? If I had stayed to drink, it would be even later," Lin Feng laughed. "Hurry and get me some food and wine; I'm starving."

"We saved some for you," Xiaodie said, gesturing to the table. "Stewed pheasant with mushrooms."

"Excellent dish!" Lin Feng immediately poured a bowl of wine and picked up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks. "Not bad, Xiaodie, your cooking has improved quite a bit!"

"She didn't make this; Sister Xi'er did. She was worried you wouldn't have eaten when you got back, so she took the pheasant we gave her family yesterday and stewed it for you."

Xiaodie shot a glance at Liuxi. "You sure have a fast tongue!"

Liuxi scratched his head. "It’s just the truth! Oh, and Big Brother, Sister Xi'er also fried up some peanuts. She said she followed your instructions and made ten pounds of garlic-flavored peanuts."

"So, you two didn't do anything at all? What is this? Treating her like a servant girl?"

"She volunteered to do it herself; we didn't order her to," Xiaodie said with a sudden smile. "Big Brother, tell us the truth—when you take her away, do you want her to be your apprentice or your wife?"

"An apprentice, of course!" Lin Feng replied sternly.

"That's strange, because to me, it looks like Sister Xi'er wants to be your wife. She’s so attentive to you."

"Don't talk nonsense. She just wants to learn more skills from me; naturally, she has to be attentive."

Liuxi gave a goofy grin. "Big Brother, Sister Xi'er is great. She’s pretty, smart, and capable..."

Xiaodie’s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot. "If you think she’s so great, does that mean you have feelings for her? Go look at yourself in a puddle before you start dreaming!"

"I..." Liuxi was left speechless, looking toward the heavens.

Lin Feng chuckled. "How could that be? Liuxi thinks you’re the best woman in the world and dreams of marrying you."

Xiaodie froze on the spot, a rosy blush spreading across her face. She turned and walked away, muttering, "In his dreams..." As she stepped out the door, she stumbled, nearly falling over. Liuxi hurried after her. Lin Feng laughed to himself. *Little girl, let's see you act tough now!*

Thinking back to when he first saw the two of them, they were nearly frozen together, suggesting they had been beggars together. Having shared such hardship and adversity, it was impossible for them not to have feelings for one another.

As Lin Feng drank, he suddenly heard someone speaking outside: "Is Brother Lin back?"

Lin Feng called out, "Brother Tian, I’m inside. Come in."

Tian Zhong pushed the door open and entered. Seeing Lin Feng, his honest face broke into a smile. "You were right, Brother Lin."

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow. "So, that third young master of the Jin family really is trouble?"

"He’s nothing but a spoiled playboy, already has three wives and four concubines—a complete lecher!" Tian Zhong snorted coldly. "And that’s not all. He didn't even know who Xi'er was. It was the younger brother of my second brother’s wife who lost three hundred taels of silver at the Jin family’s gambling den in the county town. He couldn't pay it back, so she came up with a twisted scheme to offer Xi'er as a concubine to pay off her brother's debt!"

Lin Feng couldn't help but curse, "That woman is truly poisonous. How could she do something so heartless? Did you tell your parents?"

"Of course! My mother was so angry she cursed all night."

Lin Feng thought to himself that Tian Xi'er could finally rest easy now; even if she didn't leave, she certainly wouldn't be married off to that third young master.

"It’s all thanks to you, Brother Lin, for suggesting I look into it."

"When something is abnormal, there must be a demon behind it. From the start, I thought it was strange that a young master from the county would take notice of Xi'er."

"I thought it was odd too. Xi'er had only been to the county town once; how could she have caught his eye? It was too much of a coincidence."

Lin Feng smiled. "Are your second brother and his wife back?"

"No, and it's a good thing they aren't. My parents are still furious; otherwise, they would have given them a piece of their minds!"

"It was indeed reckless. Isn't the second sister-in-law's family quite wealthy? Could they not come up with three hundred taels?"

"They have some money, but not enough to cover her brother’s spending habits. Besides, she was born to a concubine, which is why she married into our family. She isn't well-regarded in her own home—they never offer her any favors, but whenever there's trouble, they think of her."

"Her family bullies her, so she comes to bully the Tian family," Lin Feng scoffed. "Truly, those who suffer deserve their misery."

"Exactly. My parents said they’ve already emptied the family coffers buying a house for them in the county town, and they won't give her another penny."

Lin Feng nodded. "Xi'er should be happy then."

"She is. At the very least, she won't be married to that lecherous young master. Still, she wants to follow you to Jiangcheng," Tian Zhong sighed. "Girls really shouldn't be allowed to study; it makes their hearts restless."

"No rush. We still have a month. Perhaps she will change her mind by then."

"That would be for the best..." Tian Zhong asked, "If you leave in a month, what about the field?"

"As long as Village Chief Li doesn't reclaim it, you can keep farming it. Just pay the grain tax when the time comes. No point in leaving the land idle."

"But what kind of vegetables can you grow in just one month?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment. "Chives, baby bok choy, mint, and cilantro. These four can be planted in abundance; they can be harvested in half a month if tended well. Plant some others, too. After I leave, you can eat them or sell them."

"Must you leave in a month?"

Since he had decided, Lin Feng wasn't going to dally. If he wanted to make money, he couldn't stay in a place as small as a well. Only by reaching the provincial capital could he truly spread his wings.

"Yes."

"Alright. I will make sure to plant the field well within this month. I'll start tomorrow."

Sure enough, the next morning, the siblings arrived to start working. Tian Xi'er even brought a large wooden basin and gathered all of Lin Feng's dirty clothes—even his undergarments weren't spared. She said she would wash them while she was idling at the food stall by the river.

Tian Zhong was speechless. His little sister had never even washed her own brother's clothes, yet she was doing it for Lin Feng. Was a master closer than a brother?

They split into two groups. Xiaodie and Liuxi continued to the town to sell candied haws and spiced peanuts. In addition to the Pear Blossom Pavilion, they had added the restaurant and teahouse recommended by Zhang Yuan. With just these three spots, they were guaranteed a profit.

Lin Feng was right: as long as the quality was high, the big-spending customers would always want your goods. Especially with the new addition of the garlic-flavored peanuts.

Lin Feng’s food stall had been a success the day before, and today brought many returning customers. Thanks to word-of-mouth, the stall was even busier, and with the constant flow of travelers, Lin Feng and Tian Xi'er were barely able to catch a breath.

Tian Zhong, meanwhile, worked diligently in the nearby field, loosening the soil and sowing the seeds by midday.