Fate
Teacher Liu asked tenderly, “Qingqing, are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”
Liu Qing smiled as she answered, “It is nothing father, I was only a little distracted. What did you ask me?”
Teacher Liu asked, “Is this the tea you brought from home?”
Liu Qing understood her father’s meaning and said, “Yes, father. This is the tea you would drink often. Before I came, I took some of the tea leaves with me. Don’t you feel that this tea is especially delicious?”
Teacher Liu took another sip and replied, “Yes, it doesn’t taste anything like the one at home. This tea’ fragrance is truly mesmerizing.”
This teacher Liu does not have any hobby, but he has a particular liking for quality tea and thus has drunk many types of tea. As their house has a large collection of tea leaves, it was no wonder that Liu Qing had also inherited his taste for good tea. However, the tea he tried today was vastly superior to the ones he drank at home, and since the tea leaves are the same, he guessed that it must be the difference in the water used. Teacher Liu was curious, even though Bali Gou was quite far from Guo village, it was at most half a day worth of travelling, so how could the difference in water quality be so large?
Teacher Liu asked, “Qingqing, why is the water in Guo village so much better than the one in Bali Gou?”
Liu Qing winked at her father and replied, “Yes father, the water here is delightful.”
Liu Qing knew that the uncle of hers has a habit of shooting his mouth, and as soon as he learnt something, it would not be long until the rest of the people in Bali Gou village learnt about it too. Thus, this news of this water has to be kept under wraps from him.
Teacher Liu caught Liu Qing’s wink, and did not pursue any further.
However, butcher Liu heard Liu Qing’s response and interrupted, “Isn’t this easy, just get Zhang Xiaolong to bring a bucket over to you every day.”
Teacher Liu pretended to be angry, and said, “Second brother, even if the journey is not half a day’s worth of travel, the water may not be as good as this.”
Seeing that butcher Liu did not understand, he continued, “The water to make tea tastes best when it is fresh collected from the river. After letting it stay still for a while, the flavor of the tea it makes will be less fresh.”
Butcher Liu was unsatisfied, and said, “Only learned people like you are so fastidious to care. How come I do not get that feeling at all? Don’t you agree, brother Zhang?” After he finished his sentence, he took another gulp of the tea.
Zhang Cai who was at a side responded by laughing, but he did not say anything else.
Liu Qing went up to pour everybody another cup.
When teacher Liu took his cup, he placed it under his nose and smelled it carefully, before taking small sips to enjoy its taste.
Butcher Liu teased, “What is so special about this tasteless water? Let’s drink some alcohol and enjoy.”
Teacher Liu pursed his lips and said, “What would you know about my likes? Our interests are different, so there is no need to discuss this any further. What a pity, after tasting this tea, how could I enjoy the other tea I have?”
Butcher Liu replied, “Isn’t that easy, just move over to Guo village to live. I heard that this village does not have a teacher, they will only be too happy to welcome you here.”
Teacher Liu’s eyes brightened, and said, “The boorish you can actually think of such a good idea, it is indeed ‘eating three hundred lychees daily, and one becomes a Lingnan person’. It is a rare chance that I am fated to meet such good tea, I would have no regrets becoming a Guo villager for it.”
The speaker said it half-heartedly, but the listener gained deep understanding. Teacher Liu’s words “rare chance that I am fated to meet” struck a chord in Liu Qing’s heart. Indeed, it was a rare opportunity that she got meet Zhang Xiaolong. Now that she thought in retrospect, ever since she met Zhang Xiaolong, and he got hurt to save her, and she offered to take care of his injuries, before finding the precious spring water, and now her father is thinking of moving to Guo village. She was initially reluctant to marry to a faraway household so that she could look after her father, and now that this obstacle is gone, it felt like pieces and pieces of events have been arranged by fate to bring her and Zhang Xiaolong together. Since it was fate, why was she still being so wishy washy?
When one thought is straightened, the other thousand follows. Liu Qing felt as if a large rock has floated away from her heart.
At this moment, she noticed the reactions of the household towards her father’s words. Seeing that they did not understand, Liu Qing explained, “This lychee is supposedly a very tasty fruit, except that it only grows in a place called Lingnan. When people tried the fruit, they were so enamored that he said he was willing to move to Lingan in order to eat the fruit every day.”
Everyone then understood.
Zhang Cai gleefully said, “If teacher Liu wishes to migrate to our tribe, then we will definitely welcome you with open arms. I will inform the Guo village elder to find you a suitable place.”
Teacher Liu immediately said, “Old brother, this matter is not urgent; we can talk about it later. Let’s leave it to fate, haha.”
Then, teacher Liu sipped on his tea again, before stating his real motive for coming, “Old brother, the reason we came was to bring Liu Qing back home for a while. This child has stayed here for quite a period, and would definitely have missed me, and our own house would also needs housekeeping. Thus Yueyue should have come earlier, but did not come along with Liu Qing because she was needed at home. This time, we thought of switching the girls, what do you think?”
Zhang Cai did not dare to reply, and turned to look at Guo Sufei.
Guo Sufei saw the sincere expressions on teacher Liu and butcher Liu, as well as the unreadable expression on Liu Yueyue’s face, and knew her answer. She smiled towards teacher Liu and butcher Liu and said, “We can sympathize with our two brother’s situation. Qingqing has been here a period of time when we most needed help, and we are very grateful for that. By now, Xiaolong, Xiaohu, and our head of the household’s injuries have more or less healed, there is no need for Qingqing to stay anymore. If teacher Liu wishes to take Qingqing back, then I will help her pack her belongings now, and follow the two of you back in the afternoon. Yueyue will not need to stay as well.”
Hearing Guo Sufei’s words, a joyful expression appeared on Liu Yueyue’s face, while Liu Qing raised her head and look towards Zhang Xiaohu’s disappointment, and thought, “This Zhang Xiaohu did not speak out or ask about Yueyue, so I did not expect this expression from him. It seems like there may be some trouble, I will have to find some time to remind him that my little sister’s heart is not in him.”
Butcher Liu could also not contain his joy, and said, “Sister-in-law, didn’t we agree upon it previously? Yueyue should also contribute her bit, if not, aren’t we letting her off too easily?”
Guo Sufei smiled in reply, “I have always known that you are a straightforward person, why would we hide our difficulties from you? Look at my two children and old brother Zhang, they are both in the pink of health with no difficulties in moving around by themselves. Thus, there is really no need for her to stay.”
Teacher Liu also smiled, and held butcher Liu back from persisting, saying, “Since sister-in-law has said so, then I believe there is really no need for the children to stay behind. Second brother does not need to insist any further. As for the matter of Qingqing following us back, I think it is better to ask for her opinion first.”
Liu Qing pondered before saying, “How about this, father. I will not follow you back for the time being. Since there is still Yueyue to do the housekeeping, there should be no large problems at home. I have not even been here for a month, even though I do miss home, there is no urgent need for me to go home. Furthermore, Xiaolong’s injuries have healed up to its last stage of recovery, I should tidy up the ends of the things I picked up and wait for him to be completely recovered before going back home.”
When she finished her sentence, butcher Liu could not control his surprise and stood up, saying, “Did you discuss this with your father beforehand? How come the both of your words are the same?”
Liu Qing asked in surprise, “Second uncle, what do you mean?”
Before butcher Liu could open his mouth, Liu Yueyue spoke up, “Elder sister, earlier when we were on the way here, the two men made a bet. Your father said that you would not be willing to come back, and my father said that you would. When my father asked why, your father said that Qingqing does not like letting other people pick up the ends for her, and since she has not stayed for a full month yet and that Zhang Xiaolong’s injuries must not be healed, she would not return home under these circ.u.mstances. My father is naturally angry, as he thought the both of you have collaborated behind his back.”
This Liu Yueyue had a glib tongue, saying your father in one sentence, and my father in another, making everyone laugh.
Liu Qing said to butcher Liu, “Second uncle has watched me grow up, why don’t you know about my temper?”
Butcher Liu helpeless replied, “I only remember you when you when you still wiping your snot, you little rascal. Who would know that you and Yueyue would have grown and become ladies in a few years? How would I know about your temper, I just a.s.sumed that you would miss home.”
As they talked, Guo Sufei noticed that the time was getting late, and she went out to prepare lunch, while Liu Qing and Liu Yueyue went out to help here, leaving the boys in the room to talk.
Lunch in Zhang household was simple as usual, and would be ready not long later. Zhang Xiaohua has also returned from outside the village with the wine, and butcher Liu was naturally the happiest about the boy’s return.
After they had their lunch, the sun had just began to descend. Teacher Liu and the other two bade their farewell, and teacher Liu invited Zhang Cai over to his village, “Old brother, tomorrow is the second of February when the dragon will raise its head. There will be a gathering in Bali Gou, why don’t you come over tomorrow to my place?”
Zhang Cai pondered a while and rejected, “Even though most of our injuries are healed, there are still areas that have yet to recover, so there may be some small problems when travelling long distances. Furthermore, we have a sick elderly in our household, so it is best not to leave too far. When we have the time in the future, we will definitely come over to visit.”
Teacher Liu knew that his reasons were not excuses, so he did not insist, and they bade farewell at the village entrance, while Liu Qing and Zhang Xiaohua sent them off slightly later.
Then, Liu Qing reluctantly watched her family leave.