Chapter 3: Who Just Said They Wanted to Call Me Father?

“Uncle Wang, I truly cannot thank you enough. I have nothing much to offer at the moment, but please, take these fish for Auntie to nourish herself.”
Li Yuanjing had never expected that his father, Honest Li, would leave behind such precious connections for him. Hurriedly, he picked out three large fish and over a dozen smaller ones, threaded them together with a vine, and respectfully handed them to Wang Youdao.

Wang Youdao paused in surprise, narrowing his eyes at Li Yuanjing.
Who would have thought?
Since Honest Li and his wife passed away, in just this short time, the once bookish Li Yuanjing had matured so much, already beginning to grasp the ways of the world.
The value of these fish already exceeded the ten pounds of white rice he had just given.
Yet Wang Youdao did not refuse; instead, he accepted the string of fish with a cheerful smile.
“Very well. Nephew, once I’m done with this busy period, let’s have a drink and a good chat together.”
“Of course, Uncle Wang. Safe travels.”

...

Li Yuanjing returned home in high spirits. After resting a while, it was nearly noon, close to eleven o’clock, but Yuniang had not yet returned.
He couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache.
The girl must have gone far up the mountain to gather the best dry kindling.
He could only contain his impatience, clean out the fish basket, and prepare to cook something delicious for Yuniang, to help her recover.

Just then,
A commotion arose outside.
Li Yuanjing quickly set aside his work and rushed out, immediately consumed by anger!

Wang Cuihua had come again.

This time, she had brought along a middle-aged woman with a head full of silver hair, and together they were hounding Yuniang for a debt.

“Yuniang~~~”

“You see, it’s not that I, your Aunt Wang, want to embarrass you, but your Aunt Zhang’s family can hardly put food on the table.”

“When will you be able to return the two pounds of grain you owe her? You can’t let your Aunt Zhang’s family starve to death because of you, can you?”

Wang Cuihua, clad as always in her garish red cotton jacket, stood with her hands on her hips as though she commanded the moral high ground, her proud, spittle-laced words nearly spraying Yuniang’s delicate face.

Yuniang, her small frame burdened with a bundle of firewood twice her size, simply wrung her hands together in utter humility, unable to utter a single word...

At her side, Aunt Zhang—kindhearted by nature—had no wish to press Yuniang for payment, but Wang Cuihua, the matchmaker, was exploiting the matter of her eldest son’s broken arm and impending marriage. Aunt Zhang had little choice but to go along.

Seeing how pitiful Yuniang looked, Aunt Zhang finally couldn’t hold back, and pleaded with Wang Cuihua,
“Cuihua, Yuniang’s family has it tough. Why not let this matter rest for now…”

“You shut your mouth!”

“Does your crippled son still want a wife or not?”

Wang Cuihua exploded in anger, her beady eyes glaring ferociously at Aunt Zhang as she cursed.

“I…”

Aunt Zhang dared not argue and could only shake her head helplessly.

Just then,
Yuniang, as if making a momentous decision, reached toward her modest chest, intending to part with her black jade bead. She was about to speak—

But Li Yuanjing strode over swiftly.

He first took the huge bundle of firewood off Yuniang’s back, easing her burden, then drew her protectively into his arms. Only then did he sneer at Wang Cuihua:

“Aunt Wang, if you want grain, come to me. What right have you to bully my Yuniang?”

“Ha!”

“You good-for-nothing pauper, how dare you speak to me like that?”
Wang Cuihua never expected Li Yuanjing to stand up to her so brazenly. Furious, she shrieked,
“The grain owed to the Zhangs was borrowed by your Yuniang. Debts must be paid by those who owe them! If not her, then who?”

“Li, you penniless wretch, if you have any ability, don’t just bark at me—pay the debt to the Zhangs!”

“How can you justify owing someone and not repaying them?”

...

“Brother…”
Seeing that Li Yuanjing was about to lose his temper, Yuniang hurriedly clasped his hand tightly, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears as she shook her head.
Looking at her haggard appearance, Li Yuanjing’s heart ached all the more, and he no longer wished to argue with Wang Cuihua.
He gently patted Yuniang’s frail back.
“Don’t worry, Yuniang. Your brother is here; everything will be alright.”
Then he turned to Wang Cuihua with a cold smile:
“Wang Cuihua!”
“It’s just grain, isn’t it? Wait here. I’ll get it for you!”
With that, he strode quickly toward the house.

“Bah!”
“What nonsense!”
“With his sorry state, he thinks he can produce grain? Dream on!”
Wang Cuihua spat on the ground with a sneer as she watched Li Yuanjing hurry inside, then shouted,
“If that penniless Li actually brings out grain today, I, Wang Cuihua, will stand here and call him father!”

Yuniang stood in bitter, pained silence, wanting to speak but not knowing how...

Aunt Zhang could only sigh repeatedly.
Wang Cuihua had her in a bind; what could she do?

Just then,
Li Yuanjing emerged, carrying a small sack.

“Wang Cuihua, open your eyes and look carefully—grain, is it? I, Li Yuanjing, a man of the Ming Cult, well-read in the classics, would hardly lack your bit of grain!”

“If I remember correctly, Yuniang borrowed two pounds of wheat from Aunt Zhang’s family, right?”

“Well, here.”
“Wang Cuihua!”
“Open your eyes and see—this is two and a half pounds of white rice! White rice is worth more than wheat, isn’t it?”
“Aunt Zhang, weigh it yourself, I, Li Yuanjing, would never shortchange anyone!”
He opened the sack to reveal gleaming white rice and handed it to Aunt Zhang.

“This…”

In an instant, not only Wang Cuihua and Aunt Zhang were stunned, but even Yuniang stared in utter disbelief, her eyes wide as stars.

“Brother, this—this is white rice! Where did you get it…”

Li Yuanjing, now having proved his worth as a man, straightened his back and drew Yuniang closer, murmuring,
“Don’t worry, Yuniang, I got these things fair and square, not by stealing or robbing. I’ll tell you everything when we’re home.”

Yet, despite his assurances, Yuniang bit her soft red lips so hard she nearly drew blood, clearly not fully convinced.

She didn’t dare say anything openly at this moment…

“Impossible!”
“Absolutely impossible!”
“Li, you penniless wretch, where did you get such white rice? You must have stolen or robbed it!”

Meanwhile, Aunt Zhang, having verified the grain, was overwhelmed with shame, while Wang Cuihua shrieked in rage.

“Wang Cuihua!”
“Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re a woman! Slander me again, and I’ll knock your teeth out!”
Li Yuanjing glared coldly at Wang Cuihua.

...

“All this white rice was given to me by my Uncle Wang Youdao from Dagou Village. Should we go confront him together?”
At this, Wang Cuihua, a matchmaker who certainly knew the influential Wang Youdao, was struck dumb.
She could bully a nobody like Li Yuanjing, but how could she dare challenge someone like Wang Youdao?

Seeing the situation turn against her, she spun around to flee.

“Hold it!”
“Where are you running, Wang Cuihua? Who said just now that if I produced the grain, she’d call me father?”
Li Yuanjing burst out laughing.

Wang Cuihua, gritting her teeth in fury, shot him a murderous glare and fled even faster.

“Auntie, I never wanted things to be like this, but…”
Seeing Wang Cuihua slink away, Aunt Zhang could hardly meet his eyes, her face filled with guilt.

Li Yuanjing sighed,
“Auntie, it’s alright, I understand. It’s not your fault.”

Only then did Aunt Zhang breathe easier, and with an apologetic glance, she left.

...

“Brother…”
“Please, tell me honestly, where did you get this white rice?”
Back in their own yard, with the gate closed, Yuniang trembled all over as she stared at Li Yuanjing, nearly biting through her lip in her desperation.

She was on the brink of despair.
If…
If this rice had been stolen or robbed, Yuniang dared not imagine the consequences.
Perhaps,
There would never again be a place for them in Quanzi Village...

“Stolen? Robbed?”
Li Yuanjing, who had been hoping for Yuniang’s admiration, nearly fainted with anger at these words.
Did she truly think so little of him?

He hurriedly brought her to the fish basket, letting her see the dozen or so lively fish with her own eyes, then pulled out the remaining rice, squaring his shoulders with pride.

“Yuniang!”

“Open those pretty eyes and look carefully—could anyone steal so many fish? And where could I steal such white rice?”

“I caught these myself this morning!”

“You wicked girl, you’ll be the death of me…”

He recounted the encounter with Wang Youdao for Yuniang.

“Ah?”

“Brother, this, this…”
Yuniang stared at the basket of still-leaping fish and the sack of at least seven or eight pounds of white rice, utterly dumbfounded, her rosy lips forming a perfect “O” of shock, large enough to fit a chicken egg.

She pinched herself hard, then, unable to hold back any longer, burst into tears of joy.

“Brother, I’m not dreaming, am I? I really am not dreaming…”

Seeing Yuniang’s adorable, excited face, Li Yuanjing’s pride was thoroughly satisfied. As he set about cooking, he silently cursed his predecessor.

What a wonderful girl,
Yet how much had she suffered because of him?
Thank goodness he had crossed over into this world.
Otherwise, even thunder from the heavens would not be enough to quell his anger…