Chapter 108 - 107: Bustling Village

Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Bustling Village "Why are you still standing there?" Amidst the bustling crowd at the village gate, the Old Clan Chief’s single question made everyone realize what was most important. "Go tell Datong’s mother to slaughter a chicken, heat up the wine, and steam the buns..." "The kids are back! We need to set up a feast! Everyone come and eat, everyone come and eat!" "..." The villagers burst into laughter, ushering Hu Ma and the others, along with the carriage, into the village. Someone had already notified Zhou Datong’s mother and his honest, unassuming father. They had thrown open their courtyard gate, borrowed tables and chairs from neighbors, and set up a canopy, ready to lay out the banquet. Traditionally, since this was their own children returning for the New Year, it wasn’t considered a major event for the entire village, so a feast couldn’t be held in the village’s name. But the Old Clan Chief was overjoyed and couldn’t bear the thought of the children returning only to eat separately at their own homes. So, they added a table, then another, until it truly became a flowing feast. Without even needing to be asked, the families of Zhou Liang, Zhao Zhu, and Li automatically brought dishes, meat, rice, and noodles to lend a hand. Women from neighboring households also came voluntarily to help, steaming buns, frying meatballs, and bringing out jar after jar of wine. The village elders, those with standing and seniority, arrived without invitation, sitting by the tables, smoking their pipes and joking. "I’ve known for a long time that Datong and that Little Huma are good lads." "In all our years in this village, they’re the only two who dared to peek at widows bathing at such a young age!" "Liangzi and Zhuzi are good too, steady and reliable. Look at this, these two families have really gained face in the village now." "And look at Li, what a fortunate face he has! He cheated death, and there’s plenty more good fortune waiting for him..." "..." Not only was the village lively, but even the carriage driver who had brought Hu Ma and his companions back was invited to a table. He was an honest man, blushing beet red, repeatedly saying he was just a driver. He explained he had been paid silver by the Young Master to bring them home and insisted it wasn’t appropriate for him to join the feast. But the villagers, in their high spirits, insisted he join. "Anyone from outside is a guest," they said, "and bringing the children back is a great service!" People hosting joyous occasions are always generous; even a beggar could hope to snag a bowl of meat. At past village feasts like this, children like Hu Ma and Zhou Datong wouldn’t normally get a seat at the main tables. Zhou Datong might have been able to sneak a few pieces of meat, but only thanks to his connection with the Clan Leader. This time, however, it was different. All of them, the younger ones including Li, were seated at the main table, accompanied by the Clan Leader, the Second Master, and several other village elders. Wine bowls were immediately placed before them. As the dishes began to arrive, the high regard in which the village held them became even more evident. Although the village was poor, a proper feast required chicken, fish, and meat; without them, it wouldn’t count as a real feast. Usually, given the village’s limited resources, they couldn’t afford to indulge like this. These main dishes were often just wooden mock-ups, perhaps with a bit of sauce drizzled on top for symbolic meaning. But today, the Old Clan Chief had given the word. Real chicken was slaughtered, real fish was served, and in the very center of a platter sat a square piece of meat. It wasn’t large, but it was genuine White Tai Sui—a truly special dish! The ceremony and grandeur of it all rivaled the village’s previous reception for the manager from the Red Lantern Lady’s Club. Well, almost. The only thing missing was the Li Family widow; she was currently in Zhou Datong’s family kitchen, busy frying fish... Soon, three courses had been served. The Old Clan Chief then led the first toast, and the feast officially began. The villagers crowded around five or six tables. Even those who couldn’t find a seat watched the lively scene from a distance. The Old Clan Chief was indescribably happy, repeatedly leading toasts. As the wine took effect, he began presenting the items Hu Ma and the others had brought back to the village, praising each one lavishly. The pork from the city looked so rich and fatty! The rice was so white—clearly the kind eaten by wealthy families! And the cloth... "...Nobody touches this! My Datong brought it back to honor me. I’m saving it to make my shroud." Even those villagers who had initially been skeptical—thinking Hu Ma and the others had returned too quickly after leaving, and disbelieving that one of them had become a manager—were convinced upon seeing these fine goods. In years past, there had been others who left for the city to try and make a living. But they were considered fortunate if they could merely feed themselves and bring back a little grain at New Year’s to support their aging mothers and wives. Who would have imagined these youngsters could bring back so many wonderful things after just one trip for the New Year? No amount of boasting could be as convincing as these tangible, valuable goods; each item was something the villagers cherished dearly. When they saw the items Hu Ma had brought back—cloth, sugar, premium tobacco, and wine—they were both envious and puzzled. The Hu Family had no one left in the village, so who were all these gifts for? Hu Ma, seeing their confusion, simply smiled and said, "The things I brought back are, of course, to honor the Second Master. It was no easy task for him to teach us all. Shouldn’t he be honored?" At these words, not only was the Second Master moved nearly to tears, but even the Clan Leader grew solemn. He raised his wine bowl. "Old Second, year after year, you’ve taught the children of our village to worship Tai Sui, and you’ve nurtured several successful ones." "You are a great benefactor to our village. I must toast you for this..." "..." The Second Master, a coarse man by nature, was both touched and flustered by the Clan Leader’s words, stumbling over his response. "These are our own children, isn’t this expected? Why are you being so damn polite to me?!" The Clan Leader’s face darkened. "My ’damn,’ isn’t it your ’damn’ too?" The villagers burst into laughter. Normally, who would dare to joke about the Second Master and the Clan Leader? But today, anything went. Following the Old Clan Chief’s lead, many people came to toast the Second Master. Even Hu Ma and the others, who had just returned, were obliged to drink several bowls. The Second Master’s dark face was flushed from the wine. He gazed with emotion at the gifts Hu Ma had brought to honor him and sighed. "I always knew you had a good heart, boy. I figured you’d look after me when you made something of yourself, but I didn’t expect you to achieve so much so soon, and for me to see it this year." Hu Ma laughed. "This is just the beginning. How could my yearly respects in the future possibly exclude you?" "Don’t just come back to show off." The Second Master adopted the air of an elder, chiding Hu Ma. "Making a living out there is never easy." "Focus on your affairs over there, and make sure you don’t run short of funds." "..." After his admonishment, he sighed softly and added, "But, you know, your return this year is indeed timely." "Your Granny entered the old fire pit this year. For the first year to pass without a younger generation member burning paper offerings for her... well, it just wouldn’t look right, no matter how you put it." "If you hadn’t returned, given that you’re out learning skills, it would have been understandable. Your Granny probably wouldn’t have blamed you. But in the eyes of the villagers, it would have definitely seemed lacking. Now that you’re back, I can rest easy..." "..." Hu Ma nodded. "I understand." In truth, the Second Master didn’t know Granny’s real situation; he believed she had truly passed away. He placed great importance on these incense rituals. If Hu Ma hadn’t returned, the Second Master wouldn’t have mentioned it, but he would have felt a sense of incompleteness. As for the villagers, who knew what sort of gossip might have spread? An elder passing away and no descendant burning paper offerings in the first year—that would certainly invite ridicule. The feast lasted well into the evening, ending only when darkness had completely fallen. The villagers gradually dispersed, and Hu Ma returned to his own small cottage. He had only been gone a few months, yet the little house now felt somewhat desolate and had gathered a layer of dust. Hu Ma cleaned it up and slept there that night. Through the haze of wine, he vaguely felt as if Granny were still in the outer room, chanting and watching over him. He realized he had been in this world for quite some time now and had experienced so much, yet it all still felt like a fleeting dream. But no matter what, the path he had chosen had begun, and he was determined to walk it well. 「The next day」 The village was still bustling with excitement. It was as if this group of youngsters, returning from what the villagers considered "the city," had injected a fresh stream of life into the village. Of course, Hu Ma and the others hadn’t actually come from a city; the Manor they stayed at was, at best, a large town. But the villagers didn’t concern themselves with such details. The Red Lantern Lady’s Club was from "the city," so anyone returning from there was considered a city person. It was now the end of the year, and farm work had ceased. All year long, the villagers looked forward to these few days of leisure. People were drinking and playing cards everywhere. However, with the Cui Family’s third son gone, there were noticeably fewer card games being organized. But because these young men had returned, there was a significant increase in visiting and chatting. The doorsteps of Zhou Datong, Zhou Liang, Zhao Zhu, and Li’s homes were nearly worn down from all the callers. Families with children all came to inquire about life in "the city" and how skills were learned. They hoped their own children would also apply themselves and eventually work for the Red Lantern Lady’s Club, just like these successful young men. Hu Ma, however, didn’t experience this quite the same way, as he was constantly being invited out these past few days. When the villagers first heard that Hu Ma had actually become a manager, they found it hard to believe. But after Zhou Datong, Zhou Liang, and Zhao Zhu recounted the events at the Manor, they were finally convinced. It turned out that the Hu family’s boy wasn’t just successful; his abilities were astonishingly great. Thinking that their own children would depend heavily on his help in the future, and perhaps even the entire village might come to rely on him, everyone clamored to invite him for drinks. This was a rare sight in the village. Usually, as the New Year approached, it was the prominent households that were the center of all the activity. But this year, it seemed the Hu household was the liveliest of all. Though Hu Ma understood the villagers’ sentiments, he wasn’t quite accustomed to this daily whirlwind of social engagements. He could only blame himself for not having been promoted to security team leader in his past life; he hadn’t yet learned how to navigate such social obligations among important figures. Fortunately, the Second Master, seeing the endless stream of invitations, finally intervened, reprimanding them. "All of you, stop with this excessive politeness! Even if Little Huma has become a manager for the Red Lantern Lady’s Club, he’s still just a kid, barely more than a boy. What’s the point of inviting him for drinks every single day?" "If you keep inviting him, are you going to invite him right into a widow’s bed next?" "..." Hearing the Second Master speak this way, the villagers finally reined in their enthusiasm somewhat. The Second Master’s status was different now. Hu Ma had become a manager for the Red Lantern Lady’s Club. And the Second Master? He was the one who had taught and raised a manager of the Red Lantern Lady’s Club. Thanks to this brief respite, Hu Ma finally had some time to tidy up his house, inside and out, and begin learning from the Second Master about the rites of revering the Old Fire Pit. This, for him, was the most important reason for returning to the village.