Volume 1, Chapter 50: The Jade Sisters

At the entrance of the village, someone was operating a traditional popcorn popper, surrounded by a bunch of pre-teen kids.

Back in those days, whenever the popcorn vendor arrived, the kids would invariably swarm around and practically do all the work for him. Some would crank the heavy black iron drum, others would turn the air blower, and one lucky kid would always get to stomp on the final pedal to release the pressure and hear the loud blast.

The old man running the popcorn machine was quite a character; he wore a traditional vest. Years ago, he used to be a professional storyteller, but when that trade went downhill and people switched to listening to pirated radio broadcasts, he had to take up the popcorn-making business.

A group of my little peers stared at the one-hundred-bill in my hand with utter envy. No exaggeration, they wouldn't even use a banknote of such a large denomination when visiting graves during the Qingming Festival.

My vanity instantly swelled, though it only lasted for a few seconds, because I spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.

It was Meiyu, the young married woman who often haunted my dreams.

Upon seeing me, Meiyu greeted me warmly, "When did you get back?"

Perhaps because I had a guilty conscience, the moment I laid eyes on Meiyu, I felt rather awkward. I scratched my head and stammered, "Just got back. Paid my respects to the Earth God, bumped into Muddled-Head, and brought him over to buy some treats."

"Are you still following that Taoist priest?"

"Yep."

"Come on, come to my place for a bit. Your Big Brother Dayong is back, and he said he wanted to invite you over for dinner."

I thought to myself, I'm totally screwed. Did this woman really tell her husband that I groped her?

I couldn't possibly go. If I went, wouldn't her husband castrate me?

Meiyu took a step closer and urged, "Let's go, come sit at my place. I still have something to ask you."

How could I possibly have the guts? If I followed Meiyu back to her house, and once inside, she locked the door, pointed at me, and said, "Darling, this is the little punk who took advantage of me while you were away," wouldn't her husband beat me into a roasted chicken, break my legs, and shove them up my ass?

No way, I couldn't go.

I scratched my head and said, "I can't. I have to take Muddled-Head to buy some things. I've got to run."

Meiyu called out after me, "Come back later, then! I really do have something to discuss with you."

When I reached the small grocery store, the inside looked just like the Heavenly Palace—thick with smoke and completely hazy. My sudden visit made me the center of everyone's attention, and they all started firing questions at me from every direction.

Being the show-off that I was, I had the store owner weigh out ten yuan worth of melon seeds, bought two packs of five-yuan Changzheng cigarettes to hand out to everyone, and left the remaining eighty yuan with the proprietress, asking her to periodically send some food to Muddled-Head.

Don't underestimate those five-yuan Changzheng cigarettes. Back in the early 2000s, five yuan was considered a decent brand. Ordinary farmers smoked two-yuan packs of Huangguoshu or Daqianmen; those with a bit of money smoked three-and-a-half-yuan Hongmei or Shilin; even the village chief only smoked hard-pack Red River.

As for the eighty yuan left with the proprietress, there was zero need to worry. She would only give extra goods and never shortchange anyone, let alone try to make a profit—she'd likely even chip in a bit of her own money out of kindness.

With the melon seeds to keep him occupied, Muddled-Head didn't follow me away; he just sat there cracking seeds and watching the commotion, leaving me to head back alone.

When I passed by the popcorn spot, I felt immensely relieved that Meiyu wasn't there. I certainly had a soft spot for Meiyu, but strictly limited to times when her husband wasn't home.

A childhood friend of mine called me over to play for a bit and invited me to kick the popcorn drum to hear the blast.

Putting on airs, I bragged, "No way. I've got magical powers now. If I kick it, the white smoke might just conjure up Lord Laozi."

Right at that moment, Master Ma walked over, accompanied by Meiyu.

I thought to myself, I'm totally doomed. My home base has been compromised by Meiyu.

Master Ma said, "Go kowtow to the Earth God."

"Do I need to say anything?"

"No need to say anything. I've already said it all for you. Spend three years mastering the skills and come with me into the mountains to finish that business. If you fail to learn, then the Earth God can just take you away. You just need to go kowtow."

"Fine. You and I have a pretty good bond. When the Earth God takes me away, do me a favor and take you along too, so we can stay master and apprentice down below."

Master Ma let out a mix of a laugh and a scold, mentioning that something had come up at Meiyu's house and he had been asked to go take a look, instructing me to head straight to her place right after my kowtows.

I hurriedly said, "Wait up for me! I've got quick legs; I'll be done in a second."

There was no way I dared to go to Meiyu's house alone. With Master Ma around, whatever grievances Big Brother Dayong might hold against me, Master Ma could at least help buffer it.

Bang, bang, bang—I knocked my head three times. My relationship with the Earth God was rock solid; after living together for over a decade, we were practically family. Everything went unsaid, fully understood between us.

When I arrived at Meiyu's house, Big Brother Dayong was washing clothes. This man was truly something else.

I felt a bit apprehensive inside, but upon seeing us, Big Brother Dayong beamed with hospitality. He wiped his hands, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, handed them around, and said, "Come, come, get on the *kang*."

Judging by his tone, he presumably didn't know about me and his wife sharing that *kang*, which helped me relax a little.

Big Brother Dayong even showered me with compliments, saying I was a good lad who had helped out around the house quite a bit while he was away.

I thought to myself, doing a bit of chores is nothing. If you ever fell seriously ill or ran into misfortune, I'd even step up and help take care of your household.

Master Ma chimed in with a compliment as well, saying this kid was alright—aside from having a sharp tongue, he had no other flaws.

Big Brother Dayong told his wife to stir-fry a few dishes and asked us to stay for a meal.

Master Ma asked, "Didn't you say something came up? What's going on?"

"Ah, it's something on my sister-in-law's side. Let's drink some tea first. I can't explain it very well myself. Let's grab a quick bite and then go let my sister-in-law show you."

Meiyu was swift and efficient. With a flick of the gas stove, within moments she had whipped up four dishes: fresh mushrooms, Chinese chives, garlic sprouts, and scrambled eggs with scallions.

When Master Ma claimed he didn't drink, he honestly just didn't have the nerve to ask. But when Big Brother Dayong suggested they have a couple of sips to warm up, Master Ma poured himself two taels.

In the afternoon, we drove a donkey cart over to Meiyu's younger sister Meiling's village.

Meiling's village was neither too close nor too far—about seventeen or eighteen miles away, leaving the poor donkey huffing and puffing with white mist blowing from its nostrils.

It was a small village consisting of four rows of houses, each row containing around ten households, and every single house looked exceptionally nice.

Yet, Meiling's house stood out in stark contrast to all the others. As the saying goes, by the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, people paste paper couplets on their windows; at the very least, families would hang up a pair of bright red lanterns to celebrate the festive season.

In contrast, Meiling's house was bleak, cold, and utterly desolate. Nothing was hung up. Aside from the house being large and imposing, I couldn't sense a single shred of New Year atmosphere.

The donkey cart drove straight into the courtyard, and Meiling came out to greet us.

Meiling also possessed a fine figure; her ample hips clearly indicated a woman built to bear sons. Looking further up, anyone who married Meiling would never have to worry about buying milk powder for the rest of their lives.

However, Meiling's face looked deeply haggard. She forced a faint smile and said, "You're here. Come inside quickly."

Meiyu said, "Little sister, I've brought you a capable master to take a look."

Meiling's house was very wealthy. It had tiled floors, all the interior walls were painted a pristine white, the kitchen was fully tiled, and the bedroom contained not only a flat-screen TV but also a refrigerator and a sofa.

The entire place gave me the impression of a newly built house prepared specifically for a wedding. This family was quite well-to-do.

Then again, who without money could ever marry such a fine woman? She was definitely top-tier for a mountain bride.

Once inside, Meiyu got straight to the point, saying, "Master Ma is a man of great methods. Tell him what's going on in your household, and he'll sort it out for you."

Hearing those words, Meiling burst into tears, weeping as she recounted the sequence of events.