It will become a habit
Author: 橙子澄澄
Source: Instadoses
"That's right, how many times have our two villages quarreled before? With old grudges, would Xinghua villagers ever look kindly on us? Chief, I think we should gather our people together. Doesn't that young nobleman want to build a winery? We can build one in Xiapo Village, too. We can also clear a space by the Qinghe River! As long as he comes, we'll give him more benefits. I don't believe he'll settle in Xinghua Village without moving his nest!"
"Right! Let's lure him over, who doesn't want to make money? I don't believe it, our Xiapo Villagers are inferior to those two idiots in Xinghua Village."
Villagers spoke one after the other, and the more spoke, the more they thought it that way.
An Cai closed his eyes fiercely and snapped, "Shut up, all of you! Are you all dreaming? Lure him? Who are we to lure? They opened a winery in Xinghua Village because someone made fruit wine! Who in our village knows how to do that? Who's got the skill? Do you have it? Do you have it? What about you?"
The villagers were speechless when asked.
This objective factor was deliberately overlooked in a moment of glibness.
No one wanted to admit it, because once they did, they would have to bow to the fact that their village was inferior to others.
In the future, others would get better and better off, while they in Xiapo Village could just sit back and watch!
"What should we do now? Are we just going to let Xinghua Village progress?" A villager cursed irritably, "Damn it, Xinghua Village is just dumb lucky! Why isn't there anything good in our village?"
"There's a Blessed Baby in Xinghua Village, how can we compare? Can we snatch that baby?" Another villager muttered.
The truth, at once, brought the whole house to silence.
Village Chief, An Cai merely leaned against the wall, his eyes squinting and half-lidded, thinking to himself. His bright and clear eyes turned obscure and cold.
"Does that Blessed Baby go to the foot of Luofu Mountain every day?"
The villagers froze, and someone replied, "Yes, we often see that baby when we're working in the field every day. I heard that she goes to a hut at the foot of the mountain daily to learn something from a mother and son who lived there. I haven't paid attention to what she's learning."
An Cai raised his cold eyes, he scanned everyone in the room. "I heard that the fruit wine was her brainchild. After it was purchased, it was transported directly to the capital for the enjoyment of the nobles there. You can imagine how valuable the fruit wine is. If we can get the secret recipe from her, our village will have a chance to turn over a new leaf! The secret recipe is equal to an endless stream of silver."
After a pause, he shook his head and sighed, "Unfortunately, that Blessed Baby is from Xinghua Village. How can she tell us the secret recipe? We can only think about it. Alright, let's all disperse. There's no use staying in my house, I'm just the chief of Xiapo Village. I can't interfere with the affairs of Xinghua Village, let alone their villagers. Be gone, disperse."
After driving the people out of the house, An Cai closed the courtyard door, and when he turned around, the look in his eyes passing outside the door was chilly.
The villagers scattered temporarily, but their hearts couldn't calm down from the Village Chief's words.
The secret recipe… If one could obtain the secret recipe and brew wine to sell to the capital, that would be a step to the top! Where was the need to live miserably in the village?
More than one person thought the same.
And the fact that the Blessed Baby went to the hut every day was a critical piece of information!
Meanwhile, Liu Yusheng was still in the hut helping Wanrong to dry herbs.
While drying them out, Wanrong taught her in detail how to prepare each herb, those suitable for medicinal wine, and what the effects of each were.
The next evening when it was almost dinner time, Grandma Liu punctually came to pick her up.
"Nannan, it's time to go home. What did you learn from your aunt today?"
Liu Yusheng raised her head beside the bamboo sieve with a bright smile on her face, "Grandma! Aunt taught me how to make medicinal wine today! I've remembered it all, so I'll try it when we get back!"
"This kid is so credulous! Okay, it's all up to you!"
Taking Grandma Liu's hand, Liu Yusheng waved goodbye to Wanrong: "Aunt, I'm going home now. I'll come back tomorrow!"
"Okay, go ahead." Wanrong watched Axiu follow the two out, smiling and shaking her head.
Every time Nannan went home, Xiu'er was determined to drop her off at the village entrance, rain or shine. She didn't stop him, uhm, she couldn't deter him.
As the sun set, a large cloud of fire was burning in the sky, turning the whole sky purple-red.
Walking along the forest path, the evening breeze followed. The little child skipped in front of Axiu with two braided sheep horns jumping in the air, radiating vigor and playfulness.
"Brother Axiu, will you come to my house for dinner? A few days ago, the family planted another row of radishes in our vegetable patch. Today, the seedlings have sprouted and are growing robustly. I'll show it to you."
"I'll see it next time. Be obedient at home. Don't run around, and don't sneak out with your brothers at night for fun. It's not safe in the dark." As they reached the ancient acacia tree at the entrance of the village, Axiu advised.
After failing to abduct someone home, Liu Yusheng pouted. "I'm not going anywhere. The village children don't dare to play with me anymore. Every time I go out with them, it's as if I'm a porcelain doll that breaks at a mere touch. What's the fun in staying away from me?"
The childhood she was looking forward to was ruined by the two words "Blessed Baby," depressing her to death.
She sulked every time she thought about it.
Axiu's lips curled up and he ruffled the top of her head. "I'll come over tomorrow and play with you. Go home with grandma."
"Are you sure you don't want to come to my house for dinner? We can drink fruit wine together, ah."
"Next time, okay?"
"Fine. Next time I invite you, you must come. You can't refuse again next time."
"Okay."
Grandma Liu thought she was a stranger.
The two children clung beside each other as if there was nobody else around. This scene has been staged every day.
She was the outsider and the villain who would beat up the lovebirds.
"Alright, Nannan, let's go home. You can't keep pestering Axiu. He still has to walk back. If we dawdle, it will be dark and it would be difficult to see the road."
Liu Yusheng blushed a little. She didn't mean it, alright? It was just that she couldn't help acting spoiled when someone coaxed and pampered her.
It has become a habit.
And this habit was addictive.
"Brother Axiu, I'm going home then, bye. I'll see you at the cabin in the morning!"
"Okay." The boy smiled and nodded.
After a moment.
"Why aren't you leaving?"
"I'll watch until you leave with grandma before going back."
"Go back first. We're in the village now, but you still have to walk for a while. Go quickly, it's getting dark!"
Grandma Liu, Really? My granddaughter is Axiu's wife, right?
She bent down and picked up the little baby. "Let's go Nannan. Let's go home otherwise your Brother Axiu won't leave. Are you two planning to stand here until dawn?"
"…No, grandma, Brother Axiu hasn't left yet, I think we can go after he's gone. Brother Axiu still has a long way to go!"
"Are you sure with you here watching, he would leave first by himself?"
"…" No.
Note this is for Offline reading/purpose only credits to the authors, publishers, editors and translators.