TFS – Chapter 57 Fighting

_{Edited on 14th July}

When Li Feng saw Tang Chunming, he immediately noticed something was off. Sitting in a sheltered spot, he took the food Tang Chunming handed him, eating while asking, “Did you run into someone on the way here?”

“Yes, I bumped into Qian Defu’s newly married ge’er. The more I think about it, the less it feels right. Coming all this way, it seems obvious he was looking for me,” Tang Chunming replied honestly. He recounted the encounter on the road, leaving Li Feng speechless. As Ming Ge’er described, showing up in their back mountain at this time could hardly be called a coincidence.

“Don’t overthink it. After lunch, I’ll take you to check out the spring behind us,” Li Feng suggested, knowing how to shift Ming Ge’er’s attention. As expected, Tang Chunming’s face lit up at the mention of the spring. He hadn’t eaten yet, so he shared the extra food he brought with Li Feng on the mountain. Once they finished, he urged Li Feng to set off quickly.

After walking in the mountain for about twenty minutes, Tang Chunming clearly heard the sound of water bubbling up. Turning a corner, they saw a pool of water. Li Feng explained, “The spring has already been dug out. Originally, we noticed water seeping out here and guessed there might be a spring underneath. Sure enough, and it’s a good-sized one.”

The spring water was crystal clear and pleasing to look at. Tang Chunming crouched down, cupped some water with his hands, and took a sip. Though it couldn’t match the taste of the spring water in his space, it was much better than river water. Delighted, he said, “Let’s bring a bottle back for Elder He to check out. Tea drinkers are always particular about using mountain spring water for brewing. Let’s see what he thinks of this spring water.”

“Sure.” Li Feng readily agreed, taking the bottle Tang Chunming handed him and filling it with spring water. Then, he stood by as Tang Chunming added some space spring water to the pool. He had seen this before, but it amazed him every time. He often felt that Ming Ge’er was a gift from the heavens just for him.

After adding the space spring water, Tang Chunming tasted the spring water again and found it even better. He thought to himself that the mountain’s natural energy probably made the water almost as good as the space water.

Even after checking out the spring, Tang Chunming wasn’t satisfied. He asked Li Feng, “Do you think there could be a hot spring in this mountain? You know, where the water from the spring is warm or even hot. If we could find one, it’d be amazing to soak in a hot spring on a freezing cold day. Just imagine how great that’d feel!”

Li Feng chuckled indulgently. “When I have time, I’ll look around deeper in the mountain. I’ve heard about springs like that before.” However, as he thought more about it, he couldn’t help but avert his eyes, his throat moving as he swallowed. Ming Ge’er really was something else—before you knew it, he’d lead your thoughts astray.

But it wouldn’t be long now. He had recently overheard others talking about the commotion in Qian Defu’s household. Before long, the villagers would come to watch the drama unfold at their place. The thought fired him up, and his gaze landed back on Ming Ge’er’s brilliantly smiling face. In his eyes, no one was better looking than Ming Ge’er.

On their way down the mountain, they stopped by Uncle Da’s place. By now, all the sheep had started eating silage mixed with other feeds, and none showed any signs of discomfort. Even the more finicky ones were eating it without issue. The number of sheep in the pen had increased again. Previously, Zhang Changming had spread the word outside that the Tang family in Pingshan Village was buying sheep. With winter approaching, families planning to reduce their flocks brought some over. Since Tang Chunming’s prices were no lower than those at the market, these families were happy to sell.

Zhang Changming no longer ventures out these days. Being clever, he approached Tang Chunming and Teng Yu after the autumn harvest and asked for an opportunity to work at Tingjing Pavilion to learn as a server. Initially, he offered to work without pay, but Teng Yu, valuing his connection with Tang Chunming, ensured he was compensated like the other servers. Meanwhile, the shop in the county town was undergoing renovations, as it was no longer just an ice shop. Both Tang Chunming and Li Feng were too busy to handle it, so they entrusted Teng Yu to oversee the process.

When Tang Chunming first mentioned his plan to open a full mutton restaurant, Teng Yu, though not particularly fond of mutton, saw Tang Chunming’s confidence and believed in his success. He proposed investing in the shop, not necessarily for financial gain but to strengthen ties with Tang Chunming and Li Feng—a worthwhile business move in his eyes.

Regardless of Teng Yu’s motives, Tang Chunming welcomed his involvement. Zhang Changming alone couldn’t manage all the shop’s affairs, and Teng Yu’s participation would help Zhang Changming learn faster. Moreover, hiring staff and cooks in the town would require Teng Yu’s experience. Tang Chunming could provide recipes but had no intention of personally running the shop.

As for others possibly coveting the shop, Tang Chunming wasn’t worried. The shop’s key value lay in its ingredients—his personally raised sheep. Teng Yu, having collaborated with him for so long, understood the importance of balance and wouldn’t risk losing more for less. Therefore, Tang Chunming was entirely comfortable entrusting the shop’s operations to others.

The incident with the Sun Ge’er was quickly forgotten by Tang Chunming, who only mentioned it to Li Feng. His focus had shifted to brewing wine. Unlike conventional methods, his approach involved multiple fermentation stages, with different yeast added at each stage. With the temperature dropping, he placed braziers in the brewing room to maintain the necessary warmth, closely monitoring the fermentation process.

Li Feng had ordered custom brewing tools, which had arrived. Tang Chunming’s brewing area was in a sunlit side room of a newly built house in the backyard. To accommodate the equipment, Li Feng built a stove and brought back numerous wine jars.

Elder He often came by to enjoy the aroma of the brewing wine, which became more enticing each day. Though uninterested in the brewing process itself, he relished the opportunity to indulge in the scent. Being a seasoned doctor, he recognized many medicinal herbs in the yeast but was amazed at how Tang Chunming—a non-expert in medicine—had memorized the complex recipe.

Elder He cared little for the recipe, as long as he could enjoy the wine. He had resolved to stick with Tang Chunming and Li Feng wherever they went, ensuring his share of the wine wouldn’t be forgotten.

Meanwhile, carpenters were crafting furniture in the backyard, unconcerned with the household’s activities. Li Feng, busy preparing for his wedding, had ordered wedding attire from the county since he knew Tang Chunming wasn’t inclined to do embroidery. This decision delighted Tang Chunming, who had no intention of hand-stitching the garments. That day, Li Feng drove to town to collect their wedding clothes.

Zhang Xiu, upon not finding Tang Chunming in the front courtyard, correctly guessed he was in the back. As he walked through the hallway, he saw Tang Chunming emerging from the side room, the air still filled with the aroma of wine. Knowing what the drawings Tang Chunming made earlier were for, Zhang Xiu couldn’t help but admire him, marveling at how much he knew. This reinforced his decision to send his sons to school, attributing Tang Chunming’s knowledge to education.

If Tang Chunming knew Zhang Xiu’s thoughts, he would laugh. After all, others in Pingshan Village, like Zhao Laosan, had also studied but hadn’t devised any clever money-making schemes.

“Smells amazing,” Zhang Xiu commented as Tang Chunming approached.

“It’s almost ready. Just a bit longer, and the wine will be ready. Come by then and taste my handiwork,” Tang Chunming replied cheerfully, confident in his skills despite his new body.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Laughing and chatting, they headed to the front courtyard to retrieve Ah Sen from Elder He’s room. The little one, sprawled out and snoring, was a picture of peaceful slumber. Zhang Xiu watched with affection, remarking, “Where are Ah Lin and Er Mao?”

“They’re probably taking the pony for a walk on the back hill. These kids take excellent care of it. I thought they wouldn’t last, but they’re more dedicated than Li Feng is with Jingfeng,” Tang Chunming said. He allowed the kids to handle the pony, as there was no safety concern—after all, the children weren’t even taller than the pony yet.

Zhang Xiu sighed, then brought up another matter. “Did you meet that Sun Ge’er? Someone at the river this morning asked if you two were close. I didn’t even know what to say.”

Tang Chunming blinked in confusion. When had he become close to that Sun Ge’er? If simply exchanging a few words counted as close, then Sun Ge’er wouldn’t even be on the list: “Was it just one person who said that, or has the whole village been talking like this now? I ran into him a few days ago on my way to the back hill to deliver food to Ah Feng. I didn’t bother talking much to him, just passed by, and I haven’t seen him since.”

Zhang Xiu, however, had a keener sense and was more cautious about the situation: “It seems this young ge’er is more clever than Zhang Lanhua. Maybe after marrying into the family, he’s heard more about you and wants to take the opportunity to get to know you better. I have a feeling it’s not as simple as it seems.”

If Tang Chunming had met him somewhere else, it might have been understandable, but meeting him at Ming Ge’er’s back hill suggested the young man had been waiting specifically to encounter Ming Ge’er. He had clearly made an effort to approach him, and the young man wasn’t exactly a good character. However, after all these days, no one in the village had spoken ill of him, unlike Zhang Lanhua, who was always causing trouble outside.

“Could it be?” Tang Chunming was stunned. Did Zhang Xiu mean to suggest that this young man might even come to his door?

“I’m just speculating. It’d be better if I’m wrong,” Zhang Xiu reassured him. “Not everyone enjoys dealing with people who have hidden motives. The reason you and I, and others, get along so well is because we’re straightforward with each other.”

Whether or not Zhang Xiu’s words were prophetic, Tang Chunming soon found out. After a while, when Little Ah Sen woke up and Tang Chunming was feeding him, Zhang Xiu opened the courtyard door and brought in two people. As soon as Tang Chunming looked up and saw the visitors, he immediately turned to Zhang Xiu, muttering, “You cursed me with your words!”

Zhang Xiu, unsure of how to react, glanced at Wang Mo, who looked equally troubled. Wang Mo had just been forced to bring them over, not knowing how to refuse.

“Uh, Xiu Ge’er, Sun Ge’er wants to borrow some patterns. He saw you weren’t home and figured you’d be here with Ming Ge’er,” Wang Mo explained. Though Wang Mo had spent some time in the county, he was a simple man at heart and had no choice but to bring them over.

“Oh, so it’s for me? You should’ve said so earlier. Just right, I’m about to head back. We can all go together. The patterns are all at my house. You don’t know, Ming Ge’er is so lazy now with two kids to look after. He’s thrown all his work aside. All the patterns here have been taken back by me. Let’s go. Ming Ge’er, you stay busy; I’ll take them to my house,” Zhang Xiu quickly responded, cutting off the conversation. No matter who this Sun Ge’er was, it was better for Ming Ge’er to stay away from him, so he immediately stood up and started heading home.

“That’s perfect, I was just thinking of an excuse to take them away,” Wang Mo added.

“Let’s go then. With this little rascal around, I don’t have time to entertain you,” Tang Chunming waved his hand. As soon as he stopped, Little Ah Sen opened his mouth and started crying, signaling that he wanted more milk. Tang Chunming quickly turned back to feed the little one, unable to let a second pass without attending to him.

“See, I’ll take you to my house. Sun Ge’er hasn’t even been there yet, so it’s a good opportunity for him to familiarize himself,” Zhang Xiu laughed.

“It seems I came at the wrong time,” Sun Ge’er, finally getting a chance to speak, tugged at his handkerchief and forced a smile. He walked with Zhang Xiu, glancing around at the courtyard, and asked, “Isn’t Ming Ge’er supposed to be embroidering wedding clothes? How come he’s given up his work?”

Zhang Xiu kept a close eye on him and, seeing his glances around, said, “It’s because Ah Feng cares for him. Seeing Ming Ge’er so busy with everything, he couldn’t bear for him to strain his eyes doing embroidery. So, he went to the county to have the wedding clothes made. It’s a first in our village, and if people find out, there’ll be plenty of young ge’er envious. Sun Ge’er, don’t go spreading this around. Many are already talking about Ming Ge’er, and if you add this, they’ll make up all sorts of rumors.”

Sun Ge’er tightened the handkerchief in his hand but kept smiling. “Really? That’s quite enviable. But I still think it’s better to embroider the wedding clothes myself.”

“With a baby to care for, how could he have the time? Don’t be envious of him, Sun Ge’er. You’re no different. Your family’s head also loves you and paid a hefty bride price to marry you in. This isn’t the first time in Pingshan Village, but it’s definitely one of the top ones…” As the conversation drifted away, Tang Chunming, who didn’t care about their gossip, just wanted to get rid of them. He was tired of dealing with people who had ulterior motives and couldn’t be straightforward.

“Look at you, little rascal. Enjoying yourself so much. While your brother’s away, I’ll have to call you a little rascal. Isn’t that right?” Tang Chunming muttered, continuing to feed Little Ah Sen.

“Ha, I heard that!” Elder He, having just entered, couldn’t help but laugh. He had been watching from a distance when the visitors arrived, already judging their character. He didn’t bother to greet them.

After finishing his milk, Little Ah Sen refused to sleep any longer. His eyes darted around, clearly signaling he wanted to go outside and play. Elder He chuckled as he carried him outside.

Between his attachment to his mother and his desire to go out, Little Ah Sen clearly preferred the latter.

Before sunset, Li Feng returned with the horse-drawn carriage, piled high with things. But when Tang Chunming came out after washing Little Ah Sen’s wet diapers, he saw Ah Lin and Er Mao had also returned. At the sight of his son and the little pony covered in mud, his anger flared. Gritting his teeth, he demanded, “Who did this to them?”

Ah Lin’s eyes were swollen and red, and his clothes, which had been clean when he left, were now covered in dirt and mud. Even the pony, originally white, was now covered in mud and grass. Clearly, someone had thrown mud at them. Tang Chunming, protective of his son, was ready to rush out and avenge the wronged child.

“Mom, bad guy, hit him!” Little Ah Lin, though his eyes were red and swollen, showed resilience by not crying in front of his mother this time. He had been bullied but fought back. As he spoke, he waved his little hand, still clutching a willow branch, which he occasionally lashed out with to emphasize his grievances.

Tang Chunming finally noticed the willow branch in his son’s hand and turned his attention to Er Mao and Li Feng, who had accompanied the children home. Judging by the situation, it was Li Feng who had brought the two kids back.

Er Mao stubbornly turned his head away, refusing to speak, leaving Li Feng to explain.

Meanwhile, Elder He stood nearby holding baby Ah Sen, observing. Judging by the situation, it didn’t seem like the children had been merely bullied—they appeared to have already avenged themselves. Though Er Mao was young, after six months of martial training with Li Feng, his skills were above average for his age. It was unlikely that anyone of the same age could have bullied him.

Li Feng parked the cart in the courtyard, unharnessed the horse Jingfeng, and let it roam freely before walking over to the fuming Tang Chunming. Trying not to laugh, he explained, “I saw a group of kids squabbling at the foot of the mountain as I was coming back. When I approached, I found out what happened. At first, another kid wanted to play with Pony, but Er Mao refused. That child, being hot-tempered, started throwing mud at Pony. Ah Lin and Er Mao teamed up to fight back. Don’t worry; Ah Lin defended himself well this time, and Er Mao protected him.”

“Whose child is it?” Tang Chunming’s eyebrows shot up. “Just because they weren’t allowed to play with Pony, they threw mud at it and the kids? Er Mao wouldn’t have refused for no reason.”

Li Feng gestured towards Er Mao, who was still sulking in the corner. “I asked this one, but he’s being stubborn and won’t say. That kid looked unfamiliar, though—not one of the usual kids they play with.”

Tang Chunming, sensing that Er Mao might have answers, called him over. Despite his stubbornness, Er Mao obeyed and, holding Ah Lin’s hand, began his complaint: “It was that bad kid. The other day, he wouldn’t share his family’s fruit with us, so I didn’t let him play with us.”

Li Feng, who had already suspected the child’s identity, now had confirmation. “So it’s the new kid from the Qian family? Got it. He wasn’t allowed to join, so he threw mud?”

“Yes! He even bullied Ah Lin and Little Pony! He’s a bad kid!” Er Mao shook his little fist, looking no less disheveled than Ah Lin—likely because he’d been protecting him.

“Mom, it wasn’t Er Mao’s fault. That boy was mean. Hit him!” Ah Lin, still clinging to the advice his mother had once given him, recalled how he had stood up for him against his older cousin. To Ah Lin, his mother was the fiercest protector.

Seeing Ah Lin’s earnest face, Tang Chunming couldn’t stay angry. He hugged Ah Lin despite his dirtied clothes and reassured him, “You’re right. It wasn’t Er Mao or Ah Lin’s fault. When bad people bully us, we have to fight back.”

“Exactly! I’ll practice harder with Uncle Feng and make sure no one dares bully Ah Lin or Little Pony again!” Er Mao’s previous sulkiness was gone, replaced by determination. He was even more motivated to improve his martial skills.

Li Feng patted the boy’s head and smiled. “Alright, but that means no more slacking or complaining about the training. Let’s get these two cleaned up, along with Pony.”

“Wait,” Tang Chunming interrupted, stopping them. Both Li Feng and Elder He looked puzzled.

“Wait and see. What kind of person do you think Qian Defu is? That boy’s bound to run home crying, and Qian Defu might show up here. Hmph, I need to keep evidence first.” Tang Chunming’s familiarity with children’s antics gave him insight. In the past, he had been quite the troublemaker himself, so he knew the routine. If someone bullied his son, he wasn’t about to let it slide.

Li Feng hesitated but eventually nodded. “You might be right. From what I’ve seen of Qian Defu, he’s not the most agreeable person. It’s possible he’ll come looking for trouble.”

It wasn’t long before Tang Chunming’s prediction came true. Qian Defu did, indeed, arrive with his son in tow. Coincidentally, Sun Ge’er who had just visited Zhang Xiu’s home witnessed the scene unfold. Qian Defu’s son, pointing indignantly at both Zhang Xiu’s and Tang Chunming’s houses, shouted, “Uncle, it’s their families that beat me up like this!”