Chapter 9: People Are Not

The next day at noon, Yazi Bay.

An old, weathered awning boat was moored quietly by the water. The tea boat was known for its quality and affordability; for three coppers, one could drink barley tea on the bow all day long, while the stove at the stern burned with a perpetual, vigorous flame.

The scattered guests, mostly porters and craftsmen, sat about the deck chatting idly.

Today was the day the childhood friends from Yazi Bay had agreed to meet.

In a corner at the stern, Chen Qing, Liang Badou, Xiaochun, Er'ya, Li Hu, and the others sat in a circle.

The slightly oversized dark blue gown Liang Badou wore made him look a little less restless than before, adding a touch of deliberate "maturity."

He cleared his throat, unable to suppress a hint of smugness. "There’s someone else coming in a moment."

"Who?" Er'ya immediately asked with curiosity.

Chen Qing and the others also cast inquisitive glances his way.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Just then, a crisp voice rang out.

The group turned to look and saw a figure in ink-colored clothing standing at the threshold. The fabric of her dress shimmered with a delicate luster in the sunlight, and a simple silver hairpin held her stray hairs back with meticulous precision.

She stood perfectly straight, even the pleats of her skirt appearing as if they had been carefully arranged.

Chen Qing said with some uncertainty, "Xu Fang?"

The young girl’s lips curled into a perfectly measured arc, neither overly warm nor distant. "Brother Qing, it’s been a long time."

Their families used to be neighbors. When they were small, they often hid in the reeds to blow on reed whistles; whenever the wild ducks on the shore flapped their wings and took flight, they would laugh until they doubled over.

When Chen Qing was hungry, he would forage for wild water chestnuts in the river branches for her, often pricking his fingers in the process.

Er'ya’s mouth hung open in a circle, Liang Badou tugged uncomfortably at the hem of his coarse clothing, and Xiaochun quickly adjusted his posture, trying to look more presentable.

Li Hu looked at her and sighed, "You’ve changed so much."

Xu Fang was also a fisher girl from Yazi Bay. Her parents had died in an epidemic three years ago, and she was later taken away by her aunt, who had married into a wealthy family in the city.

Since then, the children of Yazi Bay had never seen her again.

"I happened to run into her at Wang’s Rouge Shop last time, so I tried inviting her to join us," Liang Badou explained, his voice a notch higher than usual. "I didn't expect her to actually do us the honor."

Xu Fang shook her head gently. "Why be so formal? We all grew up drinking the water of Yazi Bay."

Her gaze swept over the group, lingering on Chen Qing’s face for a moment longer. "Three years have passed, and everyone has changed."

"You’re the one who’s changed the most!" Er'ya gestured exaggeratedly. "Back when you were following me around eating 'Dragon King’s rice,' who would have thought..."

Chen Qing noticed Xu Fang’s fingers curl slightly under the table, though she maintained a polite smile on her face.

Xiaochun looked at Xu Fang, stuttering slightly, "If I saw you on the street, I definitely wouldn't have recognized you."

The group sighed with emotion, and the atmosphere gradually livened up.

Xu Fang was undoubtedly the center of the conversation; no one had expected to see her again today.

No one had expected that the timid Xu Fang of the past would reappear with such poise.

Chen Qing drank his tea quietly from the side, observing in silence.

Xu Fang had indeed changed the most. When she was in Yazi Bay, she was timid and inarticulate, always acting as Er'ya’s shadow.

Now, her words and actions were graceful and confident. Her features had blossomed, with a newfound clarity in her eyes that drew frequent glances from Liang Badou and Xiaochun.

Both her speech and her temperament were vastly different from the others.

Next was Li Hu. After that incident, his father hadn't survived the winter, and the series of events had left Li Hu silent and withdrawn.

Xiaochun, working as a junior clerk at Wanbao Hall, had become more slick in his dealings, learning to weigh his words carefully.

Er'ya hadn't changed much; she remained blunt and outspoken. Though she worked as a menial servant in a wealthy household—a lowly position—she had seen a bit of the world and would occasionally boast about the extravagance of her master’s house.

Liang Badou worked as a handyman at the county office while studying to read and write. He deliberately carried an air of scholarly refinement, and his conversation was filled with the smugness of someone who "had connections in the yamen."

"Looks like Ah Qing isn't doing so well."

Xiaochun’s gaze swept over Chen Qing’s washed-out, old clothes, and he felt a strange sense of relief.

The Chen family consisted of an orphan and a widow with no savings to support Chen Qing in learning a trade; it was already a struggle just to put food on the table.

Liang Badou seemed to have thought of this as well, asking with a casual, yet deliberately concerned tone, "Ah Qing, I remember you said you wanted to learn martial arts last time. Did you find a master?"

Everyone looked over.

Learning martial arts was a path to success. If one succeeded and passed the military examinations, it would bring glory to the family and a chance to rise above the rest.

But learning martial arts was too difficult, especially for commoners; it was as hard as ascending to heaven.

In their view, learning a trade to make a living and having a steady meal was the only proper path.

Learning martial arts was nothing but a daydream.

Chen Qing sipped his tea. "I'm currently learning at the Zhou Academy."

"You actually went!?"

Er'ya’s eyes widened. "Learning martial arts is so hard. Not only do you need good bones, but you have to eat meat at every meal to have any hope of making something of yourself!"

Xiaochun couldn't help but ask, "How do you know all that?"

"I heard it from those guards," Er'ya said. "Except for the leader who looks decent, the other two—tsk, tsk—they get ordered around all day for a bite to eat, treated like dogs. And I heard that after years of grueling training, they end up with hidden injuries and don't live long..."

She suddenly caught Li Hu’s warning glance and realized she had been too blunt, quickly shutting her mouth.

Xu Fang, who had been listening quietly, now looked at Chen Qing with a hint of surprise.

He was actually learning martial arts?

At this, Liang Badou puffed out his chest. "Ah Qing, if you ask me, you’d be better off working with me. Once I become a clerk, I can recommend you for the guard squad. I won't say you'll be rich, but you'll definitely have a steady meal."

It sounded like an offer of help, but the condescending tone made it clear he wanted to take Chen Qing on as a lackey.

Chen Qing shook his head. "Forget it, I'll just keep learning for now."

Er'ya shook her head, looking at him with a sense of frustration. "Ah Qing, you’re good at everything, but you’re just too stubborn."

Seeing Chen Qing refuse, Xiaochun felt a weight lift from his heart and breathed a secret sigh of relief.

In his eyes, being able to climb onto Liang Badou’s "tree near the yamen" was a godsend. That Chen Qing would be so ungrateful was truly foolish.

Li Hu sighed. "Practicing martial arts is indeed not easy."

He had once fantasized about changing his fate through martial arts, but it remained just a fantasy.

Xu Fang glanced at Chen Qing, pursing her lips as if she wanted to say something but held back.

Brother Qing, oh Brother Qing, you still can't see it. This world has long since woven thousands of threads in the shadows; some tighten around your neck, some entangle your hands and feet, and others are quietly tied to your very fate.

No one believed Chen Qing could succeed in martial arts.

Just as Er'ya said, those guards who were ordered around like dogs might be all that awaited Chen Qing.

The group chatted for a while longer.

Liang Badou added more bland tea to everyone’s cups and steered the conversation. "You’ve heard about Master Qian, right?"

"Pah! What Master Qian!"

Li Hu spat, his face filled with satisfaction. "That beast was walking alone at night and got beaten into a pulp. He must have been killed by an enemy; no ordinary person would have the guts..."

Er'ya gritted her teeth. "He deserved to die."

Chen Qing, the "culprit" behind it all, also feigned righteous indignation.

Xiaochun looked around nervously and lowered his voice. "Keep it down. Master Qian has close ties to the leader of the Golden River Gang, and they’re searching everywhere for the killer."

Qian Biao’s ability to run rampant in Yazi Bay certainly didn't come from his own meager skills.

Rumor had it that he was the brother-in-law of Song Tie, the leader of the Golden River Gang.

Liang Badou waved his hand dismissively. "The Golden River Gang? They can barely protect themselves now. The Tiger Gang is scouring the area for their people, and Song Tie is probably hiding in some rat hole somewhere."

He paused, then lowered his voice mysteriously. "Li Hu, did you see Liu the Scabby at Locust Street yesterday? He’s Song Tie’s right-hand man. I reckon Song Tie is most likely hiding in that area!"

Chen Qing’s heart stirred, but his expression remained calm as he lifted his tea bowl for another sip.

Liang Badou seemed to feel the topic was sensitive and changed the subject. "Alright, alright, let’s not talk about these unlucky things."

The group continued to drink tea and chat.

They occasionally recounted childhood stories and speculated about the future, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Liang Badou dreamed of becoming a familiar face at the yamen, Xiaochun hoped to become the second manager of his shop, and Er'ya dreamed of being noticed by the young master of her household...

Xu Fang listened quietly with a polite smile, though her eyes were somewhat distant, clearly showing little interest in these topics.

But she did not interrupt the lively, mundane chatter of her childhood friends.

Before they knew it, the afternoon arrived.

Xu Fang checked the sky and rose gracefully, preparing to take her leave.

Liang Badou took a deep breath, as if gathering his courage, and stepped forward. "Xiao Fang, I happen to be going to the inner city. Why don't I see you back?"

His words carried clear anticipation.

Suddenly, the crisp sound of horse bells rang out from the pier.

The group looked toward the sound and saw a carriage with a green curtain pull up steadily. The two chestnut horses pulling it had sleek, oily coats and polished horseshoes.

An old nanny with graying temples and dressed in simple cotton clothes hopped down from the carriage shaft.

"Miss," the nanny bowed to Xu Fang. "The Old Mistress has ordered that we must return to the manor before the hour of Shen."

"I understand."

Xu Fang replied. She swept a glance over her childhood companions, her gaze finally resting on Chen Qing’s face.

The deck suddenly fell silent, leaving only the sound of the river lapping against the hull.

Xu Fang’s lips trembled slightly, as if she had a thousand words to say, but in the end, she only sighed softly.

"If fate allows, we shall meet again."

Her voice was very soft, yet it struck everyone’s heart like a heavy stone.

The words were polite, but everyone present understood that after today, it would likely be difficult to meet again.

The carriage slowly drove away, the sound of its wheels rolling over the bluestone path gradually fading into the distance.

The group stood frozen on the bow, watching the carriage disappear into the dust raised at the end of the alley.

Er'ya unconsciously rubbed the hem of her skirt, Liang Badou clenched his fists, and Xiaochun stared blankly at the water.

Chen Qing looked down at the coarse porcelain tea bowl in his hand. The tea had long since gone cold, reflecting his blurred silhouette.

A few coarse tea stems settled at the bottom of the bowl; no matter how they were tossed, they would always sink to the very bottom.