Chapter 89 Elder Brother

In the midst of Liu Qin’s astonished silence, Old Hua let out a triumphant laugh. “The man who came to fetch me even said that from now on, if I wanted anything to eat, I should just tell him—no need to sneak about. As soon as I heard that, I turned around and left. I’ll never go back—what’s the point?”

“Why not?” Liu Qin asked.

“Why not? You silly child, do you really think I can’t afford to pay for a few bites? Hmph! If I were to ask, droves of people would bring me whatever I want, but I have no interest in that. This is just my little pleasure—food tastes best when you get it yourself, when it’s snuck away and hidden. That’s the only way it’s truly delicious.”

What kind of quirk is that? Liu Qin was genuinely baffled. “But isn’t that stealing?”

Old Hua puffed out his cheeks, eyes wide with indignation. “How could you call that stealing? Taking a bit to eat isn’t thievery—don’t you know that? Besides, I never take from the poor. For the wealthy, what’s a little food? And as for the palace, that’s nothing at all. My visiting their kitchen is an honor for them—it means their cooking is worthy of my taste.”

Seeing how righteously Old Hua defended himself, Liu Qin couldn’t help but laugh. No matter how much truth there was in his words, she found his temperament perfectly to her liking.

The two of them chatted and laughed, completely at ease, unaware that a young man stood behind the rockery, looking rather glum. Was his master boasting about his illustrious history of pilfered meals again? Who was the audience this time? Last time it was a big yellow dog; surely it wasn’t a pig now…

If Liu Qin had known that someone, without even seeing her, had compared her to a pig, she’d probably have been so angry her lips would twist. Perhaps she’d have retorted, “Have you ever heard a pig talk? Have you?”

But one could hardly blame the young man. Separated by the rockery, her soft voice hadn’t reached him at all, while he was overly familiar with his master. Just hearing that booming voice, he could guess what was being said without needing to make out the words.

The youth dawdled, reluctant to join them. With a master like his, was there any greater misfortune? But his master had already spotted him, rolling his eyes and scolding mercilessly, “Took you long enough to fetch a chicken! Trying to starve me, are you? If not for this child here, you’d be collecting my bones!”

“Master…” the youth called out helplessly.

Liu Qin turned to look. The boy was about fifteen, dressed in a blue brocade robe—simple but tidy, the very opposite of his slovenly master. He was a pleasant-looking young man, agreeable enough, though after meeting the likes of Jiang Li and Little Wu, everyone else seemed unremarkable to Liu Qin—at most, passably attractive.

The youth, holding something wrapped in a large, dried lotus leaf, was also taken aback. He hadn’t expected his master’s companion to be a pretty little girl, rather than a dog or a pig or a cat.

She wore a lovely red dress, sitting openly on the dusty ground just like Old Hua, laughing up at him without a care. Her face was soft and fair, her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, with a playful dimple flashing now and then, making her seem both mischievous and adorable.

“What are you staring at? Never seen such a pretty little girl before?” his irreverent master teased. The youth’s face flushed red, the color spreading all the way to his ears.

But Liu Qin was unfazed. She grinned and greeted him, “Hello, big brother.”

“H-hello, little sister.” The youth, initially awkward, relaxed a little at her easy manner. He stepped forward and handed the bundle to his master.

As Old Hua unwrapped the lotus leaf, the aroma of roast chicken wafted out. He sniffed deeply, visibly pleased. “Not bad, smells good. Here, little one, have some chicken.”

Liu Qin could guess perfectly well how this chicken had come by its fate, but the novelty of the situation amused her. She accepted the drumstick Old Hua offered and bit into it heartily.

Between mouthfuls, she mumbled, “Mmm, delicious. Hey, big brother, come sit and eat with us.”

The youth glanced at the spot she indicated, then said, “I’ll sit over there,” and, grabbing the other drumstick from Old Hua’s hand, found a cleaner, flatter spot atop the rockery to sit.

Old Hua bristled. “You brat—snatching your master’s food! Did I say you could have any? Hmph, so picky! Even the little girl isn’t as fussy as you.”

It was only then Liu Qin realized the youth had avoided the ground because of its filth. She was surprised that the slovenly master had such a fastidious disciple. Surely their days were full of discord. Still, everyone had their ways; Liu Qin rolled her eyes and continued her battle with the chicken leg.

Old Hua, however, forgot his own food, watching the little girl beside him with her greasy mouth, growing more and more fond of her. If only she were his own… Should he steal her away as an apprentice?

After devouring a drumstick and two wings, Liu Qin was at last full. She burped contentedly, retrieved her handkerchief from her sleeve, and wiped her mouth and hands clean.

A thought occurred to her. “Uncle Hua, where do you live?”

Food was easily solved, but where did they sleep? Surely not the open street? Old Hua might, but the youth probably wouldn’t.

“Live?” Old Hua spat out the last chicken bone, wiped his hands on his lapel—leaving two greasy stains without a care—and took a swig from the gourd at his waist.

“Master…” protested the youth, his bright eyes shining with silent disapproval.

“And you’ve got the nerve to call me Master,” Old Hua retorted. “Whose fault do you think this is? If not for you, would we be sleeping on the street?”

“But I—”

“But nothing! You want to play the hero, so your master will support you. I can sleep anywhere.” With that, Old Hua lay down on the ground, rubbing his belly and humming in satisfaction.

The youth flushed scarlet, unable to say a word.

There’s a story here, Liu Qin thought, curiosity piqued. “Uncle Hua, what happened?”

Old Hua, eyes half-closed, grunted, “What happened? My good disciple here just played the hero in the street. A young girl was selling herself to bury her father, and he gave her all our silver. All of it! The money I’d worked so hard to earn, always scrimping and saving—gone, just like that.”

The youth, beside himself, wanted nothing more than to rush up and shout at his shameless master. Worked hard to earn? Scrimped and saved? Master, could you please stop lying with your eyes open?

No—lying with your eyes closed.

But his master didn’t give him a chance to retort, instead twisting the knife. “Hmph, but it’s only because she was a pretty girl. If she’d been ugly, let’s see if he’d have played the hero then.”

The youth was beyond words, not even bothering to glare.

Liu Qin, however, was amused. “So what did the young lady say? Didn’t she try to repay you in some way—say, by, you know, offering herself?”

At this, Old Hua sat up with a start, while the youth’s face went crimson once more, glaring at Liu Qin.

“Haha, little one, you know quite a lot!” Old Hua laughed heartily. “That’s exactly what happened. The girl clung to my good disciple, saying since he’d bought her, she’d serve him for life—pour tea, make the bed, whatever he wanted. But my foolish disciple, instead of accepting, yanked himself free and ran. Honestly, people are slaves to their pride! If you like someone, just accept it—what’s there to be embarrassed about? I wouldn’t have said a word. In fact, we could use a cook. The girl would have been perfect.”