Chapter 4.2: Yellow Bird
When Liu Xianyang left school back then, a scholarly gentleman went to find his grandfather on his sickbed and said that he’d not charge him a single cent, but Liu Xianyang stubbornly refused—said that he only wanted to earn money and not study. The gentleman argued back and said he could hire Liu Xianyang as his errand boy, but the youth was adamant.
In fact, at the time, Liu Xianyang was living quite well.
Even if Old Man Yao died and the dragon kiln was sealed, he’d be selected as a blacksmith in Dragon Riding Lane within a few days. He’d start building thatched huts and stoves in the southern part of the town. He was always busy.
Liu Xianyang watched as Chen Ping blew out the candle and placed it on the table. His lips parted, voice low. “Do you usually hear any weird sounds in the morning? Like…”
Chen Ping sat on the bench waiting for the latter part of the sentence.
Liu Xianyang hesitated for a moment, blushing for the first time. “Just like a spring cat meowing.”
T/N: “Just like a spring cat meowing…” basically someone moaning naughtily…
“Is it Song Jianfeng studying the sounds of a spring cat meowing, or it is the young one emitting the sound?” Chen Ping asked.
Liu Xianyang rolled his eyes. He patted his legs, placed his hands on the bed, and slowly bent his elbow. Then, he stretched his arms out and lifted his butt off the bed, while his feet hung in the air.
He was hovering in the air.
Butt hanging in the air, his lips curled, voice hinting a sense of ridicule.
“It’s clearly Wang Zhu. That Song fella has always blindly showed off. I don’t know where he saw the word “Chu Gui” but he just randomly used it and called her that name ever since. Does he not care for the word’s meaning? For Wang Zhu to meet such an evil person… she’s going to suffer.”
Chen Ping did not agree.
Liu Xianyan who’d been maintaining his posture all along snorted coldly. “You really don’t understand? Didn’t you help that girl Wang Zhu carry the bucket once? After that, she never talked to you again, right? It must be that mischievous Song Jianfeng who overturned the vinegar bottle and threatened Wang Zhu to not make any eye contact with you, otherwise, he’d threaten her family, break her legs, and throw her in the mud alleyway…”
Chen Ping could no longer bear to listen. He leaned forward and interrupted Liu Xianyang. “Song Jianfeng isn’t bad to her.”
“You know what’s good and bad now?” Liu Xianyang asked angrily.
Chen Ping’s eyes were clear as he softly whispered, “Sometimes, she’d do some work in the yard as Song Jianfeng watched while sitting on the bench. She often smile or laugh whenever Song Jianfeng reads her a book.”
Liu Xianyang’s eyes glazed over.
Suddenly, the thin wooden bed could no longer support Liu Xianyang’s weight. It broke into two halves. Sighing, he sat on the ground.
Chen Ping squatted on the ground and hung his head low while sighing. He felt a headache coming on.
Liu Xianyang scratched his head and stood up. Without saying any words of apology, he lightly kicked Chen Ping and said with a grin, “Alright, it’s just a broken bed. No big deal. Today, I’ve come to you with good news! It’s worth more than your broken bed!”
Chen Ping raised his head.
Liu Xianyang stuck out his chest proudly. “After Master Ru’an left Muddy Bottle Lane, he ventured towards the stream to the south when he suddenly said that he needed to dig a few wells. Previously, he did not have enough manpower and needed help so I casually mentioned your name saying that you were strong enough and had free time. Master Ru’an agreed to let you go in two days time.”
Chen Ping abruptly stood up and bowed halfway to thank him.
Liu Xianyang raised his arms. “Stop! Stop! No need to thank me for my great kindness! Just remember it in your heart!”
Chen Ping grimaced.
Liu Xianyang looked around. There was a fishing rod placed diagonally in the corner of the room, a slingshot laid on the window, and a wooden bow hung on the wall.
Lu Xianyang wanted to say something but he hesitated.
He strode across the threshold, boots deliberately avoiding the ashes.
Chen Ping turned his head and looked at the tall figure behind him.
Facing Chen Ping who was near the doorway, Liu Xianyang bent his waist, feet planted on the ground. After taking a few steps, he moved his arms in a slight circle and punched out heavily, then retracted his fists as he laughed loudly. “Master Ru’an told me that I’d only need to practice this fist art for a year and I’d really be able to kill someone.”
Feeling unsatisfied, he made a strange kicking motion and smiled smugly. “Good legs need to hit the crotch… kicking the mule to death!”
In the end, Liu Xianyang stuck out his thumb and pointed to his own chest, arrogantly saying, “When Master Ru’an taught me fist techniques, I gained a couple of insights so I sat down and talked to him about it. For example, with my understanding of Old Man Yao’s unique kilning technique, Knife Jump, and Master Ru’an’s praise for me as a once in a hundred years genius, I’ll make it for sure. From now on, you just have to follow me and you’ll be in for a good ride!”
From the corner of his eyes, he noticed the maidservant entering the room and quickly lost interest in acting the part of a hero.
“By the way, when I was passing by the locust tree, there was an old man sitting underneath it who calls himself “Storyteller”. He’d fiddle around in his stall saying that he’d accumulated lots of interesting things. Case you’re interested, you should go and take a look when you have time.”
Chen Ping nodded.
Thereafter, Liu Xianyang left Muddy Bottle Lane in big strides.