“That’s a nice way of putting it. You did it for me, and for your two sips of piss, we both know that!”

Liu Shi snorted, displeased. “You and your brother only cared about running away, forgetting your tools and traps on the mountain! If the eldest brother were here, he wouldn’t have forgotten, and even if he did, he could have gone back to get them. What if they’re lost? That’s all money!”

Many people went to the mountain last night. Some villagers, greedy, didn’t leave, only to be attacked by wolves. They survived but were terrified. No one dared to go back to that mountain, not even Old Meng, the village’s most experienced hunter.

Wei Sannian hissed in pain. “The eldest brother’s been dead for years! Why do you keep mentioning him! They won’t be lost! When my waist is better, I’ll go get them myself!”

Liu Shi scoffed, thinking, You’ll go yourself? You don’t have the guts!

Wei Cheng woke up on the third day.

His body ached, his mouth dry. He tried to sit up, and Mo, the herbalist’s husband, helped him. “Qi, Cheng’s awake!”

“Awake? Good.”

Herbalist Qi entered, placing medicine packets on a cabinet. He examined Wei Cheng’s face and pulse, sighing. “Your pulse is weak, you’ve lost blood, and your internal organs are out of balance. You’ve been unconscious for days, it scared us. You need to rest.”

Wei Cheng had herbs on his forehead, his eyes dark, his lips pale. He grabbed Qi’s sleeve, coughing from his haste to speak. “Uncle Qi, Guan Guan… Guan Guan…”

“Cheng, don’t worry.”

Mo said, “Guan Guan? The child you rescued?”

Wei Cheng’s eyes reddened. “Yes, yes, where is he? Was he beaten by Wei Sannian…?” killed.

“He wasn’t beaten. The village head let Wang Zhuangzi adopt him.” Mo continued, knowing his anxiety. “Zhuangzi’s family is poor, but he and his wife are honest. I heard Zheng Shi took the child to buy tofu with her children. Don’t worry.”

“That’s good.”

Wei Cheng relaxed, his voice choked. “That’s good.”

He tried to get out of bed. “I want to see him.”

Mo urged, “Your injuries aren’t healed. Rest at the Wei family, then go. The child is in the village, he won’t disappear.”

“I want to see him, and let him see me.”

Wei Cheng whispered, “He saw me get beaten, he cried so much, he must be scared and worried.”

Mo thought, A four or five-year-old wouldn’t understand worry. He’s now with the Wangs, probably forgetting Wei Cheng.

Wei Cheng put on his shoes, looking troubled. “Uncle Qi, the medicine…”

“The money’s been paid.”

Mo explained how the village head demanded payment from the Wei family. Qi understood, taking out a worn purse and placing it with the medicine packets in Wei Cheng’s hands. “This is your medicine. Take twenty cash for the consultation, buy half a pound of meat to nourish yourself.”

Wei Cheng accepted the medicine and money, knowing the Wei family wouldn’t give him anything. He understood this was Qi and Mo’s kindness. “Thank you, Uncles. Wei Cheng remembers.”

After Wei Cheng left, Mo sighed. “Poor children grow up fast. This child without parents is so sensible. Cheng doesn’t seem like an eight-year-old.”

Qi tidied the examination bed. “Cheng is resilient and kind, not like the Wei family. If he survives this, he’ll have a good future. We should help when we can.”

Mo nodded. “That’s right.”

Wei Cheng went to Wang’s house, knocking on the door. No one answered. It was unusual; there was little work in winter.

Wei Cheng cleared his throat. “Uncle Zhuangzi, are you home!”

His voice was weak from illness.

After a while, a crack appeared in the door, revealing Wang Zhuangzi. “Cheng? You’re here? Are you better?”

“Yes, Uncle Zhuangzi, I want to see Guan Guan…”

“He’s asleep.” Wang Zhuangzi sighed. “His mother put him to sleep after breakfast. Come back another day.”

Wei Cheng felt disappointed. “Tell Guan Guan I came to see him. I’ll come tomorrow.”

Wang Zhuangzi’s eyes flickered. “Tomorrow won’t work either. His mother is taking him to his maternal relatives tomorrow…”

Wei Cheng said, “Then I’ll come the day after tomorrow.”

Wang Zhuangzi almost couldn’t contain his smile. This troublesome kid! Why didn’t Wei Sannian kill him!

Wang Zhuangzi went inside, Zheng Shi rushing over. “What’s wrong? Did Wei Cheng come for the child?” She was anxious and afraid of their plan being discovered.

“We can’t delay.”

Wang Zhuangzi said grimly, “Get rid of him after the New Year.”

Zheng Shi patted her chest. The New Year was only two days away.

“Father, Mother… he pushed me…”

Ange ran to Zheng Shi, crying. “Sister helped him…”

They hadn’t heard Wei Cheng calling, but Ange did, running out, grabbed by Zheng Shi and locked in the small room with his sister.

Pingjie said, “Ange wanted to grab the clay pot, but he has wooden toys!”

Zheng Shi slapped her. “He’s not your brother, only Ange is!”

Pingjie cried.

Ange cried, “Mother, I want the clay pot!”

Zheng Shi was annoyed. She’d secretly examined the pot; it was just a common clay pot. Ange wanted it, and she tried to take it, only to be bitten.

Zheng Shi’s hand bled. “Little beast! You dared to bite me!” She pinched Guan Guan’s face and arm.

Wang Zhuangzi pulled her away. “Don’t hurt him, it’ll be hard to sell him…”

Guan Guan hid in the corner, his face and arm burning, quietly sobbing. “Bad people… bad people…”

They wouldn’t let him see his brother and pinched him.

“Bad people? Who fed you these days!”

Zheng Shi took her children out, scolding, “No food for him today! Let him starve!”

They only gave Guan Guan soup and bread on the first day. Seeing him hide food, Zheng Shi only gave him a small piece of bread the next two days and nothing today. Less food meant more savings.

Wang Zhuangzi said nothing, locking the small room in front of Guan Guan.

The room was cold and small. Guan Guan huddled in the corner.

He didn’t like it here. He wanted his brother.

But he couldn’t go to his brother; his brother would be beaten.

Ange’s happy laughter and the sound of chopsticks echoed outside…

Guan Guan wiped his tears. He wouldn’t be hungry when he slept. He wouldn’t eat their food again.

He would leave with his clay pot tomorrow.

At night, Guan Guan woke up cold. He heard groans and splashing sounds.

Zheng Shi crawled in, sweating, clutching her stomach, vomiting. “Zhuangzi, quickly, get the herbalist. I… I’m dying.”

She had another stomach cramp and diarrhea.

Wang Zhuangzi was also ill, having been to the toilet many times. He was exhausted.

Ange was also vomiting and feverish. Only Pingjie was fine.

Even in pain, Wang Zhuangzi got the key to let Guan Guan out, fearing discovery.

Pingjie opened the lock. “Brother? Come out.”

Guan Guan covered his nose. “Smelly.”

Except for Pingjie and the paralyzed grandmother, the Wang family was ill.

The commotion alarmed the neighbors. They almost fainted from the smell. What had the Wangs eaten?

The Wang family’s plight alarmed the village head.

Dawn broke, the dilapidated house filled with gossiping women, some in coats, some in slippers, craning their necks to look inside. It was winter, not summer or autumn when food spoiled quickly. What had the Wangs eaten?