Wu Xin: The Monster Killer

Chapter 11 Uninvited Guest

The next day, as soon as it was light, Crescent Moon got up.

Without disturbing Wuxin, she picked up a broom and swept the house and yard. The pile of firewood she had bought yesterday was neatly stacked in the corner of the yard, and next to the firewood were small cucumbers and radishes that she had bought yesterday, which were still fresh and green after a night.

A fire was lit in the stove, and soon the large iron pot began to bubble and gurgle. As usual, Crescent Moon was almost ready to cook porridge, but then she thought again and scooped out a lot of water from the pot—now that she was the lady of the house, no one was watching or controlling her, so she could put in more rice and less water as she pleased, giving her husband dry food.

As soon as Wuxin stepped out of his bedroom in the morning, there was clean water laid out in the courtyard for him to wash up. When he returned to the main room, the old wooden table left by the landlord was set up, with two bowls of rice and a plate of cucumber salad on it. Yueya entered the west room and was kneeling on the kang (a heated brick bed) folding quilts. She thought to herself that Wuxin had slept with the door closed all night, yet the room didn't smell at all—the Li family, down to her, were all boys, and she was used to, yet had had enough of, her younger brothers' stinky feet and loud farts.

She got off the kang (heated brick bed) and went back to the main room. She found Wuxin sitting upright at the table, smiling at her without saying a word. His face was fair and handsome. Crescent Moon pretended to be indifferent, but she was secretly overjoyed. She sat down opposite Wuxin, lowered her eyes and stared at the rice. Wuxin's image floated in her mind. She looked at her own heart, eating with reluctance, carefully examining him.

After breakfast, the two went out side by side to buy the necessities they needed. A faint blush tinged her cheeks, as if she were feeling hot, but the weather wasn't actually that hot, and there was no sweat on her forehead. There were so many things to buy that it was impossible to list them all at once. Yueya planned to go to the fabric store first to buy some cloth to make new clothes; however, she had another thought: "For a proper wedding, we'd need some jewelry to make it look proper!"

Crescent Moon stopped in her tracks: "Jewelry doesn't fill your stomach or keep you full, so what difference does it make whether you have it or not?"

Wuxin ignored her and, with a grin, dragged her into the jewelry store. The two argued for a long time inside, finally settling on a small pair of gold earrings from the selection. Wuxin complained it wasn't enough and wouldn't let her leave: "We have money, let's pick out a few more!"

Crescent Moon was silent for a while, then lowered her head and said, "If you really care, buy me another bracelet. I don't like rings or necklaces, I only like bracelets."

A moment later, the two left the jewelry store. Crescent Moon now wore gold earrings and a gold bracelet. Walking along the road to the fabric shop, Crescent Moon told Wuxin, "My mother originally had a gold bracelet, which was part of her dowry from my maternal grandmother. My mother said she would pass it on to me when I grew up. When I was seven, my mother passed away, and my father turned the bracelet into a necklace and two rings, which my stepmother wore."

Wu Xin had no idea that Yueya must have had a hard time living in her parents' home. Her parents, who were willing to give her to their old man as a concubine, probably didn't treat her well on a daily basis.

Crescent Moon lowered her head and turned the gold bracelet on her wrist, then said, "I want to have a daughter in the future. When she grows up, I'll let her take my bracelet with her, and then pass it on to my granddaughter."

Without thinking, he silently grasped her wrist. Her wrist was round and fleshy, making the bracelet seem a little loose. He admitted that he had been too selfish—Yueya still knew nothing about his secret.

His seed is dead; no matter how fertile the land around Crescent Moon is, it cannot give birth to a seedling of life. Crescent Moon's bracelet can only be worn by her; no maid or granddaughter will inherit it.

There was only one fabric shop in Pigsnout Town, and while it had a fairly complete selection of goods, it lacked bright red fabric, though it did have maroon and peach red. Crescent Moon wanted to sew a bright red top for her wedding dress; a proper bride needed bright red. However, the bright red fabric wouldn't arrive for another five days. Crescent Moon calculated the days, thinking she still had a lot of work to do, and waiting five days wouldn't be a big deal. So she bought the necessary fabrics, and the two went out to continue shopping.

The two returned home in the afternoon, and by evening, Yueya had even pickled the salted radishes into a new jar. Before dinner, she called Wuxin into the east room to measure his feet so she could make him new shoes. Wuxin happily sat on the kang (heated brick bed), stretching his legs straight forward, his bare feet neatly displayed, looking utterly ingratiating. Yueya, holding a wooden ruler, suppressed a laugh as she measured his feet, noticing how clean they were. Wuxin claimed to be an orphan, taken in and raised in a temple by an old monk; Yueya assumed the old monk must be a civilized man, judging by how hygienic he had taught Wuxin.

After measuring his feet, she took the opportunity to measure his body as well. Crescent Moon lowered her head, using a wooden ruler to measure from Wuxin's ankles upwards, meticulously noting down the measurements. Wuxin's legs were long and straight, his waist and abdomen were taut, his chest broad, and his shoulders upright and imposing. Crescent Moon was overjoyed, and felt an overwhelming tenderness for him.

After dinner, Yueya lit a small oil lamp by the kang (a heated brick bed) and used its light to sew shoe soles for Wuxin. The lamp was dim and its light limited, so Wuxin squatted in the dark corner by the window, talking to Yueya intermittently. Sewing shoe soles was hard work; Yueya gripped the large needle, pulling the thread with a hissing sound, but after a long time, she hadn't made much progress. Seeing that the night was growing darker outside, Wuxin subtly glanced out the window.

In the afternoon, Yueya wiped the glass windows clean, making them exceptionally clear. There was no one outside the courtyard gate, except for a stray dog ​​leisurely passing by.

Crescent Moon yawned and carefully wrapped the needle and thread around the sole of the shoe. She glanced back at Wuxin and said softly, "It's time to sleep. Go back to your room."

Without hesitation, he said, "How about you make a sachet? I have a lucky charm that I'd like you to carry with you."

Yueya immediately got off the kang (heated brick bed), found her small bundle, opened it, and pulled out a tiny embroidered purse: "No need to make one, I have one." Then she handed the purse to Wuxin: "Isn't it pretty? I embroidered it last year!"

Wuxin took out a yellow talisman from his pocket, folded it, stuffed it into his small purse, and tightened the opening. Only after seeing Yueya hang the purse around her neck did he feel at ease enough to get off the kang (heated brick bed), put on his shoes, and go back to his room.

Crescent Moon didn't think much of it, blew out the lamp, and went to sleep. Wuxin returned to the west room and waited for a long time, but seeing that no one was outside the courtyard, he also went to sleep.

As usual, Yueya got up early after dawn. After washing up, she went into the courtyard and was about to take two eggs from the basket to fry a plate when she suddenly heard the courtyard gate open.

The sound was very soft, just two hesitant "pats". She straightened up and looked over, and because she had no relatives or friends in Pigsnout Town, she was startled, fearing that her family had come after her. But when she looked closely through the fence, she was relieved to see that it was just a small figure in tattered clothes.

She walked over and opened the courtyard gate, assuming the girl was a beggar. But when she looked down at her, she was stunned—what a beautiful girl!

The little girl was a head shorter than her, and like her, she wore two long braids. She was dirty, but her small, oval face was as white as jade, with perfectly proportioned eyebrows, bright, sparkling eyes, and even her small, pink lips were exceptionally tender. Looking up at the crescent moon, she said in a soft voice, "Sister, I'm hungry. Can you give me something to eat?"

Crescent Moon couldn't tell her age; she could be eleven or twelve, or thirteen or fourteen—a flower about to bloom, looking both pitiful and adorable. She quickly let her in, moved a small stool for her to sit on in the yard, and asked, "Where are your parents?"

The little boy looked up at her and shook his head, his eyes watery, always seeming to be filled with tears: "There was a war in my hometown... my father and mother are gone."

Crescent Moon had always found her endearing, and upon hearing that she was even more unfortunate than herself, she returned to the main room to take out some warm steamed buns from the pot for her. The little girl glanced at her retreating figure, then lowered her eyes, her gaze drifting towards the west room window.

A pale, heartless face was pressed against the glass!

The little girl's thick, dark eyelashes fluttered, then she turned to look at Crescent Moon, who had come out. She took the hot steamed bun from Crescent Moon with both hands, stood up softly to thank her, and then, like any starving child, hurriedly stuffed the bun into her mouth. Crescent Moon really wanted to invite her into the main room, but then thought she was too dirty and might have lice. Looking down at the little girl wolfing down her food, she sighed, thinking that she could feed her a full meal today, but how would she survive in the future? She wondered if any family in town would be willing to take her in as a child bride. She was already so old; she could be a wife even without being raised. If a good family were willing to take her in, it would be a way for her to survive.

The steamed buns made by Crescent Moon were very big. The little one didn't finish one bun and walked out wearing a coat without any intention of eating it.

While busy, Crescent Moon explained the little person's origins to him. He ignored her as he washed his face and rinsed his mouth, not even glancing at the little person. The little person, like a punching bag, curled up in a ball and ate a steamed bun.

Wuxin took the new towel from Yueya's hand and wiped his head and face thoroughly. Then he picked up the basin of water and splashed it onto the ground behind the little girl. He recognized her as the little girl who had appeared outside the courtyard gate the night before last. Her tattered clothes were the same, only her red embroidered shoes were gone.

He put the basin back on the washstand in the main room, suddenly at a loss. Should he kick the little one out? That might put the other in the shadows while he remained in the open, putting him at a disadvantage. Should he let the little one stay? He was just looking forward to spending a few good days with Crescent Moon; why keep something of unknown origin around?

Wu Xin had a bad feeling about the little person, even though the little person was sitting in broad daylight and had no evil aura.

Wu Xin always trusted his own feelings and had a premonition that the little one would definitely stay and refuse to leave.

(End of this chapter)