Chapter Fourteen: The Delicious Candy

The desolate village remained peaceful and serene; no one quarrelled, and of course, no one wept. The little river flowed freely eastward, and along its banks, wildflowers bloomed in a riot of colors—purples, reds, and pinks—painting a scene of breathtaking beauty.

Shao Qiu stayed within his humble dwelling, venturing nowhere else. In this forsaken village, he could hardly dream of going beyond. Confined indoors, he could only read, yet for some reason, even this brought him a lingering sadness. It had been a long time since he last saw Xiaohua, and he wondered where she might be now, why she no longer appeared outside his window to sing.

One evening, after dinner, with the dusk still young, Shao Qiu took a solitary stroll along the riverbank. It was a fine moment to gaze upon the moon’s reflection in the water. There was scarcely a soul nearby; silence reigned, broken only by the faint melody of a distant song.

Beneath an ancient tree by the riverside, Shao Qiu spotted Xiaohua sitting alone, listening to the gentle whisper of the breeze. Beside her bloomed a tiny flower, its fragrance so potent it seemed to intoxicate Shao Qiu, stirring his senses amid the shifting wind.

He gazed at the little flower, and upon seeing it, his heart lifted, the sorrows of the past momentarily forgotten. Xiaohua, too, upon noticing Shao Qiu, softly hummed a tune—a melody that, by the riverside, sounded exquisitely enchanting.

At that moment, Shao Qiu caught sight of Huabo and, fearing the man might strike him again, fled in panic. But Huabo called after him, laughing heartily. At the sound of that laughter, Shao Qiu ceased running.

Huabo chuckled once more and then vanished quietly. The riverside was soon left with only Xiaohua and Shao Qiu once again.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Xiaohua glanced at Shao Qiu, then, unwilling to linger, she took her leave. Shao Qiu watched her retreating figure with a melancholic heart, though he could not fathom why.

Returning to his dilapidated home, Shao Qiu sat beneath the broken window, eyes fixed outside as night deepened and passersby disappeared. The lone white dog rested under the old tree, staring at the setting sun, its expression wistful, as if quietly mourning some unseen sorrow.

Just then, the imposing figure of “Dog Lord” appeared again, swaggering down the village path, puffing on a cigarette with an air of arrogance that unsettled those around. A young girl passed by—it was Xiaohua. For some reason, upon seeing Dog Lord, a flush of shyness colored her cheeks. Perhaps it was the gleam of the luxury watch on his wrist, a rare and precious item in this desolate village, that caught her attention. Though she said nothing aloud, she lingered with a curious glance.

“Want it?” Dog Lord asked Xiaohua. “If you do, it’s yours.”

“I don’t want it. Who cares?” Xiaohua replied softly, yet her blushing face betrayed her words as insincere.

Huabo, working in the fields nearby, overheard Dog Lord’s words to his daughter but feigned ignorance. He knew well it was safer not to provoke Dog Lord in this forsaken place. As for Dog Lord, he seemed indifferent to Huabo’s presence; otherwise, he would not have dared openly tease his daughter like this.

Dog Lord approached Huabo, offering him a cigarette. Huabo accepted it with a smile before returning to his toil. Dog Lord whistled loudly and then vanished like the wind. Huabo glanced once more at the shining watch on Dog Lord’s wrist but said nothing. Perhaps, if Dog Lord truly cared for his daughter, that might not be such a bad thing.

While working the fields, Huabo suddenly saw Xiaohua approaching Shao Qiu’s doorstep, offering him some treats she had just bought from the little shop. Anger surged within Huabo—damn it, after all his hard labor digging from the earth, this good-for-nothing was now feeding off what his daughter gave.

Yet Huabo restrained himself, though his mind seethed with fury. He even felt a strong urge to strike, but with Xiaohua present, he dared not harm Shao Qiu. To do so would only bring unhappiness to his daughter—something he was unwilling to witness. Damn it, such a spineless freeloader, refusing to work yet living off my daughter’s kindness—it was utterly outrageous!

The more Huabo thought, the angrier he became. He had already damaged several crops and even hurt his own toe with the hoe. “Damn it!” Huabo cursed, tossing aside his tool and sitting down, lighting the cigarette Dog Lord had given him.

“I don’t want these candies; you keep them. I don’t like sweets,” Shao Qiu said awkwardly to Xiaohua. But Xiaohua was not convinced; to her, there was no one in the world who disliked sweets. Still, out of politeness, Shao Qiu accepted the candies she placed in his palm, though he did not eat them.

“Damn you! You’re asking for death!” Huabo roared, unable to contain himself any longer. “Eating my daughter’s sweets? No way!”

“I want you to eat them and then spit them out!” Huabo shouted, charging toward Shao Qiu’s house, brandishing his hoe as if intent on killing him. Yet Shao Qiu showed no fear; otherwise, he would have fled. Instead, he stood calmly by his door, smiling and chatting with Xiaohua.

When Huabo reached him and saw Shao Qiu unafraid, he paused, not daring to strike but showing no sign of forgiveness. He snatched the candy from Shao Qiu’s hands. “Who told you to eat my daughter’s sweets?”

Huabo stuffed the candy into his mouth, chewing vigorously. After a few pieces, his mood eased slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

“Dad, what are you doing?” Xiaohua chided him.

Huabo said nothing, sitting on the ground, chewing incessantly with drool escaping his mouth—a pitiful sight. But seated at Shao Qiu’s doorstep, who cared for decorum?

After finishing the sweets, Huabo left and returned to his fields, hoeing with renewed energy. Watching the quiet village around him, his anger subsided, and his strokes became careful and precise, no longer harming the crops.