The news that the young fellow from the Xiao family’s pastry shop had picked up a beautiful wife was no longer anything new on the streets. Yet, people still queued up daily to buy flatbreads, just to catch a glimpse of how remarkably beautiful the wife was.
This situation only slightly improved after Xiao Ning accidentally smashed three cypress wood cutting boards this month while pounding dough. Still, this didn’t stop people from weaving all sorts of elaborate tales about Shen Yunjie’s origins. Xiao Ning didn’t care about the gossip, while Shen Yunjie cared even less.
On this particular day, Xiao Yuan sat on the doorstep holding his small jar and counting copper coins as usual when a pair of straw sandals stopped in front of him.
“Little brother, we don’t have any salt for cooking at home. Could we borrow some?” The person wore rough cloth clothing, looked honest and simple as he held a rough ceramic jar in his hand, appearing a bit nervous.
Xiao Ning knew the man was Zhao Sheng, a neighbor who lived next door, though they rarely saw or spoke to each other.
Seeing Xiao Ning remain silent, Zhao Sheng became even more uneasy, a dull blush spreading across his dark face. He waved his hand, saying, “Never mind, never mind. It’s fine if it’s not convenient.”
Xiao Ning slightly moved aside to clear a path. “It’s in the kitchen in the backyard.” Zhao Sheng quickly thanked him, walked around Xiao Yuan who eas sitting on the doorstep, and quietly headed toward the backyard.
Shen Yunjie was drawing water in the backyard with the rough well rope wrapped around his slender, pale hands. When the bucket was pulled up, it wasn’t steady, and some water splashed out, dampening the hem of his plain white robe. Shen Yunjie took a breath, wiped the sweat from his chin with the back of his hand, and felt a faint ache in his lower back. Just as he was about to pour the water into the vat, someone suddenly reached out and held the bucket while stammering, “I, I’ll help you.”
Shen Yunjie stepped back two paces, frowning at the unfamiliar man.
Zhao Sheng poured the water with his head bowed, not daring to look at Shen Yunjie at all. He said nervously and awkwardly, “I live next door and I came to, to ask for some salt…”
Shen Yunjie nodded. “Follow me.”
Zhao Sheng trailed Shen Yunjie closely while secretly looking up at him. The thin garment clung to his tall, well-proportioned figure while the sash cinched his slender waist, and beneath his dark hair a small patch of snow-white nape was faintly visible. Shen Yunjie bent down to retrieve the salt jar, turned, took the small jar from Zhao Sheng’s hand, and poured it half full before looking up to ask, “Is this enough?”
“Ah? Enough, that’s enough!” Zhao Sheng snapped back to attention before cautiously taking the small jar from Shen Yunjie, and repeatedly thanked him.
Shen Yunjie then took a clean porcelain bowl from the stove and filled it mostly with some freshly steamed crispy pork before handing it to Zhao Sheng. “There’s no need to be so polite. We’re neighbors.”
Zhao Sheng’s mind became momentarily blank as he woodenly took the bowl. He walked out as if treading on cotton. Upon reaching the front door, he quickly thanked Xiao Ning.
Xiao Ning nodded after seeing the porcelain bowl from his house in Zhao Sheng’s hand, but said nothing.
Zhao Sheng tossed the salt jar aside after he returned to his messy home. He poured the crispy pork out of the porcelain bowl and stared intensely at the bowl itself. He thought of Shen Yunjie’s fingertips holding the bowl, which were cleaner and more lustrous than the white porcelain. Lost in thought, he stuck out his tongue and began to obsessively lick the rim of the bowl all the way around…
During dinner, Xiao Ning looked at Shen Yunjie, who was putting food on Xiao Yuan’s plate, and suddenly said, “Stay away from that man.”
Shen Yunjie was startled. It took him a moment to realize who he meant. “The one next door?”
“En.” Xiao Ning usually didn’t bother with other people’s business, but he couldn’t stop some of the bread-buying grandmothers from chatting with him. The rumors about the neighbor next door, Zhao Sheng, were described in striking detail as they talked.
It was said that this Zhao Sheng originally had some family wealth and had even married a decent-looking wife, but then he got addicted to gambling. He lost all his wealth and even sold his wife to a brothel for silver. He had been a bachelor ever since.
Xiao Ning would not repeat this gossip to Shen Yunjie, and Shen Yunjie, naturally, did not press him for details either.
“You’re only eating this little bit again.” Xiao Ning frowned, looking at the half-bowl of plain porridge Shen Yunjie held in displeasure.
Shen Yunjie awkwardly picked up his chopsticks and forced himself to eat two mouthfuls of vegetables. Recently, he had no appetite and felt fatigued and weak. He figured the Wang Duan Chang toxin must be acting up again.
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