enjoyebooks Chapter 120 Little Tao Xiang
Chapter 120 Little Tao Xiang
Chapter 121 Little Tao Xiang
Song Che wanted to see how much money Xia Li had hidden away. Last time, he helped her arrange the knife-running process, and she only earned eighty yuan a night. Apart from that income, she didn't have much money herself.
He was a real penniless nobody.
Song Che rode his bike with her on the back, but she was still unwilling to give up. She kept looking at her palms. Magic was an insurmountable obstacle for her. Whether it was to make money or to live here, magic would make things much easier.
This place is remote, with only one market. During festivals, people from the surrounding area crowd here to buy New Year's goods. However, you can also walk a little further, because it is only slightly remote, not deep in the mountains and forests. Generally, after walking about ten miles, you can see the atmosphere of a city.
Many shops are located on the roadside, and even more open during the Chinese New Year period.
Song Che rode his bicycle, following behind Zhang Shushu.
The road was uneven, and the electric scooter bounced around. Xia Li sat on the back seat, one hand supporting his waist, the other outstretched, staring at her palm.
The wind blew her silver hair, and a few strands brushed against her neck, tickling her.
"Stop looking," Song Che said. "You won't see anything special no matter how much you look."
Xia Li ignored him and continued to stare at her hand. She remembered that something different had appeared in her palm.
After a few seconds, she turned the hand over to look at the back of it.
Turn it over again and look at your palm.
After turning it over and over, the only noticeable cracks from the frostbite on my hands are now almost healed, and the cracks have completely disappeared.
"Song Che".
"Um?"
"You said magic can be suppressed, so wouldn't the thing that's suppressing it also get tired?"
Song Che was stunned for a moment.
"What is it?"
"I don't know," she said. "It's that thing that's pressing down on me. Does it get tired? If it gets tired, it loosens up a bit, and I can feel it. If it doesn't get tired, it keeps pressing down."
Song Che thought about it. He actually trusted Xia Li quite a bit because Xia Li didn't lie much—but something was wrong. Even if Xia Li's magic was suppressed, who was the one suppressing her?
No one understands magic better than Xia Li.
Song Che shook his head. "You think it's a doorman?"
"What kind of doorman?"
"Just a security guard," he said. "The kind who stands guard 24 hours a day. Even when you're tired, you have to keep standing; you can't relax."
Xia Li remained silent for a while.
"That must be quite tough for it."
Song Che nodded. "You still feel sorry for it?"
"It's not that I feel sorry for it," Xia Li said. "It's just that if it gets tired, I can use magic."
She brought her palm to her eyes and squinted to look at it.
"But it doesn't seem tired."
Song Che turned his head and glanced at her.
She stared intently at her palms, her expression serious. She had done the same thing last time, taking several days to recover. She wondered how many days it would take her to come to terms with reality this time.
"Didn't you just say you felt it?"
"I felt it," she said, "but only for a moment."
She lowered her hand and supported his waist.
"It might be an illusion."
Zhang Shushu's car turned onto a side road, where there were more stalls on both sides. There were vendors selling vegetables, meat, couplets and lanterns, and children's toys.
People were packed together, and bikes couldn't move.
Zhang Shushu stopped the car, turned around and called out, "Get out and walk, there are too many people ahead."
Song Che parked the car and locked it.
It was teeming with life, and the atmosphere was lively and bustling. People walking around the car were all smiling.
Xia Li stood to the side, still looking at her hands.
Tao Xiang had already run out and was standing in front of a stall selling candied hawthorns, her eyes wide open. Zhang Shushu smiled and walked over, buying three skewers.
Tao Xiang took the candied hawthorn and nibbled on it in small bites, looking very satisfied.
Song Che and Xia Li followed slowly behind, each holding a candied hawthorn.
"Are you hungry?" Song Che asked.
Xia Li shook her head.
Song Che glanced at her.
"Unhappy?"
She froze for a moment.
"no."
"Then keep looking at your hands."
She put her hand down.
"I'm used to it," she said. "When we had magic, I could watch whenever I wanted. Now that we don't, I still want to watch."
The two walked forward, with stalls lined up one after another on both sides.
The vendors selling roasted nuts and seeds tossed and turned in their iron woks, steaming and smelling delicious. There were also vendors selling frozen pears and persimmons, displayed in baskets, covered in a layer of white frost. Even clothing vendors hung rows of cotton-padded jackets and down coats, bright red and green, a rather rustic and lively display, but hardly anyone bought anything.
Xia Li walked slowly, her eyes scanning the stalls; she didn't have much of an appetite today.
She stopped as she passed a vendor selling couplets.
The stall displayed various couplets: red paper with gold lettering, red paper with black lettering, and even those made of velvet, embossed with gold, and shiny.
"Song Che".
"Um?
'
"This one—" she pointed to one of them, "is the same as the one in your house."
Song Che looked over.
"Harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things."
He nodded.
Xia Li stared at the couplet without moving.
The old man selling couplets spoke up: "Young lady, would you like to buy a pair? It'll be auspicious to put them up for the New Year."
Xia Li shook her head.
"At home."
The old man smiled.
"It's good that it exists, it's good that it exists."
Xia Li nodded like a dazed person, spending several tens of minutes with Zhang Shushu. Zhang Shushu was in charge of buying, while the other three carried her. This time at the market, they bought everything they needed, even several strings of firecrackers.
I bought some things and went home, just as my dad came home too.
The man had something to do today and said he would come in the evening. He had already prepared his excuses and planned to get the money back.
As it was getting dark, Taoxiang squatted in the yard and drew on the ground with a twig.
It's a drawing of a rabbit.
Two birds, one big and one small, both with their ears standing up. Next to the larger one, there's a crooked circle drawn, which is probably the sun.
Bruce lay on the steps, squinting as he watched her paint. He didn't dislike the peach scent, as long as it didn't turn into a peach blossom.
Song Che came out of the main room, carrying a cup of water. He walked to the middle of the courtyard, stopped, and looked down at the painting.
"What is being drawn?"
The fragrance of peach blossoms rises to the sky.
"rabbit."
"What about this one?"
"sun."
Is the sun round?
Tao Xiang looked at the circle she had drawn.
"round."
"Then this is an ellipse."
Tao Xiang stared at the circle for a while.
What is an ellipse?
Song Che thought for a moment.
"It's just a flattened circle."
Tao Xiang nodded and continued drawing. This time she drew a more perfect circle.
Song Che drank water while watching her paint.
After finishing the sun, Taoxiang added two flowers to the big rabbit's ears.
"Who is this?"
"Your Highness Xia Li," Tao Xiang said without looking up, "these are Your Highness's ears."
Song Che looked at the two flowers.
"Your Highness has no flowers on your ears."
"I drew it," Momoka said. "It's beautiful."
Zhang Shushu's voice came from inside the main room: "Cheche, tell your dad to come home for dinner!"
Song Che responded and walked out with his cup in his hand.
Tao Xiang continued painting.
Bruce yawned and squinted his eyes.
Suddenly someone spoke at the entrance of the courtyard.
Is anyone home?
The fragrance of peach blossoms rises to the sky.
A man in his fifties stood at the door, wearing a drab gray cotton-padded coat and carrying a plastic bag. He had a smile on his face, but it was an unnatural one; his lips were twitched and his eyes were narrow.
Taoxiang recognized him.
The guy who treated me to dinner yesterday owes me money.
She stood up but didn't move.
The man peered into the courtyard.
Is your aunt home?
Tao Xiang thought for a moment.
"exist."
She didn't shout, she just stood there, looking at the man.
The man waited for two seconds, and seeing that Tao Xiang didn't move, he walked inside on his own.
"Sister-in-law, is she home?"
Zhang Shushu came out of the main room, still clutching a rag in her hand. She paused for a moment when she saw the man.
"Why are you here?"
The man smiled and shook the plastic bag in his hand.
"I just bought some oranges to give to my sister-in-law. She was supposed to come to my house for lunch, but I had something to do, so I came over tonight to familiarize myself with the place."
Zhang Shushu took the plastic bag and looked down at it.
The oranges weren't very big, and they looked a bit green.
"You're too kind," she said. "Would you like to come in and have a seat?"
The person had already gone inside.
Tao Xiang squatted back down and continued drawing, but her ears were perked up, listening to what was being said over there.
The man sat on a bench in the main room, and Zhang Shushu poured him a glass of water.
He took it, didn't drink it, and put it on the table.
"Sister-in-law, I really have something to do today, but you absolutely have to come tomorrow."
"Okay, go."
"Brother Jianguo is here too?"
"Come."
The man nodded.
He paused, then said, "Sister-in-law, about that money—"
Zhang Shushu didn't say anything.
The man sighed.
"Sister-in-law, I know I've owed you for a year. I'm really short on money. You know my family's situation. The kids are in school, the elderly are sick, everything costs money. It's not that I don't want to pay you back, it's just that I really don't have the money."
Zhang Shushu remained silent.
The man glanced at her.
"Sister-in-law, if you need it urgently, I'll try to scrape together some money. If it's not urgent, please give me some more time. Things will be better after the New Year and spring. I'll go out to work and pay you back as soon as I earn the money."
Tao Xiang listened from the courtyard.
She couldn't see Zhang Shushu's expression, but she could see her back.
Zhang Shushu stood there, her hands hanging down, not moving. She didn't like to make things difficult for others, but she didn't know whether what this person said was true or false.
After a few seconds, Zhang Shushu spoke.
"No rush," she said. "You should focus on your family matters first."
The man's eyes lit up.
"Sister-in-law, you're so kind. I knew you were the most considerate person. Don't worry, I'll pay you back as soon as I have the money, not a penny less."
Zhang Shushu did not respond.
The man sat for a while longer, exchanged a few polite words, and then left.
Tao Xiang watched his figure disappear through the courtyard gate.
Tao Xiang stood up and walked over.
"Aunt."
Zhang Shushu turned around.
He had a smile on his face, but it was the same smile as the previous person—the corners of his mouth were twitched, and his eyes were not curved.
"Taoxiang, are you hungry? We'll eat in a bit."
Tao Xiang looked at her.
"Auntie, is that person not going to pay back the money?"
Zhang Shushu was stunned for a moment.
"Kids shouldn't worry about these things."
"He came yesterday too," Tao Xiang said. "And he came again today. Auntie is always unhappy whenever he comes."
Zhang Shushu didn't say anything.
Tao Xiang thought for a moment.
"Auntie, I can help you."
Zhang Shushu smiled and patted her head.
"It's enough that you have the intention. Adults should handle their own affairs."
During the meal, Song Jianguo brought up the matter. Zhang Shushu said that the man had come again and still said he had no money.
Song Jianguo put down his chopsticks.
"You're just going to let him go like that?"
"Otherwise, what else could we do but detain him?"
"You need to be tougher."
"Why should I be tough? He really doesn't have any money, what can I do?"
Song Jianguo remained silent.
Song Che picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks without looking up.
Xia Li looked at this and that, but didn't say anything.
Tao Xiang lowered her head and ate her food, eating more slowly than usual.
After dinner, Zhang Shushu cleared the dishes. Song Jianguo went to the yard for a smoke. Song Che went back inside to write something, while Xia Li sat on a bench in the main room, looking at the New Year's picture.
Tao Xiang slipped into the west room.
She lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
I thought about it for a while.
Then she got up and rummaged through her bag and pulled out a candle.
Her aunt was good to her, so she had to help her aunt check whether this was true or not.
The next morning, when Zhang Shushu got up to cook, Taoxiang was already awake.
She lay in bed, hearing Zhang Shushu chopping vegetables in the kitchen. She heard Song Jianguo get up and go to the yard to wash his face.
I heard Bruce calling from the doorway, asking for food.
She didn't move.
-
She got up only after the commotion outside had subsided.
I put on my cotton-padded coat and shoes, and went out into the yard.
Zhang Shushu was picking vegetables at the kitchen doorway. She smiled when she saw her.
"Awake? Dinner will be ready in a bit."
Tao Xiang walked over and squatted down next to her.
"Aunt."
"Um?"
Are we going to that person's house for dinner today?
Zhang Shushu paused for a moment.
"go."
"Is Uncle going too?"
"go."
Tao Xiang nodded.
She squatted there, watching Zhang Shushu pick vegetables. She reached into the basket, took out a stalk of celery, pinched off the leaves, and helped her pick the vegetables.
Tao Xiang suddenly said, "Auntie, I'll go with you."
Zhang Shushu turned to look at her.
"What are you going to do?"
"Let's eat," Tao Xiang said. "Didn't you say we were going to eat?"
Zhang Shushu smiled.
"Okay, I'll take you there."
Tao Xiang nodded.
She squatted for a while longer, then stood up and ran back into the house.
He put the candle in his pocket.
That house is at the east end of the village, about a ten-minute walk away.
The sun was shining on the road, but the wind was cool. The land on both sides was bare, with the occasional patch of winter wheat, green but also carrying a hint of chill.
Tao Xiang walked along, looking at the houses along the roadside.
When they arrived at the door of a house, Zhang Shushu stopped.
The yard wasn't big, and the walls were made of red bricks, unpainted. The gate was open, and you could see clothes hanging inside on a rope.
The man came out of the house to greet them.
"Sister-in-law is here! Come in, come in!"
He was stunned when he saw Tao Xiang and Xia Li.
"These two kids came too?"
"Yes, let's bring them here to familiarize them with the place," Zhang Shushu said.
The man smiled and let them in.
The main room wasn't large, containing a square table and several long benches. Several dishes and a bottle of wine were already laid out on the table.
The wall was covered with New Year pictures, newer than the one in Song Che's house, featuring a chubby baby holding a carp, all bright red.
The man's wife also came out of the kitchen, wearing an apron and with flour still on her hands. She smiled and invited everyone to sit down before going back into the kitchen to busy herself.
The man was pouring wine for Song Jianguo, a smile plastered on his face, and saying polite words.
Tao Xiang reached into her pocket and touched the candle.
The candle is cold.
She remembered what Tao Yao had said.
"Illusion isn't a magic trick. It's about making the viewer believe what they're seeing is real. The more someone wants to believe, the more likely they are to believe."
She looked at the man.
The man smiled naturally and spoke very politely.
But his eyes kept darting away.
Ignore Zhang Shushu, ignore Song Jianguo, ignore the dishes on the table.
He looked at the wine glass, the chopsticks, and the window.
They just don't look at people.
Tao Xiang took her hand out of her pocket.
She stared at the man's face.
Then she thought.
If what he sees now is not this room, not this table of food.
If what he sees now is the person he owes money to.
It's not Zhang Shushu.
It's someone else.
Someone he feared even more.
The candle in my pocket suddenly got warm.
Tao Xiang looked down at her hands.
My palms are a little itchy, like something is trying to pop out.
My older sister knows illusion magic, but she only knows a little bit. We need something to help her to make it work.