Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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The next morning, after the boy went out, You Xu followed him closely, crawling out of the small hole at a distance.
After walking west from the small wooden house for about fifteen minutes, more doors and windows appeared, and many villagers were sweeping the snow in front of their doors.
Further down the road, stalls and shops lined both sides of the road, with shouts of vendors – this was the village’s small market.
Seeing him walk away, You Xu guessed he was probably going to do something in the market, so she stopped following him and went to check on the frozen lake from the previous day. No one was fishing. She carefully examined the ice but found no cracks, so she sighed regretfully and headed back towards the market to see what the boy was doing.
The small market was quite crowded and lively, with men selling candied hawthorns, clay figurines, fabric shops, and taverns, among other things.
You Xu found it difficult to walk on the ground in crowded areas, as her vision was obstructed. Reaching a less crowded spot, she jumped onto a wooden railing, looked around, and found the boy. He wasn’t too far away; she could see him gesturing to a man selling wontons. He seemed interested in doing odd jobs, free of charge, just a bowl of wontons a day. The seemingly honest man hesitated, but ultimately waved him away. As he left the wonton stall, he saw an older woman carrying a wooden basin filled with clothes, weighed down with a washing mallet— clearly going to do laundry. The boy stopped her, perhaps wanting to help in exchange for some food, but the woman looked impatient and turned away.
The village, though small, had a considerable population. Everyone knew him and instinctively avoided him, often giving him knowing glances and whispers.
The boy seemed used to it, showing no reaction whatsoever.
You Xu was utterly bewildered. What had happened that made a ten-year-old child so unwelcome?
She jumped off the wooden fence, intending to walk towards him. Passing two girls, she overheard their hushed conversation.
The girl in the gray dress said, “Hey? Isn’t that Li Yi’er? I haven’t seen him for over a month. I thought he’d left the village. Didn’t he stop coming to the market? Why is he here again?”
The other girl said, “Left the village? My brother saw him wandering around the mountains a few days ago.”
“His parents died early, the fields were sold, the house was sold, and his only sister, who raised him until he was ten, also passed away. He must be almost thirteen now. It’s really been a hard life.”
“You’re so sympathetic, why don’t you help him?”
“My father says he has a malevolent aura that brings bad luck to those close to him and to others. I dare not go; my father would kill me if he found out.”
You Xu almost laughed in anger. Three men can make a tiger; in ancient times, remote villages especially believed in ghosts and gods, and the laws of fate. When everyone believed in a certain idea, it became a so-called fact and truth.
She couldn’t be bothered to listen any longer. Seeing Li Yi’er pass a busy steamed bun shop, she was about to go over when a boy ran past him and shoved something into his hand.
You Xu didn’t immediately recognize him, only thinking the boy looked vaguely familiar.
The next moment, a mocking, abusive voice rang out: “Hey, you freak! Haven’t seen you in days, and you still dare to come to the market? Wasn’t the lesson learned last time enough? Now you dare to steal things?”
You Xu saw a group of boys of varying ages appear behind Li Yi’er and immediately remembered the group that had bullied him at his house last time. The boy who had just run over was one of them.
This framing tactic was extremely childish and clumsy.
The leader was the slightly overweight boy who then kicked Li Yi’er to the ground, who rolled over, clutching something in his hand.
“I told you not to come here again, do you even understand human speech?”
“You bast**d, you dare to steal? You stole a few buns, hand them over now!”
“I said I’d beat you every time I see you.”
Fists and kicks rained down on him, and he was powerless to resist, only able to cower on the ground.
The commotion was quite loud, and many eyes turned to look. Perhaps some people knew that Li Yi’er hadn’t stolen the buns, but no one stepped forward to stop him. Li Yi’er hadn’t spoken to anyone for a long time, and his language skills were somewhat impaired, so he couldn’t defend himself at all.
Of course, the most important point was that those people saw that he had no parents and no one to rely on, so they took advantage of his weakness.
They also knew that Li Yi’er couldn’t let go of the bun in his hand. Since he was going to be beaten and scolded anyway, he might as well endure it and get something to eat…
You Xu was about to go crazy with anger. She rushed over without thinking. As the leader bent down to punch Li Yi’er in the head, she jumped up and grabbed his eye with her claw.
“Ah—” the boy cried out, covering one eye. “Damn it, where did this stray cat come from? Kill this beast!”
The boy tried to grab her, but You Xu dodged him, using her small size and agility to scratch and bite all the boys who had hit Li Yi’er.
“Damn it!”
“My hand is bleeding.”
Enraged by her, the boys shifted their attention and picked up stones and sticks to hurl at her. You Xu ran away, only continuing to run when they chased after her.
Li Yi’er stared blankly at the direction they had disappeared in. For the first time, amidst the malicious beatings and insults, he felt protected by a little cat.
A part of his heart instantly crumbled.
He, who hadn’t shed a tear since the death of his last relative, had tears welling in his eyes.
….
You Xu easily shook off the men and returned to the original spot. Not seeing Li Yi’er, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. Luckily, he wasn’t foolish enough to stay.
She circled around to make sure Li Yi’er was gone, then left the small market as well.
On the path outside the market, amidst the snow-covered landscape, he stood there quietly, looking so small and thin, not at all like a child nearing thirteen.
Li Yi’er was filled with anxiety. When he saw the gray-brown kitten approaching, his eyes brightened. He quickly went over and picked her up, carefully checking her body to make sure she wasn’t hurt before letting out a sigh of relief.
He held her in his arms, stroked the fur on her back, tucked her into his coat, and used his sleeve to shield her from the wind before starting to walk home.
You Xu nestled quietly against his chest, hearing his slightly rapid heartbeat and the crunch of his feet on the thick snow.
After walking quite a distance, You Xu heard his chest vibrate slightly as he tried to speak.
“No need… you’re small… be careful… stay… away.”
The words were labored and indistinct, tinged with a faint breath.
You Xu guessed he was telling her not to worry about him in the future, to be careful, to stay away, and not to get hurt.
A warmth filled her heart, and she nuzzled against his chest.
All the way home, Li Yi’er didn’t put her down. He took out the steamed bun; it was flattened, covered in black footprints, and caked with dirt.
He shook it, patted it a few times, then peeled off the dirty outer layer and ate it, offering her the clean part.
You Xu shook her head, pushing it away with her head.
He touched the bun, his eyes filled with longing, but ultimately didn’t eat it. He then lit a fire again and placed a bowl of ice and snow on it.
Then when the water boiled, he put the buns in, cooking them until they were soft and tender. He then set them aside to cool, and when they were at the perfect temperature, he handed them to You Xu.
You Xu understood now; he thought the buns were too cold and hard for her, a kitten, to eat, so he cooked them until they were soft and warm for her.
He looked at her gently, his eyes lowered.
A feeling of swelling and sourness welled up in her heart, and You Xu gestured for him to drink at least half of it.
Li Yi’er understood, so he drank half and handed it back to her. He lowered his eyelashes and gently stroked the fur on her back.
You Xu lowered her head and licked the contents of the bowl in small sips.
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