Street Stories: A True Account of a Group of Blind Men in the Underworld

As Qiao Yang was pondering this, footsteps came from outside the courtyard. The old lady returned, followed by a young woman—the child's mother.

The old lady's face was serious as she stared at Qiao Yang and asked:

"What is your surname, sir? Where do you live?"

"My surname is Qiao. I'm from Baodi, Jingdong. I wander around and have no fixed abode," Qiao Yang replied calmly and unhurriedly.

"Alright, Mr. Qiao." The old lady's tone suddenly hardened, leaving no room for ambiguity. "My daughter-in-law and I have discussed it, and from now on, this child will recognize you as his godfather!"

Qiao Yang froze on the spot, looking incredulous, and hurriedly waved his hands, his tone urgent:

"Auntie, absolutely not! I travel all over the place, I have no fixed abode. If I were to become relatives, how would I have time to take care of the children? I simply can't afford it!"

The child's mother quickly stepped forward, her voice pleading, almost begging:

"Mr. Qiao, our whole family only trusts you! You've traveled all over the country, received food from many families, and are very knowledgeable. With such a capable godfather like you protecting us, Xiao Bao has been able to grow up safely and peacefully!"

"I'm just a blind fortune teller, how could I be worthy of being this godfather..." Qiao Yang was caught in a dilemma, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, but he still tried his best to refuse.

The old lady slammed her hand on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her tone firm and leaving no room for negotiation:

"There's no such thing as being a good match or not! You have to accept this marriage whether you like it or not; it's not up to you!"

Qiao Yang was caught in a dilemma, his mind filled with doubts and he became more vigilant.

Just then, on the empty kang (heated brick bed), a voice he knew by heart suddenly rang out, each word clearly penetrating his ears:

"Qiao Yang, stop refusing. You have to accept this godfather."

"Brother Lin?!" Qiao Yang was startled and turned around abruptly. "When did you arrive? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Lin Hai, sitting on the kang (heated brick bed), laughed heartily, tapping his fingers on the mat as he jokingly teased him familiarly:

"This is my godmother's house. Since you've recognized Xiaobao as your godson, we're relatives now, so why be so formal?"

After saying that, he called out, "Sister-in-law, bring red rope and colored thread. According to the customs outside the Great Wall, make a lock for Xiaobao!"

Qiao Yang then realized that there were specific customs surrounding the recognition of godparents outside the Great Wall.

Listening to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law talking while twisting the thread, I learned that the lock was to be made of red rope mixed with five-colored thread, tied to the child's hands and feet, to lock in good fortune, bind peace, and protect him from disasters and hardships for a lifetime.

Though he couldn't see it, he could almost see the warm red rope in his heart, and a warmth he had never felt before surged up his blood. Now that he had accepted this son, he had an extra heavy responsibility.

In no time, the lock was finished. The old woman, clutching the small rope lock, smiled so broadly her wrinkled face was contorted, and pulled her daughter-in-law towards the kitchen.

"Steam some white flour buns and boil some eggs tonight! We'll treat Mr. Qiao and Lin Hai to a good meal!"

He then asked his son to go to the village to get some tofu, as today was a joyous occasion and they needed to celebrate.

The whole family sat around the kang table, chatting and laughing. The warmth of the cooking made Qiao Yang's nose tingle.

After finishing his meal, Lin Hai patted his arm and smiled meaningfully:

"Wait a minute, there's a celebration coming up."

As they spoke, a commotion arose outside the courtyard. The old lady went out to greet them; it turned out that they were villagers she had specially invited to listen to the story and offer their congratulations.

The little house was instantly packed to the brim, so lively it almost lifted the roof off.

"Congratulations, old lady, on the addition of another good family!" The villagers offered their congratulations, all their eyes falling on Qiao Yang.

Qiao Yang took the initiative to touch the drum, raised his hand and struck it, producing a clear sound, and then sang a section of "Zhang Tingxiu's Private Visit".

Lin Hai played the sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument) beside him, the sound of the strings following the beat of the drum, and the whole room was filled with cheers.

Later, Lin Hai sang a tongue twister, with Qiao Yang playing the erhu as accompaniment. Laughter and cheers rose in waves, filling the small house with warmth and joy.

The next day, Qiao Yang and Lin Hai spent the day doing business in town, and then went back to their in-laws' house in the evening.

Just as I put down my chopsticks, a woman in her fifties rushed in from outside, looking anxious.

Upon entering, he first nodded to the old lady, then bowed to the two blind men.

"Mr. Qiao, Mr. Lin, I've come specifically to invite you two to have my son and his fiancée's birth dates checked so we can choose an auspicious wedding date!"

Choosing an auspicious date is not like a casual fortune telling; it requires analyzing the birth chart (Ba Zi) and checking auspicious and inauspicious days, which is both time-consuming and laborious. Qiao Yang, worried that Lin Hai's health wouldn't be able to handle it, volunteered to take on the task.

"Don't worry, Auntie, leave this to me. Brother Lin is getting old; he's been running around all day and can't keep up."

After saying that, he took the birth dates and times of the young couple and began to calculate with his fingers, his movements steady and deliberate.

After a moment, Qiao Yang said to the woman, "Your son and daughter-in-law are a perfect match, a match made in heaven. After marriage, they will live in harmony, their family business will prosper, and their lives will become increasingly prosperous!"

A few auspicious words made the woman beam with joy.

Qiao Yang dared not be careless. He calmed down and continued to calculate carefully, repeatedly considering the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches and the auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of each day. He calculated for more than an hour before finally determining the most auspicious day for the wedding.

Once everything was settled, the woman's smile vanished. She stood up, patted her bottom, didn't mention the fortune-telling fee at all, and walked out, clearly intending to get something for nothing.

"stop!"

The old lady reacted quickly, blocking the doorway. Her thin frame stood there with an imposing air, her face full of resentment.

"What's wrong with you? Mr. Qiao spent all day running around and over an hour choosing an auspicious date for your family. How can you expect him to do this for free? You have to pay for the divination!"

The woman's face stiffened, and she stammered, "Auntie, I really don't have any cash..."

"No cash is fine too!" the old lady insisted, her tone decisive. "Go home and get some peanuts, chestnuts, or even dried mushrooms if you absolutely have to. We can't let these two gentlemen work for nothing!"

Qiao Yang felt a little guilty and quickly tried to smooth things over:

"Auntie, forget it. If she really can't make it, consider this fortune telling a gift of good luck on my part."

"You can't give them anything!" the old lady immediately interrupted sharply, looking at them with heartache. "If you don't give one today, you'll be taking nothing tomorrow, and you'll wear yourselves out sooner or later! You have poor eyesight, and you've left your hometown to make a living with your skills. Why should you let others take advantage of you?"

His words were so forceful that the woman's face turned pale and then red, and she was speechless.

Unable to resist the old lady's insistence, she reluctantly took out a coin, slammed it on the earthen bed, snorted, and slammed the door shut as she left.

By the kang (heated brick bed), Qiao Yang and Lin Hai looked at each other in silence. Although they couldn't see each other's expressions, they both felt the warmth in each other's presence.

This elderly woman, their godmother, genuinely supported them. This protection was more precious than gold or silver. The two felt even more strongly that they had made the right choice in choosing this relative; she truly proved invaluable in crucial moments!

For the next ten days or so, Qiao Yang and Lin Hai stayed at the Gan family's house.

During the day, he would lean on his horse-drawn pole and travel over mountains to neighboring villages to tell fortunes; when he returned at night, he would find a warm kang bed and a cozy house, with the aroma of delicious food. Compared to sleeping in the open, he had a real sense of security at home.

After finishing their business nearby, the two bid farewell to their godparents and set off again with their bags on their backs. The snow crunched under their feet, and the cold wind whipped at their faces as they walked one after the other into an unfamiliar village.

As soon as we arrived at the village entrance, an old woman greeted us warmly, "It's so cold outside, come inside and warm up!"

Lin Hai was about to speak when the old woman grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house. Qiao Yang followed, groping his way in, and asked, "Auntie, do you want your fortune told?"

"Why are you asking for fortune-telling? Let's warm up first!" The old lady pushed them onto the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed), where the warmth mixed with the smell of firewood wafted over them. "Rest and have some hot water."

The two put down their luggage, picked up the large, rough porcelain bowls, and drank the scalding hot water. The chill in their bodies immediately dissipated.

Just then, the curtain rustled, and a gruff voice burst in:

"Mom, why did you bring two blind people home?"