Starting with the flesh-based stimulant

Under the eaves, Zhou He stood in the courtyard, bathed in the bright moonlight, seemingly at ease.

Old Han remained respectful, and without hesitation, nodded and said:

"Yes, young master, I will prepare dry rations for you tomorrow."

Even after agreeing, he remained standing in the courtyard, refusing to leave.

Zhou He squinted, looking at the apricot tree in the yard in the moonlight without saying a word.

After a long silence, Old Han spoke up first:

"Don't worry about the travel expenses and the money for buying meat. Shuanzi and I will take care of things at home, so you can rest assured."

Zhou He nodded, waiting for Lao Han to continue.

Old Han still had something to say:

"Young master, you should still keep an eye on things concerning your neighbors back home. Although distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors, our family is only staying here temporarily, so there's no need to worry too much about some things."

Is this an implication about the Li family's affairs?

Just focus on your own body and don't worry about or ask about anything else.

Zhou He nodded slightly, indicating that he understood, and then looked at Lao Han.

After Old Han finished speaking, he bent down, turned around, and closed the courtyard gate.

Silent all night.

Although he slept for most of the day, Zhou He still felt tired and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow that night.

The next morning, Old Han swept the yard with a large broom.

Zhou He ignored him, ate the bowl of noodles covered with a red cloth in the basket by the door, and then walked straight out the door.

In the outer courtyard, a young man named Shuanzi, his face pockmarked, was leading an ox to the river outside the village to water it.

Upon seeing Zhou He, he bowed somewhat awkwardly and called out, "Young Master."

"Shuanzi, show me around the area around the village."

Zhou He ignored his solicitousness and said indifferently.

He's now Young Master Zhou; you can tell from Old Han's emphasis on propriety and his respectful demeanor.

The family is very hierarchical this week, so I can't be too friendly.

Shuanzi pouted as if he wanted to say something, but then realized what he was doing, covered his mouth, and led the ox away in silence.

Zhou He followed behind him, asking as they walked:

"Have you been staying in the village the whole time?"

He noticed that Shuanzi was skilled at driving carts and herding cattle, unlike someone who grew up in the city.

"Yes, young master, I grew up in Zhoujiagou and have always been guarding the old house."

Zhoujiagou... Zhou He nodded, then asked:

Who lives next door?

To the left, right, and back of the Zhou family's old house, there is a farmhouse with a courtyard.

"Young master, that's ours too."

Zhou He frowned and turned to look. Three low-rise courtyards surrounded the Zhou family's residence.

No wonder it doesn't look like anyone lives there.

Silently noting this down, Zhou He then asked:

"Shuanzi, do you know Old Master Li's family?"

Shuanzi drove the oxen and pointed to the left. Following the dirt road surrounded by poplar trees, the tall houses and courtyards he had seen yesterday stood in the morning light.

It was pitch black and looked a bit strange.

Normally, houses in the northwest are mostly oriented north-south, taking advantage of the terrain to keep them warm in winter and cool in summer. However, the Li family's courtyard is oriented south-north.

Tell me about the Li family.

Shuanzi turned his head furtively, realizing they weren't so close to the Zhou family's house anymore, before carefully speaking:

"Young Master, what would you like to hear?"

"Say whatever you know."

Shuanzi thought for a moment, then led the ox to the right side of the road. Zhou He caught up with him and they walked side by side.

"The Li family used to be the poorest family in our village."

"The main problem is Boss Li. He's lazy, loves to eat, and is also a gambling thief."

"One year, he had some debts, and on New Year's Eve, the debt collectors came to his house and banged on the door."

"There aren't many families living in our village, and nobody really likes this Boss Li."

At this point, the somber tone that Shuanzi had been putting on vanished.

Even the pits and blemishes on her face seemed to be sparkling.

Zhou He smiled involuntarily.

Since opening my eyes, the few people I've met have been either cunning and greedy, mysterious and slippery, or bizarre and terrifying.

Only now, in this young man, did he glimpse something vibrant and alive that should exist in the world.

Zhou He looked up and saw the sun, tinged with red, slowly rising from the yellowish-brown hillside in the distance.

Shuanzi was still telling the story with great enthusiasm:

"If it weren't for this, how would the debt collectors dare to come to our door on New Year's Eve? In the neighboring Boji Bay, a shepherd boy killed someone, and the law enforcement team had to wait until after the New Year before they came to take him away."

"That village is so united. Our village is too small... I can't even find a wife."

"Oh, young master, that's just how I am. I always end up going off on a tangent. Please don't be angry."

He seemed a little embarrassed and scratched the back of his head.

Zhou smiled and said it was nothing.

"Back to Boss Li, that year the debt collectors banged on the door, and he was so scared that he climbed out of the window, wearing only his undershirt and running barefoot out of the house."

"I later heard that he ran to the cemetery behind the mountain and lay there all night before he dared to come back the next day."

"It's strange, but it seems like his family suddenly became rich around that time."

Zhou He smiled and nodded, looking in the direction of the Li family's house. He recalled that the peddler had also been somewhat confused about the matter the night before.

One was a young man born and raised in the village, and the other was a well-informed peddler who traveled from street to street. Neither of them knew how the Li family had become rich.

And then there's Lao Han, who specifically mentioned his own quote last night.

Zhou He knew that the water here was probably a bit deep.

"Deep water is good; it's easier to fish in troubled waters when it's deep."

he murmured.

"What did you say, young master? Catching fish? There are no fish in our river, only shrimp and tadpoles."

Shuanzi stuck the ox-tethering stake into the ground, found a stone and huffed and puffed it in, then turned to Zhou He and said.

Zhou smiled, but didn't reply. He said:

"Tell me more about what happened in the village."

When they returned to the Zhou family house with Shuanzi, Old Han had already prepared a bundle containing some steamed buns, tea leaves, and pickled radishes and chili peppers.

"Young master, I originally wanted to serve some fried noodles, but then I thought, you've never had them before, so I just served steamed buns."

Old Han remained as respectful as ever.

Zhou He took the bundle and put it in his room, while Lao Han stood outside the door waiting.

He nodded to signal the other person to come in.

"What about the travel expenses and the money for buying meat?"

Old Han took out a roll of money from the inner pocket of his Zhongshan suit, handed it to Zhou He on the table, and glanced at it; it must have been at least several thousand.

They are indeed from a wealthy family.

The old hunchback had saved for half his life, but when he died, he only had a hundred or so yuan left.

"Buying meat is hard work; even a poor family should travel with extravagance. Young master, don't skimp on yourself."

Zhou He took the money, put it into the inner pocket of his school uniform, and said:

"Find me a pen, I need to..."

He choked on his words, unsure how to address Master Zhou. After a moment's thought, he mumbled:

"I want to reply."

Old Han smiled, took out another ballpoint pen from his inner pocket, placed it on the table, and slowly said:

"Young master, there's no rush to reply. It's not easy to find someone to take care of you these days."

Zhou He frowned, then hummed in agreement, indicating that he understood.

After Lao Han left the room, he unconsciously began to twirl the pen in his hand.

Didn't you say I had to reply?

Why aren't you in a hurry anymore?

Moreover, I'm going to Jincheng the day after tomorrow, and they didn't even ask me if I wanted to go back to my home in Jincheng.

The pen in his hand spun faster and faster, and Zhou He's brows furrowed deeper and deeper:

"What do you know... or are you hiding something?"