Chapter 43 - The Cannon Fodder Little Fulang [Quick Transmigration]

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Chapter 43

 

 

By dusk, Xiao Zimo and Wu Bai were driving their newly acquired carriage back to Haining Village.

 

The rhythmic clatter of hooves against the dirt road caught the attention of the villagers. Curious whispers spread among them.

 

"Who could that be?"

 

To their surprise, it was none other than Xiao Zimo, expertly maneuvering the carriage past the village entrance without stopping. He drove straight to the Wu family home before finally pulling the reins to a halt.

 

A small crowd had already gathered by the time Xiao Zimo hopped down from the driver's seat and helped Wu Bai disembark. After securing the horse, he turned to face the villagers.

 

"Xiao boy, did you buy this carriage?" someone in the crowd asked.

 

From his bearing alone, it was clear that Xiao Zimo was no ordinary man. It wasn't surprising if he had the means to buy a carriage, but they were still taken aback—after all, he had been all drenched and disoriented when they first found him. Who would have thought he was actually well-off? Not at all like that Hai Shi fellow whom the Hai family had rescued—practically penniless.

 

Xiao Zimo, however, understood the wisdom of keeping a low profile. He was an outsider in this village, and inviting unnecessary attention could be dangerous. So, he replied with a smile, "I didn't buy it—I rented it. When I fell into the river, I still had a jade pendant on me. A few days ago, I went into town and pawned it for some silver. I also sent a letter to my family, asking them to come get me. Today, I went to town hoping they might have arrived, but unfortunately, they haven't. I'll probably need to check again in the coming days. As you all know, I haven't fully recovered from my time in the water, and long treks are difficult for me. That's why I used the silver to rent this carriage for a while—just until my family comes for me."

 

"Oh, so that's how it is!" The villagers nodded in understanding.

 

One of the older men asked, "Where is your family from, Xiao boy? Why haven't they come yet?"

 

"My home is in Yuhuai Province, quite far from here. But when they do come, I'll make sure they properly thank everyone for taking care of me during this time," Xiao Zimo said with a warm smile.

 

Hearing this, the villagers beamed, their delight written all over their faces. Truth be told, they hadn't really done much to take care of him—just exchanged a few greetings here and there.

 

"Well then, we'll be heading home now. Hopefully, your family arrives soon."

 

"Thank you for your kind wishes," Xiao Zimo responded politely.

 

Once the villagers dispersed, Xiao Zimo and Wu Bai unloaded the carriage. They hadn't brought much—just some pastries and seasonings.

 

Wu Bai handed the pastries to Father Wu. "Father, Brother Xiao bought these for us."

 

Father Wu looked a little embarrassed. "That's too generous of him."

 

"It's nothing, Uncle," Xiao Zimo said with a smile. "You and your family have looked after me for so long—this is just a small token of gratitude. Please, don't be too polite."

 

While Xiao Zimo chatted with Father Wu, Wu Bai carried the seasonings into the kitchen.

 

Inside, he noticed that one pot on the stove held freshly cooked rice, while the other contained fish soup. A rich aroma filled the air.

 

Lifting the lid of the pot, he checked the soup's contents—only to find that there was no fish left inside. Just broth. Judging by its color, this was the same batch he had started simmering that morning before heading out.

 

Seeing this, Wu Bai's face was filled with black lines.

 

He quickly extinguished the fire, wrapped a damp cloth around the pot handle, and poured the soup into a bowl. Then, after giving the pot a thorough scrub, he refilled it with fresh water.

 

Stepping into the courtyard, he fetched a live fish from the water vat, skillfully cleaned and sliced it, and placed the pieces into the pot. After that, he took out the seasonings he had just bought and added them in the proper order. Covering the pot, he rekindled the fire.

 

Ideally, the fish should have been left whole for a richer flavor. But since they had returned late—and had also been delayed by the villagers—it was best to cook dinner as quickly as possible. As for simply drinking the broth from the morning? Wu Bai refused to even entertain the thought.

 

He hurried to the back of the house, plucked a handful of scallions and some other greens, then returned to the courtyard to wash them.

 

Seeing this, Xiao Zimo abandoned his conversation with Father Wu and came over to crouch beside Wu Bai. Without needing instructions, he began helping—washing the vegetables, trimming the scallions. These little chores were things he had recently learned from Wu Bai. Killing fish, however, was something he had yet to master—otherwise, he would have lent a hand with that too.

 

Watching the two working side by side, Father Wu asked his eldest son, "Say… do you think this Xiao Zimo is interested in our Bai-ger?"

 

Brother Wu glanced at him and replied, "I'd say he definitely is."

 

"Then why did he rent a carriage? Doesn't that mean he's planning to leave?" Father Wu sighed.

 

"Of course he has to leave," Brother Wu said matter-of-factly. "He has to go back home first—so his family can officially propose marriage. He can't just stay here and continue living with Bai-ger without a proper status, can he?"

 

Hearing this, Father Wu smacked his forehead and let out a long sigh. "Ah, I was being foolish. You're right—he has to return home before he can arrange a betrothal."

 

With that, Father Wu no longer fretted over Xiao Zimo's departure.

 

It wasn't long before news of Xiao Zimo acquiring a carriage reached Hai Zhu and Hai Shi.

 

On this particular day, Xiao Zimo and Wu Bai were preparing to leave the village, having arranged with Yin Yun to visit a temple. However, just as they reached the village entrance, they saw two familiar figures waiting—Hai Zhu and Hai Shi.

 

Upon inquiry, they learned that the two also wished to go into town to visit Hai Zan and were hoping to hitch a ride.

 

Xiao Zimo, recalling his previous suspicions, agreed after a moment's thought, but with one condition: Hai Shi had to drive the carriage.

 

Hai Shi's face darkened momentarily, but unwilling to trek on foot, he gritted his teeth and agreed.

 

Inside the carriage, Wu Bai sat beside Hai Zhu while Xiao Zimo sat across from them.

 

Overjoyed at having secured a ride, Hai Zhu chatted animatedly with Wu Bai. "Bai-ger, have you noticed my new hair ribbon? Brother Shi picked it out for me himself!"

 

Wu Bai glanced at Hai Zhu's head and indeed noticed a brand-new ribbon tied there. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "He picked it out for you?"

 

"Of course! Brother Shi treats me so well. He even pawned his old clothes for some extra silver," Hai Zhu declared proudly.

 

Throwing a smug glance at Wu Bai, he noted that there was nothing new on Wu Bai's person. A thought crept into his mind—Xiao Zimo might seem wealthy, but he clearly wasn't willing to spend on Bai-ger. Hai Shi, on the other hand, though lacking in riches, was willing to part with what little he had. Surely, this was the "true love" so often described in the opera stories*.

 

[T/N: During historical periods like the Ming and Qing dynasties, 戲本子 also referred to widely circulated stories. These were often romantic, adventurous, or moralistic tales enjoyed by common people. They influenced operas, theater performances, and later, modern novels.]

 

Having accompanied Hai Shi to town several times under the pretense of visiting Hai Zan, Hai Zhu had overheard many conversations about theatrical romances. Unable to resist, he began daydreaming, imagining himself as one of the protagonists destined for a happily ever after.

 

Seated beside him, Wu Bai noticed that Hai Zhu, after speaking a few words, had suddenly fallen into a daze, even smiling foolishly to himself. Frowning slightly, Wu Bai reached out and shook him gently. "Zhu-ger, are you alright?"

 

Jolted from his fantasy, Hai Zhu's eyes briefly flickered with annoyance, but he quickly masked it.

 

Unfortunately for him, Xiao Zimo—sitting across from them—caught the fleeting look of displeasure Hai Zhu had directed at Wu Bai. Instantly, irritation flared in Xiao Zimo's heart. He regretted letting these two onto the carriage. If not for Bai-ger's kindness, he wouldn't have spared a thought for whether Hai Zhu got tricked by Hai Shi or not.

 

At that moment, Hai Zhu felt a sudden chill and instinctively shrank his neck. He quickly composed himself and said, "It's nothing, Bai-ger. I just got lost in thought for a bit."

 

"As long as you're alright," Wu Bai replied, dropping the matter and closing his eyes to rest.

 

Seeing Wu Bai settle down, Xiao Zimo followed suit, leaning back and shutting his eyes.

 

With both of them falling silent, the carriage grew still, save for the occasional commands Hai Shi called out to the horse.

 

Restless, Hai Zhu glanced at the two beside him before lifting the carriage curtain. Squinting at the blazing sun, he then turned his gaze to Hai Shi, who was sweating profusely as he drove the carriage. His heart ached at the sight.

 

Taking out a handkerchief, he moved to the front and gently wiped the sweat from Hai Shi's brow.

 

This time, Hai Shi did not shy away. He allowed Hai Zhu to tend to him—unlike in town, where he had always refused, citing concern for Hai Zhu's reputation.

 

Hai Shi had been making frequent trips to the city lately, all in the hopes of seeing Tang Ling again. Ever since he had caught that fleeting glimpse of Tang Ling alongside Wu Bai and the others, he had been utterly captivated. Never before had he encountered someone who stirred his heart like this. Compared to Tang Ling, even Wu Bai—whom he had once admired—now seemed ordinary. The only reason he had pursued Wu Bai before was because Bai-ger was the most attractive ger in the village.

 

But now that he had seen someone even more stunning, someone who haunted his dreams… how could he still be interested in a simple village ger like Wu Bai? And as for Hai Zhu? He wasn't even worth considering. If not for the fact that he was staying at the Hai family's house with nowhere else to go, he wouldn't have bothered with Hai Zhu at all. He was merely using him for the time being. Still, since Hai Zhu was so devoted to him, Hai Shi decided that once he found a way to enter Tang Ling's good graces and had silver to spare, he would reward Hai Zhu appropriately.

 

As he steered the carriage, Hai Shi's mind wandered to visions of his future—one where he became the esteemed son-in-law of the Grand Admiral. The thought made him grin foolishly.

 

"Ah! Brother Shi, why are you drooling all over my handkerchief? That's for wiping your sweat!" Hai Zhu exclaimed in surprise.

 

Hai Shi's drifting thoughts snapped back to reality at Hai Zhu's voice. Looking down, he saw that the handkerchief was now covered in both sweat and saliva, the two mixing together into an indistinguishable mess.

 

Frowning slightly, he asked, "Do you have another handkerchief I can use?"

 

"I don't! This is the only one I have, and you're the one who bought it for me just two days ago. Before that, I never even used handkerchiefs. Brother Shi, why don't you just wipe your sweat with your sleeve? That's what we always did before," Hai Zhu suggested.

 

Hai Shi glanced down at his clean clothes, then recalled the state of Father Hai's sleeves after he wiped his sweat with them. He quickly dismissed the idea. His gaze drifted back to the handkerchief in his hand. By now, the sweat and saliva had dried under the sun, leaving no visible stains. His eyes lit up as he grabbed the cloth and wiped his face with it again.

 

Hai Zhu watched this unfold, feeling increasingly horrified. He vividly remembered how that handkerchief had just been covered in a mix of sweat and spit, and now Hai Shi was rubbing it all over his face… It was a sight he could hardly bear to watch.

 

Not wanting to take the handkerchief back, he quickly said, "Brother Shi, you'll keep sweating later, so just hold onto it. No need to return it to me. After all, you bought it anyway." With that, he promptly let the carriage curtain fall back into place and returned to his seat, putting as much distance as possible between himself and Hai Shi.

 

Hai Shi, too busy driving the carriage, failed to notice the look of disgust in Hai Zhu's eyes. Hearing Hai Zhu's words, he felt they made perfect sense. So, without hesitation, he tucked the handkerchief into his chest, planning to use it again later when he needed it.

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