Chapter 34 - 2#

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The New Year drew closer day by day.

In the past month, Yan Zhi and Chu Yu had partnered in business. After deducting costs, the two had earned a total of two taels of silver, splitting it one tael each.

Yan Zhi took the money and bought some fruit offerings for his mother, as well as large bones and fine fodder for Sugar Cake and Peanut Cake.

These things weren’t expensive. With the remaining money, Yan Zhi bought two wild rabbits from a hunter and went to the tailor’s shop to have a new hat and a new scarf made for himself.

One should wear new clothes and a new hat for the New Year, but since his clothes weren’t worn out yet, he wouldn’t make new ones for now.

Chu Yu also bought rabbits with him and made himself an outer wrap, which was quite warm.

Besides preparing for the New Year, they were busy making and selling pastries these days.

People in Shiyan Town would use brown sugar cakes to sacrifice to their ancestors, often pairing them with other pastries.

The two of them rose earlier than the roosters and slept later than the dogs every day. Before they could even open their eyes, they were kneading dough and lighting fires.

Sugar Cake and Peanut Cake were with them every day, and they were almost marinated in the scent.

Chu Yu taught Yan Zhi to pinch the dough into the shape of peach blossoms and taught him to use rouge to put small red dots on the pastries.

As Yan Zhi was dotting them, he also put a small red dot on his own forehead.

He was already good-looking, and with the small red dot, he looked even more festive, like a little doll in a painting.

The elderly people in town all liked him and bought cakes from him. Consequently, they sold more cakes and became even busier.

In a flash, it was New Year’s Eve.

In the past, Chu Yu lived alone and didn’t care about New Year’s Eve; as long as he could earn money, it was fine.

But Yan Zhi was different. He cared about these things very much.

So while selling cakes at the market, he took the opportunity to buy things.

Whenever there were no customers, he would run off quickly to buy groceries. By seizing every moment, he bought meat, fish, glutinous rice cakes, and a small jar of rice wine.

When Chu Yu came to restock, he was stunned to see Yan Zhi sitting on a small stool with a large mandarin fish flapping its tail on the ground next to him.

“Wow, did you actually spend your own money to buy groceries today?”

“It’s okay, I’ll pay for it.”

“Don’t you want to have New Year’s Eve dinner with me?”

“I do!”

“Then how can I let you pay alone?” Chu Yu gave him the steamed cakes and took away the groceries he had bought. “I’ll go back and prepare first. Once you finish selling these batches, come back too.”

“Okay.”

In the afternoon, as the sun leaned slightly toward the west, there weren’t many people left in the market. Everyone packed up and went home.

Only two pieces of brown sugar cake were left in the steamer. Yan Zhi didn’t plan to sell any more, so he packed up and headed back with the cart.

As soon as he returned to Sweetwater Alley, before he even entered, he smelled the aroma of frying food.

Yan Zhi took a deep breath and pushed open the wooden door of Chu Yu’s house. “A-Yu, what are you frying? It smells so good!”

Chu Yu was wearing an apron, standing before the stove, using long chopsticks to stir the things in the pot.

He said indifferently, “A-Yu is frying fish.”

Yan Zhi smiled, put his things away, tied up Peanut Cake, washed his hands, and ran to his side. “I’ll help!”

He put on his own apron and glanced into the pot. “Wow, you’re so amazing. How can you make fish look like a flower?”

“Just a few scores with the knife.”

“You’re so talented. You not only know how to make pastries but also all kinds of dishes.”

“I am a fine chef who has studied in many places, skilled both inside and out!”

“Mhm.” Yan Zhi turned his head, reached out to pinch a fried meatball, and finding it wasn’t too hot, he popped one into his mouth. “Mmm… delicious!”

“Of course! My exclusive skill!”

Yan Zhi swallowed the meatball and suddenly called out seriously, “A-Yu.”

Chu Yu looked up at him. “What?”

Yan Zhi’s eyes were sparkling. “You’re truly a great person.”

Chu Yu said helplessly, “I’ve figured it out. Whoever gives you food, you say they’re a great person. Yesterday, when Old Man Liu gave you a vegetable cake, you also said he was a great person.”

“You are a great person!”

“I know. Cut the tofu and vegetables, and let’s make a soup.”

“Okay!”

The two of them worked until evening and actually managed to put together a decent table of dishes.

Yan Zhi placed his hands on his hips. “We’re so amazing!”

Chu Yu untied his apron. “I’m the one who’s amazing!”

Before having the New Year’s Eve dinner, the two set up an altar in the courtyard to worship the heavenly gods, following southern custom.

They stood side-by-side, each holding three sticks of incense, kneeling before the altar.

Chu Yu asked softly, “Should you say it? Or should I?”

Yan Zhi was clueless. “What should I say?”

“Forget it, I’ll say it.”

Chu Yu held the incense and said softly, “Heavenly gods above, today is New Year’s Eve. Yan Zhi and I have specially prepared a table of good wine and food to worship the gods.”

“Please, heavenly gods, grant us your protection. Bless me to earn big money next year, earn a thousand taels, and open a pastry shop in the capital. Bless Yan Zhi with peace and stability, and don’t let him be caught and taken back.”

So that was what he was supposed to say.

Yan Zhi looked at Chu Yu’s solemn profile, thought for a moment, and also said, “Heavenly gods above, I, Yu Yan Zhi, wish to become sworn brothers with Chu Yu—”

Chu Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he turned to look at him.

Yan Zhi, however, spoke seriously, “From now on, we shall share our blessings, and I shall bear the hardships. Please bless Chu Yu to earn big money and have peace and joy.”

After saying this, they stood up and inserted the three sticks of incense into the burner.

Once the incense was in place, Chu Yu said, “What a dummy. Who makes a wish like that?”

“It has to be like this,” Yan Zhi said reasonably. “A-Yu and A-Yan sound very much like brothers, don’t they?”

“Mhm…”

By then, the moon was already out.

The two returned to the house for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

The furniture in Chu Yu’s house wasn’t new; the table was even missing a leg and was propped up with a stone. They sat facing each other. Yan Zhi held the wine jar and filled both cups.

Yan Zhi raised his wine cup and offered it to Chu Yu with an open manner.

Chu Yu hesitated for a moment and then raised his cup to clink with his.

The rice wine was sweet and not spicy at all. But after two cups, Yan Zhi’s face turned red.

With his flushed cheeks, he pulled Chu Yu and then Sugar Cake, spinning in circles around the room.

Chu Yu rested his head on his hand, his gaze following him as he spun around. “Can you stop spinning? I’m getting dizzy.”

“No! This is the first New Year I’ve spent outside the palace!”

Yan Zhi was like a butterfly, running and flitting about.

Although the food and wine couldn’t compare to those at a palace banquet, the dishes Chu Yu made were delicious! Although there was no music or dance, he could dance himself!

Although there was no Emperor…

He was still very happy!

He didn’t need the Emperor! He would never, ever need the Emperor again!

“Oops…”

Yan Zhi tripped over a chair leg. Chu Yu reached out to catch him, but he scrambled back onto the chair himself.

Yan Zhi cupped his face in his hands. Through the dim candlelight, he seemed to see the Emperor’s face. He couldn’t help but curl his eyes and smile innocently.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Get lost…”

“What did you say?” Chu Yu was shocked.

“Get lost!”

Even though he was saying the worst things, Yan Zhi still had that pure and innocent look.

“Get lost! What Emperor? I hate him most! Get lost!”

Chu Yu sighed. Fine, it seemed he was drunk.

There was still the New Year’s vigil ahead; he didn’t know how they would get through it.

On New Year’s Eve.

It was the turn of a small city in Huai Prefecture to set off fireworks.

After finishing their New Year’s Eve dinners, the townspeople trickled out.

Xiao Cuan was in plain clothes, hands behind his back, standing on the city tower. He watched the crowd below, his sharp gaze piercing through the darkness, scanning every face.

No, not him. Yan Zhi wasn’t here.

Before long, the crowd grew, and local officials came up to ask for instructions.

“Your Majesty, it’s about time. Should we…”

“Wait a bit longer.” Xiao Cuan wouldn’t give up.

“Yes.”

Xiao Cuan continued searching with his eyes and sniffing with his nose, trying to catch Yan Zhi’s scent in the wind.

It wasn’t until the ministers asked for the third time and he still hadn’t found any trace of Yan Zhi that he sighed and finally compromised.

“Set them off.”

“Yes.”

Xiao Cuan didn’t like fireworks; he had never liked them.

So after giving the order, he turned to walk down the tower to head to the next town.

But just as he stepped onto the stone stairs of the tower, he suddenly heard a “whoosh” sound, followed by a burst of firelight illuminating the tower.

Xiao Cuan clenched his fists and couldn’t help but look back.

Another firework shot into the sky, blooming in his eyes.

The people below the tower marveled, but Xiao Cuan’s expression remained unchanged.

He didn’t like fireworks; he even loathed them.

Because when Yan Zhi watched fireworks, he always stared at them, his eyes sparkling and unblinking. It was as if… he liked fireworks very, very much.

Xiao Cuan was jealous to his core.

He was jealous of the fireworks—jealous that a lifeless thing could monopolize Yan Zhi’s gaze for so long, just as he did, and enjoy the same treatment.

He was going crazy with jealousy.

So every time fireworks were set off in the capital, he would cup Yan Zhi’s face and turn his head back, forcing Yan Zhi’s gaze to fall on him again. He would always call out to skip them so that Yan Zhi could only look at him.

But now…

The disappointed and sad expression on Yan Zhi’s face at the victory banquet in August when he didn’t see the fireworks suddenly flashed before Xiao Cuan’s eyes.

He wondered if Yan Zhi had left because he didn’t get to see the fireworks.

He also wondered if, at that time, had he let Yan Zhi finish watching the fireworks, would Yan Zhi have stayed? Or at least not left so soon?

Xiao Cuan fell silent, withdrew his gaze, and ordered his guards, “Pass down the order. In addition to the towns I mentioned before, other towns shall also set off fireworks during the New Year.”

This way, even if Yan Zhi wasn’t in the places he had circled, he could still see them.

This time, setting off the fireworks wasn’t just to catch Yan Zhi; he simply—

Suddenly wanted to make it up to Yan Zhi.