Chapter 7: Frailty

Yu Chengfeng carried several pounds of rice and meat to his neighbor Goudan’s house and handed them to Goudan’s mother, Widow Wang.

A few years ago, Widow Wang’s husband was killed by a tiger while hunting in the mountains. Left with an orphan and a widow’s hardships, life was not easy for her. Even so, she often helped and took care of Anning.

For Yu Chengfeng, this kindness had to be repaid. Likewise, those who had bullied Anning and himself in the past would eventually face his retribution—though that would have to wait until his life had improved.

Widow Wang accepted the gifts with disbelief and tearful eyes. She tried to engage Yu Chengfeng in conversation, but he excused himself, saying Goudan was craving meat and needed her to prepare it quickly.

Leaving Widow Wang’s home, Yu Chengfeng headed straight to the cloth shop. He bought a yard of fine fabric and some cotton, planning to make Anning a warm cotton-padded jacket.

Passing by a jewelry store, he hesitated, then went in and bought a bracelet for Anning. By the time he finished, most of the money he had earned from hunting was nearly spent.

But Yu Chengfeng did not mind; with his wit, he knew there were plenty of ways to make money.

As he left the jewelry store, word spread quickly throughout the stronghold that Yu Chengfeng was suddenly spending lavishly.

After all, he was known as a notorious rogue from a broken family who usually begged for drinks. Today, he seemed to have struck it rich, buying so many things at once.

“Have you heard? Yu Chengfeng just bought twenty pounds of fine rice and meat!”

“Yes! I heard he even shared a lot with Widow Wang next door!”

“The leather shop owner said he brought in several pieces of top-quality, flawless leather!”

“That’s either stolen or robbed, for sure!”

“Just wait—this is his one lucky streak. He won’t be so fortunate again!”

The people in the stronghold buzzed with gossip, their envy unmistakable. The most displeased was probably Hou Quan.

Hou Quan was also a rogue by nature; otherwise, he wouldn’t have hung out with the original Yu Chengfeng. But since his brother-in-law was a Hundred Household Commander, he often bullied Yu Chengfeng.

He had assumed Yu Chengfeng would remain a loser for life, so hearing about Yu Chengfeng’s sudden windfall stung worse than a mortal blow.

Hou Quan hurried to the leather shop to inquire and happened to meet a hunter selling his skins. The hunter displayed a flawless fox pelt, astonishing the shop owner.

After pressing the hunter repeatedly, he confessed that he had found the animal caught in a trap early that morning, likely set by someone else.

Hou Quan’s eyes narrowed as he approached the hunter and scolded, “You dare take prey caught in someone else’s trap?”

Taking game from another’s trap was frowned upon. The hunter, feeling guilty and intimidated when he recognized Hou Quan, tossed the fox pelt on the counter and left.

Hou Quan’s face lit up with delight as he grabbed the fox and ran to his brother-in-law’s house.

His brother-in-law, Li Zhen, had married Hou Quan’s sister years ago. At that moment, he was drinking at home, eating porridge and braised offal.

Though he was a Hundred Household Commander, his salary was modest—only fifteen taels of silver a year. The government had rarely allocated funds here, so money for alcohol was tight.

“Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law!” Hou Quan burst in, carrying the fox. A chill wind followed him inside, causing Li Zhen to frown.

“What’s the matter? You’re in such a hurry.” Li Zhen gave a glance to his wife to close the door, then beckoned Hou Quan to sit.

“Look at this!” Hou Quan handed over the fox. Li Zhen, puzzled, took it and examined it.

After a moment, he marveled, “What a fine pelt, not a single blemish!”

“Did you hunt this?” Li Zhen asked.

“This… this wasn’t my catch. It was Yu Chengfeng’s,” Hou Quan gritted his teeth.

“Who? Yu Chengfeng?!” Li Zhen doubted his ears. Yu Chengfeng was known as the second most useless in the stronghold; no one dared say he was the first. Could such a scoundrel really have caught such a fine pelt?

Hou Quan anticipated his brother-in-law’s disbelief, so he recounted the quarrel with Yu Chengfeng from the day before, as well as the shopping spree and the news he overheard at the leather shop.

After hearing it all, Li Zhen felt a surge of jealousy. Here he was, a Hundred Household Commander eating porridge, while that rogue soldier was feasting on fine rice and meat.

“So, you’re saying Yu Chengfeng has a way to hunt such pelts?” Li Zhen shook the fox and glared fiercely.

“Yes, brother-in-law. Maybe we should ask him for some…” Hou Quan began but was cut off by a sharp slap from Li Zhen.

“Ask? Ask your mother! Do you think he’ll just give it to you?” Li Zhen growled, shoveling two mouthfuls of porridge. “Gather a few men, bring your weapons, and let’s go!”

Hou Quan, ever wary of his brother-in-law, dared not protest and obediently went to rally their friends.

Meanwhile, Yu Chengfeng had already returned home with the provisions. In the kitchen, the meat porridge was ready. Anning served it and placed the bowl on the table, then sat at the edge, anxiously waiting for Yu Chengfeng.

When Yu Chengfeng entered and saw Anning waiting amid the kitchen’s swirling steam, he was deeply moved. This was the warm home he had longed for in his past life—a feeling absent in that world where people were too pragmatic and restless, where relationships hinged only on money and gain, with no true companionship.

He quickly went to the kitchen and placed the cloth and cotton in Anning’s arms.

“It’s cold now. Your clothes are too thin. I bought cotton and fabric so you can make a warm, nice jacket. Don’t let yourself freeze again.”

He added, “Also, I passed by the jewelry shop and saw this bracelet. It looked good, so I bought it for you. Here! Let me put it on.”

Yu Chengfeng took Anning’s hand, but upon seeing her arm, his throat tightened.

Anning’s hands and arms were extremely thin, like withered branches in winter, as fragile as if a snowflake could snap them.

Moreover, her wrist had once been broken by the original owner. Although it healed, it remained slightly dislocated, looking somewhat odd.

Suppressing his urge to cry, Yu Chengfeng slipped the bracelet onto her wrist.

The bracelet was fashioned from bamboo bone, set with a small piece of jade. It looked exquisitely beautiful against Anning’s pale wrist, though she was so frail that the bracelet seemed to hang loosely.