The Little Fox Spoils Her Blind Husband - Chapter 5

With his midday nap interrupted, Li Ting found himself unable to return to sleep. After checking the room to confirm the little blind boy was still resting, he pulled a small stool from the kitchen. Clutching his small bundle of belongings, he sat down beside the flowerpots he had organized earlier.

His father loved teaching and studying the way people interacted with one another. He had raised Li Ting with those same values. However, Li Ting had no intention of following in his father’s academic footsteps, and Li Dongtang had graciously allowed him to pursue his own interests.

The village where the little fox grew up was home to many flowers that ordinary people never had the chance to see. Foxes naturally love beautiful things, and Li Ting was no exception. He was fascinated by floral scents and possessed a unique skill for crafting perfumes. Before leaving home, he often took on business brought by his father, creating custom scented balms and powders for clients.

For this journey, he had brought along many flower seeds and old roots. Most were harvested from his own garden. Although replanting them would take time, it was better than trying to transport fresh flowers over long distances, which would only leave them withered. Besides, Li Ting was only traveling and intended to return eventually. His mother was looking after his garden at home, so there was no need to uproot everything.

Unlike Li Ting and his mother, Li Dongtang had never been skilled at gardening, so the pots in the courtyard were empty. Li Ting made several trips to the small slope behind the house to collect fresh soil and finally began sowing his seeds. The old roots did not require much effort beyond a little care and patience for them to sprout. The seeds, however, required more attention. He had to consider the habits of each flower, adjusting the water levels and their placement in the sun.

For a while, the only sounds in the courtyard were the scraping of Li Ting’s shovel and the splashing of water. The sun moved steadily from the south to the west. It was not until he heard the little blind boy’s tentative call from the bedroom that Li Ting realized how much time had passed.

“I am coming,” Li Ting called back. He arranged the pots in order and washed his hands before heading toward the bedroom. When he pushed the door open, he saw Xu Yanqiu with half his body already off the bed, his toes searching the floor.

Hearing the door and the footsteps, Xu Yanqiu knew Li Ting had entered. His voice was urgent and filled with embarrassment. “Big Brother Li, could you take me to the latrine?”

Li Ting knew what he needed before he could even finish. After drinking several bowls of herbal medicine and porridge, it was only natural he would need to go. “I will take you.”

Li Ting found a pair of shoes he rarely wore. Xu Yanqiu insisted on putting them on himself, and Li Ting did not press the issue. He waited for the boy to slip into the oversized shoes and then reached out to steady his arm. Xu Yanqiu was flattered but hesitant. “Big Brother Li, you can just lead me. I can walk on my own.”

Li Ting looked down at the boy’s feet. The shoes were so large that the boy would have to walk very slowly to avoid tripping. Seeing the boy’s pursed lips, the little fox knew he had to protect his dignity. He let go of the boy’s arm and instead held out his hand, palm upward. “Take my hand.”

Xu Yanqiu obediently reached out to find Li Ting’s hand. His first attempt missed and grabbed only the air. The boy froze. “Big Brother Li?”

“I am right here.” Li Ting kept his hand steady, waiting for Xu Yanqiu to find it himself. Hearing his voice nearby, Xu Yanqiu slowly reached forward again. Li Ting saw him missing once more and let out a soft chuckle. He reached out and caught the boy’s hand. The larger hand enclosed the smaller one, and he held on firmly.

Xu Yanqiu felt the heat from the man’s palm and found it startling, yet he could not help but lean closer. It was only then that he realized a problem: he was not wearing any trousers.

But Li Ting was already leading him outside. The boy’s ears turned bright red. He wanted to remind Big Brother Li but did not know how to say it. He used his free hand to pull the hem of his oversized robe down to cover his cold legs. A moment later, a warm outer coat was draped over his shoulders.

“I will buy you two sets of clothes tomorrow. You should get up and soak in some sun,” Li Ting said as they walked. “This was my oversight. I should have thought of it when I was at the market yesterday.”

The boy’s only clothes had been a few thin, tattered rags that Li Ting had already thrown away. Li Ting’s own clothes were far too large for Xu Yanqiu and would leave him cold. Even though winter was turning to spring, it was still early, and catching a chill could lead to another serious illness.

Xu Yanqiu was speechless. He had not been able to help Li Ting with anything yet, and now Li Ting was going to buy him clothes.

In silence, Li Ting led the boy out and helped him wash his hands before bringing him back to the warmth of the bed. Li Ting put on his own coat and glanced at the boy, who seemed lost in thought. Li Ting spoke as if talking to himself, “My parents have only one son. Since I was a child, I always wanted a brother, but my mother was never in good health.”

Hearing this, Xu Yanqiu looked up blankly toward the sound of the voice. “Big Brother Li.”

“I met you the moment I arrived in East Xu Village. Perhaps it was destiny,” Li Ting said softly as he tied his belt. “Why do we not call each other brothers from now on?”

Xu Yanqiu’s mouth fell open. “Is that really okay?” Everyone in East Xu Village avoided him like the plague. This sudden stroke of luck felt like a dream.

“Why not?” Li Ting stepped forward and rubbed the boy’s head. “What would you like to eat tonight?”

“I will let Big Brother Li decide,” the little blind boy whispered, forcing back his tears and offering a small smile.

A moment later, he felt another gentle pat on his head.

The next morning, after two days of medicine, Xu Yanqiu’s health had improved significantly. He was able to get out of bed with Li Ting. However, he was still unfamiliar with the courtyard. Li Ting had told him not to wander, and the boy was too afraid to move much anyway. He sat on a chair under the veranda, clutching a hand warmer Li Ting had given him and wrapped in a thin quilt to enjoy the sun.

The little blind boy knew his limitations. Even if he wanted to help out of kindness, he feared he might knock something over or trip, which would only disrupt Li Ting’s plans. He decided it was best to stay put and not cause any trouble.

The sun was even brighter than the day before, and Li Ting was in a great mood. He had a new younger brother.

He started some hot water for cooking. Most of the vegetables he bought yesterday were gone, as he had not purchased much to begin with. He decided to cook a pot of plain porridge. He spoke to Xu Yanqiu behind him, “I have to go to the street for a while. When Doctor Chang comes to brew the medicine, I will have him look after you.”

Xu Yanqiu nodded, then realized Li Ting might not see him. He raised his voice slightly. “I understand, Big Brother Li.”

Li Ting glanced back, finished his chores, and wiped his hands. He walked over to the boy and asked, “Where did you live with your father before?”

“By the large locust tree at the south end of the village,” the boy answered obediently, though he was confused by the question. “I truly do not have anything left that needs to be brought here.”

He was afraid of causing trouble for Li Ting, especially if they ran into his cousin and his wife.

“I know. I was just asking.” Li Ting pulled the boy’s quilt up a bit higher. “Someone is knocking. It should be Doctor Chang. Wait here while I open the gate.”

“Okay,” Xu Yanqiu nodded. He listened to the footsteps fading away. He tilted his face and closed his eyes, trying to count how many steps it took Li Ting to reach the gate. He calculated how many of his own smaller steps that would equal. He had counted the steps yesterday as well. It took two of his steps to match one of Li Ting’s. He wanted to memorize the layout of the courtyard so Big Brother Li would not have to worry so much.

“Doctor Chang, today you also,” Li Ting began to greet him, but he realized the person at the gate was not the doctor, but his son.

Chang Shouye saw Li Ting’s hesitation and quickly explained, “Young Master Li, my father went to see Hunter Wang at the east end. Hunter Wang fell off the mountain while hunting and twisted his back. My father sent me to brew the medicine for you today.”

Li Ting was about to politely decline when Chang Shouye spoke up again. “Young Master Li, I am not as narrow minded as you might think. Although my father sent me here, you can ask the blind boy, I mean, you can ask Xu Yanqiu. I have never really targeted him.”

“Then what happened that other day?” Li Ting asked.

Chang Shouye scratched his head. “I could not exactly be the only one acting differently.”

Li Ting’s narrow eyes studied him for a moment. Once he was sure the man was telling the truth, he let him in. After closing the gate, he walked over to Xu Yanqiu and whispered a few words.

Xu Yanqiu was clearly surprised that Chang Shouye was there, but he did not hide the truth. “Brother Shouye has never targeted me.”

“Then I thank you, Master Chang,” Li Ting said, patting Xu Yanqiu on the shoulder before turning back to Chang Shouye. “Could I trouble you to watch my younger brother for me? I need to go buy some food.”

Chang Shouye froze when he heard Li Ting refer to Xu Yanqiu as his brother. It was not until Li Ting called his name again that he snapped out of it. “Yes, of course. It will take time to brew the medicine anyway. You may go, Young Master Li. I will not leave until you return.”

“Thank you.” Li Ting smiled, picked up his coin purse, and left. Chang Shouye looked at Xu Yanqiu sitting under the veranda. After some hesitation, he decided not to say anything. He carried the medicine into the kitchen, brought out the small stove and pot, and started a fire by the kitchen door.

Amid the crackling of the burning wood, no one noticed a snow-white fox leap onto the top of the wall. It sat steadily, its narrow eyes watching the two quiet figures in the courtyard before it turned and vanished.

A short while later, Gao Ke, who was still nursing his sore knees but could not stay indoors, spotted Li Ting on the street. He turned to run, but before he could cross two alleys, Li Ting appeared in front of him.

Gao Ke screeched to a halt. He saw Li Ting holding two slabs of meat and several bundles of green vegetables. He was about to kneel and beg for mercy when Li Ting spoke. “Lead the way.”