Kapitel 7: Brothers (Part One)
"Hehe, Uncle Wei, it's quite nice following Master..."
Upon hearing Wei Dahu's words, Fang Yi scratched his head. He was aware of the reason behind the argument between Uncle Wei and Master years ago; it was all to facilitate his descent from the mountain to pursue an education in modern times. After all, during that era, the prevailing adage was, "Master mathematics and the sciences, and you shall fear no journey."
However, Fang Yi had been raised by Master, and without him, he would have likely met a grim fate at the jaws of the wild creatures in the mountains. Therefore, even though he would affectionately refer to Master as "Old Taoist" while he was alive, Fang Yi would never speak ill of him in the presence of others.
"That's nonsense! If it weren't for Huazi bringing you those textbooks, you probably wouldn't even recognize simplified characters!"
Wei Dahu scoffed at Fang Yi, who had grown up under his watchful eye. He knew Fang Yi was intelligent from a young age and believed that if he had attended school, he would at least be a student at a prestigious university by now. Yet, following that unscrupulous old Taoist had hindered the boy's future.
"Hehe, Uncle Wei speaks the truth..." Fang Yi merely chuckled, choosing not to engage with Wei Dahu's remarks, for he knew the man would inevitably dredge up old grievances from over a decade ago.
"Dad, why are you nagging again?" Noticing his father was about to revisit old disputes, the portly fellow quickly interjected, "Dad, we've made plans with San Pao to have dinner at his place tonight, so don't wait for us. We might end up staying there..."
Children everywhere share a common sentiment: when young, they wish to tie themselves to their parents, never straying far from their side. Yet as they grow, few are willing to endure their parents' incessant chatter. The portly fellow exemplified this phenomenon.
"You little rascal, don't run off! Next week, you're going to the city to work with your second uncle..."
Seeing his son drag Fang Yi out of the house, Wei Dahu called out irritably, "And you, Xiaoyi, you should go with Huazi. There's no future in being a Taoist; you might as well accompany him to the city and find a job..."
"Dad, there's no need for you to worry so much; we've already discussed it..." The portly fellow shouted back without looking, pulling Fang Yi along, quickening their pace.
"Hey, I say, Huazi, what have we actually discussed?" Once outside, Fang Yi stopped the portly fellow, saying, "Honestly, going to the city with your second uncle is a decent idea; at least you'll have someone familiar to look out for you..."
The portly fellow's second uncle, named Wei Pengcheng, was quite the capable man in the village. He had started working odd jobs in the 1980s, and after a decade, he had established a construction team that could secure various jobs in the city, making him the wealthiest man in the village.
In truth, Wei Pengcheng was not related to the portly fellow's family; most villagers shared the surname Wei. Whenever someone sought work in the city, they would first look for Wei Pengcheng. When the portly fellow had just returned from military service, he had also worked with him for a time.
"I'd rather not; working on a construction site is worse than being a security guard..."
Upon hearing Fang Yi's suggestion, the portly fellow retorted, "While security work may be looked down upon, at least it doesn't require hard labor. On a construction site, you not only have to exert yourself but also face disdain from others. I, Fatty, cannot afford to lose face..."
The portly fellow was not spoiled; he was simply a child of the countryside who was not afraid of hard work. However, after spending some time on the construction site, he realized that once they left the site, the only things he heard were derogatory terms like "country bumpkin" or "farm worker," and the disdainful looks he received were unbearable.
This very realization prompted him to leave his second uncle's construction team, and he had a falling out with Wei Pengcheng at the time, which made him reluctant to return.
"You, my friend, are simply too ambitious for your own good..." Observing the portly fellow's proud demeanor, Fang Yi remarked with a hint of exasperation, "First, find a place to settle down, and then gradually plan your next steps. There's no logic in trying to achieve everything at once..."
Though Fang Yi had spent his childhood in the mountains, with the books and newspapers brought by the portly fellow and San Pao each year, along with the worldly wisdom imparted by his master, he was pure of heart yet not ignorant of the world. In fact, he was more pragmatic than the portly fellow, who often aimed too high.
"Hey, are you calling me out? If you keep this up, I'll take you on..."
Upon hearing Fang Yi's words, the portly fellow leapt up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, glaring at Fang Yi. While he was unsure if others could achieve their ambitions in one fell swoop, he knew that for himself, just during the first week after becoming a cook, he had gained quite a bit of weight.
"Forgive my indiscretion, my dear friend; I meant no offense..." Seeing the portly fellow's aggrieved expression, Fang Yi sheepishly rubbed his nose, realizing his words had inadvertently struck a sensitive chord.
"That's more like it..." The portly fellow was not truly angry, and the two continued their playful banter as they walked towards the back of the village. By now, dusk had settled, and fewer people were paying attention to Fang Yi's attire.
"Hey, San Pao, what are you up to? Is dinner ready? I'm starving..." As they approached a courtyard, the portly fellow began to shout.
"With that body of yours, you could go three days without food and be just fine..." Standing at the entrance was a young man, around five feet eight inches tall, slimmer than Fang Yi, wearing glasses that gave him an air of refinement at first glance.
"San Pao, are you looking for a fight?" The portly fellow, eyes glinting with mischief, approached. Unable to outmatch Fang Yi, he felt confident against San Pao, having grown up sparring with him.
"Don't even think about it! If you start something, I'll run; let's see if you can catch me..." As the portly fellow approached, San Pao deftly sidestepped him and ran towards Fang Yi.
"Little diviner, you finally decided to come down from the mountain! I've missed you terribly..."
From several meters away, San Pao opened his arms wide. However, as soon as they met, his hands landed on Fang Yi's box, and he exclaimed, "Fang Yi, you're too polite! You shouldn't have brought anything; let me carry it for you..."
"Enough of that; spare me the theatrics..." Fang Yi slightly shifted his shoulder, using a gentle force to push San Pao away. Having grown up together, he knew each of their personalities well.
The portly fellow, Wei Jinhua, appeared innocent and harmless, yet his mind was quite agile. If he were to encounter a human trafficker in the city, it was likely that he would end up outsmarting them and counting the money instead.
As for San Pao, Peng Sanjun, his refined appearance often led others to underestimate him, yet he was the fiercest fighter among them. Though the portly fellow often bullied San Pao, if it came to a real fight, he would avoid him at all costs.
Every time San Pao and the portly fellow ventured into the mountains, they would bring Fang Yi books, and in return, Fang Yi would prepare wild fruits to entertain them. Thus, their first act upon meeting was always to check each other's pockets or grab whatever was in each other's hands.
The nickname "Little Diviner" for Fang Yi originated from his master's title of "Old Diviner," leading to the natural conclusion. Of course, both San Pao and the portly fellow would deny that they initially called him "Scruffy," which only changed to "Diviner" after Fang Yi asserted his authority.
"Hehe, our trio is reunited once more..."
After giving Fang Yi an appraising look, San Pao, who rarely smiled, revealed a faint grin and said, "I've prepared a few dishes; let's have a drink first, and later, there will be activities..."
"What activities? Are we going to watch Liu Sao bathe?" The portly fellow squeezed in, exclaiming, "San Pao, the diviner is a good kid; you better not lead him astray..."
"Get out of here! I'm a man with a girlfriend; I would never do such a thing!" San Pao feigned indignation, but as he turned to Fang Yi, he added, "Liu Sao is nearly fifty; I can't believe this glutton still has his eye on her—what terrible taste..."
"Can't you two engage in something more respectable?"
Hearing the banter between San Pao and the portly fellow, Fang Yi couldn't help but smile. He had heard the name "Liu Sao" for over a decade, and it seemed that the childhood of San Pao and the portly fellow revolved around sneaking glances at her bathing, boasting about it every time they ascended the mountain.
"Is it such a crime to find a girlfriend? Look at you, acting so smug. Do you think you need our approval?" The portly fellow expressed his dissatisfaction with San Pao's words, feeling that now that one of them had found a girlfriend, it was a betrayal of their single status and warranted a serious discussion.
"Do I need your permission to find a girlfriend?" San Pao shot back, glaring at the portly fellow, "Should I expect you to assist with my wedding night as well?"
"If you don't mind, then I certainly don't either..." The portly fellow's face lit up with a grin, feigning shyness, which nearly made Fang Yi want to gag.
"Damn it, you glutton, I'll take you down..." By now, they had entered the courtyard, and San Pao had the advantage on his home turf. He quickly grabbed a stick and playfully swatted at the portly fellow's backside.
"Hey, are you serious?" The portly fellow, caught off guard by San Pao's playful strike, instantly grew furious and lunged forward to tackle him. However, neither of them used much force, and to Fang Yi, it appeared more like friendly frolicking than a real fight.
"Having these two rascals around is truly wonderful..."
Watching the two engage in their playful antics, a smile crept onto Fang Yi's face. Though he jokingly referred to them as rascals, he knew that these two childhood friends were his closest companions, the kind with whom he could entrust his very life.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein