Chapter (18): The Port City Family Trip with Xiao Mei – (Part 3)
"Then, when you're ready to return to your village, I'll have my boys deliver them for you."
Bai Li accepted the offer without hesitation and settled the bill immediately. He didn't see the point in waiting until the items were picked up to pay; Qiao Yan was clearly not a con artist, and as the manager of a state-owned weapons shop, he was a man who could be implicitly trusted.
The total came to five hundred silver taels for the bow, two hundred and thirty-eight for the complete carpentry set, twenty for the saber, and fifteen for the various axes and household knives. As Bai Li handed over the sum—amounting to over seven hundred taels—he felt his coin purse grow significantly lighter and thinner.
Having bid Qiao Yan farewell while carrying only the bow and the saber, he headed back toward the inn. Qiao Yan had insisted on taking him out for a drink, but upon hearing that Bai Li's family was waiting, he let him go only after extracting a solemn promise that they would drink together next time.
By the time Bai Li returned to the inn, the sun had dipped below the horizon, and the first veils of twilight were falling. He found Xiao Han and the children waiting anxiously for him; the lingering concern in Xiao Han's eyes was unmistakable.
Bai Li chose not to dwell on whether Xiao Han was worried for his safety or merely terrified that he had abandoned them in a strange city.
Although Xiaofu and Xiaowu had already eaten the dinner Bai Li had ordered for them, they had refused to go to sleep. As soon as the door creaked open, the two little Ge'ers rushed toward him. Bai Li caught them in his arms, chuckling.
"What's this? Not in bed yet?"
Bai Mei's eyes widened as she spotted the bow and the sheathed saber in his hands. She hurried over, exclaiming, "Second Brother! You actually bought a bow! And a saber too? You managed to get them all at once!"
Bai Li handed the weapons over to the curious Bai Mei to inspect while he carried the little ones over to the table. Xiao Han immediately gathered the children back to his side.
"You haven't eaten dinner yet, have you? We... we set some aside for you."
Looking at the table, Bai Li saw that Xiao Han hadn't just left him leftovers; he had carefully portioned out a full meal. In truth, Bai Li wouldn't have minded either way—he could always order more—but it was Xiao Han's overly cautious, almost subservient behavior that made him uncomfortable. Xiao Han acted with such meticulous trepidation that it made Bai Li feel like a domestic tyrant. Even if the original Bai Li had been exactly that, the current one just wanted to live a relaxed life and wanted those around him to feel the same.
Yet, he couldn't bring himself to say anything. If he told Xiao Han to change his behavior, the man would likely interpret it as a fresh threat. Bai Li sighed internally. The little Ge'ers were children; with a little kindness, they would eventually forget the past. But Xiao Han was an adult. He remembered every detail of the trauma, and until he could claw his way out of those memories, true ease between them would remain an impossibility.
Bai Li stole a glance at Xiao Han. The young man immediately lowered his head, unable to fully mask the flicker of fear in his expression.
A dull headache began to throb behind Bai Li's temples. He knew the original owner had been monstrous to Xiao Han—inhumane, at times. This was why he found it so difficult to interact with him. No matter how much the rest of the Bai family or the children had suffered, it couldn't compare to what Xiao Han had endured. In the eyes of this young man, Bai Li was the person who had tormented him for three long years. He couldn't just play the role of the reformed husband with a thick skin as if nothing had happened.
Forget it, Bai Li thought, pushing the headache aside and starting his dinner. Let Xiao Han act however he needs to feel safe. I'll just be myself. Que sera, sera. He didn't have the power to erase the past, after all.
After a quick meal, Bai Li told Xiao Han and Bai Mei to get some rest and took the little Ge'ers to the adjoining room.
Since Bai Mei was young, he didn't want her sleeping alone, so he decided to share the other room with the children. With two beds in the first room, Xiao Han and Bai Mei would be comfortable enough.
As for these little ones, he would raise them himself. Even in his previous life, once he realized he was gay, he had decided he would adopt a child when he reached a certain age. It was a stroke of luck that he now had children of his own flesh and blood—or rather, this body's blood. He didn't care that they were the original owner's children; as long as he inhabited this body, the blood in their veins was his. It was a bond even deeper than adoption.
Before sleeping, Bai Li teased and played with the little Ge'ers until they were tuckered out. Once they were fast asleep, he pulled out his silver banknotes to recount his assets.
He had used the loose silver from the boar sale for the buffalo and carriage. After giving a one-hundred-tael note to the Bai family, he had been left with twelve hundred taels. Out of that, he had just spent seven hundred and seventy-three taels at the weapons shop. Now, he had exactly four hundred and twenty-seven silver taels left, plus some loose copper coins from the inn's deposit.
Bai Li let out a long, slow breath. Money came easily, but it vanished just as fast. At this rate, how would they survive the winter? He would have to find some large game before the bitter cold set in.
Though it might be too late for this year, he aimed to save enough to build a new house before next winter. He truly had to work harder.
Despite the "heartache" of spending over seven hundred silver taels in a single afternoon, Bai Li fell asleep quickly. By the next morning, he was revitalized and ready to spend again.
Once he had helped the little Ge'ers wash up, he found Xiao Han and Bai Mei already waiting. Bai Mei was so excited she was practically vibrating. Seeing this, Bai Li issued a stern order:
"Mei'er, you must hold your second sister-in-law's hand. Do not let go. You both stay right behind me. If you see somewhere you want to look at, do not run off. Tell me first, and we'll go together."
Bai Li was genuinely worried. This was his first time exploring the port city, too. With ships constantly docking and departing, if Xiao Han or the children got lost and ended up on a boat, he would be powerless to find them.
Bai Mei nodded vigorously, but Xiao Han seemed intimidated by the instruction. Bai Li pretended not to notice the look, but he was relieved to see that Xiao Han's complexion looked much healthier. In the darkness of the previous night, he hadn't been able to tell, but in the morning light, it was clear the fever was gone. The medicine had been expensive, but its efficacy was undeniable.
Good health was a start. Feeling his mood lift, Bai Li scooped up a little Ge'er in each arm and led Xiao Han and Bai Mei out into the bustling streets. His first priority was finding a place for breakfast. He led them into a restaurant that looked fairly grand and expensive. Xiao Han looked worried at the opulence, while Bai Mei and the children were wide-eyed with excitement.
The shop assistant looked like he wanted to say something as they entered—likely a warning that the food was pricey. After all, Bai Li's group looked like poor farmers in their threadbare clothes. Ultimately, the boy held his tongue; farmers were allowed the occasional luxury, after all.
Bai Li's eyes were sharp. From the moment he stepped in, he had been observing what other patrons were eating. Though it was early, the place was nearly full. He spotted an empty table and sat down, placing the children beside him. Xiao Han and Bai Mei followed suit.
Before the assistant could even speak, Bai Li turned to the little ge'ers.
"Xiaofu, Xiaowu, do you want meat buns?"
The buns in this shop looked exceptional—plump, snowy-white, and clearly stuffed to the brim with filling. The children, happy to eat anything their father provided, nodded enthusiastically.
"I want meat buns!"
"Me too!"
Bai Li nodded and turned to the other two.
"What about you two?"
Bai Mei chirped, "I'll have meat buns too, Second Brother!"
Finally, he looked at Xiao Han. The young man replied with a whispered "Me too," looking terrified. Bai Li felt a twinge of frustration. What is this? If you're a second late to answer, do you think I'm going to beat you in public?
Supplying a wry smile, Bai Li turned to the waiting assistant.
"What kind of buns do you have?"
Having heard "meat buns" mentioned, the assistant started there.
"We have chicken, pork, and duck. We also have seafood buns made with shrimp. They come in three price tiers: three hundred, four hundred, and five hundred copper coins per order. We also have egg buns, vegetable buns, and red bean buns."
Bai Li nodded.
"Give us one order each of the four types of five-hundred-coin meat buns. And one large bowl of vegetable dumpling soup."
The assistant calculated quickly.
"That's two silver taels for the four orders of buns and one hundred copper coins for the soup."
Realizing this was a pay-first establishment, Bai Li handed over the money immediately. The assistant took the silver and hurried off, feeling utterly bewildered.
They looked like typical farmers, yet the man hadn't blinked an eye at spending over two silver taels on a single breakfast. He had expected them to order the cheapest three-hundred-coin buns at most. A farmer's daily wage was usually between twenty and thirty coppers; spending hundreds on a bun was unheard of. Yet this man was as casual as if he were spending pocket change.
While the assistant was lost in thought, the order was ready. He delivered the food with a dazed expression and returned to the door to greet other guests. Bai Li ignored him, his attention captured by the steaming buns. They had just come out of the steamer, and the savory aroma was intoxicating.
Xiao Han had wanted to protest when he heard the prices, but he didn't dare speak. Even Bai Mei thought it was extravagant, but once the buns were in front of her, she forgot everything else. So what if it's expensive? Second Brother already paid. Time to eat! Hehe.
Bai Li looked at the two adults who hadn't moved yet.
"What are you waiting for? Eat."
He picked up a bun and tore it into smaller pieces for the children. Each order came with five buns, each about the size of a fist and stuffed so full they were bulging. The dough was snowy and soft. When torn open, the steam carried the rich scent of seasoned meat; the filling looked incredibly succulent.
Bai Li made sure the little ge'ers got a bit of each of the four types. When he took a bite himself, he found the quality exceeded his expectations. The dough was light and slightly sweet, providing a perfect balance to the rich, savory meat inside. These were better than many buns he'd had in his previous life; they were worth every copper.
The little Ge'ers ate until their cheeks were puffed out like squirrels, and Bai Mei was beaming. Xiao Han, however, ate hesitantly, clearly still bothered by the cost. Bai Li had to practically glare at him to get him to eat, feeling ironically like he was being forced into the role of the "bad guy" just to make the man take a bite of breakfast.