Volume One, Chapter Thirteen: Radish, Radish

Just after putting down his chopsticks, Yi Bing once again thought of his senior brothers. His broad face drooped instantly. “I’m going out for a walk…” he mumbled, then walked straight towards the inn’s backyard without looking back. The chubby girl opened her mouth but ended up saying nothing.

The backyard of the inn was quite spacious. Besides a rockery and a fish pond, the owner had also set aside a corner for a vegetable garden. Seeing the large, long radishes growing there, Yi Bing couldn’t help but think of Miss Hanyu. If not for her today, they would likely have been in grave danger. It was all his own fault for being greedy—because of his gluttony, that beautiful young lady was now left with a limp!

“Do you like radishes, sir? Want me to pull a couple for you?” The innkeeper happened to come by to pick some vegetables and saw Yi Bing staring blankly at the radishes.

“No… Oh, I do!” Yi Bing suddenly remembered he didn’t have a coin to his name. “But, shopkeeper, never mind…”

“Boss, can we pick them ourselves? We’ll settle up for the veggies when we leave!” At some point, the chubby girl had already appeared behind him.

“Of course! Go ahead, no problem!”

Yi Bing gave her a grateful nod, thinking to himself that this plump lass was truly loyal. The two of them began to pick through the garden and finally selected the largest radishes they could find. The innkeeper thought Yi Bing would put them in a basket for the kitchen, but instead, he took them straight to the well and began washing them himself. Though the chubby girl was puzzled, she refrained from asking.

“What are you doing?” the innkeeper asked with a smile.

“Oh, I’m keeping these for the road,” Yi Bing replied, washing the radishes thoroughly without looking up.

That night, Yi Bing went to bed early. Before sleeping, he carefully wrapped the largest radish and placed it on the windowsill, glancing around the room as he muttered to himself, “It was my fault, I hurt you, and I’m truly sorry. If not for your help yesterday, things would have been terrible. This radish is for you, to thank you for helping me—I hope you’ll accept it… You should be able to hear me, right…” No one responded, and Yi Bing scratched his head, wondering if Hanyu could hear him at all. He could summon her with a spell, but feared that would only make her angrier.

At dawn, Yi Bing hurried to check the windowsill—the radish was still there! He sighed, not knowing whether Hanyu hadn’t heard him or simply didn’t want his gratitude.

After a simple breakfast, Jin Guishan led the group on their way. Thankfully, the chubby girl had given him a bundle or he wouldn’t have known where to put the radishes. Knowing Yi Bing was anxious, they traveled without rest until the sun was already high before Jin Guishan finally had them stop in a bamboo grove.

A small stream flowed through the forest, its gentle babble as pleasing as the sound of a zither, soothing everyone’s spirits. Sitting at the edge of the woods, eating dry rations and drinking stream water, watching birds and clouds drift by, everyone’s expressions relaxed unconsciously.

“If only we could become immortals…” the chubby girl sighed dreamily. Yi Bing shot her a look, thinking, “An immortal that fat?”

That night, with no village or inn in sight, the group had to ask to stay at a farmhouse. The hosts were warm, but there was only one room, so they all had to squeeze in and sleep fully clothed. Though it was inconvenient with so many people, Yi Bing still secretly placed a radish by the window, hoping Hanyu might accept his gesture.

Since no one slept well, they all rose early the next morning. The radish was still untouched. The crisp morning air was chilly but exceptionally fresh. And since they had paid, the farmer’s family had prepared breakfast for them ahead of time.

After breakfast, the group set off once more. Though everyone’s spirits were still low, the gloom of the previous day had lifted, and laughter returned as they walked. By dusk, beneath the glow of the setting sun, the silhouette of a small temple appeared faintly behind a hillside to their right. Without a word, everyone climbed the slope together.

The temple was empty, thick with dust, but not at all in disrepair—the statues were intact, the furniture complete; it simply looked long uninhabited. Perhaps the resident monk had gone on a journey, or perhaps, troubled by some matter, had abandoned the temple and returned to lay life. In any case, they had no choice but to spend the night here. Fortunately, though small, the temple had all necessities; the abbot’s chamber and guest rooms allowed them to sleep separately at last.

That night, Yi Bing again placed the radish on the windowsill and, seeing no one around, muttered a few words before collapsing onto the kang and falling asleep. It had been days since they’d slept on a kang, and everyone was soon in a deep, contented slumber.

But just past midnight, a rustling sound roused Yi Bing from his dreams. Looking up, he saw a woman’s silhouette gliding past the window.

“Hanyu?” Yi Bing’s heart leapt, and he tumbled off the kang, chasing after her.

In the moonlight, he saw the woman drift straight into the woods behind the temple. He hurried after her, but as soon as he entered the forest, he collided headlong into something soft.

“Oh! You’re rather eager, aren’t you, dear sir? Heehee…” Looking up, it was the demoness who had led the group the day before. She clutched her chest, feigning coy reproach.

“You… I didn’t… I didn’t mean to…” Thankfully, the forest was dark or his red face would have been obvious.

“Whether you meant it or not, only you know…” she teased.

“I really didn’t!” Yi Bing protested loudly.

“Oh… you bump into me so hard it hurts, and now you scold me so loudly… boohoo…” The demoness began to cry as if wronged.

“Hey, don’t cry… it’s my fault, it’s my fault, I apologize, all right?” Yi Bing waved his hands in panic.

“Heehee… Seems you do care about me, little fatty…” She immediately broke into a joyful laugh.

“You tricked me!” Yi Bing snapped, reaching for her sash.

“Hey, hey! What’s the rush? I’ve already suffered so much; can’t I tease you a little?” She stepped back quickly.

“You…” In the moonlight, Yi Bing saw her face was deathly pale; she looked terribly weak. “What’s wrong with you…”

“Hmph! You want to know how I ended up here, right?” She leaned against a nearby tree, pointing toward the small temple outside the grove. “My home is nearby… Originally there was a big monk living in that temple. I wanted to deliver him, but he was so frightened he ran away in the middle of the night. Tonight, when I saw lights, I thought he’d changed his mind and come back for me! Heehee… cough, cough…”

“You…”

“What, am I a wanton creature? Hmph, you righteous folk with your proper cultivation, while we’re left with only crooked ways. If we don’t keep up, we’ll fall into utter ruin!” Her almond-shaped eyes flashed with resentment.

“I… that’s not what I meant…” Yi Bing faltered.

“Oh?” She was startled, then caught his meaning. “Hmph! I’m hurt in body and spirit by you—how about you make it up to me?” She moved as if to approach.

“Hey!” Yi Bing nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Cough, cough… More likely you’ll eat me…” The demoness swayed, nearly falling, and forced a bitter smile.

“…What about your two sisters?” Yi Bing asked, his face hot.

“Oh, still thinking of them? Cough, cough… Seeing how badly I was hurt, they were afraid I’d drain their energy to recover, so they ran off and vanished… cough, cough… some sisters…”

“Oh…” Touched by this cold reality, Yi Bing fell silent.

“But the radish you gave me was delicious!” At some point, the demoness was holding a large white radish.

“Hey!” It was the very one Yi Bing had left for Hanyu on the windowsill.

“Hey yourself! After hurting me so badly, can’t I at least eat a radish?” she retorted.

“It’s not that you can’t, just…”

“Wasn’t it for me?” she asked, playing dumb.

“…No… I mean, yes…” Yi Bing stammered.

“Well then… heehee… cough, cough…” The demoness grinned and took a great bite of the radish.

Yi Bing could only smile helplessly.

“I should go back… cough, cough… Want to come visit my home?” She was visibly struggling to stand.

“…No, I’d better not. Are you all right?” Yi Bing asked with concern.

“All right… I’ll go now…” She forced a wan smile, took a couple of steps, then turned back. “We’ll probably never meet again—remember, my name is Mei Niang…” She knew her wounds were grave, and doubted she would last the night.

“Wait…” Yi Bing suddenly stepped forward.

“Yes?” Mei Niang stopped in surprise.

“Here…” Yi Bing took a pill from his robe and pressed it into her hand. It was the Golden Elixir of Xuanhuang, which Daoist Xifeng had given him secretly through Feixue.

“This…” Mei Niang looked astonished.

“Take it…” Yi Bing nodded toward her.

“All right…” Mei Niang swallowed the pill immediately.

“I’m off then… May we meet again someday…” Before he had finished speaking, Yi Bing had already dashed out of the woods. If Hanyu came for the radish now and found it gone, their grudge would deepen!

“Hey… little fatty, what’s your name?”

“My name is Mu Tianci!”

By the time Yi Bing returned to the temple, it was the hour of the Tiger. Seeing everyone still fast asleep, he quickly placed another large radish on the windowsill before quietly crawling back onto the kang. But sleep eluded him; thoughts of the wounded Mei Niang led him to worry about Hanyu. Was she also gravely hurt? The untouched radish on the windowsill for two days might not mean she rejected his gratitude, but that she was simply unable to come for it. If he summoned her by spell and she was fine, she might hate him even more. Tossing and turning, Yi Bing didn’t sleep a wink until dawn.

The next day on the road, though the chubby girl could tell Yi Bing had something on his mind, she refrained from asking too much, merely chatting with him from time to time. Yi Bing replied distractedly, his mind full of the image of Hanyu limping away. Near noon, Jin Guishan finally had them stop to rest under a large pagoda tree. Usually, Yi Bing was lively at mealtime, but today he nibbled at his dry rations and then sat dazed beneath the tree.

“Brother Mu, Brother Mu, you…” The chubby girl finally couldn’t help but ask.

“Hmm?” Just as Yi Bing turned his head, he saw a little black rabbit dart past not far away.

“Sister Zhao, I forgot something…” Before he finished, Yi Bing had already dashed off, a trail of dust behind him. From afar, he called, “Brother Jin, you all go ahead, I’ll catch up with you later…”

“Brother Mu…” The chubby girl started to chase after him but was held back by Jin Guishan. “Let him go! He’ll catch up with us for sure!” Though he hadn’t seen Yi Bing leave the night before, he’d noticed how dejectedly he returned and guessed there must be something on his mind.