Chapter 112: Extravagant Spendthrift Deeds

One hour later.

"Liu Xing, Liu Xing, are you home?" A familiar voice called out from the front gate.

"I'm here! Coming!" Recognizing the voice as Xie "Lion-Head," Liu Xing felt a momentary surprise before hurrying out of the backyard to the gate.

The area outside the gate was quite lively, with nearly a hundred people gathered. Most were villagers from Old House Village, along with a group brought by Xie Lion-Head. Among them were Zhou Can from the blacksmith shop, Boss Zhong from the grain and oil store, and Auntie Li from the tailor shop.

Seeing this, Liu Xing chuckled and teased, "Did the sun rise in the west today? Why have you all come to my sister's place?"

"To see you, of course!" Xie Lion-Head stepped forward, patted Liu Xing on the shoulder, and said with a smile in his eyes, "But in all seriousness, I really have to thank you this time."

"Indeed! Thank you for giving Zhao Gou those thirty yuan; otherwise, I’m afraid his mother would have died in the hospital," added Boss Zhong. He spoke up because Zhong Ping was his sister, and helping Zhao Gou was, in effect, helping her as well.

"That was a small matter, why thank me? The one you really should thank is the old doctor who diagnosed her condition," Liu Xing, unaware of the deeper context, replied modestly.

"We came here precisely to find that old doctor," Xie Lion-Head said, looking around. "By the way, where is he?"

"I'm not sure. Ever since Zhao Gou's mother's incident, he has been staying at Village Chief Zhao's house," Liu Xing replied.

Zhao Hu, who was tiling the roof, chimed in, "Old Master Xie is over at the Village Chief's house treating patients! You wouldn't believe it—when I came by this morning, I saw a queue already forming at the Chief's door."

"Is that so? Then I must go and take a look." Intrigued by Zhao Hu's words, Xie Lion-Head handed the thirty yuan to Liu Xing, then led the crowd in a swarm toward the Village Chief’s house.

They came and went in a flash, disappearing down the road in the blink of an eye.

Liu Xing knew the thirty yuan was repayment on behalf of Zhao Gou. He smiled, tucked the money away, and didn't give it another thought. To him, as long as Zhong Ping was alright, the debt didn't matter. At the very least, his actions had earned him a different level of respect in Xie Lion-Head's eyes.

Just as he was about to return to shoemaking, his parents arrived on their bicycles. Behind them followed his aunt’s family of three and his third uncle’s family of four. His fifth uncle’s family arrived last, carrying firecrackers and two farm-raised chickens.

Seeing Zhao Dongkui’s old mud-brick house transformed into an impressive green-brick structure, they were so astonished they could barely walk. Liu Dazhao was also surprised; although he had heard the house was being rebuilt, he hadn't expected it to turn out this well.

Seeing Liu Xing watching them with a smile, he walked over and asked, "You brat, did you spend all your money on your eldest sister's house?" He didn't worry about taboos or the fact that Liu Dongju was present. After all, he couldn't imagine making such a "spendthrift" gesture himself, and even in the entire Zhangmu Township, no one had dared to do such a thing.

"No, it only cost around two hundred yuan. These clear-water bricks and the timber for the beams were recycled, so it didn't cost much at all," Liu Xing replied with a half-truth.

"Oh, I see!" Liu Dazhao let out a sigh of relief, his suspicions assuaged. Seeing that the roof tiles were not yet finished, he rolled up his sleeves, climbed the ladder, and started helping out.

Liu Xing’s third uncle, Liu Dazhu, and his fifth uncle, Liu Deqi, followed suit. Upon seeing the novel design and reasonable structure of the bungalow, they were secretly impressed. Assuming it was Zhao Hu's handiwork, they didn't ask further. However, after the tiling was done and they learned the design had come from Liu Xing, they were stunned and wanted to have a long talk with him. But finding him busy discussing the evening banquet with the Village Chief, they had no choice but to wander off to the market.

Liu Dazhao and Zhou Qiuxiang were not so lucky; they were stuck in the kitchen, killing chickens and ducks, with no time even for a drink of water. Gua Zi, Xiao Budian, and Zhao Jing watched the scene, clapping their hands in delight, as such grand occasions were rarely seen more than a few times a year.

As evening approached, the sunset cast a golden hue over Old House Village. The new green-brick house was the most striking building in the village, making the nearby Rural Cooperative look dull and lackluster by comparison—not because of its height or materials, but because of the house's grand, imposing style.

Suddenly, the crackle of firecrackers broke the silence. Hearing them, many villagers headed toward Zhao Dongkui’s home. In no time, over fifty people had gathered—enough to fill five or six tables. Village Chief Zhao had been well-prepared, knowing exactly how many people in the village had social ties to the family.

Even so, they ended up short on seating. Xie Lion-Head had arrived with Boss Zhong, Zhou Can, and Auntie Li, and each had brought a generous gift of thirty yuan. In the early 1980s, that was nearly a month's wages for a factory worker. Such generosity was clearly a favor to Liu Xing, which left Zhao Dongkui flattered and Liu Dongju feeling uneasy. After all, taking money from "local tyrants" like them was complicated, but refusing would be worse. Eventually, they decided to stop worrying and let things be.

With the children, Gua Zi, Xiao Budian, and Zhao Jing, waiting in anticipation, the banquet began. The table was filled with pork—since Zhao Dongkui had recently slaughtered a large pig—along with chicken, duck, fish, and the essential traditional "head bowl." Such a lavish feast was rare in the early 80s, and it was only possible because Liu Xing was behind it.

As night fell, the banquet quietly drew to a close. The guests, full and satisfied, took home bowls overflowing with leftovers, promising to return the dishes shortly as they lived nearby.

Xie Lion-Head and his men stayed behind. Once the crowd had thinned, he walked over to Liu Xing. "Brother, I have something to discuss with you. Do you have a moment?"

"Of course!" Liu Xing replied, still eating.

"Come with me, then." Xie Lion-Head patted his shoulder and led him toward a pomelo tree.

"I spoke with Xie Zhongquan about medical matters earlier," Xie Lion-Head said, his expression grave. "His knowledge and skills are truly staggering. I want to keep him here to benefit the people of Zhangmu Township, but he politely declined, saying he needed to leave to join his relatives." He paused, then continued, "But I sense he has an attachment to Old House Village, especially to you. Could you help me persuade him to stay? Our township, and indeed the entire HY City, desperately needs an old doctor like him."

Liu Xing set his bowl and chopsticks on a stone table. "I can't keep him. He is like a dragon trapped in a shallow stream; one day, he will return to the vast ocean. But there is hope, provided you handle it yourself."

"What do you mean?" Xie Lion-Head asked, puzzled.

"He arrived at the market destitute, with his granddaughter Lanlan. There must be a story behind his fall from grace. Ask yourself, what kind of circumstances could bring a man like him to such a state?" Liu Xing hinted.

"You mean I should investigate his past and use that information to keep him here?"

"Something like that. Besides, how can you feel safe keeping him in the market if you don't know his background?" Liu Xing replied with a faint smile.

"True," Xie Lion-Head chuckled.

"By the way," Xie Lion-Head lowered his voice, looking around. "I am about to be promoted. If all goes well, I will be the Township Chief next month. There is something I will need your help with."