Fortune Across the World

Chapter 7: Diligent Learning and Peaceful Village Life

The next day, Ding Qiyu was up before dawn, preparing everything for the day. By the time Lian'er and Madam He awoke, she had already boiled water, fed the chickens, collected the eggs, and even tidied up the chicken coop. Madam He was pleased with her son's diligence and sensibility, though she worried about Ding Qiyu not getting enough sleep. Ding Qiyu, however, assured her that waking up early made her feel refreshed and not at all tired.

After a breakfast of steamed bean cakes and clear water, Ding Qiyu planned to learn how to chop wood with Lian'er. However, Lian'er had a prior commitment to do embroidery work and couldn't take her. Madam He then suggested that Lian'er take Ding Qiyu to He Zhongchang's house nearby to see if they could join someone going to chop wood.

He Zhongchang, Lian'er's distant uncle, had always been supportive of Lian'er and her mother. Having heard about the new addition to their family, he was pleased to meet Ding Qiyu, who made a good impression with her polite and pleasant demeanor. Since his own son, He Ankang, was headed to the woods, he agreed to let Ding Qiyu accompany him. Lian'er entrusted her "brother" to them and went about her own tasks.

Ding Qiyu, with a large basket and an axe that seemed oversized for her small frame, set out with He Ankang for the woods. With her friendly nature and sweet talk, Ding Qiyu quickly won He Ankang over, who treated her like a brother and taught her how to select wood, use the axe efficiently, and bundle the wood properly.

As she chopped a piece of wood, Ding Qiyu pondered how she had gone from being a beggar to a woodcutter—roles she never imagined herself in. She wondered what other experiences awaited her.

Lost in thought, she was startled by a "whoosh" followed by the sound of something falling. Turning, she saw He Ankang returning with a bloodied bird, grinning as he approached her.

Ding Qiyu’s skin crawled, and she felt a wave of nausea. While she wasn’t easily scared, and things like bugs or ghost stories didn’t faze her, she had a distinct aversion to seeing dead birds and fish. This stemmed from childhood experiences with pets that didn’t survive, leaving her with a lasting aversion to their lifeless forms.

"Hehe! Got a big dove!" He Ankang said, raising the bloody bird proudly. Ding Qiyu instinctively looked away, taking a step back, and managed a strained smile, "You're amazing, Ankang!"

"Want to learn? Big brother can teach you!" He Ankang offered generously.

Ding Qiyu considered the offer. Learning to hunt could mean bringing back extra food, a useful skill. But the sight of the bird was unsettling. After an internal struggle, her practical side won—Madam He and Lian'er were so kind to her, she had to do her best for them. She decided to overcome her discomfort.

"Can you really teach me, Ankang? I’d love to learn!" Ding Qiyu forced a smile, trying to focus on the thought of the bird as food, imagining it as a delicious dish rather than something repulsive.

Seeing her interest, He Ankang handed the bird to her, thinking she was eager, "If you like it so much, take this one. Let’s go find more, and I’ll show you how to catch the fattest ones!"

The feel of the bird in her hand made her skin crawl, and she dropped her axe, but she kept a firm grip on the bird’s foot. Ankang looked at her pale face in confusion, "Are you okay, Ayu?"

"Just... too excited!" Ding Qiyu replied, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart, raising the bird slightly to show her "happiness" over the catch.

He Ankang laughed, "You look so thrilled, your face is white! Let’s keep chopping wood and I’ll teach you to hunt."

Trying to maintain composure, Ding Qiyu reminded herself that it was just meat and followed Ankang, focusing on the task at hand. Over time, she got used to the bird and the idea of hunting.

After gathering enough wood, He Ankang showed Ding Qiyu how to use a sling to hunt birds. He explained that the small bow wasn’t for arrows but for shooting clay pellets, quieter and easier to handle than arrows, and perfect for hunting birds.

He guided Ding Qiyu in drawing the bow, aiming, and controlling the force. With concentration, she practiced and found she could aim quite well. Ankang praised her quick learning.

After practicing, Ankang shared tips on where to find game and how not to scare it away. Following his advice, Ding Qiyu finally caught her first bird. Though not large, it boosted her confidence. Ankang caught two more fat birds, and they returned home, laden with wood and their hunting spoils.

As they parted ways, He Ankang mentioned he would ask for his father's permission to give Ding Qiyu the slingshot. However, having already received so much help, Ding Qiyu felt it would be impolite to accept the slingshot as well, so she politely declined. She had already studied the slingshot’s structure and string knotting techniques, which were not complicated. Through He Ankang, she learned that the string could be made from materials like silk, deer tendon, or fish bladder, and the bow arms could be crafted from common materials like bamboo or willow. Ding Qiyu felt confident she could make one herself.

With a bird in each hand, one large and one small, Ding Qiyu carried her axe along with a full basket of firewood. Though it was heavy, her satisfaction far outweighed any discomfort, and the sense of accomplishment had long replaced any disgust she felt toward the dead birds. When she returned home, it was nearly noon. Lian'er wouldn't be back for lunch as she was working and had already prepared a meal for them, which only needed reheating.

"I'm home, Mother!" Ding Qiyu called out cheerfully as she entered the courtyard, hearing Madam He’s response from inside.

After unloading and stacking the firewood neatly, she wiped the sweat from her brow and brought the day’s catch inside to show Madam He, her face beaming with a child's delight. Though she had yet to fully immerse herself in society, her innocence and playful nature remained intact.

"Ah, my Ayu is so capable! First day out chopping wood and you’ve brought back two birds!" Madam He praised her lovingly. Even if Ding Qiyu had returned empty-handed, she would have been praised, but bringing back game was indeed impressive. Having a boy in the family turned out to have its advantages, as no one would have taught the women to hunt. Little did Madam He know, her dear son was actually a girl.

"You can clean them and leave them by the stove. We’ll have meat for dinner!" Madam He said, her eyes twinkling with joy.

Ding Qiyu's smile froze. "Clean them?!" The thought brought back unpleasant memories, and the discomfort she had managed to suppress threatened to resurface.

"Ayu, don’t you know how? No worries, it’s time to eat anyway. After lunch, I’ll teach you," Madam He offered kindly.

The small voice inside Ding Qiyu protested against learning such a gruesome task, but the brave and sensible Ayu obediently agreed.

After lighting the fire and reheating the meal, Ding Qiyu carried Madam He out for lunch. With cold sweat and shivers, she learned from Madam He how to prepare the birds.

"Mother, do you know where I can find deer tendon, fish bladder, or silk?" Ding Qiyu asked while sitting on a small stool by Madam He’s bed in the afternoon.

Madam He thought for a moment, "It’s hard to find deer in the woods, so you might need to buy deer tendon in the city. Villagers often fish in the river; you could ask them for fish bladder. As for silk, I have a small roll, though it’s not much. Lian'er probably has some for her embroidery work as well. If you need more, I can ask her to trade some for you."

Ding Qiyu nodded, "I just need one of the three. I want to make a slingshot. I’ll ask around for fish bladder this afternoon."

"For a slingshot, the silk I have should be enough. Why bother the fishermen?" Madam He asked, surprised.

Not wanting to deplete Madam He's silk supply, Ding Qiyu said, "I’m sure your silk has other uses. I can manage with a fish bladder."

"Nonsense, there’s no need to be polite with me. Besides, that small amount isn’t much use otherwise. It’s perfect for your slingshot," Madam He insisted. Reluctantly, Ding Qiyu followed her instructions and retrieved the small roll of silk from the cupboard.