Cai Dai reminded Ye Yunniang and continued talking about House No. 8.
House No. 8 was previously ho to a family of five. The man had passed away in an accident. Unwilling to remain a widow, the woman sold the house and remarried a widower in Morning Glory Lane, taking her three children with her.
The new owners of House No. 8 were a father and son. Cai Dai had heard their surna was Tie, but she knew little else.
The courtyard gate was knocked on again.
"Coming," Cai Dai called out, standing up to answer the door.
Ye Yunniang followed her out and gasped at the sight of the person at the gate.
Standing there was a burly middle-aged man, half his face obscured by a thick beard.
Granny Zhang had just visited, so the gate was left unlatched.
"Who are you looking for?" Cai Dai asked, taking a step back.
Ye Yunniang hurried over to stand beside her.
"My na is Tie Yi," the man introduced himself, pulling a dagger from a basket.
"What are you doing?" Cai Dai, seeing the blade, quickly grabbed the wooden pole used to bar the gate, gripping it tightly with both hands as she faced the stranger.
Ye Yunniang picked up the firewood axe leaning against the wall.
The reactions of the two won made Tie Yi laugh, revealing a row of white teeth.
"I’m not a bad person. I just moved into House No. 8. It’s my first ti visiting the neighbors, and I didn’t want to co empty-handed. I’m a blacksmith, so I thought I’d gift a dagger."
Tie Yi lifted the basket to show them—inside were several sharp daggers.
At that mont, Tie Yi realized that giving daggers as housewarming gifts might be a bit alarming.
"Really, I’m not a bad person," he insisted, placing the dagger on the ground. "I’ll visit the next house now."
"Wait," Cai Dai called out, stopping Tie Yi as he turned to leave. She hurried into the kitchen and soon returned with a small basket.
Inside were two small cucumbers, a handful of greens, and so chili peppers.
"These are from our backyard. Take them," she said, extending the basket toward him.
"I won’t refuse. We’re neighbors now—let’s visit often." Tie Yi smiled as he accepted the basket and headed toward House No. 5 next door.
Cai Dai quickly shut the gate and leaned against it, catching her breath. That had been terrifying.
Ye Yunniang was equally shaken.
Tie Yi’s reputation for gifting daggers as housewarming presents quickly spread throughout Sunset Lane.
Everyone soon knew about the blacksmith from House No. 8.
When Tie Xiong heard the gossip, he confronted his uncle.
"I prepared pastries for you to give. Why did you hand out daggers instead?"
Tie Xiong had specifically bought and wrapped the pastries, instructing Tie Yi to deliver one package to each neighbor.
Yet sohow, things still went wrong. Tie Xiong was both exasperated and speechless.
"Don’t bla . This is your fault," Tie Yi retorted. "You ate my dinner without telling . When I ca ho late after working, there was nothing to eat except those pastries."
"Couldn’t you have bought more?"
"You were the one who insisted I visit the neighbors first thing in the morning. When would I have had ti? Besides, the daggers I make aren’t easy to co by."
Tie Yi was the master blacksmith at the forge. Most orders were handled by his apprentices.
"Fine, my mistake," Tie Xiong conceded, not wanting to argue further. "Tell about the neighbors you t."
"House No. 1 belongs to the Ma family—a bunch of misers.
House No. 2 is rented out to three families who argue nonstop. It’s unbearable.
House No. 3 is empty.
House No. 4 is the Li family—a widow and her daughter-in-law. Poor souls.
House No. 5 is the Xu family. They sell noodles at a street stall. The noodles are average, but they’re cheap, so they’re passable.
House No. 6 is the Zhang family—butchers. Granny Zhang makes excellent spicy jerky, great with liquor.
House No. 7..." Tie Yi’s face twisted in disgust.
"What’s wrong with them?"
"The tenant is Wang Qiang. He’s impotent. His wife, Hongyan, was bought from a trafficker by his parents. Since Wang Qiang can’t father children, his own father sleeps with Hongyan.
The two kids in the Wang family are publicly known as Wang Qiang’s sons, but everyone knows they’re actually his brothers. The whole neighborhood knows. Stay away from them."
Tie Xiong grunted in acknowledgnt. "What about the widows in House No. 4? Does anyone harass them?"
Tie Yi raised an eyebrow, sizing up his nephew. "Oh? Taken a liking to the young widow?" He recalled Ye Yunniang’s delicate features. "She is pretty. If you’re interested, I’ll find a matchmaker tomorrow."
"Stop talking nonsense," Tie Xiong snapped. "She’s Li Jun’s wife."
"Li Jun? Ah… the one who died taking a knife for you?" Tie Yi rembered.
"Li Jun gave his life for . It’s my duty to look after his family." The weight of guilt pressed heavily on Tie Xiong’s heart.
"The best way to take care of her is to marry her," Tie Yi urged. "You’re not getting any younger. Your parents wrote to recently, telling to push you toward marriage and children."
Tie Xiong scratched his ear. "Uncle, you’re the one who should be pressured. You’re forty and still single."
Tie Yi flung a dagger at him. "Brat, how dare you lecture your uncle?"
Tie Xiong caught it effortlessly. "Uncle, we’re the sa. If you don’t nag , I won’t nag you."
Listening to the chatter about Tie Yi’s unusual gifts, Ye Yunniang asked Cai Dai curiously, "Mother, what did you give when you first moved here?"
"Shoe inserts," Cai Dai replied. At the ti, she hadn’t had much money, so she gifted handmade insoles.
She had even told the neighbors that her shoe inserts were sold at Zhou’s shop—ntioning her na would get them a discount of one copper coin for every two pairs. This brought so business to the Zhous.
"You’re amazing, Mother," Ye Yunniang praised, raising her hands in admiration.
"When I was younger, your father and I sold vegetables together. I was always the one calling out to custors—he was too quiet." Ti had softened the pain. Now, when she spoke of her late husband, Cai Dai felt nostalgia rather than sorrow.
"Mother, let’s make shoe inserts together." Unable to think of anything else to do, Ye Yunniang decided to join her.
"No need. Your aunt visited the other day and told to stop for now. The shop has plenty in stock." Cai Dai sighed, troubled.
Shoe inserts weren’t a sustainable livelihood.
"Mother, are there any embroidery shops nearby?" Ye Yunniang wondered if she could sell her needlework, having learned new techniques from Shi Liu.
"No, it’s too hard on the eyes," Cai Dai refused. Embroidery strained one’s vision.
"I’ll only work during the day—no stitching at night." Ye Yunniang took Cai Dai’s hand. "Mother, I need sothing to do."
Sitting idle, eating without contributing, was unbearable.
Knowing her daughter-in-law’s temperant, Cai Dai relented.
She took Ye Yunniang to an embroidery shop. Rainbow Embroidery was next to Zhou’s shop.
While Cai Dai delivered shoe inserts to Zhou’s, Ye Yunniang entered Rainbow Embroidery with her embroidered handkerchief.
"Shopkeeper, do you buy handkerchiefs?"
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