Chapter 626: Nier

Chapter 626: Nier

"Nier, come here, sit on the kang, drink sugared water and eat persimmon cakes. You used to love sweet things when you were little. I’ve kept them all for you."

"Want some meat? You liked meat, didn’t you? I’ll go cut some for you right now! Let your mother stew it for you!"

The old man who had once thrown tree blossoms stood beside his wife, constantly flattering Li Sui with exaggerated attentiveness, his smile never fading from his face.

"Oh, by the way, Nier, how did you get back? I heard you were sold off to that beast—" The old woman's words were cut short by a sharp kick from her husband.

"During festivals, why speak of such ill fortune! We'll talk about it after today!"

Li Sui, disoriented by their chaotic chatter, grew visibly impatient. He couldn't make heads or tails of what these two were saying. "Didn’t you say you'd teach me how to throw tree blossoms? I want to learn how to throw tree blossoms."

"Teach, teach, teach! We’ll start right now!" The old man nodded vigorously. With that, he led Li Sui toward the backyard. When they pulled aside a cloth curtain riddled with burnt holes, Li Sui was surprised to find that the other side of the house was actually a blacksmith’s shop. Half the space was used for living, the other half for forging metal.

"Nier, throwing tree blossoms can only be done by us blacksmiths. Do you know why? Because only we have access to enough molten iron."

As he spoke, the old man tossed several charcoal cakes into the glowing furnace and began pulling the wooden handles of the bellows with both hands.

As air rushed into the forge, the coals gradually turned red and the fire roared higher. While pulling the bellows, he continued talking. "Nier, we can’t undersell ourselves when throwing tree blossoms. At least two hundred coins per performance—and that doesn’t even include the cost of the molten iron. Remember this price—it must not be less, only more."

When he felt the temperature was right, a thick-rimmed pot was placed in the blazing coals. Inside, he piled up horseshoes, rusted knives, and other discarded metal pieces.

"There’s also a trick to the iron fee. We charge based on good iron, then melt down the scrap and broken iron to make the molten iron. That’s where the profit comes in."

Li Sui, however, paid no attention to his words. His entire focus was fixed on the blazing furnace before him, heat radiating outward like a fever dream.

Seeing her intense expression, the old man laughed heartily as he took off his fur coat. His daughter had returned to being just like she was as a child—always sitting nearby watching him work, day after day.

But at that moment, the wife standing nearby noticed something odd. She crept closer and whispered to her husband, "Master, what’s going on? Why does Nier seem so strange? It’s like she’s changed completely."

The old man, still pulling the bellows, glared at her and glanced cautiously toward Li Sui. Lowering his voice, he said quickly, "What do you mean 'changed'? She’s back safely—she should be thanking the ancestors for their protection. What more do you want? Be quiet!"

He picked up some good charcoal from a nearby rack, crushed it, and threw it into the already red-hot pot. Turning to Li Sui, he said, "Nier, remember—put some good charcoal in there. Only then will the molten iron flow fast."

"I got it," Li Sui replied earnestly.

With the charcoal added, the metal in the pot slowly turned red and melted into molten iron identical to what was used for throwing tree blossoms.

"Come on, move over. I’m going to pour this into a bucket. Don’t underestimate how heavy this is—it’s incredibly heavy." The old man gritted his teeth, his trembling hands lifting the bucket of molten iron as he headed toward the city wall.

"Nier, remember—when throwing tree blossoms, you must toss it upward with force. If not strong enough, the molten iron will fall on your head."

"Whoosh~" As the golden fireworks bloomed again upon the city wall, Li Sui’s eyes lit up. "It’s so beautiful."

Seeing her joyful expression, the old man’s movements became even more vigorous, ladling the molten iron onto the wall one scoop after another.

When the show ended, the exhausted old man walked over to Li Sui. "Nier? How was it? Did you learn? If not, Dad will teach you again!"

"Okay, okay!" Li Sui nodded excitedly. She couldn’t get enough of watching it.

"Alright then, let’s go home! Let’s heat up more iron!" With that, the old man carried the bucket and happily walked home with Li Sui.

But just a few steps out, a young man with bare arms and a scoundrelly look blocked their path. "Oh, father-in-law! Saw you throwing tree blossoms from far away. Happy festival, happy festival!"

When the old man recognized the man, he immediately stepped in front of Li Sui, raising the iron bucket and shouting, "You bastard! Get lost! Haven’t you sold Nier once already?"

That comment reminded the youth of the familiar face. Seeing Li Sui, his eyes lit up. "You actually came back from so far away? Good for you, Nier. After all this time, did you miss your husband?"

"Get lost!"

"Bang!" Startled by the iron bucket flying toward him, the youth jumped back several steps, barely avoiding being hit.

"Damn you, old man! You dare hit me!" The youth rolled up his sleeves and charged forward, pummeling the old man with fists and kicks.

"Listen carefully! Nier is married to me! She’s part of our family now. I can sell her if I want, pawn her if I want. Even if someone takes it to court, I’m in the right!"

"Nier! Run! Go home now!!" The old man shouted while blocking the youth.

But Li Sui didn’t move. She stood still, watching everything unfold, trying to understand the tangled meaning behind it all.

Her father had never taught her these things. She couldn’t grasp it.

When she saw the old man collapse to the ground, she stepped forward and said, "Why are you hitting him? He taught me how to throw tree blossoms. You can’t hit him."

The youth stopped, staring at her in surprise. "Oh ho, so you’ve seen the world after being sold off, huh? Used to be too scared to even open your mouth, now you dare argue with me?"

As Li Sui studied his expression closely, the youth raised his left hand and slapped her across the face. "What are you glaring at? Wanting a beating?"

Li Sui looked at the bruised and swollen old man on the ground, then at the youth before her. A strange emotion surged within her—a feeling she had never experienced before.

"Slap!" Another slap. "Damn it, get home now! Wash all my clothes! Clean the whole house inside and out!"

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Next chapter updates at 11:30 PM.

(End of Chapter)