Chapter 11: Three Sacks of Rice

Back in the car, the chill that had seeped into my bones seemed to be whisked away by the warmth of the air conditioning. He Yu had been woken by our commotion, but he didn’t seem grumpy at all. Instead, he was curiously staring at Lu A’yao, who had just gotten into the car.

Tian Yuqing had mentioned bringing in some help, but it turned out he had only invited Lu A’yao. Once we were all in the car, the convoy turned around and got back on the highway. My emotions were a tangled mess, and sleep was out of the question. Lu A’yao’s earlier words had only added more mysteries to the mix.

He Yu kept giving me meaningful glances, clearly wanting to talk, but with Lu A’yao in the car and looking rather unfriendly, He Yu was too wary to say much.

I fiddled with the copper coin in my hand, spinning it between my fingers. After some thought, I decided to ask, “What did you mean by what you said earlier? What does your involvement have to do with me? I don’t think we’ve met before.”

Even if we had met, I wouldn’t remember. During the New Year, so many people visited my family. To avoid socializing, I often hid in Fourth Brother’s shop watching TV. Who could remember all those trivial encounters?

Lu A’yao glanced at me, then shifted to a more comfortable position. He said, “Don’t overthink it. You don’t know me, and we haven’t met. It’s just that I know you, one-sidedly. The Tian Family is aware of this. So, tell me, how did that kid Tian Yuqing trick you into getting in the car?”

Know me? I never knew I had such notoriety. How does he know me? Could it be from school? It’s hard to say. But would someone from his kind of family live like an ordinary student like me?

Half-skeptical, I replied, “He said my Fourth Brother ran into some trouble in Gansu and needed my help. Do you know what kind of trouble my Fourth Brother is in?”

Lu A’yao chuckled, “Your Fourth Brother’s fine, not in any trouble that requires your help. Tian Yuqing just made up a simple lie to get you here. He’s smart, not to be underestimated, though your Fourth Brother would probably be hopping mad if he knew.”

“How do you know Tian Yuqing lied to me?” I asked.

Given Lu A’yao’s initial attitude toward Tian Xiao, it seemed their family didn’t have much interaction with the Tian Family. So why was he so sure nothing was wrong in Gansu?

Lu A’yao laughed heartily, “I guessed.”

That left me speechless, my throat constricted, unable to form words.

But Lu A’yao quickly added, “Relax, you can trust me completely. I won’t harm you. If you can’t sleep, I have a story to tell.”

As the convoy sped along the Lianhuo Highway, with the sky gradually brightening and a light rain beginning to fall, the car didn’t slow down. Neither He Yu nor I felt sleepy at all, especially after Lu A’yao shared a story about the Lu family from the 1970s before we reached the first service area.

The Lu family was scattered, a unique trait among them, with little contact between branches and the main line.

Lu A’yao’s grandmother, Lu Xiaosu, was quite progressive, likely one of China’s first individualists. She traveled alone from a young age, skilled in martial arts, making her perhaps the most enigmatic woman among the “Five Masters.”

My grandfather once said that the “Five Masters” gained their reputation largely thanks to “Granny Yin” Lu Xiaosu, rather than the group of old men. She was mysterious and highly capable.

Grandfather described Lu Xiaosu as a kite-like woman. Even if a man were virtuous enough to grab her string, it would only make her glance back once.

Lu A’yao was picked up by Lu Xiaosu at a station and taken back to Suzhou. He was two years old at the time, and whether he was kidnapped or simply lost, his biological parents were never found. He didn’t elaborate on this, and I didn’t ask.

Initially, Lu Xiaosu thought it would be simple, but she hadn’t anticipated how difficult raising a child would be. She quickly realized a serious problem: while she could eat anything, it was too cruel to let a two-year-old go hungry and drink only northwest wind.

Her business was entirely mood-driven, so she hadn’t saved much money. In her youth, Lu Xiaosu even spent her own money to prepare grass mats for those who died by the roadside, finding good burial spots and wrapping the decaying bodies in mats to bury them together.

Thus, the little savings she had accumulated over two years were spent in less than a week.

Lu A’yao tightened his robe, “Those times were tough. In winter, we could only drink water to stave off hunger. Money ran out so fast that we couldn’t even afford a sack of rice.”

“Until a guest came to our home, carrying three sacks of rice. He seemed to have traveled a long way. Granny was very grateful and wanted to offer him a drink of water, but he left after putting down the rice, wiping his sweat.”

I suddenly had a strange premonition.

Then Lu A’yao turned to look at me, “That person was your grandfather.”

Grandfather was kind-hearted, without the scheming of the Tian Family, the power hunger of the Tan family, or the ruthlessness of the Liu Family. He was reliable and honest, so the other four families often sought his help. I never imagined that even the elusive “Granny Yin” had a connection with him.

Lu A’yao said, “The Lu family never owes anyone anything, except this time.”

He pulled out two more copper coins from his pocket, gesturing for me to hold out my hand. I opened my palm, and he dropped the coins into it, smiling, “Along with the one from earlier, three sacks of rice for accompanying you on three journeys. I’ll ensure your safety, free of charge.”

I was still trying to comprehend his words when He Yu suddenly slapped me on the back, swiftly helping me pocket the coins. He whispered, “What are you waiting for? Whether it’s true or not, just take it. It’s a great opportunity.”

At the time, with Lu A’yao still present, I didn’t dare ask He Yu. Later, at the service area, he explained that when the Lu family gives copper coins, it means they’ve taken on the job. From now on, no matter what happens, Lu A’yao will prioritize my safety.

I thought to myself, why all the mystery? Isn’t he just a bodyguard?

He Yu seemed much more at ease, trusting Lu A’yao greatly, “With him, this trip will be much easier. You’ve never seen the Lu family’s skills. Have you heard the saying in the trade? ‘For determining graves, look to Nine Springs Road.'”

I’d heard this many times. It was a jingle passed down among customers seeking geomancy services before the founding of the country, even turned into a tune by some. The folk version was familiar to me:

“Seek dragons and tombs, find water’s flow, set poles to watch sands, align with the heavens, the golden lock and jade pass through yin and yang, for determining graves, look to long-term fortune.”

But the folk version, passed down orally, inevitably contained errors. It misled many into thinking that simply finding water traces or planting a pole in the ground could locate a good burial site or even a grand tomb, which wasn’t the case.

The original version I heard from my grandfather differed fundamentally from the folk version. It was actually a jingle describing the unique skills of the Five Masters.