Chapter 42: Warmth

Large clusters of cotton bloomed, white fibers bursting forth like clouds falling from the sky into the hidden valley.

As the last cotton plant finished blooming, Zhao Mengcheng’s face turned pale, and he collapsed to the ground.

This was the first time since his reincarnation that he had experienced the agony of mental power depletion. His brain throbbed with waves of pain.

Zhao Mengcheng grabbed the meat pies from his robe and stuffed them into his mouth, swallowing before he could even chew properly. He felt slightly better only after devouring six pies in one go.

Leaning back against a rock to catch his breath, Zhao Mengcheng massaged his temples. “Now, forget just a quilt, there’s enough here for a lifetime.”

After being replenished with energy, his mental power tentacles poked out again, wandering around. They tapped a cotton boll here and brushed against a leaf there.

Suddenly, the mental power tentacles froze.

Zhao Mengcheng frowned and stood up, only to see a familiar figure amidst the cotton bushes.

The White Snake held its head high, flicking its tongue. It was searching for the power that felt dangerous yet enticing, but that power was intangible and invisible, leaving the snake’s limited brain quite distressed.

Seeing it was the snake, Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow slightly.

The White Snake also noticed the man’s presence. It stopped cautiously ten paces away, and after a long moment, as if having made up its mind, it slithered toward him.

Its cool scales brushed against Zhao Mengcheng’s cheek as the White Snake circled him again and again.

Zhao Mengcheng was somewhat surprised. The previous two times, the White Snake had avoided him at all costs. He hadn’t expected it to take the initiative to be affectionate, even acting somewhat subservient.

He narrowed his eyes, glanced at his mental power still wandering about, and understood what was happening.

This fellow had likely finally realized the benefits of mental power, which was why it risked its “life” to approach him.

Indeed, the allure of mental power was endless for any living creature.

Zhao Mengcheng watched the White Snake warily. If it made any suspicious move, he could kill it with ease.

The White Snake clearly didn’t know it was only one step away from death. Its fawning movements were clumsy, yet it persisted in circling Zhao Mengcheng.

Zhao Mengcheng relaxed. This was a snake, not a person. Even if it gained mental power, it still couldn’t speak and wouldn’t pose a threat.

He reached out a finger to touch the White Snake’s head. The latter rubbed against him perfunctorily, its movements carrying a hint of urgency.

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow. His mental power tentacles returned to his side and tapped the White Snake. “You want this?”

The White Snake’s yellow pupils brightened. If it were a mammal, it would surely be panting and wagging its tail to express its desire.

“Fine,” Zhao Mengcheng laughed. “But you have to do me a favor.”

He had climbed the mountain on a whim of passion, but after producing such a large field of cotton, Zhao Mengcheng found himself in a dilemma.

Now that it was all grown and his mental power was nearly exhausted, it would be a waste to leave it. Yet, bringing it back would be difficult to explain.

Furthermore, the amount of cotton in this valley was enough for an entire village. It didn’t sit right with Zhao Mengcheng to keep himself warm while the Wang Family and Liu Clan continued to freeze.

He had been worrying about this just a moment ago, but when the White Snake appeared, Zhao Mengcheng thought of a brilliant idea.

Early the next morning, Zhao Chun and Zhao Mao woke up first, joyfully praising the effectiveness of their cotton-padded jackets.

“Sleeping with this on, it wasn’t cold at all last night. It’s so warm,” Zhao Chun praised.

Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile, “I’m going up the mountain today to look around. If I can find more cotton, our family can have not just jackets, but also a Cotton-padded Quilt and cotton mattresses.”

Zhao Mao quickly said, “Dad, I’ll go with you.”

Zhao Xin refused to be left behind. “I’m going too.”

When it was time to head out, the three children refused to wear their new cotton-padded jackets, fearing they would get them dirty.

Zhao Chun even said, “I usually wear this and I’m not cold at all. Besides, climbing the mountain makes you very hot.”

Zhao Mengcheng couldn’t stop them, so he figured that once he brought the cotton back from the mountain, he would make each child another jacket so they wouldn’t be afraid to wear them and freeze.

“Wang Ming, I’m planning to go up the mountain to look for cotton. Do you want to come along?” Zhao Mengcheng asked as he stepped out.

Wang Ming was a bit surprised. Usually, Zhao Mengcheng wouldn’t ask him to come along when he went up the mountain.

But as Zhao Mengcheng’s number one fan, Wang Ming agreed without a second thought. “I’ll go! Is it that flower my mother mentioned? The one that’s cheaper than silk but just as warm?”

“That’s the one.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t just invite Wang Ming; he also called for Liu Bingkun and several others. Without exception, they were all the young men who had risked their lives to save him and his son last time and had seen the White Snake with their own eyes.

Liu Bingkun asked curiously, “I heard the elders say there’s a kind of Kapok in the south. When it blooms, there’s fluff inside that can be used to stuff pillows. I didn’t expect we’d have it here too.”

“So they have it in the south? Why hasn’t such a good thing been brought over here?” Wang Ming said with great regret.

Zhao Mengcheng’s mind whirred as he heard this, and he realized the Kapok Liu Bingkun mentioned was likely the Kapok tree, a tall and upright tree.

Although Kapok trees could produce fluff, their yield and utility couldn’t compare to cotton. They weren’t even in the same league.

“Brother, have you really seen it in our mountains? Where is it?” Liu Bingkun asked.

Zhao Mengcheng smiled. “I saw it in a dream.”

Liu Bingkun thought he was joking. “I’m being serious. Which way are we going?”

Zhao Mengcheng emphasized, “Truly, a voice in a Divine Dream told me there is cotton in our mountains that can keep us warm.”

This sounded mysterious, but the young men looked at each other and actually believed him.

After all, they had seen the White Snake descend to save people with their own eyes. Perhaps a deity really had told Zhao Mengcheng in a dream?

It had been cold lately, and it was even colder on the mountain. Even a sturdy young man like Wang Ming was shivering. “It would be great if it’s really there. It’s been getting colder every year. It didn’t used to snow here, but we had a huge snowfall last year.”

“Tell me about it. Rabbit Fur and other furs are getting more expensive too,” Liu Bingkun sighed.

The others walked with their hands tucked into their sleeves, only starting to chat and laugh once they warmed up from the walk.

Everyone had initially worried that the three children wouldn’t be able to keep up, but to their surprise, they were all excellent walkers, their small legs moving steadily.

“These three kids are like little rabbits.”

Liu Bingkun added, “If we can’t find cotton, catching a few rabbits to take back would be fine too. At least we could make a Rabbit Fur hat.”

“One rabbit wouldn’t be enough for that big head of yours. You’d need three,” Wang Ming teased.

Liu Bingkun didn’t mind. “A big head means a big brain. I have a smart head.”

Suddenly, He Shuiqing, who was walking in the lead, let out a startled cry. “Ahhh… snake… dragon… white… Whi-“

Liu Bingkun impatiently pushed him aside. “What did you see? A White Dragon!”

His voice turned shrill. “Brother, come quickly! It’s that White Dragon!”

Zhao Mengcheng stepped forward, only to see He Shuiqing drop to his knees and kowtow three times.

Liu Bingkun, Wang Ming, and the others followed suit, each kowtowing more sincerely than the last, their foreheads hitting the ground with audible thuds.

The three little ones also knelt down to kowtow. Unlike the others, who kept their heads down and didn’t dare look closely, the three children stared straight at the snake after they finished their kowtows.

Zhao Mengcheng strongly suspected that if it weren’t for his prior warnings, these three would have rushed over to touch and pet it.

He glanced at the White Snake coiled on a rock. With the sunlight shining from behind it, the entire snake was surrounded by a golden glow. It really did look like something divine.

He grabbed Wang Ming. “It’s leaving. Let’s follow it.”

Wang Ming didn’t listen this time, hesitating. “Brother, is this a good idea? That’s a White Dragon. It surely won’t like mortals getting close.”

“If it didn’t like it, it wouldn’t have appeared. Perhaps it saw how hard life is for us mortals and came to lead us to the cotton.”

“Heaven preserve us, the good days for Qingshan Village are coming.”

“Heaven isn’t preserving you, it’s preserving our brother. The White Dragon must have come for his sake.”

Zhao Mengcheng ignored them and followed directly. If he didn’t follow, how would they find the cotton?

The three little ones took the lead and followed, their pace quickening. Zhao Xin’s legs were too short to keep up, so Zhao Mengcheng simply picked her up.

Zhao Chun pulled at his hem and asked, “Dad, did it come to play with us?”

Zhao Mao also said, “Where is it going? Is it really going to lead us to the cotton?”

The two children knew something of the White Snake’s secret, and they stared at Zhao Mengcheng with sparkling eyes.

“We’ll know once we follow it,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile, patting their heads.

Wang Ming and the others exchanged glances and gritted their teeth to follow. However, because of their fear, they didn’t dare get too close, so they failed to notice that the White Dragon’s actual size wasn’t quite as large as they imagined.

Liu Bingkun looked at the trail left by the White Snake and pinched his hand hard. “I never thought I’d see the White Dragon a second time in my life. What an honor.”

Wang Ming lowered his voice. “Ah Kun, don’t you think that White Dragon really likes Brother Mengcheng? It specifically came to lead him to the cotton.”

“Maybe it was the White Dragon who gave Brother Mengcheng that Divine Dream. Otherwise, how would he know there’s cotton in the mountains?” Liu Bingkun said immediately.

He Shuiqing added stutteringly, “Brother is… an immortal… descended… to the mortal world… for a trial.”

Liu Bingkun clapped his hands. “That must be it! Our Brother Mengcheng was originally an immortal in heaven who made a mistake and had to descend to the mortal world for a trial. But his old friends and family were afraid he’d suffer too much, so they secretly descended to help him. That’s exactly how it goes in the plays!”

Those nonsensical words were met with agreement from everyone present.

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t care about the murmuring behind him. Seeing that they were following, he continued forward. Soon, the White Snake stopped and flicked its tail at him.

His lips twitched. Zhao Mengcheng knew it was asking for a reward, so he reached out a finger and sent a wisp of Mental Power.

The White Snake lunged forward joyfully, eagerly swallowing that wisp of Mental Power.

“Ah!” The sight of the massive White Snake lunging toward them was incredibly threatening, scaring Zhao Chun and Zhao Mao into closing their eyes.

Only Zhao Xin, a newborn calf who did not fear the tiger¹, stared wide-eyed while leaning in Zhao Mengcheng’s arms.

The White Snake also saw the little girl. It nudged her forehead before slithering away, satisfied.

By the time Zhao Chun and Zhao Mao reacted and opened their eyes, they only saw the tip of the White Snake’s tail. Both boys were somewhat disappointed.

When the White Snake had lunged, even the bravest among them, Liu Bingkun, had cried out in terror, closing his eyes tight as his legs trembled.

When they opened their eyes again, they only saw the White Dragon acting close to Zhao Mengcheng.

In the eyes of the others, it looked like the White Dragon had proactively nudged Zhao Mengcheng before disappearing.

Zhao Mengcheng turned back. “Quick, come look. There is a massive field of cotton here.”

Several young men dashed forward to look. Sure enough, the valley was packed with a vast expanse of cotton, as if the sky had fallen into the valley and the clouds had become a carpet.

“This, this is a miracle!”

Liu Bingkun shouted loudly, kneeling down and knocking his head against the ground three times with loud thuds.

Zhao Mengcheng watched as they all began kowtowing. He could not stop them.

Suddenly, Zhao Mengcheng felt his finger being tugged twice.

Looking down, he saw Zhao Mao standing on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, “Dad, the White Snake likes us.”

Zhao Mengcheng smiled and nodded. “Yes, but this is our secret.”

Zhao Mao nodded vigorously, indicating he would remember.

Having been in close contact with the White Snake, the three children naturally knew it was a giant snake and not a true White Dragon. However, they all knew this was a secret that belonged solely to their family.

The White Dragon had manifested again, leading Zhao Mengcheng and the others to a patch of wild cotton that could keep every household in Qingshan Village warm and cozy.

The Old Village Chief was carried to the valley on Liu Bingkun’s back. He only believed it once he saw the field of cotton for himself.

His mouth hung open in shock. Finally, he said, “This is our ancestors showing their favor.”

“Dad, it’s not that I want to argue, but if any ancestors are showing favor, it’s the Zhao Family ancestors, not our Liu Clan’s,” Liu Bingkun said with a grin. “Last time the White Dragon appeared, it was to save Brother Mengcheng. This time, it appeared to lead him to the cotton. We’re just along for the ride.”

Wang Ming and the others who had followed all nodded in agreement.

He Shuiqing even said, “Brother, in your past life, you must have been an immortal.”

The Old Village Chief laughed. “Regardless, this is a wonderful thing for our village.”

“Village Chief, the cotton is right here. Cotton-padded clothes are warm and lightweight. My family has already tried them. But looking at so much cotton, how do you think it should be divided?”

Zhao Mengcheng asked. This was why he hadn’t touched the cotton after finding it, instead having Liu Bingkun go back to carry the Old Village Chief up.

The Old Village Chief pondered for a moment, glancing at those present. “Normally, whatever is found on the mountain belongs to the finder. But you can’t use this much cotton yourselves. We are all fellow villagers, and every household is connected by blood or marriage. It wouldn’t be right for us to live in luxury while they eat husks and wild greens.”

Wang Ming smiled. “Uncle, that’s exactly what Brother Mengcheng thought. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have told you first.”

“Mengcheng is a good lad.”

The Old Village Chief smiled. “Since you’re letting me decide, my thought is to tell everyone. We’ll organize people to come up the mountain to harvest the cotton. Once it’s picked, cleaned, and weighed, we’ll divide it on a thirty-seventy basis.”

He emphasized, “Of course, you few have the greatest merit, so you must receive a larger share. I won’t let you suffer a loss.”

No one spoke, all looking toward Zhao Mengcheng. Clearly, they wanted to hear his opinion.

Zhao Mengcheng felt this was fair. He nodded and said, “Then let’s do that. Uncle, I’ll have to trouble you to preside over this, otherwise I fear some people might cause trouble.”

“Who would dare cause trouble over a windfall like this? Anyone who makes a fuss won’t get any cotton. They can go back to stuffing their clothes with Reed Fluff.”

The Old Village Chief’s smile widened as he patted Zhao Mengcheng’s shoulder firmly. “You discovered this cotton. Everyone must acknowledge this favor.”

Zhao Mengcheng replied, “Uncle, I actually think there’s no need to be so specific. Last time, the story of the White Dragon saving the children spread like wildfire. People from outside heard half-truths and came to burn incense at my door. It was quite unsettling.”

This was true. It had only slowly quieted down toward the end of the year. The feeling of seeing people burning incense and kowtowing every time he stepped out was indescribable.

“Besides, an immortal showing the way is a good thing. If word gets out and offends the immortal, such good fortune might not come our way again. Don’t you agree?” Zhao Mengcheng emphasized.

The Old Village Chief thought about it and agreed, but he still asked, “What you say makes sense, but are you really going to give up such a good reputation?”

He had his own calculations. Although this part of the mountain was deep, it wasn’t as if no one had ever been here.

The cotton on the mountain couldn’t have grown overnight. Such a wonderful thing had been growing right here in the mountains, yet they had lived at the foot of the mountain for generations without ever finding it.

What did this prove? It proved that Zhao Mengcheng carried great fortune. Perhaps he really had been an immortal in his past life.

Thinking of the White Dragon coming to the rescue during the flood and now the appearance of the cotton, the Old Village Chief was convinced.

“What use do I have for such a reputation?” Zhao Mengcheng waved his hand.

The Old Village Chief’s estimation of him rose even higher. He was capable, favored by heaven, and more importantly, he cared for his fellow villagers. He didn’t forget them when good things happened. His heart was exceptionally broad.

One day, when he himself could no longer work, if Mengcheng could become the Village Chief, Qingshan Village would certainly not fare badly.

This thought flashed by, but it took root in the Old Village Chief’s heart.

The Old Village Chief didn’t mention his inner thoughts. He smiled and said, “Then we won’t be specific. We’ll just say you few found it while hunting on the mountain.”

He then stared at those present and warned, “I know you are all good people, but I fear some in the village might be muddled. If a good thing like this gets distorted as it spreads, it will lose its flavor.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. As for whether they would tell their families when they got home, that was another matter.

The Old Village Chief was anxious to head down the mountain to gather the people. As before, Liu Bingkun carried him down.

On the way, the Old Village Chief patted his son’s shoulder, signaling him to keep up with Zhao Mengcheng. He said, “I plan to wait until the end of the year and set up a separate tablet for the White Dragon in our Ancestral Hall to be worshipped alongside the others.”

Zhao Mengcheng hadn’t expected this sudden inspiration. “Uncle, you can make the decision.”

The Old Village Chief looked at him deeply. “When the time comes, you will be the lead officiant.”

“That wouldn’t be appropriate.” The year-end sacrifice was of the utmost importance. In previous years, the Old Village Chief had always led it himself, with those of high seniority and good reputation standing at the front.

Then it would be the turn of the young men of the Liu Clan. Outsiders like the Zhao Family, who had a different surname, usually stood at the very back.

The Old Village Chief insisted, “There is no one more suitable than you. It’s settled. I’ll speak to the others.”

Zhao Mengcheng could only agree for now.

Once they reached the village, the Old Village Chief wasted no time in gathering the villagers and telling them about the cotton on the mountain.

“The cotton grows in a valley. It needs to be picked and carried out in baskets before it can be used. The women can handle the picking. Every household that can provide labor must do so, otherwise they won’t get a share.”

The villagers had no objection to providing labor. They were only curious. “What is cotton? Is it really warmer than fur?”

Zhao Mengcheng had to explain, “It’s not as warm as fur, but it’s lighter and more breathable. Its warmth is much better than Reed Fluff.”

Auntie Wang shouted loudly, “It really is very warm! It’s easy to work in once you put it on, and very light.”

“There’s actually such a good thing in this world? This is truly an eye-opener.”

“Is it really that warm? Wouldn’t it be more expensive than fur then?”

“Go bring yours over for everyone to see.” Zhao Mengcheng patted Zhao Chun. The boy dashed home and brought back his new cotton-padded clothes.

“This is made of cotton. Everyone can touch it.”

The villagers all reached out to feel it. Every touch brought a look of surprise and wonder.

Zhao Chun warned anxiously, “Be gentle, don’t ruin my clothes.”

“We’ll compensate you with two more later,” the Old Village Chief said with a chuckle.

Zhao Chun insisted, “I just want this one. My dad made this for me.”

Fortunately, the villagers were careful. A simple touch wouldn’t ruin it, so the child wasn’t driven to tears.

After feeling the cotton-padded clothes, the villagers all shouted, “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get up the mountain!”

“We’re all free at the end of the year. My family has twelve people, big and small, who can all work.”

“Village Chief, let’s hurry.”

The Old Village Chief coughed, reminding them, “Let me say the unpleasant part first. These few discovered it. Originally, it all belonged to them. Now they are selflessly sharing it with everyone. In all fairness, they should be given extra.”

“That’s only right. We have no objection to that,” Liu Fengshou said.

The other villagers also nodded, feeling that this was the proper way to do things. In their hearts, they were quite grateful.

The Old Village Chief finished laying out the rules, then made the final decision. “We’ll divide into three groups. One group will go up the mountain to pick, one group will transport it, and the others will work with Mengcheng to make the tools for Cotton Fluffing. Then we can start fluffing the cotton immediately.”

He glanced again at the excited children. “Don’t bring the little ones up the mountain to avoid trouble. Let them stay in the village and wait to help with the cotton ginning and seed collection.”

On the way back, Zhao Mengcheng had mentioned that the White Dragon couldn’t possibly bring them cotton every year. However, they could save the seeds to plant themselves, ensuring they would have enough cotton from then on.

The Old Village Chief deeply agreed.

With his command, the villagers took up their respective roles, working with great enthusiasm.

Halfway there, Liu Bingkun suddenly realized something was wrong. “I didn’t see anyone from Zhao Laoda’s family. He’s lame and can’t climb the mountain, but surely his wife and children should be working?”

“Hey, did you guys forget to call them just now?”

The young man who had gone to notify the Zhao family felt wronged. “I called them! They even answered, but what can I do if they didn’t show up?”

“They really answered?”

“Really. I wasn’t the only one who heard it; Lao Liu heard it too.”

“I heard it,” Lao Liu added. “They said they were home, but then there was no more sound.”

Liu Bingkun was also annoyed. “Go call them one more time. Tell them if they don’t work, they won’t get a share in the end. Don’t let them slack off now and then throw a tantrum demanding cotton later.”

Finally, he shook his head. “To be brothers from the same parents, they really are worlds apart.”

The young man dashed back toward the village, shouting breathlessly, “Zhao Laoda! The Village Chief said that if you don’t help out this time, you won’t get a share. Don’t try to play foul when the time comes!”

There was no response from inside.

The young man raised his hand and pounded on the door. “Did you hear me? If you don’t answer, I’m breaking in, just so you can’t say I didn’t notify you!”

“We heard you, we heard you! Who cares about a few flowers?” an impatient voice cursed from inside.

The young man’s face darkened. He didn’t bother saying anything else and ran off.

Inside the house, Zhao Laoda and his wife sat facing each other with gloomy expressions. On the table sat only a bowl of pickles and two bowls of thin porridge, so clear they could serve as mirrors.

After slurping it down, Zhao Dasao wiped her mouth, still feeling hungry. Their food supply was almost gone.

She stole a glance at her husband. “Father of my children, shouldn’t we find a way to buy some grain? If this keeps up, we won’t even make it through the New Year.”

Zhao Wencheng’s leg throbbed with pain. He had been left with a permanent limp, and his temper had grown increasingly foul. He could no longer even maintain his facade of being honest and kind.

He slapped the table. “That requires money! Do you have any silver?”

Zhao Dasao shrank back. “Maybe I should go find Mancang again.”

Zhao Laoda knit his brows. “He’s at a critical juncture right now. We can’t hold him back. Go ask the villagers to borrow some grain instead. Every household has stores.”

Zhao Dasao didn’t dare speak up. The others were unwilling to lend to them. “I want to, but they won’t even open their doors when they see me.”

Zhao Laoda glared at her. “Can’t you just cry at their doorstep? If you cry until their hearts soften, they’ll give you a bowl. A bowl from each house would be enough to last us until next spring.”

Zhao Dasao thought to herself, if it’s such an embarrassing thing, why don’t you go? But she didn’t dare say it aloud.

“The Village Chief is getting more senile by the day. It’s almost the New Year, yet he’s making a fuss over some flowers. You can’t eat flowers and you can’t sell them, yet he wants us to do free labor,” Zhao Wencheng complained.

In the dead of winter, his clothes were so thin he didn’t even want to leave his bed. The Village Chief actually expected them to go up the mountain to work; it was clearly a deliberate attempt to make them suffer.

Besides, they weren’t even being paid. Only a fool would go.

Zhao Dasao hesitated. “Could it be something good? Otherwise, why would they all be rushing there? Even the children next door have gone out.”

“As if anything good would ever fall to us. The Village Chief only looks out for his own Liu Clan,” Zhao Wencheng scoffed.

Zhao Dasao thought about it and figured he was right. Judging others by their own standards, she assumed that if it were anything truly good, people would keep it quiet for their own families. How could they let the whole village know?

Suddenly, Zhao Wencheng asked, “What about Xiaohua? Why hasn’t there been any news from her side?”

Thinking of her daughter, Zhao Dasao felt a pang of worry, but she cursed irritably, “She said she’d take us to enjoy a life of fortune, but instead, she’s off eating and drinking the best while forgetting her parents who are stuck eating husks and thin porridge.”

The two continued their complaining, having no intention of going out to work.

Translator’s Notes