Atypical Blood Clan Contract - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Rural Village

In the afternoon, as soon as the school bell rang, students rushed out of their classrooms in a frenzy.

“Qin Xiaoyou, wait a moment,” the homeroom teacher called out, stopping him in his tracks.

Qin Xiaoyou froze, his heart pounding with anxiety. Was he going to be kept after school? He’d been behaving well lately, completing all his homework and never being late to class.

“T-Teacher Xu…” Qin Xiaoyou shuffled over to the homeroom teacher, tilted his head back, and asked pitifully, “I-Is there something wrong?”

Seeing his frightened expression, Teacher Xu chuckled and patted his head. “Teacher Huo wants to see you. It’s not detention, so don’t worry.”

Hearing he wouldn’t be kept after school, Qin Xiaoyou let out a long sigh of relief and grinned foolishly.

“Go on now. Teacher Huo is waiting for you in the office,” the homeroom teacher said, patting his thin back.

“Understood!” Qin Xiaoyou saluted smartly, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and headed toward the administration building.

The teachers’ office building was newly constructed, its walls painted a pristine white. The two-story structure housed twelve offices in total. Huo Yuan, being from the city, received special treatment from the principal and was given his own private office.

Qin Xiaoyou stood nervously at the office door, wondering what Teacher Huo wanted. Had they been caught passing notes in class with Shi Dahai?

After hesitating for a moment, Qin Xiaoyou steeled his courage and knocked.

“Come in,” Huo Yuan’s warm, mid-range voice called from inside.

Qin Xiaoyou pushed the door open, bowed to the teacher, and said, “Good afternoon, Teacher Huo.”

It never hurts to be polite, he thought.

Huo Yuan smiled warmly and stepped forward to pat Qin Xiaoyou on the head. “Hello, Classmate Qin.”

Startled by the sudden touch, Qin Xiaoyou straightened up, his clear black-and-white eyes wide with confusion.

Given their significant height difference, Huo Yuan invited Qin Xiaoyou to sit in the nearby chair while he pulled up a low stool. This brought them face-to-face at eye level.

“Relax,” Huo Yuan said kindly. “Think of me as a friend. Let’s just chat casually.”

Qin Xiaoyou shifted in his seat, straightening his posture. “Oh… what do you want to talk about?”

“That day… you saw the body, didn’t you?”

Qin Xiaoyou’s pupils constricted as he met Huo Yuan’s deep, dark eyes. A sudden wave of dizziness washed over him, as if his soul were being sucked into a bottomless abyss. His body went limp, and then he remembered nothing more.

Half an hour later, Qin Xiaoyou left Huo Yuan’s office. The moment he stepped out of the school gate, he jolted, turning back in confusion.

“Xiaoyou—”

“Ah? Brother?” Qin Xiaoyou jumped at the sight of Qin Lin.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Lin asked, concerned by his brother’s dazed expression.

“N-nothing,” Qin Xiaoyou shook his head, then asked, “Aren’t you home yet, Brother?”

“The Junior High Entrance Examination is in a month. Teacher Xu has been adding an extra class every day lately.”

Although Chongxia Nation had eleven years of compulsory education, only students with excellent grades could get into top schools. As a fifth-grade model student, Qin Lin was a priority for the school, with hopes of becoming the first student from Wanhong Primary School to be admitted to Town First Middle School.

“Oh, then let’s go home together,” Qin Xiaoyou said, taking his brother’s hand.

“Just now, you were…” Qin Lin started, then trailed off.

“What?” Qin Xiaoyou asked, confused.

“…kept behind after class? I saw everyone else had already gone home,” Qin Lin said, narrowing his eyes.

“No, that’s not it!” Qin Xiaoyou protested, flustered. “Teacher Huo wanted to talk to me about something.”

“Teacher Huo?” Qin Lin asked, his brow furrowing as he noticed his brother’s flushed face. “What about?”

Qin Xiaoyou frowned, struggling to remember. “…Soccer… That’s right! He said he was forming a soccer team and asked if I wanted to join.”

Strange, there seemed to be more to it than just that… something else… I can’t remember.

“A soccer team?” Qin Lin murmured.

The school’s physical education curriculum wasn’t yet standardized, and the students had only just been introduced to soccer. Why would Teacher Huo want to form a team already?

What good would playing soccer do? Academic success was what truly mattered!

Qin Lin pulled his brother away from the school, intending to give him a serious talk once they got home.

Playing games will only distract him from his studies!

—

Qin Xiaoyou wanted to go to Mr. Li’s villa, but his brother Qin Lin kept a close eye on him, forcing him to reluctantly return home.

Wang Chunlan, who was washing clothes in the courtyard, saw the brothers enter and shook the water from her hands. She smiled and asked, “Oh, you’re both back?”

“Mm,” Qin Lin replied.

“Mom, is there anything to eat? I’m hungry,” Qin Xiaoyou said, tossing his backpack onto the bench in the entryway and rubbing his flat stomach. He usually went to Mr. Li’s house around this time and enjoyed delicious cookies there.

Wang Chunlan gave him a light glare. “Eat, eat, eat! That’s all you ever think about.”

Qin Xiaoyou stuck his tongue out at her and retorted defiantly, “I’m still growing!”

Wang Chunlan measured her younger son’s height against her elder son’s with a critical eye, shaking her head in disapproval. “You eat more than your brother, but you’ve barely grown a few centimeters. Feeding you is less rewarding than feeding a pig!”

Qin Xiaoyou’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Are you really my own mother?”

Who compares their son to a pig?

And—

He glanced sideways at Qin Lin, who towered over him by a head, and felt a pang of envy.

We both eat white rice, so why is Brother growing so much faster?

Qin Lin was long accustomed to his younger brother’s envious glances. He patted Xiaoyou’s head and entered the house as if nothing had happened.

“Do your homework early,” he said, before heading upstairs to his study with his usual self-discipline.

Wang Chunlan picked up the rinsed clothes and said to Xiaoyou, “Learn from your brother.”

Xiaoyou puffed out his cheeks and rubbed his stomach, whining, “I’m hungry!”

Wang Chunlan’s heart softened. While wringing out the clothes, she said, “There are roasted sweet potatoes in the stove. Be careful not to burn yourself when you take them out. Bring one for your brother too.”

Xiaoyou’s eyes lit up at the mention of roasted sweet potatoes. He gave a scout salute and said sweetly, “Mom’s the best in the world!”

Wang Chunlan gritted her teeth and splashed water at him. “Get lost! Do your homework right after you finish the sweet potatoes!”

“Okay, okay!” Xiaoyou slung his backpack over his shoulder and darted into the house like a monkey. He rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a fire poker, and fished out two blackened roasted sweet potatoes from the stove.

The sweet potatoes were still hot. He reached for one, hissed in pain, and quickly pinched his earlobe to cool his fingers. After a moment, he pulled a thin notebook from his backpack, tore out two used pages, and carefully wrapped the roasted sweet potatoes.

Climbing to the second floor, Qin Xiaoyou entered the study to find Qin Lin sitting upright at his desk, doing homework. He plopped the paper-wrapped sweet potato onto the desk.

“Here, for you.”

Qin Lin put down his pen, glanced at the large sweet potato on the desk, then at the smaller one in his brother’s hand. “I’m not very hungry. You can have the big one.”

Qin Xiaoyou licked his lips and blinked his cat-like, bright eyes. “Are you sure?”

Qin Lin snatched the smaller sweet potato from his hand and expertly peeled off the charcoal-like skin, revealing the vibrant red flesh beneath. The fragrant aroma filled the room. “Hurry up and eat. Then get back to your homework.”

Qin Xiaoyou grinned, grabbed the larger sweet potato, and settled at his own desk, peeling and devouring it with relish.

The sweet potatoes had been freshly harvested from the garden on the mountain. When their mother cooked, she would tuck a few into the earthen stove to roast alongside the rice. By the time the meal was ready, the sweet potatoes would be perfectly cooked.

After finishing the sweet potato, Qin Xiaoyou patted his half-full stomach contentedly and resignedly pulled out his homework. Half an hour later, Wang Chunlan’s voice echoed from downstairs: “Xiao Lin, Xiaoyou, dinner’s ready!”

Qin Xiaoyou immediately dropped his pen and dashed out of the study. Qin Lin, having finished the last math problem, neatly closed his workbook and calmly walked downstairs.

Dinner was lavish, featuring Qin Xiaoyou’s favorite dish: salt-and-pepper river shrimp.

In May, river shrimp were plump with roe. Villagers could scoop up a plateful with a single net cast into the river. Whether boiled or braised, they were delicious, but the salt-and-pepper preparation was the most flavorful.

Qin Xiaoyou grabbed a shrimp, popped it into his mouth, and devoured it whole—shell, head, and all. The crispy, savory treat whetted his appetite.

Seeing her younger son’s enthusiasm, Wang Chunlan placed a large river shrimp in his bowl. “Why did you come home with your brother today?”

As far as she knew, elementary school dismissed at 4:30 PM for grades one through four. Fifth graders stayed until 5:00 PM for extra classes to prepare for middle school entrance exams. Xiaoyou and Xiao Lin returning together at this hour seemed off.

“Did you go across the river again?” Wang Chunlan frowned.

Accused by his mother, Qin Xiaoyou vehemently denied it. “No! Teacher Huo needed to talk to me!”

Wang Chunlan’s frown deepened. “Teacher Huo needed to talk to you… Were you kept after class?”

Seeing his mother raise her chopsticks to tap his head, Qin Xiaoyou swiftly stood up and hid behind his older brother, Qin Feiyue. “I wasn’t kept after class! Teacher Huo wants to start a soccer team and asked if I wanted to join!”

“Really?” Wang Chunlan put down her chopsticks and looked at her eldest son.

Qin Lin swallowed his mouthful of rice and nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

Wang Chunlan glared at Qin Xiaoyou. “Why are you hiding?”

Qin Xiaoyou returned to his seat, picked up his chopsticks, and stuffed a large river shrimp into his mouth, muttering through his mouthful, “Dad, look at Mom! She never trusts me.”

Qin Feiyue raised his wine glass and took a sip. “You only have yourself to blame for your track record.”

Qin Xiaoyou puffed out his cheeks in anger and buried his face in his bowl.

In this family, he was definitely the least respected.

Wang Chunlan placed a piece of braised pork in Qin Xiaoyou’s bowl, which he devoured without hesitation.

Many families in the village were poor and couldn’t afford meat every meal. Their family’s circumstances were average; they could dress plainly, but they refused to skimp on food.

With both sons still growing, meat, eggs, and milk were essential.

“Forget about the soccer team,” Wang Chunlan said. “Your grades are just average. You’d be better off studying hard instead of wasting time playing soccer.”

Qin Feiyue set down his cup and countered, “There’s nothing wrong with kids getting some exercise.”

Wang Chunlan raised her voice. “Didn’t you hear him say he wants to start a soccer team? How much time will that take away from his studies?”

Qin Feiyue suddenly shrank, abandoning his principles to side with his wife. He patted his younger son’s head and said kindly, “Your mother’s right!”

Qin Xiaoyou’s eyes widened, his cheeks puffing out like a little green frog.

Dad has no backbone at all!

While he had been kicking a soccer ball with classmates after school lately, he still hesitated about committing to a formal team.

But children have a rebellious streak—the more their parents object, the more they want to do it.

“I already promised Teacher Huo,” Qin Xiaoyou said through gritted teeth. “A person has to keep their word!”

Wang Chunlan gripped her chopsticks, raising her arm to strike his head.

Qin Xiaoyou stood his ground, refusing to flinch.

His unwavering stance made Wang Chunlan hesitate.

“Alright, alright, just eat your dinner,” Qin Feiyue urged.

Qin Lin finished the last grain of rice in his bowl, stood up, and asked, “Mom, what’s burning in the pot? It smells scorched.”

“Oh no! My black chicken soup!” Wang Chunlan dashed into the kitchen like a whirlwind.

Qin Lin glanced at Qin Xiaoyou and picked up his empty bowl. “Students should prioritize their studies.”

Qin Xiaoyou stuck his tongue out at him. “I don’t want to be a bookworm like you.”

Qin Lin remained calm despite being called a bookworm. “While grades aren’t the only measure of a student’s worth, you can’t get into a good university without good grades. If you want to make something of yourself, you need to study hard.”

Qin Xiaoyou poked at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks, saying nothing.

Qin Feiyue looked from his elder son to his younger son, then chuckled. “Your brother’s right. Your generation is lucky to have good national policies that allow you to study. Unlike your mother and me, who barely know how to read and write and have spent our lives working for others.”

He sighed and continued, “I had a childhood friend named Liu Dajiang. He was smart and hardworking, studying on his own while herding cattle. He not only got into the town’s high school but later gained admission to a prestigious university in the city. After graduating, he started his own factory and became a wealthy entrepreneur in just five years. Ten years ago, he moved his family into a grand villa in the city, travels in luxury cars, and lives a life of great prestige.”

“I don’t expect too much from you two. Just get into university, learn a useful skill, and be able to support yourselves.”

Qin Feiyue spoke earnestly.

Qin Lin nodded and took his bowl to the kitchen.

Qin Xiaoyou bared his teeth and muttered, “I never said I wouldn’t study hard.”

What can I do if my brain isn’t as sharp as my brother’s?

Qin Feiyue refilled his glass and sipped slowly.

Wang Chunlan rescued the black-boned chicken soup, exhaled deeply, and turned to see her eldest son entering with an empty bowl. “Drinking it now or later?” she asked.

This black-boned chicken was one they had raised themselves. To nourish the frightened Qin Xiaoyou, Wang Chunlan had reluctantly slaughtered one and simmered it for four or five hours until it became a rich broth.

There was plenty of soup—enough for the family to enjoy for two meals.

Qin Lin set the bowl in the sink and shook his head. “Later.”

He was too full from dinner to drink any now.

“Then I’ll keep it warm,” Wang Chunlan said, covering the pot and returning to the table. “Xiaoyou, do you want some black-boned chicken soup?”

Qin Xiaoyou patted his round belly. “I can’t eat anymore.”

Wang Chunlan didn’t press him, planning to serve him some soup after eight o’clock. “About the soccer team… I’ll go talk to Teacher Huo at school tomorrow.”

And finally see how handsome he really is.

Qin Xiaoyou mumbled in agreement and headed upstairs.

“Take your bowl to the kitchen sink!” Wang Chunlan called after him.

He ran a few steps, then doubled back, grabbed his empty bowl and chopsticks, and hurried into the kitchen. Moments later, he was clattering up the stairs.

“That rascal!” Wang Chunlan muttered, turning to see Qin Feiyue pouring himself another drink. She reached out to stop him. “Old Qin, how many glasses have you had?”

“Second,” Qin Feiyue said sheepishly.

“Second?” Wang Chunlan snatched the bottle from his hand. “There was half a bottle left yesterday, and now it’s almost empty!”

Qin Feiyue chuckled awkwardly. “The salt-and-pepper shrimp was too good. I just kept drinking without realizing it.”

Wang Chunlan slammed the bottle down and snatched his glass away. “Xiaoyou inherited your stubbornness,” she snapped. “That’s why he hates studying.”

“Hey… how is that my fault?” Qin Feiyue protested. “Besides, I loved reading as a kid! It’s just that we were too poor to send me to school. Maybe… he inherited it from you…”

“From me?” Wang Chunlan rolled up her sleeves menacingly.

Seeing his wife’s burly arms, Qin Feiyue immediately backed down. “Um… don’t you think Xiaoyou seems much better today?”

Wang Chunlan paused, surprised.

Qin Feiyue pointed upstairs and lowered his voice. “After what happened to Ah Lan, I was afraid he’d be traumatized. He hasn’t been his usual lively self.”

Wang Chunlan thought for a moment, then clasped her hands together. “The ritual worked! The Lord of the Three Teachings has answered our prayers!”

Qin Feiyue surreptitiously retrieved his wine glass and raised it eastward. “To the Lord of the Three Teachings!” he declared. “Thank you for saving our Xiaoyou.”

He drained the glass in one gulp.

Author’s Note:

Mr. Li sat on the sofa, sipping black tea. A plate of cookies sat on the coffee table.

The little one didn’t come today either…