Chapter 150 – The Right Way to Gain Favor (Part 8)
The Young Boy heard the sound and instinctively stopped crying, gazing pitifully with wide, watery eyes at the Black-Faced Man before bursting into tears and scampering two steps towards his companions. Despite their young age, these children were surprisingly wary.
In today’s world, there are many who would sell their children for profit, and numerous schemes to abduct kids for sale.
In this entire farmstead, only a few Tenant Farmers resided, and they were all somewhat familiar with one another. The moment they spotted a strange man—an exceptionally ugly Black-Faced Man—could they not be startled? A couple of children shrieked as they scattered, attracting the attention of adults working nearby.
These days, the heartless traffickers of children abound, and Women often gathered to discuss the mundane matters of daily life, usually revolving around trivialities like household items. Occasionally, the gossip would concern which child had been snatched by a wild wolf or whose offspring had gone missing due to negligence and sold away, leaving families tragically torn apart.
To prevent such tragedies from befalling their own homes, adults frequently told their children horror stories about child trafficking or wild wolves abducting kids to raise their vigilance against strangers and to keep them from wandering off.
As the shrieks of the children pierced the air, two men working in the fields hurried over, shovels in hand.
“Get away! What do you want? Keep your distance from the kids, or I’ll smack you with this shovel!”
One Tenant Farmer threatened with his hoe, while the other protectively shielded the startled child. The two men glared at the Black-Faced Man as if he were a child trafficker. “I’ll warn you, this is a Noble’s farmstead, so if you don’t want trouble, get lost!”
The Black-Faced Man wore tattered clothing, with some parts torn, revealing his bronze skin underneath. He looked far from innocent, especially with the children now in tears, prompting even more suspicion from the Tenant Farmers.
The Black-Faced Man’s cheeks reddened, a hint of embarrassment in his expression as he waved his hands, signaling the Tenant Farmers that he meant no harm. However, with his face so black and smeared with some grime, it was impossible to tell if he was blushing.
“N-no, it’s not… I’m not a bad person… No need to be like this, I’m just a passerby… D-don’t do this…”
He took a small step closer, but rather than easing their suspicions, the two men became even more vigilant.
Putting aside his size—this Black-Faced Man was notably tall and burly, towering a whole head above them. Even in his worn-out clothing, he exuded an imposing presence.
One of the Tenant Farmers exchanged a glance with his companion and said, “If you’re just passing through, then move along quickly.”
Rubbing his hands awkwardly, the Black-Faced Man said, “Uh, c-can I borrow a bit of water… I’ve been on the road for several days, my straw sandals are worn out, and I haven’t eaten much… I… was wondering if you two gentlemen could help me out…”
At this point, the two Tenant Farmers noticed that the Black-Faced Man’s straw sandals were completely worn down, showing several grimy toes, and upon catching their gaze, he shifted uncomfortably, revealing some blisters mixed with blood.
Seeing the Black-Faced Man’s pitiful appearance and sensing no malice, the two Tenant Farmers softened. Times were tough for everyone.
Lowering their guard, one of the Tenant Farmers sighed in relief; as long as he wasn’t a child trafficker or a bandit from the mountains, things were manageable. The farmstead was relatively simple-minded and generous towards passing travelers, letting someone borrow a bit of water wasn’t unusual.
“Looks like your sandals are worn out; if you don’t mind, you can use this pair of mine.”
Saying so, one Tenant Farmer took off a clean pair of straw sandals hanging on his shoulder and offered them to the Black-Faced Man.
Given the wear and tear from farming, Tenant Farmers tended to keep an extra pair handy.
“Uh, I… can’t take this…” the Black-Faced Man stammered, appearing quite embarrassed. However, after much insistence from his benefactor, he carefully slipped into the new and clearly freshly-made sandals. “Thank you, good sir.”
The Black-Faced Man’s large feet completely covered the entire sandal, leaving parts of his soles exposed.
“Hey, it’s nothing,” the Tenant Farmer chuckled kindly, setting down his hoe. With the other hand, he affectionately ruffled the hair of the Young Boy clinging to his trousers, saying, “Don’t take it to heart; these days, there are too many child abductors around. Just recently, I heard that three kids went missing from the nearby village—their mother was heartbroken.”
The Black-Faced Man did not take offense but instead smiled as he replied, “That’s true; the world is so chaotic now. Children should be watched closely. These little ones are all right, at least they know how to cry and call for help. In my old village, if a child was taken, it was done in silence.”
With that topic broached, the Tenant Farmer felt a bit more favorable towards the Black-Faced Man.
“It’s almost mealtime; why not come to my home for something to eat? That little rascal scared you earlier.”
The Tenant Farmer gave a light tap to the Young Boy still clinging to his pants, his expression radiating warmth and affection.
Clearly, the crying child who had bumped into the Black-Faced Man was part of this Tenant Farmer’s family.
With the hoe over his shoulder, the Tenant Farmer picked up the mischievous child and led the other kids back to the farmstead like a shepherd with sheep.
The Black-Faced Man followed alongside at a relaxed pace, sighing, “One rarely sees such spirited children these days…”
“Isn’t that the truth? In times like these, even adults can hardly find enough to eat. Where’s the money to raise kids?” the Tenant Farmer remarked somberly before, shaking off the sorrowful look, proudly added, “I’m lucky to have landed a good master; otherwise, life would be quite unbearable.”
The Black-Faced Man chose not to pry further and accompanied the Tenant Farmer to his home. The Tenant Farmer then called out towards the house.
“Wife, are the pancakes ready? Bring over two and boil some water!”
“Just knowing you’re back, why are you shouting? You trying to wake the dead?”
A Woman dressed in coarse hemp clothing, yet clean, emerged from the house, carrying two steaming pancakes.
The Tenant Farmer gestured, “Pour some hot water for this big brother here so he can warm himself up.”
The Black-Faced Man was about to say that he’d make do with some cold water, but the Woman had already briskly entered the house, scolding as she walked, “You think you’re special? Of course you need hot water; wood doesn’t cost us anything, you know.”
“Wasn’t it the mistress who said that drinking cold water is bad for your health? I only ask you to boil some, and you’re arguing with me…”
Though this couple bickered, it was evident to anyone watching that their relationship was quite affectionate.
