Chapter 6

It is said that time flies and the years pass swiftly. In the blink of an eye, it was already deep autumn, with withered branches and fallen leaves, and the grass and trees were withering, presenting a desolate scene. In the fields where the crops had already been harvested, a few dry corn stalks stood here and there, creating a bleak and empty landscape.

The villagers of Dongfeng Village had finally finished their year's farming work. With a bit of joy from the harvest, they began to prepare for winter, ready to face the biting cold winds and the vast, snow-covered mountains.

At this time of year, every household started pickling vegetables such as cabbage, peppers, beans, and cucumbers, and storing many kinds of vegetables like Chinese cabbage, potatoes, and radishes in the cellars. The northern winter is long, and these vegetables would last for half a year, so they couldn't be taken lightly.

After the villagers finished all this, there was nothing much left to do. In their free time, they would visit each other, chat idly, play a few rounds of cards, and wait contentedly for the spring planting of the following year.

In contrast, Wang Baoyu, a well-known loafer in Dongfeng Village, had swept away his usual laziness and spent his days locked in his room, diligently studying the "Mai Yi Shen Xiang" (The Divine Physiognomy of Master Mai). At first, it seemed like a book from heaven, full of unfamiliar characters and diagrams, but Wang Baoyu persisted, studying and researching it repeatedly. As the saying goes, "A book read a hundred times will reveal its meaning," and gradually, Wang Baoyu began to understand some of the descriptions in the book. With his good grasp of Chinese literature from junior high school and the help of the "Xinhua Dictionary," he was now able to grasp the basics.

Perhaps he was naturally suited for this field. The more Wang Baoyu studied, the more interested he became, to the point of neglecting sleep and meals. Moreover, Wang Baoyu had an ambition. He didn't want to be like his godfather, who spent his whole life only looking at feng shui. Who would always be moving graves and building houses? So, at the end of the year, his godfather wouldn't save much money. Wang Baoyu had his own plans early on. He wanted to have a comprehensive knowledge, combining feng shui, physiognomy, and fortune-telling. More skills wouldn't weigh him down. It's like a department store; if one thing doesn't sell, another will, and in the end, it's all about making money.

Seeing his son's progress, Jia Zhengdao was very pleased and would personally teach him some knowledge and experience when he had the time. But as soon as it got dark, Jia Zhengdao would urge Wang Baoyu to go to bed early. The reason was simple: the study of a scholar is vast and profound, not something learned in a day or two. Wang Baoyu was young, and he had a long future ahead of him. Why waste electricity by keeping the lights on at night? Lin Zhaodi also often reminded Wang Baoyu to rest early, mainly out of concern for his health, fearing he would tire himself out. So, from time to time, Lin Zhaodi would secretly slip a hot, red-skinned egg into Wang Baoyu's hand.

After two months, Wang Baoyu had gained some knowledge and was no longer the same. Now, Wang Baoyu knew that everyone's face has important features such as the forehead, chin, cheekbones, eyes, eyebrows, nose, and mouth. Of course, this was obvious; everyone knows these features. More precisely, through his studies, Wang Baoyu learned that the height and color of these features are crucial for face reading. A person's character, luck, lifespan, and health can all be discerned from these features.

Of course, Li Xiuzhi had come to see him, still asking when she could have a big, healthy baby. Through his studies, Wang Baoyu was no longer a naive young bull unafraid of tigers. He believed he shouldn't make things up anymore. He hadn't learned enough to speak without thinking, and as a scholar, he needed to be honest. So he evaded Li Xiuzhi by saying that such matters were best seen in the spring when everything was blooming. At this time, everything was withering and lifeless, which was not conducive to conceiving a child. Li Xiuzhi was reasonable and didn't press the issue further.

Wang Baoyu studied while secretly observing the people around him, trying to apply what he had learned in practice. He noticed that his godfather, Jia Zhengdao, though he seemed to have a bit of a sage's aura at first glance, it was mainly due to his beard. His eyes lacked vitality, and his ears were lower than his eyebrows, which meant he wouldn't achieve great fame.

As for his godmother, Lin Zhaodi, though she was small and thin, her eyes radiated kindness, and her posture was upright and focused. She was a person of good character. The reason she had no children was probably due to her dry and withered appearance, indicating a lack of kidney energy.

Wang Baoyu, of course, also looked at himself in the mirror. This observation was significant. He found that his forehead and chin were well-formed, his eyes and eyebrows were good, and especially his ears, which were very white, even whiter than his face. The physiognomy book said, "If the ears are whiter than the face, one will be famous throughout the world." Although Wang Baoyu didn't aspire to bring glory to his ancestors or be known throughout the four seas, this boosted his confidence. He thought to himself, "With this good face, I won't end up as a hardworking farmer!"

With this confidence, Wang Baoyu looked down on the villagers who gossiped all day. He no longer joined in the commotion and spent his free time reading books at home. The neighbors all said that Baoyu had grown up and become more mature.

As for why Li Xiuzhi had no children, Wang Baoyu couldn't figure it out. Li Xiuzhi had a plump figure, a rosy complexion, and a full chest, especially her large buttocks, which should have made her a good candidate for having a child. Why didn't she have any?

But as the saying goes, "Old ginger is the spiciest." It was during a chat between his godfather Jia Zhengdao and godmother Lin Zhaodi that Wang Baoyu understood the situation. His godfather said, "Zhang Dazhu is a pity; he looks small everywhere!"

It seemed that having a child was a job for two people, as Wang Baoyu had learned in his junior high school "Physiology and Health" textbook. Li Xiuzhi's problem was likely with Zhang Dazhu, who was small and withered, spoke in a mosquito-like voice, and lacked energy. His vitality in that area was probably not strong either.

One morning after breakfast, Wang Baoyu was somewhat excited. He tidied himself up, put on a clean Zhongshan suit, and even washed his hair, carefully parting it down the middle until the line was perfectly straight. After everything was in order, he carried his godfather's compass bag and followed Jia Zhengdao out of the door, heading straight for the home of the village chief, Ma Shunxi. Today was Wang Baoyu's first day of real practical training.

Ma Shunxi had set the date for moving his father's grave to the eighth day of the ninth lunar month. At this time, there was already a chill in the air, but Ma Shunxi's home was particularly lively, with people coming and going, making a lot of noise. If you didn't know better, you might think they were celebrating a wedding.

In the middle of the courtyard, a large iron pot had already been set up, and the hot water inside was boiling. A few men were dragging a squealing pig into the courtyard to prepare for the slaughter, while Chef Ding was sweating profusely, sharpening his cleaver. A few women, laughing and joking, were cleaning the chicken intestines, and a gentle breeze blew, scattering chicken feathers everywhere.

Near the entrance to the courtyard, a gift table was set up, and the village accountant, Zhang Shiqu, was recording the gifts. A few villagers, holding crumpled bills, were gathered there.