Chapter 36: Something Special!

Li Siyu stood frozen in place, pondering for a long while before asking, "Is this what you meant by the correct way to raise a cub?"

Zhang Hao nodded emphatically. "Exactly. That’s just how they need to be raised. Look how lively the little guy is now."

Hearing this, Li Siyu studied the cub carefully once more. It had to be said that its condition did look excellent; it was spirited and far more active, even nuzzling against her feet. She leaned down and scooped the still-slender cub into her arms. Watching its eyes, which had yet to open, and its tiny black nose twitching incessantly to sniff the air, her lips curled into a smile.

Seeing this, Zhang Hao’s own lips tugged upward.

"I’m going to go cook now; I’ll leave the cub to you." Li Siyu set the cub back on the ground, letting it wander as it pleased, and turned to head into the kitchen to begin her chores. Zhang Hao remained in his chair, keeping a watchful eye on the cub's every movement.

Over an hour later, the scent of a meal began to waft from the kitchen. Soon, Li Siyu emerged wearing an indigo Hanfu. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, carried a freshly cooked dish in one hand, and stepped over the threshold with a slight lift of her skirt. Zhang Hao immediately reached out to take it from her and carried it into the main hall.

As the dishes were laid out on the table, Zhang Hao placed the remaining crushed "Dipsacus" (Teasel Root) into the cub’s bowl. The two sat facing each other in the main hall, with bowls and chopsticks prepared.

Guided by the scent, the cub wandered shakily toward the bowl with its eyes still shut. Before it began to eat, it lifted its head and let out a "Awoo-awoo!" The cry, tinged with a milky tone, sounded like a declaration that dinner had begun. As soon as it finished, it buried its head in the bowl and began to feast heartily.

Zhang Hao and Li Siyu exchanged a smile.

"It even knows when the food smells good now."

"Eat up."

"You got it."

...

Once they had finished their meal, Zhang Hao cleaned up, Li Siyu went to her room to rest, and the cub returned to its cage for a comfortable nap. With his chores finished, Zhang Hao went back to his side room. Instead of resting, he picked up the *Travelogues of the Mountain Wanderer* and began to browse through it again.

Today, through the fortune teller, he had confirmed the exact date and time of the Fox Wedding. Now, he had to prepare the necessary items to attend. As he looked at the requirements listed in the book, his scalp began to tingle.

[Shroud cloth from a burial, specifically a piece from the hair-wrapping shroud.]
[A butcher’s knife, soaked in blood for many years; discard the handle, keep the blade.]
[A graveyard tree, cut at the three-inch-six mark; dig up the roots and bring them along.]
[Ash from ten different households; it must not be taken by force, only requested, and all must be from women.]
[A tear from a widow during a funeral lament; a single drop will suffice.]

Just looking at this list, Zhang Hao felt that the task set before him would be nearly impossible to complete in six days. Still, although these items seemed strange, he knew they possessed mystical properties. Only by preparing them could he attend the Fox Wedding.

The shroud cloth was manageable; he only needed to borrow a bit from a grieving family. That task was reasonable. The butcher's knife was even easier; his relationship with the village butcher wasn't exactly close, but after yesterday’s events, asking for the knife wouldn't be a problem. The graveyard tree was also straightforward—there were plenty of graves in the mountains, and he could just ask a family for permission to take one.

The difficulty lay in the final two items: the ashes from ten households, which had to be from women, and the widow’s tear. Imagine if someone suddenly walked into your home, asked to dig up your family grave, and requested the ashes of your deceased loved one. Wouldn't you think they were insane? Wouldn't you throw them out? The answer was almost certainly yes.

The widow's tear was not inherently difficult to obtain, but it was a matter of luck. If a family suffered a loss and was left with only a widow, asking for a single tear during the mourning period wouldn't necessarily cause much offense. But the timing was the issue—it was a matter of chance. In these three neighboring villages, people passed away from time to time, but it was rare for a husband to die unexpectedly, leaving only a widow. He couldn't possibly commit some heinous crime just to obtain a single tear... No, that was absolutely out of the question.

These two items seemed incredibly difficult to secure. The ashes would require careful negotiation and a well-thought-out excuse to avoid being chased away. As for the widow's tear... well, he would have to wait and see. If he were lucky, he might encounter such a situation. If not... then perhaps it simply wasn't his fate to attend the Fox Wedding.

With this thought, Zhang Hao put away the *Travelogues of the Mountain Wanderer* and lay down on the wooden bed to rest.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he blinked his eyes open, feeling a bit groggy. He checked the time; he had slept for about an hour. He rose from the bed, stretched comfortably, and walked out of the side room into the courtyard.

The cub had crawled out of its cage and was lying on the bluestone, enjoying the sun. The main hall door was open, but Li Siyu was nowhere to be seen. She must have gone to tend the fields. Zhang Hao didn't dwell on it. He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the harsh sunlight and stared straight toward the mountains. After a long silence, he sighed softly.

Whether or not he could attend the Fox Wedding, he had to start preparing. He would start with the easiest task. With that in mind, he stepped down from the porch and headed toward the gate. As he passed the cub, he knelt to stroke its smooth, black-and-gold fur. The little creature was sound asleep, showing no signs of waking.

He rose, exited the courtyard, and followed the bumpy, dry dirt paths into the village.

...

At the Zhao Village butcher shop:

"Hao, why do you want this thing?" Zhao Yuan, wearing a leather apron and his hands slick with grease, swung the butcher knife in his hand with a puzzled expression.

Zhang Hao smiled. "Oh, it's just that your knife is exceptionally sharp, and I have a bit of a use for it."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuan laughed heartily, patting his chest. "If you think your home knife isn't sharp, just bring it over! I’ll sharpen it for you properly. Sharpening is an art; if you don't do it right, it’s useless. Don’t worry, bring it over, and I’ll get it perfect for you!"

Zhang Hao shook his head with a smile. "No, Brother Zhao, I’ve really taken a liking to this specific knife of yours. You’ve been butchering for years, and this blade has been with you just as long. It’s because of that history that I’d like to buy it from you."

Zhao Yuan scratched his head, completely bewildered. He didn't understand Zhang Hao's request at all and felt rather flustered. Why did he have his heart set on this particular knife? It was just an ordinary butcher knife, though it had indeed been by his side for many years.

After pondering for a while, Zhao Yuan waved a hand and carefully handed the knife over to him. "Fine, fine. If you want this knife, take it. Don't talk about money. Just be careful—this blade is sharp."

Zhang Hao accepted the knife with delight and smiled. "Thanks, Brother Zhao, I won't stand on ceremony then."

The butcher's knife was his.