I’ve never thought about it like that, but I guess it’s similar to what I’ve felt when I made my first fur clothes. The feeling of accomplishment, that you created something, which you can use. Hm, maybe I should try this as well?

“Hey, do you need an extra hand for a few weeks?” Quin asked.

“You?” Zhang asked and Quin nodded. “Why would you want to work in the fields?”

“I’ve never done it before so I thought I might give it a try. It’s always good to get some new experiences,” he replied.

The men looked at each other surprised before Zhang replied, “Well, the more people the merrier, especially if that means less work!” He laughed heartily. “You already have a room for the night, right? You know, you can come to stay at our house instead if you want. The inn is just in the opposite direction to the fields we’ll work on tomorrow, while our house’s quite close, plus we’ve got a free room for you. How about it?”

“Thanks, but I don’t want to burden you,” Quin answered. These people are really different than the ones back at home. We’ve known each other for maybe three hours and yet Zhang has already offered me a place to stay. It sounds good, but to be honest I think it’d a bit rude to accept it.

“Haha, haven’t I told you before? There’s no need for pleasantries here: if you want something then say it, if you don’t then say that. There’s no meaning in sayin’ a hundred extra words when you want to just say yes!” Zhang told him.

Coming from Crows’ Road and from a circle of friends to whom etiquette was essential, something like this was a bit alien to him. However, as he thought through what Zhang had said he realized that it did have some logic to it. Why use a hundred of extra words if the meaning itself doesn’t change? Just because I’m talking to someone who’s above me in the hierarchy or someone I don’t know? Does being polite depend on just filling words? Honestly, I doubt that. There’s no need for those extra words if you want to polite or nice and just because you use the right etiquette that doesn’t mean you won’t be a douchebag. Well, then why not accept his offer?

“Alright, if you really don’t mind it then I’d take up on your offer,” Quin said.

“Don’t worry about it! And at least I can tell my wife that it was because of you that I ended up coming late!” Hearing this the others burst out laughing again.

“So I’ve become an excuse now?” Quin asked in a joking manner and let out a chuckle.

“Haha, you’ve got no shame Zhang, huh?” one of the men asked.

“Honeey, I’m home,” Zhang said in between a few hiccups.

“Where have you been Zhang? Were you drinking with your buddies again, huh?” she asked in a loud voice.

“Hey, you don’t have to yell at me honey, we’ve got a guest here who’ll help out us in the fields!”

“Oh, really?” she asked and quickly made her way to the hall where Quin and Zhang were standing currently. As someone in her late thirties, she was still considered a young woman, but she looked like someone who have had their fair share of experiences in life. Her light brown hair reached to her shoulder, and although the clothes she was wearing were not of good quality she still looked quite pretty. “Hi, I’m Mei,” she introduced herself. “I hope my husband didn’t force you into this.” She looked at her husband with a reprimanding look.

“No, it was me who asked them whether you’re in need of an extra hand,” Quin said. “I’m Quin,” he introduced himself as well.

“Oh, okay then,” she said with a smile. “Did you have anything to eat for dinner?”

“I’ve eaten at the inn before, thanks,” he replied.

“Okay, I’ll show you to your room, then,” she said.

Quin’s room was in one corner of the house, just next to the kitchen. It could not be called a spacious room, but it was more than enough for one person.

Just like usual, before going to bed he spent a few hours by meditating. After a month of sleeping only on his sleeping bag, Quin felt great to have a comfortable bed below him.

Despite that he looked calm on the outside, a part of him was filled with suspicion and worry. He knew that most likely the residents of this town were truly nice and friendly, but a part of his mind was screaming at him. It tried to convince him that trusting others so easily can be fatal, and these people may have been just putting up a nice front. They were just waiting for him to lower his guard and then they would rob or kill him.

After going through the previous events in the forest, it was not that difficult for him to realize which part of him was that tried to influence him: the egg inside his mind. He was not so naive to have no fear that they may have had bad intentions but he knew that he would have never been this much paranoic.

When he woke up in the next morning and saw that nothing bad had actually happened he was even more assured of his choice. It was still early in the morning, but Quin heard quite a noise coming from outside of his room, so although he could have slept on for another few hours he decided to get up. It was his first day here and he did not intend to be late.

“Hey, good morning,” Mei greeted him. “Breakfast will be ready in about ten minutes, you can use the bathroom before eating if you want.”

“Thanks,” Quin replied. Ten minutes for a quick bath is not too ideal, but I guess I’ll have to make do with that.

The family had two children: a five years old girl, Liu, and a three years old boy named after his father. They were the first shy people he had met in the town yet, but they were only children who did not even start school so it did not make him surprised.

After the breakfast, they headed out to the fields, which were about ten minutes of walk from the house.

“By the way, what kind of crops will be planted here?” Quin asked.

“Corns,” Zhang answered. “Though I think they ain’t so popular in most of the places in our Duchy but we’ve been growing them for several tens of years and we have never been disappointed in the harvest. It doesn’t need much work and gives us a lot of food. Besides, there are a lot of things you can make out of it, flour, bread, even desserts, oh, and thousand kinds of side dishes, but if you’re interested you’ll have to ask Mei about that. Haha, she’ll talk about it for hours.”

“Hm, I never knew about that and yeah, you are right, it’s not something popular in Crows’ Road. I think I’ve eaten it only twice in my entire life,” Quin said. “Well, to be honest, I can cook and I do it while I’m on the road, but I don’t think I’d be too interested in those recipes,” he answered while chuckling.

“Don’t worry I can definitely understand you,” Zhang said and let out a long sigh.

“Alright boy, we’re here. It seems like we’re the first ones, but they should be here soon. Well, I’ll tell you a few things until then. I’ve told you that we need to loosen up the soil first, right? It shouldn’t be a problem every year but there’s some kind of energy vein underneath the land. At least that’s the theory and it’s constantly making the soil harder. Don’t ask me the reason for it, though, I only know that it’s there and so we have to spend every March by loosening up the soil again and again.

“So all you will have to do is to take your shovel and dig until the earth loosens up in a depth of about half a meter. Do you think you’ll manage it?” Zhang asked him jokingly.

“Yeah, no problems,” he replied with a laugh. “I’m no farmer but I don’t think digging will be too difficult.”

After a few minutes, the others arrived as well, and then they began their work on the field.