If you could throw some salt and vegetable leaves into the clay pot, and add just a bit of oil, smelling the aroma of oil and salt—that would already be considered quite a luxurious way of eating for the fishermen of Zhouzhuang.

The way the head chef at the Tianying Inn does it—putting a big ladle of oil, a handful of salt, and more than a dozen unknown spices into the iron pot to stir-fry and braise crucian carp, with color, aroma, and flavor all present—that’s simply a luxury the fishermen of Zhouzhuang can’t even imagine.

Ethan Brooks had never tasted such delicious food; he had only often heard Sam talk about it.

“No need, Sam, you eat first! Just leave me a mouthful of rice and a bit of sauce at the end, so I can have a taste.”

Ethan Brooks felt a bit envious, but still declined.

He came to find Sam, and being able to have a place to stay for a few nights to avoid the cold at night, and a small bite to eat so as not to starve, was already troubling Sam enough—how could he take such advantage?

“Why are you being so polite with me? I work at the inn, and I get to eat this good food every day! It’s not easy for you to come visit me, you eat first, I’ll eat what’s left.”

Sam got anxious and immediately pushed the food toward Ethan Brooks, as if not eating would be disrespectful to him.

In reality, as a lowly helper at the Tianying Inn, he was at the bottom of the hierarchy. The leftovers from the guests were divided up by the head stewards, chefs, and senior helpers, and by the time it got to him, there was hardly anything left.

Usually, he didn’t even get a sip of leftover meat soup, just watching hungrily as the senior helpers divided up the soup and oil.

Only on days like today, when the Tianying Sect held their big year-end feast, would there be so many leftovers that everyone could take their fill, and he was lucky enough to get a share. This only happened once or twice a year at most.

“You first!”

“No, no, Ethan Jr., you go ahead.”

The two boys pushed the food back and forth, smelling the fragrant pork buns, half a braised fish, and a big bowl of rice crust. They were both starving, but neither was willing to eat first.

In the end, they decided to split everything in half, to avoid further argument.

Ethan Brooks and Sam immediately wolfed down these “delicacies,” eating every last bite, and were completely satisfied.

Such spicy and delicious food would be enough for them to savor in their memories for months.

In Gusu County, the streets were pitch black in the middle of the night. Other than the brothels and gambling dens that stayed open all night, there was no other nightlife.

Ethan Brooks and Sam, full and content, curled up in the firewood shed, chatting idly about the various interesting things in Gusu County and Zhouzhuang.

Chapter 005: Yearning Under the Starry Night

On a cold winter night, the firewood shed was drafty, with the chilly north wind blowing straight in.

There were even holes in the roof, through which you could see the starry night sky. Naturally, there were no quilts in the shed, but fortunately, there were more than a dozen piles of thick straw, which could be used as blankets.

Ethan Brooks and Sam spread the thick straw on the icy ground and burrowed into the straw piles. It was even warmer than a cotton quilt, though the sharp straw leaves pricked a bit.

The holes in the shed’s walls had long been stuffed with straw piles.

The two boys squeezed together in the straw for warmth, their body heat making it cozy and comfortable.

“By the way, Little Ethan, why did you come alone this time? Don’t you usually come to town with your father to sell fish?”

Sam was a bit puzzled.

“This time I didn’t come to town to sell fish—I ran away from home…”

Ethan Brooks shook his head, curling up in the thick straw pile. His clear, innocent eyes looked dim and lonely as he gazed at the starry sky through the hole in the roof, his young face full of confusion.

He told Sam the whole story.

His family was having a very hard time this year. They still owed the county yamen’s boat tax and the Giant Whale Gang’s weighing fee. His parents planned to sell him as a servant to a supposedly kind-hearted wealthy family in town. He also told Sam about his strange illness, the Bluestone Tear.

He didn’t want to be sold as a servant, nor could he stay in his hometown of Zhouzhuang any longer, so he had no choice but to come alone to Gusu County to make a living.

But with no relatives or connections in town, he had nowhere to go for the time being, so he could only ask his brother Sam for help. At least he’d have a place to stay and something to eat, so he wouldn’t freeze or starve to death on the streets.

When Sam heard this, he nearly jumped up in alarm: “Little Ethan, you mustn’t agree to be sold as a servant! Those wealthy families in town treat their servants worse than pigs or dogs—no one cares if they die.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that I’m just a helper at the Tianying Inn, often scolded by the head stewards and guests. But they wouldn’t dare beat me to death. If they did, the county magistrate would send officers to arrest them and put them in jail.

But if you’re sold to a wealthy family, you’d be the lowest of the low. If you made a mistake, the master could beat you to death and no one would stand up for you. At most, the yamen would fine the master a couple of taels of silver.

Don’t listen to people talk about how kind-hearted the master is—that’s all nonsense! Even if this master is kind, what if one day he doesn’t want you anymore and sells you to someone else? Can you guarantee the next master will be kind too? Once you’re sold, you have no say in your own fate!”

Sam was so anxious his face turned red, afraid that Ethan Brooks would get soft-hearted and agree to sell himself.

“I don’t want to be sold as a servant either—that’s why I ran away from home and came to Gusu County, hoping to find some work to support myself.”