“Why are you here?”


  Chen Xiao Xiao stared at the visitor and frowned. She didn’t expect her one-time customer would show up at her house.She figured out the reason in the next minute and stared at him alarmingly.

  “Ms. Cheng, so sorry to bother…” Ko Yang felt a little bit uncomfortable under her gaze. But it was the situation that he had anticipated, “Sorry to bother.”“Since you are here already, why don’t you come inside and have a seat?” Cheng Biyuan put aside his grave mannerism and nonchalantly invite the visitor into his house.“Yes, I shall!” Ko Yang, accompanied by a couple servant, carrying with them many packages as gifts, walked inside Cheng’s family’s backyard.Mrs. Cheng seemed to have wanted to say something but finally she sighed and silently returned to the kitchen to boil water for the visitors.Ko Yang looked around from the small yard and saw a few simple straw houses. He didn’t seem to look surprised.Cheng Xiao Xiao didn’t pay more attention to the visitor but picked up a hand-written book and started reading. Luckily the written language here was the traditional Chinese that she knew and she didn’t need to start learning that from scratch.Even though she was reading, she put all her attention at the visitor. She heard her father asked first, “We weren’t expecting you so I am curious as to the purpose of Mr. Ko’s visit.”“Mr. Cheng, we do have a favor to ask!”While talking, Ko Yang glanced over at the person with the book in her hand, smiled and continued, “Last time I ran into Mrs. Cheng and Ms. Cheng in the marketplace and purchased chickens and rabbits from them. Our master was very pleased with them. He found that your chickens and rabbits are tastier than others. I have been wanting to purchase more from Mrs. Cheng but, unfortunately, I have been waiting for days at the marketplace and never seen them again so I had to pay you a visit. I hope you didn’t mind.”“Oh, I see. It wasn’t a big deal, really. We have been raised quite a few fowls and have been planning on selling some of them. We didn’t know Mr. Ko was looking to buy more. What a pleasant surprise?” Cheng Biyuan cupped his hand. One would not be able to read his meaning from his look.“Mr. Cheng, I hope you are serious!”Ko Yang’s eyes brightened and he clapped, “That is wonderful. The purpose of my visit is to place an order with you. You set the price, we will pay a premium for your animals.”His words made Cheng Xiao Xiao sighed. From the looks of it, more trouble would follow in the days to come, right now…Suddenly, Cheng Xiao Xiao got a great idea. Her eyes flickered and she had a plan.“No problem, if we have to sell…”“Dad….” Cheng Xiao Xiao interrupted her father. Both men turned and looked at her. She waved the book in her hand and smiled, “Dad, I think we should give Mr. Ko a tour to our ranch.”“Right!” Cheng Biyuan paused for a few seconds. Even though he didn’t know what she was planning, but he played along and nodded.Ko Yang was a bit surprised and had more respect for this Ms. Cheng.Right at this moment, Mrs. Cheng came over with a pot of hot water.She put down the tea pot with a smile and quickly excused herself. Mr. Cheng poured a glass of water for the visitor and said politely, “I apologize, Mr. Ko. We don’t have any tea in the house, so here’s some boiled well water. Please pardon us!”“You are too generous, Mr. Cheng!” said Ko Yang. He was a little thirsty so he picked up the cup of hot water. A pleasant smell filled his nose and he couldn’t help but said, ‘Nice tea!”
“Oh, just some wild tea from the mountain. We would you’d enjoy it!”“Oh, you can tell it’s great tea just from its smell!” He knew the Cheng’s wasn’t an ordinary family and tried to suppress his surprise.Cheng Biyuan smiled and drank silently. Cheng Xiao Xiao still had the book in her hands, only she knew whether she had looked up.

  Soon as he had a sip of the tea, Ko Yang’s face froze from shock. This is mythical water.Mythical animals, mythical water, where were they getting all these?What was the background of this family?A million possibilities flashed through his head and he couldn’t help but glanced at the father and daughter in front of him. Shaking the cup in his hand, he asked, “Mr. Cheng, pardon me, but may I ask where this water came from?”“Oh, this is from the well behind our house!” Cheng Biyuan had an idea why he asked, but he had no intention to lie either.“Water from the well?” Ko Yang was delighted and couldn’t refrain himself, “Mr. Cheng, may I please have a tour?”“Oh…” Cheng Biyuan stood up, “Sure, this way please, Mr. Ko…”“I appreciate your hospitality!”Replying with a smile, Ko Yang stood up. While he was turning around, he cast Cheng Xiao Xiao another glance. He couldn’t explain why he had the urge to see her reaction.After they have walked out of the yard, Mrs. Cheng came out from the kitchen and asked with a worried look, “Xiao Xiao, you think it will be okay?”“Mom, since we couldn’t hide it any more we might as well let them know what we want them to know. I think it will be alright.” Answered Cheng Xiao Xiao confidently.“Mom, big sister, who are these people and why did they bring us gifts?”“Mom, can we open these gifts and see what they are?”“I’m sure there are delicious food inside! Mom, open and show us!”The little ones who were sent inside the house came running out and saw all the gifts on top of the table and were eager to wrap everything.“Behave! These belong to our guests, don’t touch them!” scolded Mrs. Cheng. The little ones quiet down obediently.Looking at their little faces, Cheng Xiao Xiao laughed, “Zheng Bin, Lan Lan, you’ve got to at least wait till the guests have left before opening up the presents, right? The guests haven’t left yet!”All the little ones laughed at her words. Mrs. Cheng shook her head helplessly and said, “Go into the bamboo forest in the back and bring home some bamboo shells to burn. Stop hovering over here, make us look bad!”“Okay, mom, we will head out right away!”Following Cheng Zheng Yuan’s lead, the three young ones ran out again. Cheng Xiao Xiao put the book down and said, “Mom, I think they might stay for lunch, let’s start preparing!”“You think so?”“Yes, I think so. He’ll stay!”Cheng Xiao Xiao was right, after Ko Yang had a tour of the entire Cheng’s set up outside and in, it was around lunch time, and, sure enough, he was staying for lunch.The delicacies at the Cheng’s shocked him all over again. He noticed that every dish at the Cheng’s exuded spiritualness, how could he not be?After lunch, Ko Yang, who came to purchase mythical animals didn’t buy anything. He left the gifts and left in a hurry with the two servants.His actions were confusing to Mrs. Cheng, but Cheng Biyuan and Cheng Xiao Xiao had an idea of what was going on.