Cai Damei reminded Ye Yunniang and continued talking about House No. 8.
House No. 8 was previously home to a family of five. The man had passed away in an accident. Unwilling to remain a widow, the woman sold the house and remarried a widower in Morning Glory Lane, taking her three children with her.
The new owners of House No. 8 were a father and son. Cai Damei had heard their surname was Tie, but she knew little else.
The courtyard gate was knocked on again.
"Coming," Cai Damei called out, standing up to answer the door.
Ye Yunniang followed her out and gasped at the sight of the person at the gate.
Standing there was a burly middle-aged man, half his face obscured by a thick beard.
Granny Zhang had just visited, so the gate was left unlatched.
"Who are you looking for?" Cai Damei asked, taking a step back.
Ye Yunniang hurried over to stand beside her.
"My name is Tie Yi," the man introduced himself, pulling a dagger from a basket.
"What are you doing?" Cai Damei, seeing the blade, quickly grabbed the wooden pole used to bar the gate, gripping it tightly with both hands as she faced the stranger.
Ye Yunniang picked up the firewood axe leaning against the wall.
The reactions of the two women made Tie Yi laugh, revealing a row of white teeth.
"I’m not a bad person. I just moved into House No. 8. It’s my first time visiting the neighbors, and I didn’t want to come empty-handed. I’m a blacksmith, so I thought I’d gift a dagger."
Tie Yi lifted the basket to show them—inside were several sharp daggers.
At that moment, Tie Yi realized that giving daggers as housewarming gifts might be a bit alarming.
"Really, I’m not a bad person," he insisted, placing the dagger on the ground. "I’ll visit the next house now."
"Wait," Cai Damei called out, stopping Tie Yi as he turned to leave. She hurried into the kitchen and soon returned with a small basket.
Inside were two small cucumbers, a handful of greens, and some chili peppers.
"These are from our backyard. Take them," she said, extending the basket toward him.
"I won’t refuse. We’re neighbors now—let’s visit often." Tie Yi smiled as he accepted the basket and headed toward House No. 5 next door.
Cai Damei quickly shut the gate and leaned against it, catching her breath. That had been terrifying.
Ye Yunniang was equally shaken.
Tie Yi’s reputation for gifting daggers as housewarming presents quickly spread throughout Sunset Lane.
Everyone soon knew about the blacksmith from House No. 8.
When Tie Xiong heard the gossip, he confronted his uncle.
"I prepared pastries for you to give. Why did you hand out daggers instead?"
Tie Xiong had specifically bought and wrapped the pastries, instructing Tie Yi to deliver one package to each neighbor.
Yet somehow, things still went wrong. Tie Xiong was both exasperated and speechless.
"Don’t blame me. This is your fault," Tie Yi retorted. "You ate my dinner without telling me. When I came home late after working, there was nothing to eat except those pastries."
"Couldn’t you have bought more?"
"You were the one who insisted I visit the neighbors first thing in the morning. When would I have had time? Besides, the daggers I make aren’t easy to come by."
Tie Yi was the master blacksmith at the forge. Most orders were handled by his apprentices.
"Fine, my mistake," Tie Xiong conceded, not wanting to argue further. "Tell me about the neighbors you met."
"House No. 1 belongs to the Ma family—a bunch of misers.
House No. 2 is rented out to three families who argue nonstop. It’s unbearable.
House No. 3 is empty.
House No. 4 is the Li family—a widow and her daughter-in-law. Poor souls.
House No. 5 is the Xu family. They sell noodles at a street stall. The noodles are average, but they’re cheap, so they’re passable.
House No. 6 is the Zhang family—butchers. Granny Zhang makes excellent spicy jerky, great with liquor.
House No. 7..." Tie Yi’s face twisted in disgust.
"What’s wrong with them?"
"The tenant is Wang Qiang. He’s impotent. His wife, Hongyan, was bought from a trafficker by his parents. Since Wang Qiang can’t father children, his own father sleeps with Hongyan.
The two kids in the Wang family are publicly known as Wang Qiang’s sons, but everyone knows they’re actually his brothers. The whole neighborhood knows. Stay away from them."
Tie Xiong grunted in acknowledgment. "What about the widows in House No. 4? Does anyone harass them?"
Tie Yi raised an eyebrow, sizing up his nephew. "Oh? Taken a liking to the young widow?" He recalled Ye Yunniang’s delicate features. "She is pretty. If you’re interested, I’ll find a matchmaker tomorrow."
"Stop talking nonsense," Tie Xiong snapped. "She’s Li Jun’s wife."
"Li Jun? Ah… the one who died taking a knife for you?" Tie Yi remembered.
"Li Jun gave his life for me. It’s my duty to look after his family." The weight of guilt pressed heavily on Tie Xiong’s heart.
"The best way to take care of her is to marry her," Tie Yi urged. "You’re not getting any younger. Your parents wrote to me recently, telling me to push you toward marriage and children."
Tie Xiong scratched his ear. "Uncle, you’re the one who should be pressured. You’re forty and still single."
Tie Yi flung a dagger at him. "Brat, how dare you lecture your uncle?"
Tie Xiong caught it effortlessly. "Uncle, we’re the same. If you don’t nag me, I won’t nag you."
Listening to the chatter about Tie Yi’s unusual gifts, Ye Yunniang asked Cai Damei curiously, "Mother, what did you give when you first moved here?"
"Shoe inserts," Cai Damei replied. At the time, she hadn’t had much money, so she gifted handmade insoles.
She had even told the neighbors that her shoe inserts were sold at Zhou’s shop—mentioning her name would get them a discount of one copper coin for every two pairs. This brought some business to the Zhous.
"You’re amazing, Mother," Ye Yunniang praised, raising her hands in admiration.
"When I was younger, your father and I sold vegetables together. I was always the one calling out to customers—he was too quiet." Time had softened the pain. Now, when she spoke of her late husband, Cai Damei felt nostalgia rather than sorrow.
"Mother, let’s make shoe inserts together." Unable to think of anything else to do, Ye Yunniang decided to join her.
"No need. Your aunt visited the other day and told me to stop for now. The shop has plenty in stock." Cai Damei sighed, troubled.
Shoe inserts weren’t a sustainable livelihood.
"Mother, are there any embroidery shops nearby?" Ye Yunniang wondered if she could sell her needlework, having learned new techniques from Shi Liu.
"No, it’s too hard on the eyes," Cai Damei refused. Embroidery strained one’s vision.
"I’ll only work during the day—no stitching at night." Ye Yunniang took Cai Damei’s hand. "Mother, I need something to do."
Sitting idle, eating without contributing, was unbearable.
Knowing her daughter-in-law’s temperament, Cai Damei relented.
She took Ye Yunniang to an embroidery shop. Rainbow Embroidery was next to Zhou’s shop.
While Cai Damei delivered shoe inserts to Zhou’s, Ye Yunniang entered Rainbow Embroidery with her embroidered handkerchief.
"Shopkeeper, do you buy handkerchiefs?"
