The Fox Immortal Who Made Loofah Soup - Chapter 5

The roast-chicken seller adored Yungui.

She had no children. Her husband couldn’t father any, and she couldn’t bear to see a child suffer.

During our days on the island, Mistress Song took Yungui out almost every day.

Sometimes to watch magic tricks, sometimes to buy him a few sugar figurines.

If Yungui hadn’t been poisonous, she would certainly have kissed him and pinched his cheeks.

He felt bad about accepting so much and asked whether we had anything we could give her in return.

I tucked away two pieces of hundred-year-old fleeceflower root to give to Mistress Song.

Her eyes lit up the moment she saw me. “Mistress Hu, it’s been ages! Yungui tells me you practice medicine. My husband found two pieces of thousand-year-old fleeceflower root a few days ago. Just the thing to give you.”

The little pieces tucked against me suddenly felt hot to the touch.

Before I could refuse, she had restyled my hair, put in a hairpin, and given me a change of clothes.

The fabric was exquisite, soft and light as a cloud. I had to check the mirror several times before I could believe I really was wearing an opaque layer of clothing.

Mistress Song’s husband happened to arrive home. Seeing my clothes, he immediately looked aggrieved.

“Wife, didn’t you promise to make me an outfit from this batch of Flowing Cloud Silk?”

The gentle Mistress Song suddenly turned ferocious.

“Do I look like an outfit to you?”

“You finally come home from gathering herbs, and all you do is drink with those good-for-nothing friends of yours! You get stinking drunk, come back, and sleep. You’re never around!”

“How is being married to you any different from being a widow? And you expect me to make you clothes?!”

“Get out!”

Her husband slunk away.

Mistress Song turned back, all gentleness again. “Why hasn’t Yungui come today? I booked a shadow-puppet show. They’re doing the story of the monkey cultivator wreaking havoc in the upper realm. Yungui loves it.”

Bravo, I thought.

Who said a change of face wasn’t worth watching?

At the mention of her husband, Mistress Song looked utterly resigned.

“He’s an herb gatherer. Once he goes out, he won’t be back for dozens of days. He knows the mountain paths and always digs up something precious. But as soon as he returns, he’s busy drinking with his friends. He never spends any time with me.”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t upset.”

I reported this to Yungui. “This is our perfect chance to repay her!”

Yungui looked blank.

I produced two loofahs.

“Quick, infuse them with aphrodisiac poison! And let’s make some aphrodisiac incense too. That’s sure to help them get along and bring them closer.”

Loofah soup, version five—aphrodisiac edition—was ready.

A few days after I delivered it, the Spirit Water Festival arrived.

I pulled Yungui outside.

Voices filled the air. The splendid lanterns had just been lit.

Amid the rising sky lanterns, Mistress Song blushed and threw herself into her husband’s arms.

He took the opportunity to bring out a gold-filigree hairpin and gently put it in her hair.

Everyone was happy together.

A hint of a smile appeared on Yungui’s cool little face.

It grew wider and wider, until the corners of his eyes reddened, until tears glittered as he smiled.

I wrapped him in my arms, washing away his poison with merit.

“Master… let go.”

“No. My little disciple is so soft. What’s wrong with a hug?”

There was no real need to keep holding him.

I just wanted Yungui to feel that, in the midst of all this bustle, he didn’t have to be alone.

And then perhaps I could feel that, between heaven and earth, I wouldn’t be a lonely fox either.