Watching him, the older sister frowned the entire morning. She didn’t like wasting food and sincerely hoped all that effort wouldn’t go to waste, that the boy would prove at least somewhat useful before running off. Right after breakfast, she handed him a basket filled with the biggest, finest fish from their night’s catch and sent him to the city market to sell everything. With the money he earned, she told him to buy a small sack of rice.

  “We’ll never see him again,” Xue said confidently once the thin boy’s figure disappeared from view.

  “Nope! He’ll definitely come back!” Minzhu protested.

  “Hmph. If he sells the fish, he’ll have money. No reason to return. We’re rid of him,” the older girl waved her hand dismissively. “Forget him. Let’s train. Soon we won’t need anyone’s help.”

  The day passed quickly. The girls completely forgot about the street urchin, but by evening, he came back, carrying the sack of rice just as ordered. The older sister frowned even deeper, suspecting a trick, while the younger one beamed with delight. Their new servant had sold all the fish at a good price, and after buying the rice, he even had some money left over.

  For his work, he was rewarded with a hearty dinner, something he had been dreaming about all day. He rarely got to taste food seasoned with precious salt and fragrant herbs, much less eat twice in one day. The smell alone nearly made him drool. On top of that, he received a gentle pat on the head and a smile, a luxury he hadn’t known in a very long time.

  After the meal, the older sister sent him to the river to wash and clean his clothes. Swimming in the cool water near the shore, he felt pure bliss, as if he’d finally found a diamond in the filth of everyday life, a real home, even without a roof. Even after a long day’s work, his heart felt astonishingly light.

  From then on, the former beggar went to the city every day to sell fish, working diligently and without complaint. Hard work didn’t scare him. Although the catch wasn’t always good, he managed to earn enough for a new sack of rice before the previous one ran out. He ate twice a day now, and that alone made him truly happy. His life had turned around completely, a time of full-bellied bliss had begun.

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  One day, when he returned from the city, he saw a strange sight. The younger sister was balancing upside down on one hand atop a tall rock and somehow still managed to chat with her sister Xue. The boy didn’t understand their conversation, but both girls looked cheerful and excited, as if they’d accomplished something important. He didn’t notice anything remarkable, though their clothes were greasy and covered in dirt.

  “First stage of body tempering!” Minzhu shouted, jumping down from the rock and landing neatly on her feet. “Now I’m strong too!”

  “You’re just too light,” her sister said, shaking her head. “The first stage is only the beginning.”

  “I’m stronger than all the kids in our district!”

  “Tsk. Don’t get cocky. You’re only a bit stronger than before. You still can’t fight adults — don’t even try! Got it? Never forget to be careful.”

  “Fine…” the younger muttered, lowering her head.

  “But you did well,” the older sister said, patting her on the head. “You worked hard. Father would be proud of you.”

  “He-he-he,” her smile bloomed like a flower.

  From that day on, the girls changed noticeably. At times, they showed strength equal to that of children eleven or even twelve years old. Their usual chores became easy, and they began taking on more difficult tasks. Once, they couldn’t even imagine improving their little riverside home. Now they worked on it with great enthusiasm.

  After a few attempts and mistakes, they expanded the roofed shed over the firewood pile, improved their herb-drying rack, built another for drying clothes, and, once they’d gained enough skill, constructed a small hut for their new servant, modeled after the one their father had built. Around the camp, they placed several poles with cords strung between them; when touched, they made a ringing noise with bamboo sticks. Once, the trap went off on a mouse, and the long-tailed thief learned the full measure of Minzhu’s wrath, he perished in an uneven battle, struck down by a stick.

  “Little thief!” she scolded the dead mouse.

  Life seemed simple and peaceful. But nearly two months had passed since the girls’ father had left with the caravan and still hadn’t returned. With each passing day, worry grew heavier in their small hearts, though they hid it from one another. Sometimes, the younger sister sat quietly by the riverbank, watching the flowing water or drawing lines in the dirt with a twig, then lifted her head toward the road, waiting to see the familiar figure of her father appear.