LW chapter 12

 

Since Li Xin returned, Chen Qing has been going out more often. They would go up the mountains to pick wild fruit or head to the river to catch fish. Only when he was with Li Xin could you see a hint of his youthfulness. He turned 21 this year. He looked young, but the way he carried himself made him seem much older. It was hard to tell his real age.

“We agreed we’d go into town tomorrow morning. The busy farming season starts in two days.” Li Xin parted ways with Chen Qing at the crossroads, reminding him to get up early.

Chen Qing never refused. When he arrived home, he informed Auntie Sun that he would be going to town the following day.

“All right, that’s perfect. I was just thinking that I needed to buy a few things for the offerings. Since you’re going with Li Xin, you can pick everything up.”

In two days, it would be the 15th day of the seventh lunar month.

Auntie Sun pulled some silver out of the house. “Here’s money to buy what you need.

Chen Qing didn’t take it. He still had money left over from selling handkerchiefs the last time. Since he had always stayed in the village and hardly ever went out, he hadn’t had the chance to spend any of it. Little by little, he saved what he earned from embroidery.

“You should save the money you made from sewing. I’ll cover the household expenses,” Auntie Sun insisted, stuffing the purse into his hands even though he kept refusing.

After thinking for a moment, she said, “The family doesn’t have much left now. The ten taels of pension money from Taozi were all spent on his funeral. We had three taels saved before that, and Zhou Yuan gave us one tael for helping to cook. Now, there are only six taels left.”

Chen Qing felt a bit of bitterness. At least other families in the village had other sources of income—some of the young and middle-aged men found odd jobs in the off-season.

But their family could only rely on a few acres of farmland and God’s mercy. Fortunately, the weather had been good in recent years, allowing them to scrape by.

Would it always be like this, though?

Embroidering a handkerchief earned five copper coins. He could earn twenty coins a month. Twenty coins only bought ten meat buns.

“What are you thinking about?” Auntie Sun noticed that Chen Qing was looking absentminded, so she smiled and gently patted his shoulder.

Chen Qing shook his head. “It’s nothing, Mother. I really do still have money.”

Over the last five years, he had saved up some of his own money. Auntie Sun knew about it, but she never interfered. She’d even given him pocket money here and there. By now, he had nearly a tael or two tucked away.

“My child, I gave you that money so you’d spend it on yourself. Why do you always just save it?” Auntie Sun sighed, sounding a bit exasperated. “Be good and keep your own money.”

After a pause, Chen Qing said softly, “Mother, I used Taozi’s pension to pay for Meng Tao’s funeral. This July, I want to do something for him, too.”

Auntie Sun froze. Her eyes went red. “All right. Use your money.”

While they were talking, there was a knock at the door. Through the fence, Chen Qing saw Zhou Yuan standing there, holding a rabbit.

Lately, Zhou Yuan had been learning to hunt. At first, he always came home empty-handed. Sometimes he would pick a few wild fruits or mushrooms, but Auntie Sun noticed that most of the mushrooms were poisonous.

Gradually, though, he started catching pheasants and the occasional wild rabbit in the mountains.

However, he couldn’t cook, and the animals he caught weren’t enough to justify taking them to town to sell. So, he usually brought them back to their house and asked for help preparing the meat.

After they cooked the meat, Zhou Yuan insisted they keep a portion and never took it all home for himself. Auntie Sun had no choice but to accept.

Over time, the two households got along much better. Now, at least, when Chen Qing saw Zhou Yuan, he didn’t freeze up completely.

“Oh, that’s a fat rabbit,” Auntie Sun said, looking at the gray rabbit. “Did you have a good harvest in the mountains today?”

Zhou Yuan nodded. He had gotten into the rhythm of hunting lately and went to the mountains almost every day.

“I had a pretty good haul these past couple of days.” He handed her the rabbit. “Three pheasants and two rabbits.”

Auntie Sun clasped her hands together. “That’s plenty to sell in town.”

Zhou Yuan nodded. “I’m planning to go to town tomorrow to see how much I can get.” He held out the rabbit to her. “This one’s leg is broken, so it probably won’t sell for much. How about you cook and eat it?”

Chen Qing pursed his lips, thinking that Zhou Yuan was being too generous, but he didn’t dare say so.

Auntie Sun laughed. “It’s obvious you haven’t done much business. You can give a rabbit with a broken leg as a bonus gift—people will remember your kindness. Be a good boy and take it back.”

Chen Qing nodded in agreement.

Zhou Yuan didn’t insist. “All right, I’ll keep it.”

Auntie Sun stopped him. “Are you going to town tomorrow? Ah Qing and his friend are going, too. Why don’t you all go together?”

Zhou Yuan nodded. “Sure.”

Chen Qing wanted to refuse, but Zhou Yuan walked so briskly that he didn’t get the chance.

Auntie Sun teased him. “You used to avoid getting too close to Zhou Yuan because you didn’t want people talking. Tomorrow, Li Xin will be with you, so there’s no need to worry about gossip. Besides, I heard that Li Xin’s father wants to set him up with Zhou Yuan. You’ll be right there, helping them get together.”

“…Huh?” Chen Qing stared, stunned and confused.

“Huh, what, Li Xin is of marrying age. If he marries Zhou Yuan, they’ll be our neighbors. Shouldn’t you be happy?” Auntie Sun thought he was still dazed. “Think about it—don’t they suit each other?”

Chen Qing nodded blankly. “Yeah, I know.”

The next morning, he got up very early. Auntie Sun had steamed the leftover cornbread buns for him the night before. He took two, planning to share them with Li Xin later.

Since Li Xin’s house was closer to the main road to town, Chen Qing slung on his backpack, said goodbye to Auntie Sun, and headed for the village entrance.

As he passed Zhou Yuan’s house, he saw Zhou Yuan hitching up the ox cart. Chen Qing considered sneaking past before Zhou Yuan noticed him. He even considered jumping down the ridge and cutting across the fields so he wouldn’t have to talk to Zhou Yuan.

But before he could, Zhou Yuan called out, “You’re here? Wait a moment.”

Chen Qing stopped, his foot still half-lifted, and stood by the gate. “Okay.”

Not long after, Zhou Yuan finished with the harness and walked over to him. “Let’s go.”

“…Okay.” Chen Qing followed him.

Zhou Yuan glanced at him. “Come on up.”

Chen Qing climbed onto the cart, holding the two cornbread buns. Zhou Yuan looked at what he was holding. “Are those for me?”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that they were for his own breakfast and that Zhou Yuan didn’t get any. With a stiff face, he handed one over.

Zhou Yuan took it and ate it in two bites. Chen Qing looked away and stared up at the pale sky of dawn.

Li Xin was already waiting at the village entrance. He looked surprised when he saw the oxcart coming, but without a word, he climbed up. Once seated, he cheerfully said, “I thought I’d have to walk all the way today. So nice to have a ride.”

Chen Qing admired how relaxed he was. If it had been him, he would have overthought it to death.

Li Xin took Chen Qing’s hand and spotted the last cornbread bun. He picked it up and smiled. “Did your aunt ask you to bring this for me? I love your aunt’s cornbread, especially the kind she makes with fresh corn.”

The bun was indeed from Auntie Sun, who had picked some fresh corn yesterday and mashed it to steam with flour. The buns smelled sweet and were tasty.

Chen Qing watched him happily eat and sighed, hoping his stomach wouldn’t start growling soon.

Riding the ox cart wasn’t much faster, but at least it wasn’t tiring. The road was a bit boring, so Li Xin started chatting with Zhou Yuan.

“You’re not from our prefecture, are you?” Li Xin asked.

“My ancestral home is Yizhou.”

Chen Qing perked up his ears. Yizhou wasn’t far from his hometown. No wonder Zhou Yuan’s accent felt so familiar.

“What brought you here?”

“There was no one left at home. I wanted to live somewhere different.” Zhou Yuan answered every question calmly and patiently.

“All gone?” Li Xin was surprised. Zhou Yuan didn’t look that old. How could his parents already be gone?

“Mm. My grandmother was still alive when I joined the army, but she died while I was away. Her biggest wish was to live in a place with mountains and rivers. Luohe Village is wonderful.”

Chen Qing listened silently, feeling even more envious of Li Xin. Li Xin could chat easily with someone he’d just met, but Chen Qing couldn’t even open his mouth.

Hearing them talk so naturally, like new acquaintances feeling each other out, he realized his mother had worried too much. He didn’t need to “help” match them up.

With nothing else to say, he leaned against Li Xin and pretended to fall asleep.

Seeing Chen Qing close his eyes, Zhou Yuan stopped answering so readily. When Li Xin asked something else, he only gave vague “mm” and “ah” replies. His attitude shifted faster than the sky could change.

Li Xin looked at Chen Qing resting on his shoulder and at Zhou Yuan driving the cart. He realized that he’d really underestimated whatever was going on between the two of them.

Chen Qing didn’t know when he’d fallen asleep, but when he woke up, they had already arrived in town. Li Xin rubbed his shoulder and glanced at the pheasants and rabbits that Zhou Yuan had brought.

“Are you going to sell those now? Do you know where to go?” he asked.

Zhou Yuan shook his head. “I was just going to try the market.”

“The market folks all love haggling. I’ll take you somewhere else.” Li Xin glanced at Chen Qing, thinking he should help him out—after all, Chen Qing was his good friend.

Chen Qing cleared his throat. “Then I’ll go buy what I need. We can meet up later.”

He remembered his mother’s words about creating opportunities.

Without waiting for a response, he ran off as if someone were chasing him.

“Ah Qing—hey…” Li Xin tried to call him back, but when he saw it was hopeless, he gave up. “Fine, I’ll take you to sell your game.”

He looked up and saw Zhou Yuan still staring in the direction Chen Qing had disappeared. “Don’t stare! Hurry up and earn some money. How are you going to afford a husband if you don’t earn anything?”

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