Guanjia Village was in Shangyang County. Two mountains separated Shangyang County from Shiquan County, so they first had to go around a stretch of gravel road before reaching the paved section. The concrete road had been built years ago and some parts had already crumbled, but it was still far better than the gravel road before it.
Four people squeezed into one vehicle was already cramped enough. Eventually, Wang Cheng simply got out and sat in the flatbed at the back. The remaining road would not be especially bumpy, so Mama Wang could only remind him over and over to be careful.
After more than an hour, the three-wheeler finally reached the entrance to Guanjia Village.
The surroundings in Guanjia Village were somewhat nicer than those in Wang Family Village, with a broad, open view. Looking into the distance from the road outside the village, everything was covered in lush green.
Guanjia Village was one or two times larger than Wang Family Village and had more than a hundred households. Because transportation there was more convenient than in Shiquan County, quite a few families had also chosen to settle in Shangyang County just as the Wangs had. Their arrival pushed the number of households in Guanjia Village past one hundred fifty almost at once.
The Wang family’s house was only a temporary rental and was not far from Grandma and Grandpa’s place, with only about a hundred meters between them. Like their old home, it had three bedrooms and a living room, but every room was much more spacious. Walking through the door no longer gave them an immediate sense of being cramped.
Grandma and Grandpa knew they were moving in today and had originally wanted to come help, but Mama Wang would not let them. The two elderly people were getting on in years and were not as mobile as before. Moving house would have been pure suffering for them.
The new house had been empty for a long time before the Wangs moved in and was covered in dust. Mama Wang had already expected that they would have a mountain of work to do that day, so two days before the move, she and Wang Ziyu came over early to clean. Papa Wang had rented a three-wheeler to bring them. Since Wang Cheng could not drive, he had no choice but to stay behind at home.
After unloading the furniture, they began arranging the new home where they would be living for the next few months.
The walls had not peeled too badly, and after hardworking Mama Wang and Wang Ziyu cleaned it, the kitchen was already spotless. Papa Wang could not help being grateful that Mama Wang had had the foresight to prepare in advance.
By the time they had put all the furniture in place, it was already noon. The kitchen had not yet been used, so Mama Wang reheated the buns and baked flatbreads left over from breakfast. The four of them split the food just to fill their stomachs. She promised to make a big dinner that evening, so they would simply have to make do for lunch. In the afternoon, however, Grandma brought over some homemade dumplings.
The freshly steamed dumplings were still piping hot and filled with ordinary chive-and-pork filling, which the whole family loved. Dipped in a little sauce, they were especially fragrant. They polished off all sixty or seventy dumplings without leaving a single one behind, prompting Grandma to laugh that they looked as though they had not eaten in days. Wang Ziyu quickly praised Grandma’s cooking, saying it was so good they simply could not stop eating, which made Grandma laugh even harder.
A little after six in the evening, Mama Wang still had not fulfilled her promise.
By the time they finally finished working, even Wang Cheng’s arms felt a little sore. Mama Wang, who had not stopped all day, was in even worse shape and was too exhausted to cook.
In the end, Grandma was the one who had shown foresight. She had already cooked enough food for the four of them at home, then brought it over with Grandpa for them to eat.
That night, the Wang family went to bed early. Before ten o’clock, they were all sleeping like dead pigs. Silvery moonlight spilled through the window. Wearing nothing but a pair of loose boxers, Wang Cheng lay sprawled across the bed with his arms and legs spread wide. The old monk had corrected his sleeping posture countless times, but it had never changed. A fan at the foot of the bed sent a steady whoosh through the room. The new house had no air-conditioning, and the little fan had not even been properly set up yet, so this was all they could manage for the first night.
Before dawn, a rooster crowed.
Wang Cheng, who had always gone to bed early and risen early, opened his eyes almost immediately. The sky outside was still gray. They had done a great deal of physical work the day before, but for Wang Cheng it was no serious problem. One night’s rest was enough for him to recover.
Mama Wang was not awake yet. Usually, the kitchen light would already be on at this hour. She had probably worn herself out yesterday.
Wang Cheng quietly walked into the courtyard. The pale light of dawn in the east spread wider and wider. The mountain air was fresh and sweet, and a gentle breeze drifted past. It did not feel much different from Wang Family Village. After finishing his usual morning exercises, Wang Cheng went back inside to wash up, pulled on his clothes, then went out for a run through the streets while familiarizing himself with Guanjia Village. By the time he had made a full circuit and returned, the sky was completely bright.
“Chengcheng? Why are you up so early?” Mama Wang came out of the house just as Wang Cheng returned from his run. She had thought her second son was still asleep in his room, but when she noticed the steaming soy milk, buns, and griddled flatbreads in his hands, she knew he must have gotten up very early. Not knowing the real reason, Mama Wang immediately felt a pang of concern for him.
“I woke up because I’d had enough sleep. I bought breakfast for you, Dad, and Little Sister. Eat it while it’s hot.” Wang Cheng knew there was nothing stocked in the house yet. If Mama Wang got up, went all the way to the market, then came back to make breakfast, it would already be late.
“What about you?” Mama Wang carried the food inside.
“I already ate.” The stall owner had probably never seen anyone who could eat as much as Wang Cheng and had stared at him in amazement. An older man at the next table had even praised his appetite, then enthusiastically pulled him into a conversation. Otherwise, Wang Cheng would have been home much earlier.
It was the first day after moving into their new home, and the sun was shining brightly.