When the ox cart returned to the village, quite a few villagers spotted He Yi. Some walked alongside the cart for several steps, crowding around to ask where he had been all these days.
Even those who knew the Zheng family fairly well had no idea where He Yi had gone. They only knew that the Zheng brothers had been tending his fields and that the family went to his house every day, yet He Yi was nowhere to be seen.
The villagers had come up with all sorts of rumors in private. Only now, seeing He Yi returning from outside the village, did they learn that he really had not been at home, though they still did not know what business had taken him away.
Overwhelmed by their enthusiasm, He Yi climbed down from the cart and explained, “I took Xue Ci to the county seat to study, but something delayed me along the way. That’s why I’ve only just returned.”
Carpenter Zhou did not get down. When He Yi happened to turn around, he pointed toward the tables and stools still tied onto the cart.
“Right! I’m so used to getting off here. I’ll climb back up.” He Yi waved goodbye to the villagers and asked Grandpa Cen to take them on to his own house.
Back home at last, He Yi immediately unloaded the table and stools. Then he bowed to Grandpa Cen. “Thank you for bringing us right to the door. That’s saved us a lot of trouble! By the way, this is Carpenter Zhou. I’m planning a little meal tomorrow to welcome him. Grandpa Cen, would you honor us by coming? Bring Cen Pu too, if it’s convenient.”
Grandpa Cen chuckled. “That boy’s been talking about you these past couple of days. He keeps complaining that you didn’t come to the banquet our family held.”
“…” He Yi was startled. “I missed it? When was it?”
“The day before yesterday. Yesterday was the Dragon Boat Festival, and the village was lively then too. Ha, all right, I’ll head back now. I’ll be sure to bring the boy tomorrow.” With that, Grandpa Cen drove off in his ox cart.
Carpenter Zhou had already begun wandering around the premises on his own. He Yi hung up the yao grass, moved the table and stools into the roofed east wing, then hurried over to the vegetable garden.
Before leaving, he had specifically warned the Zheng family not to mistake the yao grass for weeds and pull it up. Now he saw that his chili plants had shot up to about seven cun tall. Their foliage was a little sparse, but several things resembling flower buds had appeared among the leaves. The inconspicuous yao grass stood quietly between the chili plants. No dew remained on its leaves, but the soil beneath it was visibly damp, and the plant stood upright, so it seemed unharmed.
Relieved, He Yi went to the chicken coop.
The chicks saw him and wanted to approach, but did not quite dare. They stayed where they were and clucked. Whether they had forgotten him was impossible to say, but He Yi certainly could not recognize the chicks anymore. Watching them every day had once made their growth unnoticeable; after time away, they seemed suddenly much bigger. Their feathers were mottled and earthy yellow, while only the black-boned chicken chicks remained snow-white and fluffy.
Their combs had become more distinct too. Six of the eight now had combs.
“…So there are only two hens.” He Yi sighed. Seeing nothing in the feeding trough or on the ground that needed attention, he turned to leave, only to find a large goose standing directly behind him. The bird failed to dodge when he turned, and its beak jabbed him squarely in the backside.
“…Ow.” He Yi felt the sting, crouched down, and gave the goose a light swat on its own backside.
“Honk!” The goose voiced its displeasure, then waddled away, shaking its body as though determined to keep its rear out of his reach.
The more it dodged, the more He Yi wanted to catch it. Man and goose embarked on a ridiculous chase, running who knew how many circles before Carpenter Zhou arrived looking for He Yi and brought the performance to an end.
“Honk!” When the goose realized no one was chasing it anymore, it turned back a few steps. But nobody followed. After standing still for a moment, it shook its tail feathers and went off toward the goose pen.
Carpenter Zhou asked where He Yi intended him to sleep that night. He had not seen any bedding in the house.
He Yi planned to take him to the woodshed, let him sleep on He Yi’s own mat, and use Xue Ci’s mat himself. But upon reaching the woodshed, he noticed the lock on the door and remembered that he had given the key to Uncle Zheng and had yet to take it back.
He Yi had no choice but to visit the Zheng household first.
Zheng Yuanfeng had just returned from the fields. He had heard along the road that He Yi might be back and was about to go over and see him, only for He Yi to arrive first.
“You’re finally back! Nothing happened, did it? Why did you take so long? Weren’t you just taking Xue Ci to the county seat?”
He Yi shook his head with a faint smile. “It’s a long story. Where is everyone else?” Hearing no sounds from the inner rooms, he could not help asking.
“They’ve all gone with Mother to visit her family. Some relatives over there got mixed up in a troublesome affair, so they’re seeing whether they can help. If you ask me, it’d be better not to get involved.” Zheng Yuanfeng wiped himself with a towel, poured two bowls of water, and handed one to He Yi.
He Yi was thirsty too and drank it. Only then did he remember that he had forgotten to give Carpenter Zhou any water. What dreadful hospitality. He silently reminded himself not to overlook it again.
“My elder brother and I carried all the timber Cen Pu delivered into your woodshed. There’s nothing wrong in the fields. But what have you planted in your garden? How can it grow so fast?”
“Chili peppers and green Sichuan peppercorns.”
“I’ve heard of Sichuan peppercorns. What are those plants for? Do they taste good?”
“They’re seasonings. Once they’re ready to harvest, I’ll give you some to try.” Imagining Zheng Yuanfeng being brought to tears by the heat, He Yi could not suppress a smile.
Seeing his faintly wicked smile, Zheng Yuanfeng became wary. “Are they bitter or something? I don’t want any if they taste dreadful.”
“They’re delicious. Trust me.” He Yi restrained his smile and answered with a straight face.
Zheng Yuanfeng narrowed his eyes and refused to reply, still looking deeply suspicious.
He Yi stopped teasing him and patted his shoulder. “Thank you for looking after everything. Without your family, I don’t know what would have happened to my fields these past days.”
“Ha! No need to be so polite with your elder brother!” Zheng Yuanfeng patted him back, laughing smugly.
Strictly speaking, Zheng Yuanfeng was a year younger than the original owner of He Yi’s body. But He Yi could not be bothered to object to the advantage the man took with that title. He merely asked, “I’m giving a meal for the carpenter tomorrow, and I need to put several dishes on the table. Will your mother be home in time? I’m not very experienced at stir-frying. If Auntie Liu could guide me, I wouldn’t be quite so flustered.”
“They’ll be back tomorrow morning. Would that be soon enough?”
“Then breakfast won’t work. That’s fine. I’ll change it to supper.”
That settled the matter.
On the way home, He Yi also visited Tang Huai’s house and invited him to the carpenter’s ‘banquet’ the following day. He did not bring up Xue Ci on his own initiative. There was so much he wanted to ask, but Carpenter Zhou was still waiting at home, and He Yi had plenty to do. Better to discuss things with Tang Huai once the following day’s arrangements were finished.
Tang Huai knew that He Yi had taken Xue Ci to the county seat to study. Since that should not have taken nearly so long, he asked where else He Yi had gone wandering.
He Yi only said, “Xue Ci has been sent into service.”
“What did you say?!” Tang Huai was stunned. “His papers haven’t expired yet, have they? Why would they recruit him for labor service so soon? Don’t tell me he volunteered?”
“…Military service.” He Yi quietly studied Tang Huai’s expression. Tang Huai’s long, narrow eyes widened until they were almost round. He plainly had not expected events to develop this way, so He Yi concluded that he probably knew little about what lay behind it.
“I don’t have time to explain now. When you come tomorrow, I’ll tell you everything. Also, could you fetch Qianli for me? Bring her to eat with us tomorrow.”
“…All right.” Tang Huai wanted to learn more from He Yi’s face, but He Yi was now eerily calm, almost unlike himself. This concerned the person he treasured most, yet he could remain so composed. Tang Huai suspected there was more to it, but did not press. He would learn the details tomorrow.
Tang Huai raised a hand and saw He Yi out.
That night, He Yi, finally wearing clean clothes again, lay refreshed on Xue Ci’s straw mat. The woodshed door was left open for now, letting in a little cool air that eased the stuffiness inside.
Zhou Qu had gone to sleep early. He said that years of carpentry had ruined his eyesight and that he could barely see anything once night fell, so he might as well turn in early.
Although He Yi lay down too, sleep would not come easily. He knew perfectly well that Xue Ci could not possibly return any time soon, yet he kept having the illusion that Xue Ci would suddenly appear from somewhere. He felt as if Xue Ci had not really gone far, that he was still nearby, merely out for a little while as on any ordinary night, and would come back soon.
But no matter how long he waited, there was still only one person on the mat…
Thinking carefully, they had not lived together for very long, only around two months. Yet it felt as though they had shared a life for a very, very long time, so much so that he still could not grow accustomed to being apart.
Another whole year…
There were still two people in the building, but not the same two people as before. Propping himself on one arm, He Yi lay on his side and stared at the silver light falling through the little window, unable to sleep for a long time.
*
Firecrackers exploded, and people from the neighboring households opened their doors and windows to peer outside.
“Whose family has something to celebrate?”
“Look, it’s at Yi-lang’s place. Is he moving into his new house?”
“But he hasn’t even finished the courtyard walls yet. Has he hired a craftsman?”
“I thought he could build it all himself! Didn’t he help put up the Li family’s house? He’s amazing. Who knows where he learned the skills?”
Because his own kitchen stove was not yet built, He Yi had to borrow the Zheng family’s kitchen. Under Auntie Liu’s guidance, he was tossing ingredients in his own rather heavy wrought-iron wok.
“I really can’t lift this anymore. My arm’s going to fall off.” After flipping the wok a few times, he ran out of strength and could only slide it back and forth over the stove.
Unable to bear watching, Auntie Liu snatched up the spatula. She lifted the wok and turned the ingredients in one smooth motion, repeating the action a dozen times while keeping the pan perfectly steady. The fragrance rose from the food, rich with the smoky aroma of a hot wok.
“You need more practice,” Auntie Liu said.
“Mm.” He Yi took hold of the wok handle again. The dish was nearly done and no longer needed tossing, so a final stir would be enough before he served it.
“What else are you making after this?”
“Gold-Wrapped-Silver fried rice, and finally stir-fried field snails.” He planned to cook the snails last to keep the flavors from mingling.
Auntie Liu nodded in satisfaction.
“Shouldn’t there be a soup? I’ve used almost all the eggs we’ve saved these days for the fried rice. There aren’t enough left for egg-drop soup.” He Yi was troubled. Fish soup would be difficult too. Where would he catch fish at such short notice? By the time he caught any, it would be dark. If Xue Ci were here, he could bring back several fish at once.
“I’ll take care of that. We’ve just harvested and dried some red beans. We can take them out of their pods and make red-bean soup.”
“Hm? You can make soup from red beans?” He Yi had never tasted it prepared that way, or even heard of the method.
Only once all the dishes were served did He Yi discover what the soup tasted like.
Carpenter Zhou’s newly made Eight Immortals table had been carried into the main hall, with four long benches arranged around its four sides.
Cen Pu sat beside his grandfather. Four members of the Zheng family took up two benches, Auntie Liu holding Qianli in her lap, while Tang Huai sat beside Carpenter Zhou.
He Yi had brought his own stool and sat at a corner. He had not meant to squeeze into the crowd, but everyone insisted that a meal without the host seated among them would be improper. Abandoning his plan to stand off to the side and pick at the dishes, he squeezed between Cen Pu and Tang Huai.
He Yi fully understood the embarrassment of not having enough tables and chairs. If Carpenter Zhou had time, he wanted to commission another set before the man left. With their current furniture, they could not even accommodate one extra table of guests. Li Chi was still helping care for the two piglets, yet He Yi could not invite him either. He had simply cooked a little more food and sent over a bowl of dishes instead.
He would have to build the pigpen in another couple of days.
He Yi held his chopsticks while mentally reviewing all the things he might have forgotten. Deep in thought, he was startled by a sudden shout from Carpenter Zhou.
“Delicious! This is far too delicious!” Realizing that his reaction had been excessive, Zhou Qu flushed a little, coughed twice, and fell silent.
Auntie Liu smoothed things over. “Naturally it’s delicious! I taught Yi-lang to make these dishes. A good teacher produces a good student, doesn’t she?”
“Exactly. It’s all thanks to Auntie Liu. This is my first time preparing so many dishes, and none of them were easy.” He Yi praised her sincerely.
Uncle Zheng was almost embarrassed on Auntie Liu’s behalf, though he said nothing. He was happy eating too.
Xu Qianli particularly liked Gold-Wrapped-Silver fried rice. She kept stealing glances at He Yi as she filled her mouth with spoonful after spoonful, chewing and swallowing quickly so she could eat more. From time to time she gave a discreet, satisfied nod.
He Yi, meanwhile, especially liked the first stir-fry Auntie Liu had taught him, the one that had made his arm ache from tossing the wok. He did not even know its name; it was just an ordinary farm-style stir-fry. It contained bright green pieces of gongcai, fried dried tofu skin, soaked wood-ear mushrooms, and pickled greens, all quickly tossed together over high heat. It was fragrant and quite oily. He had initially worried about using so much oil, but Auntie Liu said that was what made this dish good, and no one would skimp on it when entertaining guests. She even asked to keep the leftover cooking oil rather than let him throw it away.
The fried tofu skin was pleasantly chewy, soft yet resilient. The gongcai had a chew of its own, but one that was crisp and refreshing. The pickled greens helped cut the richness, though the dish remained glossy with oil. He Yi loved it nonetheless. It tasted like simple home cooking, with a wholesome, unpretentious charm.
To ease the richness, there was also soup. He Yi lifted a bowl and said, “Auntie Liu made the red-bean soup. I’ve never had it this way before. It’s actually savory! I always imagined red-bean soup would be sweet.”
“These beans aren’t for cooking down into paste. What you want is their natural flavor. It’s cooling and helps relieve summer heat,” Auntie Liu explained.
“Not many families in the village make it this way, I think. We’re used to it in our household, though,” Zheng Yuanfeng added.
“Besides the salt, there’s another very distinctive flavor. What’s that?” He Yi asked curiously.
“I only put in beans and a little shredded aged tangerine peel.”
“Aged tangerine peel…” Everyone murmured in understanding.
Nobody at the table was particular about what to eat first. Some ate the fried rice before drinking soup, while others finished their soup before the meal. Tang Huai had drained his bowl at the very beginning and then asked Qianli to pick the meat out of the field snails for him.
The field snails had been collected by Zheng Yuanshi, the elder Zheng brother. The snails seemed to have just finished breeding, and there were so many in the rice paddies that one could scoop up handfuls.
Unfortunately, they had no chili peppers for the snails. He Yi made a basic stir-fry, using perilla, scallions, ginger, and garlic to release their fragrance and counter any off flavors before adding a little salt.
The fiddly business of sucking the meat from the snail shells, however, slowed the meal down in the best possible way. Although the food was not particularly lavish, nobody finished too quickly. Everyone could eat and chat for a while, and the mood around the new table was warm and cheerful.