MHBOWSBTMT Chapter 16

Half a month ago, before the rain arrived, the rapeseed in the fields was harvested. After setting aside what the family needed to eat, the rest was sold in exchange for rice, flour, or copper coins. After days of preparing the land, Qiao Ruifeng started cultivating the seedlings earlier, and now is the perfect time for transplanting the rice shoots.

 

Due to his injury, his elder brother wouldn’t let him work in the fields. Every day, he only had to prepare meals, deliver them to the fields, and then return home to tidy up. Two mu[mfn]亩 : ~667 m²[/mfn] of land wasn’t particularly large, but it wasn’t small either. Qin Yu’s knees healed faster after applying plaster, so he joined in the labor as well.

 

Even with two people working, it still took four or five days to finish transplanting the seedlings. Qiao Suiman watched helplessly as his elder brother and brother-in-law toiled without being able to help. All he could do was to put more effort into the meals, tend to the vegetable patches at home, and take on some lighter tasks.

 

Today was no different. Early in the morning, he prepared steamed buns and hot water. After Qiao Ruifeng and Qin Yu finished eating, they headed out.

 

By noon, the water vat in the kitchen was nearly empty. Qiao Suiman carried a wooden bucket to the well in the backyard to fetch water. The wound on his back still ached, and as he bent over, the movement tugged at it. He frowned, waiting for the pain to subside before lifting the water.

 

This kind of pain had accompanied him for as long as he could remember. After so many years, there were moments when he felt numb to it, as if he had grown accustomed to being beaten.

 

He scooped out some coarse flour, spread it on the counter, mixed it with water, and began kneading the dough. Transplanting seedlings was exhausting work. With rice running low, steaming plain rice wouldn’t last many meals, so they had to rely on coarse flour buns to stave off hunger.

 

Early that morning, Qiao Suiman had gathered plenty of wild vegetables from the foot of the mountain. After chopping them finely, he squeezed out their juices and added the liquid to the dough, kneading until it turned a pale green. Then, he mixed in the vegetable scraps, ensuring they were evenly distributed, and set the dough aside to rest.

 

He didn’t stop working while the dough rested. The leftover bamboo shoots from before were washed, cleaned, and sliced. That morning, he had also secretly gone to Butcher Wang’s house and bought ten wen worth of pork. Uncle Wang was tight-lipped; knowing Qiao Suiman didn’t want others to find out, he wouldn’t gossip. Besides, Qiao Suiman was close with Xuesheng, so Butcher Wang was more inclined to look out for him.

 

His elder brother and Qin Yu didn’t know about this either. These past few days, they had been leaving before dawn and returning only when the moon hung high in the sky, utterly exhausted. That was why he had decided to buy some meat to replenish their energy.

 

He sliced the meat, marinated it with a little salt, then lit a fire under the large pot to steam the buns. In a smaller pot, he heated oil and stir-fried the meat slices.. The rich aroma of meat soon filled the air, drawing Heijin, who had been guarding the yard, darting into the kitchen with a pleading whine.

 

Qiao Suiman had always doted on Heijin. Chuckling to himself, he tossed a piece of fatty meat down. The dog leaped to catch it, chewing hastily before swallowing, then stared at him with hopeful eyes.

 

“Greedy little thing, the rest is for Da-ge and the others. When we have more money in the future, I’ll buy bones for you to chew on to your heart’s content.” Qiao Suiman didn’t feed him any more. If he really wanted to satisfy Heijin’s cravings, even ten wen worth of meat wouldn’t be enough. An occasional slice or two would have to suffice.

 

Heijin vigorously rubbed his head against Qiao Suiman’s legs, but when he still didn’t relent, the dog obediently returned to the yard to nibble on bran. However, after a few bites, he lay down motionless, only to take a few more bites later. Watching this, Qiao Suiman scolded affectionately, “You spoiled thing.”

 

Once the pork slices had browned, he added the bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoots are the freshest in spring, and they are delicious when fried with cured meat or fresh pork. This is their first time eating stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork since the beginning of the year. Worried about overcooking, Qiao Suiman kept a close eye on the fire.

 

The flames were strong but not enough to scorch the food. The pork slices turned out fragrant and slightly crispy, while the bamboo shoots, glistening with pork fat, tasted almost like meat themselves. A spoonful of fermented bean paste was stirred in before the dish was ready to serve.

 

Even Qiao Suiman couldn’t resist the mouthwatering aroma. He picked up a slice of bamboo shoot to taste. It was so delicious his eyebrows nearly flew off. The flavor was just right. Thank goodness he didn’t ruin it, or he would’ve been heartbroken.

 

The large pot emitted the fragrant scent of steaming buns, mingling with the aroma of wild vegetables and flour. Qiao Suiman turned off the fire, lifted the lid, and confirmed the buns were done.

 

He fetched a clean bamboo basket and placed five buns inside. These buns were large, taking up quite a bit of space. Then, he filled a large bowl with the stir-fried bamboo shoots and pork, packing the basket until it was brimming.

 

After covering it, Qiao Suiman closed the door, leaving Heijin to guard the house, and set off for the fields.

 

Along the way, many women and fulang were also carrying meals, chatting and laughing as they walked. Qiao Suiman greeted them politely. One woman, who had previously visited his home for drinks, asked, “Man-ge’r, what did you make today?”

 

“Tch, what could it possibly be? At best, only wild vegetables and buns,” a sharp voice cut in from nearby. Qiao Suiman looked over and saw that it was Wang Ling’er.

 

“Look at how shabby they are. Probably can’t even afford meat once a year. Rui-da-ge isn’t as lucky as my brother, who has a younger sister willing to spend her own savings to buy meat for him.”

 

“No one asked you. Why are you butting in?” The woman disliked Wang Ling’er’s pretentious tone and snapped back.

 

“Hmph, just making sure you don’t mistake trash for treasure. Some cheap drinks aren’t worth fawning over.”

 

“Man-ge’r’s drinks are delicious, so of course we’ll support him. He earns money honestly with his skills. Unlike some people.” Another fulang, who was also on his way to deliver meals, chimed in.

 

That day, many people had visited the Qiao household, so Wang Ling’er’s words managed to offend quite a few at once.

 

“You… you ignorant…”

 

“Come on, stop talking nonsense here, hurry up and deliver the food to the field. If you’re late, Father will be angry.”

 

Li Yue, who was standing nearby, sounded impatient. Her sister-in-law never lifted a finger at home. Even though Li Yue had prepared the noon meal, Wang Ling’er insisted on following her to the fields, all because she spent a bit of money on meat and wanted the whole village to know.

 

“Exactly. Haven’t you had enough slaps?” A few passing women and fulang sneered.

 

“You…!”

 

“Alright, enough. Let’s go.” Li Yue quickened her pace, carrying the meals. Wang Ling’er, recalling how her mother was still bedridden, bit her lip angrily and followed.

 

Qiao Suiman’s head was slightly lowered as he watched quietly. The fulang who had spoken up earlier grew anxious. “Man-ge’r, you’re too soft. If she insults you, insult her back. At the very least, we aunties and a-mo[mfn]阿麽 – A respectful term for an elder woman, similar to “auntie” or “granny.” I will retain it in pinyin when addressing a fulang.[/mfn] will back you up.”

 

“I know. Thank you, A-mo. I just don’t understand why she keeps picking on me.” Qiao Suiman sniffled, his voice muffled.

 

“She and that Lin are both evil-hearted. They bully the weak and fear the strong. It’s because you’re too gentle that they target you. Don’t be polite with them in the future, understand?”

 

“Mn. If she says anything else, I’ll throw a rock at her.” Qiao Suiman pressed his lips together, lifting his eyes with a hint of timidity masking the sharpness beneath.

 

The women and fulang around him laughed at his childish threat. “Good! Aim for her face so she doesn’t have to show off every day.”

 

Qiao Suiman walked with them and soon arrived at the fields. Qiao Ruifeng and Qin Yu were still busy. The two mu of paddies were now lush with greenery. Once they finished today, they only need to wrap up tomorrow before getting a few days of rest.

 

“Ge, Qin Yu-ge, time to eat.”

 

The Zheng family’s fields were being worked by Old Man Zheng and Zheng Kai. Feng Jie was nowhere to be seen and she’s likely tending to his own family’s old plot. The village chief’s household had more hands, so they finished transplanting days ago. After greeting them, Qiao Suiman set out the food and waited.

 

Qiao Ruifeng and Qin Yu washed their hands at the irrigation ditch and sat on the ridge. Qiao Suiman lifted the lid, revealing the stir-fried bamboo shoots and pork, which he placed on the ground using the lid as a makeshift tray.

 

“You bought meat?” Qin Yu asked in surprise.

 

“Mn. I went early in the morning. Uncle Wang gave me a fattier cut. There’s some left for tomorrow.” Qiao Suiman grinned. Ten wen could buy about seven or eight liang[mfn]两 : ~37g[/mfn] of meat. He didn’t cook it all at once, saving some for another meal.

 

“Looks good,” Qiao Ruifeng said simply. Since it was already bought and cooked, there was no point in lecturing. Besides, Xiao Man has a strong will. He wouldn’t listen anyway. Might as well enjoy it.

 

“Eat up. I left some at home for myself. I’ll eat when I get back.”

 

“We also caught some loaches and eels. Take them back and keep them alive so we’ll have meat for the next few days.”

 

A faint smile tugged at Qin Yu’s lips. They didn’t have time to catch anything earlier, but now that the transplanting was nearly done, they snatched some time in the morning to gather some from the fields. Both loaches and eels were nutritious.

 

They could catch more once the transplanting was finished. The thought alone made the future seem brighter. What was all this hard work for, if not for a good meal?

 

“Okay.”

 

——

 

After returning home, eating, and cleaning the kitchen, Qiao Suiman placed the loaches and eels in a bucket to purge their sand. By the end of the si shi[mfn]巳时, approximately 9–11 AM in the ancient Chinese timekeeping system[/mfn], he had weeded and watered the vegetable patches in the front and back yards, then taken out the bedding from both rooms to air and beat the dust out. Just like that, the afternoon passed.

 

Dinner was simple. They only boiled vegetable soup and ate it with steamed buns. The Qiao family rarely had meat, and when they did, they had to ration it. Since they’d eaten meat at noon, dinner was kept light.

 

Water was boiled in the pot, then mixed with cold water to reach a comfortable temperature. After washing the dishes, Qiao Suiman carried a basin to his room to clean up. Though not as exhausting as transplanting seedlings, he had still worked up a sweat and felt sticky all over.

 

He wiped his face with a cloth, then stripped to wash his body. When he wiped the wound on his back, he felt a dull pain, and the bruises had not yet disappeared.

 

Moving gently, he finished washing and finally felt refreshed. After rinsing the cloth, he didn’t discard the water immediately, saving it to wash his feet later so it would not be wasted.

 

The Qiao family has a well, so they had enough water for daily use, but they still conserved it carefully. That was how their household had always been.

 

Exhausted from the day, everyone fell asleep quickly. Heijin, who was lying in the yard, also dozed off. The night was peaceful, bathed in soft moonlight, and no dreams disturbed their rest.

 

——

 

The Lu Household

The thatched house in the western part of the village had been built by order of the county yamen[mfn]衙門 – The administrative office or residence of a local government official in imperial China.[/mfn]. Since the Lu family has two male members over fifteen, they were allotted a two-room house.

 

Though called two rooms, it was really just a main hall partitioned in the middle. The hall itself was small, but it kept out the wind and rain.

 

Materials and labor were expensive, and the county’s funds were limited. This was the best they could manage.

 

Eight refugee households had been assigned to Xiahe Village, each house spaced apart to allow those who could afford it to eventually build new homes.

 

By moonlight, Lu Dongqing sat in the yard while polishing a hairpin. Unlike the ones he had sold at the market before, this one was taking the shape of a bamboo stem.

 

Miao Lianhua stepped out of the main hall. “Why aren’t you sleeping yet? Working on a new design?”

 

Instead of answering, Lu Dongqing asked, “Mother, do you have any green silk thread left? Give me some.”

 

“I do, but what do you need it for?”

 

“To wrap a few bamboo leaves.”

 

 

 

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