Chapter 13: The Decision

The mother and daughters carried their baskets to find Third Grandpa Tang. With his help, they loaded the three bulging baskets onto the ox cart. The other villagers had not yet returned; after all, it was a rare trip to town, so they naturally wanted to stroll around and only come out when it was nearly time.

Third Grandpa Tang eyed their baskets with curiosity. “So heavy—what’s inside?”

“What else could it be? Of course it’s things like cornmeal and sorghum flour,” Li Peach Blossom replied. “Could we afford anything else?”

He chuckled, “No other reason, just asking.” He bit into a coarse grain bun and took a sip of water.

Gradually, the villagers returned. Like Third Grandpa Tang, they were curious about the baskets Li Peach Blossom and her daughters brought. One of them reached out to lift the straw covering the baskets, only to be shoved aside by Li Peach Blossom, who loudly exclaimed, “Bandit robbery!” The passerby looked over, and the man’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment.

Li Peach Blossom used to care about her image. Now, she had grown fierce and shameless, discarding even the pride she once cherished. The others, seeing this, dared not provoke her further.

Qin Huiyin, now only eleven, was shielded in Li Peach Blossom’s embrace, spared from the sharp tongues and sarcasm of the village women. She had grown up with her grandmother. After her parents’ divorce, one claimed to go to the city to seek fortune, only to become a fortune-hunting phoenix man and father a son with his new wife. The other rekindled things with a first love, was caught in the act by the legitimate wife, caused a scandal that made it to the local news, and disappeared without a trace, never to return. Raised by her grandmother, Qin Huiyin had never known a mother’s love.

Now, held tightly in Li Peach Blossom’s arms, she felt a sense of security that warmed her once-cold heart.

Back in the village, Third Grandpa Tang dropped them at their door. Tang Lvxiao was waiting outside. As he saw them return, he took the basket from Tang Green Reed’s hands.

“There’s no need, don’t tire yourself,” Tang Green Reed said.

Ignoring her protest, Tang Lvxiao took the basket and carried it into the main room.

She had wanted him to help Qin Huiyin, but seeing him walk off, she didn’t call after him. She took Qin Huiyin’s basket herself and carried it inside.

Qin Huiyin stayed behind to help Li Peach Blossom.

Li Peach Blossom wiped the sweat from her brow and closed the courtyard gate.

“We’ll just eat something simple for lunch,” she said, pausing when she saw the corn porridge on the table. She glanced back at Tang Lvxiao, who was quietly working.

“It’s wonderful to have food waiting at home,” Qin Huiyin said to Tang Lvxiao, “Thank you, little brother.”

“Who’s your brother?” Tang Lvxiao retorted, as if stung, “I just don’t want my sister to tire herself out.”

After all, his sister was always the one cooking since they returned. He figured he might as well prepare the meal ahead of time so she could rest when she came back. He didn’t care whether the mother and daughter were hungry, just that his sister wouldn’t be wronged.

“Don’t speak like that, little brother. Aunt Li and I bought your medicine today—this month’s supply is settled,” Tang Green Reed said, eyes reddened. “I went in with them myself.”

She wanted him to know the medicine was genuine, no adulteration. She’d witnessed with her own eyes the prescription being filled; there could be no mistake.

Tang Lvxiao frowned.

He was not as naïve as Tang Green Reed. Why this sudden kindness from the mother and daughter? If they didn’t have ulterior motives, he would never believe it. He’d seen through their nature long ago—they weren’t so kindhearted.

“Eat if you want, if not, suit yourself,” Li Peach Blossom said impatiently. “I owe your family nothing. Even if you dropped dead in front of me, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.”

Qin Huiyin: …

Mother, you’re so beautiful—sometimes it might be better not to speak.

“Mother, I’m hungry,” Qin Huiyin offered, trying to lighten the mood. “Let’s eat first. I still have things to do. Later, you and Sister Green Reed must help me. Tang Lvxiao, you too.”

Tang Lvxiao’s job was to take wood ash to the river and wash pig offal. Once clean, he’d have to deal with the pig’s heart, lungs, and head as well. The whole village knew they’d bought a heap of discarded pig scraps, and those who had been curious about the baskets now had plenty to mock them for. Their curiosity sated, they stopped thinking about it.

The Tang family owned a stone mill, and Qin Huiyin planned to grind peas into flour.

It was hard work, and with no strong laborers in the family, the three women spent the entire afternoon grinding the thirty pounds of peas.

“My girl, what exactly are you planning?” Li Peach Blossom, aching all over, couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.

Qin Huiyin smiled. “Mother, you don’t even know what I’m trying to do, yet you’re so supportive. Aren’t you worried I’ll waste all thirty pounds of peas?”

“Peas aren’t expensive. If you waste them, so be it! It’s rare to see you want to do something, so of course I’ll support you,” Li Peach Blossom replied. “But after all our effort, you’ve ended up with all this starch water. What are you planning to make?”

“You’ll see tomorrow.” By letting the pea water settle overnight, she would get starch, which she would dry the next day, and by evening, the finished product would be ready. “Mother, I want to eat meat.”

“I’ll make it right away,” Li Peach Blossom said. “We’ve worked hard all day—let’s have something good.”

Qin Huiyin packed the pig’s head and other scraps into a bucket, storing them in the water vat to keep them fresh. There was no time to deal with them today; she’d handle them tomorrow evening.

While Li Peach Blossom prepared dinner, Qin Huiyin kept busy. After one settling, the pea starch water still had impurities that needed to be washed out, settled again, and drained.

“Sister Green Reed, shouldn’t you go make medicine for little brother?” Qin Huiyin said.

Tang Green Reed had wanted to go, but seeing Qin Huiyin working alone, she felt bad leaving. Now, at the suggestion, she hastened to say, “I’ll go decoct the medicine, then come back to help.”

She had to brew her brother’s medicine herself, or she wouldn’t be at ease.

“There’s nothing left for you here. Go ahead!” Qin Huiyin replied. “I’ll help Mother cook soon.”

They had bought rice, flour, and various seasonings today, so Li Peach Blossom planned to make noodles.

She first sliced off a small piece of meat, cut it into thin slices, and fried it in a dry pot to extract the oil and juices. When the meat turned golden and fragrant, and the oil had come out, she added water and brought it to a boil.

Once the water boiled, she had also kneaded the dough for the noodles. She was about to pull the noodles when Qin Huiyin stopped her.

“Mother, let me do it!” Qin Huiyin could tell, just by watching Li Peach Blossom’s noodle-pulling technique, the limits of her culinary skill. Good meat and good flour must not be wasted.

With swift, deft movements, she wielded the knife. The dough arcs gracefully into the boiling water, each piece diving in like a champion swimmer.

Li Peach Blossom watched, her cherry lips parted, almond-shaped eyes widening in astonishment—utterly dumbfounded.