Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Dinner was ready when the children brought back several rabbits. Knowing how her family was—any game caught had to be eaten that same night, never letting meat sit overnight—Zhu Shi took two rabbits to the yard. With swift, practiced motions, she slit their throats and drained the blood.

They would keep the rabbit skins, but Zhao Xiaobao didn't get a chance to watch this part. Seeing her curious expression, Zhao Ertian strode over, picked up both her and her chair, and turned her away. "Don't look, Xiaobao. Little ones shouldn't see this," he coaxed. Skinning rabbits was too bloody; it was better for a little girl not to watch, lest she have nightmares.

Though Zhao Xiaobao really wanted to see, she was even more obedient. Puffing out her cheeks, she nodded. "Okay, Second Brother. Xiaobao won't look."

"Good girl." Zhao Ertian ruffled her little head and turned back to stacking the firewood.

By now, dusk was settling in. Zhao Sandi came down the mountain carrying a large bundle of firewood, followed by Zhao Deng and Zhao Xi, each shouldering a smaller bundle. After setting down their loads in the yard, the two boys immediately made a beeline for Zhao Xiaobao.

She had been waiting for them. As soon as they approached, she stole a glance at her second brother. Seeing his back was turned, she quickly popped a piece of candy into each nephew's mouth and waved her little hand. "Okay, okay, go away now. Don't let Second Brother see."

"Mhm, mhm." Zhao Deng and Zhao Xi immediately tried to look innocent, shoving and jostling each other as they ran into the house.

The evening sky changed in the blink of an eye. The village was unusually quiet now, with only the occasional bark of a dog or a cough breaking the silence. Kitchen fires in every home had been extinguished, leaving only the soft murmur of conversation and the clatter of bowls and chopsticks drifting from the main rooms.

Wang Shi returned from the fields with her two grandsons. The moment she stepped into the yard, she caught a faint, tantalizing whiff of meat. She glanced toward the kitchen; its door and windows were tightly shut, not a crack left open.

Most families in the village were related by blood or marriage. These days, everyone lived frugally. Any good food was kept hidden, eaten secretly by the family alone. Even stewing meat required sealing the doors and windows beforehand, lest the aroma drift out and attract other families' children. Who wanted kids lingering at the doorstep, drooling with longing? To give or not to give?

To avoid trouble and minimize disputes, every household had their methods, and the Zhao family was no exception.

Seeing her mother return, Zhao Xiaobao hurried over on her short legs, holding up a piece of malt candy and bouncing eagerly. "Mother, Mother, have some candy."

"Mother doesn't like candy. Xiaobao, you keep it for yourself." Wang Shi affectionately patted her youngest daughter's head, casually offering an excuse.

Seeing her mother really wouldn't take it, Zhao Xiaobao didn't pester her. She turned and winked at Zhao Gu and the others, signaling her nephews to follow their little aunt, then dashed into the house first.

Wang Shi pretended not to see their secret exchange. She washed her hands in the water bucket, took off the hand towel from around her neck, gave it a quick scrub, and casually draped it over the clothesline.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, is dinner ready?"

"Mother, it's ready. We were just waiting for you all."

As they spoke, the kitchen door swung open. Sun Shi emerged first, carrying a large basin of thin porridge. Luo Shi followed with a stack of bowls and chopsticks, and finally Zhu Shi came out with a brimming basin of rabbit stew. Not one of the three sisters-in-law had an empty hand.

"Then let's eat." Wang Shi called toward the backyard where her son was tidying the chicken coop. "Third Son, come wash up for dinner." Then she raised her voice toward the rooms. "Xiaobao, and you boys, come out for dinner..."

Their mother was the sky and the earth in this house. When she called for a meal, no one dared to dawdle. Even the children who had been hiding in their rooms secretly sharing candy came scurrying out in a flash.

Two tables were pushed together. The entire large family sat crowded around them, every seat filled.

Old Man Zhao and Wang Shi had three sons and one daughter: the eldest, Zhao Dashan; the second, Zhao Ertian; the third, Zhao Sandi; and the youngest daughter, Zhao Xiaobao. The three sons had each married: the eldest daughter-in-law was Zhu Shi, the second was Luo Shi, and the third was Sun Shi. Among the grandchildren, Zhao Wu and Zhao Feng were sons of the eldest branch; Zhao Gu and Zhao Deng were sons of the second branch; and Zhao Xi was the son of the third branch.

The five boys' names were taken from the phrase "Wu Gu Feng Deng Xi" (Five Grains, Bountiful Harvest, Joy), symbolizing the auspicious wish for full granaries.

Three sons, five grandsons, plus Old Man Zhao himself—the household totaled fourteen people, with men making up nine of them!

Other families with fourteen members might squeeze around a larger table, but the Zhao family couldn't. Their doorframes had to be built higher than others', or they'd bump their heads walking upright. Grandsons took after sons, sons took after their father. Just look at Old Man Zhao—tall, burly, and robust. His sons and grandsons followed suit, each one sturdier and more solidly built than the last.

With such strong, hefty frames, they naturally ate a lot.

One of them could eat as much as three ordinary people. Their appetites were enormous, and the family's grain stores were never enough. Just thinking about it was enough to make one worry.

Fortunately, Heaven had taken pity and sent Xiaobao to their family, giving them hope for better days.

Wang Shi picked up a rabbit leg and placed it in her daughter's bowl, then shot a glance at Zhao Ertian.

Zhao Ertian pressed his lips together, reached out with his chopsticks, and placed the other rabbit leg in his youngest sister's bowl. "Xiaobao, eat," he said softly.

Suddenly in possession of two rabbit legs, Zhao Xiaobao grinned so widely her eyes disappeared. "Mother is the best, Second Brother is the best too. Xiaobao loves Mother and Second Brother the most."

Seeing this, Wang Shi smiled and nodded. "Eat slowly. They're all yours. No one will snatch them from you."

Old Man Zhao raised his chopsticks and addressed his sons and grandsons. "Let's eat."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the boys below were the first to extend their chopsticks. With steady, accurate, and fierce movements, each snatched a piece of rabbit meat, bone and all, stuffing it into their mouths. The sound of their crunching and chewing was a symphony of pure enjoyment.

Zhao Dashan and his two brothers each first placed a piece of rabbit meat in their wives' bowls before taking some for themselves.

Only two rabbits had been killed tonight—not a lot, but not a little either. However, their family was large and their appetites were huge. After just a few rounds of everyone taking a few bites, the basin was scraped clean.

For a while, the sounds of slurping vegetable porridge and the crunch-crunch of chewing meat and sucking bones rose and fell in succession. The thin porridge, which usually felt unsatisfying, paired perfectly with the large basin of rabbit stew tonight. The evening meal was thoroughly satisfying.

After dinner, Zhu Shi and her two sisters-in-law swiftly cleared the bowls and chopsticks. Wang Shi went to the kitchen to boil water for Zhao Xiaobao's bath.

The boys chased each other around the yard, their playful shouts filling the air.

Zhao Xiaobao climbed into her eldest brother's lap. Stretching out her short fingers, she began counting the stars emerging in the night sky, while also pricking up her ears to listen to her father and brothers talking.

The whole family sat in the yard enjoying the cool evening. Old Man Zhao picked his teeth and sighed. "Two years ago, the north suffered snow disasters. This year, we in the south are facing drought. My heart... it just doesn't feel settled!"

He felt a vague unease. It seemed the weather had been uncooperative for several years now. If not for the small river in their Wanxia Village, and the villagers carrying water from it daily to irrigate the fields this year, the harvest would have been truly uncertain.

His large, rough hands unconsciously rubbed together, his brow furrowed tightly.

Zhao Dashan steadied his chubby little sister, afraid she might fall. Hearing his father, he added, "More people are going to town looking for work this year. In previous years, carrying loads at the docks could earn over a dozen copper coins a day. Today, I asked a brother about it—some are willing to work for just eight or nine coins, and even that is fiercely fought over." What he didn't say was that he'd be willing to work for a few coins too, but his father disapproved. For that, he'd been scolded by the foreman, who snapped, "If you're not working, why ask? Wasting my time!"

Carrying loads was strenuous work, brutal on the body. But in these times, there were plenty of poor men with strength. The docks were never short of laborers; even with lower wages, people would still take the job.

With a large family to support, in previous years his father definitely wouldn't have stopped him.

But now things were different. Although the autumn harvest was over and it seemed like a lull, their family was actually quite busy...

"The water's ready. Xiaobao, come take your bath." Zhu Shi stood at the kitchen door calling for Zhao Xiaobao.

Zhao Xiaobao slid off her eldest brother's lap with a *whoosh* and pattered over.

Wang Shi added some cool water to the wooden tub, testing the temperature with her hand until it was just right—neither too hot nor too cold. When Zhao Xiaobao arrived, she casually closed the kitchen door, scooped up her daughter, and quickly stripped off her clothes before starting to wash her hair and scrub her body.

"Little mud monkey, let Mother see how dirty you got playing in the woods today." Wang Shi worked up some lather with the soap and rubbed it into her hair, teasing her as she scrubbed. "Oh my, look at these bubbles—they're turning black! Our Xiaobao is so dirty."

"Xiaobao is not dirty." Lying back on her mother's lap, Zhao Xiaobao kicked her legs in protest.

"Not dirty? You've even got a necklace of mud around your neck." Wang Shi held her firmly. "You mustn't go into the mountains to play with Xiao Wu and the others anymore. You're still small; the mountains are dangerous."

Zhao Xiaobao humphed a couple of times but said nothing.

Wang Shi didn't press further. Xiaobao had been cleverer than other children since birth. While other three-year-olds were still babbling and drooling, she spoke clearly and had a strong mind of her own. The family usually indulged her; except for dangerous activities, she got almost anything she wanted, and no one ever said no.

After the bath, Wang Shi took the towel handed to her by Zhu Shi, picked up her sweet-smelling, freshly washed daughter, and carried her back to their room.

Old Man Zhao was in the yard lighting mugwort to smoke out mosquitoes. The window of the main room was half-open. He saw his daughter lying on the bed, limbs splayed in all directions, her little eyes heavy with sleep—she was already half-asleep.

He quickly turned and beckoned to his second son. Zhao Ertian, already prepared with a hoe on his shoulder, saw his father's signal and hurried over on his long legs. Father and son tiptoed stealthily into the room.

Zhao Xiaobao was almost asleep. In her drowsy state, she felt someone take her small hand. Rough fingers rubbed against her palm, making it itch. Instinctively, she clenched her fist.

At that moment, her second brother's nervous voice suddenly rang in her ears, asking her nervously, "Xiaobao, I gave you a rabbit leg today. Am I... am I a good brother?"

The rabbit leg was so delicious. Zhao Xiaobao smacked her lips, sticking her fingers in her mouth, and replied drowsily, "Second brother is good. Xiaobao likes second brother."

Zhao Ertian turned to look at his father. Old Man Zhao glared at him—what are you looking at me for!

Zhao Ertian cleared his throat, his dark face flushed red. The giant of a man crouched by the bedside, holding a hoe in one hand and clutching his little sister's hand with the other. In a rough, pleading voice, he said, "Xiaobao, second brother wants to go play in the place where the immortals live. Can you... can you take me with you..."

Before he could finish, Old Man Zhao's eyes narrowed sharply.

The spot where Zhao Ertian had been crouching was now empty.

In the dimly lit room, only Old Man Zhao remained standing by the bedside, stunned.

Even though he had mentally prepared himself, the sight before him still terrified him, making his heart pound wildly and his legs tremble. He nearly lost control and kowtowed to the empty bed.

The... the fairy... she's real!