Chapter 33: White Flour Pancakes

Early the next morning, just as dawn broke, Pear Blossom woke up. However, her parents had risen even earlier and were quietly talking outside. Xinghua was still asleep. Pear Blossom tiptoed out of bed and slipped out of the shed to wash up.

The early autumn days were still hot, but the mornings were much more pleasant. Pear Blossom scooped a handful of spring water and splashed it on her face, instantly feeling refreshed.

Mrs. Xiong was kneading dough to make wild vegetable pancakes. When Pear Blossom finished tidying herself, she walked over and saw four or five pancakes already laid out on the stone slab by the stove. “Mother, how many more pancakes do we need to make?” Pear Blossom asked.

The night before, her parents had gone around the village to ask for help building the house. By the time they returned, Pear Blossom and her siblings were already asleep. Mrs. Xiong replied, “Three or four more will be enough.”

Hearing this, Pear Blossom knew that her parents hadn’t been able to find many helpers the previous night.

Afraid her mother might feel disheartened, Pear Blossom said, “Mother, with my uncles, Uncle Qin, Uncle Dashan, Father, Brother Daniu, and me, we already have seven people. If there are too many workers, the cost of food will only go up.” Mrs. Xiong could tell her daughter was trying to comfort her.

Her expression softened slightly, and she said, “That’s what your father and I thought as well. But if we could get two or three more people, we could finish sooner. If not, we’ll just continue after the autumn harvest.

Building a house is a once-in-a-lifetime matter; there’s no need to rush. We’ve made it through even worse times living in the Xiang family’s west house. It’s better not to be too greedy.” Hearing her mother say this, Pear Blossom finally let out a sigh of relief.

Though she was usually slow to notice things and didn’t dwell on much, she had her sensitive moments. There were two things she especially feared: rainy days and her mother crying in secret.

When they lived in the west wing of the Xiang family home, the roof was made of straw and leaked everywhere. Dagen, her father’s elder brother, was hardly ever home, and neither the second nor third branches of the family bothered to repair their own rooms, let alone the west wing.

Pear Blossom and her siblings could gather straw to patch the roof, but the beams, rotted from years of water damage, could barely hold the structure up. Piling on more straw would risk collapsing the roof entirely. Replacing the beams was a major undertaking, one that Xiang Laohan and his wife were unwilling to invest time or effort in.

And so, year after year, the repairs were postponed. Every time it rained, it poured outside and dripped inside. Even sleeping was a struggle. What made Pear Blossom feel even worse was that she only had two sets of clothes, and so did her younger siblings. When their clothes got wet, figuring out how to dry and wash them became the biggest challenge.

Because of this, whenever the sky grew overcast, even before the rain began, Pear Blossom would already feel uneasy.As for fearing her mother crying in secret, it was because, during all those years with the Xiang family, it was Mrs. Xiong who shielded Pear Blossom and her siblings like a mother hen, ensuring they grew up safely.

The hardships her mother endured were far beyond what Pear Blossom, carefree as she was, could comprehend. She cherished her mother deeply.

To Pear Blossom, her mother was the sky over their little home. Just as she dreaded rainy days, she couldn’t bear to see sorrow on her mother’s face. Whenever Mrs. Xiong looked troubled, Pear Blossom would immediately start to worry.

Fortunately, this time Mrs. Xiong didn’t feel upset, which allowed Pear Blossom to breathe a sigh of relief. “Mother, I’m stronger than Daniu! I can help build the house too.” Mrs. Xiong cast her a reproachful glance.

“When your uncles come, there’s no need for you to help with the construction. You’re quick on your feet, so go to the nearby town every morning to buy meat. When you’re back, pick wild vegetables with Xinghua.

In the afternoon, when the sun is too strong, stay with me under the shed and learn some needlework. Your father bought two bolts of cloth, but we’ve been too busy to make clothes for you.” Pear Blossom’s spirits lifted at the mention of making clothes.

“That’s great! Xinghua should learn with you.” “You’re the elder sister, so you need to learn too. You’ve grown this big but never handled a needle and thread. It’s about time you started learning.

In two years, when you’re getting married, if you can’t even sew a piece of clothing, you’ll be the laughingstock.”

Pear Blossom hurriedly shook her head. “I’m not getting married. I’ll stay with you and father forever.” “Silly child, what woman doesn’t get married? You’re still young and don’t understand now.

In a year or two, if no one proposes, you might be the one worrying about it.”Pear Blossom immediately retorted, “I won’t worry.” Mrs. Xiong hadn’t planned to marry her off right away anyway.

Her eldest daughter had always been a bit slower than others. Luckily, it was this trait that helped her endure life with the Xiang family. A more sensitive child might not have lasted.

Xinghua, for instance, had become timid and withdrawn. Only her elder sister maintained her carefree demeanor. But precisely because of this, Mrs. Xiang had shown no mercy in tormenting her.

Thinking back, it still pained Mrs. Xiong. Now that their lives were improving, she had no intention of marrying Pear Blossom off so soon. Noticing several figures approaching from a distance, Mrs. Xiong decided to end the conversation.

She tore half a pancake and handed it to Pear Blossom. “Go and see who’s coming.” Pear Blossom took the pancake, stuffed it into her mouth, and chewed. The fresh wild scallions mixed with fine white flour, fried in lard until crispy on the outside, released an aroma that made her reluctant to swallow quickly.

It was both delicious and filling.Happily, she stood and walked out of the shed. When she saw the two figures approaching, her eyes lit up. “Big Uncle! Second Uncle!” Xiong Laoer, carrying a pole on his shoulder, paused at his niece’s call and cheerfully shouted back, “Pear Blossom!” Pear Blossom ran to greet them. When she got closer, she offered eagerly, “Second Uncle, let me carry the load.”

Xiong Laoer waved her off. “Get lost, we’re almost home. What’s a few more steps?” Pear Blossom stepped aside with a grin. Xiong Laoda sniffed and noticed the aroma from the pancake in her hand.

Swallowing, he asked, “What’s your mother cooking? Smells so good.” “Wild scallion pancakes! Xinghua picked the scallions from the mountain nearby, and we bought the white flour in town yesterday,”

Pear Blossom explained, offering him her pancake. Xiong Laoda waved it away. “We’re almost home. I’m sure your mother saved some for me.”
“Of course! She made them especially for you two.”Hearing this, Xiong Laoda felt pleased and quickened his pace. By the time Mrs. Xiong came out to greet her two brothers, she looked even more worn out than the last time they met.

Remembering how chaotic things had been with the Xiang family recently, the brothers felt deeply sorry for her.

Mrs. Xiong greeted them warmly. “Why are you here so early? Did you leave at the first crow of the rooster? You must have hardly slept.” “We left early to avoid the heat,” Xiong Laoda said, unloading baskets, tubs, and barrels from his pole.

“Some of these tubs are old. The new ones were sent to town for sale. We brought these in case you needed them urgently. Once we make new ones, we’ll bring those over.” Dagen, who had just arrived, quickly responded, “As long as they’re usable, it’s fine.

Old or new, it doesn’t matter. There’s no need to be particular. Thank you and your parents for the trouble.”Looking at the six bamboo baskets, sieves, and the four or five tubs of varying sizes, Mrs. Xiong’s eyes reddened. She picked up a tub and handed it to Pear Blossom.

“Go fetch some water for your uncles to wash their hands.”Xiong Laoda then said, “Father decided that the two of us will stay here this month to help build the house. No matter how much we finish, we’ll return to harvest the rice in a month.” Dagen expressed his gratitude. “That’s great, but won’t it delay your family’s work?”

“Everything at home is arranged. The most important thing now is to get your house built. Otherwise, Father and Mother won’t be at ease.” Hearing that her parents were still willing to help, Mrs. Xiong couldn’t help feeling happy. In front of her brothers, she revealed a rare girlish smile. Turning to Dagen, she said, “Since Father and Mother have said so, let’s accept their help.

Dagen, later take Daniu up the mountain to cut some bamboo and make a shed for my brothers.”Xiong Laoda waved it off. “No need to bother. We’ll build our own shed. When we cut trees for the house, we can use the branches for the shed. No need to cut bamboo separately.”

Coming from a family of carpenters, they were skilled at such tasks. Dagen naturally deferred to them. Pear Blossom soon returned with water, and her uncles washed their hands. Shortly after, the wild scallion pancakes were served. Each brother took one, and after a bite, their eyes lit up.

In these times, how many families could afford white flour? Over the years, with Old Man Xiong’s illness, the family had tightened their belts to get by.

They ate meals of coarse wheat porridge that scraped their throats or thick gruel mixed with seven or eight types of beans. There was no way they could afford these white flour pancakes.

Xiong Laoda said with a pained expression, “These white flour pancakes are delicious, sure, but we should mix in some coarse flour. Otherwise, no matter how much you make, it won’t be enough.” Mrs. Xiong understood all too well.

They had only been here for two days and hadn’t prepared much. Dagen had gone to town yesterday and only bought white flour. Even the staple grains for meals had to wait until Dashan brought them over.

As they spoke, the Qin father and son arrived, and unexpectedly, Qin Dabao had come along as well. Dashan and his son Qin Dabao each carried a sack of rice on their shoulders. Dagen quickly stepped forward to help and set them down. Mrs.Xiong asked, “Did you weigh it at home?”Dashan replied, “Yes, it’s exactly one dan.”

Mrs. Xiong had no reason to doubt them and asked Dagen to carry it straight to the cooking shed. They added pancakes to the morning meal. The Xiong brothers, seeing that there were still people in the village willing to help their sister’s family, came forward with warm smiles to greet the Qin family.

The men quickly started chatting enthusiastically. Qin Laohan carried a small basket containing some tools like axes and hammers. The Xiong brothers’ family had been in this line of work, so they naturally brought their own handy tools. With the ones Dagen had bought yesterday, there were now enough tools for the job.

Just as everyone finished eating pancakes and was preparing to start work, someone came running from the end of the road. Pear Blossom, with her keen eyesight, said, “It’s Uncle Zhang Laowu.”The newcomer was indeed Zhang Laowu, who had helped the Qin father and son rescue someone from Mount Wuyin last time. He had a child strapped to his back.

As expected, it was his youngest son, Dog (Gou Dan). When Dagen and his wife heard Zhang Laowu had come, they couldn’t hide their delight. Last night, they had gone door-to-door calling on people, but some claimed they were busy and said they’d see about coming tomorrow.

By now, they’d given up hope, and while they wouldn’t admit it, they were a little disappointed. Now, seeing Zhang Laowu, who wasn’t even a close relative, come to help, they couldn’t help but feel deeply moved. Zhang Laowu finally reached the shed, set Dog on the ground, and panted, “My wife happened to be going to town today, so she left this boy with me.

Before I left, he made a fuss with his bathroom needs. Luckily, you haven’t started yet, or you’d think I was slacking off.”

Dagen laughed. “Kids are like that. Since he’s here, let Erniu take him to herd sheep nearby.” Dog stood there, snot running down his nose, looking unsure of what to do. His small jacket wasn’t even buttoned, revealing a round little belly.

Hearing his father’s words, Erniu quickly stepped forward, took Dog’s hand, and said, “Dog, later, come herd cows with me.”Dog, not yet three years old and with no mind of his own, grinned at the mention of herding cows. “Herd… cows.” Mrs. Xiong quickly brought out pancakes for Zhang Lao Wu and tore half of one to feed Dog.

Zhang Laowu, stuffing pancakes into his mouth, said between bites, “This boy knows how to eat. Just don’t let him wander near the river, and he’s easy to handle.”

The village kids were generally easy to care for. With a sniffle, Dog happily followed Erniu. The men grabbed their tools and began the day’s work, which was to level the foundation. This would take about two days, and then they’d head up the mountain to chop wood.

After confirming the number of workers, Mrs. Xiong handed forty copper coins to Pear Blossom, asking her to go to the nearby town to buy two catties of pork, instructing her to choose pieces with more fat than lean.

She also told her to buy a pound of tofu if there was any and three to five catties of cabbage. Pear Blossom memorized the list, took a small string of coins, and headed out.