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There wasn’t much to tidy up inside the house, just a bit of sweeping to clear the dust and cobwebs. One of the rooms had a large hole in the roof where the thatch was missing, exposing the sky. The other two rooms likely had leaks as well, necessitating repairs to the roof, a task that would have to wait until tomorrow. Today, they focused on setting up a stove and placing a pot on it.
Just as the stove was being set up, the eldest member of the Shen family arrived, having sneakily made his way there, feeling uneasy for not being able to help Shen Zi’an move. He wanted to assist in tidying up the house.
Su Zhi noticed Shen Zifu’s somewhat unusual gaze but greeted him nonetheless, recognizing him as an honest person who likely feared his wife, Wang Shi, who she remembered as quite intimidating.
“It’s still early. Let’s gather some cornstalks to make a fence. It’ll give us a bit more security,” Shen Zifu suggested as he arrived.
Shen Zigui was pleased to see his eldest brother arrive. With time running short today, they postponed house repairs until the next day. Looking at the empty surroundings of the house, lacking a fence like other homes, he thought it best to construct one for added security and a sense of completion.
Most households used relatively thin tree branches, bamboo, thorny plants, cornstalks, or reeds for fences. However, these materials tended to deteriorate quickly, requiring replacement yearly, making them less common choices. Emergency situations or urgent needs often prompted their use. In Shen Zi’an’s case, needing a quick fence, they opted for cornstalks since they had an abundance recently harvested.
Shen Zigui agreed, eager to assist his brother in some tasks to alleviate his feelings of indebtedness.
“The land behind is all part of our property, isn’t it? The cornstalks are there, making it convenient. We can easily haul them back using the flatbed cart,” Shen Zifu suggested before fetching the cart.
“Zi’an, you dig the trench here. I’ll go with Big Brother,” Shen Zigui directed before leaving.
“Wife, how large do you think our yard should be?” Shen Zi’an asked Su Zhi enthusiastically, envisioning their future home together. Everything seemed more appealing to him now, and he wanted Su Zhi’s input on choosing a plot of land for their yard before enclosing it.
Su Zhi appreciated the spaciousness of the ancient setting, where the front and back yards were substantial. She felt that as long as they fenced off an area with a boundary, it would truly feel like their own space. After a brief survey, she had a plan in mind.
Su Zhi found the location of their new home to be perfect. In front of the house was a spacious area, slightly uneven with just grass growing, now tinged with yellow as the weather turned colder, giving it a desolate yet expansive feel. Further in the distance were the mountains. To the east lay a few neighboring households, followed by the river. To the west stretched another open space, with a bamboo grove about a hundred meters away. Earlier, she had also glimpsed a plot of land behind, with a few trees visible in the distance, and even some passersby. Shen Zifu mentioned that this land was part of what Shen’s family had allocated to them.
Shen Zi’an explained that the area with the trees marked the river, where people walked along its banks. The river they had crossed earlier originated from the mountains, passed by Riverside Village, took a bend, and flowed eastward. Their location was encircled by the river, which was no small waterway, requiring a bridge to cross. The main road leading to the city was on the other side of the river, explaining why people were hesitant to live on the eastern side.
“Let’s enclose those three trees on the side as well. This will be the front yard. Once we enclose the backyard later on, it’ll be convenient for gardening,” she suggested, planning the layout of their yard.
Su Zhi gestured, roughly determining the size of the yard. She decided to start with this size for now, with plans to expand it when they built a larger house in the future. The area was quite sizable, and she believed enclosing the entire space would be ideal. Who would complain about having a spacious home with a large yard?
“Rest, wife. I’ll handle the work,” Shen Zi’an said, picking up a shovel and starting to dig along the boundaries indicated by Su Zhi. Observing him dig, Su Zhi went inside and rearranged everything, then set about boiling water. The freshly fetched water was stored in a wooden barrel, showing Shen Zi’an’s thoughtfulness.
Once the water boiled, Su Zhi poured it into a pot without scooping any out. This way, it would remain warm when they drank it later. She noted the inconvenience of having to boil water each time in ancient times without the luxury of a thermos.
Shen Zi’an’s strength and efficiency led to a quickly dug trench. Shen Zifu and Shen Zigui had already brought back several carts of cornstalks, proving their usefulness as they could be dried for firewood.
The three men worked together to set up the fence, but Su Zhi, eager to help, was stopped by Shen Zi’an and his brothers, who insisted she refrain from physical labor.
Left with nothing to do, Su Zhi wandered around the back of the house. It was late autumn, not too cold yet, with the crops harvested and some plants turning yellow. However, signs of resilient life persisted, with various green shoots amidst the fading colors. Among the weeds, Su Zhi noticed several plants resembling spinach in appearance.
After washing the freshly picked greens, which weren’t very large and separated easily from the roots, Su Zhi tossed them into the partially cooked congee. In no time, the meal would be ready.
“Elder brothers, thank you for your hard work. I’ve made some congee for you to enjoy while you rest. Zi’an, please bring them in. The water is here for washing up,” Su Zhi said, gesturing towards the basin of water.
Shen Zifu and Shen Zigui waved off the offer, understanding that Shen Zi’an likely had limited provisions and couldn’t afford to host them for a meal. They refrained from washing up and were about to leave when Shen Zi’an stopped them.
“Brothers, I may not have a lavish meal prepared, only simple congee. If you refuse to eat now, don’t bother coming to help me with the house repairs tomorrow,” Shen Zi’an insisted, halting their departure.
Su Zhi, observing that the fence was completed and even the door was installed, placed the basin of water in front of the three men who had paused their work.