Chapter 29: Building a Grass Hut

Taking advantage of the time while she was herding the cattle and sheep, Mrs. Xiong gathered the children and returned to the west room to pack their things and move them over. 

It was pitiful; the entire family had lived in Xiang House for so many years, and each person only had two sets of worn-out clothes—nothing more. Packing up was simply a small bundle, which was thrown into the back basket and easily carried by Daniu.

Thinking back to the times when they had to sleep outside, Mrs. Xiong had the children roll up their mats and blankets and pack them along as well.

Dagen casually grabbed an axe and sickle and stuffed them into Daniu’s basket.

When the mother and children came out, a woman in the crowd noticed the small basket on Daniu’s back and couldn’t help but ask, “Dagen’s wife, is this all the family belongings you have?”

Mrs. Xiong forced a smile and replied, “I wish we could pack a few more bundles, but even rolling up the mats and blankets, this is all we have.”

The women in the crowd whispered to each other, but Mrs. Xiong didn’t mind, leading the children to herd the cattle and sheep to the foot of the village’s mountain.

Just as they arrived and set down their things, Mrs. Qin (old lady) also arrived.

Pear Blossom and her younger brother greeted her with smiles, calling, “Aunt Qin.”

“Autumn Aunt, what brings you here?” Mrs. Xiong asked with a smile. “These things are all old and worn; don’t let them make you laugh.”

Mrs. Qin waved her hand and said, “Why are you apologizing to me? I didn’t come here to see your worn-out things. I came to ask when Dagen plans to start building the house. Old man said that there’s only a month left before the busy farming season, so you should hurry and build the house. He and Dashan will come help. If you wait until the harvest, there won’t be enough time.”

Hearing this, Dagen exchanged a look with Mrs. Xiong, and both faces lit up with joy.

“We just talked about this with Xiu Fang last night,” Dagen said enthusiastically. “I was thinking of tidying up a bit, then going to each household tonight to see if we can get some help. I didn’t expect you to think ahead and help us.”

Mrs. Qin replied, “You’ve been away from home for so many years. Old man was worried you didn’t have a plan, so he sent me to ask. But since you’ve already made arrangements, I can rest easy.”

Mrs. Xiong smiled and said, “We’re really not sure about the house-building. If Uncle Qin can help, that would be wonderful.”

“Over the years, the villagers have often asked him for help with building houses, so that’s no problem,” Mrs. Qin said. “I’m just worried the villagers will see your situation and won’t want to help. I was thinking that we have some grain at home. When the time comes, we can send Dashan over with a sack. We can also get a pot, and if anyone is unwilling to help, it’s fine. 

Dagen, Daniu, and my old man, along with Dashan and a few others, can build the hut by themselves. They should be able to build a few sheds in a month. We can move in temporarily and add on as we go. What do you think?”

Mrs. Xiong and Dagen didn’t expect Mrs. Qin to offer to lend them grain. Although harvest time was approaching, many families were running low on grain at this time of year. The offer of even a sack of rice was like a timely gift in the snow.

She quickly responded, “That’s no trouble at all. You’re already lending grain and helping us with people. Dagen and I don’t even know how to thank you and Uncle Qin.”

Mrs. Qin glared at her playfully and said, “We’ve known each other for so many years. I haven’t even properly thanked you for Pear Blossom going up the mountain to save Xiaobao a few months ago. Now you’re still talking about thanking me? How could you be so formal?”

Mrs. Xiong’s heart warmed, and she quickly pulled Mrs. Qin aside, saying, “To be honest, my family knows about our situation here. My father is worried about me, so he gave me some silver. If we need to hire people, the food won’t be a problem. 

As for the house, after Dagen comes back from the government office tomorrow, we can ask Uncle Qin to take a look at the foundation, and we’ll discuss it then.”

Hearing that she had silver on hand, Mrs. Qin finally felt relieved. To be honest, their family was also poor, and while they could help a bit, if Dagen and his family had nothing, building even one house would be tough.

But now, there was no need to worry. She smiled and patted Mrs. Xiong’s hand, saying, “Your parents really care about you. That’s good to hear. I’ll go back and tell old man. He’ll come by the village tomorrow afternoon and talk with Dagen about the house.”

Mrs. Xiong nodded and said, “Aunt, since you still have grain at home, we’ll buy some this time. If you’re selling, I’ll buy from you instead of going to town. It’ll save me the trip. If you’re not selling, we’ll buy some when the grain comes in…”

Before she could finish, Mrs. Qin interrupted, “Didn’t I just say that? When the time comes to build the house, Dashan and old man will bring some grain over.”

Dagen rubbed his hands and said, “We can’t trouble Uncle Qin and Dashan. I’ll go get it myself.”

Mrs. Qin glared at him, “When they come to help with the house, they can just bring the grain along. Why make you go?”

Dagen laughed.

Mrs. Qin said, “Look at you, having nothing. How about you bring the kids to my house tonight? You can stay there until the shed is built. Otherwise, it’s too far out here.”

Mrs. Xiong shook her head, “There’s no need for that. Dagen will just go up the mountain and chop some branches for the shed. It won’t take much effort to build a grass hut. As long as it doesn’t rain heavily, it’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it. Even if it’s a little worse than Xiang House, it won’t be much worse.”

Although Mrs. Qin meant well, Mrs. Xiong didn’t want to trouble her. She felt uneasy about staying so far from home with all their animals, and as long as there was a shelter, it would be fine. They had mats and blankets, so it wouldn’t be worse than staying in Xiang House.

Mrs. Qin agreed wholeheartedly, muttering a few complaints about Xiang House, before saying her goodbyes and leaving.

Pear Blossom watched her go and said, “Mother, Aunt Qin is such a good person.”

Mrs. Xiong nodded, “In our village, their family has been the best to us.”

Pear Blossom retorted, “There’s also Sister Dong.”

Mrs. Xiong laughed, “Yes, yes, Fubao’s mother is a good one too. If it weren’t for her, oh—”

At this point, recalling how they had escaped from that dungeon-like cage, she quickly stopped the conversation.

Dagen said, “Xiufang, you and the others tidy up the ground down below, I’ll go up the mountain with Daniu to cut some branches for the shelter.”

Pear Blossom quickly said, “I want to go too.”

Dagen was about to say that girls shouldn’t go up the mountain, but thinking about Pear Blossom’s recent behavior, he swallowed the words and said, “But your father only brought an axe and a sickle.”

“I don’t need a knife, I’ll help carry them.”

“Alright then,” Dagen compromised.

Fortunately, there were many small trees halfway up the mountain. The father and son made several trips and carried about ten bundles of bamboo, tree branches, and vines. Xiong had already cleaned up the ground below and was about a hundred steps away from where the foundation would be.

Seeing that there were enough branches and vines, Dagen told Daniu and Pear Blossom to stop cutting trees and just gather grass. He stayed below with his wife to build the shelter.

Daniu obediently cut the grass with a sickle, while Pear Blossom activated her system to search for game.

Today, after the division of the family, the second and third households hadn’t cooked for them, so Dagen and Pear Blossom went to the kitchen to prepare their own meal, but dinner was still not ready, and it seemed like they’d be hungry for the night.

Originally, Dagen planned to go to the city tomorrow to handle the land transfer and buy some food, but he didn’t know when he’d be back.

When Daniu returned carrying the third batch of grass, Pear Blossom came down with two mountain chickens.

Down the mountain, Dagen and Xiong had already set up the frames for two shelters, and Xinghua was sitting on a stone slab nearby, bundling the grass into small bundles, preparing to cover the shelters’ roofs with them later. Erniu was busy feeding the small bull and three lambs.

As for the remaining rooster, two hens, and three chickens, their legs were tied to tree trunks, allowing them to forage for food on their own.

Seeing Pear Blossom shaking with the mountain chickens in her hands, Dagen smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

“Daughter, you’re really capable.”

Pear Blossom, holding a dagger from Zuo Qi, was adept at catching game. Smiling, she said, “Looks like we’ll have dinner tonight.”

Mrs. Xiong also smiled, “When we left the Xiang family, I hid a few sweet potatoes, thinking we’d each have one for dinner. I didn’t expect we’d have an extra dish tonight.”

Pear Blossom had caught several rabbits before, and now that Xiong saw her catch mountain chickens, she wasn’t surprised anymore.

Xinghua stared at the two mountain chickens, saliva almost dripping from her mouth. Pear Blossom laughed, “Tonight, let Mom cook. I’ll reward you with a big drumstick.”

Xinghua immediately smiled widely, and her hands moved even faster.

As the sun sank behind the mountains, the sky was painted with a red glow. Mrs. Xiong crouched on the makeshift ladder and urged her husband, “Dagen, cover the roof with the grass first. Once it’s done, we can cook.”

Dagen agreed and handed up the grass, while Xiong quickly tied the grass onto the bamboo beams of the shelter.

Erniu, who had just returned from the pasture, said, “Hey, someone’s coming over.”

Everyone turned to look in the direction he was pointing, and they saw a young woman walking towards them. She was carrying a large basket on her back, with a small child holding her hand.

Pear Blossom focused and exclaimed, “It’s Sister Dong.”

She quickly stuffed the two mountain chickens into Xinghua’s arms and ran happily towards the newcomer.

Dagen, watching his daughter dash like the wind, smiled and shook his head.

Xiong whispered, “Could Fubao’s mother be bringing us something?”

Dagen shook his head, indicating he didn’t know. “I’ve been away from home for years and haven’t seen her in person, but from what you’ve said, she lent us money when we were sick, and she helped with Pear Blossom and Xinghua’s matters. 

She sounds like a good person. We should have visited her to thank her, but with everything that’s been happening since we came back, we completely forgot. It’s really shameful.”

Xiong also felt regretful. “These days, I’ve been so flustered and anxious. It’s rare for her to keep helping us.”

While they were talking, Pear Blossom had already brought Dong Yun over to the shelter.

Xiong quickly climbed down the ladder to meet her. Dong Yun, a widow, had a young child in tow, so Dagen followed his wife but didn’t get too close, smiling awkwardly at her.

“Fubao’s mother, what brings you here?” Xiong asked, patting the bamboo leaves on her body. 

She reached out to touch the child’s face but, seeing how plump and delicate the little face was, she was afraid her rough hands would hurt the soft skin, so she quickly withdrew her hand.

“Call her Grandma Xiong,” Dong Yun said to her daughter.

Fubao held her mother’s hand, looked up, and called in a soft, childish voice, “Grandma Xiong—”

Though Xiong was not yet forty, in the village, she was considered to be of the same generation as Fubao’s grandparents. Hearing the little one call her “Grandma” made Xiong’s heart overflow with affection.

She didn’t dare touch the child’s delicate skin but gently rubbed Fubao’s little pinky with the back of her hand, saying, “Fubao is so well-behaved.”

Fubao then called Dagen “Grandpa Xiong,” making him laugh and praise her for being a good child.

Meanwhile, Pear Blossom came over carrying Dong Yun’s basket and cheerfully said, “Mom, Sister Dong brought us food!”

Dong Yun finally spoke, “I only heard about the situation in the village today, and since you just split off, you didn’t bring anything with you. I was worried you might not have dinner, so I brought some food. It’s just simple, plain food—don’t mind it.”

Since coming to Daliushu Village, aside from Mrs. Qin, who had treated her kindly, no one else had been particularly warm. The Xiang family, especially, had been cold. But today, receiving kindness twice, Xiong was deeply moved, and her eyes filled with tears.

Dong Yun noticed her nose was red and hurriedly said, “This pot is actually one we don’t use often at home. Since you haven’t yet gotten all the pots and pans you need, you can just use it for now. I still have to go back and feed the pigs, so I won’t stay any longer.”

Xiong wiped her eyes and said, “Alright, I’ll accept your kindness today. Once things settle down, I’ll come to thank you properly.”

Dong Yun smiled and took Fubao’s little hand. “Say goodbye to Grandma Xiong.”

Fubao waved her hand at Xiong and then turned to Pear Blossom. “Carry me, Pear Blossom, carry me.”

Pear Blossom smiled and came over, squatting down in front of her. “Come on, I’ll carry you back.”

Fubao eagerly jumped onto her back, and Pear Blossom supported her little bottom with one hand, easily standing up. “Let’s go, I’ll take Fubao home.”

Dong Yun said, “Don’t spoil her; let her walk on her own. She’s just being lazy. You don’t need to send her; stay and have dinner with your parents.”

Pear Blossom smiled and said, “They’ll save me some food.”

With that, she took the lead and walked ahead.

Dong Yun had no choice but to follow.

Mrs. Xiong hurriedly said, “Fubao’s mother, take the basket back first.”

Dong Yun turned around and said, “No need to hurry, you can keep using the basket for now. We have several more at home.”

She waved her hand and left.

Inside the basket was a pot, still slightly warm. On the side, six pairs of chopsticks and bowls were carefully arranged, separated by dry leaves and straw—a thoughtful gesture.

When the lid was lifted, the smell of the meal wafted out, making everyone involuntarily swallow.

At the bottom of the pot was plain, dry rice, topped with stir-fried green beans glistening with oil.

Of course, Xiong didn’t expect there to be any meat—times were tough in the village, and only the wealthier Liu family could afford to eat meat regularly. 

For other families, they could only enjoy meat during festivals or after slaughtering a pig for the New Year, leaving behind cured meat, which often ran out before the year ended. Usually, they survived on thin porridge and wild vegetables.

But the rice Dong Yun had sent was genuine dry rice. Since Xiong married into the family, she had hardly ever had dry rice. The few times she had eaten dry rice were thanks to Pear Blossom and her father putting pressure on the Xiong elders.

Hearing everyone’s stomachs growling, Mrs. Xiong quickly covered the pot and said, “Let’s wait for your eldest sister to return before we eat. Be quick and get the shed and bedding set up, or when it gets dark, we won’t be able to see anything.”

With food ready, the pheasant could be saved for tomorrow.

The children were obedient, each going off to work. Daniu took the opportunity to cut a bundle of reed grass while it was still light.

The couple resumed their work, and when Pear Blossom returned, they had already set up two sheds. They spread the remaining reed grass in the sheds, placed mats on top, and a simple bed was quickly made.

“Before the house is finished, Daniu and Erniu will sleep in the left room with their father, and Pear Blossom and Xinghua will sleep in this room with me.”

“Tomorrow, we’ll have time to build a stove so we won’t have to cook outside in the rain. When your father buys pots, bowls, and spoons, we’ll have a place to keep them.”

Mrs. Xiong made the arrangements, and her husband and children nodded in agreement.

“Alright, go wash your hands and come eat. Dagen, start a fire for light.”

Dagen responded and went to gather firewood.

Behind the foundation, on the mountain, there was a spring with water dripping down into a shallow pit in the stone, enough to fill a bucket. The children went to wash their hands there.

By the time Dagen had started the fire, it was already getting dark.

The family gathered around the fire to prepare for their meal.

The weather in September was still hot, and the rice was warm, just right for eating. The family was hungry, and they filled their bowls, adding a few green beans on top before starting to eat.

 The surroundings were quiet, and the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the sounds of chewing and swallowing. No one had the time to speak.

When they had eaten most of their fill, Mrs. Xiong rubbed her stomach and said, “Fubao’s mother really didn’t skimp on the oil. The oil from the beans soaked into the rice. It’s so delicious.”

Dagen’s meals in the camp had not been good, just large pots of rice with no oil, bland and unappetizing. He had to make do with it, barely filling his stomach. But now, eating the oil-soaked beans with rice, his throat kept rolling, and he could hardly stop. If not for thinking about his wife and children, he would have eaten two more large bowls.

Mrs. Xiong looked at him and said, “Your appetite really improved after all those years in the army. Otherwise, if you stayed at home, you’d be starving.”

Dagen chuckled a few times, “Well, I was already full, but it’s so tasty, I couldn’t stop.”

Pear Blossom smiled and added, “Right? Sister Dong’s cooking is really good.”

Not only Dagen, but the younger siblings also nodded in agreement. “It’s delicious, really delicious.”

They finished and continued eating.

Mrs. Xiong put her bowl aside and couldn’t help but sigh, “Fubao’s mother is really beautiful. I wonder what kind of family could raise such a daughter. When she first arrived, I often heard Old Mrs. Zeng scolding her for not knowing how to do anything—couldn’t cook, couldn’t feed the pigs, couldn’t work in the fields. 

Everyone said she probably wouldn’t last a few months before running away. But she didn’t run. Instead, she learned to cook so well. I really find this woman interesting.”

Pear Blossom, hearing her mother praise Dong Yun, couldn’t help but puff up her chest. “Sister Dong is really smart. She can read, and her handwriting is beautiful.”

Dagen said, “You don’t even know how to read, how do you know her handwriting is beautiful?”

Pear Blossom was not convinced, “It’s neat and delicate. It’s beautiful, that’s all.”

Mrs. Xiong said, “I heard her grandfather was a scholar. Otherwise, how could an ordinary family raise such a learned daughter?”

Dagen said, “Such a good woman, how did she end up with Dayou?”

Zeng Dayou was a man from their village, and Dagen knew him well. Not that there was anything wrong with him, but compared to Dong Yun, it was like a toad wanting to marry a swan.

Mrs. Xiong gave him a glare, saying, “You’re a man, and yet you’re gossiping like this.”

Dagen quickly fell silent.

After finishing their meal, Mrs. Xiong urged Xinghua and Erniu, the younger children, to wash the dishes. But then, she noticed someone in the distance carrying a torch and walking toward their house.

As the person came closer, they realized it was Mrs. Qin (old lady) and her son, Dashan.

The old lady waved at them from far away and called out, “I was worried you’d be hungry tonight, so I brought you some baked pancakes.”

Mrs. Xiong, who had just calmed down, felt her emotions stir again. She quickly got up to meet them, saying, “You’re still thinking of us at this hour. I had some sweet potatoes earlier, but I forgot to mention them and made you run all the way here. However, just a moment ago, Fubao’s mother came by and brought us some food. We just finished eating.”

When the old lady heard that Dong Yun had brought them food, she smiled and said, “Having a good wife is really something. Last time, when Pear Blossom and Xinghua had that incident, it was all thanks to her. She always seems so cold, but privately, she’s really kind-hearted.”

She handed Mrs. Xiong a basket of baked pancakes and said, “These are perfect for breakfast tomorrow.”

Mrs. Xiong’s eyes welled up with tears. She took the old lady’s hand and said, “Aunt, I don’t even know what to say. No one’s been this good to me, not even my own parents.”

“That’s how it should be among folks from the same village,” the old lady replied. “Forget about our past exchanges. When your Pear Blossom and Daniu went up the mountain to find Xiaobao, they were putting their lives at risk. What are these two pancakes compared to that?”

With that, she pressed the basket into Mrs. Xiong’s hands, then, in the flickering firelight, looked at the two small grass huts they had built and said, “You two have worked fast. You’ve tidied up well. With these two huts, even if it rains, you won’t have to worry.”

Mrs. Xiong quickly replied, “The kids helped too. At least now we have a place to sleep. Tomorrow, Dagen is going to the yamen to transfer the land, and then we’ll buy some pots, bowls, and other household things. I plan to build a stove at home, and that should be enough.”

“Let Dagen bring our ox cart. It’ll be easier to haul the things back.”

Mrs. Xiong shook her head. “He needs to go to my parents’ house first. We won’t buy too much for now, and the ox cart won’t be convenient.”

Mrs. Qin nodded approvingly. “This is how life should be. Before, you lived with the Xiang family, but what kind of life was that? You were always going hungry, and they didn’t treat you like people. Look at them now. They deserve what they got.”

She lowered her voice and continued, “You don’t know, but this afternoon, Liu family’s eldest son was kicked out by the Xiang family and moved into your old house. The Xiang family caused a huge ruckus all night. It was quite the spectacle.”

Mrs. Xiong quickly perked up. “Are they discussing who will serve in the military?”

“That’s exactly what it’s about. The second and third branches are pushing the eldest branch to go. The eldest branch says Dagen already completed their share, so now it’s the second and third branches’ turn. No one is giving in, and that Mrs. Cao is quite something. The second and third branches finally met their match,” Mrs. Qin said with a tone full of schadenfreude.

Mrs. Xiong sighed. “It’s exactly the way it should be. In the past, Dagen and I were too honest, which is why we ended up in this situation.”

Mrs. Qin patted her hand and said, “Forget about the past. Your good days are ahead of you.”

Hearing the old lady’s words while talking to Qin Dashan, Dagen suddenly remembered what Liu Qianhu had said: “Those who survive great hardships will have future blessings.” Perhaps what he said was truly coming true now.

He turned to look at his eldest daughter, who was playing with a dagger by the fire and grinned. 

His luck was turning around, all thanks to this girl.