Chapter 21: Making Pickles

The sky had been overcast all morning, and by noon, it finally began to rain. It was perfect timing since it was almost lunchtime, and everyone hurried home to eat and avoid the downpour.

The rain wasn’t heavy—just a steady shower that was good for the crops, though less kind to the people working in the fields. Although Ye Xin had on a tattered straw hat, it didn’t do much to keep her dry; her hair and pants were soaked. And as for Shen Zhuo, who hadn’t brought anything to shield himself, he was in even worse shape. They dashed back to their courtyard, drenched with both rain and sweat, looking quite disheveled.

Ye Xin took off her straw hat, frowning. “It’s really inconvenient not having an umbrella.”

Shen Zhuo glanced at her but quickly looked away, mumbling, “Next time, we’ll buy one.”

Ye Xin had only been casually complaining, missing the convenience of a folding umbrella. She quickly realized their current situation and sighed quietly. Not wanting to worry him, she smiled and said, “It’s fine. We’re country folk. Who uses umbrellas around here? When it rains, we just head home and take a break.”

She added, “You should go change into dry clothes. Don’t catch a cold. Who knows when the rain will stop, and we might not be working this afternoon anyway.”

Shen Zhuo nodded and told her, “You should change too.”

They both went to their respective rooms to change clothes and had a simple lunch. Since the rain hadn’t stopped, they decided to take a nap.

By around 3 p.m., the rain let up, and people slowly trickled back out to continue their work. The post-rain breeze made everything cooler, and Ye Xin and the others weeded for another three hours before calling it a day.

Today, Shen Zhuo hadn’t worked with Ye Xin in the fields. He had been assigned to a different task, using a shovel to pile dirt around the sweet potato roots to help them grow and neaten the ridges.

As work ended, Ye Xin walked over to him. “I’m heading to Aunt Lin’s to learn how to make pickles. You can head back first.”

Shen Zhuo replied, “I’m not going back yet. I need to stop by the village leader’s house.”

Ye Xin suddenly remembered the training program they’d discussed the night before. She nodded quickly. “Right, we can’t delay that. Make sure to confirm our spot with the leader. Now that the others know about it, word must’ve spread, and there might be competition for the slots. We should secure one first.” She whispered this part.

People around them glanced over curiously, seeing the two talking in hushed tones. Shen Zhuo, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, “Let’s go.”

Aunt Lin was already waiting for Ye Xin. When she saw Shen Zhuo approaching, she teased loudly, “Ah, you two really can’t be apart, huh? Even for pickle-making, you’re sticking together!”

Both of their faces flushed. Ye Xin quickly explained in a low voice, “Auntie, Shen Zhuo’s just on his way to the village leader’s house.”

Aunt Lin laughed heartily. “Oh, I see! My mistake.”

Since the village leader’s house was in the same direction as Aunt Lin’s, she led them both along. On the way, she asked casually, “So, Shen Zhuo’s going to train as a doctor, huh?”

Shen Zhuo gave a quiet “Mm” in response.

Ye Xin, smiling, added a bit more detail. “There’s still time—training won’t start until the end of the year. The village leader dropped by yesterday and thought Shen Zhuo’s knowledge of herbs made him a good candidate, so he’s recommending him. We wouldn’t want to waste such a good opportunity.”

Aunt Lin wasn’t particularly invested, as it didn’t affect her family. She simply smiled and said, “That’s great! It’s a useful skill, better than farming, for sure.”

Ye Xin agreed. “Exactly.”

When they reached Aunt Lin’s house, Shen Zhuo continued on his way to the village leader’s. Before leaving, Ye Xin reminded him to come back and cook dinner once he was done, as she might be a little late. He promised he would.

Ye Xin followed Aunt Lin inside. The house had no courtyard; once you passed the door, you entered a spacious room. The left side was for receiving guests, the middle was stacked with firewood as a partition, and on the right were the stove, cabinets, and dining table—combining the living room, storage area, and kitchen into one large space. Aunt Lin had three children, two daughters…

A Daughter, a Small Son

Aunt Lin had three children: her eldest, Ni Mei, an 11-year-old girl, was already busy tending the fire and cooking. When she saw her mother return, she greeted her with a quiet “Ma” before glancing shyly at Ye Xin, too nervous to say anything. Her two younger siblings clung to her, wide-eyed but equally silent.

Aunt Lin immediately scolded them, “This is Comrade Ye, why aren’t you greeting her? Where are your manners?”

The children mumbled in soft voices, “Hello, Comrade Ye.”

Ye Xin smiled and nodded, acknowledging them warmly.

These children were thin, especially the eldest, Ni Mei. Her hair was dry and yellowed, her clothes worn and tattered. As she busied herself with the fire and looked after her younger siblings, Ye Xin couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy. It wasn’t necessarily that Aunt Lin was mistreating them—it was just the harsh reality of the times. Resources were scarce, and no one, adult or child, had much to eat. But seeing such a young girl take on so much responsibility tugged at Ye Xin’s heart.

Aunt Lin, noticing her gaze, said with a smile, “The kids don’t know any better. Don’t mind them, Comrade Ye.”

Ye Xin shook her head gently. “It’s nothing.”

Aunt Lin then turned to her second daughter. “Yao Niu, go get a chair for Comrade Ye!”

The little girl obediently brought over a chair for Ye Xin, who thanked her kindly. The girl blushed and scurried off, only to return with another chair for her mother.

In the middle of the room, a large basket of chopped mustard greens lay spread out on the firewood stack. They had clearly been prepared for drying, but with the bad weather, they were left to air dry indoors. The greens had softened, though they hadn’t lost their color.

Aunt Lin washed her hands and fetched a large glass jar that had been drying upside down. She brought over the basket of greens and began the process of pickling, all while explaining the steps to Ye Xin.

“These are mustard greens, the best for pickling. You wash them first. If there’s sun, let them dry outside; if not, like today, just air them indoors. Some people don’t bother cutting them, but I find it’s easier this way. Once they’re cut, they’re ready to eat as soon as you pull them out of the jar. The jar or crock you use needs to be clean and dry—no oil, or the greens will spoil. Now, you just rub the salt into the greens, massage them well until they’re soft, and pack them tightly into the jar, layer by layer. Seal it up, and that’s it.”

Ye Xin listened intently, nodding along. It seemed simpler than she had imagined.

She asked, “How long before they’re ready to eat?”

Aunt Lin replied, “Just a few days. Once they’re ready, you can eat them straight with porridge, or fry them up for extra flavor. If you have some meat to toss in, or a bit of chili, it’s even better—delicious with rice!”

Ye Xin’s mouth watered at the thought. “Thanks so much, Auntie! When my garden starts producing, I’ll pickle a whole jar myself!”

Aunt Lin laughed. “No need to thank me! You’ll pick it up easily just watching once. If your garden doesn’t have enough greens, come over and pick some from mine.”

Ye Xin quickly declined but took the chance to ask, “Auntie, do you know anyone who makes straw raincoats? We don’t have any at home, and it’s such a hassle when it rains.”

Aunt Lin, always helpful, immediately answered, “Old Master Rong on the west side of the village makes them. When he’s free, he goes up the mountain to gather palm leaves to weave raincoats and hats. He even sells them at the market! You can just buy one from him.”

Ye Xin thanked her again. “I really appreciate your help. I’m still getting used to things here, and I rely on all of you for guidance.”

“It’s no trouble at all.” Aunt Lin was delighted to be of help, clearly enjoying the camaraderie with a young city transplant like Ye Xin. But then, her tone suddenly shifted, and she gave Ye Xin a knowing look. “Though… Old Master Rong is the grandfather of that… Li Guangrong.”

Ye Xin paused, the name hitting her like a splash of cold water. Li Guangrong—the very young man her former self had fancied and even pursued.

No wonder Aunt Lin’s expression had become strange. Ye Xin felt the awkwardness rise, her face heating up with embarrassment.

Just as she was struggling to find something to say, Aunt Lin’s husband, Li Jianye, returned home. He was clearly of the same generation as the village leader, Li Jianbang. Surprised to see Ye Xin, he greeted her, and she quickly stood up, returning the greeting before politely excusing herself to avoid intruding on their dinnertime.

As Ye Xin stepped out, she thought to herself, Maybe I’ll pass on that raincoat. I can’t afford the embarrassment!

“Or maybe I’ll just buy one at the market next time,” Ye Xin thought to herself. “It’s not like it rains every day. No rush.”

After reassuring herself, she made her way up the hill.

When she arrived back at the courtyard gate, she glanced around to make sure no one was watching. With a quick slip into her hidden space, she picked a handful of fresh greens. The vegetables had been growing well inside, perhaps a little too well. Since she couldn’t just openly take produce from her secret space, this was the reason she needed to start pickling vegetables.

Holding the freshly picked greens, she pushed open the door. As expected, Shen Zhuo was already in the kitchen, preparing dinner. He looked surprised when he saw her walk in with the greens.

“These are from Aunt Lin,” Ye Xin said with a grin. “We can stir-fry them with meat tonight!”

That night, Ye Xin slipped back into her space, ready to put her newfound pickling skills to use. She picked a batch of mustard greens, gave them a good wash, and then spread them out to dry. Inside the space’s cabin, she found some drying tools but realized she didn’t have a kitchen knife. Not that it mattered much—everything in the space grew so tenderly that she could just tear the greens apart with her hands before laying them out to dry.

She made a mental note: The kitchen only has one knife, for both meat and vegetables. I’ll have to buy a couple more next time.

The list of things she needed was growing rapidly…

The next morning, she washed out the clay jars she had previously bought and left them to dry in the main room. That evening, once she was back, she quietly went about pickling the greens and stored the jars away.

The rainy weather lingered for two more days before the sun returned with blazing heat.

By then, it was the Mid-Year Festival, often called the Ghost Festival. Traditionally, the locals would visit the mountains to pay respects to their ancestors. But these were unusual times, and such customs were being skipped altogether. The festival passed like any other day, with everyone continuing their work in the fields.

Each day, as Ye Xin passed the rice paddies, she noticed how much the crops had grown. The rice plants were now in their tillering stage, their lush green stalks swaying in the breeze—a beautiful sight.

Back in her hidden space, she checked the smuggled rice plants. They had already entered the heading stage, and were about to fill with grain—a stark contrast to the outside crops. Nearby, the sweet potato vines had grown thick and full, bursting with vibrant pink and purple flowers.

More and more vegetables in her space were ripening, too. She found herself juggling the tasks of drying, pickling, and discreetly bringing them out to eat—thankfully, the small garden behind her house was growing well enough to act as a cover.

The variety of vegetables on their dinner table was expanding.

Shen Zhuo remarked one evening, “The vegetables we grow are so crisp and tender.”

Ye Xin smiled. “If you like them, eat more! There’s plenty more where that came from.”

In fact, they had so many vegetables that they couldn’t possibly eat them all, even if they had them for every meal.

Ye Xin had initially thought she would keep growing more crops in the space, but now it was clear that just one plot of vegetables was more than enough. She needed to plant something else—preferably something with a long growth cycle that didn’t require too much maintenance.

With long days working in the fields and busy nights, Ye Xin started feeling overwhelmed. The land in her secret space would need better planning, or she’d soon find herself completely exhausted.