Chapter 52: The Cooper

As Ye Xin drifted into her thoughts, Liu Hongxia couldn’t hold her tongue any longer.

“I’ve asked about Grandpa Sheng San, the barrel maker,” she chimed in. “His prices aren’t cheap; it’ll cost you three yuan for the wood and labor.”

Snapping back to reality, Ye Xin replied, “If his craftsmanship is good, it’s worth it.”

Liu Hongxia frowned, studying her with the judgment of someone witnessing a lavish spender. “You’re really willing to part with your money, aren’t you?”

Ye Xin sighed in exasperation. “It’s not about willingness; it’s about necessity! We just received our wages from the brigade. If I’m not going to spend it on household items, what else should I use it for?”

Zheng Wenwen, clearly annoyed with Liu Hongxia’s prattling, shot her a glare. “Enough of your grumbling. Why don’t you help me stoke the fire instead?” With that, she pulled Liu Hongxia back into the kitchen to continue preparing the meat sauce.

Wang Xiaowei shook her head at the spectacle, rolling her eyes at Liu Hongxia’s antics.

Meanwhile, Ye Xin adjusted her expression and smiled nonchalantly. “Thank you, Xiaowei. I’ll manage with Grandpa Sheng on my own. You focus on what you need to do.”

Suddenly remembering something, she pulled out a water radish from her basket and handed it to her. “Oh, here! This is for you.”

Wang Xiaowei looked at the plump white radish, half-amused and half-exasperated. “Why on earth did you bring vegetables? Do I need to pay you for a couple of friendly chats now? We’ve got plenty of our own radishes, even if they’re not as nice as yours.”

Ye Xin laughed, shaking her head. “That’s not the point! We grew too many and can’t eat them all. I figured you might be running low, so I brought some along. I didn’t want to stroll around the village empty-handed; it felt too idle. If you’ve got enough radishes, I could throw in some dried green beans we harvested and dried ourselves.”

She put the radish back in the basket and pulled out the dried beans, pushing them into Wang Xiaowei’s hands as she whispered, “Please don’t refuse. We can’t finish all this ourselves, and selling it isn’t easy either. I’d hate to see it spoil!”

Seeing Ye Xin’s sincerity, Wang Xiaowei accepted the beans with a smile. “No objections here! We can certainly use this. It’ll be perfect for a stew with the meat during the New Year. But since you’ve shared your veggies with me twice now, I’ll have to bring you something in return next time. I’m planning to make some sticky bean cakes in a few days; it’s a tradition in my family for the New Year. I’ll make sure to save some for you!”

Ye Xin’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I’ll be eagerly waiting for that!”

As she turned to leave, Wang Xiaowei called out, “By the way, with the New Year approaching and just having received our wages, everyone wants to hit the market during the last two collection days. I’m planning to go tomorrow to help Zheng Wenwen and Wang Youwei take their gifts. Are you coming?”

Ye Xin nodded. “Definitely! But I’ll stick to my plan: Shen Zhuo will give me a ride in the morning, and I’ll take some vegetables to sell. I won’t be able to join you all, but we can return together.”

“That sounds great! I’ll drop them off and then head to the agricultural market to find you,” Wang Xiaowei said.

“Agreed!” Ye Xin confirmed.

With that, she turned to leave, catching a glimpse of Jiang Jingyu still sitting nearby, basking in the sun while drying soybeans, smiling back at her.

Jiang Jingyu found Ye Xin’s sudden friendliness puzzling, but she managed a reluctant smile in return. Having overheard their conversation, she thought Ye Xin had become noticeably more patient and warmhearted lately.

Noticing Jiang Jingyu’s hesitance, Ye Xin didn’t dwell on it and continued to smile as she walked away.

In the ranks of young intellectuals, there were both friendly and unfriendly faces, as well as many she didn’t know well. That was okay; she didn’t need to be friends with everyone. As long as she had one or two allies, she could forge connections, increasing her chances of familiarity through casual visits.

With her basket in tow, she headed west toward the village.

In truth, she wasn’t exactly sure where Grandpa Sheng San’s workshop was located. Last time, when she learned how to pickle vegetables at Lin Meihua’s house, she had asked where to buy a straw raincoat. Lin Meihua mentioned that Grandpa Rong lived on the west side of the village, known for his crafts, but upon recalling that Grandpa Rong was Li Guangrong’s grandfather, she quickly dismissed the idea, deciding she didn’t need the raincoat after all.

Though she did end up running into Grandpa Rong at the market and bought something from him, she had never ventured to the village’s western edge and still didn’t know how to get there.

She had originally planned to ask for directions as she walked since she knew the village well…

As Ye Xin continued her walk, she noticed a group of curious children trailing behind her, peering at her with wide eyes. When she turned to look, they giggled and scampered off, but one little boy remained, shyly sucking his fingers and staring at her. This scene felt strangely familiar.

Ye Xin paused, recognizing the boy and quickly remembering his name. “Li Guangming, come here!”

Li Guangming recalled the sweet potato chips and eggs she had given him before and obediently approached, his eyes immediately darting to her basket.

Relieved she had come prepared, Ye Xin reached into the basket and pulled out a handful of sweet potato chips, smiling as she asked, “Do you know where Grandpa Sheng San lives? Can you take me there?”

With the sweet potato chips in hand, Li Guangming brightened up. The chips were especially soft and sweet, far tastier than the boiled or roasted ones he usually had. Curious, he asked, “Why do you want to see my grandpa?”

Ye Xin’s heart leaped with joy. “Grandpa Sheng is your grandpa? That’s wonderful! I need him to make me a barrel. Please take me to him!”

Li Guangming nodded eagerly, munching on the sweet potato chips as he led her toward his home.

As they walked, Ye Xin decided to strike up a conversation with the little boy to learn more about his family. “What’s your father’s name?”

Li Guangming shook his head, looking downcast. “I don’t know. He’s dead.”

Ye Xin was taken aback. “Oh…?”

Li Guangming blinked up at her, his innocent eyes wide. “Grandpa said when I was little, Dad went to fix a waterway and got washed away in a flood. He died.”

Ye Xin felt a pang of sympathy. “Oh… I see.”

She hesitated for a moment before quietly asking, “What about your mother?”

Li Guangming’s expression darkened. “She left. Grandpa said when Dad died, Mom just went away. I don’t have a mom anymore.”

Ye Xin’s heart sank. What had she done, asking such sensitive questions?

She looked into the boy’s innocent eyes and decided silence was the best option. The rest of the way, they walked in silence; Li Guangming happily munched on his snack while dutifully leading her home. As they passed through the village, Ye Xin ignored the many curious glances directed her way.

When they reached a pair of slightly run-down mud-brick houses, Ye Xin paused, taking in the disheveled woodpile under the eaves and some wooden boards stacked haphazardly atop it.

Li Guangming, however, didn’t stop. He marched straight into the house, calling out, “Grandpa, someone’s here to see you about making barrels!”

An elderly voice replied, “Who is it? Who’s looking for me?”

“It’s that pretty young intellectual sister from Shen Zhuo’s family on the slope!” Li Guangming announced.

Hearing this, Ye Xin couldn’t help but smile.

A moment later, an old man emerged, leaning heavily on a cane. His legs seemed unsteady, his beard unkempt, and his face was weathered and thin. Thankfully, he was dressed in a decent cotton jacket and a thick cap to keep warm.

Ye Xin recalled Wang Xiaowei mentioning that this Grandpa Sheng San was the younger brother of Grandpa Rong. Yet, based on appearances, it seemed the younger brother had aged far more than the elder.

At the market, Grandpa Rong had appeared spry despite his wrinkles and white hair, selling straw raincoats with vigor. In contrast, Grandpa Sheng seemed frail, both in spirit and physique.

Thinking back to what Li Guangming had shared, Ye Xin felt she could understand a little better. Both old men were likely in their seventies, nearing eighty, having lived through various hardships before and after the founding of the country. Reaching this age in such trying times was no small feat.

However, Ye Xin couldn’t help but wonder if this elderly man, given his age and health, could still work.

With a polite smile, Ye Xin stepped forward and said, “Grandpa Sheng San, my name is Ye Xin. I was wondering if you still make barrels? I’d like to order two wooden barrels from you.”

Li Xingsheng blinked in surprise as he sized her up, a curious gleam in his eyes. “Of course I make them! What size do you need?”

Ye Xin hadn’t anticipated having a choice, so she asked, “What sizes do you usually make?”

Li Xingsheng called for Li Guangming to bring out three samples. They were all dry wooden barrels, surprisingly lightweight—so light that even a child could drag them along.

Among the three samples, one resembled more of a basin than a barrel, measuring about thirty centimeters wide and twenty centimeters high, looking more like a footbath than anything else. The second was a small barrel, twenty centimeters wide and thirty centimeters high—cute and convenient, but barely held any water. The last barrel, however, was the one Ye Xin needed: it stood fifty centimeters tall, with a rim width of thirty centimeters and a base width of twenty-five centimeters, offering a substantial capacity.

“I’d like two large barrels,” she stated. “How soon can you have them ready?”

“If you’re in a hurry, I can have them finished before the New Year. I’ll be using cedar wood and iron hoops, with a coat of tung oil. Each large barrel, materials and labor included, will cost three yuan. You’ll need to give me a two-yuan deposit first,” Li Xingsheng explained.

Ye Xin’s eyes lit up at the prospect of having the barrels ready in time. She promptly fished out two yuan from her pocket, saying, “Thank you! I’d really appreciate it if you could have them done before the New Year.”

Li Xingsheng took the money with his bony, calloused hand, tucking it into the pocket of his cotton jacket. He nodded, “Alright, you can head back now. I’ll send Guangming to tell you when they’re ready.”

“Sounds good! Thank you!” Ye Xin replied cheerfully as she took her leave.

As Li Guangming watched her walk away, he was about to return to his play, but his grandfather interrupted. “Guangming, go check if your brother Rong is around. If he is, ask him to help us saw some wood.”

With a resigned sigh, Li Guangming headed next door to his uncle’s house, which was significantly larger and in better shape than his own.

At the entrance, a tall young man was standing, gazing in one direction.

Li Guangming squinted, trying to see what he was looking at, but his short stature made it impossible. He called out, “Brother Rong, what are you looking at?”

Li Guorong turned his gaze away and looked down at him. “Did someone come by to order barrels from Grandpa?”

Li Guangming nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Two big barrels!”

“Who ordered them?” Li Guorong pressed.

“It’s the pretty young intellectual sister from Shen Zhuo’s family on the slope!” Li Guangming exclaimed.

Li Guorong’s brow furrowed at this revelation. He had noticed the delicate figure of the girl as she left and found her rather charming. To think it was her!

“Grandpa wants you to help with sawing the wood,” Li Guangming said.

“Got it! I was just about to go over,” Li Guorong replied, falling into step behind his younger cousin. As they walked, he noticed Li Guangming munching on something. “What are you eating?”

Li Guangming, ever honest, replied, “Sweet potato chips.”

Li Guorong chuckled lightly. “What’s so special about sweet potato chips? Don’t eat too many, or you’ll feel sick.”

Li Guangming nodded earnestly. “I’m not eating too much, just a few pieces. But these are really delicious—way better than the ones you make!”

Li Guorong raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What makes them different?”

After thinking for a moment, Li Guangming shrugged. Not wanting to keep such a treat to himself, he reluctantly held out a piece. “Here, Brother Rong, you try it. It’s really tasty!”

Without hesitation, Li Guorong took the piece and popped it into his mouth. He was surprised to find that the chips were incredibly soft, fragrant, and sweet, a stark contrast to the dry, bland ones he usually made.

“Where did you get this?” he asked, astonished.

“From that intellectual sister earlier,” Li Guangming replied proudly.

Li Guorong’s expression shifted as he pondered this. Suddenly, the chips didn’t seem quite as appealing.

But Li Guangming was still cheerfully chattering, “She’s really nice! She gave me sweet potato chips last time, too!”

“…and she even gave me an egg! It was so delicious! And she’s so pretty, always smiling…”

Li Guorong couldn’t take it anymore. Not wanting to waste food, he swallowed the sweet potato chip in his mouth and retorted, “So she gives you some food, and you’re singing her praises? You’d be sold off before you even realized it!”

Li Guangming shot back, “No way! The young intellectual sister wouldn’t sell kids!”

…

After ordering the barrels in the morning, Ye Xin found herself with free time in the afternoon. So, she decided to venture into the mountains.

The herbal fields she had planned were mostly still vacant, and since she had some time on her hands, she figured she might as well fill them up a bit. Previously, she had always gone into the mountains with Shen Zhuo, making it inconvenient to uproot the herbs and replant them in the center. But now that she was alone, it was perfect! After all, she had learned quite a bit about medicinal herbs from Shen Zhuo, so she easily recognized the familiar ones to uproot and replant in her space. It was incredibly convenient.

Winter had settled in, and the small animals in the mountains were less active, while the insects had gone silent. The cold wind howled through the trees, leaving the landscape eerily quiet.

Yet, Ye Xin didn’t feel scared at all. In fact, she felt as if the entire mountain belonged to her. With no one else venturing into the woods, she felt free and relaxed as she moved in and out of her space at will.

When she grew tired of foraging for herbs, she popped into her space for a refreshing watermelon snack. The watermelons were ripening in abundance, and it was becoming a bit of a worry for her.

She had to eat them with gusto, savoring only the best parts and burying the leftovers in the ground as fertilizer. Honestly, these watermelons weren’t of the best variety—not particularly sweet or flavorful—so she felt no guilt over any waste. Only when she encountered exceptionally sweet and delicious ones did she save seeds for next time, planning to space out the planting instead of doing it all at once.

After spending the entire afternoon transplanting herbs in the mountains, she returned just as the sun began to set, and her herb field in the space had a freshly planted corner. Ye Xin was feeling a bit fatigued.

Because of that, she took her time preparing dinner. Plus, Shen Zhuo was back quickly, so she decided to let him handle things while she took a breather.