Chapter 21 ☆ Brown sugar and bayberry juice (Part 1)

Cheng Yaoyao’s expression changed rapidly, and Xie San still couldn’t figure out her mood. He packed up his things and went to the large rock to retrieve Cheng Yaoyao’s shoes, which had dried in the sun.

He placed the shoes at her feet, and as she stepped into them, she nearly stepped on his fingers. Her feet were as soft as silk, and her heels were smooth. When they brushed against the top of his hand, it was like a jolt of electricity.

Cheng Yaoyao was very cautious when crossing the stream this time. She first placed one foot in the water, tested the pebbles to ensure she was steady, and then put in her other foot. The stream gurgled merrily, and watching the water’s surface gave the illusion of drifting with the current.

Grasping the handle of Xie San’s hatchet, Cheng Yaoyao carefully crossed the stream. This time, she avoided getting bitten by a snake or slipping, and reached the other side safely.

This successful crossing gave Cheng Yaoyao confidence, and she even joked about crossing the stream alone the next day. Xie San remained silent. To him, the stream was only ankle-deep, but from Cheng Yaoyao’s perspective, it sounded as though she was preparing to cross the Yalu River^[1]is a significant river in East Asia, forming part of the border between North Korea and China..

The road from the soybean field back to the village seemed endless. It was fine on the way there, but now, after a long day of work, Cheng Yaoyao’s sore muscles make the journey feel exhausting.

Cheng Yaoyao walked slower and slower, dragging her feet. Xie San, carrying all the items, adjusted his pace to match hers, but she still groaned, “I can’t walk anymore.”

She added, “I want to ride a bicycle.”

Xie San, after a moment of silence, untied the rope around his waist and handed it to her. “I’ll pull you.”

“I’m not a dog!” Cheng Yaoyao said it angrily.

Eventually, Cheng Yaoyao grabbed the rope and hung from it, relying on Xie San to support her. As he held the rope, facing the setting sun, it felt to him like he was guiding a small animal.

When they neared the village entrance, Xie San collected the rope and moved away from Cheng Yaoyao. He needed to go to the back mountain to gather firewood, while Cheng Yaoyao went home with the bayberries and cherries.

In the evening, the women of Tianshui Village were busy outside, washing rice and vegetables. The village had an abundance of green vegetables—beans, bitter melon, loofah^[2]is a vegetable that looks like a long, green gourd. It can be eaten when it’s young and tender, or dried.—which they washed in wooden basins.

As they worked, the women gossiped eagerly, and the topic of conversation was Cheng Yaoyao.

“That incredibly beautiful young lady from the city, who even looked down on the son of the village party secretary, came back yesterday riding the landlord’s son’s bicycle!”

“That educated young woman still had her hand around Xie San’s waist, really!”

Zhang Aihua, known for her laziness, sat at the village entrance, talking animatedly and with lots of details.

Lin Wangjia, picking beans, commented, “You sound so convincing, as if you saw it yourself.”

Zhang Aihua swore, “Of course not! My husband saw it in the fields yesterday when he got off work! Others saw it too, and the whole village knows about it! I wasn’t the only one who said it!”

Jinnier, unable to listen any longer, said, “That educated young woman, Cheng, doesn’t know how to work, so the team leader asked her to help plant soybeans with Xie San.”

A woman interjected, “Didn’t those educated youths make trouble with the team leader yesterday? If Cheng Zhiqing didn’t want to, how could she be with him again today?”

Everyone in the village had seen Cheng Yaoyao and Xie San leave together that morning, which silenced Jinnier.

Lin Wangjia was surprised. “How could a city girl be interested in someone like the landlord’s son? Doesn’t she know about Xie San’s background?”

“That’s hard to say. Xie San went out to work with the construction team a while ago, and the group of educated youths had just arrived. It’s normal; they wouldn’t know.”

As the women continued to speculate, a slender figure appeared at the village entrance. With fair skin, peach blossom eyes, and a charming teardrop mole under her eye, Cheng Yaoyao looked as graceful as ever despite her long day of work.

Lin Wang’s family commented, “Look, Guanyin is here.”

In Tianshui Village, Yue Yun was known as the most handsome young man, and the most beautiful girl was called Guanyin.

Zhang Aihua rolled her eyes. “Guanyin? She’s just a vixen!”

Cheng Yaoyao walked past without acknowledging them, maintaining an air of superiority. This only fueled the women’s sour anger.

“Look at her, strutting like a peacock, just trying to seduce men!”

Zhang Aihua spat the melon seed shells from her mouth onto the ground and shouted to Cheng Yaoyao, “Cheng Zhiqing, is he off work? Come on, come on.”

Cheng Yaoyao turned around and saw a plump country woman grinning at her with yellow teeth, waving like a dog. Cheng Yaoyao didn’t recognize her and nodded modestly.

Zhang Aihua, with a face as thick as a city wall, came over and asked, “I heard you and Xie San went to work in the soybean field today. Was it just the two of you?”

As Zhang Aihua spoke, she winked at the woman next to her. The other women also watched with smiles on their faces.

Cheng Yaoyao, accustomed to overt and covert attacks from women since childhood, immediately sensed the conspiracy in their eyes and expressions. She stopped smiling.

Her beauty was striking, and without her smile, she seemed almost unattainable. She raised her eyes and glared at Zhang Aihua, uttering two words from her rosy lips: “Guess?”

“Ahem.” Seeing Cheng Yaoyao’s unfriendly tone, the woman next to her started a different conversation.

Zhang Aihua, however, was oblivious to social cues. She continued to smile shamelessly at Cheng Yaoyao. “Why did I hear that you rode into the village in Xie San’s bike yesterday?”

Cheng Yaoyao truly laughed this time. “Why are you asking me if you already know?”

Zhang Aihua suddenly slapped her thigh and said with heartfelt concern, “Cheng Zhiqing, I’m doing this for your own good. You just arrived and don’t know Xie San’s background.”

Cheng Yaoyao narrowed her eyes slowly, and Zhang Aihua continued, “Look at Xie San’s appearance. If his family background weren’t so high, people would have already been knocking on his door with marriage proposals.”

The other women chimed in, “What’s the use of being handsome? He has two burdens at home, one old and one young.”

“Xie San worked hard for three years, only to fill up medicine jars. Which girl would want to jump into that fire pit?”

Zhang Aihua became more animated with the support of the other women. “Sister-in-law^[3]Some people use the term “sister-in-law” as part of their tradition to show closeness and make relationships feel warmer, even if they’re not actually related., I’m speaking from the heart. Look at your looks and figure. You’re from the city. Which family will you marry into in the future…”

Cheng Yaoyao raised her hand to half-cover her nose; the stench from Zhang Aihua’s mouth made her want to vomit.

She raised her voice slightly and interrupted Zhang Aihua. “Sister-in-law, my grandmother lived to be a hundred years old. Do you know why?”

Cheng Yaoyao’s pleasant voice caught everyone’s attention. Zhang Aihua was puzzled. “Why… why?”

With a raised eyebrow and a teardrop mole glittering under her peach blossom eyes, full of sarcasm, Cheng Yaoyao replied, “Because she never meddled in other people’s business.”

After saying this, Cheng Yaoyao walked away, leaving the women to watch her slender, graceful back, like a proud swan.

Cheng Yaoyao’s face darkened as she turned away. It felt demeaning to engage with such a person!

The evening breeze carried the aroma of food. Someone must be having a feast today; the smell of garlic and chili wafted far away, making Cheng Yaoyao’s mouth water. She was getting hungrier faster due to the increased workload.

Cheng Yaoyao quickened her pace towards the dormitory.

Dinner was a big disappointment for Cheng Yaoyao: a plate of cold purslane, a few drops of oil in the salted vegetable soup, and two cold steamed buns made from mixed flour.

Purslane grew around the dormitory of the educated youth. This wild vegetable, with its purple stems and green leaves, has a sour taste. It’s plump and tender at this time, and when picked, washed, blanched, and mixed with salt and chili, it becomes a sour and spicy dish. In the summer, after a long day in the fields, a bite of cold purslane is quite appetizing.

Cheng Yaoyao had made it the day before yesterday, and everyone praised it highly. Cheng Nuonuo also prepared a dish today. However, compared to Cheng Yaoyao’s, the dish Cheng Nuonuo made today tasted terrible.

At the dinner table, the educated youth complained in unison. “Nono, your cooking skills have been lacking these past two days.”

“This purslane tastes sour and bitter. It can’t compare to what Yaoyao made.”

Cheng Nuonuo apologized timidly, “I made it according to Sister Yaoyao’s method. Maybe the seasoning is off. I’ll adjust the recipe tomorrow.”

A male educated youth added, “And your pickled vegetable soup doesn’t taste right. The old one was much better.”

Shen Yan frowned and knocked on the table. “Nono works hard to cook for you every day. You should be grateful rather than complaining. If you’re not satisfied, let someone else do it.”

Shen Yan came from a good family, and his words carried weight among the educated youth. The others fell silent, feeling embarrassed.

Cheng Yaoyao, who had been chewing on her steamed bread silently, suddenly dropped the half-eaten bread and smiled faintly. “Alright, it’s my turn.”

Shen Yan was taken aback by Cheng Yaoyao’s response, and Cheng Nuonuo was also stunned. “Sister Yaoyao, you… you…”

Cheng Nuonuo had been about to ask if Cheng Yaoyao could cook, but remembering the cooking skills Cheng Yaoyao had displayed yesterday, she realized her own skills were lacking and was momentarily speechless.

Cheng Yaoyao slowly wiped her slender fingertips with a handkerchief and said, “We work in the fields under the scorching sun all day and come back exhausted. You cook comfortably in the dormitory and the cafeteria. If you can’t cook well, then let me do it. I’m confident that the food I prepare will taste better than yours. What do you think?”

Cheng Yaoyao’s gaze swept over the room, and several male educated youth responded immediately. Han Yin also nodded in agreement. “I agree! If you don’t like this job, let someone else handle it. It’s easy to talk to the team leader and the village cadres. Let Yaoyao show them her skills and see who they choose!”

Some remained silent. Despite the poor taste, Cheng Nuonuo’s food had given them strength, which was evident to all.

Shen Yan defended Cheng Nuonuo by saying, “Nono is cooking for the brigade canteen, which the brigade leader and other leaders agreed to. She’s doing the cooking for you and the whole village by herself, and it’s a big job.”

“I know she’s working hard,” Cheng Yaoyao sneered. “So, why don’t you let me take on this hard work? What do you think?”

Han Yin immediately said, “I agree! If you’re dissatisfied with this job, let someone else do it. It’s easy to talk to the team leader and the village cadres. Let Yaoyao demonstrate her skills and see who they choose!”

The male educated youth naturally supported Cheng Yaoyao. Shen Yan, feeling publicly humiliated, had a face as dark as thunder, while Cheng Nuonuo looked pitiful, as if she had been bullied.

Cheng Yaoyao ignored them, pushed her bowl away after dinner, and ran to the yard to wash bayberries and cherries.

The daylight was still fading, and the red bayberries and crystal-clear cherries soaking in cold water looked mouth-watering.

Han Yin and Zhang Xiaofeng helped Cheng Yaoyao clean up the cherries. As they ate the cherries, they enviously said, “If I had known earlier, I would have gone to work in the soybean fields too! There are so many good things to pick!”

Cheng Yaoyao said proudly, “Don’t just eat the cherries. Wash the bayberries too, and I’ll make a pot of bayberry juice for you to drink.”

Upon hearing this, Han Yin and Zhang Xiaofeng hurriedly sped up.

The two male educated youths, greedy for more, circled around her with lecherous smiles.

Han Yin shooed them away like flies. “Go, go, go! These are the things Yaoyao brought back. Don’t try to take advantage of it!”

Cheng Yaoyao was generous with this kind of thing and said, “Give them some to eat. Each of you can have a handful. If you want more, come and get it, or it’ll be gone.”

The others, who had been watching openly or covertly, rushed over with cheers when they heard this. Each took a handful of juicy cherries and praised Cheng Yaoyao. Shen Yan and Cheng Nuonuo, however, did not approach. After the five male educated youths had taken their share, a person slowly came over—it was Liu Minxia.

Han Yin groaned and said to Liu Minxia, “What are you doing just standing there?”

Liu Minxia’s shoulders trembled. She stammered but couldn’t speak, her eyes fixed on the crystal-clear cherries in the basin. The food had been getting worse lately, and while everyone else had secretly cooked for themselves, she hadn’t, leaving her starving all day. Looking at the basin of cherries, she was so greedy she couldn’t move.

Han Yin, annoyed by Liu Minxia’s presence, said, “You didn’t respond when I asked you something, and now you’re just standing here without doing anything.”

Liu Minxia, still wearing her old clothes, was usually so quiet that people often forgot she was there. Now, she stood by, neither asking for anything nor wanting to leave. She looked listless, pitiful, and a bit annoying.

Cheng Yaoyao interrupted Han Yin and, pulling her away, had Zhang Xiaofeng offer a handful of cherries to Liu Minxia. “Here, take these. Yaoyao is giving them to you.”

Liu Minxia took the cherries, looked at Cheng Yaoyao with a wooden expression, stammered “thank you,” and turned away.

Watching Liu Minxia leave, Zhang Xiaofeng criticized Han Yin quietly. “You should keep your comments to yourself in the future. Why do you always make things difficult for Han Yin?”

Han Yin chewed on a cherry and snorted, “I just don’t like her. She’s always so gloomy.”

Cheng Yaoyao agreed. She remembered how Liu Minxia and Cheng Nuonuo had once tried to stab her. The original owner had been very kind to Liu Minxia, and Cheng Yaoyao despised ungrateful people.

Han Yin then asked Cheng Yaoyao, “Yaoyao, these bayberries are so sour. They’re inedible!”

Cheng Yaoyao snorted, “Don’t eat them until I’m done with them!”

Han Yin smiled and said, “No, I have to try them!”

***

T/L Notes:

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