The clouds hanging in the evening sky were dyed purple-red by the sunset when He Mingyu and Yingzi finally pushed their empty little cart, stepping onto the bluestone road still lingering with the day’s warmth, and turned into Donglizi Lane.
The courtyard gate was left ajar. Wu Chunlan had long been waiting inside. Hearing them, she hurried out, holding a cloth dipped in warm water. Her eyes and brows were filled with pity: “Quick, wipe your face and sit down to rest. Being out there all day, you must be exhausted.”
“Mother, I’m not tired. Sister had the hardest time working back and forth today,” Yingzi said, parking the cart in the courtyard corner and speaking up first. “Mother, is there hot water on the stove? I’ll fetch some for Sister to soak her feet and relieve the fatigue.”
“Yes, yes, I calculated the time and have it ready; the pot has been on the stove the whole time,” Wu Chunlan replied quickly.
He Mingyu bent down and pulled a small wooden bucket from under the pushcart. As she lifted the lid, a light, slightly sweet fragrance mixed with a faint scent of medicinal herbs drifted out.
Wu Chunlan was stunned: “What is this?”
“Mother, this is ‘Bathing Buddha’ water! We got it at the temple; it’s sweet and delicious!” Yingzi happened to emerge from the kitchen carrying a basin of hot water, smiling brightly. “Sister and I specifically brought it back for you and Brother to taste!”
While carrying the bucket into the room, He Mingyu laughed and explained, “They say it contains licorice, cloves, calamus, and many other spices, all boiled down with honey. Delicious is one thing, but most importantly, the head master at the temple said today that because this water once ‘bathed’ the Buddha’s body, drinking it can dispel disasters and difficulties, and pray for peace and prosperity…”
Before she could finish, Yingzi’s eyes lit up, and she realized: “Exactly like that.” She set down the basin and held her hands in a hollow cup, her little face full of piety: “May the Buddha bless my whole family with peace!” With that, she mimicked holding a bowl and tilted her head back to ‘drink,’ looking both sincere and comical.
Wu Chunlan had never encountered such things before. Once she heard it could dispel disasters, she immediately took it to heart. She washed her hands first, then cautiously scooped a bowl of the water with a wooden ladle. Treating it like a precious treasure, she took a very pious sip.
Watching from the side, He Mingyu found it interesting—this was probably the ancient version of “chicken soup for the soul” and ritualistic ceremony. Though she didn’t believe in these things, she respected her mother’s simple intentions. Seeing the two of them enthusiastically teaching and learning, and feeling truly exhausted—her soles feeling like stones that couldn’t be rubbed at will—she stopped standing on ceremony and immersed her feet into the hot water Yingzi had brought.
The warmth instantly enveloped her ankles, and she sighed comfortably. Her muscles and bones, tense for the entire day, relaxed soundlessly. If only there were a masseur who understood acupoints to press them, and maybe add some mugwort essential oil…
Stop, stop thinking about that. He Mingyu reached out and pressed her own feet twice, silently brainwashing herself: Getting pressed by someone else surely isn’t as comfortable as doing it myself…
“It really is delicious,” Wu Chunlan nodded, then remembered something. “By the way, where is Shitou? Didn’t he say he was going to meet you? Didn’t you run into him?”
Yingzi was just about to answer when the courtyard gate creaked open. Shitou walked in carrying things; in one hand, he held several strings of glossy, fragrant, well-marbled sausages, and in the other, he cradled a small earthenware jar.
Wu Chunlan was startled once more: “This… it’s not a holiday or festival, why are you buying sausages? And what’s in this jar…”
“Soybean paste newly brewed by the sauce and vinegar shop.” He Mingyu, still soaking her feet, felt her whole body much more relaxed. Her eyes brightened with a smile: “I asked Shitou to buy the preserved meat. Mother, tonight we are having a good meal—”
At dinnertime, Yingzi skipped over to the opposite door and knocked.
Zhang Dashan opened it, still holding a piece of half-planed wood. He was quite surprised to see Yingzi calling him for dinner: “Yingzi? Hasn’t your sister been busy with the Bathing Buddha Festival business for the past two days? Does she still have the energy to cook dinner?”
Yingzi shook her head, her smile bright: “It’s simple this time! Sister just pointed things out from the side; Mother and Brother made it together!” She tilted her head to think, then added, “Though… it’s not exactly simple; it’s a new style. It’s so fragrant! Brother Dashan, hurry and call Uncle Zhang over.”
Zhang Dashan was intrigued by her words: “Alright, you go back first; we’ll tidy up and come over right away.”
A moment later, the Zhang father and son entered the courtyard carrying two packages of peanut crisps bought from the shop at the lane entrance. Just as they stepped in, a strange fragrance hit their nostrils—the oily scent of preserved meat forced out by hot fire, the vegetable aroma of steamed potatoes and eggplant, a rich sauce fragrance carrying the scent of fermented fermented black beans, and the burnt aroma of stir-fried sesame seeds… Various flavors intertwined, making one’s mouth water.
The stone table in the courtyard was already set. He Mingyu greeted them with a smile: “Uncle Zhang, Brother Dashan, sit down quickly and taste this ‘Big Rice Wrap’!”
“Big Rice Wrap?” Zhang Hu looked at the basin on the table, filled with tender yellow cabbage leaves still beaded with water droplets, and several large bowls filled with different fillings. He was full of confusion. “This is… how are you supposed to eat this?”
He Mingyu didn’t say much, demonstrating with a smile. She picked up a cabbage leaf, shook off the water droplets, and laid it flat on her palm. First, she used a wooden ladle to scoop a few spoons of golden mashed potatoes as a base, followed by a spoonful of oily, rich bean paste mixed with golden egg bits, then clamped on a few slices of steamed, translucent, slightly curled preserved sausage and soft, flavorful eggplant strips, finally sprinkling on a pinch of fragrant stir-fried sesame seeds.
Zhang Dashan stretched his neck, trying hard to identify the contents: “This is… preserved meat, potatoes… and sesame seeds?”
Yingzi smiled sweetly: “Brother Dashan, there is also the egg sauce Sister stir-fried herself; it’s so fragrant!”
It was indeed fragrant, and the flavor was quite assertive. The soybean paste was newly brewed, mixed with lard and eggs. Stir-fried over a high flame, various flavors were kneaded together. Zhang Dashan was already hooked, completely disoriented by the scent.
He Mingyu moved nimbly, mixing the filling a few times, then folded the cabbage leaf from the left and right, and rolled it from front to back. A full, solid “big bundle” wrapped in yellow clothes was complete. She handed this first heavy wrap to Wu Chunlan: “Mother, you eat first.”
Wu Chunlan felt the weight of it and laughed: “It’s so big, I can’t finish it.” She turned and handed it to Zhang Hu, who was sitting to the side: “Your Uncle Zhang contributed a lot to our pushcart initially; he should eat first.”
Zhang Hu’s tanned, black-red face showed a hint of shyness in the twilight. He quickly tried to decline, but Wu Chunlan firmly stuffed it into his hand. He had no choice but to take it, looking at this “bundle” he had never seen before, and took a hesitant bite.
His teeth first pierced through the crisp, slightly sweet cabbage leaf filled with fresh juice, then sank into a rich, soft, and layered filling. The density of the mashed potatoes melted in his mouth, wrapped in the salty, rich, and grainy egg sauce. The mellow, oily aroma and the unique smoky flavor of the preserved sausage burst forth. Although the eggplant was steamed until soft, it didn’t taste monotonous; it perfectly neutralized the salty oiliness of the bean paste and sausage, while the burnt sesame seeds popped out with surprise grains and fragrance while chewing.
Salty bean paste, moist eggplant, fresh eggs, fragrant sausage, sticky potatoes, sweet cabbage… various flavors and textures collided in his mouth.
“Mmm!” Zhang Hu’s eyes lit up instantly. He couldn’t care about the heat and took a few more bites, chewing with bulging cheeks, vaguely and sincerely praising: “Fragrant! Truly fragrant! This way of eating… so satisfying!”
The more he ate, the more puzzled he became. They were all ordinary spring vegetables, but under the hands of the He family girl, each one seemed to have transformed. Take the cabbage for example—he and Zhang Dashan hated it the most, but paired this way, even though it was eaten raw, it was so crisp and tender, full of moisture and a hint of sweetness.
Seeing his father’s state, Zhang Dashan naturally couldn’t hold back. He hurriedly made one for himself, mimicking her actions and taking a big bite, followed by a satisfied sigh. Wu Chunlan, Shitou, and Yingzi all made their own, enjoying the process. For a time, only the sound of chewing and occasional exclamations remained in the courtyard.
He Mingyu made one for herself and took a bite. The familiar yet strange taste spread on her tongue, each bite a solid sense of satisfaction.
She had truly been thinking of this bite for a long time. If she could add some spicy strips, crispy peanuts, or sandy salted egg yolks… the flavor would probably be worth swapping even for a god’s meal. She squinted her eyes with satisfaction, but as things stood, having family sitting around, neighbors sharing, and a young, healthy body was already the best it could be.
One must know that contentment leads to happiness~
As the twilight deepened, everyone wiped out the rich “fillings” and sweet cabbage leaves on the table, all eating to their heart’s content. Zhang Hu and his son sat for a while longer, drank tea, and offered their thanks before returning home, carrying a bag of cookies that He Mingyu had insisted they take as a return gift.
After sending them off and cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks, He Mingyu did not immediately wash up and rest. A moment later, she emerged from the room holding two heavy cloth money bags and placed them gently on the wiped-clean dining table.
Wu Chunlan was tidying up the benches and was startled: “This is…”
Come to think of it, she was only going to set up the stall at the Imperial Academy in the evening tomorrow, and there would be plenty of time to do this during the day. However, He Mingyu felt that since the whole family had worked so hard and insisted for so long, there was a common goal in their hearts, and that was to make money.
Today was a pretty big day; how could she sleep without counting the money?
“Counting money.” He Mingyu’s eyes sparkled: “Let’s see how much we actually earned!”
Yingzi and Shitou, who were already feeling sleepy, felt like they had been injected with adrenaline and rushed over with a “whoosh.” Even Wu Chunlan joined them, and the family sat neatly around the table.
She untied the knot and lifted the bottoms of the two money bags—
“Clatter-clatter—!”
The crisp and pleasant sound of clashing filled the small room. Copper coins poured out like a golden stream, piling into two dazzling little hills on the table, interspersed with a few small silver scraps that shone with a charming luster under the oil lamp.
“Yay!” Yingzi cheered first: “I want to count too!”
“Come, let’s count together.”
The four sat around the table, their fingers moving the cold copper coins, making a ding-dong sound. One hundred copper coins were strung into a small string and carefully tied with a thin hemp rope. One string, two strings, three strings… the strings of copper coins increased, and the silver scraps on the table were also picked out separately.
“Three thousand five hundred and seventy-two copper coins, plus four ‘qian’ and three ‘fen’ of fragmented silver.” He Mingyu reported the final number, her voice carrying a trace of excitement.
According to the current exchange rate, these silver fragments could be exchanged for about four hundred copper coins. Added together, the day’s income alone was nearly four taels! This was almost equivalent to several days of hard work in the past. She sighed silently—this was probably the ancient version of the Golden Week effect; setting up a stall at the entrance of a scenic spot was indeed different.
“So much!” Yingzi couldn’t help clapping, her eyes full of longing: “I wish it were the Bathing Buddha Festival every day!”
Once these words were out, Wu Chunlan was stunned, then burst into laughter, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes bunching together. Even Shitou, who was accustomed to being silent, laughed out loud.
He Mingyu reached out and pinched Yingzi’s nose, her eyes full of smiles: “Silly girl, if every day were the Bathing Buddha Festival, wouldn’t Mother and Sister be worn out? I’m afraid your brother’s frame wouldn’t be able to handle running back and forth like this every day.”
“Life has to be lived steadily. We were just lucky today, thanks to the Buddha and the festival.” She collected the strings of copper coins into the money box, her tone turning light: “From now on, we will use our own skills to make ordinary days taste like festivals; that is the true ability.”
Wu Chunlan looked at her warm, calm, and determined profile. The trance caused by the huge profit was replaced by a silent sense of security. She pulled Yingzi into her arms and whispered:
“Your sister is right. Peace, stability, and having something to look forward to every day—this is the best life.”