By the time Lin Xiaoman finished packing, the bed had been fully dismantled.
Lin Youwang called out, and a group of men from the village came over to load everything onto his ox cart.
In addition to the items Lin Xiaoman had requested and the sixty catties of grain, Clan Elder Lin Daqiang took the initiative to add two large clay jars and two cotton quilts for the siblings. He also had someone haul over all the firewood from the woodshed. On top of that, he pressured Old Madam Lin into handing over two hundred wen in cash.
Finally, amid Old Madam Lin’s loud wails of despair, the family separation agreement was written up, and both sides pressed their handprints to it.
From that moment on, Lin Xiaoman and her younger brother were officially separated from the old Lin family. The siblings would now fend for themselves, and they would have no obligation to care for their grandparents in their old age.
Watching her belongings being hauled away on the ox cart, Old Madam Lin crouched in the yard, her heart aching as she slapped her thighs. With each slap, she let out a wail, much to the amusement of the onlookers.
On the road, Lin Erhu leaned close to Lin Xiaoman and whispered, “Sis, Granny’s pretty hard on herself. Her thighs are gonna be all bruised by the end of today.”
“No matter how sore her legs get, it won’t compare to the ache in her heart.”
Lin Xiaoman masked the coldness in her eyes. She had her wits and her strength, and she had Lin Erhu—an obedient, sensible, and devoted younger brother. Their days would only get better from now on.
Even though they’d had to split off from the family for fear that their grandparents might one day sell them off, she was determined to reclaim everything that rightfully belonged to her and her brother, no matter how long it took.
“Last night, me and Goudan peeked through the window. Granny was hiding in the room counting money—several dozen taels! It was all from Mom’s dowry. She was saying that grain prices are bound to go up this year. After kicking us out, she’d use all that silver to buy grain, hoard it, and sell it once prices rose.”
Goudan was the son of their eldest uncle. He’d never been particularly sharp, and Lin Erhu had often talked him into doing things that weren’t in his own family’s interest. As a result, Goudan frequently got beaten and scolded by his parents.
Lin Youwang sighed. “Your parents were both capable people. It’s a shame the good die young. During last year’s earthquake, they never should have risked their lives to save those two old wretches. You definitely got the short end of the stick in this family split. I can’t do much more to help, but if things ever get so bad you can’t manage, come to me or your Uncle Daqiang. As long as we have food to eat, we won’t let you go hungry.”
Lin Xiaoman and Lin Erhu thanked Lin Youwang, then also expressed their gratitude to Lin Daqiang, the current clan elder, who always seemed to have a furrowed brow ever since taking on the role.
During last year’s earthquake, the old houses at the western end of the village had been severely damaged. Those who could afford it had built new homes at the eastern end. Only a few households, too poor to make ends meet, still lived in the ruined houses in the west.
For the Lin family, only the west wing—where Lin Xiaoman’s family had lived—had sustained just a crack in the wall. The main house and the east wing had both collapsed.
If Lin Xiaoman’s parents hadn’t rushed into the main house to save Old Man Lin and Old Madam Lin back then, the ones who died would have been the grandparents. And considering how they’d treated the siblings over the past year, whenever the villagers crossed paths with the old couple, they’d mutter under their breath: “Old wretches!”
After moving the belongings inside, the carpenter and his helpers reassembled the bed.
The canopy bed had originally been commissioned by Lin Xiaoman’s mother from a carpenter in town. The craftsmanship was so fine that the local village carpenter had long envied it.
Having personally dismantled and reassembled it twice now—once during the move and now for the family split—the carpenter was confident he could build a similar one himself.
It was just a pity that no one in the village was willing to spend so much money on a bed. He wondered if he’d ever get the chance again.
The siblings had just split off from the family and had little money. The villagers sympathized with them, and after helping out, they left without even taking a sip of water.
Sixty catties of grain wouldn’t last them until the New Year. Lin Xiaoman figured that starting tomorrow, they’d need to head into the mountains to see if they could forage some wild vegetables to mix in with the grain—anything to get them through the winter.
At noon, they cooked a pot of porridge so thin it was practically clear. After eating, the siblings began cleaning the house.
No one had lived in this place for over a year, and a thick layer of dust had settled everywhere. Cobwebs hung from the walls.
Lin Xiaoman tore off a piece of old cloth to wipe down the wardrobe. As she wiped the cabinet door, something pricked her finger, and blood immediately welled up. A drop fell onto the door.
Lin Xiaoman put her finger in her mouth to suck on it. Just as she was about to use the rag to wipe away the blood on the cabinet door, she was stunned by the sight before her.
The wardrobe, which had been completely empty in front of her just moments ago, had now transformed.
With the cabinet door as the boundary, outside was Lin Xiaoman’s room, but inside was a wall covered in vibrant, colorful patterns.
In front of the wall was a row of neatly trimmed flowers and plants—so beautiful!
A strange yet melodious tune drifted out from within.
Lin Xiaoman cautiously stepped through the door and found herself actually entering that unfamiliar place.
Turning back, she saw the door she had come through. Through its frame, she could see her own house, but outside the frame was the strange world she now stood in. And the door stood there abruptly, suspended in mid-air.
On the manicured lawn, deciduous cypress trees grew. Further ahead, there was a pond, its surface covered in beautiful flowers.
On a flat stretch of ground stood various pieces of equipment. Children swung on swings, others slid down slides, and a few bounced on a soft platform, each jump sending them several feet into the air.
The children wore strange clothing, but their laughter was crisp and cheerful.
Beside them stood men and women dressed in equally odd attire. The men all had their hair cut short, and even among the women, few wore their hair long. Many had their arms and legs exposed.
Lin Xiaoman found it hard to look. Weren’t these people afraid of being deemed indecent, dressing like that?
Further in the distance stood towering, square buildings that resembled pagodas but weren’t quite.
Lin Xiaoman observed for a while before noticing a black box attached to a large tree. The melodious tune was coming from it.
She was still hesitating whether to take a few steps forward for a closer look when she heard Lin Erhu calling out: “Sis! Sis! Where are you?”
Lin Xiaoman looked back through the door and saw Lin Erhu pacing anxiously in front of it, calling for her as he walked back and forth. It was as if he couldn’t see her standing just outside.
She called out, “Erhu, I’m right here!”
But Lin Erhu seemed not to hear her. He ran out to the yard and continued calling.
Lin Xiaoman quickly stepped back through the wardrobe door and called again, “Erhu, I’m in the house!”
Hearing his sister’s voice, Lin Erhu came running back. When he saw Lin Xiaoman standing perfectly fine in the room, he looked puzzled. “Sis, where did you go? I was looking all over for you.”
Lin Xiaoman pointed at the wardrobe and asked, “What do you see in there?”
Lin Erhu approached the wardrobe, looked inside for a while, saw nothing, even stuck his head in. “Sis, what am I supposed to be looking at? There’s nothing in there.”
Lin Xiaoman understood. The strange phenomenon must have appeared because her blood had touched the wardrobe door. She’d need to get some of Lin Erhu’s blood on it too.
Without a word, Lin Xiaoman walked over to her bundle of ragged clothes and took out a spool of thread. She pulled a needle from it, grabbed Lin Erhu’s hand, and pricked his index fingertip.
Lin Erhu let out a yelp. He tried to pull his hand back but was no match for his sister’s strength. His face scrunched up in protest. “Sis, why’d you go and prick me for no reason?”
Lin Xiaoman didn’t answer. Once a bead of blood welled up, she pressed his finger against the cabinet door.
Lin Erhu wore a resentful expression—until the once-empty wardrobe suddenly transformed before his eyes. His mouth fell open so wide it seemed impossible to close.
“Good heavens! What is this? Is this the Land of Peach Blossoms?”
He was about to rush inside when Lin Xiaoman grabbed him by the collar.