The ox cart creaked to a halt on the hillside, pulling up just outside the old ancestral estate.
Shen Li lifted Xiao Erlang down with practiced care before hopping off the cart herself to untie the hemp rope securing the wooden gate. As the doors swung open, a flicker of regret crossed her mind. She hadn’t looked closely the other day, but the courtyard was in a truly wretched state.
The property consisted of three northern rooms, one of which had a gaping hole in the roof. Weeds choked the yard, growing so thick she feared that opening the doors would reveal a small menagerie of local wildlife. However, her gaze drifted to the sturdy walnut tree and the old stone well. Love me, love my dog, she thought with a sigh of relief—at least the essentials were there.
Luckily, there was a side wing and a small kitchen that had been added later; they were built more solidly and remained intact.
Shen Li asked Uncle and Auntie Li to wait with the two brothers on the cart for a moment while she hurried inside to give the side wing a quick cleaning. The furniture was all there, and though weathered from years of neglect, some pieces were still functional.
Once the room was ready, Uncle Li carried Xiao Erlang inside. Shen Li smoothed the bedding over the wooden frame, and after getting him settled, she glanced at the sky. It was already midday.
She reached into her purse and held out ten copper coins to Auntie Li.
“Oh, girl, what are you doing?” Auntie Li cried, trying to shove the coins back into Shen Li’s hand.
Shen Li shook her head firmly. “Auntie, I can’t thank you and Uncle enough. These ten coins are just a small token of my appreciation.”
“It’s far too much!” Uncle Li chimed in, pushing the coins back toward her. “Child, all we want is for you to live a good life with Erlang. You’ll need every cent for the days ahead. Put it away! Don’t be a stranger to your Uncle Li.”
Shen Li’s lips quirked into a faint smile. “Uncle, I actually have a favor to ask of you both. Please, take it.”
“Well… alright then,” Uncle Li sighed, handing the coins to his wife. “Speak your mind, child. Whatever you need, just say the word.”
“As you can see, this house has fallen into disrepair,” Shen Li explained. “I want to hire someone to reinforce it. I was wondering if there’s anyone in the village skilled in repairs? I’ve already set aside the funds; I just need you to help me find the right people.”
“Consider it done!” Uncle Li beamed. “Leave it to me. We have craftsmen in the village who specialize in exactly this. I’ll make sure you get quality work at a fair price.”
“Thank you, Uncle. One more thing—the kitchen is empty, so I can’t start a fire yet. Does your family have any food prepared? I’d like to buy some for Erlang and Sanlang.”
Shen Li looked back at the two brothers. They were skin and bones; they needed a proper meal.
“Of course we do!” Auntie Li said quickly. “I just steamed some vegetable buns yesterday, and there’s plenty of porridge. Don’t talk to me about ‘buying’ it! Neighbors are meant to help each other. Old man, go fetch some food for the children!”
“Right away!” Uncle Li hopped back on the cart and headed down the hill.
Auntie Li took Shen Li’s hand, pointing toward a cluster of houses at the foot of the slope. “That’s our place. We used to be neighbors, you know. After your family moved away, we were the only ones left out here. It’s been far too quiet. Now that you and Erlang are back, it’ll be lively again. If you need anything, just come find me. Don’t be polite.”
They chatted for a few more minutes while Auntie Li helped Shen Li sweep the yard. Soon, Uncle Li returned with a paper parcel of steaming vegetable buns and a pot of coarse rice porridge. After a few more pleasantries, the couple headed home for their own lunch.
Shen Li rinsed the bowls from the kitchen with cool well water, ladled out the porridge, and carried it into the side wing.
The moment she stepped inside, Xiao Sanlang’s eyes locked onto the food. He swallowed hard, his stomach clearly growling, yet he remained huddled warily at the edge of the bed. His small frame trembled, but he stayed positioned firmly in front of his older brother like a tiny shield.
“Come. Eat,” Shen Li said. Her words were few, but the meaning was clear.
Sanlang shrank back, not daring to move.
Shen Li didn’t press him. She carried a bowl of porridge to the bedside and helped Xiao Erlang sit up, propping his back against a rolled-up quilt. As she lifted a spoonful of porridge to his lips, she noticed he was staring at her in a daze.
She actually prepared food for them?
He had expected her to beg a portion for herself from the Lis and leave the two of them to rot.
Seeing that he wouldn’t open his mouth, Shen Li felt a flicker of confusion. She searched her mind for a way to handle a stubborn patient and then, with an expressionless face, whispered, “Be good. Time to eat.”
This woman! Erlang’s heart jolted. Is she coaxing me like a child?!
In his shock, his mouth drifted open, and Shen Li eased the porridge in.
The taste hit him instantly. So fragrant. It had been a lifetime since he’d tasted real grain. He and Sanlang had been surviving on bitter wild greens that Sanlang foraged, boiled into a thin, watery paste. Instinct took over; Erlang’s body betrayed his suspicion, and he began to take spoonful after spoonful.
Seeing his brother eating, Sanlang finally scrambled to the table, clutching his own bowl and gulping down the porridge.
Shen Li caught the movement from the corner of her eye and allowed a tiny, genuine smile to touch her lips.
That smile did not escape Xiao Erlang. The woman he knew had never smiled like that. She only laughed when he soiled himself or when he whimpered under her lash—a sharp, mocking sound that stung worse than the whip.
But today, her smile was faint and ethereal, like a deity looking down upon the world. It was… beautiful.
The thought terrified him. He snapped back to reality. How could I think she’s beautiful? Just because she fed us?
No. This had to be a conspiracy. Perhaps she simply didn’t want them to starve to death so she could fetch a better price for them later. Once she had enough silver, she would surely disappear. After all, she held his deed of sale in her hand.
He was a cripple; if he was sold, so be it. But he could not—would not—let her sell Sanlang.
But how could he stop her?
The thought that they might soon be torn apart forever robbed him of his appetite. When Shen Li broke off a piece of the vegetable bun to feed him, he simply shook his head and turned away.