Early the next morning, Xiao Er-lang was pulled from sleep by a cacophony of voices drifting in from the courtyard. He was still lying on his side, facing the wall.
He strained his ears. The yard was a hive of activity—men, women, young, and old—all talking at once.
“Toss that bundle of thatch up here!” a man shouted.
“Coming at you! Catch!”
It was the sound of laborers repairing the house. Among them, Er-lang recognized the hearty voice of Li Baoshan.
“Sister-in-law, look! I picked these berries on the mountain this morning. They’re so sweet, try one!” Little Ya-ya’s milky voice chirped.
“You are not allowed on that mountain anymore,” came Shen Li’s response.
Her voice was cool and aloof, sounding more like a military reprimand than a casual chat. Er-lang couldn’t help but let out a tiny, involuntary smile.
“Aww… why not?” Ya-ya asked, sounding deflated.
“It’s dangerous.” This woman, Er-lang thought. Could she not be a little gentler when speaking to a child?
“Auntie, I can go with him!” another voice piped up—likely young Shan-zi. “I’m really strong! I even caught a wild rabbit last year!”
“You aren’t allowed to go either!” Shen Li snapped.
Er-lang’s smile widened. Now she’s managing the neighbor’s children, too?
“From now on,” Shen Li continued, “I will be the one responsible for earning money to support the family. Ya-ya, your job is to focus on your studies. And you, Shan-zi—you’re old enough to be in school as well.”
“Bah, why send him to school?” a man’s voice—likely Shan-zi’s father—interjected. “He can learn the trade from me. He’ll never go hungry with a craft in his hands.”
“Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law!” Ya-ya cried out suddenly. “If I’m in charge of studying and you’re in charge of the money… what is Brother’s job?”
There was a brief pause.
“Hmm…” Shen Li mused. “Your brother’s job is to look beautiful!”
Er-lang’s expression went blank. …What?
“I’m going to go see if Brother is awake!”
A flurry of pitter-patter footsteps approached, followed by the sensation of someone scrambling onto the bed. Suddenly, a small, upside-down face popped into Er-lang’s field of vision.
“Brother’s awake!” The little face vanished as San-lang shouted toward the door, “Sister-in-law! Brother’s awake!”
More footsteps followed, accompanied by the scent of medicinal herbs. Another face—fair-skinned and beautiful—appeared upside down before him.
“Oh? You really are awake. Let me check the wound first.” Shen Li gently lifted the back of his inner robe.
The powders from the pharmacy were potent. After the necrotic flesh had been cleared, the medicine had worked its magic; in just one night, the wound had dried significantly.
“Recovering well,” she noted. She told San-lang to wait outside and turned back to close the doors and windows. As she secured the latches, she remarked, “So, San-lang’s real name is Ya-ya? I just heard Auntie Li mention it.”
Er-lang lowered his gaze. His mother had given the boy that name just before she passed. Knowing she wouldn’t survive, she had held Er-lang’s hand and told him his little brother’s name was Ya-ya. But ever since Er-lang had become bedridden, no one had used the name.
She placed the chamber pot before him and said softly, “I’ve closed the windows. Take care of your business first, then we’ll have breakfast.”
Er-lang’s body stiffened. Heat rushed to his head, and a faint pink flush bloomed across his pale face. He turned to look at her, his eyes filled with such helplessness and embarrassment that it stung Shen Li’s heart.
She was reminded of her mentor—that stubborn old man who loved to sneak drinks. In the final six months of his life when he was bedridden, he had looked at her with that same expression.
But we can’t keep relying on a toddler like Ya-ya to do this for him, she thought.
Avoiding his gaze, she took a piece of fine cotton cloth that had dried overnight and draped it over him. “I’m stepping back. I won’t look. Is that alright?”
Only when he heard her footsteps retreating did Er-lang allow himself to relax.
Once he was finished, Shen Li helped him up and moved him to the commode chair. Fearing he might slip, she wrapped the cotton cloth around his waist and tied it to the back of the chair. It served a dual purpose: preserving his dignity and acting as a safety belt to keep him from falling.
Er-lang looked at her with a mournful, pained expression.
Shen Li sighed. “Fine, I’ll go out. But I’m sending Ya-ya in to sit with you. I don’t feel right leaving you alone.”
Er-lang gave a slight nod of agreement. Shen Li stepped out and ushered the boy inside.
“Li, dear, where is Er-lang?” Auntie Li asked. She had come over to supervise the workers but couldn’t keep her hands still; she was currently busy stripping the leaves off a handful of wild greens.
“My Er-lang is a bit shy,” Shen Li replied, a faint smile playing on her lips. “He’ll be out once he’s finished getting ready.”
Inside the room, Er-lang froze.
Her voice was matter-of-fact, yet to his ears, it sounded incredibly gentle—like a spring breeze brushing through flower petals. The words My Er-lang echoed in his mind, sweet as honeyed water.
Outside, Shen Li stood in the courtyard, squinting up at the tall, lush walnut tree. She walked toward it, her small hand tracing the rough bark. Suddenly, she braced her hands, kicked off with her toes, and with two swift, agile bounds, she vanished up into the branches!