In late summer and early autumn, it was common for each mountain to have its own weather—even under the same sky, the sun could shine in the east while rain fell in the west. But this was only a brief phenomenon. When it came to days of continuous heavy rain, not just two mountains, but even several neighboring counties would share the same weather.
Because of this long-brewing downpour, Luo Yang and his father had rested for half the day, but few of the workers who had gone out together were happy. It was only half a day, and the landlord wouldn't count it as a work period at all.
They had basically wasted most of the day for nothing.
"These landlords are just black-hearted! Half a day's work deserves half a day's wages—why shouldn't we get a single coin?"
While some complained about the landlord's stinginess, others could only try to persuade them, "Let it go. Landlord Zhou has plenty of fields. Offend him and he won't let you work anymore—that's an even bigger loss. It's just half a day's wages. What matters is having steady work in the long run, not this."
The landlords' fields were mostly rented out to tenant farmers, but Landlord Zhou was more calculating than other landlords. He didn't hire tenants—only day laborers. Whether for planting or harvest, he hired people to work by the day. In the end, this worked out far more profitably for him than renting out the land and splitting the rice with tenant farmers.
The ones complaining now were all experienced workers for the Zhou family, so naturally they knew all about this.
"That's right, that's right. Look at Brother Luo and his son—so steady, not a single word of complaint, and still smiling away."
The conversation having turned to himself and his father, Luo Yang turned slightly and glanced toward home.
He and his father were indeed happy. Half a day's wages meant nothing. What mattered was that the rice at home had all been brought in, and by his calculations it had mostly finished drying. This heavy rain wouldn't affect their household at all, and it even let the family rest for half a day—that was a good thing, really.
Besides…
Luo Yang smiled secretly. They might have lost their wages, but Landlord Zhou's troubles were far heavier than theirs.
Water-soaked grain had to be spread out to dry. If it sat covered too long, the quality of the rice would suffer, and in serious cases it would heat up and grow moldy. Having collected so much rice earlier today, that big landlord had plenty to worry about.
The landlord's troubles had nothing to do with anyone else, and at this moment, the Luo family's worries had eased considerably.
"Grandmother, she's laying! She's laying~" Bai Chao's voice rang out under the eaves of the kitchen. Though his voice sounded a bit muffled—his throat was probably still a little sore—his spirits were clearly much better than yesterday.
The night before, Luo's Mother had slept fitfully. In her half-dreaming state, she kept placing her hand on his forehead from time to time, stroking his face a few times as well. As long as her palm didn't feel any burning heat, she would drift back into a drowsy sleep, never fully opening her eyes—though it counted as rest, at least.
The moment she was fully awake this morning, Luo's Mother's hand went straight to his forehead again, and she couldn't help but stroke Bai Chao's face once more.
Her Chao-ge'er was truly strikingly handsome. He was good-looking at first glance, with well-proportioned features and a full face, and the longer one looked, the better looking he became.
Even without grooming or drawing them, his eyebrows were beautiful—their shape and color just right, following his elegant brow arch down toward his forehead. Normally they looked smooth and straight, like flat brows, but when he smiled, they gained a gentle curve. Paired with those bright, sparkling smiling eyes, his brows and eyes would arch into lovely crescents—the handsomeness gaining an extra touch of adorableness that filled people with delight.
His nose was nicely shaped too—not overly straight, yet without a big bulbous tip, small and cute, a perfect match for his face. As for his mouth, it was even more attractive: lips neither too thin nor too thick, with corners that tilted slightly upward when he smiled. Though the color of his lips was a bit pale, that was because his health was poor. Once he was nursed back to health and his complexion improved, he would be quite beautiful.
"Chao-ge'er, don't pull up the bean sprouts! They need another day to grow. We'll pull them tomorrow and make cold bean sprout salad." Mother was sitting nearby making clothes for him, and seeing him about to reach out, she quickly stopped him.
Yesterday's rain had fallen all night long, and this morning there was still a steady drizzle, so Grandfather decided not to go work in the fields today either.
The main tasks in the fields right now were cutting corn stalks and hoeing the rice paddies. Wet corn stalks were extremely heavy, and their leaves held quite a lot of rainwater—one touch and you'd be shaking water all over yourself, face and all.
As for hoeing the paddies, that was no easier. The sodden mud stuck to the hoe and to your feet alike; before long you'd be walking like someone on stilts, having to scrape mud off your shoe soles and clean off the hoe—such a hassle. Better to let the fields dry out a bit.
Besides, there were still quite a few days before it was time to sow the wheat, so there was no rush. Resting a day or half a day wouldn't hurt.
Yesterday's heavy downpour had given many households a nasty shock, but the Luo family had nothing to fear. They had worked from dawn to dusk for several days, and their grain had long since been brought home and dried.
Grandfather also knew some simple bamboo weaving. Right now he was weaving a chicken coop. The family would be hatching chicks again at the end of the month, so another coop was needed—he might as well weave it now while he had the time and set it aside.
Bai Chao's hands were itching; he couldn't help himself. Even though Mother had told him not to, he pulled up a bean sprout anyway and happily carried it over to show Grandfather.
"Grandfather, they've sprouted, they really have sprouted! Grandmother is amazing—the beans turned into bean sprouts!"
Grandfather's hands never stopped moving. He only glanced at the sprout in the boy's hand before saying, quite seriously, "That's right. Your grandmother doesn't just 'grow' bean sprouts—she can also 'grow' tofu. Very impressive."
Hearing that Grandmother could also "grow" tofu, Bai Chao clutched his bean sprout and dashed toward the kitchen. "Grandmother, grow a block of tofu too! Pan-fried tofu is delicious!"
"What do you mean 'grow' tofu! It's called grinding tofu. Don't listen to your grandfather's nonsense." Grandmother was washing the pot brush at the moment. Though she did little work outside, nearly all the household chores were hers. There were so many odds and ends to do around the house that she had hardly any free time—her hands were always busy with something.
Bai Chao was no fool. He had simply been too excited just now, thinking it was amazing that Grandmother could "grow" tofu. Now, with the image of the stone mill grinding tofu forming in his mind, he realized it—Grandfather had tricked him.
He glared huffily toward the outside and muttered, "Grandfather is a bad egg."
Grandmother followed his gaze and looked out, holding back a smile as she echoed, "That's right, your grandfather is a bad egg."
Looking at his indignant little face, Grandmother thought to herself: Grandfather may be a bad egg, but Grandmother is a good egg. Grandmother can't grow tofu, but she can buy tofu. Once the rain stopped, she'd go buy a block, and in the afternoon they'd have pan-fried tofu.
There were only four people in the family. A block of tofu cost two wen, and two wen could fry up a whole plate of tofu for everyone to enjoy—a bargain, really.
After breakfast, the rain gradually let up. Looking out, the view was completely clear—a layer of winding mist drifted among the distant mountains, and the clouds in the sky slowly dispersed. The pale sky, which had been shrouded in white haze just yesterday, turned a deep blue again. The weather was clearing up once more.
Grandfather set down his bowl and headed out to cut bamboo. Since there was nothing pressing today, he wanted to weave a few more bamboo mats. Grandmother tidied up the pots and dishes, rested a while to let the path dry, then went out to buy tofu.
At the moment, only Bai Chao and Luo's Mother were home. Bai Chao was counting days on his fingers—figuring out how many days Big Guy and Father had been away, and also how long Grandmother had been gone. Grandmother would bring tofu back when she returned, but what would Big Guy and Father bring back for him?
"Money. Big Guy will bring money back."
Bai Chao knew that working away from home earned money. Big Guy and Father had gone out to earn it. Father's money would go to Mother, so Big Guy's would probably go to him, right?
"Ah!" Taking a deep breath, Bai Chao felt that today's air smelled better than yesterday's.
He had thought it was just his own happiness, since he would get to wear new clothes today, but the fragrance was too strong to ignore. "Ah, right! It's the flowers!"
Bai Chao remembered his osmanthus flowers and hurried to the kitchen, digging out a winnowing basket by himself. He poured all the osmanthus flowers he had picked up yesterday into it.
The sky was blue again, and the sun would surely come out soon. If he dried the osmanthus flowers, they would keep for a long time. From now on, as long as there was sugar, he could have sweet osmanthus water to drink.
Luo's Mother finished her last few stitches, and only after tying off the thread and pulling it through did she call out to the person busily drying osmanthus flowers with his back hunched over. "Chao-ge'er, come try on your clothes."
Bai Chao turned and smiled at her, quickening his hands. He smoothed out the flowers in the basket and set it up high to dry before hurrying over to Luo's Mother.
As Luo's Mother dressed him in the new clothes, she secretly felt delighted. The child wasn't the type to start things without finishing them, rushing through one task while neglecting another—that was truly rare.
Bai Chao had been at the Luo family's home for some days now, but this was the first time he wore clothes that were both pretty and well-fitting. He grinned foolishly out of sheer joy.
Bai Chao was happy now, and later in the day, the whole family was happy too.
Although nothing had happened to him that morning, the whole family had been worried he would develop a fever again by evening. They kept thinking about it all day, and only when he closed his eyes to rest and his temperature stayed normal did the hearts they'd kept suspended all day finally settle completely.
With Bai Chao's health out of danger, the family's days became easier again. Life returned to its usual rhythm, everyone busy with their own tasks. Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and on the fifth day of the ninth month, Luo Yang and his father finally came home.
Under the bamboo grove beside the Luo household, father and son walked along the small path home, their purses full and their faces beaming with smiles.