”My name is Meng Wan. When did you arrive?” Meng Wan found a spot downstream from where they were, threw the fish onto the shore, and then neatly smashed it to death with a rock.
During the years he lived with his uncle and aunt, he did a lot of housework, including washing clothes, cooking, and taking care of children. He was also very good at cleaning up dead fish.
Xiaomei was startled by his fierce movements and exclaimed in surprise, “You can even clean fish!”
Meng Wan lifted the fish onto a large rock by the river, picked up a knife to gut it, and replied without looking up, “Don’t all of you know how to do that?”
”Yes, yes…yes.” Xiaomei said a little guiltyly. She was the youngest daughter in the family, and her parents doted on her. Sometimes her mother would indulge her when she wanted to be lazy or take a break. Her sisters-in-law did all the cooking work, and she would complain about being covered in soot when she lit a fire.
When she arrived at her husband’s family home, the kitchen was managed by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. She only pretended to help out and did most of the cooking. It was still her sister-in-law, Zhu Ge’er, who did most of the cooking.
Zhu Ge’er looked up at her from the side. What kind of girl was she? He was always busy with household chores day and night, afraid that his mother-in-law would say a bad word. But Xiao Mei had her parents and brothers to love her at home. After getting married, she was pretty and sweet-talking and won his mother-in-law’s favor.
Zhu Ge’er lowered his head and scrubbed clothes on the stone slab, concealing the envy in his eyes.
Meng Wan didn’t understand the subtle tension between the sisters-in-law. He would answer Xiao Mei’s questions one by one, and sometimes he would take the initiative to say something. Before long, he had scraped off the fish scales, washed the blood from the inside of the fish, rinsed the knife with river water, and got up to go home.
”Hey, you’re leaving? I’ll go with you.”
Xiaomei had only been married for a short time and rarely had the chance to chat with someone her own age, so she hadn’t had a chance to warm up to them yet. She had only washed a few pieces of clothing out of a pile, and then dumped the rest on Zhu Ge’er, saying, “Sister-in-law, could you just give the rest of my clothes a quick wash? I’m going to go play with Wan Ge’er for a while.”
Without waiting for Zhu Ge’er to reply, she got up and chased after Meng Wan.
Zhu Ge silently moved the pile of clothes to his side; all the clothes for the seven members of the family were here. With a soft sigh, Zhu Ge continued washing clothes.
Xiao Mei was too enthusiastic, chatting with Meng Wan all the way to the Song family’s door. Meng Wan just stood in front of the door and chatted awkwardly with her, without any intention of inviting her in. Chang Jinhua, who was making clothes inside, heard the noise but didn’t see anyone come in for a long time. She couldn’t help but call out to him, “Wan Ge’er, why aren’t you coming in yet? It’s time to cook. Da Lang will be back at noon.”
”Okay! Auntie, I’ll be right there.” Meng Wan replied, looking at Xiao Mei with difficulty, “I can’t chat with you anymore today, my cousin will be back soon, and dinner hasn’t been cooked yet.”
Xiaomei asked, puzzled, “Aren’t you a guest? How can you prepare food for a guest?”
Meng Wan smiled and said, “I came here to stay with my aunt since I have no one else in my family. I’m not a guest at all. I’m already very grateful to my aunt for letting me stay and giving me a meal. It’s not convenient to entertain you today. Let’s get together and talk another day.”
He realized that Xiaomei wasn’t very good at reading people’s expressions, and he wouldn’t be able to get away without making things clear.
”Alright then, you cook. I’ll come visit you another day. Our houses are separated by only a wall, so I’ll hear you as soon as you call.” Xiaomei went home, looking back every few steps.
Meng Wan went inside and spoke a few words to Chang Jinhua. Aunt Song had already gone home; everyone had too much work to do to linger at someone else’s house.
”Auntie, I’m back. I just ran into the neighbor’s granddaughter-in-law by the river, and she came over and chatted for a bit.”
Chang Jinhua was sewing clothes and didn’t even look up when she heard this. “It’s good to talk to her. You’re about the same age and can get along well. Go and stew the fish. The tofu is in the cupboard. Do you need me to start the fire for you?”
”No need, Auntie, I can handle it myself.”
He carried firewood in from the yard and squatted in front of the stove to skillfully light the fire. He had mastered this routine by heart.
After scrubbing the large pot clean and drying it, Meng Wan scooped a spoonful of lard from the oil jar and put it into the pot. Once the oil was hot, he put the fish in the pot and fried it until golden brown on both sides. He didn’t need to take it out. He used a spatula to move the fried fish to the side, added half a spoonful of homemade fermented soybean paste, scallions, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fried it over high heat until fragrant. He then scooped the fish back in and added boiling water.
There were two pieces of tofu left in the cupboard. Meng Wan took one out, cut it into several small square pieces, threw it into the fish soup, added a pinch of salt, and covered the pot with the lid.
Chang Jinhua locked up the sugar, and the wine was also a valuable item. Even though fewer seasonings were added, the fishy aroma still wafted far and wide.
Chang Jinhua came out and saw Meng Wan adding wood to the fire under the stove. She asked, “Is it stewing?”
Meng Wan added two more pieces of thick firewood at the end, “Auntie, now that the stew is done, shall I put the bamboo mat on to steam the rice?”
Chang Jinhua’s face relaxed as she smelled the aroma filling the room. “No need, I’ll go scoop out some rice to steam. You go to the vegetable garden and pick some vegetables. The cucumber salad you made last time was pretty good, better than what I make. Go check the shelf to see if you have any left.”
”good.”
Meng Wan was scooping water from the water tank outside to wash his hands and face when a head popped out from the wall next door.
”Wan-ge’er, what delicious meal have you made again? The aroma is wafting into my house.”
Xiao Mei, standing on something, leaned against the wall and looked at him.
Meng Wan was speechless; this daughter-in-law is really outgoing.
”My family stewed fish.”
Xiao Mei didn’t mind the dust from the mud wall staining her clothes, and still asked him, “Is Song Jia Dalang coming back again?”
Meng Wan got soot on his face from tending the fire at the stove. He replied to Xiao Mei first, “Yes, my cousin should be home soon.”
Then he lowered his head and washed his face with the water in the wooden basin.
Xiao Mei watched him wash his face and exclaimed in amazement, “I was just about to say, you’re so fair-skinned!”
”Oh, right…” Before Xiaomei could finish speaking, she saw her sister-in-law carrying two large basins full of washed clothes. The two basins were stacked together, making it particularly difficult for Zhuge to walk.
”I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m going to help my sister-in-law hang up clothes.” She climbed down from the wall to meet Zhu Ge’er.
After she left, Meng Wan remembered that she and Zhu Ge’er had been doing laundry together that morning. How come she finished washing and left so early, but Zhu Ge’er only came back now?
With more people comes more trouble, but fortunately the Song family is small.
Meng Wan lifted his face from the basin and wiped it, but he didn’t dry it. With his face still wet, he went to the vegetable garden to pick cucumbers.
The vegetable garden was right at the gate. Meng Wan noticed someone entering as soon as they came in. He peeked out from among the melon vines and met their eyes.
This was their second meeting. The midday sun in autumn was not glaring, but warm and comforting. Meng Wan still had traces of water on his face and brows, and his skin was translucent white in the light. The small red mole under his eye was captivating. His rosy lips parted and closed, and his clear voice came out, “Cousin, you’re back.”
Song Tingzhou returned wearily, carrying a bamboo book box on his back. His expression was initially etched with exhaustion, but the moment he saw Meng Wan, he instinctively straightened his back. “Why are you calling me that?”
Meng Wan thought he didn’t like what he was hearing, so he lowered his voice and replied, “It was Aunt Song who said that calling you ‘Young Master’ is too formal, so she said to call you ‘Cousin’ in public.”
Despite his many thoughts, Song Tingzhou only uttered one word: “Mm.”
Meng Wan was somewhat afraid of him. Although they hadn’t known each other for long, he felt that this person was different from Chang Jinhua. Chang Jinhua was cold on the outside but kind on the inside, but he couldn’t see through this person and didn’t dare to look at him.
”Cousin, come inside. I need to pick some more vegetables.”
Song Tingzhou put down his book box. “I’ll help you.”
Meng Wan grabbed the cucumber that was right in front of him and said, “I’ve finished picking it, cousin, please.”
Holding the malnourished-looking cucumber in his hand, he dashed into the kitchen. Song Tingzhou, carrying his book bag, could clearly hear Chang Jinhua’s reproachful voice from the kitchen, “What a waste! Why did you pick such a small cucumber? Isn’t there a big one on the wall?”
Then came Meng Wan’s soft, delicate defense.
”I didn’t see it.”
”Auntie, I was wrong. I’ll bring its whole family to see you in a bit.”
”Heh.” Song Tingzhou smiled, but the smile vanished in an instant, followed by an overwhelming sense of shame and embarrassment.
Meng Wan was beautiful and intelligent. He had taken the county examination in Guyang County several times and had seen the daughters of officials and their servants traveling with them. They were very well-mannered and their every move was measured and proper. Their walking, sitting and lying down were all elegant. Some scholars couldn’t help but admire them and secretly fantasize about them.
Stories about charming beauties and down-on-his-luck scholars are the most popular.
But Meng Wan is different from those noble ladies. He can’t quite put his finger on what makes him different, but he vaguely senses that he is somewhat unworthy of him, mismatched, and unsuitable.
The humble young man couldn’t help but feel ashamed of his own appearance.
When Song Tingzhou returned, there was another good meal at home. Chang Jinhua’s meat was just stewed, and rice was steaming in the fish and meat pot, separated by a bamboo curtain.
Meng Wan was watching the fire in the kitchen. Inside, the mother and son were talking at a moderate volume, not trying to hide it from him. He could vaguely hear a few words.
”Isn’t this supposed to be a ten-day holiday? Why did it take so long to come back this time?”
”I made an appointment with my classmates to copy books at the bookstore. This is the money I earned from copying books. Mother, you can keep it. You don’t need to wait until I come back to eat meat.”
”There’s no way the family will go hungry. Your studies are the most important thing. Copying books is just a minor thing. What if it affects your studies?”
”I only went there for one day during the holiday. I usually study at the private school. Alright, you can keep the money. Don’t worry about me.”
Meng Wan mixed a plate of cucumbers, his mind racing: It seems the Song family isn’t very wealthy, and now there’s another mouth to feed. Song Tingzhou’s studies are also a major expense, so just sitting around and living off their savings isn’t a long-term solution.
Meng Wan brought the mixed cucumber to the table, interrupting the unpleasant conversation between mother and son, “Auntie, the food is almost ready.”
Chang Jinhua pushed the unfinished clothes on the kang (a heated brick bed) into the back, got off the kang, and said, “I’ll go take a look.”
Meng Wan followed her out to serve the dishes and meals. At the dinner table, the Song family didn’t have any rules about not speaking while eating or sleeping. Chang Jinhua tasted the fish stewed by Meng Wan and praised, “Wan Ge’er’s cooking is really good.” Usually, the fish she stewed had a hard-to-remove fishy smell, and it was just barely edible. Some of the fish dishes at weddings in the village were better than hers, but Wan Ge’er’s was still a bit inferior.
Upon hearing this, Song Tingzhou also picked up a piece of fish and tasted it. “Was it… made by Wan-ge’er?”
Being praised for cooking is a happy thing. Meng Wan said with a smile, “I made it using the method from my hometown. Try the tofu too.”
The tofu, having been stewed long enough, absorbed all the sauce from the fish broth. Each bite was piping hot and fragrant, making it incredibly delicious. Today, the three of us barely touched the braised pork, but instead devoured the fish and tofu, even mixing the broth with rice.
Song Tingzhou’s height was well-deserved; he ate five bowls of rice by himself, while Meng Wan ate three.
Chang Jinhua has both joys and sorrows. Meng Wan’s intelligence and competence are good things, but it is also true that her family doesn’t have much money.
That night, Song Tingzhou wanted to stay in his small room, so Meng Wan moved the bedding to the corner of the kang (heated brick bed) in the main room. Later, when they went to bed, the two talked through the curtain.
”Auntie, how much tuition does my cousin receive per year?”
Chang Jinhua asked in surprise, “Why are you talking about this? The tuition fee isn’t much, only one and a half taels a year.”
Before she could finish speaking, Meng Wan asked, “What other writing materials, such as ink, paper, books, and money, are there?”
”Who says otherwise? Those are the big expenses. The cheapest roll of white hemp paper costs eighty coins, and even the lowest grade of writing brush costs twenty coins.”
”These are all fine, but books are the most troublesome. Every book you read is one less you have. I don’t know why some books are more expensive than others, even though they are all the same thickness. They all cost over a thousand coins.”
Meng Wan clicked his tongue in amazement. One tael of silver was roughly equivalent to one thousand coins. One tael of silver was enough for a poor family to eat and drink for a year, yet it was only equivalent to one book for a scholar? No wonder scholars were so rare among farmers at this time.
”Auntie, do you think selling tofu at the market makes money?”
When Chang Jinhua mentioned Song Tingzhou’s tuition expenses, her face showed distress. Meng Wan changed the subject, and she didn’t react for a moment. “Huh? You just mentioned the tofu stall at the market?”
”Their skills are passed down from their ancestors, and they are the only ones in the surrounding area. Apart from Old Wang’s family in town, their family is the only one that can do it. It’s definitely better than those who toil in the fields.”
Meng Wan boldly stated, “Why don’t we make tofu too? But would it sell?”
Chang Jinhua was amused by his words, “I already said that it’s a family heirloom craft. How can we do it? It’s not that no one wants to do this business, but the things they make just don’t turn out right. Forget about selling them, even eating them ourselves tastes sour.”
When Meng Wan worked at a breakfast shop, he ordered tofu. It was both difficult and easy to make. “I know how to make it. We can make it at home and sell it at the market,” he said.
Chang Jinhua suddenly sat up in bed. “You really know how to do that?”
Meng Wan was startled by her actions and stammered, “I’ve done this twice with my elders, so I should be able to do it. Otherwise, I’ll try it tomorrow?”
Chang Jinhua was extremely excited. “That would be wonderful. Tomorrow morning, I will see Dalang off and then go to the village to buy a few pounds of soybeans from a family that has them.”
”Auntie, let’s buy a small amount first to try it out.”
”Okay, I know, you should go to sleep now.”
The next morning, to avoid distracting Song Tingzhou from family matters, Chang Jinhua did not mention trying to make tofu.
She prepared some dry food for him and saw him off. Chang Jinhua immediately went to ask about beans at a familiar house in the village. It was autumn harvest time, and some farmers with large tracts of land had already started harvesting. One family had just harvested some beans a couple of days ago, and they had already peeled and dried them. Chang Jinhua weighed four liters of beans and took them back, which was about eight jin.
At the market, fresh beans were about three coins a pound. The villager took Chang Jinhua’s twenty-two coins and even gave her an extra handful of beans.