In these days of bountiful harvest, all of West River Village brimmed with joy.
Whenever Yi Shuyuan walked through the village, the color he saw most was gold. Every spot where grain could be spread out to dry was covered with it, and rice straw lay drying in the fields as well.
Every household had grain drying both inside and outside its courtyard. Broad, open spaces like the threshing ground even required people to wait their turn.
This was a bumper harvest made plain for all to see.
On the threshing ground, Yi Shuyuan turned the grain with a rake, surrounded by the fragrance of rice.
"Granduncle, Dad-Mom says it's time to eat!"
A Bao ran to the threshing ground to call Yi Shuyuan and Yi Yong'an in for lunch.
Lunch was fairly lavish. Besides a plate of cured pork, there was a fresh braised fish, green vegetables, and loofah soup. In Yi Baokang's words, these were days he wouldn't trade even for the life of an immortal.
"Come, come, Uncle, sit down!" "Husband, go next door and borrow some wine."
"Right, right! How can we have dishes this good without wine? Yong'an, hurry along!"
"Oh."
Yi Yong'an, who had just filled his rice bowl and sat down, reluctantly got to his feet. Seeing A Bao crawling beneath the table and looking everywhere, he grabbed the boy and planted him on a stool.
"Eat properly. What are you doing crawling around on the floor?"
"Dad, I'm looking for the little marten."
"Leave some fish bones for it later, and it'll come out."
Hidden atop a roof beam, Hui Mian immediately flared with anger at those words. I'm not a dog! Why should I have to gnaw on bones?
"All right, Yong'an, you needn't go. I have wine. I'll fetch it."