Matters on Her Mind

Liu Qian continued explaining, "After Mr. Wu obtained the treasure, he lacked even the strength to truss a chicken. He did not have enough ability to protect it. That situation is called: the man is the knife and chopping board, while I am the fish and meat. With no power to fight back, one can only bow one's head and submit to capture. But Great Hero Wen's martial arts are formidable, and he has the spare strength to protect his own treasure. Naturally, that also depends on the opponent's skill. If they are stronger than Great Hero Wen, then Great Hero Wen's possessions will be snatched away, but Great Hero Wen may not necessarily lose his life. If they are weaker than Great Hero Wen, then naturally they cannot take his things. Besides, it also depends on the value of the treasure. After all, there are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens. If a treasure is too valuable, there will always be someone capable of restraining you who comes to seize it."

Zhang Xiaohua said excitedly, "Sister, then that means knowing martial arts is always better than not knowing them. You'll have the ability to protect your own things, and the stronger your martial arts are, the more valuable the things you can protect!"

Liu Qian smiled. "That's right. Xiaohua is correct."

Zhang Xiaohua continued, "If I knew martial arts, then when we went to market last time, Father, Eldest Brother, and Second Brother wouldn't have been hurt, and Sister wouldn't have been bullied either."

Hearing this, Liu Qian's expression dimmed somewhat. "But how could martial arts be so easily mastered?"

Zhang Xiaohua said optimistically, "Don't worry, Sister. I'll definitely master martial arts and protect all of you."

Liu Qian also laughed. "All right. Then from now on, we'll have to rely on Great Hero Zhang to protect us."

Then she added, "Sometimes, martial arts are like treasures too. You cannot reveal all your secrets to others. Keeping something in reserve until the very end to save your life is also necessary."

Zhang Xiaohua pondered for a moment, then said, "Sister is amazing. How do you know so much?"

Liu Qian said, "These things are all written in books. If you read enough, you will naturally understand. Xiaohua can read more in the future, and then you will know more too. Besides, what use is knowing so much? Before absolute force, everything is merely paper pasted together."

Perhaps Liu Qian had not given it much thought. She merely combined what she had read in books with what she had seen and heard recently, then told it to Zhang Xiaohua. Zhang Xiaohua did not take it to heart either, merely listening, yet these ideas would profoundly influence him in the future.

As they talked, the two had already returned to the entrance of the Zhang family courtyard. By then, the sunset had fallen beyond the mountains, and the last streak of lingering light struggled before being swallowed by darkness. A cold wind rose. Looking over the courtyard wall, Zhang Xiaohua guessed that the family had long since gone indoors. He secretly laughed. At last, this afternoon's task was finished! Aloud, he said, "Sister, you've read so many books. In the days ahead, you have to tell me more about them, and you must teach Eldest Brother to read and write too. Otherwise, you two won't have anything to talk about."

Liu Qian casually agreed, "All right, leave it all to me."

Only then did she feel that something about those words sounded rather awkward. This Xiaohua had some schemes of his own too. But then she thought, This courtyard wall is far too low. Any movement inside can be seen clearly from outside. When there's time, it needs to be raised a little. Yet she was completely unaware that she had already developed the awareness of a mistress of the household.

The little house was still warm and cozy. Zhang Cai, Zhang Xiaolong, and Zhang Xiaohu were talking on the kang. Ever since Liu Qian had arrived, the three men had been squeezing together. Guo Sufi was already busy preparing dinner. Zhang Xiaohua carried the bucket of water into the courtyard, where his mother spotted him from beside the stove. She asked, "Why did you bring back the bucket from beside the well?"

Zhang Xiaohua said, "Mother, it's filled with well water. Sister Liu said she brought tea leaves from home and wants to brew them with this well water."

Guo Sufi said, "What's so good about tea? It's bitter and unpleasant, not as good as plain water."

Zhang Xiaohua smiled. "Mother, that's because you've never had good tea. Do you think all tea tastes like Old Guo's tea at the village entrance? The tea I had at Sister Liu's house last time was delicious."

Liu Qian added, "Auntie, you'll know once you try it."

Seeing Liu Qian say so, Guo Sufi smiled as well. "All right. Since Qianqian says it's good, we'll ride on your good fortune and see what it tastes like."

Then Liu Qian filled a kettle with well water and set it over the fire to boil.

The three people in the inner room heard what Zhang Xiaohua had said and all got up to come outside, seeing if there was anything they could help with.

Soon, the water boiled. The Zhang family had no teapot, so Liu Qian had no choice but to put a small amount of tea leaves into the rice bowls and pour boiling water over them.

Zhang Cai and the others looked at the brewed tea, pale green in color, and smelled the faint fragrance drifting up from it. They could not help asking doubtfully, "Is this really tea? How is it so fragrant?"

Everyone endured the heat as they sipped the tea. In just a few mouthfuls, they drained an entire bowl and all wanted more. Liu Qian said, "If you drink too much tea, you won't sleep well tonight. If you want more, wait until after dinner and have a little then."

Naturally, everyone listened to the expert.

Liu Qian was even thoughtful enough to bring Grandmother a small bowl of tea so she could taste a little.

Dinner was still simple fare. Well, that was wrong—today's tea was good tea, and the Zhang family drank it with great delight. That night, aside from Grandmother, Liu Qian, and Zhang Xiaohua, everyone suffered collective insomnia. Grandmother and Liu Qian had not drunk much. Although Zhang Xiaohua had drunk the most, he had counted sheep alongside everyone else until midnight. Once midnight passed, he immediately rolled over and fell asleep, his dreams glittering everywhere.

After dinner, once Guo Sufi had cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks, she boiled more well water to make tea for the family. Then she carried a small bowl of tea to the little room where Grandmother lived.

The moment she entered, Grandmother heard her and asked, "Sufi?"

She answered, "Yes, Mother. I brought you a bowl of the tea Liu Qian brought."

Grandmother said, "Didn't I drink some before dinner? Qianqian said one should not drink too much of this at night."

Guo Sufi said, "I know, Mother. I came over because I have something else to discuss."

Grandmother found this strange. "What is it? Why are you being so mysterious?"

Guo Sufi said, "Mother, what do you think of Liu Qian? Why were you so straightforward when you spoke to her this afternoon?"

Grandmother said, "Ah, Sufi, I simply think Liu Qian is too good. She is capable at managing household affairs, educated and sensible. Xiaohua says she is also very pretty, and her family circumstances are good. Our Xiaolong is not worthy of her."

Guo Sufi sighed. "Yes, Mother, I see it that way too. But I feel that she is quite satisfied with Xiaolong. I just haven't found a chance to ask her carefully. Then you said that this afternoon, and now I don't know how to bring it up again."

Grandmother said, "Qianqian is only one side of it. We must also see what her family thinks. Xiaohua says her family are scholars and are not skilled at farm work. Her uncle is a butcher too. It seems they may find it hard to communicate with Agriculturalists like us. Besides, their family is well-off, unlike our poverty. It truly is hard to say."

Guo Sufi said quietly, "It is precisely because her family's side is difficult to predict that I wanted Qianqian and Xiaolong to spend more time together. Once enough time passes and emotions develop, perhaps it will benefit us."

Grandmother fell silent for a while, then let out a deep sigh. "Sufi, it is not that I do not understand what you mean. But lately, I feel my body growing worse and worse. Many times at night, I dream that your father comes to find me, asking me to go down and keep him company. I feel that my days are numbered. That is why I spoke as I did this afternoon. I truly want to see my grandson start a family, perhaps even see our family together through four generations."

Before she had even finished speaking, Guo Sufi's tears came streaming down. She was nearly sobbing too hard to speak as she wiped her tears. "Mother, don't think such things. You must miss Father, which is why you have those dreams. Your health is fine. You will definitely live to see your great-grandchildren."

Grandmother stroked Guo Sufi's hair and said kindly, "Sufi, I know my own body. I have lived so long. I watched you grow up, watched you marry and bear children, and then watched Xiaolong, Xiaohu, and Xiaohua be born and grow up. I am already content. What I said this afternoon was merely a sudden impulse. That girl has only been here a few days; bringing up such a matter was indeed inappropriate. Treat her well, and perhaps she may still become our Xiaolong's wife. That would be Xiaolong's good fortune, and our family's good fortune too."

Guo Sufi spoke with Grandmother a while longer before finally rising to leave. Carrying the tea that had already gone cold, she tested it with her lips and found that it could no longer be drunk. Helplessly, she poured it into the courtyard. Then she looked back at her mother's silhouette in the dark little room, bitterness filling her heart, and tears once more slid uncontrollably down her cheeks. She knew very well that ever since having children, she had devoted all her heart and mind to Zhang Cai and the children, rarely caring for or thinking about her own mother. She had always felt that she stood beneath the great tree that was her mother, that she could rely on her mother. Now, upon suddenly hearing her mother's words, she realized that she had neglected too much and given her mother too little. Only upon losing something did one understand its preciousness; often, it was the ordinary things beside one that deserved to be cherished all the more.

Now, whether it was regret or disappointment, she only felt hollow inside, as though something was breaking apart, yet no matter how she reached for it, she could not grasp it.

Guo Sufi walked distractedly into the main room. Liu Qian was doing needlework beneath the lamp. Seeing that something was wrong with Guo Sufi's expression, she hurriedly rose, took the empty bowl from her hand, and asked, "Auntie, did something happen?"

Guo Sufi forced a smile. "Nothing. I'm just a little tired." Then she went to look into the little room where Zhang Cai and the others were. Seeing that Guo Sufi would not say more, Liu Qian sat back down, continuing her work while watching Guo Sufi.

Inside the little room, the men were drinking tea as they worked on farm tasks, while one lay there nursing his injuries. Guo Sufi did not say much. She only said, "When you're done, go to sleep early. Xiaohua, take better care of your grandmother tonight."

Everyone answered, "All right," without raising their heads.

Guo Sufi did not mind. With her head lowered, she went straight back to her own room and did not remain in the main room to do needlework.

Liu Qian found this increasingly strange. She did not know what had happened over there, but since Guo Sufi would not speak of it, she could not press her.

When the night grew late and everyone had finished up and gone to sleep on the kang, Liu Qian finally returned to her room. The lamp in the small room was still lit, but Guo Sufi had already gone to sleep. Liu Qian blew out the oil lamp and lay down as well.