By the time Li Long left the bus station, the sun had already set.
He walked home carrying quite a load on his back. It was heavy, especially the jade. Right then, Li Long sorely missed the taxis that would not become common until twenty years later.
By the time he reached the Big Courtyard, dusk had deepened. The gate was latched. Li Long knocked and called out:
"I'm back."
Gu Xiaoxia answered from inside the courtyard. Then came hurried footsteps, and the gate opened.
"You're back so soon?" Smiling, Gu Xiaoxia reached for the sack on his back. Li Long did not let her take it, saying as he walked inside:
"The meeting ended this morning. I had lunch at the guesthouse afterward, or I could have been back even earlier."
"Hungry? The food's still warm. I didn't know whether you'd be back, so I ate first. Put your things down and wash up. I'll dish up your food." With that, Gu Xiaoxia went to the kitchen.
Li Long went inside, set down his things, and changed his clothes. The Zhongshan suit looked smart, but fastening the collar button felt restrictive, while leaving it undone looked too informal. Better to change out of it.
After a quick wash, Li Long went to the kitchen. Gu Xiaoxia had already ladled out the rice porridge and arranged slices of toasted steamed bun on a plate. A plate of stir-fried baby Chinese cabbage sat in the middle, with a bowl of pickles beside it.
The baby Chinese cabbage had been stir-fried with rendered mutton, leaving little flecks of meat scattered over it. It smelled delicious.
Li Long really was hungry. He sat down, picked up a slice of toasted bun, and began eating.
Gu Xiaoxia sat beside him, watching him eat and