Early on the first day of the lunar new year, just as daylight broke, Ye Yaodong climbed out of bed full of energy.
While his wife cooked breakfast, he started sorting out his things, only to discover that there was just one burlap sack in the house-the one that had held rice the other day. Even the sack holding rice bran had yet to be emptied.
"I'm going back to the old house to get a few burlap sacks."
"Oh, all right."
Ye Yaodong had intended to make a quick trip, but as he passed along the road through the Village Center, he heard some women talking.
"...I didn't even dare put my foot down. I went to empty the chamber pot first thing this morning, and it was all over the ground."
"Exactly. I don't even dare use the latrine today..."
"I wonder who was unlucky enough to fall into the cesspit yesterday. Good thing it was an adult who could climb back out..."
"It's absolutely hilarious. How many years has it been since anyone fell into the cesspit?"
He had known the village would be talking about it today. Out in the countryside, even the tiniest thing could spread everywhere.
By the time he had collected the sacks from the Old House and passed along that road again, everyone already knew that Xu Laifu had fallen into the cesspit last night.
Who knew how they had found out? Plenty of people were gloating, saying that misfortunes never came singly and that it served him right.
With a broad smile and light steps, Ye Yaodong hurried home. He still had to go shore foraging after breakfast, and this time he would be taking Ye Huimei along.
When his younger sister had learned earlier that he was going shore foraging