"Shi'an, come inside and sit down. Is this the bicycle you bought? You rode it all that way back?"
"Yes. It's inconvenient to take it up the mountain, so I was hoping to leave it in your courtyard for now, Uncle Wang, and ride it back when I come down in a couple of days."
"No trouble! Find a spot yourself, Shi'an. There's heavy dew at night. Leaving it in the yard might rust it and ruin it. Put it indoors."
Chen Shi'an wheeled his bicycle into Uncle Wang's courtyard. The villagers in this little mountain village had received plenty of care from the master and disciple at Pure Dust Temple over the years. A small favor like this was hardly worth mentioning.
Uncle Wang's two big yellow dogs were old friends of Chen Shi'an's. Seeing him return, they came over with wagging tails and sniffed at him.
Chen Shi'an reached out to rub their heads, then looked toward Uncle Wang's house.
"Has Xiuzhen had her baby?" Chen Shi'an asked with a smile.
"How did you divine that, Shi'an?" Uncle Wang asked in surprise.
"I didn't divine it. I heard the baby crying."
"Heh, this little fellow certainly makes a racket!"
"A boy?"
"Yes!"
"Congratulations, Uncle Wang."
"Ah! There'll be plenty to keep us busy from now on!"
The Xiuzhen Chen Shi'an spoke of was Uncle Wang's granddaughter-in-law. Most of the young people in the little mountain village who could work had gone to earn their living in cities elsewhere. That included Uncle Wang's son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, who had all left to work away from home. Only the old couple and their granddaughter-in-law, who had just given birth, remained at home.
"Didn't A-Yuan and the others come back for the holiday?"
"No. There aren't really holidays when you work