Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 15

“Brother Daniu, I’ve prepared all the remaining stuffing. Sell as much as you can, and whatever you can’t sell, take home and eat yourself. When Uncle Zhang comes to pick us up, please help me pack everything up and take it back.”

“Brother Jiang, don’t worry. I’ll keep these things at my place and take good care of them.” Knowing Jiang Miao is heading home, Daniu thumps his chest and assures him.

“Thank you very much. By the way, here’s your wage for today. I’ll settle it with you now.” Jiang Miao counts fifty wen and hands it over, then empties the money earned in the morning from the drawer into a cloth bag and puts it into his bundle on his back.

This action isn’t out of distrust for Daniu; he simply thinks that bringing Xiao Shitou back might be difficult, so carrying more money can’t hurt.

Daniu takes the copper coins, then removes his own money pouch and puts the coins in. He then hands the entire pouch to Jiang Miao, saying, “Brother Jiang, take this money with you. It’s rare for you to go home, so leave more money for them. My wages can be deducted from the money earned this afternoon, and any extra you can give me when you return.” After thinking it over, he anxiously adds, “If you trust me.” He feels that Jiang Miao’s family must be facing some trouble. Since talking with those two people yesterday, Jiang Miao hasn’t smiled even once.

Jiang Miao’s eyes feel warm. He solemnly accepts the money pouch and says, “Thank you, Brother Daniu! I’ll leave my stall in your hands for now.” With that, he turns and walks away.

Under a tree at the intersection, Aunt Zhou and Xiao Wu are already waiting for him. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Aunt Zhou. Let’s go.”

The three of them walk along the road they had come from. The road is crowded with vehicles and pedestrians, people in groups of threes and fives, faces beaming with satisfaction as they return. Today is the last day of the Buddhist festival, and many people are heading back.

Jiang Miao listens to their conversations and feels a little regretful. Such a grand festival, yet he hasn’t had a chance to go up the mountain to experience it. Missing it this time means he’ll have to wait until next year. He hopes that next year he won’t be constrained by making a living and can visit as a tourist.

After walking for about an hour, Jiang Miao finally sees the turning point they have come from. Reflecting on the time spent riding the donkey cart, walking is significantly slower.

“Mom, can we rest for a while?” Xiao Wu, being young, is tired after an hour’s walk.

“Walk a bit further, there’s a spring ahead by the mountain wall where we can drink some water and rest,” Aunt Zhou points ahead. The path she indicates is a small trail, opposite to the main road Jiang Miao had taken earlier.

After walking for a while, they indeed see a clear spring beneath a crack in the mountain wall. The spring water flows gently down the wall into a basketball-sized stone basin, then continues into a nearby stream. Perhaps due to the constant sunlight and the flowing water, this spot shows no signs of ice, unlike other areas.

Aunt Zhou sets down her basket, washes her hands below, then scoops up some water and bends down beside Xiao Wu. Xiao Wu drinks the water from his mother’s hand. After he finishes, Aunt Zhou drinks some water herself.

This natural expression of affection reminds Jiang Miao of his grandmother. She, too, always gives the first bite of whatever food to Jiang Miao.

“Little Jiang, aren’t you going to drink some?” Aunt Zhou asks, sitting on a rock with Xiao Wu resting on her lap, still playing with grass leaves.

“Thank you, Auntie, but I’m not thirsty right now.” Jiang Miao takes off his bundle and sits on the other side. “Auntie, I don’t think I’ve taken this route before. How much further do we have to go?”

Jiang Miao asks cautiously, trying to gather some information to avoid any mistakes once they reach the village, which might expose his unfamiliarity.

“We still have a long way to go. We need to cross another mountain after this. When I got married from here to Jiangjiawan, my little brother cried all the way, saying, ‘Second sister, can’t you find someone in our village? When will you ever come back from over there?’ Back then, there was no road here. We had to take a big detour and climb over a mountain, which exhausted everyone. We left early in the morning and only arrived at dusk, nearly missing the auspicious hour…” Aunt Zhou reminisces with a smile, talking more as she recalls the past. She can still remember how her brother cried, and now, over a decade has passed.

Jiang Miao listens patiently, occasionally asking a few questions without drawing attention, and Aunt Zhou shares everything she knows. Finally, Jiang Miao has a clearer understanding of the original owner’s family.

The place where the original owner lives is called Jiangjiawan, mostly inhabited by people with the surname Jiang. The village is named after the river that runs beside it. The original owner’s house is upstream, while Aunt Zhou lives downstream, as does Jiang Laosan, who has adopted Xiao Shitou. They don’t see each other often, but because the village is small, any news quickly spreads throughout.

The original owner’s parents passed away six years ago, when he was eleven and Xiao Shitou was just ten months old. They had already split the family, leaving only their grandmother living with their second uncle’s family. Although the grandmother wants to take care of them, the second aunt has just given birth, and besides the newborn, there are four other children. The family is too poor to support two more children.

Just when everyone was troubled, Jiang Laosan came up with something. It just so happened that Jiang Laosan had been married for many years but has no children. Upon hearing about the situation, he immediately came, saying they are of the same clan. After adopting Xiao Shitou, they will still be relatives, and he won’t prevent the original owner and Xiao Shitou from recognizing each other as brothers, especially since in the future, the two brothers would need to support each other.

After several days of persuasion and kind words, the grandmother of the Jiang family finally agreed to let Jiang Laosan adopt Xiao Shitou. Since the original owner is older and could help with work, he stayed with the second uncle’s family. Faced with the upheaval of his family and his brother being sent away, the original owner grew increasingly silent under the harsh realities of life. It was said that he used to visit his brother often, but one day he overheard Jiang Laosan’s wife calling his brother an ingrate who will betray them one day. From then on, he was afraid to go, fearing that his presence will cause his brother to be disliked.

After hearing this, Jiang Miao feels incredibly heavy-hearted. It is true that “misfortune always strikes the unfortunate,” and life never seems to spare people like them.

Aunt Zhou glances at the sky, realizing they have chatted for quite a while. She quickly stands up, urging Xiao Wu and Jiang Miao to hurry, fearing it will be dark before they return to the village.

The three of them hurry along the road, sweating profusely despite the cold winter. Xiao Wu, being young, can’t keep up halfway. Aunt Zhou is about to carry him, but Jiang Miao takes him on his back first, carrying him through the most difficult part of the road.

When they can see faint traces of smoke from cooking fires in the distance, the sun is close to setting. Aunt Zhou sighs with relief, thankful they make it, as the mountain road will be even harder to navigate in the dark.

“Dear?” comes a call from afar. The voice is uncertain, noticing there is another person with them.

“It’s us, come over,” Aunt Zhou responds loudly, setting down the basket she has carried and rubbing her sore arms.

Jiang Miao smiles, realizing that people only show their true selves in front of their closest family.

The man hurries over, stoops to lift the basket, and then gazes at Jiang Miao. Upon closer inspection, he visibly relaxes, thinking it is just a young boy.

Xiao Wu throws himself on the man’s legs, shouting “Daddy” repeatedly. The man lifts Xiao Wu with his other hand, bouncing him up and down, eliciting giggles from the child.

“Who is this?” the man asks, unfamiliar with the boy in front of him. He recognizes all his wife’s nephews, but this child looks familiar yet he can’t place him.

Aunt Zhou playfully taps him on the shoulder. “Are you so tired from working that you don’t even recognize Jiang’s Miao? Little Jiang, don’t blame Uncle Zhou; his eyesight isn’t very good.”

Jiang Miao smiles politely and calls out, “Uncle Zhou.”

“Little Jiang? Oh, you’re the San Shui kid! It’s getting dark, and I didn’t see clearly. By the way, you haven’t eaten yet. Let’s hurry back; dinner is ready at home.” Uncle Zhou says. He has been waiting here for a while, intending to go into the mountains to meet them but is afraid of missing them since there are several paths in the mountains.

“Thank you, Uncle Zhou, but it’s okay. I’m going to pick up my little brother later and eat at my second uncle’s house,” Jiang Miao politely declines. Since they are already in the village, he naturally doesn’t want to wait any longer.

“You’re going to pick up Xiao Shitou?” Uncle Zhou glances at Aunt Zhou, who nods, confirming Jiang Miao’s words. He sighs and says, “It’s good to bring him back.”

The group walks quickly and soon enters the village. It is dinner time, and some households have lit candles and gathered around the table to eat, while others, reluctant to use up their candles, stand at the door holding their meals. Seeing Jiang Miao carrying a bundle and following the Zhou family, many are surprised. The San Shui kid has been gone for half a year, and some thought he would never come back.

Someone calls out to Jiang Miao, but since he doesn’t recognize the person, he just awkwardly addresses them with “uncle” and “auntie.” Fortunately, no one minds the informal address and responds kindly.

Jiang Miao follows behind Uncle Zhou’s family and soon arrives at a courtyard. The gate is open, and a boy of eleven or twelve sees them and shouts inside, “Mom and little brother are back!” After shouting, he takes the basket from his father’s hand and lifts the cloth, hoping to see if his mother has brought back anything to eat.

Aunt Zhou gives him an annoyed look, then turns to Jiang Miao. “Little Jiang, come in and have something to eat first?”

Jiang Miao shakes his head. “No, Aunt Zhou, I want to go see Xiao Shitou first.”

Aunt Zhou looks across the street at a courtyard diagonally opposite. She sighs, knowing Jiang Miao is worried, so she doesn’t try to persuade him further.

“Their door is still open; you can go over there, and remember to call if you need anything.” After spending time with him, she has grown to like Jiang Miao even more and can’t bear to see him suffer.

Jiang Miao nods and heads towards the courtyard ahead. The gate is partially open, and as he is about to knock, his hand pauses in midair, for a long time without moving.

In the courtyard, a thin child is dragging a large broom, laboriously sweeping up the yellow leaves on the ground, trying to gather them together. Occasionally, a gust of cold wind blows, scattering the leaves, and the child has to put down the broom and chase after them, picking them up one by one. He sometimes glances back at the house, purses his lips, then sadly lowers his head to continue sweeping.

Inside the house, bathed in warm candlelight, a couple is patiently feeding a one-year-old baby. Their shadows dance on the wall, a family gathered together, creating a cozy scene.