Lu Liu thought about it and said, “Then I’ll give you a sleeping bag!”
Lu Yang insisted, “I might not catch the luck from either child, so just give them all to me.”
Lu Liu chuckled softly. The brothers put their fingers inside the tiger-head shoes, imitating little children walking. The small bells jingled, crisp and clear.
Seeing him yawn, Lu Yang told him to rest first. “Sleep a bit, then we’ll talk more.”
Lu Liu really missed him. Even lying down, he wanted to keep talking.
Lu Yang asked, “Is it comfortable staying in the shop with all the noise?”
Lu Liu nodded. “Mother said to let them take the books home to sew. I like the place being lively. Although it’s noisy, I’ve gotten used to it. When it’s quiet, I start overthinking, so listening to them chat is nice. They leave around noon; if I take a nap, I won’t sleep too long. When they come back and wake me, I get up, so I can sleep more soundly at night with less tossing and turning.”
Lu Yang asked again, “For the baby, will you get a wet nurse or feed goat’s milk? I don’t see any goats around.”
Lu Liu said a wet nurse would be used. “Several families are having children around the end of the year. Mother has already arranged someone nearby in the village. It’ll be convenient for nursing.”
Finding a wet nurse in the village meant it wouldn’t be Wang Dongmei. Lu Yang felt reassured and tucked him in.
“Sleep now. I’ll go check on mother.”
Lu Liu felt secure, closed his eyes, and soon drifted off with few wandering thoughts.
In the afternoon, few people came to the shop—mostly buying snacks like sunflower seeds, peanuts, or alcohol.
Lu Yang sat in the shop for a while, checking on his mother. Seeing her busy with needlework and getting along well with the Li family, he returned to his room with a book.
When Lu Liu woke, he was delighted to see his brother still there. His smile split his face into a narrow line of joy. Lu Yang teased, “What are you smiling at? Had a sweet dream?”
“I didn’t dream,” Lu Liu said. “I’m happy to see you here.”
Lu Yang had come to keep him company, and though he might occasionally be distracted or step out, his main purpose remained: to be with his brother.
Lu Liu had collected many characters and wanted to ask how to write them. His three primer books were curling at the edges; he memorized known characters, but the unfamiliar ones, despite hundreds of repetitions, still eluded him.
Lu Yang promised, “I’ll be here a while. You want to learn anything, I’ll teach you.”
Noticing Lu Liu’s hair was messy, he combed it for him.
Lu Liu tied it into a small bun, rarely undoing it to save effort. Normally, Shun’er helped him, but he combed slowly and carefully, afraid of pulling hair. It felt comfortable but messy after sleep. Lu Liu’s hair was long and thick; slight tangles smoothed out easily.
As Lu Yang tied his hair, he said, “They’ve taken good care of you.”
Lu Liu nodded. “Yes, mother asks daily if I’m uncomfortable anywhere. I used to avoid mentioning things. Last month, I started bringing them up tentatively, and mother handled everything. Using the chamber pot, I didn’t wash much at first. I felt ashamed and drank little water, yet needed to go. Mother said everyone goes through this. She’s had three children; she understands and won’t blame me. She lets me relax; otherwise, my belly tenses and I hurt. She’s been so good to me.”
Recently, Lu Liu often shed tears. Mother even consulted a doctor and applied soothing medicine to his eyes.
Lu Liu got off the kang; his feet cramped in his shoes. Lu Yang crouched to help him put them on. Lu Liu pressed his lips together and said, “Brother, you’re so good to me. This year I kept thinking of all the ways I was lacking and ignored many things. I won’t do that anymore.”
Lu Yang noticed some change—his demeanor calmer, still soft and sweet in smile, less restless.
He helped him walk around the yard. “You’re only nineteen, still young. Life is long; we’re learning as we go. Mistakes are inevitable, but it’s no big deal. No one has said you’re wrong. Liu-ge, I’ve always thought you’re wonderful. Being with you makes me happy. Outside, dealing with schemes is exhausting, but at home, being able to open my heart to you, finding joy in small things, feeling genuine happiness—that’s priceless.”
Lu Liu’s eyes curved into crescent moons. “Da Feng said by next year, mid-year, we’ll settle in the prefecture. Then we’ll be together. I’ll cheer you up every day, keep you happy.”
The brothers tacitly ignored certain matters for now.
Lu Yang planned to discuss them after his brother delivered safely. Lu Liu wanted his brother-in-law home so the four of them could sit together and talk.
Winter came, days shortened. They walked until dusk, then, hearing Shun’er call for dinner, Lu Yang guided his brother to the shop.
Chen Guizhi had stewed half a bowl of pig stomach for each person. On the stove, yellow soybean trotters were cooking for later. She also made pickled radishes from this year’s fresh harvest.
Both Lu Yang and Lu Liu loved them, serving their mothers-in-law as well, making them laugh.
Zhao Peilan’s cooking wasn’t as skillful; her pickled vegetables needed adjustment with Lu Yang adding seasonings. During the meal, she exchanged techniques for pickled radishes with Chen Guizhi.
Lu Liu asked Shun’er about hair ties, planning to choose one after the meal. The boy liked to look nice and was pleased at the thought.
He also set aside two ties as gifts: one for Yao Fulang, one for Jiu Ge’er.
Yao Fulang returned a gift: a large piece of honeycomb honey, served on a plate for the whole family to share, knowing Lu Liu’s brother had arrived.
Chen Jiu also returned a gift: a bowl of fried sesame. The sesame from Chenjiawan, brought by Miao Xiaohe, was popular in the village. Previously indifferent, Chen Jiu was slowly learning social niceties.
Both gifts were sweets. Lu Liu had eaten plenty of honey but never tried fried sesame—he was delightedly overwhelmed.
Seeing his delight, Lu Yang promised to buy more sesame so he could have a bowl anytime. Lu Liu eagerly nodded, “Yes, I want fried sesame.”
These gifts surpassed the hair ties in value. Later, when the trotters were ready, Shun’er delivered a bowl to each household.
Lu Yang and Zhao Peilan settled in the village. Starting the next day, Zhao Peilan taught Li family mother and son to read and write, while Lu Yang studied and played with his brother.
Qianzi Wen contained stories. Lu Yang shared what he remembered with Lu Liu, explaining the stories and new characters.
During study breaks, the brothers chatted.
Lu Liu often examined stones while talking. “What do these mean?” he asked.
Lu Yang placed a stone in front of him. “Remember the stone I gave you before? I bought it at the dock market. They said it might contain jade. Because it wasn’t certain, buying such stones is like gambling. I picked one for Ayan’s birthday—it’s this stone. Most of it is gray and dull, but the top shows a hint of jade. We can see this bit of jade, but not how thick or good it is. Look, does it remind you of anyone?”
Lu Liu followed the hint: “It reminds me of brother-in-law.”
Lu Yang smiled. “Yes, it’s like him. That day I bought two dull stones, one for you, one I kept. Those two gray stones are like us. We were born poor, without family connections or special skills—one of us in a small county town, one in a mountain village. People look at us like these stones. But even rough stones can reveal fine jade.”
Lu Yang often swapped stones with Xie Yan. When idle, he would handle them; the coarse exterior gradually smoothed into a refined surface.
