Lu Liu said, “I’m busy. Look at me—I haven’t stopped working with needle and thread. Where would I have time to make shoes?”
Shun’ge pouted, feeling a little wronged.
Lu Yang glanced at them, then at the embroidered shoes, and finally at the cloth shoes on Shun’ge’s feet. Comparing the sizes, it was clear—the shoes were meant for Shun’ge.
Lu Yang laughed. Liu’er had picked up a bad habit—he was teasing children now.
Hearing the laughter, Shun’ge felt even more aggrieved.
“Why don’t I have a little brother to make shoes for me?” he complained.
Lu Liu said, “You are a little brother. You’re supposed to make shoes for your elder brother. One day, I’ll make you a proper pair to try on.”
Shun’ge agreed immediately, eyes welling with tears.
Lu Liu freed one hand and slipped the shoes into Shun’ge’s arms so he could try them on.
“I won’t have time to make another pair this year; maybe next year.”
He had promised to make clothes for the two fathers but couldn’t find the time, so Li Feng bought two ready-made sets, claiming they were Lu Liu’s work. Since the fathers intended to visit the city, it would be inappropriate for them to wear shabby clothes, so they accepted them.
This summer, Lu Liu had to rush to make jackets and winter clothes so their parents would have decent attire for winter—there really was no time for shoes.
Shun’ge held the shoes, stunned. “These are for me?”
Lu Liu teased, smiling warmly: “Yes, they’re yours. You may not have a little brother to make shoes for you, but you do have a big sister-in-law.”
Shun’ge was so moved he cried.
He tried on the shoes but didn’t want to step on the ground—they were meant to be shown off, not kept hidden at home.
Lu Liu prompted him a few times, and Lu Yang gave him gentle nudges. Shun’ge finally stepped outside, proudly showing off his new shoes—first to his mother, then to Aunt Zhao next door, and finally around the alley to show the Lu family uncles.
He was still very childlike. Lu Yang shook his head, amused, and told Lu Liu, “If you’d been raised by my side, I wouldn’t have let you marry so early.”
They were just over two years older than Shun’ge. At eighteen, they had already married.
Lu Liu smiled. “Big Feng is a few years older than me. If I married any later, I wouldn’t be his husband anymore.”
Their bond was strong. Li Feng had no complaints about Lu Liu. His golden bracelet still gleamed on his wrist. Lu Yang didn’t spoil the mood with serious talk—he simply teased them both. The brothers laughed and joked until it was time for lunch, when Lu Yang had to head home.
They discussed lunch briefly. Then Lu Liu remembered to complain about the morning incident.
It had been hours, and he was over it, but he said to Lu Yang, “Brother-in-law scolded Big Feng and made me angry.”
Lu Yang deflected. “Men’s matters—you don’t need to get involved. Your big Feng scolded him too. We’re fine being close; don’t worry about them.”
Lu Liu pouted, looking as aggrieved as when Shun’ge almost cried earlier.
Lu Yang said, “Alright, alright, wait here—I’ll tell him when I get home.”
Xie Yan returned from school in the afternoon, and Li Feng followed closely into the alley.
Lu Yang waited at the alley entrance, and in front of Li Feng, he said to Xie Yan, “You’re his brother-in-law—why argue with your little brother? If you have something to say, say it nicely; there’s no need to scold him.”
Then, he mockingly chastised Li Feng: “A man eight feet tall, can’t take two words, and still goes to your husband to complain? Truly unbelievable.”
Li Feng, clueless, froze.
Xie Yan, practical as ever, admitted, “I was wrong this morning. Li Feng is diligent—I shouldn’t have called him lazy.”
Then Xie Yan added, “If you’re not satisfied, talk to me. Why go complaining?”
Li Feng, who hadn’t complained at all, was speechless.
He pinched his forehead, signaling them both to shut up.
“Do you want me to beat you?”
Lu Yang calmly said, “You dare try to hit me? I’ll have Liu’er deal with you.”
Li Feng retorted, “I’ll hit Xie Yan.”
Xie Yan ducked behind Lu Yang, both cautious and provocative. “Then I’ll report it to Liu’er. If you hit me, my husband will be upset.”
Li Feng was inexplicably frustrated.
Watching the two of them leave happily, he strode quickly to Xie Yan’s house and pinched his shoulder, making him yelp.
Amid the yelps, Li Feng strode to the next house and called for Lu Liu.
“Xiao Liu, come settle this—you’re being unfair to me!”
Lu Yang sighed.
Tonight was going to be lively.
The four of them bickered in the alley. Chen Guizhi sat on the doorstep, eating sunflower seeds and watching. Shun’ge circled around them.
Zhao Peilan came out, worried by the commotion, but Chen Guizhi pulled her down to share some seeds.
Soon, Lu Erbao and Wang Fengnian, hearing the noise, peeked from the courtyard and hurried over to mediate.
From a distance, the following dialogue could be overheard:
Xie Yan: “Liu’er, come deal with him! My husband’s upset!”
Li Feng: “Xiao Liu, don’t believe him—they’re teaming up against me!”
Lu Yang: “Liu’er, do you believe me or him?”
Lu Liu: “Stop arguing!”
The elders groaned.
Well, better go home and eat.
Rarely were the children unavailable to deliver meals, so they finally had a chance to cook themselves.
It was hot, and cuddling was impossible.
Li Feng felt like a furnace, sprawled on the kang with limbs wide, forming a “big character” shape. Lu Liu grumbled, “Why is it so hot? Why wasn’t it this hot before?” It reminded him that during past summers, they hadn’t gathered often—the lowland air had been cooler, so it hadn’t felt this way.
Unable to hold him, Lu Liu still pressed close.
His body was cool, giving Li Feng some relief.
Li Feng pushed him twice. Lu Liu still felt aggrieved. He didn’t let go but kept his legs distant, only inching closer again after a while, resting against Li Feng with little feet brushing Li Feng’s calves.
Li Feng said, “Don’t move—if you move more, it gets even hotter.”
Lu Liu froze.
Li Feng fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan. His strokes were strong, and he fanned for a long while. Lu Liu had intended to cool him, but being close, he ended up enjoying the cool breeze himself.
Life in the city differed greatly from the mountain village. Nights were quieter, yet the drum beats marking the hours could still be faintly heard.
Morning roosters crowed from far away, through alleys and courtyard walls, reaching ears in a hazy, distant way.
There were fewer tasks during the day compared to the village. Living in the city required spending money everywhere—they couldn’t be self-sufficient.
After settling for a while, anything they needed, they would mention. Lu Liu already knew: tomorrow they would go shopping.
Firewood, rice, oil, and salt—all needed replenishing. Items brought when they moved, supplemented by Shun’ge, were running out.
Then there were miscellaneous supplies. Lu Liu wanted to make jackets for the two fathers, requiring cotton and some cloth. He also needed soap nuts and green and red beans, as their mother said the children could play with beans.
Since arriving in the city, their mother had spent time with Aunt Zhao, lately immersed in embroidery for children’s clothing. She requested plenty of colorful silk threads for making tiger motifs.
Shun’ge arrived earlier in the city, well-stocked and recently had new embroidered shoes. He wanted a matching summer outfit in bright colors—like aqua green or sky blue.
Lu Liu had little to buy for himself but wanted extra green beans to cook into refreshing soup, which he would chill in the well for Li Feng to enjoy after returning home.
He asked Li Feng if there was anything he wanted. “I’ll get it all tomorrow.”
Li Feng went out daily, buying things as needed, so there wasn’t anything he needed to purchase.
Lu Liu asked what he wanted to eat. “I’ll get the ingredients and make it. I’ve learned some new dishes from my brother—like Mapo tofu. Also, it’s lotus root season. Do you want some hot-and-sour diced lotus root?”
