Chapter 5

That night, I had no idea when Xu Zirong and Qiu Lu returned. I kept flipping through the photos on my camera until I drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

　　I was awakened by the drawn-out crow of a rooster. To be honest, having grown up in the city, my ears were constantly filled with its clamor. Being roused by a rooster’s call was still a novel experience for me.

I dressed and got up, pushing open the small, carved wooden window. A wave of warm, humid air greeted me.

　　Nestled in the mountains, the air in the Miao village was thick with moisture, carrying the fresh scent of earth. Layers upon layers of blue-gray stilt houses stacked up, while in the distance, mountains stretched out like ink-wash paintings. Some peaks were veiled in mist, their half-hidden forms adding a unique charm.

　　Suddenly, the verse came to mind: “I find the green mountains charming; I imagine they find me charming too.”

I took a deep breath and glanced downward, only to discover a white, unnamed flower lying on the dusty window frame!

The blossom was pristine, its stamens pale yellow, petals still clinging to dewdrops. Beneath it lay a short stem with a clean, even break—clearly not an accidental fall onto my windowsill.

Had it been delivered to the wrong address?

What a pity—such a delicate flower, mistakenly sent to a man like me.

I picked up the flower, thinking perhaps it carried the sentiment of some romantic soul. I carefully wrapped it in paper.

　　Then tossed it into the trash bin.

Downstairs in the inn’s lobby, several people were already seated. This inn did brisk business; the owner had provided complimentary breakfast again this morning, filling the hall with lively chatter. I must admit, this proprietor knew how to run a successful establishment.

“Hey, big guy! Come on over! The porridge’s still piping hot!” The owner greeted me warmly the moment he spotted me.

　　I smiled, nodded, and sat down.

Nine o’clock was the agreed time to head out with Anpu for inquiries. Soon after, Wen Lingyu descended from the second floor, followed closely by Qiu Lu and Xu Zirong.

They seemed in good spirits. Qiu Lu stretched as she walked, a cheerful smile on her face.

　　“Li Yuze, you’ve already started eating!” Qiu Lu declared, plopping down beside me without hesitation. Xu Zirong dutifully went to fetch her some congee and pickled vegetables.

“How was your night?” Wen Lingyu asked.

Qiu Lu propped her chin on her hands, beaming. ” You guys left so early yesterday—what a shame! We danced and sang songs around the campfire last night. It was so much fun!”

“You guys sing songs too?” I asked, eyes widening with curiosity.

“Of course!” Qiu Lu tilted her head proudly.

Xu Zirong set down the porridge bowl and sat down too, but then said, completely out of sync, “It was just random singing! You know full well how little I know.”

“Xu, Zi, Rong!” Qiu Lu fumed at her teammate’s sabotage. “Talking like that will just turn them off—they’ll never join in again!”

I chuckled inwardly.

Just as Qiu Lu was about to say more, darkness suddenly fell before our eyes as a figure plopped down without a word.

　　“What’s all the fuss about? Join the fun!”

Hearing that clumsy Mandarin, I knew exactly who it was without looking.

An Pu grinned, pointing at the plate of pickled vegetables. “Our Miao-style pickles—special kind, really tasty! The stir-fried green peppers are fragrant too!” He gave a thumbs-up.

　　I’d tasted them before—truly delicious, salty and savory.

Anpu paused, then added, “Dig in! I’ve arranged visits to several old Miao households. You’ll leave today with plenty to take home!”

Hearing this, we all grew eager. Even Xu Zirong scooped his rice porridge a bit faster.

　　Dongjiang Miao Village had about a thousand households. The commercialized part was concentrated down below, while the higher you went, the more rustic and primitive it became. We followed An Pu, climbing upward along the blue stone path.

When we were down at the foot of the mountain, it hadn’t seemed particularly strenuous. But once we started walking, we realized the path was practically mountain climbing—nothing but stairs or steep slopes.

　　By the time we finally reached the top, Qiu Lu was panting heavily.

“Want to rest for a bit?” Xu Zirong asked with concern.

Qiu Lu placed her hands on her hips, rolled up her sleeves to wipe the sweat from her face, and shook her head. “No need! I’m not weaker than you guys!”

　　An Pu, who was leading the way, turned back with an admiring look and gave her a thumbs-up.

After climbing the stairs, we came upon a vast open space flanked by ropes strung with Miao clothing—red, blue, and black garments hanging to dry. Several Miao women huddled together, arranging the drying garments, occasionally whispering among themselves.

“This is our threshing yard,” Anpu explained. “It’ll be used for harvesting later. But right now, it’s for drying clothes.”

　　Just then, as if drawn by the sound of voices, one of the women turned. The moment she recognized us, her face lit up with a smile.

“Ah, it’s you again!” Ali wasn’t wearing her heavy headdress today. Her long hair fell loose, trembling slightly in the breeze.

　　Qiu Lu, however, looked displeased, tugging at us to hurry along. I couldn’t understand why—Ali hadn’t done anything to offend Qiu Lu, had she?

Ali seemed oblivious, approaching warmly and openly: “Brother Anpu, are they really students here to investigate?”

Anpu replied, “Why would I lie to you?”

　　“Those outsiders will say anything absurd to avoid the welcome drink!” Ali said, her eyes darting around before settling on me. “Brother, we’ve met so many times, yet I’ve never asked your name!”

“Li Yuze. Yu as in ‘encounter,’ Ze as in ‘blessing.’”

“Li Yuze…” Ali rolled the three syllables softly in her mouth before smiling. “It’s beautiful. Since you’re here investigating, I’ll come with you! Everyone knows me—seeing me will make them more cooperative.”

Qiu Lu chimed in coolly from the side, “Ah, so the handsome ones get to have names, while we’re stuck warming the bench!”

　　Ali looked at her and smiled. “I already know your names. Qiu Lu, Xu Zirong.”

“How did you know?” Qiu Lu’s eyes widened.

Ali said, “Because last night in the square, you were screaming each other’s names so loudly it was impossible not to hear.”

Qiu Lu: “…”

　　I rarely saw this young lady look so flustered, and I admired Ali inwardly.

The ever-kind Anpu stepped in to smooth things over: “Didn’t you go to the gate today?”

“Nope, I had the day off. Someone else was on duty for the gate-blocking ceremony.”

So for them, blocking guests at the gate was just part of the job.

　　“Then let’s bring Ali along! She knows the place even better than I do!” Anpu suggested earnestly.

Qiu Lu looked reluctant, but after glancing at us, she reluctantly nodded.

I heard Xu Zirong whisper to Qiu Lu: “Honey, what’s wrong? You’re not usually this stingy… Ow!”

Qiu Lu pinched Xu Zirong’s arm hard and whispered, “You idiot! Can’t you tell that Ali has a thing for Li Yuze? What about our A Yu then!”

　　Xu Zirong grimaced, putting on a pained expression.

But with Anpu and Ali leading the way, the subsequent interviews went much more smoothly.

Though the paths here were also paved with blue stone slabs like the commercial district below, the gaps between the stones were filled with dirt. It was clear the cleaning efforts here weren’t as thorough as down below.

　　Most of the stilt houses here weren’t as aesthetically pleasing as those below, but they more closely resembled the undeveloped Dongjiang Miao village I’d once seen in videos.

Here, each household was tightly packed together. The doorsteps were high, carved from a single piece of wood, requiring careful lifting of the foot to step over. The roofs soared high, covered in tiles, though some patches were bare, letting in slivers of bright sky.

Suddenly, I realized this was the real Miao village—stripped of imagination and marketing hype.

“This one!” Anpu stopped before a stilt house and gestured to us. “The owner is an old Miao man. He knows more than any of us. Ask him anything you want to know. If you don’t understand, I can translate!”

With that, Anpu knocked on the door.

After a long moment, the wooden door creaked open slowly, revealing a weathered, wrinkled face.

　　The elderly woman wore Miao attire so dark blue it appeared nearly black, made of plain cotton cloth. Unlike the intricate embroidery adorning young girls’ garments, hers featured only a simple pattern around the collar and sleeves. She wore no elaborate silver ornaments, save for a thin silver necklace around her neck. Her hair, now mostly gray and sparse from the ravages of time, was gathered into a small ponytail at the nape of her neck with a thin leather band.

Seeing us, the old woman’s cloudy eyes brightened slightly. She stepped aside and mumbled something in a hoarse voice that I couldn’t make out.

　　Anpu promptly explained, “The grandmother is inviting you in. Careful, don’t step on the threshold!”

We tiptoed cautiously over the threshold and entered the modest, not particularly spacious hut.

The room was brightly lit. The grandmother had clearly prepared for guests long ago. Several bowls of peculiar tea sat on the common square table.

　　We sat down, and Ali settled beside me, smiling as she said, “This is our Miao oil tea, served to guests. Try some.”

A thick layer of sediment settled at the bottom of the oil tea. I recognized peanuts, roasted rice, and soybeans among the ingredients. I lifted the cup and took a sip. It was incredibly fragrant, filling my mouth with the rich flavor of grains.

　　“How is it?” Ali propped her chin in her hand, watching me with a beaming smile.

I nodded and praised, “It’s delicious, very distinctive. I’ve never tasted oil tea this good before!”

“Of course!” Ali nodded proudly, swaying her head as if she herself had received the compliment.

　　After finishing the oil tea, we began our formal interview. Qiu Lu turned on the voice recorder, Wen Lingyu unfolded her notebook to take notes, and I also pulled out paper and pen to jot down any new questions that arose during the conversation.

The old woman was very gentle and answered all our questions. We spent the entire morning here and, of course, gained a great deal.