Song Wei came to pick up Yuanbao from school.
Father and son walked ahead, while Wen Wan held Yuanbao's textbooks, following behind. Her eyes scanned the unfamiliar rows of characters, trying to find the one she noted outside the schoolhouse earlier.
Every so often, she could hear the conversation between the father and son.
The seven-year-old child constantly asked "why," yet the man didn't show any impatience. His voice remained calm and steady as he answered his son.
The sun was leaning west, casting the shadows of the three of them askew on the field path.
At the fork between Upper and Lower River Village, Yuanbao turned his head and reached out his hand to Wen Wan.
Wen Wan was momentarily stunned, not immediately reacting.
Yuanbao reminded her, "You've looked at the book; where's the sugar cake?"
Upon hearing this, Wen Wan handed the textbook back to Yuanbao. She had found the character she learned earlier today and memorized it.
Yuanbao put his book back into his school bag, and Wen Wan took out the sugar cakes from her basket.
Unwrapping the cloth, as usual, there were two.
Yuanbao eagerly extended his small hand to grab one.
Normally, one would be for her and one for Yuanbao, and they would eat and study under the big locust tree not far away.
But after the embarrassing scene outside the schoolhouse earlier, Wen Wan, still feeling guilty, thought for a moment and passed the last sugar cake to Song Wei.
Yuanbao took a bite of the cake, mumbling with a full mouth, "This mute girl may be a bit dumb, but her pancake-making skills aren't bad, Dad, have a taste."
Wen Wan: "..."
Song Wei did not accept it, instead reminded his son, "Is this how you help others?"
Yuanbao lowered his head, chewing on the sugar cake, gently kicking at stones with his foot.
"Also, you should call her sister." After a while, Song Wei added.
Yuanbao had already finished the cake, was picking at his fingers, and remained silent.
The private school had a recess tomorrow, so per usual, Yuanbao didn't teach Wen Wan to read today. Tomorrow, aside from baking sugar cakes, Wen Wan also had to bring a large warm bag of boiled edamame. Only then would the greedy and sly little fellow be willing to share his learning with her.
They parted ways at the fork, with Yuanbao following his father back to the Song family in Upper River Village.
Upon entering, Granny Song was holding a scale with a piece of meat hanging on it, cursing, "Damn that Liu Sanhuozi! Just a second of inattention and he gave me short weight. Missing a whole ounce! This can't just end like this. I have to take the scale and confront him. Today I'm going to make him give me back at least two ounces!"
Liu Sanhuozi, the butcher from Upper River Village, was known by his nickname because of his missing front tooth.
Song Fang was rinsing rice, cleaned the rinsing basket, wiped her hands, and stepped out of the kitchen, "Mother, calm down a bit. It's just an ounce. You didn't mention the free pig intestine they gave you! He shorted you an ounce to make up for it."
Song Fang, the youngest daughter born to Song's father and mother in their old age, was a whole generation younger than Song Wei, her third brother, and the same age as Wen Wan, just fifteen.
Granny Song snorted, "I buy meat from him all the time. So what if he gifts me a pig intestine? It's not worth much. If he can't even spare that, I won't buy from him anymore, and half of his business will be doomed."
"..." Song Fang murmured, "Is that how you buy meat? Last time you got a liver, the time before that a heart. Even if it's not worth much, it's still money. If you keep buying, Liu Sanhuozi's business will really collapse halfway because of you."
Yuanbao squatted nearby, peeling the beans he had swiped from the field, "Granny, did you forget to check the almanac before going out?"
Granny Song slapped her forehead upon hearing that, "Of course! No wonder everything's been going so wrong today."
Granny Song was deeply superstitious. She needed to check the almanac before going to the market, buying meat, or even visiting neighbors.
Upon hearing Yuanbao's voice, Granny Song realized her eldest grandson was back from school.
"Yuanbao's back?" Granny Song tossed the meat to Song Fang, carefully wiped her hands on her apron, and approached to embrace her grandson.
It's no wonder she dotes on him. The Da Lang couple passed away early, leaving only this single seedling. Erlang's family had three daughters in a row, and Third Son was still unmarried, so her hopes couldn't rest there yet.
The significance of Yuanbao within this family is self-evident.
At seven, he wasn't too big or too little.
Yuanbao, accustomed to being spoiled as Granny Song's darling, let her lift him onto the stool.
"Where's your dad? How come I don't see him?" Granny Song, holding her beloved grandson, glanced around the courtyard but saw no sign of Song Wei.
"He went inside." Having finished peeling the beans, Yuanbao tossed the shells onto the ground, quickly attracting several chickens to peck at them.
Upon hearing this, Granny Song didn't go to disturb him.
Though Song Wei hadn't attended school in years, he also hadn't worked in the fields. He usually helped the largest bookstore in the county town by copying books and occasionally made annotations for others.
Song Wei's scholarly reputation was well-known throughout Pingjiang County. His unique understanding of the Four Books and Five Classics, along with his annotations, were sought after. Annotated books fetched a higher price, allowing him to earn at least five taels of silver per month, some of which he saved for himself and regularly gave to Granny Song.
Old Song was a carpenter; anyone needing furniture would seek his services. He'd help in the fields when free and occasionally go hunting, selling the game in town for money.
Among the dozens of households in Upper and Lower River Village, the Song family was the most well-off. While others lived in thatched and earthen houses, their green brick-tile house was both grand and spacious. Granny Song frequently patronized Liu Sanhuozi's business, indicating they weren't short of meat money. It was enviable for those who lived hand-to-mouth.
Song Erlang's couple had quarreled with the elders a few years back and had separated. They lived on the other side of a wall and had dinner in their own home, not joining the others.
After dinner, Granny Song was in the kitchen cleaning dishes while Song Wei went inside to heat water, preparing to give his son a bath.
Granny Song seized the opportunity, "Third Son, it's not like me as your mother to nag, but at thirty due after the new year, shouldn't you be considering marriage?"
Song Wei paused his motion of pouring water into the pot with the wooden scooper, "I've been labeled unlucky from birth, and it's no secret. Who would dare marry me?"
He added, "Besides, even if a girl were willing to marry, Yuanbao may not like her."
In Yuanbao's understanding, his biological mother died early. If Song Wei were to marry, it'd be akin to remarrying.
As a father, Song Wei naturally wanted to consider his son's feelings.
"Then find one he likes," Granny Song said, "You can't remain a bachelor your whole life for his sake."
Someone Yuanbao likes?
Song Wei ponders something, his emotions slightly stirring.
——
Wen Wan woke up early, baked sugar cakes and boiled edamame, even thoughtfully carrying a clay pot of water. Just as she was about to head out with her backpack, an intense sense of unease suddenly struck.
She foresaw that today, Song Sanlang and Yuanbao would wait for her together under the large locust tree at the village entrance, only to be stumbled upon by Limp Wang, who would mistake them for adulterers and then attack Song Sanlang.
Wen Wan: "..."
She really wasn't sure if Song Sanlang's bad luck had rubbed off on her, or if she had dragged Song Sanlang into misfortune.
Considering it, Wen Wan decided not to go, setting down the backpack and taking out the wrapped sugar cakes and edamame to eat inside.
"Hey, eating alone will make you stupider!"
The earthy window was suddenly opened by Yuanbao, who popped his round head in.
Though silent yesterday, he listened to his father's words and dared not call Wen Wan "mute girl" again. Yet he also didn't call her sister, choosing instead a simple "Hey."
Wen Wan placed the edamame in her hand on the table, looking at him.
Yuanbao knew what she wanted to ask and chuckled twice, "I climbed over the wall. Anyway, no one's at your place."
Father Wen was in the fields, Mrs. Zhou had taken Wen Shun to a relative's full-month banquet early in the morning, and right now, the Wen Family was indeed empty aside from Wen Wan.
While she was lost in thought, Yuanbao had already climbed inside through the window, grabbing a handful of edamame off the table as he started peeling them, "I just took Dad to the big locust tree, intending for him to teach you. But you didn't come, what's this, you don't want to learn characters anymore?"