After burying Da Huang, Li Xu packed down the earth on the grave with his shovel, then found a flat stone to set up in front of it as a marker.
He stood before the two graves in silence for a moment. The mountain wind tugged at the corner of his clothes, carrying the rustling of the distant woods.
Leaving the graves, Li Xu headed out of the village.
He made his way to a mountain slope.
Over a month ago, he had planted cucumbers and green beans here.
To his pleasant surprise, the rows were covered in green vines. A few tender green cucumbers hung from them, and the green beans had produced plump pods.
He squatted down and gently touched the small spines on a cucumber's surface, feeling its vitality.
"Grandpa Zhou, look. They're growing very well."
Li Xu spoke to the empty air, as if the old man were standing right beside him.
He found a ripe cucumber on a vine, picked it, wiped it on his clothes, and took a bite.
