86, Unsaid (3 more updates)
She had timed it perfectly; just as Xie Zhinuan finished steaming the buns and porridge, the guards arrived together.
The simple girl carried out one steamer after another directly to the table; the guards didn’t even wait for them to cool, grabbing and biting into the buns immediately.
“Mmm, delicious!”
The porridge, on the other hand, was ladled into bowls and served on trays.
After eating the buns, the guards took a sip of the hot, thin porridge. There was nothing quite like it-the warmth spread from their stomachs through all their limbs. They took a deep breath and felt a comforting ease all over their bodies.
So they ate their porridge quickly, thinking about getting something soupier the next day.
Xie Zhinuan glanced over at them.
It was one thing that the food was delicious, but she knew exactly why these men were there-yet everyone tacitly understood and never spoke it aloud.
She turned and went to the backyard to set up trellises for the pumpkins and sponge gourds; even the cucumber seedlings at their feet had started blooming, with several small cucumbers that needed support from bamboo stakes.
Many things in Xiaohe Village were communal, such as the bamboo grove behind the mountain, firewood from the deep mountains, or the small bamboo by the stream-if you needed some, you just went and cut it.
As half a member of Xiaohe Village, Xie Zhinuan could go cut some without anyone saying anything, but she preferred not to, to avoid idle gossip.
She thought of waiting for the mute to deliver firewood, then asking him to cut some for her; those fine bamboo rods could not only be used to support cucumbers but also to tether beans and cowpeas, and they would still be useful next year.
Looking at the vibrant backyard, Xie Zhinuan felt pleased.
The mint she’d planted in a few broken jars had sprouted tender shoots. She walked over, squatted down, and took a deep breath of the faint mint fragrance-clean and pure.
Xie Zhinuan simply sat down on the edge of a stone, propped her chin, and fell into contemplation.
Routuan sat squatting beside her, squinting its eyes.
The pair, human and dog, complemented each other well.
The simple girl collected all the dishes, while Aunt Chen was cleaning them.
“Where’s the mistress?” the simple girl asked.
“She’s in the backyard!”
The simple girl raised an eyebrow and headed to the backyard.
Seeing the pair under the eaves lost in reverie, she hesitated, didn’t approach to disturb them, and turned to busy herself with something else.
Xie Zhinuan remembered the weather was about to get hot and got up quickly, taking Routuan with her as she left the house.
Before leaving, she told Aunt Chen, “Aunt Chen, I’m stepping out for a bit!”
She knew someone in the village could weave bamboo and straw mats; she needed to order a few because sleeping on cotton sheets in the heat would cause heat rash.
The bamboo craftsman in Xiaohe Village was skilled at making many items, and Xie Zhinuan had bought things like dustpans, large sieves, rice sifters, and drying mats from him.
When Xie Zhinuan arrived, the craftsman’s wife greeted her warmly.
“I’d like to buy a few bamboo mats, one for the size of the kang and another for the bed, and also some straw mats,” Xie Zhinuan stated her purpose.
The craftsman’s wife smiled even more joyfully, “What about the dimensions?”
Xie Zhinuan provided the dimensions.
With three kangs and three beds at home, she needed quite a few mats. The total came to one tael and five maces of silver, which Xie Zhinuan paid willingly. In return, the craftsman’s wife even gifted her two bamboo chairs.
“Thank you very much!”
The two bamboo chairs were a nice addition, indeed.
Although making bamboo chairs was quick work, there was no reason to refuse such a kind gesture.
And making bamboo and straw mats was slow, requiring each strip of bamboo to be woven in place.
“When can they be ready?” Xie Zhinuan asked.
“I have some finished bamboo mats for beds; it’s just the kang-sized ones that need correct measurements, and I also have straw mats for beds. I’ll start weaving those for the kangs right away; it won’t take long!”
Xie Zhinuan took the straw and bamboo mats she had and went home.
She called the simple girl to wash the straw mat clean in the creek and then took it back to hang and dry.
“Actually, it might be good to get a couple of bamboo pillows too,” Xie Zhinuan mused.
“Mistress can go buy ceramic pillows!” the simple girl suggested.
“Too hard!”
Chapter 88