Chapter 20 Ma Siyi’s Sweetness Makes One’s Heart Ache
“Siyi, stay close to me, don’t go near the big riverbank.”
Dahuazi might usually mess around, but when he got serious, he was very reliable. Holding his little sister’s hand tightly, he was afraid something might happen to Siyi.
“Wow, such a wide river, and so many water plants!”
“The water looks dark… it’s a bit creepy!”
“I heard fishing folks like to come here.”
“And Old Man Huang, the fisherman, also comes.”
Fishermen would go anywhere, even deep into caves, let alone this deserted river bend. As for Old Man Huang, he wasn’t called ‘Wave-riding Huang’ for nothing — he made his living diving into the waters daily.
“Everyone be careful, let’s just pick some river snails and head back.”
Bai Zimo genuinely came to pick river snails — and also to observe the water conditions. That old bird Wu Daoyin hadn’t lied—this part of the river near Zhuangyuan Bridge had been abandoned for a long time.
Even though the river was wide and deep enough to navigate by boat, it had become overgrown with weeds and reeds, making it impassable. Most of the riverbanks had collapsed, and it had turned into an unmanaged big river bay. But they could still see traces of old docks along the shore!
Such a wide branch of the Grand Canal wouldn’t have been left unused. Maybe in the past, sails filled the horizon, boats came and went endlessly.
Why had it fallen into decline?
Perhaps war, perhaps natural disaster, perhaps an accident — who could really know?
“Ah, Wanghe, you splashed me all over!”
“Shao Xingchi, you were the one who threw the first stone!”
Shao Xingchi and Xie Wanghe started splashing water at each other while bickering.
“You’re doomed — we have class this afternoon, and now your uniforms are all wet!”
“Haha, then let’s all get wet together! Haikuo, you’re not getting away either!”
“Ahh… you two idiots, take this!”
“Quick — don’t let Zimo stay clean!”
Barefoot racing by the railway chasing sunsets, glass marbles and trading hero cards. Jump rope and hide-and-seek under the bridge, Grandma sewing shoes in the courtyard. Iron gates, rattan baskets, and ginkgo blossoms; thatched cottages with real families inside.
Playful squabbles on the way home from school, water rushing along the paddy fields. We grew up day by day, sweet dreams filled with White Rabbit candies sticking to our teeth. Dreaming of being immortals or scientists, scribbling stick figures on whitewashed walls.
We grew up day by day…
As night fell, the riverside homes finally slowed their pace. After a day of hard work, men returned home to sit around the dinner table with their wives and children.
“Mom, your braised pork is amazing!”
“Don’t just eat meat! You’ll get too fat. Then Zimo won’t marry you when you grow up.”
“He wouldn’t dare not marry me!”
Xia Lao’er and Li Yan shook their heads, laughing at Dahua’s antics. Liang Haihong had made marinated pig’s head meat.
“Slow down. Wanghe, come take the dishes into the room first.”
Since they often ate together with Grandma Ma’s household, the four of them made the meals lively.
Ma Siyi glanced outside the courtyard, hearing the lively calls from other families nearby. Those kids still had parents — even if they got scolded or spanked, they still had parents. She fell silent.
“Zimo, you eat more too.”
“Alright, I’ll help myself!”
Grandma Ma handed her a bun.
“Siyi, here, have another bun.”
Zimo’s grandmother chimed in, “And the river snails you picked yourselves! I added Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves — it smells amazing.”
In this short time, Ma Siyi had already become the darling of the little courtyard on Flower Street. She was quiet and sweet, completely different from the rowdy boys.
“You’re still growing, you should eat more!”
“Grandma, I’m really full. Grandma Lin, you eat slowly. I’ll wash the dishes after I finish my homework.”
Grandma Ma and Zimo’s grandma both fell silent. The buns and snails suddenly didn’t taste so good anymore. Ma Siyi’s sweetness made people’s hearts ache.
She wasn’t eating because she wasn’t happy.
Grandma Ma was so heartbroken she nearly choked up.
“Zimo, go check on Siyi!”
Bai Zimo immediately got up.
He understood Ma Siyi well — even though life at Grandma Ma’s was good, it wasn’t home. She missed her mother — even though her mother had given up on her. Ma Siyi lay curled over her tiny desk.
At that moment, even the evening breeze grew tender.
“Siyi! You’re thinking about your mom, but you don’t dare say it, right?”
“Zimo, do you ever miss your mom?”
“I used to. Not anymore. Because she doesn’t miss me.”
“But I miss my mom so much. What should I do?”
The little girl hadn’t dared to cry in front of others all day. But now, in front of Bai Zimo, her eyes turned red and tears streamed down.
“If you fill your time up, it’ll get a little better. Starting tomorrow, I’ll take you to earn some money. You’ll have pocket money and help lighten Grandma’s load too.”
Bai Zimo didn’t really know how to comfort her. Girls were born more emotional. And a mother — was something no one could replace.
Ma Siyi sniffled and asked, “Can I really do that too?”
“Let’s try. It won’t be worse than now, right?”
“Having money solves a lot of problems, so we need to earn our first pot of gold quickly!”
“How do we earn our first pot of gold?”
“Well, first you need a pot!”
Outside the door, Grandma Ma and Zimo’s grandma exchanged glances, smiling. When Ma Siyi was with Bai Zimo, her rare laughter finally returned.