Chapter 20: The Distinction Between Intimacy and Estrangement

“Father’s home, eldest sister’s back.”

Ning Qi called out loudly at the door, caught between running home or rushing toward Father and eldest sister.

He was torn.

Ning Wen and Ning Wu, both six years old and a bit more understanding, dashed toward Ning Dalang and Ning Xin.

Seeing this, Ning Qi also started running.

“Father, eldest sister.”

Ning Dalang laughed heartily, “Come on, let’s go home.”

Holding one by each hand, Ning Qi, seeing no place for himself, looked up pleadingly at Ning Xin.

Ning Xin scooped him up and settled him securely on his shoulders.

“Let’s go, we’re heading home.”

He said as he broke into a run.

Ning Qi instantly screamed and giggled with delight.

“Ahhh, eldest sister, you’re flying!”

When they arrived, Mrs. Meng smiled resignedly and lifted Ning Qi down.

Noticing the cloth bags packed in Ning Xin’s basket, she guessed they contained grain.

Softly, she said, “Put these inside the house first.”

Ning Xin nodded.

He carried the load to his parents’ room.

Looking at the supplies in Ning Dalang’s basket, Mrs. Meng realized all the silver money she had given was spent.

The family needed to eat as well—so the purchase was necessary.

She took out the meat and handed it to Ning Nuan and Ning Huan. “You two wash the meat clean first.”

“Okay,” the sisters replied in unison.

Ning Kui and Ning Zhuang hurried after them.

Chopping meat wasn’t a task for the sisters; they had strength and should do it.

Mrs. Meng tidied the items and discovered rice flower candy. She glanced at Ning Dalang.

“I’m going to fetch water,” he said quickly.

“The water jar is still full,” Mrs. Meng snorted.

“I’ll get a couple more buckets; the children need water to wash.”

With that, Ning Dalang lifted the buckets and went out.

Mrs. Meng handed rice flower candy to the three younger children, then took some to the kitchen for the four older ones. When Ning Xin came out, she gave him a piece too.

From one pound of rice flower candy, only five pieces remained.

Mrs. Meng planned to give four pieces to the third household and one to the fourth. It was all to satisfy the children’s sweet cravings.

Fine, she thought, everything would be divided cleanly, leaving not a single piece.

Sunflower seeds and peanuts needed to be stored in dry, empty jars, then covered tightly with packed sand at the jar’s mouth. This would prevent moisture when they were later eaten.

The wine had to be stored carefully. The wine jar was quite beautiful and would make a splendid flower vase someday.

Mrs. Meng glanced at the vinegar and soy sauce.

Though it cost more to buy so many jars at once, having an extra jar was excellent for storing pickles in the future.

Each jar cost two wen coins.

The sound of chopping meat echoed from the kitchen. Mrs. Meng wrapped the rice flower candy carefully in her sleeve and went to the third and fourth households.

Lan, the wife of Ning Sanlang, was skilled with needlework. She often took in sewing work from the county’s fabric shops, patching shoe soles to earn money for the household.

She and He, wife of Ning Silang, were cousins, so Lan would lend some of her earnings to He for buying medicine.

Lan was very prudent. Her sons, Ning He and Ning Yu, were nine years old this year, sensible and capable. Since they couldn’t go to the mountains with Ning Xin, they waited until afternoon to help Ning Kui and Ning Zhuang gather small dry firewood nearby.

Ning Gao and Ning Ping, four years old this year, were playing with mud in the corner.

Hearing a knock at the door, Lan hurriedly said, “Coming.”

“Sister-in-law, please come in.”

“Auntie.”

Mrs. Meng called Ning Gao and Ning Ping over, handing each a piece of rice flower candy. “Keep these two pieces for your eldest and second brothers.”

The children’s eyes lit up at the sight of the candy.

They quickly looked to their mother.

Lan felt touched—such delicacies were rarely bought in the countryside. “Be sure to thank Auntie.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Ning Gao and Ning Ping took the candy and nibbled it like little mice.

“Third sister-in-law, please give the last piece to Ning An.”

Lan nodded repeatedly.

“Sister-in-law, you’ve gone to a lot of trouble.”

“It’s not much. Xin hunted a wild boar, and Dalang bought this rare treat to satisfy the children’s sweet tooth. There are only these few pieces, so please make sure the children don’t tell anyone.”

The unspoken meaning was that the second and fifth households didn’t get any.

Lan was clever and understood immediately.

“Don’t worry, sister-in-law, I will remind them.”

“All right, I must get back to work.”

Lan saw Mrs. Meng to the door. “Sister-in-law, shall I come by tomorrow to lend a hand?”

“No need. Nuan and Huan will manage.”