Xiao Man was shaken awake in her bed by Xiaoju. A glance outside revealed it was already broad daylight.
She felt a little dazed. ’Last night, I dreamt I entered the Treasure Pearl Space and saw the Black Mountain Spirit Lord. I followed him all around the space, but how did I get out in the end? Hmm, I think the Spirit Lord said the flow of ti in the Treasure Pearl Space was the sa as the outside world. He also said my stamina was low and I had to go back. Then he waved his hand, and I... don’t rember anything after that!’
Watching Liang Xiaoju hop nimbly off the bed, slip on her shoes, and run out the door, Xiao Man tried to sit up as well. But as soon as she lifted her torso, a wave of weakness and soreness washed over her. Her whole body ached as if she had just returned from hauling firewood down the mountain or harvesting rice in the fields. She was too exhausted to even move.
She recalled the Spirit Lord saying that entering the Treasure Pearl Space would consu a great deal of her energy. ’No wonder my head feels so dizzy!’
Xiao Man brought her left palm to her lips and drank a little spiritual spring water. She lay back with her eyes closed for a mont and gradually started to feel better.
Liang Xiaoju washed her face, combed her hair, and grabbed a long-handled bamboo broom. While sweeping the courtyard, she shouted into the house, "Mo Xiaoman, I’ve already done a round of chores, and you’re still dawdling in bed? Did you fall asleep again? Grandma, Grandma, look at Mo Xiaoman! She’s sleeping in!"
Grandma was in the courtyard too, holding a basin of water. She felt her way around, sprinkling it to keep the dust down. Her voice was full of amusent as she said, "Didn’t you two go to the movies last night? You got ho, showered, and then chatted for a while. You went to bed so late, it’s only normal that she’s not fully rested. School isn’t in session, and we don’t raise any chickens, ducks, or pigs. There isn’t much work to do, so just let her sleep! Xiaoju, you should have slept in longer yourself. You’re up too early!"
Liang Xiaoju said, "...Grandma, you spoil her too much!"
Listening from her room, Xiao Man was both angry and amused. ’You rotten girl. I’m treating you with sincerity because you’re Grandpa’s grand-niece, but you turn around and badmouth behind my back. If Grandma wasn’t so kind, wouldn’t I be in trouble? You think I’m an easy target, huh? You repay my kindness with scorn. If you won’t accept my courtesy, then don’t bla for getting nasty. I’ll show you what "courtesy before force" really ans!’
Liang Xiaoju was very diligent. After sweeping the yard and watering all the flowers, she carried buckets of well water over to the vegetable patches. By the ti she ca back, she saw Xiao Man helping Grandma to a bamboo stool under the pear tree. Xiao Man handed Grandma a bowl of water to drink, then brought over a basin of clean water for her to wash her face.
Liang Xiaoju scoffed. "Mo Xiaoman, just because you sleep in, you think everyone else does too? Grandma already washed her face with hot water that *I* fetched! If you were so diligent, you would’ve gotten up to make breakfast. Are you trying to starve Grandma by filling her belly with water first thing in the morning?"
Xiao Man didn’t even glance at Liang Xiaoju. She took the empty bowl from Grandma’s hand, squatted down, and moved the basin closer. She guided Grandma’s hands into the water, letting her cup the water and splash it onto her own face. This was the only way to ensure her eyes were properly soaked. If she simply wiped Grandma’s face with a damp towel, not much of the spiritual spring water would get into her eyes.
Of course, Grandma knew she had already washed her face that morning. But Xiao Man said she had gotten so black soot on her face. Besides, she had been walking around the courtyard sprinkling well water and had worked up a sweat. Her granddaughter was being so thoughtful bringing her warm water, so what was the harm in washing her face again?
She chuckled and splashed her face as Xiao Man instructed, then let Xiao Man gently pat the droplets dry with a towel. As she did, she said to Liang Xiaoju,
"Xiaoju, you must be tired after watering all those vegetable patches. Sit down and rest for a bit. I’ve already made the congee; it’ll be ready to eat once it cools down. And drinking water first thing in the morning is a wonderful thing! We boil it the day before and let it cool, so it’s very refreshing. Xiao Man got into this habit. If your Grandpa were ho, he’d be drinking it too. We all like it. When our good granddaughter serves us ’tea,’ it’s sweet all the way down to our hearts!"
Only then did Xiao Man raise an eyebrow and shoot a sidelong glance at Liang Xiaoju. Liang Xiaoju just pursed her lips. ’What’s the big deal? It’s just a bowl of water. Anyone can do that!’
Xiao Man took the water and poured it at the base of the rose bushes. When she returned, she imdiately started complaining to Grandma. "Grandma, Xiaoju keeps shoving at night! I even fell out of bed! She also yanks the entire blanket over to her side and wraps herself in it, so my stomach is left uncovered. For the past few days, I’ve been waking up with my stomach rumbling and gurgling. I’m worried I’m going to get sick!"
Xiaoju wasn’t having any of that. "Who’s to say who’s shoving who? You’re the one who thrashes around in your sleep! If I didn’t hold onto you, you’d probably fall out of bed multiple tis a night! And that blanket... there’s only one! You wrap it around your stomach, so how am I supposed to cover myself? If I don’t pull it back, I’m the one who’ll get a stomachache!"
Xiao Man said no more. She knew Xiaoju’s words were enough. Grandma had been the one who bought her the new blanket. She had also been the one to teach Xiao Man to wrap it around her stomach at night to keep from catching a chill if she kicked it off in her sleep. Grandma doted on her; she would never tolerate soone snatching her blanket away.
Grandma’s lips tightened, her expression serene. After a mont, she finally spoke, but she didn’t ntion the sleeping arrangents. "The congee has cooled. It’s ti for breakfast," she said. "Xiaoju, hurry to the well and wash your face; you can’t be comfortable after all that sweating. Xiao Man, please set the table. Second Granny Qiu brought over a bowl of dry-fried pickled greens yesterday. I mixed it with so lard and stead it in the back pot. Go ahead and bring it out. It’s delicious with the congee."
This ti it was Liang Xiaoju’s turn to be smug. She shot Xiao Man a triumphant glare and ran off to wash her face.
Xiao Man went into the kitchen to set the table. She ladled out the congee and then helped Grandma inside. Xiaoju returned, and the three of them sat down to eat. The pickled greens—made from chopped mustard shoots marinated with dry rice grains and salt—would have been even more delicious if flash-fried in rendered pork fat with ginger, scallions, garlic, and chili. But since Grandma’s eyesight was poor, she couldn’t manage stir-frying; she had simply stead them with a bit of lard. This made the sour flavor more intense, but it had a unique charm of its own. Xiaoju had worked up an appetite and slurped down two bowls of congee. Even without having done any work, Xiao Man had a bowl and a half. Grandma ate slowly. As soon as Xiaoju was full, she put down her bowl and left, saying she was going to the neighbor’s house out back to et up with soone. They were going to gather firewood and pick wild downy rose-myrtle berries. It seed she’d made a new friend at the movies last night and no longer wanted Xiao Man to tag along.
Listening to the courtyard gate open and close as Xiaoju left, Grandma put down her chopsticks. She sighed and said to Xiao Man, "I’ve lived a poor life for so many years that it’s beco a habit, and I failed to think things through for you. You’re a big girl now, with your own room. I shouldn’t have let just anyone move in with you. In the future, any young guests who visit will sleep in the guest quarters, not with you. When your Grandpa gets back, I’ll have him send Xiaoju ho. Xiaoju... she’s been taught by her own grandmother to be a bit calculating. Since our family can’t accept that kind of behavior, it’s better to resolve this now, before the girl gets more ideas."
"But Xiaoju is stubborn. If she says she won’t leave, she won’t leave. Are you going to have to catch her and drag her ho?"
Grandma chuckled at Xiao Man’s words. "We won’t have to drag her. A little coaxing will be enough. Your Grandpa wanted Xiaoju to stay to keep you company, and I thought she was a good kid, too—hardworking, willing to do chores, and very blunt. But... your Grandpa and I are getting old. I can’t work anymore, and the whole family relies on him. We can only pray that we live a few more years, long enough to see you married by the ti you’re twenty. If we have to take care of Xiaoju on top of that... we just can’t afford it!"
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