The next morning, Ruan Mian woke up from a long-awaited peaceful sleep. The familiar and intimate surroundings made her feel at ease. She could even hear the rooster crowing next door from her uncle’s house outside.
She rubbed her messy hair and got up to put on clothes before walking out of the bedroom.
In the bright courtyard, the dilapidated grape rack in the corner had become a good place to hang cured meats in the cold winter. The streaky pork and sausages shone with appetizing oil under the sunlight.
Ruan Mian stood under the eaves. Squinting, she yawned. Her entire being, from top to bottom, was filled with relaxation that she had missed for a long time.
In the kitchen on the other side, Zhou Xiujun came out wiping her apron. She was about to call out for Ruan Mian to get up when she saw the girl standing not far away. She smiled and said, “You’re awake, huh.”
Ruan Mian hmm’d. She walked down from under the eaves. Catching a faint fragrance coming from the kitchen, her eyes lit up. “It smells so good.”
“You and your nose.”
Zhou Xiujun walked back inside while saying, “The old hen your aunt sent over early this morning – I stewed half and left half for you to make red braised chicken for lunch.”
Ruan Mian put her hand on the old lady’s shoulder with a smile. “Then I’ll go thank Auntie later.”
“Alright.”
Zhou Xiujun lifted the pot lid and asked over her shoulder, “Did you wash up? We’ll eat breakfast soon. After breakfast, we’ll go to the market to buy groceries.”
“Okay.”
Ruan Mian turned to walk outside.
Remembering something, Zhou Xiujun called out again, “I put your toothbrush and towel on the shelf for you.”
Without turning her head, Ruan Mian said, “I know.”
The old lady smiled and shook her head. Putting down the pot lid, she used a cloth to wipe the water on the stove before sitting at the doorway to continue adding firewood.
After breakfast, grandmother and granddaughter locked up and left the house carrying bamboo baskets.
Xi Ping was divided into north and south. South Xi Ping had fewer households while north Xi Ping with its many households was the town center. Places like the market, slightly bigger supermarkets, hospitals, etc. were all in north Xi Ping.
The old lady walked briskly. The two didn’t take bikes and crossed the long bridge connecting the two Xi Pings, chatting and laughing along the way.
At the market, Zhou Xiujun took out the vigor of someone buying New Year’s goods. She bought big fish and big meat, as if wanting to take the entire stall back home.
After going around buying for nearly half an hour, they came out. Ruan Mian wanted to go to the nearby supermarket to buy some things for her cousin Ruan Jun at her aunt’s house.
Zhou Xiujun left the big and small bags for safekeeping with an old friend running a roadside stall nearby. She went into the supermarket with Ruan Mian, “Speaking of Ruan Jun, your aunt also asked me to ask you this morning when she sent the chicken over – do you have time during winter break to tutor Ruan Jun?”
Ruan Mian grabbed two bags of chips and put them in the cart. “Sure, what grade is Ruan Jun in now?”
“He’s in 8th grade now. Flunking every exam, your aunt is worried to death. She’s beaten and scolded him but it’s no use. Skipping class and running to internet cafes two, three times a week.”
Ruan Mian was a little hesitant. “If he’s like this, would he come if I tutor him?”
Zhou Xiujun laughed. “If you agree to tutor him, even if Uncle has to break Ruan Jun’s legs, he’ll still send him to you.”
“…Oh.”
Since tutoring came up, Ruan Mian simply bought three supplementary textbooks and a stack of exercise books for her cousin at the supermarket. She also got some nutritional supplements for her aunt and uncle.
Coming out of the supermarket, it was almost 11 o’clock. Zhou Xiujun went to retrieve the groceries while Ruan Mian stood at the roadside holding the pile of things she just bought, waiting for her.
The temperature had risen these past few days. At noon now, the sun shone brightly, carrying a thriving warmth. Ruan Mian stacked her things at her feet and lowered her head to look at her phone.
Among the coming and going people, someone suddenly patted her shoulder from behind.
Ruan Mian turned around to see the twin-dressed Li Zhi and Chen Yi standing there. She was stunned.
Li Zhi laughed. “I saw you from afar and thought it looked like you. Didn’t expect it to really be you. What are you doing here?”
Ruan Mian put away her phone and hid her surprise. “My grandma lives here. What are you guys doing here?”
“What a coincidence. My grandma lives here too.”
Li Zhi looked back at Chen Yi. “He came to send me back and is staying to play for a few days.”
Ruan Mian didn’t expect to see the people she had just said goodbye to two days ago. She nodded at him, trying to appear calm. Her hand in her pocket kept rubbing her phone, trying to alleviate the nervousness welling up.
Seeing her bags, Li Zhi asked, “What’s all this?”
“I’m here with my grandma to buy some New Year’s goods. She went to get other stuff. I’m waiting for her here.”
Ruan Mian took her hand out of her pocket and discreetly wiped the sweat from her palm on her coat.
Li Zhi and Chen Yi still had other things to do when they came out. After chatting with Ruan Mian for a bit, Li Zhi said, “I’ll contact you later. We’re leaving first.”
Ruan Mian nodded, “Okay.”
Among the coming and going people at the market, Ruan Mian watched the two walk away side by side until they disappeared from view before withdrawing her gaze.
At lunch, Zhou Xiujun called the neighboring uncle’s family over. Ruan Mian helped set out bowls and chopsticks. Her cousin Ruan Jun came over and said, “Sis, did something good happen to you today? You look so happy.”
Ruan Mian’s hand holding the chopsticks paused. “Do I?”
“Yeah.”
Ruan Jun gestured at his own face. “Your mouth was almost smiling to here earlier.”
“…You’re exaggerating.”
Ruan Mian continued with what she was doing. “Right, your parents want me to tutor you. When do you want to start?”
“How about next lifetime.”
Ruan Jun had a crying expression. “I don’t want tutoring at all, sis. Help me explain to mom and dad, with my grades tutoring is useless anyway.”
“Who said it’s useless? You can learn anything if you want to, anytime.”
Ruan Mian made a prompt decision, “Then let’s start from tomorrow.”
“Sis…”
“Your place or mine?”
Ruan Jun sighed. “…Better come here then.”
Ruan Mian laughed. “9am start, don’t be late.”
“Oh.”
After lunch, Ruan Mian went back to her room to rest. Not long after, Ruan Jun came in with his report card from this semester and winter break homework.
“Go get a stool yourself.”
Ruan Mian took a look at his report card. Failing all seven subjects, with two even scored as zero. “…”
Ruan Jun saw her shocked expression after bringing a stool in. He scratched his nose and sat far away. “Sis, can I still make it like this?”
Ruan Mian looked back at him. “Before seeing your grades, I actually thought you still had a chance.”
Ruan Jun: “…”
“How did you get a zero? Even if you randomly guessed C for all the multiple choice, you’d probably get one or two right.”
“I did guess C for everything, but I didn’t know our school has a rule that you can’t choose the same letter for every multiple choice question.”
Ruan Mian felt a headache coming on. Before she could respond, the QQ chat on her computer flashed twice with a new message.
Li Zhi: You there?
Ruan Mian was startled for a couple seconds before putting down her grade report and typing a reply.
Ruan Mian: Yup, what’s up?
Li Zhi: Are you free tomorrow?
Chen Yi and I are planning to hike Xishan1, wanna join if you’re available?
Xishan was the only major landmark in Xiping Town, a mountain with a centuries-old temple at the top. Many people visited each year to hike and pray, especially around holidays.
Just as Ruan Mian was hesitating, Ruan Jun dragged over a chair and peeked at her computer screen. Excited, he said, “Sis, you should go! Take me too while you’re at it!”
“You’re worried about going out to play with grades like that?”
“Hey, no need for personal attacks!”
Ruan Jun said, “People always say the temple blessings there are super effective. What’s wrong with me wanting to go pray too!”
Ruan Mian ignored him and replied to Li Zhi.
Ruan Mian: Sure, can I bring my younger brother too?
Li Zhi: The little one from last time?
Don’t think he can handle the hike…
Ruan Mian: No, my other brother.
Li Zhi: Alright then, fair warning – if he can’t keep up later we aren’t carrying him.
Kidding!
Ruan Mian: Then I’ll make sure he rolls back down the mountain if needed.
Li Zhi: Hahahaha, it’s decided then. See you guys at the spot we met yesterday, 9 AM.
Ruan Mian: OK.
The next morning, before Ruan Mian had gotten up, Ruan Jun was already at her door with his backpack, calling out, “Sis! Sis! It’s so late, why aren’t you awake yet!”
Ruan Mian, still half asleep, grabbed her phone by the bed and saw it was just past 7:30 AM. Still an hour and a half until their meetup at 9.
Her temple pulsed as she threw off her covers and yanked open the door. “Ruan Jun! Are you out of your mind? What time is it?”
The boy deflated. Lips pursed, he said, “I was worried you’d oversleep! See, I even brought breakfast, your favorite egg and pork congee.”
Nowhere nearby sold congee. The closest food stall was in Xiping to the north. Ruan Mian instantly lost her temper. Closing the door, she said, “I’ll get dressed, you go ahead and eat first.”
Footsteps gradually faded outside. Ruan Mian saw the grade report tucked in the corner of her desk and laughed helplessly.
After washing up and eating, it was barely past 8 AM. Still early for their meeting time. Ruan Mian grabbed a middle school English vocabulary book from her room and tossed it to Ruan Jun. “Study this. Recite the first page of words from memory tonight.”
Ruan Jun immediately regretted coming over so early.
The remaining time passed quickly amidst the boy’s stumbling recitation. Nearing 9 AM, Ruan Mian bid goodbye to Zhou Xiurong and headed out with Ruan Jun.
Crossing the bridge, Ruan Mian saw a black 6-seater commercial van parked at yesterday’s meeting spot. The doors were wide open, Chen Yi sitting inside chatting with Li Zhi who stood outside.
The two were dressed like twins as usual, both wearing black down jackets and dark blue jeans, even their shoes matched in black and white.
Chen Yi noticed Ruan Mian first. He got out of the van, saying lightly, “You’re here.”
Li Zhi looked back and waved at Ruan Mian. “Morning, had breakfast?”
“Yup.”
Ruan Mian briefly introduced her brother. “This is my brother Ruan Jun. These are my friends from Pingcheng, Brother Li Zhi and…”
She suddenly faltered for a couple seconds, barely noticeable amidst the noisy surroundings. “Brother Chen Yi.”
Sweet-talking Ruan Jun greeted both Li Zhi and Chen Yi as “Brother”.
Li Zhi smiled and ruffled Ruan Jun’s hair. The four got in the van. No one noticed Ruan Mian’s brief hesitation, nor realized what it signified.
Xishan was a half hour drive from Xiping Town. More and more cars appeared the closer they got to the mountain base, eventually jamming up midway.
Chen Yi rolled down his window. The cold mountain air eagerly squeezed in through the gap, blending into the van’s warm air.
Li Zhi chatted with Ruan Jun, inevitably bringing up his grades and successfully silencing the boy.
“Let me introduce our crew. This brother next to you placed first in your sister’s grade every exam. I’ve never ranked below the top 100 with your sis.”
Li Zhi laughed. “What’s with you being dead last?”
Ruan Jun: “……”
Li Zhi relentlessly battered the boy’s self-confidence. “Missing the exam for a zero is one thing. But showing up and still getting a zero? Kind of hard to explain, no?”
Ruan Jun ignored Li Zhi and quietly complained to Ruan Mian, “Sis, what’s up with this friend of yours? He keeps stomping on my wounds.”
Chen Yi chimed in, “Then work harder so you don’t have wounds for people to stomp on.”
Hearing him speak, Ruan Jun leaned over and asked, “You really get first place every time?”
“Mm.”
“How do you study?”
Chen Yi turned to look at him, deadpan. “Just half-ass it.”
The innocent Ruan Jun suffered another crushing blow: “……”
The drive was filled with much more laughter than usual thanks to Ruan Jun’s presence. Even the driver up front chuckled a few times.
With the holidays, even more people than normal had come to hike and pray. After parking, Ruan Mian’s group followed the bustling crowd up the mountain.
Pine and cypress flourished along the trail, lush even in winter. Sunshine filtered through the clouds, scattering across the undulating peaks and infusing the landscape with vitality.
Xishan Temple sat at the summit. Long before they even got close, the thick fragrance of incense already drifted down from the temple. A hundred stone steps led up to the entrance, symbolizing life’s many trials – all of which vanish the moment one crosses this threshold, replaced by blessings and protection, peace and smooth sailing.
The temple was crammed with people, smoke and incense swirling. Ruan Mian knelt on the cushion before Buddha, hands pressed together, face solemn and devout.
Merciful Buddha, your disciple Ruan Mian prays:
One, bless my father out west with peace and fortune.
Two, grant my grandmother longevity and my mother happiness.
Three…
Ruan Mian secretly opened her eyes and glanced sideways at the boy kneeling beside her. A ray of sunlight from outside the temple shone in, landing right behind them.
A flash in time, feelings abound – Ruan Mian closed her eyes again.
Three…
Let him and I be together every year.
- Xishan (??) – Western Mountain ↩︎
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