After some days had passed, it was already late August, and the weather had grown considerably cooler.
In this crisp and clear autumn season, the softshell turtles in the pond had grown quite plump under Liu Er’s care this year.
Taking advantage of the turtle-catching season, Fan Jing brought a basket full of softshell turtles over to He Village as a gift, and on the way, he stopped by to visit He Xiaoqiu, who was expecting a child.
She was only about a month away from giving birth, so everyone in He Village was on high alert.
Fan Jing stayed with He Xiaoqiu and He Village for a good while, chatting casually. Most of the time, it was He Xiaoqiu asking questions and Fan Jing answering, as usual.
He Xiaoqiu held his belly, his face lit up with the joy of impending fatherhood, and he smiled at Fan Jing: “How come Kang brother let you come here all alone today? Didn’t you usually never go anywhere without him?”
“He’s busy with the turtle business in the city. Last year, he only sold once; the trade routes haven’t been fully established yet.”
He Xiaoqiu said, “If the business is still not going smoothly, won’t you need more hands?”
He occasionally worried about the shop’s affairs. Every day, Zhang Shili would come by and say that although things were busy, the business was still manageable, which helped ease his worries.
He still remembered the pain of losing their first child. It had been so hard to conceive again, and he could never afford any mishaps. Even though the shop weighed on his mind, he calmed himself to stay and take good care of the pregnancy in He Village.
Moreover, he wasn’t sure if his body had suffered from the previous miscarriage, but this pregnancy made him feel fatigued, and his belly had grown quite large.
Fan Jing said, “If I couldn’t spare the time, I wouldn’t be able to come find you.”
He Xiaoqiu smiled and asked about Dafu moving to the city for school and how Chen Sanfang was doing.
Before they knew it, it was nearly noon. He invited Fan Jing to stay for a meal, but Fan Jing declined. Knowing his temperament, He Xiaoqiu didn’t insist and instead packed a small basket of dark mulberries for him to take back.
There were a few families raising silkworms at one end of Xiaotan Village, who planted mulberry trees. This time of year, the mulberries were ripe and plentiful.
Fan Jing accepted without refusal, loaded them onto his cart, and told He Xiaoqiu to take care of himself before bidding farewell.
When he arrived back at the shop, Kang He and Jiang Cai looked as if they had just come back from outside, their foreheads drenched in sweat.
Seeing Fan Jing return, Kang He asked, “Is Brother He’s health still alright?”
Fan Jing responded with a hum and asked where he had been.
“I delivered softshell turtles to a few eateries. I ended up chatting too much, and now my mouth’s dry and parched.”
After saying this, Kang He spotted the basket of mulberries on the cart and reached for some to eat.
Fan Jing quickly slapped his hand away, “Eating those won’t quench your thirst. Come inside and drink some water.”
Kang He said, “You’re so stingy, not even willing to let me have some.”
Fan Jing replied, “I’m going to visit Dafu at Xu Village Academy at noon and will give them to him. You make some turtle soup, and I’ll bring it along.”
It had been several days since Fan Jing last visited Dafu. When he saw him, he noticed the boy looked a bit thinner.
Kang He snorted, feeling Fan Jing was too particular. Still, he fetched a few softshell turtles to stew into soup. “Wash the mulberries too, let them dry, and then you can take them over.”
Fan Jing agreed, and they both went inside the shop to busy themselves.
At noon, outside Xu Village Academy, the osmanthus blossoms were in full fragrant bloom. Many scholars in the city had planted osmanthus trees for their auspicious association with the “jade rabbit” and “plucking laurels” — a symbol of scholarly success.
After the bell rang, the academy grew noisy, and soon a lively group of students burst out, followed by more children trickling out.
Xu Village Academy had been operating for many years and was well known throughout the county. With each passing year, more children enrolled, and its reputation continued to grow.
Dafu told Fan Jing he had about thirty classmates divided into three classrooms. Besides the county’s senior student Xu Laotong and scholar Xu Xiucai teaching, they also hired several other scholars who were well learned.
When Dafu emerged from the academy, there were no more students coming out. He was dressed in the usual blue scholar’s robe and wore a cloth cap, looking every bit a young student.
His mind was still occupied with the classical allusions Xu Xiucai had taught him, pondering how to use them in his writing. Lost in thought, he walked slowly.
Just then, he heard someone softly call his name.
He snapped back to reality and looked up, spotting a familiar figure standing beneath an osmanthus tree. The person had been waiting for some time, and osmanthus blossoms had fallen on their shoulders.
Overjoyed, Dafu ran toward him. “Little Dad! Father!”
“How come you’re only coming out now? Did the teacher keep you late at the academy?” Kang He laughed, pinching Dafu’s cheek.
“I hadn’t quite understood the allusions Xu Xiucai talked about. There were some confusing parts, so I spent extra time thinking about them. By the time I looked up, most of the classmates had already left.”
“You’re diligent.”
Kang He was pleased but couldn’t help feeling a little fatherly concern: “If you don’t understand something, don’t just keep it in your head. Write it down or use a brush. After you eat, you can think it over or ask questions.”
Dafu nodded obediently, happy to hear this.
Fan Jing said nothing but took Dafu’s small hand in his own.
Kang He brought out a food box containing shredded fragrant chicken, stir-fried greens, and fresh softshell turtle soup, feeding some to Dafu.
“I’m not going back to eat; I’m in a hurry.”
Dafu munched on the mulberries Fan Jing fed him, tasting sweet, crisp, and fragrant.
Though he enjoyed the meal, he kept thinking of Zhen’er back home.
“Your little aunt went to see Second Aunt. She knows we’re bringing you food today.”
Kang He said this as he handed Dafu his chopsticks: “Eat quickly. Looking at you, you’ve gotten so thin. Haven’t you been eating properly?”
“A while ago, the weather was hot, and I didn’t eat much. I’ve been growing taller, so I look a bit thin. But today, Father and Little Dad brought food that I love, so I can eat plenty.”
Hearing his eldest son’s sensible words, Kang He felt proud but also a pang of sadness.
He wanted to say that once they got a house in the city, Dafu could eat meals every day. But since there was no news of the house yet, he didn’t want to give the boy false hope.
Instead, he said, “If you like, Father will always bring you food. It’s no trouble at all.”
But Dafu shook his head. “Father and Little Dad have many things to do during the day. Coming to see me seven or eight times a month is already enough. Otherwise, they’d be too tired.”
Fan Jing wiped the mulberry juice off Dafu’s mouth. “Not tired.”
Hearing Fan Jing say this, Dafu’s eyes involuntarily curved into a smile.
“Eat quickly.”
Dafu took a few sips of the turtle soup, which was delicious and fresh. Just by tasting it, he knew it was his father’s handiwork — his favorite.
With the fragrant chicken, he happily devoured a bowl of polished rice.
Feeling somewhat full, he couldn’t help but ask, “How is my younger brother? What has he been playing with lately?”
People at home could still see him from time to time, but since his brother had gone to the city for school, he’d only seen him once. Naturally, he worried.
“Does he sleep well at night? Is he settled?”
Kang He chuckled, “He’s good. More mischievous than before. Usually, he’d tinker with the little bows your father bought in the village, the clay whistles, rattles, and cloth tigers. He doesn’t like those much — only wooden knives and wooden spears.”
“Your grandmother worries that the folks at home aren’t watching him carefully enough. He’s slippery on his feet and often runs off. She’s afraid he’ll get hurt.”
“She hardly comes to the city anymore, just stays at home to take care of Xiaofu.”
“When your father and Little Dad visit home, they have to listen to her complaints for quite a while. But she always ends by praising how well you behaved when you were little.”
Dafu laughed and told Kang He, “Brother An gave me some little toys. I’m saving them to take back home on vacation to play with my brother. I don’t know when I’ll see him again — I wonder if he still remembers me.”
“How could he forget? Just the other day, he asked three times where his brother had gone. Your grandmother has told him many times that you’re studying in the city. He probably understood, but then he asked when you’ll come back home.”
Hearing how much his brother missed him, Dafu was overjoyed.
The three of them finished the meal together, then talked for a long time at the pavilion before Dafu returned to the academy.
Kang He looked at his growing eldest son with a hint of melancholy. He lightly patted Fan Jing on the back. After some time, the two men turned and returned to the shop.
A few days later, Kang He could be seen more often searching for a house in the city. He was already thinking about renting a place to live.
Several days after that, just before noon, a middle-aged man came looking for Kang He and Fan Jing, looking rather apologetic.
“I’m truly sorry for the sudden visit, and it’s quite helpless for me to say this, but I must inform you that I won’t be renewing the lease on your shop beyond this month.”
The man’s surname was Guo. He was a tenant who had rented the shop from when Kang He first sold his skills to Mr. Zou’s family.
He was not a native of Luan County but came from a neighboring county to run his business. He dealt in rouge and cosmetics, which Kang He knew little about. Fan Jing didn’t like such adornments either, but Qiao’er was fond of them and often went to patronize the shop.
Guo and his wife had been renting the shop for several years. Since the previous tenant left, Guo had been the sole operator. The couple treated Kang He and Fan Jing politely and sent gifts during festivals without ever delaying rent.
Kang He sometimes passed by and saw that Guo took good care of the shop, rarely damaging anything — quite rare and commendable.
Their lease relationship had been very harmonious for years, so Kang He was naturally curious about the reason for Guo’s sudden decision to move out.
“You paid a quarter’s rent just last month. It hasn’t even been a full month yet. Why the sudden move? Is there something wrong with the shop? Or someone disturbing your business?”
Guo waved his hand. “The shop is excellent, and business is steady. But I received a letter from home the other day saying my mother had a bad fall. Her bones are weak, and she can’t endure much impact. Now she’s bedridden. Though my brother says there’s no danger to her life, I can’t help but worry and have trouble sleeping.”
“I left home young to make a living elsewhere and rarely saw my parents. Though I sent money back as support, it’s not the same as being by their side.”
“My wife saw my restlessness over the past few days and urged me to go home. Now that my mother is ill and both sons are away from home, we thought it best to return and reunite with family.”
Guo continued, “I’m almost forty now, having wandered half my life. When I was young and energetic, I dreamed of making a name for myself. Now, though I haven’t fully realized those dreams, I’ve let go of some illusions and want to return home.”
He apologized again, “My wife and I had planned to return in a couple of years, but things happened that changed our minds. I regret any inconvenience caused to you, brothers, with your fine shop.”
Kang He comforted Guo with a few words. After all, no one could force someone to stay. When family calls, especially aging parents, it’s commendable for a son to want to fulfill his duties.
Moreover, Guo and his wife had been far from home for so long and seldom reunited with their sons. Kang He understood and empathized.
He refunded the unused portion of Guo’s rent, even though normally a breach of contract wouldn’t warrant a refund.
But they were decent people, and the three months’ rent was only a handful of coins. There was no need to be petty, especially after so many years of goodwill.
“If you come back to Luan County for business one day, just come see me. Even if this shop can’t be kept for you, I’ll help you find another.”
Guo was deeply grateful. Before leaving, he gave Kang He a generous gift of rouge and powders and treated the two men to a meal.
Kang He also gathered some local specialties from home to give Guo in return.
By September, the shop that had been leased out was now vacant.
Kang He and Fan Jing took a look inside. It felt familiar but also somewhat strange, as neither of them had ever used the shop.
It was bittersweet. The shop still stood, but contact with Mr. Zou had ceased years ago.
Luan County was neither too big nor too small. Once ties with relatives and friends loosened, it was hard to run into them again.
“Since it’s empty now, let’s keep it and run the business ourselves,” Fan Jing suggested after inspecting the place.
“I was thinking the same,” Kang He said. “I had my eye on a shop on South Street, not just for the underground cellar. South Street is close to Douhui Lane, so it’d be easy to draw old customers there and save effort on business. But, well, things don’t always go as planned.”
Now that they had their own shop, Kang He and Fan Jing got to work.
Though Guo had taken good care of it, years had left some wear. Taking this chance, they hired some craftsmen for repairs and built a wide cellar in the back courtyard.
For years, no one in Fan Jing’s family had known which shop belonged to Kang He and Fan Jing. It was often mistaken as just a place for vegetable trading.
Chen Sanfang came to visit once and was quite pleased. “I always envied the courtyards behind other shops where they could boil water, cook, and rest. Now we finally have a shop of our own. I’m truly happy.”
“Though the location is a bit off, with a wall blocking one side making entrance and exit inconvenient, there are still residences nearby. Someone will buy vegetables. Most important is that it’s spacious!”
Chen Sanfang asked if Kang He had rented or bought the shop. Kang He vaguely said they bought it through connections at a good price.
She didn’t press further. After years of trading, it wasn’t like before when buying something meant sitting down to carefully negotiate with the whole family.
Planning to open the new shop, Chen Sanfang became busy in the city again, talking with old customers about the new vegetable shop they would open.
Though the shop was a few streets away from Douhui Lane, they could tell relatives and friends who lived nearby.
Kang He didn’t have much free time to manage any business. With the autumn moon, many merchants came to buy spices. The fields were ripe for harvest, and everyone was busy. No one had time to handle spice matters, and Kang He had to personally entertain major clients.
One day, just as the spice merchants had left, Kang He, rare to be home, carried sleepy Xiaofu to bed. After coaxing him for a while, the little one got more lively, nearly coaxing Kang He himself to sleep.
The boy crawled over Kang He’s body, and after tiring himself out, finally curled up by his wrist and fell asleep.
Kang He let out a slight breath of relief when suddenly several loud shouts rang out: “Kang He! Kang He!”
Xiaofu, half asleep, opened his eyes. Kang He gently patted his back, trying to lull him back to sleep.
But Xiaofu was fully awake, his big round cat-like eyes staring at Kang He. “Daddy, someone’s calling.”
Kang He groaned inwardly and lifted Xiaofu to go outside. “Who’s making such a racket? Even at the Naihe Bridge, people have to be called back with some order.”
As he muttered, Zhang Shili rode up wildly on a mule outside, kicking up dust from the dry ground.
Before Kang He could say anything, Zhang Shili, flushed with excitement, shouted, “She’s given birth! She’s given birth!”
Kang He laughed, “Is Brother He and the child safe? When did the birth happen? Why weren’t you with them? How could you rush over here first to tell me?”
“Safe, safe! It happened last night. It was a long ordeal, poor Xiaoqiu. I was so happy I stayed to eat with them at dawn, and when they fell asleep, I went to see the baby and just had to come tell you the good news!”
Seeing Zhang Shili as a new father, Kang He found him as goofy and happy as a young man, just like before.
Now that he’d been a father for eight or nine years, his temperament had steadied, but Kang He still pretended to act like the big brother and spoke with a worldly tone:
“Looking at you, you’re so happy you’re about to lose your mind. You don’t look like a proper father.”
Zhang Shili said, “Look at my age — not young anymore — and now I’m a father, of twins at that. I’m a little too proud and forgot myself.”
Kang He’s eyes widened. “Twins?!”
Zhang Shili said, “Yes, a boy and a girl. We’re planning a proper hundred-day banquet at home. Everyone will be so happy they’ll be silly.”
Kang He was stunned for a moment, then punched Zhang Shili on the shoulder. “What kind of good fortune have you cultivated to get all these blessings?”
Zhang Shili chuckled bashfully, “Who else but my capable Xiaoqiu?”
Kang He shared in their happiness and quickly asked, “I’m guessing Da Jing doesn’t know yet? He’ll be thrilled when he hears.”
Zhang Shili said, “I was at the shop. He’s supervising the new one there. I told him the good news, and he immediately hitched up his cart to visit Xiaoqiu in the village.”
“I heard you’re busy with social visits at home, so I quickly rode over on the mule to tell you.”
Kang He was excited too. He’d never seen twins before. “Don’t rush. Take a moment to drink some water and rest, then I’ll get ready, and we can go see Brother He and the babies together.”