Chapter 19: The Mountain Path Seeks Flowers, the Wind Brings the Lotus Fragrance
While morning dew still clung to the mint leaves, the bamboo door of the Fang residence creaked open. Little Swallow, wearing a light yellow shorts, her cuffs and trouser legs tied tightly for easy movement, held her jet-black braids tied back with a matching ribbon. A freshly picked wild chrysanthemum, its petals still wet with dew, was pinned to the end. She held a small woven bamboo basket with a green cloth tied around the rim. She was standing on tiptoe, peering through the door. Her voice, as clear as the sound of a mountain spring, said, "Brother, if you keep lingering in the sun, you'll get your butt burned!"
Xiao Jian walked down the hallway, wearing a moon-white long gown over a dark short jacket, and a small dagger tucked into his waist—he always carried it for self-defense when he went into the mountains to gather herbs. He carried a larger bamboo basket, filled with oil-paper-wrapped dry food and a water bag. Seeing his sister stamping her feet anxiously, he couldn't help but laugh, "Why are you rushing me? Mint smells best when picked with dew. If you go too early, the dew won't dry yet, and you'll get soaked." He reached out to straighten her crooked hairband, his fingertips touching her burning earlobe. "You didn't sleep well last night, and the mountain path is slippery today. Follow me closely, and don't run around."
"I know!" Little Swallow stuck out her tongue. As he turned to close the door, she secretly plucked a banana leaf from the porch, rolled it into a tube and used it as a telescope. She stood on tiptoe and peered at the distant mountain road. "Mom said there are wild roses in the back mountain. We should pick more and ask the kitchen to make some flower jam when we get back. It's sure to be sweet when spread on steamed buns!"
Leaving the Fang residence, we followed the bluestone path up the mountain. The morning mist had not yet dissipated, lingering like a thin veil through the bamboo forest. The weeds along the roadside were wet with dew, soaking the tips of my shoes after just a few steps, leaving a chill. Little Swallow, however, paid no heed, skipping along ahead, stopping to pick any pretty wildflowers she saw. Soon, her bamboo basket was filled with a few shimmering purple chrysanthemums and brilliant yellow dandelions.
"Brother, look! This dandelion is so big!" She pinched the dandelion's stem, puffed up her cheeks and blew hard. The white fluff floated towards the bamboo forest on the wind. She ran after the fluff for two steps. The hem of her skirt swept through the grass, startling a few grasshoppers. She jumped back to Xiao Jian with a "ah" and grabbed his sleeve tightly, her eyes wide open, "There's a bug!"
Xiao Jian helplessly supported her, bent down to pick up the small basket she had dropped, and brushed away the grass leaves on it with his fingertips. "There are many insects in the mountains. You are so brave. You seem quite brave when practicing swordsmanship, but you are afraid of grasshoppers." He took out the dagger from his waist, cut a sturdy bamboo branch from the roadside and handed it to her. "Use it as a crutch. You can explore the way and drive away insects."
Little Swallow took the bamboo stick and became bolder with the support. She used the stick to push the grass forward. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she pointed to the slope in front of her: "Mint! Lots of mint!" The morning light passed through the bamboo forest and shone on a patch of lush green plants. The edges of the leaves were serrated. When they got close, they could smell a cool fragrance. It was the mint they were looking for.
She squatted down, carefully grasped the mint stems, and gently pinched them with her fingernails, her movements so gentle as if she didn't want to hurt them. "Mom said to leave three-tenths of the root so it can grow again next time." She put the mint into the bamboo basket. The dew on the leaves touched her fingertips, feeling cool and refreshing. "It's so refreshing to smell it. If I had this mint last night, I wouldn't have had this nightmare."
Xiao Jian also squatted beside her, picking mint. His movements were more skillful than hers, and the cut stems were neatly cut. "Not only can you soak it in water, but you can also crush it and apply it on your temples to repel mosquitoes and calm your nerves." He saw that his sister's nose was covered in dirt, like a little cat that had just stolen rice. He couldn't help but wipe it off with his thumb. "You, you can even get your face dirty just picking mint."
Xiaoyanzi's cheeks flushed slightly as she moved to the side, her eyes drawn to a patch of pink below. There, a wild rose bush grew, its branches clinging to an old locust tree. Its petals, layered and pink like clouds, clung to the petals, their glowing dewdrops gleaming like scattered diamonds in the morning light. Her eyes lit up, and as she stood up, she wasn't paying attention to the stones beneath her feet. She staggered and nearly fell. Xiao Jian quickly grabbed her wrist and held her steady: "I told you to be careful."
"There are roses over there!" Xiaoyanzi pointed at the flowers, her eyes sparkling, completely unconcerned about the danger just now. "They are blooming more vigorously than those in the mansion. Let's pick more!" She pulled Xiao Jian down the slope with light steps, swaying the bamboo branches in her hands, startling a few butterflies that circled around her skirt.
Xiao Jian held her wrist tightly, afraid she would fall. He didn't let go until they reached the rose bush. He then drew a dagger from his waist. "Roses have thorns. I'll cut them, and you hold the basket." He carefully avoided the thorns and snipped the fullest branches. The dew on the petals fell on the back of his hand, a cool sensation. Xiao Yanzi squatted beside him, sorting the mint into categories and gathering the fallen petals, carefully spreading them on the green cloth of the bamboo basket, as if collecting stars.
"Brother, how long can we keep this flower jam after it's made?" Xiaoyanzi held her chin and watched him cut the flowers. The scent of flowers and mint lingered in her nose, and her heart was sweet. "When the weather gets cold in winter, spread it on hot steamed buns. It will definitely keep you warm."
"If stored properly, they can last until next spring." Xiao Jian placed the cut rose branches into the bamboo basket, carefully removing the thorns from the branches. "But you have to make them yourself. Mother said your pastries are sweeter than those in the kitchen, and the flower sauce will definitely be good too."
Xiaoyanzi's cheeks flushed with praise. She reached for the branch overhead, not noticing the rocks behind her. Xiao Jian quickly grasped her waist and pulled her aside. "If you can't reach it, just tell me. Don't be so stubborn." He plucked the most blooming rose and tucked it into her braid. "That way you don't have to reach for it."
As the sun gradually rose higher, the fog dissipated, and the bamboo forest shone brightly. Dewdrops from the leaves rolled down the branches, dripping onto the bluestone with a "tick-tick" sound. A brother and sister walked back, carrying bamboo baskets filled with mint and roses. Little Swallow's bamboo branches still held wild fruits she had just gathered, bright red like little lanterns. As she walked, she hummed a tuneless excerpt from "The Sound of Bells and Chimes," a piece she had played the night before. The clear melody, mingling with the birdsong and the wind, softly echoed along the mountain path.
When they returned to the Fang residence, Li was standing on the porch waiting for them. Seeing them return, she hurried to greet them. "You're finally back! Breakfast is warming on the stove." She looked at the mint and roses in the bamboo basket, her eyes crescent with a smile. "This mint is so fresh, and the roses are so juicy. I'll teach you how to make flower jam this afternoon."
Little Swallow handed the bamboo basket to the maid and ran inside happily, saying in a crisp voice, "I want to wash my hands and have breakfast first. I'm hungry!" As she ran through the courtyard, two rose petals fell from her braid and landed on the bluestone slabs. They were covered with dew and looked like two pink clouds.
The aroma of porridge wafted through the dining room. Fang Zhihang was sitting at his desk reading a letter. Seeing his daughter enter, he looked up and smiled. "You've picked so many goodies? It seems the dew on the mountain path must have been heavy today." He put down the letter and pointed at the pastries on the table. "Mrs. Wang sent a box of osmanthus cakes. She said her daughter made them herself. Try some."
Xiaoyanzi picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and stuffed it into her mouth. The sweet fragrance mixed with the floral aroma spread on her tongue. She mumbled, "It can't compare to our rose jam." She put a tea egg in Xiao Jian's bowl and picked up a piece of cake for each of her parents. "The roses picked by my eldest brother are the most fragrant, and the flower jam made by mother must be even better."
In the afternoon, the west courtyard was filled with a faint floral fragrance. Li and Xiaoyanzi sat on bamboo stools under the porch. Before them stood a large porcelain basin filled with washed and drained rose petals, and beside them lay sugar and a porcelain jar. Li instructed her to knead the petals, "Apply even pressure until the juice is extracted, so that it can blend with the sugar."
Xiaoyanzi imitated her mother, gently kneading the petals with her hands. The pink and white petals gradually turned a light red, and the juice on her fingertips was sweet and fragrant. Xiao Jian sat on a bamboo chair nearby, holding a book in his hand, but he looked up at his sister from time to time. He saw that the tip of her nose was stained with some petal crumbs. She smiled at the corner of her mouth, but she didn't say a word to remind her.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the grapevines, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Little Swallow kneaded the petals, suddenly remembering Ziwei's smile in her dream, and her heart warmed. No matter where the future held, having such a family by her side, and the aroma of her homemade flower sauce, was the best time. She looked down at the rose petals in her hand, a sweet smile curling her lips. The fragrance on her fingertips seemed to quietly lock the warmth of Jiangnan into time.
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