Chapter 23 New Year
Although Huang Hanwen did not directly participate in their lives, he was like a hanged ghost hanging down from a locust tree in summer, popping up from time to time and giving Hang Liumei goosebumps.
What bothered her even more was that Sister Xiuchun didn't seem to object to the hanged man. Later, when they went to the county town, the two of them would meet three out of five times, and every time this happened, Hang Liumei felt very embarrassed.
The first few times she walked and ate with them, Huang Hanwen would recount some sour poetry and songs that turned her off. Really, who hasn't read a few books? Sister Xiuchun, however, was willing to pay him attention, asking what he was reading recently, what text he was teaching, and if any students were disobedient. Hang Liumei showed no interest in any of this; she felt completely unnecessary between the two of them. The next time she saw Huang Hanwen, she would walk away.
As the year drew to a close, they went to the county town to send New Year's gifts home. Huang Hanwen took Sister Xiuchun with him, under the pretext of helping him plan the class party. The market wasn't nearly as fun without her company. After Hang Liumei mailed the package, she waited at the station for the train while reading a letter from her sister.
The letter said the dried apricots and raisins she had sent back earlier were delicious. Grandma, who had lost her teeth, had made apricot peel tea according to Hang Liumei's instructions, and everyone loved it. Everything was fine at home, except that Grandma had twisted her back while working in the garden. She had been resting in bed and had recovered quickly. Everyone was looking forward to the New Year reunion; maybe by then, Grandma would be so happy that she'd be well enough to attend the temple fair.
This is Hang Liumei's third year in Dunhuang. At first, she longed to return to the familiar city walls, but she's since adapted to life there. And with the institute's perennial staff shortage, she hasn't even taken a day off this year. She'd already planned to take her sister, Xiuchun, back with her for the Lunar New Year, just like she did last year.
I remember how excited Sister Xiuchun was when she heard the news last year. She started preparing gifts for her family long beforehand: a cotton-padded jacket for Grandma, a scarf for Mom, cotton-padded shoes for Dad, and a knitted vest for Sister. She worked tirelessly, making everything herself. The family also prepared new bedding, put up window decorations, and wrote Spring Festival couplets. I heard Qi Xiuchun was from northern Shaanxi, so I added steamed buns and mutton offal to the New Year's Eve dinner menu.
They happily stayed at home until the Lantern Festival was approaching. They could not delay any longer and said goodbye reluctantly and left. At that time, the family members held Sister Xiuchun's hand and told her not to be polite and to come whenever she wanted!
So that's what we'll do this year. Sister Xiuchun's family is struggling, and they haven't seen her send anything all year long, only asking for money. She says they only care about pushing her to send money and get married, and that it's better to hide away and have some peace and quiet than to see them quarreling. Anyway, if she doesn't go back, the house will just be missing a pair of chopsticks, and no one will miss her.
The county town had also begun preparing for the Lunar New Year, with lights and decorations adorning the streets and a festive atmosphere. Hang Liumei had already been counting the days until her return home, and the news of her grandmother's injury only made her even more eager to return.
The shuttle bus arrived, but Sister Xiuchun had not returned to the station yet. It seemed that she did not plan to go back to the institute with him for lunch, and would wait for the afternoon bus.
Hang Liumei knew that Xiuchunjie was dating Huang Hanwen, and she hoped that Xiuchunjie would find a good home, so that she could explain her past to her father. But she still felt a little sad. Ever since Huang Hanwen showed up, Xiuchunjie had given most of her heart to him, and she had less time to spend with him.
Hang Liumei didn't like this change. There was nothing she could do about it; a girl couldn't stay home after she grew up. But even if she was anxious to get married, she had to find a good man. She didn't know why she always felt a bit irritated with Huang Hanwen. Was it because he was so smooth-talking? Or was it because he was so attentive and servile?
Feeling depressed, Hang Liumei went to ask her second favorite person at the institute, Professor Gong Qinglian. First, Teacher Gong dismissed her eldest daughter, Yuyu, who was pretending to do homework but actually eavesdropping. She slipped two candies into her hand and told her to take her brother out to set off fireworks. She closed the door and brewed Hang Liumei a cup of Longjing tea, sent from her hometown of Hangzhou.
The fragrance of tea wafted across her face, the same gentle, refined feeling that Teacher Gong gave her. Hang Liumei cradles the teacup in both hands to keep warm. She sees Teacher Gong wearing a brand new red headband on her long, shoulder-length hair, which brightens her complexion. It's a shame that Teacher Gong, only in her thirties, already has noticeable white hair.
After listening to Hang Liumei's confusion, Teacher Gong smiled, the kind of laugh one gets when a child's silliness amuses them. "You two, normally you're as close as a pair, but when it comes to this crucial issue, why don't you just open up and talk it over? But I understand, you still care about her. In your eyes, Xiuchun is perfect, so you think no one is worthy of her. And this person you despise is monopolizing her time and attention, and you're jealous."
"Am I jealous? Teacher Gong, I'm not." Hang Liumei retorted in a low voice, shrinking her neck.
Teacher Gong added, "You're just like my two children. Everything has to be absolutely fair. If you show even a little favoritism towards one, the other will definitely resent it. Xiuchun is leaning towards her now, so you're just jealous. But they rarely see each other, so you have to understand your sister Xiuchun. You're both adults, and you have to respect the opinions of the parties involved in matters of the heart."
Hang Liumei thought about it and nodded to show that she had understood.
Teacher Gong got back to the point: "Then again, even if it's one's own two children, it's hard to treat them equally. There are so many people in our institute, and I'm still giving you special treatment."
She unfolded Hang Liumei's latest copy and said, "Tell me about your painting of Vimalakirti."
After October, it's too cold to work in the caves, so everyone focuses on data collection and research. For the past six months, Hang Liumei has been poring over the mural depicting the debate between Vimalakirti and Manjushri on the east wall of Cave 103. The painting's challenge lies in the image of Vimalakirti seated cross-legged on a high-legged couch. Unsatisfied with her previous copy, she braved the bitter cold to return to the caves to study the original, and today, she happened to be asking Teacher Gong for guidance.
"Well, my brushwork has improved a lot since I first arrived, but I still haven't quite nailed it. The contrast between the expressions of Manjusri and Vimalakirti in this mural is striking. Samantabhadra has an indifferent air, while Vimalakirti is unconcerned with details. Look at his eyebrows, their brows furrowed and their gaze deep. I don't remember the details very clearly, but at first glance, you've pulled back the figures' faces, making the expressions constricted and the painting dull."
Teacher Gong pointed to the intricate folds of Vimalakirti's clothing in the lower half of the painting and continued to explain, "This is a work from the heyday of the Tang Dynasty. You've been copying for so long, and you know that Tang Dynasty murals reached a peak of development. Lines have always been crucial. The more complex the area, the bolder the brushstrokes and the more careful the execution. Look here, and there. Even the slightest hesitation would ruin the entire rhythm."
Hang Liumei breathed a sigh of relief: "Teacher Gong, you are amazing. Now I finally understand why everything about this painting seems wrong."
Teacher Gong gently positioned the painting towards her. "Then let me explain why your lines appear dead, while theirs appear alive. Look at Vimalakirti's belt. Aren't the ink dots on it varying in thickness? So, there must be a certain skill involved in controlling the amount of water in the brush when painting this. The painter's second stroke should have used a technique where the ink was thick at the tip and lighter at the base. That way, even a single line would have varying shades. Don't look at me with such admiration. Wait until spring and take a good look at the mural. With your comprehension, you'll surely be able to see the difference yourself."
After leaving Teacher Gong's office, Hang Liumei resumed her practice of the Vimalakirti painting, so absorbed in it that she didn't even notice Sister Xiuchun's return. Qi Xiuchun tiptoed up behind her and lowered a small revolving lantern from above her head like bait.
Hang Liumei's brush was disturbed by the swaying light and shadow. She looked up and exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Xiuchun! You're back? Such a beautiful lamp? Did you buy it?"
Qi Xiuchun pulled a stool over and sat next to her, raising the lamp to show it: "Han Wen bought it. He said that the New Year is coming soon, so he hung it in front of our door for good luck."
It's him again. Hang Liumei took the opportunity to say, "By the way, Sister Xiuchun, please come home with me to celebrate the New Year this year. They all wrote to me saying that they missed us and asked me to bring you back this year."
After hearing this, Qi Xiuchun placed the lamp in Hang Liumei's hand, stood up and paced around the room. He turned to Hang Liumei with some embarrassment and said, "There's no rush for this matter, Xiaomei. I won't go back with you this year."
"What's wrong? Did your family ask you to go back to northern Shaanxi for the New Year? That's fine, as long as you're happy when you go back. If you don't want to, then you can still come with me!"
"No, I'm not going back home. I—I promised Hanwen to spend the New Year with him today."
Hang Liumei couldn't understand. "Huang Hanwen isn't going back home for the New Year? You and he are staying in Dunhuang. Do your family know about this? Does this count as a secret marriage?"
Listening to Hang Liumei's increasingly outrageous remarks, Qi Xiuchun quickly interrupted her to explain, "We are not staying in Dunhuang. His biological sister and brother-in-law are in Lanzhou. He asked me to leave for him and him on the 29th day of the lunar year. It's not just the two of us going alone, his mother is also there. But this time it's not a wedding. He just heard that I wouldn't go home, so he wanted to take me to meet his family formally during the Chinese New Year. I thought about it and it's true. It's like buying a pig to look after the pen. His father passed away early, and my mother passed away early, so we have the final say in our own affairs. Xiaomei, I will be 27 after the Chinese New Year. Every time I hear from my hometown, they almost pull my hair and take me back to arrange a marriage. Instead of waiting for others to arrange those ugly girls, it's better for me to find someone I like."
"But, but..." Hang Liumei knew that Qi Xiuchun had thought of everything, but she was reluctant to let her sister Xiuchun follow someone in such an improper way, but she could not think of a reason to dissuade her.
Qi Xiuchun took her hand and sat down on the kang. "No buts. I know you don't like Han Wen very much, but you see, from the time we met until now, he has been very honest and attentive. I'm not a fool who can't tell good from bad. I will take good care of myself. Don't worry, okay?"
Hang Liumei sighed, and the two of them washed and went to bed in silence. She kept tossing and turning on the kang, and finally said, "Sister Xiuchun, you'd better not tell others that you and Huang Hanwen spent the New Year together. Although there are not many people gossiping about us, what if? My mother always said that a woman's reputation is the most fragile thing in the world, and it can be ruined by just a few words or rumors, so you-"
"Well, I know what's going on. I'll just say I'm going home for the New Year." Qi Xiuchun was touched and tucked the quilt for her.
Hang Liumei was still uneasy, so she turned around and added, "Sister Xiuchun, if he treats you badly in Lanzhou, you can take the train to Xi'an to find me. You have my address."
"I know, I know. If I'm not satisfied at all, I will definitely come to you, okay?"
Hang Liumei finally fell asleep. Qi Xiuchun listened to her even breathing and secretly hoped that all their worries would not come true.
She has always been a decisive person. Last time she bet on herself, ran away from home and came to Dunhuang, and her bet was right.
This time she bet on Huang Hanwen, putting all her money into it. She believed that Huang Hanwen would not let her lose.
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