Chapter 26: Gathering and Separation
With the arrival of a new person, the days of the old one flew by, measured in "Yingying's full moon," "Yingying's hundredth day," and "Yingying's first birthday." Raising a child was the most exhausting task: feeding, coaxing, changing toilets, and dealing with her constant crying, day or night. For the first few months, Qi Xiuchun and Hang Liumei each had dark circles under their eyes. But once the child began to smile, babble, and even entertain, a gentle, tender happiness enveloped their hearts once again.
Qi Xiuchun and Huang Hanwen continued to spend less time together. He arrived when Yingying turned one. The couple prepared a small banquet at the institute to entertain guests, both to celebrate their daughter's birthday and to express gratitude for her care. Huang Hanwen said he couldn't take much time off, so he stayed for just two more days. Qi Xiuchun and Hang Liumei took care of everything in advance, from buying groceries to the "grab the first month" ceremony and even arranging seating. They also had a capable assistant, Old Jiang.
Hang Liumei still remembers when Yingying was celebrating her one-year-old birthday, they carried her onto the red quilt and placed books, an abacus, scissors, a seal, a ruler, a wooden comb, a paintbrush, etc. around her. They even put hammers and weights there to make things more lively, and even Lao Jiang contributed a bamboo flute.
Yingying sat in the middle, surrounded by a group of adults who were dancing and happier than her. She just glanced at the other things and then ran straight to the electrician's pliers.
"Women are as good as men. This girl doesn't like red dresses but prefers weapons. She will be a pillar of the country's workers in the future." After the old director finished speaking, the others followed suit with a few auspicious words, and then rushed to the banquet.
In the evening, Hang Liumei still left the house to them. Lao Jiang went to help her carry bedding, and the two accidentally heard Qi Xiuchun and her husband arguing in the house.
"...Okay, since you also said that the purpose of the "Zhuazhou" ceremony is to bring good luck, then good things should be put in it to bring good luck. Why would you give children such rubbish when doing the "Zhuazhou" ceremony?" Huang Hanwen's back with his hands on his hips was reflected in the window.
Qi Xiuchun sat opposite him, holding the child, her voice still strong: "What do you mean by rubbish? No matter what, it's a gift from my colleague, and you call it rubbish? Do you look down on me too? Today is my daughter's big day, and you come here and curse the world and look down on everyone. It's not easy for our family to meet each other, and if you look like this, you might as well not come!"
"Okay, Xiuchun, my tone was bad. But I was also doing this for our daughter's sake. I've been trying to save face for you all day. You should have stopped them then. Putting scales, knives, pliers, and even a flute there, playing music and not doing your job, are you a decent person? They can't even produce a few good things after their first birthday. We can't let our child grow up in a place like this. If you ask me, we should just leave now. It's not good for a family of three to be separated all the time..."
Hang Liumei was furious when she heard this and was about to burst through the door, but Lao Jiang stopped her arm and pulled her away: "Don't be angry, don't be angry. It's not a big deal, but it is a little inappropriate. We really should give the child a good show."
Hang Liumei wasn't just speaking up for him; she was also furious that Huang Hanwen was trying to steal Xiuchun away again. But eavesdropping wasn't an option, so she walked away, unable to resist wondering how Xiuchun would respond to Huang Hanwen, ruining their happy occasion.
Hang Liumei and Qi Xiuchun tacitly avoided the topic. They both had a premonition that their days working together at the Mogao Grottoes were numbered. All they could do was play dumb and wait until the Dragon Boat Festival.
Work has been going smoothly for the past six months. The institute arranged for everyone to make zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival, a ritual I'd mentioned in the Dunhuang document "Dragon Boat Festival Welcome Book." They'd first cook the glutinous rice, spread it out on a plate, sprinkle it with red dates, raisins, and other ingredients, and then press it down hard to hold it in shape. The zongzi was ready to eat. There weren't many rules, just the taste was fine.
Hang Liumei and Qi Xiuchun had braided a colorful string for Yingying. Hang Liumei held her goddaughter's thin wrist and tied it for her: "I have to tie it tightly, otherwise it will break before the first heavy rain after the festival. We have to throw it away with the water and let it take away all our illnesses this year, right, Yingying?"
Qi Xiuchun laughed at her, "How heavy can the rain get in our area? It's just a good omen, don't take it too seriously."
Yingying showed no interest in the holiday activities and was coughing constantly. Qi Xiuchun said the child might have eaten something wrong the past two days, or perhaps she hadn't rested well at night. She sighed and blamed herself for the poor nutrition she had received during pregnancy, which had caused her daughter to be so difficult to raise after birth, not eating well and getting sick every few days.
As Qi Xiuchun spoke, Yingying started to cry. She felt her forehead and found she had no fever, and her arms and legs were fine, but she kept coughing and crying, and her face turned red. When Lao Jiang came to call them to eat, Yingying was already out of breath.
Old Jiang rushed in, picked up Yingying, and asked what had happened to the child. Qi Xiuchun and Hang Liumei couldn't explain it. In the past, the illness either came on quickly or was cured with soothing. It was never as serious as today. Old Jiang saw that something was wrong, so he grabbed the child, called the two of them, and ran out of the house to borrow the car keys.
The colleague took out the keys and held them in his hand, hesitating whether to give them to him. "This is a government car. If you want to use it, shouldn't you report it to your boss first? If you need to use the car this afternoon, you'll get into trouble."
"The child is in such a state, it's too late! Give me the keys, and if someone asks about it later, just say that I insisted on driving away. Let's go quickly and come back as soon as we see the doctor!" After saying this, Lao Jiang took the keys, stepped on the accelerator and rushed to the county hospital.
After the doctor examined them, he said it might be a congenital heart disease. Children with congenital heart disease must be careful about catching a cold. In this case, it was pneumonia caused by a cold, and they would need to be hospitalized for treatment. Seeing their expressions change drastically, the doctor added a reassuring tone, "We'll have another checkup later. Even if the diagnosis is confirmed, don't worry too much. The recovery rate for congenital heart disease after surgery is very high."
Yingying fell asleep on the hospital bed while receiving an IV drip, and Qi Xiuchun, who had been running around with a stern face, was finally able to sit down and rest. She still said nothing, but two lines of tears fell uncontrollably down her cheeks.
Hang Liumei felt distressed when she saw this. She took out a handkerchief to wipe her wound, but Qi Xiuchun grabbed her hand. She stared blankly at Hang Liumei and asked, "Xiaomei, don't you think this is fate? She was reborn into my arms. I have a miserable life, so I hurt her badly too! It's all my fault, but who else can I blame?"
If she cried out loud, Hang Liumei would feel better, but now she was crying numbly and silently. Hang Liumei could only hold her head and cry silently too.
Yingying's visit wasn't just for three or five days, so they couldn't stay together for that long. Lao Jiang drove back first, while Hang Liumei waited overnight with Qi Xiuchun at the hospital until Huang Hanwen arrived. While the couple was talking at the door, Hang Liumei dozed off halfway across the bed. She hadn't slept well, having dreamed that Qi Xiuchun told the director she was going to resign. When she woke up, she couldn't tell whether it was a dream or reality.
At noon, Lao Jiang drove back. He also brought along daily necessities for the mother and child. Lao Jiang handed Qi Xiuchun a square made of folded handkerchiefs, explaining that everyone had heard the child was ill and had come together as a token of their appreciation. Qi Xiuchun, who had been enduring this ordeal, clutched the handkerchief, buried her head in her husband's shoulder, and burst into tears.
Hang Liumei got in the car and went back with Lao Jiang. She had been completely lost on the whole journey, not even realizing how she'd gotten to the institute. Only when she got back to her room did she realize she'd subconsciously picked up her paintbrush. She headed towards the Mogao Grottoes, unsure what else to do besides work. Halfway there, she ran into Lao Jiang, who seemed to have been waiting there for a while.
Hang Liumei forced a smile at him: "Lao Jiang, I haven't had time to thank you these past two days. Thank you for your hard work."
Seeing her lifeless eyes, Lao Jiang sighed and said, "Anyone would lend a hand. Don't worry too much. If the county hospital can't treat you, you can go to the city. Didn't the doctor say that this disease is very treatable?" He picked up the sketchpad beside him and handed it to Hang Liumei. "You are going to copy the murals, right? This is for you. I hope it will be more useful than yours."
Hang Liumei took it and looked at it. The whole wooden board was covered with silver tinfoil, which seemed to be placed at the entrance of the cave to reflect light.
"I noticed you always had trouble finding the light, so I made it a while ago and just remembered to give it to you today."
"What's on this?"
"I tore the tin foil from a cigarette box," Lao Jiang explained quickly, fearing Hang Liumei might misunderstand him. "I don't smoke cigarettes myself. I just pick up the cigarette boxes they discard."
Hang Liumei was overwhelmed with emotions and didn't know what to say for a moment. Lao Jiang saw her accept the gift and turned to say goodbye. Hang Liumei stopped him and said, "Lao Jiang, if you are not busy, can you talk to me for a while?"
The two climbed up the sand dunes near the grottoes and sat down in a shady spot. Everyone else had gone to lunch and would take a short nap afterward. At this moment, the Mogao Grottoes were completely silent, as if they were the only two people left in the world.
Neither of them spoke. Hang Liumei didn't know why she wanted to keep Lao Jiang. She always felt that she didn't need to say anything, Lao Jiang already understood everything.
I gained a good friend, but I am also going to lose a good friend, she thought.
An ethereal sound echoed in my ears, like the wind weaving through the valley night after night. It was Lao Jiang playing the xiao. Hang Liumei had seen this instrument in Xi'an before. At the entrance to the City God Temple, an old man set up a stall year-round, selling xiaos of various sizes. Back then, it seemed bleak, but today it felt truly appropriate.
The sound of the xiao brought back Hang Liumei's departed soul. When the song ended, Lao Jiang said to her, "Our time here is almost up. I told my boss that I want to stay."
"If you can stay, let's get married," she said.
Hang Liumei and Jiang Shan's wedding was scheduled for the second day of the seventh lunar month. Qi Xiuchun had returned with Yingying, and her grandmother, parents, sister, and brother-in-law had also rushed by train to attend. The wedding was hasty but not perfunctory. Hang Liumei wore a new cheongsam that Qi Xiuchun had altered for her, and Lao Jiang also wore a brand new shirt and leather shoes. The director officiated, having carefully prepared a speech.
The institute slaughtered pigs and sheep to prepare a feast, eight cold and eight hot, and held a banquet in the staff dormitory courtyard, one at noon and another in the evening. If the sun didn't set, everyone would go to the Dangquan River to light a bonfire and continue the celebration.
Everyone toasted the newlyweds, their faces flushed in the firelight. Hang Liumei, with her hair loose, stood on a high vantage point to catch the breeze, gazing at the bustling crowd. This was the first time her lover, family, and friends had gathered together. Little did she know at the time, it would also be the last.
Qi Xiuchun walked over to her and used her fingers to comb her messy hair. "Everyone is celebrating for you downstairs, why are you standing here alone? Your husband, Lao Jiang, will have to find a bride soon."
Hang Liumei stood quietly, letting her braid her long hair. Finally, she asked, "Sister Xiuchun, when are you leaving?"
Qi Xiuchun could no longer force a smile. He placed his hands on Hang Liumei's thin shoulders, stood beside her and explained, "Yingying must undergo surgery, and we have to take her to Lanzhou. Liumei, Dunhuang can live without me, but my daughter can't, and I don't want to..."
Hang Liumei hugged her, wiped away the tears from her eyes, and stopped her from continuing: "I know, Sister Xiuchun, I know!"
After the wedding, Sister Xiuchun left first with her children. My sister and brother-in-law both got into universities in Beijing, and they made a special detour to attend my sister's wedding before heading directly to Beijing to register.
After seeing off Mr. and Mrs. Liu Zhu, it was finally time to say goodbye to my parents and my grandmother. For some reason, Hang Liumei felt they had all aged significantly. Especially when the strong wind blew my grandmother's graying hair, her skirt fluttering, and she looked as fragile as a leaf. Hang Liumei carefully pinned her hair with a small black hairpin and put her arm around my grandmother's shoulders.
Grandma held her hand and started crying before she could say anything: "Xiaomei, even if you get married, you must come home often. I'm old, and we will see each other less and less!"
When her grandmother cried, Hang Liumei couldn't help crying: "Grandma, don't talk nonsense, you must live a long life!"
"Okay, okay, live a long life! I'll be waiting for you to come back. When you have children in the future, grandma can still take care of them for you."
Everyone gathered together briefly, but then scattered in all directions. The days that Hang Liumei thought would remain unchanged changed drastically.
However, just one year later, Sister Xiuchun brought Yingying back to the institute.
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