In the evening, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky. Lin Yan, who had been sitting in the yard to enjoy the cool air, quickly got up and moved under the eaves. He watched the moon being slowly covered by dark clouds, with no light left anywhere.
I could hear the sound of water coming from Zhao Shiyun washing up, wiping his face with a towel, splashing water, and the sound of footsteps coming towards him.
"Didn't I tell you to go to bed first? Why did you have to wait for me?" Zhao Shiyun pulled Lin Yan up in the dark and walked towards the room.
After lighting the oil lamp with a tinder, light returned to his eyes. Lin Yan made the bed and lay down on it. Zhao Shiyun saw that he had slept well, put up the curtains, and then blew out the oil lamp.
"Brother Shi Yun, the moon is so round tonight." The rain did not bring any coolness, but instead made it hot and humid. Lin Yan was fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan, feeling a little upset.
Zhao Shiyun took the palm-leaf fan from his hand and fanned him, "I hope it won't rain tomorrow night so we can enjoy the moon."
"After the Mid-Autumn Festival, we'll have to harvest soybeans. Why don't we close the shop for a few days and let Aunt Liu and my cousin go home to harvest soybeans?"
To fertilize the fields, they typically rotate soybeans, planting early rice in March. After the July harvest, the fields are immediately plowed and sown with summer soybeans. In October, after the soybeans are harvested, late rice is planted. They keep some of the harvested beans for themselves, selling the rest to tofu makers or transporting them to town. Every year, the Zhao family harvests a large amount of soybeans from the villagers.
"You can ask your aunt and the others the day after tomorrow to see what they think before making a decision." Zhao Shiyun was not in a position to make a decision right away, so he gave some advice.
"Yes, maybe they don't grow beans at home, or they don't need to go to my cousin's wife to harvest them."
"If you feel tired, just take a few days off. There's no need to go to the shop every day."
"Oh, I don't work in the shop. I just sit at the counter every day. Aren't I tired?" Lin Yan felt that he was almost rusty.
"Then you should take a rest if you are tired, don't force yourself."
"I know, I know. Go to sleep." After saying that, he turned over and lay down, closing his eyes.
Zhao Shiyun fanned him for a while before stopping and falling asleep.
*
The next day was a sunny day, and the sun was hanging brightly in the sky. When Lin Yan was about to get up, his leg cramped. He called out several times in the room but no one came. He guessed that no one heard him. Lin Yan took a long time to recover. He sighed, stood up, picked up a cloth, dipped it in water, wrung it dry, and wiped his face.
When Lin Yan pushed open the door and came out, the sun was almost high in the sky. There was no one in the yard. Washed clothes and quilts were hung on bamboo poles. Only sounds came from the kitchen.
Lin Yan's stomach growled, so he walked to the kitchen and saw Li Yuemei scalding the duck feathers. After the duck was killed, it had to be scalded with hot water for a while before plucking could begin.
"Ah, why are you the only one at home?"
"Brother Yan, are you up? Shi Yun went to the mountain to chop firewood, your father is at the tofu shop, and Brother Yu went to find Brother He. I just killed a duck." Li Yuemei explained, "You must be hungry. I made pumpkin porridge. Come on and eat some."
"Okay." Lin Yan responded and filled a bowl of pumpkin porridge and started eating. The porridge was still a little warm. After taking a mouthful of porridge, Lin Yan felt better. After drinking the porridge in a few mouthfuls, Lin Yan washed the bowl and planned to pluck duck feathers with Li Yuemei.
Li Yuemei was afraid that he would stretch his stomach, "I can do it myself, so you go to the vegetable garden and pick some vegetables."
So Lin Yan carried a basket and walked towards the vegetable field.
Today it must be boiled duck. Lin Yan picked some leeks and will cook soup or stir-fry them with duck blood later. He also picked some green vegetables and chopped green onions and coriander, and it’s done.
The food we eat during every festival is almost the same: boiled chicken and boiled duck, then cooked into soup with sweet potato flour and vegetables. But it’s the same here, so I’m used to it.
When they got home, Li Yuemei was still plucking the duck's feathers, which took quite a while to process. Lin Yan went to the kitchen to light a fire and boil water to cook the duck. He washed and cut the side dishes and began preparing the offerings.
Every festival begins with ancestral worship before the meal. A plate of pomegranates and oranges, a few mooncakes, and all are placed on the altar, followed by the wine glasses. Just as the table is set, Yu Ge'er returns. Lin Yan calls him over and asks him to add more wine.
Li Yuemei started cooking the duck, leaving Lin Yan with nothing to do, so he started peeling the pomelo. He found a smaller knife, cut off the top of the pomelo first, then made a few cuts along the top before vigorously peeling the pomelo with his hands. As he was peeling, Zhao Shiyun came back from the mountains chopping wood. He was sweating profusely, and the scent of wood from the forest still lingered on him. Seeing Lin Yan peeling the pomelo, Zhao Shiyun put down his hatchet, washed his hands, walked over, picked up a clean cloth, wiped the water off his hands, and then helped Lin Yan peel the pomelo.
The two of them chatted idly as they peeled the pomelo. Soon, the pomelo was ready, the flesh plump and inviting, the aroma of pomelo filling the air. Lin Yan picked up a slice, tore it open, and handed it to Zhao Shiyun. Zhao Shiyun opened his mouth and took it, the sweet juice spreading in his mouth.
At that moment, Li Yuemei called out from the kitchen, "The duck is ready!" Lin Yan and Zhao Shiyun exchanged glances and laughed. They brought the peeled pomelo to the altar, placing it alongside the other offerings. Li Yuemei also brought over the cooked duck.
Then, the family began to worship their ancestors. Everyone chanted something, praying for the family's health and good weather in the coming year. After the worship was over, Zhao Shiyun took the duck to the kitchen to prepare it, while Li Yuemei started to cook other dishes.
Yu Ge'er couldn't wait to eat the mooncake. He took one, broke it into two halves with his hands, and then divided it into four parts. He handed a piece to Lin Yan. Lin Yan took it and saw that it was his favorite lotus seed paste. He took a bite and found that the lotus seed paste was soft, glutinous and sweet, while the mooncake skin had an oily aroma.
The two of them slowly finished a mooncake, and then the dishes were served one after another: fried duck blood with leeks, boiled chicken, duck offal, sweet potato noodles, and vegetable soup, as well as dipping sauce. Li Yuemei asked for credit, "Brother Yan, look at this dipping sauce. Is it the same as the one you made last time?"
After Lin Yan fried the dipping sauce last time, Li Yuemei took the time to learn how to make it. Now, Lin Yan doesn't have to do it anymore, she can do it all. Lin Yan picked it up and smelled it. "It smells so good, it must be delicious." Lin Yan praised.
Li Yuemei smiled happily when she heard this. The family sat around the table and began to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival delicacies.
Lin Yan gnawed on a duck leg and slurped a mouthful of sweet potato noodles. He especially liked sweet potato noodles. He scooped a spoonful of dipping sauce into it and mixed it. It was especially delicious.
After eating, they cleaned the table and placed the fruits and mooncakes on the altar in the courtyard, where they would enjoy the moon at night. Before it got dark, the family quickly prepared to boil water for a bath.
As night fell, the bright moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow. The family sat in the courtyard, chatting, eating fruits and mooncakes, and admiring the moon.
Lin Yan supported his chin and looked up at the bright moon, thinking that it was a good thing that it was a sunny day today and it was not raining so he could see the moon. He felt extremely grateful for that moment.
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