Finally got to eat nian nian!
Upon hearing that the donkey was missing, Yu Jinnian became anxious. Not only had he hired the donkey cart, but he also had deposited some silver with the owner. If the donkey was lost, he would incur a significant loss.
He asked anxiously, “How did the donkey disappear? What about the cart? Is it still there?”
Qian Da replied, “The cart is still there, but the donkey is gone. The grass under the tree where it was tied has been completely eaten. I guess the donkey chewed the grass bare, broke free from the rope, and wandered off into the forest.”
What kind of greedy donkey would break free for a mouthful of grass?
Seeing Yu Jinnian’s pained expression, Qian Da felt even more embarrassed. He had invited Brother Xiao Nian to treat an illness and ended up losing the man’s donkey. He quickly added, “I’ve already searched around the foot of the mountain. The donkey isn’t that wild, so it might come back by tomorrow morning.”
Despite Qian Da’s reassurance, Yu Jinnian couldn’t help but feel uneasy. However, he had no choice but to set his worries aside and focus on the task at hand.
Behind the wooden house were two large stone vats, one for storing water and the other for keeping fish. Since Qian Da made his living by fishing, there were two lively crucian carps in the vat. They were about six inches long, with flat bodies and white bellies, indicating they were tender and delicate fish.
Aquatic creatures each have their benefits. For example, carp can soothe asthma and crab can nourish the yin and replenish the marrow. Crucian carp also have their advantages; they are sweet and warm, enter the spleen, replenish qi and blood, and can dispel dampness. They are considered top-quality fish.
Yu Jinnian took out the smaller of the two crucian carps, stunned it with the back of a knife, then gutted and scaled it. To best enjoy the true flavor of fish, it should be killed and cooked fresh. Heavy oil and strong seasonings would mask the flavor; steaming is the best method to preserve its freshness.
Since Qian Da had a jar of top-quality autumn soy sauce—produced through three months of sun exposure and autumn dew, the first pressing is the best—Yu Jinnian decided to make wine-steamed fish.
Steaming fish is the simplest cooking method. He placed the cleaned crucian carp on a large plate, stuffed its belly with a few pieces of scallion and ginger, poured some homemade wine over it, drizzled two cups of autumn soy sauce, and steamed it over boiling water. The lid must be tightly closed to preserve the fish’s freshness.
The steamed crucian carp turned out tender and soft, without any fishy smell. This method works not only for crucian carp but also for other fish like bian and carp. After steaming, Yu Jinnian quickly sprinkled some chopped and blanched shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots over it, covered it again to let it steam briefly, and it was ready to serve.
Finally, he toasted a few millet cakes and boiled some freshly picked wild yellow amaranth from the forest behind the wooden house. With these, the meal was ready to be served.
When Qian Da entered and saw the table full of dishes, more sumptuous than a festive meal, he was stunned. The ingredients were all from the forest around the house, and they even had medicinal properties. He reached out to grab some food before even sitting down, but Lin Qiao slapped his hand away, scolding, “Brother Xiao Nian and Young Master Ji haven’t even sat down yet, and you’re already grabbing food. Don’t you think that’s inappropriate?”
The man laughed sheepishly and quickly invited Yu Jinnian and Ji Hong to sit, curiously asking, “Brother Xiao Nian, can these dishes really cure illnesses?”
Yu Jinnian replied, “Food and medicine share the same origin, so there’s some truth to it. This yellow amaranth is specifically for you, Brother Qian.”
Qian Da was puzzled, “For me? But I’m not sick!”
Yu Jinnian smiled, “You spend all day shouting at the fish market by the river, which can harm your throat over time. This yellow amaranth clears heat and benefits the throat, so it’s just right for you.”
“That’s true. I’ve been feeling like I’m losing my voice lately, with my throat dry and itchy.” Qian Da was amazed and immediately developed a deep respect for Yu Jinnian. He eagerly invited Yu Jinnian and Ji Hong to sit, then happily gave Lin Qiao a piece of fish, saying, “Qiao Qiao, eat up. I told you Brother Xiao Nian is a miracle worker; he’ll definitely cure your illness!”
Lin Qiao lowered her head, feeling shy because of Qian Da’s blatant gesture of giving her food. However, the scars crisscrossing her face made her appear somewhat menacing, greatly diminishing her feminine bashfulness.
Yu Jinnian silently chewed on his biscuit, feeling sorry for Lin Qiao’s misfortune. He thought to himself that perhaps this misfortune had led to some good for her, fulfilling her wishes in a way.
“Eat some vegetables, at least,” Ji Hong said, placing a small piece of fish on Yu Jinnian’s plate. It was a tender piece from near the tail, not the fatty parts like the belly or gills. Ji Hong knew this meal was mainly for Qian Da and his wife, and they shouldn’t overshadow the hosts, but he also couldn’t bear to see Yu Jinnian eating nothing but hard biscuits.
Yu Jinnian took a bite of the fish, followed by a bite of the boiled vegetables, then shook his head, saying he couldn’t eat anymore. Holding a half-eaten biscuit, he ran outside the wooden house and sat on a large stone by the chicken coop, resting his chin in his hand and gazing into the forest. “Sigh…”
It was a donkey! The level of distress he felt was akin to losing someone’s car in his previous life. Though it was a domestic brand, it was still a car!
As evening approached, the dense forest became darker and more shadowy.
Yu Jinnian switched the hand supporting his chin and sighed again.
Before long, Ji Hong followed him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Yu Jinnian, with a sorrowful face, pouted and looked at Ji Hong. “I miss my donkey…”
Still unable to let go of that greedy donkey, Ji Hong initially wanted to say it was just a donkey. However, seeing the boy’s pitiful and sorrowful expression, sighing continuously, he couldn’t bring himself to say, “It’s just a donkey.” Instead, he felt his own heart soften. He could only say helplessly, “Eat well, and I’ll go with you to look for it.”
“Really?” Yu Jinnian’s eyes lit up, and he jumped up in excitement. “Ji Hong, I like you so much!”
After blurting this out, he ran back into the house to tell Qian Da, unaware that Ji Hong’s face had turned as black as coal. He felt even more depressed—finally hearing the boy’s true feelings, only to realize it was all for a greedy donkey?
A while later, Yu Jinnian came out with a cloak. Qian Da, holding a lantern, followed behind him, looking worried. He stopped Ji Hong, saying, “It’s getting late, and it’s really not safe to enter the forest now. Let’s wait until morning to search.”
Ji Hong took the lantern. “It’s alright. That’s just his nature. If he doesn’t look for it, he won’t sleep well tonight. I’ll walk with him for a bit. We won’t go far and will be back soon.”
Seeing that he couldn’t stop them, Qian Da quickly brought out two bamboo tubes tied with thin ropes. “It’s cold in the mountains at night. Take these two tubes of wine. If you get cold, you can warm yourselves with them.”
Ji Hong thanked him and then led the excited Yu Jinnian into the forest.
…
The forest was not exactly quiet, filled with the sounds of insects and rustling leaves, creating a serene and leisurely atmosphere. It was their footsteps that seemed out of place amidst the natural sounds of the forest.
Yu Jinnian looked around everywhere while Ji Hong followed closely, holding the lantern.
They said they were looking for the donkey, but in this wild and rugged terrain, where could they find it? The donkey couldn’t understand human speech and wouldn’t respond if called. Moreover, it wasn’t like his Little Ding Dang, who would come running when called. He couldn’t just wander around the mountains shouting, “Donkey! Donkey!”
That would be too foolish.
After wandering aimlessly for an unknown amount of time, Yu Jinnian snapped back to reality. It was already completely dark, and aside from the faint light at his feet, the surroundings were pitch black. A half-moon hung slanting on the branches above, providing little light. He suddenly remembered that Ji Hong was afraid of the dark, and he stopped in his tracks with an exclamation.
“Let’s go back!” Yu Jinnian grabbed Ji Hong’s hand, carefully using the weak lantern light to look at Ji Hong’s face.
Ji Hong was puzzled. “Not looking anymore?”
Yu Jinnian nodded repeatedly. “Forget it, let’s not look anymore.” Losing the donkey was a small matter, but scaring Ji Hong would be a big issue.
They retraced their steps for a while before Yu Jinnian suddenly felt a weight on his hand. Ji Hong had stopped and was staring blankly at a tree in front of them. People with various phobias fear different things for different reasons, but the symptoms are often similar—fear, tension, anxiety. The worst thing to do is to suddenly stimulate their fear, which can sometimes lead to an immediate breakdown.
Seeing Ji Hong frozen, Yu Jinnian became nervous and waved his hand in front of Ji Hong’s face. “Ah Hong?”
Ji Hong finally showed some reaction. He lowered his eyes and hesitated before saying, “Have we seen this tree before?”
“—Ah?” Yu Jinnian quickly turned to look. The tree was an ordinary magnolia, but it must have stood here for hundreds of years to grow so lush and sturdy. The flowering season had long passed, leaving only dense yellow-green leaves. A tree this large would be hard to forget even in the forest. Staring at its leaves, Yu Jinnian fell silent for a moment before saying, “It seems like we have.”
Ji Hong: “…”
Yu Jinnian: “…”
—Great, they were really lost.
After a long while, Yu Jinnian asked shakily, “What should we do?”
Ji Hong placed the lantern at his feet, lifted his robe slightly, and sat down on the ground. “I have no idea. Let’s just wait until morning.”
“…” Yu Jinnian also gathered his clothes and sat down next to Ji Hong, whispering, “I’m sorry. I knew you were afraid of the dark, but I insisted on looking for that donkey. That greedy, troublesome donkey!”
Ji Hong glanced at him indifferently, his expression unreadable. He said, “It’s enough that you admit your mistake. Why are you cursing the donkey now? Isn’t it your precious treasure?”
Yu Jinnian was about to argue when a sinister wind suddenly blew through the dense forest, tilting their only lantern. The flame flickered wildly and, before Yu Jinnian could save it, went out with a puff.
“Oh no!” Yu Jinnian cried out in fright.
The surrounding plunged into darkness as thick as ink.
Ji Hong’s heart tightened, but Yu Jinnian grabbed his arm, as if finding a point of stability. Ji Hong let out a long sigh, trying to suppress the rising anxiety in his heart. He asked, “Do you know how to start a fire?”
“Uh, I don’t know how.” The boy’s clear and melodious voice sounded next to his ear. “Do you know how?”
Ji Hong shook his head. “I don’t know either.”
Yu Jinnian sighed, “Then what do we do? It’s so dark.” He muttered to himself for a while, then said in a self-reproaching tone, “Sigh, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have come out. Ah Hong, are you scared? Does holding you like this make you feel better? If you’re scared, you have to tell me. Talking with me will make it a little better. Let me tell you, once I caught a rabbit in the mountains. It could be roasted, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, very delicious…”
The boy kept talking, worried and self-critical, and soon shifted the topic to food, as if talking about it would give him courage to get through this lightless night—though he himself was quite scared.
How could there be such a pitiful little thing?
Ji Hong felt his heart soften like quicksand, swallowing him whole, dry and parched, making him want to wrap this little thing beside him into his heart and swallow him whole, melding him with his own shapeless, soft heart.
The boy kept chattering, and Ji Hong suddenly shivered slightly. “Jinnian, come closer to me.”
“Okay.” Yu Jinnian agreed and moved closer to him.
Ji Hong found his hand in the dark and intertwined their fingers. “Closer.”
“…Oh.” Yu Jinnian scooted over until they were firmly pressed against each other, thigh to thigh. “Is this good? Are you really that scared?”
“Yes.” The darkness around them was all the same, and Yu Jinnian could feel Ji Hong’s breath near his face. He heard Ji Hong ask in a low voice, “Jinnian, like yesterday, is that okay?”
Ji Hong’s voice was low and tender, echoing in the quiet forest. Yu Jinnian couldn’t see his face but knew that Ji Hong was staring at him, unblinkingly. He could almost feel the intense and direct gaze, making him instinctively want to avoid the warm breath from Ji Hong’s mouth and nose.
“Is it okay?” Ji Hong persistently asked. “Continue what we did yesterday.”
Yu Jinnian’s heart pounded frantically, and he felt disconnected from his limbs.
The darkness enveloping them became the greatest curtain, mixing bravery, fear, tension, and anticipation into a tangled mess that couldn’t be unraveled.
“If… if we do that… you won’t be scared anymore?” He swallowed hard, producing a gulping sound. He wasn’t even sure what he was saying or what he wanted to say. His mind was in chaos, and his whole body felt timid, with his blood vessels trembling like taut, discordant strings.
Ji Hong responded, “Yes.”
Yu Jinnian kept blinking, flustered and uneasy. He seemed unable to control himself, his shoulders trembling slightly. After a long while, he spoke hesitantly, but even the words squeezed out from his lips were weak, as if they had been soaked in vinegar overnight, soft and lacking strength. “Then, I…”
“Mm—”
Before he could finish his sentence, those breaths were already upon him, and his half-open lips were sealed by a soft touch. He instinctively pulled back, trying to escape, but the other person didn’t give him any chance to dodge, continuously pursuing him. He felt a different kind of warmth and stickiness, as if all his blood was rushing to the surface.
The clouds above drifted away, and the moonlight suddenly brightened. In that moment, he clearly saw Ji Hong.
—Sure enough, Ji Hong was staring at him, unblinkingly.
Author’s Note:
1. This is from the Qing Dynasty work “Sui Xi Ju Yin Shi Pu” by Wang Shixiong.