You actually accepted someone’s gift!
Xinan County thrived by the water, with rivers winding outside the city and a few canals crisscrossing the urban landscape. The canals varied in width, some narrow enough that only two rowing boats could pass each other. Some traders who came from distant places would anchor their large boats at the docks outside the city and then row smaller boats into the city to sell their wares. They would dock in spacious areas, hoist colorful banners at the bow, and begin selling their goods directly from the boat.
Some traders stayed for a few days, while others left after just one day of business. The docks bustled daily, and the traders you saw today might be gone tomorrow. As such, the river’s market offerings constantly changed. However, since the traders’ stays were brief, it was hard to tell the authenticity of their goods, so people had to rely on their sharp eyes to find valuable items. If one was deceived today, there would be no one to complain to the next day.
In some areas where the boats gathered, rowing boats would lay down wooden planks to allow customers to walk between them, creating the feeling of a floating market. Since people walking on these boats often felt like they were floating in the clouds, and because the market appeared and disappeared unpredictably, it came to be known as the “Floating Market.” Xinan County had three or four such floating markets, which were always bustling at the beginning and middle of each month.
Since boats could dock and set up shop without paying rent, the prices tended to be lower. Even though some unscrupulous traders mixed inferior goods with the genuine, the common folk still enjoyed shopping there. The variety of goods sold on the boats was extensive: seafood from the east, fresh river produce, affordable cosmetics, small jewelry, fabric from the southwest, spices, and sweets from the north and south.
The riverbanks, lined with white walls and black tiles, reflected on the clear blue waters. Women washed clothes rhythmically, and boatmen selling winter dates and oranges shouted playful banter across the river. The women weren’t shy, either, throwing soapnuts at the boatmen, who, in turn, laughed and tossed back a few dates or oranges as a gesture of goodwill.
Yu Jinnian and Ji Hong had only walked about a hundred steps when they came upon a floating market by the riverbank, already bustling with people. Yu Jinnian had earlier been splashed with slop, and though a local woman had kindly brought him a bucket of water and a cloth to clean up, the smell of the slop lingered on him despite his best efforts to shake it off.
Ji Hong, having helped clean him, had also picked up some of the smell. The two had planned to hurry home and bathe, but Yu Jinnian, upon seeing the floating market, seemed tempted to browse despite the situation.
However, they smelled too strongly. As they walked, people held their noses and moved away, trying to avoid the stench. Yu Jinnian, having been in the foul odor for too long, had become somewhat desensitized to it. Even so, he felt embarrassed to push through the crowd, so he decided to check out a fish stall instead, reasoning that the smell of fish would mask his own stench.
The fisherman selling the fresh catch was surprisingly friendly. Instead of shooing him away, he enthusiastically introduced the various fresh fish, explaining that it was his first time setting up in Xinan County. He planned to come regularly and was offering low prices for his “grand opening” to attract repeat customers.
Yu Jinnian inspected the barrels on the boat, each containing river shrimp, clams, and snails, as well as some fish he recognized but couldn’t name. Many of the fish and shrimp appeared sluggish, possibly due to the limited oxygen in the barrels, and they looked half-dead.
Despite this, the fisherman’s low prices piqued Yu Jinnian’s interest. Squatting by the barrels, he poked the fish bellies one by one to check whether they were alive or dead. The fisherman followed with a basin, ready to collect the fish Yu Jinnian selected. Ji Hong waited at the boat’s bow, but soon a group of women selling cosmetics surrounded him, offering various powders and perfumes, seemingly unbothered by his smell.
Whenever Yu Jinnian took Ji Hong shopping, he couldn’t avoid such scenes. Women selling their wares would swarm Ji Hong, trying to catch his attention. At first, Yu Jinnian would angrily chase them away, but over time he got used to it. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit irked as he muttered while picking out fish, “Good looks really do let people get away with anything.”
The fisherman, also captivated, praised, “I wonder which lucky girl will marry such a handsome man.”
Yu Jinnian smirked and tossed a Qing fish and a mandarin fish into the fisherman’s basin. The fish’s tails splashed water all over the fisherman’s face. “Enough staring, just weigh the fish!” he said.
“Peach blossoms on flowing water, the mandarin fish is fat.” Mandarin fish is best in spring, but it wasn’t the right season now. The ones in the fisherman’s barrel looked near death and far from fresh. But Yu Jinnian, craving it anyway, was confident he could still make a delicious dish.
The Qing fish was in season, with a dark green back and a robust body. Although some Qing fish could grow to dozens of pounds, the fisherman’s offerings were smaller. Still, the one Yu Jinnian picked weighed a hefty eight pounds.
The fisherman tied the two fish together with hemp rope and handed them to Yu Jinnian. After paying, Yu Jinnian turned to see Ji Hong receiving something from a female vendor, quickly hiding it in his sleeve. The woman beamed, her expression like one exchanging a secret gift.
Yu Jinnian fumed silently, unwilling to confront Ji Hong in public. He slapped the fish against Ji Hong’s body and said, “Let’s go!”
Ji Hong followed behind like a shadow, while Yu Jinnian, still hoping Ji Hong would explain, glanced back, but saw that Ji Hong was now being harassed by a wandering Taoist priest. The priest claimed that black energy surrounded Ji Hong’s shoulders and insisted on selling him a wooden protective charm, charging an outrageous five taels of silver.
Ji Hong, unsure how to refuse, looked at Yu Jinnian with a helpless expression. Yu Jinnian huffed but slowed his pace, returning to Ji Hong’s side. Taking Ji Hong’s hand, he said, “Don’t listen to him. If you want a protective charm, I’ll make one for you!”
The Taoist said, “Mine is blessed!”
Yu Jinnian shot him a disdainful glance and retorted, “So what? Mine can attract love and ensure a long-lasting relationship. Plus, it’s cheap! For five taels of silver, I’ll make a whole box full, one for each day of the week!”
The Taoist was speechless with rage. He shoved his charm back into his bag and stormed off, muttering, “Stingy!”
Yu Jinnian spat in the Taoist’s direction.
As they walked home, Ji Hong glanced at Yu Jinnian and asked, “Really?”
Yu Jinnian, confused, asked, “What do you mean, really?”
Ji Hong: “The protective charm, a whole box…”
Before Ji Hong could finish, without waiting for Yu Jinnian’s response, an elderly woman with a basket began hawking soapberries on the side of the street. Suddenly remembering that they had run out of soapberries at home, Yu Jinnian dashed over and began haggling with her, buying two pounds.
Soapberries, commonly called *feizhuzis*, are actually from the *Sapindus* plant. Its peel has properties for cleaning clothes and skin and is also called *zaoguo*. After peeling the yellow skin, the black, round seed inside can kill insects, aid digestion, and is even used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating throat infections and coughs.
After buying them, they returned to a noodle shop, where Qing Huan let out a loud cry due to the stench.
By now, the water on their clothes had dried, and the stench had fermented into a more unpleasant sour smell, far worse than before. Even Yu Jinnian could no longer tolerate it, so he hurried to the kitchen to heat water for a bath, completely forgetting Ji Hong’s earlier question.
Since they couldn’t bathe every day, in warmer weather, they usually just used a basin of warm water to wipe themselves down. Now that it was cold, Yu Jinnian dragged out the bathing tub. After cleaning it, he moved it into the room and filled it with a little cold water, tossing in a few of the soapberries he had just bought. When the water was ready, he instructed Ji Hong to help carry the hot water in, one basin at a time.
Meanwhile, Yu Jinnian quickly stripped down. When Ji Hong returned with a basin of hot water, he saw Yu Jinnian completely naked, sliding into the tub. With a loud splash, he submerged himself. The tub had a small wooden stool inside to sit on while bathing, and Yu Jinnian curled his legs and sat on it. After wetting his body, he took a soaked cloth filled with six or seven soapberries and started rubbing and lathering himself.
Yu Jinnian played with the soapberries in the water, while Ji Hong poured in another basin of hot water. The rising temperature quickly turned Yu Jinnian’s skin a light pink. He sighed contentedly and slid deeper into the tub, leaving only his head and a slender neck visible above the water.
Ji Hong pulled over a high stool and picked up a prepared loofah, soaking it in water. “Give me your hand,” he said.
Yu Jinnian obediently extended his arm, letting it flop limply into Ji Hong’s hand.
Ji Hong first lathered up the soapberry-filled cloth, then gently scrubbed Yu Jinnian’s hand with the loofah. After finishing one hand, he said, “Now the other one.”
Yu Jinnian compliantly offered the other arm, resting the back of his head on the edge of the tub as he sighed, “Ah, being bathed by a beauty—this must be the true meaning of life…”
After washing both hands, Yu Jinnian pouted and leaned against the tub’s edge, asking Ji Hong to scrub his back. He had clearly decided to act like a piece of meat on the chopping board, completely surrendering himself to Ji Hong’s care. Ji Hong shook his head with a smile but rolled up his sleeves and patiently started scrubbing. He asked, “What were you thinking about so deeply that you didn’t even notice getting splashed with slop?”
Lying down with his arms folded under his chin, Yu Jinnian replied, “I was thinking about Yan Yuyao’s illness. I think I’m starting to figure it out. Next time Yan Rong comes to ask, I’ll give it a try.”
Ji Hong applied a little more pressure with the loofah and said, “So, you were thinking about someone else.”
“Hey! You’re not scrubbing dishes, you’re scrubbing me!” Yu Jinnian yelped in mock pain, though it didn’t actually hurt. Turning around with a grin, he asked, “What’s the matter? Are you jealous?”
Ji Hong wrung out the loofah, his eyelashes flickering for a moment, before tossing it into Yu Jinnian’s lap. Nodding, he said, “Yes, it does stink a bit. You should wash yourself.”
He stood to leave, but suddenly a wet hand grabbed him. Yu Jinnian, now resembling a fish, swam across the tub, resting his chin on the wooden edge. Batting his eyes, he smiled and said, “Why are you leaving? Join me for a bath. You stink too.”
Ji Hong glanced at the faintly visible figure beneath the water, his heart skipping a beat, but he maintained his composure and said seriously, “If we bathe together, we’ll be in here until tomorrow. Stop playing around. If the water gets cold, you’ll catch a cold.”
Yu Jinnian chuckled and pointed to a nearby wooden board, saying, “Then cover me with that.”
After Ji Hong covered him with the board, Yu Jinnian burst into laughter, leaving only his head visible as he asked, “Don’t I look like a potato?”
Ji Hong didn’t know where the young man found so much energy every day, always finding fun in the smallest things. But he couldn’t deny that Yu Jinnian’s laughter was infectious, and it lifted his spirits as well.
The board was designed to fit the tub perfectly, keeping the heat in while leaving a gap for the head and shoulders. After covering him, Ji Hong went to grab two oranges. Yu Jinnian, assuming they were for him, eagerly awaited being fed. However, Ji Hong peeled one into a flower shape, ate a slice, and then placed the rest on the board covering the tub.
Yu Jinnian stared at the orange for a moment, silently opening his mouth as a hint.
Ji Hong tapped the wooden board and asked, “Where’s my protective charm?”
“…” Yu Jinnian almost choked in frustration. “I’ll make it! After the bath tonight, I’ll make it!”
Satisfied, Ji Hong finally picked up the orange slice and fed it to him. Of course, feeding the orange turned into a playful game of “I’ll give it to you” and “No, I won’t,” teasing him in a silly, cliché manner. Normally, Yu Jinnian would have chomped down and eaten the orange along with Ji Hong’s fingers, but being stuck as a “potato” buried in the tub, he couldn’t reach. All he could do was glare and huff at Ji Hong, expressing his moral disapproval.
The water was warm, enveloping the young man in a soft, hazy glow. His skin, smooth and white like a peeled egg, radiated a rosy blush. In this atmosphere, his wide-eyed expression, which seemed more like pouting than anger, made him look as if he were sulking playfully. Ji Hong’s heart softened, sinking into a marsh of affection. He placed the final orange slice in his mouth and leaned in to kiss the “potato.”
Who bit into the orange slice first was unclear, but the juice flowed, and the wooden tub cover was knocked aside.
Yu Jinnian dove into the water, bubbling underwater as if too shy to face the situation. His thick, dark hair floated on the surface like aquatic plants. After holding his breath for as long as he could, he finally emerged, his eyes rolling mischievously as he peeked at Ji Hong.
Ji Hong smiled softly, saying nothing that might annoy him, and reached for the cloth-wrapped soapberries to wash Yu Jinnian’s hair.
Yu Jinnian, now behaving himself, allowed Ji Hong to wash him thoroughly. Once clean, he emerged from the tub, his face still flushed. He sat by the table drying his hair as Ji Hong quickly undressed and washed himself using the remaining warmth in the water.
Watching Ji Hong’s pale back, Yu Jinnian felt a strange itch in his nose. He impulsively reached out to touch him but quickly realized that his actions made him seem like a hungry ghost. Embarrassed, he averted his gaze and absentmindedly played with a few soapberries on the table, muttering, “There’s barely enough space for one person. You must not have used such a small tub before…”
Ji Hong sighed lightly and said, “No choice. When you marry a chicken, you follow the chicken; when you marry a dog, you follow the dog.”
Yu Jinnian froze for a moment, and once he processed the words, his ears grew hot with embarrassment. He grabbed a soapberry from the table and threw it at Ji Hong.
Ji Hong easily caught it and floated it in the water. Meanwhile, Yu Jinnian hastily dried his hair, tied it back with a string, and dashed out of the room, likely fleeing to the kitchen.
Indeed, Yu Jinnian had retreated to the kitchen. Where else could he go?
He began preparing the fish.
First, he cleaned and gutted the mandarin fish, removing the scales and innards, then made shallow cuts on the surface. He rubbed the fish with salt and placed it in a large bowl to marinate, using a stone to press it down before covering it with a plate and setting it aside.
Next, he cleaned the Qing fish, removing its innards and slicing the meat. He marinated the fish slices with scallion, ginger, salt, rice wine, and egg whites. Once the oil was hot, he quickly stir-fried the fish slices. When the fish changed color and firmed up, he removed them and set them aside.
He then stir-fried julienned shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and ginger in the wok before adding the fish slices back in. A little salt was all that was needed, and soon the kitchen was filled with the fragrant aroma. Before serving, he added a bit of starch to thicken the sauce. The fish was tender and smooth, and the mushrooms and bamboo shoots added a fresh, unique flavor.
Yu Jinnian didn’t waste the fish head and tail, either. As he stared at the fish head, he suddenly recalled a promise he made to Ji Hong a long time ago—to make him *duojiao* fish head. However, Qing fish had too many bones, and its head meat was somewhat tough, so he decided to save that dish for when they could get a grass carp.
For now, he prepared to braise the Qing fish head and tail. Before cooking, he carefully split the fish head open and found the Qing fish’s cranium.
The cranium held a small, hard stone-like piece known as the Qing fish stone or *yuzhen* (fish pillow). Qing fish ate snails, and this small hard piece was used to crush the snail shells. Over time, the *yuzhen* gained a reputation for mystical properties, said to ward off evil, detoxify, and even break curses. It was also believed that placing it under the tongue of a frightened child could calm their nerves. Hence, it was sometimes called the “Fish Fright Stone.”
The protective charm Yu Jinnian promised Ji Hong was none other than this stone. Whether it could actually protect him was uncertain, but it was a nice symbolic gesture.
Yu Jinnian cleaned the *Fish Fright Stone* and left it to air dry. He then focused on braising the fish head just as Ji Hong finished his bath.
Despite the kitchen being filled with the fragrance of fish, Yu Jinnian noticed a faint scent on Ji Hong, different from the sandalwood scent he usually carried. Now, it was a sweet, floral fragrance, reminiscent of a specific flower.
Yu Jinnian couldn’t place it at first. After they finished their meal, he washed his hands and face, then lay on Ji Hong, deeply inhaling the scent again. After a moment, it finally clicked, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you smell like jasmine?”
Ji Hong, leaning against the pillow, gently stroked Yu Jinnian’s hair. “Do you like it?”
Yu Jinnian replied, “It smells nice. Different from before.”
Ji Hong smiled again.
Yu Jinnian looked at him suspiciously for a while before suddenly remembering something. He glared, exclaiming, “Oh! That girl from the market gave it to you, didn’t she?” He immediately started rummaging through Ji Hong’s sleeves, but after searching frantically, he found nothing. Sitting on top of Ji Hong, he puffed up with indignation and accused, “Hand it over! How bold of you, accepting someone else’s gift!”