Chapter 7: Family Speaks as One

I killed the sun and spent a night behind bars.

As the first rooster’s crow pierced the dawn, Lin Junsheng awoke from a heavy, dull dream.

He rose slowly, his gaze involuntarily falling upon the old wall clock.

That clock resembled a wooden treasure chest, its surface worn and marked with patches of faded paint.

The pendulum swung gently, producing a steady, rhythmic ticking—like whispered tales of countless dawns and dusks, the endless passing of time.

It was bought back when his father was still alive; back then, the family was not as tight on money as it is now.

Stepping out of his room, Lin Junsheng entered the kitchen, simple yet brimming with the essence of life.

In one corner stood a rustic stove built from slabs of bluestone, its surface blackened and polished from years of smoke and fire.

On the stove rested three iron pots, two small and one large.

The small ones were for boiling water and cooking rice; the large one was used for stir-frying.

The pots still retained the warmth from the day before, with a few worn bamboo brushes and wooden spoons scattered nearby.

Most unique among these was the old loofah used for scrubbing dishes.

Lin Junsheng moved deftly through the kitchen corner where various farming tools and sundry items were piled.

He reached in without hesitation and pulled out a heavy basket of freshly dug sweet potatoes, still carrying the fragrant scent of earth.

“Squeak!”

A sharp, piercing squeal shattered the kitchen’s quiet.

In an instant, a black rat darted past his eyes like a ghost, moving so fast it made his head spin.

“Damn!”

Startled by the unexpected visitor, Lin Junsheng nearly dropped the basket of sweet potatoes.

Regaining his composure quickly, he snatched up a few pieces of wood nearby and, like throwing darts, hurled them fiercely in the rat’s fleeing direction.

The wood traced sharp arcs through the air, but the rat was cunning, having already slipped into a dark corner of the kitchen, leaving only a series of triumphant “squeak” sounds echoing.

He stopped, knowing full well that catching this sly rat in the shadowy, corner-filled mud-brick house would be nearly impossible—it was paradise for rodents.

He shook his head helplessly, thinking, “Looks like the only way to deal with these little pests is with rat poison.”

As a veterinarian, he was confident it would be an easy task to poison these rats.

Still, finding rats near the sweet potatoes was no good.

He hurriedly emptied the basket, inspecting each sweet potato meticulously.

Sure enough, a few bore clear bite marks from the rodents.

In the past, Lin Junsheng might have simply cut away the gnawed parts and eaten the rest.

But now, he had a better idea.

He grabbed a sharp kitchen knife and chopped the bitten sweet potatoes into pieces.

“Hmph, let these damned rats taste the consequences of their deeds!”

He mixed the chopped sweet potatoes with specially prepared rat poison, creating a “delicious” bait to lure the greedy rodents into their own trap.

After washing a few whole sweet potatoes, he expertly gathered some dry firewood by the stove, arranged it in the hearth, and struck a match.

Flames flickered, casting a focused, determined expression across his face.

As the fire consumed the wood, steam began to rise.

He placed a ventilated aluminum disc—with several holes—on the pot, set the sweet potatoes on top, and covered it with a lid.

Li Aimei entered the kitchen, already roused by the earlier commotion.

“Xiaosheng, you’re like a different person these days, getting up so early,” she said, walking to the stove, eyes full of curiosity as she looked at her son.

Lin Junsheng looked up, a gentle smile gracing his face.

“Mom, I just went to bed early, so naturally I got up earlier.”

Li Aimei scolded lightly, “Before, I had to wake you up; you wouldn’t get out of bed before seven. Now, you’re even more diligent than me.”

Lin Junsheng chuckled softly, meeting his mother’s gaze with sincerity.

“Mom, the weather’s warming earlier, and while it’s still cool, I want to help out in the fields. You and Xiaowan have been busy all the time; it pains me to watch.”

Li Aimei felt a warm wave brush through her heart, moistening her eyes with a gentle glow.

The hardships endured these days hadn’t been in vain.

Yet, she swiftly transformed this feeling into practical care.

She waved her hand gently. “You and Xiaowan are busy enough. You should stay home, rest more, and build up your strength. If anyone in the village asks for your help, go ahead. But don’t worry about the house.”

Lin Junsheng smiled lightly. “No problem, Mom. I’ll go call Xiaowan for breakfast.”

He crouched by the door, grabbed his toothbrush, and quickly finished his morning routine.

Then he softly knocked on the master bedroom door.

“Xiaowan, breakfast is ready, come quickly.”

“Okay, brother, I’m almost done combing my hair, I’ll be out soon.”

Just as Lin Junsheng was about to turn away, a familiar yet slightly surprising voice sounded outside the yard gate.

“Xiaowan.”

Lin Junwan froze, thinking she must be hearing things—who else would come at this hour besides family?

“It’s Li Yonggang. I’ll go see.”

Lin Junsheng hurried to the gate, where Li Yonggang stood holding a hoe, a bulging white cloth bundle slung over his shoulder, his face radiating a simple, honest smile.

“Brother Lin,” Li Yonggang greeted warmly.

“What brings you to my house so early?”

“Heh, I got some white flour and thought I’d bring some to Auntie,” Li Yonggang said with a shy grin, handing the bundle to Lin Junsheng.

“Also, I heard from Xiaowan that there’s some work to be done at home. I’m free today anyway, so I came to help. That way, Auntie won’t have to toil in the fields.”

Lin Junsheng secretly chuckled at Li Yonggang. This boy seemed determined to marry his sister.

That white flour wasn’t cheap; it was a rare treat for them, especially after paying taxes, leaving little surplus.

“Good boy, very thoughtful. But are you sure you’re not just here for a free meal?”

“No way, I just had some sweet potatoes at home,” Li Yonggang replied.

Joking aside, Lin Junsheng called into the house loudly, “Xiaowan, Yonggang is here and says he wants to help you with the work!”

By now, Lin Junwan had finished combing her hair. A small, delicate hairpin held her short hair neatly, giving her a look both capable and playful.

Since the last time she cut her long hair—worn for years—to help Lin Junsheng heal from his injury, she had felt some reluctance, but given the family's debts, selling her hair seemed worthwhile.

In this era, long hair was a symbol of beauty, while short hair was distinctive—especially rare in this remote village.

Meanwhile, city folks were still fond of large, wavy perms.

Yet Lin Junwan didn’t care about such trends.

She believed that as long as she was happy and her family was well, nothing else mattered.

Only recently, her mother had been pressuring her to marry, which was quite vexing.

Stepping out of the room, she saw Li Yonggang standing there and felt a wave of warmth.

This seemingly rough young man harbored a delicate heart.

At the doorway, Lin Junwan raised an eyebrow and smiled playfully, “Coming so early?”

Li Yonggang grinned, showing a row of white teeth, the sunlight glinting off his slightly tanned skin.

“Getting an early start means less scorching sun and finishing work sooner, right?”

Lin Junwan nodded, “Wait for me; I’ll grab my hoe and we’ll go to the fields together.”

With that, she turned and briskly entered the house.

Lin Junsheng took the white flour from Li Yonggang without a word of thanks.

Family matters were family matters; they had accepted this brother-in-law.

Just as he entered, Li Aimei’s slightly anxious voice called out, “Where are you going? It’s early morning and you haven’t eaten yet!”

Lin Junwan glanced back, “None of your business.”

She hurried out, leaving Li Aimei standing there, worried and restless.

“Ah… this child, really,” Li Aimei sighed helplessly, frowning, her eyes full of concern.

Lin Junsheng carried the heavy bag of white flour over, his tone light but earnest.

“Mom, Li Yonggang came by, see, he even brought some white flour. Don’t worry; young people have their own ideas.”

Li Aimei looked at her son and then the flour, “Li Yonggang is good, but… I just worry about you…”

Lin Junsheng interrupted with a reassuring smile, “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll find you a good wife soon, no need to fret.”

Though her brow remained slightly furrowed, Li Aimei’s worry softened.

Suddenly, Lin Junsheng shifted the topic, laughing playfully.

“Mom, I want to eat braised noodles for lunch. I’ve been craving your cooking for a long time.”

Li Aimei laughed at her son’s words, “Alright, I’ll make you braised noodles at noon. You’ll get your fill!”

“I’ll take those steamed sweet potatoes over first. You never know with farm work; don’t want them to get hungry.”

Lin Junsheng carefully placed the steaming sweet potatoes into a cloth bag.

“Good, you better hurry and deliver them,” his mother urged, her eyes full of care.

Lin Junsheng bit into a sweet potato as he walked toward the yard gate.

The aroma was enticing, but he’d had enough of it for now.

Who could keep their appetite eating the same thing every day?

Approaching the gate, he saw the old village party secretary waiting there, seated on his Phoenix-brand bicycle.

“Junsheng! I need your help with something.”