Two fat dogs, as big as Alse wolves, were tied up. Only then did Bahu carry the two children down from the Lele cart, and then he assisted Mi Niang, who leaned over to come out of the Lele cart. Seeing Wan’er coming out with the children in her arms, Mi Niang steadied herself and asked, “When did you come back? Were the children restless on the way?”
“They were, they kept everyone awake at night,” Wan’er greeted Qiqige and Jiya, sighing, “Looking at them, I feel like they grow up so fast. Then I look at the one in my arms and feel like time passes too slowly. I wish they could walk, talk, and run overnight.”
Asyl interjected, saying they had arrived home the day before yesterday. “You must have arrived home earlier than us.”
“By a day,” Bahu released the big and small spots along with Da Huang from the Lele cart, carrying a covered basket. Seeing Asyl inviting them in, he waved his hand, “We won’t sit. We’re going to pick duck eggs now. When I glanced over on the way in, there seemed to be quite a few people in the reeds.”
“Every year there are more. Even if people don’t eat them, it’s better to pick them for the dogs than to wait until they freeze in the snow. My parents have gone too, otherwise, they would have come out at the slightest noise,” Asyl explained, looking down at the curious siblings. “Will Qiqige and Jiya not come? Leave them at my house, they can play with my daughter.”
Hearing this, Qiqige and Jiya immediately hid behind their parents, afraid of being taken away. They pressed their lips together, remaining silent.
In this unfamiliar place, where they were not as bold as they were at home, they dared not act like little tyrants.
“We’re all going over,” Bahu said, handing the basket to Asyl. “Here are the things we brought for you. Just make some space, I still need the basket.”
“Why do you always bring something every time you come? Next time, don’t bother bringing anything,” Wan’er glanced at Mi Niang’s belly. Once Asyl went inside, she whispered, “But are you pregnant again?”
Mi Niang lowered her head. She was wearing a woolen coat, and looking quite swollen. It shouldn’t be noticeable, right?
“I noticed you were being careful when you got off the Lele cart, so I guessed,” Wan’er said softly.
“Yes, I’m pregnant. It’s been three months,” Mi Niang smiled. She was due to give birth in early summer next year.
Just as Wan’er was about to suggest that she shouldn’t go into the reeds if she was pregnant, Asyl came out carrying the basket. “Big brother, why did you bring two jars of honey this time? Only Wan’er likes to drink it at home. There was still some left from what you brought earlier this year.”
“One jar of summer honey, one jar of autumn honey. They have slightly different tastes,” Mi Niang explained. “And there’s also a packet of chili seeds. We’ll soak them in warm water for two hours in the early spring next year before planting. The fruits they bear are beautiful, bright red like a string of lanterns, very festive.”
“Mom, enough talking, let’s go,” Qiqige tugged at Mi Niang’s clothes impatiently. Weren’t they supposed to go pick duck eggs? Why was she talking so much?
“Alright, let’s head over first.” It was better for Asyl to make an appearance, to avoid any local grievances.
“I’ll go with them too.” Wan’er handed the child to Asyl and went inside to get a blanket. She came out quickly and excitedly said, “Let’s go.”
The reeds grew in the shallow waters by the lake, and in autumn, the water receded further, leaving the reed roots exposed but not slippery, with some dry branches and leaves providing footing. The cut-off parts of the reed stem had already been picked. Asyl stood on the shore with Bahu and the others, calling out to his parents.
“Asyl, your relatives? They look unfamiliar,” a woman remarked, eyeing the two minks by their legs, frowning. “Those things bite.”
“They’re my wife’s maternal relatives. This is only their second visit this year, so of course, you wouldn’t recognize them. As for the minks, they’ve been domesticated for two or three years and don’t bite people,” Asyl explained, pointing to his parents. “You two go over there, around my parents. I won’t be coming down; I’ll go back later to cook.”
“Keep it simple, just cook a pot of something, don’t make it too complicated,” Mi Niang said, then turned to Wan’er. “Are you coming down with us or staying up here?”
Wan’er looked at Asyl, silent and thoughtful. Though she didn’t say anything, her intentions were clear.
“You two go over there. I’ll keep her company and walk by the lake,” Asyl said helplessly. His parents had come over in the morning, and she hadn’t mentioned wanting to come egg-picking at the time.
“Forget it, I’ll call my dad to come and hold the baby, and let Wan’er play with you guys,” she coaxed, in an unusual moment of indulgence.
Qiqige and Jiya couldn’t resist and had already started to head down. Being small and short, while adults had to bend over to search through the reeds, they dashed in between the stems. In no time, they found a nest of duck eggs and shouted excitedly, “Mom, Dad, come quick! We found lots of duck eggs!”
Upon hearing this, Mi Niang also went down to the lake. The mud was slightly damp and soft, so she didn’t dare to walk too fast. Her eyes were bright as she searched around. “Let me see, how many are there?”
Bahu followed behind her, holding onto Da Huang, while Big Spot and Little Spot flanked him. Upon seeing Qiqige and Jiya, Little Spot pounced forward in one swift motion. In the blink of an eye, only three eggs were left from the nest of five, and the smell of eggs filled the air.
“Ah! My eggs!” Qiqige cried out with a mournful face. She slapped Big Spot on the head, who was licking egg yolk off his paw. “You did it on purpose!”
Jiya quickly picked up the remaining three eggs and put them in the basket held by her father. She grabbed Qiqige’s hand and said, “Let’s go, we’ll find more.”
“We’ll also look for more.” The four of them spread out in different directions like open fingers, not too far apart, searching. Big Spot and Little Spot were also stuck in the middle of the family of four.
“I found another nest, but there’s only one egg in it.” Qiqige gently placed the green-shelled egg in the basket. Seeing Big Spot licking its mouth, she slapped its butt again.
Da Huang also found a nest, and it turned its head to bark at Bahu. Before Bahu could step forward, Big Spot twisted its butt and ran over, picked up an egg, lightly cracked it with its teeth, and tilted its head back, waiting for the yolk to flow into its throat. Little Spot followed suit, imitating Big Spot. Da Huang growled, standing in front of Big Spot and Little Spot, guarding the egg.
But only one egg was left. Bahu walked over, picked it up, tapped it with his fingers, opened Da Huang’s mouth, and put the duck egg inside.
Mi Niang picked up two eggs and walked over to put them in the basket, puzzled. “Where’s Wan’er?”
“She didn’t come.” Bahu handed over the basket. Being tall, he could see the situation on the shore. As Arsl spoke with the child in his arms on the shore, Wan’er should be in the reed marshes by the lake.
“Let’s go, keep looking.” Bahu untied Da Huang’s leash, letting the three of them find eggs to eat on their own. He walked in front of Mi Niang, stepping the prickly reed stalks into the mud.
“I found another nest, four eggs!” Qiqige shouted loudly.
“I found one too. Huh, it’s empty,” Jiya said, first surprised, then disappointed.
There was another nest with only empty eggshells. Before, Bahu carried the basket, picking up about half a basket before handing it over to Mi Niang to follow behind him and take over the basket. When Qiqige and Jiya ran over to put duck eggs in, she helped the two children count.
When they didn’t see the ferrets and the dog for a while, Mi Niang called out, “Big Spot, Little Spot, Da Huang, where did you go? Come back quickly.”
The two cats and the dog, with their mouths full of egg yolk, squeezed out from the reed stalks. Their mouths were swollen, and they walked to Mi Niang’s side and spat out the duck eggs they had in their mouths onto the ground, covered in their saliva.
“Are you all full?” Mi Niang prepared to pick up the three eggs, but she saw blood on Da Huang’s tongue when he spat it out. His tongue rolled, the blood disappeared, and a small wound appeared, looking like it was scraped by a reed stalk or a leaf.
The ferrets also exhaled with a bloody smell.
Mi Niang changed from standing to squatting, picked up the wet duck eggs, opened the dog’s mouth, tapped the duck egg against its teeth, the egg yolk slid into its throat, and then she threw the eggshell on the ground.
“Ah—” Big Spot squeezed out a short cry in his throat, and his mouth widened too.
“They all have it, one by one.” After the eggs they brought were eaten, Big Spot, Little Spot, and Da Huang turned their heads and disappeared into the depths of the reed marshes. They were faster at finding duck eggs than Bahu.
“Forget it, let them go. They probably will find more.” Bahu wanted to slack off and also wanted to take Qiqige and Jiya with him, but the siblings refused, insisting on finding eggs by themselves.
“If no one goes, I’ll go by myself.” Bahu took the basket and asked Mi Niang’s opinion.
“I’ll watch the children, you go by yourself.” Finding duck eggs was only surprising when you found them yourself, so Mi Niang refused him too.
“Shall we have a competition? Let’s see who can find more?” Bahu became enthusiastic. “Let’s see if the two kids are better or if the two cats and one dog are better.”
Before Mi Niang could refuse, Qiqige preemptively agreed, “It must be me and my brother who are better.”
Bahu smiled and glanced at Mi Niang, then turned around and chased after the ferrets. Just a few steps after walking, he turned back to Mi Niang and said, “You’ve left everything you picked up on the ground. Don’t mention heavy things.”
Without needing him to remind her, Mi Niang waved her hand dismissively, following after the two children as if shooing away flies.
Bahu called out to Big Spot and followed the sound to search. Along the way, he saw many broken eggshells, with egg liquid flowing along the rotten branches and leaves into the mud. They were all destroyed by the two cats and one dog, ruining a nest with every destruction. Whenever he found duck eggs, he tapped one each for them and then picked up the rest into the basket, enslaving them to continue searching.
Da Huang was the first to eat enough. Whenever he found a duck egg, he held it in his mouth and wandered around until he found Mi Niang, dropping the duck egg, soaked with its saliva, by her feet.
Hehe, this wasn’t something she had snatched. Mi Niang, feeling no guilt, grouped them together and encouraged Da Huang to continue bringing them back.
The basket was full. Bahu carried a basket of duck eggs over, seeing the scattered duck eggs on the ground, he clicked his tongue and said, “Even with a traitorous dog, I still won.”
“We didn’t just pick up that pile.” Mi Niang pointed to where Qiqige and Jiya were, “That’s just what I picked up.”
“And what about Da Huang’s?” Bahu pretended to be ashamed, then generously said, “I won’t argue with you.”
“You can’t handle losing.” Mi Niang dodged the heads that Big Spot and Little Spot were rubbing against her and frowned. “Why don’t you wash off the egg whites and yolks from their heads and chins?”
“We’ll talk about that when we get ashore.” He tiptoed around, looking around. He didn’t know where Asyl’s parents had gone. It was hard to find direction in the reed marsh, and he walked off the path. “I’ll take this basket of duck eggs back first and then come back to pick you up with a bigger basket?”
Mi Niang nodded in agreement. She let Big Spot, Little Spot, and Da Huang lie by the egg pile to guard them while she went to check on Qiqige and Jiya. They were addicted to egg picking, and the siblings, taking advantage of their height, disappeared among the reed stalks, their voices echoing.
“Ah, my goodness,” a woman pushed aside the reed stalks and bent down, startled by the whining sound. She nearly lost her nerve, thinking it was a wild beast coming down from the mountain. But upon closer inspection, she saw a dog sitting next to the wild cat, with egg liquid still congealed on its head.
When Mi Niang heard the sound, she was walking back with the two children, and when she didn’t hear Da Huang’s bark, she knew there was no problem. She walked over quickly and glanced at the person, explaining first, “Auntie, don’t be afraid. They are all raised by my family and won’t harm anyone.”
“Not harming doesn’t mean it’s not scary,” the woman patted her chest, unable to say anything more. The two wild cats and a dog whimpered only twice when they saw her and didn’t move at all. Seeing Mi Niang’s face clearly, the woman exclaimed in delight, “Ah, aren’t you the one selling honey flowers in the capital city? Is it you?”
“It’s me, no wonder I found Auntie familiar,” said Mi Niang. She asked Qiqige and Jiya to collect all the duck eggs they had placed along the way and pile them together. Introducing herself, she said, “We are relatives of Asyl’s family. When we came to visit relatives in the first month of the year, we saw this reed marsh and wondered if you lived here.”
When Bahu brought the basket padded with hay over, he saw Mi Niang chatting amicably with four or five women.
“Are you still going to sell honey in the capital city this year?”
“Yes, I am,” nodded Mi Niang, understanding the woman’s meaning. She wasn’t sure and said, “But I haven’t set a specific date yet.”
“Where do you live?”
“In Lingshan,” Mi Niang replied, “Not far away, it takes less than half a day, even faster on horseback.”
The woman nodded, “It’s not far. I’ll take people to buy from your home another day.” It’s closer than going to the capital city.
“The easternmost house is my family’s,” Mi Niang said happily that someone liked her honey, saying they should come in five or six days when the honeycombs are ready, as she hasn’t harvested much in autumn yet.
Bahu had already picked up all the duck eggs in the basket. He spoke only after the others had dispersed. “Let’s go, Asyl’s parents have already gone back.” They came here clean but now were all dirty, with egg yolk on the heads of cats and dogs, and grass and reeds in their hair.
In the shallow water by the lake, he washed the heads of Big Spot, Little Spots, and Da Huang, and they would use hot water to clean themselves up before going back.
“You said you were going to come with us. Why didn’t I see you coming?” After washing her hands and changing her boots, Mi Niang sat on the Kang, holding the little girl from Wenyu’s family in her arms. “She’s really chubby, pressing my hand when I hold her.”
“My breast milk is good, and she has a good appetite, so she eats a lot and grows fat,” Wenyu sat on the side, picking at sour yogurt balls to eat. “I did plan to come with you originally, but after walking for a while and seeing that nobody noticed me following, I turned back. I didn’t fit into your family, so I dragged Asyl to accompany me.”
Bahu squatted in the courtyard, dipping a brush in water to clean the mud off Mi Niang’s and the two children’s shoe soles. When Asyl approached, he lifted his eyelids and glanced, “What’s with that strange expression?”
“You’re here to make trouble for me, aren’t you? Don’t be so diligent,” he said, knowing he’d get his ears twisted again tonight.
“It’s because you’re too lazy,” Bahu continued scrubbing, “Last year when there was heavy snow, you didn’t come to my house. Stay at my place for a few days this year.”
“Am I still alive then?”
