The day Mi Niang emerged from her postpartum confinement was a remarkably fine day. The sun shone brightly with a gentle breeze blowing. After bathing, washing her hair, and changing into a clean thin robe, she moved a chair outside to sit and let her hair dry in the sun. The river water reflected the azure sky, the rushing water causing the fluffy clouds to ripple. Having not seen the outside world for a month, everything seemed refreshingly new. Even the annoying insects could captivate her attention for half the day.
It felt as though she had just been released from a ten-year prison sentence.
Bahu brought out a bowl of old sour yogurt, the thick white yogurt poured into a dark green-black ceramic bowl. On top of the yogurt lay a layer of purple wild berries soaked in honey. Mi Niang’s eyes lit up at the sight, and her mouth watered instantly.
“How did you know I wanted to eat this?” She exclaimed joyfully as she accepted the bowl, scooping a spoonful and feeding herself. It had been too long since she had tasted something sour. At first, the sourness made her squint, but as the sourness settled in her stomach, the sweetness began to rise from the base of her tongue. “It’s so delicious.”
“Take it slow,” Bahu reached out to wipe away the yogurt from the corner of her mouth, sitting cross-legged on the ground. He scooped up a chubby puppy and placed it on his lap. “Otherwise, you might think I’m mistreating you.”
The timing of Yellow’s births was always perfect. After a cow gave birth to a calf, there was milk in the house every day. The puppies had hearty appetites, sucking on both dog and cow milk. They were all chubby and round, able to roll several laps with just one nudge.
Mi Niang glanced down at the puppy nibbling on her robe, leaning down to pat it gently. “When I went out this morning, they were barking at me, then they ran back to their nest while still barking. These dogs are useless, not even their eyes and ears work properly. They dare to bite their mistress.”
“Are you tattling on me?” Bahu smirked, patting the puppy that was nibbling on his shoe. “I’ve taken revenge for you.” The puppy felt so good in his hands, chubby and soft.
Mi Niang rolled her eyes at him, handing him the coarse pottery bowl. “I can’t finish it. You have it.”
She continued, “I didn’t need your help. Da Huang gave them a good scolding right away.” Da Huang was fierce, even baring its teeth, which frightened the five chubby puppies into silence.
Bahu glanced at the half-bowl of yogurt left in the bowl, puzzled. “Weren’t you craving this just now? Why aren’t you eating it?”
“I have to feed your son,” Mi Niang stood up, stretching lazily as she walked inside. She approached Spotty’s nesting spot, peering in to find Da Hu and Xiao Mo sleeping in a tangled mess.
“You sleep, don’t get up, I’ll just take a quick look.” She gently held Spotty’s head to prevent her from coming out. This was only the second time she had seen her since she and Big Spotty returned. On the day they returned, Bahu chased them out as soon as they stood at the door.
The humming inside the house seemed to be evolving into a tendency to cry. Mi Niang strode in with big steps, not even opening the door before she spoke, “I’m here, I’m here.” As soon as she sat down with the chubby baby in her arms, Bahu also came in carrying a bowl, leaning against the door and eating yogurt spoon by spoon.
Mi Niang glanced at him sideways, turned around, and untied her robe, not caring about the snickering behind her. “Since Big Spot isn’t home, if there’s no one outside, bring the little puppies in. Don’t let them wander too far and get caught by passing people.”
The man didn’t respond, tapping the bowl irregularly.
“Are your ears useless too?” Mi Niang turned around to glare at him. “Or is it your mouth that’s useless?”
“Both are useless.” Bahu acted stubbornly, putting the bowl on the table and bending down towards the bed, “Let me see my son. Oh, he has a good appetite.” He wasn’t really interested in the yogurt; he just wanted to sit down. “You won’t go out later, will you?”
“Don’t sit on the bed. Your robe is dirty, and you were just sitting on the floor.” Mi Niang slapped him twice. “And did you wash your hands? You just touched the dog and now you’re touching your son? So sloppy.”
What nonsense, what’s dirty? Bahu grumbled to himself but didn’t show any sign of it on his face. He settled half his bottom on the footstool she was stepping on, enjoying the pleasant view ahead.
“Will you not go out later? It’s so sunny outside. If you go out for a while, your complexion, which has been hidden for half a year, will turn red and tan.” He continued persuading.
They were an old married couple; Mi Niang knew exactly what he was thinking with just one look. In broad daylight, she didn’t want to argue with him. “Once Habul finishes eating, I’ll take him to find Qiqige and Jiya, to see our cattle and sheep.”
She digressed again, asking, “For Qiqige and Jiya’s births, you prepared small cows, small horses, and small camels. Is Habul’s prepared as well?”
Bahu nodded, selecting a calf born on the same day as Habul. As for the small horses and camels, they could pick the strongest one born this year from the herds when they returned in autumn.
Once Habul finished eating, Mi Niang handed him over to Bahu to burp him, then she quickly tied up her clothes and stepped out of the felt yurt, as if being chased by wolves.
There were no puppies in the courtyard, so she made a few sucking noises. Hearing movement from the south side of the yurt, she hurried over and saw a child holding their family’s dog.
“Whose are you? Why did you come here? Didn’t you hear me calling the dog just now?” She cursed Bahu in her heart. If she had come out a bit later, the puppies might have been taken away.
“We have a lot of big, particularly fierce dogs at home. You better not come over if you’re not here for anything. Be careful of being bitten by the dogs.” Mi Niang grabbed the two puppies by the neck and lifted them up, warning once again, “Don’t come over here.”
“Your puppies are really fat.” The child rubbed his hands together and stood up. “We don’t have dogs at home. I want to have one too.”
“Then go to another house. Our dogs are raised by ourselves.” Mi Niang stated directly, not beating around the bush. When she entered the small courtyard with the puppies, she gestured at Bahu with her fist. “See? Now your ears are useful, right?”
“Useful, useful. I’ll drag a wooden board later to block the dog’s kennel door. I’ve cleaned up Little Sanzi’s urine too. Do you still want to take him to find Qiqige and Jiya?”
Mi Niang nodded, washed her hands, and took the chubby baby, sitting on the chair, raising her eyebrows. “Husband, braid me a long braid.”
“Is this something the husband should be doing?” Mi Niang’s hair was dense and black, trimmed just before they arrived in the mountains, and now it was waist-length. Bahu brought a small stool and, instead of following Mi Niang’s request for a single braid, he divided the hair into several sections, incorporating the green dyed head rope into the braid. Starting from the top of the head, he added strands one by one, tying them up with the head rope when reaching the nape of the neck. There were a total of six thin braids, and at the nape of the neck, he gathered the loose hair into a loosely hanging long braid.
“Wait a moment.” He jumped up and brought a makeup box from inside, last year Wen Yin sent a red agate silver ornament, and he adjusted the angle carefully, hanging it straight on the forehead.
“Shall I get a copper mirror for you to see?” Bahu glanced at her, his smile was too charming. He was worried that his taste might not match her expectations.
Mi Niang shook her head gently, and the thin silver chain hanging from the red agate pendant swayed with it, pleasantly cool, perfectly suited for this bright early summer.
“I am naturally beautiful, no matter how I dress.” She elongated her voice, seeing the disappointment in his eyes, she softened her tone, “I trust your skills, you wouldn’t want to make your own wife look ugly, would you?” Her words were filled with trust and pride, causing Bahu’s mouth to curve into a satisfied smile.
“I’ll give you a few more hairpins.” The hairpins were intricately carved peony flowers, only the size of a fingertip, with delicate golden threads. Bahu dared not exert too much force, carefully inserting them into her braids. Seeing the pendant he had swindled from Qiqige last year, he took it out and placed it around Mi Niang’s neck, complementing the red agate on her forehead.
“This was meant for Qiqige from your mother. Is it appropriate for me to wear it?” Mi Niang touched the coral pendant.
“Since it’s said to be lent to you to wear, don’t worry about just the reputation.” Bahu stepped back a few steps to look at her from side to side, nodding in satisfaction, and genuinely praised, “You’re more beautiful than flowers.” He then added the silver earrings.
Mi Niang was slightly plump, with full cheeks, but she could carry off the gold, silver, and agate without any makeup on her lips or eyebrows, without any powder or blush. Her fair skin and bright round eyes, paired with the dazzling gold and silver, made her look both delicate and charming.
“Finished?” Mi Niang read the admiration and amazement in the man’s eyes and couldn’t wait to see herself in the bronze mirror.
“Wait a moment.” Bahu went back inside and fetched two porcelain bottles. They were gifts from the Hu family, and he hadn’t seen Mi Niang use them much. One was for lip balm, and the other had a scent.
“Don’t put this on my face, it’s for the body.” Mi Niang hesitated when she saw what he had brought. “Bring the bronze mirror; I’ll do my own lips and eyebrows.”
Without responding, Bahu dipped his fingertip in the red mud and leaned in, face to face, pressing his fingertip against her lips, applying it slowly. Their breaths mingled, Mi Niang’s gaze uncertain as she watched his approaching face, her heartbeat quickening. She lowered her eyes, focusing on his calloused fingers, her mind drifting.
“Open your mouth.”
Bahu glanced at her eyes, running the back of his hand across his chin, and seeing her snap out of her daze, he asked, puzzled, “What were you thinking? You didn’t even respond when I was talking to you.”
Mi Niang dared not look into his eyes, smiling sheepishly. “What? “
“Open your mouth, the upper lip hasn’t been done yet.”
“Oh,” she lifted her head slightly to facilitate his movements. To conceal her nervousness, she teased, “You’re so slow; it took you forever to apply lip balm.”
Bahu didn’t argue with her, his eyes fixed on her full lips. His throat bobbed, coaxing, “It’s your first time, still getting used to it.”
But when he moved to apply the eyebrow pencil, his actions were swift and skilled, far from a first-timer.
“Can I have the bronze mirror now?” Mi Niang asked eagerly, filled with anticipation.
Bahu was somewhat dazed, with only one thought in his mind: she’s truly beautiful, and from that emerged a sense of satisfaction: she’s mine.
As the man was left in awe, Mi Niang felt both joy and shyness. It was rare. She was the mother of three children now, so she rarely felt shy in front of Bahu anymore. It wasn’t a mix of embarrassment and annoyance; rather, it was the shy, joyful, and timid feeling a girl has when she sees her sweetheart, her heart swelling with emotions.
“Don’t bring it for me; I’ll go in and see for myself,” she felt like hiding.
Bahu snapped out of his reverie and looked at her deeply. “I’ll go get it for you.”
The woman in the bronze mirror seemed somewhat unfamiliar, with rosy cheeks, full and red lips, moist eyes, gently arched eyebrows, a slightly tilted head, and the red agate in the center of her forehead also tilting. Stepping back from the mirror, her meticulously braided hair lay smoothly against her head, and the dazzling peony flower hairpins sparkled with fine light.
Mi Niang had to admit, it was the first time she had seen herself so beautiful, even on the day of her wedding, when she had applied makeup, it couldn’t compare.
“I need to show off a bit,” she thought to herself.
“I’ll take the child out for a walk; do you want to come?” she asked.
Bahu nodded without hesitation. “With such a beautiful wife, I must stay by her side.”
His words were so sweet at that moment. Mi Niang changed her shoes, Bahu put the puppies in their kennel, locked the door, and the family of three headed west, with neither of them mentioning going to find the two children who were herding cattle.
One had changed her mind, and the other was going with her flow.
Bao Yin was washing baskets in the river when she heard voices and looked up. The eastern sun was glaring, making it hard to open her eyes. She squinted for a while before recognizing the person. “Oh, it’s Mi Niang. Are you out of confinement?” She scrutinized Mi Niang’s face and hair for a while, feeling envious. “You two have such a good relationship.”
Bahu was happy to hear that and didn’t hesitate to agree. “It’s not bad.”
Understanding the young couple’s intentions, Bao Yin laughed and patted Mi Niang. “Go on, don’t show off in front of me. I’m not jealous.”
“Hahaha,” Mi Niang laughed heartily, “Sister-in-law, you’re busy. We’ll go elsewhere.”
From the east to the west, and from the north to the south of the river, Mi Niang received a basketful of compliments from both sharp-eyed elders and sincere-mouthed children. Even little Habul, with his fair and chubby appearance, didn’t receive as much praise as she did.
After a leisurely stroll and some laughter, it was almost noon. The young couple carried the child back home to prepare lunch. Before reaching the door, they heard voices from inside; Qiqige and Jiya had returned with the dogs.
Bahu stopped and held Mi Niang’s hand, looking into her puzzled eyes. He asked softly, “Are you free this afternoon?” The evening wouldn’t do; with a nursing baby in bed and two other children next door, there wouldn’t be enough privacy.
“I thought so, why are you so attentive today?” Mi Niang didn’t mind, giving him a flirtatious look. “From now on, stick to this standard.”
Ignoring her jest, he insisted on a definite answer. “Are you free this afternoon?”
“Yes.”
Satisfied, Bahu said, “Let’s go home and cook.”