There was a large area covered with blooming yellow flowers, with two beehives hanging there.
Chewing on Bahu’s words, Mi Niang stood on horseback, searching for the large area covered with blooming yellow flowers. There were no flattened paths on the grassland, and as far as the eye could see, it was all the same—grass that reached halfway up the leg, hiding the rustling movements of mice, the chewing gray rabbits, and the grass that the horse’s hooves startled into waves. Finally, ending up in the beak of an eagle hovering in the sky, only to be discerned when lifted – was it a gray rabbit or a gray mouse?
As the horse ascended, Da Huang lay on the horse’s back, gradually getting used to it. Its neck stretched forward, looking at the road ahead, and in the fragrant wind, it couldn’t help but let out several sneezes. Crossing over the hills, on the gently sloping hillside facing southeast, a thick layer of wild lotus covered the ground. Perhaps because the wind was weaker here, the seeds of the wild lotus were not carried too far. The wild lotus on the hillside below was sparse, but it grew vigorously.
This was the place with a vast expanse of blooming yellow flowers that Bahu described. Mi Niang dismounted with Da Huang and frolicked among the wild lotus. It felt like she had stepped into a flower field, and the bees were busy collecting honey, while she played the role of a landowner inspecting the work.
The flowers of the wild lotus were medicinal herbs. Mi Niang remembered the medicinal herb identification taught by Dr. Huang. After drying, the flowers of the wild lotus could be used to treat mouth sores, throat swelling, toothaches, and earaches. It was an excellent remedy for clearing heat and removing fire. Even before finding the beehive, Mi Niang had already thought about the sales pitch for honey. Pastoralists who frequently consumed meat were prone to heaviness and toothaches. As long as it was effective, there was no worry about selling it.
The beehives were placed in early June. As long as there were bees and abundant flower sources, under such conditions, it would take about three months to fill almost half of the beehive with honey. Mi Niang once again tightly wrapped herself, and after lifting the board behind the beehive, she saw that the honeycombs inside were almost full. The beehive was packed with bees, and it was time to split the hives.
This time, she broke off a finger-length piece, walked back to the hillside, and tasted it after putting on the straw hat. It had the fragrance of wild lotus, sweet, and not cloying to the throat.
“Woof!” Da Huang nudged Mi Niang’s hand with its nose, its dog butt even wiggling with excitement.
“I know, you want to taste it too.” She pinched the remaining half of the honeycomb in two, stuffing one piece into the dog’s mouth and the other into the horse’s mouth. During the time she went to check the beehives, the big black horse had pulled out quite a few wild lotus flowers, leaving a bare patch on the hilltop.
She remembered that it had licked some salt in the morning, showing quite an appetite. Sweet or salty, it seemed to enjoy both flavors mixed together.
Mi Niang decided not to search for the remaining two beehives. Her clothes in front were damp, and for the first time in a month, she felt her breasts becoming full. Combined with the unusual wetness in that area, she couldn’t help but keep pulling at her clothes, wanting to let them dry. Feeling quite uncomfortable, she thought it would be better to return home earlier.
Wearing her straw hat, Mi Niang descended again, directly cutting out a section of the honeycomb. Da Huang and the horse, both avoided her, chased away by the swarming bees. Only after the bees gave up the pursuit and went away after crossing the hill did Da Huang and the horse return.
“Let’s go, back home. We’ll come back in half a month.” Mi Niang wrapped the honeycomb in a cloth and tied it to the saddle. When the big black horse showed intentions of biting, she smacked it a couple of times. After hitting, she regretted it, fearing it might hold a grudge and play tricks on her. She then gently touched its head a few times, speaking softly, “When we get back, I’ll steam sweet steamed buns for you. I’ll save one for you as soon as it’s out of the pot.”
True to her words, after eating lunch, she used honey water for the dough, and by the afternoon, the dough had risen. Kneading the dough was now Bahu’s task, but once it was ready for cooking, Mi Niang took over.
Bahu watched as Mi Niang walked, twisting every few steps. Washing his hands, he looked her up and down. Once she entered the kitchen, she dropped the act, walking without trying to conceal anything, even adjusting her pants. If it weren’t for the troubled expression on her face, she would’ve looked like a shaman conducting a ritual.
“Did you scrape your thigh?”
Mi Niang responded with a quiet “Hmm,” sitting on a chair with both legs splayed. “Didn’t feel it this morning, but after a nap, my legs didn’t feel like mine. They’re sore and weak. Almost stumbled when getting out of bed.” The inside of her thighs was red, not yet showing signs of bruising, but the pants grazed against it, causing pain.
Bahu poured some murky water and changed it to a basin. After scrubbing off the dough crust between his fingers, he left for a short while, returning with a bottle of golden wound medicine. Closing the kitchen door, he asked her to take off her pants, “I’ll sprinkle some medicinal powder on it. Be careful not to wet it when bathing tonight. It’ll be better by tomorrow morning.”
Mi Niang’s upper thigh was brightly colored, with a vivid red on the inside, and a mix of dark red and pale blue on the outside. As the man’s steady breath touched the wound, she couldn’t help but shiver.
“Why are you trembling?” The man held her knee and gently pulled it outward. He leaned closer, applying the medicinal powder to the wound. Although no blood was drawn, the scraped skin would ooze fluids. Without applying the powder, it would stick to the pants, and removing them later would be painfully agonizing.
“Is this trip worth it? Why not let me come along?”
Mi Niang bit her lip without uttering a word. The man’s hands were rough, with calloused fingertips that carried a few thorns. His touch on her wound felt both itchy and painful. Unaware that he was squatting between her legs, he spoke without lifting his head, his breath…
She must have still been half-asleep and confused. How did she end up in the kitchen, taking off her pants? In view were pots and pans, and the sound of simmering beef bone soup echoed from the stove.
“Haven’t finished yet? Isn’t the scrape on my leg not that extensive?” Mi Niang grew suspicious. Lowering her head, she noticed Bahu’s shoulders trembling a couple of times. Extending her hand, she lifted his chin, and although her mouth was tightly pursed, the mischievous smile in her eyes hadn’t completely disappeared.
Playing tricks on her? Mi Niang puffed up her cheeks, pushing him back to the ground with one hand. She stood up, deftly pulled on her pants, fastened her belt, and without saying a word, turned to boil water, preparing to steam the buns.
“No good deed goes unpunished, huh? I apply medicine for you, and you push me?” Bahu didn’t immediately get up, instead, he hooked his foot around Mi Niang’s calf. She avoided him, and they began to trip each other up on the ground. The childish antics only came to an end when Mi Niang finally stopped them by stepping on him.
“So heartless. I just applied medicine to you, and you almost flattened my foot with yours.” The man stood up, continuing to chat. Seeing steam rising from the pot, he washed his hands, picked up the buns with chopsticks, covered the pot, and noticed that Mi Niang still hadn’t spoken. He scratched his neck awkwardly and went out.
Mi Niang didn’t even glance at him. She rolled her eyes at the firelight in the stove, and a smile spread across her face, breaking the effort to maintain a stern expression. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy a good prank?
The fading footsteps approached again, and as the light at the door dimmed, accompanied by the man’s entrance, there was also the soft babble of a baby. Mi Niang furrowed her brow and turned back, “Why did you bring the child in? The kitchen is hot, and there’s a lot of smoke. Can he handle it?”
Willing to speak now, but the effect seemed less than ideal. Bahu found himself in a dilemma. He wanted to say that the children in the northern desert were not as delicate as she imagined. Many were born on the migration route, spending their first month on a camel, and as soon as they could lift their heads, they were strapped to their parents’ chests or backs while tending to the herds.
However, Mi Niang, resembling an irritable mare about to kick someone, left him with no choice but to retreat again. He didn’t utter a word.
Mi Niang bit her lip, listening to the footsteps outside. She thought about calling him, but she wasn’t sure what to say. She had intentionally acted fierce just now, but it seemed like Bahu had misunderstood something. Since she returned from horseback riding, he had been acting strangely, sometimes hesitating to speak, and at other times, being overly enthusiastic, leaving her puzzled.
The two of them remained in silence, one inside and one outside until the sweet aroma of the buns wafted out from under the pot cover. Mi Niang stoked the fire in the stove and said, “Time to eat. Get ready to wash your hands.”
“Coming.” Bahu sighed in relief, but the baby in his arms, Qiqige, was still awake. As soon as he spoke, she opened her eyes too.
“You go ahead and eat. I’ll put the child to sleep and join you later,” Bahu said helplessly.
Mi Niang didn’t respond. She carried the buns in a wooden basin, poured a kettle of water onto the stove, and walked to the door, observing the man who was still soothing the child. “Still not asleep?”
“No.”
“The evening is still early. Let’s move the table outside to eat. Grab a piece of felt and lay it outside. Bring Qiqige out and place her on the felt.”
The August dusk painted half the sky with crimson hues. The wind was gentle, carrying the crisp scent of wildflowers and grass. Herders jingled bells while accompanied by their dogs, counting their livestock. The river’s flowing water occasionally carried down a few vegetable leaves, and downstream, children played in the water, laughter echoing.
Just as the felt was laid out, cries echoed from inside the house again. This time, it was probably because the younger sister was not around, and the wailing was particularly loud. When Mi Niang picked her up, Jiya’s eyes were filled with tears. Unlike Qiqige, her cries were genuine, and she couldn’t control them as easily.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry. I haven’t left you. Look, even the dog is teasing you. This baby is too fond of crying; she’s a little crybaby.”
“I’ll hold her; you go ahead and eat,” Bahu suggested, clapping his hands towards Jiya.
“Eat, eat, eat. Am I a pig? Just eating all the time?”
“If you’re not eating, then neither am I. We either eat together or not at all,” Mi Niang retorted, turning away.
Bahu stared at her for a moment, withdrew his hand, and stood silently on the side. The surrounding hustle and bustle continued. Even the big black horse trotted over, seemingly heading towards the table. Bahu quickly whistled, commanding it to scram and not cause trouble.
“Give it a piece of steamed bun; it likes sweet things. Probably smelled it and came over.” Mi Niang hadn’t expected the big black horse to actually show up around mealtime. Seeing that Jiya had stopped crying, she placed the steamed bun next to Qiqige. Bahu didn’t move, so she tore off the outer layer and started eating, sharing half of the inside with both Da Huang and Big Black.
“How do you know it likes sweet things?” The horse chewed the steamed bun, lips flipping up and down, and the large teeth embedded with grass shreds moved awkwardly yet comically.
Mi Niang broke off another steamed bun for the big black horse. Afterward, she sat down to eat, and the horse, sensing no attention, kicked its hooves and walked away.
“I plan to take Mu Xiang and the others to pick dry lotus flowers in a couple of days and sell them after drying. The dry lotus is in fruit now, and if we don’t pick it up in advance, it will be a waste,” Mi Niang said, glancing at the two kids lying on the felt mat. “If you have time one day, keep an eye on the kids. I’ll leave early and be back by noon.” She also planned to harvest the honey. After the two months, she would leave the honey for the bees to survive the winter.
The steamed bun was quite sweet, but Bahu felt a hint of bitterness as he chewed. He said the family didn’t lack money, and selling dry lotus wouldn’t fetch much silver.
“Mu Xiang and the others need money, so I’ll take them.”
As more people passed by, Bahu didn’t speak again. He lost his appetite with too many thoughts. After eating two steamed buns, he stopped.
“But can’t you get used to sweet steamed buns?” Mi Niang poked a large bone towards him. “If you can’t eat sweet, have more meat.”
Her expression was gentle now. Bahu felt it was a good opportunity to talk, but the noisy kids on the side were too annoying. How long had they been circling around without leaving?
“Aren’t you going home for dinner? It’s almost dark.” He couldn’t help asking with a stern face.
“It’s not winter, and it’s still early before it gets dark,” said one of the kids, around six or seven years old. Seeing that they finally got someone to talk to, he licked his lips and asked, “Are you eating steamed buns? It smells so good.”
It turned out to be purposeful. The frustration in Bahu’s heart dissipated. Seeing Mi Niang pause, he took the remaining five steamed buns and gave them to the three kids. “Now can it get dark?”
The child didn’t understand his intention but knew his reputation for fighting. After taking the steamed bun, he swiftly ran away.
“Hey, it seems like the steamed buns I made are quite popular with kids. Maybe I should sell steamed buns tomorrow.” Mi Niang laughed playfully, just saying it casually, but Bahu took it seriously.
“Mi Niang, do you find me boring? Are you tired of me?” He liked having someone waiting for him at home, talking to him, discussing children’s matters, making him laugh, or just talking about the family’s dog. But Mi Niang seemed unwilling. She had the intention to run away.
A large pot slammed on her forehead, surprising Mi Niang. They had been quite passionate last night, so how could he say such things after a night?
“Don’t wrongly accuse me. I didn’t, I don’t even know why you’d say that” Mi Niang leaned forward, staring at Bahu. “What’s wrong with you today? Do you think I pushed you down while cooking? It was you who teased me first, and I just fought back in jest. I was joking and not really angry.”
He was trying to please her because she liked that posture. He deliberately wanted to amuse her.
“I didn’t tease you.”
Qiqige sneezed, and Bahu took off his robe and draped it over the siblings. He squatted down, looking at the two sleeping children. In fact, the children kept him tied to home, with one going out and the other staying behind. Last year at the autumn pasture, he could still work with Mi Niang to handle the cattle and sheep, but this year, it seemed difficult.
“Are you impatient at home?” Bahu asked. Without waiting for Mi Niang to speak, he continued, “After finishing work outside, I rush back immediately. Can’t you do the same after finishing your work?”
“I rush back immediately after work because when you have engorgement, I need to come back quickly to feed the child,” Mi Niang pondered over what Bahu had said from start to finish and summarized it into one sentence: he couldn’t bear for her to leave home.
“Do you miss me when I’m not at home?” Mi Niang covered her chest, secretly delighted, and squatted down to ask softly, “Do you? Is it true?”
So clingy, even if she went out for half a day, she didn’t know what he was thinking. It turns out he imagined that she was tired of him.
“You’re not boring at all.” Quite the opposite, she was too interesting. When they first met, he could say that she was boring, suppressing himself and not saying anything, but now, being timid and testing the waters was too interesting.
