The half-month of chanting in the snowy fields came to an end, and the people in the relief shelter fell completely silent, each one treading cautiously, afraid of attracting the attention of the officials in the yamen, especially since the government office was less than two miles away from the shelter.
It wasn’t until the arrival of the New Year that the deafening sound of drums and gongs shattered the oppressive atmosphere hanging over everyone’s heads. Only then did the figures of Central Plains people reappear in the snowy wilderness. Mi Niang’s house also welcomed the first wave of visitors – Asyl and his parents.
“Sister-in-law, Happy New Year,” Asyl greeted first as he entered, the New Year in the Mobei was called “Baijie” because both winter and milk were pure white.
“Sister-in-law, these are my parents. We want to take advantage of this auspicious day to pay a visit to Grandma Zhao. Would you mind accompanying us?”
“Have you already visited your sister?” Mi Niang invited them to sit in the guest room and gently pushed down Big Spot and Little Spot, who had climbed onto the chair. At this moment, Bahu also brought butter tea over.
Asyl glanced at the two mountain otters rubbing against people’s legs, asking for milk. Their obedient and gentle demeanor was nothing like what he had seen in the mountains. If it weren’t for the black spots on their fur and the tufts of hair on their ears, he would have doubted whether he had recognized them correctly.
“Big brother, you’re amazing. You can even raise mountain otters so well,” he remarked, only to receive a slap from his mother. Asyl’s parents, although not young anymore with graying hair at their temples, their wrinkles were not very visible due to their plump bodies.
“Let’s get to the point,” the old woman said with a smile, looking at Mi Niang “We’re going to visit his third sister first, and we also know about the recent incident. Asyl has taken a liking to Wan’er, and he won’t mistreat her just because she’s from the Central Plains. There are unscrupulous people everywhere, even in the Mobei.”
“Alright, I’ll go invite Grandma Zhao and Wan’er over. Uncle and Auntie can have lunch at my place.”
“No, no, we can’t trouble you again. Today we’re all going to my third daughter’s house. She’s already preparing lunch at home. You and your family should come over too. You’ve already put in a lot of effort for this joyous occasion.” This visit was specifically to invite people over, and Asyl’s mother wouldn’t even let Mi Niang go to invite them. As soon as they stepped out, she sent Asyl instead, then turned and said, “If he wants to marry someone’s granddaughter, he has to run around a lot.”
Although Mi Niang was already a mother of two children, she was still only in her teens. Being thanked so kindly by the two old people in her capacity as a matchmaker made her feel a bit awkward, and even her smile was almost cracked by the biting cold wind. She glanced at Bahu for help, but this darn man had a look of enjoying the show on his face. Unexpectedly, she didn’t even have time to collect her interest in his expression.
“Cough, why don’t you hold a child?” the man felt a little guilty and didn’t dare to meet her eyes.
“Having two children is great. Are they twins?” the two old people changed the subject smoothly.
“Yes, the one I’m holding is the older brother, and the one Bahu is holding is the younger sister.” Mi Niang happily chatted with the two old people about the children.
When they arrived at Baoyin’s house, there was another round of greetings. It wasn’t until Grandma Zhao and Wan’er arrived that Mi Niang finally managed to escape from being surrounded. She sat next to Bahu, holding Jiya, and sighed, “Without some skills, I can’t do the matchmaker job properly.”
“Whether it’s good or not, after this meal, there’s another one waiting for you,” Bahu reached out and tucked her stray hair behind her ear. He hadn’t brought a hat on the way, and the wind had messed up his hair.
“Asyl, aren’t ChaoBao and Bai Mei’s wedding plans already set? They probably won’t come to invite us, right?” As the eldest son of the family, Asyl was courteous and mindful of etiquette. Plus, today, their marriage hadn’t been finalized yet, but Mi Niang had already received three baskets of gifts. ChaoBao had only sent half a sheep when they officially proposed.
“What are you whispering about? Even if you’re at home cuddling together, no one’s going to bother you. Today, don’t stick together like glue. Come and entertain the new guests with me.” Baoyin’s mother came in with a pot of butter tea, joking with a smile, “Mi Niang, you and Wan’er are the same age, sit together and chat. Bahu, you teach my little brother here, give him some pointers on how to spoil his wife.”
Wan’er blushed at the words and sneakily glanced at the man opposite her. When she saw him looking at her too, she blushed even more, her face turning completely red.
“Mi Niang, let me help you hold the baby.” Wan’er saw Mi Niang carrying the baby over and quickly stood up to avoid the burning gaze.
Mi Niang glanced around and handed Jiya to her, saying, “Let Auntie hold her. Mommy will go cook some milk for you.”
“Need to cook milk? Let me do it…” Before Baoyin’s mother could finish her sentence, Mi Niang pulled her out, saying, “Auntie, they’re exchanging glances and smiles. What am I doing sitting here?” After today, Wan’er’s marriage should be finalized, and it was a done deal. They didn’t need to avoid each other anymore. It was at this time that a smile or a flirtatious glance could keep a young man up all night. Like her and Bahu, they faced each other at meals and bedtime, and just one look from each other could bring them to the Kang. They only blushed and had racing hearts when things got intimate.
It had been a long time since she had seen Bahu blush.
Lunch was the “Three Pots”: a butter tea pot, a mutton pot, and a pot of meat soup and rice. This was the traditional meal for New Year’s Eve in the Mobei. Mi Niang had never seen this before, and Bahu didn’t understand the significance. Even last year, when his mother-in-law was around, she wasn’t much of a cook either. They just followed Mi Niang’s lead.
“Asyl, since everyone is here today because of you, why don’t you sing three songs?” Baoyin’s father spoke up at the end of the meal.
Before Grandma Zhao could say anything, Mi Niang grabbed her hand. Then Asyl stood up with a joyful expression on his face and bowed towards Wan’er. He began to sing a lively Mongolian song with a clear and melodious voice. Mi Niang roughly understood the gist and whispered in Grandma Zhao’s ear, “He’s singing specifically for Wan’er, as a proposal.”
“Oh?” Grandma Zhao looked puzzled, thinking that there were quite a few tricks up their sleeves.
After the three songs ended, everyone waited quietly for Wan’er’s reaction. Suddenly, Qiqige began to babble excitedly, bouncing on her father’s lap and pointing at Asyl. This was a signal for him to continue singing.
“It seems the little girl approves. Now, it’s up to the big girl’s decision,” Mi Niang initiated the conversation, as Qiqige’s babbling seemed appropriate. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have known what to say.
Wan’er felt her cheeks burning as if they were about to catch fire. With all eyes on her, she nodded. “I share Qiqige’s opinion.”
“Qiqige wants to hear more,” Bahu suddenly chimed in, smiling at Asyl.
“Then let’s have another one,” Baoyin’s father joined in the excitement, recalling his own struggles when he courted his wife.
“Alright, I’ll sing another one.” Asyl happily agreed and asked his sister to bring out the horsehead fiddle while he sang…
But all good things must come to an end. As Mi Niang and Bahu walked back with their children, she nudged him. “You never sang or played the instrument for me when you married me.”
Bahu pretended not to hear, blaming it on the wind.
“That’s just evasive. It’s partly my fault too for being too young and naive, accepting your proposal too eagerly.” Mi Niang pouted and complained, seeing Bahu acting as if he had wool stuffed in his ears. Angrily, she kicked him.
Now Bahu couldn’t pretend anymore. “I really don’t know how.”
“Uncle Muren is quite old, yet he still knows how to play the horsehead fiddle to please his beloved.”
“I really don’t know how.”
“I wonder if I’ll be able to enjoy such a serenade from someone else when I’m old like my mother-in-law.”
Bahu stopped in his tracks, wearing a pained expression. “How about I make a snowman for you instead? I really don’t know how to sing or play the instrument. Look, we don’t even have a horsehead fiddle at home.”
“Forget it, I’ll bask in the glory of my sons and daughters in the future, sitting beside and just listening will suffice,” Mi Niang replied without stopping her steps.
Hearing her pitiful words, Bahu felt like suggesting that she play matchmaker more often. Then, he could enjoy listening to music several times a year. When he got old, he would find the sound of the horsehead fiddle annoying. He preferred elderly men who couldn’t play instruments or sing.
“I’ll borrow Uncle Muren’s horsehead fiddle tonight. But let’s make it clear: you mustn’t criticize or laugh at me. I learned a bit when I was young, but it’s been many years since I touched the strings.”
Mi Niang stopped and turned around, glaring with wide eyes. “You said you didn’t know how! Now you’re pretending you didn’t hear me!”
Bahu just smiled and said nothing, grabbing her arm and dragging her home unwillingly. “Hurry up, the sooner we get back, the sooner I can go learn from Uncle Muren.”
Mi Niang secretly smiled, suppressing her envy, and let herself be dragged back home with light steps.
“I’m going now. If the kids wake up, you won’t be able to handle them alone,” Bahu tried to resist again but received a warning look. Unable to help himself, he let out a resigned “ah” and struggled to suppress a laugh. He pinched her nagging mouth, saying with mock annoyance, “You troublesome woman, always bothering me.”
Mi Niang didn’t hide her happiness, pushing him towards the door. “Go on, I’ll wait for you to come back.”
It was still early, and Mi Niang lay on the Kang without her shoes, unable to sleep. She listened to the sounds outside and rolled over, taking out her insole again. Her mind was unsettled, and she noticed that the stitches on the insole were somewhat loose. She unraveled them and then put them aside. Hearing noises from the adjacent room, she remembered that the cats hadn’t eaten lunch yet. She dug out a lump of frozen lamb from the snowdrift and went out to milk the camels again. Bahu’s cats were his darlings, so he always fed them milk before giving them meat to avoid upsetting their stomachs.
Having eaten too much at noon, Mi Niang didn’t feel hungry when it got dark. She washed some beans and cooked them into a porridge, then cleaned some vegetables, ready to stir-fry them when Bahu returned.
Bahu didn’t come back until it was dark, carrying a horsehead fiddle. He avoided people along the way and dashed into the house, quickly shutting the door behind him.
“Don’t close the door yet, the dog hasn’t come in,” Mi Niang had been waiting for him. Her eyes glanced at the fiddle in his hand, and she asked with a smile, “Since we had a heavy lunch, how about cooking porridge and stir-fried vegetables for dinner?”
Bahu nodded absentmindedly, as he wasn’t really in the mood for food anyway.
Mi Niang wasn’t either, so they both only ate a little of the tender vegetables, then indulgently poured the rest to feed the dogs.
“Shall we start now? While your two kids are still awake, let them join in,” Mi Niang sat cross-legged on the Kang, holding the two children.
Bahu was more than willing. After ten years, he was playing the horsehead fiddle again. Whoever listened to it was in for a treat.
This horsehead fiddle was even older than Bahu, and its strings sounded a bit hoarse. Bahu sat at the end of the Kang, bowing his head as he drew the bowstring. As soon as the sound emerged, Qiqige and Jiya became quiet, watching their father attentively.
When Bahu was young, he only learned two tunes. In his youth, he liked lively tunes. The tune he played now depicted a young foal running with the herd across the grassland throughout the four seasons, passing through snow-capped mountains, seeing green grasslands, with rabbits and foxes hiding in the grass, butterflies in the wildflower bushes fluttering past its nose, and eagles flying over its back…
As the song ended, the man looked up to meet three pairs of shining eyes. Qiqige opened his arms wide, asking to be held, while Jiya stared at the fiddle in his hands.
“I thought you said you couldn’t play?” Mi Niang pouted, lightly tapping him when handing Qiqige to him.
“Only know two tunes, haven’t touched it for many years,” Bahu raised his eyes, deep eye sockets shaded with a layer of darkness. “Was it okay?”
“Especially nice, quite rugged for someone like you. When you drew the bowstring, it was like you transformed,” Mi Niang seized his gaze, whispering softly, and noticed the man’s ears slowly tinting.
“The kids haven’t slept yet,” Bahu turned his face away, unable to suppress the smirk forming on his lips.
Adding, “If you like listening, I’ll play for you another day.”
