Chapter 64: New Winter Clothes

Once in town, they went first to Guizhi Hall to put down their things. Other medicine shops had reopened on the second day, but with both physicians away, theirs had remained closed.

A short, plump middle-aged man answered their knock. His small, narrowed eyes lit up.

“We were just wondering why you hadn’t come back, and here you are…”

“Stop talking and help with the things!” Huixiang called behind him.

He hastily took Zuo Gui’s banner, then reached for the medicine chest on Shaoyang’s back. Looking the younger man over, he grinned.

“Your sister says you fell off a cliff, hurt your head and lost your memory. Do you still remember your brother-in-law?”

You’ve just told me who you are, Shaoyang thought. If I still couldn’t work it out, I wouldn’t be forgetful, I’d be an idiot.

“Brother-in-law!” he said with a smile.

This was Hou Pu, Huixiang’s husband, the county yamen clerk. Delighted, he patted Shaoyang’s shoulder and turned to his wife.

“There! Didn’t I say so? He might forget anyone else, but how could he forget me? Wasn’t I right?”

Quick footsteps followed. A little boy popped out behind him, clinging to his thigh and staring at Shaoyang with round eyes. A girl’s head then emerged on the other side. She too held his leg, with one hand in her mouth.

“Inside, quickly!” Huixiang gave them a light tap. “Why aren’t you greeting anyone?”

“Grandfather! Uncle!”

The children addressed Zuo Gui and Shaoyang together.

Zuo Gui nodded and stroked their little heads.

“Good children.”

He went in.

Seeing Shaoyang smiling uncertainly at them, Huixiang realised he had forgotten the children too. Her heart ached for him. She rested a hand on the boy’s head.

“Dadou was just asking Douhua why Grandfather and Uncle weren’t back. They’re waiting to give you New Year greetings.”

That told Shaoyang they were her children, his nephew and niece. The boy, Dadou, was five; the girl, Douhua, had just turned three.

He pinched their cold cheeks gently.

“Come inside, little ones. It’s freezing.”

Dadou took his hand and looked up.

“Uncle, I heard you’ve got a little squirrel. It’s such fun! Can I play with it?”

“Me too!” Douhua piped.

“It’s still very small. Its eyes have only just opened, so it can’t play yet. When it’s bigger, I’ll let it play with you. All right?”

Meanwhile, Huixiang was brushing snow from her father’s head and shoulders. She noticed Peilan standing on the stone pavement outside.

“Miss Peilan! Come in!”

Peilan entered with her basket and the large bundle, then set them down.

“She’s come to sell herbs,” Shaoyang explained. “I’ll take her to the market shortly. Seeing we had so much to carry, she helped us bring it back.”

He lifted the bundle from her basket.

“Give it to me, Uncle!” Dadou cried, reaching to embrace it.

“Careful!”

“I want to carry it too!”

Douhua stretched her hands up, competing with her brother.

Huixiang took the bundle and tugged Dadou aside.

“Don’t make trouble. Both of you, move.”

Neither child seemed frightened of her. They still fussed round, helping her carry it to the long table.

“What’s in here?” she asked, patting it.

“Two bolts of cloth and two silk-floss quilts from Master Jia.”

Huixiang turned in delight.

“Mother! Two bolts and two quilts! Come and see!”

Madam Liang hurried over and opened the bundle. She ran her hands over the silk and floss.

“Excellent quality! In a ready-made clothes shop, these would be worth at least a tael altogether. Why was he so generous?”

“How could he not be?” Shaoyang laughed. “Father saved his son. Without him last night, his only boy might have died.”

“Really? Father, you’re marvellous!”

Zuo Gui smiled into his beard.

“Zhong found the real cause. Otherwise it would have been troublesome.”

“But it was your prescription that treated the measles,” Shaoyang said modestly.

Zuo Gui sat behind the long table. Madam Liang hurried to make tea.

“What shall we do with the cloth, Mother?” Huixiang asked. “Pawn it to pay Madam Zhao?”

“Ask your father!” came the answer from the kitchen.

Huixiang smiled at him.

“Even selling all of it wouldn’t clear the debt. You’re getting old, Father. Why not make yourself a warm padded jacket and sell whatever’s left?”

He shook his head.

“No. Don’t sell it. Make Dadou, Douhua and Zhong a new padded jacket each for the New Year.”

Huixiang was delighted. She tugged her son.

“You two little fools! Hurry and kowtow to Grandfather. Didn’t you hear? He’s promised you new jackets!”

Obediently, the children knelt and knocked their foreheads three times.

“Happy New Year, Grandfather! May you live a hundred years!”

“Good, good. Up you get.”

He helped them to their feet, then turned to Madam Liang.

“The red packets?”

“Here.”

She came out with his tea, set it before him and handed over two little packets folded from red paper.

He gave one to each child.

“Grow quickly and strong. No illness, no misfortune.”

“Thank you, Grandfather!”

They happily opened them and counted six copper coins apiece.

“I don’t need a new jacket, Father,” Shaoyang said. “Make one each for you and Mother. You’re older. You should look after yourselves.”

“Yes,” Huixiang agreed. “There ought to be enough cloth and floss for you both too.”

“No. One each for the three children. Children should have new clothes at New Year. One bolt and one quilt’s worth of floss should make three jackets. Sell the rest towards Madam Zhao’s money. She’s given us so long; when we have something, we should think first of our debts.”

Hearing his father group him with Dadou and Douhua moved Shaoyang. In parents’ eyes, their children never truly grew up. But he could not regard himself as a child.

“I’m an adult. I’m strong and don’t need a padded jacket. Don’t make me one. Even if you do, I won’t wear it. That’s settled. We should put the money towards the debt before anything else.”

Zuo Gui looked at him carefully, then slowly nodded.

“Then just the two children.”

Hou Pu felt awkward. The cloth and floss belonged to his father-in-law’s household. His own family were, strictly speaking, outsiders. It seemed wrong for no one here to have new clothes while the grandchildren did. He was about to speak when Huixiang intervened.

“If neither of you has one, and Brother doesn’t either, it isn’t right to make them for the grandchildren…”

“What is wrong with it?” Zuo Gui snorted. “That is settled. Zhong, take Miss Peilan to sell her herbs. She needs to get back to the village early.”

“It’s already afternoon,” Huixiang said. “Why not eat here after selling them?”

Peilan quickly shook her head.

“No, thank you, Sister. They’re waiting for me at home.”

“Then hurry, Brother. Take her.”

Shaoyang agreed and led her through the streets and lanes to the market. On the second day, the herb sellers and other stalls had all reopened. Their calls rang out one after another.

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