Chapter 10: Grain and Oil

Lin Qing’s bicycle wasn’t hard to ride, but Sang Shen struggled.

His legs couldn’t stretch fully. No tools to adjust the seat, so he made do.

Luckily, the village entrance wasn’t far. Even pedaling slowly, it took just ten minutes.

The entrance was a newly widened road. Few vehicles passed, and the small cement bus stop stood empty. A closer look at the sign showed only one bus route stopped here.

At the grain and oil shop’s door, a tricycle was parked. A man in a tank top tied ropes to secure bulging sacks—feed, not rice or flour.

Sang Shen parked the bike. Under the shop owner’s sizing-up gaze, he stepped forward hesitantly.

“Uh… boss, got rice?”

“No rice, why’d I run a grain shop?”

The owner shot back, his expression odd.

“Ahem, just wondering if you’ve got something affordable…”

“Cheap stuff?”

“But not too bad…”

“Don’t worry, my rice is all good. Local stuff, just new versus old. Cheapest is two-year-old rice—still fine for fried rice or porridge.”

“Two years old? Sounds okay…”

Sang Shen didn’t know much about rice quality. He recalled his family once found three-year-old rice in a cupboard. Still edible, just with extra weevils.

“That’s one yuan a jin. One-year-old is one yuan twenty-two. New rice is one yuan thirty-seven.”

“New rice is this year’s?”

“Hah, kid, no new rice this year! New rice is last autumn’s harvest!”

“Oh, right…”

Sang Shen scratched his head sheepishly.

“City kid, huh? Buying for your family?”

“Uh… kinda.”

Sang Shen answered vaguely, avoiding that he was now in charge.

“Then… I’ll take the one-yuan-a-jin one.”

“Want loose rice from over there, or a whole sack?”

“A sack’s… a hundred jin?”

“Yup, a hundred yuan for a sack.”

“Can’t eat that much at once…”

Sang Shen gave a dry laugh.

His funds were tight. Besides the two hundred from Uncle, he had only about a thousand left after paying off a loan. Without frugality, he wouldn’t last half a year.

In his past life—or before crossing over—he’d bought a hundred-jin sack. It bred bugs before he could finish it. The old hillside house wasn’t as dry as the shop.

Learning his lesson, he hesitated, then decided on twenty jin.

The shop sold more than rice. He also got a jug of oil and a bottle of soy sauce.

Both were freshly poured. He spent fifty fen on a twenty-jin oil jug.

The village shop’s vegetable oil and soy sauce smelled especially fragrant.

“That’s it? Nothing else?”

“That’s enough.”

“Sesame oil? Fresh from this year, smells amazing.”

“Sesame oil…”

Sang Shen wavered, asking the price.

“How much per jin?”

“Sold by the bottle. Mineral water bottle size, ten yuan.”

“Ten yuan…”

Rice cost twenty, oil fifty, soy sauce five—seventy-five total.

Uncle’s two hundred was nearly half gone.

With Uncle’s eight hundred monthly salary, he couldn’t give two hundred every month. His family’s expenses weren’t small.

Sang Shen wasn’t shameless enough to keep asking for money.

Sesame oil wasn’t essential. Maybe for noodle tossing, but heated vegetable oil worked fine.

He shook his head.

“Nah, I’ll pass.”

“Alright, can your bike basket hold the jug? Or put it in the back?”

The owner lifted the jug to the bike, securing it, then paused.

“Yo, ain’t this the post office girl’s bike?”

“You know her?”

“Who doesn’t? She’s always running errands, haha… good girl.”

The owner laughed, tying the jug to the rear seat with plastic rope.

“How’d she lend you her bike?”

“I said I needed to buy stuff…”

“She’d usually buy it for you.”

“Huh? That’s exhausting…”

“Haha, that’s her way. Good girl.”

The owner stepped back.

“She hurt or sick?”

“Fell yesterday.”

Sang Shen answered honestly.

“No wonder.”

The owner nodded, then grabbed a small bag from the shop and handed it to Sang Shen.

“You’re returning the bike, right? Take this to her.”

“Huh… another one?”

Sang Shen muttered, taking the bag from the burly owner.

“What’s inside?”

“Newly roasted tea this year. Boil it and apply to wounds—helps them heal faster.”

“Tea as a salve? Does that work…?”

“Course it does. Old remedy. Even just drinking it’s good.”

“She’s really popular.”

“Cuz she’s kind to everyone.”

The owner patted Sang Shen’s shoulder.

“Whose kid are you?”

“Sang You Zhong’s nephew.”

“You Zhong’s?”

The owner nodded, as if piecing something together.

“Go on, make sure she gets the tea!”

“No problem—see ya, uncle.”

“Next time, buy a hundred jin of rice, I’ll cut you a deal!”

“We’ll see!”

***

“Lin Qing… Qing Qing?”

“Here!”

Lin Qing’s voice came from below.

“Why’re you never home?”

Sang Shen leaned over the railing, looking down.

“You’re not healed. Don’t run around.”

“Wanted to pick mint leaves for sweet water!”

“Where are you?”

Sang Shen couldn’t spot her.

“Here!”

Lin Qing stood from the bushes, waving at him with a smile.

“Back so soon?”

“Just went to buy grain and oil…”

Sang Shen waved the black plastic bag.

“The shop uncle recognized your bike. Gave me new tea for you, says it’s good for wounds… not sure if it works.”

“That’s Uncle Chai.”

“His name’s Chai?”

“Yup.”

“Didn’t know…”

“Wait up there, I’m coming!”

“No rush, take it slow, don’t fall.”

“Won’t!”

Hurried footsteps followed.

A girl in a black dress ran toward him, sweating.

“Sorry for the wait!”

“Don’t rush, I’m tired just watching.”

“No biggie, I’ve got stamina.”

She winked playfully.

“But you, Sang Shen, your endurance is lacking?”

“Hey, I can barely pass a thousand-meter run…”

“Look, tons of mint!”

Lin Qing grinned, holding up a handful to his face.

“Smell good?”

“Cool and fresh.”

“Perfect for summer drinks!”

“How do you make it?”

“Boil it in water, fish out the leaves, squeeze their juice, add sugar, chill in the fridge a day. By night, you’ve got iced mint sweet water!”

“Sounds kinda simple?”

“Wanna try? I’ll share some.”

“Sure.”

Sang Shen didn’t hesitate.

“Oh, take the tea.”

“I’ll get a bag for your mint leaves~”

“Cool.”

“Heading back after?”

“Yeah…”

Sang Shen looked puzzled.

“Where else would I go?”

“Stay a bit longer?”

“Huh?”

“I’ll teach you how to make mint sweet water. Sounds simple, but there’s details. Like washing the leaves first, adding chrysanthemum when boiling for a sweeter taste.”

“Sounds way more complex now… You figured all this out yourself?”

“Yup!”

“Hard to imagine me fussing over stuff like this.”

“The joy of village life is turning everyday things into food or useful stuff.”

She was smiling, but Sang Shen sensed a trace of loneliness in her.

Living here alone for years, she must crave someone who could truly reach her heart.

“So, want me to teach you?”

“Oh, y-yeah!”

***

Time slipped away unnoticed.

He’d risen early, but it was past ten when he got home.

The ride back felt uneasy.

Pushing open the door, he understood why—

Yin Xing sat at the redwood table in the living room, gazing weakly at the door.

Not looking up at the sound, but staring, waiting for it to open.

“Oh… Yin Xing, you’re up. Eaten breakfast? There’s pastries and boiled water…”

She didn’t answer. Her brows furrowed slightly, a hint of anger in her weak voice.

“Where were you.”

“Oh… I went to buy rice and oil—”

Sang Shen swallowed, shrinking guiltily.

“Then stopped by… Lin Qing’s, the girl from yesterday. Brought her stuff to thank her…”

“…No woman’s good. They act kind just to get more from you.”

“Uh…”

“…I thought.”

“What?”

“You left me.”

“…What nonsense! I’d never leave you!”

Her furrowed brows eased slightly.

Yin Xing bit her thin lip, turning her face aside. From her throat came a weak murmur.

“…Hungry.”

For some reason, Sang Shen felt her tone carried a hint of petulance…