Courtyard Check-in: Starting with a Small World of Cultivation

April 20th, Grain Rain.

Around the time of Grain Rain, plant melons and beans. This is an old farming proverb. Although city dwellers don't farm, they still tend to grow vegetables in their yards according to this season.

In the small courtyard in front of the gate, Qin Huairu had gotten up early and turned the soil, arranging it into neat rows, ready for planting. Nian'an squatted at the edge of the field, holding a handful of rapeseed seeds, and asked, "Mom, when will they grow after we plant them?"

"It will sprout in a few days, and we can eat it in the summer."

"Nian'an grows the vegetables, and Nian'an eats them herself!"

"Okay, Nian'an will eat the vegetables she grows herself."

Chen Yu came out of the house with several bamboo poles in his hand, preparing to build a bean trellis. Nian An ran over to help, handing him bamboo poles and ropes, working up a sweat.

"Dad, when do the green beans grow?"

"It'll be quick. Once the trellis is up, the bean vines will start climbing up."

"How high?"

"Even taller than Nian'an."

Nian'an looked up at the shelf, then at herself, and said indignantly, "Nian'an will grow taller too!"

Chen Yu laughed: "Yes, Nian'an will grow taller too, taller than a green bean."

Ding Qiunan didn't go to the pharmacy today—Gu Yu had taken the day off, saying she wanted to plant some things at home. She took a small cloth bag from the east wing, which contained seeds of several medicinal herbs.

"Qiu Nan, what are you planting?" Qin Huairu asked.

"Grow some medicinal herbs, like honeysuckle, mint, and perilla; you'll need them sometimes."

She cleared a small patch of ground in the corner, loosened the soil, sowed the seeds, and watered them. Nian'an squatted beside her watching and asked, "Auntie, can we eat this?"

"Honeysuckle can be steeped in water to clear heat and detoxify; mint can also be steeped in water or used in cooking; perilla can be used to stew fish to remove the fishy smell."

Nian'an swallowed hard. "Nian'an wants to eat fish."

"Okay, I'll have Dad buy fish tomorrow, and Auntie will make you perilla-stewed fish."

Nian'an clapped her hands happily.

The courtyard was bustling with activity all morning. Chen Yu was setting up scaffolding, Qin Huairu was planting vegetables, Ding Qiunan was planting herbs, and Nian An was helping out everywhere—actually, he was just causing trouble. But no one found him annoying; on the contrary, they felt that with him around, the work wasn't tiring at all.

At noon, Qin Huairu made noodles with soybean paste. The noodles were hand-rolled and very chewy; the soybean paste was made with diced meat and fermented bean paste, and it smelled incredibly delicious. Nian'an ate a whole small bowl, her little belly round and full.

"Mom, Nian'an is full." He patted his stomach and let out a burp.

"Go have fun, but don't go too far."

Nian'an ran out to play with the children in the alley.

Chen Yu sat in the yard, looking at the newly planted vegetable seeds, and a sense of peace welled up inside him. These days were ordinary, but real.

"Brother Chen," Ding Qiunan walked over and sat down next to him, "I want to discuss something with you."

"What is it?"

"I want to... take on an apprentice."

Chen Yu was taken aback: "Taking on apprentices?"

"Yes," Ding Qiunan said. "The pharmacy business is getting better and better, and I can't handle it all by myself. I want to find a helper, preferably someone who has studied medicine and can help with dispensing and decocting medicine, and gradually learn to treat patients."

"Are there any suitable candidates?"

"Not yet." Ding Qiunan shook her head. "I'd like to ask Brother Chen to keep an eye out for me."

Chen Yu thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll ask around for you."

In the afternoon, Nian'an returned, covered in dirt and his face was covered in grime. Qin Huairu washed him clean, changed his clothes, and then he ran off to find Ding Qiunan.

"Auntie, Nian'an will help you with the chores!"

Ding Qiunan was sorting through medicinal herbs, and Nian An squatted beside her, handing her this and that. Although he couldn't really help much, he was attentive and asked about everything.

"Auntie, what is this?"

Angelica sinensis.

"What about this one?"

Astragalus membranaceus.

"What about this one?"

Codonopsis pilosula.

Nian'an repeated the words once, but couldn't remember them, so he asked again. Ding Qiunan patiently taught him, and he learned them over and over again until he actually remembered several of the flavors.

"Auntie, Nian'an has remembered! Angelica sinensis, Astragalus membranaceus, Codonopsis pilosula..."

"Nian'an is really smart," Ding Qiunan praised him.

Nian'an was extremely pleased with himself.

In the evening, He Yuzhu came to visit, carrying a bag of lively crucian carp.

"Chen Yu, I've brought you some fish! My brother-in-law got them from Baiyangdian Lake, they're fresh!"

"Brother Zhu, you've spent money again." Chen Yu accepted the money.

"It's no trouble at all, it's not like we bought it." He Yuzhu sat down and saw the newly prepared land in the yard. "Oh, you've planted it? We don't need to buy vegetables this year."

"I feel safe eating food that I grow myself," Qin Huairu said.

When He Yuzhu saw the herbs that Ding Qiunan had planted, he praised her, saying, "Qiunan is a promising girl; her pharmacy is thriving."

Ding Qiunan smiled and said, "Brother Zhu, you flatter me."

Nian'an ran over and grabbed He Yuzhu's hand: "Uncle, the vegetables Nian'an planted will grow big enough for you to eat!"

He Yuzhu was overjoyed: "Great, Uncle will wait to eat Nian'an's cooking."

That evening, Qin Huairu made perilla-stewed fish, using perilla that Ding Qiunan had planted—although it had just been planted and hadn't sprouted yet, she had dried some beforehand. The fish was stewed until tender, and the aroma of the perilla permeated the fish meat. Nian'an ate several pieces.

"Auntie, this perilla is delicious!"

"I'll make you some fresh perilla when the perilla my aunt planted grows."

"Pinky promise."

"Pinky promise."

After finishing their meal, He Yuzhu said goodbye. The family sat in the courtyard enjoying the cool air. The moon hadn't risen yet, but the stars had already appeared, each one bright and sparkling.

"Dad, are there people on the stars?" Nian'an asked.

"I don't know, maybe."

"Nian'an has grown up and wants to go see the world."

"Okay, when you grow up, Dad will go with you."

Nian An nodded in satisfaction, lay down on Chen Yu's lap, and fell asleep in no time.

Qin Huairu carried him into the house.

Chen Yu and Ding Qiunan were still sitting in the courtyard.

"Brother Chen," Ding Qiunan suddenly said, "Do you think we'll always be like this?"

"Do you want things to stay like this forever?"

Ding Qiunan thought for a moment and nodded: "I want to."

Chen Yu laughed: "Then it will always be like this."

Ding Qiunan looked at him, her eyes slightly moist, but a smile playing on her lips.

As night deepened, the two went back to their respective rooms.

In the east wing, Ding Qiunan lay on the bed, listening to the chirping of insects outside the window, and a sense of indescribable peace welled up in her heart.

She wanted to live like this forever.

Outside the window, the moon rose, cold and clear, but her heart was warm.