Street Stories: A True Account of a Group of Blind Men in the Underworld

Seeing Qiao Yang's anxious expression, the old lady covered her mouth and chuckled softly:

"Don't bother looking, I've already put it away. It's not leaving today, you guys are listening to me!"

Qiao Yang and Lin Hai had no choice but to stay. Not long after breakfast, they heard the crackling sound of fire burning in the stove in the main room, as well as the voices of the old lady and her daughter-in-law talking.

After a while, footsteps were heard outside. Then, the old lady's daughter, son-in-law, and two relatives came in, carrying some things in their hands.

"Mr. Qiao, Mr. Lin, please sit down!"

The son-in-law greeted them with a smile, placing the cloth bag he was carrying on the table. "This is some cured meat from home, and some dried goods too. Have a taste."

Qiao Yang quickly thanked him, but he was a little puzzled: Why did so many relatives suddenly come?

It wasn't until almost noon that the old lady smiled and revealed the reason:

"It's rare for you two to come here, and I was thinking, since it'll be December in a few days, why don't we celebrate the New Year early today, have a reunion dinner together, and have some fun!"

Qiao Yang and Lin Hai were both taken aback, then a warm feeling welled up in their hearts. In these days, being able to have a reunion dinner is already a great blessing, let alone celebrating the New Year in advance for the two outsiders.

Soon, the food was served. A square table was laden with dishes:

A large pot of braised pork with vermicelli, glistening with oil and emitting a fragrant aroma; a plate of stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, crisp and refreshing; a plate of scrambled eggs, golden and tempting; and a plate of mixed bean curd slices, sprinkled with chopped green onions, exuding a delicate fragrance.

The most unusual item was a plate of dried toads, all black, which Qiao Yang had never seen before.

In addition to rice, the main dishes also include steamed sticky rice balls filled with red bean paste, served piping hot.

"Here, you two try these dried toads!" The old lady placed a piece on each of Qiao Yang and Lin Hai's plates. "These are good stuff from the mountains. Soak them until soft and then stir-fry them; they're delicious!"

Qiao Yang took a bite, and sure enough, the meat was firm and had a unique aroma that became more and more fragrant the more he chewed.

At this moment, the son-in-law came over carrying several large bowls, filled them one by one with strong liquor, and the rich aroma of the liquor instantly filled the room.

"Mr. Qiao, Mr. Lin," the old lady raised her bowl, her voice strong and clear, "we're all family, so let's not stand on ceremony. This early New Year's dinner is a wish for us all to have peace and good fortune in the future! Drink this bowl!"

"This, this..." Qiao Yang was somewhat flustered. He wanted to decline, but he wasn't sure about his alcohol tolerance.

"No, everyone has to drink!" the old lady insisted. "Who doesn't drink during the New Year? Don't worry, this wine is mild; it won't get you drunk!"

Qiao Yang took the bowl. He estimated that it contained at least four ounces. Although he had drunk alcohol before, he had only taken small sips from a small cup and had never drunk from such a large bowl before.

Under the host's enthusiastic encouragement, Qiao Yang was also stirred with pride. He picked up the heavy bowl and said loudly:

"Okay! Thanks everyone! Wishing us all a great year ahead! Cheers!"

He tilted his head back and took a swig. The liquor was spicy yet sweet, burning down his throat and warming his whole body.

The atmosphere at the table was lively, with everyone exchanging auspicious greetings and chatting about everyday matters. The sounds of clinking bowls and chopsticks and laughter filled the air.

It was the first time Qiao Yang had drunk from such a large bowl. At first, he was careful to control himself, but later, under the encouragement of others and the enthusiastic atmosphere, he gradually let loose.

The alcohol had a long-lasting effect, striking hard and slow. By the time he felt dizzy and the world was spinning, it was too late.

He only remembered collapsing onto the kang table, the sound of everyone's laughter still echoing in his ears, his heart filled with warmth and joy by the overflowing affection.

This early New Year's Eve dinner was etched into Qiao Yang's memory. He knew what this meal, especially the rice and braised pork with vermicelli, meant in the Xinglong mountain area that winter of 1950.

That was a precious reserve that the family had probably saved for a long time, intending to use it only during the New Year. This sentiment is too heavy.

However, to Qiao Yang and Lin Hai's surprise, this touching moment was not over yet.

Before dawn, orange flames leaped from the stove in the main room, making the frost flowers on the window paper slightly damp.

The old lady and her daughter-in-law were busy making breakfast. Amid the crackling of the firewood, they could occasionally murmur a few words between the mother and daughter, whether they were talking about breakfast or pondering something else.

On the kang (heated brick bed) in the inner room, Qiao Yang and Lin Hai had already woken up. Last night, the two of them had heard the mother and son tidying up things in the main room, sometimes with the rustling of cloth bags and sometimes with the soft clinking of earthenware pots.

Qiao Yang quietly nudged Lin Hai's arm, his voice low:

"Brother Lin, listen to that noise, what are the old lady and her family up to?"

Lin Hai chuckled lightly: "Perhaps he knows we're eager to go home, and he's preparing something for us. Let's wait and see."

Breakfast consisted of flatbread, steamed sticky rice cakes with pickled radishes, and a pot of thick millet porridge.

The old lady served Qiao Yang and Lin Hai a bowl of porridge, then pushed the main dishes towards them, urging them repeatedly, "Eat more, you'll be warmer when you're full."

Qiao Yang put down his chopsticks and couldn't wait to bring up his plan to go home. Seeing that they were determined to leave, the old lady and her family did not try to persuade them to stay.

Just then, the old woman gave her son a wink, and the honest-looking man immediately brought over two bulging cloth bags. The old woman then said:

"Gentlemen, these are peanuts and hazelnuts that we harvested ourselves. There aren't many, but we'll take them back for the New Year so our families can have a taste."

Qiao Yang reached into the pocket next to his luggage. The bag was heavy, weighing at least twenty pounds.

His brows furrowed slowly, a bitter feeling welling up inside him. Lin Hai was the old lady's godson, and they had known each other for many years, their relationship like that of mother and son. Yet, this was only their first meeting; how could he accept such an expensive gift?

Qiao Yang pondered for a moment, then took out his wallet, pulled out a few bills, and handed them to the old lady.

"Grandpa, how could I accept this? These mountain produce are the result of your hard work; how could I take them for nothing?"

The old lady quickly pushed his hand away:

"No, no, Mr. Qiao, what are you doing?"

Qiao Yang insisted on paying, then suddenly had a bright idea and said:

"The Lunar New Year is just around the corner, and this money isn't for buying local produce; it's for Xiaobao's lucky money. You can't not let me do something for him, can you?"

The old lady and her daughter-in-law smiled at each other, and the daughter-in-law said softly:

"Mr. Qiao, now that we've become relatives, wouldn't it be too formal to accept your money? Let's keep in touch often; aren't we family now?"

Qiao Yang's hand froze in mid-air before slowly retracting. A warm feeling welled up inside him. How could this family be so kind? It seemed he had made the right choice in kinship; they were practically godparents!

After saying goodbye to the old lady and her family, the two of them carried their luggage and heavy mountain goods and slowly headed southwest.

On their first night, Qiao Yang and Lin Hai found an inn in Shimen Town, Zunhua County, to stay in. The room was drafty, and the two of them squeezed onto a kang (a heated brick bed), relying on each other's body heat to keep warm.

The next day, they arrived at Jixian town and found an inconspicuous little hotel to stay in for the time being.

The sky was eerily gloomy, and just as dawn was breaking, the heavy snow began to fall without warning. Within two hours, the roads outside the city were completely blocked by snow.

Lin Hai wanted to rush back to Beijing, but with this kind of weather, all long-distance buses had already stopped running.

Qiao Yang wanted to return to Baodi, but in such heavy snow, he could hardly move and couldn't even tell which way to go.

The two were extremely anxious, but there was nothing they could do but suppress their anxiety and wait quietly in the hotel.

The heavy snow that had raged for two days and one night finally stopped on the morning of the third day.

Qiao Yang and Lin Hai went to a breakfast stall on the street, intending to eat something first and ask if the long-distance bus to Beijing had resumed operation.

Qiao Yang had just sat down when his elbow accidentally brushed against a cold iron rod. His heart skipped a beat, and an overwhelming surge of joy welled up inside him—

Could it be him?