Get married? This was a question Hua Xiaomai had never even considered—it wasn't that she didn't want to marry, but rather she simply had no concept of it.
Admittedly, in this era, girls her age were generally putting marriage on their agenda. Some had matchmakers constantly stepping over their thresholds, while countless others hid at home, crying and fretting because they were not favored. For the girls from Fire Knife Village, getting engaged after reaching the age of marriage eligibility was nothing out of the ordinary, but for Hua Xiaomai, it was clearly a bit unrealistic.
A marriage of convenience, to live inexplicably with a man she did not know for a lifetime? Just the thought of it was more than she could accept. But how could she make Hua Erniang give up on this idea?
"What are you daydreaming about?" Hua Erniang, who was always impatient and unfiltered, pushed her unceremoniously after seeing her staring blankly for a long while without speaking. "While the water is still hot, hurry up and wash; after you wash, I'll apply the medicine. Don't say I didn't remind you—I don't care what you do, you need to gain some weight soon. Look at you! All skin and bones, so scrawny that whoever marries you will find you bony to the touch when lying in bed at night!"
Where is your decency? Hua Xiaomai glanced at her, almost not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
She was, after all, a maiden yet to be married. How could she so carelessly discuss marital matters?
"Ernie, you go out first, I'll be done very soon." Hua Xiaomai looked up, smiled a little at Hua Erniang, and sighed softly when she wasn't looking.
After the fifty-six pounds of winter bamboo shoots, dug up from outside the village were washed, steamed, and peeled, only a little more than forty pounds remained. Hua Xiaomai got two coins from Hua Erniang and went to the best soy sauce and paste shop in the village to buy several seasonings and also picked up a small jar of honey from the grocer's shop. On the day they started working, Guan Rong also came from her home to help. As soon as she entered, she apologized repeatedly, saying she was sorry for not being much help on the day they dug up the shoots, and asked Hua Xiaomai how much of the forty-plus pounds of bamboo shoots would remain after processing.
"At most about thirty pounds," Hua Xiaomai replied while sprawling on the ground and casually stuffing a few thin cypress branches into the blazing stove. "It is indeed a bit less, but it doesn't matter, this first time, we'll just take it as a test. If the people in the County like it, next time we'll make more."
Guan Rong nodded her head, crouched down to watch her work, and curiously pointed at the honey jar on the ground, "When my family made bamboo shoot paste the other day, we didn't add honey. Why are you using it today?"
Hua Xiaomai looked up and smiled at her, "This honey is mainly to improve the appearance. A thin layer makes the bamboo shoot paste more shiny and glossy, and also enhances the aftertaste. If it's just for family use, we don't need to be so particular."
Guan Rong uttered an "Oh," promptly rolled up her sleeves, "Then, Xiaomai sister, just tell me what I can do and I'll do it."
The two of them worked energetically all day, Hua Xiaomai managing the fire and seasoning, while Guan Rong helped brush the semi-dried bamboo shoot paste with honey. When Jing Taihe came back from the blacksmith's shop in the evening, hearing that the bamboo shoot paste needed to be tended all day and night, he graciously volunteered, along with Hua Erniang, to take over the night shift, allowing the two girls—especially Guan Rong—to go home and rest.
Actually, Hua Xiaomai barely slept all night, fretting that something might go wrong with the fire. Every hour, she had to get up to check the bamboo sticks on the fire or to adjust the wood in the stove.
In the quiet cold night, the scent of pine and cypress mixed with smoke wafted into the air as the wood in the stove crackled. In the bright flames, she saw the drowsy Hua Erniang leaning her arm on Jing Taihe's, resting her head on his shoulder, and in that moment, she suddenly felt very at peace.
Well, her standards for quality of life were really getting lower and lower, yet still, she felt happy.
...
After a day and night of hard work, they finally succeeded.
The finished bamboo shoot paste was slightly crispy on the surface, showing a light layer of soy sauce brown, and in the bright morning light, it looked shiny and glittering. The bamboo shoots had already been steamed before baking, and unable to restrain herself, Hua Erniang cut a slice and popped it into her mouth, exclaiming its goodness repeatedly and insisting on keeping two pounds for herself, claiming they would be perfect to use in ham soup during the New Year's celebration, surely resulting in unparalleled flavor.
Hua Xiaomai, having barely slept, was surprisingly energetic and did not want to delay any longer. She took a bamboo basket, carefully packed the bamboo shoot paste, layer by layer, separated by clean, coarse yellow paper, and along with Guan Rong, planned to take it to sell in the County that very day.