Horse-head Wall Reflects the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 37: Rice Wine Cakes and Wind Explains the Meaning of Summer Cloth and the Year of Color

"What are you going to do, ma'am?"

Looking at his fingers that were gradually turning brown, Guan Yin couldn't help but glance at the bucket of water that Liu Jiaoan had just brought in: "Madam, can you lend me a bucket of water to rinse my hands?"

"What's wrong with my husband?" Sanheng looked at the water that his wife had just brought in, and then looked at his husband who was standing next to him like a decoration. He didn't understand why the latter could have problems while eating.

Of course, this cannot be entirely blamed on Guan Yin.

It had been so long since I peeled a loquat that Guan Yin had forgotten that this sweet fruit could leave a mark on my hands that would take days to wear off. Now, when my fingers touched each other, they trembled, which was extremely uncomfortable.

Suddenly remembering something, Guan Yin couldn't respond to Sanheng's words before a laugh came out of his nose.

"Husband?" Sanheng was really worried that his husband had gone insane. Who would take care of his wife then?

What Guan Yin recalled was not very funny. It was just that when some students talked about loquats, they said they were not very tasty. The head teacher was worried that the fruit from the local market was not fresh and that the children might get upset.

After asking around, I found out that this matter could not be blamed on the local reception team: it was simply that a student took a bite of a loquat with the skin and flesh still attached while having a meal at the table, and if it didn't taste crunchy, that would be strange!
"I'm fine. I just peeled the skin and got it all over my hands. I wanted to ask Jiao An for some water to wash it off...if I'm late, it will get on my hands." Raising his hand to take a look, Guan Yin saw the orange-brown streak lingering on the nail of his little finger and sighed helplessly, "Forget it, it's too late. Don't worry."

The color had already fallen, but Guan Yin was no longer in a hurry. His eyes were only on Liu Jiaoan, curious about why the latter went out to fetch water.

"lady……"

Before Guan Yin had time to ask his question again, Liu Jiaoan, who came out of the kitchen, had already given the answer: "It is used to make fermented glutinous rice. Sanheng's fermented glutinous rice cakes are the most delicious. It's already summer, and the Dragon Boat Festival is not far away."

"What do you need me to do?"

"No need." Liu Jiaoan and Sanheng's voices sounded almost at the same time.

That's right, for Guan Yin now, as long as he doesn't cause trouble, it's already the biggest help!

"The weather is getting hot. I bought some cloth yesterday. I will sew some new clothes for my husband someday." Sanheng went into the kitchen to get busy. Liu Jiaoan walked to Guan Yin's side. "It's just that the color is not dyed evenly. Jiaoan will go to the mountain to collect some dyeing materials someday, dye the color more evenly, and then make clothes for my husband."

Guan Yin felt more and more like a useless person who was only good at eating and waiting to die in this family. Fortunately, Liu Jiaoan and Sanheng always seemed to be able to show unlimited tolerance towards him.

As he spoke, Liu Jiaoan motioned Guan Yin to follow him to a corner of the kitchen where sundries were piled up.

"If my husband doesn't like this color, I will..."

There are two pieces of cloth, one of which is lighter in color and much harder than the other. It is the original color that has not been bleached or dyed, while the other is blue which is easier to dye.

"It's okay, it's already good enough." Guan Yin was not picky. In this strange era, it was already difficult for him to be alive, not to mention that he could have a few clean clothes to change and be able to satisfy his daily food and clothing needs.

"Madam, you don't have to worry about my affairs all the time."

Guan Yin's words really showed her worry for a girl younger than herself, but she also knew that there was also some selfishness in her words - selfishness that if she confessed, or if the other party discovered her identity before she confessed, she would not feel so guilty and would not have to bear so many responsibilities that belonged to her original body. "It's not tiring. I originally needed to do these things too."

Without giving Guan Yin a chance to respond, Liu Jiaoan turned around and said to Sanheng in the kitchen, "Sanheng? Can you find the yeast I bought?"

"If you can't find it, just call me and I'll do it for you..."

"Madam, Sanheng can be found. Madam, please take a rest." Sanheng could not be said to be hardworking and willing to work, because the relationship between the three of them was not like that of master and servant, but more like a family. Most of what Sanheng did was done willingly.

The skill of making Sanheng's glutinous rice wine was taught by Liu Jiaoan herself. It was only because Sanheng's glutinous rice wine cakes were so good, but the proportion of glutinous rice wine was always not right.

Every time it was prepared, it either failed to ferment or tasted sour, almost covering up all the sweetness and original aroma of the rice.

Given that the farmer is not wealthy, the wine made in this way is indeed not worth the cost.

"Nowadays, Sanheng's fermented glutinous rice is much better than mine. Before May 13th, let's make fermented glutinous rice cakes first... Sanheng knows that I like to eat them." Although Guan Yin did not ask, Liu Jiaoan seemed to hope that the former could remember his hobbies. He never tired of talking to Guan Yin about the causes and consequences of many things and his own preferences.

This made Guan Yin doubt again and again: he wondered whether Liu Jiaoan already knew that she was not the original body.

But Guan Yin finally didn't break the news. The gap between the two people and the truth was not even as thick as window paper, but just a layer of transparent mist, but no one took the initiative to step forward.

"If you like loquats, I'll go buy some for you now... If I go there now, the market should not be over yet."

Guan Yin was not very fond of loquats, especially when he read in a book that the best loquats should be: single-seed, pure and sweet, and as big as a chicken egg. Guan Yin himself liked sour and sweet loquats, and he preferred them when they were half-cooked.

"No need, thank you ma'am." The loquats in this basket were all sweet. They must have been picked from the tree when they were fully ripe. Guan Yin didn't really like them.

It was only because a branch that grew over the wall that day attracted Guan Yin and was discovered by San Heng that the basket of loquats appeared in front of Guan Yin.

"Madam, you don't need to worry about loquats anymore."

"This fermented rice will be ready soon. If Madam wants to eat fermented rice cakes, she may need to buy some flour first." Guan Yin's parents occasionally make some fermented rice cakes. After all, it is a sweet food, and children always like to eat it. Guan Yin has watched it for a long time and still remembers that fermented rice is actually very fast... It only takes one or two days, but it must be in good weather.

"it is good."

Liu Jiaoan really had to go to the market to buy things. Sanheng was busy packing up the pots and pans. Guan Yin was finally able to sit alone in the room. While searching here and there, he was also recalling his communication with Cheng Heng not long ago.

I asked Cheng Heng not to interfere in other people's affairs when I used the koi, but am I interfering in Cheng Heng's own choices? Is this really a good thing? Have I been a teacher for so long that I have become a bit of a teacher in everything I do?

The loquat peels in the basket smelled like a mixture of rust and decay. Guan Yin stood up helplessly and said, "Sanheng, I'm going to go out for a walk."

(End of this chapter)