novellhall Chapter 88
Chapter 88
"You did so well on the test, I'll reward you with a nice meal." Renye handed her back her report card, rolled up his sleeves, tied on an apron, and started chopping vegetables. His cooking skills were much better than when he first arrived; he could cut potato shreds of uniform thickness, and the dishes he cooked looked quite presentable. Tian Sui'er sat beside him watching him chop vegetables. Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating his profile and clearly showing his hand movements.
"Jinno, what do you want to do in the future?"
Renye's hands didn't stop; the shredded potatoes were cut into neat strips and arranged on the cutting board. "Open up the mines. Expand West Second Mine, open a few more new mines, and sell the coal to more places."
Tian Sui'er didn't speak, watching him chop vegetables. He put the shredded potatoes into the pan; with a sizzle, oil smoke rose, and the aroma filled the entire room. "And you? What do you want to do after graduation?"
Tian Sui'er thought for a moment. "I want to be a teacher. Or an editor. Anything related to words is fine."
"That's good." Renye flipped the dish over. "You'd be good at being a teacher."
Tian Sui'er stood up, walked to his side, and took the spatula from his hand. "I'll cook, you take a break." Ren Ye didn't argue with her, stepped aside, leaned against the table, and watched her cook. She stood in front of the stove, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing her fair arms. The spatula moved deftly in her hands, the vegetables sizzling in the pan, and the aroma became even stronger.
The two sat down to eat. It was a simple meal of two dishes and a soup, but they enjoyed it very much. It was already dark outside, but the warm yellow light from inside shone on their faces.
During the first month of the lunar calendar, Ren Ye took Tian Sui'er back to the Hongxing Mine. Li Yue'e knew they were coming back, so she prepared a huge feast early on: dumplings, braised pork, stewed fish—the table in the main room was so full that there wasn't even room to put a bowl. Ren Shouyi sat in a chair, holding an enamel mug, watching Tian Sui'er sitting at the table helping to serve the dishes. His lips twitched, as if he wanted to laugh but didn't, though the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes relaxed considerably.
Tian Sui'er stayed at Hongxing Mine for three days, visiting the West Second Mine entrance every day. She stood in front of the coal piles, watching the shiny black coal, observing the workers going down and up the mine, watching the winch turn, and hearing the rumbling of the coal washing plant's machines. Ma Xiaojun followed behind her, carrying Tiger Vanguard, enthusiastically describing the mine's situation. Tiger Vanguard squeaked twice, as if adding something.
"Brother Ye, when are you and Sister Sui'er getting married?" Ma Xiaojun blurted out, and as soon as he finished asking, Ma Tiejun slapped him on the back of the head, and he shrank his neck and ran behind the coal pile.
Tian Sui'er blushed slightly but didn't answer. Standing in front of the coal pile, the sunlight shone on her face, making it appear rosy. Ren Ye stood beside her, also without replying, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he gazed into the distance. The wind blew down from the mountain ridge, causing their clothes to flutter gently.
The Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, was spent by Ren Ye and Tian Sui'er in their rented apartment. He cooked a pot of glutinous rice balls with black sesame filling. The white, round balls floated in the pot like little moons. Tian Sui'er picked up a bowl, scooped one up, and took a bite. The black sesame filling gushed out, scalding her so much that she had to blow on it.
"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you." Renye took the glutinous rice ball from her hand, blew on it, and handed it back to her.
Tian Sui'er took it and took a small bite; this time it wasn't too hot. She lowered her head to eat the glutinous rice ball, and Ren Ye watched her profile as she looked down, the flames from the stove casting a golden-red glow on her features. Fireworks rose outside the window, exploding in the night sky, one after another, red, green, and yellow, illuminating the sky moment by moment.
"Jinye, do you think we'll always be like this?"
Renye thought for a moment, then put the bowl down. "I will."
Tian Sui'er didn't say anything. She ate the last glutinous rice ball in her bowl, drank the soup clean, and put the bowl down. The fireworks outside the window were still going off, crackling and popping like firecrackers during the New Year. She turned her head and leaned on Ren Ye's shoulder, watching the fireworks outside the window.
February arrived, and school started. Tian Sui'er had more classes than last semester, leaving early and returning late every day, but she still came to the rented room one day a week without fail. Ren Ye's cooking skills had improved again; he had learned to make braised pork. Although the caramelization was still not very even, sometimes too sweet and sometimes too bitter, Tian Sui'er always praised how delicious it was.
In early March, Renye returned to Hongxing Mine. This time, Ma Tiejun told him some good news—the provincial highway had been extended to the entrance of the mine, and the West No. 2 mine shaft was only three miles away from the newly built highway. From now on, coal trucks would no longer have to take that bumpy dirt road.
"That's good." Renye squatted down next to the well and lit a cigarette. "With the road open, the sales channels will be even wider."
Ma Tiejun nodded and squatted down as well, the two of them squatting side by side, watching the winch turn. "Brother Ren, how's it going in the provincial capital? Is Sui'er doing well with her studies?"
"Great. Top ten in the grade."
Ma Tiejun grinned. "You've got potential. When are you two getting married?"
Renye took the cigarette from his lips and flicked off the ash. "Let's wait until she graduates."
In late March, Renye received a letter. The envelope was from the provincial steel plant. When he opened it, he saw that it was from Section Chief Zhao, who said that the province was going to build a new railway branch line to a new industrial area north of the provincial capital. The coal from the West No. 2 mining area was within the transportation radius, and the cost of transporting coal would be reduced by 30%. He asked if Renye wanted to sign a long-term supply agreement.
Renye read the letter twice, put it away, and dialed the factory's number. "Section Chief Zhao, I'll sign the agreement. I'll come to the factory next week to discuss the specific terms."
After hanging up the phone, he squatted down at the door of his rented room and lit the cigarette he was holding. The sunlight was bright, shining into the alley and making the ivy climbing the walls appear lush and green. Another periwinkle on the windowsill had bloomed, a small, pinkish-white flower trembling in the sunlight. Tian Sui'er walked in from the alley entrance with her schoolbag on her back, saw him squatting at the door, and hurried over.
"What's wrong? Why are you squatting here?"
Renye stood up and dusted off his pants. "Good news. The province is building a railway, so our coal can be sold to even more distant places."
Tian Sui'er looked at him, her eyes lighting up. She put down her schoolbag, took out an envelope, and handed it to him. "I have some good news too."
Renye took it and opened it; inside was a piece of paper—an acceptance letter for the school newspaper. Tian Suier had been hired by the school newspaper's editorial department; starting next month, she would be an editor.
Renye read the notice twice, folded it, and handed it back to her. "I told you, you're suited for anything involving words."
Tian Sui'er smiled, a smile more beautiful than the periwinkles on the windowsill. She slung her schoolbag over her shoulder, pushed open the door to the rented room, and went inside. Ren Ye followed behind, closing the door behind him. The kettle on the stove had just boiled, the lid hissing from the steam. The periwinkles on the windowsill swayed gently in the breeze, a leaf falling onto the windowsill, quiet and still, like a sleeping heart.
In April, spring arrived in the provincial capital. The ivy along the alleyways sprouted new leaves, tender and green, swaying gently in the breeze. The periwinkles on the windowsills bloomed even more profusely, one after another, pink and white, crowding together like a group of chattering little girls.
When Tian Sui'er returned from school, her schoolbag contained an extra stack of manuscripts. The work for the school newspaper was busier than she had imagined; she had to review, revise, and format manuscripts every week, sometimes not returning home until after 10 p.m. Ren Ye had left food for her, which was warming on the stove. When she opened the door, the aroma of the food wafted towards her.
"I revised a piece about mines today." Tian Sui'er put her schoolbag on the table, picked up her rice bowl, and put a piece of food into her mouth. "It was written by a student. His hometown is also in the mining area. It's about his father going down the mine. It's really well written."
Renno sat down opposite her. "What are you writing?"
"It describes how his father went down into the mine every day, and when he came up, he was covered in black soot, except for his white eyes. It describes how, when he was a child, he thought his father went to dig coal, but when he grew up, he realized that his father was risking his life for money." Tian Sui'er put down her chopsticks. "When I read the end, my eyes were red."
Renye didn't speak. He took a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth, but didn't light it. He remembered what Ren Shouyi looked like when he was young. Every time he came up from the mine, he was covered in coal soot, his face was black, only his eyes were bright. At that time, he thought his father was the most amazing person in the world, who knew everything and could do anything.
"Renye, do you think those miners know what they're doing? Do they know how dangerous it is for them to go down the mine every day?" Tian Sui'er's voice was soft.
Renye took the cigarette from his lips and squeezed it in his hand. "I know. I know everything. But there's nothing I can do. As long as there's work to do down the mine, there's food to eat at home."
Tian Sui'er was silent for a while, then finished her rice and put the bowl down. "When I graduate, I want to write a book. I want to write about the miners, their lives, their joys and sorrows."
Renye looked at her; the sunlight streaming through the window illuminated her face, revealing her expression clearly. "Write. I'll be your first reader."
Tian Sui'er smiled and stood up to clear the dishes. Ren Ye took the dishes from her and told her to go and rest, while he washed the dishes himself.
In early May, Renye returned to Hongxing Mine. Construction had begun on the provincial railway branch line, which would pass through the north of the mining area, less than five miles from the West Second Mine entrance. Ma Tiejun had taken the workers to see it, and they returned beaming with excitement. "Brother Ren, once the railway is finished, our coal can be loaded directly onto trains and sold to other provinces."
Renye squatted down beside the well and lit a cigarette. "With the road open, sales will be much wider. Before the end of the year, let's increase production again and try to double it next year."
Ma Tiejun nodded and squatted down as well. "Maocai is doing a good job too. The new working face has advanced another fifty meters, and the coal quality is still as good as ever."
Renye glanced into the distance. Ma Maocai was leading several workers down the mine, wearing safety helmets and carrying miner's lamps, his back ramrod straight. He watched for a moment, then stubbed out his cigarette. "Tell Brother Maocai, you've worked hard."
Ma Tiejun stood up and dusted off his pants. "Tell him yourself."
In mid-May, Tian Sui'er's article was published in the school newspaper. It was about the mining area, not about one person, but about a group. The title was "Eight Hundred Meters Down the Mine," and it described the miners going down and coming up from the mine every day, working, eating, and sleeping in the dark, and how they came up covered in coal soot, with only their eyes shining through.
Renye read the article in his rented room. Tian Suier brought back the school newspaper, turned to that page, and handed it to him. He sat on the edge of the bed and read it slowly, page by page. When he read the line, "Everyone is a lamp, shining brightly and never going out, eight hundred meters underground," he stopped and took the cigarette out of his mouth.
"Well written," he said.
Tian Sui'er stood by the windowsill, holding a periwinkle leaf in her hand, gently twirling it between her fingers. "Really?"
"Really. Much better than what those experts wrote."
Tian Sui'er smiled, put the leaf back in the flowerpot, and sat down next to Ren Ye. "Ren Ye, after I graduate, will you really write a book?"
"Okay." Renye folded the school newspaper and placed it on the table. "I'll clear out a room for you to use as a study, put a big table by the window so it's well lit. When you're tired of writing during the day, you can look at the trees outside the window, and when you're tired of writing at night, you can look up at the moon."
Tian Sui'er didn't speak, but rested her head on his shoulder. The periwinkle on the windowsill swayed gently in the wind, and a small pink and white flower fell down and floated on the windowsill, quiet and still, like a sentence that hadn't been finished.
In June, the weather got hot. The stove in the rented room was turned off, the windows were open all day, and the wind blew in from the alley entrance, carrying the unique scent of summer, warm and cozy, mixed with the shouts of watermelon vendors on the street. Tian Sui'er got high marks again in her final exams, and her work for the school newspaper was getting better and better. Several newspapers had already written to her, asking if she would be interested in doing an internship after graduation.
Renye read through all the letters one by one and carefully put them away for her. "These newspapers are all pretty good; you can try them out after you graduate."
Tian Sui'er lay on the table, chin resting on her arm, looking out the window. "No rush, there's still a year."
In July, Renye returned to Hongxing Mine again. This time, Ma Dewang told him some news—Shigou Village would soon have running water. The county's water conservancy project had pipelines passing by the West Second Mine entrance, and Ma Dewang had negotiated with the county to have the pipelines connected to the village, so every household could have running water.
"Good news." Renye squatted in Ma Dewang's yard, lit a cigarette, and said, "The village has been drinking well water for many years, and finally we can drink tap water."
Ma Dewang, with a pipe dangling from his lips, squinted. "It's all thanks to the mine. If the mine hadn't been profitable, and the village hadn't had the money to build roads and get water, the county wouldn't have given us priority."
Renye didn't speak, holding a cigarette in his mouth as he looked at the locust tree in the yard. The locust flowers were in full bloom, clusters of white blossoms swaying gently in the wind, their sweet fragrance filling the entire yard.
In August, Tian Sui'er started her summer vacation. She didn't return to Hongxing Mine but stayed in the provincial capital, helping out at the school newspaper's editorial department. Ren Ye would go to the market to buy groceries during the day, cook dinner, and pick her up from get off work at the editorial department in the evening. Their lives were simple but fulfilling.
On August 15th, Renye received a call from Ma Tiejun in his rented room. "Brother Ren, something's happened at Xi'er Mine. It's not the mine itself, it's our coal—the provincial steel mill called, saying our coal is of good quality and they want to sign a five-year contract with us. Five years!"