Black Gold 1983

Chapter 91

"If they bloom, I'll water them every day," Renye said.

Tian Sui'er stood up, patted the mud off her hands, leaned the small shovel against the wall, and then took the fish and vegetables from Ren Ye. "Let's go, let's cook."

On May 10th, Renye returned to Hongxing Mine. The new mine's inclined shaft had been dug nearly thirty meters, progressing faster than expected, and the coal seam was thicker than anticipated. Ma Tiejun stood beside the shaft entrance, holding a piece of newly mined coal, and handed it to Renye.

"Take a look at this piece."

Renye took it, weighed it in his hand, and then scratched the cross-section with his fingernail. The coal was shiny black, oily, and had a smooth cross-section, like a polished stone. "Good coal. Even better than the coal from West Second."

Ma Tiejun grinned. "I told you, there's something good down under those mountains to the north. Now we have another mine." Renye carefully put the piece of coal in his pocket. "Don't rush the progress, safety first. The support must keep up, and the roof must be secure."

Ma Tiejun nodded. "Uncle Dehou keeps an eye on things down in the mine every day, and he said there's no problem."

Renye stayed at the wellhead for three days, went down into the well several times, checked the tunnel support and ventilation, and talked with Ma Maocai about the production progress. When he was about to leave, Ma Dewang was waiting for him under the big locust tree at the village entrance and handed him a cloth bag containing freshly pickled vegetables and a few pieces of cured meat.

"This is for Sui'er." Ma Dewang handed him the cloth bag without saying anything more. Renye took it and put it in his canvas bag. "Uncle Dewang, thank you for your hard work at the mine." Ma Dewang waved his hand, turned around and left with his pipe in his mouth.

In late May, the provincial capital grew hot. The sunflowers under the windowsill of the rented room sprouted, tender green seedlings pushing their way out of the soil, crowding together like a group of children peeking out. Every morning, the first thing Tian Sui'er did was check on the seedlings, counting how many had grown, and then watering them. Ren Ye squatted beside her, watching her carefully water the tender shoots with a small spray bottle, her meticulous care even more attentive than when she was tending to the periwinkle. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling on her and gilding her silhouette with a warm glow. He watched for a while, then stood up and turned to light the stove.

In early June, Renye returned to Hongxing Mine again. This time, the inclined shaft of the new mine had reached a coal seam. When the workers brought up the first truckload of coal that had been knocked down from underground, Ma Tiejun stood by the shaft opening, forgetting to put down his shovel. The coal was shiny black, even better than the coking coal from Xier Mine.

Renye squatted beside the coal pile, picked up a piece, and examined it for a while. "Good coal. This coal can fetch 20% more at the market than the fine coal from Xi'er." Ma Tiejun put down his shovel and squatted down next to him. "Brother Ren, our coal is getting better and better."

Renye didn't say anything. He put the piece of coal back on the pile, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a puff. "Work hard, things will get better in the future."

On June 15th, Tian Sui'er submitted her graduation thesis. She had spent over a month writing a paper on mining literature, researching works depicting the lives of miners. Her advisor reviewed it, gave it an "Excellent," and asked if she wanted to pursue graduate studies. Tian Sui'er didn't immediately agree, saying she would consider it.

She told Renye the news while he was cooking. He was holding a spatula, and upon hearing her words, the spatula paused. "Graduate school? Continuing your studies?"

Tian Sui'er leaned against the kitchen doorframe, looking at him. "What do you think?"

Renye stirred the food in the pot, ladled it out, and placed it on the table. "Study if you want. Three years or five years, I'll wait for you."

Tian Sui'er didn't speak. She walked to the table, sat down, picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of food, chewed it twice, swallowed, and then put down her chopsticks. "I want to study. I want to take the entrance exam for graduate school at this university. I won't have to move or change locations."

Renye sat down opposite her and served himself a bowl of rice. "Then study. Whether you pass the exam or not, it's fine."

In July, Tian Sui'er began preparing for her postgraduate entrance exam. She went out early and returned late every day, spending the entire day in the library. Renye would prepare breakfast for her every morning so she could take it with her, and prepare dinner for her when she returned in the evening. Sometimes she would come home late, and Renye would keep the food warm on the stove while he sat by the window, looking out at the quiet alley.

A large patch of sunflowers bloomed under the windowsill, yellow, red, and orange, crowding together and shining brightly in the setting sun. The periwinkles were still blooming, pinkish-white, fewer than in spring, but still in bloom. The pansies were also vibrant, their purple petals swaying gently in the evening breeze.

Renye squatted under the windowsill, watering the flowers. He picked up the hose and carefully watered the base of each plant; water droplets fell on the leaves, shimmering in the afterglow of the setting sun. The sun shone on him, warm and comforting. He heard footsteps approaching from the alleyway, light and familiar.

Tian Sui'er appeared at the alley entrance and saw him squatting under the windowsill watering the flowers. She smiled and walked over. "Watering again? I already watered them today."

Renye stood up and patted the dirt off his hands. "Water it again, it's too hot."

Tian Sui'er walked up to him and took her schoolbag off her shoulder. The schoolbag was heavy, and she had to switch hands several times until her knuckles were white from the pressure. "How was your review today?"

"It's going well. I've done two practice tests for English and reviewed most of my major courses." She paused, then continued, "Renye, I've made up my mind. I want to apply for graduate school at this university; I'm not going to change schools."

Renye looked at her; the setting sun shone from behind her, casting her long, long shadow on the ground. "Then take the test. I'll stay here with you."

The provincial capital in August was as hot as a steamer. The leaves of the plane trees lining the alleys were wilted by the sun, drooping and motionless. The sunflowers under the windowsill were in full bloom, red, yellow, and orange flowers crowding together, looking vibrant under the blazing sun. The petals were slightly curled at the edges, but their colors only became more vivid. Renye watered them twice a day, morning and evening. The water droplets that fell on the petals were like tiny crystal beads, sparkling in the sunlight.

Tian Sui'er's postgraduate entrance exam preparation has entered its most intense stage. She leaves home at six o'clock every morning and doesn't return until ten o'clock at night. Ren Ye prepares a lunchbox for her so she can eat lunch at the library. When she returns in the evening, Ren Ye has already heated up the food, the dishes are fresh, and the soup is warm.

On August 15th, Tian Sui'er returned home earlier than usual. Ren Ye was cooking when he heard the door open and turned around. He saw her standing at the door with an indescribable expression on her face, as if she were happy but also nervous.

"What's wrong?" Renye put down the spatula and wiped his hands on his apron.

Tian Sui'er walked in, put her schoolbag on the table, took out a piece of paper from it, and handed it to him. Ren Ye took it; it was an admission notice. He looked at it once, then again—Master's degree in Chinese Literature from the Provincial University, specializing in modern and contemporary Chinese literature.

"You passed the exam?" Renye looked up.

Tian Sui'er nodded without speaking. Her eyes were red, her lips trembled slightly, she wanted to laugh but held back, and finally couldn't hold back her tears. Ren Ye placed the acceptance letter on the table, reached out and pulled her close, letting her lean on his shoulder. She cried for a while, her voice soft, but her shoulders were shaking.

"Why are you crying? Getting accepted is a good thing."

Tian Sui'er lifted her head from his shoulder and wiped away her tears. "I don't know, I just... I just wanted to cry."

Renye smiled, pressed her into a chair, and turned to serve rice. "Eat first, then you can cry."

Tian Sui'er sat at the table, watching him bring out the food, arranging it one dish at a time. She picked up her chopsticks, took a bite, chewed twice, swallowed, and then took another bite. She ate very quickly, as if she wanted to swallow all the tension and pressure of this period of time.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you." Renye sat down opposite her and picked up his bowl as well. "You'll be in graduate school for three years, take your time, no rush."

Tian Sui'er nodded, finished her rice, drank a bowl of soup, then put down the bowl, leaned back in her chair, and let out a long sigh. "Renye, I got into graduate school."

"Okay. I understand."

The two sat under the lamp, neither speaking. The periwinkles and pansies on the windowsill swayed gently in the breeze, their pink and purple petals nestled together, like two people sitting side by side.

In September, Tian Sui'er started her first year of graduate school. There weren't many classes, but the reading load was heavy. She had to read several books every week and write book reports. She would read every night when she got home, and Ren Ye wouldn't disturb her. He would do his own thing beside her, doing accounting, writing letters, and looking at blueprints. The two of them were busy with their own things, occasionally glancing at each other before looking down and continuing.

The sunflowers under the windowsill had passed their peak bloom and were beginning to wither. Petals fell one by one, carpeting the windowsill and the soil like a colorful carpet. Every morning, Tian Sui'er would sweep them up, collect the fallen petals, and bury them in the soil next to the flower roots. "Fallen petals are not heartless things, they turn into spring mud to nourish the flowers," she would recite as she squatted under the windowsill, burying the petals.

Renno squatted down next to her. "What do you mean?"

"Even when flowers wither and turn into soil, they become fertilizer for the next season's flowers. Their death is not in vain." Tian Sui'er patted the soil off her hands and stood up. "Just like those miners, they mined coal their whole lives, burying themselves in darkness, but lighting up other people's houses."

Renye didn't speak. He stood up, took a cigarette from his pocket, and put it in his mouth. He thought of Ren Shouyi, and the workers who went down into the mine at the West Second Mine, covered in coal soot every day, coming up covered in coal soot. They weren't flowers, but they were also burning themselves out.

In early October, Renye returned to Hongxing Mine. The new mine's production had stabilized, yielding over three thousand tons of coal each month. Ma Tiejun showed him the production report; the data was clear and even better than expected.

"Brother Ren, the coal quality here at the new mine is good, so there's no need to worry about sales. The steel mill in the provincial capital has added another 500 tons, but it's still not enough. They asked if we could produce more." Ma Tiejun stood beside the mine shaft, lit a cigarette, and took a puff.

Renye glanced at the report, then at the distant inclined shaft. "Stabilize production for now, don't increase it any further. Wait until the workers at the new mine are more skilled before considering increasing production."

Ma Tiejun nodded. "Okay, I'll do as you say."

In late October, Renye returned to the provincial capital. He pushed open the door to his rented room, where Tian Sui'er was writing something at the table. Hearing the door open, she looked up with a smile. "You're back? How's it going at the mine?"

"That's good. Production from the new mine is stable, and sales are good too." Renye put down his canvas bag, walked to the windowsill, and glanced at the two potted plants. The periwinkles were still blooming, pinkish-white, fewer than in summer, but still blooming. The pansies were also still vibrant, their purple petals trembling slightly in the autumn sunlight. The sunflowers under the windowsill had completely withered, leaving only dry stems swaying gently in the wind.

"The sunflowers have withered," Renye said.

Tian Sui'er put down her pen, walked to the windowsill, squatted down, and touched the withered stems. "It's good that they've withered. They'll grow back next spring." She looked up at Ren Ye, sunlight streaming in from the window, casting a pale golden glow on her face. "Just like those miners, generation after generation, new people go down, and new people come up."

Renye squatted beside her, the two of them crouching under the windowsill, looking at the withered sunflower stems, then looking up at the distant corner of the sky at the alley entrance—blue, high, with a few white clouds drifting slowly by. November arrived, and the provincial capital began to grow cold. Renye relit the stove, and the room warmed up again. The periwinkles and pansies on the windowsill were moved inside and placed on the windowsill. Every day when Tian Sui'er returned home, the first thing she did was check if the two potted plants had gotten cold.

In December, Tian Sui'er's first semester of graduate school was drawing to a close. She had written a paper on spatial narrative in mining area literature, which was very insightful. Her advisor was very satisfied with it and said she could submit it for publication. She printed out the paper and showed it to Ren Ye. Ren Ye sat on the edge of the bed, turning the pages slowly.

"This one is better than the previous ones." Renye handed the paper back to her. "Your description of the spaces miners live in underground mines, the tunnels, the working faces, and the rest chambers, feels incredibly realistic to me."

Tian Sui'er took it and smiled. "Because I've been down in the mine. Seeing those places made me realize how to write about them." She paused, looking down at the paper in her hand. "Renye, thank you. If you hadn't taken me down the mine, I wouldn't have been able to write this."

Renye didn't speak, holding a cigarette in his mouth without lighting it. It started snowing again outside the window, snowflakes drifting silently down onto the cobblestone path in the alley. The periwinkles on the windowsill swayed gently in the wind, a thin layer of snow covering their petals. The pinkish-white flowers and white snow blended together, indistinguishable from each other. Renye stood up, walked to the windowsill, and gently touched a snow-covered petal with his finger. The snowflake melted into a cool droplet on his fingertip.

On New Year's Day, it snowed again in the provincial capital. Renye opened the window, and a few snowflakes drifted in, landing on the windowsill and the petals of the periwinkle, then melting. Tian Sui'er was still in bed; she didn't have to get up early today, as the graduate students were on holiday, and she was enjoying a rare late sleep. Renye didn't wake her, quietly lighting the stove, boiling water, and taking the groceries he had bought yesterday out of the basket.