Beansprouts and Chickens

The chickens were squawking noisily as they pecked busily at the ground, and the morning sun came filtering through the holes in the thatched hut's roof, giving the chickens golden spots and stripes. Nearby, a small group of women sat on stools, plucking beansprouts. Their hands flashed, occasionally flinging something for the chickens to fight over. Granny Hong's head, grayer and more stooped than the rest, could be seen among them. An observant passerby could tell that they were not just plucking beansprouts and feeding chickens, but gossiping as fast as they worked. From the quick glances one or two of them would keep shooting towards the hut next to them, it was clear that they were talking about the occupants.

"I am so happy for Physician Xu," declared Madame Liang. She was a brisk, thin woman with good features and a sharp, penetrating gaze. Dressed simply in a coarse blue tunic, she had her hair bound back in a handkerchief, and her sleeves rolled up, yet she still gave off an aura of confidence which made her hard to forget in any group she was in. Outspoken and shrewd, she had a skilled hand at making wine and delivering babies; but she loved her share of gossip as much as any other.

"He's a good man. But him living on his own like that, really makes one pity him. He ought to have married sooner." She shook her head decidedly. "I've been telling him so for the last two years but he just smiles and says nothing. Who would have thought that he'd find a wife for himself."

"He's a sly one after all!" giggled Huajun. A tall, large-boned girl with a red birthmark staining one side of her face, she was rather slow and on the simple side, yet an excellent cook who knew how to cook almost any sort of plant or meat known. Her mother had a hard time marrying her off because of the birthmark, and often complained loudly to people about her unmarried daughter, but Huajun lived happily, easily pleased by snacks and trinkets, or compliments on her cooking. "How did they meet, though?"

The others shrugged. "We'll have to ask her herself when we next see her. If she's not too proud to talk to us, that is." Madame Zheng said dryly. She plucked the shrivelled tail off a beansprout and tossed it to a black rooster nearby. When she was younger she had been decidedly pretty; but as she had married and the years had gone by the ripe bloom of her prettiness had faded rapidly and left her a pale, slight woman with large, heavy-lidded eyes, and a bitter line to her mouth. She seldom spoke, but her low, slightly husky voice often bore a trace of unexplained malice.

"She's not the arrogant sort," Granny Hong said quickly. "I saw her speaking with Madame Zhao.

She spoke most politely and graciously. A gentle soul, I felt. But such a strange one at times. She's like a child, somehow. There are so many things she doesn't seem to know. And yet she doesn't seem like a simpleton." Granny Hong said thoughtfully.

"Did you hear? Madame Zhao said she bit through the lip paper and chewed it, she didn't know how to use it." Huajun giggled. "She said her teeth were all stained pink!"

Madame Liang snorted with laughter. "Really! Well, that's something I never would have expected. She must be strange indeed. Which women wouldn't have heard of lip paper?"

Yuanzheng came out of their home, swinging his axe over his shoulder. As he passed by the group of women he darted an amused look at their engrossed expressions.

"Anyway, he's terribly in love with her," added Granny Hong confidentially. She chuckled.

"Really!" exclaimed the others. "Now, why do you say that?" They inched their stools closer, the better to hear.

Yuanzheng groaned. "Mother!" he hissed. Granny Hong shot him an unrepentant look. "Is he not?" she demanded. Speechless, Yuanzheng held up his hands helplessly. Granny Hong sniffed and comfortably continued her gossip.

"I saw the way he looked at her," she sighed. "Ah, he watched her as if a smile on her face would turn the world to gold, and a frown would bring winter! And he took her hand, so gently. Do you know what he said about her?"

"What?" they chorused.

Granny Hong clasped her hands dreamily. "He said: she is as good as she is beautiful. From the first moment I met her, I lost my heart to her."

There was a collective sigh as the women nodded wistfully. "Ah, young love!"

"So she is beautiful?" demanded Madame Liang eagerly.

"Oh, yes indeed. One of the most beautiful faces I've seen in my life." Granny Hong waved her hand. "Such fair skin--flawless! Such luminous eyes, and such a graceful figure. In fact, I'm sure she can't be from around here, we would have known about her before. Looking at her, you would think she must be some distinguished family's precious daughter. But Physician Xu said she grew up on the mountains--she's an orphan. Perhaps her parents were genteel folks, but reduced through some misfortune. She certainly has an air that sets her apart. Strange though she might be sometimes, she's harmless as a kitten, I give you that."

Unaware that Qingqing, if she had been there, would have considered this the best joke of the century, Granny Hong smiled and shook her head. "I feel my heart go out to her, as if there is some connection between us. Perhaps because she's just another poor parentless child."

"Good morning, Physician Xu!" Yuanzheng's voice rang out.

All four women rapidly abandoned their beansprouts and looked eagerly at the hut, only to realize they had been tricked. They turned to glare at Yuanzheng. "You think it's funny, young man?" Madame Liang threw a beansprout at him. "Get along with you."

He flashed a mischievous smile and ducked.

Ruffled, Madame Liang rolled her eyes. "That boy of yours, Granny Hong."

"Good morning, ladies."

With a start, they turned round to see Xuxian appear at the door of the hut.

"Ah, Physician Xu!" they cried eagerly. "Good morning!" Four pairs of eyes looked around intently, but there was no sight of Suzhen.

"Did you sleep well?" added Madame Liang slyly, and they stifled their laughter.

Xuxian smiled shyly and turned towards the garden, where he busied himself filling a pail of water.

The beansprout pluckers stole glances at him and whispered to each other, smiling broadly.

The window shutters opened and a face appeared. "Xuxian," a voice called sweetly.

All four abandoned the beansprouts again to try and catch a glimpse of the physician's wife. Against the background of the wisteria blossoms they caught sight of her profile, and the smile on her lips as she leaned out of the window.

"She has a sweet smile," admitted Madame Liang guardedly. "And flawless skin--you were right, Granny Hong," sighed Huajun wistfully.

There was a brief silence as they watched Xuxian come over and spare a hand to reach out and caress her cheek. "I'm just fetching some water. Get dressed, Susu. I'll get out breakfast."

She hung out of the window and closed her eyes, enjoying the sunlight on her face. "How sweet the wisteria smells!"

"I can't imagine you're finally here to smell it with me," murmured Xuxian, watching her fondly. He smiled. "Hurry now. I want to take you around the town after breakfast."

Madame Zheng turned away abruptly and went back to plucking beansprouts without a word. Her lips were folded firmly. "Such a peerless beauty will be causing trouble in our village before long, just wait and see," she muttered under her breath. "Harmless? I think not."