“God and goddess of the earth, protect my foster parents and make them successful,” she said. “Protect my mother, whom I’ve never seen, and my father, wherever he is. Dengmei is leaving, please guide my spirit.” She clearly heard the gods grunt in assent. She averted her eyes at the graveyard, and she did not have Renxiu in mind. Leaving the path, she stepped into the river and headed toward the deep pool.

  Suddenly, she heard shouts from behind her. She gave a start and waded on. The sliver of the moon was just in front of her, at her feet. The new moon seemed to waver in the corner of the sky. She was determined to head toward the dark sky. Behind her the shouts grew louder and louder, mixed with the sound of a shrill, scolding voice. Her mind was clear, and she knew that all she had to do was clench her teeth and jump with all her might toward the moon.

  In the end she was rescued. Apart from the Pengs, no one else knew about the incident. From then on Dengmei was kept locked in the bridal chamber.

  She was going to be married. Liu Ahan really did exist, and he wasn’t far off. He was young and good-looking. She had heard that he too was an orphan. There was nothing wrong with that; it was a perfect match. He was so handsome. And how could she, a young woman, steal looks at him and even think about the marriage bed? Her cheeks flushed and her heart leaped. She felt what could only be called a sweet feeling. Never in her life had she experienced anything like it. Suddenly the breeze felt cool, the sky high, and the earth broad; her surroundings were delightful. But how could such good fortune be hers? She was once again overcome with fear and despondency.

  The new house was completed in six days. Ahan helped Aling bring some furniture from Stone Walls. As soon as they came through the gate, they realized something was not right. The children were all out of sight and the main room was full of people. Xu Shihui, Xu Rixing, Su Ajin, Peng Aqiang, and his wife were all there, and apparently they were quarreling about something. A man was sitting motionless under a group of lu trees in the gully to the left of the house. They couldn’t make out his features, because the sun had already dropped behind the hills and everything was fairly dark, but his burly figure told them that it was probably Peng Renxing.

  “What’s the matter with Renxing?”

  “Go and ask him yourself.” Shunmei giggled mischievously.

  “Stop monkeying around and tell me,” said Aling, a bit cross. “Does it have something to do with young Azhi?”

  Aling motioned with his head to Ahan that they should go ask him. As soon as they had walked out the gate and taken a few steps, Renxing suddenly seemed aware of them. He waved at them, turned, and leaped down the gully through the long grass.

  “Hey, Renxing! Renxing!” But Renxing paid no heed and plowed on through the long, thick grass. The underbrush there consisted mainly of couch grass, long, swordlike leaves with serrated edges that easily cut a man’s exposed hands or feet. Renxing ignored the slashing leaves and charged on. He felt the tingling sensation from the leaves as they swept across his face and neck, followed by a searing pain. He seemed more like a wild boar, angry and desperate after being wounded. He wanted to yell and to laugh, but a huge weight pressed down on his chest. He could only charge through the grass and roll around in it until his misery passed.

  Had what happened between himself and Azhi been a crime? Was such a relationship prohibited because they were not married? Wasn’t it all the same? It was all the same, it was! The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He tried to dispel his worries with anger. True, he was bad. He had let his parents down; he had let his family down by doing something so disgraceful. How could he ever look anyone in the eye again? And Azhi? As soon as he thought of Azhi, his heart ached all the more. When word got out, how would Azhi cope?

  Was she all right? Had they tied her up? Azhi, that delightful girl. Her image was chiseled in his heart, every little detail was there, clear and precise. Her slim figure, her slender hands and feet, her fine skin so unlike that of a girl who labored in the sun and wind all year long. But her ruddy health seemed to shine through her delicate nature.

  The first time he saw her, she had her back to him. He found that lithe figure in coarse clothing pleasurable to look at. He broke out in a sweat unlike any he had experienced. His whole body trembled. It was precisely at that moment that she had turned around. Their eyes met instantly. He found hers beautiful and strong, filled with an untamed spirit.

  “Good morning,” he had said, thrown off guard.

  “Good morning. Your name is Renxing, isn’t it?” She actually said his name.

  “Yes, that’s me. What’s your name?”

  “Xu Zhimei, Azhi.” She laughed in that clear, sparkling way of hers. From that moment on, he was lost. He longed for her, painfully and in secret.

  It was easy for hearts to meet in the mountains. Gradually they fell in love, bitter and sweet. Sex between young people before marriage was considered immoral. Their meetings were soon discovered and they were forbidden to see each other, but all in vain. Soon the two families tried to arrange a marriage exchange, but they were unable to come to terms. Azhi and Renxing didn’t want to break off. She was scolded, beaten, and kept at home. Renxing was warned to keep his distance.

  That afternoon, what had been feared occurred. A violent storm had arisen and rain had fallen unabated for about an hour. The mountain streams swelled and flooded the low-lying fields that had recently been cultivated. No more work could be done that day, so most everyone had gone home in the rain. Renxing remained behind to keep an eye on the flooded fields. At about four, the storm ceased and the rain-washed vegetation glistened under the sun and the clear blue sky. Renxing was lying in the wet grass. He had removed his wet shirt, and the grass transmitted a cool, prickling sensation to his back. He suddenly felt a part of the earth, as if he too were planted there in the soil. That bundle of sensations known as Renxing had melted away into the chaos of nature.

  After that, everything was like a dream. In those days his dreams were his only source of pleasure. In them he always met Azhi. Face to face with her, he was always wooden and silent; he felt dull and stupid, unable to speak. Azhi said she understood him, understood his heart. That was enough. But he hated himself for his inability to talk. In dreams all his difficulties were resolved. He was fluent and bold, doing forbidden things.

  Azhi appeared once again in his dream. Her clothes were dry. She must have slipped out after the rain. She smiled at him fondly. He beckoned to her. After a moment of hesitation, she approached and gently pressed herself against his chest. Her movement was entirely natural because whenever they met these days, they would spontaneously move toward each other, but as soon as they touched they would step back, blushing furiously. This time, though, Azhi also seemed to be in a trance. It really was a dream—no wonder she pressed herself against him for such a long time. She was so warm and felt so good against him. I don’t have my shirt on, he thought in alarm.

  Oh no. One morning while Renjie and his wife were making potash, Renxing had seen them at their games on the ground in the open air. The sight was indelibly etched in his mind. At the time, he had moved away, then come back for another look. As he thought of that scene, his body trembled.

  “Don’t,” Azhi cried tenderly.

  “Azhi, will you marry me?” he said, his throat dry.

  “Yes.”

  “Now, Azhi, marry me now.”

  “Now? How can I marry you now?” He could not see her; how shy she had become. It wasn’t right that she was on top of him. How could a woman be on top of a man? It didn’t look right; his brother and her wife didn’t do it like that. Azhi turned and lay on the ground beside him, her eyes tightly shut, her face flushed the color of the setting sun. He was both confused and excited, very excited. Azhi seemed to be trying to stop him, but her voice was so weak. She couldn’t be heard above the raging mountain torrent.

  “Renxing, you …”

  “Azhi, it’s all right.”

  “Renxing.”

  “Azhi, I love you.”

  Suddenly the vegetation near them began to move; it was a strong wind, no doubt. It was not the wind. The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching, and there were curses and oaths. Stones began to fly; one hit his shoulder. Then the sticks began to fall on him. He did not defend himself. Heavy blows fell on his chest and back, but he did not defend himself. His only thought was to let them beat him to death.

  In the end, he was taken to Xu Shihui’s house. He was the “trophy” taken by the Xu brothers in their “hunt.” The old man was very calm; he put an end to his sons’ violent behavior and untied the ropes that bound Renxing. Xu then went in search of Xu Rixing and Su Ajin; they would then go together to the Pengs’ for a talk. Renxing had already decided to abide by whatever decision was reached.

  Out of necessity, the Xus and the Pengs now had to come to some sort of agreement. It was decided that Renxing would live with the Xus for two years and work for them. His two years of free labor would count as the bride price; after that, he and his wife would be allowed to return to the Pengs. At first Peng Aqiang held out, wishing instead to exchange Weimei for Azhi, but the Xus would not agree. Xu made it quite clear that he would not exchange his clever daughter for a half-wit, and that they would never admit an idiot into their home. They were all the more adamant because their second son’s wife was somewhat slow in the head. She had borne three sons and two daughters, but the third son was just like his mother. Also, under no circumstances would the Xus take Dengmei, because it was universally acknowledged that she had been responsible for Renxiu’s death. Moreover, Dengmei had already been promised to Ahan, who was to become the captain of the guard. There was no room for complications in that area.

  “My son Renxing can live in no man’s house except his father’s,” said Lanmei, her voice trembling.

  “Then what do you suggest?” There was no other way out. If an agreement could not be reached, Renxing would be driven out of the village, and that would be wrong too.

  “You are not being fair to your Azhi,” said Peng Aqiang.

  “For the sake of this shameless, impudent …” Xu Shihui’s anger flared again.

  “All right, all right! What is the point of everybody getting bent out of shape,” Xu Rixing intervened. “In any event, two years in a wife’s home never did anyone any harm. Renxing is as strong as an ox, and he can do a lot in two years. As for the Pengs, they will just be lending their ox for two years, and then they’ll get him back, leading a cow and perhaps a couple of calves. Ha, ha!”

  “Rest assured that I won’t keep the calves and they will not bear the surname Xu.”

  “Brother Aqiang, you’ll be much better off when that day comes.”

  Thus it was decided. But the Pengs were left in a serious position. How were they to make up for the loss of Renxing’s labor? There was only one way, and that was to have Ahan live in their house in the same capacity.

  “No, not that wretch. I won’t have him in my house.” Lanmei’s old grudges and new pains all surfaced at once.

  “I don’t think it’s such a good idea. He’s been a soldier, and they are all lazy. He can’t use a hoe or plant potatoes, can he?” said Renhua.

  “Renjie, you’re the oldest; what do you think?” asked Peng Aqiang.

  “It’s not a bad idea, but I don’t think he’ll agree.”

  “Not agree? We can persuade him,” said Peng Aqiang, smiling mysteriously. “But do we want him or not? Everyone must agree; otherwise, after he moves in there will be a fight for sure, and that would be disastrous.”

  “I agree, Father.” Renxing had been hiding in the corner not daring to make a sound. Now he took heart and offered his opinion.

  “You agree? This whole mess is your fault.”

  “Renxing, you wretch. If I had known this would happen, I would have strangled you at birth.”

  “Don’t put all the blame on Renxing,” said Renjie.

  “I must have done something wrong in my last life. How could such a hard fate have befallen me?” Lanmei could not control her tears. She had never been like that before; Renxiu’s death had changed her.

  “Ma,” said Renjie, gently rubbing his mother’s shoulder, “let Liu Ahan into our home. In a couple years, Renxing will be back with a wife. It will be fine; we’ll have another pair of hands.”

  Taking Ahan into their house was the only way. It wasn’t the best solution, but they had to accept it. They really didn’t want someone unrelated living in their home. Because of this, the seeds of discrimination and conflict were sown.

  “They really have got the better bargain.”

  “You can’t say that, we need the labor.”

  “There is also Ahan’s pay for being captain of the guard.”

  “On that count, old man, you must get his money,” said Lanmei, her eyes fixed on her husband.

  “Father, you seemed pretty confident just now. Do you think he will really be willing?” Renjie asked quietly.

  Peng Aqiang smiled again with that mysterious air. From his expression, everyone knew that Peng Aqiang knew where to hoe without even looking.

  It was decided that Aling would tell Ahan of the new arrangement. When the news was broken to him, Ahan seemed to be at a loss, but unexpectedly he nodded without even considering.

  “Don’t make up your mind so fast. Is it worth it? Three years …” Aling seemed to disapprove.

  “It’s okay.”

  “You know with this kind of marriage arrangement you’ll come out with nothing.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I haven’t got my eyes on anything the Pengs have.” He smiled wryly and said nothing more. Could he tell Aling the real reason? It wasn’t a very good one. Aling wouldn’t understand. Sometimes he didn’t understand himself. He knew that he was doing it all for Dengmei. In the last few days, his heart had been stirred by the swift glances they had by chance exchanged.

  That evening after dinner, when the night sky was bright with the moon, Aling asked Ahan to accompany him to catch shrimp in the mountain stream. The best nights for catching shrimp are those when the moon is bright, when the shrimp gather in large numbers among the stones in shallow waters. The men would use the stalk of a palm frond as a fishing pole, to which they would attach a small shrimp as bait. At the end they would tie another piece of palm frond with which to hook the tails. When a shrimp struggled with the bait, they’d give the pole a sharp jerk and catch themselves a large, jumping shrimp.

  Their catch that night had been small. Ahan wanted to go down to the lower pool to try his luck; Aling wasn’t interested, so he set off alone. As he was going down the stream, he saw someone get up from the washing stone. It was Dengmei. He knew her at a glance, but he didn’t know if she had seen him. As she bent down to pick up the large basket of laundry, he coughed softly so as not to frighten her. Dengmei paused, but she was not startled. She turned to look at him as she lifted the basket. Whether because the stone beneath her feet was slippery or because she had misjudged the weight of the basket, she slipped.

  Ahan immediately rushed forward to help her up, but Dengmei had already recovered her balance. She stood up and gave him a faint smile. In the moonlight, her smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. Again she turned to pick up the basket and leave.

  “Dengmei.” He had recovered from his momentary confusion and rashly addressed her by name.

  “Yes?” It was only after a suitable pause that she replied. She seemed about to say something but remained standing there silently.

  “Dengmei, I’m Liu Ahan.”

  “Yes.” Dengmei turned her head and a smile flickered on her lips once more.

  “May I carry your basket for you?”

  Dengmei’s eye grew round with surprise. She shook her head and briskly climbed the steps. At the top she turned and said, “Don’t go down to the deep pool, it’s unclean.”

  “Unclean” meant that it was haunted by ghosts and demons. Even in her confusion and nervousness, she was concerned about him. He forgot to reply and stood there for a long time.

  It was the first time that he and Dengmei had exchanged words. In his excitement he felt an inexplicable pleasure. His rough and impetuous heart had suddenly softened, but something bitter also roiled his stomach with a senseless anxiety. He had already made a decision that was impossible to change; that was why he had agreed to live with the Pengs.

  He had to go back to Tongluo as quickly as possible to find a senior clan member to act as “elder.” He set off without being entirely certain about what he had to do. When his grandmother was alive she had told him about his relatives, but all of that was a blur now.

  In recent years he had been determined not to set foot in Tongluo even if it lay on the route he was traveling, except to sweep the tombs of his father and grandmother on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month each year. Now he was on his way home to see the members of his clan, who were strangers to him, to ask them to do something no one would be willing to do.

  When he arrived in Tongluo he first prepared offerings of spirit money and incense at the graves of his grandmother and father.

  Ahan first addressed his father: “Father, Ahan has come to see you. To tell you that he is going to live in his bride’s house. Although it is a disgraceful thing, Dengmei is a good woman. In three years, after we are free to go, we will fetch the spirit tablets from Auntie’s house and make offerings to you and Grandmother.”

  Then he spoke to his grandmother: “Grandma, Ahan has grown up. Without Grandma there would be no Ahan today. Ahan is going to be married, but he will live in his bride’s house. Please forgive me. I am doing it for the sake of Dengmei, who is so vulnerable. She is a good woman, and you will like her. In three years….”

  After he had prayed he returned to his old home in Tongluo village. A family surnamed Qiu now lived in their old mud-and-thatch house. He asked where his aunt was living. The man told him that his aunt’s husband had recently died and had been buried just the day before. This being the case, Ahan dared not visit her. He went around to visit several Liu clan elders, who flatly refused his request. He knew that people looked down on men who went to live with their brides’ family. It was generally believed that such men were either lazy or physically deformed.