Chapter 21: Establishing the Farmers’ Association

Li Family Village.

Li Yi’s courtyard, along with those of his neighbors, was already filled with tables and benches; as the crowd grew, several more tables were set up along the muddy road outside.

Villagers from miles around drank hot tea, calling and laughing boisterously, the scene lively and bustling.

Smoke curled from kitchens all over Li Family Village; the women brought out dishes for the hungry villagers to eat.

All were poor folk, unconcerned with etiquette or ceremony. Noodle soup, cold jelly cakes, bread stewed with meat—all was brought out and eaten voraciously, resulting in many amusing mishaps.

As Li Yi entered the village, villagers hailed him loudly.

Now Li Yi was famous in Ganquan, and everyone wanted to be close to him.

But his thoughts were with Yun Niang. After exchanging a few polite words, he hurried home.

He searched twice, but found no trace of Yun Niang.

Asking Wang San Niang in the kitchen, he learned Yun Niang had gone to fetch water by the hillside well.

Li Yi climbed a small slope behind the house and followed a path for half a mile before he saw Yun Niang hurrying home with water.

The sunlight was bright, beads of sweat glistened on Yun Niang’s forehead, and she was slightly out of breath.

Just as she looked up, she saw Li Yi approaching slowly.

Her eyes reddened instantly.

“I’m back.”

Li Yi reached out, covering Yun Niang’s cheek, the warmth dispelling the chill.

Yun Niang shyly lowered her head.

“It’s good you’ve returned. I thought…”

She broke off, tears already welling in her eyes.

“You thought I wouldn’t come back, didn’t you?” Li Yi wiped away her tears, smiling. “We haven’t even shared a bed yet—I wouldn’t be willing to die.”

Yun Niang’s beautiful face blushed deeply, but her inner fear faded.

She looked at Li Yi bashfully, pinching her sleeve. “People are watching.”

Li Yi turned and saw several children peering from behind dry grass, craning their necks to watch.

Their faces were sallow and thin, dirty cheeks streaked with snot, wrapped in cotton coats so filthy their color could not be discerned, stuffing poking out of torn holes, never mended.

Li Yi walked over, taking a few copper coins from his pocket and placing them in the children’s hands.

“What are you doing here?”

One child, his hand covered in chilblains, pointed to the ditch by the roadside.

“There’s something over there.”

Li Yi smiled as he looked, but his pupils suddenly contracted, his hair stood on end, and the air around him pierced his heart.

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