A pale line of white burst across the horizon. Before long, the whiteness spread outwards in hazy layers.
By virtue of that faint light, the land around them gradually became visible, though still dim and indistinct.
Lin Yue rose and crouched beside the pool to wash his face.
Gu Yun got up as well, wrapped in Lin Yue’s inner robe, and crouched beside him to wash his face too.
Cold vapour rose from the greenish pool. Grass grew thickly around it. No one drank from this water; the nearby villagers only came here to fetch water for household chores.
Neither of them drank it either. Gu Yun knew of a clean stream elsewhere. This place was merely for washing up.
Before this, Gu Yun had tried to get food from here, but the fish were too cunning. Even when he could clearly see them swimming beneath the surface, he could never catch one. Once, he had nearly fallen headfirst into the pool himself and become fish food instead.
He had once considered buying a fishing rod. Yet before he could grit his teeth, pawn his short padded jacket, and purchase one, he learned a devastating piece of news: the pool already had an owner.
It belonged to a nearby village. Passers-by were allowed to use the water, but fishing was forbidden.
The fish were being raised until winter, when everyone in the village would divide them amongst themselves.
Gu Yun had no choice but to abandon the idea. If he were caught, he would not only be beaten half to death, but likely driven over ten miles away, unable even to remain near what little counted as home.
The two quickly finished washing up. Gu Yun followed Lin Yue, trudging unevenly along the road into the county town.
It was not yet fully light. Gu Yun was already hungry. Opening the reed-leaf wrapping, he found the three flatbreads stacked neatly together. The half-eaten bean flour flatbread had an extra layer of reed leaf tucked inside it, perfectly separating it from the untouched breads.
Gu Yun handed the two sorghum flatbreads to Lin Yue, then happily took out his unfinished bean flour flatbread and started nibbling at it.
Steam billowed from the porridge stall. Lin Yue walked over and said to the owner, “Two bowls of porridge.”
“Right away, sir. Please sit!”
The moment Gu Yun heard that, he grew anxious. “One bowl, just one bowl…”
Lin Yue caught hold of his wrist.
Meeting Lin Yue’s calm gaze, Gu Yun’s voice gradually weakened until he fell silent altogether.
Lin Yue released him and repeated, “Two bowls.”
The porridge arrived quickly, exactly the same as the night before. Gu Yun sipped at his porridge in tiny mouthfuls. “Next time, don’t order one for me…”
Lin Yue said nothing.
Only after they had finished eating and left the stall did he finally speak.
“You’re my wife. If I eat, then you eat. Don’t argue about it. This is the third time already. If there’s a next time, don’t blame me for lecturing you. I’ve got hands and feet. I’ll always be able to earn enough money. I won’t let you starve to death beside me.”
Gu Yun tilted his face up to look at him.
Lin Yue said, “Do I need to repeat myself?”
Gu Yun hurriedly shook his head and guiltily agreed.
As for why he felt guilty, probably only he himself knew.
The place where Lin Yue worked was inside a narrow alley called Second Goat Alley. At the alley entrance stood a large tree beneath which a crowd of children ran about noisily.
Lin Yue told Gu Yun to play with the children before heading off to work himself.
