Perhaps the snow could smell the breath of spring, so it gradually reined in its magic and quietly retreated to its snowy homeland.
By the Lesser New Year in the twelfth lunar month, the snow in Baijia Village had mostly melted, leaving the ground dry and crisp. The many crisscrossing, winding little dirt paths stretched out in all directions, some long and some short.
The women were all busy at home, sweeping away dust inside and out, scrubbing tables, benches, and stools, and getting ready to welcome the New Year.
Uncle Fang had taken on a job a few days earlier, and early this morning he took his opera troupe to set up a stage and perform in Chenjiazhuang to the north. Although he was as tall and thin as a monkey, the moment he stepped onto the opera stage, he was a completely different person. Just as Fourth Master Liang said, his fine voice and boundless agility were special gifts bestowed by the heavens; otherwise, he could never have supported such a large family.
After breakfast, the nine Fang siblings—except for Jiu'er, who was playing alone in front of the door—were all busy with their chores.
Fang Yi and his four younger brothers were tidying up the backyard, which had been thoroughly ruined by the heavy snow and was now unrecognizable.
Fang Mei was soles shoes. Fang Lan was helping Auntie Li tidy up the house. Fang Ju sat by the door knitting a sweater while keeping an eye on Jiu'er, who was playing outside.
Just as everyone in the backyard was up to their ears in work, Fang Rong suddenly danced around and shouted, "Big—Brother! A rabbit! A rab—bit!"
Fang Yi hurriedly raised his head and looked in the direction Fang Rong was pointing. Sure enough, hidden in a clump of grass weighed down by snow was a huge, plump grey rabbit.
Fang Hua, clever and quick-witted, immediately dropped what he was doing and slipped into the house through the back door like an arrow. Before long, he came back holding Fang Yi's favorite slingshot, handed it to Fang Yi, and said, "Big Brother, here! Hurry up and hit it, I'm dying to eat meat!"
Fang Yi smiled, stroked Fang Hua's head, and said, "Alright, watch your big brother!"
Fang Yi picked up a sharp-edged little stone from the ground, placed it on the slingshot, closed one eye, and took aim at the rabbit in the grass, exerting force with both arms at the same time. With a "swish," the stone flew toward the rabbit. In an instant, the rabbit kicked its four legs frantically and breathed its last. A splash of bright red blood stained the white snow in the grass.
"We hit it! We're going to have meat!" Fang Rong, Fang Hua, Fang Fu, and Fang Gui cheered and rushed toward the rabbit. Fang Hua grabbed a plump rabbit leg and bolted home through the back door like a streak of smoke. He wanted to share this tremendously good news with his mother.
Auntie Li was washing pots and pans in the kitchen when she suddenly saw Fang Hua walk in with a fat rabbit, and she couldn't hide her joy. "Your big brother really has skills! You kids are in for a treat today."
Fang Mei, Fang Lan, and Fang Ju also rushed over at the sound, dancing around the warm carcass of the big rabbit on the ground.
The smell of meat hadn't been in the Fang family's stove for a very long time. Two years ago, Uncle Fang and Uncle Qiao had walked through the mountain roads at night and luckily carried back a little wild boar, which they had raised ever since without the heart to slaughter. According to Uncle Fang, he probably wouldn't be willing to kill it until the day they found Huizi. Therefore, although everyone knew there was such a large piece of ready meat in the house, no one dared to harbor any ideas about it, and moreover, every time they saw its two long white tusks, the thought of eating it vanished instantly.
To actually have rabbit meat for the Lesser New Year! Everyone's enthusiasm for their work instantly erupted in full force, and their speed was faster than if they were being chased by a whip.
Fang Yi held his slingshot and wandered around the backyard, hoping to find another rabbit. The four younger brothers, having finished their chores, also rummaged through the grass everywhere to launch a encirclement, hoping for new discoveries and harvests. However, they were not so lucky; there were no surprises in the other patches of grass.
Fang Yi suddenly looked up above the bamboo grove and heard many birds chirping inside, mostly the calls of sparrows. An idea struck him, and he picked up his slingshot and fired a wild volley toward the top of the bamboo grove. Soon, the bodies of sparrow after sparrow fell to the ground with pattering thuds. The four younger brothers rushed into the bamboo grove in a swarming crowd and happily collected their game.
Fang Yi shook the slingshot in his hand and smiled triumphantly: at least his effort hadn't been in vain. He remembered when he first started playing with the slingshot, he couldn't even hit an old hen on the threshing floor, but now he could handle the sparrows in the bamboo grove with ease.
At noon, Auntie Li cooked a sumptuous lunch. The rabbit meat alone filled two whole bowls—a large bowl saved for the children to eat, and a small bowl saved for Uncle Fang when he came back at night. As for the large porcelain basin of sparrow meat, she didn't have the heart to stir-fry it; she salted it with a handful of salt and saved it to eat slowly. Watching the children eating so happily at the dinner table, she secretly wiped away tears several times in the kitchen.
Just as the bowl of rabbit meat on the table was about to bottom out, Auntie Li suddenly thought of Uncle Qiao's family. She heard that Uncle Qiao had been very sick lately and might not make it through the New Year. She called Fang Yi, took the bowl of rabbit meat reserved for Uncle Fang out of the cupboard, left only a few pieces, and wrapped the rest in a clean piece of oiled paper, telling Fang Yi to deliver it to the Qiao family.
Holding the oiled paper package, Fang Yi walked briskly to Uncle Qiao's house. Uncle Qiao's three thatched-roof rooms were on the west side of Baijia Village, facing east, with a row of fences in front and various flowers and plants grown along the edges.
Uncle Qiao's daughter, Qiao Xue, was just walking back from the river carrying washed clothes. Seeing Fang Yi coming toward her house from afar, she put down her basket and washing paddle at the intersection and waited.
"Qiao Xue, is Uncle Qiao feeling any better? My mom asked me to bring this package of fresh rabbit meat for Uncle Qiao to try something new." Fang Yi came up close and smiled as he handed the oiled paper package in his hand to Qiao Xue. Who would have thought that as soon as Qiao Xue saw the oiled paper package, she would squat on the ground and burst into loud sobs.
Sensing that something was wrong, Fang Yi went straight into Qiao Xue's house. In the pitch-black bedroom, Auntie Liu sat alone by Uncle Qiao's bed, weeping and wiping her tears, crying like a drowned person.
After Fang Yi explained the purpose of his visit, Auntie Liu hurriedly thanked him, but she didn't accept the package of rabbit meat. Weeping, she said, "Your Uncle Qiao doesn't have the fortune to enjoy this. Your family has many people, so take it back and let your younger brothers and sisters eat it instead. With you having this filial heart, your Uncle Qiao is already comforted."
Fang Yi didn't speak. He turned around, walked into the main room, placed the package of rabbit meat on the table, and then hurried over to Qiao Xue's side. "Qiao Xue, stop crying! Things might not be as bad as you think." With that, he ran off without looking back.
Fang Yi ran in one breath to Fourth Master Liang's house and told him about Uncle Qiao's condition. Fourth Master Liang had caught a cold these past two days and was at home running a fever, but upon hearing that Uncle Qiao was so gravely ill, he threw caution to the wind. He climbed out of bed, dressed neatly, and went to the Qiao family home.
Fang Yi ran back home and told Auntie Li about the matter. Auntie Li let out a deep sigh and shook her head. Entrusting the household chores to Fang Mei, Fang Lan, and Fang Ju, she specially changed Fang Yi into a new outfit usually reserved for the New Year and brought him along to the Qiao house.
After entering and assessing the scene, Auntie Li pulled Fourth Master Liang aside and asked in a low voice, "Is there... still any hope for him?"
Fourth Master Liang didn't speak. He coughed fiercely a few times and shook his head hard. Looking at Fang Yi, he suddenly slapped his thigh and said, "Fang Yi, go quickly to Chenjiazhuang and tell your dad to pack up his gear and come right back, and say that Uncle Qiao is sinking fast."
Only then did Fang Yi realize that the situation was far more serious than he had imagined, and he began running at full tilt toward Chenjiazhuang, legs moving like wings.
Although Fang Yi was extremely reluctant to bring this bad news to Uncle Fang, he knew that Uncle Fang and Uncle Qiao were sworn brothers through life and death, their bond even tighter than that of biological siblings.
However, it was all too late! Just as Fang Yi was racing toward Chenjiazhuang, Uncle Qiao suddenly vomited blood unceasingly, staining his clothes and bedding, and shortly thereafter he passed away, without leaving a single word...
Auntie Liu and Qiao Xue cried in utter devastation. Under the eaves of the lonely thatched cottage, everything was icy cold.
Auntie Li felt worse than anyone, her tears flowing endlessly. Originally, she had planned to wait until Uncle Qiao recovered from his illness so that the Fang and Qiao families could seriously discuss the matter of the two children, but now, no matter how many words remained, there was no one left to tell them to.
Enduring his grief, Fourth Master Liang hurriedly reported the news of Uncle Qiao's death to the Village Chief, who hastily summoned several sturdy laborers from the village to help handle Uncle Qiao's funeral arrangements.
The sun set over the western mountains, and a dark flock of crows flew across the sky above Baijia Village, cawing raucously.