Chapter 7: What She Didn’t Know
After finishing the flower cake, Yan Nuo opened another bottle of fresh beer for himself. Sated and content, he sat under the sunshade on the terrace, strumming his acoustic guitar.
He was self-taught; even before reading sheet music, he had intuitively mastered certain chords. Deeply engrossed, perhaps fueled by alcohol, he only realized the homeowner had returned when Jiang Muhe drove the car into the garage.
“Why have you come back, elder brother? Did you miss your flight?” Yan Nuo asked in Dai.
Jiang Muhe replied in Dai, “Something came up in Beijing; they can’t make it, so I’m not going either.”
“What kind of matter is it? Is it serious?” Yan Nuo asked.
Jiang Muhe shook his head without saying a word.
Yan Nuo sighed with regret, “It took so long to finally reach an understanding. My eldest uncle and aunt have been looking forward to celebrating the Water Splashing Festival together for years, and now it’s all ruined again!”
He carried the wooden guitar back inside, muttering as he headed downstairs, “How come even your personal trip back home went so smoothly? Did your terrible temper upset your father again?” He spoke this sentence in Chinese, his Mandarin slightly accented.
Jiang Muhe leaned back in the rattan chair, hands behind his head, eyes closed, his mind replaying over and over the words his father had said on the phone:
“Come back when you’ve figured it out.”
He couldn’t figure it out. He hadn’t done anything wrong, nor had he let anyone down. Yet his own father—that stubborn old man—still valued his career above all else, just as before, while family bonds meant nothing to him.
He pinched the bridge of his nose hard, pushing thoughts of Beijing aside, and asked Yan Nuo, “Those three who just arrived—what started their argument?”
“I don’t know. How did you know there were three people?”
“By checking the surveillance footage.”
Yan Nuo looked up at the security camera mounted on the corner of the eaves, chuckled, and said, “That’s right! If you’ve already seen the footage, why are you still asking me?”
“The audio on my phone wasn’t clear.”
Yan Nuo muttered to himself, “That woman is so fierce! I’d heard early on that the female party secretary of Manle Village was beautiful; I thought she’d be a gentle and pretty Dai girl, but never expected her to be a tigress!”
He burst into laughter immediately after.
Jiang Muhe sprang nimbly from the rattan chair, hunched his back, crossed his arms, and raised his eyebrows as he looked at Yan Nuo, deep forehead wrinkles appearing.
“What?” Yan Nuo knew that expression boded no good.
“It’s time to water the flower beds,” Jiang Muhe reminded.
Yan Nuo pouted; this was clearly a hint for him to leave. Although he hadn’t stayed long enough, the place was so refreshing and delightful that who could bear to depart?
However, he was extremely obedient to Jiang Muhe, following his every word and command, especially after being thoroughly beaten by him that year. Back then, he was a local hooligan who neglected his studies at a young age, brandished knives and guns, glorified violence, and became a major menace to the surrounding towns and villages. Later, when Jiang Muhe arrived, he provoked him without cause, showing off an Achang knife in front of him, only to be beaten into the hospital by Jiang Muhe with bare hands.
After years of living together, he had come to regard Jiang Muhe as an elder brother. Moreover, the idea of planting roses on the hillside behind the village had originally been Jiang Muhe’s. Besides being sold as fresh flowers, the roses also supplied ingredients for “Yan Shi,” a Yunnan cuisine restaurant owned by their respected elder. Nowadays, the rose flower cakes sold in the shop have become a nationwide sensation; thanks to their exquisite packaging and the prominent “reduced sugar” label, they are even more popular than several established brands.
After Yan Nuo left, Jiang Muhe took a dozen cans of draft beer from the refrigerator. The weather was sweltering, and his linen clothes were already soaked through with sweat. Deciding to change, he went back inside, removed the damp outfit, and slipped into a lighter longyi skirt and Burmese sandals—a gift from a friend who did business in Myanmar.
Unlike the tighter sarongs worn by women, the men’s longyi is looser and simpler: one just steps into it and ties a knot at the waist to wear it. Jiang Muhe loved its silky texture and ethnic patterns; it felt gentle against the skin and kept him cool. Wearing it made him feel as though he truly belonged among the Dai people.
Bare-chested under a sun umbrella, he poured the draft beer bottle by bottle into crystal glasses and drank them one after another.
In Xishuangbanna, no gathering is complete without wine; Jinghong boasts countless taverns offering fresh beer in a myriad of flavors—jasmine, mung bean paste, and milk. Occasionally, Jiang Muhe tears rushan (milk fan) into shards and sprinkles them atop the beer foam before drinking, a habit Yan En had taught him while alive. Paired with a dish of tossed pine shoots, it becomes utterly perfect.
Sunlight kissed his back into a soft pink hue, the contours of his muscles and bones resembling rugged, undulating mountains—a testament forged by time.
Without over a decade of military service and the self-discipline he maintained after retirement, such a captivating physique would never have been possible.
His phone replayed the chaotic scenes from before his arrival; still, he couldn’t make out why those two had started arguing. Moreover, he found himself increasingly bewildered by his own thoughts, unable to stop pondering everything that had transpired in the rainforest that day.
For instance, why did this woman named Liang Youyun lose control and unleash a torrent of righteous indignation at him, scolding him so fiercely yet endearingly? And then again, why did she end up sobbing on his back?
This was something she didn’t know.
She cried in her sleep, murmuring through her tears: “Mom, is dinner ready?… Mom, I miss you… Mom, why didn’t you come pick me up?… Mom…”
She clung tightly around his neck, calling out “Mom” countless times that night.
Though he didn’t know what had happened, Jiang Muhe inexplicably felt that she carried heavy burdens in her heart—exhausted, lost, very much like himself at this moment, trapped between a rock and a hard place.
He loved watching her when she argued, like a sharp blade that wouldn’t rest until it had drawn blood from her opponent; her spirit and energy brimmed with vitality.
Had she quarreled with Zhang He for his sake?
Yet right after the argument, she burst into tears, her sobs echoing along the deserted country path.
Stubborn yet tender.
Kind-hearted people are often like this: they feel they are not good enough and reflect on what exactly went wrong.
What a contradictory woman.
What was he to do? She had sent ripples across the still surface of his heart, ring upon interlocking ring, stirring up tiny waves that swirled into a vortex.
Liang Youyun shivered.
Good heavens, that was terrifying! Thank goodness no one had followed her. In truth, she was easily frightened; much of her boldness was merely a bluff. Though willing to stand up for others, once she did, she couldn’t help but wonder if she would face retaliation.
Just as she was about to leave Mannuan Village, Zhang He’s little red Polo turned back, weaving through the lush greenery like a flickering flame. It pulled up close to her and came to an abrupt halt. Without turning off the engine, Zhang He jumped out in a fluster, his face clouded with distress as he called her name.
Liang Youyun pretended not to see or hear him, striding forward with determined steps. After all, he had deliberately provoked her anger, and he knew full well the price he would have to pay.
“I was wrong, I was wrong!”
Zhang He followed her in a daze, pleading, “Please don’t be angry anymore; rage harms your health. You’ve just been discharged from the hospital, and the Water Splashing Festival is the day after tomorrow. There are so many matters awaiting your decision—please don’t drain your vitality!”
“Get lost!” Liang Youyun snapped without turning around, shaking off his outstretched hand.
“But I’ve already rolled back!”
“Then roll back again!”
“This doesn’t seem right; after all, I am a director.”
Youyun stopped in her tracks, turned around, and pointed at him: “This is the first step to admitting your mistake; I just want to see your attitude.” Then she continued walking.
Yuxiang followed closely behind: “Sister, I was wrong too. I shouldn’t have dragged you along because of my silly infatuation, gotten into this villain’s car, and failed to walk with you! If I hadn’t been screaming and shouting in the car, he would never have come back!” She also pointed at Zhang He.
“Hey, you’re turning the tables on me!” Zhang He exclaimed indignantly.
Seeing Liang Youyun walking farther away, he let out a long sigh, glanced left and right to confirm no one was around, then promptly threw himself to the ground and began rolling for real.
Yuxiang hurriedly pulled Youyun: “Sister, look! Director Zhang is really rolling!”
Youyun looked at his ridiculous appearance, a mix of sorrow and joy swelling in her heart. She was angry at his lack of ambition yet pained by his having no one to rely on. Finally, she walked over, pulled him up, and brushed the dirt off his trousers, saying, “You’re so eager to find this Mr. Jiang because you need something from him, right? So much so that you’d sacrifice my dignity.”
Zhang He pouted like a schoolboy caught doing something wrong, nodding vigorously. “Nothing gets past you. I’m sorry; I was being stupid.”
Liang Youyun got into the car, took the passenger seat, and continued, “Isn’t what you want simply to learn from Manle Village’s development model? The joint venture between village and enterprise. You hoped to trick Boss Yanshuai into coming through Jiang, but have you ever considered why Boss Yanshuai, after leaving Mannuan Village all these years, has never returned?”
Zhang He had indeed pondered this question. “Mannuan Village is too remote, and unlike your village, we don’t have well-developed tourism projects like rainforest markets, RV campsites, or intangible cultural heritage workshops. Developing here is difficult; most companies aren’t interested. Our company’s investment capacity is limited, and we’re nearly pulling out. We fear that copying the Manle Village model would just lead to homogenization, making the whole effort not worth the cost.”
“You haven’t wasted your years as a village station chief doing field research!”
Youyun smiled. How could she not know the ambitions harbored in Zhang He’s heart? After a moment’s thought, she said, “Boss Yan Shuai is indeed a good candidate, but after all, he’s in the restaurant industry, not a tourism company. Even if he comes, he’ll only build restaurants and hotels purely for tourists; the locals surely won’t accept that.”
Hearing this, Zhang He sighed, “There’s another point: ever since I learned about Jiang’s deeds, I’ve been eager to meet him in person and have him guide me. I’ve truly exhausted all my tricks!”
“‘Dian’ donkey exhausted its tricks,” Youyun corrected.
Zhang He forced a bitter smile. “Fine, fine, fine. You’re the boss; whatever you say goes.”
Youyun also smiled faintly before adding, “And speaking from an emotional standpoint, I don’t think the Yan-Shuai couple wants to return. This place holds too many memories of their son’s life. Seeing these scenes would only stir up painful emotions. What parents could bear the agony of outliving their own child?”
“That makes sense!” Zhang He suddenly realized, acknowledging that women are indeed more sensitive and resilient than men when it comes to empathy.
Seizing the moment, Youyun voiced her lingering doubt: “On what grounds do you think he would want to be friends with me?”
Yuxiang jumped in to answer: “He’s worried about you, Sister Youyun! If it weren’t for all those media personnel present that day, he wouldn’t have tried to avoid being seen; otherwise, he definitely would have stayed until your condition stabilized before leaving.”
“I don’t think so,” Zhang He denied, looking directly at Liang Youyun as he asked, “Be honest with me. Even though your attempt to save him failed, did you perhaps give him something in return? Emotional support, spiritual comfort, or maybe even a token of affection?”
“Of course not!” Youyun knew he was joking, but she was quick to deny it. “You have no idea how furious I was at the time. With everything hanging in the balance, the last thing I needed was trouble, so I scolded him for ages down in that pit. I thought he was one of those college students.”
“That just proves our sister has an incredible presence, radiating natural charisma like a golden peacock—when she fans her tail, she shines brilliantly!” Yuxiang exclaimed with exaggerated expression.
“Honey, only male peacocks fan their tails,” Zhang He teased her.
Yuxiang rolled her eyes.
“Anyway, let’s leave it at that.”
Youyun said, “For the remaining time, let’s just focus on preparing for the festival. Once I get through these few months, I’ll finally be free! Please, please don’t let anything else go wrong!” She pressed her palms together in prayer.
Zhang He drove the two of them to the Manle Village Committee. Seeing Director Yan Wenkan standing at the entrance, about to make a phone call, he quickly put down his mobile phone upon spotting the approaching vehicle. Before Liang Youyun could even step out of the car, Yan Wenkan hurried over and said, “It’s perfect that you’re here. Come with me to the county town right away. Director Dao has just returned from his business trip. We need to go ask for money—specifically, the rainforest maintenance fees!”
Youyun stepped out of the car. Suddenly, a flash of white lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a rumbling clap of thunder.
“Maybe we should wait, Uncle Wenkan. It’s about to rain.”
Yan Wenkan was anxious: “We can’t wait! This money must be secured! I can’t just stand by and watch my good girl suffer! The rainforest belongs to everyone; what harm is there in scolding a young lady?”
Youyun felt like crying. In Uncle Wenkan’s eyes, she was still just a little girl!