Log Entry

At 5 AM, Li Zhuiyuan lifted his head, sat upright, leaned back in his chair, and half-opened his eyes. He maintained this posture until 5:30 AM. As his senses gradually returned, a dizzying pain began in his head, his pupils refocused, and his consciousness slowly reemerged.

Li Zhuiyuan pressed his hands to his forehead and slowly massaged it. He didn’t know how he had fallen asleep, or even when he had woken up.

After another fifteen minutes, Li Zhuiyuan took a deep breath and looked at his desk. He saw a pool of blood there, and his workbook, which he used for calculations, was stained red. As his gaze swept over the lines and symbols on the page, Li Zhuiyuan felt a sharp stab of pain in his brain. He immediately closed the workbook. He gradually recalled that before losing consciousness, he had apparently been trying to calculate his own fate? It seemed he couldn’t calculate his own.

He looked up at the time, then got up to clean and tidy his desk. He then picked up his washbasin, took a bath, and washed and hung up his blood-stained clothes. After tidying himself, he didn’t return to his room. Instead, he sat in the rattan chair on the balcony, which he used for reading. The cool morning breeze continuously brushed his face, making him feel a bit more alive, though his head still throbbed uncomfortably.

The light came on in the east bedroom. Through the window, he could see a petite figure sitting, with an adult figure next to her, combing her hair. So, Ah Li woke up this early every day. As he watched, the figures in the window disappeared, and the sky was in its final stage of gray-black.

The door to the east house opened, and the girl walked out, carrying a small wooden Go box. She looked up and saw Li Zhuiyuan already sitting outside the second-floor bedroom. Their eyes met. Soon, Qin Li came to Li Zhuiyuan’s side and sat on a small stool. She didn’t unroll the oiled paper chessboard as she usually did; instead, she looked at the boy. A moment later, Li Zhuiyuan felt a warm, soft small hand voluntarily take his. Perhaps in her mind, every time he held her small hand, she found peace and comfort, so this time, she took his hand, hoping to offer the same. The boy and girl sat holding hands, gazing at the rice fields swaying gently in the morning breeze before them, and watched as the gray sky was gradually replaced by dawn.

Time passed slowly, yet also very quickly.

“Achoo!”

Li Sanjiang walked out of the bedroom and sneezed. He turned his head to look at the boy and girl sitting side by side and was suddenly reminded of the Jade Boy and Girl figures seated beneath the Bodhisattva Guanyin in traditional New Year prints. It wasn’t that they looked exactly alike, but rather the exquisite delicacy of the two children’s features, which truly resembled the smooth, rounded lines of the children in the New Year prints.

Li Sanjiang sniffled and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. He had noticed changes in himself recently. He used to think living a carefree life and departing just as freely was ideal, but unexpectedly, with the appearance of Little Yuan Hou in his old age, he had truly found the joy of spending his golden years doting on his grandchild.

Aunt Liu called out that breakfast was ready. Breakfast was particularly early today because both Li Sanjiang and Li Zhuiyuan had to go out. Breakfast wasn’t congee, but boiled instant noodles, specifically Sanxian Yimian. Aunt Liu had also cracked an egg into the bottom of each noodle bowl.

The noodles were delicious. Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t felt hungry at first, but after a few bites, he felt his body’s senses completely thaw, and he quickly finished one bowl. Aunt Liu then went to cook another bowl for Li Zhuiyuan and brought it over. Only after finishing the second bowl did Li Zhuiyuan feel completely free of the lingering effects of calculating his own fate the previous night.

“Want more?” Aunt Liu asked.

“I’m full, Aunt Liu.”

Beside him, Qin Li also put down her chopsticks. She ate noodles rather slowly, always slurping up a consistent length, biting it off, chewing, swallowing, and then taking another bite.

Li Sanjiang had also finished eating. Smacking his lips, he said: “Honestly, these instant noodles aren’t as good as the plain noodles from the noodle shop in our town. A bit of lard, soy sauce, pepper, and a sprinkle of chopped green onions makes them much better than this.”

Aunt Liu agreed, “That’s true.”

If other adults had said this, it would likely be an attempt to disparage instant noodles so they wouldn’t have to buy them again and could save money. But this wasn’t the case for Li Sanjiang. The destruction of a batch of paper effigies had nearly broken his cash flow, which clearly showed that he typically didn’t save money; whatever he earned, he spent on living expenses, especially food and drink. In fact, in the vast rural towns and villages of that time, having instant noodles for breakfast was considered a luxury that would make neighboring children cry with envy. In some provinces and regions, instant noodles had even gradually developed into a local specialty dish, such as meatball instant noodles with poached eggs.

Li Sanjiang picked up his bag, stamped his foot, and prepared to leave. His bag was noticeably longer because he had packed the peach wood sword inside. Ever since that sword helped him slay the corpse demon last time, he had cherished it even more. He had even specifically called the manufacturer from the village committee, intending to order another batch, but they informed him that the furniture factory had been privatized and had long since ceased production of peach wood swords. Now, the one he possessed was a discontinued item.

Li Weihan and the others arrived, each pushing a small cart laden with baskets and tools.

“Uncle Sanjiang.”

“Elder Uncle.”

“Great-Grandpa.”

The four uncles were very respectful in front of Li Sanjiang because he typically didn’t indulge them. Whenever he saw them, he would openly scold them as ungrateful wretches, making them quickly detour if they saw him from afar in the village. Panzi and Leizi, however, happily ran up to Li Zhuiyuan. Since Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t been staying at his grandparents’ house lately, they had fewer opportunities to gather.

“Let’s go!” Li Sanjiang patted his pant leg, then took Li Zhuiyuan’s hand and walked out with Li Weihan and the others.

Qin Li watched Li Zhuiyuan leave. She had known he was going out today, but after he left, she slowly lowered her head, her gaze falling on the noodle bowl Li Zhuiyuan had just finished. Liu Yumei immediately gestured to Aunt Liu, who quickly stepped forward to collect the bowls and chopsticks for washing. Immediately after, Uncle Qin returned, carrying a large bundle of bamboo. He tossed it onto the dam and clapped his hands.

Liu Yumei sat beside Qin Li and smiled, “Ah Li, I’ll have Ah Li make you a rattan chair just like Little Yuan Hou’s. What do you think?”

Qin Li didn’t respond. Liu Yumei pursed her lips and said to Qin Li, “Hurry up these next two days and make two identical new rattan chairs, suitable for children to sit and lean back in.”

Qin Li nodded.

Qin Li looked up, It wasn’t obvious, but she was indeed happy.

By the roadside at the village entrance, without much waiting, an old-model bus approached. At that time, township buses didn’t have fixed stops or platforms. Although they were licensed, they were largely privately operated. They would stop if they saw someone waiting by the roadside, and passengers could request to alight anywhere. Li Sanjiang wanted to give Little Yuan Hou a few more instructions, but the bus arrived too quickly, so he had to get on first. After the bus departed, Li Weihan picked up Li Zhuiyuan and placed him in Elder Uncle Li Sheng’s cart, letting him sit there.

Then, everyone walked along the asphalt road. Before long, they caught up with the team from Siyuan Village. It was mostly able-bodied men of working age from the village, with few women. This was because the massive river-dredging project was nearing its end, and the required labor and hours had significantly decreased.

Decades earlier, during certain seasons each year, almost the entire rural population of Jiangsu Province—men, women, elderly, and young—had to carry tools and be organized. Those near rivers would repair embankments, while others would dig reservoirs. Sometimes, during major project campaigns, they would even be organized to work together in more distant locations. In the dead of winter, with their feet in muddy ground, they would dig mud scoop by scoop and carry soil load by load. In those years, there was little engineering machinery; it was almost entirely manual labor. From teenagers to women who had just finished their postpartum confinement, everyone had to participate. Construction periods were long then, requiring extended stays at the work sites, bringing their own dry rations, and building their own shelters. Countless elderly people suffered lasting health issues due to the arduous river-dredging work in those years.

Elder Uncle Li Sheng laughed, “I still remember the hardships of dredging rivers with Mom and Dad when we were kids. Back then, Dad used to tell us, ‘If you don’t study hard, you’ll have to keep dredging rivers,’ haha.” The three other uncles beside him also laughed. Second Uncle Li Zheng said, “In the end, Dad’s words were all for naught. None of us brothers had the brains for studying. Only our youngest sister went on to pursue an education.” Third Uncle Li Xiong nodded, “Exactly, Mom was biased when raising us. All the good brains went to our sister.” Li Weihan feigned anger and playfully cursed, “What nonsense are you talking, brats? If you could have gotten into school, would I have gritted my teeth and not supported you?”

Everyone laughed again, followed by another round of playful banter and teasing. Everything felt as if it had returned to a long time ago. This was probably why Li Weihan cared so much about this river-dredging trip. His sons had all started their own families and were fathers themselves, usually focusing on their own small households, which inevitably led to some friction and disagreements. Only at times like this, carrying tools, pushing carts, and unburdened, could they rediscover those old sentiments and memories. However, this warmth was destined not to last long. Large families with limited means almost always faced the same issues. Only when times became better and they were older might they be able to put aside their calculations and grudges and truly rekindle their familial affection. Of course, some might never let go, leading to lifelong estrangement between brothers.

The group continued moving forward, and the uncles continuously pointed out things they saw along the way to Li Zhuiyuan, Panzi, and Leizi.

“This embankment was built by us back then. We were still young, so we could only help transport soil from the back.”

“This reservoir was also built by us. It was so cold back then that it froze over.”

“And this ditch was also dug by us. Panzi and Leizi were still little then, haha.”

Following their explanations, Li Zhuiyuan, sitting in the cart, continuously looked around. He felt a stir in his heart; he had always assumed many facilities simply existed as a matter of course, but now he realized they hadn’t always been there. Today, almost every village has a small reservoir, and every township has a medium-sized one. The tea plantations covering the slopes are the best imprint of that era’s grand projects, now nearing their end—the crystallization forged by the sweat and effort of countless laborers, carried by hand and shoulder.

As the Siyuan Village team advanced, it continuously merged with teams from other villages. The group grew larger and larger, eventually stretching beyond sight in both directions. The village leader carried a flag with the village name written on it, while the township leader carried a larger flag and a megaphone. The flags were old, their characters already faded and peeled, and even the unpowered megaphones were rusty. But now, they served only a symbolic purpose. Decades of ingrained habits and self-awareness had already been etched into the hearts of several generations.

Li Weihan’s tools were distributed among his sons, allowing him to leisurely light his water pipe. The smoke he exhaled gradually made his gaze hazy, perhaps from the smoke itself, or perhaps because this dependable man was suddenly struck by a feeling. He said, “I remember when we were rushing to finish the work, the cultural troupe came to the site to perform and boost everyone’s morale. I recall this one passage, though I don’t know who on stage said it, but it went something like this: ‘If this embankment isn’t built now, if this river isn’t dredged now, if this reservoir isn’t constructed now, then it will be left for our children to build later. We will bear all this hardship, so our children won’t have to suffer it in the future