Chapter 20: Buying a Tree

The donkey cart rattled along the bumpy road. Lin Yu pressed his lips into a firm line, his gaze fixed resolutely ahead as his grip tightened on the reins. Beside him, his mother, Wang Yufen, looked as pale as paper, her eyes filled with worry and trepidation.

Her lips trembled slightly, and she opened her mouth several times but hesitated to speak, her hands unconsciously twisting together. Finally, she could no longer hold back and whispered, "Xiaoyu, you hit him today. He won't just let it go. You know how he is—narrow-minded and obsessed with his reputation. He will certainly find a way to take revenge on us."

Lin Yu turned his head slightly. Seeing his mother’s fearful expression, a pang of pain shot through his heart. He slowed the cart and comforted her, "Mom, don’t worry. I won’t let him bully us. Besides, look at the state he was in; he was knocked unconscious, lying on the ground. It’s questionable whether he’ll even remember what happened when he wakes up."

By the time they finished speaking, they had arrived at the home of Auntie Wang San.

Auntie Wang San was an industrious woman. Though her family was not wealthy, she kept her home and courtyard spotlessly clean; not a single weed could be found on the grounds.

"Is Third Sister home? It’s Yufen!" Wang Yufen called out as she entered the courtyard.

Wang Lan was in the vegetable patch behind the house. Hearing someone call, she thought she had misheard, but when the voice came again, she emerged from the garden with a puzzled expression.

Upon seeing Wang Yufen and her two children, she was stunned. She hurried over to greet them, asking, "Yufen? Is it really you? Why have you come back?"

Wang Lan was deeply concerned. No one knew better than she did what kind of life Yufen had endured at Yang Shulin’s house. Having finally escaped that hell, their sudden return could only mean they could no longer survive on their own.

She sighed and said, "Sigh, coming back is fine; it’s better than starving out there. Even if Yang Shulin wasn't good to the three of you, at least he provided a meal." With that, she took Wang Yufen’s hand and pulled her toward the house, insisting that she tell her about the hardships they had faced.

"Auntie, we didn't come back to rely on him. Since we left, our lives have actually been quite good," Lin Yu said with a smile as they entered the house.

Wang Lan looked skeptical. "Your mother is a hard worker, but with the two of you, she couldn’t get away. How could your life be good? You don't have to put on a front with me. You haven't eaten, have you? I just steamed some cornmeal vegetable buns this morning; I’ll get you some."

Auntie soon returned from the kitchen with a plate of steaming cornmeal buns, their rustic aroma filling the air. Lin Yao took one, holding it in her small hands and taking a large bite. Her cheeks bulging, she mumbled while chewing, "Auntie, brother is telling the truth. We can even afford white flour buns and rice now."

Auntie had been smiling as she watched Lin Yao eat, but upon hearing this, her eyes widened in astonishment, her mouth slightly agape as if she couldn't believe her ears. "What? White flour buns and rice? Where did you get the money for those?"

White flour and rice were luxuries even her family couldn't afford; they only saw such things once or twice a year during festivals. Usually, they ate the coarse grains they grew themselves. Their village was in the mountains, and their land consisted of hillside plots where corn, sorghum, and millet were the primary staples.

Seeing Wang Lan’s expression, Wang Yufen smiled and couldn't help but boast about her son. "Third Sister, this is all thanks to my son. When we first went back, we couldn't even afford a meal and had to survive by gathering clams every day. Recently, I don't know what happened, but he started going to the coast, and he’s been catching quite a lot of seafood to sell at the market. Thanks to that money, our lives have slowly improved, and we can afford things we never dared to imagine."

A flicker of surprise passed through Auntie’s eyes, soon replaced by delight and relief. She hurried over to Lin Yu and patted his shoulder firmly. "My goodness, Xiaoyu! You really are a capable boy! So young and already so resourceful. I am truly happy for your family. You are hardworking and have a good head on your shoulders—you’re destined for great things!"

Lin Yu scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. "Auntie, you’re too kind. I’m not that special; I just want my mother and sister to have a better life."

Wang Lan nodded repeatedly, her eyes turning slightly red. "Good, that’s good. Seeing you like this puts my heart at ease. As long as you have a way to make a living out there, don't ever come back. That Yang Shulin is a beast, and his parents aren't much better. If you came back, who knows what kind of suffering you'd face. Oh, by the way, if you didn't come to rely on him, why are you here?"

Wang Yufen quickly explained, "Third Sister, you know that earth houses fall apart within two years if they aren't lived in and kept warm. When we went back, the house was collapsing and leaking; it could barely keep out the wind and rain. It’s fine now while the weather is warm, but it will be unbearable once winter comes. We want to repair the house, but we lack timber. Don't you have those two poplar trees on the slope behind your garden? Xiaoyu wanted to come and ask if you’d be willing to sell them."

"Oh, I’ll sell them!"

Hearing that they wanted to buy her trees, Wang Lan slapped her thigh in delight. The "pop" sound echoed loudly in the room. Her face broke into a radiant smile, her eyes squinting into slits as the crow’s feet at their corners danced with joy. "They aren't much use to me anyway. If I can sell them to help with household expenses, that would be wonderful! I’ve always complained that they block the light and keep my vegetables from growing properly!"

However, Wang Lan was most concerned about the price. "How much can you give me?"

When asked about the price, Wang Yufen didn't know what to say and looked at her son. Lin Yu smiled and said, "Auntie, you know our situation. I won’t treat you like an outsider—I’m thinking ten yuan per tree. Does that work for you?"

"Ten yuan? That’s plenty!"

Wang Lan didn't think it was too little at all. Timber was abundant in their mountain village. Although those two poplar trees had been there for a while, they were just in the way. Ten yuan was a significant amount; people in the mountains had few sources of income, and it was rare for a family to save ten yuan in an entire year.

Selling both trees would net her twenty yuan immediately—why wouldn't she do it? Especially since it was family buying them.

"Oh, the trees can be sold, but how do we cut them down? Your third uncle isn't home, and we can’t handle it ourselves. Felling trees is a technical job. You remember Erzhuzi from the village, right? He was killed when a tree fell on him." Auntie began to worry.

This was indeed a problem. This wasn't a logging camp, and there were no chainsaws; they had to rely on primitive logging saws, which couldn't be operated by one person alone.

"Auntie, are there no elders in the village who know how to fell trees?"

"There are, but they won't work for free. And as a woman, I can't really ask for favors," Wang Lan fretted. Villagers valued social obligations; if she asked for help, she would owe a favor that had to be repaid later.

Lin Yu pondered for a moment, then made up his mind. "Auntie, what if you find two experienced elders and I pay them for their labor? Two yuan each to cut the trees down, saw them into logs, and load them onto the cart. Would that work?"

Wang Lan’s eyes brightened. "That will work! If they're paid, why wouldn't it? Alright, you wait here. I’ll go find someone and be right back."

Before the words had even left her lips, she had hurried to the door, pulled the latch, and vanished outside.

About twenty minutes later, Wang Lan returned with two men from the village.

Lin Yu recognized them immediately. One was Uncle Li, the village carpenter, a sturdy man whose years of labor had left his hands calloused and his face perpetually wearing a kind, honest smile. The other was Uncle Zhao, who was skilled in farming and manual labor; he had tanned skin and an air of simplicity and competence.

"Uncle Li, Uncle Zhao, it’s been a long time!" Lin Yu greeted them warmly.

"My goodness, Xiaoyu! When Wang Lan said it was your family of three, I didn't believe her. How has life been since you left the village?" Uncle Li replied with a smile, his eyes filled with warmth as he patted Lin Yu’s shoulder.

Uncle Zhao nodded from the side, smiling. "Looks like you're doing alright—you've put on some meat."

His mother, Wang Yufen, and sister, Lin Yao, also stood up to greet them. For a moment, the small courtyard was filled with long-overdue pleasantries and warmth.

Soon after, the group took their tools and headed toward the slope behind the house.

They followed a winding path and soon reached the two large poplar trees. The trees stood like giants on the hillside, tall and straight, reaching toward the clouds. Their trunks were so thick they would require two people to embrace them, the bark rough and cracked, as if etched by the passage of time. The dense leaves rustled in the autumn breeze, and the canopy cast a cool, vast shadow like a giant green umbrella.

The group arrived at the trees and began preparing for the felling. Uncle Li, being highly experienced, carefully observed the growth of the trees and the surrounding terrain before directing everyone to clear away the weeds and rubble, creating a safe workspace.

Uncle Zhao took a sharp axe and a saw from the tools they had brought. After checking the sharpness of the blades, he handed the axe to Lin Yu. "Xiaoyu, you’re strong. Try making a notch in the trunk with the axe first."

Lin Yu took the axe, took a deep breath, and gripped the handle tightly. He raised it high and swung it with all his might into the trunk. With a loud "thud," the axe embedded itself into the wood, sending a spray of chips flying.