By the time they got home, the sky was already showing the first light of dawn. They hurriedly washed up and went to sleep. Tian Yao slept until the end of the Si hour (late morning). When he woke, Yu Nian had long since left, and the prepared meal was already placed by the bedside.
The weather had grown hot, but the food still retained some warmth. After washing up and eating, Tian Yao took Little Gray up the mountain.
Liu Zhi had just given birth and exactly needed to replenish his vitality. Tian Yao planned to go up the mountain and see if he could catch a wild chicken or something to bring back for Liu Zhi. With the new baby born, he hadn’t given a gift yet. Although his family had some savings, he figured all that money needed to be saved for Yu Nian’s leg treatment. So he could only go up the mountain to find some mountain goods; he believed Liu Zhi wouldn’t mind.
Seeing Tian Yao tying his leggings and arm guards, Little Gray knew they were heading up the mountain. It barked excitedly, circling around Tian Yao without stopping. The blood of a wild wolf still ran in its veins, and it absolutely loved hunting.
They had walked the path up the mountain countless times. Little Gray marked its route along the way. Its sight and sense of smell were far keener than Tian Yao’s. However, it had accompanied Tian Yao up the mountain so many times now. Before, it used to bring even a small rabbit or squirrel to Tian Yao to show off. Now, if it saw a rabbit or something similar, it would just toy with it a bit. After catching several, it finally selected a big one. Tian Yao tied it up and put it in his bamboo basket.
Their destination was still deep in the mountains. As they ventured deeper, Little Gray’s initial frolicking run changed. Its hackles rose, and it stayed close to Tian Yao’s side, refusing to leave.
In the dense forest, larger animals often roamed. This place wasn’t far from where he had hunted the wild boar last time, so Tian Yao became even more cautious.
This mountain was simply too vast, so vast that its beginning was unknown, and its end couldn’t be seen.
Little Gray barked at Tian Yao. Tian Yao followed it and ran to its side. Only then did Tian Yao notice that the spot Little Gray was circling had the massive paw print of a wild beast.
Tian Yao analyzed it for a long time before recognizing that it was the footprint of a blind bear (a colloquial term for a bear with poor sight, often a black bear).
After winter passed, the mountain beasts had ended their hibernation and come out one after another to forage. Apart from the blind bear’s paw prints here, there were others. It looked as if a scuffle had taken place in this spot.
Looking at the chaotic bear paw prints all around and gazing up at the towering dense forest that nearly blotted out the sky, Tian Yao thought…
The paw prints here were so chaotic, meaning there was something these bears had fought over in this area.
What do bears generally like to eat? Honey, of course! The corner of Tian Yao’s mouth curved up. It had been a long time since they last bought sugar; the last purchase was ages ago. Yu Nian had been working hard teaching lately. If Tian Yao could find some honey to make drinks for him, that would be wonderful.
And Liu Zhi, having just given birth, honey should also be good for him. Most households nowadays were poor; whatever money they had was spent on necessities. Sweet treats were something people were reluctant to buy, simply because they weren’t necessary. Remembering the piece of candied fruit Yu Nian had given him when he was sick and taking medicine – so sweet it reached his heart – Tian Yao became even more determined. Wild honey – he was getting it today, no matter what.
Little Gray didn’t know what Tian Yao was planning, just watched him tilt his head back, looking all around. Taking the cluster of bear prints as the center, Tian Yao searched the surrounding area. And indeed, he found a tree with a honeycomb. Little Gray’s sense of smell was sharp; it immediately caught the sweet, cloying scent.
It kept pawing at the tree trunk but, though it was a fast runner, it was truly terrible at climbing trees.
Tian Yao pulled its paws off the tree, looked around, and finally took off his outer garment, wrapping it around his head and leaving only his eyes exposed.
When he hunted, his bamboo basket always carried a hatchet and a length of hemp rope. The rope was originally for tying up caught game; he never expected it would have another use today.
He also had the fire striker he always carried with him. Tian Yao spotted a withered, dry branch nearby. He first used the fire striker to light a small pile of scattered kindling, then finally lit the dry branch itself, creating a torch.
Tian Yao tied the rope around his waist and the tree trunk. Holding the torch in one hand, he first used the hatchet to cut a notch in the thick trunk for his foot to step on. With the basket still on his back, he began climbing.
Bit by bit, he approached the honeycomb on the tree. The higher he got, the more nervous Tian Yao felt, especially when he began to hear the buzzing of the bees.
As he neared the honeycomb, Tian Yao saw the bees still flying in circles around it. He paused for a long time, took several deep breaths, and then raised the torch in his hand close to the honeycomb.
The bees guarding the nest were smoked by the fire, their buzzing growing louder. Some bees, burned to death, fell to the ground. Little Gray, who had been waiting under the tree, got stung by the falling bees and howled loudly.
Tian Yao acted very quickly. He immediately reached out, plucked the honeycomb into his bamboo basket, dropped the torch, untied the rope from his waist, and, following the notches he’d just cut, scrambled down the tree fast.
They ran a long distance before finally stopping, leaning against a tree trunk and panting heavily. Only then did Tian Yao see that a large bump had swollen up on the side of Little Gray’s mouth from a falling bee sting.
Tian Yao started to laugh, but his laugh tugged at a sore spot by the corner of his own mouth. Touching it, he realized his own mouth was swollen too. He didn’t know when he’d been stung.
Since they were already injured, they might as well make retrieving the honeycombs worth the trouble.
So, during that entire afternoon, using the same method, he harvested four honeycombs, obtaining countless amounts of wild honey.
By the time they descended the mountain, it was so dark he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face. Luckily, Little Gray had good night vision. The journey down the mountain went relatively smoothly for man and dog.
When they got home, Yu Nian had already finished preparing dinner. He held a lantern in one hand, its bright light illuminating the path for Tian Yao’s return home.
Tian Yao felt as if his heart had been soaked in honeyed water. This, he thought, should be the meaning of marriage – no matter the time, there would always be someone waiting at home for your return.
“I’m back!”
Only then did the anxious heart Yu Nian had been holding finally settle down completely. “Why did it take so long? Why are you only back now?”
Tian Yao was a bit excited. Carrying his basket, he pushed Yu Nian inside. “Yu Nian, I found some really good stuff.”
Back in the room, the oil lamp made things a bit brighter, and Yu Nian finally saw Tian Yao’s face clearly. The entire left side of his cheek was swollen high and red. “What happened?”
Yu Nian looked down and saw Little Gray by his legs, its face matching Tian Yao’s identically, only Tian Yao’s injury was on the left cheek, while Little Gray’s was on the right.
If Yu Nian hadn’t said anything, it would’ve been fine. But once he mentioned it, Tian Yao felt his face grow even more itchy, painful, and burning hot.
“I saw bear paw prints on the mountain, so there had to be honey nearby. We haven’t bought sugar in a long time, and I was craving it. Plus, I thought Liu Zhi, in his postpartum confinement, would probably need some too. So I harvested a few honeycombs.”
Yu Nian no longer knew what to say to him. Tian Yao had always been very determined. Once he set his mind on something, he was bound to see it through.
Yu Nian sighed. “Can you still eat anything? Should I make you some congee?”
Tian Yao licked his lips. “I want honey water.”
“Let me prepare some medicine for you first. Doesn’t it hurt?”
Tian Yao scratched his head. “It doesn’t hurt much, just itches.”
Yu Nian placed his hand under Tian Yao’s chin and examined the wound. “Bear with it, this will hurt.”
Tian Yao just said “Oh” as Yu Nian first washed his hands, then used his cool hands to squeeze out all the remaining pus from the wound.
Tian Yao yelped in pain.
After cleaning it, Yu Nian handed him a towel to press against it. A cooling sensation spread across his cheek, and only then did the pain lessen somewhat.
After treating Tian Yao, Yu Nian treated Little Gray. Tian Yao was a little worried Little Gray might bite Yu Nian from the pain, but it seemed to endure it even better than Tian Yao. Once done, Yu Nian wrapped a cloth around its snout too.
Luckily, Tian Yao wasn’t foolish. On the way back down the mountain, he had gathered some medicinal herbs – Seven-Leaf One-Flower and Chinese Violet; both were excellent for clearing heat, reducing swelling, and relieving pain.
After washing them clean, Yu Nian mashed them into a poultice and applied it externally to the faces of both man and dog. Only then did Yu Nian breathe a sigh of relief.
Seeing Tian Yao gazing eagerly at the few honeycombs, Yu Nian could only resign himself and help process them.
“Yu Nian, be careful, alright? Just in case there are still bees inside.”
“Just eat something first.”
Holding his bowl, Tian Yao watched Yu Nian process the honeycombs he’d brought back. Tian Yao found a piece of cheesecloth for him. Yu Nian then crushed the combs and, after the first straining through the cheesecloth, the honey that dripped out was poured into a jar by Yu Nian.
After that initial coarse filtering, Yu Nian began processing the honey that had passed the first stage. Finally, after four or five rounds, it was all strained.
The remaining residue wasn’t wasted either. Yu Nian called Little Gray over, and it licked every last bit clean.
Yu Nian scooped a spoonful, mixed it with water, and placed it into Tian Yao’s hands. “Drink up.”
Tian Yao cupped the bowl. Because of his facial injury, he couldn’t open his mouth wide, so he just took small sips. That sweetness traveled down his throat, slipping into his very core, so sweet it almost made him want to cry.
“Yu Nian, come have a sip, quick!”
Tian Yao couldn’t wait to share it with Yu Nian, but Yu Nian didn’t take the bowl. He just leaned in closer.
Yu Nian kissed Tian Yao on the lips. “Already tasted it.”
Tian Yao shook his head. “How could you possibly taste it that way?”
Yu Nian leaned in again and gave him a deep kiss. The sweetness spread everywhere; Tian Yao felt his scalp go numb.
“Now I’ve tasted it.”
Tian Yao started grinning foolishly, which pulled at the wound on his face, making him grimace and suck in a sharp breath.
“I wonder if we have any nicer-looking jars at home. I want to give a jar to Liu Zhi.”
“We do,” Yu Nian answered him. “That jar from when you bought sugar last time hasn’t been thrown out.”
The jar they’d used to hold the honey right now was a very old clay pot, which was ultimately not appropriate to give as a gift.
“You wash up first. I’ll go get things ready.”
Yu Nian had already heated plenty of water long ago. At some point, it had become routine – whenever Tian Yao went hunting on the mountain, upon his return, the hot water would always be ready in abundance.
Tian Yao drew his own bathwater and went to wash up. Seeing his reflection on the water’s surface, he jumped in fright.
Who was that person in the water?! The entire side of his face was swollen high, and with the medicine applied, it was a dark, greenish smear. He had no idea how Yu Nian had managed to kiss him earlier!
Unable to stand the sight of his own face, Tian Yao avoided looking at it and hastily finished his bath. Still, some of the medicine on his face washed off.
When he got back to bed, Yu Nian applied fresh medicine for him once more. Yu Nian tried to kiss him again, but for once, Tian Yao dodged. “Ugly.”
Yu Nian gently pecked the other, uninjured side of his face. “Not ugly. Cute.”
With his face all red and green, Tian Yao now felt he had reached the peak of ugliness. So he rolled over, turning his back to Yu Nian.
