Chapter 162: Southern Women Are Not Just Gentle

The east wing roof of Madam Lin's house faces the Xi Bei border, and it is the highest and farthest spot visible from the village.

Every night after she got the children to sleep, she would climb the ladder onto the roof and look out in that direction.

This habit formed after Madam Lin once saw her husband off to war, and she has kept it up for many years.

As long as she saw darkness and quiet over there, proving the border was safe, she could go sleep soundly.

Tonight, there were three people on the roof.

When He Jinglan came, she specially brought two of her own winter cloaks, wearing one and lending the other to Gu Xixi.

That way, even if they slept outside, they wouldn't fear getting cold.

Madam Lin herself also added a thick garment, and then carried up three small stools.

Thus the three sat side by side on the roof, facing the Xi Bei direction.

One hour passed, then two hours passed…

He Jinglan could no longer sit still, she shifted her stool and leaned against Gu Xixi, continuing to stare stubbornly.

Gu Xixi turned her head to look at He Jinglan, and couldn't help but yawn.

Madam Lin felt guilty, saying, "It's almost been four hours, and we've seen nothing—you'd better go back to sleep; I'll stay here until dawn."

"No way!" He Jinglan immediately objected, "We agreed to keep watch together—how can we go back to sleep and leave Madam Lin alone to continue?"

Gu Xixi nodded along, but her gaze didn't shift an inch from the front.

Madam Lin said, "It's fine, at most another four hours, and then it'll be time for the rooster to crow."

He Jinglan turned her face and continued staring ahead, "Then let's wait together for the rooster to crow, for dawn!"

Madam Lin laughed, both helpless and moved, "Alright then, you two keep watch here—I'll go down and get us some hot food."

After a while, He Jinglan twitched her nose, "What a nice fragrance, sweet."

Gu Xixi sniffed along the wind and said firmly, "It's roasted sweet potato, maybe also fried rice."

Madam Lin acted quickly; after smelling the fragrance on the roof, not long later she brought up a bowl of hot sugar water and a roasted sweet potato for each person.

Madam Lin first handed the small bowls to the two, saying, "The sweet potatoes were just raked out of the ashes; they're too hot—drink the sugar water first to warm your body and moisten your mouth."

Gu Xixi looked by the light of the oil lamp at her feet; in the bowl, the light amber sugar water held plump, swollen rice grains that sank or floated, the toasted grain aroma mingling with a wave of sweetness.

Madam Lin said, "This is fried-rice sugar water, a common snack in my hometown."

He Jinglan had already taken a big sip, nodding happily, "Hmm, clear, sweet, and warm—some of these rice grains are crisp, others may have soaked up the sugar water and become soft, melting in the mouth; the texture is quite distinctive."

"Is this fried rice? Actually, just drinking some hot water would do; it's troublesome for you to fry rice for us this late."

Madam Lin laughed, "How could I work that fast? The rice was fried earlier."

"I fry a bit more at a time, store it in a moisture-proof jar, press the lid tight; when eating, scoop some into a bowl and pour boiling rock-sugar water over it."

He Jinglan laughed, "So simple—maybe I could learn it too."

Madam Lin said, "Sure, as long as you want to learn, just come find me."

Gu Xixi asked, "Is Madam Lin from the south?"

Madam Lin replied with a smile, "Yes, but I haven't told Boss Gu yet—how did you know?"

Gu Xixi said, "In the south, rice is widely planted, yielding two or three harvests a year."

"Unlike in Xi Bei, where the rice on the market is mostly shipped from the south, who knows how much the price is marked up."

"Only someone from a rice-producing area would go to the trouble of making such a refined sweet as fried-rice sugar water."

Madam Lin chuckled softly, "Ah, I see."

"Besides, it's thanks to Boss Gu being well-informed and knowledgeable about these things."

He Jinglan earnestly agreed, "Indeed, around here in Xi Bei the staple is millet and wheat."

"Just looking at Madam Lin's neat technique for making noodles, it's hard to imagine she came from the south."

Gu Xixi said, "Coming from the south to Xi Bei takes more than courage; one must also adapt to the climate, the diet, and so on—it's certainly not easy at first."

Madam Lin gazed at the border, her smile tinged with a hint of regret, yet her eyes shone bright.

"Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and hear someone on the street hawking wontons and fried-rice sugar water."

"A bowl of fried-rice sugar water costs just one wen; whenever I hear it late at night, I can't help but buy a bowl to drink."

"Since coming to Xi Bei, I've woken several times at midnight, still habitually waiting for that vendor's call."

"Waiting and waiting, listening to the wind howling outside, I finally realized I had changed places."

He Jinglan's heart stirred slightly, and she asked, "Then do you regret it?"

"Regret?" Madam Lin said with a hint of mischief, "Which married woman hasn't regretted a few times?"

Gu Xixi and He Jinglan both laughed.

Madam Lin continued, "Regret isn't scary—as long as you can still find more benefits than those regrets, looking back on the days you've lived through, they'll always be sweet."

He Jinglan fell into thought.

Gu Xixi, however, slowly set down her empty bowl after finishing, "Hey look, firelight is coming."

He Jinglan and Madam Lin also saw it, and together they fixed their gaze on that direction, nodding slowly.

This time, with three pairs of eyes fixed on it, there's no mistaking it.

A cluster of firelight pierced the darkness, shooting straight into the border.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Because right after came another cluster, then two clusters, three clusters…

The three pairs of eyes gradually widened.

Madam Lin's voice trembled as she said, "Now I can be certain—it's the Northern Li people launching fire arrows!"

"No way, we must hurry and tell the village's sentry."

Ancient fire arrows: dry grass, cotton, etc., flammable materials soaked in fire oil, then rolled up and tied to the tip of a feathered arrow.

After lighting, they use a large strong bow to shoot from a distance, thereby igniting the target; this is often used on the battlefield.

Wait, why did it stop? He Jinglan narrowed her eyes and said, "It stopped after only seven or eight shots. Would that happen in battle? I saw that night we hurled those fireball stones here, and we kept throwing them almost all night."

Lin Danniang also wasn't sure, got up, "Indeed, it doesn't look like the start of a battle."

Gu Xixi had already stood up, walked to the edge of the roof, and looked around.

Her brow suddenly furrowed, "Look at the direction my finger is pointing—it's toward the south."

"Is there a faint firelight over there on that slightly higher ground?"

He Jinglan hurriedly looked over, "It seems there is a little bit; it should have been ignited by a fire arrow."

Lin Danniang, familiar with the terrain, glanced and exclaimed, "Gu Boss, that, that place is……"

Gu Xixi's face darkened, she continued, "It's our Pinpo Fruit Forest."

Lin Danniang, having seen many great winds and waves, quickly calmed down.

"No, we must put out the fire!"

Gu Xixi didn't expect Lin Danniang to have such a big idea, she was stunned, and said, "It's too dangerous."

Lin Danniang, however, resolutely said, "The Pinpo Fruit Forest is a livelihood hard-won by everyone, and it's right on our own turf—why should we just watch them burn it?"