Chapter Fifty-Six: Catching Snow Frogs in the Misty Drizzle

As Han Li heard the girls knocking at his door, he immediately thought they must be out of their minds. Coming to his door in the middle of the night—imagine what people would think if they saw this. The consequences could be disastrous.

Should he open the door? Or pretend not to hear?

After three seconds of deliberation, Han Li simply undressed, slipped under the covers, and went to sleep. He was only sixteen—at an age when youthful energy surged within him. And now, slightly tipsy, if he let them in, who knew what might happen?

Yet, as he was drifting off, his mind wandered sleepily. If they had come quietly, without anyone noticing, and if he opened the door now, perhaps it wouldn’t be such a big deal. After all, drinking chrysanthemum tea every day and taking cold showers was starting to wear on him.

Outside, Yun Jingjing and the others knocked for a while, but Han Li neither responded nor opened the door.

Yang Xiuying complained, “What’s with Han Li? We’ve been calling for ages and he hasn’t made a sound.”

Hao Hongmin guessed, “Maybe he fell asleep. With the rain so loud, he probably can’t hear us.”

Yun Yingying asked, “So what do we do now?”

He Mi replied, “Let’s just go back. This was embarrassing enough already. If Han Li’s asleep, all the better—saves us all from awkwardness.”

Hao Hongmin suggested, “Let’s just go back. If we can’t sleep, we’ll play cards all night.”

He Mi quickly objected, “That won’t do. We’re already staying here as guests. How can we keep you all up with us?”

With a clatter, Hao Hongmin’s front gate closed, cutting off a line of sight from the youth commune courtyard.

Back inside, the five young women gazed at the damp floor, troubled once more. The kang bed could at most sleep four, and it wouldn’t be right to make someone sleep alone on the floor. So, each night, two would take the floor, and the next night, someone else would get a turn on the kang.

Everything had been fine until today’s rain—the ground was so damp they couldn’t even lay out mattresses. It was then that Yang Xiuying spoke up, suggesting they send two people to stay over at Han Li’s.

Yun Jingjing exclaimed in shock, “Are you serious? We’re all young women—how can we squeeze in with a man on the kang?”

Yang Xiuying, unphased, replied, “We’re already in Shanghe Village; when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

“When I went to Auntie’s to swap eggs and vegetables, I saw their kang—it was huge. Out of curiosity, I asked, and it turns out that here, everyone in the family sleeps together on one kang. Even when relatives come—distant aunts, uncles—they all sleep together.”

“Families with better means might hang a curtain for privacy, but most just sleep in a row. Even with men and women, young and old together, everyone keeps some clothes on. Each person has their own quilt, it’s not like sharing the same bedding as you imagine.”

“And with our situation, if we don’t get rest at night, how will we work the fields by day? We’re just following local custom; even if the villagers knew, no one would think twice.”

Yang Xiuying’s words swayed them—after all, they’d gotten along well these past days. It wouldn’t do for some to sleep while others sat up all night; it would just spoil the camaraderie. As she said, it was just local custom, not what they feared. What was there to be afraid of?

So, they decided to give it a try at Han Li’s—only to be turned away. Yet, deep down, several of them felt relieved; the whole thing had been rather overwhelming.

Han Li was awakened by raindrops drumming on the eaves. The night sky remained pitch black, with a fine drizzle falling outside. He considered lazing on the kang a bit longer, but his internal clock wouldn’t let him rest.

With a sigh, he lit the kerosene lamp and got dressed. When he opened the door, the clean, fresh scent of post-rain air rushed in. The fragrance of grass and wildflowers hung in the air, the leaves on the trees washed a brighter green by the rain. It would have been perfect if not for the faint smell of chicken manure.

He lit the kerosene stove for breakfast and did a few stretches. By the time he’d eaten, dawn was breaking, though the rain still pattered down. Just as he was about to read, he heard Tiedan’s voice calling from outside.

“Brother Han, are you up?”

“Up,” Han Li replied.

Opening the gate, he saw Tiedan draped in a burlap sack, carrying a metal pail with a large bag inside. Tiedan beckoned him closer and whispered, “Brother Han, I’ll tell you quietly—right after the rain is the best time to catch snow frogs. Now’s perfect, that’s why I came to tell you. My dad’s waiting up ahead—grab your bag and hurry! If we’re late, there’ll be too many people.”

With that, Tiedan scurried off with his pail. Han Li glanced at the drizzling sky, thinking what a good kid Tiedan was—just a few candies, and he’d come running to share the best hunting spots.

He had to admit, Tiedan was a straightforward child; he’d give him a few more candies next time.

Snow frogs, known as the Northeast Forest Frog, were not only delicious and nourishing but also had many health benefits. Their oil could be used for tonics, benefiting the kidneys, moistening the lungs, and nourishing the brain. They helped with palpitations, insomnia, dizziness, fatigue, and irritability, and were especially good for pregnant and postpartum women.

How could Han Li pass up such a treasure? He put on his raincoat and boots, grabbed his pail, and headed to where Tiedan had described.

Arriving at the spot, Han Li found the area teeming with snow frogs. Given the unspoiled environment, it was no surprise. He’d heard of “fish paths” and “shrimp runs,” but here, even the snow frogs seemed to have their own trails.

But now wasn’t the time to ponder this—there were too many frogs to catch. He decided to enjoy himself while the place was still quiet. He began by putting a few frogs in his bag for appearances’ sake, then, making use of his special ability, separated the edible parts into his storage space and threw the rest into the river.

Even Tiedan knew about this spot, so other villagers surely did too. Han Li kept an eye out as he worked; when someone approached, he stopped his “cheating.”

A villager called out, “Comrade Han, you’re up early! How many snow frogs have you caught?”

Han Li recognized the face but had no idea what the man’s name was.