Feibi | Moonlit Night

After nearly three months without seeing each other, Xiao Jing, who had just returned from a trip, invited me over for a meal. I arrived and stood outside the courtyard gate, watching her come down the stairs, smiling as she opened the door for me.

Xiao Xi was very excited to see me, kept jumping on me, because she recognized me. Last November, Yang Mi and I were at the Yungong Kaiwu courtyard experiencing gold repair, and we often saw Xiao Xi. Yang Mi went back to her hometown for a while and entrusted Xiao Xi to Xiao Jing. Xiao Jing's Haha, due to patellar issues, could no longer go up the mountains, so she entrusted him to her parents.

Xiao Jing said she was going out again soon, so she wanted to have a meal together. I asked where she was going. She said, to Chiang Mai, for a work project. I expressed envy. Because of work, she can go to different places and have some fun on the side—just thinking about it makes me happy.

Xiao Jing was cooking, and the room was filled with the aroma of food. Someone cooking for you always gives a feeling of happiness. After eating your cooking, we become friends. A meal can seal a friendship for life—why not? The more we eat together, the deeper our bond. Though sometimes things are not that simple.

As soon as I entered the house, I looked around. It seemed like there were fewer things in the room. There was a new whiteboard covered in English writing on the wall. Xiao Jing is seriously studying English, listening while cooking. Learning a foreign language isn't hard; what's hard is spending time, consistently weaving it into your life, making it part of your brain and muscles. There are also two interesting black-and-white photos on the wall, which were there before; Xiao Jing said they are from Bao Mei's photography collection.

A drawing on cardboard, trout begonia. This trendy plant has red undersides on its leaves. If a little red were added, the painting would be visually richer. But as it is, the leaves look a bit like strange bean pods, with beans inside shining and darting around, trying to break free from the mother and fly into space... This is more Xiao Jing's style. You are what you paint!

The primroses Xiao Jing brought back from Xipo, planted in flowerpots, also need to be entrusted to someone before she goes out.

By the window is a painting by Yi Yi, which Jason bought from an exhibition and gave to Xiao Jing. Yi Yi is a Yi ethnic girl, a naïve painter and creator. A Yi Ke Jie, I like this name, simple and pure, combining gentleness and strength. Jason wrote about Yi Yi's husband Yi Hao in a 2019 blog post. Yi Hao and Jason met again by chance. Years ago, they lived together at Faraway Inn for a while, when Yi Hao was a young street poet. Jason recorded that Yi Hao and Yi Yi came to his house for a meal, catching up and chatting about recent events. I also went to see Yi Yi's exhibition and bought a picture book as a motivation for myself.

Cute plant pom-poms, Xiao Jing said she picked them on the riverbank in Yangshuo. I searched and found it's Adina rubella (Rubiaceae, Adina, thin-leaved Adina). Reminds me of 2016, when ZK, Shaoying, and I visited Hangzhou Botanical Garden and photographed its fresh form in the penjing garden.

Xiao Jing made a cup with a sour papaya inside; when you lean in, you can smell its fragrance. It feels like it's quietly turning itself into wine.

On the table is a beautiful sheep skull, small and delicate, brought back by Xiao Jing, Yang Mi, and Yanzi from Xipo. I said that when Sanmao got married, José gave her a sheep skull (writing this, I searched—camel skull is the desert treasure, worthy of a Sahara wedding!). I mentioned that Xiao Jing promised to show me the collections she brought back from Thailand, so she went to the storage room next door to look for them. When we chatted online, she emphasized, "Let's agree first, I'm not giving it away." I laughed, how precious it must be!

In the storage room, there's a big bucket of Acacia dealbata, which Xiao Jing said Yang Mi left behind, asking if I wanted it. Because the scent is too strong, it's been isolated here. A year ago, by the seaside in Wase, I picked some from a broken branch of Acacia dealbata and brought them home. They were probably half-dry; the flowers had almost no scent when I took them home. The first time I saw Acacia dealbata was in the South of France, a few stems in Feifei's small vase. Feifei introduced it to me as "mimosa." So the French name was what I remembered first. Across a long span of time and space, I experienced its strong fragrance for the first time.

The Cangshan Mountain and fields seen from the rooftop terrace.

There's snow on the mountain top. Last winter, the snow on Cangshan accumulated halfway up; this year, it's probably hopeless.

Xiao Jing took a mushroom out of a sealed bag, saying there were several like it and she could give me one. Seeing it reminded me of Coltricia (Hymenochaetales) from Cangshan. Google says it's a Microporus (Polyporales, Polyporaceae, Microporus, maybe Microporus xanthopus?). Microporus is as thin as a piece of paper, and the back is also smooth, almost like paper, with a leathery toughness—a strange feel. On the top right is a Casuarina equisetifolia cone picked in Fangchenggang. Hearing the name Fangchenggang for the first time, I felt it was in Vietnam. I searched and found it's a border port. The first time I saw Casuarina equisetifolia was when I visited M's place and saw it by the seaside. There were no cones on the tree then, and I thought it was a pine tree, but the "pine needles" were segmented. Casuarina equisetifolia is native to Australia and Pacific islands, and is an "excellent tree species for windbreak and sand fixation along southern coastal areas."

While waiting for the meal, I spread Xiao Jing's collection on the table and examined it closely. The indigo homespun cloth looked like a deep ocean, with all sorts of beautiful drift floating within it. Things that are common and unremarkable elsewhere become especially charming when you pick one or two and bring them home. As the saying goes, 'If you have a thousand cups of water, you only need one.'

Among them, the most peculiar was this thing. It looked like some kind of shellfish, with a row of neat teeth, all in perfect alignment! Xiao Jing said that the seaside always has all sorts of strange things, some unknown whether animal or plant.

After finishing with that bag, I opened another ziplock bag to look at dried mushrooms and other items.

Just as I spread them out, the meal was ready. So we ate first. Outside the window, the sky was slowly darkening. I said, 'Look at the sky darkening outside, it's so beautiful.' Xiao Jing said, 'Then it would be even better if we didn't turn on the lights.'

Radish and pork rib soup, stir-fried radish with broad beans. In the afternoon, Xiao Jing went out to get a haircut and buy groceries. The vegetables were very fresh, the beans tender, and the radishes sweet. The small yellow tomatoes next to them were bought at the Jingwu Grain and Oil Shop, 15 yuan per box. Two bay leaves were added to the rib soup. Xiao Jing said, 'This is how they do it in my hometown, the bay leaves are different from elsewhere. I'll pack some for you to take home.' Indeed, as soon as the two leaves went into the pot, a different fragrance filled the air. I studied the leaves and said, 'These are from the Lauraceae family, see the veins—triplinerved.' The city tree of Hangzhou is the camphor tree, and Shao Ying often used to mention this term to me.

When I got home and looked again, the bay leaves did have triplinerved veins. I searched online—this is Cinnamomum austrosinense (Lauraceae, Cinnamomum). Its bark can be used as cinnamon, and its branches, leaves, and fruits can be used to extract cinnamon oil.

This was my first time eating stir-fried radish with broad beans, and it was quite good. The smoky fragrance of dried chili added a wok hei to the dish. Xiao Jing said, 'I thought radish could be stir-fried plain, and broad beans could too, so combining them shouldn't be bad.' The rice bowl was made by Xiao Jing herself, very cute. I focused on eating the rice, slowly enjoying the dishes, and throwing the gnawed bones on the floor for Xiao Xi, who attacked them with crunching sounds. The flavors were just right, not too salty. Xiao Jing said, 'You're like Yang Mi, eating lightly. I can't do that—I need a dipping sauce.' She used a plate of Shanyuan dipping sauce for the radish and ribs in the soup.

While eating and chatting, I asked Xiao Jing, "Why is Yanzi so persistent about setting up a stall?" Xiao Jing explained that if she didn't go, the person who rented the stall to her would nag, so she tried to show up as much as possible. Xiao Jing said that Yanzi is very disciplined; every time she leads an activity, she always arrives half an hour or an hour early, goes up the mountain to play first, but she still prioritizes hanging out with friends over leading the team. Yanzi really loves to have fun. I really liked the photos Yanzi took in December when we went to Xipo Hao Ran's house for the year-end pig feast. They were fantastic! A stroke of genius! That was also the first time I saw Yanzi, after hearing about her for a long time.

Jason asked me the other day, "Have you noticed any improvement in Xiao Jing's writing recently?" I said, "I don't have much to compare. She posted her childhood diary in an article, and it read quite lively. Now she incorporates things she's absorbed from reading Japanese essays. She's very good at learning. What are you trying to say?" Jason said, "I think she is eager to learn and improves quickly." I said, "The girls in our foraging team all have great aesthetics, an artistic talent. With talent and a love for learning, it's natural to improve quickly." Jason said, "Yeah, talent is important, but so is learning." I said, "Isn't it said that most people haven't even worked hard enough to compete on talent? So you have to work hard first."

I really enjoyed Xiao Jing's recent post "Together We Arrive in Dali" - it's vivid, enduring, and thought-provoking. She has indeed made great progress. The success of Cangtu can be seen as a triumph of aesthetics, vitality, and free will.

I slowly finished almost all the dishes. Last month, I went to Xiao Yi's place for a gathering with Vivi and Yoyo. The food that day was so delicious that we ate and drank for four hours. I haven't eaten that much even during the New Year; I was so full I had to stand up and walk around the room. When we left, we even packed up leftover food for each other. A perfect gathering needs not only delicious food but also a relaxed and happy atmosphere and the bond between friends.

After dinner, I drank tea while Xiao Jing had some alcohol. If I weren't driving, I could also drink a little, but I don't find alcohol tasty. The Rio brand is okay; I've had some that M bought, paired with his home-cooked feast. Xiao Jing poured herself some homemade plum wine and added ice cubes. The ice cubes looked so beautiful, Xiao Jing remarked, watching them float.

I like that wine ladle; it feels familiar to me. "When I was little, one of the few chores I did was to go buy soy sauce."

Xiao Jing asked, "The tailor has started making videos, have you noticed?" "No, I haven't seen them. How are they?" "He has his own perspective. The tailor bought a camera, the color is quite retro." "Right, he asked me about cameras." When I got home, I watched a video by the tailor. The shots were gentle, the music just right, and it looked relaxed yet structured, like a prose poem of the mountains and forests. Music really creates an atmosphere, turning everyday life into a movie.

Apart from gnawing on bones, Xiao Xi spent most of her time obediently sleeping under the table. Occasionally, she would enthusiastically want to interact with me, pressing her wet nose against my face. While drinking, I would occasionally push open the door to go to the bathroom, and bring my camera along to shoot the sky outside. Recording feels like an instinct.

The clouds at dusk were particularly striking, and the moon was slowly rising.

Xiao Jing took out the small stove she bought in Yangshuo. It can both provide warmth and roast food. As she spoke, she began to roast oranges on it.

After roasting oranges, she roasted sticky rice cakes. The rice cakes slowly puffed up, becoming plump and golden brown, tempting. I also want to add such a stove to my home, perfect for sitting around the fire and chatting at night, and I want to recreate the grilled mochi from "Midnight Diner: Private Recipes," spreading it with butter and soy sauce, then sprinkling some shichimi togarashi. But winter is almost over; I'll think about it next winter.

The roasted oranges lost some moisture and became sweeter. The skin of the rice cakes was crispy. Served on Xiao Jing's handmade plates, they looked beautiful and tasted delicious.

We talked a lot about love—others', our own, past, recent, and future. If love must include passion, then it is destined not to last. In a relationship that spans years and ends well, you become familiar with the other's romantic history and moments of attraction—those moments like the falling of flowers on Nanshan, those emotions that bloomed fiercely like short-lived spring plants. You share the secrets of each other's lives, building deep trust and friendship through time and shared experiences.

Family love and friendship are like air and sunshine. Love is like wind and rain, and in the wind and rain there are rainbows. When the wind is calm and there are no more waves, does it transform into family love and friendship? Whether admitted or not, everyone longs for love and affection. To be in love, stay lovely. Staying lovely is even more about being satisfied with oneself. Satisfaction with one's own state, both body and mind, is the most important thing. Only when you are satisfied with yourself can you have the capacity to benefit others. Out of an interest in the complexity and subtlety of human nature, new love always seems worth looking forward to.

Following that topic, we talked about a few directors: Rohmer, Hong Sang-soo, Imamura Shohei... Xiao Jing doesn't quite remember the names of the movies she's seen, but she is sensitive to the color tones and certain atmospheres of the scenes.

The music playing while we chatted was nice, from Xiao Jing's collection. I want to collect some of my own favorite music too, to shuffle through when I'm eating and talking with friends. There was a guitar piece by Gontiti that I recognized, the BGM from 'Still Walking.' When I was studying in Aix, I watched that movie in the classroom one snowy day. I remember also watching two films by Itami Juzo in Japanese class, and 'The Aftermath.' More than a decade has passed, and in between I've experienced and heard a lot about life and death. Living no longer feels as taken for granted as it did in youth. Living increasingly feels like a grace. So when I chatted with Hong Kai, I said maybe the older we get, the more we should focus on what truly interests us, so we won't regret it later.

I flipped through the books on the table, and there was one by Lin Bai called 'Women's Chatter Records.' Xiao Jing said, 'This is good.' 'Have you finished it?' 'Not yet.' 'Lend it to me when you're done. My mom would love this book—she loves stories about everyday life.' 'Do you want to read this one? I'm not reading it,' Xiao Jing handed me a copy of 'Thirteen Ways of Smelling a Tree.' A couple of her friends had left Jingtian Village, left Dali, and before they left, they proactively offered to lend her this book. That proactive lending move must have been an introvert's subtle way of saying, 'I want to see you again.' I'd heard of the book—another work by the author of 'The Forest Unseen.' I took it for now, even though I have a pile of borrowed books at home that I haven't read or finished. 'Tomorrow the Lai Mingzhu translation of Murakami's novel will arrive,' Xiao Jing said with anticipation. Earlier I'd recommended a Bandao FM episode to her that compared the Lin and Lai translations of Haruki Murakami.

'Tomorrow I'm having dinner and drinks with another friend I haven't seen in a long time. If we get happy enough, we'll dance together—can you imagine?' 'Of course.'

'Your terrace is so great, with such an open view. Eating and chatting under the summer night sky must feel amazing.' 'Unfortunately summer is the busiest time, I won't have time.' 'Before that, or after, come twice.'

When the moon was at its zenith, I left. The moonlight and sky were pure. Xiao Jing took Xiao Xi downstairs, and I watched them disappear into the night on a path that seemed to lead into the fields.