Read Online Along the River by Adeline Yen Mah - Free Book Online Page A

old.”
    At that moment, Proprietor Ma appears with a tray of steaming dishes, and the delicious aroma of fresh carp, pork ribs and bamboo shoots fills the air. Ah Zhao hurriedly repacks his assortment of cricket-ware and prepares to leave.
    “Buy the antique gourd and that fat, round, shiny one you call monk-head. Bargain for a good price,” Baba says.
    “Tell them to throw in the tickler!” Gege adds.
    “Do you need some more money?” Baba asks.
    “The string of cash you gave me earlier is more than enough.”
    Baba reaches into the voluminous sleeve of his robe and takes out a few more coins. “Here, this is lunch money for you and Little Chen.”
    “Thank you, Old Master.” Ah Zhao bows. “We’re going to watch the preparations for the Qing Ming Festival, but we won’t be far away.”
    “What’s the Qing Ming Festival, Baba?” I ask.
    “That’s a day for us to remember our ancestors. About four hundred years ago, one of the Tang Emperors declared that the day following the Cold Food Festival should be named Qing Ming Jie (Clear and Bright Festival). Nowadays we combine the two holidays together into a joined Qing Ming Festival for sweeping our ancestors’ tombs.”
    “And also for playing games,” Gege adds. “I remember one Qing Ming Festival when you took me to Ye Ye’s(Grandfather’s) tomb and we had a picnic. Afterward we played tug-of-war and cu ju (football) and flew kites. It was such a fun day.”
    “How come I didn’t get to go there for Qing Ming, Baba?” I ask.
    “That was the year I took your brother to see my old house in Shandong Province, where your ye ye is buried,” Baba says. “It’s too far for you to travel. Girls shouldn’t get out of the house too often.… Besides, your niang doesn’t like to leave her room. We haven’t celebrated Qing Ming for many years now.”
     
Along the River
at Qing Ming
     
    P roprietor Ma comes up to Baba toward the end of lunch and asks to speak to him privately.
    “How long will it take?”
    “It’s about your investment in my humble establishment. I need to show you the books. It might take a while. Do you have time?”
    “I have time, but what about my children?”
    “Today’s the beginning of Qing Ming. Have you not seen the crowds? So many things to do and see. They can walk around the marketplace, fly kites, go on a boat ride, even enter the city to watch the jugglers, or have their fortunes told.”
    “Oh, Baba,” I cry. “Please let Gege show me everything!”
    Baba smiles indulgently and reaches into his sleeve. “Here are some coins. Tell Ah Zhao to accompany you. He knows the city well.”
    “What if you’re finished before us?” I ask.
    “That’s a good point… hmm…” Baba strokes his beard and looks at our excited faces. “Tell you what: since this is Little Sister’s first visit to the city, why don’t you tell Little Chen to wait for you and drive you home? When I’m done, I’ll just hire a sedan chair and go home on my own.”
     
     
    Gege runs downstairs in high spirits, taking the steps two at a time, as usual. I follow more slowly, as stairs are always tricky for my toes, some of which do not bend. He turns around impatiently and tells me to hurry.
    Outside, the sun is blazing and the weather is turning warm. In front of us is the dazzling river. As far as I can see, its entire length is dotted with boats of all varieties, sizes and colors. There are flat-bottomed transport barges laden with sacks of grain, ferries packed with passengers, tiny rowing boats close to shore, river rafts, giant merchant ships and small sampans flying past at high speed. Everyone is going to or arriving from somewhere else. I suddenly realize how narrow my world is.
    We find Little Chen fast asleep by the side of the carriage. Ah Zhao is a little distance away, talking animatedly to a stallkeeper. A blue flag with the single word niao (bird) written in red is flying in the breeze. As we approach, I see a small crowd