Xue Dongting set the dragon saliva incense down gently and found a set of Song Yuming"s old clothes. The coa.r.s.e hemp carried his manly scent. She blushed despite herself and quickly took its measurements and got to work outlining on the new bolt of cloth.

Before she knew it it was noon. Song Yuming had not yet returned. She went to the kitchen and heated up some food. When she was done she continued cutting out and sewing the garments.

The winter afternoon was long and chilly, but the fisherman"s little cottage was warm and cheery. Xue Dongting threw on a coat and sat by the little brazier. The fire was going good in the brazier so she set her sewing aside and went to the kitchen and got some rice and set the congee pot on the brazier to cook slowly. By the time Song Yuming got home the congee ought to be about ready.

Steam roiled from the edge of the wooden pot lid. Xue Dongting kept lifting it up to prevent it from boiling over. Every time she lifted the lid she caught a heady whiff of the rice. She was at peace. The ba.n.a.lities of daily normal life were really pleasant.

Near dusk she heard the heavy clomp of footsteps outside. It made her inexplicably happy. She opened the door to see Song Yuming carrying two large fish and a few packages of sweets as he stepped into the courtyard. “You went fis.h.i.+ng?” she said curiously. You can still catch something on such a cold winter day?”

Song Yuming dropped the writing fish into a bucket of water and smiled. “I got lucky and caught two today. Winter fish are particularly plump.” He held up the packages of sweets. “I got someone going to town to bring these back. Tomorrow when I take you back home we can bring the fish and these along with us. Madame Qiao might not think much of them, but we mustn"t skimp on the gifts.”

Xue Dongting went “Mm” and took the packages. She was really grateful. She didn"t expect him to be so conscientious.

Song Yuming took off his straw raincoat and hung it on the wall outside and he and Xue Dongting went inside together.

He gazed at the pot of congee on the brazier and nodded, smiling. “That"s a good idea.”

“Did you eat lunch?” she asked.

“I ate some with Old Zhao the helmsman, and had a few drinks to warm up. Not to worry.”

Xue Dongting nodded and said no more.

Song Yuming looked at his little wife"s gentle, demure face. “Do you feel any better today?”

“All better… I"ll go cook something hot.”

Song Yuming quickly stopped her. “It"s cold in the kitchen, I"ll do it.”

Xue Dongting smiled. “I"m already well, how delicate do you think I am?” She went out.

He laughed and went to the kitchen with her. She cooked while he loaded more wood into the fire.

Xue Dongting happened to look at him, the flames lighting up his cheeks, the lines of his face sharp and distinct. He gazed into the fire, his eyes glowing.

She asked him off-hand, “So you found that dragon saliva incense on a little island?”

Song Yuming nodded. “Yes. Last year I went out to sea and picked it up off this little deserted island.”

She listened to him say that like it was nothing, but going out to sea alone, he must have run into many dangers. She remembered the oil lamp in the bedroom and asked, “So the lamp in the bedroom uses whale oil?”

“Mm”, he said. “When I went out to sea there was a beached whale on the island. If I had not had that whale meat to eat I likely wouldn"t have survived to make it back. Before I left I filled a jug with whale oil paste and put it in the cellar. I"ve been burning it for over a year and still haven"t used it all. It burns a lot longer than regular oil.”