Chapter 393: Daily life 3.

"Because I would like to have a building left when you finish."

Bai Li laughed.

Lili ran in from the balcony. "The mint is thirsty."

Bai Li immediately turned. "How thirsty?"

Yan Cijin stared at her. "You can’t be serious."

"Plants matter."

"I know."

"Then come."

Lili grabbed her hand again.

Yan Cijin watched them go.

Mother Yan came up beside her.

"She likes you."

Yan Cijin smiled. "Lili likes Bai Li too."

Mother Yan nodded. "I meant Bai Li."

Yan Cijin went quiet.

Her mother smiled gently. "I didn’t say anything bad."

"Mom."

"I only said she likes you."

Yan Cijin looked toward the balcony. Bai Li was crouched beside Lili,

checking a row of small pots while the little girl talked nonstop.

"I know," Yan Cijin said softly.

Mother Yan did not push. She simply handed her a folded cloth. "Help her

before she decides the balcony needs rebuilding too."

Yan Cijin laughed. "That sounds like something she would do."

She followed them outside.

The balcony had become one of the busiest parts of the apartment, even

though it was barely large enough for two people to stand comfortably

when the planters were all arranged along the railing. Bai Li had placed

the containers where they would get the best sunlight. Mother Yan had

started organizing which plants should be harvested first. Yan Cijin had

made little notes about watering times. Lili had decided that every

plant needed a name.

That meant the mint was called Minty. The tomato plant was Tomato. The

chili plant had been named Fire. A small green onion somehow became

Uncle Green Onion, and nobody had been able to convince Lili to change

it.

Bai Li was inspecting the soil around the tomato plant when Lili

crouched beside her.

"Is Tomato thirsty?"

Bai Li touched the soil. "A little."

Lili reached for the small watering can.

Yan Cijin stopped her. "Not too much."

Lili looked up. "Why?"

"Because too much water can hurt the plant."

Lili immediately looked at Bai Li. "Is she right?"

Bai Li nodded. "Unfortunately."

Yan Cijin smiled. "Unfortunately?"

"I was hoping you’d be wrong about something today."

"You’ll have to wait."

Bai Li looked at her. "That sounds like a challenge."

"It is not."

"Too late."

Yan Cijin shook her head, but she was smiling.

They watered the plants together. Bai Li adjusted one pot. Yan Cijin

moved another closer to the light. Lili held the watering can with both

hands and took the responsibility so seriously that she stuck her tongue

out in concentration.

Mother Yan stood by the open balcony door and watched them.

For a woman who had spent days worrying about food and safety, the sight

of her daughter arguing over a tomato plant with another woman while a

little girl supervised the gardening was strangely comforting.

"Bai Li," she called.

Bai Li looked up. "Yes?"

"Come inside for a minute when you’re done. I want your opinion about

the water storage."

"Okay."

Yan Cijin glanced toward her mother. "What’s wrong with it?"

"Nothing. I just want to check the distribution."

Bai Li nodded. "I’ll look."

Yan Cijin looked at Bai Li. "You really can’t say no to anything

practical, can you?"

"Can you?"

"Yes."

"Give me an example."

Yan Cijin thought about it.

"No."

Bai Li laughed.

Lili giggled.

"See?" Bai Li said. "Exactly."

Yan Cijin pushed her lightly on the shoulder. "Go check the water."

Bai Li allowed herself to be pushed. "Bossy."

"Someone has to be."

They headed into the storage room.

The apartment’s water system was not elegant, but it worked. Rainwater

was collected through the balcony drains and cleaned before being

stored. Extra containers were kept sealed for emergencies. There was

also a separate supply of filtered water for drinking and cooking. The

setup had been assembled from whatever they had managed to gather during

the first week, and Bai Li had improved it piece by piece whenever she

found a better fitting, a stronger pipe, or a more efficient filter.

The current problem was small.

The pressure on one side of the distribution line was lower than usual.

Bai Li crouched beside the filter housing.

Yan Cijin crouched beside her.

Mother Yan remained standing, explaining what she had noticed.

"The kitchen tap is fine. The bathroom is fine. But the line to the

balcony takes longer to fill the watering container."

Bai Li touched the pipe. "Air pocket."

Yan Cijin looked at her. "Already?"

"Probably."

"Can you fix it?"

Bai Li looked offended again. "You really enjoy asking that."

Yan Cijin smiled. "I like hearing the answer."

Bai Li reached for a wrench. "Then watch."

The fix took fifteen minutes. Bai Li opened a valve, drained the trapped

air, tightened one connection, and checked the line again. When she

finished, the water pressure returned to normal.

Mother Yan nodded. "Good."

Bai Li stood. "Done."

Yan Cijin looked at the pipe, then at Bai Li. "You look happy."

"I am."

"Because the water works?"

"Because you admitted I was right."

"I did not say that."

"Your face did."

Yan Cijin rolled her eyes. "Your ego is becoming a problem."

Bai Li stepped closer. "You still follow me around."

Yan Cijin’s eyes flicked toward her. "I’m checking your work."

"Of course."

"Exactly."

Bai Li smiled. "Very professional."

Mother Yan cleared her throat. "I think the water line has received

enough attention for one morning."

Yan Cijin immediately looked away.

Bai Li laughed.

"Come," Mother Yan said. "Lunch later. For now, let’s check the lower

storage."

Bai Li nodded.

Yan Cijin followed.

That became another small pattern of their life.

Mother Yan managed the household routines. She knew what food needed to

be used first, which containers needed refilling, how much grain could

be cooked without waste, and how to stretch ingredients without making

everyone feel as though they were eating emergency rations every day.

Lili floated between everyone, carrying spoons, asking questions,

collecting bits of string, and somehow finding something interesting in

the most boring task.

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TO BE CONTINUED.