Grandpa seemed angry at someone.He didn't smile as

much as before,and he didn't pay much attention to Cuicui.She began to realize that Grandpa was not doting on her as usual,yet she seemed not to understand the real reason for it.But this didn't last very long.Things got better as the days passed.The pair still spent their days on the ferryboat just as always,except that there seemed to be some invisible absence in their lives that simply could not be filled.When Grandpa went to River Street,Fleetmaster Shunshun still entcrtained him as before,yet it was quite apparent that the feetmaster could never forget why his deceased son had come

to be deceased.No.2 had ventured two hundred miles down the White River to Chenzhou,searching for the corpse of his elder brother all along the way.It was in vain.After posting notices at all the customs stations,he returned to Chadong. Not long after,on his way to transport goods to East Sichuan, he came upon the old ferryman at the crossing.Observing

that the young man seemed to have forgotten what had gone

before,the old ferryman said to him,

“No.2,traveling in the heat of the sixth month is terri-

bly punishing yet here you are on your way to East Sichuan

again.I guess you can stand any hardship!”

“We have to eat.I'd have to be on my way even if the

heavens above were on fire!"

“Eat?Don't tell me that's a problem in No.2's family!”

“Oh,we have what we need,but Father says that young

men ought not to stay home and eat without earning their

keep!”

“How is your father these days?”

“He eats and works,as before.Why do you ask?”

“Ever since your elder brother's misfortune,the tragedy

seems to me to have dealt your father a heavy blow!

No.2 was silent.He gazed at the white pagoda behind the

old ferryman's house,as ifrecalling,wholly disconsolate,that

night from the time before and the events that went with it.

The old ferryman stole a fearful glance at the young man

and broke out in a smile

“No.2,my Cuicui tells me that one night during the last

month she had a dream..”Watching No.2 as he spoke,

he saw neither shock nor irritation,so he went on:“It was

strange.She said that in her dream someone's songs foated

her up to the bluffs across the creek,where she picked a hand-

ful of saxifrage!”

No.2 tilted his head and made a wry smile,thinking to himself,“This old codger is up to something.”His suspicion was revealed in his smile and noted by the old ferryman,who continued,evidently fustered,“No.2,don't you believe me?” The young man replied:"Why wouldn't I believe you?I

was a fool to sing all night long from the top of those cliffs!"

Shocked and humiliated by this unexpected bluntness,

the ferryman stammered:“Really?...Surely not...”

“Oh no?What about the death of Tianbao?Isn't that real?”

“But,but...”

The old ferryman's pretenses had originally been aimed only at clarifying the situation a little,but from the start he sensed that he had done the wrong thing and been misunderstood.He wanted now to give a complete explanation of the events of that night,but the boat had reached the other bank.No.2 wanted to be on his way as soon as he jumped to shore.The old ferry-

man shouted to him from the boat,all the more flustered:

“No.2,No.2,wait up,I have something to tell you.You know that part about you being a fool?You were no fool—it was your counterpart who went into a foolish rapture because of your songs!”

The young man paused a moment,but he said,softly: “That's it.Enough of this.Don't talk about it anymore.”

The old ferryman continued,“No.2,I heard that you'd rather tend a ferryboat than a grain mill.Horseman Yang

told me so.Was he right?”

The young man said,“And what if I did want the ferry-

boat?"

Suddenly cheered by the look on No.2's face,the old ferryman couldn't resist loudly shouting for Cuicui to come down to the stream.But luck was not with him.He waited a long while and still there was no sign of her,and no response.She had either gone off or was purposely staying inside the house.No.2 waited for a while in silence,watch- ing the expression on the old ferryman's face,before smiling and striding off with a porter who was bearing loads of bean starch noodles and refined sugar.

Once they passed the low mountain called Green Creck Hill,the two took a winding path that skirted a bamboo grove.The porter spoke what was on his mind:

“Nuosong,I can tell from his look that this ferryman has

really taken a liking to you!”

When No.2 didn't answer,the man said:

“No.2,he asked if you preferred the mill or the ferry.Are you really going to marry his granddaughter and take over his beat-up ferryboat?"

No.2 laughed.The other man went on:

“No.2,if it were my choice,I'd take the grain mill. There's a future in that.It'll make you three pints of rice and

ten times that in bran. ’

No.2 responded:“When I get back,I'll put in a word for you with my father.He can make you a match with those

people in Middle Stockade,so you can have your mill.As for me,I'd be fine with that ferryboat.But the old man is too cunning by far.He's the one who led No.I to his demise.”

The old ferryman was disconsolate to see No.2 go on his way.Still Cuicui had not come out.He went to the house for a look and Cuicui was not there.A while later,Cuicui emerged from behind a hill,carrying a basket.He realized that Cuicui had been out all morning,digging up bamboo shoots.

“Cuicui,I called for you for the longest time!You mus not have heard.”

“What did you call me for?”

“There was a passenger on the ferry—someone we know. We got to talking abour you.I called you,but you didn't

answer!"

“Who was it?”

“Guess,Cuicui.He wasn't a stranger,you know him!”

Cuicui thought of the conversation she had inadvertently heard while in the bamboo grove just before.She blushed and for a long time remained quiet.

The old ferryman asked,“Cuicui,how many bamboo shoots did you gather?"

Cuicui turned her bamboo basket upside down.Besides a dozen or so litle bamboo shoots,there was a big cdlump of saxifrage.

The old ferryman shot her a glancc.Her cheeks fushing scarlet,Cuicui hurried away