Soon, they were hauling up the first bucket, eyes gleaming like they had uncovered treasure. Clear, cold water sloshed over the edge, and they burst into quiet grins.
Without even waiting for me, they cupped the water in their hands and drank it in huge gulps, their excitement palpable. My eldest brother, usually the composed and responsible one, followed suit, letting the cool water wash away the weariness of the day.
"This is amazing, Lan'er," Shanyuan said between breaths, his voice laced with awe. Yaoting and Yubing chimed in with eager nods, their faces bright with wonder.
Yeah, children their age should act like this.
They turned their heads at me in unison, and aimed their smiles at me in in a way that took me aback.
"Alright—you three promised," I reminded them, folding my arms in an exaggerated show of authority. "Now it's time to hold up your end of the bargain."
Shanyuan's grin widened. He stepped close and gave my head a gentle pat, the way he did when we were younger and he felt particularly protective. "Okay, okay. As men, we don't back out of our words," he declared with mock solemnity, straightening his shoulders.
He shot a look over one shoulder at Yaoting and Yubing. "Right, brothers?"
Yaoting rolled his eyes but mimicked Shanyuan's stance, drumming a fist against his chest. "Right. Men of our word."
Yubing puffed out his cheeks, then saluted with both hands—one over his heart, the other in the air. "Secret water, secret well!"
Despite myself, I laughed.
"Good," I said, lowering my arms. Right after I said that, my brothers immediately knelt down and began smearing dirt onto the pristine new well.
Startled, I blinked. "What are you doing?"
Yaoting looked up, his hands already muddy. "Making it look less suspicious. If Mother or Father sees how new it is, they'll start asking questions."
"We'll just say we cleaned it up and reinforced it a bit," Shanyuan added, rubbing soil into the seams between the bricks. "It's easier to explain than a perfectly new well appearing out of nowhere."
Yubing nodded enthusiastically as he dabbed a handful of moss near the base. "We can even say we fixed the pulley with leftover parts from the barn!"
Together, they finished 'messing up' the miracle, disguising it to look like just another part of our worn and weathered life. The well still shone faintly beneath the dirt and moss, but now it looked old enough to pass without a second glance.
"Lan'er, look!" Yubing whispered, awed all over again as the water settled. "It even smells clean." They had kept on looking over the well as they worked, of course they can't help but play with the water once in a while.
"Yes," I murmured, trying to keep the pride out of my voice. "It's the best water you'll ever taste. But remember, only for us, and only from this well. No boasting to the village."
Yaoting pretended to zip his lips. Shanyuan nodded, serious now. "We understand, Mei-mei. We'll keep the secret."
.
.
.
When we got back to the house, the golden hue of the sun was already stretching long shadows across the dirt pathways—it was only an hour before dusk would fully settle. The scent of warm congee and steamed fish greeted us even before we stepped inside.
"Dinner's ready!" my mother called from the hearth, her voice light with cheer.
We washed up quickly and gathered around the low wooden table, bowls set, chopsticks ready. It had been a long time since I, Qin Ruolan, had sat at this table not just as a silent observer but as someone able to join them properly. My previous body had been far too frail; even holding my back upright would exhaust me, and more often than not, they would bring food to my bed instead.
But now, I sat between Yaoting and Yubing, upright and steady. My mother's eyes shimmered with emotion as she gently placed a larger portion of fish in my bowl. "Eat slowly," she said.
I took a bite of the fish. It was bland—unsalted and plainly cooked—but the natural umami still came through. A quiet savoriness lingered on my tongue, and somehow, it felt comforting in its simplicity.
Around me, my family was eating with the kind of satisfaction that made me pause. Their faces were filled with joy, and they chewed slowly, savoring every bite as though this was a long-awaited delicacy. Eating meat, even just fish, was something rare for them. A luxury, not a norm.
Yaoting let out a small contented sigh, grinning with his mouth still full. "This is so good, I could eat the whole pot," he said, earning a chuckle from our father.
"I think it's been three weeks since we last had fish," Shanyuan added, placing more rice in Yubing's bowl before refilling his own.
My mother gave a small laugh, but her expression was soft, her eyes still flicking toward me every now and then, as if afraid I might vanish. I met her gaze and gave her a reassuring smile, then took another bite.
Soon after dinner, I was gently swept off to my room, much to my dismay. My protests were met with warm smiles and a firm tuck of the blanket around me. My mother insisted I rest, while my brothers were ushered into their usual chores, cleaning the house, sweeping the yard, and preparing for another early morning.
As I lay in bed, I watched the light from the setting sun stretch across the wooden beams of the ceiling. It didn't take long before darkness crept in. Outside, the plains dimmed to a silvery hush, and one by one, lights from the distant village homes flickered to life. Soft amber glows lit up the night like grounded stars.
But our house remained dim, steeped in shadow.
We had nothing left to spare, with no oil for lamps, no wood dry enough to burn through the night. We'd used the last of it to cook dinner. And yet, there was no complaint from my family. Only quiet endurance, like this was simply the way life had to be.