Status Updates From Peach Blossom Paradise

MR. DING was writing calligraphy at his desk, his hand still wrapped in
gauze. Seeing Xiumi come through the door, he told her, “No class today.”
Apparently he was too busy writing a tomb inscription for Miss Sun. He
asked Xiumi why she hadn’t gone to see the Land and Water ceremony; she said that she didn’t want to. As she turned to leave, he stopped her: “Hold on a minute. I have a question for you.”

XIUMI brought up the rear of Miss Sun’s funeral procession. Grandma Meng was handing out yellow flowers made of cloth from a basket for guests to pin onto their clothing. She gave out her last flower just before she got to Xiumi. “What bad luck!” Grandma Meng laughed. “I’m just short the one.”

There had been no traffic at all at the ford yesterday, they said, and Shuijin
had spent the whole day playing go with his son inside the ferry. They were
both good go players, Shuijin told Mother. Skill at the game was passed
down through the family. Apparently his own father had died at the go
board, right after losing a whole field of pieces and spitting up blood.