004 Enduring the Harsh Season

Curled up under the animal hide, her short calves were well covered, yet the cold still pierced through to the bone. No wonder it was called the cold season; her mother treated it like facing a formidable enemy. In such extreme weather, there was no fire to warm them, no clothing to protect against the chill—they could only rely on their bodies to endure.

They were no longer in the original cave but had moved to a deeper one beneath it. Lin Yan noticed that before the cold season arrived, her mother had painstakingly dug out three caves with sharpened stones. The innermost cave was for living, the smaller adjacent one for storing food and water. Most of the supplies consisted of dried wild fruits and jerky, along with wind-dried animals. The remaining space was a large pit, lined with smooth stones and layered with enormous leaves—banana leaves common to the area, each about twenty centimeters wide and fifty centimeters long, glossy and thick with versatile uses.

Before the cold season, her mother had filled that pit with water. The largest cave held various sundries: stones, bark, leaves, dry grass, and so forth. The original cave, closest to the surface, was sealed with stones leaving a small gap for ventilation. Inside, there was a pile of mud and sand and a pit that Lin Yan later realized was a primitive toilet.

Unsure how long the cold season would last, and looking at the bleak, sunless caves, Lin Yan grew increasingly withdrawn. She didn’t know if she could survive it. Lin Yan had Fat Bao keep track of time; day after day passed, and aside from nursing, she slept most of the time. Hua Hong was much the same, mostly sleeping or else scraping tree bark in the neighboring cave when sleep eluded her. The softened bark was used as rope by the tribe.

Lin Yan couldn’t see what her mother was doing, but Fat Bao reported daily. When the water in the pit neared depletion, Hua Hong would roll away the stones sealing the cave entrance, fetch ice and snow, and let them melt in the pit. The days were agonizing, and Lin Yan grew numb. Just when she thought she could bear no more, the temperature began to rise. In just two or three days, the scorching season returned.

Hua Hong exclaimed joyfully, “Sweetheart, the hot season is here. We made it through. Mother will take you out.”

Lin Yan instantly perked up. Every day she had countless moments of despair, but her saving grace was being an infant—she still had milk and didn’t have to eat raw meat. If she were like her mother, she would have given up long ago.

The caves reeked with a mixture of foul odors that could kill. Perhaps because she had been in there so long, her sense of smell dulled enough to endure those harsh three months. With Fat Bao marking the days, Lin Yan knew the cold season had lasted ninety days.

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Breathing fresh air and feeling the warmth of sunlight, Lin Yan felt as though she had been transported from hell to heaven in an instant. She longed desperately to breathe freely and bask in the sun’s rays. Taking deep breaths, she joyfully cried out, “I’m finally alive.”

She had expected to babble as before, but this time was different—she could speak.

Hua Hong held her precious little one and rejoiced, “Sweetheart, you’re speaking now.”

“Mm-hmm, Mother,” Lin Yan’s eyes welled with tears. It had been so difficult—over five months—and now she could finally speak.

“You’re so clever, speaking so well all at once,” Hua Hong said, amazed and delighted. The previous two children had spoken only single words at a time, but Lin Yan spoke fluent sentences immediately. This only strengthened Hua Hong’s belief that her little one was extraordinary.

She laughed, “Sweetheart, Mother’s little darling, smart and beautiful. Come, Mother will take you to see the water.”

Lin Yan nodded obediently, “Mother, let’s go, quickly.”

This was her first chance to venture five meters beyond the cave; she could not miss it. Hua Hong touched Lin Yan’s forehead with rough fingers, the softness of the infant’s skin causing her to relent and only tap gently. Before the cold season, after a month of sun, the little one’s skin had darkened quite a bit, but after enduring the cold, it was back to soft and pale.

Hua Hong ran holding Lin Yan toward the Sun River. Lin Yan’s eyes darted about, trying to grasp what her living environment looked like. Everywhere were plants just sprouting tender green shoots. Most branches still held withered leaves falling gently.

This was a relatively flat area, covered with wild grass and scattered tall trees. Though wild, there were signs of human life—stones arranged everywhere. Most numerous were stone slabs used by the Sun Tribe to dry meat and fruit.

After walking about a thousand meters, they reached the riverbank. The wide river sparkled under the sun, flowing gently. Ice on its surface was melting, and on the far shore, trees stretched in thick groves. The scene was beautiful and serene, like a painted scroll.

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Never before had Lin Yan seen such beauty. She sighed, “It’s so beautiful.”

Hua Hong nodded, “It is indeed beautiful. Sweetheart, the cold season just passed, and there are fish in the water. Mother will catch some while you lie here and behave.”

Lin Yan agreed, “Okay, Mother.”

As soon as Hua Hong left, Lin Yan rolled over and began crawling toward the riverbank, using her hands and feet. Lying down offered no view; the grass blocked her sight.

She found a sandy spot with little grass, lay down, and played with the mud and sand for a while. She realized being a baby could be quite fun.

When Hua Hong returned carrying a plump fish, Lin Yan was covered in mud like a little clay doll. Hua Hong set the fish aside and picked up her daughter to wash her in the river. Though warmer now, the water remained cold beneath the melting ice, causing Lin Yan to shiver uncontrollably.

“Sweetheart, it’ll be all right soon,” Hua Hong soothed.

Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Yan said, “Mother, I’ve given myself a name—Lin Yan.”

Hua Hong paused but quickly accepted it. “Good, little sweetheart will be called Lin Yan.”

In fact, the tribe’s names were given casually, and everyone grew used to them over time. When Hua Hong was younger, she was called Sweetheart too, but as she grew and admired the red flowers, she chose the name Hua Hong, or Red Flower, since many in the tribe were named after the color red.

Hua Hong was just surprised that her daughter was old enough to name herself.

“Lin Yan sounds nice. From now on, my little sweetheart is Lin Yan. Mother will call you Lin Yan.”

As for the meaning behind the name, Hua Hong never gave it a thought.

Lin Yan was surprised how easily it had come to be and chuckled, “Mother, there are so many people by the river. Why do we live so far away?”

She had noticed many people lived close to the riverbank, which made her question why their cave was more than a thousand meters distant.

Hua Hong swiftly cleaned Lin Yan and wrapped her in animal hide. “The riverbank areas all have owners. Only the strong can live there.”

“What makes someone strong?” Lin Yan asked curiously.