Chapter 24

They just needed to go to a designated furniture store to buy furniture. Shu Yuan wanted to purchase good-quality, durable pieces that could still be used when they moved to a new house. But to her, the furniture styles all looked rather plain and didn’t differ much. Besides, since they needed ready stock, there weren’t many options to choose from. So she left it all to Chen Zai to decide. She and Xiao Man were quite relaxed, just like two followers tagging along.

With a good plan in place, there was no need to agonize over the details. They quickly decided on two beds, mattresses, a wardrobe, desks, chairs, and so on. However, there was no single bed available in the one-meter-three length, so they had to buy a standard-size one and modify it later.

They also spent extra to hire movers to deliver the furniture, so the three of them returned home first to wait.

During that time, Chen Zai went back to the old house to get the tools he needed for modifying the smaller bed. Coincidentally, Li Hongxia was downstairs shouting at the top of her lungs, “Shu Yuan, come get the grain.”

She didn’t know which room Shu Yuan lived in, so Shu Yuan hurried downstairs, took the sack of rice Li Hongxia was carrying on her shoulder, and brought both her and Shu He upstairs.

“At the beginning of each month, go to the grain station to buy grain, otherwise you won’t be able to get any refined grains,” Li Hongxia reminded her.

Shu Yuan nodded as she led the way. “Got it.”

She truly felt the hardships of the early 1980s. She was becoming more and more aware of the benefits of finding a job as soon as possible. The electronics factory would recruit in the spring, and children of the workers lined up to get in, pulling every string they could to secure a spot. Although Shu Yuan’s job was only a temporary position, it spared her mother a lot of anxiety.

After dropping off the rice, flour, and cooking oil, Li Hongxia and Shu He memorized the location and then went to help Shu Yuan buy coal.

Two hundred jin (100 kg) of coal cost four yuan, and they spent another three yuan to have someone transport it back with a tricycle, stacking it in the coal shed downstairs.

“Remember which one is your pile of coal, don’t get it mixed up,” Li Hongxia said as she took a piece of chalk from her pocket and marked the ground.

Shu Yuan watched silently. Back in the day, Li Hongxia had been a great beauty at the electronics factory, but now her temples were streaked with gray. It was all the worrying over her that had aged her so quickly. Shu Yuan made up her mind to earn more money in the future so Li Hongxia could live a more comfortable life.

“Mom, we still need curtains and two quilts. His Great-grandfather has some cotton. You can take your time making them,” Shu Yuan said, thick-skinned.

Li Hongxia replied, “It won’t be fast.”

Around noon, the furniture finally started arriving one after another. The movers helped Chen Zai carry everything upstairs and placed the items in their planned spots. Chen Zai began modifying the bed to make it shorter, while Shu Yuan picked up the lunchboxes and took Xiao Man to the hospital’s staff canteen to get food.

They entered the hospital area through a side gate from the staff housing compound. The staff canteen was located right at the edge. As soon as they entered, Shu Yuan noticed that this canteen was less crowded than the one at the electronics factory, the food was slightly better, and the prices were lower.

She pulled Xiao Man into line and managed to buy braised pork. Half a lunchbox cost only two mao, likely a benefit provided to the staff. She also bought pigskin jelly, stir-fried spinach, and mixed-grain rice.

When they returned home, Chen Zai had already sawed the bed board of the single bed down to the right length and was about to assemble the side panels and bed legs.

Xiao Man immediately ran over to help.

Chen Zai had his sleeves rolled up and was bending over, fitting the board into the grooves. Xiao Man used all his strength to help hold it in place. Chen Zai held a nail in his left hand and a hammer in his right, driving the nail in.

Turned out he was quite good at woodworking. A man who could handle all kinds of tasks really did have his own kind of charm.

Shu Yuan walked over to help hold things too. Before long, the small bed was fully modified. Xiao Man was very pleased. “Dad, you’re amazing. Thank you, Dad.”

The three of them sat down at the dining table. Shu Yuan gave Xiao Man several pieces of braised pork, then said, “There’s a big question. Who’s going to do the housework in our home?”

Chen Zai answered very directly, “If I have time, I can take care of all the housework. It’s just that sometimes I might be especially busy.”

His tone was especially sincere, not the least bit off-putting. Shu Yuan complained inwardly that what he said was as good as saying nothing at all.

Xiao Man picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it into Shu Yuan’s bowl, then immediately raised his little hand. “I can take care of all the housework at home.”

He couldn’t just eat without doing anything in return.

Shu Yuan burst out laughing. “Alright, it’s settled. We’ll leave it to Xiao Man.”

Xiao Man spoke with the same serious tone as his father. “I can cook. I can do all kinds of housework.”

Shu Yuan laughed and said, “Then I won’t hold back. Time to put my little child laborer to work.”

There were still many things to take care of in the afternoon. They went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy pots, bowls, chopsticks, a thermos, a metal kettle for boiling water, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and other daily necessities. After returning, they cleaned everything thoroughly. By five in the afternoon, Shu Yuan had already made both beds and laid out the quilts. The setup of their small home was finally complete.

Dinner was still brought back from the canteen. After eating, an odd silence settled over them. None of the three had anything to say. Chen Zai read a book, Shu Yuan took Xiao Man out for a walk, and they came back around seven to wash up and get ready for bed.

Xiao Man was already fast asleep by a little after eight. Chen Zai crouched by the small bed, quietly watching him sleep. The little guy had recently put on a bit of weight. His cheeks were round and full, and his small face nestled into the pillow looked especially adorable.

He watched for a long time, until his legs went numb from crouching. Then he stood up and went to the bathroom to wash up.

A little after nine, after Shu Yuan had already been lying in bed for two hours, Chen Zai sat down on the outer edge of the bed to change into his pajamas. After changing, he stretched out his long arm and pulled the light cord, then lay down near the edge of the bed.

He was very quiet. His breathing was soft, and his hands and feet were placed neatly. Even without turning over, it felt as if the person beside her had entered a state of deep meditation.

She knew it shouldn’t be so easy to share a bed with a man she wasn’t familiar with. It had even taken her a few days to get used to sleeping with Xiao Man, let alone with a grown man like Chen Zai, whose presence was very much felt.

After tossing and turning for a while, Shu Yuan turned to the side and spoke. “Dr. Chen, I can’t fall asleep sharing a bed with you. Can you sleep like this?”

Chen Zai also needed time to adjust. He replied in a calm voice, “Actually, a lot of people live like us, just making do with what they have. Let’s make do for now. Once we’re assigned a three-bedroom next year, we’ll each have our own room.”

Shu Yuan felt full of longing for that promise of a three-bedroom apartment. She also thought what he said made sense. Many couples did just that, sharing a life out of practicality, like Shu Ping and her husband.

She lay there as quietly as she could but still couldn’t fall asleep. She spoke again to the person beside her. “Forget it. I won’t be pretentious. We’ve already slept together, had a child together, so what’s the big deal about sharing a bed?”

Chen Zai: “……”

Though Shu Yuan had trouble falling asleep, she ended up sleeping quite soundly. When she woke up, Chen Zai had already gone out with Xiao Man and brought back breakfast.

Xiao Man leaned over to the edge of Shu Yuan’s bed, his little face close to hers. “Dad and I went running at the nearby gymnasium. Dad said today was for testing the route, and starting tomorrow, we’ll go running every day.”

He really was a very self-disciplined man.

Chen Zai had already unpacked the tofu pudding, fried dough sticks, and eggs from the lunchbox and arranged them in plates and bowls. Shu Yuan quickly changed clothes and washed up, then sat down at the table three minutes later.

Chen Zai still ate with the same elegance, holding his bowl and chopsticks properly, every movement pleasing to the eye. But the red spots scattered above the bluish veins on his wrist stood out. She really didn’t know how long his allergy to children would last. Would it always be like this?

Li Hongxia had finally sent her second daughter off and no longer had to cover her living expenses or manage her affairs. Who would have thought that the very next day at noon, she would bring Xiao Man back home for lunch with a very valid reason: “Chen Zai eats at the hospital canteen. It’s too much trouble for the two of us to cook. This place is near the photo studio, so we’ll just make do here. I’ll bring over our grain rations and also pay for our share of the food costs.”

Li Hongxia readily accepted the mother and son.

——

When it was time to get off work, Shu Yuan didn’t linger for even a second. She immediately took Xiao Man home. First, they stopped by the grocery store to buy a piece of tofu, then turned toward the electronics factory gate, where she bought three lively crucian carp and a bunch of spinach from suburban farmers selling at roadside stalls.

She had to test whether the stove at home worked properly.

Back home, the mother and son squeezed into the small kitchen. Xiao Man picked through the spinach while Shu Yuan cleaned the crucian carp thoroughly. She first blanched the spinach and vermicelli to make a cold dish, then pan-fried the fish until both sides were golden, poured in hot water, added tofu cubes, and simmered everything over high heat.

After a busy day, Chen Zai finished his afternoon rounds and carefully washed his hands. Back in his office, he took off his white coat and hung it up, then got up and walked toward the door, ready to go home. But just as he reached the doorway, he turned around and returned, sitting back down in his chair.

It was a north-facing private office with simple furnishings. He used it alone and was rarely disturbed, which allowed him to sink into deep thought.

He wasn’t quite used to the daily life of a three-person household.

He was more accustomed to his previous single life, eating, working, and sleeping alone. Back then, most of his time was spent on work and reading. Life was simple and orderly. He had once believed that such a monotonous, peaceful, and undisturbed life would go on forever.

In his vision of the future, there had never been marriage or children.

After learning of Xiao Man’s existence, his life veered off course without any warning.

He didn’t actually want to go home. That place wasn’t a real home. Not to mention the lack of love and warmth, it was somewhere that required great effort just to hold together.

But then he thought of Xiao Man. Those pure, innocent eyes, the soft, sweet voice, the way his smile revealed little white teeth that could melt anyone’s heart in an instant. The child was tender, had endured hardships beyond what most kids his age had, and needed care, needed parents.

The child would tilt his face up and call him “Dad,” yet he hadn’t even held that small hand in his.

At that thought, Chen Zai stood up, walked out of the office, locked the door, and made his way down the corridor.

As he walked along the road, he glanced up at his apartment window. His steps slowed. He came to a stop under the parasol tree by the roadside, took a cigarette from his pants pocket, lit it, and with smoke curling around him, looked once more toward the window before lowering his head in silent thought.

His steps were slow and hesitant. By the time he returned home and reached the door, he was greeted by a rich, fragrant aroma. It was Xiao Man who opened the door for him. The little one’s voice was cheerful. “Dad, Mom is making crucian carp tofu soup. Mom said you like fish. Is that true, Dad?”

Chen Zai was genuinely surprised and nodded. “Yes, it is.”

All the heavy thoughts in his mind were swept away. In the kitchen, the tofu soup was simmering in the pot, bubbling gently and releasing clouds of steam. Shu Yuan, wearing an apron, stood at the counter, adding soy sauce and vinegar to the spinach and vermicelli.

Even through the layers of savory scent, Shu Yuan caught a faint whiff of smoke on him and asked, “You smoked? I remember you didn’t use to.”

Chen Zai stood at the doorway and answered simply, “That came later. Occasionally.”

If he had to say when he started smoking, it was after he found out Shu Yuan was pregnant.

While mixing the cold dish, Shu Yuan spoke bluntly. “I think you were better the way you used to be, clean and fresh. Xiao Man and I don’t want to smell secondhand smoke, and we don’t want to smell smoke at all.”

“I’ll quit. Is there hot water? I want to take a shower,” Chen Zai replied straightforwardly.

Shu Yuan picked up two thermoses from the corner and handed them to him. “Go ahead. They’re both full.”

Chen Zai took the thermoses into the bathroom, then went to the bedroom to get clean clothes. As he did, he pulled the pack of cigarettes from his pocket and tossed it into the trash can by the kitchen door.

Shu Yuan ladled the crucian carp tofu soup into an enamel basin. When she brought it out of the kitchen, her gaze swept past the trash can and caught sight of the cigarettes he had thrown away. She thought to herself, he’s pretty thorough about quitting.

She placed the fish soup on the round table, steam still rising from the surface. The staple food was mixed-grain steamed buns bought from the canteen.

Chen Zai had just finished showering and came out, his hair half-dry and hanging over his forehead. He looked clean and refreshed. Xiao Man had been waiting for him and quickly reported to Shu Yuan, “Mom, Dad doesn’t smell like smoke anymore. He smells really nice.”

Chen Zai picked Xiao Man up and set him down by the table. The three of them sat around it. Shu Yuan flared her nostrils slightly. “Hmm, your dad smells like soap.”

The crucian carp soup was milky white and rich, giving off an inviting aroma. Shu Yuan served each of them a bowl and carefully picked out the fish bones for Xiao Man, reminding him to eat carefully.

All of Chen Zai’s heavy doubts were dispelled. This home wasn’t as cold as he had imagined. Communication with Shu Yuan was natural and easy.

The fish soup smelled fragrant, and its taste was delicate, smooth, and incredibly fresh and sweet. Chen Zai took a sip and suddenly recalled how Shu Yuan used to make fish soup for him in the countryside. The flavor was exactly the same, it hadn’t changed at all.

She used to catch fish, wild chickens, even roe deer, often bringing fish for him to eat. She had been so bright and full of life. At the educated youth point, she was the most well-liked, with good relationships among both the other educated youth and the local villagers. Everyone liked her.

He had been the only one who misunderstood, misunderstood her special attention toward him, misunderstood that she treated only him differently, even went so far as to believe they were in a relationship.

Her looks were still as radiant as ever, her soup still as delicious. They were now living together, raising a child together, but…

Shu Yuan, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have so many thoughts. She focused on her meal. Noticing that Chen Zai’s bowl was empty, she reached over, took his bowl, ladled in another half bowl of fish soup, and handed it back to him with a raised brow. “What are you looking at me for?”

Chen Zai took the bowl and tried to maintain a calm appearance, saying nothing. But Xiao Man answered for him, “Dad must think Mom is really pretty.”

“Is that so, Dr. Chen?” Shu Yuan asked with a smile.

Chen Zai swallowed the soup and reluctantly replied, “…Yes.”

——

That night Shu Yuan lay down on the bed first as usual. A little after nine, Chen Zai turned off the light and sat at the bedside facing away from her while he changed into his pajamas.

Shu Yuan spoke up. “We need to register Xiao Man’s household record. He doesn’t have an official name yet. Can you think of one?”

Registering him is a big deal. Once Xiao Man is on the household register, he’ll have grain and oil ration quotas and be able to go to school.

Chen Zai folded the shirt and trousers he’d just taken off neatly on the chair. He then returned to the bedside, lifted the quilt, lay down along the edge of the bed, and asked, “Do you have any suggestions for his name?”

Shu Yuan thought for a moment and said, “I just hope he stays safe and sound. Let’s choose a name that means safety.”

Chen Zai replied quietly, “All right.”

Shu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then said, “I want Xiao Man to take my surname. Is that okay?”

Chen Zai answered, “Alright.”

A question mark popped up in Shu Yuan’s mind. He agreed that quickly? Without even asking why? In this era, most men were male chauvinists. If it were someone else, nine times out of ten they wouldn’t agree.

Chen Fumi was old-fashioned and conservative. His chances of agreeing would be even lower.

“You’re not going to ask why I want him to take my surname?” Shu Yuan turned to face him, surprised.

Chen Zai’s voice was very calm. “It’s only natural for a child to take the mother’s surname.”

Shu Yuan propped herself up on her elbow, reached past Chen Zai, and stretched out her arm to pull the light cord.

The light spilled over them, and Shu Yuan saw Chen Zai squint slightly. His arms and legs were almost perfectly aligned, his posture extremely straight. There was no expression on his handsome face. When he noticed Shu Yuan looking at him, his thick lashes moved slightly, and his dark eyes met hers.

Shu Yuan sat up, facing him, her gaze landing on his face as she spoke. “You should ask me the reason.”

“Go ahead,” Chen Zai said calmly.