Chapter 8

These past years, Gu Shi’an had been serving in the military and could rarely come home. Besides sending his salary and allowances on time, he would also call home every month to reassure his parents.

This time, not only did Gu Shi’an call home, but he also sent a large package. The postman delivered it to the steel factory during the day, and the security guard brought it to the courtyard.

It was a special day at the Gu family, and when the security guard arrived, Gu Mancang was happily eating fried peanuts and drinking a bit of wine.

Lin Yao and the others ran next door to Aunt Dafu’s house to check on the newborn bunnies.

Upon hearing that her eldest son had called home, Zhang Cuilan hurried back.

Gu Mancang was so happy that the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes narrowed into a smile. Though a bit simple-minded, he knew the importance of attending to guests first. “Anzi called; don’t rush, old brother, we have wine and peanuts at home. How about we drink a little before heading out?”

The security guard shook his head repeatedly. “Enough of this, why are you being so polite with me? The kid’s waiting. Hurry up and stop dawdling.”

Gu Mancang hummed in response. Zhang Cuilan came out of the kitchen and handed him a small bamboo basket, smiling as she said, “These are tomatoes and cucumbers from our garden. They’re nothing special, but old brother, try them out.”

In these times, getting fresh vegetables wasn’t easy. Even in Yunshui County, many families set up small vegetable patches in the courtyard, growing some leafy greens, radishes, and potatoes. They didn’t expect great yields, but at least when fresh vegetables were hard to come by, they could have something to cook.

Zhang Cuilan, always meticulous in managing her household, was good at gardening too. She had grown up in a village, and in the countryside, a woman who didn’t know how to grow vegetables was unheard of. This was one of the reasons why Gu Mancang’s mother had chosen Zhang Cuilan as her daughter-in-law.

Zhang Cuilan took good care of the small garden, and the tomatoes she grew were juicy and red, while the cucumbers were fresh and tender, with little yellow flowers still on the ends. They were even fresher than what you’d buy from the street vendors.

The security guard laughed so much his teeth were barely visible. “Just yesterday, my wife was complaining that she couldn’t find good vegetables. Now, thanks to you, we’ve got some.”

“Not much, just a few cucumbers,” Zhang Cuilan replied.

“Still, it saves me the trouble of running around.”

“…”

The security guard, holding the basket, smiled and walked with Gu Mancang out of the courtyard.

Zhang Cuilan, still smiling, touched the package her eldest son had sent home. She returned to the kitchen, her smile deepening.

Not long after, Gu Shidong returned from next door.

The little rascal had come back because of the delicious smell from the kitchen.

In the Gu family kitchen, steam was rising from the stove. When Zhang Cuilan lifted the lid of the steamer, the savory aroma of the meat dumplings filled the air, so appetizing that it made one lose their footing.

Freshly steamed dumplings bobbed up and down in the pot. Gu Shidong, who had been running around the yard earlier, quickly grabbed a small stool and eagerly stood by the kitchen door.

He was just waiting to eat the first bite of meat dumplings.

Five or six minutes later, Lin Yao and Gu Chunmei chattered as they returned from Aunt Dafu’s house.

Aunt Dafu’s little rabbits were adorable, short and plump like little balls. They would roll into a fluffy white ball when fed a small piece of radish, their little mouths nibbling as they lay there, begging to be petted.

Lin Yao squatted nearby, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Gu Chunmei also smiled with a sparkle in her eyes.

As soon as they got home, the two sisters immediately huddled together, whispering and planning to raise some little rabbits.

Gu Shidong, oblivious to everything else, focused intently on waiting for his dumplings.

Zhang Cuilan came out and couldn’t help but smile in amusement.

Three silly kids, not one of them mature.

As the mother, she brought over the freshly washed cucumbers and shot a glance at her youngest son. “Be careful, or you might drool all over yourself.”

Gu Shidong grinned, slurping down the saliva, and continued staring at the steamer.

Ten minutes later, the tempting mushroom meat dumplings were finally done.

Gu Mancang was still on the phone and hadn’t returned yet.

Zhang Cuilan muttered and waited by the door for a while, watching as her youngest son grew more anxious by the minute.

She grabbed her apron and decided not to wait any longer.

After all, today, there were plenty of dumplings to go around!

Lin Yao had just placed the garlic paste and vinegar on the table when Gu Shidong grabbed a dumpling, dipped it in the garlic paste, and shoved it into his mouth, devouring it eagerly.

The dumplings made with soft dough and flavorful filling, dipped in garlic vinegar, tasted incredibly fresh and delicious with every bite.

The Gu family only had dumplings during the New Year or when Gu Shi’an came home for a visit, so this was a rare treat.

The dumplings today tasted better than any they had ever had before.

The whole family was eating happily, not even remembering that Gu Mancang was still out getting the call.

When Gu Mancang finally came home, Zhang Cuilan suddenly realized that her husband hadn’t had dinner yet!

She rolled up her sleeves and personally went to the kitchen to scoop a big bowl of dumplings, placing them in front of him. “Hurry up and eat.”

Gu Mancang was taken aback by the gesture.

“Are these for me?”

“Well, what? Can’t you eat?”

Zhang Cuilan glared at him.

Gu Mancang grinned, “Of course I can eat! If Cuilan made the dumplings, I can easily eat two bowls.”

The old couple was showing affection, making Zhang Cuilan’s face turn red. She quickly retreated to the room.

Lin Yao and Gu Chunmei exchanged smiles.

Meanwhile, Gu Shidong continued to wolf down dumplings without a care.

When Gu Shi’an called home this time, in addition to reassuring his parents, he delivered another piece of news: he would soon be heading out on a mission with his unit and wouldn’t be able to call home next month.

Over the years, Gu Mancang had gotten used to his son leaving for missions. As a father, he reminded his son to stay safe, knowing that the people’s soldiers were there to protect the country.

Father and son only spoke for a little over a minute before Gu Shi’an quickly ended the call.

Gu Mancang was about to head home when the security guard insisted on keeping him for tea and a chat.

The two of them talked casually, exchanging stories, until the factory leadership arrived for an inspection, and only then did Gu Mancang excuse himself.

After dinner, Gu Chunmei and Lin Yao cleaned up the table and swept the floor.

Gu Shidong clattered around in the kitchen washing the dishes.

Zhang Cuilan and her husband sat in the room, looking through the package sent by their eldest son.

When they opened it, they were surprised by how much there was inside.

Two cans of meat, a pack of biscuits, a can of milk powder, a large piece of red satin cloth with blooming peonies, a pair of small leather shoes for women, and a bunch of other odds and ends—food coupons, soap, towels, and toothpaste—all neatly folded, showing Gu Shi’an’s meticulous style.

Zhang Cuilan received three more pairs of nylon stockings, a bottle of her favorite sesame oil, and Dongzi received a cowhide notebook. Gu Mancang also got two bottles of Xifeng liquor, specially prepared for him by his son.

Gu Mancang didn’t smoke but enjoyed a little drink now and then.

The Gu family didn’t live in luxury, but a good bottle of liquor was hard to come by. These days, you needed liquor ration tickets to buy alcohol. As afifth-level fitter, where could he get a ration ticket?

Only the factory leaders and high-ranking officials in the county were issued liquor tickets by the government.

So, Gu Mancang could only drink low-quality homemade liquor brewed by the local villagers. It wasn’t very pleasant and lacked the true flavor, but it was better than nothing.

The red silk fabric was for Gu Chunmei’s wedding.

Gu Chunmei was getting married this October. According to the customs of Yunshui County, when a bride leaves her home, the family must prepare a piece of celebratory red silk cloth. This cloth would be used to wrap the bride’s dowry items, such as pillowcases, bed sheets, and other fabrics.

In those days, it was difficult to find red silk cloth. Zhang Cuilan ran all over the county, visiting every supply and marketing cooperative, looking for a piece.

But she couldn’t find any. There was plenty of rough homemade fabric from the local elders, and for just two cents, they could dye it a bright red. It would work for the occasion, though not ideal.

Zhang Cuilan thought for a long time but didn’t want to disappoint her daughter.

Her daughter was only getting married once, and as a mother, she wanted to ensure her daughter left in style.

Earlier, Zhang Cuilan had mentioned it on the phone to Gu Shi’an. He had quietly noted it in his heart.

Though her eldest son wasn’t around, his thoughtfulness warmed Zhang Cuilan’s heart.

She looked at the pair of women’s leather shoes and estimated they were around size 35 or 36. These delicate shoes…

They weren’t for Chunmei. Chunmei had large feet and wore size 39. Zhang Cuilan remembered her late mother-in-law saying that Chunmei was lucky to have been born at a time when foot binding was no longer practiced.

Oh my, these shoes were for Yao Yao.

Zhang Cuilan was thrilled. Her eldest son had always been different from the other boys in the courtyard. He was quiet like his father, even more so after joining the army. He used to talk more when he was younger, but since becoming a soldier, he had become even quieter.

Back then, Zhang Cuilan had worried about her son marrying Lin Hongna.

Now that Yao Yao had come to replace her, Zhang Cuilan was delighted, but she couldn’t help but wonder, as the saying goes, “You can’t tame a pig to plow a field^[1]The saying “You can’t tame a pig to plow a field” means that you can’t expect someone or something to do a task they are not suited for. It emphasizes the importance of … Continue reading.”

She wasn’t sure if her son could win Yao Yao’s heart, especially since their wedding had been so chaotic, thanks to the Lin family.

Zhang Cuilan liked Yao Yao not only because of her old friendship with Yao Yao’s mother but also because Yao Yao’s temperament was easy for her to get along with.

Zhang Cuilan had once thought her son was a blockhead, but now that he had bought shoes for Yao Yao, she felt proud. As a mother, her heart soared with joy.

She carefully put away the shoes and the box and took them to the south wing.

Gu Mancang called out to her, but she didn’t respond.

At the moment, Yao Yao was lying on the bed reading a book. The east wing room had been tidied up warmly and comfortably. The antique wooden bed was covered with a bamboo mat, and the pillow and blanket were made of white fabric with pink checkered flowers. The old, coarse cloth curtains had been replaced, and a bamboo basket with little trinkets sat on the old wooden chest of drawers.

A vase in the room held a bouquet of freshly picked jasmine flowers, filling the air with fragrance.

Zhang Cuilan knocked on the door, and Yao Yao cheerfully answered. They chatted, and when Zhang Cuilan came out, her face was beaming with happiness.

Gu Chunmei was in the south wing, sprawled on the bed, sound asleep.

Lin Yao glanced at the leather shoes on the ground, held her chin with her hand and sighed.    

To be honest, she sympathized with Gu Shi’an. Despite his handsome appearance and promising future, his cold personality had made him lonely. In the original book, after his divorce from Lin Hongna, he remained single, living alone until he grew old, becoming a lonely old man at seventy or eighty.