Chapter 32

Gu Shi’an’s response made Lin Yao very satisfied.

What made her even happier came afterward. After finishing his late-night snack, Gu Shi’an rolled up his sleeves, washed the lunchboxes in the kitchen, and neatly placed them in the cupboard. He then handed Lin Yao a tn envelope containing a stack of cash.

Lin Yao asked curiously, “You got your salary already?”

“Salaries are paid at the end of the month. This is the bonus from the bureau.”

The case of the robber had been solved, easing the minds of officials in Yunshui County and allowing the locals to resume their peaceful lives. Stabilizing the county’s economy depended on the safety of its residents.

The old secretary had specially approved a bonus to reward the police officers for their efforts.

After returning with the thermos, Gu Shi’an washed his hands, scooped the little girl back into his arms, and responded casually.

Whether it was salary or bonus, as long as there was money coming in, Lin Yao was delighted.

Her eyes sparkled as she counted the cash several times. Among the stack of one-yuan bills and coins, there was a total of 135 yuan and 20 cents. Out of it, 130 yuan was the bonus, while the remaining 5 yuan and 20 cents were Gu Shi’an’s personal savings, which he had surrendered entirely.

Lin Yao gave Gu Shi’an two kisses as a reward.

However, Gu Shi’an wasn’t satisfied with such a small gesture. In the end, Lin Yao found herself in his embrace, experiencing the true meaning of fiery passion.

That night, she was completely claimed by her husband.

Afterward, Lin Yao was so exhausted that her slender, fair arms couldn’t even lift. Frustrated, she bit Gu Shi’an several times in retaliation.

Gu Shi’an, his gaze soft, wrapped her in a towel, fetched water to clean both of them, and replaced the bedsheets. Once everything was tidied up, the couple fell into a deep sleep.

That night, a heavy rain fell, but by morning, the rain had stopped. Although the sky remained gloomy, a cool breeze carrying hints of moisture blew in through the window.

Zhang Cuilan stepped out early. The courtyard was clean and fresh. Rainwater and fallen leaves had been cleared, and the firewood stacked for winter was neatly piled in the corner. In the rabbit nest, two rabbits were munching on cabbage leaves, while the clothesline held freshly wrung bedsheets.

Gu Shi’an was busy cutting bamboo, planning to fix the gourd trellis in the yard.

Zhang Cuilan glanced at the wet bedsheets and thought nothing of it. Her eldest son had always been diligent, and whenever he was home, she didn’t have to worry about household chores. As for the bedsheets, the Gu family had a habit of changing them every three to five days, unlike other families who might leave them untouched for half a month.

Zhang Cuilan looked at the eastern wing with its closed windows. There was no sound inside, meaning Yao Yao was still asleep. Getting more rest was good for her skin, and in the future, their baby’s skin would also be fair.

The old mother happily imagined the days when her house would be filled with grandchildren and went back inside to rummage through her cupboards.

Gu Mancang, meanwhile, was putting on socks. Socks sold at the supply and marketing cooperative were nylon, suitable for women, but as a man, he either went barefoot or wore homemade cloth socks.

Men wore out socks quickly, and a pair of cloth socks would be in tatters within days.

Holding a sock with a hole at the toe, Gu Mancang shouted for his wife to mend it.

Busy rummaging through the cupboard, Zhang Cuilan waved him off, “Can’t you see I’m busy? Sew it yourself.”

Left with no choice, Gu Mancang clumsily picked up a needle and thread to mend the sock.

Only later did he realize that Zhang Cuilan had been searching for fabric at the bottom of the cupboard to make clothes for their future grandchildren.

His face lit up with joy. “Old lady, do we have good news?”

“No, I just wanted to make some baby clothes in advance to satisfy my urge to be a grandmother.” Zhang Cuilan said cheerfully.

Gu Mancang: “……..”

Okay.

*

The commune canteen’s menu had been quite consistent lately: cornbread and millet porridge for breakfast, stewed winter melon or potatoes with yam rice for lunch, and thin porridge with pickled vegetables for dinner.

Day after day without a trace of meat, everyone’s faces looked increasingly pale.

Families who could afford it prepared meals at home or snuck in snacks to satisfy their cravings.

Lin Yao had often spotted Dongzi with crumbs around his mouth, clearly sneaking snacks. When asked, the cheeky boy would wink and deny it.

That morning’s meal was decent: mixed grain porridge and buckwheat cornbread. At home, they also had a plate of fried eggs cooked in lard, their golden color and aroma enticing enough to wake even the sleepiest Lin Yao.

Mixed-grain porridge wasn’t very filling, and Gu Shi’an, with his hearty appetite, polished off two bowls of porridge and two cornbreads, leaving the food basket at home nearly empty.

Seeing he was still hungry, Lin Yao stuffed five yuan and some meat and grain tickets into his pocket, urging him to buy some food on the way.

Gu Shi’an nodded, took his military cap, and wheeled his bicycle out of the courtyard.

Gu Mancang and Zhang Cuilan couldn’t stop smiling, delighted by the harmonious relationship between their son and daughter-in-law.

Gu Chunmei also wanted to smile. However, thinking of Yao Yao’s quick-witted and sharp-tongued nature, she lowered her head and focused on her meal.

Gu Shidong, the cheeky kid, leaned in, claiming he was still hungry, his eyes expectantly fixed on his sister-in-law.

Lin Yao wasn’t one to spoil him. She broke off a piece of cornbread, handed it over with a smile, and said, “If you’re still hungry, eat more.”

Gu Shidong reluctantly took the cornbread. Gu Chunmei added a piece of homemade pickled cucumber to his plate and raised her chin proudly. “Your sister made this pickled cucumber herself. The first bite is all yours.”

Gu Shidong grimaced. His sister’s pickled cucumbers were notorious. Not long ago, Da Tou Brother had tried her chili paste. The excessive saltiness and spiciness had nearly knocked him out.

Reluctantly, the cheeky boy hesitated, unable to withstand his domineering second sister’s piercing glare. With his parents indifferent and his sister-in-law chuckling nearby, he finally nibbled on a small piece. Instantly, his eyes widened. Wasn’t this supposed to be pickled cucumber? Why was it so spicy?

Coughing and tearing up from the heat, Gu Shidong clung to a water jug and guzzled down water.

Gu Chunmei slapped the table and exclaimed, “No wonder it smelled strange! I must’ve added chili peppers by mistake. Luckily, I let Dongzi try it first; otherwise, Da Tou Brother would’ve been the one to suffer again.”

“…….”

After breakfast, everyone went off to work.

Hutou from the neighboring courtyard carried a bamboo pole with a net and called for Gu Shidong to join him in catching cicadas in the woods.

Food supplies were scarce lately, and the local boys were craving meat. They’d started catching cicadas in the suburbs to fry and eat.

Gu Shidong grabbed an empty beer bottle, informed Lin Yao, and ran off with Hutou.

Near noon, Aunt Dafu from next door brought over half a bag of sunflower seeds. She explained that they came from her relatives back in her hometown and that her family couldn’t finish them, so she shared them with the Gu family.

These sunflower seeds, once sun-dried and stir-fried in a pot, were incredibly fragrant.

Lin Yao thanked her, accepted the seeds, and returned the favor with a basket of small cucumbers.

Aunt Dafu didn’t grow vegetables herself. She had been eating at the canteen every day this summer and found the meals unsatisfactory. Fresh cucumbers mixed with garlic would make a refreshing dish.

She praised Lin Yao’s cucumbers for their quality and later brought over a dustpan to chat with her.

In the front courtyard, Wang Shengcai’s wife was at home, nursing a swollen face courtesy of Liu Laidi. She couldn’t go to work and had to stay in to recover.

With no phones or televisions in this era, Wang Shengcai’s wife grew restless lying on the kang. Hearing voices from the backyard, her curiosity got the better of her. She covered her swollen face with a scarf and stepped out. Passing by the Zheng family’s house, she spat on the ground and muttered a curse.

She joined the conversation between Aunt Dafu and Lin Yao, forcing her way in with a thick-skinned approach. Social niceties dictated that they couldn’t ignore her completely.

Wang Shengcai’s wife, once on good terms with Liu Laidi, now found herself isolated.

The shared courtyard housed five families, with three in the front yard. Grandpa Sun’s family kept to themselves, while the Gu and Dafu families got along well in the back. This left Wang Shengcai’s wife clinging to Liu Laidi for companionship.

Despite living among these neighbors, she looked down on all of them. Grandpa Sun’s wife was old and dull in her eyes. Aunt Dafu, with her farming roots, was unrefined. Liu Laidi was a countrywoman, and Lin Yao, the newlywed, was also a rural girl.

In her mind, Lin Yao was nothing but a pretty-faced fox spirit. Despite her delicate appearance, she acted lazier than city girls and hadn’t shown any signs of pregnancy after months of marriage. “Probably a barren hen,” she sneered internally. “What good is a woman who can’t bear children?”

Seeing Lin Yao’s slender arms and weak frame struggling to carry a water bucket, she made snide remarks. Her gaze fell on the rabbit hutch by the vegetable garden. Covering her nose dramatically, she mocked, “Oh dear, why are you raising rabbits? Their droppings stink so much. It’s filthy and unhygienic. Only country folks raise such things. Look at these fat rabbits; they must poop a lot. Cleaning up must be a hassle. Truly, country people have no sense.”

Before Lin Yao could respond, Aunt Dafu’s face darkened. She snapped, “What’s wrong with country folks? Without them growing crops and raising pigs, what would city folks eat? If not for country people, city dwellers would starve! Let’s not forget, even city folks came from the countryside. Didn’t your parents haul manure in the village? What, they didn’t smell while cleaning toilets? Eating commodity grain for a few days and suddenly you forget your roots?”

Aunt Dafu’s words left Wang Shengcai’s wife flushed with embarrassment. Covering her face, she fled.

Wang Shengcai’s wife, whose real name was Li Gouya, despised her rural origins. Her parents had named her carelessly, favoring her younger brother, Baodan, while neglecting her. She was a nobody in her family, treated indifferently.

Her family moved to the city when she was around ten. Her parents worked as toilet cleaners, and their sloppy hygiene left a lasting impression on her. What Li Gouya hates most was when people say she was a country girl. The more people say that, the angrier she gets.

Since she married into the courtyard, she felt superior to her neighbors who married into the city from the countryside, and she kept showing off that she was a city dweller.

Aunt Dafu had long seen through her pretentiousness.

….

That evening, when Gu Shi’an returned home, Lin Yao casually shared the day’s events before heading to bathe. She didn’t notice his cold expression.

A few days later, when Li Gouya recovered and returned to work, she was stunned.

She lost her temporary job!