Chapter 65

The news of Lin Yao’s pregnancy spread, and relatives and friends came to visit, bringing gifts and congratulations.

In these years of famine, every household was struggling financially. Compared to previous years, where they could receive various snacks and canned goods as gifts, even if offered, the Gu family couldn’t accept them now.

Eldest Uncle Zhang sent mountain goods—dried mushrooms, wild chestnuts, and various wild vegetables. Second Uncle Zhang added a dried wild chicken to the mix. Mother Xu, who was in the city caring for Gu Chunmei, managed to send a piece of soft cotton fabric and a pair of intricately embroidered tiger-head baby shoes.

The tiger-head shoes were exquisitely detailed, with cotton-padded uppers, and the colorful silk threads were carefully stitched. They looked like pieces of art.

Lin Yao examined the shoes carefully, and Zhang Cuilan beamed with pride. “Your Aunt Xu is so skilled. Making these tiger-head shoes is no easy task. Each stitch took an afternoon, and she made two pairs—one for Chunmei’s baby and one for yours. Old folks say tiger-head shoes ward off evil, and they’re suitable for both boys and girls.”

Lin Yao nodded, admiring the shoes and gently brushing the little tiger’s whiskers. She placed them lovingly in an empty shoe box, then walked around the house, hugging her belly. After sitting down on the kang, her eyelids grew heavy.

Zhang Cuilan quickly came over, spread out the blankets, and urged Lin Yao to rest.

Lin Yao tried to help with housework but was immediately stopped by Dongzi, who didn’t want her to do anything. Even when she tried to wash dishes in the kitchen, Gu Mancang came running from the yard, nervously advising her to stay away from any potential accidents. He was extremely worried about her well-being.

Lin Yao was unable to do anything. Even when she went out for a walk, Dongzi followed her closely. On the way, when they encountered a large yellow dog from the village, Dongzi ran over and slapped it, insisting it move away so that his sister-in-law could have a clear path.

This behavior caused quite a stir in Gujiaao, a village with dozens of households. Everyone, from the elderly to young children, scolded Dongzi. Even the seven or eight-year-old daughter of the old party secretary was curious and came to ask Lin Yao.

“Sister-in-law, when will I have a baby?”

Lin Yao, who was drinking malted milk, almost choked. She asked why the little girl was asking this.

The little girl, with innocent curiosity, replied, “Brother Dongzi said that once you have a baby, you’re the family’s treasure and don’t need to work, just eat well all day. Some old ladies in the village can’t have babies and stay single. I don’t want to be an old maid. I want to be a treasure and not work. Brother Dongzi is amazing, he can catch fish in the river even in the cold. My dad can’t do that.”

“……”

Lin Yao took a deep breath, calmed herself, and took a piece of milk candy from her pocket to coax the little girl back home. She then reported Dongzi’s behavior to Zhang Cuilan.

Zhang Cuilan was furious, and Gu Mancang’s usually calm face also darkened. The Gu family, known for their strict and kind approach, were both upset this time.

Dongzi was bound to face punishment. The riverbank at the foot of Gujiaao Mountain covered five or six acres. During summer, it became a marsh, overgrown with reeds and water plants. The clear, fish-rich water tempted the village children, but few dared to catch fish because the water was deep and dangerous.

The riverbed was known to be dangerous, with depths of two or three meters. Even a strong man from the village could easily get into trouble if trapped by water plants. Thus, the villagers discouraged children from fishing, especially in the cold winter when the water was slightly warmer but still dangerous.

That evening, when Gu Shidong sneaked home and saw his parents’ stern faces, with his mother holding a thorny stick and his sister-in-law nowhere in sight, he sensed something was amiss.

Before he could escape, he ran into a tall man in a military coat with sleeves rolled up, carrying a large basket. Despite the cold, the man seemed unaffected.

Dongzi looked up and met the man’s deep, dark eyes. The man, who was his older brother, glanced at him coldly.

Dongzi shivered. How unlucky could he be?

Thus, the failed attempt to run away ended with Gu Shidong being hauled back home by Deputy Director Gu.

Gu Shidong received a thorough spanking from his father. The punishment was so severe that the little boy’s bottom was marked. He started by crying out for his parents and sister-in-law, but eventually, he could only sob quietly.

Lin Yao, feeling heartbroken, took out a bottle of ointment and asked Gu Shi’an to apply it to Dongzi’s bruises.

Dongzi, sniffing and wiping away his tears, asked his brother, “Will Sister-in-law still care about me in the future?”

Gu Shi’an, pressing on Dongzi’s sore bottom, made him yelp in pain.

“Why do you ask that?”

“The village aunties say that once a young woman becomes a mother, she likes obedient children. I’m not obedient and am mischievous…”

Gu Shi’an chuckled, raising an eyebrow. The boy was quite self-aware.

That night, Gu Mancang took the rare opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with his youngest son.

Zhang Cuilan initially wanted Gu Shi’an to handle the situation, but given his usually stern demeanor, she thought he might be too harsh. She hoped her husband could impart some discipline and love in a way that would be effective for Dongzi.

Gu Shidong went swimming in the river in winter, firstly to catch fish for food, and secondly to establish his prestige among his peers. The teenage boys in the village were all very tough, and if he wanted to be their leader, he had to show some real skills.

What constitutes real skill? Firstly, it’s having a strong fist, being unbeatable in the whole village. Secondly, it’s having great courage, daring to do things others don’t dare to, which is often referred to as showing off or pretending to be tough.

After receiving a beating, Gu Shidong finally realized that being boastful and competitive isn’t true manliness. It’s merely courage without wisdom. It’s not worth risking one’s life just to save face—there are even the village fools who know to avoid the riverbanks.

Gu Shidong scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed as he realized he was even less competent than those village fools.

On the twenty-eighth day of the Lunar New Year, snow gently fell in Gujiaao Village. The winter had passed, and much of the coal used for heating had been burned.

Gu Shi’an spent the night at home, while Lin Yao, taking advantage of her pregnancy, was able to take advantage of the situation.

Gu Shi’an looked at the mischievous expectant mother, grinding his teeth in frustration, and went outside to wash his face with cold water.

By the time he had cooled down and returned, Lin Yao was already sound asleep, wrapped in her quilt.

Gu Shi’an smiled wryly and pinched Lin Yao’s cheek. “You ungrateful little thing.”

Lin Yao mumbled an “mm” and turned over to continue sleeping.

The weather cleared after the snow, and Gu Mancang collected the accumulated coal dust, storing it in baskets. He mixed it with some yellow soil, turning it into a mixture similar to clay. He flattened a patch of ground in the yard and, imitating the village brick makers, shaped the mixture into small coal briquettes. After a few days of drying outside, they would become hard enough to use for burning.

After the beginning of spring, Gujiaao Village experienced fluctuating temperatures. On sunny days, the mountain breeze felt warm with the hint of spring, but on gloomy days, the wind was even colder than in winter.

Regardless, winter had passed. By mid-March, after a light spring rain, wild vegetables began to sprout all over the mountains. Soon, tender bamboo shoots also appeared in the bamboo forest behind the Gu family’s home.

The winter had been harsh, with a shortage of clothing and food. Gujiaao Village’s land was fertile, and despite much of the harvest being sent to the north, the villagers had still managed to keep some food at home. The shortage of grains in the city had little effect on the countryside.

City dwellers ate commercial grains, while rural people relied on their own produce. It had always been this way, with the only variation being the amount of grain available.

Moreover, the countryside offered a variety of edible items. Unlike city dwellers who ate finely milled rice and flour, rural people, when in dire need, could eat things like wheat bran, rice husks, soybean cakes, corn cobs, and sweet potato vines.

This winter, while not everyone was full, the villagers of Gujiaao Village had enough to eat.

Whether it was wheat bran or rice husks, as long as it could save lives, it was useful.

In the back mountains, the shepherd’s purse and purslane were fresh and tender. The village women carried baskets and went to the mountains to forage for wild vegetables.

Even the city’s daughters-in-law, facing a lack of food, swallowed their pride and rode bicycles to the outskirts to collect wild vegetables.

Among them were also many cadres’ family members. Compared to maintaining their dignity, having enough to eat was more important.

The Sun family, backed by a relative who was the grain station chief, had no shortage of food.

The town was small, and since all the cadres’ family members went to the suburbs to gather wild vegetables, it would seem out of place if they did not, and it could attract criticism.

Mother Sun, being a shrewd person, understood this well. However, she had been living the life of a well-to-do wife for half her life, residing in a courtyard house with better living conditions than most, and the thought of her going to the fields like a rough country woman was unbearable.

Mother Sun found it troubling, and the eldest daughter of the Sun family suggested a solution.

As long as someone from the family went to gather wild vegetables, it didn’t matter who. Since the family already had a ready-made country daughter-in-law, it was practical for her to do it.

Mother Sun hesitated slightly, “That’s true, but she’s pregnant.”

The eldest daughter of the Sun family was dressed elegantly and lounging on the black leather sofa at home, scoffed.

“Mom, what are you talking about? Pregnant country women work in the fields all the time. Since we provide her with good food and drink, what’s wrong with her contributing a bit to the family?”

The eldest daughter of the Sun family was arrogant, and she had reasons to be. As the eldest child in the family, she was favored much more than the second daughter. Her father-in-law was the town mayor, and being well-treated and favored was her prerogative.

Compared to her, Lin Hongna was nothing more than a country bumpkin.

Since she was a country bumpkin, she should know her place.

The eldest daughter of the Sun family felt that she had already been very kind by not telling Lin Hongna what her younger brother had said while drunk.

Having a country bumpkin as a nanny wasn’t bad. While her younger brother was living it up outside, and her parents were aging, someone needed to clean, wash sheets, and do other chores.

Lin Hongna was quite capable with these tasks. The clothes discarded by the eldest daughter of the Sun family were given to her to wear.

Lin Hongna, bending over to mop the floor, was wearing a beige sweater that had been discarded by the eldest daughter.

Lin Hongna had heard the words of the Mother Sun and daughter, but what could she do about it?

These two shameless women were not easy to deal with, but Lin Hongna was not someone to be trifled with either.

She had Lin Hongwu look into the private life of the eldest son-in-law of the Sun family.

In her past life, she remembered clearly that the eldest son-in-law appeared refined but was actually involved in various affairs. After the Sun family became prosperous, he also made a fortune and opened a chain restaurant in the provincial capital.

The eldest daughter of the Sun family dressed extravagantly every day, spending time at the restaurant keeping an eye on her husband, fearing that he might be lured away by some other woman. Pretty young girls flocked to catch rich men, and she was constantly on guard.

Yet, she failed to prevent it. The eldest son-in-law of the Sun family had several mistresses outside.

One of them even showed up pregnant and demanded to be recognized. The eldest daughter of the Sun family fought and cursed at the mistress, behaving like a shrew.

After mopping the floor, Lin Hongna used the excuse of going to buy groceries and took her bag to the town. The sounds of laughter and conversation from the Mother Sun and daughter could be heard from inside. Lin Hongna’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile. She had been reborn, and those who thought they could mess with her would have a day of reckoning!