Chapter 35

The next day, while chatting with the sisters-in-law, Jiang Chunzao belatedly realized something they mentioned: lamb doesn’t just nourish the body—it also strengthens the kidneys. 

No wonder someone had been so full of vigor last night! Jiang Chunzao’s face warmed as she pretended not to hear anything, continuing to laugh and chat with them as if nothing had happened. 

Time quickly flew to the 27th of the month. The families in the military district were all cheerful, preparing for the New Year. Each household was busy—some buying rice, others making sausages—while anticipating the distribution of holiday goods from the army. 

Carrying her military-issued bag, Jiang Chunzao, now heavily pregnant, accompanied Sister-in-law Zhao and the other wives to the county to shop for New Year’s supplies. This was the Lu family’s first New Year celebration in the military district. 

Lu Lin had discussed with his young wife how to make this New Year special. They decided the family would set off firecrackers, buy pretty fireworks for Shitou and Moli, and rely on the army to supply essentials like rice, flour, and pork. 

Lu Lin took charge of buying the fireworks and firecrackers for the celebration, while Jiang Chunzao was responsible for getting the two children’s New Year outfits and treats like snacks and candies. Excited to get out of the house for some fresh air—and knowing that light exercise would do her pregnancy good—Jiang Chunzao happily set out. 

That day, she and the two kids strolled around the county for hours. She bought Shitou a wooden toy gun he loved, Moli a beautiful red hair accessory, picture books, new clothes, and shiny new shoes. The children were ecstatic, clutching their new toys tightly and grinning all the way home. 

On the 28th, Lu Lin came home early, an unusual occurrence. When he walked in with large bags in hand, Jiang Chunzao was busy steaming New Year’s buns with the children. Startled, she exclaimed, “Why are you home so early today?” 

With the New Year approaching, Lu Lin seemed different than usual. Even his typically stern face softened into a smile as he replied, “The army held a commendation ceremony today, and they distributed the holiday goods and granted leave for the New Year.” 

This was great news! The army was on break, and holiday gifts had arrived—meaning there would be an extra pair of hands to help with household chores. 

Jiang Chunzao was delighted, not realizing that even when Lu Lin was busy working all day, he still managed to help at home. In contrast, she had spent most of the winter napping or lounging on the warm kang, eating and relaxing. 

That evening, Jiang Chunzao took a closer look at the holiday gifts, and her eyes nearly popped out of her head: 30 jin (15 kg) of white flour, 10 jin (5 kg) of peanut oil, 10 jin of frozen shrimp, half a pig carcass, two ceramic mugs, two new washbasins, and ration tickets for soap and sugar. 

What thrilled Jiang Chunzao most were the ceramic mugs and new washbasins. The mugs and basins they had been using were bought when they first got married, and after years of use, the mugs were chipped, and the basins had been patched up multiple times. With Shitou and Moli growing up, it was high time for everyone to have their own washbasins. 

Jiang Chunzao had been wanting to replace the old washbasins for a while, and now that they had new ones along with fresh mugs, she felt relieved. No more worries! 

Seeing his little wife so delighted, Lu Lin’s dark eyes softened with a smile. The couple tidied up briefly before lying down to rest. 

On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, a market was held in a nearby village. With the holiday leave in effect, Lu Lin changed into casual clothes and took the children to the market to buy firecrackers and fireworks for the New Year. Before they left, Jiang Chunzao handed him 20 yuan and reminded him, “Don’t forget to get roasted sweet potatoes and candied hawthorn for the kids. It’s the New Year, and they’d love something special to eat.” 

Lu Lin nodded in agreement and left with the two children. 

Jiang Chunzao watched the three of them leave, then turned back to continue working on household tasks. The New Year was approaching, and there was a mountain of things to do—cleaning the house, cutting paper decorations, and preparing Spring Festival couplets. Back in her hometown, they used to paste couplets on the front door every year. 

Thinking it over, Jiang Chunzao packed some eggs and visited Sister-in-law Zhao. Then, with a bit of money in hand, she headed to Minister Chen’s home in the military district. Minister Chen’s wife was known for her excellent calligraphy, and every year, families in the district asked her to write their Spring Festival couplets. 

Indeed, Minister Chen’s wife did a wonderful job. She even helped the heavily pregnant Jiang Chunzao cut out intricate paper window decorations for the New Year. 

Looking at the beautifully crafted decorations, Jiang Chunzao felt bad when Minister Chen’s wife refused to accept her money. Spotting her two children, Jiang Chunzao returned home to cut a few yards of flaxen homespun cloth and brought it back as a gift. Minister Chen’s wife, pleased with the thoughtful gesture, happily accepted. 

With the couplets and window decorations in hand, Jiang Chunzao returned home. In the afternoon, Lu Lin and the children came back from the market, and the family of four got busy cleaning the house. They spent the whole afternoon scrubbing, washing, and tidying until everything was spotless. 

On New Year’s Eve, all the preparations were finally done. Today was a day of celebration and relaxation. Shitou and Moli played and ate sweets and snacks to their hearts’ content. Normally, Jiang Chunzao was mindful of their teeth and didn’t let them have much candy or treats, but this was the New Year—rules could be bent for a day! 

After lunch, Jiang Chunzao and Lu Lin washed their hands and began preparing dumplings. This year, Jiang Chunzao was determined to make a lavish New Year’s Eve dinner. 

For starters, she prepared two kinds of dumpling fillings: pork and lamb. She also brought out two frozen fish that Lu Lin had received as part of the holiday provisions, stewing them for the children. In her spare moments, she even cooked a pot of braised pork. Lu Lin washed the rice and set it to steam, filling the house with its comforting aroma. 

The children and Lu Lin all loved white rice, so Jiang Chunzao made sure to let them eat their fill for the New Year celebration! 

Jiang Chunzao bustled about the house, her face glowing with joy. She didn’t feel tired at all, partly because she was genuinely happy about the upcoming New Year and partly because most of the chores were handled by Lu Lin. With less on her plate, she felt relaxed, and her mood naturally brightened. 

While preparing dumplings, Jiang Chunzao took out a few coins and tucked them into some dumplings, ready to see which of the children would find the lucky coins during dinner. 

When it was time for the New Year’s Eve meal, she brought out several stir-fried dishes in addition to the braised pork, stewed fish, lamb dumplings, and pork dumplings. The table was filled to the brim with delicious food. Lu Lin ate heartily, clearly enjoying himself, and even Shitou and Moli devoured their food enthusiastically, their little mouths full and shiny with grease. 

Seeing her family savoring the meal so happily, Jiang Chunzao felt immense joy in her heart. 

While the Lu family enjoyed a warm and festive New Year’s dinner, things were much more chaotic in Fang Man’s household. She and her mother-in-law were at odds over whether or not to serve meat dumplings for the holiday meal, leading to a heated argument. 

Although times were tough, military families generally had a slightly better standard of living due to army provisions. Most military households made a point to serve meat dumplings for the New Year, giving the children a rare treat. 

However, Fang Man’s mother-in-law, a stubborn old woman with traditional views from the pre-revolutionary era, thought otherwise. In her mind, having white-flour dumplings with vegetable fillings for the New Year was already a luxury—why waste precious meat on dumplings? Only landlords and rich families could afford such extravagance! 

Even though she knew her pregnant daughter-in-law had been craving meat for ages, the old woman still insisted on making plain vegetable dumplings on New Year’s Eve. 

Fang Man, who had been napping on the kang for most of the day, was called to dinner when the dumplings were ready. Ignoring her mother-in-law’s sour expression, she sat down heavily and began eating without a word. 

But as soon as she took a bite, she spat the dumpling out with a loud “ptooey.” Such behavior was considered rude even in rural villages, let alone in the city, but Fang Man didn’t care. 

Having been raised by her overindulgent mother-in-law, Fang Man had developed a habit of acting out when she didn’t like something. At her previous home, whenever her sister-in-law, Fang Ying, cooked a dish that didn’t suit her taste, Fang Man would spit it out and berate her. Fang Ying endured it for years until she finally had enough. When she decided to stop tolerating Fang Man’s behavior, even Fang Ying’s husband, the former Fang Battalion Commander, kicked Fang Man out of their house. 

Although Fang Man had been kicked out by Battalion Commander Fang, her habits were hard to change. Since her marriage, she had been constantly fighting and arguing with her mother-in-law. 

Her husband, caught between his wife and his mother, was like a bellows—constantly being pulled in two directions, and it was incredibly uncomfortable for him. 

Yet, Fang Man still looked down on her husband. This time, when they were eating dumplings, she had told her mother-in-law multiple times that the old woman in the house (her mother-in-law) was like an old-school landlord’s wife. The food they ate was as poor as the rations of laborers in the old society—always sweet potatoes and cornmeal, cornmeal porridge with sweet potatoes—so bland that it gave her constipation. 

Hearing this, her mother-in-law was heartbroken. Her daughter had never suffered a day in her life growing up, but now that she was married, it seemed like she was always eating these terrible things. 

Her mother-in-law, feeling pity for her daughter, found an opportunity to visit Fang Man’s home and scolded her son-in-law for letting her daughter suffer like this. The poor man was so thoroughly scolded that his head hung low, and when he got home, he told his mother that they needed to improve the food at home. 

When Fang Man’s mother-in-law heard this, her face fell, and she scolded her son fiercely. Fang Man’s husband was in a tough spot, being berated by both his wife and his mother, with nowhere to turn. 

On this New Year’s Eve, Fang Man’s mother-in-law saw Fang Man lying around at home, doing nothing, and grumbling about the family. She said things like, “What kind of a man did you marry? He’s just like an old sow, but at least a sow can be slaughtered for meat and sold!” 

Fang Man, she thought, was good for nothing—apart from being pregnant and giving birth, what could she possibly do? 

Fang Man’s mother-in-law was already angry and, when she saw that her daughter had spat out the dumplings she’d made with so much effort, her anger reached a boiling point. She began to berate Fang Man, pointing a finger at her and shouting: 

“What are you doing? What’s this all about? Why won’t you eat the perfectly good dumplings I made with white flour? What is it that you want? Just because you’re carrying a baby, you think you’re too good for food? You’re nothing but a pig!”