Chapter 34

Seeing that it was about noon, Liu Xinghua put away her needlework, said goodbye to Grandma Zhao, and went home to make lunch. Grandma Zhao told her to be careful on the way and stowed her basket to start cooking.

When Liu Xinghua got home, she rinsed the rice and put it in the pot. Just as she sat down behind the stove and lit the fire, she saw Fang Matchmaker appear at the door.

Seeing Liu Xinghua at home, Fang Matchmaker didn’t hesitate and walked right in, saying, “Oh my, what’s going on between Xiao Wu and the girl from the Xie family? Weren’t they getting along well and preparing for the engagement? Why did things go wrong?”

Given the situation, Liu Xinghua wasn’t warm towards Fang Matchmaker and didn’t get up to offer her food or drink.

She only looked at the flames under the stove, her expression and tone indifferent, and said, “You’re their matchmaker. How did things go wrong? Why are you asking me? You turned sesame into watermelon, so tell me what’s happening.”

Fang Matchmaker wasn’t embarrassed and didn’t continue to play dumb. She smiled and sat down, saying, “Wasn’t I trying to make Xiao Wu’s marriage work? The girl from the Xie family is really good, from her looks to her character. She may not be one in a million, but she’s definitely one in a hundred.”

As a matchmaker, she wasn’t passionate about making matches out of goodwill or wanting to spread happiness. She did it for her own benefit. Running between families allowed her to eat well, and if the match succeeded, she could get even more good things to take home, including meat and wine. So, whenever she acted as a matchmaker, she would say what people liked to hear, exaggerating things to make the match happen. After all, the couple wouldn’t meet much before marriage, and she was the one facilitating everything. She didn’t care much about any complaints that might come later.

Now that the Ruan family’s situation couldn’t be hidden, the Xie family had already blamed her. Even so, the Xie family was still willing to proceed with the marriage, but with conditions. So, they sent her to negotiate with Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua. Ruan Changsheng and Xie Tao’s argument in the heat of the moment couldn’t be taken seriously.

Liu Xinghua was no longer considering the Xie family and simply said, “It’s good, but our Xiao Wu isn’t worthy!”

Fang Matchmaker smiled and said, “I think they are a perfect match, a pair made in heaven!”

Liu Xinghua sneered, “Just say what you have to say. You didn’t come here to apologize, did you?”

Since that was the case, Fang Matchmaker didn’t beat around the bush and said, “I’ll be direct then. The Xie family is still willing to proceed with the marriage. Both the parents and the girl think highly of your Xiao Wu. But there’s one condition: you must send Cuizhi back to her in-laws, and then everything will go smoothly.”

Liu Xinghua had already heard this from Ruan Changsheng, and hearing it again made her angry. She sneered again, her expression and tone unfriendly, and said directly to Fang Matchmaker, “We won’t discuss this. There’s no room for negotiation. If it doesn’t work out, so be it. Even if Xiao Wu never finds a match, we won’t send his third sister back to her in-laws.”

Fang Matchmaker was patient, “Think it over.”

Liu Xinghua replied, “No need to think!”

Fang Matchmaker’s smile was starting to falter. She was known for her persuasive tongue and wanted to continue convincing Liu Xinghua. But Liu Xinghua didn’t want to listen anymore and said, “Don’t say anything else. I don’t want to discuss this.”

Fang Matchmaker’s smile stiffened. Seeing that Liu Xinghua couldn’t be persuaded, she stood up and said, “Alright then, I’ll go back and try to convince the Xie family. If they agree, there’s still hope. If not…”

Liu Xinghua finished her sentence, “Then forget it!”

Fang Matchmaker forced a smile and left. Outside, her smile disappeared. As she walked, she muttered, “If this doesn’t work out, all my running back and forth will be for nothing.” So she gathered her energy and walked thirty miles to the Xie family to persuade them again.

But the Xie family was even more stubborn and refused to budge, saying, “If she doesn’t leave, we won’t agree!”

Fang Matchmaker was exhausted and angry. She didn’t have the energy to run anymore. Seeing that neither side would compromise, she felt it wasn’t worth it and said to the Xie family, “If that’s the case, I think we should just forget about it.”

The Xie family, also angry, said, “If it doesn’t work, then forget it!”

Their Ruan family wouldn’t compromise on marrying off a daughter, so why should their family compromise on marrying off a daughter? There’s no such logic in the world!

Their daughter isn’t worried about getting married, but Ruan Changsheng’s divorced sister is a burden, making it difficult for him to find a wife!

Fang Matchmaker gave up on this marriage proposal and stopped running around, so the matter was naturally dropped.

Seeing that Fang Matchmaker was unreliable, Liu Xinghua no longer entrusted Ruan Changsheng’s marriage to her. She planned to find another matchmaker for Ruan Changsheng, but since one proposal had just fallen through, she didn’t rush and planned to wait a couple of months. However, within a week, the news of Ruan Changsheng’s failed engagement spread throughout the village. There were all sorts of comments, but the main topic was still focused on Ruan Cuizhi. So, the matter of her abandoning her four children and getting a divorce was brought up again, and now it wasn’t just about abandoning her husband and children but also affecting her brother Ruan Changsheng’s marriage. Some people said that it would be his sister’s fault if Ruan Changsheng couldn’t find a wife in his lifetime. Seeing her like this and still not returning to her in-laws. Naturally, some people said she was excessively selfish, only caring about her own comfort, not caring about her children’s well-being or her brother’s future, and harming two families in the process. Of course, those words were never said to her face; it was only whispered behind her back.

Ruan Cuizhi got up early every day and went to the old tailor’s house with Ruan Xi, taking care of the old tailor until bedtime before returning home. She had no time or mind for other matters. She didn’t hear these comments, and Liu Xinghua naturally didn’t tell her.

When Ruan Changsheng’s marriage fell through, Liu Xinghua only told Ruan Cuizhi that it was due to personality incompatibility.

Ruan Cuizhi didn’t think much of it and continued to go out early and return late with Ruan Xi every day.

Early spring had passed, and the weather in April was most pleasant, with warm breezes, growing grass, and flying orioles, and the mountains were lush and green.

The old tailor was old, and without any treatment measures, bone healing was very difficult. But he didn’t stay bedridden; after lying down for half a month, he no longer stayed in bed and got up on time every day. Of course, he didn’t move around much. If he wasn’t lying in bed, he would lie in the rocking chair. Before his fall, although his movements were somewhat slow, he could still sit at the sewing machine and make clothes. Now, he couldn’t do that at all, and managing his daily life was already tough. He still needed someone to take care of him most of the time. He couldn’t move, so the tailor shop was now entirely run by Ruan Xi. She took on all the work, and everyone trusted her. Ruan Cuizhi helped with the work while learning and also helped take care of the old tailor, doing things like washing clothes and cooking.

The only thing the old tailor still does is draw paper patterns according to measurements. He found drawing paper patterns very strenuous, so in the past month, whenever he felt a bit better during the day, he would call Ruan Xi over to teach her how to draw patterns. Different clothes have different patterns, but there were very few patterns for clothes in the 1970s. Women’s tops and pants were almost the same in style, differing mainly in fabric and color, with the most distinctive feature being the V-neck. Uniform and military styles were the more fashionable, and for men, there was also the Zhongshan suit. But the old tailor didn’t just teach Ruan Xi these. He also taught her to draw skirts and dresses, various stylish shirts, some special wedding dresses, and even different styles of qipao.

Ruan Xi spent every day with the old tailor and could feel that his strength was diminishing day by day. Especially after the fall, he aged even faster. Not only was walking difficult, but his hands also shook when he used chopsticks to eat.

So, when eating, Ruan Xi replaced the old tailor’s chopsticks with a spoon.

As the weather warmed, the days grew longer. After dinner, it was still light outside. The old tailor put down his spoon and, with the support of Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi, went to sit in the rocking chair in the courtyard. Sitting down, he petted Da Mi, his face bathed in the evening glow.

Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi went to the kitchen to wash the dishes and then boiled a pot of hot water.

The old tailor didn’t like being disturbed, so Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi sat by the sewing machine in the main room, busy with their own work.

As the sky darkened, they heard a whistle and looked up to see Ruan Changsheng approaching.

Recently, Ruan Changsheng had been coming over every few days, not to play but to help the old tailor bathe.

The old tailor’s health was very poor now, and he couldn’t bathe himself, so he needed help.

Of course, Ruan Changsheng didn’t come out of his own goodwill; it was Ruan Xi who called him over. He whistled as he entered, not heading to the main room but directly to the old tailor, ruffling Da Mi’s head a few times and saying, “Hey, old man, I’m here to give you a bath again.”

The old man closed his eyes and grunted, “I don’t want a bath. Go back.” Who’s he calling old man?

Ruan Changsheng laughed, “What? Am I not taking good care of you?”

Still with his eyes closed, the old tailor said, “Don’t think I don’t know. You’re just after the food in my cabinet.”

Ruan Changsheng laughed out loud, “Alright, you’re not senile yet.”

The old tailor didn’t bother with him, keeping his eyes closed and saying nothing.

Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi watched from the main room for a while but didn’t come out immediately.

Seeing that the old tailor wasn’t responding to him, Ruan Changsheng naturally went to the main room and asked Ruan Cuizhi, “Are we bathing him tonight?”

Ruan Cuizhi replied, “Yes, the hot water is ready. No rush. Let him rest a bit more.”

Ruan Changsheng reached into Ruan Xi’s pocket for the key. Ruan Xi didn’t even have time to react before he took it. He went straight to the cabinet, opened it, and stuffed a sponge cake into his mouth.

Ruan Xi sighed, looked at him, then at Ruan Cuizhi, and said, “Aren’t you going to control your brother?”

Ruan Cuizhi laughed, “He’s grown up, can’t control him anymore.”

With his mouth full of sponge cake, Ruan Changsheng locked the cabinet and put the key back in Ruan Xi’s pocket. He looked at Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi and said, “How did this old man get so lucky? No kids, but still has people taking care of him in his old age.”

Ruan Cuizhi glanced at him and said, “That’s just how life is.”

Ruan Changsheng swallowed the sponge cake, nearly choking.

Ruan Xi patted his back a couple of times, laughing as she poured him a bowl of water.

Ruan Changsheng felt better after drinking the water and even burped.

Seeing that it was getting darker, Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi fetched the bath bucket, filled it with hot water, and helped Ruan Changsheng bring the old tailor inside for a bath.

While Ruan Changsheng bathed the old tailor, Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi waited in the courtyard.

After Ruan Changsheng finished bathing the old tailor and helped him to bed, Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi tidied up the house, making it clean and neat, then said goodbye to the old tailor and locked the door before heading home.

As they left, Ruan Changsheng called out, “Old man, I’m leaving. I’ll come back in a few days to help you bathe again.”

The old tailor’s usual response to Ruan Changsheng was to keep his eyes closed and say nothing. Once he heard the footsteps fade and the gate lock, leaving him alone in the dark house, he no longer held back his pain and let out a groan. During the day, he rarely groaned, enduring the pain and taking deep breaths when it was unbearable. He didn’t want Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi to hear him, nor did he want more attention. At the end of his life, having Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi care for him like this made him very content. Of course, there was also that naughty boy who occasionally helped him bathe.

Outside, the night was as dark as ink. Holding a flashlight, the naughty boy walked along the mountain path with Ruan Cuizhi and Ruan Xi.

Ruan Cuizhi asked him, “Has Mom found a matchmaker for you recently?”

Ruan Changsheng wasn’t in a hurry about this and said, “Even if she finds one, I won’t go. It’s pointless. I plan to find someone myself when I have time. These days, city folks are all about free love. I’ll go for free love and have some fun.”

Pfft…

Ruan Xi: “You mean to be romantic, right?”

Ruan Changsheng: “Same thing, you get what I mean.”

Ruan Cuizhi looked at him and laughed, “Can you do it?”

Ruan Changsheng replied, “Why not? Your brother is handsome and charming. Plenty of people like me.”

Ruan Xi laughed again.

Ruan Changsheng turned to her, “What? Am I not better than that little fool?”

What does this have to do with the little fool?

No, what does this have to do with Ling Yao?

Ruan Xi looked at him, “Why are you comparing yourself to him? He’s only fourteen, still a child.”

Ruan Changsheng thought about it and agreed. He was a grown man. Why compare himself to a child?

Ruan Cuizhi laughed, thinking that these slow, warm days, with the family together, joking and chatting, even if they were poor, would never get boring. After Ruan Xi and Ruan Changsheng finished talking, she asked, “What happened with that girl before? Personality clash?”

Mentioning Xie Tao, Ruan Changsheng cleared his throat and half-jokingly said, “At first, she seemed nice, pretty, and pleasant. But after a few interactions, it didn’t work out. We couldn’t connect. It’s not that anyone was bad. We just didn’t get along. Sometimes people are like that. If you don’t get along, you don’t get along.”

Ruan Cuizhi thought about her years with Liu Xiong and sighed, “If you don’t get along, it’s better to end it. No need to force it. If you’re not engaged, you can still break up. Marriage and life together need compatible personalities. Otherwise, it’s painful.”

Ruan Changsheng nodded, “This time, I’ll find someone myself.”

The three of them talked all the way home. Once home, they went to Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua’s room, sat under the oil lamp, chatted with the elders, then took turns washing up and went to bed.

The next morning, they woke up to the sound of roosters crowing, washed up, and went to the old tailor’s house again.

In this month, there weren’t many people in the mountains making clothes. Only families with events, like weddings, would invite a tailor. Some would bring clothes for alterations, pay for the work, and take them back. Now, when people came to invite a tailor, they were inviting the young tailor, Ruan Xi.

The old tailor, who had spent most of his life working at the sewing machine, could no longer make clothes or even draw patterns. He lay at home every day, barely breathing, watching the sunrise and sunset, with his eyes gradually losing their light. His hands trembled more and more when eating, and he even lacked the strength to pet Da Mi. However, he didn’t feel lonely because Ruan Xi and Ruan Cuizhi would come early in the morning, and shortly after lunch, Ruan Jie and Ling Yao would join them, sitting in the courtyard to read and study with Ruan Xi.

Recently, the old tailor had been very generous, allowing Ruan Xi to take out his stored paper and pencils to share with Ruan Jie and Ling Yao.

Ruan Jie and Ling Yao were reluctant to use them, mostly writing and calculating on the ground. They only used paper and pencils when they needed to practice writing or when it was necessary.

Initially, Ruan Cuizhi just watched the three of them study, but later, when she had free time, she joined them, relearning many Chinese characters she had forgotten and memorizing quite a few ancient poems. She had attended school for a few years as a child and had studied diligently, so it was easy for her to reinforce her knowledge now. Before her divorce, she felt that being in her thirties was already old, and the remaining time in her life would be spent watching her children grow up and get married.

But now, spending every day with Ruan Xi and the other children, she felt as if she had unknowingly become ten years younger. Learning to make clothes and acquiring new knowledge every day made her life fulfilling and solid, almost like being reborn. Sometimes she even felt that the past thirty-plus years had been wasted, not knowing what she had been doing.

If she had been anxious about her decisions before, she was now grateful—grateful that she could experience another kind of life without being immersed in bitterness every day.

When you enjoy your days, they pass quickly. Many evenings, Ruan Cuizhi would sigh, “The sun has set again.”

In the past, she always wished time would pass faster, wanting the children to grow up quickly. But now, she wishes time would slow down, wanting to learn more and spend more time with people. With the constant rise and fall of the sun, her tailoring skills improved, and her life became fuller.

In the peak of summer in July, the sun overhead was as fierce as a fireball.

Ruan Xi’s life remained the same day after day, with no significant changes. Most of her time was spent teaching Ruan Cuizhi tailoring skills at the tailor shop, taking care of the old tailor, studying with Ruan Jie and Ling Yao, and taking on some clothing alteration work.

Now, Ruan Cuizhi’s skills were exceptional. Although her pattern drawing wasn’t perfect, she was excellent at using the sewing machine and doing manual work. She could handle basic clothing alterations without any problems.

Ruan Xi spent the remaining small portion of her time making clothes for people at their homes. When she went to make clothes for others, Ruan Cuizhi stayed at the tailor shop to help take care of the old tailor.

Since the old tailor couldn’t go out due to his health, Ruan Xi’s reputation as a young tailor grew in the mountains.

Besides the young tailor’s growing reputation, Ruan Cuizhi’s increasingly refined skills, and Ruan Jie’s accumulating knowledge, the most noticeable change was the old tailor’s health. While everything else was gradually improving, filling people with hope, his health was deteriorating uncontrollably, getting worse day by day.

Ling Yao often brought Zhou Xueyun to see him, but it didn’t have much effect.

The old tailor himself was very calm as if he had long accepted everything.

Summer is often rainy, sometimes coming suddenly and sometimes brewing all day. On this day, dark clouds hung low for half the day without rain, but a sudden thunderclap brought down bean-sized raindrops at night.

Ruan Xi was sleeping soundly when the thunder woke her up, and she couldn’t fall back asleep.

The room was dim, with continuous thunder outside and lightning repeatedly illuminating the roof. Unable to sleep, Ruan Xi decided to get up. She went out of her room, moved a small stool to the doorway, and watched the pouring rain outside. She even stretched out her feet in straw sandals to catch the cold rainwater.

The rain gradually lessened, and Ruan Cuizhi was the first person to get up at home. She came out of her room, saw Ruan Xi sitting at the door with her long black hair uncombed, yawned, and asked, “Why are you up so early?”

Ruan Xi turned to look at her, “The thunder was too loud. I couldn’t sleep.”

Ruan Cuizhi yawned again, “I was woken up several times too. It seemed to rain heavily at night.”

Ruan Xi nodded, “It’s lighter now.”

Ruan Cuizhi went to fetch water to wash up, “Summer is full of thunderstorms.”

While Ruan Cuizhi was washing up, Ruan Xi went inside to comb her hair, tied it into a braid, and then washed up. With Ruan Cuizhi, who had also finished getting ready, they found the old striped cloth and bamboo hats at home, put them on, and headed to the old tailor’s house.

Although the mountain path was difficult to walk on after the rain, and the rain hadn’t stopped, they couldn’t skip visiting the old tailor. As they walked on the mountain path, wearing waterproof striped cloth and bamboo hats, Ruan Xi couldn’t help but take deep breaths.

Ruan Cuizhi noticed something unusual about her and asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Ruan Xi took another deep breath. “I don’t know. It’s an indescribable feeling; my heart feels heavy.”

She had felt this way since being woken up by the thunder at night, a constant sense that something was wrong, an empty and uncomfortable feeling, but she couldn’t pinpoint why. So she hadn’t slept for the rest of the night.

Ruan Cuizhi looked at her, “Is it because you didn’t sleep well?”

Ruan Xi thought for a moment, “Maybe?”

Ruan Cuizhi suggested, “When we get to the tailor shop, you should rest for a while.”

Ruan Xi nodded, taking another deep breath, “Alright.”

They walked slowly and carefully to avoid slipping. When they arrived at the old tailor’s house, they opened the gate and entered the courtyard. Ruan Cuizhi went straight to the kitchen, took off her bamboo hat and waterproof cloth, and started washing rice to make breakfast.

Ruan Xi went to the main house and removed her bamboo hat and waterproof cloth at the door. She shook off the water from the hat and cloth and called out, “Master, are you awake?”

The old tailor didn’t respond. She turned and pushed open the door to the room. As she reached the doorway, she was shocked to see the old tailor lying on the floor in front of the bed, barely conscious.

Ruan Xi screamed, “Aunt! Come quickly!”

After shouting, she rushed into the room to help the old tailor. Ruan Cuizhi heard the shout and hurried in, her brow furrowing with worry. She quickly entered the room to help Ruan Xi lift the old tailor and get him back onto the bed.

Seeing the old tailor in this state, Ruan Xi was clearly panicked and kept asking him, “Master, what are you trying to do? Do you need to use the bathroom? You don’t usually get up at night. Do you want some water? Or something to eat?”

With drooping eyelids, the old tailor mustered a breath and looked at Ruan Xi, opening his mouth but unable to speak.

Ruan Cuizhi, seeing the old tailor like this, had a bleak expression.

Ruan Xi read a very bad signal in Ruan Cuizhi’s eyes, causing her heart to beat faster and her voice to tremble. She stood up and said, “Aunt, watch over my master. I’ll go find Doctor Zhou.”

But the old tailor grabbed her hand before she could take a step.

Holding back her distress, trembling voice, and tears in her eyes, Ruan Xi softly said to the old tailor, “Master, hold on a bit longer. I’ll go get Doctor Zhou. I’ll be right back.”

The old tailor shook his head and squeezed out the words, “Living an extra half year is enough…” He always felt he was destined to die on the first day of the New Year, and living an extra half year was a gift from heaven. Recently, the pain in his body had increased, and he groaned in pain every night, unable to sleep for more than a few hours. He couldn’t hold on any longer.

Hearing this, Ruan Xi felt even more distressed, furrowing her brows and biting her lip to hold back her tears.

Then the old tailor looked at her and squeezed out another sentence, “Go… call Secretary Wang… and have him bring more people…”

Ruan Xi sniffed, didn’t hesitate, and ran out of the main house into the rain, splashing through the water and mud to Secretary Wang’s house.

When she arrived, she raised her hand and knocked on the door desperately, her voice mixed with the sound of raindrops, “Secretary Wang!”

Secretary Wang heard the noise and came to open the door. Without wiping the rain off her face, she sniffed and immediately said, “Secretary Wang, my Master is not doing well. He asked you to bring some people over right now.”

Hearing this, Secretary Wang’s expression turned serious. He quickly gathered a few village officials and went to the old tailor’s house with Ruan Xi. By the time they returned, the rain had stopped, but the sky was still gray.

Ruan Xi led Secretary Wang and the officials to the old tailor’s house. Once inside, she went straight to his bedside, wiped her face hastily, sniffed, and said, “Master, I brought Secretary Wang for you.”

The old tailor slowly opened his eyes and glanced at Secretary Wang and the officials but said nothing. His movements were labored as he raised his hand to point to the camphorwood chest in the room, “Key…”

Ruan Cuizhi understood his meaning, quickly opened the chest, and took out a bunch of keys. She handed the keys to the old tailor and then stood aside without speaking.

The old tailor looked at Ruan Xi, his hand trembling as he placed the keys in her palm. Then he looked up at Secretary Wang and slowly said, “Please bear witness… everything that belongs to me… the house… the courtyard… the sewing machine… the land… all of it goes to my apprentice… to… Ruan Xi…”

Tears unknowingly rolled down Ruan Xi’s cheeks, falling onto the faded blue checkered bedsheet.

Secretary Wang, standing behind her, said, “Rest assured.”

The old tailor felt at ease, looked at Ruan Xi again, and slowly whispered, “Xi Xi… this shop… is yours now…”

Ruan Xi could no longer hold back her tears, which streamed down her face, soaking her cheeks. She grasped the old tailor’s hand, resting her forehead on the back of his hand, sobbing so hard that her shoulders shook.

Unable to speak through her tears, she finally choked out, “Master…”