Chapter 114.1

With many children at home, the Han family’s house is always lively. During winter, it’s too cold to go outside, so after lunch, the children would sit on bamboo mats and play checkers.

Xiao Doubao, who has watched them play checkers many times, also understood how to play the game. His younger sister quietly shook the small bell in her hand as she watched her older brothers.

Xiao Roubao, who was interested in everything, occasionally rolled over and stuck out his chubby little hand to cause mischief.

When his brothers discovered him, they would carry him and place him in the farthest corner. But before long, he would roll to their side, causing mischief, and end up being carried back by his brother again. He repeatedly rolled back and caused trouble countless times. With so much activity, he easily gets hungry. Soon after drinking milk, he starts howling for rice porridge.

Liang Hongmei, who was responsible for feeding him rice porridge, was simply amazed. This little bundle of joy sits there contentedly, eating spoonful after spoonful and behaving so well. What’s astonishing is that this little troublemaker is just over five months old. His sister is more demure and grows at a slower pace, but she also doesn’t fuss or cry. Once again, she marvels at her sister’s good fortune.

Su Xiaoxiao actually really wants to tour Liang Hongmei around their small town, but the weather is simply too cold.

In the afternoon, Old Hu brought over some mutton.

Liang Hongmei is surprised. “Are all the workers at the meat factory so friendly? Are they delivering meat to your doorstep?”

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and said, “No. In the past, I was a substitute teacher for Old Hu’s son for a while. Fantuan, Zhuzi, and his son had a good relationship. When Han Cheng went on a business trip to the capital, I was too busy, and Old Hu kindly left some meat for me. Sometimes, Fantuan would inform Old Hu’s son in advance about what he wanted to eat, and Old Hu would drop it off for me on his way home from work. This eventually became a habit. Since I was pregnant, they saved the good things for me.”

The people here are truly kind. There’s still chaos outside. I’m not sure if it’s just my imagination, but it seems like things have calmed down a bit this year. They haven’t been arresting people as they used to, and gradually, more people are selling things on the black market.

Since Su Zhenzhong took control of the family’s finances, Hongmei’s mother has caused trouble a few times. Their relationship deteriorated, so Su Zhenzhong wasn’t as polite as before and said, “Haven’t you taken enough from our house for so many years? There’s no reason in this world for a son-in-law to help his mother-in-law raise two sons. I have both elders and youngsters to care for. If you continue causing trouble like this, I may have to seek the Red Guards’ assistance to inquire whether, as a son-in-law, I should be responsible for my mother-in-law and her two brothers-in-law and let them occasionally visit my humble house to enjoy the autumn breeze.”

The reputation of Hongmei’s mother’s family was widely known, and this information reached Hongmei’s brothers, Liang Hongwei and Liang Hongdang. They understood that they had crossed Su Zhenzhong’s bottom line. Concerned that Su Zhenzhong might personally visit their workplace to sue them, the two refrained from instigating their mother to cause trouble for Su Zhenzhong’s family, as they had previously done. Eventually, the situation began to calm down.

The quality of food at Su Zhenzhong’s home gradually improved, and some resources were saved. She would butcher meat at least two or three times a month and return to Su Village to show filial piety to her in-laws. Su Zhenzhong had always been generous, but as life became more comfortable, his treatment of her also improved.

It felt as though she had returned to her high school days, but this time with Da Bao accompanying them.

Da Bao was no longer as docile as before; he was much more lively and cheerful. She deeply regretted not allowing Su Zhenzhong to lead their family earlier. She had been so blind before. She never wished to return to that haunting life, endlessly hitting walls in the dark cave, never seeing an end.

Su Xiaoxiao knew it wasn’t Liang Hongmei’s illusion. In another year or two, more people would return to the city, and more people would sell things in the black market. The return of educated youths for college examinations would gradually signal the end of this period.

Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t say these words to Liang Hongmei but instead remembered to ask her, “How are those intellectuals living behind our courtyard in the Su family village doing now?”

Liang Hongmei said: “They look the same to me. They don’t interact much with the commune members and aren’t particularly close to our family either. For details, you’d have to ask Dàbǎo and Xiǎobǎo. They always run over there. Dàbǎo comes back to the Su family village every week, and Xiǎobǎo loves going to their place. Initially, I worried they might cause trouble, but later I realized they only go there to read and study. Educated people are educated after all. They are indeed impressive. Xiǎobǎo is smart, and Dàbǎo is learning a lot more things and improving his writing. Nothing untoward has happened, so I stopped worrying.

Mom and Dad treat them well. Since they don’t grow vegetables or miscellaneous grains, Mom always sends some over. During festivals, whatever the commune provides, Dad never forgets to give them a share. Our parents have always respected educated people. It’s probably also their way of showing gratitude for educating Da Bao and Xiao Bao. You didn’t ask this because they have any issues, is it? “

Su Xiaoxiao shook his head and said, “No, no, they’re good.”

The situation was pretty much as Su Xiaoxiao had imagined. As long as they peacefully got through the next year or two, they could return to school to continue educating and then enjoy their later years in peace.