Chapter 4: Naming Little Fifth

After the Su family finished eating, everyone’s spirits improved considerably.

Su Laosi (the fourth eldest) and Su Laowu (the fifth eldest) were assigned to keep watch at night.

Old Madam Su locked the two remaining hens and three untouched rabbits into a hastily woven grass cage, planning to sell them for grain when they reached town. The nanny goat, however, was kept to provide milk for her granddaughter.

After grabbing a handful of wheat bran to feed the goat, she stayed beside Yan Jia, Yan He, Yan Qi, and Yan Xing as they slept.

Li Sumei, still weak after childbirth, lay down to rest immediately after eating. Liu Yingying shared a bed with her.

Su Lao’er (the second eldest) and Su Laosan (the third eldest) slept next to the cart, guarding the food and luggage.

Wu Chunhe and Zhang Xiaolan told Jin Yuegui to help them tidy up the ground. But Jin Yuegui, deeply asleep, rolled over and didn’t move. The two sisters-in-law grew even more impatient with her. After cleaning the ground, they salted and roasted the leftover fish beside the fire until dried, stored them in a wooden jar, and then also went to rest.

That night, disaster victims who had been eyeing the Su family’s food waited for Su Laosi and Su Laowu to fall asleep, only to find that Su Lao’er and Su Laosan came to take over the night watch.

Su Huan, being young and needing little sleep, woke up in the middle of the night and spotted a shadowy figure sneaking around their food cart. She immediately kicked her legs and pointed at the figure, crying out, “Yi-ya, yi-ya!”

Su Laosi and Su Laowu woke instantly. They grabbed the person, ready to beat them up, when the figure hurriedly cried out, “It’s me, it’s me, your eldest sister-in-law!”

“Eldest sister-in-law?”

Seeing her face clearly, Su Laosi coldly released his grip. “Eldest sister-in-law, what are you trying to take? I’ll help you find it.”

“I… I wasn’t taking anything! I was just helping my son organize his luggage!” Jin Yuegui said guiltily before hurrying back to the haystack to sleep.

Su Laowu waved off Su Lao’er and Su Laosan, who returned to their posts and continued to stay vigilant.

Su Laosi muttered, “I think she was eyeing Yan Jia’s New Year’s money!”

Su Laowu made a “shh” gesture, signaling him to let it go. Su Laosi glared at him but, annoyed, hugged Yan Jia’s bundle tightly and went back to sleep.

You can guard against anything except a thief within your own family.

If it hadn’t been for Little Fifth waking up in time, their sister-in-law might have rummaged through not just her son’s luggage but theirs too.

Su Laowu picked up Su Huan and tried to coax her back to sleep. Unexpectedly, Li Sumei was already awake, smiling as she watched his clumsy yet careful attempts at looking after a child. She reached out her hand and said, “Renxiao, give me the little girl. Let me check if her diaper is wet.”

“Okay.”

Su Laowu handed Su Huan over. Li Sumei touched her and found that indeed, the little one had peed. She quickly asked Su Laowu to get a clean diaper from her bundle. After washing Su Huan, they changed her. While changing, Su Huan’s little face flushed red with embarrassment. Fortunately, Su Laowu had thoughtfully turned his back to shield her from view, preserving her privacy.

Once the diaper was changed, Su Huan, feeling dry and comfortable, happily grabbed Li Sumei’s finger and gave it a little kiss, then uncontrollably let out a yawn.

Li Sumei gently stroked her cheek and handed the wet diaper to Su Laowu. “Draw some water, add plenty of soapberry powder, and wash it. Dry it by the fire. My mother always said that children’s things must be kept clean. Don’t skimp on the soapberry powder.”

“Got it. But you…”

Li Sumei glanced at Jin Yuegui and said to the worried Su Laowu, “Go ahead. If anything happens, I’ll call you. I’ve been lying down all day and can’t sleep right now. After you finish washing the diaper, go rest. We still have a journey ahead of us tomorrow.”

Her voice was soft and soothing. Su Huan, cradled in her arms and gently patted, grew drowsy again, her eyelids fluttering.

Su Laowu frowned slightly. “Is your body really okay? I’ll talk to Mother tomorrow; maybe we should rest for a few days before moving on.”

Li Sumei freed a hand to caress his face. “Don’t be silly. Second Brother and Third Brother heard that the canal in Wukou County up ahead has opened. If we leave early, we can catch a boat to the capital sooner.”

Su Laowu wanted to say more, but Li Sumei interrupted, “If you really care about me, then do what you did today — bring more food home. The better I eat, the faster I’ll recover.”

Helpless, Su Laowu nodded. After planting a kiss on her and their daughter’s cheeks, he obediently went to wash the diaper.

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The next day, the Su family woke up and had a pot of fish soup for breakfast. They roasted some leftover wheat bran into a few big flatbreads. After eating their fill, they tied the goat, the chickens, and the rabbits onto the cart and set off toward Wukou County.

Before departure, Old Madam Su hugged Su Huan and discussed naming her with Li Sumei. Yan Jia, Yan He, Yan Qi, and Yan Xing also gathered to listen.

Li Sumei thought of her near-tragic labor the previous day. Looking up at the merciful eyes of the Bodhisattva statue, she said, “Mother, yesterday I almost had a difficult birth. I don’t know if it was thanks to the Bodhisattva’s protection that I managed to deliver Little Fifth safely. How about we each pick a name, and then draw lots in front of the Bodhisattva, asking for a blessing?”

Old Madam Su, recalling how Su Huan had almost drowned in amniotic fluid at birth, agreed. “Good idea. We borrowed the Bodhisattva’s temple to give birth. Little Fifth is clearly fated with the Bodhisattva. It’s fitting to ask for a blessed name.”

She asked Yan Jia and Yan He, who were literate, to fetch paper and brush. Each member of the Su family thought of a name, and Yan Jia and Yan He wrote them down.

Old Madam Su crumpled the name slips into balls, mixed them in a bowl, bowed three times to the Bodhisattva, and had Su Laowu hold Su Huan up to pick a slip.

Soon, Su Huan curiously grabbed one.

Old Madam Su quickly unfolded it and had Yan Jia read it aloud.

Yan Jia saw the name and announced happily, “It’s ‘Huan’! Su Yan Huan!”

Everyone smiled. It was a good name — it sounded joyful.

Old Madam Su nodded in satisfaction. “Who came up with it?”

Yan Jia, tugging his younger brothers along, smiled, “Grandmother, we thought of it together! Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother said that now that we have a little sister, the five siblings together would symbolize ‘Family in harmony brings prosperity and joy.’ Plus, remembering what Grandmother said about her bond with the Bodhisattva, I thought of a line from the Chu Ci — ‘On an auspicious day and a fine hour, joyfully presenting offerings to the Emperor above. The five musical tones merge in harmony; the monarch rejoices and is at peace.’ It also carries the meaning of joy and gratitude toward the divine. So, together, we chose the character ‘Huan’ (Joy).”

Su Lao’er happily patted his shoulder. “Good lad, that’s a great name!”

Old Madam Su clapped her hands to finalize it. “Good! From now on, our Little Fifth will be called Su Yan Huan — our family’s Joy Girl!”

As soon as she finished speaking, thin, pure-white threads of karmic fate floated from the Su family members, weaving into a strand that tied itself around Su Huan’s wrist.

A stream of golden merit began slowly flowing from the karmic thread into her body.

It was the protection of the Su family’s ancestors!

It seemed that with her name confirmed, her Su family bloodline had also been recognized by the ancestors.

Su Huan laughed happily. “Yi-ya～”

Yan He exclaimed in delight, “Everyone, look! Little Sister likes the name we chose! Could it be she understands what we’re saying?”

Su Huan blinked her eyes, “Yi-ya?”

Su Laosan cried out, “Hey, Mother, our Joy Girl really is full of spirit! She actually understands!”

Yan Qi wondered aloud, “Could it be because she’s drinking goat milk? Maybe drinking goat milk makes you smarter? Grandmother, I think I’m too stupid — you should let me drink a bowl too!”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaolan laughed so hard she held her belly and tapped her son’s forehead. “Go on, you’re just greedy for goat milk!”

Yan Qi grinned and looked at Little Su Huan with sparkling eyes.

Meanwhile, Yan Xing truly was drooling as he stared at the nanny goat.

Pleased that her granddaughter had received a good name, Old Madam Su waved her hand generously. “Since you all helped name your little sister, go drink some goat milk! It’s a reward from Grandmother!”

Yan Xing jumped up happily and carefully fetched a bowl of goat milk. He resisted the urge to gulp it down and first offered it to his elder brothers. Yan Jia, Yan He, and Yan Qi each took a small sip, leaving most of it for Yan Xing to enjoy.

Outside, it was still raining. The family wore rain cloaks and straw hats, pushing their wheelbarrow. They laid oilcloth over the chickens, rabbits, nanny goat, and luggage, covered it all with dry hay, and set off again from the ruined temple.