Chapter 11 – Private Stash

“You two won’t have enough with just five pounds of cotton this year. I reckon you’ll have to buy more. Everything costs money nowadays. Why would you still need to buy meat just to visit your maiden home? You think I’d let you starve when you come back here?” said Mother Chen irritably.

“Only after getting married this year did I start to become sensible. I was immature before and made you worry. Let me show you some filial piety now, Mother,” Chen Rou replied.

The three sisters-in-law of the Chen family were all a little surprised to hear this. Their younger sister-in-law could actually say something like that?

Mother Chen felt comforted—not because her daughter had brought meat back to her maiden home, but because her daughter had finally grown up and become sensible.

She asked the eldest daughter-in-law to stew some radish with the lamb, and to set aside a portion. Later, she would personally take it to her elder brother—this was a gift from his niece.

The mother and daughter went into the room to talk privately. Mother Chen didn’t ask about much else; her focus was clearly on her daughter’s belly.

“I’m pregnant,” Chen Rou admitted directly.

Mother Chen was indeed delighted. “Pregnant? When did that happen?”

“I’m not sure either. Probably sometime after my last period,” Chen Rou replied.

She suspected it had happened the first time she and Han Guobin were intimate. Later, during the busy farming season, she had started to feel unusually tired, which made sense in hindsight.

At the time, she hadn’t known. It wasn’t until this month that she started to think about it. By her calculations, it had been over a month—close to two.

Thinking about this, Chen Rou couldn’t help but count on her fingers again. Nearly two months now—by the time the summer harvest came around next year, the baby should be due.

That would mean losing out on work points.

But Chen Rou had made peace with it. Either way, she was going to give birth, so she didn’t need to overthink it. As long as Han Guobin didn’t let her and the baby go hungry, everything would be fine.

And Han Guobin certainly wouldn’t let his wife go hungry. On the second night after leaving home, he carried a burlap sack to a slaughterhouse on the outskirts of town.

“I’m looking for Old Yang—give him a message for me,” Han Guobin said to the guard.

The guard looked him up and down, then went inside to fetch someone.

A middle-aged man, still stained with blood, came out. When he saw who it was, he smiled and said, “Come on in.”

Han Guobin followed him into the slaughterhouse.

“What good stuff did you catch?” Old Yang asked.

Han Guobin opened the sack: seven or eight wild pheasants and four or five gray, dusty wild rabbits—all still alive.

“All for me?” Old Yang asked.

“Leave one pheasant for my wife to nourish her body,” Han Guobin said. “You can have the rest.”

Old Yang nodded. “Alright, put it on your tab?”

“No need. Just give me what I’ve already earned,” Han Guobin shook his head.

Old Yang grinned. “Getting married now, huh? Want to take the money back to please the missus?”

“Yeah,” Han Guobin replied without embarrassment.

He had been hunting during the off-seasons since he was eighteen. He used to give some money to his mother, but most of it he never brought home—it was all stored with Old Yang.

They were old acquaintances. Years ago, Old Yang had almost been robbed, and it was Han Guobin who had saved him by chance. Their bond had lasted ever since.

Old Yang said, “Wait here a bit. Come back home with me to get it. I don’t keep that much cash on hand here.”

Han Guobin waited until after 3 a.m. before Old Yang finally finished work. Han Guobin asked for a piece of pork belly—about two jin (~2 pounds) worth.

Old Yang had someone cut it for him. After all, at the slaughterhouse, meat and fat were in abundance.

He then brought Han Guobin back to his house. Since it was so late, he led him to the side room to wait. Then he brought out a cloth pouch and a little notebook. “Let’s settle your account.”

After doing the math, the total came to more than 180 yuan. Including tonight’s contribution, the final amount was 190 yuan.

“I often borrow from your stash in emergencies. I’m not taking advantage. Let’s make it an even 200,” Old Yang said.

“No need. Just 190 is fine,” Han Guobin shook his head.

“Come on, don’t argue over what’s rightfully yours. You’re married now. That little adobe house of yours must be too cramped. A brick-tile house, now that would be bright and spacious. What do you say? Still don’t want to go into business with your old buddy?” Old Yang said.

He had high hopes for Han Guobin—loyal, quiet, quick and efficient.

He had wanted to recruit him for years, but Han Guobin had never agreed. All these years, he only brought wild game to sell during the off-season and did nothing else.

Han Guobin turned him down again, just like always. But the words “brick-tile house” did stick in his mind.

His house was indeed too small. This year, he would work extra hard—hopefully, he could build a proper home soon for his wife and future child.

As Old Yang walked him to the door, he said, “If you’re going to build, build something spacious. A brick-tile house will cost about 500 yuan. If you’re short, come to me.”

Han Guobin nodded and said goodbye.

By the time he got home, it was nearly 5 a.m. It was cold, and no one else was up yet. The village was completely quiet.

He returned to his own house.

The door was locked from the inside. With no other option, he had to call for his wife.

With her husband away, Chen Rou was naturally cautious. As soon as he called out, she responded and came to unlock the door.

“You must be hungry. I’ll go boil some water and cook some noodles,” Chen Rou said, seeing his face pale and slightly bluish, and invited him inside.

Han Guobin wasn’t cold—he’d walked all the way back and was bundled in a thick cotton coat. But his stomach was indeed empty. “Wife, get me some grain. I’ll cook it myself. You go back to sleep.”

Chen Rou had gone to bed early the night before, so she wasn’t that tired. She went to the kitchen to boil water. First, she prepared a basin of hot water for him to wash up. Then she cooked some noodles, cracked in two eggs, and saw he had brought back a piece of pork and a pheasant. The pheasant could wait, but she cut a few pieces of pork and cooked them with the noodles.

Noodles cook quickly. He had just finished washing up when breakfast was ready.

Chen Rou also brushed her teeth and came to eat breakfast with him.

Neither of them asked or said anything else. After eating, they went back to bed together.

Chen Rou went back to sleep; Han Guobin had been up all night and was finally resting after breakfast.

By the time he woke up, Chen Rou had already finished stewing the lamb and radish soup—meant to restore his energy.

“You’re up? Lunch is ready,” Chen Rou said. With nothing else to do, she was sewing clothes for next summer.

One for each of them.

As for the baby in her belly—that could wait until next year. It was still too early.

Han Guobin immediately walked over and hugged his wife. Nothing beat being at home. He never used to miss home when he was out, but this time, he had missed his wife terribly.

Chen Rou chuckled. “What are you doing?”

“Wife, you’re the best,” Han Guobin said.

Chen Rou replied, “Don’t try to sweet-talk me. How much did you earn this time? Did you exchange it all for pork?”

Han Guobin remembered something, so he brought over his thick cotton coat. Inside it was a deep pocket that had been torn before, but his wife had sewn it back up.

He pulled out twenty “Great Reunion” bills (referring to 10-yuan banknotes featuring the phrase “大团圆”).

Chen Rou was stunned. “Where did you go to get this much money?”

Han Guobin replied, “Been saving it over the years.” Then he explained how he had left the money with Old Yang.

Chen Rou didn’t ask why he trusted Old Yang. But clearly, compared to his own mother, Han Guobin would rather entrust his money to an outsider. That alone said a lot.

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the situation—he just chose not to say it.

“You only brought it back after hearing I was pregnant?” Chen Rou raised an eyebrow.

Han Guobin paused, then said, “No, I was planning to go get it this time anyway. I just hadn’t had time before.”

Chen Rou thought to herself: this sneaky man had hidden away so much private money. The original host had once gotten into a huge argument with his family over just a few coins, even hit her head and lost her life. What a tragic loss over such a small thing.

Now she was the one who got lucky.

Two hundred yuan—twenty 10-yuan bills—was an enormous amount of money given the current purchasing power.

Chen Rou considered that maybe his sweater could finally be moved up the to-do list, but what she said out loud was, “Should we fix the wall and fence the yard?”

If they built a dirt wall, then even if he bathed shirtless in the courtyard, it would be fine—just close the door. Unlike now, when they only had a flimsy fence.

“Let’s keep living like this for now. Once we build a brick house, we’ll fence the yard properly then,” Han Guobin said hesitantly.

“A brick house?” Chen Rou was a little surprised. “That costs a lot of money—and you need the right connections.” Brick and tile weren’t easy to get.

“I know someone who has a way,” Han Guobin replied.

“I’ve only got twenty-five yuan left. Adding yours, will it be enough?” Chen Rou wasn’t familiar with bricks or construction costs, nor did she know about labor expenses.

Hearing her mention labor costs, Han Guobin couldn’t help but chuckle. “We’ll just get some folks to come help when the time comes—no need to pay. The bricks and tiles are what’ll cost the most.”

“How much?” Chen Rou asked.

“I’ll take care of all that. You just take care of yourself,” Han Guobin said. He didn’t give a specific number, just handed the money to her for safekeeping and then got out of bed.

Chen Rou put the money away and started ladling out the lamb and radish soup. They were eating it with bean flour steamed buns—just the right match.

“This house was built not long ago. It may be a bit shabby, but there’s no rush,” Chen Rou said.

She knew building a brick house wouldn’t come cheap, so she didn’t want to pressure him.

“Yeah,” Han Guobin nodded.

Seeing his reaction, Chen Rou knew he was brushing her off—but she didn’t mind. He probably had his own plans.

Wanting to build a brick house as soon as possible, Han Guobin quickly got busy.

Every two or three days, he would head into the mountains. Each trip lasted about three days, and he’d come back with two or three yuan each time. After resting for two days, he’d go out again.

Whenever he came home, Chen Rou would cook him something tasty, and when he went out, she’d prepare food for him to take. Sometimes she’d even boil two or three eggs for the trip.

Beyond that, there wasn’t much else she could help with.

One day, Zhou Zhen came over and asked, “Is Old Han’s third son getting married? I saw the girl’s side sent people over today.”

Before Chen Rou could reply, Sister-in-law Han (Han Da Sao) walked in with a particularly sour expression and said, “Second daughter-in-law, did you hear? Mom and Dad bought a bicycle for the bride as a dowry gift!”