Chapter 1: The Li Family Farce

Early morning, 1967

The smell of corn porridge filled the Li family’s living room.

The whole family sat around a slightly worn dining table, eating a simple breakfast.

Li Xiangbei looked up at Zhang Cuihua and asked hopefully, “Ma, my job has been sorted. When are you going to help me propose marriage?”

“What? Fourth, you’re getting married?” Before Zhang Cuihua could respond, the eldest sister-in-law, Liu Lanxiang, exclaimed in shock.

She had just found a temp job that cost two hundred yuan. She and her husband had agreed—the money should come from the family.

But if the fourth son was getting married, how could the family still afford to help her buy a job?

Li Xiangbei frowned, clearly displeased. “What, I’m not allowed to get married? When Big Brother and Second Brother were my age, their kids could already run errands.”

Then he looked at Zhang Cuihua again. “Ma, you promised. Once my job was settled, you’d go propose on my behalf.”

Thinking of the girl her son fancied, Zhang Cuihua couldn’t help but smile. “Alright, I’ll go find a matchmaker later. You clean up and get ready—tomorrow we’ll go together.”

At first, when Zhang Cuihua heard her youngest son liked a girl from the countryside, she wasn’t thrilled. But her son had always been stubborn. Once he made up his mind, not even nine bulls could drag him away.

Later, she learned her son had liked this girl for four years already. No wonder he insisted on repeating his third year in junior high, constantly talking about getting into the best high school in the county.

She hadn’t had time to manage him back then and figured it was better than letting him idle, so she let him stay in school another year. Who would’ve thought he actually got into high school?

For three years, she’d thought her son was finally showing promise—only now realizing it was all to chase that girl.

Yesterday, she had gone to ask her son’s teacher about the girl. Teacher Wang had praised her endlessly, saying she was born for academics. If there were still college entrance exams, the girl would surely get into university.

Though from a rural background, the girl was smart and sharp. Teacher Wang also mentioned that just last week, the steel factory had hired her as an archives administrator—her household registration had already been transferred to the factory.

After hearing that, what else could Zhang Cuihua possibly complain about?

Just last night, she and Li Jianguo had prepared the betrothal gifts for the girl.

Seeing his mother so pleased, Li Xiangbei guessed she must’ve learned about Yueyue’s job at the steel factory.

Grinning, he leaned closer. “Ma, your son’s taste isn’t bad, right?”

Zhang Cuihua rolled her eyes at him. “The girl’s so outstanding—if she says no, you’ll be the one crying.”

But Li Xiangbei was confident. He’d waited for Yueyue for four whole years.

Liu Lanxiang couldn’t help herself. “Fourth, where’s that girl from?”

The youngest daughter of the family, Li Xiangxin, giggled and cut in, “I know! The girl Fourth Brother likes is my senior from school. She’s from the Hekou Brigade.”

“From a village?” Liu Lanxiang’s face twitched with disdain as she nudged her husband with her foot.

Li Xiangdong cleared his throat and tried to reason with their parents. “Dad, Ma, Fourth’s a high school graduate with a job at the county’s supply and marketing cooperative. Shouldn’t he at least marry a city girl? There’s no rush—he can take his time.”

Li Xiangbei glared at him. “I’ve set my mind on her. And Ma and Dad already agreed, so you don’t need to butt in.”

“What do you mean ‘butt in’? If you marry someone from the countryside, how are you going to handle food rations every month? And kids follow the mother’s household registration. What, your wife and kid will both rely on our whole family to support them?” The more Li Xiangdong spoke, the redder his face became.

Li Xiangbei snorted. “Don’t worry about that.”

Li Xiangdong wanted to keep arguing, but their father, Li Jianguo, cut him off. “Enough, we’ve already agreed to the marriage. And besides, the girl’s household registration is already at the steel factory.”

Zhang Cuihua nudged Li Jianguo with her elbow and gave him a look. After all, nothing was confirmed yet, and their eldest had a big mouth. If it turned out their youngest was the only one truly invested, rumors might spread and ruin the girl’s reputation.

Li Jianguo caught on, chuckled awkwardly, and quietly went back to eating his porridge.

Except for Li Xiangbei, no one else noticed the couple’s little exchange—and they misunderstood it entirely.

Li Xiangdong’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Ma, you gave your job to that girl?”

Liu Lanxiang joined in loudly, “Ma, that’s way too biased! That country girl isn’t even married in yet, and you’re already giving her your job?”

Li Xiangnan and his wife also looked unhappy.

Zhang Cuihua slammed her chopsticks on the table. “Who are you yelling at? None of you better get any ideas about my job. Stop dreaming about what’s ours. Wait till we’re dead, then you can fight over it.”

With that, she stood up to leave.

“Ma!” Li Xiangdong quickly called out, “Lanxiang just got a temp job, it costs two hundred yuan. We’re a little short and were hoping you and Dad could help.”

Zhang Cuihua turned back, furious. “You still have the face to talk about jobs? When you got married, we bent over backwards to help Lanxiang land a permanent job, and what did she do? Gave it to her own family! Now you want us to pay for a temp job? Keep dreaming.”

Then she scowled. “You two have been married seven years. Since day one, you’ve paid just ten yuan a month for food. The rest of your wages you keep. And now you’re saying you don’t even have two hundred saved?”

With that, she stormed out of the house.

Li Xiangdong and Liu Lanxiang exchanged looks. Liu Lanxiang, still unwilling to give up, signaled to her husband.

Li Xiangdong looked at Li Jianguo, who was silently eating. “Dad, this is such a rare opportunity. Little Brother is only twenty. He could wait a few years to marry, but jobs like this are hard to find. Even if it’s temporary, there’s a chance it could become permanent. Please, lend us the money.”

Li Jianguo drank the last of his porridge, wiped his mouth, and said calmly, “I’ve got no money to lend you. I’ve never had more than a yuan in my pocket.”

Then he got up to leave.

Li Xiangdong wouldn’t give up. He stood quickly and called after him. “Dad—”

BANG!

Li Xiangbei kicked over Li Xiangdong’s chair.

“I’ve kept quiet these past two years, and you’ve forgotten what I’m like? Listen well, Li Xiangdong—if you dare ruin my plans, I won’t go easy on you.”

Then, with a wicked grin, he added, “Big Brother, did you forget how you used to wet the bed every night when you were fifteen?”

Li Xiangdong swallowed hard and took a step back, frightened.

Li Jianguo scowled. “Fourth! That’s your brother, not your enemy. Watch your mouth.”

Li Xiangbei snorted and said sarcastically, “Dad, are you sure he sees me as his brother?”

Li Jianguo was at a loss for words. After a pause, he said softly, “Your mother’s already gone to find a matchmaker. You go get ready—we’ll take you to propose tomorrow.”

Li Xiangdong clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. Gritting his teeth, he said, “I knew it—you’ve been scheming behind our backs. Li Xiangbei, I’m your elder brother!”

“Elder brother?” Li Xiangbei pointed to the prominent scar on his forehead, his eyes cold. “When you pushed me into the corner of that table, did you remember that you were my big brother?”

Li Xiangdong trembled, his voice shaky. “Y-You’re lying!”

Li Xiangbei glanced at his watch—time was running out. He walked toward the door.

“You know whether I’m lying or not.”