Chapter 23: The Reason

Old Sixth Gu squatted at his back door, gazing at the cornfield outside, which had already been harvested. The green leaves still clung to the stalks. He took a drag from his dry tobacco, his face etched with sorrow as he exhaled.

In previous years, his late wife had accompanied him during the harvest. Now, they had two children: one served in the military and was rarely home. At the same time, the other had gotten involved in some shady business a few years back and had been driven away, leaving no news since. The house had been steadily improved over the years, but the people around him had dwindled.

A few years ago, who didn’t know that Old Sixth Gu was the head of the prosperous brigade? Even the county secretary had to show him some respect. Now, he rarely saw his relatives, and his wife had recently thrown her back out, lying in bed for a whole month.

Old Sixth Gu took another deep drag of smoke!

He felt so lonely!

Next door, Old Li’s grandchildren crawled all over the floor, while his own home was desolate, not even the wind willing to stir.

Suddenly, he thought of his eldest child’s kid and wanted to see them return. The child was nearly five now and didn’t even know where his home was.

Forget it; there was no point in dwelling on the past. As long as the child could live a steady life, that was better than anything. He still had a bit of money saved up and wondered if he could help his eldest buy a house in the provincial capital.

Comrade Jin Chunfen was making a racket in the room again. Old Sixth Gu stubbed his tobacco on the ground and slowly strode into the house.

As soon as he stepped inside, he hid the smoking pipe behind his back.

Mrs. Jin, lying on the bed, shot him a glare. Having lived for over half a lifetime, she knew him too well; she understood the old man’s stubborn nature better than anyone.

She didn’t say a word but chose to turn a blind eye.

Old Sixth Gu sat cross-legged on the kang, one hand tucked behind him, his backside resting against the edge of the bed.

He bent over and slowly shifted to sit more comfortably, rolling the smoking pipe under the small wooden cabinet at the bed’s head. His two dimming little eyes fixed intently on Jin Chunfen’s closed eyelids. Cautiously, he tucked himself in and, once settled, straightened his back with an exaggerated cough.

Jin Chunfen opened her eyes.

Old Sixth Gu’s gaze flickered nervously, his expression mixed with conflict and hesitation. He pulled at the newly fluffed cotton quilt, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the courage.

Jin Chunfen sensed his unease and said, “So, has something happened with our chickens recently?”

Old Sixth Gu straightened abruptly, stammering, “No.”

Jin Chunfen asked, “Is it that the old cow’s daughter-in-law from the village is causing trouble again, wanting you to handle it?”

Old Sixth Gu’s face turned a deep shade of red, and he waved his hand, wiping the fine sweat off his forehead. “That’s not the case.”

After watching her husband remain silent for a while, Jin Chunfen’s previously lifted spirits began to fade. “What! You must have someone outside!”

Old Sixth Gu’s eyes widened like saucers. “What are you thinking all day? I’m old enough; who would be interested in me?”

Jin Chunfen threw back the quilt she had just tucked in. “Then why don’t you say something!”

Old Sixth Gu hesitated, covering her up again. What would they do if she caught a chill in this cold weather? He even patted her chest gently to help her catch her breath. “Well, about that, the kid’s mother—I want to bring our grandson back.”

Upon hearing this, Jin Chunfen gasped, her anger evident as she raised her voice, “What do you mean? You have a grandson?”

This old man was at it again, flirting with some women outside and now wanting to bring back someone else’s grandson. Even in his youth, he had been chasing after the young wives and daughters in the village, and now, in his old age, he still had no sense of decency.

Old Sixth Gu wiped the cold sweat from his brow, realizing he couldn’t tell his wife the truth and thinking about how to spin the story. Just then, Comrade Jin continued speaking.

“Whose grandson?”

Old Sixth Gu was a bit taken aback. “Our eldest’s.”

The quilt that had just been tucked in was pushed aside again, and her expression brightened. “Nianmei is pregnant?”

Old Sixth Gu tucked the corner of the quilt back in place. “No, it’s not Nianmei’s child.”

The words lingered on Old Sixth Gu’s lips, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them. How could he admit that his eldest had a child out of wedlock, a child who was already over five years old?

Deep down, Old Sixth Gu remained a conservative man. He struggled to swallow his pride and speak up even with his close partner.

Before marrying Nianmei, his eldest had already told him about the situation. Still, Old Sixth Gu, being thin-skinned, had kept it under wraps all these years.

Seeing her husband fumble and hesitate only made Jin Chunfen more anxious, like a thorn lodged in her throat that she couldn’t dislodge. “What on earth is going on?!”

With a long sigh, Old Sixth Gu closed his eyes, his face reddening and his neck growing thick as he finally said, “The eldest already has a child. They weren’t married when the child was born, and I don’t even know who the child’s mother is. I just haven’t had the courage to say it all these years.”

Jin Chunfen leaned against the wall, unable to speak for a long while, uncertain whether she was shocked or pleased. After a moment, her back, which had ached for a month, felt fine again. She got off the kang, put on her shoes, and headed toward the brigade.

Old Sixth Gu followed his wife, wishing he could quicken his pace, but the lingering effects of his earlier ailments held him back. Whenever he walked quickly, his right leg ached terribly, making him appear to limp.

Gu Xichao was in the communications room answering a call when he picked up the phone, only to be met with a barrage of scolding from his mother. The thick accent of his hometown took him a moment to process.

“Mom, what’s wrong? Don’t be upset,” he said.

Major Gu tried to calm Comrade Jin down, but it was to no avail.

Jin Chunfen was known for her sharp tongue in the Prosperous Brigade, and people in the village generally avoided provoking her.

Zheng Guiren, sitting in the village committee while cracking sunflower seeds, silently sympathized with the person on the other end of the line.

He had been in Xihuang Village for over ten years and had never witnessed Jin Chunfen being so furious. He glanced at the former head of the Prosperous Brigade, who was huddled behind the table like a quail.

The spark of gossip ignited in his eyes as he listened, and he savored the seeds even more, the rhythmic sound of cracking seeds syncing perfectly with Jin’s melodious tirade.

“What? My dad hasn’t told you yet?” Gu Xichao finally managed to find a connection amidst his mother’s tirade.

His father had kept the news about Xiaobao a secret, not letting his mother know, and now, for some reason, she had suddenly found out, leading to her outburst.

At that moment, Major Gu understood the truth.

At the beginning of his marriage, he had thought his wife knew about his child. After returning home and discovering she was unaware, he assumed it was because his parents were hiding it from her. Little did he know that his father had caused the mess.

His father really was getting worse with age.

Mrs. Jin suddenly fell silent, glaring at Old Sixth Gu, which made Zheng Guiren feel a bit uneasy.

Jin Chunfen’s tone softened. This was her precious son; her eldest had always been good-looking, fair-skinned, like a scholar from a play, a child she had nurtured in her palm.

In recent years, he had insisted on joining the military, enduring who knows how much hardship.

“Who is the child’s mother?”

Gu Xichao hesitated momentarily, glancing at Su Nianmei, who was sitting on a bench outside, his gaze wavering slightly.

“It’s my child. Mom, don’t worry; I didn’t do anything to wrong the girl.”

He couldn’t reveal Gu Xiaobao’s background.

The person had entrusted the child to him, and he had to fulfill his responsibilities as a father.

Gu Xichao lowered his voice, and his eyes met Su Nianmei’s, giving her a gentle smile.

Jin Chunfen wanted to say more but thought better of it.

Her son had just gotten married, and she didn’t want to cause any trouble. That was enough as long as she treated Nianmei well in the future. “How old is the child? What’s his name? Is it a boy or a girl?”

“It’s a boy over five years old. His nickname is Xiaobao, and his full name is Gu Xun. Xun, as in to inquire.”

Mrs. Jin clapped her hands on the wooden table, which thudded in response, and exclaimed, “Good!”

Old Sixth Gu gestured to her, silently mouthing words.

They needed to wrap things up quickly; time was of the essence.

“Then you and Nianmei should live well together and have a child sooner; I won’t bother you anymore,” Jin Chunfen said.

Gu Xichao replied with an “Mm-hmm,” still holding the phone to his ear, not quite ready to hang up.

After a few seconds, his mother continued, reminding him to bring the child back to visit when he had time. She advised him to take care of himself and to look after Nianmei.

Zheng Guiren had never seen Mrs. Jin speak so softly before.

The two continued to chat for a while longer.

The operator nearby was astonished to see Major Gu being so gentle.

After hanging up the phone, Gu Xichao’s emotions were still in turmoil.

He adjusted his collar and saluted the operator as he left, stepping outside.

With a serious expression, the operator patted her chest, relieved. This was the Major Gu she knew.

Gu Xichao and Su Nianmei walked side by side, not holding hands but still together.

As they walked, curious glances came their way. Whenever Gu Xichao shot a glare in their direction, the whistle-blowers quickly swallowed their whistles back down.

Su Nianmei watched this unfold and quietly took Gu Xichao’s hand, her eyes bright with a smile.

The whistle from earlier blew again.

Gu Xichao raised an eyebrow, thinking that these little brats really needed to be disciplined.

Meanwhile, Comrade Jin Chunfen, after finishing the call with her son, returned home feeling elated.

She fumbled around the house, tidying up various things, but couldn’t settle down. Even the chickens that used to cluck incessantly seemed endearing to her now.

Suddenly, Mrs. Jin slapped her thigh and immediately started gathering things together, telling Old Sixth Gu to book tickets.

She wanted to see her eldest grandson, whom she hadn’t seen in so many years.

She wondered how the child had been living.