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“Alright, alright, you see, young bachelors are never as steady as married men. Just look at my Jianyuan, so much more reliable. Dalì, it’s not that I want to nag, but you really should get married. If you keep dragging your feet, it’ll only get harder to find a wife.”
Once again, Auntie Zhang poked at Chen Dali’s sore spot.
Chen Dali cursed inwardly. This old lady was really too much! Why couldn’t she just talk about the matter at hand without dragging in nonsense? Did she think he didn’t want to find a wife? It was just that he couldn’t find one to his liking! And when these aunties did make introductions, it was always some jobless woman, or some scrawny little girl who looked like she’d fled famine.
Secretly, he stole a glance at Lü Jinjin in the crowd and sighed with regret. Ai, Sister Lü fits my taste in every way—pretty, fair-skinned, graceful, and she has a job too. Too bad she’s a widow with a son. That doesn’t match me at all. I’m still a pure bachelor! I’ve got to find a wife who matches my status.
Lü Jinjin, sharp as ever, instantly noticed Chen Dali’s gaze. What rotten luck!
Auntie Qiu clapped her hands. “Are we going to talk or not? I still need to go home for dinner.”
“Quickly, quickly, say it!” urged Auntie Liu. “I’m waiting to eat too. My Xiao Yue already warmed up my food.” She smiled awkwardly. Nobody was rich enough these days to host freely. If she invited Qiu over, what about Zhang, or Wang? That would stir up trouble.
“Fine, fine,” said Auntie Qiu, enjoying the suspense. “Living to this age, I tell you, you see everything. While Liu and Zhang were still watching that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law quarrel in the hospital room, I got fed up and decided to head home. But when I reached the first floor, just outside the maternity ward, I heard shouting. Someone was yelling about impossibilities, saying the doctor had swapped their baby—swapped it for a monster! I thought, what on earth? A monster? Like Nezha, who stayed in the womb for three years? So I snuck over to take a look. And oh boy, you’ll never guess what I heard!”
“What? What did you hear, Auntie Qiu?!”
She basked in everyone’s attention. “The doctor had just delivered a baby boy, but guess what—there was a tail growing out of the baby’s little butt!!”
“WHAT?!”
“You’re making that up, Auntie Qiu! People don’t grow tails!”
“Exactly! Auntie Liu, do you know about this?”
Auntie Liu nodded solemnly. “Old Qiu isn’t lying. She came to fetch us. And not just us—the entire floor’s doctors and nurses went over. Who could invent such a story?”
“Exactly,” Auntie Zhang cut in. “That mother-in-law raised a racket, cursing the doctor for swapping her good baby. Luckily, only two women were giving birth at that time, and the other hadn’t delivered yet. Otherwise the doctor really couldn’t have explained himself. I saw a little nurse turn pale as a sheet. We got back late because of this big commotion—the hospital even called the police! Later the police questioned the new mother’s own mother, and she confessed: she suspected her in-law had given her daughter fake ‘fetal-turning medicine.’”
Liu Xiaoyue frowned. “What fetal-turning medicine? That’s nonsense! If eating medicine could guarantee boys, then no girls would ever be born. Pig-brained fools.” She was furious because when she was born, her grandmother despised her for being a girl and forced her mother to take “boy-bearing medicine.” It nearly ruined her mother’s health. Her father, who often traveled for procurement, returned to find his wife on the brink of death. He promptly moved his wife and child to the city, severing ties with his family after his mother passed away.
Auntie Wang nodded. “Exactly. That woman was from the countryside. She’d already had four daughters. When her pregnancy was discovered, the mother-in-law went to a fortune-teller, who said it would be another girl. So she begged for this ‘fetal-turning medicine.’ The fool of a daughter-in-law just ate whatever she was given—at five or six months pregnant! She took it for two months straight. Even the healthiest child would’ve been ruined. The doctors said it was pure quackery. This time it only grew into a fleshy little tail, which can be cut off later with surgery. But what if it had been an extra arm or leg? Then what?”
Everyone sucked in a breath. “Hss~ Pregnant women really mustn’t eat nonsense!”
From Courtyard One, Old Qi Grandpa asked: “So where did that mother-in-law even find someone selling such medicine? Didn’t the police say they’d track the seller down? Did they catch them?”
The lamplight flickered across faces, and Bi Chunliu suddenly felt uneasy. Grandpa Qi’s tone didn’t sound quite right… Could he actually be thinking about such medicine himself?
And indeed, she wasn’t wrong. Old Qi was tempted. After all, the woman had birthed a boy—so clearly the drug had some effect, didn’t it? Wang had just said she ruined her baby by taking it for two months. But if his own daughter-in-law only took it for one month, wouldn’t that be safe? Two months caused two “little sprouts,” but one month could safely guarantee one boy! Women were too timid to see the logic—better to trust an old man’s thinking.
He glanced at his daughter-in-law cuddling his granddaughter, then at his silly son beaming at them, and he curled his lip. Tch. If only I had money for another bride, I’d replace this useless daughter-in-law. Sigh… For now, I’ll just push Qi Chao harder. One day, I’ll have a grandson too, calling me grandpa. What a joy that’ll be.
Someone asked, “So Auntie Qiu, how was the matter handled? What did the police say?”
She spat. “Pah! That mother-in-law even demanded compensation at first—trying to blackmail the hospital! Luckily the police came. They declared it was entirely her fault, nothing to do with the hospital. They took her away for investigation, probably to track down the seller. Once the cops had her, that old hag shrank like a mouse, didn’t dare squeak.”
“Good! Otherwise if she pinned it on the hospital, those doctors and leaders would’ve suffered to death. Shows you—villains still fear the law!”
“Exactly. Tsk, people really can’t fool around with such things. Especially us women—we’re the ones who suffer most.”
Everyone agreed, chatting for a long while before preparing to head home.
“I’m really off this time,” said Auntie Qiu. “If I don’t eat now, I’ll be too bloated to sleep tonight.”
“Same here,” added Auntie Zhang. She glanced at Auntie Liu, already slurping noodles her daughter warmed up for her, and sighed. What a lucky woman, to have such a considerate girl. My daughter-in-law, ever since giving birth, just lazes about. I’ll have to scold her one of these days.
Auntie Liu, clutching her noodle bowl: ??
Bi Chunliu also took her siblings home. She was still thinking about asking Auntie Liu to buy her some meat—otherwise the dumplings the day after tomorrow would have to be all vegetarian.
She waited until she figured Auntie Liu had finished eating, then went to her house, handed over money and ration tickets, and quickly went home. She didn’t want to oversleep again tomorrow.
The next morning, she was woken by courtyard noise. Peeking out, she saw Bai Xingzi cooking and Nie Xiangbei washing up. Looked peaceful enough today.
Without disturbing her sisters, Chunliu got up. In the outer room, she found Wei Guo already awake.
“Big sis, are you cooking?”
“Mm. If you’re up, wash and come help me.” she whispered.
“Alright!” Wei Guo agreed eagerly—he quite enjoyed cooking.
Chunliu had already planned the menu last night: lump soup for breakfast, reheated coarse cornbread buns, and stir-fried pickled vegetables. The pickles were too salty to eat straight, but frying them with oil and scallions made them fragrant.
In her previous life, she’d even learned how to make watermelon paste, and it turned out well—Liu Xu could eat two big buns and half a bowl of noodles with it. She thought maybe she’d try making some this summer, depending on watermelon prices.
Wei Guo went to wash up while Chunliu tended the soup. Since it cooked quickly, she’d switch with him in a moment.
“Brother Xiangbei!” Wei Guo greeted Nie Xiangbei.
Nie Xiangbei nodded, grunted, and glanced at him before heading back inside. But before closing the door, he looked again at silly Wei Guo washing his face. Hmph. Foolish people really do have good fortune. When this kid graduates, he won’t need to worry about work—Chunliu will definitely secure a job for him. Sigh… If only Mom had given me a brother too.
He and his twin sister Xiangnan were both in their final year of high school. It was nearly May—time to settle job placements. Many classmates already had family jobs lined up. His mom’s job went to his second brother, grandparents’ jobs were taken, and his dad wouldn’t hand over his post either. What was he supposed to do? He didn’t want to be sent down to the countryside. His sister at least could marry… but he? Sigh.
Back in the kitchen, Wei Guo offered, “Big sis, I’ll watch the pot! You go wash up.”
“Good. Then wake the other two. After I wash, I’ll fry the pickles, and we’ll eat.” Chunliu instructed.
“Okay!” Wei Guo beamed. These days, big sis seemed in great spirits, and life was getting better and better. So good, so good!