Chapter 24

The room had no heated kang; they warmed it with a stove. Instead, there was a wooden bed. Jiang Jiang had slept on a mud kang since she was little and was now experiencing a bed for the first time.

It was covered with thick bedding, which felt particularly soft to sleep on. The quilt was adorned with small flowers and was very clean and warm.

Children get sleepy easily, and it wasn’t long before Jiang Jiang fell asleep.

In the afternoon, Lin Youqing went to the city market and bought some wooden boards and tarpaulin. He then used a fence to enclose a small area in the yard specifically for raising chickens and built a chicken coop.

While Lin Youqing was nailing the wooden boards together, Jiang Jiang helped by pressing down the boards and ropes beside him.

Building the chicken coop was not difficult for Lin Youqing, especially with Jiang Jiang as his little helper.

They worked efficiently and completed the coop in just one afternoon. He Guijuan also gathered some old scraps from the house to line the inside of the coop.

Jiang Jiang herded the old hen into the fenced area, and it seemed quite satisfied with its new home.

The day after they arrived in the county, it was the fifth day of the New Year, and Lin Youqing had already begun working, getting busy with his tasks.

He Guijuan would not start work until the sixth day of the New Year. Before going to work, she took Jiang Jiang back to her family home in Yuanzhou County.

He Guijuan’s family lived in the village of Guai Gou in the town of Yuanzhou County. It took about an hour by bus to get there with her daughter.

Her father had originally been a cadre but had retired back to the village when he grew older. Her mother was a homemaker. Apart from a younger brother who was a few years her junior, He Guijuan had no other siblings.

Her father was not one to sit idle; after retirement, he grew crops at home and helped manage some household chores. He Guijuan had been well-liked in the village before, and as soon as she entered, someone greeted her warmly.

“Guijuan? It’s been a while since we’ve seen you. Your parents must be overjoyed to see you back. And who is this little girl?”

The question came from one of He Guijuan’s aunts. Though He Guijuan had been married for many years, it was known throughout the family that she had not given birth to any children.

So, everyone was curious about why she had brought a girl back with her.

“This is my daughter.”

Facing the crowd’s confusion, He Guijuan explained: “Jiang Jiang lost her parents, and since my husband and I don’t have children, we decided to bring her to live with us.”

As He Guijuan spoke, the crowd suddenly understood that she had adopted a daughter.

For a moment, everyone began chattering, sharing their thoughts. Some envied Jiang Jiang for being lucky enough to be adopted by He Guijuan and her husband, both of whom were cadres. It was said that the girl would not lack food or clothing if not wealth and luxury.

Others, who longed for a daughter themselves, envied He Guijuan for being able to adopt such a beautiful girl. The young girl had well-defined features, and it was certain she would grow up to be a pretty young lady.

However, there were also some who felt that, regardless of the situation, she wasn’t their biological child, and it was uncertain how well they would bond.

He Guijuan’s aunt said, “The little girl is truly beautiful. Your parents will be overjoyed to see you bringing a child home. You should take her to see your parents right away.”

He Guijuan replied. “Alright, I’ll take her home to see my parents.”

He Guijuan led Jiang Jiang back to her family home.

He Laohan was chopping firewood in the yard. When he saw his daughter returning, a wave of warmth surged through his chest. He called out excitedly to his wife, who was busy in the kitchen, “Wife, stop what you’re doing! Guijuan is back!”

Mother He was preparing radish dumplings in the kitchen, and when she heard her daughter is back, she hurried out with her hands still dusted in glutinous rice flour. “Our daughter is back?”

“Dad.” He Guijuan called to He Laohan, then turned to her mother, “Mom.”

She introduced her daughter, who was standing beside her. “This is Jiang Jiang.”

Jiang Jiang politely greeted them, “Grandpa, Grandma.”

Before the New Year, the girl had written a letter, and He Laohan and his wife had already learned about their daughter and son-in-law adopting Jiang Jiang. Upon seeing the child, they waved her over affectionately. “Oh, what a good girl! Come here and let us have a look.”

Their daughter and son-in-law were both in their thirties and had no children, which worried the elderly couple. However, they couldn’t show their anxiety; Yaoqing and Guijuan were already concerned enough, and they didn’t want to add to their troubles.

They fully supported their daughter and son-in-law’s decision to adopt Jiang Jiang.

Having a daughter, even if they could not have biological children, provided them with some comfort and support in the future.

“She’s such a lovely and smart-looking child.”

Their hearts filled with joy.

While their peers had long been surrounded by grandchildren, He Laohan and his wife had an empty home; their daughter and son-in-law had no children, and their son and daughter-in-law had been married for two or three years without any news of a child.

It was truly disheartening.

Although she was just an adopted daughter, she counted as the first granddaughter of the He family.

He Xiaojun and his wife had just returned from the vegetable garden when they spotted their sister coming back.

“Sis? You’re back, but why did you bring so many things?”

“These are all gifts for you. I brought tea leaves for Dad, gloves for you, silk scarves for Mom and Hongmei—red ones for Hongmei and blue for Mom. Hurry and go inside to try them on.”

“Enough talking! Come in and warm up!”

Though spring had arrived, it was still quite cold during the New Year. Once they stepped inside, the warmth from the kang enveloped them, making it feel cozy immediately.

As soon as they entered the house, Mother He rummaged through the cupboards to find some tea leaves to brew for her daughter, thinking that Jiang Jiang, being a small child, might not enjoy tea, so she made her a cup of sweetened water instead.

“This must be the daughter you mentioned in your letter?”

“Yes.” He Guijuan replied, smiling as she patted Jiang Jiang’s head.

“Uncle, Aunt, Happy New Year!” Jiang Jiang greeted.

“Happy New Year! Here’s a red envelope from your uncle,” He Xiaojun said, handing her a thick envelope. “I prepared this early. I was planning to visit the city if your Mom didn’t bring you, but now you’re here. Take it!”

The envelope felt heavy in her hands. Jiang Jiang glanced up at He Guijuan. When she saw her Mom nod in encouragement, she accepted it. “Thank you, Uncle, Aunt.”

He Xiaojun was a young man in his twenties, dressed in an army green jacket and navy blue pants. His hair was about an inch long. His wife, Tang Hongmei, was of a similar age to He Xiaojun and wore a blue, uniform-style coat. Her hair was shoulder-length and tied up with a green hair tie.

He Guijuan hadn’t expected her daughter to be so quick-witted. The red envelope was from her brother, and Jiang Jiang not only accepted it but also politely added a “thank you, Aunt.”

While Jiang Jiang enjoyed her sweetened water, Mother He found some snacks at home to serve them.

After taking a sip of tea, He Guijuan remarked, “Isn’t this the tea I bought for Dad last year?”

“He usually saves it for special occasions, but he only brought it out because you’re back,” He Xiaojun explained.

“If you let it sit, it will spoil. After you finish this, I’ll buy you more,” she replied.

“My sister is right; if you need to drink it, just drink it. We’re not short on money for tea,” He Xiaojun added.

“Alright, alright. I used to be the one explaining things to you, but now it seems you’re the ones lecturing me,” He Guijuan laughed.

Hearing this, the siblings exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but smile.