Chapter 7

When Ruan Changgui and Sun Xiaohui arrived home, Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua were playing with spinning tops outside while Ruan Zhigao, Liu Xinghua, Ruan Changsheng, Ruan Xi, and Ruan Jie were eating in the main hall.

Ruan Changgui glanced inside and asked Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua, “Have you eaten?”

Ruan Yuejin, slightly out of breath, handed the string to Ruan Yuehua and said, “Grandpa and Grandma said we’ve already split the family, so we’ll eat separately from now on. They didn’t make food for us, only for the five of them.”

Ruan Changgui turned and went to the side kitchen, seeing that the two iron pots were clean and had no grain of rice left. He felt uncomfortable and said, “Really? Is this how grandparents should act?”

Sun Xiaohui, following him, didn’t mind and said softly, “Forget it. We’ve already been given our share of the food. We’ll cook for ourselves. Do you still want to eat pickled vegetables?”

Ruan Changgui thought for a moment and agreed. Eating pickled vegetables wasn’t worth it; better to cook for themselves.

Hungry, Sun Xiaohui didn’t hesitate and started scooping and washing rice.

The new firewood stove in the small thatched shed across the way needed some time to dry before it could be used. For now, they had to use the side kitchen stove until the new one was ready.

Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua were still eating with the children in the main hall. Once the stoves were separated and the new tables and benches were set up, they would eat in the side room instead of the main hall.

Sun Xiaohui put the washed rice in the pot and called out from the kitchen, “Xiao Jie, come help me with the fire.”

Ruan Jie, still eating, bit her lip and glanced outside.

Before she could speak, Liu Xinghua said, “Xiao Jie is eating. She doesn’t have time to help you with the fire.”

Sun Xiaohui, still somewhat intimidated by Liu Xinghua after being under her thumb for over ten years, didn’t dare to argue even after the family split. So she steadied herself and said, “Then hurry up and eat.”

Seeing Ruan Jie about to respond, Ruan Xi quickly stuffed a pickled carrot into her mouth, preventing her from speaking.

Ruan Zhigao seized the moment and said, “Whoever eats, cooks.”

Sun Xiaohui, standing outside, raised her eyebrows—hey! She couldn’t even order her own daughter around anymore. Meddling too much!

But she didn’t react, holding her breath and turning back to the kitchen to tend the fire. She said to Ruan Changgui, “Go to our private plot and pick two eggplants and a handful of peppers, then check the chicken coop for eggs. Let’s have something good tonight.”

The family had ten old hens, five of which were given to them, and the chicken coops were separated.

Ruan Changgui went out, picked the eggplants and peppers, washed them, and placed them on the cutting board. He then went to the chicken coop and collected the eggs. Out of the five hens, three had laid eggs, while two had not.

After collecting the eggs, Ruan Jie had just finished eating.

Sun Xiaohui called from the kitchen, “You lazy girl, aren’t you coming to help?”

Holding a stack of bowls, Ruan Jie replied softly, “But I still need to wash the dishes.”

Sun Xiaohui, tending the fire with some irritation, said, “Whose child are you?”

Ruan Jie bit her lip and didn’t respond, but Liu Xinghua’s voice came from behind her, “You gave birth to her, but you didn’t raise her. From now on, I’ll take care of Xiao Jie. She won’t eat your food, and you won’t order her around.”

Sun Xiaohui retorted, “If that’s the case, I won’t let her stay with you.”

At thirteen, Xiao Jie was old enough to do many chores. Why should she let Liu Xinghua order her around? She could help the family a lot and only ate a bit more. Letting her eat less was enough.

Liu Xinghua had never liked Sun Xiaohui, and after the recent family split orchestrated by Sun Xiaohui and Ruan Changgui, she liked her even less. Having promised to protect Ruan Jie, she wouldn’t let Sun Xiaohui decide.

She said firmly, “I raised Xiao Jie. Whether you allow it or not, she must stay with me. As long as I’m alive, no one will bully her, not even her mother!”

Sun Xiaohui, intimidated by Liu Xinghua’s demeanor and afraid of losing in a quarrel, held her breath and remained silent. She angrily stuffed firewood under the pot, thinking to herself—just wait, if she can’t deal with this old woman, she can still handle her own daughter. Her daughter was born to her and must listen to her for life, never escaping her grasp!

Ruan Changgui, always soft and cowardly, disliked quarrels, especially between his wife and mother. He approached Sun Xiaohui and said, “You cut the vegetables. I’ll tend the fire.”

Sun Xiaohui didn’t respond. She stood up from behind the stove and temporarily swallowed her anger. She planned to make a dish of mashed eggplant with peppers and steam some eggs.

Steaming eggs was simple—crack the eggs, add water, and place them in the pot when the rice was almost done, steaming them together. Mashed eggplant with peppers was a bit more complicated, mainly requiring the garlic and peppers to be crushed.

After preparing the eggs and putting them in the pot to steam, Sun Xiaohui turned to find the garlic jar and began crushing the peppers and garlic.

The peppers, both green and red, were placed in the garlic jar with the garlic and crushed heavily.

Sun Xiaohui’s strength seemed as if she were crushing Liu Xinghua’s head. As she crushed, she muttered, “We’ll eat well every day and make you all envious!”

Of course, eating well every day was impossible; she was just venting.

However, with her and Ruan Changgui’s hard work, supporting a family of four would be easier than Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua supporting five, especially since they had to save for Ruan Changsheng’s wedding.

The aroma of the crushed peppers and garlic lifted Sun Xiaohui’s spirits. When the fragrant mashed eggplant with peppers and steaming hot eggs were served, her face lit up with a satisfied smile, and she called Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua to eat in a high-pitched tone. She deliberately said loudly, “Today we’re having mashed eggplant with peppers and steamed eggs!”

After dinner, Ruan Zhigao and Ruan Changsheng went out for a walk, while Liu Xinghua, Ruan Xi, and Ruan Jie stayed inside. Hearing Sun Xiaohui’s voice, Liu Xinghua sneered, “What nonsense!”

Ruan Xi also smiled and shook her head, having nothing to say.

Ruan Changgui, still concerned about appearances, said to Sun Xiaohui while holding his bowl, “Aren’t you afraid people will gossip and curse you?”

Sun Xiaohui picked up a piece of eggplant covered in garlic and chili, “So what if they curse? It won’t hurt me. Besides, we’ve already been cursed for splitting the family. One more curse or one less, what’s the difference?”

Ruan Changgui thought her reasoning was flawed but somewhat made sense. Forget it, nothing is more important than living comfortably.

This comfort, of course, did not extend to Ruan Jie.

Liu Xinghua struck a match and lit the oil lamp in the room. As the wick burned, she threw away the spent matchstick and asked Ruan Jie, “Do you regret it?”

Ruan Jie shook her head, “No, I don’t.”

Ruan Xi, standing nearby, smiled, “Good, you have principles.”

Ruan Jie looked at her and Liu Xinghua, “I’m not a fool. I know who truly cares for me. Even if they eat well every day, I’d still choose to stay with Grandpa and Grandma. I’m not afraid of hardship.”

Ruan Xi continued smiling, “Don’t worry, you won’t suffer for too long.”

Hearing this, Liu Xinghua suddenly remembered and turned to Ruan Xi: “Oh, I forgot to ask. How did your lesson with the old tailor go today? Did he teach you how to use the sewing machine?”

Ruan Xi nodded, “Not only did he teach me how to use the sewing machine, but he also taught me how to make markings, some sewing techniques like straight stitching, topstitching, and slip stitching, and some handcraft skills.”

Liu Xinghua and Ruan Jie had never used a sewing machine and didn’t understand the different stitches, but Liu Xinghua’s eyes lit up, reflecting the small flame of the oil lamp, and she asked again, “Really?”

Ruan Xi looked at her, “How would I know these things if it weren’t true? I can’t make up such strange terms. His personality is indeed odd, and he’s difficult to get along with, but if you don’t take it to heart, it’s not so bad. I don’t mind.”

Liu Xinghua beamed, her hair glinting in the lamplight, “Since he’s willing to teach you, learn well from him. If you can really master the skill, it’s worth enduring some hardship. It’s not a loss.”

Ruan Xi nodded vigorously, “Yes, I’ll learn well.”

The three of them talked under the oil lamp’s flame, their faces glowing red.

The next morning, Ruan Xi got up as usual, washed, and helped Liu Xinghua with breakfast along with Ruan Jie. They also washed the dirty clothes from the previous day. After breakfast, she went to Jinguang Village to continue learning from the old tailor.

After breakfast, Ruan Zhigao left with a hoe to gather the production team’s members for work, and Ruan Changsheng, unusually, followed him with a shovel. He whistled as he walked, looking unserious.

Ruan Zhigao turned back several times, seeing him following, and finally couldn’t help but ask, “What are you doing?”

Ruan Changsheng replied, “Isn’t it obvious? Going to work.”

Ruan Zhigao sneered, “What? Did the sun rise in the west today?”

Ruan Changsheng ignored his sarcasm, whistling as he walked past him.

Ruan Zhigao understood why he and Sun Xiaohui wanted to split the family. Being the youngest in the family, he was a bit spoiled but not heartless. Since it was his responsibility, he would bear it himself!

After a few steps, he stopped again, turned to Ruan Zhigao, and said, “A man should act like a man!”

Ruan Zhigao squinted his eyes. “Interesting…”