Chapter 12

Outside, the thunder roared, and the Gu household was in chaos.

On a rainy day, the eldest son returned home quietly, covered in mist. Zhang Cuilan was both surprised and delighted, quickly pulling him into the house. She sent her younger son to wake up Gu Mancang, who was asleep in his room, while she wiped her hands with her apron and muttered to herself.

Gu Chunmei, upon seeing her older brother, was also overjoyed. She clapped her hands and went to the kitchen to make sweet rice wine soup with eggs.

Lin Yao hurried to follow and help. Suddenly, she was face-to-face with her husband, whom she wasn’t prepared to meet.

Oh well, take things as they come. She’d deal with it step by step.

“You child, it’s pouring outside. Why didn’t you call home and have your father pick you up from the station? What? You were worried about tiring him out? Your dad’s as tough as leather, what would tire him out? You kids really don’t think things through. The wind and rain outside are strong, look at how soaked you are. Hurry and change your clothes, and take a hot bath, or you’ll catch a cold.”

Gu Shi’an had grown up listening to his mother’s nagging and was used to it by now. He reluctantly went to change his clothes, feeling a bit helpless. His military uniform was changed daily, and he bathed every day in the army. He had entered the house wearing a raincoat, washed his hands with soap and water upon arrival, so there was really no need for a bath or to change clothes.

But Comrade Zhang Cuilan was not one to indulge her son’s bad habits. She scolded him regardless and even grabbed a small broom to swat at him. “You disobedient boy! If you don’t bathe, you’ll stink up the place and drive your mother crazy!”

Gu Mancang, who was used to going to bed early, was snoring in his room when Gu Shidong woke him up, telling him that his eldest son was back.

The dozing father instantly lost all sleepiness, jumped out of bed, and hurried to see his son. The moment he entered the room, he saw his wife using a small broom to hit their son.

Gu Mancang rushed over to intervene. “Cuilan, what are you doing? Why are you hitting the child? We don’t hit children in this family. If you need to let off steam, you can hit me instead.”

Gu Shidong, who had been hiding by the door, also jumped in, spreading his arms to protect Gu Shian. “Mom, don’t hit Big Brother, I’ll take the beating for him!”

Zhang Cuilan was momentarily stunned, then she laughed in exasperation. Fine, these two are so loving and filial, it seems like I’m the only villain in the house while everyone else is so virtuous!

Zhang Cuilan let out a cold laugh, and both Gu Mancang and his son trembled.

Lin Yao, listening clearly from behind the door, could only sigh. Taking the opportunity to enter with the sweet rice wine soup, she attempted to defuse the situation.

“Auntie, there’s a loose tile in the kitchen and there’s a leak. Shouldn’t you go take a look?”

“When did that happen? It was fine yesterday. How did it start leaking?”

“Just now, Sister Chunmei placed a basin under it.”

“What good is a basin? A loose tile is a serious issue. I’d better go check.”

Just then, another rumble of thunder sounded above the courtyard. Zhang Cuilan was no longer interested in dealing with the three men and hurried off to the kitchen to inspect.

As soon as Zhang Cuilan left, Gu Shidong let out a sigh of relief, rubbed his face, and sat next to Lin Yao. “Sister-in-law, you’re amazing! Just a few words, and my mom was off. If you hadn’t stepped in, my butt would’ve been in trouble.”

Gu Mancang also gave a hearty laugh. “Yaoyao, you’re clever. Your future children will be smart too.”

Lin Yao: “!!!”

Uncle Mancang, if you don’t know what to say, just keep quiet, okay?

Lin Yao was dying of embarrassment. She could only manage a forced smile, putting the sweet rice wine soup on the table and telling Gu Shi’an to “eat it while it’s hot.”

Gu Shi’an glanced at the bowl. It was a large bowl filled to the brim, with four or five eggs floating in it. The reddish hue of the sweet rice wine was vibrant, and the aroma was enticing. It was clear that it had been made with care.

He nodded slightly and thanked Lin Yao, “Thank you for your trouble.”

Lin Yao waved her hands dismissively like a spinning top. “No trouble at all. Just eat it quickly.”

Hurry up and start eating so she could make her escape.

Gu Shidong chuckled from the side. “Sister-in-law is worried that Big Brother will be hungry.”

Lin Yao shot a secret glare at the little brat. Silly kid, don’t say things you don’t know about!

But Gu Shi’an misunderstood. His stern expression softened, and when he smiled, it made Lin Yao’s heart skip a beat.

What’s he smiling about?

Surely her husband wasn’t under the impression that she had feelings for him and was trying to please him?

Lin Yao’s mind was in a jumble. Speaking of which, Gu Shi’an was only twenty-eight years old, in the prime of his life. They had already held a wedding ceremony, and in the eyes of the older generation, that meant they were husband and wife.

As husband and wife, they should share a bed. Besides, all the rooms in the Gu family’s house were occupied.

Now that Gu Shi’an was back, wouldn’t they have to share a room tonight and then consummate the marriage?

Lin Yao scared herself with the thought. She sneaked another glance at Gu Shi’an. The man had taken off his military uniform and was now wearing a clean white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing a pair of long, muscular arms. His features were handsome in a serious and upright way.

Thinking about it, Gu Shi’an was indeed one of the rare outstanding young men in the courtyard. If Grandpa Gu hadn’t arranged a childhood engagement for his grandson, many girls in the area would’ve schemed to win him over, and Lin Yao wouldn’t have ended up marrying into the Gu family by chance.

She had to admit that her husband was quite attractive, but she and Gu Shi’an… they weren’t close enough to be sharing a bed after just one meeting!

Sweet rice wine soup with eggs is most nourishing, especially on a cold, rainy day. Drinking a bowl warms and strengthens the body.

A few years ago, Gu Mancang was a third-level worker, earning just over thirty yuan a month. Gu Shi’an and his two siblings were all in school, relying solely on the fifty yuan a month that the couple earned.

The Gu family, with its five members, had to eat, dress, and pay for school books and tuition. Then there were the various social obligations. Life was tough, to say the least.

In those difficult times, one winter, the cold wind was biting, like knives on the face. Zhang Cuilan, returning from feeding the pigs, slipped on the ice and fell in the snow, catching a chill that led to illness. While she was bedridden, she craved a bowl of sweet rice wine soup with eggs.

But at that time, the Gu family was dirt poor. They couldn’t even afford sugar, let alone eggs.

It was only because her uncle from the Zhang family sent her five or six eggs that she could fulfill her wish.

Even without brown sugar, eggs are versatile.

Gu Shi’an, after school, worked at the county grain depot moving sacks of grain. He earned two cents per sack but didn’t want the money. Instead, he asked for two ounces of brown sugar coupons. After a week of carrying heavy sacks, his shoulders were raw, but he finally got a thin brown sugar coupon.

That night, Zhang Cuilan had a bowl of hot sweet fermented rice with eggs.

She didn’t drink it alone. The entire Gu family, all five of them, shared the bowl, their eyes red as they finished every drop.

The following year, when Gu Shi’an graduated from high school at eighteen, he enlisted in the military. From then on, every time he came home, he would have a bowl of sweet fermented rice with eggs.

Sitting at the table with a porcelain bowl emitting the warmth of brown sugar, Gu Shi’an returned home soaked in rain, feeling a bit chilled. The hot brown sugar drink warmed him from the inside, driving away the dampness and leaving him feeling cozy and comfortable.

The sweet fermented rice with eggs was delicious, and Gu Shi’an ate it in big bites, almost finishing it in one go. Before long, the large bowl was empty.

Gu Shi’an’s face relaxed as he was about to say something to Lin Yao.

But before he could, the young girl across from him suddenly stood up, glaring at him angrily, and ran off like a startled rabbit.

To an outsider, it might have looked like Gu Shi’an had done something inappropriate.

Gu Shidong, seeing his sister-in-law run off, got upset. He had been getting along well with her recently and, folding his arms, scolded his brother, “Brother, it’s your fault! Why do you have to look so stern? You scared my sister-in-law away. You can forget about sleeping in your bed tonight.”

Gu Mancang frowned and added, “He’s right. It’s not good for a man to keep a stern face all the time. Anzi, you should learn to be more gentle with your wife. Yaoyao is a good girl. She came to our house and even brought snacks and fabric. She genuinely cares about us, and yet you go around scaring her. No wonder your mother hits you.”

Gu Shi’an, feeling unjustly accused, could only say, “…It wasn’t on purpose. I’m just used to training new recruits in the military.”

*

That night, a fierce storm hit, with wind and rain lashing down, making it impossible for people to keep their eyes open.

In the crowded courtyard, muddy water rose above the ankles. Zhang Cuilan checked the kitchen and found that several roof tiles had been loosened by the wind and were leaking small drops of rain.

She slipped on her shoes, stepped through the mud back to the house, washed her hands and face, and then made a bowl of lotus root starch drink. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she wiped her hair with a towel.

Gu Mancang lit some mugwort in the corner to repel mosquitoes.

Zhang Cuilan mentioned that the kitchen tiles were loose and asked Gu Mancang to find time to fix them.

Although Gu Mancang was a machinist, in his youth, he had worked as a mason in the countryside to make a living. Even now, in his old age, he was still skilled in mixing mortar and building walls.

Gu Mancang agreed.

Zhang Cuilan, after drying her hair, called him to drink a bowl of lotus root starch drink. “This lotus root starch is sweet, even better than malted milk. Yaoyao bought it especially for us to strengthen our health. Don’t waste the child’s kind intentions.”

Thinking of the egg cake his daughter-in-law had bought, Gu Mancang’s usually dark and shiny face couldn’t hide his smile: “Yaoyao is a good girl. Anzi is lucky.”

Zhang Cuilan nodded, “Exactly. We’re lucky that Yaoyao married into our family. If it were Lin Hongna from the Lin family, we wouldn’t have a peaceful day. That girl is a troublemaker, stirring up trouble wherever she goes. Enough of this chatter. I’m going to the side room to arrange things. Tonight, Anzi will sleep in Dongzi’s room.”

Gu Mancang scratched his head, confused, “Anzi finally comes home. Why not let the couple spend more time together? Why should he sleep in Dongzi’s room?”

Zhang Cuilan rolled her eyes, “You blockhead, you don’t get it.”

As a mother-in-law, she would love to have the two kids sleep in the same room, but only if Yaoyao was willing.

Don’t be fooled by Yaoyao’s constant smiles and soft, easy-going nature. In reality, she’s as stubborn as a mule, just like her mother. Once she sets her mind on something, nothing can change it.

Yaoyao may be married into the Gu family, but Zhang Cuilan could see that Anzi hadn’t won her heart yet. Forget winning it, he hadn’t even found the window.

And yet, the old man wanted them to sleep together and consummate the marriage.

Wishful thinking!

So, on his first night back home, Gu Shi’an was sent by his mother to bunk with his younger brother.