Chapter 29

Lin Yao was tossed and turned by someone until midnight, and only fell into a deep sleep at two or three in the morning.

After the commotion last night, Lin Yao couldn’t get up the next day.

At 5:30 in the morning, Gu Shi’an got up to run as usual. Having served in the army for many years, he was accustomed to his morning exercises. Every day, he would run two laps around the alley—each lap being two kilometers, totaling four kilometers. He would finish without even breaking a sweat or losing his breath and could even return carrying a metal bucket to fetch water.

Lin Yao felt weak all over and couldn’t get up even if she wanted to, so she simply hugged her small quilt and took a nap.

— After all, she was always a late riser, and everyone in the family was used to it.

Gu Shi’an knew she had been exhausted the day before. After his morning run, he quickly showered and sent Gu Shidong to the canteen to get food for breakfast.

The meals at the commune canteen were getting worse by the day. Yesterday they had dry rice, but today’s breakfast was old pickles and vegetable porridge so thin you could see your reflection in it.

Dongzi was so frustrated that he was fuming, “Mom, just look at this meal. It’s gone the moment you finish it! How am I supposed to work when I can’t even eat enough?”

Gu Chunmei smacked her younger brother and said, “Don’t talk if you don’t know how to talk, you little brat.”

Gu Shidong quickly ran off, covering his head and muttering that his sister was a tigress.

Zhang Cuilan looked at the dark wild vegetable porridge. She had endured tough times and had grown up on this kind of wild vegetable porridge. It tasted bitter and astringent. In the past, the poorest families in the village couldn’t afford fine grains, so they filled their stomachs with wild vegetable soup.

Gu Mancang sighed and took out a yuan along with a few food coupons from his pocket. “We need to eat, no matter what. Let’s not skip breakfast. The state-owned restaurant on the street serves wontons. Dongzi, go buy some wontons.”

Gu Shidong’s eyes lit up. “Wontons!” The wontons from the state-owned restaurant had big fillings and thin skins, stuffed with delicious ingredients. He could eat a whole bowl in one go.

Zhang Cuilan scowled, “What wontons? We still have half a bag of cornmeal at home. Chunmei, make some cornmeal porridge and slice up some of our homemade pickled cucumbers. That will do for breakfast.”

Gu Chunmei responded with an “Eh,” rolled up her sleeves, gathered some dry firewood, and began skillfully making a fire. She only used honeycomb coal during the colder months, starting in October, but for most of the year, she burned wood scraps bought from the lumber yard.

Zhang Cuilan then pulled Gu Mancang back into the house. Both she and her husband had experienced hunger in the past, and they were determined not to go through it again. Considering the current situation, they discussed stocking up on rice, flour, and coarse grains to store at home.

Gu Mancang was a bit naive but thought ahead. After some contemplation, he felt that storing food in the big courtyard was not secure. It would be better to store it in the old family cellar.

As white smoke drifted from the chimney of the old Gu family’s kitchen, Lin Yao finally opened her eyes. Half of the jasmine flowers she had bought yesterday were dried to make scented tea, while the other half remained in a vase, filling the quiet east wing with their delicate fragrance.

She tried to get up but felt too sore to move. Her waist and legs ached, and when she lifted her nightgown, she saw her delicate white skin covered in the mottled red marks left by Gu Shi’an’s big hands.

Touching the marks lightly, she winced in pain. “You brute, can’t you be gentler?” she muttered, annoyed. She hit Gu Shi’an’s pillow in frustration, wanting to teach him a lesson.

So, when Deputy Director Gu came to call her for breakfast, Lin Yao stubbornly wrapped herself in the quilt and refused to get up.

Gu Shi’an assumed she was too exhausted to wake up and went over to gently rouse her. But just as he approached, he noticed her white feet moving under the quilt. Smiling, he sat at the table with a book, glancing over as she peeked out. When he finally spoke, his tone was calm, “Are you awake?”

Lin Yao flushed and, with a huff, pounced at him, ready to teach him a lesson. However, her thin arms and legs were no match for Gu Shi’an’s strength. He easily caught her and held her securely in his arms, laughing as she protested.

Amused, Gu Shi’an teased, “So Yaoyao wants to teach me a lesson?”

Lin Yao glared at him with her almond-shaped eyes and responded firmly, “Yes!” Determined, she struggled, but her strength was no match for his. Still, her fiery spirit didn’t waver as she continued to look at him with disdain.

Gu Shi’an’s gaze softened as he whispered a suggestion in her ear, leaving Lin Yao so embarrassed she couldn’t speak. Before she could reply, her lips were captured in a kiss.

“………”

*

The sun shone brightly, and the heat caused beads of sweat to form on people’s faces as they walked down the street.

Gu Shidong squatted in the yard, munching on a popsicle his elder brother had bought him while studying how bamboo grows.

Lin Yao’s attempt at revenge had backfired, and she hid in the house for most of the day, sulking. Eventually, Deputy Director Gu coaxed her out, letting her vent her frustrations with a few playful hits, even buying her favorite fried dumplings for breakfast. Finally, she forgave him.

Just as Lin Yao was heading out to wash up, Dongzi ran over, grinning mischievously as he eyed her lips. “Sister-in-law, why is your mouth so red? Did you get bitten by a mosquito last night?”

Lin Yao froze, then subtly pinched Gu Shi’an’s waist. Trying to play it cool, she nodded vaguely. “Yes, must have been a mosquito.”

Dongzi sighed, “That’s the worst part of summer, so many mosquitoes.”

He had more to say, but Gu Shi’an quickly pulled him away to fetch water.

“Brother, I was talking to Sister-in-law! Why are you pulling me?”

“The water tank is low.”

“But there’s more than half a tank left!”

“You’re seeing things.”

“No, you are!”

“I’m not!”

“Yes, you are!”

Their bickering continued in circles until Dongzi was completely confused, muttering, “Maybe I am seeing things…”

Meanwhile, Lin Yao returned to the house to eat her fried dumplings, savoring the golden, crispy skin and flavorful filling. It was already past ten o’clock, so it felt more like brunch.

As Gu Shidong came back from fetching water, he chattered on, “Sister-in-law, you got up late, so you missed what they served at the commune canteen! Guess what? Steamed buns? No, buckwheat cakes. That would have been nice. Instead, they served wild vegetable porridge! It’s so bitter, I couldn’t even swallow a bite!”

Lin Yao hadn’t expected the canteen’s food supply to dwindle so quickly.

But, in truth, it made sense. With about a hundred people in the Second Commune, feeding everyone three meals a day was no small task. Unlike before, the government was no longer providing food allocations.

The government was simply out of food.

Lin Yao asked what the family had for breakfast.

Gu Shidong held his cheek, looking listless. “Just corn paste. What else is there to eat?”

Seeing the little guy look so down, Lin Yao’s mood dimmed as well. She held her chopsticks and glanced at the fried dumplings in her lunch box, suddenly losing her appetite.

“Are you hungry, Dongzi?” she asked.

Gu Shidong touched his stomach, clearly hungry. He loved running around, and he hadn’t eaten enough in the morning.

Lin Yao handed him the fried dumplings from her lunch box.

His eyes lit up, but he quickly shook his head. “Sister-in-law, you should eat. I’ll just drink the corn porridge.”

Oh my, the little boy was so sensible that Lin Yao was nearly moved to tears.

In the end, the fried dumplings found their way into the little guy’s stomach.

Suddenly, Lin Yao remembered she had to get her marriage certificate that afternoon. She didn’t want to eat too much, or her stomach would bulge and ruin her look.

Besides, she hadn’t even taken a shower yet. Getting a marriage certificate only happens once in a lifetime, so she needed to look her best.

Lin Yao quickly called out to Gu Shi’an, asking him to boil some hot water for her, then lay on the wooden bed doing nothing.

Feeling full and drowsy, she decided to take a nap before her bath.

Gu Shidong was used to his sister-in-law being a little spoiled and lazy. After quickly finishing the dumplings, he washed the lunch box in the kitchen and eagerly helped his older brother boil water.

It turns out that his sister-in-law and elder brother were getting their marriage certificate today. How wonderful!

The two Gu brothers bustled around, and before long, Lin Yao had her bath. She took her time, only coming out when Zhang Cuilan got home from work.

Zhang Cuilan was overjoyed when she heard from her younger son that her eldest son and Lin Yao were getting their marriage certificate. Seeing Lin Yao’s cheeks flushed from the hot bathhouse steam, she took her hand and smiled warmly. “Yaoyao, getting a marriage certificate is a big event for a young woman. You should dress up nicely. The daughter of the Wu family in the county wore a suit when she got hers, looking so fashionable. Wear your red dress—it suits you beautifully.”

Lin Yao smiled sweetly and replied, “I know, Mom.”

Oh, that single word “Mom” was so sweet that Zhang Cuilan beamed with happiness all through the evening.

Back in the old days, Mr. Wu had been the wealthiest man in Yunshui County. Every bank, restaurant, rice shop, and fabric store in town had once been under his name. After the liberation, Mr. Wu generously donated all his properties to the country.

In gratitude, the government left him two shops, now run as public-private partnerships. Mr. Wu received dividends every year, living comfortably.

Last year, his only daughter got married and wore a trendy dress, causing quite a stir in the county.

Following local custom, Lin Yao braided her hair into two pigtails and wore her red dress. Her slender waist, delicate jade-like skin, and charming eyes made her look absolutely stunning.

Gu Shi’an, who usually wore either a military or police uniform, was dressed differently today. In a white shirt and black pants, he looked tall and slender, strikingly handsome.

Aunt Dafu heard about the young couple going to get their marriage certificate and came over to offer her congratulations.

Zhang Cuilan and Gu Mancang watched their son and daughter-in-law leave with broad smiles.

The young couple rode bicycles to the county people’s commune office to register their marriage, while Lin Hongna lay dreaming at home.

**

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