Chapter 54

This time, the militia training in Yunshui County involved staying in the countryside, where the communes had already arranged accommodations and a canteen.

The County Revolutionary Committee had allocated a batch of grains, including wheat flour and cornmeal, as well as a truckload of radishes and cabbage. Even though there was a famine outside, the county still provided enough food. There were plenty of mixed flour buns, steamed cornbread, and pancakes.

Single young men usually just grabbed a bag and got on the bus, but those with wives were different—they all carried big bags and small bags. Xu Xiangqian even had a water bottle hanging around his neck, filled with red dates and ginger tea that Gu Chunmei had made for him. In the cold, damp weather, a sip warmed both the stomach and the body.

Deputy Director Gu was even more well-prepared, with spicy meat sauce made by his wife, a knitted scarf, woolen sweater, and pants, thick wool gloves, and a bag full of clothes to change into.

A group of young men looked on enviously, thinking they should hurry up and find a wife too.

After seeing Gu Shi’an off, Lin Yao watched as the group of young men, carrying backpacks and holding rifles, lined up and left in a convoy of armored vehicles. She sighed, thinking how tough it must be in this cold weather. The wind outside made her shiver.

Remembering that she didn’t have to go to work today and that Gu Shi’an would be away for more than half a month, Lin Yao happily returned to her room to catch up on sleep.

When she woke up again, the thin winter sunlight had already filled the courtyard. The past few days had been damp and cold outside, with the sky overcast and heavy, but today was a beautiful day. Still, it was winter, and when she opened the window, the cold air rushed in, making her shiver. She gave up on the idea of getting some fresh air and, wrapped in her floral quilted jacket, ran to the kitchen to boil water for brushing her teeth and washing her face.

Usually, Gu Shi’an was at home to boil water and get the washbasin ready, but now that he was gone, Lin Yao had to do it herself.

There was an iron kettle in the Gu family’s kitchen. Boiling a kettle of water was enough for Lin Yao to wash her face twice. She added water to the kettle, poked the ashes in the coal stove with iron tongs, swept the coal debris into a pile with a broom, and dumped it by the wall as fertilizer for the wintersweet tree.

Earlier, Uncle Dafu, who lived next door, had moved two wintersweet trees from his hometown, saying they would look beautiful when in bloom—red plum blossoms standing out against the snowy white. Even just a few branches in a vase would create a wonderful atmosphere.

Aunt Dafu didn’t understand, nor did she want to. She just thought the wintersweet trees were an eyesore in the yard and suggested chopping them down for firewood.

When Uncle Dafu heard this, he nearly exploded. He got so angry that he shouted at Aunt Dafu with all his might and guarded his precious wintersweet trees every day with a small stool.

Now, the steel mill had an issue—the hoisting equipment in the third workshop had suddenly stopped working, so they urgently called Uncle Dafu to the factory.

Aunt Dafu, who had gotten into a big argument the day before, came over to the Gu household carrying a basket of matchbox pieces to chat with Zhang Cuilan while folding matchboxes and venting her frustrations.

“That old geezer, making a fool of himself in the yard all day. We live in a crowded courtyard, so why plant wintersweet trees? It’s not like we can sell the flowers for money. I said we should chop them down for firewood, and he got all mad at me. His loud voice made my ears ring, and I couldn’t sleep well. This morning, he was so grumpy, acting all high and mighty.”

Zhang Cuilan laughed at her. “So, did you sleep in your daughter’s room last night?”

Aunt Dafu glanced at her. “You’ve got sharp eyes. I kicked him out to sleep in the outer room, grumbling all the while. That old man can go sleep with his wintersweet trees.”

“I think that’s a good idea. When Dafu comes back, don’t give him anything to eat or drink. Let him go hungry.”

“How can I do that? What if he gets sick?”

“Well, you’ve already separated beds. Why bother?”

“We’ve been married for decades. It doesn’t feel right.”

“Oh, look at you, getting all soft-hearted again. You need to toughen up a bit.”

“Get out of here.”

“……..”

Aunt Dafu stayed at the Gu house until around ten o’clock. When Uncle Dafu returned, he was exhausted, covered in machine oil, and all he wanted was a bowl of hot soup noodles made by his wife.

“Old geezer, you’ve got a thick skin, don’t you?”

Aunt Dafu kept up a tough front but eventually left with a smile on her face and headed home.

Lin Yao felt like she had been force-fed a dose of affection and hurried back inside, fearing Aunt Dafu might come out again and shower her with more of it. She rubbed her cheeks, red from the cold, and slipped back into her room.

A few days earlier, the weather outside had been overcast, leading to a temporary suspension of the county’s Children’s League training, and the schools had also given students a break. Gu Shidong had been lazing around at home, sleeping until the sun was high in the sky. Zhang Cuilan wound up the old clock in the room and noticed it was already 10:30, but the lazy rascal still hadn’t gotten up. Without hesitation, she grabbed a broom and headed into the small side room.

Not long after, Gu Shidong, barefoot, was jumping around the bed to avoid his mother’s blows.

“Mom, I’m getting up, I’m up!”

“Getting up, my foot! You laze around at home, eating and drinking without a care. What will you do when you grow up?”

“Cuilan, don’t hit the boy on the head. Just spank him on the butt.”

“Right, spank his butt. Come on, son, stick out your bottom!”

“…”

The Gu household was in an uproar all morning, but by noon, it had finally quieted down.

Today was the day the county’s grain station distributed food. In the Gu family’s kitchen, the big iron pot was already in use. Porridge was simmering below, while cornbread steamed above.

Lin Yao fished out a bowl of pickled bamboo shoots from the jar, finely sliced them, and placed them in two small dishes—one drizzled with chili oil, the other plain.

As the millet porridge in the pot began to boil, filling the room with its aroma, the Gu family’s lunch was ready.

Zhang Cuilan, worried about Lin Yao, whose face had become gaunt from work, made her a special treat—a boiled egg.

No one else in the Gu family received such treatment.

The family of four felt uneasy about Lin Yao having the boiled egg all to herself. To make it fair, she divided the small egg into four portions, giving everyone a piece. That egg was so delicious that, years later, Gu Shidong would never forget how flavorful it was.

After the meal, Lin Yao brought out a piece of cotton fabric she had prepared earlier and measured it against the family members.

“Mom, this piece of cotton fabric is fifteen feet long, enough to make three winter coats. You and Dad can each have one, and the leftover fabric can be used to make a coat for Dongzi. I’ve heard this winter will be particularly cold, so let’s all wear new coats and keep warm.”

It had been two or three years since Zhang Cuilan and her husband had new winter coats. Gu Mancang’s old coat had been taken apart, washed, and reassembled so many times that the original color was barely recognizable, and the cotton inside had become as stiff as felt, offering little warmth.

The elderly couple was deeply touched by their daughter-in-law’s thoughtfulness.

Zhang Cuilan, smiling from ear to ear, stroked the cotton fabric and said, “Alright, let’s listen to Yao Yao. We old folks will enjoy the blessings our daughter has brought us.”

Gu Mancang felt just as pleased. He had only one winter coat, which he wore to work at the factory, and when he came home, all he had to change into was an old quilted jacket. There was nothing else to wear.

In the front yard, Zheng Dacheng used to tease him, “How come a senior fifth-level mechanic like you doesn’t change into something nicer?”

Gu Mancang would just laugh it off.

It wasn’t that his wife didn’t want to make him a new coat. It was just that it was hard to exchange for cotton fabric. The authorities only provided so many fabric coupons each year. Plus, with Gu Chunmei soon to be married and Dongzi still growing, it was essential to keep the children warm during their growth spurts, as catching cold could lead to lifelong problems. The family’s fabric coupons had always been prioritized for the children, and the parents didn’t mind making sacrifices.

Now that Yao Yao had joined the family and their daughter was married, Gu Mancang felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Nearing fifty, it was time to listen to the children, eat better, and enjoy life more.

Gu Shidong, still hungry after lunch, roasted a few sweet potatoes in the pot. He picked out the largest one, tossing it between his hands while blowing on it to cool it down, and sat by the door waiting for his mom to fetch the grain book and coupons so they could head to the grain station.

The family had to go to the grain station to buy food every month. To keep everything safe and convenient, Zhang Cuilan stored the grain book and coupons together in the drawer under the five-drawer cabinet.

Lin Yao pulled on her warm fleece-lined boots, wrapped herself in a thick scarf, and put on a hat that only left her pretty face exposed. She joined the family on their trip to buy grain.

As it happened, she had never been to the grain station before, so today was a good opportunity to experience it.

With Gu Shi’an away for a few days, Lin Yao spent her time either working or lounging at home like a lazy fish. The cold winter air in the twelfth lunar month made her breath visible as soon as she stepped outside.

Gu Chunmei had come back to her parents’ home for a day, and from what she said, it seemed like snow was on the way, and the militiamen training in the countryside might return earlier than expected.

At the Linjia Village, Lin Hongna was determined to conceive a son. She forced herself to drink bowl after bowl of bitter herbal soup, the thick, pungent medicinal taste making her want to gag.

She would take a sip, nearly vomit, and then grit her teeth to force it down.

Over time, her body became permeated with the scent of traditional Chinese medicine. After returning to the factory, she took a good, long bath, and while admiring her restored, smooth skin in the mirror, she resolved to have a serious “talk” with Sun Jialiang after work.