Chapter 66

These past few days have brought a chill in the air, with a damp and cold atmosphere lingering over the town, accompanied by a pale white mist.

Lin Hongna, putting on a show, carried a vegetable basket as she left the Sun family’s house. She circled around the main street, ensuring no one was following her, and then headed straight to the residential compound of the grain station.

The grain station’s residential compound was conveniently located next to the supply and marketing cooperative, with the main street on the left and the vegetable market on the right. It was an ideal spot, with the compound consisting of low, single-story houses facing south. The houses were originally part of large, traditional courtyard homes that had their walls torn down, and the bricks were repurposed to pave the roads.

The corridors in the compound were narrow, with coal stoves placed outside in the passageways. People kept their briquettes inside to prevent theft. Wooden cabinets were nailed to the walls, holding pots, pans, and chopstick holders. In those days, no household had a kitchen, so everyone cooked in the corridors, leaving the walls stained and peeling from the smoke and soot.

Lin Hongna had only been married into the Sun family for two months. Having lived in a spacious and bright compound before, she didn’t see herself as a mere helper, even though the Sun family considered her one.

Some households were not particular about cleanliness, and the coal baskets in the corridors reeked of urine, likely from the mischievous children who secretly peed there.

Imitating Mother Sun, Lin Hongna pinched a handkerchief over her nose and mouth, raising her head haughtily as she disdainfully stepped past the doorways of the poorer families.

The town was small, and after all the trouble Lin Hongna had caused before, there wasn’t a housewife in the compound who didn’t recognize her.

A group of women was busy with their household chores, and when one of them stepped outside to pour water and saw Lin Hongna’s attitude, she spat on the ground and rolled her eyes before returning inside.

Lin Hongna didn’t care at all. Hadn’t she suffered enough sneers when she was down and out in her past life?

Now, she has married into the Sun family, achieving half of her goal.

As for the other half, she needed a little external help to give it a push.

After winding her way through the compound, Lin Hongna knocked on the door of the innermost house. Shortly after, Lin Hongwu came out with a cigarette dangling from his lips.

The house Lin Hongwu rented was a brick-tiled structure with earthen walls and floors inside. There was a broken wooden table inside, with an uneven floor that required a piece of wood under one leg to balance it. A large earthen bed lined with rough black bedding leaned against the wall. The rent was two yuan a month. Lin Hongwu lay on the bed, one leg crossed over the other.

Lin Hongna subtly distanced herself from him and asked, “Brother, how’s the matter coming along?”

Lin Hongwu exhaled a smoke ring. “I found out. The Sun family’s eldest son-in-law isn’t any good either. He looks respectable, but he’s keeping a little widow on the side.”

Lin Hongna’s face lit up, and she urged Lin Hongwu to give her the details.

Lin Hongwu sat up, took a few hard drags of his cigarette, and bluntly asked, “What about the payment you promised me?”

Lin Hongna’s face darkened, but she still pulled out twenty yuan from her pocket.

This was the last of her private money.

Lin Hongwu accepted the money, counted it several times, took a drag of his cigarette, and then started talking.

He had been tailing the Sun family’s eldest son-in-law these past few days. The son-in-law worked as a small official in the town government, earning a salary of thirty-seven yuan a month, which was considered decent.

He married the Sun family’s eldest daughter for his career, but unfortunately, the eldest daughter wasn’t very attractive. Meanwhile, there was a widow with the surname Yang who worked at the town’s tofu factory. She had a willow-like waist and peach blossom eyes, with a figure that was both curvy and seductive. The townspeople all called her the “Tofu Beauty.”

The Tofu Beauty had a tough life. Her husband passed away early, and her mother-in-law couldn’t tolerate her, so she moved back to her parents’ home.

Her brothers had their own families to take care of, and she was lucky if her sisters-in-law didn’t give her a hard time.

In those days, it was hard for a beautiful widow, especially in such conservative times. Widow Yang also wanted to find a reliable man to marry.

But with her status as a widow, what man would seriously consider bringing her home?

She gave up on the idea of marrying and settled for being with a handsome man.

Widow Yang, after some searching, set her sights on the Sun family’s eldest son-in-law.

He came from a good family, had a decent job, and as the son of the town chief, who would dare provoke him? With just a little flirtation from Widow Yang, he was hooked.

The two of them were like fire and dry wood, meeting at least three or four times a week.

Lin Hongwu was light on his feet and kept a close watch. The Sun family’s son-in-law never suspected that someone was tailing him while he was sneaking off to see a woman.

Lin Hongna’s trip was fruitful. She and Lin Hongwu conspired in the room for a long time before she left, carrying her vegetable basket with a spring in her step.

She had used the excuse of going to the market to buy vegetables, so she picked up a few wilted cabbages from the market before returning to the Sun family.

The Sun family’s eldest daughter was still at home drinking tea. When she saw Lin Hongna return so late, her expression was anything but pleasant.

“Oh, you actually remembered to come back? Did the vegetable market move to the county? It must have been tiring for you.”

The eldest daughter of the Sun family was dripping with sarcasm.

Mother Sun’s face was as long as that of an old donkey.

Lin Hongna was in charge of the Sun family’s meals. If she wasn’t home, did this lazy mother-daughter pair lose their hands and feet? They were the wives of government officials, yet even the old sows in the countryside were more industrious than they were!

Lin Hongna lowered her eyes, hiding the disgust she felt for the mother and daughter of the Sun family, and replied softly, “The weather hasn’t been good lately, and the market hasn’t received any fresh vegetables. I waited there for a while.”

Mother Sun’s face softened a little upon hearing this.

She had heard from the women on the street earlier that it was indeed hard to buy vegetables these days.

The Sun family’s eldest daughter glared and was about to start complaining again, but Mother Sun scolded her, forcing her to shut her mouth in frustration.

That evening, Lin Hongna decided to treat herself. The Sun family had eggs, which were scarce and came from the countryside, but they were small and delicious.

She cracked five or six eggs, chopped some chives, and made a dish of scrambled eggs with chives. She also stir-fried some spicy and sour cabbage. Father Sun brought home a portion of stir-fried meat from the state-owned restaurant in town.

Today, the Sun family had a bountiful meal, with meat, cabbage, and eggs—almost as good as a New Year’s feast.

The eldest daughter of the Sun family changed her mind at the last minute and decided to have dinner at her parents’ house.

Lin Hongna was busy serving the dishes, setting the table, and cleaning, spinning around like a top without a moment’s rest.

Sun Jialiang didn’t come back, but Father Sun did. When he saw how Lin Hongna was bustling about, being respectful and humble toward the family, he began to view her differently.

A daughter-in-law of the Sun family should have such poise—able to endure hardship and accept grievances without complaint. With these qualities, she wouldn’t have a hard life in the future.

With this thought, Father Sun smiled kindly and told Lin Hongna to stop working and join them at the table, leaving the rest of the tasks to the eldest daughter.

The eldest daughter of the Sun family: “!!!”

Lin Hongna was overjoyed inside, but she maintained a calm expression, nodded, and put down her work to sit at the table.

The meal was thoroughly enjoyable, especially when Lin Hongna saw the eldest daughter clumsily handling chores and getting a stern lecture from Father Sun. It made Lin Hongna even happier.

That evening, Lin Hongna fetched water for her in-laws to wash their feet. After Mother Sun went to bed, she carried the washbasin outside.

Father Sun, wearing reading glasses and reading the newspaper, remarked to Mother Sun, who was applying oil to her feet, “You should treat your daughter-in-law better. Don’t keep such a stern face all the time. It’s a new society now. Let’s not stick to old ways.”

Mother Sun flared up at this, “What old ways? Explain yourself!”

As if she were some wicked mother-in-law from the old society, harshly treating her daughter-in-law.

Father Sun, feeling helpless, was only stating the facts. How did this turn into an argument? Knowing his wife’s temper, he knew he had to coax her.

“I didn’t mean it that way. We only have one daughter-in-law, and a harmonious family brings prosperity. Isn’t it because we have a virtuous daughter-in-law that our days are getting better and better?”

“Go away, at your age, acting so improper.”

Mother Sun, for the sake of Father Sun, didn’t speak as coldly to Lin Hongna in the following days.

This infuriated the eldest daughter so much that she stopped visiting her parents’ home.

But the real shock was yet to come.

As the new year began, the local community office started its annual population survey.

The population survey itself wasn’t a big deal, especially since refugees were wandering everywhere now, and it was necessary to distinguish them from the few comrades visiting the town.

The trouble began when the eldest daughter of the Sun family husband was caught cheating with the Tofu Beauty. Just as this happened, community office workers, with their pens and registers in hand, knocked on the courtyard door.

The Sun family’s eldest daughter was not one to take things lying down. She slapped her husband so hard that he cried out in pain and then sat on the Tofu Beauty’s slender waist, making the woman roll her eyes.

Mother Sun, like a lioness protecting her cub, grabbed and tore at Widow Yang, while Lin Hongna hid in the crowd, a mocking smile on her lips. So much for the old hag’s elegance and decorum.

“You… you all…”

Father Sun couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Before he could say anything, his vision went black, and he collapsed in the alley.

“Dad!”

“Old Sun!”

The Sun family panicked, and chaos ensued. This scandal quickly made its way to the top of the town’s gossip list.

…

After the Waking of Insects, Gujiaao village river was surrounded and embraced by green mountains.

Wild vegetables began sprouting from the back hills, and with the arrival of spring, not only did it bring new life, but it also gave hope to the people who had been suffering from famine for over half a year.

News came from the city that the steel plant was about to start production.

The whole family was overjoyed. They had been living in the countryside for several months. While rural life was relaxing, it was too peaceful, especially for Lin Yao, who had been resting at home every day to nurture her pregnancy. Her body had become soft and weak.

She used to complain about being tired when she went to work every day, but now that she wasn’t working, she still felt exhausted.

Fortunately, Lin Yao’s pregnancy was almost three months along. In Yunshui County, once a pregnancy reaches three months, it is considered stable.

The litter of rabbits they raised at home was finally ready to leave the nest. Gu Mancang skinned and bled the eight fat rabbits, cleaned them thoroughly, and hung them under the eaves by the door. Since they raised these rabbits themselves, they didn’t plan to sell them.

Gu Chunmei was also pregnant, and her body lacked nutrition. Zhang Cuilan took two rabbits for her daughter, kept three for themselves, and planned to send the remaining ones to the Dongfanghong Production Team for Grandma Zhang to enjoy.

Lin Yao agreed with her mother-in-law’s plan.

Over the past six months, their family had received a lot of wild game and mountain goods from her two uncles. It’s only right to reciprocate; you treat me well, and I’ll treat you well. After all, we’re one big happy family.

Their mother rabbit had given birth to another litter of ten baby rabbits. These little rabbits were big eaters. With spring here, Gu Mancang grabbed his hoe and started working on the vegetable plot at home. The old vegetable plot hadn’t been tended to in years, so it was full of small stones, tree roots, and rotting leaves that filled basket after basket.

Gu Shi’an, who had returned from the county, also helped clear the plot. The father and son worked for several days and finally cleared a vegetable plot about three mu in size. Dongzi carried a bamboo basket up the mountain every day to gather wild vegetables. Plantain, dandelion, foxtail—these were all favorites of the rabbits. He brought back basket after basket, storing them in two large stacks of hay. Gu Mancang fertilized the vegetable plot with something that smelled awful. The village children who passed by had to hold their noses and take a detour.

Lin Yao, with nothing else to do, couldn’t stand the smell of manure in the yard. She hugged a spittoon^[1]A metal or earthenware pot typically having a funnel-shaped top, used for spitting into. and vomited until she was dizzy, even throwing up bile.

With their eldest son away, Zhang Cuilan was anxious and wanted to get an old Chinese doctor. Gu Mancang ran off to fetch him.

The old Chinese doctor had gone up the mountain to gather herbs, so Gu Mancang hurried back home, sweating heavily despite the chilly early spring weather.

When Gu Mancang returned, Lin Yao was already exhausted and lying down, having sipped some sugar water. Gu Shidong came back with a basket full of wild vegetables and, halfway home, met his father. The two of them ran home together.

Before they even reached the door, Gu Shidong shouted, “Mom, how’s my sister-in-law? Is she still vomiting? If it doesn’t get better, we should take her to the clinic!”

Zhang Cuilan exclaimed, stepping out of the house to stop the two men, twisting her eldest son’s ear and telling him to lower his voice.

“Shut up, you brat! Your sister-in-law has been vomiting for ages and just managed to fall asleep!”

After scolding her eldest son, Zhang Cuilan turned her anger towards Gu Mancang.

“It’s all your fault, you old fool! It doesn’t matter if the vegetable patch isn’t fertilized! You’ve made Yao Yao sick. Her face turned so pale from throwing up. What’s wrong with Yao Yao and the baby? Just wait till I deal with you!”

Gu Mancang, frightened, trembled and covered the manure in the vegetable patch with soil.

Inside the house, Lin Yao was half-asleep and thought it didn’t matter if the manure was covered, but her eyelids were too heavy to lift, so she just ignored it.

With her daughter-in-law resting inside, Zhang Cuilan drove the old man and her youngest son away. Feeling unsettled, she initially stood guard with a stool by the door. After a while, unable to sit still, she took a vegetable knife and went to the yard to cut cabbage. The large cabbage had been stored in the cellar all winter. If not taken out to dry soon, it would spoil.

After cutting the cabbage, Zhang Cuilan washed her hands and peeked through the window to check on her daughter-in-law.

Oh dear, Yao Yao’s little face was so pale and thin, wrinkled even in sleep. When she was pregnant with her eldest, she also vomited non-stop for days.

It’s said that if a mother craves sour foods, she’ll have a boy, and if she craves spicy foods, a girl. Yao Yao mostly craved sour foods but sometimes wanted spicy ones. Zhang Cuilan didn’t care much about the gender of the baby. She had given birth to three children—two sons and one daughter—so a grandson or granddaughter was fine either way.

A beautiful child like Yao Yao would surely have beautiful children.

Zhang Cuilan thought for a moment, tied her scarf, washed her hands again, and went to the bamboo forest to dig up some tender bamboo shoots. After washing them in clear water and cutting them into thin slices, she blanched them. Then she took a piece of rabbit meat, sliced it thinly, heated oil in a pan, added two handfuls of sour pickled vegetables, and stir-fried them with a couple of dried chili peppers. In a few minutes, a mouth-watering aroma of sour and spicy flavors filled the yard.

The delicious smell made Dongzi sniff eagerly.

“Wow, what’s that smell?”

Lin Yao, half-asleep, woke up to find the delicious-looking dish of meat stir-fried with sour bamboo shoots. Unable to resist, she devoured a large steamed bun and a bowl of dumplings in one go.

She was surprised by her own appetite.

Zhang Cuilan, on the other hand, was all smiles, delighted that Yao Yao could eat well. Being able to eat was considered a blessing.

Seeing that his daughter-in-law had stopped vomiting, Gu Mancang also breathed a sigh of relief.

After eating her fill, Lin Yao felt lively again. With nothing to do at home, she went to explore Gu Shi’an’s bookshelf.

The books were diverse, with military books dominating the collection. The remaining books included “Philosophy”, “Biodiversity”, “The Analects”, etc., which held no interest for Lin Yao. After browsing through them, she finally noticed a Soviet novel.

This novel was quite mundane, detailing the everyday lives and love affairs of the main characters.

Lin Yao enjoyed reading the book, while Daju^[2]The big orange cat’s name. caught another mouse trying to steal food in the yard.

Zhang Cuilan rewarded the cat with a clean bath and dried its fur by the stove.

As a considerate mother-in-law, she brought Daju to Lin Yao to cheer her up. Daju, feeling wronged, meowed at its owner.

Lin Yao comforted Daju by scratching its chubby neck, and the cat purred contentedly.

Soon, Daju was asleep in the house.

It was only a little past eight, and Lin Yao was still full of energy. Unable to sleep, she continued browsing Gu Shi’an’s bookshelf and found another interesting book.

The book was intriguing but filled with too many technical terms that she couldn’t understand.

Lin Yao decided to rename the book with a pen. Feeling sleepy, she chuckled at the book cover and then tossed it beside the bed, yawning and falling into a deep sleep. Both she and Daju slept soundly and peacefully, creating a harmonious scene.

When Gu Shi’an returned late at night, he saw this warm scene and smiled. He intended to go to the yard to freshen up and then embrace his wife, but when he turned his head, he noticed the book lying by the bed.

— The book’s original title was “Postpartum Care for Sows”. The words “sows” had been crossed out and replaced with “Postpartum Care for Gu Shi’an”.

“…”