Chapter 74

Early summer days dawned early. In the morning, the wild grass by the roadside still had dew. Second Uncle Zhang came with his old donkey cart to help with the move.

Last year, Eldest Uncle Zhang helped with the move. This year, it was Second Uncle Zhang.

Eldest Uncle Zhang also wanted to come but was busy with harvesting wheat in the brigade. With over 200 acres of wheat for the Dongfanghong Production Team, the golden wheat fields stretched endlessly from the hilltop. Villagers of all ages worked together, finally able to eat after a long winter. Everyone was excited and prepared their sickles the night before, heading out to work before dawn.

As the brigade leader, Eldest Uncle Zhang couldn’t leave the village, so Second Uncle Zhang came, though he was also hungry.

Zhang Cuilan knew Second Uncle Zhang hadn’t had breakfast, so she fussed a bit and quickly served him a bowl of fine noodles with a snow-white poached egg, rich with pork fat. Second Uncle Zhang, with his trousers rolled up high, ate the noodles and then had two cornmeal buns. Wiping his mouth, he said, “Alright, I’m a rough guy, so don’t mind me. Let’s get to work.”

Zhang Cuilan retorted, “We’re not building a house.”

Second Uncle Zhang laughed off, “It’s all the same, it’s all the same.”

Lin Yao smiled. The second uncle was straightforward and couldn’t hide his thoughts, completely different from Eldest Uncle Zhang.

It’s often said that nephews resemble their uncles, and that’s true. Gu Shi’an takes after his second uncle in terms of appetite—he eats a lot—and is reserved and steady like Eldest Uncle Zhang. As for Dongzi, that little rascal is full of energy and always making a fuss…

There’s an old saying about not speaking ill of people behind their backs.

As Lin Yao was pondering this, Dongzi, the little troublemaker, came running over, teasing the old mule.

The Zhang family’s mule was gentle and easy to care for, eating anything without being picky. Its black, shiny eyes exuded warmth and it never kicked like other mules, making it quite endearing.

With everyone busy moving things, Lin Yao, being a heavily pregnant woman, couldn’t help out and wasn’t allowed to.

Even if she wanted to, the baby in her eight-month belly wouldn’t agree.

As the due date approached, the baby inside her became more active, often kicking and punching. Zhang Cuilan laughed, saying, “It must be a lively and energetic little rascal.”

Gu Mancang cheerfully added, “A granddaughter would be nice too. It’s great to have a lively child.”

Gu Shidong piped up, “Hehe, if my sister-in-law has a little niece, it would be great if she’s just like me.”

Gu Mancang: “……..”

Forget it, it’s better not to get your hopes up.

As for Deputy Director Gu, he didn’t care whether the baby was a boy or girl. What mattered to him was that Lin Yao had endured a lot during her pregnancy. With the swelling and discomfort, the baby’s nighttime restlessness meant Lin Yao often couldn’t sleep and had to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom alone, having to hold onto the wall.

A few times, Gu Shi’an came back from night shifts and found Lin Yao curled up in bed, her eyes red from fatigue, her long lashes drooping. He felt a deep ache in his heart, especially when he heard stories at the police station about a woman who nearly bled to death during childbirth.

Childbirth has always been a life-and-death ordeal for women.

Every time Lin Yao went for a prenatal checkup, the doctor would place the stethoscope on her belly while Lin Yao remained relaxed. Deputy Director Gu, on the other hand, was extremely anxious, his handsome face serious as he watched the doctor intently. His stern expression was quite intimidating.

On several occasions, Lin Yao noticed the doctor discreetly wiping cold sweat.

At the moment, Lin Yao was sitting under the loquat tree with a plate of juicy peaches and a plate of walnut crisps. Walnut crisps were a rare treat these days, but they were overly sweet and cloying.

Lin Yao wasn’t fond of them and only picked at the washed peaches.

With most of the large items moved, Zhang Cuilan was worried about the three old hens and a litter of rabbits.

In the courtyard, they weren’t allowed to keep old hens, and the rabbits had to be reduced. Gu Mancang suggested killing all the hens and as many rabbits as possible, leaving just one male and one female rabbit to breed, and drying the meat for later.

Reluctantly, Zhang Cuilan agreed. In the city, it was inconvenient not to keep chickens. She had to give away vegetables from her garden—two baskets of various vegetables and fruits to the two uncles and some to the neighbors. They also had a basket of beans, a basket of tomatoes, a basket of cucumbers, and half a bag of chives.

“There’s so much food, we can’t possibly eat it all.”

“It doesn’t matter if we can’t eat it now. When we get back to the courtyard, we’ll be able to.”

Everyone busily worked—harvesting vegetables, slaughtering chickens, and killing rabbits.

Lin Yao felt restless, holding her belly and watching Dongzi as he joined in the commotion. The scene was quite bloody, which would have made any other pregnant woman pale with fear.

But Lin Yao watched with great interest, even encouraging Dongzi to try his hand at killing a rabbit.

Dongzi was eager to try but hesitated.

The mischievous pair got caught by Gu Shi’an, who scolded them and made them stand under the loquat tree as punishment. Since Lin Yao couldn’t stand due to her condition, only Dongzi was made to stand there with his head drooping.

By eleven in the morning, everything was packed up. Just like six months ago, the Gu family’s old house was locked up. Second Uncle Zhang cracked his whip, and the mule cart, loaded with supplies, set off slowly.

Lin Yao, well-protected, sat on the mule cart. Unable to resist, she looked back at the old house with its red tiles and green willows, standing silently as if waiting for its people to return through wind, frost, and rain.

*

At the Sun family’s side, Lin Hongna had been recovering in the town clinic for over half a month and was finally able to go out. She had given birth early, and her body hadn’t healed properly. She was still weak from daily glucose injections, and her body hadn’t fully recovered.

During this time, the Sun family’s focus was entirely on the newborn grandson, leaving Lin Hongna neglected.

Father Sun instructed Sun Jiarong to deliver three meals a day to his daughter-in-law, along with a bowl of egg and brown sugar water to help her recover.

However, Sun Jiarong, who appeared meek but was actually quite spiteful, only delivered two meals a day. The food was poor, either black cornmeal buns with pickles or sweet potato dried with soy sauce. The egg and brown sugar water was never seen.

Lin Hongna, deeply resentful, had lost so much weight in just twenty days that her face turned a sallow yellow, her cheekbones were prominent, her eyes sunken, and her hair fell out in clumps. She looked more like a refugee than a woman just out of confinement.

When Mother Sun was discharged from the hospital, Father Sun was shocked to see his daughter-in-law’s condition.

Father Sun was enraged and the next day arranged a car to take Lin Hongna home for proper care.

Father Sun was quite considerate toward Lin Hongna, arranging for a vehicle with bedding, and escorting her home to the Sun family’s courtyard, where Sun Jiarong helped her inside, ensuring she didn’t catch much wind.

Lin Hongna needed someone at home to help her recover.

At the dinner table, Father Sun discussed with Sun Mother that she should put aside her work for a few days to take care of her daughter-in-law.

Mother Sun was furious and slammed her chopsticks on the table, exclaiming, “Take care? What is there to take care of! She just lies in bed all day, expecting to be served hand and foot. She’s eaten most of the basket of eggs and still demands more. She’s just a country bumpkin, thinking she’s some highborn lady!”

Lin Hongna had such a scheming and unkind mother that her beloved grandchild was born prematurely and was in poor health.

Mother Sun would get enraged whenever she thought about it, which also affected her attitude toward Father Sun.

Father Sun sighed, as he had anticipated this outcome. He then turned his attention to his two daughters.

Mother Sun, who was quicker on the draw, scolded Sun Jiarong and Sun Jiayu, “You two should focus on your own work and stop meddling!”

Sun Jiayu exchanged a glance with Sun Jiarong. While Sun Jiayu was still in high spirits, Sun Jiarong, receiving the warning from Mother Sun, lowered her head and dared not speak.

Sun Jialiang ignored the conversation and continued eating as if nothing had happened.

As a grown man, he couldn’t take time off to stay home and care for his wife.

Mother Sun was right, with a basket of eggs at home, Lin Hongna had already consumed most of them. She had received enough nutrition, and in the countryside, women didn’t need to follow strict postpartum practices. Eating one egg a day was considered quite lavish—something he never got to enjoy.

Mother Sun was in charge at home, but Father Sun was also getting frustrated. He furrowed his brow, took a deep breath of smoke, and instructed Sun Jialiang to take a few days off to help out.

Sun Jialiang, reluctant and sulky, received a stern reprimand from Father Sun, “If you won’t take care of your own wife, who will? As a man, you should shoulder your responsibilities, not shirk them. If you keep making excuses, I’ll make sure you don’t walk again!”

Father Sun stubbed out his cigarette with a harsh tone.

Sun Jialiang, though discontented, nodded in agreement.

Mother Sun was trembling with rage, but it was of no use.

*

Li Aifeng was taken away by the police and sentenced to six months of hard labor for theft. She was sent to a quarry several hundred miles away to break stones.

In those days, hard labor meant physical toil. Women with lighter sentences worked sewing machines, while men dug ditches and carried stones, enduring sun and rain without rest. It was similar to how prisoners were exiled to Siberia to grow potatoes.

Li Aifeng’s situation worsened as she not only committed theft but also attempted to escape from the detention center. During a guard’s moment of inattention, she tried to headbutt him, adding an attempted assault charge to her record, making her situation even worse.

Now, instead of working at a sewing machine, Li Aifeng was sentenced to quarry work.

“I’m not going! I’m innocent, I’ve been wronged!”

“Your honor, this is an injustice!”

Li Aifeng, realizing she was going to the quarry, cried and threw a tantrum in the detention center.

It was of no use, though. The guards, armed with batons, passed by her with stern expressions.

Li Aifeng, frightened, cowered in her bunk, not daring to make a sound. She deeply regretted her foolish decision to steal dumplings from the Sun family.

She had stolen a few dumplings and ten yuan and was now facing hard labor at the quarry. Her old body couldn’t handle it.

In the past, those sent to hard labor were usually the scum of landowners.

Li Aifeng felt like she was destined for a similar fate as those scoundrels. Her fear was overwhelming, and she trembled on the ground like a leaf in the wind.

The women in her cell found Li Aifeng’s cowardice quite irksome.

Now she was scared. Where was her courage when she was stealing from others?

This woman was truly annoying!

*

The donkey cart traveled for two hours on a dirt road, and Lin Yao felt like she was in a cradle, rocking back and forth, until they arrived in Yunshui County.

Yunshui County, after being desolate for over half a year, was bustling with life again due to the bountiful summer harvest. Vendors carrying shoulder poles were selling their goods in the county town, and the streets were filled with people on bicycles and walls painted with red slogans. The lively atmosphere was a welcome sight.

Soon, the donkey cart stopped at the entrance of the courtyard.

The old courtyard looked just as it did in memory, with red brick walls and green tiles, and the yard paved with blue bricks. Early in the morning, Mother Xu had come to help clean the three rooms of the old Gu family house, and it was spotless.

Gu Shi’an and Xu Xiangqian worked diligently, moving furniture into the house. Gu Shidong fetched water and cleaned the dining table, chairs, windows, and corners of the room. He even scrubbed the floor with well water, which dried quickly in the summer heat. Lin Yao looked at the freshly cleaned house with a sense of joy at their reunion.

After finishing their tasks, Second Uncle Zhang hurried back to the countryside to harvest wheat.

Gu Mancang, following his wife’s instructions, secretly sent four slaughtered rabbits over.

In the courtyard, with only the Gu family returning, the once-bustling place was now empty with just a few people.

In front of the Gu family’s east wing window, there were now two or three pomegranate trees in full bloom, their red flowers vibrant. The country cat, Daju, roamed freely in the courtyard, meowing and playing. Gu Shi’an cleaned the rabbit hutch in the yard, and Daju tried to paw at the rabbits in their cage, which Gu Mancang picked up to feed small fish treats.

Satisfied, Daju napped on the cool balcony in the scorching heat.

Gu Chunmei, who had no milk during her postpartum period, had her fat son crying from hunger. She had to feed him a large bottle of formula every day. Mother Xu suggested to Zhang Cuilan that they go back to the old home to find a female goat and use its milk for the baby.

In the evening, as the sun set and the day’s heat dissipated, a gentle breeze made the air feel very comfortable.

Dongzi had gone out early in the morning to play with Hutou.

Lin Yao took advantage of the emptiness in the courtyard to have Gu Shi’an prepare the chicken and rabbit meat for drying to use later.

Gu Shi’an applied coarse salt to the meat with his large hands while Lin Yao mixed soy sauce, scallions, ginger, garlic, sugar, and salt in a small basin. She then marinates the meat in this mixture before steaming it. The following day, it would be left to naturally dry in the courtyard.

The couple worked busily, sweating profusely.

Gu Shi’an boiled a pot of hot water, and Lin Yao, carrying a small bathing kit, went to the washbasin for a quick bath.

Deputy Director Gu changed clothes in the room, revealing a well-defined, muscular back with two dimples on his waist.

As Lin Yao was about to enjoy the view, a sudden pain struck her abdomen, causing her to groan and clutch her stomach.

“It hurts so much.”

Gu Shi’an, looking anxious, rushed over. “Yao Yao, what’s wrong?”

“I… I think I’m going into labor.”