Chapter 142

Xiao Roubao was indeed restless and not content. He always moved around and refused to listen no matter what. 

His older brothers had no choice but to let him walk on the ground for a while, and then take turns carrying him on their backs. It took twice as long as usual for them to finally arrive at the fish pond.

This year, with favorable weather, there were even more people coming to see the fish pond, making it crowded like never before. Seeing the string of children from the Su family, people couldn’t help but envy them.

The three little cubs met so many people for the first time, and they looked so cute and adorable. 

The enthusiastic and brave members couldn’t help but tease them. Fortunately, the children weren’t very shy, and their older brothers kept a close eye on them, reminding others not to get too hands-on.

When the fish leaped out of the pond in a large school, the hardworking people who had toiled all year wore expressions of joy at the bountiful harvest. Though Fantuan and Doubao had seen it before, it was still a breathtaking sight for them. 

The faces of these hardworking people, brimming with the joy of harvest, were deeply etched into the children’s minds. If everywhere could be as blessed and prosperous as Sujia Village, how wonderful would that be?

This year was another year of great harvest, with members of the community lining up to receive their share of fish. Every household received extra pounds of fish and meat, truly making it a year of plenty.

Su Weimin brought up a big fat fish that Su Xiaoxiao loved the most. Xiao Roubao, fearless like a newborn calf, reached out his chubby little hand to grab the fish’s head. As he grabbed it, the fish wriggled and splashed water onto his face. Despite getting splashed, the little one refused to let go, saying, “Fishy, fish-fish, slippery, mommy cook, yummy~~” 

Though his speech wasn’t very clear, his eager expression was enough to make the onlookers burst into laughter.

The traditional customs of Su Village for the New Year have remained unchanged over the years. Every household tried to prepare the best ingredients for a feast to reward their hardworking family members. The children dressed in new clothes and half a fish was left on the table to symbolize abundance for the coming year. After the meal, they went to the riverside to set off fireworks and firecrackers. 

Elders put lucky money under the children’s pillows, and everyone remembered to listen for the first firecracker at midnight. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, children got up early to kowtow to their elders and receive lucky money. The whole family gathered to drink morning tea and enjoy fried snacks, following the same routine year after year.

The cloth Su Xiaoxiao brought back wasn’t enough to make many clothes—just enough for each child to have a small garment or pair of shorts. But wearing new clothes on New Year’s Eve, even if it was only underneath, brought joy to each child.

During the warm winter, the happiest ones were the kids. The last time they were back, it was a cold winter, and they were often confined to the yard, unable to go out. But this time was different. The sun was shining brightly every day. During the New Year holidays, Da Bao and Xiao Bao, along with Fantuan and Xiao Doubao, explored almost every fun place in the village.

……………….

On the morning of the fourth day of the New Year, Han Cheng returned with Xiao Zhuzi. The whole family was as joyous as if they were celebrating the New Year all over again.

Han Cheng brought back a lot of things. He brought back two large jars of fermented bean paste pork knuckles and two roasted ducks for everyone. There was a large bag filled with Beijing specialties and snacks from the capital. Grandpa Zhang and Zhang Hongtu also gave red envelopes to the children, making all the kids in the house extremely happy.

Li Yufeng hadn’t seen Zhuzi for over a year, so she gave him a red envelope, hugged the child, and rubbed his head, marveling at his growth. “When Grandma first saw you, you were only up to my waist. Now you’re almost taller than Grandma.” The children in the house were growing up fast, each taller than the other.

Zhuzi, holding his long-unseen grandmother, said, “Grandma, it’s Fantuan who is growing fast. I’m one year older than him, but he’s almost as tall as me now.”

Li Yufeng smiled and said, “Da Bao is one year older than you, but you’re almost as tall as him, aren’t you?”

“Da Bao is still taller than me,” Xiao Zhuzi thought to himself, Fantuan was growing the fastest, almost as tall as Da Bao, who was two years older than him.

The whole family gave Xiao Zhuzi red envelopes, and Da Bao and Xiao Bao immediately gave him a big bear hug. The five big kids held hands and spun the three little ones in circles. 

The whole yard was filled with the laughter of children. Li Yufeng and Su Weimin, who had smart and well-behaved grandchildren, laughed until their eyes disappeared. Perhaps in the entire commune, there couldn’t be happier grandparents than them.

Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but ask Han Cheng as she looked at the things he brought back, “Did you bring back double portions of pork knuckles and roasted duck this year? Why didn’t you leave some for Zhuzi’s Grandfather and parents?”

Han Cheng, who hadn’t seen his wife for many days and couldn’t easily hug her due to the crowd surrounding them, could only answer softly, “The ones we received on the thirty-first had already been eaten. These were re-purchased by Grandpa, who asked me to bring them back.”

“Is he doing okay?” Su Xiaoxiao asked.

Han Cheng nodded, “He’s doing fine, very healthy. It’s just that Grandpa isn’t very happy that Zhuzi came back with me so early.”

Su Xiaoxiao could imagine the scene and smiled.

Han Cheng: “Zhuzi has changed his name, Xiuyuan, Zhang Xiuyuan,”

Su Xiaoxiao nodded after silently reading it over, “It sounds good, very fitting for Zhuzi’s personality. Are we going back tomorrow?” The name really did suit Xiao Zhuzi’s temperament.

Han Cheng nodded, “Yes, we need to go back to work on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.”

Su Xiaoxiao frowned, “Zhuzi is only staying for one night and then leaving. Mom and Dad will definitely be reluctant to see him go. How about you go back first, and I’ll stay with the kids for a few more days? We can take the train back later.”

“No!” Han Cheng’s tone was firm as he shook his head. “You haven’t experienced the Spring Festival travel rush; you don’t know how crowded it can be. Xiao Roubao and Xiao Tangyuan are still young. I’m worried.”

Su Xiaoxiao, who had never been in such a situation, had only seen the bustling crowds of the Spring Festival rush on the news every year in her previous life. She thought better of it.

Xiao Tangyuan, after hugging her beloved Zhuzi brother, also missed her father very much. She ran over, pounding on her father’s legs, “Daddy!”

Han Cheng bent down to lift up his precious daughter, rubbing his forehead against hers. “My little princess, did you miss Daddy?”

Xiao Tangyuan nodded with a small dimple forming on her cheek, “Yes~~”

Han Cheng kissed her cheek and said, “Good girl, Daddy misses you too.”

Xiao Roubao was different. Sensing food seemed to be a talent shared by all foodies. Su Xiaoxiao had just picked up the roast duck when Xiao Roubao dashed over and bit into the duck’s head—

It was too hard to bite, so he let go and tried another bite.

Su Xiaoxiao pinched the chubby face of her son and said, “Close your mouth. The duck is still cold. It needs to be heated up before we can eat it, or else you’ll get a stomachache.”

Xiao Roubao closed his mouth, with drool still hanging from it, “Mommy, it smells so good~~” Su Xiaoxiao sighed. Although she liked experimenting with food, she wasn’t that greedy. Xiao Fantuan had a big appetite and loved to eat, but he wasn’t as gluttonous. How did she end up with Xiao Roubao, such a little foodie?

“It does smell good, but it’s not time to eat yet. We’ll eat together at lunchtime, okay?”

Xiao Roubao smacked his lips, staring at the roast duck eagerly. However, he was a good boy who listened to his mother, so he nodded, “Okay~~”

They had roast duck for lunch and braised pork elbows for dinner, all prepared in the most traditional and authentic way.

For lunch, the roast duck was served with homemade spring pancakes and sweet bean sauce. Since cucumbers weren’t available this season, they paired them with lettuce to refresh the palate.

For dinner, the braised pork elbows were steamed again, and they ate them rolled in the spring pancakes along with blanched bean sprouts and chives.

Not to mention Su Zhenzhong and Su Zhenhua, even Su Weimin, who had lived for half a lifetime, had never heard of such ways to eat roast duck and pork elbows. They had to thank their son-in-law and Zhuzi for this stroke of luck.

The joyous days always passed by quickly. Li Yufeng knew that Han Cheng had to rush back to work tomorrow. In the afternoon, she took the children to the self-owned land to dig up a large basket of sweet potatoes. The children, accompanied by Zhuzi, were busy digging sweet potato holes on the land. Li Yufeng carried the sweet potatoes back, intending to put them directly into the car’s trunk.

Han Cheng frowned as he looked at the two full baskets of large and fresh sweet potatoes. “Mother, this is too much. You can keep some for home. We don’t need this many.”

Li Yufeng shook her head and said, “Not much, not much. Fantuan likes to eat fresh sweet potatoes. He can eat two of them in one meal, and Xiao Roubao also likes to eat them. With many children at home, if we cook ten or eight of them a day, they’ll be gone in half a month.”

Han Cheng could only watch helplessly as his mother-in-law filled half of the car’s trunk with sweet potatoes.

After loading the sweet potatoes, Li Yufeng said, “Han Cheng, don’t close the car door yet. I’ll pack the other things as well.”

Han Cheng felt like every time he came back; it was like he was a bandit who was looting a village. He would return with a car full of supplies.

Han Cheng had no choice but to go find Su Xiaoxiao. “Mother is loading things into the car again. Can you go and persuade Mom? I’m afraid she’ll stuff all the preserved fish and meat from home into the car again, and I can’t persuade her.”

Su Xiaoxiao put down her book and reached out to Han Cheng.

Han Cheng walked over, hugged her head, and rubbed it. “Go quickly. If she hurriedly stuffs things under the seats, we won’t even find them later.”

Li Yufeng had done this before, fearing that they wouldn’t want it, she secretly stuffed it under the seats, only to tell them when they were driving, making it too late to take them out.

Su Xiaoxiao hugged Han Cheng’s waist and rubbed against him. “Comrade Han Cheng, good sons-in-law like you, who don’t ask for dowry from their in-laws and don’t take things from their in-laws, are really rare.”

Han Cheng lowered his head and kissed her. “There aren’t many parents who can raise such a well-behaved daughter like you. I haven’t even repaid them properly.”

Su Xiaoxiao smiled with her eyes. “Then kiss me, and I’ll go help you stop Mother from loading things into our car.”

Han Cheng sighed and smiled, pinching her cheek and giving her a kiss on the lips. “Is this your family or mine after all?”

Su Xiaoxiao looked at him with a smile. “It’s our family.”

As Han Cheng expected, when Su Xiaoxiao went out, Li Yufeng was holding a piece of preserved meat, trying to find a place to stuff it.

“Mom, stop it. I told you to keep the preserved meat at home. How could you give it back to me?”

Li Yufeng replied, “This isn’t for you. It’s for Xiao Yu. Last time, he brought a whole duck to our house. What’s wrong with giving him two pieces of preserved meat? Xiao Yu has a good personality. I kind of miss him.”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Last time, I shared half of the preserved fish you asked him to take back. Mom, the army really doesn’t lack meat. You should keep it for the family to eat. Sister Yuhua really likes these mountain delicacies, dried beans, and such. We might find things precious that city people don’t, like White Rabbit milk candy. It’s especially precious here, right? But Xiao Yu eats it as a snack every day. He might prefer these freshly dug sweet potatoes just like Fantuan does.”

The proverb “repay kindness with a gushing spring” perfectly describes Li Yufeng. In fact, every time Su Xiaoxiao brought back local specialties from home to the army, she would send a portion to Zhou Yuhua’s family. Zhao Xianfeng’s family truly didn’t lack meat but rather enjoyed these rural delicacies. ^[1]Repay kindness with a gushing spring” is an idiomatic expression that means to repay someone’s kindness generously and abundantly. When someone does something good for you, you should … Continue reading

“Really?” Li Yufeng asked, half believing.

Su Xiaoxiao nodded, “Yes, mom. You’ve also lived in the army for so long. Don’t you know everyone in their family?”

Li Yufeng thought for a moment, “That’s true. Then I’ll go dig up another load of sweet potatoes. When the time comes, you must help me give them to Xiao Yu to eat. Say they’re freshly dug by grandma, very glutinous, and Fantuan loves to eat them.”

Su Xiaoxiao sighed helplessly, “Mom… this is enough. I’ll distribute some of them later.”

Li Yufeng waved her hand, “Not enough, not enough. This isn’t even enough for our Fantuan to eat. And there’s Xiao Roubao; he could eat two a day if you let him.”

Su Xiaoxiao could only watch her mother pick up the basket again and go to dig sweet potatoes.

The happiest person when the car was filled with sweet potatoes was Fantuan, “I love grandma’s sweet potatoes the most!”

Xiao Fantuan went to his grandma and acted coquettish, wondering if Su Xiaoxiao hadn’t stopped her mom and if Han Cheng hadn’t said that it was already overweight. Li Yufeng wanted to go dig up another load to fill the entire trunk.

Early the next morning, Su Xiaoxiao’s family set off with a car full of supplies back to the army.

Parting is always sad; Da Bao and Xiao Bao cried loudly, and even the two elders had red eyes.

Xiao Tangyuan held Grandma’s hand and pulled her into the car, “Grandma, let’s go~~”

Tears streamed down Li Yufeng’s face instantly. She squatted down, hugged Xiao Tangyuan, and said, “Good girl, go back with Mommy and Daddy first. Grandma will come to see you when she’s free.”

Xiao Tangyuan shook her head with the little braid her grandma had tied for her in the morning, “No, together, let’s go~~”

Su Xiaoxiao picked up her daughter and said, “Alright, Xiao Tangyuan, say goodbye to everyone. We’ll come back when we have time.”

Xiao Tangyuan pouted and said goodbye to everyone with a sad expression.

Even Liang Hongmei, who loved the little girl very much, couldn’t help but get teary-eyed at her pitiful look.

The sensible older kids couldn’t bear it either. They really liked the life in Sujia Village, but they knew there was no other way. Their parents had to work, and they had to study. Living in different places meant enduring separation and longing for reunions time and time again.

As the car started, Xiao Bao ran a few steps after them. “Remember to write to us!”

Da Bao also caught up and said, “Take care!”

Fantuan and Zhuzi poked their heads out of the car window, “We will, and we’ll miss you. Take care too…”

…