Chapter 28: Liang Xiaohong Goes to the Countryside

Li Xiangbei hadn’t come home for lunch for five days straight. This unusual behavior made the whole family start to wonder.

“Xiangbei, what’ve you been so busy with all week? We only see you in the mornings and then you disappear,” Zhang Cuihua asked, though she was more eager to know if her son had gotten the marriage certificate with Comrade Xiao Su.

“Moving furniture,” Li Xiangbei said casually as he shoveled a spoonful of porridge into his mouth.

Zhang Cuihua was pleased but remembered it had been almost two weeks already. “By the way, did the Su family confirm the wedding date?”

Xiangbei nodded. After swallowing, he replied, “Yeah, it’s set for October 1st. Yueyue’s eldest and third brothers will be back by then too.”

Zhang Cuihua rolled her eyes at him. “So you weren’t planning on telling us unless I asked, huh? Have you two gotten your marriage certificate yet?”

Xiangbei shook his head and explained, “Not yet. All the furniture came from her uncle’s place, no ration tickets needed.”

At that, Liu Lanxiang’s eyes lit up. She exclaimed excitedly, “No tickets? Hey, fourth brother, your older brother and I are still missing a wardrobe in our room!”

Xiangbei glanced at his sister-in-law and replied slowly, “There are plenty of furniture factories, Sis. Take your time and find one. I won’t get involved.”

Unwilling to give up, Liu Lanxiang pressed on, “Didn’t you say Xiao Su’s uncle doesn’t need ration tickets?”

Xiangbei shrugged and said bluntly, “All gone. We moved everything already.”

Liu Lanxiang’s eyes flickered as she hatched a new plan. “Isn’t your sister-in-law’s uncle a carpenter? I heard old furniture can be refurbished to look new. What if I buy some from the recycling station and have him fix one up?”

Xiangbei looked at her with a teasing smile. “We’re all family—helping out shouldn’t involve money, right?”

Her eyes sparkled even more and she nodded eagerly.

Setting down his bowl and chopsticks, Xiangbei stood up. “I’ll stop interrupting your daydream now.” With that, he grabbed his satchel and strode out the door.

Liu Lanxiang realized she’d been played. “Mom, did you hear that? He just played me first thing in the morning!”

Zhang Cuihua sighed, “Lanxiang, your schemes are written all over your face. Anyone could see through them.”

She stood up and added, “I’m off to work. Hurry up and wash the dishes—it’s hot and they’ll attract flies.”

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As the sun dipped below the horizon, Su Yue finished her day’s work. As usual, she packed up dinner and walked briskly toward Li Xiangbei’s home. Just as she reached the alley entrance, a wailing voice echoed through the narrow passage.

The cry sounded strangely familiar.

“You Liang family are too much! We agreed on the marriage just last week, and now Liang Xiaohong secretly went to the countryside? Our Wang family didn’t even ask for compensation—just for the dowry to be returned! And you still refuse? Are you planning to be deadbeats?” Wang Qiang’s mother cried angrily.

Auntie Liang stood with arms crossed, her expression dark. “Dowry? When did your Wang family ever give us a dowry?”

Mrs. Wang was shaking with rage. She stepped forward and shouted, “The dowry was given in front of the police! If you don’t believe me, let’s go ask them!”

“Let’s go then!” Auntie Liang was unfazed. “But don’t forget, that dowry was handed directly to Liang Xiaohong in front of the police—not to me. Now she’s gone to the countryside with the money. What’s it got to do with us? Her household registration’s moved too. She’s no longer part of the Liang family. If you want it back, go find her! The subdistrict office has her address.”

Mrs. Wang stomped her feet, tears in her eyes. “She’s gone as a sent-down youth—it’ll take at least three years before she can apply to return to the city. What’s our Wang Qiang supposed to do in the meantime?”

Auntie Liang rolled her eyes in disdain. “Just sign your son up to go too. Let one of your other sons take a few days off and escort him there—problem solved.”

Mrs. Wang stood frozen. When she came to her senses, she cried even harder.

Auntie Liang frowned and shouted into the house, “Eldest! Go to the newspaper office and publish a notice cutting ties with that girl!”

She had always favored sons over daughters. After Xiaohong received the dowry, Auntie Liang had tried everything—coaxing and deceiving—but still couldn’t get the money. Then before she knew it, Xiaohong had registered and left for the countryside with her household documents. Auntie Liang had been fuming ever since.

“What time do you people think it is? Still crowding my door? Haven’t you eaten yet? Go, go, go!”

She huffed and puffed her way into the house and slammed the door shut with a loud bang before Mrs. Wang could follow.

Wang Qiang’s elder brother, Wang Yong, asked anxiously, “Mom, what now?”

“Whatever happened to our third son at the Liang family, they’re responsible!” Mrs. Wang said through gritted teeth. She glanced at Wang Qiang, still lying on a deck chair, then turned with determination. “Let’s go!”

With that, she dragged Wang Yong and Wang Gang away, leaving Wang Qiang lying alone at the Liang family’s doorstep.

The two brothers opened their mouths to protest but swallowed their words, letting their mother pull them away.

---

Inside, Su Yue placed the food box on the table and pulled a set of homemade curtains from her bag. She hung them on the window next to the kang bed.

The curtains were double-layered. The inner layer was thick blue cotton, durable and with excellent light-blocking properties—important for keeping things discreet, especially since most families still used newspaper as window coverings. Clothes in those days were worn for “three years new, three years old, patched for another three”—often handed down among siblings.

The outer layer was made of light, floral fabric—cheerful and cozy, adding a warm touch to the room.

Just as she finished, the courtyard door creaked open.

“I’m back, Yueyue,” came Xiangbei’s familiar voice.

He closed the door behind him and walked cheerfully inside.

“I bought two pieces of flawed fabric at the supply co-op today. See if they’ll work for quilt covers?” He pulled two pieces of cloth from his bag and handed them to her.

Su Yue smiled and unfolded them for a look.

“Where are the flaws?”

Xiangbei pointed to the edges. “They got a bit dirty during transport.”

She stared, half-laughing, half-annoyed. “This tiny stain counts as a flaw? Just rinse it off!”

He leaned in and whispered, “These are internal perks for employees at the supply co-op. Everyone does it—but you’ve got to know your limits.”

Su Yue nodded thoughtfully. “Let’s eat first. I’ll wash and store the fabric later.”

Xiangbei responded warmly, eyes full of affection as he watched her busy around the room.

These past five days, they’d been like little hamsters, constantly bringing things home.

Glancing around, Xiangbei beamed with satisfaction.

This—this was what home felt like.