Jiang Lu was admitted to the hospital at night. After a full day and night of labor, she finally gave birth to a baby boy in the evening of the next day. The little boy was well-nourished, and though he was born red and wrinkly like a little monkey, he was a chubby baby, weighing a full seven pounds.
In these tis, a seven-pound baby was quite rare.
If it weren’t for the fact that the little one was so big, Jiang Lu wouldn’t have had such a long labor. But now that the child was safely born, the pain of childbirth seed to fade away, replaced by boundless joy. Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu imdiately gave the baby a nickna: Seven Pounds.
Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang had both promised to help take care of Jiang Lu, and they didn’t hold back on their commitnt. Since they had agreed, they made sure to lend a hand. The two of them took turns day by day, keeping themselves so busy they could hardly catch their breath. Fortunately, Jiang Lu’s mother was also there, so there were always two people around, which ant they didn’t have to focus entirely on this task.
Jiang Lu stayed in the hospital for a week. She was a bit older, making her a high-risk pregnancy. While giving birth at an older age wasn’t inherently problematic, this was her first child, so extra care was needed. Thankfully, the baby was born smoothly.
A week later, Jiang Lu was discharged from the hospital and returned ho. It seed like a lot of babies were being born around the sa ti, as five new children had already been added to the neighborhood. Zhang San and Pan Pan hadn’t given birth yet, but once they did, the number would rise to six.
The day after Jiang Lu returned ho, Aunt Zhou arrived back in the neighborhood, bringing Da Qiang and Wang Zhaodi with her. The two of them followed Aunt Zhou like a pair of attendants. Aunt Zhou, with her loud voice, announced as soon as she entered the courtyard, “I, Hu Han San, have finally returned!”
Zhao Guihua hurried out of her house and said, “Aunt Zhou, Jiang Lu has given birth.”
Aunt Zhou was instantly thrilled and exclaid, “What?!”
She rushed into the house, excitedly asking, “She’s given birth? When? What did she have?”
Zhao Guihua replied, “Go inside and see for yourself.”
Aunt Zhou didn’t waste any ti and hurried into the room, where she found Jiang Lu’s mother already there. Jiang Lu’s mother had never liked Aunt Zhou, especially after the incident where Aunt Zhou had dabbled in superstitions and cursed her husband. So, when they t, Jiang Lu’s mother gave a cold snort and pretended not to see her.
Aunt Zhou didn’t pay any attention to Jiang Lu’s mother’s attitude. She quickly moved closer to the baby and fell in love at first sight. What a chubby, adorable little boy!
Jiang Lu asked, “Mother-in-law, do you think he looks like ?”
Aunt Zhou disagreed, “I think he looks more like Zhou Qun.”
Jiang Lu raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly, but she quickly added, “I gave birth a week ago. It’s a boy, and he weighed seven pounds at birth. Zhou Qun and I decided to call him Seven Pounds.”
“Seven Pounds is a good na, a very good na!” Aunt Zhou was so overjoyed she didn’t know what to do. She had never imagined that she would live to see the day she could hold her own grandson. She felt an overwhelming sense of happiness. The old woman was so excited she started spinning around in circles, like a donkey turning a millstone.
She said, “This is wonderful, truly wonderful.”
After a pause, she quickly added, “Mother-in-law, thank you so much for your help these past few days. Now that I’m back, don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Jiang Lu during her confinent.”
Jiang Lu’s mother snorted again.
Aunt Zhou didn’t mind and continued, “I really didn’t expect this. I rushed back, thinking you’d give birth around this ti, but you were a week early. By the way, have we bought a hen yet? We need to make so chicken soup.”
Wang Zhaodi, standing at the door, imdiately volunteered, “I’ll cook it.”
Jiang Lu’s mother said, “We’ve already bought one. There’s a hen in the coop outside. Jiang Lu has already had one chicken this week, and I also bought her so carp to help with lactation…”
Aunt Zhou said, “Thank you, mother-in-law. Thank you so much.”
Jiang Lu’s mother replied coldly, “There’s no need to thank . Jiang Lu is my daughter, and this is my grandson. It’s only right that I do my part. Besides, the neighbors, Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua, have also been helping take care of Jiang Lu. Everything’s been going well, so there’s no need to worry.”
“That’s good, I…” Aunt Zhou was about to say sothing else when Jiang Lu interrupted.
“Mom, why don’t you go take a bath?”
Aunt Zhou was surprised, “Huh?”
Jiang Lu said bluntly, “You’ve been traveling back and forth, switching buses and trains, and you’ve been around all sorts of people. It’s not very clean. The baby is still so small, and his immune system is weak. He can’t handle it.”
Aunt Zhou nodded, “You’re right, that’s true.”
Jiang Lu smiled and said, “You and Wang Zhaodi should both go wash up. There’s no rush to cook. Aunt Zhao made pig trotters with soybeans for Ming i today, and she sent so over for .”
Aunt Zhou said, “Oh, really…”
She whispered, “She’s quite generous.”
Jiang Lu said, “It’s give and take. Go take a bath, and we’ll catch up when you get back. There’s been a lot going on in the neighborhood recently, and we’ll have plenty to talk about.”
“Alright.”
Aunt Zhou listened to this and quickly headed out, calling for her goddaughter Wang Zhaodi to join her. In truth, her trip to Wang Zhaodi’s hotown had been quite an adventure, and she felt a renewed sense of energy after the journey.
Aunt Zhou and the other elderly won in the neighborhood rarely went to public bathhouses. They usually bathed at ho, as going to the bathhouse wasn’t cheap, and they were all quite frugal. But this ti, Aunt Zhou didn’t mind spending the money. She was exhausted from her trip, and a bath would help her relax. Besides, she agreed with Jiang Lu—the baby was too young to be held by soone who wasn’t clean. You couldn’t get as clean at ho as you could at the bathhouse.
She and Wang Zhaodi went to the bathhouse together—well, actually, three of them went, as Da Qiang insisted on coming along and even paid for the tickets.
They separated into the n’s and won’s sections. Aunt Zhou soaked in the pool and sighed, “Ah, this feels so good.”
Wang Zhaodi looked around curiously, fascinated by everything. This was her first ti ever visiting a bathhouse. She had been born and raised in the countryside, and this was a whole new experience for her.
She couldn’t help but exclaim, “This place is amazing.”
Aunt Zhou said, “Of course it is. It’s not cheap, you know.”
Wang Zhaodi nodded. It really wasn’t cheap. Back in her village, people would rather spend that money on a small piece of at than on a bath. They’d just jump into the river to wash themselves. Aunt Zhou said, “Co on, let’s wash our hair with soap. We’ll sll nice afterward.”
Wang Zhaodi quickly agreed, “Alright.”
While the two of them were bathing, Jiang Lu’s mother was feeling a bit displeased. She said, “That old woman really doesn’t know how to prioritize. You’re her daughter-in-law, yet she treats so country girl so well. I don’t know what she’s thinking. She’s truly clueless.”
Jiang Lu, sitting on the bed, frowned disapprovingly and said, “Mom, why are you saying that? Wang Zhaodi is a good person, and she’s very hardworking. Don’t criticize my mother-in-law. I like her too. When I was pregnant, she kept the house in order, and she took good care of the baby. We owe her a lot.”
After all, their baby was technically a premature birth, but who had ever heard of a premature baby weighing seven pounds? Even full-term babies rarely weighed that much.
Though the birth had been difficult, Jiang Lu didn’t feel any regret. She had longed for a child, and now her wish had finally co true.
She poked her son’s sleeping face and said, “Babies sleep so much.”
Jiang Lu’s mother, seeing that Jiang Lu wasn’t going to engage with her complaints, pursed her lips and said, “You always side with outsiders.”
Jiang Lu replied, “I’m not just siding with outsiders. I’m telling the truth. Wang Zhaodi is genuinely a good person. When she cos back, I plan to discuss hiring her as a helper.”
This was sothing Jiang Lu had been considering for a while.
Jiang Lu’s mother widened her eyes in surprise and said, “A helper? Are you out of your mind? What kind of family hires helpers? Aren’t you afraid soone might report you?”
Her concern wasn’t really about the money but more about the potential backlash. If soone wanted to make a big deal out of it, they could accuse Jiang Lu of exploiting others. Jiang Lu’s mother had seen a lot in her life, and she didn’t want her daughter to get involved in such trouble.
Jiang Lu said, “I know what I’m doing. No one will think much of it. After all, Aunt Zhou is Wang Zhaodi’s godmother. It’s just family helping each other out.”
Jiang Lu’s mother still wasn’t convinced. She said, “Your mother-in-law is back now. She can help out more. Why do you need a helper?”
Jiang Lu: "Oh, Mom, don't worry about it. I'm definitely going to hire Wang Zhaodi. Having soone to help out is a big deal. Mom, there's no need to save money here. Zhou Qun and I both earn decent salaries. With our family's situation, hiring help is no problem. Besides, having extra hands to take care of things will make the household run smoother. I can't rely solely on my mother-in-law. She's getting older, and generally, older people aren't great at taking care of kids. If she spoils the child too much, just look at what happened next door. I can't let my child grow up spoiled and clueless. Once they're older, it's too late to fix. Even though I'm the one in charge at ho, my mother-in-law doesn't always listen to , but Wang Zhaodi will. She'll definitely follow my lead."
Once Jiang Lu had made up her mind, there was no changing it. That was just how she was.
She said, "I'll probably only have this one child, so of course, I want to raise them well. I can't let them end up like Jinlai next door. Jinlai got into trouble again."
Jiang Lu's Mother: "..."
She didn't really know much about the people in their courtyard, but their courtyard was so famous that even people across the city had heard of it. So, of course, they'd all heard of Old Lady Su and Gou Lanxiang.
That old woman was quite the mystery.
People couldn't help but gossip about her.
Jiang Lu's Mother had picked up bits and pieces about the Su family, and after hearing more from her daughter, she had a better understanding of them.
As for Su Jinlai, that kid had just gotten out of juvenile detention after the New Year. But instead of reforming, he ended up making friends there. Before, he used to act alone, but now he'd joined a small gang.
A few days ago, on the night Jiang Lu accidentally overexerted herself and had a scare with the baby, Jinlai and his gang were caught red-handed stealing. The authorities had been watching them for days, waiting to catch them in the act. And just like that, he was back in detention.
Wang Xiangxiu cried at ho for a while, then quietly packed so things to go visit her son.
When she ca back, she cried again.
Since he was still underage, he was sent back to juvenile detention, but this ti, his sentence was much harsher. Last ti, it was three months; this ti, it was three years. The severity was due to the high value of the stolen goods.
It was also because it was a group cri, which carried a heavier penalty than acting alone. The gang was made up of kids around thirteen or fourteen, and this wasn't their first offense. According to Su Jinlai's confession, he had gone out stealing with a few other boys the very day he got out of detention, officially joining the gang.
He had only been out for about a month but had already committed theft five or six tis.
Getting into trouble right after getting out showed he hadn't learned his lesson, and this ti, the sentence ca down quickly and harshly.
Jiang Lu hadn't known about this while she was in the hospital. It wasn't until she was discharged yesterday and ran into Wang Xiangxiu, who looked particularly haggard, that she found out Jinlai was back in detention. Jiang Lu shook her head silently, thinking the kid was beyond help.
She said, "I have to make sure I raise my child right. Even if it's just one child, I can't spoil them too much."
Jiang Lu's Mother sighed and said, "You're right about that."
Everyone assud Jiang Lu wouldn't have any more children, so naturally, they hoped she would raise this one well. Otherwise, it would be the parents who suffered in the end.
Jiang Lu's Mother: "Alright, since your mother-in-law is back, I won't stay here anymore. I've been coming early and leaving late every day recently, and your sister-in-law has been making snide comnts."
Jiang Lu pouted, unhappy.
She and her brother had been close as kids, but after they each got married and he had his own family, their relationship had cooled. Now, they were just regular relatives. Even during her childbirth, since Aunt Zhou wasn't around, Zhao Guihua had been more present than her own sister-in-law.
Her sister-in-law had only shown up the day after she gave birth, bringing a gift and a red envelope, and then disappeared. Not only did she not show up again, but she also seed annoyed that Jiang Lu's mother was coming over every day to help.
Jiang Lu sneered, "Your daughter-in-law is really sothing, isn't she?"
Jiang Lu's Mother: "Oh, don't say that. She's just looking out for her own family. The money she saves isn't going to outsiders—it's for your nephew. At least she's not sending it back to her own family. That's sothing."
She glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then pulled out so money and handed it to Jiang Lu, saying, "Take this."
Jiang Lu's expression changed. "I don't want it."
Jiang Lu's Mother: "Don't be stubborn. Take it. It's from your dad. Keep it for yourself, and don't tell Zhou Qun. Don't ntion it to your brother and sister-in-law when you go back ho either."
Jiang Lu looked down at the handkerchief wrapped around the money, her eyes slightly red.
Because she had refused to get a divorce, her father had been cold to her. She still visited her family, but her father barely acknowledged her, acting like she wasn't there. When she gave birth, he had co by to take a quick look and then left.
That was only because Aunt Zhou wasn't around. If Aunt Zhou had been there, her father wouldn't have shown up at all.
Jiang Lu knew her father was upset, but she was in a tough spot too. Sotis, she just didn't have better options.
She bit her lip. "You should keep this money for your retirent. You need it too..."
Jiang Lu's Mother: "Stop talking nonsense. Just take it. Don't dawdle, or your mother-in-law will see. Keep it for yourself and the baby. Since your mother-in-law is back, I won't be coming over as often. But if she gives you a hard ti or if anything happens, let us know. Even though your dad is upset, if you're mistreated, he'll stand up for you."
Jiang Lu nodded and asked, "Is Weimin graduating from high school this year or next?"
Weimin was her older brother's son.
Her brother had married early, so his children were older.
Jiang Lu's Mother smiled at the ntion of her grandson and rolled her eyes. "You're his aunt, and you don't even know when he's graduating? Weimin is graduating next year."
Jiang Lu: "Doesn't that an he'll have to go to the countryside?"
Jiang Lu's Mother: "Go to the countryside? No way! Your dad is already working on it, trying to find him a job for next year. Back in the day, you could buy a job for two or three hundred yuan, but not anymore. Plus, our family has to send soone to the countryside, so your dad is pulling so strings. It'll cost a few hundred to get things sorted at the Youth Office. Anyway, I won't bore you with the details... I'm leaving. I haven't been ho in days, so I need to buy so groceries and make sothing nice for my grandson."
Jiang Lu nodded softly.
This was her mother.
Her mother loved her and cared for her.
But when it ca to her brother or his family, Jiang Lu always ca second.
She was used to it. Looking down at the handkerchief, she knew the money she was given would never compare to what her brother received, but Jiang Lu was still touched. She counted it: 500 yuan!
That was a significant amount.
Jiang Lu pursed her lips, her head bowed, lost in thought...
"Jiang Lu! Jiang Lu!"
Jiang Lu quickly tucked the money away and said, "Co in."
Ming i walked in, carrying lunch. "I brought you so food."
Jiang Lu smiled. "Why are you the one bringing it?"
Ming i: "I left the kids with my mother-in-law. It's a chance to get out for a bit."
She added, "Now that Aunt Zhou is back, you won't need us in the evenings anymore."
Jiang Lu: "Thank you so much for everything these past few days."
Ming i: "Don't ntion it. A lot of the stuff was prepared by your family, and I got to eat so of it too."
She leaned down to play with the sleeping baby. The little chubby thing ignored her, as babies that small spend most of their ti sleeping—eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating. Ming i smiled. "There are quite a few kids in our courtyard. They'll have plenty of playmates in the future."
Jiang Lu: "Absolutely!"
Noticing Ming i seed a bit down, Jiang Lu asked, "What's wrong with you today?"
The Ming i she knew was always energetic, even when she was heavily pregnant and uncomfortable. Today, she seed unusually listless.
Ming i sighed. "Tomorrow, I have to go back to work."
How could the break go by so quickly? It felt like ti had flown by in the blink of an eye.
When she was at work, ti seed to drag, but at ho, it raced by. It was truly disheartening.
Ming i: "Before the vacation, I thought that a two-month break, give or take, was quite a lot. But now that it's actually here, ti is flying by."
Jiang Lu couldn't help but laugh at this: "Of course, now that you're back at work, what about the baby?"
Ming i: "I co ho every morning and afternoon to breastfeed. There are policies for that, so I'm not worried about it. My main concern is that the stress of work might reduce my milk supply, and the baby won't get enough."
Jiang Lu sighed, realizing that what Ming i was going through would soon be her own reality. Unlike Li Fang, who was a housewife, they both had to work. Jiang Lu whispered, "If you can't produce enough milk, buy so formula. I'll help you figure it out."
It had to be said, Jiang Lu had the connections. Her father was the deputy director of the supply and marketing cooperative.
Ming i: "Not necessary for now. I still have so milk, and if it runs out, I have my parents to fall back on. You just helped Bai Fendou the other day, didn't you?"
Jiang Lu nodded.
She smiled and said, "I owe him a wife, so trading that for two cans of formula is fair."
Ming i looked at Jiang Lu in surprise, not quite understanding.
Jiang Lu: "Back then, Zhou Qun made advances on him, and I promised to compensate him with a hundred yuan and introduce him to a potential partner. The money was given long ago, but finding a suitable match has been tough. Honestly, I don't know many people, and most of them are around my age—already married. It dragged on until he found a wife on his own. His wife also doesn't have enough milk for their baby, so when he visited in the hospital, he asked for my help again. How could I refuse? My mother was there too, and we managed to get him two cans of formula. Of course, he paid for it."
Even though they were in the capital, Beijing, formula wasn't easy to co by. The supply was limited, and it was often sold out quickly. Without connections, you might try several tis and still co up empty-handed. Plus, you needed ration tickets for formula, which were hard to get.
So, even though Bai Fendou paid for it, Jiang Lu had really done him a huge favor.
Ming i said, "Bai Fendou is lucky to have t you."
Without Jiang Lu's help, Bai Fendou would never have been able to buy formula.
Jiang Lu: "I think He Lan and her daughter are the lucky ones to have t Bai Fendou."
Most people wouldn't go out of their way to buy formula for a premature baby girl, especially one who wasn't even their own.
Ming i nodded in agreent: "I never thought much of Bai Fendou, but it turns out he's not a bad person."
Jiang Lu: "He's just not the sharpest tool in the shed."
Ming i burst out laughing and nodded in agreent.
After laughing, Ming i said, "I don't see He Lan around much."
Jiang Lu: "Probably scared, right?"
Given her background, it wasn't surprising that she was cautious and kept a low profile.
Ming i nodded gently, "That makes sense."
They weren't wrong. Even though He Lan had married Bai Fendou, she rarely ventured out, keeping a quiet life. But these days, she had been busy cleaning the house, making it spotless and tidy.
Before, Bai Fendou only used one room, while the other was cluttered with junk. Even the room he lived in was dirty, with bedding that hadn't been washed in a year. He Lan had given the house a thorough cleaning, even washing the bedding.
She wasn't sure what else to do, but keeping busy made her feel like she wasn't living in a dream. Cleaning the house gave her a sense of peace and satisfaction.
He Lan did have so milk, but after giving birth, she hadn't had the chance to rest properly and had suffered a lot, so her supply was limited. Even though she had been eating better recently, it wasn't enough to fully recover. anwhile, her baby's appetite was growing.
Thankfully, Bai Fendou had managed to get so formula.
With a smile on her lips, He Lan prepared a small amount of formula for her daughter. The little one pursed her tiny lips, eating slowly but steadily.
He Lan took a deep breath, feeling incredibly grateful. Her father's attempts to secure her future had backfired, but this chance encounter with Bai Fendou had brought her unexpected kindness. She felt a deep sense of warmth and gratitude, wishing she could find a Bodhisattva to thank for her good fortune.
She gently poked her daughter's thin little body and said, "Little treasure, you need to grow so more at. Mommy and Daddy love you so much."
"Ming i…"
A loud call interrupted her thoughts. He Lan peeked out the window and saw a young woman in a cotton-padded jacket coming out of the neighboring house and heading across the street. "Mom, what's wrong?"
Zhao Guihua: "Your daughter's hungry. Co and feed her."
Their little Yuan Yuan was a foodie and a glutton. Whenever she slled sothing delicious, her little nose would twitch, and she'd start crying. And when the baby cried, her older brother would join in, creating a duet of wails.
Ming i hurried ho to find the two little ones crying without tears.
Ming i poked Yuan Yuan's chubby cheeks and said, "What's wrong, Yuan Yuan? Are you hungry or just craving sothing?"
The baby didn't know, of course. She just nuzzled against her mother, clearly wanting sothing tasty.
Ming i fed both children and said, "All the good food I eat goes straight to you two."
She had been eating very well lately. After all, giving birth was a big deal, and the Zhuang family was well-off. Zhao Guihua had even gone to the black market to buy good food for her daughter-in-law. Ming i's family also visited often, bringing plenty of nutritious food.
Between the two "queens" of the household and Old Man Lan, Ming i's grandfather, who frequently brought treats, Ming i was eating better than most cadre families. Yet, despite all this, she hadn't gained any weight—in fact, she was even slimr than before her pregnancy. Clearly, all the nutrients were going to the two little ones.
The two babies, who had been red and wrinkly at birth, had now turned into plump, rosy-cheeked little angels.
Ming i laid the two babies side by side. Yuan Yuan wriggled and made little noises, as if trying to get Ming i's attention.
Ming i: "What is it?"
She checked the bedding—no wet spot.
Yuan Yuan kept making noises, so Ming i picked her up. The little one imdiately settled into a comfortable position, closing her eyes as if ready to sleep.
Ah, this little one just wanted to be held!
Ming i poked her chubby little cheek and said, "You're such a spoiled little thing."
Zhao Guihua: "Don't hold her too much."
Ming i: "I know, but she tricked !"
Zhao Guihua gave her a look, as if to say, "You got fooled by a baby?" Thankfully, Yuan Yuan was a good sleeper and soon dozed off. Ming i put her down and said, "Aunt Zhou is back."
Zhao Guihua imdiately said, "I'll go see her."
Ming i: "I'll co too."
They both wanted to hear about Wang Zhaodi.
But with the babies to take care of, Zhao Guihua decisively said, "Each of us takes a baby. Let's go."
Ming i: "Alright."
They carried the babies to the Zhou household. Seeing that Aunt Zhou had returned, Aunt Wang also hurried over. The group gathered at the Zhou house, and Aunt Zhou proudly said, "Look at how popular I am. Everyone's so concerned about ."
Zhao Guihua: "We just want to hear about Wang Zhaodi."
Wang Zhaodi: "I've taken care of all the paperwork. Once Da Qiang gets the reference letter from the factory tomorrow, we can get married."
"Congratulations!"
Wang Zhaodi smiled shyly, full of hope for her new life.
Zhao Guihua and Ming i placed their babies next to Xiao Qi Jin, and the three little ones soon fell asleep. Zhao Guihua eagerly said, "Tell us everything!"
Aunt Zhou glanced at Wang Zhaodi and said, "This matter, I really need to have a good talk with you all. Let tell you, under these circumstances, it's only because I stepped in that things didn't go south. If those two had gone back alone, they would have definitely been taken advantage of."
"How so?"
Aunt Zhou spat and said, "Her family is practically trying to sell their daughter, demanding an exorbitant price."
As it turned out, Aunt Zhou, Da Qiang, and Wang Zhaodi had transferred buses several tis and walked through mountain roads before finally arriving at Wang Zhaodi's village.
To be honest, Aunt Zhou had been living in the city since her teenage years and hadn't been to such a place in a long ti. As soon as they entered the village, she could imdiately feel the difference between the city and the countryside.
They had passed through villages on their way to the mountains, but the villages near the city were completely different from this remote, impoverished one. This village was deep in the mountains, extrely isolated, and it had taken them several hours to walk there, as there was no transportation available for the last stretch of the journey.
The three of them entered the village together, and as soon as they did, they were accosted by a loud, nosy woman who grabbed Wang Zhaodi and said, "Oh, Zhaodi, where have you been? I heard you went to the city to work for soone? How much did they pay you? Oh, let take a look. You've gained so weight, haven't you? You look so much better now!"
She continued, "Your skin has also gotten fairer. Who would have thought this little yellow-haired girl would turn out so pretty? What do you think of my son, Da Zhuang? Your mother has already agreed to marry you off to our family!"
This whole scene was utterly shocking.
Aunt Zhou didn't hold back and imdiately slapped the woman's hand away, saying, "Who do you think you are? We've taken care of her, and now you're trying to steal her away? Who do you think you are! Wang Zhaodi, tell , who is this? I'm warning you! If you dare to marry soone else, you'll have to pay back all the money we've spent on you!"
This was sothing Aunt Zhou had agreed upon with them beforehand. Since they were here, they couldn't afford to be nice. Being too nice would only get them eaten alive.
The woman glared at her and said, "Who are you to co to our village and cause trouble?"
Wang Zhaodi, with her head bowed, whispered, "She's from our village."
Wang Zhaodi then said, "Step aside, we need to go ho."
The woman retorted, "How can you be so rude? Don't you know how to respect your elders? Just because you've been to the city doesn't an you're all that."
Wang Zhaodi shot back, "What does it matter to you whether I've been to the city or not? Get out of my way."
Although she was ek in front of Aunt Zhou, she wasn't the sa with outsiders. She waved her fist nacingly and said, "Get out of here, or I won't be polite."
It was shocking to see Wang Zhaodi, who had been a nobody in the village, now daring to raise her hand.
The woman pointed at her in disbelief, "You... you... Oh, I can't believe this! How can a young person like you be so disrespectful? How dare you talk to like that? Do you really think you're sothing special?"
Her words quickly drew a crowd, including Wang Zhaodi's own mother, who didn't even recognize her daughter at first.
When she finally recognized Wang Zhaodi, they all went ho, and Wang Zhaodi learned why the woman at the village entrance had said what she did.
It turned out that her mother had promised to marry her off to the woman's ntally challenged son once she returned.
After all, the boy couldn't find anyone better, and no one else would marry him. Wang Zhaodi wasn't exactly pure either, so she could at least bear children for them. Initially, Da Zhuang's mother hadn't thought much of Wang Zhaodi.
But now that she saw how much Wang Zhaodi had improved—her looks, her weight—she was imdiately satisfied and grabbed Wang Zhaodi's hand.
Aunt Zhou and Wang Zhaodi hadn't expected to encounter such a situation as soon as they entered the village.
It was easy to imagine how much trouble Wang Zhaodi would have faced if she had returned alone.
But when it ca to making a scene, Aunt Zhou was a pro. She imdiately sat down on the ground, rolling around and shouting, "You Wang family is so shaless! How can you sell your daughter to two different families? You're heartless! I'm going to report you to the commune!"
If they wanted to make a fuss, she could do it too!
Wang Zhaodi's mother was stunned and shouted, "Who sold our daughter to your family?"
Aunt Zhou replied confidently, "You two did! Or do you think your daughter ate for free at our house?"
Aunt Zhou spoke with such enthusiasm that Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang exchanged glances and said, "It's a good thing it's you. If it were soone else, they might not have been able to pull off such a scene. You're really sothing."
Aunt Zhou remained calm and said, "I have to make a scene. I know things aren't exactly as I'm saying, but if I don't do this, who knows what kind of tricks they might pull? So people are like that. If you're too nice, they'll take advantage of you. But if you're difficult, they'll actually be more willing to negotiate. I've seen families like this before, the kind that would sell their daughter over and over again. You can't give them any leeway. So I just make a fuss."
Zhao Guihua asked, "But what role are you playing in all this?"
Aunt Zhou replied, "I'm saying that Wang Zhaodi is my goddaughter. Her family didn't want to waste food raising her, so they sent her to . Now that I've fed her well and found her a match, they want to collect a dowry from soone else. Isn't that just using ? I spent a whole year's worth of money on her, feeding and clothing her. If they want to marry her off, they'll have to reimburse for that year's expenses!"
"Well... that sounds both reasonable and completely unreasonable at the sa ti."
Aunt Zhou said, "I know it doesn't make complete sense, but if I don't make a scene, how can I make the Wang family so annoyed that they'll let her go?"
Others might not have understood, but Zhao Guihua did.
She said, "You're just spouting nonsense and making a scene on purpose to make them think you're up to no good. Even if you really did take care of Wang Zhaodi for a year, you have your own agenda. So they'll think you're trying to squeeze money out of Da Qiang. Since they're also trying to get money, they'd rather do it themselves than through you."
Aunt Zhou nodded, "Exactly."
She continued, "Sure enough, those people saw making a scene and tried to calm down, but they secretly went to Da Qiang to ask about the dowry. We had rehearsed this scenario multiple tis on the way here, so Da Qiang gruffly said, 'Sixty-six.'"
Aunt Zhou sneered, "The family thought that was too low, and after so back-and-forth haggling, they settled on a hundred. That's an exorbitant amount for a dowry. It's practically selling their daughter."
Generally, a dowry of twenty was considered quite generous.
Demanding such a high price usually ant they weren't planning on maintaining any kind of relationship afterward. It was essentially selling their daughter. Even though it was the 1970s, such practices still existed in so remote areas.
In their village, because Aunt Zhou had already established herself as difficult and ddleso, the family wanted to resolve things quickly, so the process went smoothly.
However, there were many unsavory details about this situation that neither Aunt Zhou nor Wang Zhaodi ntioned.
From the beginning, it had been agreed that Wang Zhaodi would go to the city to bear a child for soone. Although she hadn't succeeded, Wang Zhaodi's family assud she was no longer a virgin.
Since she wasn't a virgin, they couldn't expect to "sell" her for a high price, which is why they had set their sights on Da Zhuang in the village.
His family was well-off, but since he was ntally challenged, it was hard for him to find a wife.
However, he was a suitable match for soone like Wang Zhaodi, and they had already agreed on a price of fifty. It was a clean break.
Da Zhuang's mother was essentially looking for soone to take care of her son, paying fifty for a lifeti of service. But now, with Da Qiang coming from afar, the Wang family saw another opportunity. Even though Aunt Zhou was stirring up trouble, they could tell she had her own interests at heart, so they quickly backed out of the deal with Da Zhuang's family and turned their attention to Da Qiang.
Wang Zhaodi returned ho, and her younger sister, Yin Di, imdiately ca to investigate. Upon learning that Da Qiang was a laborer doing hard physical work, that this was his second marriage, and that his first wife had already passed away, Yin Di quietly inford their parents.
The couple pondered and speculated that Da Qiang’s previous wife must have been beaten to death by him. Just look at him—he had a rough voice, a towering figure, and brute strength. Besides, why would a city man want to marry a country girl? There must be sothing wrong with him.
He was definitely the kind of man who treated his wife harshly. His first wife must have been killed by his family.
Despite these thoughts, it didn’t stop them from wanting to marry Wang Zhaodi off to him. They were only interested in the money, not the man. After all, marrying into such a family would surely bring a higher bride price than marrying within the village. The Da Zhuang family in their village was already considered well-off, offering fifty yuan, but this man was offering sixty-six yuan.
If they negotiated further, they could get even more.
Why should they let Aunt Zhou sell their daughter? She called herself a godmother, but what did that even an? If they were going to marry her off, they would do it themselves. Moreover, the Zhou family had promised that if no child was born, they would still provide fifty yuan for nutritional expenses. That money had to be given.
Aunt Zhou: “Actually, on the way here, I thought about it. So money would definitely have to be spent. If we didn’t spend a single penny, Zhaodi would never be able to leave that family. Their whole village sticks together, and I couldn’t just bribe the village leader to get the necessary docunts. That’s impossible. So, we had to play the bad guys. Da Qiang and I—one was an old woman trying to take advantage, and the other was a violent man with a terrible character. Since neither of us were good people, they were eager to settle the matter quickly and get rid of us. Da Qiang spent one hundred yuan to get a statent severing ties, along with Zhaodi’s introduction letter and household registration transfer docunts. As for , since I was under their roof, I reluctantly gave the fifty yuan we had agreed upon earlier. In total, one hundred and fifty yuan severed Wang Zhaodi’s ties with her family.”
Her explanation wasn’t too complicated, but in reality, it had been a ssy and drawn-out process.
Fortunately, the outco was good. Although one hundred and fifty yuan was a significant amount, it could be considered as repaynt for Wang Zhaodi’s parents’ efforts in raising her.
“So, is this matter settled now?”
“Yes.”
Zhao Guihua sighed with relief, grateful that it was the 1970s, a ti when many things were simpler to handle. If this had happened decades later, when everything was more regulated, Wang Zhaodi would never have been able to get all the necessary docunts so quickly.
Of course, even though Aunt Zhou made it sound straightforward, they could imagine that the situation had been chaotic and not as simple as a few words could describe.
Zhao Guihua: “Aunt Zhou, you’ve had it tough.”
Aunt Zhou: “Haven’t I? I had to fully embody the role of a scheming old woman trying to profit from soone else’s daughter, but forced to bow down and pay up on soone else’s turf.”
Wang Zhaodi: “Godmother, I can’t let you pay this money. Once I’ve saved enough, I’ll pay you back.”
Aunt Zhou: “Don’t bother! This was agreed upon from the start. Since it was agreed, just let it be.”
Wang Zhaodi lowered her head, a tear falling. This trip ho had made her realize that her own family was less caring than complete strangers. Aunt Zhou had gone out of her way to help her, but her own parents, upon hearing that Da Qiang might be a violent man, had only thought about selling her for money.
Not only did they sell her, but they also wanted to turn her into a long-term source of inco.
Before she left, her mother had grabbed her hand and tearfully said, “Zhaodi, now that you’re married, you can’t forget about your family. Look at your older sisters—they all treat their family as a support system. Without your family to back you up, you won’t have anyone to rely on. You need to know what’s good for you. We’re your parents, the ones who gave birth to you and raised you. We would never harm you. You must rember to co back ho.”
Thinking of her mother’s behavior at the ti, Wang Zhaodi felt nauseated. Sure enough, her mother soon added, “Life in the city will surely be better than in the countryside. Even though we’re far apart, you should save up so private money. If necessary, secretly take so from the household funds and hide it. It’ll be useful. In a few years, once you’ve given birth to a son for that man, he won’t stop you from coming back ho. By then, you’ll have saved up money to bring back, and that’ll be your filial duty. I’m pregnant again, and when I give you a little brother, you’ll have soone to rely on in the future…”
Recalling her mother’s words, Wang Zhaodi felt like vomiting up her dinner from the night before.
She truly understood now that so people were not fit to be parents.
They had children only to turn them into cash cows.
She rembered coldly saying at the ti, “You’ve sold off, so don’t ever claim as your daughter again. I hate you!”
It was the first ti in her life she had spoken so harshly.
Even though it was her parents’ fault, they looked at her with disbelief, calling her an ungrateful wretch, accusing her of not understanding their sacrifices, and saying she was worse than her sisters. They even wished they had drowned her at birth…
Wang Zhaodi shook her head at the mory.
If the ties were severed, then so be it.
As long as she never returned ho, she wouldn’t fear them coming after her. They might bully others in the village, but outside, they had no power.
“Zhaodi, what’s wrong?”
Wang Zhaodi: “I was thinking about my family. They sold off and still expect to support them.”
Even before returning ho, Wang Zhaodi had suspected her parents would sell her, but experiencing it firsthand still left her feeling chilled to the bone. She couldn’t understand—just because she was a girl, was this how she deserved to be treated?
But why weren’t other families like this?
Wang Zhaodi shook her head and said, “I’m never going back.”
“That’s the right decision. Going back wouldn’t do you any good.”
Aunt Zhou agreed, “Yes, I think so too.”
She was glad that Wang Zhaodi had broken free from her family. She said, “Now that you’ve left, don’t go back. Look at your sisters—do you want to end up like them?”
Aunt Zhou vented to the others, “You have no idea, Wang Zhaodi’s younger sister is really sothing else. She even ca over to spy and report back. Tsk tsk.”
“What’s her sister like?”
Aunt Zhou glanced at Wang Zhaodi, who didn’t object, and said, “Her sister is obsessed with the idea of the family having a baby boy. She’s desperate for it, hoping that a male heir will strengthen the family’s standing and give her more leverage when she gets married. Isn’t that just ridiculous? The age gap between her and a potential brother would be so large that even if the boy turned out well, he wouldn’t be able to support her. And let’s not forget, what kind of child could such a family raise? Did you notice Wang Zhaodi’s clothes? The outfit she wore ho was snatched by her sister and given to their mother. If I hadn’t been prepared, Wang Zhaodi would have had to return in just a thin shirt. And her sister kept pestering her, asking if she had secretly saved any money and demanding to know why she didn’t steal so to improve the family’s life.”
Everyone was stunned.
Ming i: “Good grief, how old is this girl?”
“She’s sixteen or seventeen, not a child anymore. But the things she says are completely nonsensical.”
Aunt Zhou felt that it was true—even siblings from the sa family could be vastly different.
Huh? She had learned a new phrase.
Her literacy classes hadn’t been in vain.
She said, “Honestly, out of all the girls in Wang Zhaodi’s family, she’s the only decent one. The others, big and small, are all unreliable. Her parents just don’t know how to raise children.”
If it weren’t for Wang Zhaodi’s strength and ability to work, which made her less favored by her parents and left her to grow up sowhat independently, she might have turned out like the others. Thankfully, Wang Zhaodi was different, and it was fortunate that she had co to them. If it had been her younger sister, they would have ended up with a thief in their midst.
Sotis, it really cos down to fate when it cos to people.
“I’m so glad it’s Zhaodi who ca to us.”
Wang Zhaodi: “I’m not as good as you all say.”
She felt a little embarrassed.
“You’re already amazing. Growing up in that family and not turning out like them is a huge accomplishnt.”
Wang Zhaodi pursed her lips and said, "I don’t want to be like them."
In the past, she had only cared about filling her stomach and hadn’t thought about anything else. She would spend her days running around the mountains, unaware of the bigger picture. But since coming here, she had seen and experienced so much more, and she had learned a great deal. She now understood how one should live their life. Sure, one could be stubborn or even scheming, but she was determined not to beco like her mother or her sisters.
When Wang Zhaodi returned ho this ti, she had wanted to talk to her younger sisters. She hoped they could have their own thoughts, just like her. But as soon as she started, they accused her of being possessed by a fox spirit, of spouting nonsense with blinded eyes. They said she had beco arrogant after moving to the city, acting all high and mighty, spouting grand philosophies as if she were soone important.
Everyone looked at her with disapproval and confusion, as if she were the odd one out. But in reality, she wasn’t. Wang Zhaodi knew very clearly that she wasn’t the strange one. What she was doing was right. Families like hers, obsessed with having sons and even willing to sell their daughters—that was what was wrong.
She believed that one should live like Ming i, like Sister Li Fang, and like Sister Jiang Lu.
Not blindly fixated on just one word—son.
As if life would be over without a son.
Life wasn’t like that.
When Wang Zhaodi returned to the village, she felt suffocated. For the first ti, she realized how ignorant her family was. In the village, not every household was like this. There were open-minded families, families with good values.
But hers wasn’t one of them.
And neither were many others.
Wang Zhaodi sighed softly and said, "This ti, when I get married and transfer my household registration, I want to change my na."
"Huh?"
"Change your na? That’s a good idea."
"Yes, I also think the na Zhaodi isn’t good."
Everyone agreed. While a na was just a na, "Zhaodi" always felt uncomfortable.
They all looked at her. Wang Zhaodi said, "I don’t want to ‘Zhaodi.’ Whether I have a brother or not, I don’t care. I want to change my na. I want to give myself a new na, not one that carries soone else’s wishes."
"You want to change your na? What do you want to be called?"
Truthfully, Wang Zhaodi didn’t know what she wanted to be called, but she was certain she didn’t want to be called Zhaodi anymore. In the past, she hadn’t had a choice, but now things were different. Now she could have a new life, and she wanted to choose.
She said seriously, "I want a good na, a na for myself."
She scratched her head and asked, "What do you all think? What na should I have?"
Let’s help Zhaodi pick a new na~
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