Chapter 43
◎The Softest Harbor in the World◎
In May 1972, Yu Laowu brought his girlfriend to the Su family’s house.
Yu Juanfang had known for a long time that her younger brother was dating. She had been thinking of going to her parents’ house in a couple of days, but she didn’t expect her brother to bring his girlfriend to their house first, along with a large pile of cakes, tea, and wine. This made Yu Juanfang’s family overjoyed. Tangtang and Juesheng, the two children, surrounded Li Suqin, calling her “sister” and chatting with her.
Some families would have their children call the young, unmarried woman by her future married title, like “aunt.” At such times, the young woman would usually blush and shyly accept. But Yu Juanfang had instructed her two children beforehand not to be impolite. Li Suqin and Yu Laowu were not yet officially married, and Yu Juanfang was worried about being too forward with the young woman.
Tangtang peeled an apple for her future aunt. Juesheng carried a kettle and poured tea. Li Suqin thought of what Yu Laowu had said, “They will definitely like you very much,” and it was indeed true.
It was a rare occasion for guests to come to the house, and the atmosphere was harmonious and joyful.
But the problem was that Yu Juanfang hadn’t expected her brother to come to their house early, and she hadn’t had time to prepare any good dishes to entertain them.
“Let’s just have dumplings. It’s convenient and simple, and it won’t seem shabby,” Tangtang suggested to her mother.
Yu Juanfang thought this was a good idea. “The meat stall at the Hongqi Commune might still have mutton. I’ll have your dad go and buy a few catties of mutton back!”
“Then I’ll go to the private plot to pull some green onions.” The green onions in the vegetable patch at the base of the wall had all been pulled. The private plot was planted with crops, and a few green onions were planted in the corners.
Hearing Tangtang say she was going to the private plot to pull green onions, Li Suqin got up from her chair and said she would go with her. Although she was also born in the countryside, she had grown up in the city for most of her life and was full of curiosity about the countryside.
So, Tangtang took her hand and went towards the private plot. Yuhuai Village was located in the middle of the several villages in Hongqi Commune. In May, the crops in the fields were relatively mature. Amidst the green mountains and clear waters, the field ridges snaked like ink lines, and the rice seedlings on both sides swayed gently in the wind. The rustling sound, mixed with the sweet and fishy smell of the soil, wafted into their noses.
Tangtang took a big step and jumped into the private plot by the small stream. After loosening the soil with a shovel, she deftly grabbed the base of the green onion leaves and pulled hard, and the white part of the onion buried in the soil was pulled out.
Li Suqin also followed her example, but she couldn’t pull the onions out of the ground after pulling for a long time. Seeing this, Tangtang’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Sister, you have to loosen the soil first.”
“Use this shovel to dig up the soil next to it…” As she spoke, she taught Li Suqin how to use the small shovel to dig up the soil at the roots.
The damp soil mixed with the fragrance of green onions hit their faces. Li Suqin learned to pull up the loosened onions by the roots.
The two of them pulled a basket of small green onions and then walked back, chatting as they went. Li Suqin had originally treated Tangtang as a child, but after getting to know her, she found that this little girl was very perceptive. Many times, she had to treat her as an equal.
Just as Tangtang and Li Suqin were walking home from the private plot, they saw Zhang Guixiang standing not far away, winking at them. “Tangtang, come here!”
Although Tangtang was reluctant in her heart, she still walked over. “Eldest Aunt, what do you need?”
Zhang Guixiang glanced in Li Suqin’s direction a few more times. “Who is that girl?”
“She’s my uncle’s girlfriend. She’s a guest at our house.”
“What? Yu Laowu’s girlfriend?!” Zhang Guixiang was so shocked that she couldn’t help but raise her voice. She sized up Li Suqin a couple more times. She saw that she was wearing a light blue polyester dress, was pretty, and looked like an educated woman.
“Where is this girl from, and what does she do?”
“Sister Suqin is from the city and is a nurse at the county hospital.”
Hearing this, Zhang Guixiang felt as if she had swallowed a fly. Her Tiedan was also twenty-one this year. She had also asked about some of the girls in their village or neighboring villages, but they either disliked Tiedan for being dull or disliked their family for not being able to afford a high betrothal gift. Thinking that not only had Yu Laowu been hired by the breeding farm, but he had also found such a gentle and refined city girl, her heart was filled with a sour taste.
She forced a smile on her lips. “Oh, being a nurse is a respectable job. Laowu has really hit the jackpot!”
“Eldest Aunt, is there anything else? If not, I’ll go back first.” Tangtang had no time for these hypocritical pleasantries with her.
“Then you can go back.”
Hearing this, Tangtang carried the basket of small green onions and went home.
Zhang Guixiang returned to the old Su family’s house with a sullen face. Just as she entered, she ran into Yu Yahong cutting an old pumpkin by the well. “Laowu brought his girlfriend to Third Brother’s house as a guest. Did you see?”
“I saw. That girl looks pretty and educated. I heard they’re planning to have a wedding banquet next month. It would be great if my Shuanfu could also bring back such a clever wife for me one day.” Yu Yahong still remembered how Zhang Guixiang had publicly said last year that Yu Laowu was a mud-legged farmer, a toad wanting to eat swan meat, and was not worthy of her niece. Now, not only did he have a stable job, but he had also found such an outstanding girlfriend. Wasn’t this nurse from the county hospital better than her lazy niece, Zhang Chunni?
“What? They’re planning to have a wedding banquet next month?” Zhang Guixiang’s heart was filled with a sour taste. Why did all the good things happen to Yu Juanfang’s younger brother? She wished that Yu Laowu’s marriage would fall through and he would continue to be a bachelor. “City girls are delicate. Maybe in the future…”
Yu Yahong didn’t respond to her. Her daughter Wani was close to the third branch and had benefited a lot from them. Naturally, she would not join in slandering them behind their backs on such a matter. “Tiedan is also twenty-one this year. When are you going to find a wife for him?”
In the countryside, young men would start looking for a match at the age of seventeen or eighteen. If they were not married by their early twenties, they were considered “old bachelors” in the eyes of others.
Zhang Guixiang had been hit where it hurt, and her face instantly fell. “No hurry. In another year or two.”
…
Yu Laowu and Li Suqin’s wedding was held on an auspicious day in June. Relatives and neighbors from the left and right all gathered in the courtyard of the old Yu family’s house, and the atmosphere was extremely lively.
Two large pots had already been set up in the open space of the courtyard. The chef in charge was busy ladling the fragrant fried cakes and stewed vegetables into large sea bowls. According to the local custom, the banquet usually had nine dishes, including four cold dishes and five hot dishes.
Tangtang and Juesheng had come over with their parents early in the morning. It wasn’t that they hadn’t seen other families in the village hold weddings, but that was other people’s excitement. Today was their uncle’s wedding, and the feeling of sharing in the honor made the two children extremely excited.
Usually, Yu Laowu was good to Tangtang and the others. He would think of them whenever there was something good to eat and would also bring them gifts. They also wished their uncle well. Because Yu Laowu had been unable to find a girlfriend, the villagers had said a lot of sarcastic things. Today, their uncle was finally getting married, and they were happy from the bottom of their hearts.
The bride, Li Suqin, had already changed into a bright red dress. Her usual long two braids were slightly curled today and combed into an updo. A beautiful red flower was pinned to her temple, and the lipstick on her lips was painted very brightly.
Li Suqin was very satisfied with this marriage. Although it was a rural family, her husband was upright and down-to-earth, and he was good to her. Her in-laws were also reasonable old people, and her several sisters-in-law were much older than her and were all easy to talk to and get along with.
The guests were gradually taking their seats outside. Tangtang was worried that the bride would be hungry alone, so she used a clean plate to hold a few pastries and brought them into the room.
A large pile of gifts from the guests was already on the large table in the room. Yu Juanfang had also given the new couple a set of double happiness satin quilt covers that were said to be from Shanghai.
Today, she could finally call her “aunt.” A sweet smile appeared on Tangtang’s face. “Auntie!”
Li Suqin blushed and accepted. She was already quite familiar with Tangtang and gently poked her head with her fingertip. “You.”
After the firecrackers were set off, the banquet could begin. The young men in charge of serving the dishes brought the oily stewed vegetables to the table. Yu Juanfang and her several sisters-in-law from her parents’ family brought the steamed fried cakes and white flour buns to the tables. The courtyard was covered with “double happiness” characters. The red paper from the firecrackers was piled up at the entrance. Everyone was eating and drinking, a scene of laughter and joy.
…
In the county revolutionary committee compound, Zhou Tingchang only realized that it was dark when he returned home. He repeatedly confirmed that this was his own home before he frowned and pushed the door open to walk in.
With a click, he turned on the electric light. Zhou Tingchang was startled to see Wang Chunlan sitting in the living room. He frowned even more, his tone full of dissatisfaction. “Why are you sitting in the dark without turning on the lights? You scared me.”
Wang Chunlan looked up. Her lips moved, but she swallowed the words in her mouth.
Zhou Tingchang saw the photo in her hand. “A woman’s kindness. This child, Shunian, has been spoiled by you! I told him to join the army, but he refused. I’ve paved the way for him, but he won’t take it. Since he’s not willing to be a soldier, then he can go back to the countryside to be a farmer!”
Wang Chunlan rarely contradicted her husband, but today she was uncharacteristically different. She raised her voice. “Spoiled? You don’t understand your son at all. Shunian is a rare good child. All you think about every day is your career and future! Have you ever cared about your son, about this family?!”
Zhou Tingchang interrupted her impatiently. “Alright, alright. Don’t just cry all day long. I’ve been busy outside all day. Not only is the house cold and the stove cold when I come home, but I also have to listen to you complain.”
“You’re busy. You’re so busy you don’t even care about the family. I’m the one who has to manage all the big and small matters at home. All you know is how to be a hands-off manager.”
“I don’t want to argue with you. I’m hungry. Go and make me something to eat.”
Hearing this, although her heart was still full of grievances, Wang Chunlan still wiped away her tears and turned to walk towards the kitchen.
Zhou Tingchang sat on the sofa, looking at the ceiling, his heart also very annoyed. If it weren’t for his reputation, he would not have brought Wang Chunlan from the countryside to the city. He had spent half his life with this crude country woman, and now this home was no longer like a home.
With a crash, the sound of a bowl breaking came from the kitchen. The anger that had originally been extinguished in Zhou Tingchang’s heart flared up again. He got up from the sofa and walked towards the kitchen. “Look at you, so clumsy all day long. You can’t even hold a bowl steady!”
Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Tingchang saw the shattered ceramic pieces on the floor. His wife, Wang Chunlan, was frozen in place, at a loss. Blood was gushing from her nose and mouth.