A century of poverty

Chapter 74 Joy

My elder brother wrote from inside the pass, saying that the girl my second aunt introduced to him will be back in a few days to get married.

The family was naturally delighted to receive such a letter. Father and Mother discussed it, saying that their eldest son's wedding couldn't be sloppy; they had to do everything in their power to satisfy their son and daughter-in-law. While they didn't want the best in the village, they couldn't be inferior either. Father arranged, "I'll go to Jinzhou tomorrow to buy a sewing machine from Brother Qian. We don't have the tickets here, so we can't buy one. My third brother and sixth daughter work at a department store in Jinzhou; she can buy one."

They also found the family's new year's cloth coupons, cotton coupons, and thread coupons.

Not only were four sets of luggage made, but also three new cotton-padded coats and trousers for my eldest brother and sister-in-law. I sent my third sister and second brother to the county town to buy quilt and mattress fabric. The two soft silk quilt covers they bought were very beautiful and soft, and the two cotton quilt covers had elegant patterns. We stroked and admired them. We also bought cotton, white cotton cloth, and black khaki from the local supply and marketing cooperative. We found all the villagers to make quilts and mattresses, and decorated the four corners with chestnuts and dates.

The new room in the east wing was fully furnished with dressing supplies on the cabinets, new tables and chairs and a sewing machine on the floor, and big red "double happiness" characters pasted on the doors, windows and walls.

The whole family was overjoyed. Although no one could buy new clothes for the Chinese New Year this year, they were all happy for the happy occasion in the family.

Aunt Liu would come over every day and ask Mom, "Sister, do you have enough cloth coupons? If not, I can lend you twenty feet!" Mom replied, "It's enough. I didn't need any cloth coupons for the two soft silk quilt covers."

Everything at home is ready.

It was past seven o'clock on a December evening, and it was already pitch black outside. Our family sat under the lamp after dinner, waiting. My eldest brother sent a telegram saying that he was coming from inside the Great Wall with my sister-in-law to get married today, along with her family members who would be accompanying them.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached from outside: "Hurry up and pick up your relative, they're on the bridge!"

I rushed out and headed south. A few people came towards us, and from their accents, I knew they were my relatives. My eldest brother was in front, talking to us as we came out to meet him.

There was a young woman, a middle-aged woman, and a boy of about ten years old. The young woman must be the older sister-in-law. I went up and took her hand, and the moment our hands touched, I was shocked. These rough, calloused hands were a young woman's hands? Indeed, it was; could I mistake the woman before me, wearing a red headscarf and a green jacket? These were undoubtedly the hands of a laborer.

After welcoming the guests into the house, the eldest brother introduced them: "This is Cao Hua, and this is Cao Hua's third sister and nephew."

"Hello, Uncle and Aunt, it's not tiring or cold," her third sister replied, deferring to her as she sat down on the kang (heated brick bed). Her eldest sister-in-law rushed to the end of the kang as soon as she entered, leaning against the edge, probably shy. Her mother said twice, "You must be tired from your journey, come and rest on the kang!" but she didn't move.

The wedding date was set, and the banquet was tomorrow. Today, I gave them some money to go to the city and buy clothes they liked. The two went to the then-largest department store, "Second Department Store," where the older brother bought a suit of cotton-padded clothes. The sister-in-law took a fancy to the most expensive item in the entire store, a new old-style red cotton-padded jacket costing 47.2 yuan, made of the most expensive fabric. "I like this one," she said, holding her brother's arm.

"Buy it!" the older brother called out. "Waiter, we'd like to buy this dress." The waiter brought it over and wrapped it up. They then picked out a pair of harem pants, and the two returned.

The wedding banquet was grand and lively, with every household in the entire village attending.

As December arrived this year, one after another, people of my brother's age held wedding banquets, and I attended each banquet in turn.

Afterwards, people discussed that the Zhang family's preparations were the best, while the newlyweds were not as good.

The next day, the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, my mother got up early as usual. My third sister helped prepare warm water and breakfast, and my eldest sister-in-law also got up to help start the fire.

The eldest sister-in-law's third sister sat next to her still-sleepy son. The third sister brought over water to wash her face and greeted the guest, "Third sister, wash your face!" The eldest sister-in-law and third sister replied, "Yes." After washing her face, she mistakenly used hand cream instead of face cream, leaving her face shiny with oil.

Third Sister reminded her, "Third Sister, use this to wipe your face."

The eldest sister-in-law and the third sister rubbed their hands together: "We're just ordinary people, we don't care about such things."

"Mom—I want sweet potatoes." The little boy said this before he even opened his eyes, which made his mother and us all laugh.

"Oh dear, my youngest son thought I was still at home. Where did these sweet potatoes come from?" she said, walking over to her son.

Mother: "Child, are you hungry? Here's some roasted fruit, have some!"

The child huddled under the covers, saying, "I don't want to."

His mother said, "Grandma, give us some to eat!"

She added with a laugh, "My youngest son is at home, and every day the moment he opens his eyes, he wants to eat sweet potatoes. I told him not to come, but he insists on coming along."

The little boy poked his head out: "I didn't insist on coming; you're the one who brought me from school!"

Mom: "I understand, you're the kid. Sweet potatoes are convenient to eat, perfect as a snack!"

We smiled; it's customary for the bride's family to bring a little boy along. We all liked this honest little boy.

After breakfast, the eldest sister-in-law said, "Uncle, Aunt, I'm going back today. It's almost Chinese New Year, and I have a lot of things to do at home."

Mom: "Since you're so attached to home, we won't keep you any longer. You're welcome to visit your sister anytime."

The older brother took the mother and child to Goubangzi Railway Station, bought their tickets, and watched them board the train before returning.

On the evening of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the eldest brother told his father that they were going back to his wife's parents' home for the New Year. His father said it was proper etiquette; during the New Year, the wife's parents should meet her new husband. He gave them enough money, and the two happily went back.

My eldest brother's wedding cost more than 800 yuan in dowry money, which is the result of the whole family's hard work and frugality for more than a year, and will continue to be done with saving every penny in the future.

While there was still rice available, we ground it. Dad carried fifty pounds of rice and took a car eastward. One pound of rice could be exchanged for one pound and seven ounces of sorghum, and two and a half pounds of corn.

They agreed on a time, and when Mom estimated he was almost back, she took a carrying pole and went to the station to meet Dad. Dad could carry fifty pounds of rice to the station, but he couldn't carry it back, whether it was sorghum or corn.

Once, my mother and I went together and exchanged our corn for a bag. My father and mother carried it, the carrying pole bending under the weight of the earth, and the bag collapsing to the ground. We had to rest for a couple of minutes before we got home.

Dad goes once, rests for a few days, then goes again. This continues until there's enough coarse grain to eat for a year.

I'm worried about all that corn. I don't like eating cornbread every day, and I just eat pickled vegetables. It's not enough to fill me up.

When things are done, there's a bowl of rice porridge or a vegetable soup with a few drops of oil.

After the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the eldest brother returned. He brought out the vermicelli and noodles that his eldest and second sisters had given him.

They said my sister-in-law would be back in a few days.

Dad then asked Mom to pack half of the vermicelli and send it to Secretary Liu's house.

My mother still takes care of my older brother's clothing and food.

One day, the older brother, holding the clothes his mother had washed for him, yelled at her, "This has such a long tear, and you didn't even sew it up!"

Mom: "I didn't see it. Bring it here and I'll sew it up for you!"

The older brother tossed the clothes to his mother and went back to his room.

Mother went out of the room to the west wing, where her third sister stood before her. Tears welled in Mother's eyes: "I've never had a good life! Your father and grandmother have bullied me my whole life, and look at your brother marrying such a wife, still so mean to me! What good has I ever done?"

The third sister comforted her mother, saying, "It's not just him; there are younger children too."

Mom: "When fishing, follow the leader!"

My third cousin, Guo Linghua, wrapped her son "Yadan" in a small cotton quilt and ran to my house in her cotton shoes, saying, "You're here to escape again! My room is so cold, my son and I are freezing to death." This is her way of keeping warm in winter.

Mom pushed the bundle of straw towards the side of the kang (heated brick bed): "Hurry up and get on the kang, the front is for you." Grandma moved closer to the window. After the two of them warmed up for a while, my third cousin spoke up: "Auntie, do you know? Shuangxing's wife is earning points for her mother at her mother's house!"

Mom: "Who told you that?"

Third cousin: "It was Aihua who said it."

Six months have passed, and my sister-in-law hasn't even sent a letter.

Father: "Shuangxing, what's wrong with your wife? She seems to know very little."

Eldest brother: "I sent her a letter, but she hasn't replied!"

Grandma: "Don't you ever not come back?"

Eldest brother: "If she can come back, wouldn't she have to come back to give birth? Even though she doesn't have an older brother or sister-in-law, she can't just give birth at home, can she?"

Father: "I trusted you to go back on your own, and you brought back this person? Not only is she ugly, but she always keeps her head down... Do you think she's a good match for you?"

The eldest brother said, "The night we met, it was at my second aunt's house. There was no electricity, just a small oil lamp. She had her head down, so I couldn't see her clearly. On the way back, at the station, I could see her clearly and asked her what was wrong with her eyes. She cried, and I didn't want to ask her any more questions. I felt bad about letting her go back, so I brought her back with me."

Grandma: "Didn't anyone else introduce you?"

Eldest brother: "Yes, our family's eldest sister-in-law on Xidang Street introduced me to a guy from Shimen. He's tall, with a long braid, double eyelids, and fair skin."

Grandma: "Then why doesn't it work?" Eldest brother: "My second aunt said that shallow water can't support big fish."

Grandma: "Don't listen to her nonsense! This second daughter has been just like her mother since she was little, harboring a lot of bad intentions. She's afraid that you'll find someone better than her own nephew."

Father: "You speak very clearly, but you have no plan when it comes to doing things. Oh well—the wedding's already done, so just treat her well!"

In late October, as the ground began to freeze, the autumn travel rush started. My family received a letter, an unopened letter; judging from the envelope, it was from my sister-in-law. My brother opened it and read it from beginning to end: "She's complaining, grumbling about not picking her up."

Dad: "Are you going?"

Eldest brother: "No way! I'm so busy, they won't even give me time off."

Two days later, after school, I saw my sister-in-law, who was quite heavy-looking, with an unhappy expression.

The next morning, before my mother was even up to cook, I was awakened by my sister-in-law's shouts. My mother was in that room, my third sister was cooking, and we ate before going to school. When I came back in the evening, I saw red diapers drying in the yard.

Grandma: "Your sister-in-law gave birth to a baby girl."