Chapter 194: “electrified”
A seven-year-old boy was at the age when he could eat a lot, but having thin porridge every meal couldn’t fill him up. It could be said that ever since Lin Zhao brought her four kids back to the new home, Tie Dan hadn’t had a full meal. Being able to eat seventy percent full every day was already pretty good.
Huang Xiulan fell silent, her face full of embarrassment. “Third sister-in-law, you’ve spent money again. When we move house, we’ll invite you and your four kids for a meal.”
“Hm?” Lin Zhao’s eyes showed surprise. “…Planning to set up a separate yard?”
“Yes.” Huang Xiulan’s heart was full of hope.
Lin Zhao said, “If you need anything, come find me. No need to stand on ceremony.”
“Okay.”
Huang Xiulan took the iron pot and happily went home.
Before long, the whole village knew that Lin Zhao had given her sister-in-law a new pot.
Everyone felt emotional.
“Cheng Huai’s wife is really generous. That’s a pot, you know.”
“She works at the supply and marketing cooperative, so it’s easy for her to get anything.”
“Not to mention, in the entire brigade, only the Gu Family’s daughters-in-law don’t often cause trouble. I heard they just separated households, and it went so smoothly. In other families, they could argue over a bowl for a whole day.”
…
Zhao Liuniang saw that pot and couldn’t stop feeling sour. Was third sister-in-law looking down on her? She even gave a pot to eldest sister-in-law.
She was straightforward, so once she thought that, it showed on her face.
Huang Xiulan laughed at her. “Don’t be sour. Third sister-in-law prepared one for you too. Look at you being so sour. You’re an adult, how are you like a child.”
Zhao Liuniang was stunned, then her face lit up with joy. “Really? I have a pot too?”
“Of course it’s real. Third sister-in-law said it herself.” Huang Xiulan said teasingly.
She squatted at the kitchen door and seriously washed the pot.
“Ah, third sister-in-law is so nice. I… I don’t even know how to thank her. How about giving her money? We just separated households, so we have some money.” Zhao Liuniang felt embarrassed. If it weren’t valuable, it would be fine, but the pot was worth several yuan.
“Third sister-in-law wants to make a few quilts and asked me to help. If you feel bad, we can make them together, finish early and send them over.” Huang Xiulan said.
Zhao Liuniang helped pour water, rinsing the soot off the pot. “Sure, making quilts this early?”
“Probably making a lot.” Huang Xiulan guessed.
Zhao Liuniang sighed. “It would be great if we could get a few jin of cotton sometime.”
The second branch’s cotton quilts, bedding, and cotton-padded clothes weren’t warm.
After Huang Xiulan left the Gu Family’s third branch.
Tie Dan ate five oily cakes in a row and drank a bowl of white porridge full of rice grains. His rarely full belly finally tasted something substantial.
He consciously cleared the bowls and chopsticks, not even willing to wipe his mouth, wanting to keep that meat fragrance longer.
When he got to the village, he couldn’t help showing off to his little friends.
The little friends: “…”
Hate it, hate it.
…
Gu Yuanshan went to the brigade headquarters to talk about allocating land. There was plenty of empty land in the village. The brigade leader told him a few spots. Gu Yuanshan wasn’t in a hurry to decide and went home to discuss with his wife.
The children were all there.
After he finished speaking…
Li Bao raised his dark eyes and looked at his parents expectantly. “I want one close to Yu Bao!”
Huang Xiulan found it funny. “Is this one close or not?”
“It’s okay. It would be better if it could be even closer.” Li Bao frowned his little brow, his expression completely serious.
Huang Xiulan didn’t oppose her youngest son having a good relationship with the third branch. Tie Chui was honest, the twins were clever. With those two around, Tie Chui wouldn’t suffer losses. Plus, the bond of growing up together from young, if Yu Bao and Heng Bao made it big… they wouldn’t leave him behind, right?
Third sister-in-law always said choice is greater than effort.
They as a couple didn’t have any big skills. There was a ready thick thigh in front of them, why not hug it.
“Okay, a close one.” Huang Xiulan said. She looked at Gu Yuanshan. “We’ll choose land close to the third branch.”
Gu Yuanshan had no objection. “Good, I’ll go tell the brigade leader.”
He rushed toward the door.
“Qian, take the money.” Huang Xiulan shouted.
Gu Yuanshan came back, took the money, and left.
Li Bao happily followed, but didn’t go to the brigade headquarters. Instead, he went to find Yu Bao and Heng Bao.
“Yu Bao, Heng Bao, my family is building a new house!” As soon as he entered the yard, Li Bao’s excited voice rang out. “It’ll be even more convenient for me to come find you guys later.”
Heng Bao was even more excited than him. “Where, where?”
Li Bao scratched his head. “Not sure yet. My dad went to find the brigade leader.”
“Oh.”
Time passed quickly in Li Bao’s anticipation.
A few days later, the first branch’s adobe house was built. After drying for a few days, the whole family moved into the new house.
When Lin Zhao got off work and came back, the things were mostly moved.
No one was home. She knew right away they all went to join the fun.
Lin Zhao picked up her things and walked to the first branch’s new home.
The new yard was very lively.
Chattering voices, with Heng Bao’s voice the loudest.
“Wow, Li Bao has his own room too.”
Li Bao grinned foolishly. “You and Yu Bao can come stay too.”
“Good.” Heng Bao said without politeness.
Hearing this conversation, Lin Zhao entered.
“Mama!” The twins’ tones were cheerful, calling out together.
Lin Zhao smiled and responded.
She casually put the things on the table. “Eldest sister-in-law, this is a congratulatory gift.”
“Is it food?” Tie Dan hadn’t been full for days again, craving everything.
“Yes, egg cake.” Meals without oil weren’t filling. Tie Dan was growing, got hungry fast. Lin Zhao didn’t think he was greedy for food. The child was very sensible. After eating the oily cakes, he delivered firewood for three days in a row.
“Egg cake?” Tie Dan swallowed hard, looking at Huang Xiulan with expectant eyes.
Half-grown kids eat up their dads, Huang Xiulan thought to herself.
She thanked Lin Zhao and gave each child a piece.
Yu Bao sensibly said, “Eldest uncle’s wife, one piece for us is enough. We’ll share it. We’re about to have dinner soon.”
“…Okay.”
Tie Dan thought Yu Bao was silly and taught him, “Keep it and eat it at night, that would be great.”
He always felt hungry at night and wished he had an egg cake to fill his stomach.
“Huh?” Yu Bao looked over blankly. “After brushing teeth at night, you can’t eat anymore, especially sweets. If you eat without brushing… your teeth will go bad.”
Trouble.
Tie Dan ate the egg cake, only focused on one thing. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“Not hungry. After eating your fill, you’re not hungry. If hungry, you can find something to eat, but you have to brush again.” Yu Bao divided the egg cake among his younger brother and sister, solemnly like it was something very important.
Tie Dan: “What food is there?”
“Dried beef, rice cake, shrimp crisp candy, little bread…” Yu Bao counted on his fingers.
Heng Bao sighed. “I like eating dry noodles the most. They’re crispy, crunch crunch when you bite. Mama doesn’t let me eat too much.”
Tie Dan: The little cake in his mouth suddenly wasn’t tasty anymore. Why did he ask so much.
“That’s great.” His tone was envious.
That sound was too wistful. Lin Zhao wanted to say she’d make some dried sweet potato to pad the stomach when hungry, but it wasn’t good to say it now. She’d mention it when there was a chance.
She looked around.
An ordinary adobe house with four rooms, a kitchen, firewood in the front yard, vegetable patch and outhouse in the backyard.
“Nice yard.”
Huang Xiulan was quite satisfied. “As long as we can live in it.”
Though this house couldn’t compare to the third branch’s, it was their own nest, very comforting to look at.
Once the backyard veggies grew ripe, with bright red peppers hanging from the beams, life would be even better.
Gu Lan came out of the room, wearing a dust hat made from folded newspaper on her head. Seeing Lin Zhao, her dark eyes lit up with a smile. “Third aunt.”
Thanks to drinking chicken soup and eating eggs every day, her head injury healed quickly without leaving a scar. Even the skin on her forehead became much smoother.
Because of the contrast between the little girl’s forehead and face skin, Lin Zhao couldn’t help but give Alan a box of cold cream. After a few days of use, her face became much smoother.
“All packed up?” Lin Zhao asked.
Gu Lan smiled shyly. “Almost.”
Lin Zhao pointed to another package on the table. “There’s a bed sheet inside, for you.”
Being an elder felt really refreshing, especially in situations like this. Very useful.
Gu Lan was stunned. When she came to her senses, she waved her hands hurriedly. “Third aunt, I…”
Knowing she was going to refuse, Lin Zhao interrupted. “Elders’ gifts cannot be refused.”
Gu Lan was at a loss and looked at her mom.
Huang Xiulan looked at Lin Zhao, but Lin Zhao didn’t meet her eyes, looking around instead, clearly not paying attention.
She said, “Accept it. Remember your third aunt’s kindness.”
“Mm.” Gu Lan agreed, then looked at Lin Zhao again. Her voice had the sweet softness unique to little girls. “Thank you, third aunt.”
Lin Zhao waved her hand. She had been in Gu Lan’s room. The bed sheet was patched over and over, rotten beyond repair. She’d long planned to give her a new one.
In Li Bao’s room, the lively voices of the little friends rang out.
“Li Bao, where’s your desk?” Heng Bao saw his good brother didn’t have a desk and frowned.
“Not done yet.” Li Bao said.
Glass was expensive, big pieces even more so. The first branch didn’t have much money and didn’t make ones like the third branch’s. They installed the most ordinary grid paper windows. Lighting was fine, just not as bright. No cloth curtains, but adjustable bamboo and grass curtains hung, very rustic.
Yu Bao thought this curtain was nice and called Lin Zhao to see.
Lin Zhao went into the room upon hearing and looked. It was indeed nice.
She lowered her head to look at her big treasure. “Want one?”
The little friend thought for a moment. “Never mind, we have curtains at home.” Colorful ones too.
Lin Zhao saw he liked it. Maybe he wanted to imitate. A soft smile appeared on his shiny face. “If you like it, get one. We’ll go find grandpa later and swap them out to hang.”
Yu Bao’s eyes lit up, his chubby little face full of happy smiles. “Good. Heng Bao and I will go find grandpa.”
“Okay.”
Li Bao held Yu Bao and Heng Bao’s hands, shaking them a few times. “I’ll go too.”
His little head leaned toward the twins with a smile. “We can use the same curtains now.”
The twins got happy too.
Little kids were like that. Using the same things as their little friends could make them happy for a long time.
Li Bao’s bed was a wooden board. The bedding wasn’t thick, giving a cold and empty feel.
Lin Zhao always felt a bit more pity and heartache for him. Thinking when the weather got colder, she’d make Li Bao some thick bedding. The family’s bedding needed changing anyway. The cotton in the old bedding could be fluffed up and made into new bedding, plenty.
Leaving the first branch’s new yard, Lin Zhao slowly walked home.
Amber bounced and jumped at her side.
Round and rolling, sniffing everywhere, cute little appearance.
No need to urge her, she always kept up with her owner.
Back home, Lin Zhao took out dog food to feed Amber, added clean water to the bowls. Amber wagged her tail vigorously.
“Eat slowly.” She patted Amber’s dog head, went to the sink to wash her hands. Just about to cook, she suddenly wanted canned food and turned to get some from the room.
The yard was very quiet.
Song Yunjin and the Lin family sisters had each gone back to their own homes.
The dragon-phoenix twins were at Gu Mu’s place and usually wouldn’t be sent back until after four.
She had just come out of the kitchen with a spoon.
The twins bounced back.
“Canned food?” Heng Bao had sharp eyes and spotted the canned food first. He slid over like greased lightning. “Yellow peach canned food! For us?” His excited clear voice rang out.
Yu Bao’s eyes also lit up.
“No.” Lin Zhao deliberately shook her head. “I planned to eat it all by myself.”
Hearing that, Heng Bao’s eyes widened, completely dumbfounded.
He didn’t think eating alone was too much, just twisted his body coquettishly. “Mama eating canned food, leave a little canned food water for me and brother, okay?”
He gestured with his finger a short little gap, drawing out his tone. “Just a tiny bit, Mama.”
Yu Bao said, “It’s fine if not. Heng Bao and I can drink water. Mama works hard, Mama eat.”
Hearing his brother, though Heng Bao was greedy, he didn’t fuss and even nodded in agreement.
Lin Zhao’s heart felt tickled like by a feather, numb and tingly. She smiled. “Eat together.”
Surprise appeared on their identical little faces. They went to get spoons.
The two little brothers soon came back, sitting properly.
Lin Zhao’s voice was gentle. “Don’t eat too much. Dinner soon. Eat half and save half for tonight.”
“Okay.”
The mother and sons happily ate the canned food, all smiling.
“What do you want for dinner?” Lin Zhao asked in between.
Yu Bao answered for them. “Anything is fine.”
What difference from whatever, Lin Zhao suddenly wanted noodles. “Then tomato egg noodles, with extra eggs, fragrant and steaming.”
Heng Bao wasn’t picky and clapped in anticipation. “Good, I like noodles.”
Lin Zhao smiled at him. You little friend like everything.
After dinner.
The village sounded with clang clang clang gong ringing.
Heng Bao hurried out to see the excitement. The little guy was nimble and squeezed into the crowd. He heard the brigade leader say the village was installing power lines.
Before others reacted, he said, “Brigade leader grandfather, does that mean we’ll have electricity?”
The little friend’s voice suddenly rang out. Everyone was stunned for a moment, then laughed.
“When did Heng Bao squeeze to the front?”
“Aiyo, Heng Bao even knows about getting electricity.”
“Cheng Huai’s family has real courage.”
…
The brigade leader smiled and replied, “Yes, our brigade is getting electricity.”
“Got it, thank you brigade leader grandfather.” Heng Bao politely thanked him, squeezed out of the crowd, and ran home.
When he got home, he was panting.
“Why run so fast, not afraid of getting a stitch.” Lin Zhao gently stroked Heng Bao’s back.
“Mama, our village is installing power lines.” Heng Bao’s tone was cheerful.
“Really? Great news.” Lin Zhao rubbed her son’s chubby cheeks. “Once we have electricity, everything will be convenient.”
Yu Bao still remembered the television. “With electricity, we can use the television?”
“To buy a television, you need a television ticket, which is hard to get. Can’t buy one right away, but your dad and I remember. When there’s a chance, we’ll buy.” Lin Zhao’s voice was gentle.
“Okay.” Yu Bao was very expectant but sensibly comforted Mama. “Listening to the radio is the same.”
Getting electricity in the village was a big deal. Power lines cost money, not everyone was willing to pay. The brigade was noisy for several days before finally setting the installation time.
That day, Fengshou Brigade finally installed the power lines.
The members were notified that electricity would come on at eight in the evening.
The whole village was waiting.
Lin Zhao with her four kids, two dogs, and one monkey sat in the yard waiting.
The twins were very expectant, barely speaking, just staring at the light bulb on their house beam.
“Mama, what time is it?”
Heng Bao had asked this no less than five times.
Lin Zhao patiently answered, “Seven fifty-six.”
Heng Bao: “Four minutes left.”
“Yes.” Just waiting was boring. Lin Zhao spoke up. “Want to eat watermelon?”
Before the twins spoke, Yao Bao pounced into Lin Zhao’s bosom, saying repeatedly, “Eat, eat.”
The dragon-phoenix twins had grown teeth and could eat more things slowly. They liked everything tasty. When tasting something good, they’d squint and smile, happily kicking their legs.
“I’ll go cut the melon.” Lin Zhao got up, went to the kitchen, lit the lamp, opened the cabinet, took out the watermelon. It couldn’t keep overnight, so she cut it all.
Brought it to the yard.
“Cut up the whole melon. If we can’t finish, you two send half to your grandparents and little uncle.” Lin Zhao looked at the twins.
“I want to see our electric light turn on first, then go later.” Heng Bao said.
“Up to you.”
The kids picked up watermelon and ate crunch crunch.
Even Qian Bao and Yao Bao each got a small piece. The little brother and sister happily showed their little white teeth.
