Chapter 118: Naming
“Dad, do you think Mao Dan’er is back? He won’t have to stay in the hospital, right? He needs to rest for a few days. Can he play with us tomorrow…?”
Er Zai didn’t stop talking all the way, asking one question after another.
Gu Chenghuai found him nagging, strode away with long legs, leaving his two sons behind in just a few steps.
Er Zai shouted loudly, “Dad, wait for me! Why walk so fast? Don’t spill the chicken soup. That’s the chicken soup Mom worked hard to make; we can’t waste any of it.”
He flailed his short legs and ran.
Da Zai called out, “Dad, do you know Mao Dan’er’s home? Slow down; Er Zai and I will show you the way.”
Gu Chenghuai always kept a not-too-close, not-too-far distance from the twins, ensuring they stayed in his sight while avoiding Er Zai’s barrage of questions.
When they arrived at the Ning Family home, Mao Dan’er had already returned from the county hospital.
Gu Chenghuai looked at Ning Laotaitai, “Is Mao Dan’er okay?”
“The doctor said his lungs sound a bit off, prescribed medicine, and said to take it first, and send him back if anything else comes up.” Ning Laotaitai looked quite worried.
“If there’s any issue, send word, and I’ll take him to the hospital.” Gu Chenghuai had heard quite a bit about that hero from the Ning Family; the man could be called his career inspiration, and he was very willing to look after his family.
Ning Laotaitai relaxed a bit upon hearing this and smiled gratefully, “Thank you.”
Mao Dan’er didn’t want to lie in the room; now he was lying on an old rocking chair in the yard, with a gray blanket over his belly.
He coughed a few times and thanked Gu Chenghuai, “Cough cough cough… Thank you, Uncle Gu.”
Er Zai unceremoniously sat on the low stool next to Mao Dan’er, eyes full of worry, “Mao Dan’er, did you get a blood draw at the hospital?”
“No.” Mao Dan’er shook his head, “The doctor used something cold to listen on my body.” He tried his best to describe it.
Er Zai was completely confused.
Da Zai didn’t sit, standing by and pulling the blanket up for Mao Dan’er, “Mao Dan’er, my mom stewed chicken soup and sent us to bring it to you. Drink it later. You’ll be better by tomorrow.”
Ning Laotaitai was surprised, “Chicken soup?”
Gu Chenghuai said steadily, “Yes, my wife said Mao Dan’er needs to nourish himself. Aunt, please get a bowl.”
“Your wife is thoughtful.” Ning Laotaitai didn’t stand on ceremony and turned to the kitchen to get a bowl.
Her cooking skills weren’t good; her grandson had suffered greatly, and she wanted the child to have a good meal.
Gu Chenghuai poured the chicken soup into a Ning Family bowl, a big bowl with plenty of meat, smelling irresistibly fragrant.
Ning Laotaitai smelled the ginseng and froze, “Ginseng?”
Others might not notice, but she’d smelled it since childhood; it couldn’t escape her nose.
“Just a few rootlets.” Gu Chenghuai had heard his wife say so.
Thinking of Zhaozhao nagging that it was to nourish his body and Mao Dan’er was benefiting from him, he couldn’t suppress the curve at the corner of his mouth.
Sweetness.
“Even rootlets are precious.” Ning Laotaitai accepted the help, “I’ll take it for Mao Dan’er; thank your wife for me.”
Gu Chenghuai didn’t linger, called to the twins, and the father and sons left.
“Mao Dan’er, come, Grandma will feed you. Drink it while it’s hot; it has ginseng in it, good for your body. It’s made so well. If I had such good cooking skills, I could raise our Mao Dan’er chubby and fair.” Ning Laotaitai regretted her poor cooking skills.
“It’s okay.” Mao Dan’er didn’t mind, “When I learn, I can make it myself and keep myself and Grandma chubby and fair.”
Ning Laotaitai felt comforted.
She got a small spoon, scooped a spoonful of soup, and fed it to her grandson’s mouth.
Mao Dan’er was an independent little man, not used to being fed by adults, took the spoon, and drank himself. Tasting it, the little guy’s eyes lit up like lights.
So delicious.
Life reached its peak!
After a few sips, his little face turned rosy.
“Aunt Lin’s cooking smells so good. Grandma, when I’m better, I’ll learn from Aunt Lin how to make it, then make it for you.” Mao Dan’er always remembered what his grandpa said before dying, wanting to take good care of his grandma.
Ning Laotaitai smilingly accepted her grandson’s promise, “Good, Grandma will wait.”
Seeing her grandson eat happily, she was very glad.
Being able to eat meant no big problem.
Mao Dan’er didn’t finish it, insisted on giving Ning Laotaitai half a bowl; she couldn’t save it for him, the child was so stubborn.
Fortunately, the Gu Family sent plenty, enough for the grandma and grandson to share without either going hungry.
Gu Chenghuai brought his two cubs home; the yard had set up the dining table, covered with food, fragrant steam wafting, wooden stools neatly placed, just waiting for them.
“You’re back, perfect timing, sit quick. We’ll talk after eating.” Gu Fu sat first, beckoning the younger family members to sit.
The Gu Family members sat one by one and started the meal.
There wasn’t much chicken soup; with so many in the Gu Family, it wasn’t enough to go around, only given to the two elders, the third branch couple, and then the Gu Family cubs of all sizes got none.
Gu Yuanshan and others didn’t mind no chicken soup, eating the red-braised chicken chunks with potatoes full of meaty taste, so fragrant.
And there was chicken blood tofu, fragrant too.
Gu Chenghuai took a sip of chicken soup, fresh and fragrant, and didn’t stint on praise, “Very fragrant.”
“If you like it, I’ll make it for you again sometime.” Lin Zhao smiled slightly at him.
Er Zai gnawed on a chicken wing, mouth oily, body leaning over sideways, grinning, “Mom, I like it too.”
“I’ll make it for you sometime too.” Lin Zhao replied.
“Mom, Grandmother is amazing.” Er Zai looked worshipful, “If I were as amazing as Grandmother, we could eat meat every meal at home.”
The Gu Family members thought Er Zai was really thoughtful, looking at him with unusually soft eyes.
Lin Zhao gently patted Er Zai’s back, “Sit properly; you’ll fall leaning like that.”
Once he sat straight, she said, “Hunting isn’t simple, and the brigade is strict now; your grandparents don’t have much meat there either.”
Any big ones caught would be found out and handed over to the brigade for all members to share.
The wild boar her mom sold must have been sneaked out.
Er Zai sighed wistfully, “Sigh, it’s really hard to get a bite of meat.”
Gu Chenghuai glanced faintly at him, “Does the family lack meat for you?”
“Ungrateful little guy.” His biological father teased.
When he was little, forget meat, he hardly got eggs; growing this tall was purely due to exceptional talent.
This cub got meat every few days and still wasn’t satisfied.
Don’t look down on Er Zai’s young age; he wielded chopsticks skillfully, picked up a piece of chicken meat, stuffed it in his mouth, chewed a few times, swallowed, “Who complains about too much meat.”
Gu Chenghuai was stumped.
He deliberately said, “How about sending you to another family for a few days?”
“My mom won’t let you; if you dare send me away, my mom will scratch you.” Er Zai said smugly.
Lin Zhao was amused, “Comrade Gu Er Zai, don’t talk too much, eat your meal.”
Even Da Zai thought his brother was too noisy, clamped a piece of meat and stuffed it in his mouth.
Seeing this, everyone laughed.
The dragon-phoenix twins sat in the small wooden cart, eating Grandmother’s porridge, faces covered with it.
The little cart they sat in was also made by Gu Chenghuai; seeing Lin Zhao had trouble feeding the children, he made small dining chairs suited to the two little ones’ height.
With this small dining chair, it saved a lot of effort.
Seeing big brother glaring at second brother, the dragon-phoenix twins giggled.
Er Zai felt embarrassed, stopped talking, and obediently ate.
As for Bang Bang and the others, they ate without lifting their heads, no mind for talking.
The sun set in the west; in the farmer’s small yard, the Gu Family was full of joy, even Da Huang and Amber had bones to eat, the big and small dogs wagging tails like propellers.
The Gu Family’s neighbors on both sides looked at their hard vegetable nests in hand, finding them hard to swallow.
Adults could make do, but children couldn’t stand it for a moment, clamoring for meat, crying with big teardrops sliding down cheeks.
“I want meat, waaah, Dad, I want meat…”
The dad thought to himself he wanted meat too; where would meat tickets come from, where would money come from.
“Shut up; if you make more noise, no food.”
“Why yell at the kid!” The mom couldn’t stand the man yelling at the kid, pinched her man, coaxed her son, “Don’t cry, don’t cry. Mom will ask around tomorrow, see if we can get meat tickets. If we can, we’ll buy a few ounces of meat; Mom will make you dumplings.”
The boy stopped crying instantly, beaming through tears, “Really?”
“Really!” The woman roughly wiped the tears from her son’s face, “Crying like a little tabby cat, silly or not.”
Mouth complaining, but heart aching; forget the kid craving, three months without meat taste, the adults craved it too.
The boy got happy, sniffed the aroma of rice and dishes in the air hard, and started eating obediently.
Not eating was impossible; not eating and the stomach would keep rumbling, couldn’t sleep at night either.
…
This scene happened in several households.
Planned economy, scarce supplies; even city people had trouble getting meat, let alone countryside folk.
Gu Family.
The family finished eating; Huang Xiulan and Zhao Liuniang cleaned the kitchen.
Gu Fu scanned around, saw all family members present, and spoke, “I’ve come up with names for the children.”
Lai Mei was most excited, rushed to her grandpa, eyes shining, “Grandpa, what am I called?”
“Your brother is Gu Xingye, you follow his name, Gu Xingci, and Yu Yu is Gu Yu.” Gu Fu said.
Da Zai was also expectant of his official name, “Grandpa, what about mine?”
“You’re Gu Zhiyu.” Before Er Zai and others could ask, Gu Fu smiled, “Er Zai is Gu Zhiheng, San Zai is Gu Zhiqian, Si Zai is Gu Zhiyao.”
He read the names from the paper; Gu Family members, literate or not, crowded over to stare at the words on the paper.
Lin Zhao saw that row of names, eyes and brows full of satisfaction.
As expected, giving the naming task to father-in-law was perfect; such good names, Zhiyu, Zhiheng, Zhiqian, Zhiyao… all characters with beautiful meanings.
Tie Dan saw it wasn’t his turn yet, jumped anxiously, pointing at his nose, “Grandpa, Grandpa, what about me, mine?”
“Tie Dan is Gu Zhixing, Tie Chui is Gu Zhili.” Gu Fu said.
Lai Mei was very satisfied with her name; what he couldn’t understand was, “Grandpa, why are Er Zai and theirs all ‘Zhi-something’, and mine is ‘Xing-something’?”
“Because you follow your brother; his name was registered long ago, so it has to be like this.” Gu Fu explained to his grandson.
As for changing to the character ‘Zhi’? He thought knowledge is power; he hoped his grandsons would all have knowledge and culture, to go out into the world.
“Oh, like that.” Lai Mei had no objection once clear.
He announced loudly, “From now on, I’m Gu Xingci; Lai Mei is history!”
Er Zai was very supportive, “From today, I won’t call you Brother Lai Mei, I’ll call you Brother Xingci!”
“Smart!” Lai Mei, henceforth Gu Xingci’s big friend, praised.
Er Zai added, “I’m Gu Zhiheng, such a mouthful. Don’t know if these characters are hard to write; if not, in exams later, just writing the name will take forever. Thinking about it is a loss.”
Gu Fu: “…” Makes sense.
Name him Gu Yi?
But…
The Gu character has many strokes; can’t casually change the ancestral surname.
“Da Zai’s Gu Zhiyu, Zhiyu means quick-witted and learned; Er Zai’s Gu Zhiheng, Heng means gentle and resilient…” Lin Zhao explained each name’s meaning one by one, “I think Grandpa’s names sound great and have good meanings.”
Er Zai was instantly speechless.
He went behind Gu Fu, reached out his little hand to massage his grandpa, “Thank you Grandpa for my name; I like it a lot. You’ve worked hard, Grandpa.”
Feeling the strength on his shoulders, Gu Fu narrowed his eyes, the wrinkles at his eyes fanning out layer by layer.
He felt it was worth it.
“Grandpa didn’t work hard; as long as you like it.”
Da Zai ran to Lin Zhao, “Mom, now I have two names; what will you call me from now on? Zhiyu or Da Zai?”
That was a problem.
Lin Zhao threw it back, “What do you think? What do you want Mom to call you?”
Da Zai looked troubled.
After thinking a while, he decided, “Mom should call us our official names; we’re about to start school.”
But then felt Mom calling him always warmed his heart, so the little friend added, “If Mom calls me Da Zai, I’ll still answer.”
“…”
Lin Zhao saw her son’s hesitation, pondered a moment, “Still call official names; otherwise, what’s the point of having them.”
Just look at Bang Bang; Xingye such a nice name, but hardly anyone calls him that, all call Bang Bang.
Da Zai worried, “Mom, can you tell us siblings apart by names?”
Lin Zhao pinched her brow, somewhat helpless, “Is it hard to remember? You’re Zhiyu, Er Zai is Zhiheng, San Zai is Zhiqian, Si Zai is Zhiyao.”
“Good as long as you remember.” Da Zai seemed to relax.
He looked at Gu Chenghuai, “Dad, you memorized them too, right?”
“…Memorized.”
Now Da Zai was relieved.
Er Zai got tired massaging Gu Fu, stopped, black bright eyes looking at Lin Zhao.
“Mom, from now on you’ll call me Zhiheng?” He felt the name not intimate enough, little brows furrowed, not too happy.
The cub came from Lin Zhao’s belly; she knew what he was thinking with one look.
“I’ll call you Heng Bao, your brother Yu Bao, your little brother Qian Bao, your little sister Yao Bao; you’re all treasures of me and your dad.”
The usually thick-skinned little guy showed shyness on his face, but undisguisable joy in his eyes.
“Okay!” He said loudly.
Da Zai thought it was okay too, mouth grinning wide.
Yu Bao.
He was Mom’s treasure.
Er Zai’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the others at home, “Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Eldest Uncle’s Wife…”
After a string of names, “From now on, all of you call me Heng Bao, okay?”
Gu Mu was charmed by her grandson, “Good, Grandma listens to our Heng Bao.”
Put into use right away!
Tie Chui quickly said, “Then I’m Li Bao.”
Tie Dan thought it childish, didn’t join in.
Bunch of little childish ghosts, hmph.
The cubs had official names, instantly couldn’t stay put, ran out the door to introduce their official names to the villagers.
In a short time, the whole village knew the Gu Family cubs had official names!
