Chapter 4: “sending A Letter”
Watching the little ones leave, Lin Zhao returned to the room. The home was a mess, but she had no mind to clean it up. After all, the bump on her head hadn’t gone down yet, and it would ache from time to time, quite bothersome.
Wait until tomorrow… talk about it tomorrow.
Having convinced herself, Lin Zhao lay down and closed her eyes.
When she woke up again, it was getting dark outside, and Er Zai’s voice came from outside.
“Bro, why hasn’t Mom woken up yet? Did Mom faint?”
Da Zai had quietly gone in to check on Lin Zhao and knew his mom was still breathing. Hearing Er Zai’s words, he snapped at him: “Er Zai, your voice is too loud. What if you disturb Mom! Grandma said people with head injuries need lots of rest. Don’t talk anymore.”
Er Zai listened to his brother the most and fell silent.
After the sun set, the room became very dark, but there was no need to light the lamp yet.
Lin Zhao got up from the bed. As soon as she opened the door, Da Zai came up to her. Afraid his mom would go back to ignoring people like before, he didn’t dare get too close.
Standing in place, he asked: “Mom, does your head still hurt?”
Lin Zhao approached Da Zai, touched the top of his head, and smiled, saying: “Much better after sleeping.”
Seeing his mom hadn’t changed, Da Zai smiled: “Grandma asked me to bring you food. Mom, eat now?”
After sleeping, Lin Zhao was indeed a bit hungry. “Okay.”
Er Zai hurriedly brought the food.
The chance to show off was snatched by his younger brother, leaving Da Zai feeling stuffy inside. Seeing his mom smile at him, the corners of his mouth curved up slightly.
Lin Zhao took the food from Er Zai: cornmeal porridge stewed with bok choy. The only meaty thing was the poached egg on the rice.
Without the little ones saying it, she knew this poached egg was from Gu Chenghuai’s mother to nourish her body.
“Thanks, Da Zai and Er Zai.”
“No need to thank.” Da Zai blushed shyly and got a stool for Lin Zhao to sit and eat.
It was midsummer, and there were many mosquitoes in the countryside. These mosquitoes were venomous, leaving a big bump with every bite, extremely itchy.
Several red bumps had appeared on Lin Zhao’s legs.
Build house, buy mosquito net—essential.
“Da Zai, Er Zai, I’m planning to build a new house for our family. Do you two have any opinions?”
Da Zai’s eyes widened.
Build house!?
“Can we build a brick and tile house?” Er Zai got excited and raised his voice.
Da Zai signaled his brother to keep it down, not to disturb the younger brother and sister who had just fallen asleep. San Zai and Si Zai had played hard in the afternoon and were coaxed to sleep early by their older brothers.
Er Zai covered his mouth and looked at Lin Zhao eagerly. His voice dropped a few decibels, but with a wavelike tone: “Mom, the cub likes brick and tile house.”
Don’t say it, but the little friend talking like this was quite cute.
“…Yes.” Lin Zhao remembered the zero on the passbook her child’s dad had handed over and nodded decisively: “Brick and tile house is clean, so we’ll build a brick and tile house. Then we’ll install mosquito nets for you, so you won’t be woken by mosquitoes at night. Though brick and tile is more troublesome… No problem, I’ll write to your dad tonight and have him think of a method.”
Gu Chenghuai, far away in the military camp: Thanks for remembering me.
Seeing Da Zai not speaking, Lin Zhao softened her voice: “Why isn’t Da Zai talking? The house is our home. Every family member can give opinions.”
“Mom, does the family have money?” Da Zai asked hesitantly.
Lin Zhao felt a pang of sourness. Da Zai was sometimes too steady for a child. Little friends forced to grow up—it was all because of the parents’ inaction.
She smiled at Da Zai and said softly: “Yes, enough money to build the house and let you four treasures eat meat.”
Da Zai’s face lit up with a clean smile, his eyes bright.
Lin Zhao ate heartily, not minding at all that Gu Mu’s cooking skills were poor.
Don’t look at her now all white and tender, not like a country girl. Actually, she hadn’t lived an easy life as a child either…
Her parents and older brothers treated her well, but the whole family relied on farming to live, and even filling their stomachs was hard. Cornmeal porridge was already good.
Her ability to go to school was funded by her uncle who worked in the city.
Thinking of how she’d inexplicably lost contact with her uncle these past few years like being possessed, Lin Zhao felt like a ungrateful wolf.
“Mom, can I still share a room with Er Zai?” Da Zai made his request.
Er Zai nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, I want to share a room with my bro!”
Lin Zhao smiled and asked: “What about San Zai and Si Zai then?”
Da Zai said without thinking: “Then we’ll all four share one room.” He hadn’t considered handing his younger siblings to his mom to care for.
“Mm.” Er Zai had no opinion; he always went along with what his brother said.
Seeing it wasn’t early, Lin Zhao told the little ones to sleep soon, and each side returned to their rooms.
Before going back to his room, Da Zai couldn’t help but glance at Lin Zhao, silently praying in his heart that tomorrow’s mom would be the same as today’s.
Lin Zhao didn’t know Da Zai’s little thoughts. Back in the room, she didn’t rush to sleep. She sat at the table writing a letter to her child’s dad.
She’d suffered greatly today, truly wronged to death. She still felt aggrieved inside, thinking of her image in that book—drama queen, unlucky cannon fodder, full of bad habits, only good for giving birth with no other merits… So angry, the more she thought, the angrier.
She’d given birth to four treasures for Gu Chenghuai, so what if he supported her? Besides, her man hadn’t said anything—why did that damnable book badmouth her like that?!
Lin Zhao took out letter paper and fountain pen she hadn’t used in a long time. It seemed like ever since she was pregnant with the twins, she hadn’t sent letters to the military region as diligently!?
The ink in the fountain pen had dried up…
This fountain pen was a gift from Gu Chenghuai, costing over ten bucks.
She opened the drawer, took out the ink inside, and filled the fountain pen.
Lin Zhao wiped the residual ink from the nib and started writing. She wrote page after page, and by the end, her wrist ached, forgetting what she’d even written.
She was a girl whose anger came fast and went fast too.
After finishing the letter and venting, the stuffiness in her chest mostly dissipated.
Remembering there seemed to be a braised chicken leg in the cabinet, Lin Zhao got up to get it.
Unwrapping the oiled paper bag, a rich salty aroma hit her face, and she couldn’t help swallowing.
It wasn’t that she was greedy; her stomach lacked oil and water.
Just one chicken leg—not suitable to give to any cub, and late at night, the little ones shouldn’t eat such braised stuff. Better for her to handle it!!
Lin Zhao licked her lips and chomped down. The braised flavor was truly delicious. With each bite, her chewing sped up involuntarily, finishing the leg in two minutes.
The bone couldn’t be wasted; feed it to the stray dog tomorrow.
The stray dogs of Fengshou Brigade had meritorious ancestors. In the hardest times, people never thought of killing dogs to fill their stomachs.
–
The next day early in the morning, when Lin Zhao woke up, the four cubs at home had already eaten breakfast at the old house and come back.
Hearing movement from her room, Da Zai hurried over and gently knocked on the door.
“Is that Da Zai? Come in.” Generally, the little friend who knocked was definitely Da Zai; if it was Er Zai, he’d rush right in.
Hearing his mom’s gentle voice, Da Zai smiled.
He pushed the door and entered.
“Mom, does your head still hurt?” He asked as soon as he came in.
While asking, he looked at the bump on Lin Zhao’s head.
Seeing the bump smaller by a circle, he said in surprise: “Mom, the bump on your head got smaller.”
“Yes, I noticed too.” Lin Zhao smiled.
Just then, Er Zai rushed in, eyes shining as he looked at her: “Mom, when are you going to the county town to buy meat buns?”
Lin Zhao casually ruffled the cowlick on Er Zai’s head and said: “After I wash my face and brush my teeth.”
The smile on Er Zai’s face grew bigger, his mouth nearly splitting to the back of his head.
He didn’t urge her, just wanted to confirm his mom would really go buy them.
Having gotten the firm word, little friend Er Zai was like a diligent bee: pouring face-washing water for Lin Zhao, bringing the basin, finding the towel, getting toothbrush and toothpaste… wishing he could brush her teeth too.
Lin Zhao quickly stopped him: “…Don’t worry about me, go do your thing.”
She couldn’t stand it; she wasn’t some beautiful waste.
“Oh.” Er Zai turned to leave, but after two steps turned back: “Mom, hurry up.”
Lin Zhao: “…”
“Little glutton.” Lin Zhao teased verbally, but her eyes held a smile.
Er Zai didn’t feel offended and grinned like a little fool: “Right, I’m a little glutton.”
He came close to Lin Zhao again, lifted his head, and asked smilingly: “Mom, can you buy two meat buns for your family’s little glutton?” Er Zai held up two fingers.
Lin Zhao pushed away his cute little face, not buying it: “No.”
No was fine.
Er Zai didn’t pester, turned dashingly, and walked toward Da Zai.
Lin Zhao discovered another advantage of Er Zai: knowing when to quit, never hesitating or dragging when giving up.
San Zai and Si Zai were also up, playing in the yard. The two little ones wanted mom to hug them. Da Zai, one little friend managing the younger siblings, was exhausted. It got better only with Er Zai’s help.
After washing up, Lin Zhao sent the children to the old house and went alone to the county town.
No bicycle at home, but the brigade leader’s house had one. However, the brigade leader’s wife was a cheapskate. Borrowing their bicycle required giving perks, plus nagging—not worth it to walk instead.
Seeing Lin Zhao going to the city again, the brigade’s long-tongued women started gossiping.
“Da Zai’s mom went to the county town again. It’s not time for allowance yet. What’s she doing in the county town again?”
“Who knows? In the whole brigade, only Lin Zhao lives well, keeping herself all white and tender. Doesn’t care for the children, dumps them all on her mother-in-law. Gu Chenghuai’s mom really had bad luck for eight lifetimes marrying in this daughter-in-law.”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t say she’s good at giving birth! Which woman can’t give birth? A lazy and greedy wife like her… even if she can give birth, I wouldn’t want her.”
Wang Chunhua was passing by and, hearing them talk behind someone’s back, couldn’t help saying: “Da Zai’s mom wouldn’t look at your son either.”
That aunt’s face turned iron blue with anger: “How do you talk!”
What’s wrong with her son? Her son was great.
Not retorting back would be hard to swallow, so the aunt snidely countered: “I heard you eagerly went to help Lin Zhao yesterday. Wonder if she even thanked you.”
Wang Chunhua didn’t take it to heart and said indifferently: “I help people hoping that if my kids run into trouble outside, kind people will help too. It’s not like I lack that thank you. Besides, we’re all villagers; helping each other is only right. No need for empty words.”
After speaking, she turned and left.
The long-tongued women caught gossiping on the spot couldn’t continue and dispersed hurriedly.
Lin Zhao didn’t know about this interlude. At the village entrance, she placed last night’s leftover chicken bone where the stray dog often was.
As soon as she left, a Da Huang appeared on the spot. Its fur was messy and dry, very thin, bones sticking out clearly.
Smelling the fragrant bone, Da Huang sniffed with its nose, licked it with its tongue, but didn’t eat. It moved its head away from above the bone and barked once.
“Woof…”
Moments later, a small yellow dog came out, trotting slowly to the bone and gnawing on it, tail wagging like a propeller.
Da Huang drooled; it was hungry too, but from start to finish didn’t think of taking a bite.
The braised chicken leg bone was soft; the puppy finished it quickly, but its belly didn’t feel full, barking at the dog mother milkily: “Woof…”
Meaning not full.
Da Huang lowered its head to lick the cub’s head, licking until it rolled on the ground, then barked milkily fierce again.
After that, the big and small dogs left.
The road from Fengshou Brigade to the county town wasn’t far, but not close either. On a bicycle, it’s close; on foot, it’s far.
Lin Zhao arrived at the county town close to eleven, having taken two hours, nearly exhausted.
She went first to the post office, sent the letter, and watched the post office staff stick the stamp on and place it among that stack of letters before feeling relieved.
“Don’t you trust me to handle it?” The round-faced girl at the counter with two short braid twists smiled teasingly.
This girl was Liang Yi, working at the post office for years, acquainted with Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao chuckled lightly. “It’s been a long time since I sent a letter. Seeing your neat movements again, I find it interesting.”
Liang Yi bloomed with joy at the praise. Seeing Lin Zhao’s forehead red and somewhat swollen, she asked with concern: “What happened to your head?”
“Bumped it.” Lin Zhao said casually.
“Be careful; a head bump is no small matter.”
“Mm.” Seeing someone come for business, Lin Zhao waved at the counter and left the post office.
After sending the letter, she went to the supply and marketing cooperative.
The home lacked many things; Lin Zhao brought all the nearly expiring coupons.
She bought some cloth, hard candy, toothbrush, toilet paper…
Seeing warrior shoes, she asked the salesperson: “Do you have sizes for five-year-old little friends?”
Lin Zhao looked like a rich person, and she bought decisively—glancing once and paying if satisfied. The salesperson was polite to her, without the usual arrogance toward customers.
In these times, few people bought shoes; everyone wore homemade cloth shoes. Adults rarely bought shoes, let alone families buying for kids. The cooperative had stocked a few pairs of children’s warrior shoes, but over a year later, none sold. Seeing Lin Zhao interested, the salesperson was delighted. “Yes, how many pairs?”
Before Lin Zhao could speak, she dutifully recommended: “Warrior shoes are good quality, look nice on, you won’t regret buying.”
“Two pairs, thanks.” Imagining Da Zai and Er Zai’s happy faces seeing the shoes, Lin Zhao felt any price was worth it.
The salesperson was overjoyed inside; selling off stocked items, even without money and ration coupons rewards, the director would praise verbally, good for her advanced evaluation.
So even more enthusiastic, she wrapped the two pairs of warrior shoes in paper, placed them on the counter, and pushed over: “Seven bucks.”
Yes, two pairs for seven bucks—nearly half a worker’s monthly salary, quite expensive.
Lin Zhao took the shoes, measured them mentally, felt the size was right, and paid decisively.
The salesperson, half a year on the job, had never seen someone so unconcerned with money, couldn’t help envying. Remembering two blankets stocked, she offered proactively: “Want blankets?”
“Yes!” Lin Zhao’s eyes lit up.
Perfect, time to replace the blankets covering San Zai and Si Zai.
The salesperson crouched down, took two blankets from the cabinet under the counter.
Red ones, gaudy-looking, but good quality.
“I’ll take both,” Lin Zhao said.
