Tian Sangui gave his wife a thumbs-up; he had learned this from
Mother.
His wife was such a smooth talker; that woman was likely to be
fumed to death.
What decent family could afford to eat dry rice these days?
And with meat and eggs too—it was like a dream.
There were many people fetching water, and several groups had
already stopped to watch the commotion:
"Hey, Zhao Huan, are you really talking about your Mother-in-law?
You're not just bragging, are you?"
"It's fine to come back to your parents' home to scrounge for food.
Everyone has hard times these days, there's nothing to be
embarrassed about."
"We're all neighbors living just a few steps apart. Who doesn't know
the truth about everyone else?"
Zhao Huan used to be mocked quite a bit by the villagers. They said
she was muddle-headed for choosing Tian Sangui and marrying into
such a family, claiming she would cry her eyes out in the future.
But Zhao Huan had married him without looking back.
It wasn't the Tian Family she valued, but Tian Sangui himself.
In all the surrounding villages, Tian Sangui was the most handsome
and treated her the best.
Back then, Tian Sangui told her, 'I know my Mother is biased, but
don't worry, I will never let you be bullied.'
After they married, Tian Sangui proved it with actions. He didn't lie,
nor was he foolishly filial like his eldest brother, letting her suffer
grievances. Instead, he always found ways to give her a better life.
Tian Sangui might not be an extraordinary man, but he was an
excellent husband.
With the recent changes in her Mother-in-law and the household,
Zhao Huan was even more certain she hadn't made the wrong
choice.
If these people wanted to see her as a joke, they would have to see
if she allowed it:
"I am indeed planning to scrounge from my parents' home. Now that
I'm pregnant, I've grown tired of eating rabbit every day and want
to eat some old hen. My Mother-in-law wasn't willing, saying the old
hen must be saved for when I give birth.
I thought, then I'll go back to my parents' home and eat theirs.
When my Mother-in-law heard I was going back, she scolded me for
not knowing etiquette, saying it was improper to return emptyhanded.
You have no idea how fiercely she scolded me.
So, she insisted I bring dozens of catties of rice, dozens of eggs,
some fruit, and even potatoes. We filled half a basket together.
Since I've brought so many things, how could my Mother not give
me an old hen to eat?
Today, I'm definitely going to scrounge that meal."
As Zhao Huan spoke, she lifted the packed fruit, eggs, and white rice
out of the basket one by one. Her pride was unmistakable, showing
no trace of the grievance of being scolded by her Mother-in-law.
The villagers' eyes all went wide.
What were potatoes? They were so big. If they were food, one could
fill up two people.
They hadn't seen this fruit before. It was bright red and looked
sweet and juicy; it must be delicious.
So many eggs... if they were hatched into chicks or sold for money,
how many big chickens or copper coins would they be worth?
Not to mention that cloth bag of rice.
Good heavens, rice in town was already twenty wen per catty. This
bag must have twenty catties, wouldn't that be worth several
hundred wen?
Was the Zhao family's old hen really worth that much?
Zhao Huan wasn't returning to scrounge; she was clearly here to
provide for her parents' family.
Amidst the envious and jealous looks of the crowd, Zhao Huan
proudly puffed out her slightly protruding belly and walked toward
the house, leaning on her husband's arm.
The one who opened the door was her sister-in-law. Her several
brothers had all married, and there were four nephews and nieces; it
was a large family.
Because they were a family of carpenters and skilled craftsmen, the
household was relatively well-off.
When the Eldest Brothers Wife, Old Mrs. Zhao, saw Zhao Huan
standing outside, her first instinct was to close the door. No other
reason than that her in-laws, husband, and Younger Brother-in-law
were all wrapped around this Younger Sister-in-law's finger. The two
villages were close, so she returned home every ten days or half a
month.
Every time she came back, her parents would slaughter a chicken or
buy meat, as if it were a festival.
If the Younger Sister-in-law cried, the Mother would even give her
money, saying she hoped her youngest daughter lived well in the
Tian Family.
Her husband didn't get angry either, saying he only had this one
sister. Her other younger brothers-in-law felt the same; seeing their
Younger Sister-in-law suffer, they would threaten to go to Tianjia
Village to seek justice for her.
Old Mrs. Zhao was very reluctant for her Younger Sister-in-law to
return. Every time the couple visited, the family had to eat coarse
food for a while, and her own sons and daughters couldn't even
taste a single egg.
Zhao Huan had long noticed that her sisters-in-law didn't like her,
but she acted as if she didn't see it. Anyway, even if they were
dissatisfied, they would only complain to her brothers and wouldn't
dare cause her trouble.
Seeing her sister-in-law about to close the door, Zhao Huan
immediately shouted:
"Sister-in-law, it's me, Huan'er! Mother, Father, your daughter is
back!"
Old Mrs. Zhao didn't dare shut out her Younger Sister-in-law and
brother-in-law now. She opened half the courtyard door and
welcomed them in:
"Why are you back again? Haven't you just been here a few days
ago this month?"
Facing her sister-in-law's disdain, Zhao Huan didn't mind:
"Didn't I just miss Father and Mother? Where's Father? Are my
brothers at home?"
Old Mrs. Zhao entered the main room:
"Father went to fetch water, and your brothers went to the river to
water the fields. I'm telling you, the family hasn't taken any work for
a while now."
The implication was that the family's situation wasn't good, so she
shouldn't ask her parents for more support.
Zhao Huans Mother in the kitchen heard the commotion and wiped
her hands as she came over:
"Huan'er, San Gui, so early! Have you eaten breakfast? Eldest
Brothers Wife, go boil a few eggs; they surely haven't eaten yet."
Old Mrs. Zhao curled her lip with a look of reluctance but still started
to walk out, only to be stopped by Zhao Huan:
"Sister-in-law, no need. San Gui and I have already eaten. Sister-inlaw, could you please go to the fields and call Father and my
brothers back? I have something to tell them."
Old Mrs. Zhao found it very strange. This was the first time her
Younger Sister-in-law had returned after already eating; in the past,
she couldn't wait to eat one meal at home that would last for three
days.
Turning around, she saw her brother-in-law taking things out of the
basket one by one and placing them on the table:
"Mother-in-law, these are things my Mother asked me to bring over.
It's just a small token, please accept them."
Old Mrs. Zhao's eyes widened.
This was truly rare.
Not only did the couple return after eating, but they also brought
gifts for the first time.
And so many.
They filled the whole table.
Old Mrs. Zhao couldn't take her eyes off them. While listening to
Tian Sangui speak, she sized up the items on the table:
What were these things? Potatoes? They can't be eaten if they
sprout and can only be planted? And they're poisonous?
Apples? From the mountains? Why had she never seen them before?
Are these eggs definitely fresh? They aren't rotten, are they?
This rice...
Good heavens, it's actually clean rice without a single grain of sand.
Her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, were they?
"Younger Sister-in-law, are these really for the family?" Old Mrs.
Zhao was so shocked she forgot that asking such a thing was quite
rude.
Zhao Huan didn't mind and smiled:
"Yes. Not only are these for the family, but I also have some work to
ask Father and my brothers to do. Sister-in-law, you should hurry
and call Father and my brothers home."
Mrs. Sun then hurriedly ran out to call her father-in-law and the
others.
Zhao Huans Mother also couldn't quite believe it and pulled her
daughter aside to ask all sorts of questions. Zhao Huan answered a
few, and before long, her father, brothers, and sisters-in-law all
returned.
Even the nieces and nephews sleeping in their rooms got up, and
the main room was packed.
After everyone had been greeted, Zhao Huan spoke about making
the Drying Racks. Her father and brothers had no objections and
agreed without even asking about the price. Old Mrs. Zhao
muttered:
"I knew it couldn't be out of the goodness of her heart, bringing so
many things. It turns out she wants the family to work for nothing."