Chapter 30

She shook her head. Even if Little Sister did want to remarry, it couldn’t be to Song Jinping. The two of them… how to put it… their stations didn’t quite match.
Song Jinping’s wife ought to be some cultured girl from the city.
That Ming Xiaoxiao at the educated youth spot wasn’t bad at all, just not quite as pretty.
If Bai Xinmei could’ve heard Li Zhaodi’s inner monologue, she would have been stunned into silence.
She’d studied too, you know. Her teachers had been foreign-educated. How exactly was she not worthy of Song Jinping?
So the trio, two women and one man, walked into the village together. And just as Bai Xinmei had predicted, seeing that both she and Li Zhaodi were there, the villagers didn’t think anything was off. Instead, they greeted them enthusiastically, asking if they needed help.
Bai Xinmei smiled and refused them all.
What a joke. The whole point was to “earn” a share of Song Jinping’s beef jerky and candy. If everyone joined in to help carry things, her contribution wouldn’t be special or important anymore.
Near the educated youth spot, they finally said their goodbyes.
Most of the snacks and treats had ended up in her hands. He’d said he was only giving her “a portion,” but nearly half of that pile of parcels had vanished.
The sight left Li Zhaodi dumbfounded. She swallowed hard. Little Sister had to share, or she’d definitely kick up a fuss.
Even Bai Xinmei was a bit stunned. She’d really only planned to ask for a little.
She glanced furtively around. Luckily, no one else seemed to be watching. Otherwise, never mind one Li Zhaodi, even ten of her wouldn’t be enough to smooth this over.
She wanted them, oh she wanted them, but this felt excessive. Heart aching, she shook her head.
“No, Song Jinping. I just helped with a small thing. These things are too precious, I really can’t accept them.”
A faint headache throbbed behind his temples. After a moment of thought, he changed tack with a gentle smile.
“They’re not for you,” he said. “They’re for the child. I think Niuniu is very cute.”
The long, dark eyes he narrowed at her were tinged with amusement.
His words immediately made her think of Niuniu stuffing herself at his place and calling him “Daddy.” Her face flushed scarlet.
Was she supposed to take them or not?
Bai Xinmei dithered, until, under the bare winter branches of the pine trees, Li Zhaodi stepped forward and solved the problem for her.
She marched up, grabbed the bundle, and took it with a clear conscience.
“Kids just love this sort of thing. Thank you, Song Jinping.”
She couldn’t care less about face. In times like these, with food so scarce, anything you could get into your stomach was the real deal.
Then she tugged on Bai Xinmei’s sleeve to drag her away.
Song Jinping, for his part, felt oddly reluctant. He’d actually wanted to talk a while longer with Comrade Bai.
Watching Eldest Sister-in-law sweep the whole bundle away without so much as a blink, Bai Xinmei’s mouth twitched. In the end, she still couldn’t quite bring herself to say anything.
“Since it’s the New Year and you’re not going back to Beijing, Song Jinping… why don’t you come to our house for New Year’s Eve? I really feel embarrassed taking so many things…”
Her eyes lit up. She’d suddenly thought of the perfect solution.
There were precedents in the village for educated youths who stayed at the end of the year to celebrate in a villager’s home. It was just that he wasn’t especially close with the Qin family.
For a moment, both of them stalled.
Li Zhaodi, however, had seen right through it. Her little sister-in-law clearly felt she was taking too much and needed a way to balance the scale, like inviting him to New Year’s dinner.
So she chimed in at once:
“Aiya, Song Jinping, just do as my sister-in-law says. You’re all proper people here, aren’t you? Otherwise she wouldn’t dare accept so much food from you.”
As she spoke, Li Zhaodi hugged the package closer to her chest, worried that the two hadn’t fully reconciled.
Song Jinping nodded slightly. Bai Xinmei smiled at him, then returned to the Qin household.
Niuniu saw her coming and bounced over, “Ma, you’re back! It smells so good, so tasty!”
She had inherited Bai Xinmei’s keen nose, she could detect delicious things immediately.
Li Zhaodi casually dumped the package on the table and called out to Da Ya and Gou Dan, “Come and eat something good!”
The two children rushed out like little balls of energy. Gou Dan was only a little over one year old, not fully aware yet, but that didn’t stop him from being happy.
Da Ya asked, “Mother, who gave this to us?”
Da Ya was eight today. Children from poor families had to grow up fast. She knew her family couldn’t possibly afford such treats, especially the beef heads and pork jerky. She had never even heard of the corresponding vouchers to buy them.
She didn’t know that just getting beef and mutton vouchers was already a big deal. Making them into dried meat or jerky required manpower, workspace, seasonings, and producing even a few pounds of jerky in this era? Ordinary families couldn’t manage it; if they did, it would probably be sold at high prices on the black market. It might even take several solidarity coupons to get that much.
Li Zhaodi was smart. She waited while Bai Xinmei divided the food, there was a portion for her.
Then she scolded the child, “You little brat, just eat it! Always talking too much.”
Li Zhaodi had a hard upbringing at her parents’ home. Her family always favored sons, and over time, even a strong-willed woman like her couldn’t help but be biased. So, though her treatment of Da Ya was fair when it came to food, her attitude often seemed uneven, likely without her even realizing.
If Bai Xinmei knew Li Zhaodi’s true thoughts, she would’ve said, “This is just the outward expression of a family used to valuing sons over daughters.”
Da Ya heard her mother call her a little brat again and saw Third Aunt holding Niuniu, peeling candy for her. The little girl’s eyes flashed hurt.
Both girls were daughters, yet her mother treated her like dung, while Third Aunt treated Niuniu like a treasure, combing her hair, wiping her face, applying snow cream. Last year, when her face was frostbitten and she went to her mother, her mother said to stop applying cream, claiming her face wouldn’t resist the cold anyway.
Third Aunt had applied clam oil to her face. If only Third Aunt were her mother… Da Ya’s young heart filled with sorrow.
But children forget quickly. When Li Zhaodi shoved candy into Da Ya’s mouth, she decided to forgive her mother. Clearly, her mother still cared, just that Third Aunt was a miss by birth and educated; the two were never the same.
Bai Xinmei divided the treats into three portions, one for Li Zhaodi, the largest for herself.
The rest were for the other Qin family members working in the fields and for Second Brother in the west room.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to wait for everyone to eat together. But Song Jinping had given too much. Such a large amount would raise suspicion, people might wonder if she had some connection with Song Jinping.
Li Zhaodi pursed her lips. She had received her share, so Bai Xinmei could deal with the rest however she liked, she wouldn’t gossip.
Bai Xinmei finally took the remaining treats back to her room and ate slowly. When the familiar smells of meat and candy spread in her mouth, tears welled up.
[Oh my, our streamer suffered so much, just a bit of meat and candy and tears fall.]
[I want beef jerky too! Five-spice or cumin is good.]
After satisfying her craving temporarily, Bai Xinmei looked at the rest and started worrying.
Where to hide it? She glanced under the bed, eyes brightening.
When the other Qin family members returned, they were stunned to see so many rare treats on the table. They asked who had given them.
Li Zhaodi, seeing everyone asking her, especially her husband looking serious, started panicking, overthinking.
Was she betraying Third Brother by keeping this from him? Would Third Brother come back looking for her? Would her husband hit her if he found out?
Her mind wasn’t quick, and she was anxious, she intended to explain everything at once.
Before she could, Bai Xinmei took over, smiling, “Song Jinping isn’t coming home this year. I was worried about where he’d spend the New Year. When we were visiting, Niuniu ate a lot of candy from him. We agreed then to invite him over for a meal. Now the New Year is just the right time.”
She pinched Li Zhaodi’s hand. Li Zhaodi, seeing Bai Xinmei’s smile that didn’t reach her eyes, nodded stammeringly, saying nothing further.
“Today, following your mother’s advice, we went to the supply cooperative to buy New Year goods. On the way, we happened to meet Song Jinping and asked if he wanted to come for dinner. He agreed, and insisted on giving so much for the kids. Everyone knows Song Jinping is always generous and warm-hearted.”
Old Man Qin and Old Madam Qin nodded, seeing nothing wrong, then cautiously touched the candy and canned jerky, such fine treats.
Qin Yuangang scratched his head. Generous and warm-hearted? That described Song Jinping?
The elders, being old, weren’t aware of the young villagers’ gossip. Qin Yuangang had heard rumors from the older girls and young wives, Song Jinping looked polite and refined but was difficult to approach. Outwardly warm, inwardly cold, similar to his own sister-in-law.
That night, the family couldn’t sleep, excited over the treats.
Old Man Qin and Old Madam Qin wondered, how did their daughter-in-law get Song Jinping to come over for New Year’s dinner? Were they really close? How did this involve him?
Qin Yuangang stood by as Li Zhaodi spilled the whole story from start to finish. He was shocked, barely able to react.
This… Song Jinping might have taken a liking to the sister-in-law?!
He knew Song Jinping usually ignored the village’s older girls; educated girls rarely got close.
This silly woman just cared about food and didn’t stop anyone.
Li Zhaodi exploded: “I did it for you, for the kids! My sister-in-law even saved me a portion. And it’s been years since Third Brother died! The sky’s going to rain, widows will remarry, can you stop it?!”
Meanwhile, unaware Bai Xinmei lay in bed, holding Niuniu, thinking that in a couple of days she would tell the Qin family she planned to find another man, preferably well-off.
Remaining idle in the Qin household only added burden, and she was still young.
A few days later, she hesitated, then told the Qin family.
Old Man Qin drooped, hiding to smoke. Old Madam Qin sighed, acknowledging her hardship.
They weren’t happy… she was planning to remarry?
Bai Xinmei felt a bit down but didn’t want conflict with the family. She had lived here many years, and the Qin family treated her fairly.
As she prepared to speak, Old Man Qin asked, “When did this happen?”
Bai Xinmei assumed he meant when she had thought of it, and whispered, “When I last went to deliver food to my parents.”
“The time Liu Mazi misbehaved, right? No wonder… You’re a good girl. The Bai family once helped ours. Yuanzheng was unlucky and let you down, didn’t fulfill promises.”
“Remarrying is normal, but no need to rush anyone into the house. Girls who push forward are often looked down on.”
Huh? Bring whom? Bai Xinmei was confused, how did this turn into bringing someone home before even meeting them?
Seeing her silent, Old Man Qin assumed he had guessed right, shaking his head:
“Old Man and Yuanzheng’s mother aren’t that conservative. A girl of your status keeping faith for three years for Yuanzheng is already enough. We know you’re polite and well-mannered, many young wives in the village couldn’t manage this. From now on, consider yourself half our daughter.”
He cleared his throat. “Regarding your relationship with Song Jinping, as long as you know what you’re doing, we won’t oppose it. As long as he treats you and the child well, that’s enough.”
Qin Yuangang and Li Zhaodi beside them were stunned.
Bai Xinmei: !!! Huh?