“Really? You’re not just trying to bribe me with candy, are you?” Chen Xiaolin pulled two Big White Rabbit milk candies out of her pocket. She had bought them before returning home. She didn’t really like candy herself, so these were meant to please children.
“Wow! Big White Rabbit milk candy! Auntie, you’re the best! I love you!” Gou Dan forgot all about being upset for not being allowed to go outside when he saw the candies in Chen Xiaolin’s hand.
He grabbed the two candies from Chen Xiaolin, unwrapped one, and popped it into his mouth. He even unwrapped the other one for his little brother.
“Auntie, I can help pick up stones, or do chores for you. Can I have another candy if I help?” Gou Dan, seeing Chen Xiaolin working the soil, immediately came up with a way to get more sweets.
“Gege, there’s no need to pick up stones. I’m here, don’t use me as an excuse to get candy.” Shi Tou thought his brother was calling him and smiled cutely in response.
Gou Dan “…”
Chen Xiaolin found Gou Dan’s mischievous little antics quite amusing. “But Auntie doesn’t have any more candy!”
“Ah! I see! Then I’ll help you with the chores, and you can give me one later when you have candy.” Gou Dan thought about it and figured that such a grown-up like Auntie wouldn’t really owe him candy.
“All right! Auntie doesn’t need your help. You and your brother go play in the front yard. I can handle this little bit of work myself.” Chen Xiaolin liked Gou Dan; he was obedient, cute, and far better than those unruly kids she’d dealt with in her past life.
Soon, Grandma Chen brought over all sorts of vegetable seeds.
“Xiaolin, here’s cabbage, here’s radish, and this is spinach. Here’s some green onion and garlic too. You can plant a little here, it won’t take up much space.” Grandma carefully placed the seeds in Chen Xiaolin’s hands. She had set these aside last year.
“All right, Grandma, you take the two kids back first! I can manage myself. The backyard gets so much sun anyway.” Chen Xiaolin didn’t want Grandma helping; this small patch of land was nothing, she could finish it quickly.
“All right, I’ll go back first. If you don’t know how to plant vegetables, just call me. I’ll be able to hear you from home.” Grandma Chen worried that Xiaolin might waste her seeds.
After Grandma left, Chen Xiaolin swung the hoe quickly. Half an hour later, the soil was all dug.
Looking at the barren earth, Chen Xiaolin decided to dig up some fertile soil from the mountain and mix it with some black soil from the available space.
She borrowed two soil containers from Grandma Chen next door and brought a spade from home, then headed straight for the mountain.
Yesterday, she had passed by a hillside with fertile soil not far from the base of the mountain.
When she reached the hillside, she saw many children cutting pigweed there.
“Pretty sister, are you a zhiqing [educated youth sent to the countryside]?” Xiao Bao, the grandson of the village secretary, had been pestering a few older girls to take him up the mountain to play. Today was his first time seeing Chen Xiaolin, and he was curious about this pretty girl.
“No, I’m not. I’m the brigade leader’s niece. My name is Chen Xiaolin. How about you tell me your name?” Chen Xiaolin noticed Xiao Bao’s chubby little face and guessed that he came from a well-off family. Most village kids were lean and sallow.
“Oh! I know! You’re Auntie Gou Dan talks about! My name is Xiao Bao, and I’m good friends with Gou Dan. My grandpa is the village secretary.” Knowing that Chen Xiaolin was the candy-giving aunt from Gou Dan’s stories, Xiao Bao became even friendlier. He wanted to make sure Auntie liked him because she loved well-behaved and cute kids.
“Oh! Are those girls your sisters?” Chen Xiaolin had seen Xiao Bao following a group of girls earlier.
“Yes! But they’re busy cutting pigweed, so they can’t play with me.” Xiao Bao actually wanted to look for wild fruits, but his sisters wouldn’t let him out of sight.
“Then later, why don’t you come back with me to play with Gou Dan? He has a new toy today!” Chen Xiaolin remembered that Gou Dan had been bored without anyone to play with, so she planned to bring Xiao Bao back to keep him company.
“Really? I want to! Wait, let me go tell my sisters first.” Xiao Bao bounced off before Chen Xiaolin could respond.
Chen Xiaolin quickly dug up the layer of black soil under the leaves and filled the containers.
By the time Xiao Bao returned, Chen Xiaolin had almost finished digging the soil.
“Auntie, let’s go! I can carry the spade for you.” Xiao Bao wanted to help Chen Xiaolin carry the spade, but she refused.
“Thanks, Xiao Bao, but Auntie can carry these herself. You’re still little; just walk back on your own.” Chen Xiaolin didn’t want a five- or six-year-old to risk getting hurt.
“Auntie, I’m already six! I’m a big kid now.” Xiao Bao felt slighted and, to prove he was a real little man, snatched the spade from Chen Xiaolin and ran off.
Chen Xiaolin…
Despite his young age, Xiao Bao often ran around the mountain, so he was much faster going downhill than Chen Xiaolin.
By the time she returned home, Xiao Bao was already playing with Gou Dan, and her spade had been left at the door.
“Auntie, you’re back! This is my best friend, Xiao Bao.” Seeing Chen Xiaolin return, Gou Dan ran over, trying to hug her legs.
“Don’t come over. Auntie’s dirty. You go play with Xiao Bao yourself.” Chen Xiaolin opened the door and went inside. The kids were used to playing at the door, so it was safe enough.
Chen Xiaolin went to dig two more containers of black soil to complete her vegetable patch, mixing in plenty of the space’s rich soil.
By the time she finished planting the seeds, it was nearly dark.
Next door, Grandma Chen was busy preparing ingredients for dinner, so that when Aunt Chen’s wife returned, she could cook right away. After all, her granddaughter loved her sister-in-law’s cooking.
Aunt Chen’s wife, having finished her own tasks for the day, hurried home, eager to make braised chicken.
Liu Xiaojuan noticed her mother-in-law rushing home and knew there would be a delicious meal tonight—and that she would have to see the annoying little aunt again.
Everyone had gifts today, and she had nothing. Liu Xiaojuan was nearly furious but dared not make a fuss, fearing she would miss out on dinner too.