The Jiang family was a large clan with many members. The older generation believed that the more people, the more prosperous the family would be. Thus, the Jiangs had never divided the household, and all thirty members, young and old, lived together under one roof.
The entire family ate in the courtyard, crowding into the main hall during rain or snow.
"Time to eat!" a thunderous shout echoed, and a herd of little piglets came scrambling out from various rooms.
The children rushed out noisily. Ten-year-old Jiang Ya, nine-year-old Jiang Dou, and six-year-old Jiang Li sat at the lower table, while fourteen-year-old Jiang Gu also joined the children's table.
An Shi, the daughter-in-law of the eldest branch, held her two-month-old son as she sat waiting to eat. The daughter-in-law of the second branch, who had only been married into the family for a month, still felt somewhat reserved and stood awkwardly to the side. The five daughters-in-law chatted and laughed as they set out bowls and chopsticks.
Three tables were arranged in the courtyard. Jiang Old Grandfather and Jiang Old Grandmother sat with the eldest and second eldest sons, while the rest squeezed together at the other tables. Those who couldn't find space crowded in at the children's table.
"Mom, I want to eat an egg!" Jiang Doudou yelled at the top of his lungs.
"You can eat a dog's egg!" Jiang Fifth Aunt turned and scolded her son with a laugh.
"If he wants to eat it, let him have it!" Jiang Old Grandmother picked up the egg from her own bowl and gave it to her young grandson.
"Here, let our Doudou have an egg. Eat up and grow tall and strong!"
"Mom, that egg was meant to nourish you. What does a child need an egg for?" Jiang Fifth Aunt tried to snatch the egg from her son's hand, but Jiang Old Grandmother shot her a glare.
"My grandson eating it makes me happy! None of your business!"
Jiang Fifth Aunt grinned widely, peeled the eggshell, and stuffed the egg into her son's hand. Who wouldn't want their child to have something good to eat? With so many mouths to feed in the Jiang family, food was always tight. Any delicacies in the household were reserved for the elders first. Though she wished to favor her son, she had no means to do so. Fortunately, the elders doted on their grandchildren, so her son often got to enjoy good treats.
Jiang Ya watched with longing eyes. "Mom, I want to eat an egg too."
Jiang Fifth Aunt broke off a small piece of egg white and stuffed it into her daughter's mouth. "Eat."
Jiang Ya chewed it with immense care, her eyes fixed enviously on the egg in Jiang Doudou's hand.
Jiang Nian and Jiang Sui squeezed together, their elbows bumping as they reached for dishes.
"Look, Grandma only favors the grandsons!" Jiang Sui grumbled quietly into Jiang Nian's ear. "And Fifth Aunt is no better. She claims to love her son and daughter equally, but in her heart, she still favors her son."
Jiang Nian picked up a coarse flour bun and stuffed it into Jiang Sui's mouth. "Even food can't shut you up."
"Why not use an egg to shut me up instead!" Jiang Sui took a fierce bite of the bun.
With so many people in the family, the eggs laid by the chickens weren't enough for everyone. They were allocated to the old grandfather and grandmother first. If any remained, they went to the younger children. For half-grown kids like Jiang Nian and Jiang Sui, there were no eggs to be had—at most, they could have a sip of egg soup.
"I'll make you egg soup tonight."
Jiang Nian glanced at Jiang Sui's thin, flat figure and sighed helplessly. Here was a girl nearly old enough to marry, yet her figure was even flatter than a boy's.
"You promise? That's great! Nian Nian, you really care about me." Jiang Sui grinned widely, clutching her coarse flour bun.
Jiang Sui was the youngest daughter of the second uncle's family, also sixteen years old, five months older than Jiang Nian.
Jiang Old Grandfather ate as he asked, "How's the rice seedling planting going in the fields?"
"Just one more mu in the north, and we'll be done," Jiang First Uncle replied gravely.
"Dad, with so many people in our family, the fieldwork will be finished soon. No need to worry," Jiang Third Uncle said with a chuckle, addressing the old man.
"Jiang Doudou, stop crowding me!" Jiang Ya glared, nudging him with her elbow. Jiang Doudou, holding an egg in his hand, made a face at her, which angered Jiang Ya so much she raised her hand to hit him.
In the Jiang family, even a simple meal could turn into a quarrel.
Jiang Nian thought she was dreaming. Propping her chin in her hand, she looked around at everyone—the grandparents who had supported each other through most of their lives, the honest and simple-minded First Uncle and Second Uncle, her doting parents, and Fourth Uncle, Fifth Uncle, and Sixth Uncle.
The aunts and wives gathered together, gossiping about this and that, while the siblings argued and roughhoused. She cried and then laughed, lowering her head and covering her face.
"Nian Nian, what's wrong?" Jiang Feng sat beside her. Jiang Nian looked up at him—this was her own elder brother, born of the same mother.
"Brother, I missed you all so much. I missed everyone."
Jiang Feng looked at her strangely. "We're together every day. What's there to miss?"
"You don't understand." Jiang Nian sat on the steps, looking up at the clear blue sky and letting out a heavy sigh.
"Maybe the heavens took pity on me and let me dream of you all before I died. I'm already very grateful, really."
Jiang Feng looked horrified and shouted into the courtyard, "Mother! Father! Grandpa! Grandma! Come quick! My sister's gone mad! She said we're just people she dreamed of before she died! This is truly bizarre!"
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" The whole family rushed over, with several children squeezing through the gaps on the ground.
"What happened to Sister Nian Nian?"
Jiang Nian leaned back, looking up in confusion as the entire family stared down at her from above.
"Nian Nian, what's wrong with you?" Jiang Sui poked her forehead. "Can you still make me egg soup tonight?"
"Nian Nian, how many is this?" Jiang Feng waved two fingers in front of her eyes.
Jiang Nian: "……"
"Girl, are you sick?" Third Aunt reached out worriedly to feel her daughter's forehead, then her own.
"No fever! Why are you talking nonsense?"
Jiang Nian pinched her own arm, yelping in pain.
"It hurts. Even in dreams, it hurts. Could it be that I'm not dreaming?"
Jiang Nian stared blankly, looking up in disbelief as she asked, "What year and month is it now?"
"Yuanzhen twenty-five, early March. Girl, what's wrong with you?" Third Uncle's eyes showed clear concern.
Jiang Nian's mind was a muddled mess. Could there really be such a miracle in this world? She had awoken from a deep dream and returned to before she was married.
"I've come back to life!"
"Third family, quickly invite a shaman to call back her soul!" Old Lady Jiang retreated several steps in fright. "This girl's words are getting more and more outrageous!"
Jiang Nian stood up, hugged Old Lady Jiang tightly, and gave her a sudden kiss on the cheek.
"Grandma, I'm fine. I'll definitely take good care of you from now on!"
Old Lady Jiang was stunned by the kiss. "Quick, get the shaman! This girl is possessed by a ghost—she actually kissed an old woman like me!"
"Nian Nian, your grandmother is old and can't handle such fright," First Uncle said sternly, trying to reason with her.
"First Uncle, I missed you!" Jiang Nian smiled like a blooming flower. First Uncle's face turned both dark and red. He seemed to want to say something but instead went inside, his face burning with embarrassment. No one had ever acted so coquettishly with him in his life—this little niece was truly strange.
Jiang Nian glanced at the others. Everyone shuddered and scattered in an instant, afraid she would hug and kiss each one of them.
Jiang Ya, Jiang Dou, and Jiang Li rushed forward. "Sister Nian Nian, let's have a kiss too!"
Jiang Nian: "……"
"Let's go! I'll take you all to fly kites!" Jiang Nian took the kite hanging on the wall and brought the little ones to the fields to fly kites.
Jiang Nian sat on a small slope, watching her younger siblings run back and forth, a lasting smile on her face. In this lifetime, she would never marry Qi Heng again. If she were to marry, she would marry someone from this village or the neighboring one, living her life as a leisurely farm woman, working from sunrise to sunset.
She reckoned that in her previous life, after her death, Qi Heng had successfully married a noble lady from a prominent family, finally free from her, an unworthy farm girl.
"Oh no!"
Jiang Nian stiffened. She had to stop her father from saving someone. She had forgotten which day her father had saved Prefect Qi—it should be around this time. Prefect Qi was fortunate and destined to survive; even without her father's help, he should be able to pull through.
Right? Jiang Nian thought uncertainly.