Jiang Wangchuan’s eldest aunt was named Ye Hongshuang. She lived on the western side of Wenhe Village. After descending the hill from Jiang Wangchuan’s home, all it took was crossing a stretch of rice paddies to reach her house.
The next morning, Jiang Wangchuan scooped several pieces of malt candy from a clay jar and wrapped them in a clean cloth. Then he took another cloth and carefully wrapped two bars of soap.
Lin Suhe glanced at him and reminded him, “Didn’t we say we’d give Aunt Li a bar of soap? Since we’re heading out today, why don’t we bring it along?”
Jiang Wangchuan paused with his hand on the soap jar. He lifted the lid again and picked out one of the larger bars.
“You’re right. Aunt Li’s house isn’t far from my aunt’s anyway. We can stop by and give it to her on the way.”
Lin Suhe pointed at the jar of malt candy.
“Let’s bring her a few pieces of candy too.”
The last time by the river, Aunt Li had stood up for them and put Widow Qin in her place. It was only right to return the kindness with a small gift.
Jiang Wangchuan hesitated.
“We only managed to make a little over three jin of malt candy this batch, not even four. If we sell all of it, we’ll probably earn eighty or ninety copper coins. Every piece we give away is money we’re losing. Are you really willing to part with it?”
Lin Suhe shot him a sidelong glance with her bright, sparkling eyes.
“Do you know what it means to return kindness with kindness? When people are easy to get along with, you should nurture those relationships. Someday, if you need a favor, they’re far more likely to lend you a hand.”
Jiang Wangchuan hadn’t expected his seemingly innocent little wife to speak with such wisdom.
Even so, he couldn’t help trying to dampen her optimism. He wanted her to understand how cold people’s hearts could be.
“When your father passed away, Aunt Li’s family didn’t lend you any money either.”
Without even looking up, Lin Suhe continued picking out pieces of candy from the jar.
“That’s different.”
“Most families in the village have parents, children, and elders depending on them. They’re nothing like you, with only yourself to worry about.”
“Everyone survives by stretching every grain of food they have. I was just an orphan with no one to rely on. If they had lent me money, there was every chance I wouldn’t have been able to repay it.”
“If someone chose to help me, I would have been grateful.”
“If they didn’t, that was perfectly understandable.”
“They didn’t owe me anything, so I had no reason to resent them.”
Jiang Wangchuan stared blankly at her calm, gentle face.
He had never imagined she could see things so clearly. She harbored no bitterness toward the villagers who had refused to lend her money during her darkest days.
To him, Lin Suhe was like a sunflower growing toward the light, always finding warmth and beauty wherever she looked.
His hands tightened into fists.
At that moment, all he wanted was to pull his little wife into his arms and shower her with every bit of tenderness he had.
“All right, Brother Jiang, let’s go.”
Lin Suhe finished wrapping the soap and malt candy they had prepared for Aunt Li and called him over.
Jiang Wangchuan nodded. Before they left, he slipped another piece of malt candy into her mouth, smiling at her with unguarded affection.
Hand in hand, they walked along a mountain path dotted with wildflowers, crossed fields filled with tender green rice shoots, and followed a dirt road until they arrived outside Ye Hongshuang’s home.
Like Jiang Wangchuan’s house, Ye Hongshuang’s home had a courtyard enclosed by packed earth walls.
The gate stood open.
Looking inside, they saw a woman sitting on a bamboo chair, mending clothes. Beside her, two children of about five or six chased each other around the yard, laughing.
Jiang Wangchuan called out,
“Sister-in-law.”
The woman looked up. The moment she recognized Jiang Wangchuan and Lin Suhe standing at the entrance, she hurriedly put down her sewing, stood up, and greeted them with a broad smile.
“Wangchuan! Suhe! What brings you here? Come inside, quickly!”
She was Chen Xiulian, the wife of Jiang Wangchuan’s cousin and the daughter-in-law of his eldest aunt. She had delicate features and a warm, gentle smile.
Lin Suhe also greeted her sweetly.
“Sister-in-law.”
Chen Xiulian answered cheerfully.
“That’s right. From now on we’re family, so don’t be shy.”
She welcomed them into the house and invited them to sit on wooden stools while the two children circled them curiously.
“Zai’er, Mei’er, come greet your Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang.”
The two children were Jiang Wangchuan’s nephew and niece.
The older boy was named Ding Yang, while the younger girl was Ding Huan.
They already knew Jiang Wangchuan, but this was their first time meeting Lin Suhe.
Little Ding Huan stood sucking on one finger, her big round eyes fixed on Lin Suhe without blinking.
After staring for a long moment, she tugged on Jiang Wangchuan’s hand and asked in her soft, childish voice,
“Uncle Jiang… this big sister is so pretty. Is she a fairy?”
The innocent question made Jiang Wangchuan burst into laughter.
He gently pinched the little girl’s chubby cheek.
“Huanhuan, this fairy is your Uncle Jiang’s new wife. You should call her Aunt.”
Ding Huan immediately looked up at Lin Suhe and sweetly called out,
“Aunt!”
Lin Suhe’s heart instantly melted.
The little girl was simply too adorable.
She couldn’t resist gently squeezing her soft cheeks before quickly opening the bundle she had brought.
She took out two pieces of malt candy and handed one to each child.
For the two little ones, candy was a luxury they only tasted during the New Year.
The moment they saw the golden sweets, both pairs of eyes lit up.
Without hesitation, they stuffed the entire pieces into their mouths. Their cheeks bulged as they chewed happily, sticky syrup dribbling from the corners of their lips, their faces overflowing with pure delight.
Lin Suhe handed the larger cloth bundle to Chen Xiulian.
“Sister-in-law, this is a small gift from Brother Jiang and me. There’s some malt candy inside, along with two bars of soap for washing clothes.”
“Oh my, you really didn’t have to bring anything!”
Chen Xiulian politely tried to refuse, but Lin Suhe insisted on pressing the bundle into her hands.
In the end, she accepted it with a grateful smile.
Jiang Wangchuan glanced around the house.
“Where are Aunt and Uncle? And where’s Brother Changfeng?”
Brother Changfeng’s full name was Ding Changfeng, Jiang Wangchuan’s cousin.
As Chen Xiulian wiped the children’s sticky mouths with a cloth, she replied,
“We had no idea you were coming today. They all went to work in the fields early this morning. They should be back around noon.”
She poured each of them a cup of coarse tea before continuing with a smile.
“Wangchuan… Su… no, I can’t call you ‘Suhe’ anymore. I should be calling you Wangchuan’s wife.”
“You two have to stay for lunch today. Mother has been talking about you for days. She kept saying that after getting married, you never even brought your new wife over for her to meet.”
Jiang Wangchuan scratched his head awkwardly.
“We’ve only been together for a few days. We just registered our marriage yesterday, so now it’s finally official. Before that, our relationship wasn’t properly recognized, so I didn’t dare bring her to meet Aunt.”
With two guests in the house, there would naturally be more mouths to feed at noon.
Chen Xiulian immediately began preparing lunch.
Jiang Wangchuan followed her into the kitchen to help tend the fire and wash vegetables, while Lin Suhe stayed outside in the courtyard, playing with the two children.
There was a chicken coop in one corner of the yard, where several plump, healthy hens pecked contentedly at the ground.
Knife in hand, Chen Xiulian headed toward the coop, intending to catch one of the hens for the noon meal.
Jiang Wangchuan quickly stopped her.
“Sister-in-law, save the chicken for Zai’er and Mei’er. We only came for a visit. There’s no need to slaughter one just for us.”
Chen Xiulian wiped the blade on her apron and laughed.
“How is that a waste? Chickens are raised so people can eat them.”
“If you two hadn’t come today, those little rascals probably wouldn’t get to enjoy chicken for quite some time.”
“Besides, if Mother finds out I hosted a newlywed couple without preparing something special, she’ll nag me nonstop for days, and probably twist my ears while she’s at it.”
Jiang Wangchuan knew there was no arguing with her.
With a helpless smile, he rolled up his sleeves and headed into the chicken coop to help catch a hen.