So even though Li Guihua felt a flicker of guilt, now that her eldest son had spoken up, she could not very well ignore him. She thought for a moment, then waved her hand dismissively.
“Very well, Eldest Son—don’t look so glum. Rest that leg of yours properly. There’s no sense wasting good money at the hospital. Every coin we’ve scraped together is meant for Qingfeng’s job placement. Think on it—when your nephew goes to work in the city as a regular factory hand, won’t it reflect well on all the girls who’ve married out of this family? Won’t it?”
She glanced at the plump chicken, steeled herself, and went on.
“Fine. We’ll set aside the head, the neck, and both feet for Niannian. And have Second Daughter-in-law stew plenty of potatoes alongside—fill their bowls generously with potatoes, and that’s still a fine meal! Most households can scarce afford meat at all, you know!”
Shen Dajun was about to speak further when old Man Shen Jinzhong, who had sat silent on the threshold this whole time, spoke up.
“It is settled then. Second Wife shall prepare the chicken—she stews it best. Set aside a portion and carry it to Eldest Brother’s room. They shall eat there.”
When the patriarch had spoken, Liao Chunmei swallowed the objections that rose to her lips and merely curled her lip in displeasure. After all—what was a neck, a head, and a pair of feet? Barely a scrap of meat on them! Still, it galled her to give even that much to that cheap little foundling girl.
The Wang family lived nearby, so Shen Youyou and Wang Jiangang arrived first. They too had come by bicycle, but to cut a fine figure, Shen Youyou had persuaded Wang Jiangang to buy a great many gifts: cans of mandarin oranges, four bundles of scallions, two sacks of vermicelli, a tin of malted milk extract, boxes of biscuits from the state-run shop, and a large sack of assorted candies.
At the sight of so much bounty, Liao Chunmei beamed with delight.
“Dear me! You really shouldn’t have! Coming home is joy enough—why spend so freely?”
Li Guihua was equally pleased. Malted milk extract! A luxury only townsfolk were said to enjoy—something the villagers all swore was wonderfully nourishing!
The third son and his wife were shrewd, observant sorts. Earlier, when trouble had flared between the eldest and second households, they had kept their heads down and stayed out of sight. Now, seeing Shen Youyou and Wang Jiangang arrive laden with gifts, they hurried forward with broad smiles.
“Ah—Youyou and Jiangang are here!”
Third Son Shen Sanzhu’s eyes lit up most of all at the sight of two bottles of fine liquor in Wang Jiangang’s hands. Shen Erguang and old Man Shen Jinzhong noticed them too—every man in the village loved a good drink, and their eyes lingered on the bottles.
Wang Jiangang winced inwardly. Those bottles had cost him not just his carefully hoarded liquor ration coupons, but well over ten yuan besides—money he had not dared mention to his mother. She had only sent them off with two sacks of vermicelli, four bundles of scallions, and two cans of mandarin oranges. But Shen Youyou had insisted—dragged him straight to the state-run shop on the way. This was not merely for her sake, she had said, but for his standing as a new son-in-law. Let the whole village see the Wang household prospered—let them all burn with envy.
Wang Jiangang had let himself be persuaded. Who does not wish to cut a fine figure? He had bought everything in a moment of reckless pride. Now he looked at those bottles and his heart ached—nearly half a month’s wages! If his mother ever found out, he would hear of it for months to come!
Shen Youyou saw him standing silent, clutching the bottles, and spoke brightly to cover his hesitation.
“Jiangang—whatever are you standing there for? Greet everyone!”
Wang Jiangang roused himself and recited the proper greetings: “Father, Mother, Grandfather, Grandmother, Third Uncle, Third Aunt…” His gaze shifted to Shen Dajun, and he was about to add “Eldest Uncle” when Shen Youyou tugged him away.
She turned to the elders, beaming. “Father, Grandfather, Third Uncle—look what Jiangang has brought you! Two bottles of the finest liquor—the very Changjiang Daqiao brand Wuliangye that only high-ranking cadres in the county get to drink! See how exquisite they are—these are terribly expensive!”
At the mention of its price, Shen Jinzhong’s face shone.
“Splendid! Splendid indeed! Thank you, Jiangang!”
“Indeed—Jiangang is a fine young man, spending so freely on such rare spirits!”
Liao Chunmei preened, her voice thick with pride. “You may all thank our Youyou for this! Do you imagine any of you would ever taste such fine liquor otherwise? It is simply that Jiangang dotes on our Youyou!”
Shen Jinzhong, Li Guihua—all laughed heartily, swelling with pleasure.
“Wonderful! Come inside—dinner will be ready shortly!”
“Yes indeed! Today we have meat and chicken, all prepared especially in honor of Jiangang and Youyou!”
“Come in, come in—rest yourselves!”
As the entire family trooped indoors, Shen Dajun stood alone in the courtyard. He kept his gaze fixed toward the lane, his eyes bright with quiet hope and growing anxiety. If Shen Youyou and her husband had already arrived, then surely Niannian and her new husband would appear at any moment.
The thought of his wife’s decree—that Niannian and Yanzhi were not to sit at the main table, that they would be sent only a portion of chicken neck and head in his room—twisted his heart with pain. He asked himself for the hundredth time: had he done right, taking that orphaned infant in all those years ago? Had he doomed her? If some kinder, better-off family had found her instead—would she now be living in comfort, never knowing hardship?
The thought tore at him. She had been such a sweet, biddable child—he had raised her with his own two hands. How could he ever have given her away? How could he have borne it? No—let his own life be hard, let him eat husks and drink thin broth—he would give her every last thing he had.
But today his parents and Second Brother’s household had gone too far. They were shaming Niannian and her husband before all kin. If the new son-in-law felt slighted now… would he turn cold toward Niannian later? The thought gripped him with fear. He could only curse his own helplessness.
He struck his sound leg hard with his fist, brushed a tear from his cheek, and pulled a few crumpled banknotes from his breast. If nothing else—he would walk to the village shop at the lane’s end and buy peanuts, or something at least.
Meanwhile, Shen Niannian and Gu Yanzhi were cycling toward the Shen home, their bicycle heavy with gifts and drawing eyes from every villager they passed. Smiling nods and warm greetings followed them—especially when folks spied the slab of pork hanging from the handlebars, streaked with fat and lean and weighing easily five or six jin!
The Shen family had celebrated two daughters’ weddings nearly together, and every household in the village had given double gifts—so all knew today was the return-visit day for both Shen daughters. Shen Youyou and her husband had already passed through with their mountain of gifts, turning heads as they went. But who would have guessed the Shen family’s foundling daughter would marry so well?
Look at that fine pork on the left handlebar! And those two bottles of liquor on the right—sharp-eyed elders gasped and whispered: that was Moutai! Spirits so rare and costly, ten-odd yuan a bottle—drunk only by the highest-ranking officials! And beyond that—tins of biscuits, imported canned delicacies, sweets and pastries in plenty. Shen Youyou had carried an armful too—but this!
Villagers gathered in twos and threes, murmuring.
“The Shen girls—both made such fine matches!”
“Truly! The Shen family’s fortunes have turned at last!”