Liang Tiezhu’s anger faltered.
Naturally, he couldn’t answer any of those questions.
He sat back down and continued puffing on his tobacco pipe.
“…After raising you all these years, would I ever harm you?”
“Didn’t you just finish harming me?”
“…That can’t be called harm! It was your own foolish mistake!” Liang Tiezhu reminded her, “The weather changes constantly. Don’t think just because the commune director sided with you today that you did nothing wrong. That chicken…”
“You’ve known about the chicken for more than just one day.” Liang Xin put on her cotton shoes and poured out the foot-washing water. “The boiled water with beaten eggs you drink every morning includes eggs laid by that hen. Why don’t you say anything when you’re eating them?”
“What? I didn’t know that!”
Liang Xin didn’t respond, turning her head to silently stare at her father.
Liang Tiezhu ultimately felt guilty. Unable to maintain eye contact for more than a few seconds, he averted his gaze. “We’re getting off topic. Xiaoyan, come with me to the Brigade Headquarters now. Hurry and call Tiger’s Great Uncle to clarify the other party’s situation.”
“I’ve already asked. He wouldn’t say.”
“Was asking before the same as asking now? They’ve already submitted the marriage report over there. The situation is different now. Stop picking vegetables. Let Yingzi cook some dried taro rice later. The Production Team is providing vegetables today. Let’s go!”
Second Sister-in-law took off the apron she had just tied on, glanced at Liang Xin, and hurriedly followed him out.
By noon, the two returned one after another, their expressions clearly unhappy.
They sat at the table without saying a word.
Liang Xin brought over freshly served Sweet Potato Rice. The square table already held a small bowl of cabbage, radish, chicken, and vermicelli stew cooked in the Production Team’s large iron pot.
Eldest Sister-in-law hadn’t actually prepared no dishes at all. The Production Team distributed only a tiny amount of vegetables, and with so many people in the household, they’d be gone after just one serving each.
Liang Xin had been craving meat lately. She dug out several potatoes, cut them into chunks, and stewed a pot of Braised Potatoes with Pork. Whatever wasn’t finished at noon could be eaten in the evening.
Thinking that Liang Xin had been wronged today, she also steamed a bowl of eggs while cooking the rice. After removing it from the pot, she drizzled a few drops of Sesame Oil over the Steamed Egg Custard.
“Wow, we’re eating so well today!”
“Mom, I want to eat chicken!”
The two nephews returned from school and, seeing the food on the table, swallowed hard, their mouths watering.
Eldest Sister-in-law silently pulled the two children into the yard to wash their hands.
Liang Xin moved a wooden chair over and sat down. Picking up her chopsticks, she took a piece of pork. Using the chopsticks, she separated the half portion of lean meat, placed the fatty part into Eldest Sister-in-law’s bowl, and put the lean meat on her sweet potato rice. Scooping up a mouthful, the aroma of meat mixed with rice was soft, glutinous, mellow, and fragrant, with a perfect chewiness—absolutely divine.
Unable to resist, she picked up another piece of meat. Again, she divided it into two portions with her chopsticks, keeping the lean part and placing the fatty part into Second Sister-in-law’s bowl.
After Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law finished dealing with the children, they noticed the extra fatty meat in their bowls. Sneaking a glance at their father-in-law’s dark expression, they exchanged a look, then sat down to eat with simultaneous smiles.
Neither of them ate the fatty meat in their bowls. Instead, as if by unspoken agreement, they picked up the fatty pieces and fed them to their own children.
“It’s delicious! The fatty meat is so good!”
“Aunt, you eat more lean meat. Give me the fatty parts.”
Liang Xin continued picking up pieces of meat, keeping the lean parts and giving away the fatty ones. She didn’t concern herself with who would end up eating the fatty meat—she simply put it all into her two sisters-in-law’s bowls.
“Enough, enough Liang Xin, have some fatty meat yourself. Don’t just eat the lean meat – the fatty parts have more oil. You’ve lost weight recently.”
“Haven’t lost weight at all. If anything, her face looks fuller to me,” Second Sister-in-law observed her sister-in-law’s complexion while chewing on fatty meat. The rich grease instantly improved her mood. “Liang Xin, why are you only eating meat without rice today? Doesn’t it make you feel greasy?”
Liang Xin kept moving her chopsticks, “Are you subtly criticizing me for eating too much meat?”
“Nonsense!” Second Sister-in-law quickly reached with her chopsticks, beating her father-in-law to a fatty slice of meat and placing it in Liang Xin’s bowl. “Tonight I’ll have your second brother use our meat ration coupons to get more meat from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to make wontons for you!”
The wontons in Linhuai were made with freshly rolled dough cut into diamond shapes, filled with pork that was thirty percent fat and seventy percent lean. They had to be pure meat filling, unlike dumplings where the meat filling could be mixed with mostly vegetables.
Even the family of the director of Steel Factory Number One – the most profitable factory in the city – might not indulge in such wontons once a month, let alone any brigade under the commune. No family would be so extravagant.
Liang Xin calculated she hadn’t eaten such wontons for at least three to five years.
So Second Sister-in-law’s offer was made with genuine sincerity.
The three women and two children ate until their mouths were shiny with grease.
The three men at the table didn’t get even one piece.
Liang Tiezhu’s face was darker than the bottom of a pot.
Before, if he didn’t pick up his chopsticks, no one in the family dared to start eating. If he came home late, the whole family had to wait for him to begin the meal.
Today, with Liang Xin taking the lead, not only did he not get any meat, he couldn’t even scoop a spoonful of the steamed egg custard!
But he didn’t dare to flip the table in anger, because earlier when he went to the Brigade Headquarters to make a phone call, Tiger’s Great Uncle initially refused to say anything. Only after repeated questioning did he reveal that once Liang Xin’s political review passed, he would personally come to Huaihua Village to explain face-to-face.
At the end of the call, he also hinted that military marriages were swift battles, suggesting that once the political review passed, they could marry immediately.
Liang Tiezhu still didn’t know how to tell Liang Xin this.
He had planned to have his second daughter-in-law deliver the news, but after Liang Xin’s sarcastic remark earlier, he changed his mind.
He would stall.
Wait until the political review passed and Tiger’s Great Uncle arrived, then deal with the situation accordingly.
Having made up his mind, Liang Tiezhu reached with his chopsticks only to discover that not even scraps of meat or egg remained – only a few pieces of cabbage and radish were left.
Liang Tiezhu: “……..”
He would endure it!
The political review process moved much faster than Liang Tiezhu had anticipated.
One week later, Tiger’s Great Uncle arrived at the Liang household carrying loads of gifts in both hands.
When Liang Xin opened her eyes in the morning, Second Sister-in-law was already standing by her bed holding a cotton-padded jacket, wearing an ingratiating smile.
“Little sister, our family’s prettiest little sister should get up now. Sister-in-law is already making oil pancakes for you – she used two eggs for just one pancake!”
Liang Xin yawned and heard continuous laughter from the main room. She threw off the covers and got out of bed.
Second Sister-in-law not only hurriedly draped the cotton-padded jacket over her shoulders but also proactively buttoned it up for her.
“Little sister, the person in the main room is my eldest brother from my maiden family. He brought so many things – not only your favorite tin bucket cookies and sorghum candy, but also White Rabbit candy!”
Deftly picking up the fine-toothed comb from the bedside table, Second Sister-in-law moved behind Liang Xin and began combing and braiding her hair. “Such delicacies like White Rabbit candy – I haven’t had any for years! My brother brought at least half a kilogram!”
While braiding the right side of her hair, Liang Xin said casually, “Wedding candy, I suppose?”
“……..”
Second Sister-in-law fell silent for a moment, then gave an awkward smile. “I’ve always said neither of your brothers has your brains! Our Liang Xin has the sharpest mind!”
Liang Xin glanced at her, tied her hair with a rubber band, picked up the enamel washbasin, towel, and toothbrush from the stand by the door, and walked out of the bedroom.
“Brother Ma.”
“Yes, Liang Xin.”
Brother Ma, dressed in a green military uniform, smiled broadly and pointed at the gifts piled on the square table. “Liang Xin, the commander’s family thinks very highly of you. Besides these candies, pastries, and pork, there’s also a fully shockproof women’s steel watch. They also had me bring five hundred yuan as betrothal money, which I’ve already given to Uncle Liang.”
“Hurry up and go wash,” Liang Tiezhu cut in. “With relatives visiting, what kind of appearance is this?”
Liang Xin swept a glance at her father but said nothing, carrying the basin toward the well platform.
Liang Tiezhu felt satisfied that his daughter still understood propriety and was about to relax when Liang Xin’s voice came from the yard:
“Brother Ma, what illness does he have?”
The festive atmosphere in the main room suddenly froze.
Even the sound of the spatula in the kitchen ceased abruptly.
“I came today precisely to clarify this matter with you.”
Brother Ma stood up and walked to the doorway of the main room. “Liang Xin, don’t misunderstand. We didn’t mention it earlier because it involved military privacy. Now that you’re about to marry, we can’t keep you in the dark and let you enter marriage blindly.”
Second Sister-in-law heaved a huge sigh of relief. “Brother, you’re finally speaking up! Quick, tell us!”
“Lu Chongfeng was born when the Resist America and Aid Korea War broke out. Right after graduating from military academy, he went straight to the Zhenbao Island battlefield. Since joining the army, he’s earned more medals than you can count on two hands—truly remarkable!”
As Brother Ma spoke of this, his tone filled with admiration and envy. “Last year when the Military Command Academy resumed classes, he was the only officer from his entire division recommended to attend. Under normal circumstances, he would have been promoted after graduation. But unfortunately… he fell ill this year.”
Liang Tiezhu immediately looked regretful. “Such a promising young man, with that background too—his future was immeasurable. What sudden illness did he contract?”
“The cause still hasn’t been identified.” Brother Ma’s face showed the same regret. “Preliminary assessment suggests psychological and mental issues. The episodes occur at irregular intervals. I witnessed one of his attacks—pale complexion, full-body muscle spasms, unbearable chest pain, quite similar to a heart patient’s episode. Since the root cause remains unknown, there’s no complete cure. As for appearance and temperament… his looks are unquestionable. Even during an episode, he’s more presentable than most men. His temperament though…”
Liang Xin finished scrubbing her face towel with soap, hung it on the clothesline, and looked at the hesitating Brother Ma. “With physical illness, temperament naturally can’t be expected to be good.”
The Liang family members glanced at Liang Xin in surprise.
“Right, exactly right.” Liang Tiezhu said happily. “Actually, military officers are disciplined by the Party. However bad their temperament might be, it can’t be too terrible. If he were completely healthy with no issues at all, we wouldn’t even have a chance to speak with him, let alone arrange a marriage.”
“The truth may be hard to hear, but that’s indeed how it is.”
Seeing Liang Xin’s attitude, Brother Ma also breathed a sigh of relief and seized the opportunity to state his mission: “Liang Xin, actually, the reason I came today is that the commander’s family wants you to come with me right away.”
Everyone in the Liang family except Liang Xin froze instantly.
“Right away?” The sister-in-law stood stunned at the doorway, holding a plate of egg pancakes. “What does that mean?”
“Military marriages have always been swift decisions—this isn’t an exception. The commander’s family has everything prepared and specifically instructed me to tell Liang Xin she doesn’t need to bring anything. Precisely because this is so abrupt and impolite, they had me bring such generous gifts.”
Brother Ma looked at Liang Tiezhu. “Uncle, the betrothal gifts have already been given to you.”
“I…”
Liang Tiezhu stared at the thick stack of ten-yuan bills before him. After much hesitation, he made the decision: “We can understand. Liang Xin, as your Brother Ma just explained, the other family’s situation is special. The commander has been deployed to the troops, and there’s an invalid at home who requires constant care. That’s why the commander’s family couldn’t come personally. Though they didn’t come, their gifts are extremely thorough—not only did they give us five hundred yuan in betrothal gifts, but they specifically sent you a wristwatch. I’ve heard they’ve even bought a black-and-white television for the household. Under the current guideline of prioritizing class struggle, this level of extravagance is almost dangerously lavish. It shows they’re genuinely sincere about marrying you.”
“So it really is an invalid.”
Liang Xin responded irrelevantly, taking a bite of the egg pancake from her sister-in-law’s hand. “They say they’re looking for a wife, but what they really want is a free live-in nurse to take care of him. I won’t do it.”