In the main hall of the Sheng family home, Xu Jinnian was chatting with Grandpa Sheng.
“With all the recent rainfall, the fields have stored enough water. We’ll start transplanting rice seedlings in a few days – another busy period ahead…”
Having lived in the village his entire life, Grandpa Sheng was most skilled in dealing with the land. His conversation topics naturally revolved around crop growth, harvest yields, and recent weather patterns.
Xu Jinnian listened patiently, occasionally asking a question or two with a calm expression that showed no trace of impatience.
Seeing his grandson-in-law willing to listen, Grandpa Sheng grew increasingly animated, his voice rising slightly:
“When this year’s new rice is harvested, I’ll send you two bags. New rice is the most nourishing.”
In the adjacent room, Grandma Sheng overheard her husband’s words and shook her head while complaining to her granddaughter:
“That’s just how your grandfather is – once he starts talking, he never knows when to stop. Doesn’t he worry Jinnian might get tired of it?”
“Don’t worry, if he dares to complain, I’ll scold him.”
Sheng An shelled a peanut, tossed it into her mouth, and responded to her grandmother while chewing.
“You child, how come getting married has made you more temperamental?”
Grandma Sheng lightly patted her granddaughter’s arm in mock reproach, though the laugh lines around her eyes deepened:
“It seems Jinnian has a good temper, but we mustn’t take advantage of his good nature. You have a long life ahead of you.”
With her daughter passing early, it fell to her as the grandmother to gradually teach her granddaughter the ways of being a good wife.
“Grandma, I understand perfectly well. Don’t worry about me.”
Sheng An popped a peanut into the old woman’s mouth and began sharing her observations and experiences from the past couple days at the Xu household.
“Good, good! As long as you’re happy in your husband’s family, your grandfather and I can rest easy!”
Hearing that her grandson-in-law voluntarily cooked and did laundry, taking perfect care of his seriously ill father, and that he was generous – willing to give her granddaughter spending money without worrying about whether she might waste it – filled Grandma Sheng with indescribable joy. She held her granddaughter’s hand and repeated a string of praises.
“Yes, both father and son are very good. The Xu relatives are nice too. Yesterday, Xu Xiaogu came visiting, bringing not just several pounds of pork but also an old hen, saying it was to nourish my health.”
Though Xu Xiaogu’s pork and chicken were mainly for Xu Chenglin, Sheng An didn’t hesitate to use this to reassure Grandma Sheng.
She certainly hadn’t held back from eating the meatball soup and pure pork wontons made yesterday.
“Good, good! Our An An has married into the right family!”
Grandma Sheng’s eyes reddened, her heart filled with joy that her granddaughter had married into a good family.
Her daughter had been unfortunate, marrying a husband who wasn’t considerate, passing away young and leaving her granddaughter to grow up without parents.
Fortunately, she and the old man had chosen correctly for their granddaughter’s marriage.
When they initially settled on the Xu family match, many had advised the two old folks to reconsider.
Their main concern was the mismatch in social status, worrying their granddaughter would be looked down upon and suffer after marriage.
But she and the old man had valued the grandson-in-law’s character, and with the Xu family having simple dynamics without a mother-in-law to pressure from above, they felt this was a rare good match.
Compared to the Sheng family, their own circumstances were considerably poorer, but their granddaughter was obedient and filial, capable of managing a household – what was she lacking compared to her grandson-in-law?
Besides, the Xu family had agreed to the matchmaker’s proposal first, indicating they didn’t place importance on social status. What more did she and the old man have to hesitate about?
“Hehe, it’s all thanks to Grandpa and Grandma’s blessings. You both have excellent judgment!”
Sheng An laughed while flattering the old woman to make her happy, then popped another peanut into her grandmother’s mouth.
“Grandpa and Grandma treat me so well, I must treat them just as kindly. Once I earn enough silver, I’ll buy a small house near the Xu family and bring you both to the city to enjoy your golden years.”
Given their personalities, it was unlikely Grandpa and Grandma would willingly move to the Xu family for retirement. She also didn’t want them subjected to neighborhood gossip, so she resolved to work harder and earn more money to buy them their own small courtyard.
“Good, good, good! Your grandpa and I will be waiting.”
Grandma Sheng was so delighted she beamed, though she didn’t take her granddaughter’s words to heart. Just knowing An An had such filial intentions was enough for her—she would never truly burden her granddaughter by expecting her to buy them a house.
Before they knew it, noon arrived. Sheng An decided to showcase her cooking skills to reassure the elderly couple that she was capable of supporting them in the city.
Both Grandpa and Grandma Sheng were diligent people, growing various fruits and vegetables in their garden. Sheng An picked two cucumbers, four eggplants, several chili peppers, and a small bunch of scallions.
“Such a large piece of meat! Your grandpa and I could never finish it. Cut half to take back with you.”
Grandma Sheng hefted the four-pound slab of pork, fretting that her granddaughter and grandson-in-law had overspent. She couldn’t bear to keep the entire portion.
“It doesn’t make sense to bring a gift only to take it back. This is your grandson-in-law’s offering to you and Grandpa—just enjoy it and it’ll be gone in no time.”
Sheng An deftly handled the ingredients, firmly preventing Grandma Sheng from touching the kitchen knife. Unable to argue, Grandma could only watch as her granddaughter separated the fat from the lean meat, diced the fat to render lard, and divided the lean portion—half sliced into strips, half minced.
“Sizzle—”
A fragrant smoke, rich with oil, rose from the wok as minced garlic and scallions were stir-fried. Then, evenly sliced cucumbers were tossed in, their fresh aroma instantly filling the kitchen.
Seated by the stove tending the fire, Grandma Sheng inhaled the appetizing scent and couldn’t help praising, “An An, your cooking has improved again.”
Her granddaughter had started cooking by standing on a stool at age five, progressing from burnt and undercooked dishes to praised meals in less than a year. Among all the children in the village, hers learned the fastest, cooked the best, and made the most delicious food—even Grandma felt she couldn’t compare.
“Hehe, it really has improved. I plan to set up a food stall to earn silver and buy flowers for you to wear, Grandma.”
While busy cooking, Sheng An shared her money-making plans with Grandma Sheng.
Hearing this, Grandma hesitated. “Selling food at a stall? Can that business succeed?”
It wasn’t that the old lady lacked confidence; in her traditional view, city folks were much more particular about food and clothing than villagers. She worried city dwellers, accustomed to fine fare, wouldn’t appreciate her granddaughter’s skills, causing the venture to fail.
“Grandma, later I’ll make some wontons for you and Grandpa to try.”
Sheng An preferred letting her skills speak for themselves. Instead of arguing against Grandma’s concerns, she focused on action.
“Alright, your grandpa and I are in for a treat!”
Grandma Sheng agreed cheerfully, already considering dipping into her savings to help her granddaughter avoid financial stress—unaware that Sheng An had no such intention.
After working busily for half an hour, four dishes and one soup were ready: shredded pork with green peppers, eggplant with minced meat, stir-fried cucumber slices, scallion omelet, and pickled cabbage with shredded pork soup.
The rich, savory scents wafted through the humble thatched cottage, making Grandpa Sheng’s mouth water as he frequently glanced toward the kitchen.
“The one cooking must be An An. Only An An’s cooking smells this wonderful. Your grandmother cooked for decades, yet she never achieved An An’s skill.”
Grandpa Sheng proudly praised his granddaughter in front of her husband, wishing he could heap every compliment he knew upon her.
An An had been clever since childhood. Had she been born into a wealthy family, who knows how remarkable she could have become.
Ultimately, it was us two old folks who were useless, holding our granddaughter back.
Fortunately, we picked a good husband for her. Hehe~