The Xu family was large and lively, and the house was bustling as everyone returned from work. Seeing Xu Zhitao, they all looked delighted, especially when they noticed the dishes had more oil than usual, and even a spoonful could scoop up a piece of meat. The joy was unmistakable.
Even Old Master Xu was surprised.
“Old Lady, where did you buy this meat? Today isn’t market day. Did Old Seven go up the mountain?”
In the countryside, eating meat was inconvenient. Money and ration tickets were one issue, but with the collective economy still in place, although the communal dining system had been disbanded, raising livestock at home was not allowed. The village had only a few ways to get meat: the annual meat distribution at the end of the year, buying it with meat tickets at the county food station, or the market held every ten days in the township.
Hunting was another matter altogether.
The market was the only legal trading avenue under the ration ticket system. As long as the goods weren’t illegal, no one would check, and pork was no exception. Of course, the sources varied widely—some came from private channels of slaughterhouse workers, others from skilled hunters who caught wild boars in the mountains, and there were even those who secretly raised pigs themselves.
The market in their Hedong Gongshe was the day after tomorrow, and the family had no meat tickets, so the old man’s surprise was understandable.
Old Lady immediately rolled her eyes.
“Do you think I don’t know it’s not market day? This is canned meat Taotao brought back. I was reluctant to use it, but this child was quick—she poured two cans in at once. Oh my!”
Old Lady patted her chest dramatically.
“Two whole cans! Look at all that meat, and the oil floating on the soup.”
The adults were too embarrassed to fight over it, but the little ones had no such reservations. Old Lady had specially made flatbreads today—a rare treat—and paired with the stewed cabbage and potatoes with meat, they ate heartily, taking bites of bread and vegetables in turn.
By comparison, Xu Zhitao’s steamed egg custard didn’t stand out too much.
After the meal, the daughters-in-law cleared the table. The old couple shooed the younger generation out and gathered their sons and daughters-in-law—this was the real point of the meeting.
Old Lady looked around and didn’t mince words.
“Taotao is back. Old Xu came to check on her today and said she’s in poor health. From now on, she’ll need careful nurturing and will likely require more attention than other children—fine grains, eggs, and maybe even some preferential treatment. She might not even be able to work.
Old Four doesn’t know about this yet, but his allowances over the past few years have all been sent back, and they’re enough to support two children.
Our family is large, with many children. To say things are completely fair would be impossible.
As for favoritism, I admit I’ve favored Chang’an a bit more, especially since his parents aren’t around. But as for the other children, I haven’t treated them poorly, even if I haven’t spoiled them.
You’ve all started your own families, and I know you have your own thoughts. The children are growing up, and over the past few years, aside from the money and grain distributed by the village, I’ve let you keep whatever you earned from odd jobs or selling things.
You should also know that the harvests have been poor these past two years. Every year, the family’s common fund has secretly bought a lot of grain. How many Gongfen you’ve earned, how many half-grown boys each family has to feed, and how much grain your own households consume—you all know this well.
I won’t say much else, but hasn’t every family relied on Old Four’s help at some point?”
The brothers below nodded without hesitation, while the women exchanged glances and remained silent.
Taking in everyone’s expressions, Old Lady exchanged a look with Old Master, then lowered her eyelids.
“If there are no objections, then this matter is settled. Taotao will stay with me for now. As for the future arrangements, we’ll wait until her father, the fourth son, returns to decide for himself.”
The Old Lady considered herself quite lenient toward her daughters-in-law. She didn’t expect them to treat her as their own mother—after all, some were already of an age to become grandmothers themselves, and it was only natural for each to have their own thoughts and concerns.
After a moment of silence, the sixth son’s wife spoke up.
“Mom, so what you mean is, if Fourth Brother doesn’t come back, Taotao will have to stay with us indefinitely, right? Will she need to take medicine often? Will she go to school?”
Xu Zhitao was unaware of the conversation taking place in the main room, but she didn’t need to think hard to know it was likely about her.
In rural areas, it was customary for families not to divide the household while the parents were still alive, especially when there was a young child like Chang’an who needed the elders’ care. Even if she hadn’t returned, her father’s allowance would still be sent home, becoming part of the family’s shared funds—money everyone had a right to spend.
Now that she was back, however, there was one more person to share the resources. It was only natural for some to have reservations, but she didn’t mind.
Her cousins followed her into her room. The bundles on the floor hadn’t been unpacked yet, and the older boys casually picked them up and placed them in the corner. No one suggested taking a look at what was inside, while the younger ones nimbly climbed onto the kang.
Changsong and Changqing, who hadn’t been able to meet her earlier that day, brought in a small bowl of wild berries. Grinning, they set it on the kang table, then reached over to ruffle the top of her head.
“We specially went out to find these berries for you. I remember you loved them when you were little.”
“Did you miss your brothers?”
Looking at these cousins who, in her past life, had died tragically on the streets of Shanghai for her sake, Xu Zhitao’s eyes grew sore and watery.
“I did. I also missed going up the mountain with you, climbing trees, and stealing bird eggs.”
“Hah, you little wild thing! Even after being away, you’re still the same!”
“Exactly! If you missed us, why didn’t you come back sooner?”
“Hehe, well, I’m back now, aren’t I?”
Once they left the room, their expressions turned somber. She was their only cousin, and having grown up together since childhood, she was no different from a biological sister to them. Just hearing Changsheng describe her condition when she got off the train was enough to tell them she had been wronged and deeply hurt—otherwise, she wouldn’t have traveled all the way back home injured.
After all, when children are sick or feeling wronged, home is where they most want to be.
But what frustrated them most was that Guo Hongying was so far away—they couldn’t even find her to seek revenge.
Sighing, it was Changlin who remained the most composed.
“If she doesn’t bring it up, we won’t ask. It’s good that she’s back. There’s plenty of time ahead, and under our watch, she’ll be more at ease.”
“Alright, then should I take her up the mountain tomorrow to clear her mind?”
“That could work, as long as you can beat Uncle to it.”
At the thought of something, Changsheng’s smile faded.
“Did you notice my mom’s attitude? Wasn’t it strange?”
It wasn’t just Changsheng—Xu Zhitao was also puzzled. When she was little, this second aunt had been very kind to her. From what she could remember, there were countless nights she had slept beside her, and she had often regarded Zhang Zhaodi as her own mother. Compared to Guo Hongying, her bond with Zhang Zhaodi had been deeper and more affectionate.
But this time, when she greeted her with a warm smile, Zhang Zhaodi’s expression seemed more like she didn’t recognize her. Her words were polite but lacked the closeness of before. To be honest, it still hurt a little.
This doubt kept her tossing and turning, unable to sleep for most of the night.
In the main room, the old couple also discussed the matter. The Old Lady felt like sighing again.
“You tell me, how did it come to this? Before, the second son’s wife treated Taotao just like her own daughter, and these past few years she’s been normal too. But today, today it was like she didn’t even recognize her. Tell me, why does my heart feel so unsettled?”
That night, almost everyone in the Xu family tossed and turned. Early the next morning, Xu Changsheng was the first to be shocked.
“Mom, what did you say?”