“It really is him!”
Originally, they hadn’t planned on returning so early.
They hadn’t found the mountain pears, hardy kiwis, or wild grapes yet, and all of these were in peak season.
Hardy kiwis tasted just like regular kiwis, except they were much smaller—about the size of the smallest red dates—and had no skin, so you could eat them after a quick wash. They were a delightful snack in the countryside.
As for the wild grapes, Old Lady Liu wanted to make wine. Homemade wine was delicious, not astringent, and pleasantly sweet.
It was perfect for entertaining guests or enjoying themselves, and every year, Old Lady Liu would make a small crock of it.
But plans couldn’t keep up with changes, especially when they were carrying such a precious treasure.
That massive ginseng root was wrapped in birch bark. Thinking about how much it was worth, they didn’t dare run around the mountain anymore, fearing they might lose it!
They knew it was unlikely, but they still weren’t at ease, so after a quick discussion, they decided to head back.
They were quite lucky; on the way back, they stumbled upon a large beehive that had no bees in it, weighing about ten catties. They also happened upon two pheasants and a rabbit.
Liu Si Tian: I’m hiding my glory and accomplishments deep down!
The honey in her space was simply divine.
They arrived back at the perfect time. Just as they reached the front gate, they saw Zhao Yongsheng riding his bicycle toward them.
Zhao Yongsheng spotted them too, pedaled harder, and before he even got off the bike, he grinned widely and announced, “Dad, Mom! Manhong is pregnant again, it’s already been over two months.”
The Old Liu family was delighted to hear this.
Liu Manhong had damaged her health after giving birth to her youngest daughter and hadn’t been pregnant for many years. To have another one now that her youngest was nearly seven—what a surprise!
The group entered the courtyard. Before they could even put their things away, they began asking questions. “How come your Second Brother didn’t know when he visited the other day?”
“Is Manhong feeling unwell anywhere?” Old Lady Liu asked, as mothers always worry about their daughters first.
“She’s fine. The doctor said everything is good; she’s just been a bit nauseous lately, hungry quickly, and occasionally has cravings. Before this, we didn’t think about pregnancy; Manhong even thought something was wrong with her stomach.”
With Zhao Yongsheng’s explanation, the Old Liu family relaxed. These were all normal pregnancy symptoms.
Old Lady Liu couldn’t help but grumble: “She’s already given birth to two; how could she not notice for over two months? She’s far too laid-back!”
The group chatted for a while longer. Seeing it was getting late, Zhao Yongsheng prepared to leave. Old Lady Liu grabbed another pheasant for him and gave him 30 eggs.
They had eaten some of the eggs the chickens laid, sold a few, and pickled the rest. Having just gathered this new batch, Old Lady Liu set aside only two—to boil for her granddaughter the next morning—and gave the rest away.
Liu Mancang quickly squeezed some honey from the honeycomb into an empty canned fruit jar they had finished earlier and packed it for him to take.
Zhao Yongsheng felt embarrassed. He had just eaten so much meat there two days ago, and now they were giving him more—especially the honey, which was something money couldn’t buy. He was too embarrassed to take it.
As they pushed the items back and forth, Li Sufen finally spoke up: “Just take it, it’s to help Manhong build up her strength. We have plenty of chickens, and they are still laying eggs! There is also plenty of honey left.”
They even had several pheasants left.
Only then did Zhao Yongsheng accept, thanking them profusely and thinking about how he could return the favor.
That’s just how things were. Even though Old Man Liu and Old Lady Liu were the heads of the family, if the daughters-in-law weren’t happy, it wouldn’t be good. Over time, conflicts would arise among relatives.
There were so many families where the daughter-in-law had to watch her sister-in-law’s mood when she returned to her natal home.
Although Old Lady Liu was a strong personality and Li Sufen was virtuous and filial—the two women-in-law actually got along like mother and daughter—they still had to be careful not to take things for granted. After all, in this era, it was the sons and daughters-in-law who would provide for their old age.
Li Sufen saw this, which was why she had spoken up.
When he brought the items home, the two Zhao elders showered them with praise, not only for the Old Liu family’s capability but also for how much they doted on their daughter.
Old Lady Zhao instructed, “We can’t always take advantage of them. When you go to do the procurement, look to see if there is any nice printed cloth, shoes, or things like that. If there is, buy some. I see the in-laws dote on that granddaughter of theirs; printed cloth is perfect for making clothes for a little girl.”
“Mother, I know what to do,” Zhao Yongsheng replied, nodding directly. Even if his mother hadn’t said it, he would have bought them anyway.
He already had ideas about what to buy. When he went to the city last time, he had spotted something perfect; Tian Tian had fair, delicate skin—it would look beautiful on her.
Back at the Old Liu house, Liu Si Tian was staring at her father as he brushed honey onto the rabbit meat. Smelling the sweet, savory scent, she sniffled with her tiny nose, “Dad, when will it be ready?”
She was hungry, and the aroma was far too tempting.
Gulp—she swallowed her saliva.
Liu Mancang chuckled, amused: “Soon. When it’s ready, you’ll get a rabbit leg to eat first.”
“You’re such a troublemaker. He spent the whole day climbing the mountain and was exhausted, yet he still has to roast rabbit for you. Dad spoils you too much,” said Liu Siwei, who was squatting nearby, also sniffing the air.
His sister was clearly more of a glutton than him, yet no one ever criticized her. His grandparents and parents were all smiles, saying things like “being able to eat is a blessing.” If he dared to order people around like that, he would have been scolded long ago.
“Grandma is the most biased.”
Liu Siwei’s tone was a bit sour.
But you know what they say about not talking behind people’s backs; every time Liu Siwei spoke ill of Old Lady Liu, he was caught red-handed.
“So what if I’m biased? Who told you to be a stinky little brat who isn’t lovable? You eat like a piglet, and you aren’t even thoughtful. Besides, you won’t be eating roast rabbit tonight?”
He would surely eat it with more gusto than anyone else.
They weren’t actually tired from going up the mountain; on the contrary, they were in high spirits, feeling full of energy.
“You brat, always looking for trouble. Go pick a basin of cucumbers for me.”
Old Lady Liu couldn’t hold back and gave him a kick on his backside. She had just finished listening to Liu Sishu’s complaints about him and hadn’t gotten around to disciplining him yet, and he was already starting more trouble.
“Wash them clean when you’re done.”
Dinner consisted of four dishes: shredded honey-roasted rabbit meat, smashed cucumber salad, steamed eggplant and potatoes with chili paste, and stir-fried celery with potato strips, along with a dozen boiled corn cobs.
The dishes were served in small basins, heaped full.
Everyone was eating with their heads down, eyes fixed on their bowls. Liu Siwei, who never learned his lesson, said, “My sister knows how to eat—rabbit tastes better this way than stewed with potatoes.”
“How could it not be delicious with all that honey?” Li Sufen also thought it tasted good, but the moment she thought about how much honey they had used, her heart ached.
If it were anyone else asking for such an extravagant demand, she would have used the sole of her shoe on them.
Liu Si Tian didn’t say a word; her mouth was simply too busy. One bite of rabbit leg, one bite of toasted bun slice, then a bite of the cucumber salad.
The toasted bun slice had been roasted by her father, also brushed with layer upon layer of honey—it was absolutely delicious, fragrant, sweet, crispy, and crunchy. She had eaten the entire bun.
Before long, her stomach was round and tight.
Liu Si Tian looked regretfully at the half-eaten rabbit leg in her hand.
Her stomach was full, but her heart wasn’t. When would she grow up? Then she could eat even more delicious food.
She handed the remaining rabbit leg to Liu Siwei, took out her small handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and said, “Grandma, I’m full.”
Old Lady Liu felt her little belly—it was round and firm. She turned to Li Sufen and said, “Go get two hawthorn fruits for Tian Tian to eat; it will help her digestion.”
Hawthorns, also called “mountaintop red” here, didn’t grow very large due to the climate.
“You, little one, your mouth is never still. You’re exactly like your Fourth Brother,” Li Sufen said, poking her daughter’s head after bringing the hawthorns.
“What’s wrong with being the same? We are siblings.”
Even though her Fourth Brother could be a bit sour at times, he was actually very kind to her; he often ate her leftovers, and she often ordered him around.
“That’s right, what’s wrong with my sister being like me?”
Liu Siwei swallowed the meat in his mouth and agreed wholeheartedly. From now on, whatever his sister said went.
Where there was his sister, there was meat to eat.
He was rarely this smart.