Fang Yao soothed Liu Bailan’s distress and offered to stay and help with the cooking, but her mother refused outright.
“You will have more than enough work wherever you go. Rest while you can. Go inside and pour tea for your mother-in-law. I am plain of speech and clumsy with words. How you get along with her hereafter rests entirely with you.” Liu Bailan wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Fang Yao nodded gently. “She is not like Wang Cuilian, Mother. You can see it yourself she is kind and generous, both to me and to Qingzhou.”
“I hear it in the way she speaks a woman of learning and refinement, unlike us rough-handed folk. Behave with all proper courtesy before her, lest she think we in the Fang household have failed to raise our daughter well.”
“I shall, Mother.” Fang Yao gave her word.
In her past life, whenever Fang Yao had snatched a moment to read and study after marrying Xu Manjiang, Wang Cuilian coarse and unrefined to the bone had looked upon her quiet reading with nothing but contempt. She had accused Fang Yao of laziness, and while Fang Yao laboured in the fields earning work points, Wang Cuilian had gathered every book she possessed and cast them all into the kitchen fire.
It had been Wang Hua who, unable to bear the injustice, had slipped books to her from time to time telling her to read them in secret when Wang Cuilian was elsewhere.
Now, in this life, with Wang Hua as her mother-in-law, Fang Yao could study openly and even seek guidance something she looked forward to with all her heart.
“I shall step outside then. Call me should you need anything.” Fang Yao excused herself and left the kitchen.
Out in the courtyard, Xu Qingzhou was working diligently to win the Fang family’s approval assisting Fang Daguo in trimming and reshoeing the production team’s donkey.
His hands, long and lean from years of army training, were strong and sure. He guided the trimming knife with precision, pared away the hard hoof, and drove the nails home in one smooth motion. Fang Daguo watched his new son-in-law’s deft hands and found his fondness growing beyond measure.
“You even know how to do this?” Fang Yao walked over, unable to resist a smile.
Xu Qingzhou glanced up, a warm smile playing about his lips. Beads of sweat glistened at his temple. “Do you have a handkerchief?”
“I do.” Fang Yao pulled one from her pocket. Seeing his hands occupied, she moved to wipe the sweat from his brow herself.
A loud, deliberate cough rang out beside them. “Ahem… stand back, daughter. That beast has a temper. One kick and you’d be hurt!”
Fang Yao understood perfectly. Her father was reminding her to maintain propriety in public. Her cheeks warmed with colour. She pressed the handkerchief into Xu Qingzhou’s hand and turned quickly away toward the house.
Inside, Wang Hua sat conversing earnestly with Fang Yao’s grandparents. The story unfolded of her marriage to Xu Qingzhou’s father, of his tragic passing, and of Xu Qingzhou’s enlistment. It was like a beloved tale, and the old couple listened with rapt attention.
Fang Yao listened for a while longer, until laughter from the courtyard announced the arrival of her uncle and aunt. She rose to greet them.
Since dividing the family property, Fang Jianye had built a new home at the far end of the village, living there with Sun Yanqin and their two children. They gathered only on festivals or important occasions.
“We heard from Fang Bin that the groom had been changed so we hurried straight over to see!” Sun Yanqin bustled into the kitchen, laughing merrily at Liu Bailan. “Sister-in-law what fortune your daughter has! Look at this new son-in-law tall, handsome, fine as can be! Truly like trading an old musket for a cannon! You’ve come out far ahead!”
Liu Bailan, well used to her sister-in-law’s banter, laughed it off. “Come lend me a hand! Once this noon’s feast is seen to, more helpers arrive this afternoon you and your husband must oversee everything!”
United as one family in public, the two women knew that preparing a feast in the countryside required every pair of hands and that now more than ever, they must stand together.
Sun Yanqin rolled up her sleeves and set straight to work. Fang Jianye, meanwhile, conferred with Fang Daguo over arrangements procuring pigs from the production team, gathering firewood, erecting shelters. And Xu Qingzhou, new son-in-law of the household, was counted among the men and set to work without hesitation.
“Qingzhou wait for Fang Tong and the others to return, then take Fang Zhen along and haul firewood from the fields.”
“Understood.” Xu Qingzhou agreed readily.
Then Fang Jiao spoke up from the side. “But our new brother-in-law wears his army uniform! If he goes out to work in the fields, it will be ruined and soiled!”
Seeing hesitation cross his father-in-law’s face, Xu Qingzhou spoke at once. “It is quite all right. I have several others at home. One uniform is nothing.”
“Still…” Fang Daguo looked troubled. “Might you change into something plainer?”
“I may wear something over top,” Xu Qingzhou replied. Regulations were strict in the army, but common sense allowed exceptions where necessary.
“Sister come with me to Second Brother’s room! We shall find him work clothes!” Fang Jiao took Fang Yao by the arm and hurried her away before she could object.
Once inside Fang Bin’s room, Fang Jiao shut the door and planted herself with hands upon her hips, indignant.
“Sister! Xu Manjiang what a heartless wretch! Engaged to you half a year and then swaps brides as though it meant nothing! Casts you aside like so much rubbish! How could he be so cruel!”
Fang Jiao was barely a year younger than Fang Yao. They had grown up side by side, as close as true sisters. Even as they grew older, their bond remained unbroken. To see her own cousin wronged so deeply stirred her to fury.
“Still this new brother-in-law is truly handsome and worthy of you! If it were otherwise, I should march over with my brothers and smash every pot in that worthless household!”
Fang Yao pulled out a set of sturdy work clothes from Fang Bin’s chest, looked at her cousin’s puffed-out cheeks, and could not resist pinching them playfully.
“You with your sharp tongue!”
Fang Yao remembered clearly how once, in childhood, Fang Bin and Fang Zhen had gotten into a fight in the village. Fang Jiao had marched bravely forward at Fang Yao’s side only to catch sight of the brawling boys and burst into terrified tears. Fang Yao had been the one to fetch adults and separate them. For three nights afterward, Fang Jiao had woken screaming from nightmares.
Fang Jiao, reminded of her former cowardice, scratched the back of her head sheepishly and took Fang Yao’s hand.
“Sister keep that between us, won’t you? But still… you simply let Xu Manjiang go? That seems far too easy on him!”
“Easy?” Fang Yao smiled like a little fox showing off a prize. “I beat him soundly first. And I made him pay two thousand yuan in compensation.”
Fang Jiao’s eyes went wide with awe. “Two thousand? Heavens! Sister you have brought such honour upon our family! Faithless men deserve their just deserts! I shall learn from you never suffer wrongfully in my husband’s household!”
Fang Jiao swore with great determination. Fang Yao simply smiled beside her. Her cousin had no such tragedy awaiting her; in a few years, she would marry a capable young cadre from the district, and live a smooth, happy life.
The cousins chatted until Fang Bin and Fang Tong returned, ready to depart for the fields. They urged Fang Yao to deliver the clothes to Xu Qingzhou.
Xu Qingzhou slipped the garments on over his uniform. As he climbed aboard the cart, he turned his head and looked directly at Fang Yao.
“Brother-in-law here, have a smoke!” Fang Bin offered him a hand-rolled cigarette with easy familiarity.
Xu Qingzhou declined politely. “Thank you, Second Brother. I do not smoke.”
Fang Bin beamed at being addressed so. “Fair enough! What about wine? Do you drink?”
“Not habitually. Though I may take a little upon necessary occasions.”
The cart rumbled through the gate, and Fang Bin chatted amiably with Xu Qingzhou all the way.
Fang Yao turned to go inside when Fang Jiao nudged her elbow.
“Sister! You have truly struck gold! He is not only handsome but kind no pride, no arrogance, not the slightest bit stuck-up! Unlike Xu Manjiang who always looked down his nose at us, strutting about like a pompous frog! By the way… since you have come visiting with your new husband… does that mean Xu Manjiang must now visit his new bride’s family too?”