The three of them argued endlessly.
Miao Yunwei then walked over, glancing at the three of them. “There are five rooms upstairs. Isn’t that enough for the three of you to sort out? Mom has already put beds in four of them. The remaining one is planned to be used as a storage room, where food and other household items will be locked away in the future. Apart from that room, you can pick whichever you like.”
Miao Lingwei looked skeptical. “Second Sister, with four rooms, who gets the extra one? You?”
Miao Yunwei shook her head. “I work, so it’s more convenient for me to live downstairs. The extra room can be kept as a guest room. As for the rooms downstairs, don’t even think about it. One for Grandpa and Grandma, one for Mom and Dad, and one each for me and Eldest Brother. Mom said the back hall will have a bamboo couch set up later. We can sleep there on hot nights, and when it’s cold, we can put a small table there to drink tea and chat.”
In other words, the back hall wasn’t meant for living in.
Miao Lingwei let out an “Oh,” unimpressed. “Fine, then. Let’s do it that way!”
She moved her quilt, clothes, and schoolbag into the innermost room on the east side, while the two younger ones took the west side.
For now, the three of them were quite enthusiastic, quickly tidying up their rooms.
Seeing that they were getting along peacefully, Miao Yunwei turned and went downstairs, just in time to hear Miao Jianguo and Miao Dashan talking.
“Dad, I plan to take some time to build a wooden fence to enclose the yard, especially the backyard. It has to be fenced off.”
Their backyard was separated from the Shizi River only by a small slope, with no path. Generally, people from the commune wouldn’t go that way, but if a thief ever sneaked into the backyard, no one would notice. It wasn’t safe, so a fence was definitely necessary.
Having supervised the construction for so long, Miao Dashan was well aware of this risk. After thinking for a moment, he pondered, “A wooden fence isn’t sturdy. Someone could just kick it and it would fall over. If you have time, go to the river and pick up some large stones. With so many people in your family, you can get a lot done during the two-day holiday. In a month or two, it’ll be finished.”
“It’s just that buying cement will cost some money. If you’re short, I can chip in a bit.”
Miao Jianguo quickly shook his head. “Dad, from building the house until now, you and Mom have contributed both money and effort. I can’t take any more of your money. I can handle this small matter myself.”
Miao Dashan didn’t insist.
Just then, Huang Caiying and Meng Suling finished tidying up the altar table, and the whole family began their worship.
They kept at it until the rooster crowed before everyone finally went to bed.
Miao Yunwei lay in her own bed. Though her body was utterly exhausted, her mind was unusually alert. In the darkness, she could even picture the exact layout of her room.
Behind the door was the chamber pot. Right at the entrance stood a meter-high cabinet, specially made by Meng Suling out of affection for her—the only one in the entire house.
The cabinet had three tiers, two of which could be locked. The bottom tier was the largest, suitable for storing bulky items. The top tier could hold things like a water jug or a vase. If they ever had the means to buy a small fan, it could be placed there too.
Next to the cabinet was the wardrobe, with double doors—one side for summer clothes, the other for winter coats. Above it were piled winter quilts and mattresses.
That filled up one entire wall. Her bed was on the other side, tucked into the corner, with a desk at the foot of the bed, right next to the window.
On the shelf above the desk were some high school textbooks.
The room wasn’t large, but it had everything she needed, and it was a bedroom all her own.
Thinking back to her past life, when had she ever had a room of her own? It seemed like never!
Miao Yunwei closed her eyes, a faint, contented smile still lingering at the corner of her mouth.
That day, the entire family slept until the sun was high in the sky before waking up. Meng Suling cooked a pot of sweet porridge, serving a bowl to each person.
After finishing their meal, Miao Dashan and Huang Caiying prepared to return to the sugar factory compound.
Miao Jianguo asked Meng Suling to take the children to Shizi River to collect stones, then escorted the elderly couple back. He did not return until evening.
Following behind him was a tall figure.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Miao Yunwei rushed out of the yard in delight, “Big brother!”
Miao Pingkang shifted his gaze from the house to Miao Yunwei, a weary, weathered smile tugging at his lips, “Second sister!”
Seeing him standing motionless outside, Miao Yunwei quickly stepped forward to take the small bag from his hands.
Miao Jianguo carried items in both hands, looking deeply troubled, “Let’s go, we’ll talk more inside.”
Only when Miao Pingkang began to walk did Miao Yunwei notice his unsteady gait—a pronounced limp.
She suddenly recalled events from her past life. Back then, cheated out of a job, she had hidden in her room crying all day, later staying at her uncle’s place for a while. When her big brother returned, she wasn’t home. By the time she came back from her uncle’s, her brother had already taken over their father’s job and started working. This deepened her resentment, making her believe Miao Jianguo didn’t value her. After going to the countryside, she cut off all contact with the family.
It wasn’t until many years later, when they met again, that she learned her brother had become lame. Yet, due to the lingering grudge in her heart, she never took the initiative to show concern. She never imagined this injury had occurred so early!
Miao Yunwei’s expression shifted repeatedly.
Meng Suling returned from Shizi River with a group of children. Seeing Miao Pingkang home, she was so overjoyed she couldn’t close her mouth, bustling about energetically, “Our eldest returns just as we’ve moved—one happy event after another! I just saw some old men setting fish traps in Shizi River. I’ll go ask later; if there’s fish, we’ll buy some and add a dish tonight.”
Miao Lingwei and the two younger ones suddenly brightened up, nodding vigorously.
But Miao Jianguo couldn’t muster a smile at all. He grabbed Meng Suling, “Don’t rush around needlessly. It’s already dark now. Wouldn’t it be better to buy a meat dish from the state-run restaurant tomorrow morning than to get those little fish and shrimp?”
Shizi River was wide and long; it wasn’t that there were no big fish, but wild fish were especially cunning. The chance of catching a big one was slim—usually, it was just those finger-length small fish with little meat, which were also a hassle to prepare.
Doused with cold water, Meng Suling’s excited mind finally cooled down a bit. Her eyes filled with concern as she looked at her eldest son, “You’ve lost weight, and you’re darker! You must have suffered a lot these years, right? How long can you stay this time?”
Facing his mother’s hopeful gaze, Miao Pingkang found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
It was Miao Jianguo who stepped in to help him out, “Our eldest isn’t planning to leave this time.”
“Why? What’s going on?” Meng Suling looked suspicious, while the others were also full of curiosity.
Miao Jianguo sighed, his brow furrowed tightly, “Our eldest was seriously injured while on a mission. Thankfully, it wasn’t a vital spot, so his life was spared. But his leg… he can’t run normally anymore!”
These words struck like a bolt from the blue, leaving the whole family dumbfounded.
After a moment, the sound of Meng Suling’s heartbroken weeping filled the yard.
“How can my son’s perfectly good leg not walk properly anymore? We’ll go see a doctor, go to the hospital, wuwuwu…”
Miao Pingkang’s heart ached with sorrow. Holding the weeping Meng Suling, his eyes reddened, “Mom, I’m sorry. I’ve burdened you all.”
Meng Suling felt even more upset inside and cried even harder, “My poor child! You are a piece of flesh that fell from your mother’s body, how could you be a burden to us? How badly is your leg injured? Is there really no cure?”