The two little terrors rubbed their eyes sleepily and sat up. After staring blankly for a moment, they remembered what had happened before they went to bed. Their lips quivered, and they looked ready to burst into tears again.
Before, Zhao Xiaomian hadn’t had the strength to deal with them. Now that her heatstroke symptoms were gone and she’d decided to stay, she was feeling refreshed. The last thing she wanted was to listen to any more noise.
“That’s enough crying. Your birth mother left, but now you have a stepmother. It’s not like you don’t have a mother at all. What’s there to cry about?”
Her reasoning caught the two little terrors off guard. They promptly forgot about crying over the mother who had abandoned them.
Zhao Xiaomian pointed at the washbasin. “Chen Xiaofei, get the basin.”
She handed the younger little terror a towel. “Come downstairs with me!”
The elder little terror, Chen Xiaofei, finally came to his senses. Remembering that she was a bad woman, he demanded, “Why should we listen to you?”
“Don’t you feel uncomfortable with all that sweat and grime sticking to your skin? I’m going to wash your faces. You’re ungrateful, you can’t tell right from wrong, and you don’t use your brains! You two little fools, move it!”
Zhao Xiaomian picked up the basin of vegetables and headed downstairs first.
Chen Xiaofei forgot to argue. He stared stupidly at his sister. “D-Did she just call me a little fool?”
Chen Xiaodan hadn’t noticed how uncomfortable she felt before, but as soon as Zhao Xiaomian mentioned it, she suddenly felt itchy all over.
“Brother, I’m itchy.”
Chen Xiaofei took his sister’s hand. “Mom—”
He didn’t want to bring up their mother, the big liar, so he changed his mind.
“Dad said we’re not allowed to scratch. That bad woman wasn’t lying to us. Let’s go downstairs.”
Chen Xiaofei pulled his sister to her feet. Carrying the basin in one hand and holding her hand with the other, he led her out.
The staircase was in the middle of the building, with five households on either side of the second-floor landing. Chen Jianye had arrived late, and the apartments farther from the stairs—the quieter ones—had already been taken. He’d had no choice but to settle for a place right beside the staircase.
Fortunately, all the children had to do was step outside and turn left to reach the stairs. That made it easy for the siblings to run downstairs and play.
Chen Xiaofei was eager to get down there, but Chen Xiaodan was little, with short legs, and descended the stairs slowly. He had no choice but to wait patiently for his sister, his comrade in the same trench.
By the time the siblings reached the ground floor, Zhao Xiaomian had already turned on the tap and washed the eggplants. She was now washing the long beans.
Hearing their footsteps, she glanced over. “Wait a moment!”
She rinsed the beans once more, emptied the water, and moved the vegetable basin beneath the neighboring tap.
“Give me the washbasin.”
Chen Xiaodan was itching to scratch her arms again, so Chen Xiaofei hurriedly handed it over.
Zhao Xiaomian filled the basin halfway, carried it beneath the covered walkway, and took Chen Xiaodan’s towel. After wetting it, she wiped the child’s face and arms.
Chen Xiaofei wanted nothing to do with the bad woman’s help. Otherwise, she’d probably turn around and accuse him of being ungrateful again. He went around to the tap, stood on his tiptoes, and washed himself.
The basin of clear water quickly turned muddy. Chen Xiaodan went from looking like a little mud doll to a little girl with a yellowish complexion. Chen Xiaofei managed to get his face clean, too. But the tap was too high for him, so he had to raise his arms to catch the water. In the process, he’d soaked his clothes.
Zhao Xiaomian furrowed her brows.
Where had this filthy little rascal come from?
She emptied the basin, washed Chen Xiaodan once more, then grabbed Chen Xiaofei and pulled him beneath the covered walkway.
“I don’t need you to wash me!” Chen Xiaofei protested, sticking out his chin.
“What did I tell you before bed? Your good days are over. You’d better behave yourselves!”
Chen Xiaofei wasn’t born stubborn, nor was he truly fearless. When Zhao Xiaomian put on a stern face and pretended to be fierce, he was too frightened to move.
Zhao Xiaomian noticed that the siblings were wearing the old-fashioned sandals she’d seen in television dramas about the 1980s in her previous life. She filled another basin with water and told them to wash their legs and feet, too.
“Teacher Zhao, washing vegetables?”
Zhao Xiaomian had grown accustomed to being addressed as Teacher Zhao. She answered automatically, then remembered that she wasn’t the original Zhao Xiaomian.
Her first instinct was to explain, but she suddenly recalled that, as far as everyone else was concerned, she was still the same woman.
Hearing footsteps, Zhao Xiaomian looked up. A woman in her thirties was coming in through the entrance. She was about half a head shorter than Zhao Xiaomian, around 160 centimeters tall, with a long, thin face. A worn-out army-green satchel hung across her body, and she carried a large woven bag in one hand. She looked as though she’d just returned from a long journey.
The original owner remembered her. She was A Mao’s mother, who lived on the first floor. Like Zhao Xiaomian, she’d been an educated youth sent to the countryside before returning to the city. Unlike Zhao Xiaomian, however, she hadn’t been lucky enough to get into a technical secondary school after the college entrance examinations were reinstated.
She also had a son and a daughter, just like Chen Jianye. Her older child, A Mao, was five, while the younger one, A Huan, was two. She usually left them in the care of Granny Chen upstairs.
Zhao Xiaomian was about to respond when a child’s voice came from upstairs.
“Mom!”
“Mom’s home! Come on down!” A Mao’s mother called cheerfully.
Another fragment of the original owner’s memories surfaced. A Mao’s father was a driver for the Engineering Office, hauling earth with a dump truck. His salary was considerably lower than Chen Jianye’s, so A Mao’s mother often bought goods wholesale at the small commodities market and resold them in busy areas to supplement the family’s income.
The original owner had been influenced by the changing times. She envied A Mao’s mother for being able to earn money, yet looked down on her little business. The irony was that the original owner considered herself the daughter-in-law of a high-ranking official and felt she shouldn’t distance herself from the ordinary people. So whenever she met A Mao’s mother, she was always polite. As a result, A Mao’s mother had no idea what she really thought of her.
Zhao Xiaomian, on the other hand, had been kicked out by her adoptive parents immediately after graduating from high school in her previous life. They’d cut off all her financial support, believing that everything in the family belonged to her younger sister. Since Zhao Xiaomian was already a high school graduate and no longer a child, they thought she should support herself.
But making a living wasn’t easy for someone who’d just left school and hadn’t even turned eighteen. To save enough money for her living expenses, she’d worked as a private tutor and a waitress during summer and winter vacations, among other jobs.
She would never look down on A Mao’s mother for earning a living.
There was nothing shameful about making money!
Zhao Xiaomian smiled and replied, “You’re back.”
A Mao’s mother put down her woven bag and took one child in each arm. Turning toward Zhao Xiaomian, she noticed the eggplants and long beans in the vegetable basin.
“Is this what you’re having for lunch?”
Zhao Xiaomian knew why she’d asked.
To play the part of a good stepmother, the original owner had bought half a jin of pork almost every day.
Thanks to reform and opening-up, the authorities in the city now turned a blind eye to people walking around the streets selling pork. That was how the original owner had managed to keep it up. Back when small vendors were strictly suppressed and meat could only be bought with ration coupons, there was far less meat than demand. Every time someone wanted to buy some, they had to stand in line. The original owner might have wanted to keep up appearances, but she probably wouldn’t have been able to maintain that routine.
The reason she hadn’t bought any meat today was that she’d already felt unwell that morning. She hadn’t been in the mood to fuss over anything.
“It’s so hot that I don’t have much of an appetite. I’ll just make something simple. I’ll cook something nicer tonight.”
A Mao’s mother smiled. “Engineer Chen will be home tonight. Perfect timing to make him something nourishing.”
Zhao Xiaomian accepted the teasing with a smile, then gave the two little terrors a meaningful glance.
Upstairs!
As Chen Xiaofei passed A Mao, he whispered, “Come find me this afternoon!” Then he grabbed his sister and hurried after Zhao Xiaomian.
The moment A Mao followed his mother into their apartment, he announced, “Mom, Xiaofei got beaten by his stepmother this morning. She even told him and Xiao Dan that their good days were over. Mom, is Xiaofei’s stepmother going to turn into a wicked stepmother?”
A Mao’s mother stopped smiling.
“That might be for the best. I’ve wanted to give that little brat a good beating for ages. One day he’s pulling out someone else’s tire valve to listen to the air escaping. The next, he’s testing whether someone else’s windows are sturdy enough. If he keeps this up, he’ll end up in the hands of the police sooner or later.”
A Mao didn’t dare say another word. Otherwise, his mother would definitely tell him, “Stay away from Chen Xiaofei!”
“Mom, what’s for lunch?” he asked cleverly, changing the subject.
A Mao’s mother took the vegetables she’d stored beneath the cutting board and told him to pull the stove out and get the fire going.
Upstairs, Zhao Xiaomian also had to wait for the fire to catch.
She watched it for a while and realized it would take some time. So she went back inside to find some old newspapers and a palm-leaf fan. She lit the briquettes with the newspaper and fanned the air vent underneath to get the fire going.
But before she could even get the flames properly started, Zhao Xiaomian remembered that she had to use the stove outside the apartment for both cooking rice porridge and preparing dishes.
At this rate, how long would it take to get anything done?
Her stomach was already aching with hunger. She looked around and spotted some flour in the cupboard against the north wall. She scooped out a bowlful and decided to make flatbreads.
Then she found some preserved mustard greens in the cupboard. According to the original owner’s memories, they could be used in cooking, so Zhao Xiaomian soaked a handful.
After kneading the dough, she discovered that there was barely any water left in the bucket. She had to go downstairs and fill it again.
At long last, the stove fire began to burn steadily.
Zhao Xiaomian cut the eggplants into chunks and started making braised eggplant, sticking flatbreads to the sides of the pot to cook at the same time. Once the eggplant and flatbreads were ready, she made dry-fried long beans with preserved mustard greens.
By the time both dishes were finished, the fire was burning vigorously. Following the original owner’s memories, Zhao Xiaomian partially closed the stove opening and set the kettle, now filled with water, on top.
Then she called the two little terrors to eat.
Chen Xiaofei and Chen Xiaodan were hungry enough to cry. One pulled out the dining table while the other arranged the stools. Zhao Xiaomian handed them their chopsticks.
“If you’re thirsty, drink some water.”
“I don’t want water!” Chen Xiaofei protested.
“I want malted milk!” Chen Xiaodan chimed in.
Malted milk was sweet and slightly tangy, and it whetted the appetite. Zhao Xiaomian was so hungry that she could have eaten just about anything. In fact, she was curious to try some herself.
“Go scoop out two spoonfuls.”
Chen Xiaofei added two spoonfuls to the enamel mug marked Serve the People. Zhao Xiaomian topped it up with water. Since there had already been some cooled boiled water in the mug, the drink was neither hot nor cold, but just right.
Zhao Xiaomian found a small cup for each of them.
Chen Xiaofei downed half his cup in one go before finally settling down to eat.
Seeing two vegetable dishes, Chen Xiaofei curled his lip in distaste. But he was too hungry to put down his chopsticks, so he decided to try the eggplant.
The moment the soft, tender eggplant touched his tongue, he was surprised.
Had his stepmother’s cooking improved?
In those days, hardly anyone failed to be frugal with food. The original owner was no exception, so she never used much oil when cooking. Zhao Xiaomian had also been accustomed to using little oil and salt in her previous life. But today she was starving and didn’t want a bland meal. Since there was no meat, she decided to use lard instead.
The soft flatbreads had soaked up the rich, oily sauce from the braised eggplant. They tasted delicious, too. Both siblings loved them.
They hadn’t even gotten to eat the popsicles they’d wanted earlier, and they were every bit as hungry as Zhao Xiaomian. As a result, the two children were unusually quiet throughout the meal.
After eating, Chen Xiaofei put down his chopsticks and immediately got up to leave.
“Put the stools against the wall! I’ll clear the dishes. You two wipe the table and sweep the floor!”
The siblings glared at her in unison, their eyes wide with indignation. Their expressions seemed to say, Is this how you promised Mom you’d take care of us?
“Go ahead. Try walking out that door!”
Being picked up and manhandled wasn’t pleasant, but the siblings had spent the past six months having everything handed to them. They’d grown lazy and didn’t want to lift a finger.
Zhao Xiaomian put the dishes and chopsticks in the pot, then carried it downstairs to wash.
The two little terrors followed her. Zhao Xiaomian stopped, turned around, and gave them an inscrutable smile.
“Come along!”
Instead, they hesitated.
Zhao Xiaomian continued downstairs.
Chen Xiaodan tugged at her brother’s hand and asked whether he wanted to go down.
Chen Xiaofei was afraid of getting beaten. Grinding his teeth, he stamped his foot in frustration.
“Let’s not stoop to her level. We’ll let her get her way just this once. We’ll tell Dad when he gets home.”
A few minutes later, when Zhao Xiaomian returned upstairs, the table and floor were spotless. The straw mat that had been rolled up and propped against the wall was now spread out on the floor.
It was hot in the middle of the dog days of summer, especially at one in the afternoon. Nobody was playing in the courtyard. The two children had worked up a sweat wiping the table and sweeping the floor, and they didn’t feel like going outside. Instead, they sat on the straw mat in front of the electric fan.
Zhao Xiaomian had been busy all morning and was tired, too. She took a pillow from the bedroom and lay down on the mat.
She didn’t pay the siblings any attention. This was the complete opposite of the original owner, who had constantly fussed over them and asked whether they were hungry, thirsty, or comfortable. The children should have felt relieved, but something about it bothered them. After staring at each other for a while, they went back into the room, fetched their little pillows, and lay down as well.
Zhao Xiaomian noticed their filthy clothes.
“Take off your shorts and undershirts and throw them in the basin.”
Chen Xiaofei couldn’t see how dirty he was, but he could see that his sister was filthy. He got up and took her back into the room to change into clean clothes.
Chen Xiaodan thought he was going to change, too, so she found him a clean outfit. Chen Xiaofei figured that since she’d already taken it out, he might as well change.
By the time Zhao Xiaomian woke up from her nap, she could hear the children’s laughter downstairs.
She put away her pillow and the straw mat, then stepped outside and looked down. Only then did she realize that the courtyard surrounded by the building wasn’t actually enclosed by proper walls. There was a public toilet on one side, a bathhouse on another, and sheds that residents had put up themselves to store bicycles and miscellaneous belongings. Together, they gave the impression of a courtyard enclosed on three sides.
There was a loquat tree in the courtyard, along with a grapevine planted by someone whose identity was unknown. Children from both upstairs and downstairs were playing beneath the trees.
Looking at the noisy, chattering group of children, Zhao Xiaomian suddenly remembered something.
The original owner was a kindergarten teacher!
Did that mean she’d have to deal with dozens of little brats like Chen Xiaofei and Chen Xiaodan every single day?
Zhao Xiaomian felt her scalp go numb.
In her previous life, she hadn’t become a teacher because she particularly liked teaching. She’d simply thought the benefits were good, and as long as she didn’t make any serious mistakes, the school wouldn’t dare fire her. It seemed like a suitable job for someone with no family to rely on.
Zhao Xiaomian didn’t like children. After she turned six, she’d been made responsible for looking after her younger sister. Whenever her sister cried or threw a tantrum, Zhao Xiaomian was the one who got scolded.
That was also one of the reasons she was so determined to set rules for the two little terrors.
She could swear on her life that if she had to face dozens of unruly children every day, she wouldn’t last until the end of the year. Either she’d lose her mind, or she’d discipline the children so harshly that they’d end up traumatized. Their parents would complain, and she’d get fired!
Having a reputation for being fired was hardly a good thing.
It looked like she’d need to think about what to do with her future.
As a graduate of a technical secondary school, she could certainly apply for a transfer to an elementary school. Zhao Xiaomian vaguely remembered that one of her middle school teachers had graduated from a technical secondary school in the late 1980s.
The original owner had only one useful connection: her father-in-law, a high-ranking official.
Unfortunately, he worked in the transportation system, which had nothing to do with the Education Bureau. She didn’t even know whether he’d be willing to swallow his pride and use his connections to help her.
After much hesitation, Zhao Xiaomian decided to give it a try tomorrow.
Tomorrow was the weekend. Every weekend, she had to take the children to her in-laws’ home anyway. It would be the perfect opportunity to bring it up.
Her only worry was that her in-laws would hate her even more!
According to the original owner’s memories, her mother-in-law had once lamented over Chen Jianye’s two children, saying, “Chen Jianye already has two children, and he’s thirty years old. You’re an unmarried young woman. What on earth made you want to marry him?”
Tomorrow, her in-laws would finally find out why she’d married Chen Jianye.
It would be even better if this made Chen Jianye hate her more and more, to the point that he couldn’t stand coming home.
Give her ten days or half a month. Once she’d figured out her surroundings, who would care whether his surname was Chen or something else!