“Well, well—you’ve all been eating without me!
“Such a feast, and nobody even called me?”
Third Brother Jiang hurried home. The moment he stepped through the door and saw the entire family gathered neatly around the large dining table, he quickly shrugged off his jacket and squeezed toward the seat beside Jiang Lai.
He had barely managed to wedge himself halfway in before his backside could touch the chair when Ma Laihua smacked him hard across the back.
“You’re never home. How are we supposed to know where to find you?”
Jiang Chunxiang immediately gave up trying to squeeze in. He obediently grabbed another stool, sat beside Jiang Lai, took a deep sniff of the air, and sighed dramatically.
“Are we celebrating New Year’s early?”
“This is the first reunion dinner our whole family has ever had.”
Ma Laihua placed a large chicken drumstick into each grandson’s bowl before looking around the table.
“Hurry up and eat before everything gets cold.”
Jiang Jianshe quietly picked up the small wine flask, filled his cup to the brim, then sat up straight.
Looking around at his crowded family, an indescribable sense of satisfaction welled up inside him.
“I’d like to say a few words.”
Everyone immediately picked up their glasses.
Even little Xiaowei and Yuanyuan copied the adults by raising their cups of water while looking at Jiang Jianshe.
“Today…”
“Our family is finally together.”
“You three are the older brothers.”
“Your little sister didn’t grow up beside us, but she’s sacrificed a great deal for this family.”
“When she was born, our family was struggling.”
“The three of you were at the age where you ate the most.”
“Even after your mother and I gave half our own rations to you boys, it still wasn’t enough.”
“So not long after Lailai’s first month, we had no choice but to send her to the countryside.”
“Later came the educated youth movement.”
“Your sister gave up her own future and took the place of one of you.”
“She didn’t even finish middle school before she had to work in the fields.”
“Even though your uncle and grandmother looked after her…”
“She still did every bit of farm work everyone else did.”
“You three have been fortunate.”
“I don’t ask for much.”
“I only hope the three of you will always take good care of your little sister.”
“She’s seventeen this year.”
“After the New Year she’ll be eighteen—a grown young woman.”
“When she gets married and starts her own family, the three of you must always stand behind her.”
Jiang Jianshe rambled on for quite some time.
Every word carried his guilt toward his daughter.
The eldest brother, Jiang Chunfeng, was as poor with words as his second uncle.
After Jiang Jianshe finished speaking, he unexpectedly poured himself a tiny cup of baijiu.
Holding the cup awkwardly for a long while, he finally managed to say,
“Mom… Dad…”
“Don’t worry.”
“I’ll take good care of Little Sister.”
People who were bad with words really shouldn’t force themselves to make speeches.
Jiang Lai felt goosebumps all over her body.
Fortunately, her second and third brothers were much more eloquent.
Both sisters-in-law also took turns speaking.
Ma Laihua kept lowering her head to wipe away tears.
When Jiang Jianshe urged her to say something, the usually talkative Ma Laihua simply waved her hand.
“The food’s getting cold.”
“Let’s eat.”
Jiang Lai didn’t drink alcohol.
Instead, she poured herself a glass of orange soda.
She stood solemnly and raised her glass toward her eldest brother and sister-in-law.
“I’d like to toast Big Brother and Sister-in-law before I toast Mom and Dad.”
“I’ll always remember Xiaowei’s situation.”
“Once I start earning a salary, I’ll hand every month’s wages over to Mom.”
“We’ll use it toward Xiaowei’s medical treatment.”
“Consider it my contribution to helping Big Brother.”
“You don’t have to worry about paying me back.”
“With my income added to the family’s…”
“Big Brother won’t need to work so much overtime.”
“I’m sure we’ll be able to take Xiaowei for treatment very soon.”
The rest of the family looked confused.
None of them knew Jiang Chunfeng had been secretly taking extra shifts for additional income.
Even Jiang Jianshe looked startled.
His expression darkened as he warned his eldest son.
“Your job may seem easy, but it’s dangerous.”
“The shift schedule exists for a reason.”
“Don’t overwork yourself taking extra shifts.”
“If you’re careless one day and get hurt, it’ll be too late.”
Seeing his little secret exposed, Jiang Chunfeng scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
“Dad…”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“When there’s nothing happening, I just take a nap.”
“That’s not good enough.”
“Have you forgotten how your master had to retire?”
“When he got careless, the machine crushed his entire hand.”
“You remember that, don’t you?”
Ma Laihua joined in the scolding with a stern face.
Jiang Chunfeng had started as an apprentice.
He’d studied under his master for three years.
During the fourth year, realizing his master wasn’t willing to teach him everything, he’d begun attending night classes during his free time.
In the first half of that fourth year, while repairing a machine, his master ignored Jiang Chunfeng’s warning.
His fingers—and half his palm—were caught and crushed by the machinery.
Unable to continue working, he transferred his job quota to his daughter.
Only then had Jiang Chunfeng become a full-fledged worker and inherited his master’s position.
“I won’t be careless.”
“Besides, the machines hardly ever break.”
“When everything’s normal, I just sneak in a little nap.”
Still young, Jiang Chunfeng simply didn’t fear danger.
Both Ma Laihua and Jiang Jianshe sternly lectured him again, insisting he stop taking extra night shifts.
Not wanting to worry his parents, Jiang Chunfeng reluctantly nodded.
Jiang Lai, however, could tell immediately—
He hadn’t truly given up on earning that extra money.
She would have to keep an eye on him.
After the reunion dinner, the family grew noticeably closer.
The next morning—
Jiang Lai had intended to sleep in.
Instead, she was awakened by the constant clacking of the sewing machine.
Sleeping in the living room meant sleeping late was impossible.
She rolled over with the blanket several times before finally giving up.
Pushing aside the curtain around her bed, she saw her eldest sister-in-law working the sewing machine while Second Sister-in-law stood beside her giving instructions.
Hearing the curtain move, Wen Hua’er looked over.
“Did we wake you up, Little Sister?”
“I’ve slept enough.”
“What are you making?”
Since no one else was home, Jiang Lai simply got dressed and climbed out of bed.
Second Sister-in-law Hu Yanyan answered,
“Don’t you start work tomorrow?”
“I managed to get a few extra yards of fabric from the warehouse.”
“Your eldest sister-in-law and I couldn’t decide whether to make you a coat or a dress.”
“We finally decided the fabric wasn’t really suitable for a dress.”
“So your sister-in-law’s making you a coat.”
Hu Yanyan worked as a warehouse clerk.
She had access to better fabrics than most people could get.
Jiang Lai looked over at the already-cut pieces laid across the dining table.
The fabric had a white background covered with neat black geometric checks, almost like a houndstooth pattern.
It had a smooth, subtly textured finish and enough thickness for both early and late autumn.
Wen Hua’er worked quickly.
The outer fabric had already been cut.
“This fabric’s a little too heavy for a blouse.”
“So I added a lining and made it into a thicker coat.”
“It’ll keep you warm going to and from work.”
She smiled shyly while briefly pausing her sewing.
Looking at the cut pieces, Jiang Lai realized Wen Hua’er was making a traditional fitted jacket with a cinched waist.
She couldn’t help feeling a little regretful.
“This fabric would’ve made a beautiful dress.”
Hu Yanyan immediately looked unconvinced.
“A dress?”
“With black and white patches all over?”
“Would that really look good?”
In Jiang Lai’s mind, a long skirt instantly took shape.
Her fingers began itching to bring the design to life.
“Second Sister-in-law…”
“Is there any more of this fabric?”
“There’s still plenty in the warehouse.”
“I thought the pattern was unusual and difficult to turn into clothes, so I only took a few yards.”
“Second Sister-in-law…”
“Could you get more?”
“No…”
“Could you ask your supervisor if we can buy an entire bolt?”
Her eyes practically sparkled.
Hu Yanyan found herself unable to refuse.
“I never knew your taste was so unusual.”
“If you really like it, I’ll go get a whole bolt.”
“A clothing factory down south originally custom-ordered this fabric.”
“But after it was made, there was some kind of defect.”
“It wasn’t exactly the pattern they wanted.”
“So it ended up sitting in the warehouse.”
“It doesn’t sell well.”
“And it’s not as practical as the ordinary fabrics we use ourselves.”
“So it’s just been piling up.”
Hu Yanyan was straightforward by nature.
She immediately left for the warehouse to get more fabric.
Meanwhile, Jiang Lai watched as Wen Hua’er sewed the lining into the jacket.
Seeing that the waist was being tailored inward, she quickly stopped her.
“Big Sister-in-law.”
“Undo the waist.”
“Don’t make it fitted.”
Now it was Wen Hua’er’s turn to be puzzled.
“But loose clothes look sloppy.”
“Don’t young girls all like clothes that show off their figure?”
“No.”
Jiang Lai smiled.
“I like them loose and oversized.”