Father Yang and Mother Yang searched everywhere, but they still couldn’t gather much cotton.
The Lunar New Year had only just passed, and winter still gripped the city tightly. At this time of year, even paying outrageous prices on the black market wouldn’t buy much cotton.
In the end, Mother Yang purchased a quilt from one of her coworkers at the kindergarten cafeteria.
Sister Ma, who cooked alongside her, had married off her daughter the previous year. The daughter still had one thick wedding quilt that had never been used.
Mother Yang bought it at a premium and gave it to Song Can.
“To be honest, Sister Ma’s sewing is excellent.”
She gently stroked the quilt.
“Look how neat the stitching is. Even the floral fabric is beautiful.”
“The more I look at it, the less I want to give it away.”
“It would’ve been nice to keep it for you…”
“Or mail it to your Third Sister.”
She sighed with obvious reluctance.
That quilt had cost her an entire month’s allowance.
Mother Yang instructed Yang Yuan to hang it outside to air in the sun the next day.
Yang Yuan didn’t know the first thing about needlework, nor could she appreciate the floral patterns popular in the 1970s.
Still…
The quilt was wonderfully thick.
If only I could use it myself…
Ever since arriving here, she’d found the bed unbearably hard.
After years of sleeping on modern mattresses, every morning she woke with an aching back.
It was a day off.
Father Yang had gotten up before dawn to line up for supplies.
In this era, everything was rationed and sold in limited quantities.
If you arrived late…
There would be nothing left.
He had already returned once with meat, vegetables, and large steamed buns for breakfast.
After warming himself up a little, he’d gone back out again to try to buy coal.
By the time Yang Yuan finally dragged herself out of bed…
She was the only one left at home.
The buns were wrapped in cloth and still warm.
She poured herself some hot water, mixed a bowl of malted milk, and happily ate her breakfast.
Today she planned to do a thorough cleaning.
She was about to become a busy working woman.
She couldn’t leave household chores piling up.
She cleaned every shared room.
Then scrubbed every pot, bowl, ladle, and chopstick in the kitchen until they practically sparkled.
She’d always been like this.
Normally she wasn’t particularly tidy.
But every so often, an obsessive urge would strike, and she’d clean the entire house until everything was spotless.
Back in her previous life…
If she noticed even a single strand of hair after mopping the floor, she’d feel uncomfortable.
Yet somehow…
She could ignore an entire floor covered in hair before she started cleaning.
Even Yang Yuan herself found that contradiction amusing.
Today she was unusually diligent.
She sliced vegetables.
Marinated the meat.
The shredded potatoes soaked neatly in water.
She reheated coarse-grain steamed buns in the steamer.
Below, a pot of water boiled in preparation for egg drop soup.
One egg, beaten into the pot with a handful of leafy greens, was enough for the entire family.
She left everything ready.
All Mother Yang would have to do was stir-fry the vegetables and finish the soup.
But…
Mother Yang still hadn’t returned.
Outside, fine snowflakes had begun drifting down.
Unable to sit still any longer, Yang Yuan put on another padded jacket, locked the door, and headed toward the Zheng family home.
That’s right.
Mother Yang had taken Yang Wenping there.
Several days earlier, the Zheng family had sent a matchmaker to discuss the wedding.
At that very time, Yang Yuan had revealed that Zheng Yuyin was pregnant.
The news had nearly made Mother Yang sick with anger.
The Zheng family was clearly treating them like fools.
The more she thought about it…
The harder it became to swallow.
Outwardly, however, she showed nothing.
Instead, she cheerfully told the matchmaker they would soon begin writing invitations and preparing the bridal room.
She acted every bit like a mother delighted that her son’s wedding was finally approaching.
In truth…
She was testing them.
Even though Yang Yuan was her own daughter, Mother Yang hadn’t completely believed her.
Deep down, she still hoped…
What if Yuanyuan had mistaken the people?
What if she’d heard wrong?
Everything she’d said to the matchmaker had also been sincere.
To the Yang family, marrying into the Zheng family was a tremendous stroke of luck.
Whether it was Zheng Yuyin’s family background…
Her appearance…
Or her personality…
They couldn’t have been more satisfied.
Had Yang Wenping not remained unemployed after graduation…
Mother Yang would have proposed marriage long ago.
If the Zheng family had simply agreed to proceed with the wedding…
If they hadn’t caused trouble now of all times…
Mother Yang would gladly have visited every relative again.
Even kneeling to borrow money would have been worth it.
But…
As the days passed…
Her heart gradually turned cold.
The Zheng family never sent any reply.
Finally, Mother Yang took a deep breath.
If your Zheng family chooses to be heartless…
Then don’t blame the Yang family for refusing to play nice.
Yang Yuan wrapped her coat tightly around herself.
Once snow started falling…
There was no telling when it would stop.
If anything, it would probably become heavier.
She jogged down the street.
She worried both about what was happening at the Zheng house…
And about the miserable freezing weather.
The Zheng family lived in a wealthier neighborhood.
Their homes were visibly nicer than the Yang family’s.
But no matter where you went…
Chinese people’s love of watching drama never changed.
Small groups of neighbors had already gathered outside the Zheng residence.
Whispers drifted through the crowd.
“What can’t they let us hear?”
“They even shut the door.”
“They’re arguing this loudly.”
“I don’t believe this marriage is still happening.”
“Hey, what started the fight?”
“Could it be that girl Yuyin doesn’t want to marry him anymore?”
Speculation flew everywhere.
Yang Yuan squeezed into the courtyard.
The moment she recognized Mother Yang’s voice arguing inside…
Her face darkened.
Without hesitation, she strode forward and kicked the main room door open.
Bang!
“So you’re all bullying my mother just because there are more of you?”
“Have you no shame at all?”
The gossiping neighbors instantly stretched their necks, trying to peek inside.
“Whoa…”
“There really are a lot of people in there.”
The room was packed.
Heads everywhere.
Before Mother Yang could even react to her daughter’s arrival…
Every man inside had already stood up.
One woman immediately shouted,
“Where did this little brat come from?”
“You kick open someone else’s door the moment you arrive?”
“Whose daughter are you?”
“Who raised you?”
“Where are your manners?”
“Manners?”
Yang Yuan rolled up her sleeves.
“Who could possibly compare with the Zheng family’s manners?”
“One moment you want to cancel the marriage.”
“The next you want to go through with it.”
“Does the whole world revolve around your family?”
“Where’s Zheng Yuyin?”
“Come out here!”
“I’d like to see how many heads you have to deserve such arrogance!”
“Five hundred yuan in bride price is enough to marry ten wives!”
“So what exactly are we buying?”
“An ancestor to worship for the rest of our lives?”
Her words came one after another.
“You still dare lecture me about manners?”
“Do any of you have any?”
“There are more than ten grown men and women in this room, all ganging up on my mother!”
“What?”
“Just because someone here is a factory director, you think you can bully ordinary people?”
“Throw your authority around?”
“Oppress others with your power?”
“If you’ve got the guts…”
“Open the door.”
“Let all the neighbors come judge for themselves.”
“Let’s see what kind of people you really are.”
Even Mother Yang was stunned.
She immediately patted Yang Yuan’s back, trying to calm her down.
She’d never realized before…
That her daughter cared this deeply about her elder brother.
That she’d been holding in so much anger on his behalf.
One middle-aged man frowned.
“You can’t just say things like that.”
“What evidence do you have?”
“This is all a misunderstanding…”
Before he could finish…
Yang Yuan cut him off.
“A misunderstanding?”
“What misunderstanding?”
“Did we not give five hundred yuan as the bride price?”
“Hasn’t Yang Wenping visited his future father-in-law and fiancée every holiday?”
“Or was it her who secretly hooked up with another man?”
“For two whole years after the engagement…”
“Every major and minor holiday…”
“Even when my brother wasn’t home…”
“Our gifts never stopped.”
“What exactly dissatisfied your family?”
“What has my brother ever done wrong?”
“Right before the wedding…”
“You humiliate our family like this.”
She pointed directly at the young woman standing silently in the corner.
“Zheng Yuyin…”
“So this is how you treat people?”
Zheng Yuyin kept her head lowered.
Tears streamed endlessly down her face.
She looked ashamed enough to die.
Seeing Yang Yuan preparing to continue…
Mother Yang reached out to stop her.
Turning toward the others, she spoke calmly.
“Matchmaker Zhang can testify.”
“We truly came today to discuss the wedding.”
“Yuyin simply said she doesn’t agree.”
“But what exactly does that mean?”
“Just as my daughter said…”
“We honestly don’t believe we’ve wronged your family.”
“Nor have we wronged Yuyin.”
“We were already discussing marriage.”
“Yet suddenly…”
“Now you say no.”
“You were the ones who wanted the marriage.”
“Now you’re the ones refusing it.”
“So tell me…”
“What exactly must our family do…”
“Before Yuyin is finally satisfied?”