Jiang Xiaoyu truly wanted to raise Yu Wangzhou. After all, raising children in this era was nothing like decades later. In the future, children would be treasured, with competition starting from prenatal education, but things were different in the sixties. Kids were mostly left to grow on their own. There were no endless tutoring classes, school matters belonged to the teachers, and after class the children simply played around. Older children helped with chores and looked after younger siblings. Adding one more child like Wangzhou would not create much extra work.
Besides, by taking Wangzhou in, she could receive an additional salary along with grain, oil, and meat ration coupons. A dual income household was incomparable in those days, life was far easier than for families relying on only one wage earner.
And with the famine approaching, one more person’s salary and ration quota would become extremely important.
“You really mean it?” Qian Chunmei listened to her well reasoned explanation and, regardless of whether it worked out in the end, still felt grateful to Jiang Xiaoyu. “Mu Chengfeng may not agree, and what about Damei, Second Sister, and your younger brother? Can they accept another child joining the family?”
“I’ll be the one caring for him. With Mu Chengfeng’s salary, supporting one more child won’t be too heavy a burden. I don’t think he’ll object.”
Mu Chengfeng had once accepted the three children his late wife kept adopting one after another as if they were his own, even using part of his own wages to help raise them. Knowing what kind of person he was, Jiang Xiaoyu felt certain she could persuade him.
“My little brother is still young, he’d only be happy to have another playmate. As for Damei and Second Sister, I’ll ask them right now.”
Jiang Xiaoyu waved toward the doorway. “Damei, Second Sister, come here. There’s something I want to discuss with you.”
Outside, Damei and Second Sister had already been talking with Xiaojun and Qingshan about their respective family situations. There was a sense of shared hardship between them. Damei had even reminded the boys not to fight and to keep an eye on the younger children before she and Second Sister came inside.
“Mom, what is it?”
When Damei asked, she was secretly delighted. Whether at her grandfather’s house or her grandmother’s, adults had always made decisions first and informed her afterward. Whether she agreed or not never mattered. This was the first time anyone had actually asked for her opinion.
Smiling, Jiang Xiaoyu explained, “Here’s the situation. Your auntie and I were discussing bringing Wangzhou to live with our family. If there’s another member in the household, it affects all of us, so I want to ask you and Second Sister. If you don’t want that, just say so honestly. Otherwise, if you complain about Wangzhou later, it’ll be too late.”
Damei nodded immediately. “I’m willing, Mom. I’ll help you take care of the younger brothers.”
She truly meant it. Watching the dazed little Wangzhou outside earlier had made her heart ache. He seemed even more pitiful than she used to be. At least she had been able to move back and forth between her grandfather’s and grandmother’s homes. Even though she was disliked, she still had food and shelter. But Wangzhou truly had no one left who wanted him. He was so pitiful that she had secretly wished he could come live with them.
Second Sister had no objections either. She and her sister would be starting school soon, and the busiest person at home was their stepmother anyway. Since Jiang Xiaoyu was willing, why would she object?
Based on her observations earlier, she added, “Mom, Wangzhou isn’t stupid at all. He’s actually very smart, maybe even smarter than me. Raising him won’t be a loss.”
Jiang Xiaoyu could not help laughing. Second Sister herself was clever, perhaps smart people simply recognized their own kind.
“Sister in law, you can rest easy now. Tonight I’ll discuss it with Mu Chengfeng and give you an answer tomorrow.”
…
Back outside, Xiaojun asked Damei, “Did your stepmother tell you to go home already?”
Damei looked overjoyed as she patted Wangzhou’s head. Even though he gave no response, she was still smiling brightly. “My mom said that if nobody wants Wangzhou, he can stay with our family. Tonight she’ll ask my dad.”
Neither Xiaojun nor Qingshan believed her.
“Your stepmother probably knows your dad won’t agree and is only pretending,” Xiaojun said.
Damei became angry at once. “My mom would never do that.”
Second Sister was even more direct. “We’re not playing with you anymore.”
Xiaojun looked baffled. “What a bad temper.”
Qingshan snorted. “Kids with parents don’t know fear.”
A sour feeling rose in Xiaojun’s chest, and he snapped unhappily, “You and your brother already have somewhere to go, so you’re feeling pretty smug now, aren’t you?”
Qingshan thought to himself, Yes, I am smug. I want you mad to death. Who told you to be so mean spirited and unable to stand seeing others doing well? The moment Auntie said she’d take me and my brother home, you started picking fights. Why should I put up with you?
But after thinking it over, he restrained himself. Wangzhou had finally found someone willing to take him in. What if another fight annoyed them and made them change their minds?
Besides, the more Xiaojun fought, the less likely anyone would want to adopt him.
Turning his head away, Qingshan muttered, “I’m not smug. Both my parents are dead, and I’ve got such a little brother to take care of. I’m worried sick already, what’s there to feel smug about?”
Xiaojun was momentarily speechless. His anger faded and his voice softened. “At least you still have a brother to depend on. I’m all alone. If I had a younger brother or sister, I’d be so happy. I’d treat them with all my heart.”
Qingshan held back for a moment, then noticed the auntie who had given them pancakes earlier standing up to leave. He immediately got up too, lifted the two younger boys off the seesaw, and led them back inside.
Qian Chunmei was beginning to look at Jiang Xiaoyu in a completely different light. Ever since Jiang Xiaoyu had left with Damei, Second Sister, and her younger brother, Xiaojun and Qingshan still disliked each other, but at least they had stopped fighting.
When it was finally time for the hospital staff to get off work, Gao Hongfen did not show up. Instead, Old Man Jiang arrived carrying several vegetarian buns wrapped in paper.
Qian Chunmei was busy tidying up the kindergarten kitchen. Gao Hongfen had done everything carelessly, so after Jiang Xiaoyu left, Qian Chunmei had cleaned the kitchen all over again herself.
Seeing her husband arrive, she immediately asked, “Why are you here? Where’s Gao Hongfen? Today was supposed to be our shift at the kindergarten. We were waiting for her to bring rice, flour, and oil so we could cook dinner for the children.”
Jiang Yousheng had just greeted several children sweeping the courtyard. Looking outside, he sighed inwardly at the sight of the pitiful children. His own family could only take in two of them, while the other two still had nowhere to go.
“There was a meeting this afternoon. We tried mobilizing the cadres’ families. Everyone said they sympathized, but every household claimed they had one difficulty or another. Sigh, this kind of thing can’t really be forced. I was thinking that at the next meeting, I’d bring up reopening the kindergarten. Families willing to adopt children would get priority for jobs there.”
Back then, once a job was assigned, it meant a formal position with state grain rations. People would fight tooth and nail for such an opportunity.
Qian Chunmei immediately objected. “No. We’re trying to find homes for these children, not make it into a trade. How can anyone genuinely treat the children well that way? Right now only Xiaojun still has nowhere to go. Let’s wait a couple more days.”
His wife made sense. Since there was no urgent need, there was no point revealing the kindergarten reopening plan too early.
Jiang Yousheng looked surprised. “Wangzhou already has a place to go? Which family agreed to take him? Aren’t they bothered by how absentminded he seems?”
Qian Chunmei then told him about Jiang Xiaoyu’s visit that afternoon.
“She did mention the kindergarten might reopen, but think about Mu Chengfeng’s salary. Jiang Xiaoyu never needed to work while raising children in the first place. Honestly, I suspect something’s wrong with her head. She actually volunteered to take Wangzhou in, saying that if she could raise one child, she could raise two, and bringing him home would give their third child a companion.”
Jiang Yousheng was genuinely impressed. “I never would’ve guessed she had such awareness. I know Chengfeng well, he definitely won’t oppose bringing Wangzhou home. That’s wonderful.”
Qian Chunmei nodded. “Exactly! So we can’t create extra trouble for Xiaoyu. Let’s settle the children’s placements first before discussing the kindergarten. Once the jobs are open for competition, adopting children can count as extra points. Then nobody can complain out of jealousy.”
“You’re right, you’ve thought it through carefully. As for Xiaojun, I’ll keep visiting suitable families one by one and try persuading them.”
“Why is Vice Director Xiao Baoguo so lacking in awareness?”
“Baoguo actually wanted to take one child home, but Gao Hongfen insisted their daughter was in the middle of marriage talks and worried it would ruin the match, so she refused to allow it. Baoguo had no choice.”
Qian Chunmei let out a cold snort. They were all excuses, and everyone in the hospital could see through them.
Suddenly she asked, “Where is Gao Hongfen anyway? Why still hasn’t she come?”
Jiang Yousheng hurriedly replied, “Oh right, before work ended she told me she was taking her daughter to a matchmaking meeting tonight, so she had to leave immediately after work. Tonight I’ll stay here with you and help take care of the children.”
Qian Chunmei instantly exploded in anger. “The duty schedule was already arranged, yet she can simply decide not to come? These are four children, not four grown adults. Someone has to stay with them. And with only those buns you brought, how is that enough food? Growing boys can eat a mountain of food, especially those two eight year olds. If the children go hungry during my shift, she’s clearly trying to sabotage me.”
Jiang Yousheng soothed her, “Gao Hongfen really did take her daughter to a matchmaking meeting. Baoguo went too. If there isn’t enough food, I’ll go buy more.”
Just as Qian Chunmei was still grumbling, Damei, Second Sister, Xiaojun, and Qingshan came inside.
“Damei, Second Sister, why did you come by yourselves?”
“Auntie, Mom said the cooking supplies here aren’t prepared properly yet, so it’s inconvenient to cook. She made food at home and told us to bring it over. They’re all cold dishes that won’t spoil.”
Qian Chunmei lifted the basket lid. Inside was a large jar filled with cold shredded kelp, jellyfish salad, and cucumber salad. In another basket were ten soft cornmeal buns, packed so full there was barely room left. No matter how much the children ate, it would be enough.
Her heart warmed instantly. A Xiaoyu like this would never let children go hungry under her care.
“Damei, Second Sister, have you eaten yet?”
“We already cooked at home. We’ll go back to eat.”
Damei added, “Auntie, Mom said this is her first time making kelp and jellyfish salad. She used the same method as cucumber salad, but she doesn’t know if it tastes good or not, so she asked you all to try it and tell her what you think.”
There were bamboo chopsticks in the basket. Qian Chunmei handed chopsticks to her husband, Xiaojun, and Qingshan, then picked up a bite of kelp herself. The moment it entered her mouth, her eyes narrowed in delight. She had eaten kelp countless times before, but never anything that tasted this good.
As for the jellyfish salad, there was no need to mention it. Even her own cooking would always get eaten clean, let alone Jiang Xiaoyu’s.
She fed a bite each to Qinghe and Wangzhou. The two three year olds instinctively reached out for more.
Then she pointed at Xiaojun and Qingshan, who had only taken one bite before staring fixedly at the food jar, and laughed. “See everyone’s reaction? Go back and tell your mother it’s unbelievably delicious. Tomorrow I’m going to ask her to teach me how she makes cold dishes taste this good.”
Damei felt incredibly proud. Her mother’s kindness toward Wangzhou and the others was not an act, it was genuine.
Even Jiang Yousheng was savoring the lingering taste. If only he had a little yellow wine to go with it, that would truly be happiness.
Laughing, he said, “Wangzhou is really fortunate. Once he goes to his new home, he’ll have delicious food every single day.”