As the year drew to a close, the market became increasingly lively. Ke Xiu, heavily pregnant, was afraid of being jostled, so Wei Mancang accompanied her and strolled near the market entrance, not going into the crowded inner area.
Aunt Hua held Wangzhou and Qinghe’s hands, while Mu Chengfeng carried Wangzhou. Then she said to Jiang Xiaoyu and Qian Chunmei, “You two go inside and squeeze through the crowd. Find that fisherman where Xiaoyu bought fish maw last time and help me get two jin of good-quality large fish maw. I need it for Xiuxiu’s postpartum nourishment.”
Qian Chunmei, having been a young daughter-in-law herself, felt a slight pang despite knowing her own mother-in-law was already quite good. She smiled and praised, “You’re not just taking care of your daughter-in-law, you’re treating her like your own daughter.”
In Aunt Hua’s eyes, it was all the same. She only had Wei Mancang as her child, so everything she did was for the young couple’s well-being.
Mu Chengfeng glanced at Wei Mancang and tried to hand Wangzhou over to him. “I’ll go help them carry things.”
Qian Chunmei, however, had private matters to discuss with Jiang Xiaoyu. “Look at Xiaojun, Qingshan, Damei, and Erzhu. None of them can stay put. We’re counting on you to keep things under control here. We’ll be back soon.”
Jiang Xiaoyu guessed there was something to say. She looked around at the crowded faces, none familiar. The noise was loud, and speaking closely meant no one else could hear.
“Xiaoyu,” Qian Chunmei said quietly, “Xiao Baoguo asked me to tell you something. Gao Hongfen came back to visit her family. He’s afraid the arranged engagement might change, so he went to speak with Dr. Feng. Dr. Feng agreed that when he goes to the kindergarten to pick up Qinghe, he’ll make things clear to Xiao Chunlan.”
Jiang Xiaoyu found it unbelievable. “They’re already engaged, and from what I can tell, Dr. Feng isn’t interested. What else does Gao Hongfen want?”
Qian Chunmei sighed on behalf of Xiao Baoguo. “The marriage will definitely go through. He’s just worried that Gao Hongfen and her sister might keep whispering in Xiao Chunlan’s ear in the future, telling her how good Dr. Feng is and how she missed her chance. He’s afraid she’ll regret it and that it will affect their marriage.”
Jiang Xiaoyu genuinely admired Deputy Director Xiao’s foresight. She didn’t have much life experience, but in her past life she had seen plenty of online discussions. People always tended to romanticize the path they didn’t take.
She said they would definitely create the opportunity tomorrow, and Qian Chunmei finally felt reassured.
After that, they found the fisherman selling fish maw. Because it was year-end, the market was crowded and business was booming. His goods were selling well, including both his own stock and those consigned by relatives, neatly stacked and very presentable.
“Prices have gone up by fifty cents per jin this year. Some places even went up eighty cents or a yuan,” the fisherman said. “You’re a regular customer, I remember you. Just pick whatever you want, big or small.”
Jiang Xiaoyu smiled. “Then I’ll buy more.”
She first selected two jin of the best-looking fish maw for Aunt Hua, weighed it, and paid. Then she chose another two jin and set it aside. She continued in batches of two jin each. Excluding Aunt Hua’s portion, she personally bought eight jin, divided into four portions, clearing nearly half the stall’s fish maw.
“Why are you buying so much?” Qian Chunmei was stunned.
Jiang Xiaoyu had everything planned. “My mother’s due date is around the same time as Xiuxiu’s. She’s already forty years old, so I want to give her some nourishment. Mu Chengfeng also said we’ll visit his maternal grandfather’s family during the New Year. There are two uncles there, so that makes exactly three portions.”
Three of the four portions were meant for Mu Chengfeng’s relatives. Qian Chunmei felt a little embarrassed. “I was just thinking you were being extravagant, but it turns out it’s all for Mu Chengfeng’s family’s honor.”
Jiang Xiaoyu’s modern mindset in this era naturally made her more generous with spending than most people.
She knew that in a little over twenty years, the economy would take off. No matter how hard people saved, they could not keep up with future inflation. Money would be worth more in the future anyway, so she might as well buy fish maw now while it was only a few yuan per jin.
Aunt Hua was delighted when she saw Jiang Xiaoyu give her the two largest and most beautiful jin of fish maw.
After hearing what the other portions were for, she casually told Mu Chengfeng, “Xiaoyu doesn’t hide things. She treats both sides equally, and she treats the children the same way. Xiao Mu, you must cherish her.”
Mu Chengfeng nodded. “I know.”
After buying a lot at the market, they returned home. Jiang Xiaoyu packed the items she planned to send back to her family, took the money, and had Mu Chengfeng ride her to the post office.
A letter from home, a money order of one hundred yuan, food and daily necessities, two pieces of cloth, a bundle of gauze suitable for making diapers, and cotton for quilts—everything that could be mailed was packed and sent. It would lighten their load for the New Year.
After sending everything, she called the post office in her hometown county. Back when the original owner attended high school there, village letters and parcels were often picked up by her on weekends, so she was familiar with the postal workers.
She spoke to Uncle Wu on the phone and asked him not to tell her family yet. Once the package and letter arrived, he could personally deliver them to the village so her parents would be pleasantly surprised.
……
The next day, Jiang Xiaoyu remembered Qian Chunmei’s request. Near the end of school, she gave Qinghe a large bowl of water. After all the other children had left, only Qinghe, Wangzhou, and Xiaojun remained.
She told them not to worry. “Aunt Chunmei is going out visiting relatives after work. Dr. Feng will take Qinghe to the hospital to find his father.”
Xiaojun understood immediately and even reminded Qinghe, “Then when you see my dad, tell him to come home early.”
Jiang Xiaoyu noticed Xiao Chunlan’s expression. She looked extremely uneasy, half wanting to see him, half not wanting to, the final expression filled with expectation.
When Dr. Feng arrived, Jiang Xiaoyu asked Qinghe if he needed to use the restroom.
After drinking so much water, Qinghe urgently needed to go, and Xiaojun did too. As for Wangzhou, Jiang Xiaoyu carried him and took all three children to the restroom.
Xiaojun chatted nonstop, and Jiang Xiaoyu used the opportunity to listen in.
She heard Xiao Chunlan ask Dr. Feng to wait because Qinghe was in the restroom. Dr. Feng directly said he had come today specifically to speak with her.
“Your father has gone to great lengths for you. He saw that you have feelings for me and even humbled himself to ask me to come clarify things. Originally, your matters had nothing to do with me. But I thought of my own father—or rather, the lack of one—and I felt a little jealous of you for having one. So I came to make things clear.
Your personality and appearance are not attractive to me. Your father may be a deputy director and look impressive to outsiders, but I have relied on my own ability in school to build connections higher than his position. I have no interest in you or your family. And since I have no feelings for you, there is absolutely no possibility between us. Live your life well and cherish the people beside you.”
Xiao Chunlan lowered her head in shame. “But if you hadn’t smiled at me, I wouldn’t have misunderstood.”
Dr. Feng had approached her for a purpose, but it turned into a misunderstanding. He almost took revenge on the wrong person, and he felt some guilt.
“I smile at everyone the same way. If it caused a misunderstanding, then I apologize.”
After a brief silence, Jiang Xiaoyu brought the three children out and handed Qinghe back to Dr. Feng. “Sorry for keeping you waiting.”
Dr. Feng smiled warmly. “It’s fine. My mentor teaches me without selfishness. I’m willing to wait as long as needed. Dr. Mu isn’t working overtime today, so Teacher Jiang should head home early too.”
Jiang Xiaoyu glanced at Xiao Chunlan again. At this point, she should believe that Dr. Feng smiled at everyone equally. Now, even if her mother and aunt insisted that missing out on him was a pity, it would have the opposite effect.
That evening, Jiang Xiaoyu told Mu Chengfeng about what had happened at the kindergarten.
Mu Chengfeng’s impression of Dr. Feng had never been good. “He once rejected his mentor’s daughter, and now he’s back in contact. I think in the end he’ll become his mentor’s son-in-law.”
Jiang Xiaoyu thought about it. Since Dr. Feng no longer needed revenge, that was probably how it would go.
The following weekend, Jiang Xiaoyu guessed the parcel had arrived, so she planned to buy some white sugar at the supply and marketing cooperative, fearing it would be hard to find closer to New Year. She wanted to stock up on making red date, peanut, and sesame candy.
Mu Chengfeng insisted on not going with Wei Mancang’s family this time. Otherwise, he would just end up following behind looking after the children while his wife and Ke Xiu talked ahead. He also wanted to shop properly with his wife.
Aunt Hua also didn’t let Ke Xiu run around. She gave Xiaojun twenty yuan and told him to buy whatever clothes or shoes he liked for the New Year.
Ke Xiu reminded Xiaojun, “While Grandma isn’t following you, buy what you like. She won’t nag you even if you do.”
Xiaojun nodded eagerly. Having such an adoptive family and such neighbors made him feel that his biological parents could rest assured.
At the supply and marketing cooperative, Jiang Xiaoyu bought the white sugar, then called the county post office. The person who answered said the package had arrived that morning, and Uncle Wu was probably already on his way to her home.
Knowing it had arrived, Jiang Xiaoyu felt relieved. “Let’s go home. I’ll call again this afternoon to ask Uncle Wu about my family.”
Old Wu was carrying a heavy load that day. He first delivered letters to other villages. Everyone he met asked why he was carrying such a large bundle.
“Why don’t they pick it up themselves from the post office?”
Uncle Wu replied to everyone, “It’s Xiaoyu from the Jiang and Xiulian family, the married daughter who sent a big package home to honor her parents.”
The villagers were envious. Jiang Xiaoyu, who now lived on rationed grain, made everyone jealous. They praised Xiulian’s daughter for having foresight. She had once been criticized for becoming a stepmother, but at least she was well-fed and well-dressed now, even sending such a large package home.
Jiang Baomin had once carried Uncle Wu home when he collapsed by the roadside. He Xiulian had kindly made him a bowl of brown sugar water. Uncle Wu remembered all of it. Seeing how well Jiang Xiaoyu was doing now, along with the money order and the large bundle of supplies, he knew her parents would be overjoyed.