Wang Cuilian cried for a long time.
Those chickens and ducks had originally been saved for Meng Zhu’s first birthday banquet the day after tomorrow, meant to make the feast look impressive. Who would’ve thought they’d be stolen again?
After cursing the thief’s ancestors for eighteen generations hundreds of times, Wang Cuilian collapsed weakly at the doorway, slapping her thighs as she howled at the sky.
Xu Chunhua couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from rising.
Serves her right.
Just then, a raggedly dressed man with a vigorous stride walked up to the Meng family gate.
“Shoo, shoo! Get lost, beggar!” Wang Cuilian waved impatiently, seemingly wanting to vent all her anger on the man in front of her.
The man stood still and pinched his fingers as if calculating something. “Does your family happen to have a little granddaughter about to celebrate her first birthday?”
Wang Cuilian froze, then immediately cursed, “Who are you trying to fool? Everyone in the village knows that already!”
He must’ve heard about it from someone on the way here and come to trick her. Did he really think she was stupid?
The man smiled mysteriously. “Your little granddaughter possesses an extraordinary fate. In the future, she will surely become wealthy and honored, bringing fortune to the entire family.”
Wang Cuilian’s expression instantly brightened. “You mean… my little granddaughter has a noble destiny?”
The man gave no direct answer. Wearing a profound smile, he turned and strode away.
Beaming happily, Wang Cuilian glared at the third branch couple watching the commotion from the courtyard.
“Did you hear that? The master said my Zhuzhu has a precious destiny!”
Xu Chunhua sneered. “Mom, weren’t you just calling him a beggar? Why’s he suddenly a master now?”
With a snort, she returned to the room and complained to Meng Qiushi, “The Meng family’s little granddaughter is my little Yu’er. What kind of granddaughter is Meng Zhu supposed to be?”
Meng Qiushi nodded along. “She’s completely obsessed to the point of insanity. Let’s not bother with her.”
After hearing the fortune-teller’s words, Wang Cuilian became even more determined to hold a grand first birthday banquet for Meng Zhu.
She went back into the house and took out twenty yuan.
Meng Dazhuang looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated. “What are you taking the money for?”
“To buy meat and hold Zhuzhu’s birthday banquet.” Wang Cuilian shot him a sidelong glance. “A first birthday only happens once in a lifetime. If Zhuzhu grows up and finds out we never held one for her, how heartbroken would she be?”
Meng Dazhuang’s lips twitched, but in the end he said nothing and merely turned away to take a puff of his pipe.
There was no point arguing. He’d only end up getting cursed out again.
Wang Cuilian stuffed the twenty yuan into Meng Qiufeng’s hands and told him to go buy meat in the county town.
They had no meat coupons, so they could only buy pork at high prices on the black market.
Meng Qiufeng smoothed the crumpled bills with his rough hands. “Pork is seventy cents a jin normally, but one yuan a jin on the black market. We can buy twenty jin total.”
Wang Cuilian calculated for a moment. “Ten tables altogether. That’s enough!”
“Mom, I’ve also saved five yuan here. Let’s add it in for more meat.” Meng Qiufeng pulled out a few wrinkled bills from a hidden pocket sewn inside his clothes.
Outside the door, Meng Wen listened through the crack while Meng Hong beside him looked full of resentment. She was just about to speak when Meng Wen covered her mouth.
Wang Cuilian smiled so widely that all her wrinkles showed.
She wished the entire world would dote on Chen Rou and Meng Zhu the same way she did.
“Qiufeng, these days whenever you get something good, you bring it to Xiaorou’s room. Tell Mom honestly… do you like Xiaorou?”
His feelings exposed, Meng Qiufeng lowered his head awkwardly. “Mom!”
Wang Cuilian’s smile widened. “You’re a good child. You’ve cared for Xiaorou since you were young. How about Mom marries Xiaorou to you?”
She felt reassured entrusting Xiaorou to Qiufeng. Chen Rou was struggling to raise a child alone and needed a man to rely on. Wang Cuilian was afraid Chen Rou might marry poorly and be mistreated by her in-laws, so she thought of her eldest son instead.
Meng Qiufeng stared at her in shock. “Mom, I’m not worthy of Xiaorou. Besides, even if I agreed, would Xiaorou agree?”
“This past year, your younger siblings and their wives have had complaints about Xiaorou living here, and outsiders gossip too. Hmph, once Xiaorou becomes a daughter-in-law of the Meng family, let’s see who still dares to talk.” Wang Cuilian patted Meng Qiufeng’s shoulder. “If Xiaorou wasn’t willing, would I even bring this up to you?”
“Mom…” It felt like a meat pie had fallen from the heavens. Meng Qiufeng’s eyes widened in disbelief, and even his voice trembled with excitement.
Outside the door, Meng Wen and Meng Hong were shaking with anger.
Just as Meng Hong was about to explode, Meng Wen dragged her away.
Once outside, Meng Hong shook off his hand. “Brother, why did you stop me? Don’t tell me you also want Dad to marry that woman?”
“This whole year, whenever Dad gets anything good, he gives it to her. He never thinks about us. If he really marries her into the family, how are we supposed to survive?”
The more she spoke, the angrier she became. She squatted down and burst into tears.
Meng Wen sighed and crouched beside her, gently patting her back to calm her down.
“Even if you went in there, you couldn’t stop them. You’d only get beaten,” Meng Wen said patiently. “Grandma’s heart is biased beyond saving. If you say even one word against it, she’ll definitely hit you. Dad might even join her.”
“When heaven wants rain and a father wants to remarry, nobody can stop it.”
Meng Wen’s eyes reddened.
Unlike the children from the second and third branches, they didn’t have a mother protecting them.
Meng Hong finally calmed down after being comforted. She huffed angrily, “Yesterday I asked Dad for one mao to buy school supplies, and he refused. But today he’s willing to spend five yuan on meat for Meng Zhu. Dad’s heart’s already tilted toward them.”
Meng Wen soothed her, “If Dad really marries that woman in the future, there’ll be plenty more favoritism. Honghong, don’t make trouble. If you cause too much trouble, Dad and Grandma will beat you. When I grow up, your brother will protect you.”
Meng Qiufeng had never loved his late wife, nor did he love Meng Wen and Meng Hong.
To him, raising children served only two purposes: carrying on the family line and providing support in old age.
Meng Wen and Meng Hong could clearly feel his indifference toward them.
Comparing that with the way Meng Qiushi doted on his children in the third branch, the difference between love and no love was painfully obvious.
Meng Hong sniffled and pouted. “That woman spent our branch’s money. It makes me feel awful.”
Meng Wen grabbed her hand and took her into the mountains to catch several caterpillars.
“Later, we’ll put these on that woman’s bed.”
Only then did Meng Hong finally smile brightly.
By the time they returned home, Meng Qiufeng had already left carrying a basket on his back.
Chen Rou had gone into the third branch’s room while Xu Chunhua turned her back and squeezed breast milk into a bowl.
At that moment, the only one left in Chen Rou’s room was Meng Zhu, lying on the bed and fussing softly.
Meng Wen hid the caterpillars in the cracks of the bedding before pulling Meng Hong away.
Meanwhile, Meng Wei squatted by the doorway, using a tree branch to practice writing in the dirt.
Seeing the guilty looks on Meng Wen and Meng Hong’s faces, he silently looked away and pretended not to notice, continuing to trace characters on the ground with his stick.