No sooner had Su Ying stepped inside than Hongye hobbled after her slow‑moving as she was, she made surprisingly good time.
“Tian Cuifen, can’t you keep her in check?” she scolded. “Carrying on with a man before she’s even married! The whole village will talk. She’s got a face made for trouble and no shame to go with it next time I catch her, I’ll break her legs!”
Su Ying turned her back, rolled her eyes, and stuck out her tongue. So high and mighty at her age. She’s pinched and scolded me since I was small. If she weren’t so old, I’d snatch that cane and snap it over the stove. She sat on the steps, stretching her legs out.
“Go on then hit me right here. Break them and be done. I’ve slaved for you for years never enough to eat, never warm enough. I’d be glad to be crippled someone would finally wait on me for a change.”
Hongye snarled, “Be useless and we’ll bury you out back. What good are you anyway? Useless girl should’ve drowned you at birth.”
The words stung. How cruel it was to be a woman in these times misfortune followed even beyond the grave. She would not stay here.
“You’ve outlived your own use why not let your son bury you first?”
“Ungrateful wretch!” Hongye staggered forward, raising her cane. Su Ying darted aside and shouted, “Help! Grandmother’s trying to kill me!”
Hongye nearly lost her balance. Disgrace! She’s turned into a shrew! Villagers already whispered about how they treated her if anyone saw this, the gossip would never end. When had she changed so much? Breathless and beaten, Hongye could neither catch nor strike her. “Watch her,” she gasped to Tian Cuifen. “If she runs wild, it’s your fault.”
Tian Cuifen sneered inwardly. I’d dance on your grave. She’d suffered at the old woman’s hands too only bearing a son had saved her. At least the old fool doted on her youngest son and lived elsewhere now.
Hongye hobbled off muttering. Su Ying’s jaw tightened she had to get away.
Back at the commune, Lu Dongsheng went straight to the general store. He spotted vanishing cream behind the glass counter and walked over. The saleswoman stared tall, broad, and handsome until a nudge from her coworker snapped her back.
“Comrade, what can I get you?”
“What’s best for chapped, frozen hands?”
Her hopes sank. “For your wife?”
“Yes.”
Lucky girl, she thought wistfully. “Sounds like frostbite. Snake oil ointment is best one jar should do.”
“Two jars of that, and two jars of vanishing cream.”
“Eighty cents each for the ointment, one yuan each for the cream three yuan sixty total.”
He paid and moved to the clothing section. A red‑and‑white checkered coat caught his eye how he ached to see her out of that ragged tunic. He gestured to his chest. “My wife’s about this height very slim. What size?”
The clerk smiled. “Good taste just arrived from the city. Smallest size should fit.”
“Can it be exchanged if it’s too small?”
“Certainly.”
“Wrap it up then. And the yellow‑black plaid one too, plus two pairs of trousers.”
“Think carefully exchange only, no returns. That’s over twenty yuan.”
“Keep them coming.” She tallied it: coats eight yuan each, trousers five twenty‑six yuan total. He didn’t blink. He eyed tonics too, then thought better her stepmother would never let them reach her.
He didn’t know the matchmaker had already spoken at his home. Zhao Yulan waited furious.
“Where have you been?”
“Who riled you up?” he asked gently.
“As if you don’t know! The matchmaker saw that stepmother rude, greedy, vulgar. A girl raised like that won’t make a wife. Call it off, Dongsheng before it’s too late.”
“She’s only her stepmother. Su Ying is nothing like her.”
Zhao Yulan softened she too was a mother.