Chapter 92 - 83: Going to the Han Family

Chapter 92: Chapter 83: Going to the Han Family

The pheasant Xiao Man had been given weighed a little over two pounds. Grandpa butchered it, took out some dried wild mushrooms he had foraged and set out to dry, added a few slices of Chinese yam, and simmered a pot of wild pheasant soup.

Grandma made a point of scooping out two measures of white rice to cook. They didn’t even need vegetables. As the family enjoyed their wonderful dinner, Xiao Man sighed contentedly, "I feel like I haven’t eaten chicken this delicious in a hundred years!"

Grandma was delighted. Grandpa smiled and said, "We promised we’d buy a chicken so Xiao Man could have a drumstick, but I never thought we’d be eating a wild pheasant she caught herself first."

Xiao Man asked, "So does this mean I still get another one after we finish this pheasant?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Grandpa said. "I’ve already asked around the village and arranged it. Right before we go to Wancheng, I’ll have them catch the chickens and send them over. We’ll keep one at home to eat!"

"Great! So, am I still going to Wancheng?"

"I really should take you, but school starts in a few days. Even with the weekend, you’d be traveling at night on the way there and back. I’m afraid it’ll be too much for you, so it’s probably better if you don’t go."

Grandma agreed. "You don’t want to be falling asleep in class and making your teacher angry. You can go during your next school break."

Xiao Man agreed, sighing to herself. ’What am I going to do? I miss paved roads and cars so much...’

The next day, she heard Second Granny Qiu come over to complain to Grandma. The chinquapins, wild chestnuts, and hickory nuts that Qiu Xiaohu and Jiang Xuehua had gathered—their own kids hadn’t even had their fill, yet their mothers were already rushing to give them away to relatives on every side. "Honestly! They have their own hands and feet, why can’t they go into the mountains and gather some themselves? The children work so hard to haul that stuff back, and they just use it to show off!"

Grandma wasn’t sure what to say, so she tried to be conciliatory. "It’s not that they don’t want to go into the mountains. They just don’t have the time, right? Hasn’t the production team been incredibly busy lately? Once they have a moment to spare, they can go gather some more for the children to nibble on. That’s always an option!"

Second Granny Qiu pursed her lips. "Oh, please. Snowflake’s mother is decent enough, but that daughter-in-law of mine? If she’s not working for the production team, she’d rather sit at home until the legs of her stool snap than go out the door!"

...

As the two grannies chatted, Xiao Man thought that with all the chinquapins, wild chestnuts, and hickory nuts she had, she ought to give some away.

The Liang family, for example. The reason she hadn’t invited the siblings into the mountains was that Uncle Man Cang was their family’s only full-time laborer. During the break, Liang Xiuming and Liang Xiuyong had to contribute as half-laborers in the production team to earn work points. Liang Xiuzhen and her sister had to do the housework and take care of Aunt Liang. In what little spare time they had, Liang Xiuming would lead his younger siblings in reading and reviewing their lessons. Other than going up the mountain to chop firewood or cut grass, the siblings never spent time picking wild fruit to eat.

Then there was Granny Han’s family. Although it was usually just Granny Han and Grandma Han at home, their children also came back during school breaks.

She’d give a portion to Secretary Mo’s family, too. They had so many little kids.

When Xiao Man shared her idea with Grandma, Grandma nodded emphatically. "You should, you absolutely should. That’s a very good thought; it was Grandma who was being forgetful. Your Granny Han gave you two sets of clothes, and we must remember that favor. We should also send some to your Uncle Man Cang’s house so the children can all have a taste. As for your Fifth Great-Uncle, you can wait for your Grandpa to deliver it."

However, Granny Han’s house was right next to the Mo Family Courtyard, and Grandma worried that Xiao Man would be bullied by them. Xiao Man came up with an excuse, "I’ll just go into the village and ask Guan Ailan and the others to walk with me."

Grandma knew by now that Xiao Man had indeed made a few good friends, so she just advised her, "Alright, but you be careful. If they try to pick a fight with you, you run away immediately and yell for help, understand?"

"I know. Don’t worry, Grandma. I’m sure everything will be fine this time!"

So Xiao Man hoisted her basket onto her back, having filled it with two portions of nuts, wild grapes, and figs, and set off for a stroll under the pretext of delivering gifts.

She went to the Liang family’s house first. As she had expected, Uncle Man Cang had taken Liang Xiuming and Xiu Yong to work. Only Xiuzhen and Xiuzhu were home. Xiuzhu was ecstatic when she saw that Xiao Man had brought so many chinquapins, wild chestnuts, walnuts, wild grapes, figs, and even two bright yellow lemons. When Xiuzhen heard that their group had gone into the mountains the day before—gathering chinquapins, picking wild fruit, and even hunting wild rabbits and catching pheasants—she was incredibly envious. She pulled Xiao Man into a corner and whispered behind Xiuzhu’s back, "Next time you go, give me a secret heads-up... Xiuzhu can take care of the house for a day, or even half a day!"

Xiao Man smiled and nodded.

She then went into the east room to speak with Aunt Liang for a few minutes. She poured her a bowl of water, secretly adding a bit of spiritual spring water to the thermos, then politely declined their invitation to stay for a meal before heading toward the Han family’s home.

She still had to pass by the Mo Family Courtyard. This time, however, Xiao Man walked with her head held high, calm and composed. There was no need to scurry away like a startled bird.

The gate to the Mo Family Courtyard was open, and Xiao Man even turned to glance inside. The door to Mo Laoer’s part of the house was closed but unlatched. It was during work hours, and that couple was surprisingly diligent about earning work points; they wouldn’t skip a day without good reason.

The door to Mo Guoqiang’s house was wide open. Mo Xiaoqiang walked out, holding an iron hoop. He glanced up and spotted Mo Xiaoman. His eyes widened in a glare, and he turned to shout back into the house, "Dad, Mo Xiaoman is out there! I’m gonna go beat her up and drag her over here!"

Xiao Man continued walking past the courtyard gate, pursing her lips. ’Bring it on,’ she thought. ’We’ll see who beats up whom! You and your old man can come at me together. I’ll take you both down!’

But by the time she had walked all the way to the Han family’s grain-drying yard, she still hadn’t seen the father and son come after her. Mo Xiaoqiang hadn’t made another peep, either.

It was a bit confusing, but Xiao Man couldn’t be bothered to think about it.

The Han family’s house had no surrounding wall, just a rectangular grain-drying yard out front. For some reason, the foundation had been built up high, so four or five stone steps led to the entrance. As Xiao Man climbed the steps, she saw a young woman of about twenty sitting just inside the doorway. She had fair skin, large, willow-leaf-shaped eyes, and two braids that fell past her shoulders. She was wearing a short-sleeved blouse with a small lapel and a delicate floral print on a white background, paired with a black skirt. The sandals on her feet were of a particularly chic design... This was the attire of a city dweller. Xiao Man looked more closely and recognized her as Granny Han’s eldest daughter, Han Jialan, who was studying at a teachers’ college.

Han Jialan was holding a book. She looked up, sizing up Xiao Man, and asked, "Whose child are you? Do you need something?"

Xiao Man smiled. "Sister Jialan, it’s me, Xiao Man! I used to live next door to you."

Han Jialan’s eyes widened. "You? Xiao Man? No way! The Mo Xiaoman I remember was all dark and grimy, like a little stray cat or something. She never smiled. How did you suddenly become... so pretty?"

Granny Han came out from the kitchen, untying her apron and greeting Xiao Man with a smile. "Hurry and come in, child. Your Sister Jialan just spouts nonsense. What does she mean, ’suddenly pretty’? Our Xiao Man has always been a beauty, she was just almost ruined by that woman Liu Fengying’s abuse! Thank goodness she has her Grandpa and Grandma to protect her. Just look at you! It’s only been a little over a month since you moved out with them, and already your skin is fair and smooth. Such a pretty little face! The villagers aren’t blind; a wretch like Liu Fengying could never give birth to a child like Xiao Man!"

Han Jialan was even more astonished to hear her mother’s gossip—that Xiao Man wasn’t Mo Guoqiang and Liu Fengying’s biological child and had possibly been switched at birth in a city hospital.

Xiao Man set her basket down and said to Granny Han and Han Jialan, "I gathered these in the mountains with my Grandpa yesterday. The grapes are still fresh, and they’re very sweet. I brought some for you and Sister Jialan to try. These two lemons aren’t too sour, either. If you cut a slice and soak it in sugar water, the drink becomes sweet and sour, really refreshing and tasty! You can save the chinquapins, wild chestnuts, and hickory nuts to eat over time."

Since their family had no young children, she figured they wouldn’t be very interested in figs, so she hadn’t brought them any.

Granny Han patted Xiao Man’s head, smiling. "You’re such a dear child."

Han Jialan toyed with the two lemons, then plucked a grape from a cluster and popped it in her mouth. "Mmm, this is so sweet!" she exclaimed. "You’re amazing, Xiao Man, finding wild grapes this ripe. The ones we used to pick were always half-ripe and incredibly sour! Thank you, Xiao Man!"

Then she turned to Granny Han and said coaxingly, "Mom, could you prepare these chinquapins and chestnuts that Xiao Man brought? I want to take them to school and share them with my roommates. They’re a local specialty from our hometown, you know!"

"I know, I know!" Granny Han smiled indulgently at her daughter.

Xiao Man was secretly relieved. ’Good thing I brought extra. Over ten pounds of nuts should be enough for Sister Jialan to take and share with her roommates.’

When it was time to leave, Jialan gave Xiao Man two used but well-preserved books—a dictionary and a thesaurus—as well as a softcover notebook. On the first page, she had written her address, telling Xiao Man that if she ran into any problems at school, she could write her a letter. Since she was going to be a teacher, she should be able to help her find an answer.