Chapter 3: A Family of Refugees

“Let me help you pick the vegetables.” After sitting down, Bai Jing began sorting the wild greens. Seeing that only the three of them were home, she asked, “Where are little brother and Mother?”

The second sister glanced at their eldest sister. “Little brother went to find Mother. Mother is still in the fields. The autumn harvest is coming soon, so there is a lot of work, and she will be finishing late.”

Under the current work-point system, a strong laborer could earn ten points a day, while someone like Mother Bai could earn eight. This was considered the captain's way of looking after their family; even the most capable women in the brigade earned at most six points, as field work required physical strength, and women simply lacked the stamina of men.

After the three sisters worked together to finish dinner, they finally heard the brigade's loudspeaker playing the song signaling the end of the workday.

They waited another half hour before seeing two figures walking up the mountain from the bottom.

The houses of the Fourth Brigade villagers were not clustered together; people simply built wherever they found a suitable spot.

Back then, when her mother had married into the Bai family through an introduction, she had been happy for a long time upon learning that the family would split into separate households immediately after marriage. However, once she saw her mother-in-law's true character, she chose a foundation as far away from her old home as possible.

It wasn't just her family; her second and third uncles' families had done the same.

It was only because Luo Chunhua was so capable that she could hold a household together on her own. Had it been anyone else, Father Bai would have been a widower with a dead wife and lost children.

Over the years, Father Bai's behavior had caused Luo Chunhua to move on; she lived as if she had no man.

No matter how bitter or tiring life became, she raised the children by herself, asking nothing of anyone.

Luo Chunhua looked up and saw the three of them standing outside her courtyard, and a smile spread across her face. “Mother is back!” she shouted loudly to her three children waiting above.

Hearing her mother's voice, Bai Jing was the most eager. “Mother, we’ve made dinner! Come back and eat!” she shouted back immediately.

Hearing her words, one might have thought the family had prepared some delicacies, but it was nothing more than a pot of wild green soup without any meat or oil. The dinner for five people included only a single sweet potato—and even that was only about the size of a fist.

“Sigh, I’m coming.”

As long as she saw her children, Luo Chunhua felt that life was sweet.

Crossing the stream, Luo Chunhua picked up her son and began climbing the mountain.

Their house was halfway up the mountain, so it only took three to five minutes to walk up.

Due to years of hard labor, she was very strong, and carrying her youngest son was no effort at all.

“Big sister, second sister, third sister!” Little brother Bai Yong was incredibly excited to see his three sisters. “Do you know? Just now in the field, I found...” Before he could finish, his mother covered his mouth.

“We’ll talk when we get home.”

Bai Jing truly couldn't recall anything in the fields at this time of year that he could have found, so she simply smiled at her mother and brother without saying a word.

Upon entering their courtyard, Luo Chunhua set her son down and stepped forward to pat her eldest daughter's head. “No need to cook more; it looks like you're feeling better. Rest at home again tomorrow, then go to work. The captain has assigned you the task of guarding the fields.”

Guarding the fields meant that since the mountain plots were unattended, there was a fear that birds would ruin the crops. Therefore, the children of the brigade were sent to guard several plots to drive away birds and wild ducks.

It took Bai Jing a moment to recall what the task entailed. Once she realized, she knew her mother had gone to plead with the captain. “Alright, I’ll take my younger sister and brother with me when the time comes.”

“No need. They still have school. They can go when they are on holiday.” Mother Bai shook her head. She placed great importance on her children's education; she had always had a dream of seeing all her children pass their exams and leave the village.

Life in the village was too bitter.

Unfortunately, they hadn't encountered any areas with job recruitment. Even if they had, they couldn't get any news while living deep in the mountains.

Her eldest daughter had graduated over half a year ago, yet there was still no news of any jobs in town.

Bai Jing knew her mother's preoccupation and didn't intend to change it; she didn't think there was anything wrong with schooling.

It was just that the fate of the four siblings was too bitter, far too bitter.

“Mhm, alright. I'll do as you say, Mother.” Bai Jing needed time to adapt, but once she did, she would be able to share the heavy burden of the household with her mother.

She possessed the experiences of a lifetime; though not extraordinary, she was still more knowledgeable than the people of this era.

Looking at the family's gaunt, malnourished appearances, Bai Jing didn't need to think to know what she herself looked like now.

After swallowing the porridge of wild greens and sweet potato from the large pot, they washed with the warm water left in the pot and went into the house to rest.

After all, moving as little as possible helped the food last until dawn.

Bai Jing slept with her mother.

Though their living conditions were poor, Luo Chunhua kept the house very clean.

“Mother, how much longer until Father comes back?” Lying in bed, Bai Jing couldn't help but ask about her unreliable father.

No matter how unreliable he was, he was still her father. At the very least, after her grandfather died, he had acted like a human being and taken on the responsibility of supporting the family. Although it was late by then, it had to be said that there was a huge difference between having a father and not having one.

Luo Chunhua glanced at her daughter lying beside her. “What did you think of what Auntie Feng said today?” She didn't really want to mention her husband; if she could, she would have preferred he died on the battlefield.

“I disagree. Mother, the reputation of the Wu family's youngest son is terrible. I heard about him when I was at school in town.” Bai Jing shuddered. No matter what, she did not want her mother to marry herself off just so she could have a full meal.

“If you don't believe me, go ask around. I'm really not lying to you. I don't know why Auntie Feng approached our family, but I don't think the Wu family would actually want us.” With her appearance, hah, if it weren't for the youngest son's bad reputation, how could the Wu family possibly marry a woman from deep in the mountains?

Thinking of the scene from her previous life when she had married him out of ignorance, she felt like she wanted to kill Auntie Feng.

Luo Chunhua neither said she believed her nor that she didn't. She simply said, "Go to sleep," and turned away.

“Mother.” Bai Jing felt very uneasy. “Mother, please don't be angry. I want to stay with you for a few more years. Our life is hard; I can't just ignore you and my younger siblings for my own sake.” Bai Jing hugged her mother's back tightly.

Only when one becomes a mother does one truly understand the grace of one's parents.

As Bai Jing wept, Mother Bai let out a deep sigh. “Alright, if you don't want to marry, then don't.”

“But Auntie Feng meant well. Next time, don't start cursing immediately; it's not good for your reputation.” Holding her daughter's hand, Luo Chunhua said with a choked voice.

“Alright, I'll do everything as you say, Mother, as long as you don't make me marry.”

“You won't marry. Stay a few more years.”

Forget it, forget it. If my daughter doesn't want to marry, then she won't.

Perhaps having received her mother's affirmation, Bai Jing soon fell asleep.

When she woke up the next day, no one was home.

She didn't need to think to know that her younger siblings had gone to school, and her mother had surely gone to work.

Bai Jing didn't dawdle and rolled out of bed.

After tidying herself up, she went to the kitchen.

When she saw a wild duck egg warming in the pot, her heart melted. This was the thing her little brother had said he found in the field yesterday.

A single wild duck egg.

She hadn't expected her mother to have saved it for her.

After eating the egg through her tears, Bai Jing organized her thoughts and began to think about how to change their lives.

(End of Chapter)