Chapter 6: Marrying Into the Family Myself

In Gao Qinghe’s memory, whether it was the crisp crowing of roosters and barking of dogs in the morning, the red earthen walls at dusk, or the yellowing posters pasted on the head of the bed at night—

Whenever she thought of them, her heart felt warm.

But that might just be because she had lived a life of luxury for too long, forgetting the poverty and hardship of her youth in the countryside.

Full of anticipation, she stepped over the half-knee-high stone threshold, only for her legs to go weak.

She looked down. It was chicken droppings.

She looked up again. The red earthen walls under the dusk were mottled and dilapidated.

The earthen courtyard, which had been filled with the laughter of her siblings during her childhood, was narrow and small.

Against the north wall sat two large wooden barrels filled with the sweet potato starch processed this year.

The only remaining space beside the barrels was occupied by a rack for drying vermicelli, which was draped with messy, tangled sweet potato noodles.

This made the already small courtyard feel even more cramped.

Four low, mud-and-timber houses faced the gate. To the east was a dim kitchen, and to the west was a tiny storage room with a lock on the door that served no real purpose.

After stepping in another pile of chicken droppings,

Gao Qinghe’s fiery heart died instantly.

All the hunger, cold, and poverty that had been buried deep in her memory before she married came rushing back all at once.

Her father, Gao Chongyi, was a village primary school teacher. He had worked hard at his post for twenty years without ever being made a permanent employee, earning only half the salary of others every month.

It wasn't until the end of last year that his pay was raised to 40 yuan.

Her mother handled all the farm work. Even with her natural, inexhaustible strength, after finishing the field work, she would only make some vermicelli during the off-season to trade for cash to buy oil and salt.

There were three children in the family. The eldest and second eldest were unemployed.

The third was still studying in town; not yet a laborer, he still required money for tuition and miscellaneous fees.

Fortunately, Grandma was in good health and handled all the household chores.

The family of six managed to get by.

Although they couldn't have big fish and meat at every meal, at least they were gradually able to fill their stomachs.

In her previous life, Gao Qinghe had never worried about the family’s livelihood.

She ate well and used the best things until she married.

Jiang Baohai spent money without blinking and never cared how she used it.

She spent money to build a new house for her family and buy appliances and furniture, sending money home every month. Life was so good that she couldn't even remember the bitter days of the past.

Who would have thought that overnight she would return to the pre-liberation era? Gao Qinghe’s face turned green.

However, all her emotions dissipated the moment she saw the spirited old lady walking out of the kitchen.

There was only joy from the bottom of her heart.

"Grandma!"

Gao Qinghe called out in a sweet, crisp voice, opening her arms and rushing over like a child.

"Oh my!" The Gao family’s grandmother, Tian Xiaoqiao, was caught off guard by her eldest granddaughter’s hug and stumbled back two steps.

Once she finally steadied herself, she wasn't annoyed. She pulled her granddaughter away and looked her up and down with concern.

"You're back. Is Bao'er alright now?"

Gao Qinghe shook her head. "I'm fine, thank you for your concern, Grandma~"

She had slept the whole way, and her complexion had recovered quite a bit; when she smiled, she looked like a delicate flower.

The old lady felt happy just looking at her, but when she caught sight of the bruise on Gao Qinghe’s forehead, she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

She took her eldest granddaughter’s hand and led her into the house.

"Knowing you were coming back, I lit the firewood stove in the room early. It’s nice and warm in there. My Bao'er, sit for a while, Grandma is going to make you some food."

The old lady said to Huang Ying, "Take down a string of the cured meat we smoked before the New Year. It’s rare for the whole family to be together; I want to nourish my grandchildren."

Gao Qinghe’s smile grew even brighter. "Grandma is the best old lady in the whole world. With Grandma here, I’ll never have to worry about not having meat to eat."

"How is it that your mouth is as sweet as if it were smeared with honey?" The old lady felt incredibly warm inside.

Huang Ying handed the luggage to Gao Chongyi and climbed the ladder to the attic to get the meat.

Gao Qingmiao and Gao Qingya exchanged glances, full of anticipation.

We’re having meat tonight!

Gao Chongyi put the luggage away in the room, rolled up his sleeves, and went into the kitchen to help his mother-in-law.

"Mom, let me wash the vegetables."

"Alright, I’ve boiled some water on the stove. Mix in some hot water so you don't freeze your hands."

"You got it!"

Gao Chongyi knew his own culinary limitations, so he picked up a basin of cabbage, walked out of the kitchen, and went to fetch some hot water.

He glanced up and saw Gao Qinghe and her younger siblings sitting around the stove in the main room, chatting and laughing.

A sense of happiness welled up from the bottom of his heart.

Who said that a man who marries into his wife's family has a miserable life?

Those crude men in the village didn't understand how wonderful his life was.

Only he knew how lucky he was.

Among all the educated youth in Xiahe Village, Gao Chongyi dared to say he was the one who had suffered the least.

He had been self-aware since he was a child.

In his first month in the countryside, he knew he couldn't handle the farm work.

Thinking about the countless years of farm work ahead, he immediately decided to marry into a family.

He only had two requirements for marrying in.

First, he would never do farm work for the rest of his life.

Second, one of the children would take his surname.

As it turned out, heaven favored him, and he caught the eye of a strong woman named Huang Ying.

At that time, the old man Old Lady Tian had remarried had died. She had returned to the old house left by her first husband with her daughter, living separately from her stepsons.

The family was in need of a man, and both sides hit it off immediately.

Old Lady Tian was considerate, saying all the children could take his surname, as long as they acknowledged him as their grandmother.

Old Lady Tian, who was the head of the brigade’s women’s association at the time, also said that as long as he married, she would help him find a decent job that didn't require working in the fields.

In the blink of an eye, he had been with the Huang family for twenty-one years.

He had been a village primary school teacher for twenty years straight.

Although the salary wasn't high, it was stable.

His mother-in-law was reasonable and treated him well.

His wife handled all the field work, so he didn't have to worry about anything.

She was even willing to listen to him be sentimental, and they got along very well as a couple.

So, even later when the educated youth were allowed to return to the city and his family sent telegrams asking if he wanted to go back, he refused.

Looking at his children now, they were all grown up, and life was truly getting better and better.

"What are you smiling so happily about?"

Huang Ying walked over with the cured meat and saw her husband smiling foolishly while washing the vegetables. She asked curiously.

Gao Chongyi took the meat to rinse in the basin and said with a smile, "I don't envy the mandarin ducks, nor do I envy the immortals; life is as happy as a god's."

Huang Ying didn't understand these words, but seeing her husband happy, she smiled too, continuing to listen to him talk about "picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely seeing the southern mountains."

She only felt that when a handsome man spoke, it sounded as pleasant as singing.

The old lady took charge of the cooking. She tossed the chopped green onions and ginger into the hot oil, sizzling them until they were fragrant.

Then she poured in a large bowl of thinly sliced cured meat, stir-frying it quickly with a large spatula, and the enticing aroma immediately wafted out.

In no time at all, a heaping plate of stir-fried cured meat, cabbage stir-fried with sour peppers, golden stir-fried eggs, and tender tofu soup were served on the table.

The younger brother and sister couldn't sit still any longer and got up to set the chopsticks and serve the rice.

As for Gao Qinghe, she just sat and waited to eat.

The whole family was used to it; if she suddenly got up to help, everyone would be the ones shocked.

Gao Chongyi specially mixed a bowl of milk powder and handed it to Gao Qinghe.

Although Gao Qingmiao and Gao Qingya were envious, they never fought with their eldest sister.

They just felt their eldest sister was pitiful; after falling and being hospitalized, she needed extra nourishment.

"Sister, eat this."

Gao Qingya stood in front of the table and piled several chopsticks' worth of cured meat into her eldest sister’s bowl.

Gao Qingmiao placed the entire plate of stir-fried eggs next to her eldest sister’s hand, afraid that reaching for them would tire her out.

Gao Qinghe ate the food fed to her by her younger siblings, and that night, she was so full she couldn't sleep.

If she had known, she would have taken it easy.

(End of chapter)