After the New Year
Su Su never expected her usually honest father-in-law to joke around like that. She blinked her big eyes at him, only for him to put on a stern face and say, “I’m not wrong. Just make sure to keep these items well-preserved.”
“Alright, alright, we get it,” Mother Lin said, waving Su Su to continue writing while she prepared the paste for the couplets.
Su Su nodded and wrote two sets of couplets—one for the main gate and another for the outer door. She also wrote several “Fu” (fortune) characters, as well as phrases like “Golden Rooster Fills the Coop” and “Fat Pigs Fill the Pen.”
Even though the family had a pigpen, it didn’t have any pigs. So, Su Su bought a small black piglet from another family in the village for less than 15 yuan—a bargain, really.
The piglet was carried home by Lin Hai, who was absolutely delighted with it. Although Mother Lin initially grumbled, “What’s the point of spending money on this?” she ended up taking meticulous care of the pig and even insisted on repaying Su Su.
Waving her hand dismissively, Su Su replied, “We’ll be eating pork next New Year, so there’s no need to pay me back. We’re all family—just give me an extra serving then.” Lin Chuan had prepared plenty for her, so she wasn’t lacking anything for the festivities. She also made sure not to hoard her food, sometimes bringing dishes to the front courtyard to share with the family.
Since Su Su joined the Lin family, their meals had significantly improved. The three boys, who had previously gone hungry, had gained some weight, while the two studying brothers showed notable academic progress. Even the literacy class she organized had been a success, with everyone now able to recognize some characters and perform basic arithmetic within 100.
Lin’s parents also joined in the learning. They weren’t dull and picked things up quickly, much to Su Su’s admiration. She concluded that the Lin family was exceptionally sharp—if Lin Chuan was anything like them, his comprehension skills had to be top-notch.
As the New Year approached, she missed Lin Chuan even more. Unfortunately, there was no way to call him, let alone send a message.
Thankfully, having the Lin family around kept her from feeling too lonely. Despite the poverty of the era, the New Year celebrations were lively and satisfying, with every bite of food tasting better than anything in the modern day.
The New Year’s Eve feast was a festive affair with six dishes, both meat and vegetables, as well as a batch of meat-filled dumplings. One of the dumplings contained a copper coin, a symbol of wealth for whoever found it. It was a fun tradition to bring good fortune.
The family approached the meal with great enthusiasm. The meat dumplings were especially delicious, and everyone ate heartily. Su Su, knowing how much teenage boys could eat, wasn’t surprised when the first batch of dumplings disappeared quickly. But she hadn’t expected that after she’d eaten only five, Mother Lin would have to bring out another full basin. Their appetites were truly astonishing.
“Don’t bother competing with them,” Mother Lin joked. “Just serve yourself a plate. If Lin Chuan were here, these boys wouldn’t stand a chance against him.”
She was cheerful this year, pleased with the abundant food and the addition of a smart, capable daughter-in-law to the family.
While some village mothers-in-law focused on controlling their daughters-in-law, Mother Lin had no such intentions. She believed that trying to dominate Su Su would only lead to trouble. Knowing her son’s fiercely protective nature, she realized that pushing Su Su too hard might result in the couple moving out to start their own household.
On the first day of the New Year, Su Su faced an unexpected tradition: as her brothers-in-law, Lin Donghe and the younger boys had to kneel and bow to her as their sister-in-law. It felt awkward at first, but when she saw even the tall Lin Hai bowing to Lin Donghe, she quickly accepted it as part of the custom.
However, when the male lead, Lin Donghe, knelt before her, it felt a little surreal. She hesitated, wondering if it was appropriate for the male lead to bow to a mere “side character” like her.
Before she could process her thoughts, Lin Donghe had already knelt, and Mother Lin handed her a red envelope to give to him in return. It was a symbolic gesture, with just one yuan inside, but it was the thought that counted.
Lin Donghe also handed out red envelopes to Lin Hai and the others, keeping the tradition alive.
Su Su found the whole situation amusing. Who would have thought that the male lead would end up kneeling to her? It was a story she could boast about for the rest of her life.
By now, she had grown comfortable with being addressed as “Sister-in-law” and even started to enjoy it.
Later, she met Lin Donghe’s younger brother, a high school student who usually lived at the commune.
Su Su, feeling it was only fair, decided to kneel and bow to Lin’s parents as a gesture of respect, especially since Lin Chuan wasn’t around to fulfil this duty himself.
Mother Lin, touched by her thoughtfulness, tried to decline. “There’s no need for that.”
“I’m doing it on Lin Chuan’s behalf,” Su Su insisted. “He’s away serving the country, so let me fulfil his filial duty this year.”
Seeing her sincerity, Lin’s parents happily accepted her bows and handed her a red envelope, which she received with a smile.
On the second day of the New Year, Mother Lin took Su Su around the village to visit their relatives and close friends. The village was small, and after two days, they had visited everyone.
Afterward, Lin’s parents left to visit Lin Chuan’s uncle, leaving the four children at home. They gave Lin Hai strict instructions to take care of the household and then set off.
Su Su, now feeling the weight of responsibility as the eldest sister-in-law, made it a point to prepare lunch for the boys every day. Thankfully, winter didn’t demand elaborate meals, and a simple cornmeal dish with a stew sufficed. On the first day, she managed well, but by the second, she ran out of ideas. Fortunately, the boys were adept at cooking and helped out, sparing her too much trouble.
Realizing she needed to improve her cooking skills, Su Su began considering ways to learn. Just as she was deep in thought, Lin Donghe rushed in with a worried expression and said, “Comrade Su, the army called. They said Brother Chuan was injured on a mission and needs someone from the family to take care of him.”
The basin in Su Su’s hands fell to the ground. Her face paled, and she nearly burst into tears. She hadn’t expected this to happen—this wasn’t supposed to happen yet. Right. She was living *inside* the story now.
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