Buying groceries: It was her being narrow-minded.
The two returned home with the mutton. Su Xiaoman told Xie Mingtu to go buy oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and spices, then take a trip around the vegetable market and buy more vegetables.
Unfortunately, they did not have an electric fridge…
Just as she thought this, Su Xiaoman suddenly realised they did not need an electric fridge at all. In the dead of winter, the outdoors was a natural freezer.
Naturally, they should buy as much as they could and stock up. She still had some allowance money on hand, so she stuffed it all into Xie Mingtu’s pocket. Although the couple did not have much money, food was the most important thing in life. They absolutely had to eat well.
Besides, they still had more than ten jin of mutton.
Su Xiaoman also grabbed a pocketful of hard candy and put it in Xie Mingtu’s pocket, telling him to eat one if he got hungry. Xie Mingtu nodded, kissed her on the face, then turned and ran out. Su Xiaoman closed the courtyard gate and continued sorting out the things they had brought back.
Before long, Xie Mingtu first bought back all kinds of oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and spices: spring onion, ginger, garlic, bay leaves, star anise, red dates, goji berries, dried Chinese yam slices, sugarcane, and so on. Su Xiaoman took the things from his hands, and Xie Mingtu immediately turned and went out again to the vegetable market.
Su Xiaoman started making mutton soup.
If they ate the fifteen jin of mutton sparingly, the two of them could make it last several days. Su Xiaoman cut a little less than half a jin of mutton and half a jin of mutton bones, washed them clean, added ginger pieces and cooking wine, and blanched them once in the pot.
Then she heated oil in another pot, fried off the moisture, placed everything into the soup pot, added bay leaves, fennel, goji berries, red dates, Chinese yam slices, and so on, covered the pot, and began simmering the mutton soup.
Before long, the fragrance of mutton soup filled the whole courtyard. Su Xiaoman smelled the aroma and, while she would not say she was drooling three feet long, she did feel her mouth growing lonely. Her stomach, which had not been particularly hungry, suddenly felt empty. She wanted meat.
That aroma did not only torment her. It also tormented the neighbours in the courtyard next door. Next door was a communal courtyard. These days, very few siheyuan were occupied by just one household. Most had four or five, or even more than ten families living together, long since turned into large mixed courtyards.
There were five or six households living in the neighbouring courtyard, and there was no shortage of noise from morning to night. It was not yet time to cook, yet waves of meat fragrance were already drifting over from next door.
“Whose family is cooking something good again?”
“They’re cooking mutton.”
“It’s not from our courtyard. It’s coming from next door.”
…
The smell stirred up the neighbourhood. Su Xiaoman hid in the room and did not make much noise. She felt that living in this kind of small siheyuan, with one courtyard pressed against the next, really was a bit too crowded. There was very little privacy.
Even she, living in a separate courtyard with its own gate, felt the lack of privacy. For the people next door sharing one courtyard, there were probably no secrets at all. Whatever a family ate that day, perhaps the neighbours remembered more clearly than the family themselves.
Su Xiaoman smelled the fragrance of mutton soup and took a short nap on the kang. In her dream, she was holding a mutton bone and gnawing and gnawing at it with all her strength. In the end, she was woken by movement at the gate. Su Xiaoman went to open the door. Outside, snow was falling. Xie Mingtu was at the gate, pedalling a little three-wheeled cart. He had just climbed down from it, and there was a ring of snow on his hat.
“Wait… sit back on it again.” Su Xiaoman had originally smiled and wanted to help brush the snow off his head, but then she suddenly realised that the sight of him pedalling a three-wheeler was something worth treasuring. She quickly drove Xie Mingtu back onto the little tricycle, then turned and slipped back into the house to take out her precious camera.
“Stand properly, stand properly. Pose nicely. Let me take a picture of you.”
Xie Mingtu, pretending to pedal the little three-wheeled cart, felt extremely helpless. Ever since his wife had bought a camera, she loved taking pictures of him. It seemed that no matter what kind of photo it was, she had to take one as a keepsake.
Even now, when he was pedalling a broken little three-wheeler, she still wanted a photo.
“Manman, why take so many photos?”
“These photos will all be useful in the future!” Su Xiaoman hugged the camera happily and kept adjusting the angle with the lens pointed at Xie Mingtu. Then she jogged a few steps over to arrange the things on the tricycle.
This trip to the vegetable market had clearly been very fruitful for Xie Mingtu.
There was practically an entire tricycle-load of Chinese cabbages, piled up into a jade-green cabbage mountain. Besides the cabbages, there were also potatoes, radishes, and sweet potatoes scattered among them. In addition to these heavy items, there was also a winter melon, a packet of dried vermicelli, a packet of dried preserved vegetables, a bottle of soybean paste, pickled mustard knots, two jin of frozen tofu… and some strangely coloured “Laba garlic.”
Su Xiaoman stared at the Laba garlic and found it a little terrifying.
“This is…”
Xie Mingtu explained, “They said it’s Laba garlic.”
Su Xiaoman tugged at her braid. “I know it’s Laba garlic, but did the vegetable-selling auntie give it to you?”
Su Xiaoman had heard of Laba garlic, but she had only heard of it and never seen it before. These blue-green garlic cloves truly did not look very appetising. The colour was extremely strange. She did not know whether they had gone bad, or whether Laba garlic was originally this colour.
“An old grandpa gave it to me.”
Su Xiaoman nodded as if she understood. So it had been given by an old grandpa.
She had thought it was an old auntie.
Seeing her expression, Xie Mingtu explained a little more. “On the way, I helped push his cart and also helped him move some things at his house.”
“Oh, oh, oh.” Su Xiaoman thought, I know you’re a good villain who likes helping others, always helping old grandpas and old grandmas. “Why did you buy so many things? And this pickled vegetable, hm? And fermented bean curd? Wow, tofu too! You bought vermicelli at the vegetable market as well?”
“A lot of it was given to me. One auntie said my face looked unfamiliar. When she heard me say it was my first time in the capital, she gave me some homemade pickled vegetables and soybean paste. Another auntie gave me dried preserved vegetables.”
Su Xiaoman: “…”
For a moment, Su Xiaoman did not know what to say. She only knew that if she let Xie Mingtu go grocery shopping, there would definitely be surprises. But she had not expected such a huge surprise from sending him to buy vegetables.
There were far too many gifted things.
Su Xiaoman felt a vague worry. “Brother Xiaotu, did the aunties ask whether you were married?”
She was afraid that if their family’s Xie Gouzi told the truth, the aunties might take the things back.
Xie Mingtu said, “They asked. I said I was married.”
Su Xiaoman thought, their Brother Xiaotu really was honest. “And then? What did the aunties say?”
Xie Mingtu glanced at Su Xiaoman and swallowed.
Su Xiaoman: “??? Why are you looking at me?”
“She asked whether you had one yet.”
“If you were pregnant, she said she’d give more dried apricots.”
Su Xiaoman: “…”
She had been narrow-minded.
The aunties here were truly warm-hearted and generous!!!!!
Su Xiaoman laughed and patted his face. “Where are you looking? No! You’re so young and already thinking of becoming a father?”
Xie Mingtu grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. “I want a little daughter like Manman.”
“What if it’s a son?”
Xie Mingtu: “…Then I’ll want a son like Manman?”
Su Xiaoman asked, “What if the child doesn’t resemble either of us?”
Inheritance was not something the two of them could decide. Some children were especially good at inheriting traits. Whatever good things their parents had, they accepted them all, while rejecting every bad flaw. That was what made a good baby.
There were also some children who accepted all the flaws from their parents… Of course, if that happened, she would not dislike the child either.
Xie Mingtu lowered his head and touched the tip of his nose to hers. “As long as it’s a child born by Manman, I’ll like them.”
Su Xiaoman laughed a few times. “You really know how to coax me.”
“Wait, let me take another picture.” Su Xiaoman went to tidy up the cabbage mountain behind him, stacking it into a prettier little mound and decorating it with radishes and potatoes. Then she raised her hand and directed Xie Mingtu to pose properly, taking two more clicks of the camera.
After Xie Gouzi driving a tractor, Xie Gouzi driving a transport truck, and Xie Gouzi riding a bicycle, now there was Xie Gouzi pedalling a little three-wheeler. What rich and colourful experiences these were!
As she was taking photos, several heads popped out from the neighbouring courtyard gate. A few children were stacked one above another like a human pile, watching the two of them curiously, seemingly wondering what this young man and woman were doing.
The children’s human stack had already attracted the adults’ attention. An apron-wearing auntie came out from the communal courtyard, scolding, “What are you all crowding around the gate for?”
As soon as the apron auntie came out, she saw Xie Mingtu and Su Xiaoman.
“Oh, you must be the new ones next door.”
“Yes, Auntie.”
“Taking photos? You have a camera?” After the apron auntie saw the camera on Su Xiaoman, she understood what the children were looking at. She smiled but said nothing more. “The ones stewing mutton are your family too, right? Newly married young couple?”
Xie Mingtu nodded. “Yes.”
“Live carefully. Don’t have plenty in the first half of the month and nothing left in the second half.”
After saying this, the apron auntie went back into the communal courtyard. Her husband curiously asked her about the situation next door. The apron auntie gave a “hai” and said, “Just two young people, newly married and still don’t know the weight of things. That woman is very beautiful. One look and you know she isn’t someone who manages housework.”
“I think those two will have plenty to worry about later.”
“Every family has its own hard-to-recite scripture.”
The man smoked and said, “I heard the couple are both very good-looking.”
“Aren’t they just? The woman is like a fairy. But from what I see, that pair won’t stay sweet for long. Neither of them looks like they know how to live a proper life. I can’t see any firewood, rice, oil, or salt in them. When people are courting, who isn’t sweet? Later, once children come along, every day you have to manage the family and the children’s eating, drinking, clothing, food, housing, and transport. Which part doesn’t give people headaches?”
“From what I see, those two will have plenty of quarrels in the future.”
“Wasn’t the young Chen couple in our courtyard like that at the start too? And what have their days turned into now?”
The man flicked off his cigarette ash. “I think this young couple seems pretty good.”
“Pretty good? Just smell it — that rich meaty fragrance. Wait a few more days and see whether there’s even the smell of food in their house.”
“Anyway, the big sisters in the courtyard and I don’t think much of that household.”
“The man is handsome, the woman is beautiful. In storybooks, that would be a heavenly match like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. But among ordinary people like us? That doesn’t necessarily lead to a good ending.”
“Just wait and see.”
A young couple had moved into the siheyuan next door, and the two attracted quite a bit of attention. When Chen Xingwei got off work, he also saw the young couple next door. Just as everyone had said, the man was handsome and the woman was charming.
They were just like him and Tingting last year. When he and Tingting had been dating, they had truly been sweet. Tingting loved beauty, charm, and romance. The two of them had endless things to talk about every day. Every time they met, their hearts beat nonstop for each other.
They had got married amid everyone’s congratulations. Unfortunately, less than a year after the wedding, Chen Xingwei already felt that these days were not smooth or satisfying.
Tingting was an elementary school teacher. When she wore a white dress, she was indeed beautiful, but she was not a good wife. When other people returned home, they already had hot meals and hot dishes, while their family’s fire was still barely lit.
Not to mention that every time wages were paid, Tingting would make a fuss about going to watch a film, going to the state-run shop, going to the park, going to… After going around like that, half the money in their pockets would be gone, and the days that followed could only be lived tightly.
Tingting had begun to think he was stingy. In the past, he had given her clothes and shoes, but now he advised her to save on everything. When they met during holidays, it was no longer to have an extra meal, watch a film, or talk about a few fashionable books…
Their days had become dull and dispirited.
Chen Xingwei had no choice either. If they did not save a little, how could they live? They had been married almost a year, and his parents’ side was urging them to have a child. Right now, with just the two of them, their days were already tight. If they had a child in the future, how were they supposed to manage?
Every day, worry left him distracted and uneasy.
Last year, he had still been a groom envied by everyone. This year, only a few days had passed, and their family had already quarrelled two or three times.
When marrying a wife, one should marry a virtuous one.
Chen Xingwei caught sight of Xie Mingtu at the courtyard gate and smelled the fragrance of mutton. He thought that this young man was another version of himself, and could not help shedding a sympathetic tear for him in his heart.
These two young people still had no idea what kind of life they would turn their days into.
Starting out with so much fish and meat — the days ahead would not be easy.
He shook his head and walked into the communal courtyard.
Meanwhile, Su Xiaoman and Xie Mingtu unloaded the cabbage and other things from the cart back into the house. She originally wanted to help carry a few cabbages, but Xie Mingtu would not let her touch them.
“Manman, go put the vermicelli and pickled vegetables in the kitchen.”
Su Xiaoman nodded. By the time she had made one trip to the kitchen, Xie Mingtu had already unloaded all the vegetables, potatoes, and radishes. He had even washed a few large sweet potatoes, saying he would place them under the kang to roast.
“I’ll go buy some flour.” With that, Xie Mingtu pedalled his little three-wheeler and ran off again.
Behind him, Su Xiaoman laughed nonstop. There was no helping it; she had to laugh. Their Brother Gouzi was someone who could pedal a three-wheeler with tiger-like power and prestige.
Oh right, she still had not asked this big dog where the three-wheeler had come from!
Smelling the fragrance of mutton, she took a deep, happy breath. When she turned her head, she discovered a young woman observing and sizing her up. It was a young woman wearing a blue padded jacket. She was pretty and delicate, clearly the sort of girl who loved beauty. Judging from how she had styled her hair, she was probably already married.
Su Xiaoman greeted her.
The young woman nodded at her. “My name is Xue Tingting. I’m an elementary school teacher nearby. I live with my husband in that courtyard.”
Su Xiaoman smiled. “Then we’re neighbours.”
The two exchanged names.
“You and your husband just moved here?” Xue Tingting sized up Su Xiaoman before her, thinking that this woman was truly beautiful. Her husband was even more handsome. The young couple stood out very much.
Looking at Su Xiaoman’s appearance, she also seemed to be someone who loved beauty and looking pretty.
Xue Tingting sighed inwardly. She already regretted getting married. After marriage, things were completely different from when they had been dating. She would rather keep dating forever than marry Chen Xingwei again.
Less than a year after getting married, all that remained was a mess of trivial troubles.
Before she had married, if she wanted to buy something, she could save up and buy it. During holidays, she went out with friends. When she was dating, they gave each other gifts… But after marriage, everything changed. If she wanted something, wanted to buy something, wanted anything at all, she had to look at Chen Xingwei’s face.
“Yes.”
Xue Tingting tucked the hair by her ear back and smiled. “I really envy you. You and your husband are newly married and sweet.”
In front of a stranger, not knowing what her purpose was in starting a conversation, Su Xiaoman merely lowered her head and smiled shyly and happily.
Seeing her happy and sweet smile, Xue Tingting could not help feeling blocked up inside. She thought of herself last year. Had she also been like this? Full of expectations for future married life?
She thought, Poor woman. For now, I won’t shatter your dream. Enjoy a few more days of beautiful dreaming.
Xue Tingting also did not have high hopes for this couple. A year from now, perhaps they would quarrel just like she and Chen Xingwei.
Back then, she had fallen for Chen Xingwei because he was tall, handsome, sweet-talking, romantic, and good at coaxing her. He had ridden a bicycle with her through streets and alleys, taking her to see every hutong. At that time, it had truly been sweet. Now, they only resented each other.
When choosing a man, one should choose someone practical. More importantly, his family background should be solid, so one would not have to live bitterly. A man’s looks were not as important as she had once thought.
This Su Xiaoman had chosen a man even more handsome than her Chen Xingwei by three points. Who knew whether this man of hers was actually useful? If he was only an embroidered pillow, then this little sister Su would suffer later.
Such a fine great beauty, fresh and tender as water — how could she be the type to do housework?
If these two muddled along together, their future would surely be full of suffering.
“Your family lives next door, right?”
“Yes, in the courtyard. We live on the east side.”
Su Xiaoman nodded and was about to return to the courtyard, but Xue Tingting said from behind her, “I hope you and your husband live happily in the future. Since we’ve become neighbours, let’s chat more often from now on.”
Su Xiaoman said, “Thank you.”
She turned and closed the gate.
What did she mean by “I hope you and your husband live happily in the future”…? The tone she used when saying that sentence did not seem quite right. It did not sound like a blessing. Instead, it seemed to carry some other meaning.
As if she thought Su Xiaoman would not be happy in the future?!!
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