Good-for-nothing
On the train ride home, they gradually shed their layers of winter clothes. By the time they reached Spring City Station near noon, the sun was shining brightly, and the weather was warm. Zhan Aiping and her husband, Gu Sheng, with their children in tow, hopped on a car for the few-hour mountain drive back home.
As they stepped out of the car, Zhan Aiping felt dizzy, her face pale. The two children had fallen asleep on the journey and were still soundly snoozing. Gu Sheng carried them inside, settling them on a bamboo bed to continue their nap.
They were finally back, and it was already evening. Zhan Aiping exhaled, feeling as though she’d been wrung out like pickled cabbage—sour and wrinkled.
After quickly washing her hair and taking a bath, she couldn’t stop yawning. Unable to sleep with damp hair, she fought off drowsiness.
She checked on the kids, worried about their exhaustion and the temperature changes, but both little ones were sound asleep, their body temperatures normal, lying on their backs with arms outstretched in a peaceful surrender.
Such well-behaved little ones, requiring no fuss.
Even as a doctor, Zhan Aiping dreaded her children falling ill. Colds and fevers, although minor for most, often led to severe outcomes; the hospital saw many cases of children with high fevers leading to convulsions or, in extreme cases, brain damage. She’d once encountered a case where a family believed a high fever was due to possession and sought a shaman rather than medical help, only to lose the child tragically to an infection from nails driven into the limbs to “seal the evil.”
She had written up these cases to educate the public.
“Let me dry your hair for you,” Gu Sheng offered.
He helped her dry her hair, and the two of them ate a quick meal before collapsing into bed, sleeping soundly and waking refreshed, with the previous day’s fatigue gone.
When she finally opened her eyes, she felt much lighter. Gu Sheng and the kids were already up, with Guobaorou and his sister Tangyuan each pushing a toy car around, their little “cargo” stacked with toy firewood and Tangyuan’s doll. Simple airplane, cannon, and tank models were popular among children, who loved making battle sounds as they played.
Gu Sheng kept an eye on the kids while tidying up.
Seeing the busy morning scene, Zhan Aiping rubbed her face. “Why am I always the last one up?”
As an adult, sleeping in felt a bit shameful.
Gu Sheng chuckled, “Ask yourself, lazy mama.”
Drawing out her voice, she replied, “Alright, alright, I’m the lazy mama. But our diligent daddy has a mountain of winter clothes waiting to be washed—too heavy for me.”
Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow. “Too heavy? I think you’re just thick-skinned.”
With all the winter wear they had accumulated, especially the children’s clothes, it was a heap. The freezing temperatures had preserved it, but now, leaving it out would cause it to stink.
Zhan Aiping stepped outside to check on the rose bushes, which were thriving in the climate. The cuttings she’d planted earlier had sprouted buds and new leaves. Soon, she’d have a batch of 20-30 cm tall rose seedlings. She was pleased, watching them grow from one generation to the next.
“Comrade Gu, be diligent with the laundry while I go check on the kids.”
Gu Sheng was stringing up extra clotheslines in the yard since they had plenty to wash and dry today, including blankets and bed linens, in addition to the winter wear. The sun was out, casting a gentle glow over the blankets, and he filled a large washbasin with water to start on the clothes.
Zhan Aiping offered a washboard.
Gu Sheng efficiently scrubbed a full basin of clothes and hung them to dry. From their neighbour’s yard, Vice Commander Qian was watching him, eyebrows furrowed in disapproval.
Finally, unable to hold back, he approached Gu Sheng. “Advisor Gu, I know you’re a good husband, but could you be more ‘manly’ and avoid doing laundry in the yard? It sets a bad example.”
Gu Sheng calmly finished hanging a shirt. “Are you worried your wife might see?”
Vice Commander Qian replied, “She’s seen you enough times.”
Mrs. Qian often saw Gu Sheng doing chores, but it didn’t change her own beliefs about housework. She kept up with her own duties at home, caring for the family and believing it was a woman’s responsibility, unlike Dr. Zhan, who ran a hospital and was just as busy as her husband.
“What’s the harm if she doesn’t mind? Why do you think I’m setting a bad example?”
Qian huffed, “You’re influencing my daughters. They see you doing laundry every day, and they’ll end up being ‘unmarriageable’.”
“Don’t ruin my daughters’ chances!”
Gu Sheng squeezed the water out of another shirt. “I’m ruining your daughters? I’m not even worried about mine.”
Vice Commander Qian continued, “Girls should be diligent and learn to do chores. You and your wife are setting a bad example next door, and my daughters are trying to follow your wife’s example now.”
Gu Sheng grinned, “Following my wife’s example is a good thing. Who says women must do all the housework? Whoever’s free should help out. My wife works and earns a salary just like I do.”
“For a woman to manage a job, care for children, and handle household chores is impressive. Old Qian, if you think you’re up for it, you could work, earn a salary, do the housework, and care for the kids, too—I’d respect you for it.”
Qian was left speechless.
Gu Sheng continued, “Let your daughters watch me. I’m helping them, showing them they shouldn’t think housework is only their responsibility. They’ll be more discerning when choosing partners and won’t be fooled by lazy men.”
“You—” Vice Commander Qian was furious.
He returned home, announcing to Mrs. Qian, “Our neighbours are back.”
“Really?” Mrs. Qian brightened. “I thought I heard them yesterday. Have they come out yet? Did you see little Guobaorou? Our Big Elbow got sturdier over the New Year—wonder if their little Guobaorou put on weight too.”
“They’ve been gone for a while…” she murmured, finishing her work quickly. “I’ll have to find a chance to check on Guobaorou.”
With boys close in age, Mrs. Qian often compared her son with the neighbour’s little Guobaorou.
Vice Commander Qian sighed, “Forget Big Elbow for now and think about your daughters, Da’ya and Er’ya.”
“What’s wrong with Da’ya and Er’ya?” she asked.
Vice Commander Qian complained, “They’re so wild—how will they ever get married? Recently, they’ve been saying they want to be doctors and want to learn from Dr. Zhan next door. Those two girls couldn’t pick a proper role model if they tried.”
“What’s the point of a woman studying so much? It only makes her restless, unwilling to stay home and do proper work. If she’s not willing to settle down, what man would want to marry her?”
“I married you because you’re hardworking and diligent.”
“Look at Dr. Zhan next door—she’s never settled. Their family is always up to something. Growing vegetables in the yard is fine, but now they’re growing flowers. What good are those flowers?”
Mrs. Zhou replied, “You can eat some flowers, too.”
“Keep an eye on your daughters so they don’t pick up these bad habits. A respectable girl should help around the house and, one day, find a proper husband and take care of him and the children.”
Mrs. Zhou sat quietly, holding their son, Big Elbow, as she listened to him. Though she kept up with household chores and valued her son, she also wanted her daughters to have a good life. She accepted her life, but her daughters didn’t have to live the same way. She was pleased when her girls talked about studying to be doctors or nurses.
Although she thought this, Mrs. Zhou still called Da’ya and Er’ya over to share their father’s thoughts: “Your dad wants you to settle down and stop running next door.”
Da’ya said, “But I want to learn medicine from Auntie Zhan.”
Er’ya chimed in, “Me too!”
To the two young girls, Auntie Zhan was an inspiration—they wanted to live like her.
They often ran next door to help with weeding, feeding the chickens, and watching over Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan. They loved the books at Dr. Zhan’s house, which she always let them read.
Vice Commander Qian interrupted, “What’s there to learn? You’re getting wild! You should stay home and work, not help out at someone else’s house. People might think Auntie Zhan is your mother. Why not change your last name to Zhan?”
Da’ya replied, “Auntie Zhan is our aunt, not our mom.”
Er’ya added, “I’d like to be called Gu. I’d like Uncle Gu to be my dad!”
“Girl, what nonsense are you saying? Are you trying to anger your father to death?”
Vice Commander Qian was determined to correct his daughters’ thinking. “Do you really think the neighbours, Uncle Gu and Auntie Zhan, are happy? Traditionally, the man works outside while the woman manages the home. The way they live isn’t normal, and it’s bound to lead to trouble.”
But Da’ya and Er’ya ignored him.
After finishing breakfast, Zhan Aiping began tidying up the house. Once she started, she couldn’t stop, eventually exhausting herself. “Oh, Gu, how did our house end up with so much stuff?”
In just two years, the house had filled up. Before the children were born, their place was minimalist and tidy, but now there were small items everywhere.
“These two little ones are like mini garbage piles,” she said. “Since they arrived, it’s been harder and harder to keep things clean.”
With the two kids came an endless stream of new items, and just managing what they needed felt like an unending task. Just the other day, they’d accidentally broken a bottle.
On this trip, they returned with more toys, and the bamboo bed along the wall was piled high with the kids’ toys.
Gu Sheng laughed, “The rest of your ‘piglet piles’ are still on the way.”
They’d sent some items with someone else, who would bring them along soon.
Zhan Aiping sighed, “At this rate, even a big house would feel small.”
Housework and childcare were constant demands—not tiring, but endlessly time-consuming. Aiping couldn’t wait for a washing machine and refrigerator, and maybe even a dishwasher and a robotic vacuum someday.
“When the kids get older, they’ll need to take responsibility, too. Little ones, your toys will be yours to clean and organize, and I’ll help with disinfecting and drying them in the sun.”
With their time off still ongoing, Zhan Aiping and Gu Sheng stayed home, tidying up and preparing small gifts to bring around to the neighbours.
Commander Jiang’s son and Wang Youli’s child had grown a lot, reaching a hundred days, half a year, and even starting to teeth, while Jiang Meihui had noticeably lost weight.
When Jiang Meihui saw Zhan Aiping, she immediately began to complain, “This was the hardest New Year ever, Dr. Zhan. My brother took his wife out to feast while I was stuck with scraps.”
Zhan Aiping chuckled, “Just hang in there a little longer. The rewards are on the horizon.”
Jiang Meihui had worked hard, slimming down quite a bit and looking healthier, though her dimples had taken on a slightly weary look.
“Dr. Zhan, it hasn’t been easy for me.”
“I’m over here losing weight while my little nephew gains it. Just look at this chubby ‘Big Pan Chicken’! He’s hefty, though…look at his hair…”
The boy’s hair was unique. This little chubby one didn’t have thin hair; instead, he had a prominent cowlick on his forehead, making his hair look like a mini cyclone. Anyone who saw it would comment on it.
Zhan Aiping ruffled the “little whirlwind” on his head, finding it adorable—like he was wearing a little windmill on his head.
“Isn’t it funny? It’s like one of those big windmills,” Meihui laughed. “When the wind blows, it even seems like it could spin.”
“Once his hair is trimmed, it won’t matter,” Aiping reassured her.
For boys, a short cut could make even the most prominent cowlicks less noticeable. For those with only one cowlick, it’s usually on the back of the head, but some, like Big Pan Chicken, had one at the front. Some even had two or three.
Guobaorou and his sister each had just one cowlick at the back of their heads—nothing special. Their hair was an average thickness and length.
Staring at her nephew’s little whirlwind, Meihui laughed, “It’s like he has a broom on his head. You should see it when it gets longer.”
“Dr. Zhan, if I ever have a kid, I hope they have a little whirlwind, too,” she said.
Zhan Aiping replied, “A whirlwind is a good sign—it means they’ll be talented.”
“Your Big Pan Chicken sure is growing strong.” Even Mrs. Zhou’s Big Elbow would feel inferior next to him. Big Pan Chicken was truly as big as a platter. Though he was only six months old, he was already a bit sturdier than Big Elbow.
Jiang Meihui laughed, “With two cooks in the family, how could he not grow big? Dr. Zhan, I think it’s just in our genes to grow strong.”
Zhan Aiping replied, “Well, your sister-in-law is slim.”
“Only my sister-in-law is slim…”
Zhan Aiping thought, Why do so many people raise such chubby kids? Compared to Big Elbow and Big Pan Chicken, her little Guobaorou was more of a lean, wiry little monkey. Though he had chubby cheeks, that was about it. Otherwise, he was starting to show muscle definition.
“It’s not always best for kids to be overly chubby.”
But it was a casual comment. Now and in the future, parents always believed in feeding their kids well—thinking that a chubbier child was healthier. And, in this era of limited resources, it wasn’t entirely wrong; those who were sturdier often had a better chance of surviving, resisting the cold, and enduring hunger.
Still, she preferred her little Guobaorou to be at a balanced weight. If he needed to gain, she’d rather he build muscle, focusing on protein.
After visiting Commander Jiang’s family, Zhan Aiping went to see Shen Liqing’s house. If her own place was a small junkyard, Shen Liqing’s was a large one, cluttered with random piles of things—proof that her friends were overwhelmed by their twins.
Reflecting on how both her home and Shen Liqing’s were once minimalist when they first moved in, Zhan Aiping sighed. Now, with twins in each family, the children’s things had transformed their homes.
On the other hand, Qin Lanfang’s house, with just one Big Pan Chicken and three adults, was spotless. Jiang Meihui, the energetic aunt, kept herself busy all day, using the workload to help her lose weight.
Zhan Aiping suggested to Shen Liqing, “If it’s too much for you, I can ask Meihui to help out.”
“No, no—” Shen Liqing waved her hands, “Dr. Zhan, it’s not that we can’t manage. It’s just that neither of us has the energy to clean. Honestly, the house looks like a dog’s nest, doesn’t it?”
Zhan Aiping replied, “Just make sure it’s ventilated and tidy up a bit.”
Sighing, Shen Liqing said, “We clean it up, but it just gets messy again. Raising two kids is no easy job.”
“Are the kids giving you a hard time?”
Pressing her lips together, Shen Liqing’s expression turned complicated. “My daughter is very lively—she’s got strong little hands and feet. But our son…he’s so lazy, barely moves at all. Sometimes I worry something’s wrong with him, Dr. Zhan. Could you take a look?”
“Why is he so lazy?”
Both Shen Liqing and her husband, Wang Youli, were deeply worried because their son was the complete opposite of their energetic daughter. He barely moved, didn’t fuss, didn’t explore. In stark contrast to his sister, it made them worry he might have some developmental issue.
“Dr. Zhan, please take a look. We were even thinking of taking him to the hospital for a check-up. He just lies there like a little lump, not crying, not moving…like a doll. Do you think he might be a bit, you know…?”
They were genuinely afraid their son might have cognitive delays. The anxiety had weighed on them through the New Year, keeping them from enjoying the holiday or even keeping their home tidy.
Zhan Aiping checked the baby, playing with “Sweet and sour Fish” as she held a toy to catch his attention. His eyes followed it with interest. “Your son seems perfectly normal.”
“Maybe to you,” said Shen Liqing with worry. “But he just lies there all day while his sister can already sit up and crawl. He barely moves, even if she crawls right next to him.”
The twins were born on the same day, yet their development was starkly different. The sister was active, noisy, and energetic, while the brother didn’t even attempt to roll over or explore.
“I took him to a doctor, too, but they couldn’t find anything wrong and just told me to engage him more.”
With a laugh, Zhan Aiping suggested, “Then engage him more—give him a little nudge.”
She encouraged the baby, coaxing him to lift his head and grab at things. He responded well, doing everything correctly.
“You see? He’s perfectly normal.”
“He’s like a donkey,” Shen Liqing muttered, “only moves if you push him, no initiative at all.”
Laughing, Zhan Aiping said, “I wouldn’t call it lack of initiative.”
She guessed that little “Sour Fish” was simply lazy by nature. He only showed interest when it suited him, but he was bright and sharp.
“So your boy is actually quite clever. You’re lucky to have such a smart one.”
Bright, but a tad lazy—just like his mother.
Rolling her eyes, Shen Liqing replied, “Smart? He’s just lazy! Is he really lazy, or just dim-witted? Look at the kids in Commander Jiang’s, Director Li’s, or Chief Qian’s families—not one of them is like him…”
Zhan Aiping couldn’t help but remind her, “When you first moved here, you didn’t lift a finger for nearly a year.”
She’d been the laziest of all the wives in the community.
“Little Shen, you’re pretty clever yourself.”
Wang Youli popped his head in, joking, “Is that cleverness? It’s just laziness. Like mother, like son. Luckily, our daughter takes after me—she’s diligent.”
As he gazed at his son, Wang Youli found himself preferring his active daughter. The son lay there like a doll, lifeless unless prodded, requiring the adults to put in a lot of effort to get him to move even slightly.
He wished both kids had his daughter’s energy; dealing with a lazy baby was exhausting. The son even gave his father a sideways look as if he thought, Dad, you’re the fool here.
“Dr. Zhan, how come he behaves for you?” asked Wang Youli.
Shen Liqing added, “The boy just picks his favourites. He doesn’t like you as much.”
When Zhan Aiping offered Sour Fish a small biscuit, he eagerly ate it, making Shen Liqing fume, “You see that? He’s only motivated when it comes to food.”
Wang Youli commented, “Just lazy and loves to eat—just like you.”
Shen Liqing retorted, “You’re no different.”
Wang Youli replied, “Director Li says our son is so well-behaved, we might as well give him to her.”
Director Li’s late-born child was a little troublemaker, always causing mischief and wearing her out, making her so stressed she’d lost weight. She was envious of Shen Liqing’s “Sour Fish,” and even considered giving her own son a nickname with “Sour” in it—though she hadn’t done it yet.
Zhan Aiping said, “Director Li probably thinks you two don’t know how lucky you are.”
After having four kids herself, Director Li likely envied them a lot.
One of Shen Liqing’s children was active and mischievous, while the other was calm to the point of laziness. Though they found the contrast unsettling, they didn’t realize that a quiet, easy-going child could be a dream for parents.
—Though, admittedly, he was a bit too lazy.
Could it have been prenatal education?
But if it was due to prenatal education, both children had heard the same things in the womb, so why was one so energetic while the other was extraordinarily lazy?
When Shen Liqing used to be lazy herself, she had all sorts of justifications. But now that it was her son who was lazy, she found herself frustrated, even jumping up in annoyance at how inactive he was.
It seems the saying “lazy people meet their match” applies here.
Who knows what these kids will be like when they grow up.
Leave a Reply