Remembering the past, and yet no one has returned.
The retirement home was not exactly close to the compound, but it was not too far either. After a half-hour journey, Jiang Leiyan brought Xie Mingtu and the others to the courtyard where Grandpa and Grandma Jiang lived.
It was a single-storey house with a yard. A bamboo fence surrounded the courtyard, and a small vegetable patch had been opened up in front of the house, planted with green vegetables. Vines climbed up along the fence, some parts already yellowing.
Su Xiaoman and Xie Mingtu met Grandpa and Grandma Jiang.
Grandpa Jiang, Jiang Ruojun, was a tall old man with a straight back. Though aged, his eyes were still bright and full of spirit. He was an old veteran who had taken part in the Long March. Beside him, Grandma Jiang, Yang Yu, was a kind-looking little old lady with short grey-white hair and a gentle way of speaking.
As soon as Grandma Jiang saw her two biological grandsons, and that one of them had brought such a pretty granddaughter-in-law, she immediately beamed with joy. She affectionately pulled the younger generation into the house.
Even Jiang Ruojun, who was usually stern and unsmiling in front of his children and grandchildren, had a hint of a smile in his eyes.
“You came from over there, didn’t you? Came straight to see Grandpa and Grandma?”
“Oh my, this is my youngest grandson? Look how handsome he is. To think Liming could have such a child. Xiaotu, right? And Xiaoman too. Wonderful, wonderful. My granddaughter-in-law is so pretty.”
Grandma Jiang warmly welcomed them in. Xie Mingtu and Su Xiaoman did not hide anything and told Grandpa and Grandma Jiang everything that had just happened at the Jiang family home.
They even repeated word for word what had been said earlier.
Grandma Jiang sighed. “Sit down. Don’t think too much. Stay here with Grandpa and Grandma.”
“It’s better not to acknowledge them. From now on, just call them Uncle and Auntie.” Grandpa Jiang suddenly spoke from the side. Even though he was already old, his voice was still very loud. “Just acknowledge your grandpa and grandma.”
Jiang Ruojun had many grievances against his son and daughter-in-law. Previously, because of Jiang Yantang joining the army, they had already had a quarrel. Then the incident of the children being switched at birth came out.
They could not even look after their own flesh and blood. Someone had secretly taken him away, and they had raised that woman’s son like a treasure for eighteen or nineteen years.
Jiang Ruojun was full of resentment. He and his wife had watched these children grow up over the years. Xie Yazhi had always favoured her youngest son and neglected the eldest and second sons. In the past, although they could not stand it, they had only said a few words from the side and had not felt this much resentment.
Now that it had turned out Jiang Yantang was not a Jiang family child, all the things Xie Yazhi had said before immediately took on a different meaning.
“I just like Yantang. He’s the one most like our Xie family’s child.”
“He’s not quite like his other brothers.”
“He’s the good one?”
…What? Did that mean the Jiang family’s own blood was not good enough? They had insisted on raising another family’s child?
Before, he had even made a fuss about not acknowledging them as his grandparents. Perfect. He really was not their biological grandson, and they did not have such a grandson.
Jiang Ruojun patted Xie Mingtu’s shoulder. “This stubborn look of yours is just like me when I was young.”
Having just come from the Jiang family home, Xie Mingtu now felt a little warmth from these kind and enthusiastic elders.
“Grandpa,” he called with a smile.
“You brat, say it louder. Otherwise Grandpa can’t hear you.”
Xie Mingtu called out again, louder this time.
Grandpa Jiang smiled until his face was full of wrinkles. After laughing, he looked at the two grandsons in front of him and suddenly said, like a mischievous old child, “Second Brother said your skills are pretty good. You two fight once and let me see.”
Xie Mingtu: “…”
Jiang Leiyan: “…”
Grandma Jiang came out holding a rolling pin. “If you dare fight, all three of you can get out. Today, only Xiaoman and I will eat.”
Grandpa Jiang could not win against Grandma Jiang, so he had no choice but to give up his grand ambition of watching his two grandsons fight. The three men gathered together to play chess instead.
Su Xiaoman helped Grandma Jiang in the kitchen. They made a whole table of dishes, most of them Sichuan and Hunan-style. Grandpa and Grandma Jiang’s home did not have much of anything else, but they had plenty of chillies. Grandma Jiang said, “Your grandpa loves spicy food. If there’s no spice, he won’t eat it. Can Xiaotu eat spicy food?”
“He can.”
“Grandma, let’s make pickled cabbage fish soup.”
“Sure. We’ll also make braised pork. Your grandpa likes fatty meat. What does Xiaotu like to eat?”
Su Xiaoman lowered her head and thought for a moment. “He likes everything.”
After hearing Grandma Jiang call him “Xiaotu” for most of the day, every time Grandma Jiang said Xiaotu, Su Xiaoman would silently add in her heart: little rabbit.
The little rabbit likes everything.
“Xiaoyan also eats everything. These children are easy to raise.” Grandma Jiang smiled so widely her eyes disappeared.
Su Xiaoman thought, not necessarily.
“Grandma, let’s make a bit more.”
Grandma Jiang nodded. “Of course we have to make more. Your grandpa eats a lot.”
Su Xiaoman nodded. Xie Mingtu and Second Brother Jiang also ate a lot. Five people eating together could create the atmosphere of a whole crowd eating.
Su Xiaoman helped her cook a large table of food. They carried the plates, bowls, and chopsticks outside. Over there, the grandfather and grandsons were still playing chess. Second Brother Jiang was scratching his ears and cheeks, full of frustration.
Because Grandma Jiang would not allow them to fight, Grandpa Jiang said he wanted to watch the two brothers play chess.
Xie Mingtu said he did not really know how to play Chinese chess, since he had only played a few times. When Jiang Leiyan heard this, he was immediately overjoyed. He, Jiang Number Two, was the little chess prince of the family. No one else could beat him.
Grandpa Jiang said, “It’s fine, Xiaotu, you play. Grandpa will watch from the side,” meaning he was going to help out.
So Xie Mingtu played three games with Second Brother Jiang, and he won every single one. Grandpa Jiang sat at the side acting like a troublemaker, giving Xie Mingtu random advice.
After losing three games in a row, Second Brother Jiang made an X in front of Grandpa Jiang. This time, he was determined to block this troublemaker. “Grandpa, don’t interfere from the side. Let me play another round with Little Brother.”
Grandpa Jiang waved his hand. “Fine, fine, fine. Grandpa won’t speak. Xiaoyan, you child, you really can’t afford to lose. You have no tolerance at all.”
“Just watch. Xiaotu will definitely still win.”
Sure enough, Xie Mingtu won again.
“Little Brother, can’t you let your big brother win once? Didn’t you say you don’t know how to play chess? You liar!” Jiang Leiyan felt that this newly arrived little brother had truly hurt his heart.
Xie Mingtu was very modest. “…It’s because Grandpa taught me well.”
Grandpa Jiang laughed happily from the side. “Exactly, exactly. My youngest grandson is so eager to learn.”
“Bullshit. I’ve played chess with Grandpa for so many years. That old lousy chess player can teach anyone?!” Jiang Leiyan, who had lost five games in a row, was so angry he put his hands on his hips.
Before Xie Mingtu could react, Grandpa Jiang became furious as soon as he heard this. “You’re the lousy chess player. You lose and then act shamelessly. Xiaotu, go fight him!”
Grandma Jiang grabbed the three grandfather-grandsons and made them work. “Fight what? It’s time to eat. Go carry the bowls and chopsticks. Xiaoman and I also made a big pot of dumplings.”
Several people sat around the table to eat. Grandpa and Grandma Jiang both liked this kind of lively atmosphere, and today they were extremely happy. Grandma Jiang said, “Usually, we only have this kind of atmosphere during New Year.”
“The children are all grown up. It’s hard to even see them once.”
Xie Mingtu smiled and ladled a bowl of dumplings for everyone. Jiang Leiyan went to pour aged vinegar and deliberately took revenge by secretly adding coriander to Grandpa Jiang’s sauce dish, only to have Old Master Jiang slap the back of his hand hard.
Grandpa Jiang scolded him, “You wicked thing!”
He gave the coriander to Grandma Jiang.
Grandpa Jiang hated coriander the most. Unfortunately, Grandma Jiang loved eating coriander, so there was always coriander in the courtyard, grown by their own family.
After saying this, Grandpa Jiang poured a lot of black fermented soybeans into Jiang Leiyan’s bowl. This was also the thing Jiang Leiyan hated most. He could accept dishes stir-fried with black fermented soybeans, but if he was forced to eat them directly, he could not swallow even one.
“Grandpa, you’re too mean!” Jiang Leiyan picked through his bowl, trying to remove the soybeans, and even complained to Grandma Jiang: “Grandma, look at him, look at him. Grandpa is wasting food.”
Grandma Jiang frowned and clicked her tongue in disgust. “I don’t want to sit next to you two. Xiaotu is still the best. He’s not picky about anything.”
There was also a little shredded ginger floating in Xie Mingtu’s bowl of aged vinegar. Grandpa Jiang said that if he was a Jiang family man, he had to eat spicy food, so he added some bird’s-eye chilli too.
Su Xiaoman was choked into tears by the extremely strong bird’s-eye chilli.
“Manman…” Xie Mingtu looked at her with concern and wanted to wipe her tears.
Su Xiaoman simply rubbed his eyes too. Now it was great. Xie Mingtu started tearing up with her, because she had just cut chillies earlier.
Xie Mingtu blinked. “Manman, your hand…”
Su Xiaoman laughed. “I cut chillies. Who told you to come over yourself? If you’re a man, don’t be afraid of spice!”
Grandpa Jiang interrupted from the side, “Exactly, exactly.”
Who knew that the next second, Su Xiaoman felt her own eyes itch and casually wiped the corner of her eye. Unsurprisingly, she had burned herself with the chilli.
She had brought this on herself.
She quickly stood up and hurried off to wash her hands. Xie Mingtu went with her.
When they came back, both of their eyes were red, making them look like two little rabbits. Grandma Jiang laughed and gave each of them a big dumpling.
Those two large dumplings had been made by Grandpa Jiang. They were extremely ugly, looking just like two big buns.
“Come, eat. This is your grandpa’s sincerity.”
Su Xiaoman and Xie Mingtu had no choice but to lower their heads and eat Grandpa’s sincerity. One dumpling was equal to three ordinary ones, and there was even a bird’s-eye chilli wrapped in the middle. This really was Grandpa Jiang’s style.
“Today’s food tastes much better than before. It must be Xiaoman’s cooking, right?” After eating a few bites, Grandpa Jiang praised her.
He had eaten Grandma Jiang’s cooking for so many years that he was already tired of it.
“Look, old woman, you should learn from the young people.”
Grandma Jiang kicked him under the table. This bastard! “From now on, cook for yourself. Don’t eat what I make.”
“Look at you. I just say a few words and you throw down the burden. I’d like to cook, but every time I cook at home, you go to Old Zhou’s house to eat.”
“What’s the point of me eating alone?”
Grandma Jiang said, “Even pigs wouldn’t eat the food you cook.”
Grandpa Jiang said, “That hurts my heart. Old Zhou and Little Zhang clearly even asked me to go cook at the school.”
Grandma Jiang’s face darkened. “They asked you to cook hardship-remembrance meals.”
“Only yours are the most authentic. People can’t even swallow them.”
“I think you’d better not go. Don’t harm other people’s children and make yourself annoying.”
Listening to Grandpa and Grandma bicker, Su Xiaoman and the others all laughed from the side. Second Brother Jiang ate a dumpling and said to his younger brother and sister-in-law beside him, “You two must try Grandpa’s cooking. After eating it, anything else you eat will taste like delicacies from land and sea.”
At this moment, Su Xiaoman suddenly felt a pang in her heart. She thought of how Xie Mingtu had barely eaten anything good growing up.
Xie Mingtu lowered his eyes and smiled faintly. Su Xiaoman picked up a piece of braised pork for him. “No need to remember hardship anymore. From now on, I’ll give you sweets.”
“Thank you, Manman.” Xie Mingtu’s gaze was gentle as he obediently ate the braised pork.
Jiang Leiyan suddenly felt as if he had said the wrong thing. “Little Brother is too thin. Eat more.”
Grandma Jiang said, “That’s right. Xiaotu is too thin. He needs to eat more and get stronger.”
Su Xiaoman said, “Did you hear that? You need to eat more.”
Xie Mingtu nodded. He looked at Grandpa Jiang. “Grandpa, cook for me in the future. I want to try Grandpa’s cooking.”
Grandpa Jiang’s hand, which was holding his bowl, paused. He immediately refused. “No. I specifically cook for Oldest and Second. You and Xiaoman eat what Grandma makes.”
Jiang Leiyan said, “None of you say anything. Tomorrow, I’ll cook!”
Grandpa Jiang said, “Then I’d better do it! I’ll make fresh dishes for my youngest grandson and granddaughter-in-law!”
Su Xiaoman, Xie Mingtu, and Grandma Jiang: “…”
No one knew what was wrong with these two.
….
At the Jiang family home in the compound.
At the dinner table that night, Jiang Liming, Xie Yazhi, and Jiang Yantang ate together. Jiang Liming lowered his head and ate silently. Although Xie Yazhi asked Jiang Yantang a few questions from time to time, she seemed somewhat distracted.
“Did you eat well over in Qiaoxin Village?”
“What kind of village is it?”
…
Jiang Yantang answered everything honestly. He frowned and answered again. This question had clearly already been asked three times by Xie Yazhi, and he had answered it three times, but Xie Yazhi was completely absent-minded.
She had already forgotten what she had just asked. Or perhaps she did not care about his answer at all and was thinking about something else.
Xie Yazhi looked anxiously at the clock on the wall.
It was already very late. She had barely eaten two mouthfuls that night. Seeing Jiang Yantang, whom she had missed so much, did not make her particularly happy, nor did she have much appetite.
In her heart, she cursed that damned second son. Fine, he had thrown a temper, but he had even taken his younger brother with him. They had only just returned home today, yet they left before even eating a meal and disappeared without a trace.
And that child too. Both husband and wife had left. Xie Yazhi had originally thought that although Second Brother had said those things, he must have run out to call them back. Yet even now, the three of them were nowhere to be seen.
She had waited the whole afternoon, but they had not come back.
That new daughter-in-law had directly said those things to her. Originally, Xie Yazhi had been full of anger with nowhere to vent it, but now it felt like punching cotton. No matter what, it did not feel right.
It seemed they would not come back today. Perhaps tomorrow.
Maybe they were at his grandparents’ place. It was fine if they stayed there for one night and came back tomorrow.
She asked Jiang Liming to go and ask, but he refused. Originally, because the children were coming back, Xie Yazhi had gone out yesterday and bought many delicious things: fashionable biscuits and cakes, braised pig trotters made by a chef from the state-owned restaurant, braised pork elbow…
She had also tidied up several rooms at home and prepared shampoo, hair oil, soap, clam oil, and other things for the rural daughter-in-law she had not yet met. If she had known her size, she would even have chosen a few pretty clothes for her.
Who would have known that the first meeting would end so unhappily? All the things she had prepared were now useless.
Of the few pieces of cake, Jiang Yantang ate two. Jiang Liming shook his head and did not eat any. Xie Yazhi also had no appetite.
The three of them sat at one table eating, but the atmosphere was even stranger than when it had only been Xie Yazhi and Jiang Liming before.
A married couple and their “adopted son.”
Yet none of their biological children were there.
Xie Yazhi had complaints against her children. But as she looked at Jiang Yantang in front of her, she had originally thought she would be happy. Now, however, she could not smile at all. Her heart was restless and uneasy, and she kept thinking of the child she had met for the first time today.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt that he was so thin. Tall and thin, much thinner than his two biological elder brothers. She did not know how he had grown up as a child…
They all said that woman had beaten, scolded, and treated him harshly since he was young. Of course. She had switched Xie Yazhi’s child. How could she possibly treat him well?
In that poor rural village, he had not eaten well, had not dressed well, had not even been allowed to study. She had said she even wanted to strangle him to death…
“I’ll politely call you Jiang Uncle and Auntie Xie one last time. Manman and I only came to meet you once. Since we have met now, we won’t disturb Uncle and Auntie any further.”
“I hope we won’t meet again in the future.”
The child’s cold words echoed in her ears. Only now, when Xie Yazhi recalled it, did she realise that his expression had been very cold. He had not looked at her like she was his biological mother at all. He must have been speaking in anger, right? He was her biological son. How could they possibly not meet again in the future?
Even if he had never studied, she would not let him return to the countryside. In the future, she would not let him suffer hardship or exhaustion anymore. Why could this child not accept one more elder brother?
If the incident during the day had not happened, the whole family could have sat here properly, eating together, lively and happy, eating a big meal harmoniously. Would that not have been nice?
This child… this child was truly…
He had left without even calling her Mum.
Had she really gone that far? Did he hate her?
“Someone wanted to strangle your biological son to death, yet you hold her son in your hands like a treasure.”
“Your Jiang family is simply a joke. Even that vicious Sun Mei knew to cherish her own biological child. Haha, she even fought for his ‘identity’. But the two of you are not fit to be parents at all. You make people sick!”
Xie Yazhi’s emotions were chaotic. She comforted herself that it would not happen. Now that they had found their biological son, the child would have to acknowledge her as his mother. Surely they would not go back to the countryside again?
After staying at his grandparents’ place for a day or two, he would have to come back.
His biological father and mother would love him. How could they treat him badly?
The three of them ate the meal without tasting anything. More than half the dishes on the table were left. Fortunately, it was already winter and the weather was cold, so the food could still be kept for another day. Xie Yazhi told Jiang Yantang to go back to his room and rest. She was not in the mood to say anything else to him.
Jiang Yantang silently nodded and likewise did not speak.
Having just returned to the Jiang family today, his identity was extremely awkward. Fortunately, Xie Yazhi treated him the same as always. Later, when Xie Yazhi and Xie Mingtu had their dispute, inevitably, a secret joy arose in his heart, one that even he despised himself for.
However, during the meal just now, all that secret joy had vanished like smoke.
Xie Mingtu was Xie Yazhi’s biological son. No matter how well Xie Yazhi treated him, he was ultimately not her biological child.
Just now, facing Xie Yazhi, he had wanted to advise her not to take him as an adopted son. He should return to his own family. But he could not say those words.
After all, he had grown up in the Jiang family.
That night, after returning to the room, Xie Yazhi took a bath and changed into soft pyjamas. Most of the lights in the house were dark, making it seem especially empty. From the compound outside came a few noisy shouts from naughty children. Jiang Liming had left a yellow desk lamp on for her and was lying under the quilt with his eyes closed, seeming already asleep.
Xie Yazhi had no desire to sleep at all. She shook Jiang Liming awake and lowered her voice. “At a time like this, how can you still sleep?”
Jiang Liming opened his eyes and looked at her. “It’s already late. Why can’t I sleep? Don’t you have work tomorrow?”
Xie Yazhi was a teacher at a middle school.
“How could I be in the mood to sleep? Our sons finally came back after so much difficulty, and it ended up like this. You may have the mood, but I don’t. I couldn’t even eat just now… Look at what this has become.”
Jiang Liming sighed. “You brought it on yourself.”
“What do you mean I brought it on myself?” Xie Yazhi was so anxious she glared. “They definitely didn’t go far. They must be at his grandparents’ place. Tomorrow, go to the retirement home and bring Dad and Mum over. Call the children back too.”
“I’ll go to the market in the morning and ask that Chef Sun to help make some dishes. I don’t know what that child likes to eat yet, so we’ll make a bit of everything.”
“You should stop busying yourself so much. Let it be.” Jiang Liming shook his head. “The children are grown up now. They all have their own choices.”
“Jiang Liming, what do you mean?”
“I’m saying, don’t think too optimistically. If the children are at his grandparents’ place, then let them stay there. Since you have already made your choice and said those things today, what’s the point of doing anything else?” Jiang Liming sat up. “Since you don’t want to acknowledge him as your son, then don’t go over and make yourself disliked. He may not even want you as his mother. In the end, he is still a descendant of the Jiang family. It’s fine for him to stay with his grandparents.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Who said I don’t acknowledge this son? I gave birth to him. He looks like me. How is he not my son? Have I treated him badly? Look at how busy I’ve been these past few days. How many things did I prepare for him? How many things did I buy that are still piled up in his room…”
“He didn’t even call me Mum. He called me Auntie.”
Jiang Liming waved his hand. “Fine, fine, fine. If you have so much resentment toward him, just vent it on me. Otherwise, just pretend you don’t have this son. Anyway, you’ve lived like this for almost twenty years. Wouldn’t you still live just fine without this child? Whether he lives or dies, wouldn’t you still be happy?”
Xie Yazhi bit her lip and took a deep breath. “You’re speaking so sarcastically, Jiang Liming.”
“You resent me.”
“Do you think I was wrong? All of you think I was wrong, don’t you? The children came back. As their mother, have I not done enough?”
Jiang Liming said, “Before you decided to take him as an adopted son, did I not advise you against it? Was it any use?”
Xie Yazhi retorted, “I raised him for almost twenty years. Even if he isn’t my biological son, he is already my son.”
Jiang Liming sneered. “But they never treated your biological son as their son.”
“Forget it. I won’t say more. Since you already made your choice, those two are as incompatible as fire and water. They can’t possibly be brothers. Since you chose Yantang, don’t think about the other child too. Otherwise, you won’t please either side.”
“Heh.” Xie Yazhi gave a cold laugh. “Now you’re blaming me for choosing? Your biological son will call you Uncle from now on. Are you happy hearing that?”
“I never raised him. I wronged him. I owe him. If he calls me Uncle, do I have the right to blame him?”
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