RYEY – Chapter 199 Becoming Someone Else’s Daughter-in-Law

“Niqiu, how’s your little brother doing now?”

“My parents said that’s not my little brother, but my mom promised she’ll give me a little brother in the future.”

Gousheng still didn’t understand what was going on. Xuhui had already nodded—Dad Li wanted Mother Cheng to have another child, a little girl. Looks like Niqiu’s mother also wanted to have more children.

“I really want an ice pop.”

Niqiu glanced at the soda bottle and suddenly spoke. Xuhui didn’t say anything; he knew Niqiu didn’t really want an ice pop—he wanted the soda. But there was only one bottle, half for him, half for Gousheng. There was none left for Niqiu.

“Sister Lele, is the soda tasty?”

Seeing that Xuhui ignored him, Niqiu’s eyes shifted toward the half bottle in Li Le’s hand. Li Le’s eyes widened: “You’re a generation too low—you have to call me ‘aunt.’”

Niqiu: “…” No soda, and suddenly he felt a generation shorter for no reason.

Seeing Niqiu’s dejected expression, Xuhui took some firecrackers from his pocket and handed them over. These were bought by Dad Li from the supply store for the children to play with.

Niqiu saw the firecrackers, ran to the kitchen stove, and pulled out a small wooden stick with a flickering flame at the tip. The children lit firecracker after firecracker, laughing joyfully.

After finishing the pig-slaughter meal, it was just a few days until the New Year. On New Year’s Eve, the Li family moved the dining table to Xuhui’s grandmother’s room. The whole family gathered around the table for the reunion dinner.

Xuhui’s grandmother could now sit up half-supported by pillows but couldn’t eat by herself, so Mother Li sat on the kang (heated brick bed), holding a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other, feeding the elderly lady.

Xuhui looked at the dishes on the table—braised pork, boiled chicken, stewed goose, steamed carp, and dumplings. The New Year’s Eve dinner was extravagant. His nose tingled. He had only saved little Cheng Li once, yet Mother Cheng treated him like her own son.

Not only did she make sure he had enough to eat, new clothes, and schooling, even his bedridden grandmother enjoyed the care of someone who wasn’t a daughter-in-law but loved him like one.

He was unfortunate to have lost his parents early, yet fortunate to have a loving grandmother, a new father and mother willing to raise him, and Grandpa Ye teaching him to read.

Just past midnight, Li Huan lit up the firecrackers. The loud bangs startled the villagers—this was the first time in over twenty years that Li Huan felt confident enough to set off firecrackers.

Hearing the village head’s firecrackers, the other villagers joined in, and soon, all of Xiangyang Village was filled with sparks and the sound of exploding firecrackers.

Cheng Qiao held the awakened little Cheng Li by the living room door, gazing at the starry sky. The stars shone, and a crescent moon climbed over the high hill, casting a cold light over the land.

Time flew. It was already the first day of 1972. Two years had passed since her rebirth, years filled with hardship, constantly thinking of revenge.

Now, enemies were either dead, gone, or in prison. She had taken Ye Jun as her master, adopted Xuhui as her godson, and her own man had become the village head. Her rebirth had caused many deviations in events.

Yet these deviations didn’t bring peace to Cheng Qiao; instead, she remained alert every day. As long as she stayed in Xiangyang Village, she dared not relax.

But leaving the village wasn’t something easily done in these times, when introduction letters were needed everywhere. To leave with a family in tow was nearly impossible.

Especially with Ye Jun’s sensitive identity—he couldn’t step out of Xiangyang Village, and Li Huan, as village head, couldn’t leave either.

“Qiao, are you thinking about your father? After the New Year, we’ll take the boy to see him.”

After setting off firecrackers, Li Huan saw Cheng Qiao looking listless and thought she missed Cheng Liguo, quickly promising her.

Cheng Qiao’s heart stirred. Indeed, it was still the cold winter season, and the village had little happening—why not take the chance to go to the Hexi Corridor and see how her father was doing?

“Second Brother, Second Sister, I want to go too!”

Li Le, dressed in new clothes with two red hairpins, happily chimed in. Li Huan waved irritably—everything she did, she followed, no sense at all.

Li Le pouted. Xuhui quickly stuffed colorful fruit-flavored candy balls into her mouth, sweetening both her mouth and her heart.

Mother Li smiled and brought out pre-prepared large plates filled with several White Rabbit milk candies, sorghum sugar candies with a thin skin, fried meatballs, and fried dough treats.

There were also frozen red hawthorn, orange-red persimmons, and black hard pears in a large basin, thawed in cold water for a crisp, refreshing bite.

Peanuts, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, and hazelnuts were collected by the children from the mountains. Such dry fruits were common in Xiangyang Village, found in every household.

“Lele, stop staring at your second brother and second sister, come help mother make dumplings.”

“All right.”

Li Le reluctantly washed her hands and joined in making dumplings. Cheng Qiao laughed and handed little Cheng Li to Li Huan, going to Grandma Chen’s room to do acupuncture.

“Grandma Chen, do your legs feel better now?”

“Yes. It hurt a lot last night, but thanks to Goudan—or rather, Xuhui—being obedient and using a hot towel, it’s much better.”

Cheng Qiao nodded, returned to her room, filled a hot water bag, and gave it to Grandma Chen. “Grandma Chen, if it hurts at night, just change the hot water. No need for the towel each time—it’s too troublesome.”

“Qiao, thank you.”

“Grandma Chen, you shouldn’t say that. If it weren’t for Xuhui, little Cheng Li wouldn’t even be alive.”

Grandma Chen nodded, shaking her head. Everything was fate. She used to worry about her grandson after her death, but now she was at ease. With Cheng Qiao and Li Huan here, her little grandson would have a good life.

“Qiao, this is the money I saved for Xuhui. He also gets ten yuan monthly from his father. Besides daily expenses, I saved this.”

Seeing the stack of money in Grandma Chen’s hands, Cheng Qiao felt a pang of sadness, sensing something was off. If Xuhui had his father’s subsidy, what about his mother?

“Grandma Chen, didn’t Xuhui’s parents both die?”

“Ah, they say family matters shouldn’t be spread, but since I and my little grandson live with you, I’ll tell the truth. Xuhui’s mother didn’t die.”

“What? Didn’t die? Then the village was saying…”

“Yes. Xuhui’s mother wanted a divorce soon after he was born, so his father went to war… Anyway, I pretended she was dead. Don’t tell Xuhui.”

Cheng Qiao nodded, but pushed the money back to Grandma Chen, telling her it should all go to Xuhui. He deserved it. As for herself, raising Xuhui was her duty.

Xuhui leaned against the door, listening to the two inside, tears streaming down his face. So, his biological mother hadn’t died—she had simply become someone else’s daughter-in-law.