Chapter Twelve: Labor Delivered to the Doorstep

Ma Dazhu was a rough man—tactless in speech, poor at home, and with many siblings to support. There was simply no money to marry him off. So, at thirty, he was still a confirmed bachelor.

He liked Zheng Chunmei very much. Even though she was a widow, he was willing to take care of her and her child. But since the child had just lost his father, he was still somewhat resistant to having a stepfather.

Now, hearing Zheng Chunmei’s words, his heart bloomed with joy. If he accepted the role of godfather, wouldn’t becoming a real father be far off? He chuckled foolishly.

Zheng Chunmei, unaware of what he found so amusing, said, “I’m heading back now.”

“I’ll walk you home.”

“Are you crazy? If anyone sees us, how am I supposed to live?”

Ma Dazhu scratched his head. “Then take it slow.”

After parting ways with Ma Dazhu, Zheng Chunmei eagerly took out some wild vegetable pancakes to eat. They were hard and made her teeth ache. Bitter and astringent, with a faint salty taste mingled with the smell of Ma Dazhu’s sweat, it almost made her vomit.

“There’s no comparison to Old Zhao’s cornmeal and egg pancakes,” she sighed inwardly, forcing down half the pancake despite the nausea.

Returning home under the cover of darkness, she found the children fast asleep. As she was about to climb into bed, she heard the old matriarch’s voice: “Why are you so late coming back?”

“Mother, aren’t you just asking that knowing full well?”

“Did you get to eat any of Old Zhao’s food?”

“That stingy Old Zhao was hiding with his daughter-in-law, eating cornmeal and egg pancakes, without giving me a single bite.”

Speaking of this, Zheng Chunmei grew angry.

“Cornmeal and egg pancakes?” The old woman was stunned. “You didn’t get any at all?”

“No.”

“Useless!” the matriarch scolded. “I tell you, when the grain runs out, I won’t give up my share with Erdan. You and Huniu and Sanya will have to find your own way.”

Zheng Chunmei was bitter. “Mother, I’m still in confinement.”

“Who hasn’t been through confinement? When I was in confinement, I still went to the fields to transplant rice. You’re just being delicate. If you weren’t so lazy and greedy, my son wouldn’t be so exhausted.”

The old woman began to sob.

Zheng Chunmei felt as if her head might explode and was secretly disheartened. “I’ll go again tomorrow. Don’t wake the children!”

“If it really comes to it, borrow some grain from your family for now. When we are better off, we’ll pay them back.”

Zheng Chunmei was vexed. “My family’s poor as it is. Where would they get grain to lend us? A while ago, my cousin even said she wanted to come and live with me.”

The old woman immediately became anxious. “No way!”

Then she began to nag incessantly. Zheng Chunmei turned her back and silently wept. She didn’t know how much longer she could endure this life.

...

The next day, Zhao Zheng was awakened by the cold.

Listening to the howling wind, he made up his mind: “I have to build a kang stove. I can’t sleep a single night on this broken bed anymore!”

The earth stove was inefficient. The house was drafty on all sides, and the heat couldn’t concentrate. After a night, his feet were always cold.

Repairing the house wasn’t possible for now. Being too conspicuous would draw unwanted attention.

“Father-in-law, the meal’s ready,” Yang Zhaodi said.

Zhang Xiao’e peeled some eggs and handed them to Zhao Zheng, then buried the shells in the soil to avoid detection and to enrich the earth.

Zhao Zheng devoured the eggs and polished off a bowl of rice before declaring with satisfaction, “The weather’s getting colder. I have to build a kang stove. I won’t go chop wood today.”

“Father-in-law, what’s a kang stove?” Yang Zhaodi asked.

“It’s a bed connected to the stove, hollow inside. You can cook and boil water on one side while warming the bed. With this, we won’t fear the snow or cold anymore,” Zhao Zheng explained.

Zhang Xiao’e had never left the village; the farthest place she’d been was the market in the township. She knew what a stove was—that was for wealthy families. But a bed connected to the stove? She frowned. “Wouldn’t that roast you alive?”

Zhao Zheng laughed. “No, you two go dig some yellow clay on the back mountain. I’ll collect stones. Once I’ve built it, you’ll see.”

As a modern youth influenced by the internet explosion, he had never eaten pork, but surely he had seen pigs run.

He first carved a hole in the earthen wall to connect to the chimney.

Yang Zhaodi and Zhang Xiao’e, not exactly ladies of leisure, were quick to help.

Before dawn, village residents gathered to chop wood on the barren mountain. Seeing Zhao Zheng, they greeted him.

He smiled and responded politely but overheard their whispers.

“Why’s Old Zhao suddenly so hardworking?”

“If he doesn’t hurry, he’ll freeze to death this winter!”

“When his son was alive, someone took care of him. Now that his son’s gone, and his brothers look down on him, no one stands up for him when he’s bullied. If he doesn’t change, his daughter-in-law won’t stay!”

Zhao Zheng snorted disdainfully and paid no mind.

Instead, he went to the back mountain to gather stones.

After two trips, he was panting and exhausted.

“He used to be so useless—drinking, gambling, doing nothing proper. Just two trips and he’s worn out.”

“But he’s been starving too long, seriously malnourished. He needs to take it slow—restore his strength first, then build up.”

Zhao Zheng’s plan was simple: work hard, stockpile supplies, and survive the winter comfortably.

Just then, Liu Tieniu approached. “Uncle Zhao, busy?”

“Playing.”

Liu Tieniu twitched at how Zhao responded so bluntly.

“Uncle Zhao, need a hand?”

Idle eagerness is either deceit or mischief.

Zhao Zheng’s eyes twinkled. “Sure, young folks respect their elders.”

Liu Tieniu only meant it casually but was surprised Zhao accepted. Though annoyed, he saw it as a chance to get closer to Zhao for his own plan.

He didn’t waste time, grabbing a carrying pole and basket.

Weighing over a hundred pounds, the pole bowed under the load. Liu Tieniu grimaced. “Uncle Zhao, what are these stones for?”

“Can’t carry it?”

“Who says? This is nothing—easy as pie.” He couldn’t admit it was heavy; he had to act tough.

Zhao Zheng smiled mockingly. “Young folks sure are bold.”

Hearing this, Liu Tieniu grew more spirited, striding briskly.

Zhao Zheng limped behind. “Slow down... wait for me.”

After a while, Liu Tieniu, out of breath, put down the pole. “Uncle, we’re here.”

At that moment, Yang Zhaodi and Zhang Xiao’e came carrying yellow earth.

Seeing them, Zhao’s eyes lit up. “Sister-in-law Zhaodi, Sister-in-law Xiao’e!”

They simply nodded, ignoring him. In the village, they had often heard Liu Laosi and his wife speaking poorly of the Zhao family behind their backs.

They were rather disdainful.

Liu Tieniu was about to step forward to help when Zhao Zheng said, “Tieniu, come with me to the back mountain for a few more loads of stones!”