Volume One, Chapter 19: The Widowed Mother Abandoned by Her Sons in the Years of Famine [Expression]

The past two years had been unbearably idle for everyone. So many people holed up in the mountains, tending day after day to just a few patches of land by the doorstep. This led to an overabundance of potatoes and sweet potatoes, piled so high in the caves they nearly formed small hills. The ones at the bottom, pressed too long, began to rot.

At Mo Mo’s suggestion, to lift spirits, they decided to organize a small contest. The village chief gathered everyone and paired them off in teams of two to weave baskets. The team that wove the most and best baskets would receive twenty jujube cakes and twenty milk candies, generously sponsored by her, plus she would personally prepare six exquisite fish dishes for the winning pair. The other villagers who earnestly participated would still be rewarded five jujube cakes and five milk candies each.

Everyone still fondly remembered the great communal meals—the big pot rice and the chicken and rabbit feast prepared by Aunt Mo. Her culinary skills were truly unparalleled! With the promise of such delicious rewards, everyone was unusually eager and enthusiastic.

Just then, Cuihua and Youhua came calling for everyone to eat. Seeing the basket in the boy’s hands, they instantly burst into laughter. Rolling up their sleeves, they marched over and began to scold him fiercely, dragging another into the reprimand as well. The boy nearby tilted his head back helplessly, thinking, “I knew it!”

Youhua laughed so hard his stomach hurt and quickly stepped in to calm things down: “Alright, alright, Sister Cuihua, calm down. Why bother with them? If their baskets don’t pass, they’ll be the ones crying.”

Hearing this, the two immediately begged for mercy: “We know we were wrong! Please give us another chance.” “Yes, yes, we beg you! We won’t dare do it again!” “It’s all your fault! I told you not to make the gaps so big! Are you weaving for the potato’s great-grandfather or what?” “I was just trying to make more baskets! I won’t do it again, alright?”

The watching villagers burst into tears of laughter. Then the two of them turned on the charm, sweet-talking Cuihua and Youhua until the two couldn’t stay angry.

“Really, you two are unbelievable. No more next time, understood?” “Hehe, got it, got it. We swear we won’t do it again!”

Suddenly, a low rumble of thunder rolled in.

Everyone jumped, looking up as thick clouds gathered on the horizon, spreading like a heavy curtain that blocked out the scorching sun.

“Sky Lord, are you lying to us?! The thunder’s coming to strike you!” “What? I swear I’m sincere!”

Raindrops began to fall, sparse at first, cold and refreshing on their faces. The villagers, touching the drops in disbelief, were stunned. Then, an unprecedented cheer erupted.

“Sky Lord! It’s rain! It’s rain!” “Ahhhh! It’s raining! We can go home now!”

Hearing the roaring sound outside, the others inside the cave rushed out like mad. At that moment, the rain intensified suddenly, giant drops pelting down in torrents. The parched earth greedily soaked in the water, quickly growing moist. Wilted plants straightened up again, their leaves swaying as if celebrating the downpour.

“This is wonderful! We can go back to the village!” The villagers embraced joyfully in the rain, faces lifted to let the water wash over them. Children jumped and cheered, splashing in puddles.

Mo Mo stood at the cave’s mouth, arms folded, smiling as she watched them. Looking up at the downpour, she sighed with contentment, “How wonderful.”

Three Precious lightly hopped onto her shoulder, settled comfortably, and quietly shared the moment.

The heavy rain lasted a full day and night.

In the days that followed, the villagers rose early every day to return to the village and repair their homes. Having been unoccupied so long, many places needed patching up. To speed things along, everyone worked together, first fixing the village chief’s house, then Aunt Mo’s, and then proceeding house by house from one end of the village to the other.

During this time, Mo Mo brought out the prizes from the basket-weaving contest to treat everyone. Without good food, no one could keep up such hard work.

After everyone moved back to the village, they set about tending the farmland, each growing visibly thinner from the toil but with spirits remarkably high—people are strange creatures.

Even stranger was that the eldest daughter-in-law, who was expected to remarry, did not; instead, it was the usually quiet second daughter-in-law who was about to wed again.

Three months after returning to the village, one early morning, Wang Wei arrived with Erhua.

“Mother, I’m going to marry into Zhao County. I probably won’t come back anymore. It’s very far away. I came to kowtow to you.” Saying this, she bent to kneel.

“No need for kowtowing. You’ve already been good to Chen Zhuang for two years. Just live your own life well from now on.”

Mo Mo quickly stepped forward to stop her. “Erhua, what do you plan to do? Will your new man even accept you bringing a child along?”

The shy four-year-old Erhua, the same age as Chen Da, hid timidly behind her mother, stealing glances at Granny Mo.

Since returning, the eldest daughter-in-law often came by with her grandson for vegetables or little favors. The second daughter-in-law had never set foot here, so naturally, the little girl was not familiar with her.

Wang Wei said awkwardly, “I just wanted to leave Erhua with you. After all, she’s Zhuang’s flesh and blood, not easy to take away.”

“What’s not easy to take? That big fat oaf won’t let you, right? Are you out of your mind? He’s the one standing at the village entrance, old enough to be your father!”

With a loud voice so no one could miss it, Wang Fang ushered her youngest son inside.

“Mother, I saw your door was open, so I came in to check on you.”

Mo Mo knew she was here just to stir up trouble. “You’re everywhere these days. If you’re so bored, go plow the fields.”

Wang Fang was displeased. The mother-in-law was clearly biased against her.

“I’m just trying to wake her up, Mother. You don’t know, she wants to run off with that traveling merchant. He looks like a wild boar, who knows if he’s really rich? Even if he is, could he accept a little girl like Erhua? Maybe he’s got wives and children already. Isn’t she just out of her mind? Don’t you agree?”

Mo Mo looked at the second daughter-in-law. “Is what your cousin says true? Have you thought this through?”

“Yeah, I beg you to let me go.”

“All right, you may leave. From now on, Erhua will be under my care!”

Wang Wei lowered her head, not daring to look at them, forcefully prying Erhua’s fingers loose and leaving without a glance back.

The little girl wailed loudly, trying to chase after her mother.

Wang Fang scooped her up. “Don’t cry. That fool of a mother will regret it. From now on, you’re my daughter!”

Mo Mo looked at her in confusion. “What are you trying to do?”

“We’re all splitting up now. How could I let you raise her? I’m not only her aunt-in-law but also her aunt. Can’t I even afford a meal?”