Chapter 27: Oh My! A Madman Has Come to the House!

Mingdai had already asked for directions to the captain’s house early that morning, and she took Zhou Sinian straight there. Along the way, a dog, stirred by the commotion, came out snarling and asserting its territory. But upon seeing Zhou Sinian, it whimpered, tucked its tail, and bolted back home.

Mingdai couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up. Indeed, before Zhou Sinian, all creatures were equal!

When they arrived at the captain’s house, the oil lamp inside had already been extinguished. Mingdai knocked on the door; half a minute later, someone opened it, asking, “Who is it so late at night?”

Mingdai replied cheerfully, “Is that Aunt Huang? I’m Mingdai, the new educated youth. I’ve come to return the flatbed cart.”

Aunt Huang was momentarily stunned, then realized who it was. The captain had already explained Mingdai’s situation to her, and she felt pity for this unfortunate girl, quickly pulling her inside.

“Good girl, why bring the cart back at night? Aren’t you afraid the wolves might snatch you away in the dark?”

Mingdai hurriedly shook her head. “Auntie, I’m not alone. The two of us came together, it’s fine.”

Aunt Huang smiled, stepping aside, assuming Mingdai was accompanied by another educated youth. “Bring the cart in first, let’s talk inside…”

But as she saw the tall figure pulling the cart inside, the words about drinking tea stuck in her throat.

Heavens! The madman has come to the house!

Mingdai didn’t notice her stiffness and helped push the cart in, asking, “Auntie, where should I put the cart?”

Still in shock, Aunt Huang replied unconsciously, “Put… put it… put it in the stable…”

Mingdai relayed this to Zhou Sinian, who took it over as instructed.

Once the cart was settled, Mingdai noticed Aunt Huang still standing at the doorway. “Auntie?”

Aunt Huang finally snapped out of it, closed the door, and slowly shuffled over.

Before she could ask, Mingdai spoke first, “Auntie, all the tools are left on the cart, nothing’s missing. Has Uncle gone to rest? Is it convenient for us to come in?”

Aunt Huang glanced at Zhou Sinian, who stood silent beside Mingdai, swallowed hard, and nodded. The madman had no intention of leaving; she dared not refuse.

With the solemnity of visiting a grave, she opened the door. The whole family was sitting on the kang, chatting in the dark.

“Wife, who’s here?” Liu Dazhu asked, smacking his pipe.

Mingdai responded to the voice, “Uncle, it’s me, Mingdai. I’ve come to return the cart.”

“Oh, Mingdai girl, come in, get on the kang. You’re here so late, aren’t you afraid the wolves will snatch you away alone?”

Mingdai laughed. “I’m not alone.”

Liu Dazhu was about to ask if it was another educated youth, but Mingdai’s next words made him drop his pipe in fright.

“Zhou Sinian came with me.”

Clatter.

The captain’s treasured pipe fell to the floor.

“Who did you say?”

Aunt Huang swore that in the thirty years since she married in, she’d never heard Liu Dazhu’s voice so shrill.

In the darkness, Mingdai’s eyes crinkled with laughter, but she replied uncertainly, “Zhou Sinian?”

A dead silence fell.

The Liu family’s youngest grandson, who had just been clamoring to go out and play, now obediently lay down, not daring to make a fuss.

Zhou Sinian was, as always, remarkably effective.

At that moment, Zhou Sinian’s attention was drawn to the pipe on the floor, alternating between light and shadow. He stepped forward, picked it up, and was absorbed in examining the pipe’s bowl.

Liu Dazhu’s heart bled as he watched his precious pipe in the madman’s hands.

Mingdai quickly stepped forward, snatched it back from Zhou Sinian’s grasp. “Don’t take other people’s things, it’s impolite.”

The Liu family’s hearts leapt to their throats, fearing the madman might fly into a rage and beat everyone present.

Yet, a miraculous scene unfolded. Zhou Sinian offered no resistance, allowing Mingdai to take the pipe from his hands, standing there obediently.

When Liu Dazhu finally got his pipe back, he was too stunned to react.

Was this really the madman?

“Wife, light… light the lamp,” came the captain’s trembling voice.

Mingdai turned on the flashlight she had brought. “Uncle, I have a flashlight.”

The bright beam caught Zhou Sinian’s interest again. This time, Mingdai didn’t refuse him, handing him the flashlight and reminding him not to shine it in people’s faces.

Zhou Sinian listened, shining it endlessly at the ceiling.

The Liu family watched the beam as if still unable to comprehend what was happening.

“Uncle?” Mingdai’s gentle call roused Liu Dazhu. He looked at the little girl before him, only waist-high to Zhou Sinian, yet able to make the madman behave so obediently—how strange!

“Girl, is he cured? He’s so well-behaved now?”

Mingdai shook her head as she watched Zhou Sinian play with the flashlight. “No, he’s still unruly. He only listens when coaxed with good food. Luckily, he likes what I cook. As long as I promise good meals, he behaves. He’s helped me a lot, but he goes through grain too quickly. I plan to go into town after work tomorrow and see if I can buy some food. If not, I’ll have to write to my father’s superiors.”

Aunt Huang looked at her sympathetically. These last few days, the madman had chopped several cartloads of firewood for the young educated youth, and the villagers were all envious, since such a diligent worker couldn’t be found anywhere else in the Red Flag Commune. Some had already started making sour remarks.

Now, hearing this, they realized how much she had paid.

She knew Mingdai had just received twenty pounds of refined grain, and it was already running out!

Impossible to keep up—impossible!

Liu Dazhu knew too; Mingdai had suffered for this. She had come down to the countryside before earning any work points, now forced to support an inescapable burden.

But there was nothing he could do, so he nodded. “Alright, tomorrow after work, I’ll write you a note and have Third Uncle take you to town. Zhou Sinian’s package is arriving soon, so you can pick it up for him.”

Being able to ride instead of walking made Mingdai happy, and with an unexpected errand, even better.

She thanked them with a smile, handed the parcel to Aunt Huang. “Auntie, I just arrived, and Uncle has taken such good care of me. I made some dumplings for you and Uncle to try. I’ll be troubling you both for guidance in the future. I’m young, and if I make mistakes, please teach me.”

Aunt Huang took the bundle and looked to her husband.

“Take it, the girl’s heart is sincere. When you have time, come eat at our house. If you need the cart again, just come get it.”

Mingdai agreed with a smile, called Zhou Sinian, still absorbed with the flashlight, to take their leave.

Watching Zhou Sinian follow so obediently, the Liu family remained bewildered.

The madman was so well-behaved—it was a first!

After seeing them out and closing the door, Aunt Huang was still full of wonder.

“The old saying goes, every creature has its nemesis. Now it’s proven true! The madman has never been so obedient before.”

She desperately wanted to share her amazement, but everyone on the kang was focused on the bundle Mingdai had brought.

The eldest daughter-in-law, Huang Dalian, was a distant niece from Aunt Huang’s village, always favored, and had given birth to two grandsons—Iron Egg and Dog Egg—so she wasn’t afraid of her mother-in-law. Smiling, she said, “Mom, city folk cook so differently from us country people. It smells so good, your grandsons can’t wait to try some.”

Aunt Huang scolded, “Looks like it’s your craving talking.”

Iron Egg and Dog Egg eagerly pestered their grandmother for dumplings.

The second son’s family had only daughters—Huang Xing and Huang Tao. The second daughter-in-law, Zhou Pan, felt embarrassed and said nothing.

Even the youngest son, Liu Laifa, chimed in to ask for dumplings.

Aunt Huang grumbled as she unwrapped the cloth. Inside were two neat rows of six palm-sized dumplings, each round and inviting.

“Don’t let her size fool you, her hands are clever. These are beautifully made!”

Aunt Huang praised as she picked one up—it was wonderfully soft.

She gave one each to her two grandsons, one to her youngest son, and split one between the two granddaughters.

The remaining two: one for her husband, and one left. Seeing the eldest daughter-in-law’s eager look and the second daughter-in-law’s downcast eyes, she sighed.

The eldest daughter-in-law, ever tactful, said, “Mom, you eat it. Laifu and I will just have a bite from the kids.”

Aunt Huang nodded in satisfaction; the eldest always knew how to care for others.

Before she could decide where the last dumpling would go, the eldest grandson exclaimed in delight, “Meat! There’s meat!”

The younger grandson shouted, “Egg! There’s egg too!”

Aunt Huang was shocked. Splitting the dumpling, she found it stuffed with shiny filling—some kind of meat, though she couldn’t tell exactly what, but it gleamed even in the moonlight.

“Oh dear, how can we return such a gift! Quick, don’t eat it, bring them back to her!”

In the countryside, gifts were exchanged in kind, and one always reciprocated with something similar.

Clearly, the young educated youth’s gift tonight was beyond their means to return.

Iron Egg and Dog Egg, hearing they were to give them back, panicked, stuffing the dumplings into their mouths and nearly choking.

Huang Tao held hers, untouched, intending to share with her parents, but now reluctant to give it up.

Liu Laifa hesitated, unwilling to hand his dumpling back. He was older now and understood how hard life was at home.

Seeing his grandson cry as the dumpling was pried from his mouth, Liu Dazhu smacked his pipe and squeezed the still warm dumpling.

“Let them eat. Let the children eat. We’ll return the favor bit by bit.”

Aunt Huang, moved by her grandson’s distress, silently withdrew her hand.

In the end, only Iron Egg, Dog Egg, and Huang Tao and Huang Xing got to eat the dumplings; even Liu Laifa chose to save his.

The next morning, for the first time, Liu Dazhu’s family had sausage and egg in their thin porridge.

The dumpling skins were torn into small pieces and placed evenly in everyone’s bowls.

Drinking a bowl of oily porridge, the Liu family felt they must earn full work points today!