Chapter Nine: Loving Father and Kind Mother
"Grandfather, Father, Mother, are you doing well in Heaven? I have a son now. You must be doing well. I think our family being able to travel to this place must be because you're watching over us. Our family will definitely live happily."
Zhou Jiao noticed the redness in Zhang Guoqing's eyes, reached out to tug on his hand, and playfully said, "Brother, doesn't your son look like a little pig, eat and sleep. Help me move him to the left side; you lie on my right, and rest early since we have things to do tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll go to the main room to tell our mom to rest, no need to come here. Feed every two hours at night. You should also take out the baby formula and bottle to see if he drinks it at night. Oh, and get the diapers out, a set, and two pig's feet, a pound of red dates, two packs of formula, and prepare a bottle. You can decide on the other meats, not too much as I'll go out at dawn to make a round and come back around the Ming Road.
My mom treats those ragged cloths like treasures, don't throw them away, just wrap them up for me. I reckon the second sister-in-law's child will need them."
Zhou Jiao knew that his second brother's little daughter just turned two, still needing diapers. She remembered how that little girl was poorly treated by Lin Juhua, never well-kept, and without milk to feed, it was Mother Zhang who softened and fed her rice porridge. A few times when there were rare occasions of egg custard at home, Lin Juhua would eat it all when Mother Zhang turned her back, leaving her angry. Like a little chick, raised on rough care. Thinking of this, Zhou Jiao couldn't help but laugh aloud.
When Zhang Guoqing reached the main room, the kerosene lamp was still lit. A night of light from it costs a few cents, so in the village, unless necessary, people don't keep it on, moving in the dark. So Zhang Guoqing was a bit surprised; were they planning to watch over things overnight?
"Mom, the baby has already eaten and slept; you and dad have been on your feet the whole day, go and rest now. No need to get up at night, be careful not to catch a cold. I'll stay alert at night; don't worry."
Mother Zhang nodded drowsily, instructing Zhang Guoqing to wake her if the baby cried, fearing they wouldn't know how to care for him. Father Zhang, seeing nothing more needed of him, also went to bed. Zhang Guoqing carefully blew out the lamp and closed the door.
At two in the morning, when the baby awoke crying, Zhang Guoqing picked him up immediately, prepared the formula, and the little one quieted down upon eating. He didn't wake Jiao Jiao, letting her sleep knowing a bit more rest would be good for her post-delivery weakness. Changed the diaper, and the little rascal slept comfortably, not crying like the others'. Indeed his son, smart.
He wanted him to feed on mother's milk by five the next morning, then adjusting to formula at midnight, adding one more formula feeding during the day, so Jiao Jiao's body could handle nursing.
Sleepily, he sensed some noise in the courtyard. Zhang Guoqing got up, noticing it was gradually getting light outside. Got himself ready in the dim light.
Headed to the kitchen, where his older sister-in-law was making breakfast. Country folks rise early, probably around five, though without a watch to check. As the eldest sister-in-law, she busied herself day after day, truly not easy.
As for the second sister-in-law, she would also need to get up soon to prepare pig feed, or else if the pigs starved and cried, his mom would give her an earful.
After breakfast, the men of the house would either work in the backyard vegetable garden or tend their own land. No one loitered; it was something for idlers. Women hurried to finish household chores before heading to work by 6:30, washing clothes, cleaning up. After work in the afternoon, they still needed to gather feed for the pigs.
Unable to find his mother, he never did shout out loudly. He just greeted his older sister-in-law, casually grabbing two vegetable buns as breakfast on his way out. Then, Mother Zhang just returned from the backyard with freshly picked vegetables for the kitchen.
"Mom, I'm heading to the city to see if there's anything for lactation. I'll share the good news with my sister, and on the way back, I'll drop by the Zhou family to share the joy, hehe."
With that, Zhang Guoqing winked at Mother Zhang, who understood and reprimanded him with a smile, "You rascal, always so playful, already a father."
"Mom, if the baby wakes up, remember to let Jiao Jiao feed him. He ate once at 2 in the morning."
"Got it, first I'll prepare her breakfast, last night's stewed chicken soup, and have it ready with noodles when she gets up."
"Oh dear, Mom, your young son is now unloved~ You've been won over by the young one, how heartbreaking. Haha, anything you need me to bring back from the city?"
"Go, go, who's worried about a pesky kid like you! Quick to go and come back. Nothing much needed, we have red sugar and eggs ready. Haven't eaten breakfast yet, take a few buns for the road. Remember to buy buns or bread if you find any in the city."
"Got it, I'm off now." Zhang Guoqing waved as he rode off on his bicycle, and Mother Zhang watched him disappear around the curve before heading back to the kitchen.
Zhang Guoqing liked this mother, understanding and straightforward. She knew country life was meticulous, living with a careful accounting of everything.
Considering it had only been a few years since the Liberation and the problem of food and clothing hadn't resolved. Even with Zhang Family Village's great location and fertile land, with rich mountain resources, no households had much savings. Being the best, they didn't worry about having enough to eat.
Many village folk lived off work points, really getting by on two thin porridge meals a day. Every spring, everyone, young and old, would dig for wild greens for a living. Even if money were available, grain couldn't be bought, and costly grains were unaffordable for anyone.
The Zhang family's three meals were porridge for breakfast and lunch, with dried sweet potatoes for dinner, already considered well-off, closing doors to avoid envy, tering envy, always there. Those from those years knew better than to show wealth.
Father Zhang and Mother Zhang were shrewd and capable, with support from two elder sisters each year exchanging fine grains for coarse grains in the city. The two pigs at home were income outside the work points, only sold at the end of the year. Eating pig meat satisfied cravings once a year, leaving 20 pounds for New Year's and gift exchanges.
And a dozen or so chickens' eggs were exchanged for household goods, occasionally used to nourish the little ones. Zhang Guoqing indeed counted as one of the little ones, as seen by his mom's eyes on her young son.
If not for liking Zhou Jiao, he wouldn't have settled down so soon. At 18, Zhang Guoqing was tall, nearly 180cm, well raised by his mom, muscled, strong, often hunting in Daqing Mountain earning considerable private money, frequently bringing back game for the family.
It couldn't be helped; separated household early on, with young children, amidst chaos from little devils to bandits. Luckily, Zhang Family Village near the mountains, offering refuge, villagers gathered there, illagers widows, elderly, women, and children hid in the mountains collecting mountain goods, while Father Zhang and brothers and able-bodied men together hunted, secretly selling in the city, was a good place by comparison.
Finally driving the devils away, the village could rest at ease downhill. Houses below were ravaged by those devils, yet the tumultuous years' earnings helped households support one another, building homes, tending lands, reclaiming fields.
After Liberation, establishing People's Commune seized most landlord and rich peasant land properties. Zhang Family Village had fewer people, more lands, comparingly better off.
While other villages were thatched houses, only rare green-brick or tile-roofed homes, Zhang Family Village on Daqing Mountain used stones from Qing Shan directly for construction, saving money with effort. Better-off families bought tiles for roofs, poorer ones used thatch.