Commander, Your Wife Has Come with the Children: Su Zhaozhao stays up all night reading a period novel and wakes up to find herself transported into the world of the book, becoming the early-dead ex-wife of the male protagonist who was not even named in the story. He thought she was gone, and she thought he was dead. The ex-wife struggled to survive with her two children, working herself to death from overwork!
Then Su Zhaozhao is reluctantly thrown into this situation… In an era of scarcity where clothes and food are scarce, Su Zhaozhao is also unfamiliar with physical labor and agriculture…
Looking at the bowl of vegetable mush, Su Zhaozhao decides to take the two children to find their father! Whether the man is reliable or not is not important; what matters is not going hungry. It would be even better if they could secure a stable job!
Chapter 1: The Tragic Su Zhaozhao
"Xiao Nian, how is your mother feeling?"
Gu Nian, carrying half a basket of wild vegetables, lowered her head as she hurried home. As she passed by a courtyard gate, a middle-aged woman who had just stepped out of the house called out to her.
"Aunt Guo." Gu Nian stopped and politely greeted her, "My mother is feeling better..."
But something was strange... Just thinking about it, her little brows instinctively knitted together in worry.
"That's good to hear," Aunt Guo's sun-tanned face broke into a smile, "Tell your mother to rest for another day. After the autumn harvest, there isn't much work in the fields. She doesn't need to rush back to work; we have plenty of men in the cooperative who can handle the tasks."
"Yes, I understand."
After Gu Nian left, a middle-aged man emerged from behind the house, carrying a hoe. "Who were you talking to?"
"To Xiao Nian, that girl," Aunt Guo stepped forward and patted the grass stains off the man's clothes, "Her mother fainted yesterday, and I was just going to visit later. When I saw Xiao Nian passing by, I chatted with her a bit and told her to let her mother rest for another day, not to rush back to the fields."
The man put down his hoe, brushed the mud off his pants, and grunted, "You're good at assigning tasks. The cooperative leader might as well be you."
The man was none other than Su Gensheng, the village chief and cooperative leader of Sujiagou Village, and also Aunt Guo's husband.
Aunt Guo shot him a glance, "What? Is my arrangement wrong? If it weren't for that one vote last year, who knows who would be the leader!"
Mentioning that one vote, Aunt Guo's resentment flared up again, always suspecting that her husband had rigged it.
"Cough!" Su Gensheng coughed guiltily, "Enough about the past. Why bring it up?" He quickly changed the subject, "If you have time, go see Xiao Nian's mother. It's not easy for a woman to raise two children alone, with no one to help. Su Laibao is useless and can't control his wife. He doesn't even dare speak to his sister, let alone help."
"I know, I'll go over later," Aunt Guo responded, taking a sickle to cut some vegetables for lunch from the garden beside the house, still chatting with her husband, "If Xiao Nian's mother found someone else, she wouldn't be so exhausted. Without a man in the house, things just don't work out."
Su Gensheng pulled a chair into the yard and picked up a half-finished basket he was weaving, "Don't mention that in front of her. You might offend her."
"Even if she gets offended, it needs to be said. At least they're family. No one thinks about them, and as a leader, you should consider them more!"
Aunt Guo straightened up, shaking the mud off the vegetable roots, "In the past, she didn't want to remarry because she feared others would mistreat her children. No one wanted to take on two kids. Now the children are older, can work, and are both sensible and hardworking. It might be easier to find someone. In a few years, when Xiao Nian marries and Xiao Xiang starts a family, having someone around could help a lot..."
She talked on and on, and Su Gensheng's ears hurt. Shifting the topic, Aunt Guo began discussing potential matches.
"Alright, alright, the parties haven't even spoken, and you're already setting wedding dates."
This woman talks too much. It's a good thing she's not the leader; the members would be driven mad by her chatter.
"I'm just talking to you. Seriously, what do you think of the ones I mentioned?"
"They're all not great."
"Tsk! You... How about we have vegetable porridge for lunch? I'll make a cold vegetable root salad..."
Aunt Guo and her husband chatted warmly, while at the same time, the woman they were discussing, Xiao Nian's mother, sat at the door of her house, staring blankly at the hawthorn tree in the courtyard.
Her eyes were lifeless, perfectly describing Su Zhaozhao's current state.
She had only stayed up late reading a military romance novel, but when she opened her eyes, she found herself in a dilapidated thatched cottage, a place so poor that even rats would turn away.
In the thatched cottage were two children, unfortunately, these two were hers.
From being a single, beautiful twenty-five-year-old, she suddenly became a mother, and a mother who was two years older than her!
Looking in the mirror, Su Zhaozhao almost threw it!
She couldn't believe that the dark, thin woman in the mirror was her. Judging by appearance, she looked not just two years older but possibly ten or more.
The only consolation was that her features were still somewhat delicate; with proper care, she could look good again. But how could she improve in such a poverty-stricken home?
Worse still, the original body wasn't just a mother but also a widow for many years.
When she woke up, Su Zhaozhao was force-fed a flood of memories from the original body. After absorbing them, she summarized the original's fate in one sentence:
A woman with a tragic life.
The original was named Su Zhaodi, and from her name, it was clear she came from a family that severely favored boys over girls. Below her was a younger sister, Su Lai Di, and a younger brother, Su Laibao.
Over a decade ago, Su Zhaodi and her sister were sold by their parents during a famine.
Su Lai Di disappeared after being sold, while Su Zhaodi became a child bride.
Fortunately, the family that bought her treated her well, allowing her to live a peaceful life for a few years.
At seventeen, she was arranged by her in-laws to marry a man she had barely met. On the second day of their marriage, the man ran away.
It was obvious he didn't want to.
(Su Zhaozhao: Didn't want to consummate the marriage? What a scumbag!)
Two months later, Su Zhaodi discovered she was pregnant. Before the family could fully rejoice, news came that her husband had died.
It was like a bolt from the blue!
As for how he died, the original only knew roughly that someone reported seeing him hit by a bomb in the provincial capital. Her in-laws went to the city but didn't bring back his body, only confirming that there had been an air raid recently, killing many people.
The unborn child in Su Zhaodi's womb became the family's only hope.
If things had stayed this way, the family could have lived a stable life, but a bandit raid destroyed everything.
The small village was burned to the ground overnight!
Su Zhaodi was hidden in a cellar by her in-laws, which saved her life.
Otherwise, she would have been kidnapped and sold like most of the young women in the village, with unknown fates.
And the two elders lost their lives in this bandit raid, their faces unrecognizable from the fire.
The village was burned to the ground, and with no home left, Su Zhaodi, heavily pregnant, had nowhere to go. Because her in-laws had settled in this small village to escape war years ago, there wasn't a single relative nearby who could help. Fearing the bandits might return, the survivors fled the village. In a state of utter confusion, Su Zhaodi hastily left the village and set out on the journey back to her parents' home.
In her haste, she didn't even have time to collect the bodies of her in-laws, which remained a deep-seated regret for Su Zhaodi.
The journey back to her parents' home was not short; though it wasn't a thousand miles away, it was still several hundred miles. A pregnant woman, relying on her own two feet and the kindness of strangers along the way, finally returned to her hometown just before giving birth.
After years of no contact, her sudden return with a large belly did not bring joy to her parents. The elderly couple cared about their reputation and feared gossip, but they reluctantly accepted their daughter who had come back alone.
Once the child was born, the family suddenly had two more mouths to feed. Worried that their son would have trouble finding a wife, Su's parents, shortly after Su Zhaodi recovered from childbirth, forced her and her child to move into an old, dilapidated house.
A married daughter is like water spilled out; the elderly couple felt they had done enough.
A woman with two infants to feed, life was predictably difficult.
During the hardest years, she was almost reduced to begging with her children.
Fortunately, after the national liberation, Su Zhaodi, as a married daughter, was registered and given land. Although life was still hard, it wasn't so dire that she faced starvation at any moment.
In recent years, Su's parents also passed away due to illness one after another.
Last year, the village established a cooperative, promoting mutual assistance and shared prosperity. As the only labor force in her household, Su Zhaodi, fearing others might say she was taking advantage, worked tirelessly like a cow. After a busy autumn harvest, she was utterly exhausted, and Su Zhaozhao seamlessly took over.
After receiving the memories of her original self, Su Zhaozhao subconsciously immersed herself in the novel she had been reading late into the night before bed.
What a coincidence, the man was named Gu Heng, with a nickname of Gu Shitou. The male protagonist in the novel also surnamed Gu, though it wasn't specified if he was called Gu Shitou, his name was indeed Gu Heng.
This Gu Heng, whose parents died early due to bandit raids, also lost his newlywed wife in the same incident.
The novel barely mentioned Gu Heng's parents and ex-wife, not even giving them names, referring to them simply as Father Gu, Mother Gu, and Ex-Wife.
As for why Gu Heng left home the day after his wedding, it was said that he had secretly joined the Party years ago and left hurriedly the next day due to a mission. Unbeknownst to him, this departure meant he could never contact his family again. When he returned, all he found was a destroyed home and a rebuilt village. From the surviving villagers, he learned that his entire family had perished, without even a grave to visit.
He scooped up three handfuls of soil from where his home once stood, placed it in a clay jar, and left, never returning.
The novel then rarely mentioned them again, focusing instead on the love story between the male and female protagonists, their marriage, and daily life.
While reading the book, Su Zhaozhao had commented on how pitiful the male protagonist's ex-wife was, having just married when her husband ran off. It seemed that the capable and loving male protagonist was reserved for the female protagonist, while the ex-wife was merely cannon fodder.
The role of the cannon fodder was to make the female protagonist feel jealous occasionally and give the male protagonist a reason to be upset.
Could it be because of this that she had been randomly transported here?
For some reason, perhaps it was a woman's intuition, she felt she had entered the world of the novel based on the limited information she had.
How unfair!
Others who wanted to be princesses or princes were granted their wishes, but she became cannon fodder.
Cannon fodder was bad enough, but being forgotten by the male protagonist, dead for many years, made it even worse.
So many people who dreamed of crossing over weren't given the chance, yet she, who had never wished for such a thing, was chosen.
What were you thinking, heaven?
Even with divorced parents who sent her to a boarding school and gave her ten thousand yuan each after graduation, telling her to stay away from the family property, she hadn't complained.
She used the twenty thousand yuan and the money saved from part-time jobs over the years to buy a tiny apartment.
At least she had a place to call home, and she loved it. Having a home and a job, living freely without anyone's interference, was incredibly comfortable.
No matter what era, she had never wanted to leave the 21st century!
Speaking of which, since her soul had entered someone else's body, did that mean she was already dead?
Or, as in other novels, would dying here allow her to return to her original body?
Su Zhaozhao thought about dying.
Preferably, a death that would send her back.
But what if she couldn't return?
Holding a knife to her wrist for 2.5 seconds, Su Zhaozhao gave up.
Putting down the knife, she couldn't help but cry. She had just secured a stable job!
After being exploited as a corporate drone, she had finally landed a secure position and hadn't even had the chance to subtly show off to her ruthless boss...
The sumptuous banquet was cold before she could taste it.
Tragic! So tragic!
Holding her growling stomach, Su Zhaozhao felt like crying again.
Her home, her stable job...
Chapter 2: A Poor Family
Outside the wattle fence, Gu Xiang and his sister Gu Nian wore worried expressions. Since yesterday morning when Mother woke up, she had been in a daze. Could she have hurt her head when she fell?
"Brother, is Mother still not better? Should we go to town and invite a doctor?"
Gu Xiang frowned deeply, "Yes, I'll go to town this afternoon."
"Do we still have money?" Gu Nian's little face was as worried as a bun; doctors were very expensive.
"We do. Mother prepared our school fees. I'll skip school for now and use the money to treat Mother. We can save up and I'll go back next year."
"No way." Gu Nian shook her head quickly, "You go to school, Brother. I don't need to. Not many girls in the village go to school anyway. I've already gone for two years, which is good enough. Besides, I don't really like school. I can help Mother with chores at home."
"No! You must go. Saying you don't like school is just an excuse. If you didn't like it, how did you score a hundred percent?"
"Brother..."
"I'm your brother, listen to me. Maybe we can earn the tuition before school starts. Don't worry, I have a plan..."
We can't sell the grain; it has to last us the whole year. If we sell it, we'll starve.
All the cicada nymphs nearby have been collected. It looks like we need to go up the mountain.
Gu Xiang, acting like a grown-up, calculated the family's livelihood.
"Maybe Mother will be better soon..."
With hope, the siblings entered the yard.
"Mother, we're back."
Gu Nian hurried to Su Zhaozhao, showing her the basket in her hand like a treasure, "Mother, look, I dug up a lot of wild vegetables on the mountain, including dandelions. Our teacher said they can clear heat and detoxify, perfect for hot weather."
Then she pointed to the fish in Gu Xiang's hand, "Brother also caught two fish from the river. We'll make fish soup for you to drink later to nourish your body." She then looked at Su Zhaozhao's face cautiously, afraid that she would only respond with a single "hmm" and not speak much.
The calls brought Su Zhaozhao back to her senses. She looked down at the slightly old wild vegetables in the basket and the two small fish no wider than two fingers, and said softly, "Good job, but children shouldn't go near the river; it's dangerous."
The fish were still alive, and Gu Xiang scooped them into a basin of water, "It's fine, Mother. I'm a good swimmer. I'll catch more tomorrow. The fish soup smells great."
Making a child under ten catch fish for her to eat, even if Su Zhaozhao blamed fate, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
As the saying goes, those who drown are often the ones who know how to swim.
"Don't go, listen to me."
Gu Xiang smiled, "I understand, Mother. Rest, I'll cook with my sister."
"That's right, Mother. Rest, and we'll have dinner soon."
Su Zhaozhao spoke several sentences, making the siblings incredibly happy. This meant her condition wasn't serious.
"Sigh..." After a long sigh, Su Zhaozhao dragged her weak body and followed them to the kitchen.
Since she was here, she might as well settle in. There was no point in being restless. Things were already like this, and since she had taken over this body, she should at least take care of these two children.
She feared that the original soul might come out at night and take her away.
Su Zhaozhao resigned herself to her fate.
"Mother, why did you come in?"
Gu Nian was lighting the fire, while Gu Xiang grabbed a handful of rice from the bag to make porridge.
"I'll tend the fire." Su Zhaozhao had only seen a wood stove but never used one, so she planned to watch first to avoid making a mess.
"Let me do it, Mother."
Su Zhaozhao paused, "Alright, I'll sit over here and warm up."
It was mid-August, and although autumn had begun, the weather was still like summer. Cooking over a wood stove made one sweat profusely...
The siblings were worried again; their mother was too weak.
Unaware of their thoughts, Su Zhaozhao hooked a small stool with her foot and sat down. Seeing Gu Xiang about to rinse the half-handful of rice, she asked, "Are you making vegetable porridge? Isn't that a bit too little rice?"
"It's enough. The porridge is for Mother, and we'll eat gruel."
"What kind of gruel?"
Gu Xiang took another bowl and scooped out a large amount of powder.
Su Zhaozhao recognized it, "Is this... bran?"
"It's rice bran. Bran is coarser."
Isn't it all bran? She could see the unground husks.
Modern rice mills were not as advanced as those in the future. White rice required two rounds of milling to completely remove the husk. The first round produced very coarse bran, and the second round produced rice bran, which contained some broken rice grains. No one in this era would throw it away.
In modern times, some people chose to eat refined bran and other whole grains for health reasons, but clearly, these were different concepts. One was processed to improve taste, while the other was purely rough and scratchy.
Gu Xiang looked at Su Zhaozhao with confusion, "Mother, how could you not recognize rice bran?"
Su Zhaozhao blinked, "Of course I recognize it. I just spaced out for a moment. Anyway, let's not eat the rice bran today. We'll have steamed rice for lunch. The harvest is in, and we have plenty of grain at home."
After drinking vegetable porridge twice since yesterday, she really didn't want to drink it anymore. She had always disliked congee since childhood.
It seemed that the two children had been making porridge for her these past two days, while they themselves had been eating gruel made from rice bran.
Su Zhaozhao's 'generosity' startled Gu Xiang and Gu Nian!
Rice was usually only eaten during the New Year and on their birthdays.
On regular days, they ate whatever came from the fields—corn, sweet potatoes, potatoes, wild vegetables. White rice, such fine grain, was the best food, and even when they had it occasionally, it would be cooked with sweet potatoes, green vegetables, and other ingredients.
This bran is from the new rice milled this year; the old stock had long been finished.
Mother always kept the food supplies tightly under control, didn't she?
"Mother, are you still dizzy? After we eat, I'll go to town with Brother to get a doctor to see you, okay?" Gu Nian looked at Su Zhaozhao without blinking.
After reviewing the memories of her original body, Su Zhaozhao looked at the two worried children, "…I'm fine, no need for a doctor. I just feel that today we can have a better meal. The fish Xiao Xiang caught can be made into a soup, and the dandelions Xiao Nian picked can be served cold. We all need to nourish our bodies."
It was so hard; in this era, having a bowl of rice was considered nourishing the body.
The whole family was malnourished.
This novel's main timeline spans from the early liberation period to the reform and opening-up era, set against a realistic social backdrop.
The current time point is the autumn of 1955, before high-yield hybrid rice was available, and the yield could not reach a thousand pounds per acre. Su Zhaodi's family had little land, only two acres of paddy fields, and the rest were dry fields. In this southwestern region, rice was harvested once a year, yielding only a few hundred pounds of unhusked rice. They also had to pay part of it as public grain, and everything they ate and used came from the fields. Even with other crops, they barely managed to eat half full throughout the year. No wonder even the bran was considered a good thing.
In the book, the protagonist's children grew up happily, even in this era of scarcity, they never went hungry. Milk, candies, cookies, and toys were all available at home. However, these two children, who were never mentioned in the book, hardly ever ate meat, and had never tasted a whole candy. Hunger was a common occurrence, and the siblings were as thin as bamboo poles, clearly malnourished. The contrast was stark.
In the decades to come, no matter how many storms they faced, the protagonist's family remained unaffected. By the end of the story, the male protagonist became a senior military leader, and the female protagonist inherited a large fortune overseas. Their children excelled in various fields.
As for the two children of the original body, their future was predictable—struggling just to make ends meet.
If she hadn't come, and if the original body had passed away, these two children's lives would have been even worse.
Why should it be like this?
Life was so unfair.
Thinking about herself, wasn't she also her parents' child?
No matter how much she tried to be open-minded and not dwell on it, she couldn't remain calm when it came to her biological family.
Would they grieve for her after she 'died'? Would they regret anything?
Of course, there was one thing the male protagonist could be forgiven for—he didn't know about these two children.
Had the male protagonist and the female protagonist gotten married by this point in the timeline?
She needed to recall carefully.
Chapter 3: A Life of Poverty
Despite Su Zhaozhao's insistence, they still ate the rice.
Neither of the children dared to be extravagant with the amount of rice, so they added sweet potato chips and cooked it together. They only managed to fill their stomachs halfway with the rice, while the fish soup and cold dandelion salad were made by Su Zhaozhao, who couldn't bear to see them go hungry. She was skilled in cooking; once she picked up the spatula, her body seemed to remember what to do, without any fumbling that might have made the children doubt her abilities.
Thankfully!
She managed to persuade the two children who wanted to find a doctor for her. With her stomach finally quiet, Su Zhaozhao began to look around the house.
There wasn't much to see. The small yard was surrounded by a bamboo fence, with a small vegetable patch inside. The vegetables were just sprouting. In the center of the yard stood two thatched cottages: one served as both the living room and kitchen, while the other was the bedroom for the three of them.
In the corner near the door of the main hall was the kitchen area, where a large water jar and a cabinet for bowls were placed. On the other side, against the wall, stood an old wooden table with missing corners, two long benches, and various odds and ends piled in the corner.
The bedroom contained only one bed, on which Su Zhaozhao had slept with the two children the previous night. At that time, she was still half-asleep, lost in thoughts of how to curse the heavens to bring herself back, her mind a jumble, feeling nothing.
Thinking about sleeping together again tonight...
Su Zhaozhao, who hadn't shared a bed with anyone since she grew up, really found it uncomfortable.
Uncomfortable or not, she had to get used to it, given her poverty.
In the bedroom, there was also a large wooden cabinet that required stepping on a stool to open. Inside were the family's food supplies, the most valuable things they owned.
The family didn't have many clothes, all stored in a wicker chest. A quick check revealed that every piece of clothing had patches, including what they were wearing.
Although Su Zhaozhao's clothes were worn, they at least fit her. The children's clothes, however, didn't fit at all; they were all too small.
When Su Zhaozhao searched the pillow, she found money wrapped in a handkerchief. Counting it, she found 185,600 yuan. She was initially shocked but then realized that the notes included denominations of 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yuan from the first series of RMB, with only the smaller denomination of 0.56 yuan from the second series issued in the first half of 1955.
The denominations looked large, but 10,000 yuan was equivalent to just 1 yuan.
Su Zhaozhao admired the money carefully. If this were in the 21st century, it would be worth a fortune!
Her father, an amateur collector of stamps and coins, often talked about his collection during meals. From him, Su Zhaozhao learned about the value of the first series of RMB.
The first series, issued in 1948, included denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yuan, with each denomination having several versions, totaling 62 versions. Her father mentioned at their last family gathering two years ago that this set was valued at over five million yuan.
Of course, her father didn't own this set, as he spoke of it with envy.
She needed to keep this money! She should take advantage of the current situation to collect more sets.
Since the novel is set in a realistic social background, this money must be valuable, even if slightly less so.
Even if she might not live to see it worth five million, she could pass it down as a family heirloom!
Of course, that would depend on whether she could save some money in the future.
The 185.60 yuan she had was far from enough to make her a collector.
The family kept two chickens, and after eating, Gu Nian busied herself feeding them, chopping wild vegetable roots and mixing them with the coarse bran from the first milling to feed the chickens.
Not far from the thatched cottage, in the direction of a slight diagonal, stood three stone and mud brick houses. While Gu Nian was feeding the chickens, a thin man emerged from the back door, glancing back as he walked a few steps.
Once outside the bamboo fence, the man didn't enter the yard but called out softly to Gu Nian, who was feeding the chickens, and pulled out an egg from his pocket.
"Quick, take it."
Gu Nian called him Uncle, but shook her head with her hands behind her back. She didn't dare accept anything from her uncle anymore, knowing that if her aunt found out, there would be a big fuss, and the items would be taken back. Her mother didn't want them to accept anything from her uncle, no matter what it was.
Just as Su Laibao was about to enter the yard to give the egg to the child, his wife's loud voice came from behind.
"Su Laibao! What are you doing?!"
Su Laibao trembled and instinctively put the egg back in his pocket, turning around, "Nothing, I just came to see how my sister is doing."
Xu Daniu didn't believe him and quickly approached, her suspicious gaze sweeping back and forth. "Don't forget you have three children to raise! We can't afford to support poor relatives!"
Feeling humiliated in front of his niece, Su Laibao's face burned, but he didn't dare argue with Xu Daniu, only agreeing, "I know, I know."
Gu Nian pouted, upset. They weren't poor relatives.
"Let's go home."
"Okay." Just as he turned to leave, Xu Daniu pretended to move away but grabbed his hand, pulling out the egg he had hidden in his pocket.
"Great!" Xu Daniu exploded.
"Day and night, it's hard to guard against a thief in the family! I've been wondering why our chickens have been laying fewer eggs lately! It turns out we have a thief in the house!"
Xu Daniu snatched the egg and pointed at Su Laibao, starting to scold him loudly.
"I work hard day and night, managing everything inside and out, raising these chickens to sell the eggs for salt. And you! Giving away our own things, favoring outsiders! I must have had eight generations of bad luck to marry you, this useless man! What kind of wife and children do you attract? Fine, let's divorce, and you can live with your sister!"
"It's not like that, I wasn't thinking of giving it, please stop cursing..." Su Laibao's face turned red with embarrassment, his eyes darting around, afraid that the commotion would draw attention.
No one else came, but Su Zhaozhao did. "If you want to curse or fight, do it at home, not here causing noise pollution."
Gu Nian ran over, "Mother, I didn't take the egg from Uncle."
Su Zhaozhao patted her head, "Where's your brother?" He was still inside when she went in.
"He went to collect cicada nymphs."
Su Laibao tried to pull Xu Daniu away, but she wouldn't budge, glancing sideways at Su Zhaozhao and saying to Su Laibao, "Do you think giving them an egg will make them grateful? Some people can't appreciate good fortune, destined for hardship. Fate is determined by heaven. Relatives who help don't get remembered, better to throw it in the gutter and at least hear a splash!"
Chapter 4: The Eccentric Su Zhaodi
There was a reason behind her inability to enjoy good fortune. When Xu Daniu first married into the family, she didn't have much ill will towards this big sister who had returned to her parents' home. After all, at that time, Su Zhaodi had already been driven out of the house and was living alone with her children, posing no threat. They would smile and greet each other when they met.
After Xu Daniu gave birth to a son in the Su family and felt secure in her position, she began to command various matters in the household, including those concerning this big sister who did not live with them.
Since the big sister had no man, it was up to her as the younger sister-in-law to arrange things for her.
Before long, she found an old widower in her hometown who had lost his wife. This widower was more than ten years older than Su Zhaodi and had six or seven children from his previous marriage. His first wife had died giving birth, and his family was extremely poor. Despite their poverty, he had high demands, stating that he would only take Su Zhaodi's son, not her daughter, because sons could work while daughters were just a waste once they grew up. Without even consulting Su Zhaodi, Xu Daniu agreed to this arrangement on her own initiative.
She believed that as a widow with two children, Su Zhaodi had nothing to offer except for her looks. They relied on renting land from landlords every year, and it was a great blessing for someone to accept one of her children. Conveniently, there was a family in the neighboring village looking for a child bride, and their conditions were decent. Xu Daniu took it upon herself to find a husband for Gu Nian, thinking that since they lived nearby, she could keep an eye on things, and Su Zhaodi wouldn't refuse.
Su Zhaodi herself had been a child bride, so she thought it might be good for her daughter too.
At that time, Gu Nian was only four years old.
After making all these arrangements, she turned around with a smile and proposed a match for Su Zhaodi. Su Zhaodi had no intention of remarrying; she only wanted to raise her two children. Afraid of offending her younger sister-in-law, she initially greeted her politely. However, when Xu Daniu mentioned sending Gu Nian away as a child bride, Su Zhaodi couldn't bear it anymore!
The usually mild-tempered Su Zhaodi drove Xu Daniu out of her house.
For this, Su Zhaodi's parents came over to scold her, saying she shouldn't have driven her sister-in-law out and accusing her of being ungrateful.
From then on, Xu Daniu looked at Su Zhaodi with disdain, as if even glancing at her would dirty her eyes.
She often called Su Zhaodi and her two children "poor devils."
When the land was redistributed, she even caused a commotion, wanting Su Zhaodi to exchange her two acres of prime paddy fields for some land from the Su family, claiming that a married woman had no right to claim land in her natal village.
She wasn't the only one in the village with such thoughts, but fortunately, the village officials were practical and did not listen to such idle talk. Instead, they educated those who spread such rumors.
As soon as Su Zhaozhao saw these two people, memories of them flashed through her mind.
This younger sister-in-law truly embodied the saying "the face reflects the heart," with her triangular eyes and sharp eyebrows, a picture of meanness and cruelty.
Su Laibao, on the other hand, was short and small, about the same height as his sister Su Zhaodi, around 1.6 meters. This height was acceptable for a woman but considered short for a man. He was weak-willed and indecisive, and marrying a strong-willed woman like Xu Daniu was a form of complementarity.
Su Zhaozhao raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by 'fate'? Do you think we're still in the old society? At the last village meeting, it was clearly stated that all feudal superstitions should be abolished. Your constant talk of fate given by heaven, where does that leave our great leader, who has led us through stormy seas into a new life? Are you nostalgic for the days when we toiled under the landlords? Comrade Xu Daniu, your thoughts are seriously problematic!"
Xu Daniu: "..."
What was she babbling about?
She didn't understand most of it, but for some reason, Xu Daniu instinctively shut her mouth.
While Xu Daniu didn't understand, Su Laibao, who had attended school for a few years, did.
"Big Sister, don't say such things. Daniu didn't mean it that way. How are you feeling? Any better?" He quickly changed the subject, though his gaze toward Su Zhaozhao was filled with confusion.
Swallowing the retort that was on the tip of her tongue, Su Zhaozhao replied, "I won't die."
The original body had deep feelings for this younger brother. From the moment he was born, she had carried and cared for him. Later, when the Su family parents made Su Zhaodi move out, he helped repair the house. However, his occasional acts of kindness rarely succeeded and often resulted in Su Zhaodi receiving more abuse from Xu Daniu. Despite this, Su Zhaodi never blamed him and remembered his good deeds.
Su Zhaozhao, however, was not Su Zhaodi and didn't share these complex feelings.
Xu Daniu wanted to say something more, but Su Laibao pulled her away, fearing a scene, "Let's go home, home, the chickens haven't been fed yet..."
This time, Xu Daniu gave him some face, but she was seething inside. As soon as they got home, she asked, "What did she mean by that? What kind of thoughts? What does this have to do with the leader? Why bring up the landlords?"
Su Laibao glanced at her, "She said you believe in feudal superstitions and don't respect the leader, thinking the landlords were better..."
"Rubbish!" Xu Daniu jumped up, "When have I ever said such things? Is Su Zhaodi having a fit?"
She wanted to go back and argue with Su Zhaozhao, but Su Laibao held her back, "Your words sounded like that. At the last meeting, they emphasized the need to combat feudal superstitions. Don't cause trouble again, or you might end up in an education class..."
The mention of an education class made Xu Daniu hesitate. She hated classes, getting dizzy at the sight of a blackboard. Confused, she asked, "Wasn't your big sister always quiet and reserved? Why did she suddenly start spouting nonsense after fainting? Could she be possessed by a ghost?"
The more she thought about it, the more it seemed possible. She immediately recalled the ghost stories the elders used to tell, and goosebumps rose on her skin.
Su Laibao waved his hands, "Don't say such things, that's feudal superstition..." He also felt something was off, "I don't think my big sister would say such things. Maybe she really hurt her head..."
Su Zhaozhao didn't enter the house. She had noticed the puzzled look in Su Laibao's eyes. The original personality was so different from hers that she needed to be cautious, controlling her words to avoid seeming strange.
If not for the fear of arousing suspicion, she wouldn't have held back, feeling constrained.
A small hand tugged at her side, "Mother, Aunt Daniu has never acted like this before. Usually, she would make a big fuss."
Every time Aunt Daniu caused trouble, her mother would frown and sigh.
Gu Nian, without the complexities of adults, simply thought her mother had become very capable!
She liked that her mother could drive Aunt Daniu away but disliked seeing her mother always worried and telling them to endure everything.
Su Zhaozhao smiled down at her, "Mother was sick, and now she sees things differently. We can't let others bully us. We must stand up for ourselves."
Gu Nian nodded vigorously, "Yes!"
In the village, no one dared to bully her because her brother would beat them up. Unfortunately, her brother was too young to fight the adults.
Her brother had always wanted to beat up Aunt Daniu and those who gossiped in the village.
Chapter 5: My Husband Is Not Dead
The original body was in poor condition; after standing for a while, she felt weak and Su Zhaozhao quickly sat down.
"By the way, Mother, Aunt Guo asked me to tell you to rest for another day, no need to rush into the fields."
Who is Aunt Guo?
Su Zhaozhao searched her memory; she was the village chief's wife, a very warm-hearted person who had helped their family a lot. The original personality was soft and didn't like to cause trouble, so she often advised the original to be more assertive.
"Alright, I understand."
After speaking, Gu Nian picked up the broom and started sweeping the yard again. Su Zhaozhao watched her, truly industrious! She didn't even need to be told.
The yard was small, and it was swept clean in no time. Gu Nian put down the broom and went to pick up a basket, "Mother, there's nothing much to do at home, I'll go up the mountain to dig for some wild vegetables."
Su Zhaozhao looked at the sky, "It's too sunny in the afternoon, the wild vegetables will wilt. Don't go."
Gu Nian put down the basket, "Then I'll go find my brother, we can collect cicada nymphs together."
Su Zhaozhao sighed, children these days never know how to be lazy, they just don't stop.
"Xiao Nian, don't call me 'Mother' anymore. It's a new era, let's change it to 'Mom.'"
Whether it was 'Mother' or 'Mom,' she wasn't used to it, but every time she heard them call her 'Mother' and saw this thatch-roofed house with no sense of the times, she always felt as if she were in ancient times rather than the present.
"Okay, Mom." Gu Nian nodded without hesitation; in her textbooks, 'Mother' was called 'Mom.' She heard that people in the city no longer called their parents 'Mother' and 'Father,' but 'Mom' and 'Dad.'
"Tell your brother the same thing."
"Mm-hmm."
After Gu Nian left, Su Zhaozhao got up and went into the house to lie down. She didn't know how long she had slept when she vaguely heard someone calling Zhaodi. When she opened her eyes, she saw a tall figure in front of her.
She was startled! Su Zhaozhao clutched her chest and quickly sat up.
The figure was backlit, initially just a dark silhouette. Upon closer inspection, "Aunt Guo?"
Oh my! How did she just walk in like that?
"Yes, it's me," Aunt Guo showed no awareness of having scared anyone, sitting down by the bed, "How are you feeling? Still dizzy?"
"Not dizzy, not dizzy." Not dizzy, but almost scared to death, Su Zhaozhao couldn't help but think.
In the village, neighbors who got along well treated each other like family, entering houses freely.
"It's good you're not dizzy. I wanted to come see you this morning but couldn't find the time. This morning I ran into Xiao Nian and asked her to bring you a message. Did she tell you?"
"Yes, thank you for your concern."
Aunt Guo waved her hand, "Nonsense! What are you being so formal for?"
Su Zhaozhao couldn't stay lying down, so she got out of bed and went to the living room to sit and talk.
Aunt Guo's gaze swept around the room, "Your house is really clean."
"The children cleaned it."
There were no cups in the house, so Su Zhaozhao used a bowl to pour her a glass of water. Sugar and tea were luxuries this family couldn't afford, and there was nothing to add flavor.
"You're being too formal. I could have done it myself," she said, taking the bowl and gulping it down in one go. She hadn't had water all afternoon and was parched.
"Let me pour you another bowl."
Aunt Guo waved her hand, "No need, that's enough." Before Su Zhaozhao could react, she quickly scooped water from the barrel, rinsed the bowl, and put it back in the cabinet.
So efficient!
"Xiao Nian, don't think I'm being nosy, but raising two children alone is really tough. Look at this time, if there was a man in the house to help, you wouldn't have been worn out by the autumn harvest."
"My purpose today is to check on you and also to advise you to consider the future. You should find a man to support the household."
"Gu Da..."
Aunt Guo didn't give Su Zhaozhao a chance to speak, "I know what you're thinking, afraid that another man might not be good to the children. Yes, there are such men, but there are also good ones, right?"
She grabbed Su Zhaozhao's hand and patted it, "Not to mention, take Li Erzhu from our village, he's strong and hardworking. His wife passed away last year, and his previous marriage was a second marriage where he took in a daughter. They haven't had any more children, and he dotes on that girl like a treasure. He's looking for someone now..."
"And Wang Dachun from the neighboring village, also strong and the same age as you, twenty-seven this year. He hasn't married yet, not because of any issues, but because his family was poor before, and then both his parents died one after another, delaying things. Though poor, there are no in-laws to deal with, and with both working hard, they could become prosperous in a few years..."
"Now everyone is forming cooperatives, supported by the central government. They've issued guidelines and even provided tractors to some places for development. Who knows, maybe it will be our turn soon. Life will only get better!"
Aunt Guo kept talking, making Su Zhaozhao's head spin.
"You're gentle, and having a man in the house would prevent bullying..."
"Do you think what I said makes sense? Which of these two men do you prefer? If you're interested, I'll definitely arrange the match for you! Don't say you don't want to find anyone, it's so lonely lying in bed alone at night." She lowered her voice and winked, they weren't naive, everyone understood.
Oh my, finally, she got to speak, "Sister-in-law, I... I think my husband might still be alive."
"What... what?" Aunt Guo thought she had agreed to find a man, "Who's still alive?"
"The father of my two children."
Aunt Guo was stunned, speechless, "Wasn't the father dead?" If she remembered correctly, when Su Zhaodi returned looking like a beggar, she said her husband had been killed by a bomb dropped from an airplane. Soon after, her in-laws were killed by bandits, leaving her with nowhere to go but back to her mother's house.
"I'm confused," Aunt Guo patted her forehead, "How did he come back to life? I don't understand."
"I only found out recently," Su Zhaozhao quickly explained, "A while ago, I went to town to buy something. I was tired and rested at the post office entrance. There was someone sorting through old newspapers, and out of curiosity, I glanced over. To my surprise, I saw a photo of my husband in one of the newspapers..."
At this point, she paused and glanced at Aunt Guo, who was getting anxious. "Then what?"
"Then I asked the person to show me the newspaper carefully. It really was him. Although it's been so many years, he hasn't changed much. He was wearing a military uniform, looking very spirited. The newspaper said he had become a combat hero."
Aunt Guo hurriedly asked, "What about the newspaper?"
"The person took it away."
What a good excuse!
At the beginning of the book, it is described that before meeting the male lead, the female lead had already collected the newspaper that featured his glorious deeds. She felt an immediate fondness upon seeing his photo. Later, when someone proposed a match, she agreed to meet him only after learning he was the combat hero from the newspaper. She often said that the newspaper was their first matchmaker.
Su Zhaozhao used this reason without hesitation. According to the timeline, the newspaper should have been published long ago.
As for why the original character in the book never saw it and thus it never appeared in the story, it was probably because newspapers were expensive and something only educated people read, making them rare in this small village.
Moreover, in the entire village, only Su Zhaodi knew what the male lead looked like. Even if others saw the newspaper, they wouldn't recognize him as Zhaodi's deceased husband.
Chapter 6: Let the Hero Raise the Children
"Tsk! Why didn't you ask him for the newspaper!" Aunt Guo was even more anxious, "Did it mention which unit he's in?"
Su Zhaodi: ... She couldn't remember; she hadn't read the newspaper.
"I wasn't paying attention. I was so panicked at the time, my mind was a complete mess. By the time I came to my senses, he had already taken the newspaper and left." Her face was filled with worry, sighing deeply, it was truly distressing.
"You silly girl!" Aunt Guo slapped her thigh in frustration, then quickly added, "But that's no problem! As long as he was mentioned in the newspaper, we can find it. If not in town, we'll go to the county. I don't believe we won't be able to find a single copy of the newspaper. Even if it doesn't have an address or anything, we can still ask around, level by level, until we find him! We will definitely find him for you!"
Su Zhaozhao first expressed her gratitude with tears in her eyes, then sighed deeply, "So many years have passed. I don't know if he has remarried. After all, the village was invaded by bandits, and I left in such a hurry. He must think I'm dead too, and he doesn't even know about these two children. If he... I thought maybe I should just give up. I can raise the two children on my own. Anyway, I won't marry again."
Giving up was impossible. She was a labor cripple, unable to do any physical work or distinguish between different crops. She was confused about seasons and calendars, and even with the memories of her original body, she might not be able to manage.
The village had been forming cooperatives these past two years, which would eventually become people's communes. In a few years, the 'Great Leap Forward' would start, followed by three years of natural disasters and famine, making life even harder than it is now.
She needed to rely on someone powerful, to let the hero raise the children.
Whether the man was suitable or not didn't matter; what mattered was not going hungry!
If the military could provide her, as a military family member, with a stable job, that would be even better.
Su Zhaozhao felt elated at the thought. This way, she could regain her status.
"Why would you think like that? You can't!" Aunt Guo advised her, "You gave birth to a pair of twins for the Gu family! You've suffered so much raising the two children over the years. Even if he remarries, he is still their father and has the obligation to raise them! How can you just let him off the hook? Even if he's gone, we need money!"
Su Zhaozhao lowered her head, her eyes welling up, "I didn't think that far. I just didn't want to disrupt his life."
Seeing her like this, Aunt Guo couldn't help but sigh, "You're just too soft-hearted and kind, always thinking about your children and husband. Why don't you think about yourself? No wonder you kept such a big secret to yourself." She remembered that Su Zhaodi had gone to town half a month ago.
"This fainting spell of yours is probably due to the stress of keeping this secret."
Su Zhaozhao: No, it's not related to this. It's just from malnutrition and exhaustion.
She sniffed, "I don't know how to explain it. I've been so worried, unable to sleep for nights on end."
Aunt Guo patted her hand, "Don't think too much. Let's find him first, and then we'll see. No matter what, you are the original wife. Even if he remarries, the military will stand up for you and won't let us common folk suffer."
Su Zhaozhao paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Sister-in-law, please don't spread this around. I'm afraid the villagers will gossip."
"Of course not! I'm not one to spread rumors. Don't worry!"
The old women in the village were notorious gossips, always talking non-stop while working, spreading rumors about everyone. When Su Zhaodi returned pregnant, they started making up stories, saying the Gu family hadn't died and that she had been driven away, or that she had encountered something terrible on her journey back, and that the child in her belly might not even be the Gu family's. They also said she was a widow-killer.
Over the years, Zhaodi hadn't remarried, partly because of her good looks, which made other women fear she would seduce their husbands. This made it difficult for her to accept help or even speak freely. Only within her own family, who were also village officials, did she feel close and safe.
If Zhaodi were really as they say, could she have managed to raise two children alone all these years in such hardship?
A dirty heart sees everything as dirty.
Aunt Guo patted her leg and stood up, "I'll go back now and ask Lao Su to look for the newspaper in town first; maybe we can find it at the town office."
"Thank you for your trouble," Su Zhaozhao hurriedly saw her off, "Sister, take care on your way."
After Aunt Guo left, Su Zhaozhao hummed a little tune, "Today is a good day... All my wishes will come true... Finally, a small step forward."
Aunt Guo rushed to the village office, greeting people along the way with a casual wave, eager to find her husband.
Su Gensheng was awkwardly holding a pen, hunched over a table writing a report. Seeing her come in, he asked, "What's the rush? Did a ghost chase you?"
Aunt Guo rolled her eyes, "A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory. Do you sound like a leader when you talk? Stop writing, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?" Su Gensheng carefully capped his pen and put it in his notebook.
With no one else in the office, there was no need to whisper, so Aunt Guo explained the matter in detail.
"Such a thing exists?" Su Gensheng was surprised, "Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"
Aunt Guo: "Don't talk nonsense. How could a woman not recognize her own husband? It's definitely him! In those war years, such things happened often; it's just that we're surprised by the rare occurrence."
Su Gensheng wasn't angry, "If we can find him, it would be a relief for them, mother and two children."
Aunt Guo urged him, "Go to town right away and search carefully for her. Ask around thoroughly. If we don't help, how could this ignorant woman know where to start looking even if she knew her husband was alive? If not for today's conversation, who knows when she would have found out anything."
Su Gensheng tapped the notebook in front of him, "Let me finish this first. I'm going to town tomorrow to report on the autumn harvest, I can handle it then."
"It's not far to town, why not go today?"
"What time is it now? I haven't even finished my report. What if the mayor asks me to report immediately when he sees me?" This woman is so anxious, but it's not an emergency like a house fire. One day more or less won't make a difference.
Aunt Guo glanced disdainfully at the notebook on the desk, "You've been thinking about it all day and haven't written a word. Holding a pen is harder than holding a hoe for you."
Looking at the sky, it was indeed getting late, and it would take time to find what she needed in town, "Alright, let's skip it today. You must go early tomorrow morning! Don't delay."
Su Gensheng waved his hand, "I know, I know. Go home quickly and don't disturb my work."
Aunt Guo pouted, even without disturbing him, he wouldn't write anything.
Chapter 7: The Male Lead in the Newspaper
The next morning, Su Gensheng was urged by his wife to go to town and didn't return until it was pitch dark. After returning, he chatted with his wife for a while, hurriedly had dinner, and then the couple went to the Su family's house in the dark.
Su Zhaozhao and her family had just finished their dinner, which consisted of noodle soup. Wheat was grown here, but the yield was low, so they didn't grow much, and the family rarely ate it throughout the year.
Su Zhaozhao found a small bag of flour in the grain cabinet, using up almost half of it at once. The two children felt pain in their hearts as they ate the fragrant noodles; the rice from lunch hadn't even been digested yet, and now they were eating noodles again. What kind of family was this?
Xiao Nian's little face was scrunched up like a bun. While washing the dishes, she asked Gu Xiang softly, "Brother, if we keep eating like this, will our food last until next year?"
Gu Xiang glanced at Su Zhaozhao who was cooling off in the courtyard, "Mother is weak, she needs to eat something better."
She immediately patted her thin chest, "I'm fine, let Mother and Mom have the good stuff. I can eat porridge; it's quite delicious too."
"Mom won't allow it; she says no one should eat alone... Things might improve in a few days." Once Mom starts saving, and we manage our expenses more carefully, it will be enough, as long as it doesn't stay like this forever.
When Aunt Guo and the others arrived, Su Zhaozhao was looking up at the stars. In her previous life, the sky was hazy, making it hard to see even satellites, let alone stars. She hadn't seen such bright stars in a long time.
"What are you looking at with your head tilted back?" Aunt Guo pushed open the gate, followed by Su Gensheng.
"Sister-in-law, Chief," Su Zhaozhao quickly stood up, "It's so dark, why don't you use a light?"
Aunt Guo pointed to the moon in the sky, "Isn't that lighting us up? Look how bright it is. Flashlights consume electricity, so we can't use them casually."
Not many households in the village had flashlights; Aunt Guo's family was one of the few, while the majority, like Su Zhaodi's, did not.
Su Zhaozhao welcomed them inside. Gu Xiang and Xiao Nian had already washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, obediently greeting everyone.
"Good children."
The siblings brought chairs for them to sit on, knowing the adults had something to discuss, so they didn't disturb and went to the courtyard.
As soon as Su Gensheng sat down, he took out a newspaper folded into a square from his shirt pocket and handed it over, "Take a look, is this the newspaper?"
Su Zhaozhao quickly took it. With only one kerosene lamp at home, she leaned in closely to examine it. A large section of the page was dedicated to the deeds of a war hero, with a man's photo in the center. It was a black-and-white image, and the man wore a military uniform, exuding a sense of righteousness.
Wow! He's quite handsome! Much better-looking than what she remembered from her original memories.
Of course, the male lead wouldn't be ugly. Although the book didn't describe his appearance in detail, it was clear he was quite good-looking; otherwise, the female lead wouldn't have fallen in love just by reading the newspaper.
Su Zhaozhao checked the name and age, and after confirming, she immediately adjusted her emotions, her eyes welling up, "It's him, it's definitely him."
Aunt Guo quickly patted her hand to comfort her, "With this newspaper, we'll definitely find him. Look, Xiao Xiang and Xiao Nian really resemble their father."
Su Zhaozhao held the newspaper and examined it closely; indeed, they did.
Su Gensheng said, "This newspaper is from three years ago. Fortunately, the town has the habit of keeping newspapers from various publishers. When I mentioned your situation, the mayor took it very seriously and led a few staff members to search for hours in the warehouse before finding this one that matched the name. We were lucky; they were planning to clean out the old papers in a few days."
Su Zhaozhao hugged the newspaper to her chest and sniffed, "Thank you, thank you so much. Please convey my gratitude to the mayor and everyone who helped."
"I'll definitely pass the message along," Su Gensheng added, "The newspaper doesn't mention the unit number or specific address. The town will need to report to the county first, and then the county will contact them. It might take a few days to get any news."
The newspaper used placeholders for the unit and team numbers.
Su Zhaozhao wiped her eyes, "We've waited so long, a few more days won't make a difference."
Su Gensheng nodded, feeling a sense of empathy seeing her like this. He recalled the speculations among the staff when they were searching for the newspaper, and couldn't help but worry: what if this war hero is already married?
That would be tough!
He worried for Su Zhaodi and also for the war hero. Why didn't she see the newspaper earlier?
If she had seen it two or three years ago, he might not have married. Now, it was uncertain, given how many people would be interested in such an excellent officer.
After saying their goodbyes, Su Gensheng and Aunt Guo left. Just as Su Zhaozhao stood up to see them off, she felt dizzy and everything went black.
Aunt Guo, startled, quickly caught her, "What's wrong? What's happening?"
Su Gensheng: "Quick, help her lie down."
Hearing the commotion, Gu Xiang and Xiao Nian rushed in, their faces pale with fear.
"Mom, Mom..."
"Mother, sob... Mom."
The timid Xiao Nian burst into tears.
"It's okay, it's okay, your mother will be fine!" Aunt Guo comforted the children while helping them support Su Zhaozhao to the bed.
Su Gensheng, being a man, hesitated to touch her, but fortunately, Aunt Guo was strong, and Su Zhaozhao was slender, making it easier to get her to the bed.
Once Su Zhaozhao was lying down, Aunt Guo quickly asked Gu Xiang to fetch water and pressed on the Hegu point (between the thumb and index finger).
Ouch! That really hurt!
Her Hegu point was pinched so hard it turned black and blue.
Su Zhaozhao winced in pain.
Don't doubt it; she wasn't faking. When she stood up, she genuinely felt dizzy and lost control, falling down.
However, she wasn't completely unconscious and could still walk a few steps while being supported.
This body was truly weaker than Su Zhaozhao had imagined. If she hadn't come, Su Zhaodi might have really passed away.
"Zhaodi, how do you feel? Are you better now?"
Su Zhaozhao weakly nodded, "Much better." Looking at the terrified children, she reassured them, "I'm fine, I just got up too quickly and felt dizzy. I'll be fine after lying down for a bit."
Gu Nian's eyes were brimming with tears, "Mom, I'm scared."
"Don't be afraid, I'm really fine."
Gu Xiang's hand trembled as he held the bowl, "Mom, drink some water."
Seeing these two frightened children, Su Zhaozhao felt a mix of tenderness and sorrow in her heart. It was truly a blessing to have someone care and feel for you! Perhaps this time travel wasn't so bad after all.
Aunt Guo asked Gu Xiang, "Do we have any sugar? It's best to dissolve some sugar in the water."
Gu Xiang shook his head; sugar was a luxury that their mother only bought during the New Year.
Aunt Guo sighed inwardly, realizing she had asked a foolish question, "Never mind, I have some at my place. I'll bring it over later."
Su Gensheng said, "I'll go, you stay here and watch." With that, he left the room.
Aunt Guo added, "We should still go to the clinic tomorrow, just to be safe." She had fainted twice in recent days.
Su Zhaozhao sat up halfway, "There's no need to spend the money. It's probably just from the years of neglect and overwork, leading to malnutrition."
She didn't feel any pain, just weakness and dizziness, likely due to low blood sugar.
Su Zhaozhao had suffered from this condition since childhood. She would faint if she skipped breakfast or experienced extreme emotional fluctuations. When she first started boarding school, she often cried herself to unconsciousness, requiring visits to the school doctor and calls to her parents. At first, they would come to see her, but after a couple of times, they stopped showing up even when called. From then on, she never let herself cry to the point of fainting again, and her low blood sugar gradually improved.
Chapter 8 Her Fortune
Aunt Guo sighed, "I guess so. You've been working too hard these past few years. Take this time to rest well. Don't worry about the fields; I'll take care of it."
Before liberation, every family in the village was poor except for the landlords, and people often felt dizzy.
"I'm troubling you again." Not having to work in the fields was a silver lining for Su Zhaozhao, who had been worrying.
Su Gensheng returned quickly, holding a small jar that contained a little more than half a cup of white sugar.
Scooping half a spoonful into water, Su Zhaozhao drank it all in one go.
She had never liked sugar as a child, but now, drinking this sugary water felt like the greatest delicacy!
Her body needed this.
"There's still some left in the jar. Drink a bit every day for the next few days, lie down more, and let the children handle the household chores. If anything happens, just call us."
Su Zhaozhao hurriedly thanked her and said, "I'll buy more sugar when I go to town next time to pay you back, Sister-in-law."
"No, no, it's just a little sugar. There's no need to pay me back."
Sugar was a precious commodity in those times, and no one would casually waste it. Aunt Guo's words showed her generosity, but Su Zhaozhao couldn't really accept it without intending to repay her. She made a mental note to definitely return the favor before she left.
After sitting for a while and seeing that she was fine, Aunt Guo and her husband left.
As soon as they were gone, the siblings gathered around the bed. "Mom, are you still dizzy?"
"Not anymore. After a good sleep, I'll be as lively as ever." The sugary water had given her some strength.
Su Zhaozhao brought the newspaper to the bed and showed the side with the photo to the two children.
"Who is he?" Gu Nian asked curiously.
Gu Xiang glanced at it, "It says here, a battle hero who protects the country." He looked so impressive! When he grew up, he wanted to join the army and become a hero, making his mother and sister proud!
Su Zhaozhao pointed to the photo in the newspaper: "He is your father."
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian: "..." They looked at each other, confused. What did Mom mean? Didn't they not have a father?
Seeing their disbelief, Su Zhaozhao repeated, "I'm telling the truth. He really is your father. He didn't die; he's still alive."
Then she told them how she went to town and saw the photo in the newspaper, and how the editor helped her find the newspaper in town.
"At first, I didn't tell you because I was afraid I might have mistaken him, and I didn't want to give you false hope."
Gu Nian's heart pounded as she stared at the man in the photo, "Is he really my father?"
"Really!" Su Zhaodi nodded emphatically, more true than pearls!
Gu Xiang also stared at the newspaper without blinking, "Why hasn't he come to find us?"
So their father wasn't dead, and they weren't fatherless. Their dream had come true.
Gu Xiang felt very wronged. If he hadn't died, why didn't he come home?
The children were young and didn't fully understand many things. Su Zhaodi had never explained much, only saying that their father was gone, and their grandparents had also passed away due to bandits. Su Zhaozhao then carefully explained the twists and turns of the story.
Of course, she couldn't say that their father had run away on the second day of their marriage; she only said he had gone out to do something important.
"Does Dad not know about me and my brother?" Gu Nian worried, "Will he recognize us?"
Gu Xiang tightly pressed his lips together, "If he doesn't, it's fine. We'll live our lives as we always have." Though he spoke defiantly, his eyes never left the newspaper.
"He is your father; how could he not recognize you! Children, don't worry about such things."
The male protagonist in stories was always responsible and dependable. Abandoning family was the script for the antagonist. Su Zhaozhao handed them the newspaper, "Come, look closely and remember your father's face. Don't forget it when you see him later."
The siblings held the newspaper for a long time, reading the report, though many of the words were unfamiliar to them.
Only after Su Zhaozhao urged them did they wash up and go to bed. For the siblings, it was bound to be a late night.
Su Zhaozhao, however, fell asleep as soon as she lay down and slept until dawn.
When she woke up, the two children had already prepared breakfast, serving sweet potato and rice porridge directly to her, along with a bowl of sugared water.
Su Zhaozhao was deeply moved. Seeing that they hadn't sat down to eat, she asked, "Have you eaten?"
"We've eaten. We got up early and ate early," Gu Xiang placed a small dish of pickles in front of her.
"What did you eat?" Su Zhaozhao asked, looking at him.
Gu Xiang's eyes darted away, "Rice porridge, it was very fragrant. My sister and I had a big bowl each!"
Gu Nian nodded, not daring to look at her mother.
Two little liars.
How could Su Zhaozhao not know? The children must not have spared the porridge for themselves, "Once we find your father, we can have steamed rice every day!"
The siblings exchanged glances, somewhat disbelieving, "Let's wait until we find your father to see."
Su Zhaozhao drank the porridge and looked at the sugared water in front of her, "Xiao Nian, bring another bowl."
"What for, Mom?" While asking, Gu Nian handed over the bowl.
Su Zhaozhao poured most of it into the new bowl and pointed to the larger one, "This bowl is for you and your brother."
Gu Xiang refused outright, "No way!"
Gu Nian also shook his head with his hands behind his back.
"This is to nourish your body, Mom, you should drink it."
Su Zhaozhao held her stomach, "I just had a big bowl of porridge, I can't drink anymore."
"Then save it for later, we don't like sweet water." Gu Xiang and Gu Nian said in unison.
Who doesn't like sweet water? Su Zhaozhao noticed that Xiao Nian was carefully sniffing the faint sweetness in the air, yet they claimed they didn't like it.
"It will attract ants if left out. Come and drink it, be good." Seeing them hesitate, Su Zhaozhao frowned, "Aren't you listening to Mom?"
The siblings finally shuffled over, each taking turns to sip from the bowl of sugared water.
Su Zhaozhao observed that as an older brother, Gu Xiang even took care of his sister while drinking the sweet water. Each time it was his turn, he only took a small sip and kept encouraging Xiao Nian to drink more.
How could these two children be so well-behaved?
Although Su Zhaozhao's original family was unhappy, she had never thought about not having children. She just hadn't found the right boyfriend. In the past, she even thought that if she couldn't find the right person to marry, she would definitely have a child and love him, giving him all the love she never received.
After this unexpected journey through time, she became a mother painlessly, with two children who were so sensible and obedient. The affection she had never received was now found in these two children.
No matter what this era was like, having these two children was a blessing for her.
Now, they were her children, Su Zhaozhao's children.
In the future, she would make sure they could eat candy every day, of course, the kind that wouldn't cause cavities.
Three more days passed. During these days, Su Zhaozhao hardly went out, mostly wandering around the house or lying in bed sleeping. Without any tonics, she decided to rest more to regain her strength and find the children's father as soon as possible.
In the novels she used to read, the protagonists often went up the mountain to hunt wild chickens and rabbits or down to the river to catch fish during tough times, which she found amusing at the time.
Now, after really traveling through time, the reality was that there were no wild chickens or rabbits to be seen, let alone mice, which people would catch and eat if they saw them.
As for the fish in the river, they had long been caught, and one might only find a few small shrimps or fish if lucky.
Prosperous times brought abundant resources, but in difficult times, everything was scarce.
Su Zhaozhao originally thought she would have to wait several more days, but unexpectedly, Aunt Guo and her husband came to the house again that evening.
Seeing their joyful expressions, she knew there must be good news.
Sure enough.
"The town has sent word," Aunt Guo said cheerfully, then quickly asked Su Gensheng to tell Su Zhaozhao what he heard in town.
Su Gensheng continued, "The county called the town early this morning, saying they found Gu Heng's unit and made contact with them. However, they haven't been able to reach Gu Heng himself, as he is not currently with the unit. They didn't specify why, but they take this matter seriously and will contact you once Gu Heng returns to the unit."
Aunt Guo smiled, "There's even better news! Gu Heng hasn't remarried!"
Su Zhaozhao's eyes lit up, "Really?"
"Of course! The county wouldn't lie. They specifically asked."
It's human nature to be curious, especially about a couple who hadn't heard from each other for years. Everyone would wonder if he had remarried.
After receiving the report from the town, the county specially arranged for someone to contact the unit, hoping to find the person as quickly as possible. They made countless calls, confirmed multiple times to ensure they had the right person, and then the official asked an extra question, leading to this heartwarming news.
Su Zhaozhao smiled, trying to play the role of a newly informed wife who had been faithful for years.
"Hardship is over! Zhaodi, your good fortune is ahead! Xiao Nian's father is even an officer!"
Su Gensheng smiled and took out a self-rolled cigarette, lighting it, "He's a battle hero featured in the newspaper! His prospects are bright. No matter what happens, life won't be hard. Now we just need to wait for him to return."
"I want to take the children to find him," Su Zhaozhao shared her plan.
Aunt Guo and Su Gensheng exchanged glances, "It's such a long journey. Why not wait for him to come back after he finishes his business?"
Su Zhaozhao didn't want to wait any longer. Her body had recovered quite a bit over the past few days, and she couldn't keep finding excuses to avoid work in the fields. How long would it take for Gu Heng to find them?
What if something else happened?
What if the plot from the books unfolded uncontrollably?
And what if he refused to let her take the children with her when she joined the military?
"The children have been so happy knowing their father is alive. I want them to see him as soon as possible."
Aunt Guo was concerned about her health, "Can you manage with two children? It's in another province, and the train ride will take several days."
Most people in the village had never even been to the county, let alone another province. The idea of her traveling far with two children made her nervous.
"I can do it. I'm much better now, no problem."
Since she wanted to take the children to find their father, no one had the right to stop her. Su Gensheng took a few puffs of his cigarette, "I'll inform the town and see if they can help."
Aunt Guo asked, "Why? Do you need approval from the county and the unit?"
Su Gensheng glanced at her, "It's better to inform them. Otherwise, after getting off the train, you'd have to ask around. If we report it, they might even send someone to pick you up at the station, making it easier for Zhaodi and the children."
That was very thoughtful.
Su Zhaozhao thanked them again.
Su Gensheng waved his hand, "You should start packing. I'll give you an update tomorrow."
Chapter 9 I Want to Join the Army
Evening.
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian, one carrying a jute bag and the other a basket, entered the house.
Su Zhaozhao was cooking in the kitchen and poked her head out when she heard them, "How did it go today?"
These two kids were always busy, never stopping for a break even when asked. She tried to stop them twice but gave up after failing both times.
"Few cicada nymphs today, didn't collect much in the afternoon," Gu Xiang poured the cicada nymphs from his bag into the pile they had collected earlier, filling about half the bag.
Su Zhaozhao stirred the porridge in the pot and said, "You kids, climbing trees every day, it's a wonder you find any left."
Gu Nian had gathered a basket of wild vegetables and a dozen or so prickly pears. She wiped off the fine spines from one and pushed it into Su Zhaozhao's mouth.
Su Zhaozhao bit down hard and immediately turned into a lemon, puckering at the sourness.
Oh my, too sour.
Gu Nian, however, savored it with delight.
"Mom, any news?"
Ever since they learned their father was still alive, this question had become a daily ritual for the siblings.
They must have talked endlessly about their father in private.
"Yes, I was just about to tell you. We'll tidy up over the next couple of days, and then I'll take you to find your father!"
The siblings' eyes lit up with surprise, "Really?"
"Really!"
Su Zhaozhao looked at the chickens strolling leisurely in the yard, "We'll kill these two chickens tonight."
Just as the siblings were rejoicing, they heard about the plan to kill the chickens.
"Mom, why? If we kill the chickens, we won't have eggs anymore?" Gu Nian stepped forward to block her mother's view, fearing she might change her mind.
"We're going to find your father; what do we need these chickens for? No one will be here to feed them."
Gu Xiang asked, "We're not coming back, right?"
"No, we're not coming back."
"What about our home?" Gu Nian asked.
Su Zhaozhao smiled, "We'll have a new home."
The siblings had never considered giving up their home just to find their father. They looked at each other for a moment, "What if Father doesn't want us?"
These anxious children, Su Zhaozhao sighed inwardly, "He will. Even if he doesn't, you still have me. I'll take care of you and give you a good life."
Gu Nian glanced at the clucking chickens, "We can sell them for money."
Su Zhaozhao asked, "Don't you want to eat meat?"
"..." Gu Nian swallowed, "No."
Gu Xiang also shook his head.
"I do."
How could they not want to? These two kids were just reluctant to part with the chickens.
She was practically drooling.
"Decided, we'll kill the chickens tonight, listen to me!"
Su Zhaozhao had never killed a chicken before, but the temptation of fragrant chicken seemed to unlock some hidden skill. After dinner that night, she flawlessly slaughtered one chicken, leaving the other for their departure.
Early the next morning, Su Zhaozhao got up to stew the chicken. She first stir-fried it over high heat, then added water and simmered it slowly. Soon, the aroma filled the air, making the siblings who had claimed they didn't want to eat drool.
The power of meat is strong.
Not only Gu Xiang and Gu Nian were tempted, but also the family living in the house in front, the Su Laibao family.
Su Laibao sniffed the air with his bowl in hand, "Who's stewing chicken?"
Xu Daniu was feeding her little daughter and replied, "Who would stew chicken so early in the morning? It's not a holiday or anything, they must be crazy for chicken!"
"It's real, don't believe me? Smell again."
Xu Daniu sniffed the air, "There is a scent, who could it be? What kind of life is this, stewing chicken so early, tempting everyone?"
Her son Dazhu ran over, "Mom, it smells so good!"
Su Laibao: "Could it be Sister's place stewing chicken?" Their houses were the closest.
Xu Daniu scoffed, "That poor thing? She can barely afford food, let alone chicken. More like fart! It must be the Lao Wang family in front; no one else around here can afford chicken."
Not only the Su Laibao family, but also the neighbors nearby, all held their bowls and sniffed the air, trying to guess whose house it was. No one guessed it was Su Zhaodi's.
Su Zhaozhao and her two children enjoyed a delicious meal of chicken, finishing the whole bird.
"Mom, the chicken is so good!" Gu Nian hugged her bowl, finished the last sip of soup, and let out a contented burp.
"Once we find your father, we'll... have chicken every month!" Su Zhaozhao promised without hesitation, already planning ahead with the future income from the male lead.
Gu Nian held the bowl and laughed, feeling that her mother was treating them like children.
Mother now really enjoyed coddling them.
The only remaining clucking chicken in the yard no longer dared to come out of its nest. It had been fine yesterday, but after a night's sleep, its little friend was gone, which scared the chicken to death.
That afternoon, Aunt Guo brought the news: Su Zhaozhao's plan to take the children to visit the military base had been approved. They were told to go whenever they were ready and to give a call before leaving, "They might even arrange for someone to pick you up at the train station."
"We'll leave tomorrow then."
"So soon?" Aunt Guo was surprised, "Don't you need to make some arrangements here?"
"There's nothing much to arrange," Su Zhaozhao explained, "If I can join the military this time, I'll bring the children with me."
Aunt Guo wasn't surprised by this; she had discussed it with her husband last night, "It would be good if you could join the military. The family should stay together. What do you plan to do with the land here?"
"I'll let the commune handle it. Just give me some new grain each year." The land was still privately owned these past two years, but it would become collective property by 1958, and it wouldn't be up to her to decide. By then, she and the children's household registration might be somewhere else.
"I have one more favor to ask, Sister-in-law. I definitely won't be able to take all the grain with me. Once I settle down there, I'll write to you and ask you to send it over. I'll give you the house key before I leave, and I'll trouble you again."
"Don't be so formal with me," Aunt Guo said, "Let's keep the matter about the land quiet for now. I'll wait for your letter."
If the other members of the commune found out and she didn't end up joining the military, she'd hear endless talk.
Su Zhaozhao appreciated her kindness, "I'll follow your advice."
Leaving the next day meant there was no time to slaughter the remaining chicken. Su Zhaozhao originally wanted to give it to Aunt Guo, but Aunt Guo refused. After a bit of back-and-forth, they finally agreed on selling it to Aunt Guo at a price lower than market value.
That night, Su Zhaozhao and the two children busied themselves preparing food for the journey—dried provisions, pancakes made from the leftover flour, and fried rice that could be eaten dry or soaked in water.
When packing their luggage, Su Zhaozhao only took a few slightly less worn-out clothes, planning not to bring the rest. The children were reluctant to leave their clothes behind, but she convinced them by saying their father would buy new ones.
"Your father has a salary…"
(Gu Heng, far away and unaware of all this, sneezed repeatedly…)
The next morning.
Su Zhaozhao locked the door, and with the children frequently looking back, they left home.
Chapter 10: The Era of Ration Cards
"Where are you all going with all these bags?"
Almost everyone they met on the way asked them this question.
Since arriving here, Su Zhaozhao had never left, so she had to think hard to match names to faces for those she encountered along the way.
"Good morning, Auntie. We're going on a long trip."
"A long trip? Where to?" No one had heard that the Su family had any distant relatives.
There was no need to hide it anymore, "We're visiting the army to find the children's father."
After saying this, Su Zhaozhao led the children forward, leaving behind people who doubted whether their ears were playing tricks on them.
Su Zhaozhao didn't leave the village directly but first went to the village office to get an introduction letter, which Su Gensheng had already prepared for her, "Be careful on your journey. If anything happens, look for someone in uniform; they'll help you."
Su Zhaozhao took it and thanked him repeatedly.
Knowing she would come to the village office, Aunt Guo also came over with her basket after tidying up, giving explanations to curious villagers along the way.
"That's right, Zhaodi is going to find Xiao Nian's father!"
"Didn't he die many years ago?"
"Shush, don't say such things! He's very much alive, a battle hero featured in the newspaper, and now an officer in the army!"
"… They've finally gotten in touch! This is called fate; it's meant for their family to stay together."
"… She's bound to have a good life now. Let's see who still says Zhaodi has a bad fate that harms others!"
Aunt Guo, feeling satisfied, carried her basket to the village office to meet Su Zhaozhao, and they set off for town together.
Some curious villagers even made a special trip to Su Laibao's house, "Are you still eating?"
The Su Laibao family had eaten breakfast a bit later that morning and didn't think much of the question, "Yes, we're eating. I went to the fields early this morning. Have you eaten?"
The villager deliberately asked, "Why didn't you go to see off your elder sister who's going on a long trip?"
"What long trip?" Su Laibao was puzzled.
Xu Daniu took a sip of porridge, "Where could she be going? Probably to sell eggs in town."
Seeing they knew nothing, the villager laughed, "I thought you knew and came to ask. Turns out you know nothing at all!"
This sounded strange, "What should we know?"
"Tsk!" The villager clapped his hands, "Su Zhaodi's husband isn't dead; he's been found. He's a battle hero, featured in the newspaper, and now an officer in the army! She's taken the two kids to visit him!"
Xu Daniu glared, "Don't kid me!" She couldn't believe it! How could Su Zhaodi, with her fate, possibly have such luck?
"Why would I lie? She said it herself. The village office gave her an introduction letter. Everyone in the village knows except for you two. What kind of relatives are you, tsk tsk…" Leaving this bombshell, the villager walked away with his hands behind his back.
Xu Daniu and Su Laibao were left staring at each other.
"I wondered why Su Zhaodi seemed different these past few days. It turns out she had some backing!"
Xu Daniu was first shocked, then angry, "Tell me, how can she be such a sister? To keep such a big secret from us without a word. Why? Afraid we'd cling to her…"
Su Laibao, not wanting to listen to her rambling, put down his bowl and rushed to the village entrance, but by the time he got there, they were already far away…
The village wasn't too far from town, but it wasn't close either. For Su Zhaozhao, it was far, but for Aunt Guo and the others, it was just an hour's walk, quite near!
By the time they reached town, Su Zhaozhao's legs were trembling. She didn't care about appearances as she leaned against the wall of the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives and sat down.
"Are you okay?" Aunt Guo asked.
Su Zhaozhao nodded, breathing slightly, "Let me rest for a moment."
"You, your body is still weak. You haven't recovered well. When we get to the army, make sure Xiao Nian's father buys you some good things to nourish yourself."
Then she instructed Gu Xiang and Gu Nian, "When you see your father, tell him about your mother's health and the hardships you've endured these years. Don't keep everything bottled up inside like a silent gourd. Speak up and let him feel your pain, so he knows how good your mother is."
The siblings nodded, indicating they understood and would speak up.
Su Zhaozhao smiled inwardly. She hadn't planned to be a silent gourd in front of the male lead. The hardships she and the children had endured should be known by him, and it would be better if the children told him.
Su Zhaozhao remembered she still owed Aunt Guo some sugar, so she stood up and entered the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.
"Comrade, please weigh me a pound of sugar."
"Seventy-eight cents per pound."
"Alright." Seeing the bright, crystal-clear candies wrapped in transparent paper in the glass jar, she pointed, "I'll take half a pound of these too."
The salesperson glanced at her, noting her patched clothes but her willingness to spend.
"Fruit candies are one yuan and twenty cents per pound, half a pound is sixty cents. That's one yuan and thirty-eight cents in total."
Aunt Guo followed in, not thinking much of it. Her eyes lit up when she saw the floral fabric on the shelf, "Wow! This floral fabric is really beautiful!"
The salesperson, while weighing the sugar, said, "It's new stock from yesterday. Our Supply and Marketing Cooperatives barely managed to secure it. It will definitely sell out on market day. Do you want to buy some?"
Aunt Guo wanted to buy it, "Do I need a cloth ration card?"
"Yes! This is pure cotton." Pointing to the fabric beside it, "That coarse cloth over there doesn't require a cloth ration card."
Aunt Guo had originally planned to buy coarse cloth today.
This homespun cloth is woven by farmers themselves and then sold to the procurement station for some money. After being collected, it goes through one or two more processes, such as dyeing or printing, before being distributed by the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.
"I don't have any cloth coupons, so forget it. I'll buy some homespun instead. Please measure out two feet of blue with white flowers for me…"
Su Zhaozhao paid and watched with great interest as the salesperson measured the cloth for Aunt Guo.
When she was in college, she had researched the history of the coupon era for her thesis.
From 1955 to 1993, for nearly four decades, people's lives were inseparable from various types of coupons.
It wasn't that all goods required coupons from the very beginning. To be precise, grain and postage coupons started in 1953. By 1955, the range of goods requiring coupons increased, marking the true beginning of the coupon era.
At that time, however, no coupons were needed for secondary food items like the sugar she just bought.
But the three years of natural disasters made life even harder for the people, leading to severe shortages of goods. Meat, bean products, condiments, cakes, and sugar also began to be rationed with coupons.
By the 1960s and 1970s, the coupon system reached its peak, where even a single thread required a coupon, making it impossible for urban residents to move without them.
After Aunt Guo finished buying her cloth and left the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, Su Zhaozhao stuffed the white sugar into her arms.
Aunt Guo was startled, "What are you doing?"
"I'm returning your sugar."
Aunt Guo quickly tried to push it back, "No, no! I already said you don't need to return it. It's just a little sugar; there's no need for you to give me a whole pound."
Seeing that Su Zhaozhao wouldn't take it, she tried to give the sugar to the two children, but they backed away, hiding their small hands behind their backs.
