Chapter Sixteen: Trivial Matters of the New Year

On the morning of the fourth day of the New Year, after breakfast, Ankang led his younger siblings out to pay New Year’s visits. Nearly all the children in the village had come out, making rounds from house to house—it was much livelier than the previous days.

Anyi followed her two brothers as they greeted the elders of the Luo family and other close acquaintances. She saw Aunt Zhu, the plump butcher, and Sunflower along with her daughter Chun Zhi, who at five years old already knew how to braid ropes to earn money. Unfortunately, she did not meet her savior, Aunt Liu.

As they stepped out from one house, Anyi spotted Liu Xiaoyi next door. He and several boys were setting off firecrackers to startle girls passing by; the girls shrieked in fright, and some spirited ones stomped their feet, cursing them as troublemakers.

The boys, thick-skinned, laughed off the insults. The girls weren’t truly angry—after a brief commotion, they walked away.

Just then, the boys saw the three An siblings approaching and called out in unison, “Brother Zhuzi!”

Ankang smiled and nodded.

Anyi noticed the admiration in the boys’ eyes as they looked at Ankang and smiled faintly. Her eldest brother seemed to have great prestige among the children—he was impressive. Later, Anyi learned that Ankang was the only child in the village who had been admitted to the academy in town.

“Shuanzi, come play with us and set off firecrackers!” one boy invited Anjian to join them.

Anjian looked at Ankang with longing.

“Go ahead and play,” said Ankang, not wanting to restrain his younger brother too much.

With a cheer, Anjian ran off.

Anyi chuckled softly—this was how a ten-year-old should behave.

Not far away, several girls waved and called, “Xier, Xier!”

Anyi hesitated, unsure if she should respond. Ankang bent down and asked, “Xier, do you want to go play with Daya and the others?”

She looked at Ankang—if she didn’t go, would he become suspicious? After all, the old Xier had loved to play. Her gaze shifted, and she nodded.

Ankang patted her head and smiled, “Go on then.”

Imitating Anjian, Anyi cheered and ran over. The girls, all close friends of her former self, were delighted to see her and crowded around, asking, “Xier, is your illness completely gone?”

“Xier, I heard Zhou Dageng made trouble at your house—is it true?”

“Xier, why haven’t you come out to play these days? Are you not friends with us anymore?”

“Xier, the flower on your head is so pretty, can I wear it for a bit?”

Anyi felt a headache coming—had she known, she would have found an excuse to explain to Ankang. She took a deep breath and replied, “My illness is cured. Zhou Dageng did make trouble at my house. I just recovered, so my mother wouldn’t let me come out to play. The flower was bought by my mother—I can’t let you wear it.”

Once her answers were given, the four girls were momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing. They took Anyi along to pay New Year’s visits from house to house, and after several rounds, she returned home with her pockets full of sunflower seeds and peanuts.

By evening, Luo Dongsheng and others who had been visiting their wives’ families for New Year’s gradually returned. Early on the fifth day, the Luo family juniors, led by Luo Dongsheng’s eldest son, Luo Dequan, went to the An family to greet their aunt.

Anyi saw again the two cousins she had glimpsed when she first woke up: the graceful, tall elder cousin Luo Hongmei, and the short, plump younger cousin Luo Cuimei.

“Little Xier, I’ve finished the pouch you asked for. If you lose it again, I won’t make another for you,” said Luo Cuimei, after wishing Aunt Luo a happy New Year. She took a pouch from her bosom and handed it to Anyi.

Anyi was surprised by the exquisite embroidery. One truly could not judge a book by its cover—her rough-and-tumble cousin possessed such skillful handiwork! The light blue pouch was embroidered with a magpie spreading its wings, the magpie echoing her nickname.

“Xier, you’ve made Cuimei do another pouch for you,” Aunt Luo scolded, shooting her a glance. “Don’t trouble your cousin anymore. She has embroidery work to catch up on and no time for these trifles.”

“Aunt, all the embroidery orders are done by me—she hasn’t done any of them. Having her make little things for Xier is just a way to pass the time, so she won’t think about eating all day. The more she eats, the fatter she gets—she’s nearly a pig now,” Luo Hongmei quipped with a laugh.

“I’m not fat!” Luo Cuimei protested, pouting. “Mother won’t let me eat—I’m skinny!”

Everyone burst out laughing. If she was skinny, then there were no fat people in the world.

Luo Cuimei, embarrassed and angry, stomped her foot, “No laughing, no laughing!”

Only Aunt Luo and Anyi managed to stifle their laughter; the others laughed even louder.

“Laugh all you want—your big teeth will fall out from laughing!” Luo Cuimei, fuming, turned to go outside. “Aunt, I’ll help you tend the fire and cook.”

“Eat less, or you’ll just get fatter,” Luo Hongmei called after her.

Aunt Luo smiled and gently pinched Luo Hongmei’s cheek, “Enough, Hongmei, don’t tease her anymore.”

In farm families, unlike those of wealth and status, men and women did not eat at separate tables. At lunch, the whole family sat together, chatting and laughing in lively harmony. Anyi witnessed Luo Cuimei’s astonishing appetite—her capacity outstripped even that of Anjian, who was known for his love of food.

“Aunt, your cooking is always tastier. I’ll keep coming here for meals. My mother’s cooking is like pig swill,” Luo Cuimei said, stuffing a piece of tofu into her mouth.

Luo Hongmei retorted, “Pig swill or not, it’s never stopped you from eating.”

“You’re the one who said mother’s cooking is like pig swill. I’ll tell her.”

“Go ahead, tell her!” Luo Hongmei shot her a glare.

“Alright, you two, stop bickering and eat,” Aunt Luo intervened.

Luo Cuimei made a face at Luo Hongmei, who spat at her lightly.

After lunch, Luo Dequan led his siblings to take their leave and return home.

On the sixth day, after breakfast, Ankang went out alone. He returned half an hour later and told Aunt Luo that he would be meeting a classmate the next day.

“Shouldn’t you bring something when you visit a classmate?” Aunt Luo asked, not suspecting anything.

“No need, Mother, I don’t have to bring anything,” Ankang replied.

Anyi saw the flicker in Ankang’s eyes, knowing he was lying. Her gaze shifted, and she smiled, asking, “Big brother, which village does your classmate live in? Is it far? I want to go with you.”

Before Ankang could answer, Aunt Luo admonished, “Xier, be good and don’t bother your brother. He has important things to do.”

“Xier, I’ll take you out another day,” Ankang said, patting her head with a smile.

Seeing Aunt Luo’s warning glance, afraid she might throw a tantrum and delay Ankang’s affairs, Anyi had no choice but to nod obediently.

The next day, Ankang changed into a half-new blue cotton robe and tied his hair with a matching ribbon. Dressed as a young scholar, he looked refined—a bit like he truly was going to meet a friend.

“Mother, I won’t be home for lunch today, so please don’t wait for me,” Ankang said and left.

With Ankang gone, Anjian, unchecked, seized the chance to run off and play with his friends.