Knowing that Shen Xuyue was about to leave, Zhao Mingyue's mood was anything but lighthearted. Her child hadn't even been born yet, and she needed someone to accompany and care for her when her husband was about to leave. This was something no one could easily accept.
Soon, the family also learned that Shen Xuyue was going to the United States. Most of the family members were shocked at first. Going abroad is a good thing, but Zhao Mingyue is pregnant and needs someone to take care of her. Why did it have to happen at this time?
Fang Zhen understood her feelings best: "Mingyue, don't worry, your uncle won't be gone for long, he'll be back in three months, don't worry."
Zhao Mingyue nodded: "It's okay, I've accepted this fact." There's nothing she can do about it, it's a done deal now, she can only hope things go smoothly and that Shen Xuyue can come back soon.
Because there were still many procedures to be completed, Shen Xuyue set off on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year to pick up his mother-in-law from his parents-in-law's house.
Normally, it's perfectly normal for a son-in-law to visit his wife's family during the Spring Festival. However, Shen Xuyue's visit startled his parents-in-law, as their daughter hadn't returned. They had worried that something had happened to Zhao Mingyue.
Shen Xuyue explained the reason, and Hu Nianchun said, "You kid, if you need me to come over, just give Minglang a call, and I'll come over."
Shen Xuyue said, "It's alright. I was supposed to come back to pay my respects for the New Year, but it's too far, so I couldn't go home. I just stopped by to wish my parents a Happy New Year. Besides, I was originally going to pick up my mother to help out. How could I just make a phone call and call it off? It's such a long way, she can't go alone. I had to come and pick her up." His mother-in-law is illiterate, so someone has to take her to Beijing, which would be too much trouble for others. Although he could ask Yu Youqing to come with her, it would seem insincere.
The New Year wasn't over yet, and they hadn't finished entertaining all the relatives. However, Shen Xuyue was pressed for time and couldn't delay, so Hu Nianchun arranged for her daughters-in-law to cook and entertain the later-arriving relatives. Shen Xuyue offered New Year's greetings to her brothers to express her apologies, and gave each family a gift prepared by Zhao Mingyue. When her two sisters-in-law heard that Shen Xuyue was going abroad on business and would be taking her mother-in-law to care for her pregnant sister, they weren't unhappy at all; in fact, they were quite supportive. See? Even though she married into a family in Beijing, she still couldn't do without her family's help.
On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Hu Nianchun followed her son-in-law on a train heading north. When they arrived in the provincial capital, Shen Xuyue specially bought a cotton-padded coat for his mother-in-law. In this kind of weather, it's not good to not wear more clothes, especially for older people. If they catch a cold, it would be a real problem.
This was Hu Nianchun's first time experiencing winter in the North. She had heard that it was freezing cold in the North, but when she arrived in Beijing and got off the train, she truly understood what freezing cold meant. The cold wind made it almost impossible for her to stand. Shen Xuyue supported her arm: "Mom, let me help you."
Hu Nianchun was so cold he couldn't speak. His mind was racing. His daughter lived in this place. How could anyone endure this? It wasn't until he entered the exit passage and was enveloped in the warmth that Hu Nianchun finally caught his breath: "Is it this cold here in winter?"
Shen Xuyue said apologetically, "It's like this outside. At night, it's usually several degrees below zero, and the wind is strong. But there's heating inside, so you only need to wear a sweater." The coldest it gets is actually below ten degrees below zero.
Hu Nianchun breathed a sigh of relief: "That's more like it. I thought it would be so cold here in winter that people would freeze to death."
Shen Xuyue took his mother-in-law in a taxi and hurried home.
Zhao Mingyue knew her mother was coming today, so she waited early. It wasn't until after eight o'clock that Shen Xuyue returned, bringing the person Zhao Mingyue most wanted to see. Zhao Mingyue reached out and hugged her mother: "Mom, Happy New Year! You must be tired?"
Mr. and Mrs. Shen quickly greeted them, "Happy New Year, in-laws! Welcome, welcome!"
Hu Nianchun, holding his daughter, greeted his in-laws. Zhao Mingyue helped her mother sit on the sofa: "Mom, take off your coat, it's warm inside."
Hu Nianchun reached out and touched his hair, which was disheveled by the strong wind, and sighed: "It's about the same inside, but it's too cold outside."
Mother Shen had already gotten up to prepare dinner for them. Father Shen said, "There are many things to do at home, and we can't take good care of Mingyue, so we can only trouble our mother-in-law."
Hu Nianchun waved his hand: "It's alright, it's what I should do. Father-in-law, are you feeling better?"
Father Shen nodded: "I'm much better now, thank you for your concern."
Hu Nianchun looked at his daughter and said, "You've gained weight."
Zhao Mingyue held her mother's hand: "Mom cooks delicious food for me every day, and I don't have to go to work. I eat well and sleep well, so of course I'm going to gain weight."
Hu Nianchun nodded: "It's better to be a little chubby."
Fang Zhen came out from the inner room: "Mingyue, has Auntie arrived?"
"We're here, sister-in-law. Aren't you going to sleep? Mom, this is my sister-in-law," Zhao Mingyue introduced. Fang Zhen had already started working, but she was still living at her in-laws' house because Shen Qixue's dormitory was about to be approved. She would then move directly from her home to Shen Qixue's workplace. They both worked in Haidian District, which was very close to each other, making commuting convenient.
After another round of pleasantries, Shen's mother and Shen Xuyue brought over dishes and noodles: "Mother-in-law, we've already eaten dinner. We didn't wait for you, so we made you some noodles. Please don't mind."
Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "Mom, my sister-in-law and I were hungry, so we ate first without waiting for you."
Hu Nianchun said, "It's okay, it's okay. Pregnant women like you are supposed to eat early anyway. I'm fine, I'll just eat whatever I want."
Shen Xuyue had dinner with his mother-in-law.
Looking at her mother and husband, Zhao Mingyue finally felt relieved. Her mother had arrived, that was good. But thinking about Shen Xuyue leaving them for a long journey in the near future, those worries in her heart rose again. Life is never perfect.
While eating, Hu Nianchun chatted with his daughter: "Your third brother went to visit that girl's family for the New Year this year."
Zhao Mingyue became excited: "Is Third Brother getting married soon?"
Hu Nianchun shook his head: "I don't know the specifics, I don't know if it's the first half or the second half."
Zhao Mingyue said, "I hope it will be in the second half of the year, preferably in December, so I can go back to attend the wedding."
Hu Nianchun said, "If I stay here to take care of you for a few months, I probably won't have time to get married in the first half of the year. It will probably have to wait until the second half of the year."
Zhao Mingyue sighed, "Come to think of it, I really feel bad for Third Brother." With Mother not at home, it's naturally difficult for Third Brother to get married. If he wants to get married, he'll have to wait until at least the second half of the year.
Shen Xuyue said with a smile, "I'll give him a big gift as an apology."
“Okay, the best gift would be one that’s brought back from the US and can’t be bought in China.” Zhao Mingyue said with a smile.
“That’s for sure,” Shen Xuyue said with a smile.
Hu Nianchun has arrived and is staying at the Shen family's house temporarily. Shen Xuyue has already taken a few days off. The day after he returned home, he went to work immediately. He has a lot of things to arrange at work, and he also needs to finalize his passport and visa for his business trip. He is very busy.
Every day, Zhao Mingyue helped him pack his luggage at home, packing little by little, and also made some clothes for him to wear there. Shen Xuyue was going to San Francisco, USA, where the climate was much warmer than Beijing. He probably wouldn't need a down jacket there; suits and shirts would be most suitable regardless of the season. So Zhao Mingyue hurried to make clothes for Shen Xuyue. His clothes from China were too outdated and would be somewhat inappropriate in America. Zhao Mingyue made him several high-end, elegant suits and shirts, so he shouldn't need to buy any more clothes there.
Seeing his daughter sitting in front of the sewing machine for one or two hours at a time, Hu Nianchun said, "Isn't there some in the store? Wouldn't it be more appropriate for you to go and buy him a couple of outfits? You're working so hard."
Zhao Mingyue smiled at her mother: "The clothes you buy in stores aren't as good as the ones I make, and they're not as stylish. The clothes I made for him won't go out of fashion even in America."
Hu Nianchun picked up the clothes and looked at them, somewhat doubting his daughter's words: "Americans wear this kind of thing too?"
“Yes, Americans also wear shirts and suits,” Zhao Mingyue said.
When Zhao Mingyue made clothes, Shen's mother and Hu Nianchun helped her by cutting loose threads, sewing on buttons, and making buttonholes.
Mother Chen said, "Mingyue, don't always make clothes for him alone. You should make some clothes for yourself too."
Zhao Mingyue said with a smile, "Mom, I can't wear it now. I'll make it after I have the baby."
Mother Shen nodded: "That makes sense."
Zhao Mingyue has a box of fabric she received when she got married. Now she has picked out the good ones to make clothes. She also made clothes for her parents and her own parents. She said with a smile, "I'm making these now, because when my belly gets bigger, it won't be easy for me to use the sewing machine."
Hu Nianchun felt gratified and proud to see how sensible and considerate his daughter was, but also a little sorry for her.
Seeing how well her daughter-in-law treated people, Mother Shen naturally had no complaints or prejudices and treated her like her own daughter.
Shen Xuyue's luggage was finally packed and his trip was on the agenda. On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, before the Lantern Festival was over, Shen Xuyue bid farewell to his parents, wife and children and embarked on his journey to a foreign country. Zhao Mingyue only saw her husband off to the gate of the courtyard and watched the taxi take her husband away and disappear around the corner.
Zhao Mingyue had no time for sadness; school had already started, and she had to get back to work. She and her mother moved into the school dormitory, where the two of them watched over their child's growth and awaited Shen Xuyue's return.
Hu Nianchun didn't expect to be back here so soon. She thought she would come back when her daughter was about to give birth, but since they needed her, she decided to stay.
Zhao Mingyue lived in the school dormitory and planned to eat at the school cafeteria, intending to just make some soup at home. However, her mother said that since there was a fire at home, she should cook there, as homemade food tastes better. So Zhao Mingyue watched as her mother gradually prepared the kitchen utensils and tableware, making it seem like a complete home.
Zhao Mingyue was worried that Beijing was too cold and her mother would get chilled. After the Spring Festival, winter was still not over and it was still very cold, but her mother's ability to adapt was obviously better than she expected. She didn't even sneeze once in Beijing. In her own words, "I'm old and not afraid of the cold. I'll get used to it."
Cooking at home has many inconveniences. There is no tap in the house, so you have to go to the end of the corridor to fetch water. Hu Nianchun didn't mind: "It's not that far. It's not as far as our house is from the well. And we don't have to climb a hill. It's very convenient."
Hu Nianchun also learned to go to the market to buy vegetables and haggle with vendors. She had never been to school, but she could understand Mandarin. Although she couldn't speak it herself, she learned the Mandarin pronunciation of numbers from Chao Mingyue. When haggling, she could communicate by combining words and gestures. Moreover, she was very good at math, with exceptional mental arithmetic skills—something Zhao Mingyue hadn't known before, because her father handled all the buying and selling at home, and her mother never interfered. She had always thought her mother was the traditional type of woman who waited for her husband to arrange everything. Now, it seemed her mother was quite capable; if she had gone to school and lived in the same era as herself, she would definitely have been a powerful woman.
On weekends, Zhao Mingyue would accompany her mother to the market. She found it fascinating to listen to her elderly mother, speaking with a soft southern accent, haggling with a group of loud, boisterous northern men and women. In short, her mother's adaptability was remarkable. Zhao Mingyue reflected on her own adaptability, which also seemed extraordinary, suggesting it was hereditary.
With her mother's care, Zhao Mingyue's standard of living improved dramatically. Her appetite was good, and her weight skyrocketed. When Zhao Mingyue expressed her concern that her future children would be too big to give birth to, her mother said, "It's okay. You have the same figure as your mother, so it's easy for you to give birth. Your older brother weighed nine pounds at birth, and I still managed to give birth to him."
Zhao Mingyue couldn't help but burst out laughing. So her older brother was a baby! Hearing her mother say that, she felt relieved. Anyway, they were in Beijing. If there was a difficult birth, they could just have a C-section. There wouldn't be any problems. She should eat more so that the baby would be stronger and healthier.
After Shen Xuyue arrived in San Francisco, he immediately wrote back to Zhao Mingyue. Airmail was very slow, and it took him half a month to receive it. Upon receiving his letter, Zhao Mingyue eagerly opened it. The letter read: "My dearest Mingyue: Receiving this letter is like seeing you again!"
I've only been away from home for a short time, but I already miss you and the children terribly. We're separated by oceans, and I can only think of you day and night, hoping you can receive my thoughts.
I arrived in San Francisco two days ago and am staying in Berkeley, in the East Bay of San Francisco. The school is located on a hill, and the scenery is very beautiful. You can see the azure bay as soon as you look up. It's like a poem or a painting. I've attached a postcard to show you what it looks like. The scenery you see is the same scenery I see. I'm sharing it with you.
Everything is fine here, except for the food. Westerners usually eat a bread roll and a hot dog (a type of grilled sausage) for each meal, but after two days, Lao Zhang and I found it unbearable. However, we had no other choice, otherwise we would go hungry. I've heard that Western food also includes dishes similar to our fried and boiled dishes, but I imagine they wouldn't be cheap. I'll think about it. I hope to dream tonight of the delicious food you and Mother made together; that would be some comfort.
Arriving in the US was like seeing a wonderland; it was quite an eye-opening experience. Western customs are so different from ours, it was very interesting. Our accommodation was an apartment provided by Berkeley University. I shared a two-bedroom apartment with Lao Zhang, each with our own room. It had a kitchen and bathroom, which was very convenient, but there wasn't much to cook, as the shops here only sold Western food. I heard that San Francisco has a bustling Chinatown selling all kinds of Chinese food, and I might go check it out sometime, but it seems quite far away, and going there wouldn't be very convenient.
...
The clothes you made for me are excellent, and couldn't be more appropriate. If I didn't know you'd never been abroad, I'd almost suspect you'd seen what they wear in America. Old Zhang bought a suit at the mall, which, in his own words, made him look like a country bumpkin in the city—very conspicuous. He's planning to buy two more suits locally. I don't think Westerners are particularly particular about appearances, but Old Zhang said we represent our countrymen and should naturally consider the dignity of our fellow countrymen. Thinking about it that way, it makes perfect sense.
We've started our studies, but things aren't as easy as we imagined. The entire course is taught in English, the professors are highly qualified, and they speak incredibly fast. My English isn't even good enough, and Lao Zhang seems to have lost his hearing. The biggest problem right now is the language barrier, so I need to study hard. It's a challenging task, but I hope to graduate as soon as possible and return to you and the children. Please take good care of yourself and don't overwork or worry. I'm watching over you from across the ocean.
A thousand words, condensed into a few. I await your reply. A kiss!
Xuyue
February 28, 1983
After reading the letter, Zhao Mingyue was filled with mixed emotions. The only information she received was that he might not be able to return on time, and it might take at least three months to resolve the situation. Zhao Mingyue had waited anxiously for the news, only to find it wasn't as smooth as she had imagined, and a sense of unease crept in. However, she had already prepared herself for the worst. The long period of lack of communication between China and other countries meant there was bound to be a significant gap, and his studies would certainly not be easy.
Zhao Mingyue looked at the postcard; the deep blue sea rippled and shimmered with silver light, a truly beautiful sight. She knew that this was also what Shen Xuyue saw.
Temperatures are gradually rising, and spring is almost here in Beijing, but it's still slow to show itself. Hu Nianchun is spending her first winter in Beijing: "It's already February, and it's still so cold. When will the people here be able to start planting?" The February she's referring to is the second month of the lunar calendar. In the older generation's calendar, there's only the lunar calendar because it's closely related to farming.
Zhao Mingyue said, "People here don't grow rice, they grow wheat. The wheat was probably planted last autumn and only grew in the spring."
Hu Nianchun's eyes widened: "Wow! In this cold weather, those seeds didn't freeze to death?"
Zhao Mingyue laughed and said, "This kind of crop is particularly resistant to frost. If it were where we live, it might not even grow."
Hu Nianchun's trip to Beijing was quite an eye-opener; it was so different from his hometown.
Zhao Mingyue's belly started to show. It wasn't very noticeable when she was wearing a coat and padded jacket, but once spring arrived, it became impossible to hide. Many of her colleagues knew she was pregnant because her family was cooking delicious food every day, the aromas were incredibly tempting, and they had even invited her mother over to cook for her. Normally, they wouldn't go to such lengths to have their elders come and take care of them.
Spring finally arrived when Shen Xuyue's third letter arrived. As expected, Shen Xuyue could not return in three months; he would have to stay for at least two more months. He was able to complete his studies on schedule, but his companion, Lao Zhang, was more than a month behind due to language barriers. The two were responsible for different topics, so Shen Xuyue could not help him. However, he could not just finish his studies first and go back. Since they went together, they should definitely return together.
Zhao Mingyue took off her heavy cotton-padded coat and put on a woolen overcoat. She finally felt several pounds lighter, but another part of her body had gained several pounds. She was almost five months pregnant, and her belly was noticeably large. She had also been diligently nourishing herself, making her whole body rounder, and even a double chin was faintly visible. Looking at herself in the mirror, Zhao Mingyue thought about how high the price of childbirth was. She hoped she could lose weight after giving birth; she was still relatively young and should recover more easily.
On weekends, Zhao Mingyue would go back to the Shen family home with her mother. Sometimes, she would run into Fang Zhen, who would also come back for a visit. Fang Zhen lived at the Navy Headquarters and rarely allowed anyone in unless she came out herself. Fang Zhen was already over eight months pregnant and about to give birth. Her belly was very large, like a balloon. Zhao Mingyue felt a chill run down her spine when she thought about how she would look like that too.
When Shen's mother saw Zhao Mingyue, she asked, "When did Xuyue say he would be back?"
Zhao Mingyue said, "I received a letter a couple of days ago saying that the study load is quite heavy and it will take another two months."
Mother Chen sighed, "You absolutely must come back before you give birth."
Zhao Mingyue, on the contrary, came over to comfort her mother-in-law: "I will definitely be back before I give birth, Mom, don't worry."
Spring in Beijing is very beautiful, but it is also very windy and dusty. Zhao Mingyue often heard her mother say, "Why is there so much sand in the pot again? I covered it up tightly."
Zhao Mingyue said, "It could be from the wind, or there might have been sand in the water to begin with."
“It’s really a disaster. I have to bring the stove inside to cook, otherwise there will be sand in the food. There are never many good days in Beijing. The few days when you got married last year were a little better.” Hu Nianchun said that the sacred halo of the capital was slowly dimming in her heart. Beijing’s winters are freezing cold and so long. When spring finally comes, there is sandstorm everywhere. There are never many days of peace and quiet. Chairman Mao lived in such a place. It’s not as good as their hometown.
Zhao Mingyue was reading a book in the room when she heard her mother nagging outside, and she couldn't help but smile.
The most troublesome thing in spring isn't the sandstorms, but the unpredictable weather, which makes people prone to catching colds. Zhao Mingyue was careful and cautious, but she still caught a cold. Not only that, she also developed a cough. In this season of flying catkins, coughing is truly a nightmare. She was pregnant, so she couldn't get injections or take medicine; she could only tough it out.
Hu Nianchun has many home remedies for colds and coughs that can cure them without injections or medicine, but these are useless outside her hometown because she simply can't find the ingredients she needs. For example, where can she find loquat trees to boil loquat leaves in water? There was no other way but to make her rock sugar and pear soup. Luckily, Beijing has plenty of pears; she can eat as many as she wants.
When Yu Youqing heard that Zhao Mingyue had caught a cold, he brought over two boxes of pears for her to drink like water. Zhao Mingyue was anxious, but there was nothing she could do, so she could only silently pray that she would get better soon.
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