After releasing her pent-up emotions through tears, Li Yueniang was full of energy and had Guo Xiaomao and Song Jingzhou completely under her control.
Not only did Li Yueniang leave the bed boards, cabinets, and quilts all over the yard to air them out, but she also spent a lot of money to have Song Jingzhou buy a bucket of paint so that she could repaint the cabinets.
Guo Xiaomao practically flew off the ground, following Li Yueniang as they carried large and small bags back from the Friendship Department Store.
As soon as she got home, Li Yueniang found scissors and a stool, and pulled Guo Xiaomao to cut her hair.
Full of energy, she wrapped her tattered coat around her neck and gestured to show her hair length. "Give me a haircut that reaches my ears. I see a lot of old ladies on the street getting their hair cut like that. It makes them look younger, hehe."
"Also, fix the front, and cut off this sticking-up part here too."
“You said that when I, Changzhi, left, I was only in my forties. If I came back and saw my full head of white hair, I wouldn’t recognize myself.”
"Old hag, what do you mean? Should I get a bottle of ink and put it on my head?"
"Do I have a lot of gray hair? Oh right, I remember Wenjing has a mirror, right? Hurry up and go get it so I can take a look."
"I haven't looked in a mirror for so many years, I don't even know what I look like anymore."
"I want to see how I, Changzhi, see myself."
Guo Xiaomao patiently comforted Li Yueniang, "Don't worry, you're still young. You're the most energetic old lady in our alley."
"Really?"
"Really, do you think I'd try to fool you?"
Li Yueniang breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, that's good."
"By the way, come early tomorrow morning. I, Changzhi, love dumplings the most. Come over tomorrow and help me make lots and lots of dumplings, all with meat filling."
“Back in my hometown, there was a naughty kid next door. Every time we ate dumplings, he would bring his bowl to my son Changzhi and show it off. My son Changzhi would drink his hawthorn porridge while swallowing his saliva and saying that he didn’t like dumplings.”
"Later, I heard him asking his brother in bed if the dumplings were delicious. They smelled so good, and I wondered if they tasted even better. He said he really, really wanted to eat dumplings, which broke my heart."
"On New Year's Eve, everyone was grinding rice and flour. My family had nothing but sweet potatoes and some brown rice. I pulled the mill for someone all day, and the mill owner gave me a scoop of white flour. I also asked for some chives, cracked two eggs, and made dumplings. That meal was so delicious! My son, Changzhi, was still saying in his sleep, 'Mom, the dumplings were so delicious, hehehe.'"
Thinking of the happy moments she and her son shared, Li Yueniang's eyes shone brightly. "It's a pity there was no meat. It would have been even more delicious if there had been meat."
Guo Xiaomao listened patiently to Li Yueniang's rambling, occasionally agreeing with a word.
"Okay, I'll get up as soon as the rooster crows and come make dumplings for you."
"Is it done cutting?"
"Go and get Wenjing's mirror quickly, I still need to try on clothes later!"
"Which one do you think I should wear? The gray jacket or the one with the blue trim?"
"Young Song, after you finish painting, help Grandma tidy up all the firewood in the yard. It's too messy and doesn't look good."
"Oh dear, I almost forgot about the window! Oh dear, is it too late to fix it now? How could I have been so lazy before!"
"Granny Guo, hurry up, while the sun is still high, help me take down that bed curtain and wash it. I, Changzhi, love cleanliness the most, and it will be just right to hang it up tomorrow morning."
Guo Xiaomao helped out until midnight before Li Yueniang let him go. She rubbed her aching back and looked utterly bewildered.
She was clearly several years younger than Li Yueniang, so how come that old woman had so much energy?
Ouch, her back hurts, she has to lie down quickly. As soon as she touched the bed, Guo Xiaomao fell into a deep sleep.
Next door, Song Jingzhou yawned and watched Li Yueniang wandering around with a rag, so he couldn't help but remind her.
"Grandma, you've applied it so many times, why don't you get some rest?"
Li Yueniang asked, "I told you to call Jin Dong, did you tell him?"
“I told him, he said he’ll be back first thing tomorrow morning.”
Li Yueniang continued to inquire, "Is the red silk hanging outside the window yet? Isn't it festive? I, Changzhi..."
Song Jingzhou nodded quickly, "It's festive, it's festive! Even Duobao has a red ribbon tied around his neck."
Duobao is the dog we keep at home.
Looking at Song Jingzhou, who was yawning repeatedly, Li Yueniang's heart softened. "You go to sleep first. I'll check if I've forgotten anything else."
Song Jingzhou looked troubled. "Grandma, if you don't sleep well tonight, you won't look well tomorrow. Uncle Changzhi will be worried when he sees this."
Li Yueniang froze, "What time is it?"
Song Jingzhou raised his wrist and looked at it. "It's almost one o'clock."
"It's so late, don't say anything more, go to sleep, go to sleep, we have to get up early tomorrow!"
"You'll be sleeping in Jin Dong's bed tonight."
Li Yueniang tossed the handkerchief aside, gave an order, and went inside.
Song Jingzhou looked helpless; he was really afraid that the old lady would drag him to work all night.
Just as he stood up and walked toward the door, intending to say a few more words, he heard soft snoring coming from inside.
Song Jingzhou!!!
He suddenly had a bad feeling and quickly turned around and rushed to his bed.
"Song boy, Song boy, get up quickly."
Sure enough, Song Jingzhou felt as if he had just closed his eyes and dozed off for a while when he was woken up.
I turned on the light and glanced at my watch.
Four o'clock in the morning!
"Grandma, it's only four o'clock now, and there's no time to drive. You don't need to get up so early, do you?"
As Li Yueniang fetched water and combed her hair, she said, "It's only four o'clock? It'll be dawn soon."
"I've been practicing the Five Animal Frolics for half an hour, but I didn't have the heart to wake you because you were sleeping so soundly."
Song Jingzhou: I've only slept for three hours, you really can't bear to see me like this.
"Get up quickly and sweep the yard again, and tidy up the gate outside too."
Li Yueniang carefully wiped her face clean before looking towards the opposite courtyard. "Why hasn't that old hag gotten up yet? Didn't she say she'd come over early this morning to roll out dumpling wrappers and make dumplings for me?"
Song Jingzhou comforted her, "Grandma Guo was exhausted yesterday and is probably sleeping soundly. Don't worry, Grandma, I reckon Qingci and the others won't arrive until around noon at the earliest."
"The shuttle buses from Jinshi don't leave that early either."
Li Yueniang breathed a sigh of relief, "Then let's not wait for her. I'll knead the dough first, and you should get ready too."
On the other side, Su Qingci used the certificate issued to her by the Haiyan branch bureau to lead Su Changzhi and others straight to Kyoto.
Upon arriving in Kyoto, Su Changzhi suddenly felt a sense of trepidation, like being near home, and hesitated to proceed.
"Qingci, um, do you think Uncle looks okay like this? Look, isn't my hair too long? It makes me look listless."
"How about we go to a barbershop and get a haircut?"
"Also, we've been traveling all this way, look how dusty we are. How about we find a place to change our clothes?"
"If my mother saw me like this, wouldn't she think I'm a good-for-nothing?"
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