"Okay, come to my house for dinner. Meixiang's mother and the others are cooking. We need to talk to you about something."
Fang Shugen stared at Fang Damiao with wide eyes and furrowed brows, looking on nervously. Fang Shugen couldn't understand what could be wrong with Fang Damiao that made him so anxious to find him. And to his house for dinner? Fang Shugen was speechless with surprise.
“We’ve been waiting for you all afternoon, let’s go now.” Fang Damiao got on the motorcycle and sat behind Fang Shugen.
"I'll go back and tell Hua Mei."
"Hua Mei, ask my mother to bring him a bowl of food for dinner later, and tell her about it. Let's go, let's go to Mei Xiang's house first."
This was the first time Fang Shugen had entered Fang Meixiang's house.
As soon as he entered, the aroma of food wafted out, leaving Fang Shugen stunned. The bowls and chopsticks on the table were already set, and several bowls of glistening dishes were placed on the table, with steam rising from the steamer. This was no ordinary meal.
Fang Meixiang's father greeted them, "Shugen is here, come and sit down!"
"Uncle Shugen, please sit down." Fang Dongqiang pulled over a stool.
"Please sit down at the table. This dish will be ready soon. Meixiang, don't add any more firewood to the stove; there's enough in the stove already." Fang Meixiang's mother was cooking the last pot of vegetables.
Fang Meili and Fang Meihao brought the dishes from the steamer to the table.
Fang Shugen looked at the table full of dishes and asked, "What... what is this?"
“Shugen, let’s talk while we eat!” Fang Damiao spoke first. “Do you have another daughter? Born in the summer of 1983, working for the forest ranger in the mountains, what was that ranger’s name? Lu?”
“Ren Lutong,” Fang Dongqiang said.
"You all know?" Fang Shugen lowered his head. "Yes, that year, Hua Mei gave birth to a daughter, who was taken away by someone on the mountain. You know where this daughter is?" Fang Shugen looked up again, full of expectation, at Fang Damiao and everyone else.
"She's my girlfriend," Fang Dongqiang said first.
Fang Shugen stared wide-eyed, his voice trembling, "Where is she now? Is she doing well?"
“Her current parents treat her very well. She is a senior in college and will be doing an internship next year,” Fang Dongqiang said.
Fang Shugen's eyes reddened. "Good, good, as long as she's doing well."
"Shugen, you eat your food, help yourself, let's talk while we eat."
"Mother, Hua Mei is at home. I told you to take some food to her." Fang Damiao remembered.
"Invite her over to eat too."
"No," Fang Shugen hurriedly said. "When our daughter was taken away, she was greatly traumatized. We don't mention it at home. Don't call her over. I'll talk to her about it slowly when I get back."
“Okay,” Fang Meixiang’s mother nodded, “I’ll serve her some rice and vegetables.”
"No need, no need, Meixiang's mother, Hua Mei can cook it herself. Just tell her I'll be back later." Fang Shugen quickly stopped her.
"I'll bring her a bowl when I get there. There are vegetables and rice. I cooked a lot." Fang Meixiang's mother scooped a bowl of rice, put the vegetables in another bowl, put them in the vegetable basket, and carried it to Fang Shugen's house.
As Fang Mei's mother stepped out the door, she noticed that the villagers didn't associate with Fang Shugen's family. Just as she was pondering this, someone greeted her, "Meixiang's mother, where are you going?"
"Oh, I'll go up ahead for a bit." Fang Meixiang's mother forced a smile. She thought to herself, "Everyone'll find out sooner or later, so why worry?" Fang Meixiang's mother strode towards Fang Shugen's house.
This was also Fang Meixiang's mother's first time visiting Fang Shugen's house. "Hua Mei!" she called out from the doorway.
Hua Mei ran over wearing an apron and stood inside, staring at Fang Meixiang's mother. "Hua Mei, Shu Gen is having dinner at my house. Don't cook for yourself. I'll bring it over to you. Take two bowls."
Hua Mei remained standing there, not moving an inch. "Hua Mei, I am Dong Qiang's maternal grandmother. Your Hua Hua and Jing Ming used to play with Dong Qiang when they were little."
When the children were mentioned, Hua Mei seemed to lower her guard. She went inside to get a bowl, and Fang Meixiang's mother followed her in, pouring the food into her own bowl. "Hua Mei, don't worry, Shugen has already eaten at my house. He'll be back later. You should eat quickly too, it's cold, don't let it get cold," Fang Meixiang's mother said, as if she were talking to her own child.
Hua Mei pulled over a chair for Fang Meixiang's mother to sit on.
"I have something to do at home, so I'll head back first." Fang Meixiang's mother put the empty bowl into the basket.
As Fang Meixiang's mother left Fang Shugen's house, she suddenly remembered the times when Yu Jihong spoke to Meixiang so kindly. When you feel sympathy and tenderness for someone, your voice softens.
The warm yellow light from the bakery shone through the window, casting a cozy glow on the street. Fang Huahua, wrapped in a thick coat, pushed open the door, and the sweet aroma of butter and toast instantly filled her nostrils.
As she climbed the stairs beside her, she saw a young couple sitting at a table, and a girl in a light blue cashmere sweater in the corner stood up and looked at her.
Fang Huahua stopped in her tracks, her heart suddenly tightening. This must be her younger sister!
He Xiaolei raised the corners of her mouth, her smile containing a hint of shyness and an undisguised joy. She softly called out, "Sister." After saying it, her nose tingled with emotion.
Fang Huahua looked at He Xiaolei. This younger sister looked somewhat like Jingming. Fang Huahua nodded. She walked closer, took off her coat and draped it over the back of the chair. The dark turtleneck sweater underneath covered her slightly thin shoulders.
"Sit down." Fang Huahua's voice was still trembling slightly.
“You just got off work and haven’t had dinner yet, right? Besides bread and cakes, they also have fried noodles and other things here. We’ll have dinner here too,” He Xiaolei said.
Fang Huahua nodded and softly agreed.
While waiting for their meals, the only sounds in the air were the whispers of the neighbors and the distant hum of the oven.
He Xiaolei hesitated for a moment before speaking first, "Sister, you... knew all along that you had a younger sister like me?"
“I know a little.” Fang Huahua said, as if recalling a distant past. “I’ve heard occasionally that there was a younger sister. But my family rarely mentions it, especially my mother. She cries whenever the topic comes up. Do you know anything about your family?”
“I know some of it; Dongqiang told me,” He Xiaolei replied.
"Dong Qiang?" Fang Huahua suddenly remembered. "Oh, did you get my number through Dong Qiang? I was thinking about how you suddenly found me on the way here, but I forgot to ask as soon as I saw you."
"Dongqiang is my boyfriend."
Fang Huahua was startled, then smiled knowingly, "So that's how it is. Dongqiang is very good."
After a moment of silence, Fang Huahua looked at He Xiaolei and said earnestly, "Xiaolei, you... don't hate your parents. After we sent you away, your mother's mental state deteriorated even more, and she would cry whenever she mentioned you."
He Xiaolei's eyes were red, her fingertips gripping the tablecloth tightly, her voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob, "I know, Dongqiang once told me that there is no mother in the world who doesn't love her child. So I've come to acknowledge you as my family."
"That's good." Fang Huahua breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes also feeling a little hot.
After listening to He Xiaolei's story, Fang Huahua's tone was tinged with helplessness and melancholy. "Perhaps this is fate. If you had stayed at home back then, you would probably be like me, working odd jobs after graduating from junior high school."
He Xiaolei raised her head and looked at Fang Huahua's slightly tired but gentle eyes. The lingering grievances and confusion in her heart gradually dissipated.
She knew her sister was telling the truth. Her adoptive parents treated her extremely well, supporting her education and providing her with a comfortable life—something the Fang family back then could never offer. She nodded gently, a relieved smile playing on her lips. "I understand."
The two sisters chatted back and forth, and the remaining awkwardness gradually dissipated.
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