Chapter 17

Old Third Grandaunt Song was utterly infuriated by Song Dingxiang's behavior. She glared at the smiling Song Dingxiang standing before her, convinced that the girl had transformed completely after her suicide attempt.

Song Dingxiang wouldn't have made a fuss over such trivial matters. It was just a bowl; did the Fourth Song family lack bowls?

And even if the embroidery was rough, couldn't Song Dingxiang simply take it back and redo it?

She remembered the words her husband had said: 'She had offended the Fourth Song family.'

Indeed, she had offended someone.

She forced a smile, masking the sharp glint in her eyes, before quickly shifting into a look of mild surprise. With just the right touch of innocence, she remarked, "Oh my, Second Daughter-in-law, what’s this you’ve brought over? Wait a moment—this looks like the shoe upper I randomly stitched the other day! Ah, Dingxiang, you wouldn’t know, but I was feeling a little under the weather that day, so I picked up some needlework just to pass the time. Honestly, I barely paid attention to what I was doing. It turned out such a mess that I just tossed it aside, thinking it wasn’t even worth fixing. Who would’ve thought…"

Before she could finish, the Fifth Daughter-in-law’s face subtly stiffened. Reacting quickly, she grabbed the shoe upper from Song Dingxiang’s hands with an easygoing laugh. "Oh, I knew something was off! This definitely doesn’t look like the kind Mother would have prepared. My mistake—let me swap it out right away!"

Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heels and rushed inside. Her fingers trembled slightly as she dug through her own carefully embroidered shoe uppers, the ones she had made for her husband. After a moment’s hesitation, she bit her lip, exhaled sharply, and then pulled out the best one she had. Brushing away any lingering reluctance, she handed it over to Song Dingxiang with a forced smile.

Song Dingxiang, ever composed, accepted it smoothly. "I thought as much. Aunt Wu’s needlework is always impeccable—there’s no way Jiao Xing could’ve sewn something so… careless. Well then, Third Grandaunt, thank you for your help. We’ll be heading off now."

With that, she grabbed Zhou Yinuo’s wrist—his shoulders already shaking from suppressed laughter—and strode out of Third Granduncle Song’s house with effortless confidence.

The moment they stepped outside, Zhou Yinuo couldn’t hold it in any longer. His laughter spilled out, rich with amusement. "This Third Grandaunt Song is quite the character."

Song Dingxiang smirked, her eyes gleaming. "Haven't had enough fun yet? I used to ignore their little games—after all, my family has always been patient. But the moment they decided to push me? Oh, I’d be a fool not to push back. Come on, let’s go. Fifth Granduncle’s house is next."

Fifth Granduncle had passed away early, so the courtyard was usually deserted. But today was different, as Fifth Grandaunt was in the yard with her grandson and daughter-in-law, beating the bedding.

"Fifth Grandaunt!" sweetly called out Song Dingxiang.

Fifth Grandaunt smiled and beckoned, "Dingxiang ah? Come in quickly and sit, it's freezing outside."

"It's freezing and Fifth Grandaunt is still out here? Why sunning bedding at this time?" she asked, puzzled.

Beside her, Song Hongmei couldn't hold back her laughter and said, "Isn't it because someone flooded the Dragon King Temple at night..."

"Aunt, don't say that!" the little grandson blushed and seemed embarrassed.

Hongmei was two years younger than Dingxiang, with three older sisters - Xiumei, Xiangmei, and Baimei, leaving nothing creative for her name except Hongmei.

In the dead of winter, if the bedding got wet, it couldn't be washed. But who doesn't have a child who pees on the bed?

So, to get rid of the moisture, they heated sand or dirt in a big pot and stomped on the wet spots, absorbing the dampness.

Once most of it was dried, they would take it outside to air and beat it, making sure the cotton didn't clump together.

After beating and fluffing it, they would put it on the kang bed to roast for a while, and it would be ready to use in the evening.

"Where are my uncle and aunt?" Song Dingxiang asked.

Fifth Grandaunt asked them to sit on the kang bed and then served them roasted peanuts, saying, "Your Sixth Aunt is pregnant and feeling a bit unwell this morning, so I let her rest in the room. She just had some hot soup and probably fell asleep. Your Twelveth Aunt went to the town to pick up your Twelveth Uncle and also delivered a kerchief to the Embroidery House. Your Sixth Uncle went out to sell the remaining goods, and once he's finished, he won't be going out temporarily until after the New Year."

Her Sixth Uncle was a traveling peddler, selling various wholesale items except during the busy farming seasons. The household also made some extra income from the headbands and hair ropes made by Sixth Aunt and Twelveth Aunt.

Actually, Fifth Grandaunt had borne many children over the years, but fate had been unkind—only four daughters and two sons had survived. Among them, three daughters were already married, leaving the household quieter than it once was. As for the two sons, one spent his days peddling goods, while the other worked in town crafting paper figurines. They were occupied with their own livelihoods, and with the absence of bustling family life, the once lively courtyard now held a sense of quiet emptiness.

Perhaps that lingering hush was why Fifth Grandaunt's family had yet to divide their household. But with only two sons left under the same roof, the matter of splitting the property wasn’t much of a battleground—there simply wasn’t enough at stake to stir up a real storm.

"My mother prepared a few headbands and a pair of embroidered kerchiefs for Aunt Hongmei, saying that you too are a grown woman and will need to dress up nicely soon. Even though both aunts can make headbands and kerchiefs, it was my mother's intention." Song Dingxiang brought out the New Year gifts and kowtowed to Fifth Grandaunt along with Zhou Yinuo.

Fifth Grandaunt happily accepted the gifts and handed them over to Hongmei. From the candy bag, Hongmei took out a piece of candy and stuffed it into the eager mouth of the little boy.

The little boy, Douzi, was Sixth Aunt's eldest son and was already five years old. Twelfth Aunt's first child was a daughter, now three years old, preparing for a second child.

Fifth Grandaunt wasn’t actually old—just in her early forties, around the same age as Song Dingxiang’s mother. But somehow, she carried an air of premature aging, as if time had been harsher on her than it should have been. Maybe it was the loneliness. Her husband had passed away too soon, leaving her without a companion to share quiet midnight conversations, the kind that soften life’s edges. Without that warmth, that presence, the weight of solitude settled on her, dimming her spirit and etching exhaustion into her features.

Hongmei noticed the shoe uppers in the basket and couldn't help but say, "Wow, these shoe uppers are nice, who gave them?"

Song Dingxiang chuckled and said, "Given by Third Grandaunt."

Quickly, Hongmei took out the shoe uppers and realized there was only one pair, looking puzzled as she glanced at Fifth Grandaunt.

Fifth Grandaunt, who never got along with Third Grandaunt, coldly remarked, "Last year, I was given two pairs of insoles, now just one pair of shoe uppers. Their family really doesn't know how to treat people anymore."

Hongmei pouted, "Then why do we keep giving them so many good things?"

Their family, having a peddler, had prepared decent New Year gifts, including a small jar of sugar syrup, a pack of dried fruits, handmade flower headbands by their aunts - not elaborate ones, just simple thread-woven flowers, still considered nice in the village. In addition to these, there were twenty pairs of shell buttons, and twenty pairs of small shell flowers, suitable for embedding in rings or hairpins.

Shell items were common in the south and abundant near the coast. Many people from the south would bring thick shell buttons and items to sell in the north. Despite being inexpensive, they were considered a rarity.

"Oh, this shell flower is so beautiful." Song Dingxiang took out a shell flower and admired it.

When light hit the shell, it displayed various colors, which may not be favored by city folks for being inexpensive, but for village people, it was considered a gem.

Fifth Grandaunt chuckled, "Your Sixth Uncle met a Southern merchant this year and bought a lot of these shell buttons and headbands, which are selling well. These are specially selected to keep for you big girls and young wives to play with."

"I'll have to set a pair of earrings with them, they look so pretty." Song Dingxiang was no stranger to such things.

She had seen plenty of nice things, but now she not only found these inexpensive shell flowers beautiful but also wanted to make earrings out of them, which amused Fifth Grandaunt.

But Hongmei couldn't find it amusing. After putting her stuff outside to freeze, she came back and said, "Dingxiang, do you also think they're nice? We bring so many good things and all we get is shoe uppers in return? Third Aunt really has some nerve..."

"Hongmei," Fifth Grandaunt gave her daughter a glance, "Your Third Aunt's family probably struggled financially this year. I see the shoe uppers were twisted nicely, and the stitches are dense and meticulous. It was made with care."

Upon hearing this, Song Dingxiang burst out laughing, "Fifth Grandaunt, you should keep an eye on her when she goes to deliver things. Third Grandaunt has a pair of messed-up shoe uppers, and if she accidentally takes those out..."

Fifth Grandaunt suddenly realized and burst out laughing, "This third family, getting worse and worse."

After finishing the gift-giving, Song Dingxiang said, "I still need to go to Sixth Granduncle's house. Fifth Grandaunt, you don't need to send me, it's too cold outside. Please give my regards to my uncle and aunt."

"Dingxiang, I'll walk you," Hongmei jumped off the kang bed, grabbed Song Dingxiang's hand, and walked outside. At the door, she whispered, "What should I watch out for when I go to Third Aunt's house?"

Song Dingxiang burst out laughing again, "You never used to be like this before, what's gotten into you this year?"

Hongmei explained, "I used to be young, remember? But I overheard my sister-in-law telling my mom a few things - Third Uncle borrowed a winnowing basket to dry things, and two months later, when she went to ask for it back, they returned a broken one, saying ours was already broken, and that they were just using it temporarily. It made my sister-in-law cry with anger."

Song Dingxiang sighed, "I used to think Third Grandaunt's family was poor, and it was fine to help them out, but they're really crossing the line now. My mom even had a quarrel with Third Grandaunt at a big gathering. My Eighth Aunt's words were really harsh. My mom offered Third Grandaunt a hot soup and noodles for warmth, and Third Grandaunt immediately said it was the first time she was taking advantage of my mom, which angered my mom..."

"Ugh! I wouldn't even use my eighty eyes to look at people from their family!" Song Hongmei, straight as a rod, inherited from Fifth Grandaunt. "We send them good things every year and all we get in return are some garbage items. The more I think about it, the angrier I get."

Song Dingxiang reassured her, "Aunt Hongmei, you have to think like this. A good deed cannot be measured by comparing two things. We don't hold grudges, we do it for our own conscience and for others to see that we have never mistreated them. Now that you're twelve and soon to be thirteen after the New Year, you should understand that any small mistake in this village is easy to be criticized. Fifth Grandaunt is a widow, doesn't go out often, and you've been looking after her these years. You have to be more mindful and speak less."

Song Hongmei leaned back with a sly chuckle, her tone playful yet cutting. "Dingxiang, I must say, marriage has worked wonders on you. Look at you now, talking like a seasoned strategist. You never used to speak to me this way. Back then, you'd just brush it off with some naive comment about how Third Grandaunt's family is struggling and it's fine to let them take advantage. But now... you're advising me to tread carefully?"

She caught herself mid-thought, realizing she'd spilled too much, and quickly pressed her hand to her mouth, feigning surprise.

Dingxiang blinked, taken aback for a moment before regaining her composure. A smile crept across her lips, equal parts sharp and amused. "Ah, so the young, clueless me made an impression, did she? Tell me, have you ever shared that little detail with anyone else?"

Hongmei lifted her chin, an air of mock arrogance in her expression. "Do I look like someone who gossips? No, I keep juicy bits like that all to myself—just savor them quietly. Besides," she added with a mischievous glint, "my mom said the same thing to my aunt, you know. Runs in the family, I guess. Hahaha."

Dingxiang’s eyes narrowed as she studied her cousin. This girl’s got layers. With a light-hearted shake of her head, she reached over and playfully tugged Hongmei’s long braid. “You’re something else,” she said, unable to suppress her own laughter.

———Translator's Note: There are just too many names and an endless web of family connections—it's like a never-ending puzzle. My brain is on the verge of short-circuiting, trying to keep track of who belongs to whom. Honestly, if one more name gets thrown into the mix, I might just lose it.