Chapter 68: Big Eater

The next day, Su Yue slept until nearly ten o’clock again. By now, she was already numb to the situation. Her drowsiness only seemed to worsen with each passing day, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Han Aiguo had prepared breakfast for her in the morning and left it warming in a pot before heading out. When she finally got up, Su Yue sat at the table, forcing herself to eat porridge spoonful by spoonful. Just as she was about to finish, there was a knock at the door.

When she opened it, she found Old Madam Feng from next door. Su Yue was briefly taken aback, but then remembered Feng Zitao’s crying fit the night before and immediately guessed the reason for the visit.

Sure enough, Old Madam Feng confirmed her suspicion at once. Rubbing her hands in embarrassment, she said, “Girl, Auntie came to trouble you again. Could you make another cake for our family? The boy has been craving it.”

Su Yue thought to herself, See? Didn’t I say the neighbors would come knocking with money sooner or later? I guessed it right.

She smiled politely. “Auntie, don’t stand outside, please, come in.”

Unlike her attitude toward Fang Xiaoli, Su Yue had always found the old lady kind and approachable, so she welcomed her warmly.

When Old Madam Feng stepped inside, she couldn’t help but look around in surprise. She hadn’t expected such a small army house to be decorated so beautifully and tastefully. Not only was the furniture well-kept, but the balcony was filled with flowers and greenery, and the dining table had fresh blossoms arranged neatly upon it. Even a carpet was spread neatly at the bedroom doorway. The entire space radiated warmth, tidiness, and a faint, pleasant fragrance.

How comfortable it must be to live in such a home, the old lady thought. Su Yue wasn’t just pretty; she clearly knew how to keep a household. One glance, and you could tell she was virtuous and capable.

Old Madam Feng couldn’t help but compare her to her own daughter-in-law. Fang Xiaoli never tidied the house. When she wasn’t fussing and quarreling, she lay about lazily, refusing to work. It was no wonder her son often looked worn down. If he had married someone like Su Yue, he would have been far happier.

Though these thoughts flickered across her mind, Old Madam Feng kept them to herself.

After taking a sip of the tea Su Yue served, she got straight to the point. Pulling out food stamps and money from her pocket, she pressed them into Su Yue’s hand. “Girl, I must trouble you this time. Please make another cake. The child has been begging for it.”

In truth, after tasting the cake last time, Feng Zitao had clamored for more the very next day. But cake was expensive. Even with their family’s decent conditions, they couldn’t afford to indulge so often. Old Madam Feng had coaxed him for several days, but eventually the boy started throwing tantrums again. He had been beaten by his father last night for causing such a ruckus.

This morning, after crying himself sick, he had woken up feverish and listless, refusing to eat. Seeing her grandson like that, Fang Xiaoli had secretly given money and tickets to her mother-in-law, begging her to ask Su Yue for another cake. Old Madam Feng also pitied the boy, so she had come herself.

Su Yue accepted the payment with a smile. “Alright, Auntie. I’ll make one today and bring it over once it’s finished.”

“Thank you, girl,” Old Madam Feng said gratefully. After sitting for a short while, she hurried home worried about leaving the child alone.

Since Su Yue had accepted the money and tickets, she naturally intended to do her best. With nothing pressing to do at home, she set to work that afternoon.

Because this cake was for a child, she piped a cute little puppy out of butter on the top. She also peeled one of the fresh oranges Han Aiguo had brought her and arranged the bright segments along the edge of the cake, giving it a cheerful, playful look that children would surely love.

Once it was done, Su Yue carried the cake next door. On her way back, she calculated silently. This was already the sixth cake she had made. She had originally thought she might only manage five in an entire month, yet here it wasn’t even the end of the second week, and her earnings were already substantial. For the first time, she no longer felt pinched over ration tickets.

Life in the army wasn’t bad, but monthly rations were limited. Most families couldn’t eat fine grains every day. Rice porridge, sweet potatoes, and rough vegetables were the usual fare. It was rare to eat refined food as often as Su Yue’s household had been doing lately. Without extra income, it would have been impossible. At least half the month would have been spent on coarse grains. But now, with her cake-making income, she had both money and tickets to spare.

The thought filled her with quiet satisfaction. With this extra income, I can finally buy some things I’ve been thinking about.

For instance, she had long wanted to make a proper maternity outfit to conceal her growing belly.

She decided to exchange some food stamps for cloth tickets with Ma Cuiyun. In Ma Cuiyun’s household, food was always the greatest worry. Her two children wore hand-me-downs, Dani’s clothes cut down to fit little Taozi, while her own garments were patched and mended year after year. Cloth, in her eyes, was far less valuable than food. So when Su Yue proposed the trade, offering food stamps at the highest market rate, Ma Cuiyun readily handed over all her cloth tickets with a smile.

The next day, Su Yue went to the supply and marketing cooperative and happened upon a bolt of dark blue corduroy. Inspiration struck. Instead of making a loose maternity dress as she had first planned, she decided on a pair of maternity overalls.

Trousers were always easier to move in than skirts. She wouldn’t need to worry about exposure when climbing stairs or working at a vegetable stall, and she could carry out chores neatly and comfortably.

She bought several feet of the corduroy, along with some cotton, planning to make two loose T-shirts as well. With the weather warming, the tops could be worn with the overalls.

Back home, Su Yue sketched out her idea. The design resembled modern overalls but with an adjustable strap at the waist and belly. As her stomach grew, the straps could be loosened to avoid pressure. After giving birth, they could be tightened again, making the pants wearable long after. This was practical and stylish; at least in her eyes.

When Ma Cuiyun saw the drawing and heard Su Yue’s explanation, her eyes lit up. “Sister, you’re so clever! No matter how big your belly gets, these pants will fit. And afterward, you can still wear them without needing alterations. When I was pregnant, I always made loose dresses, but once I delivered, none of them fit anymore. Adjusting them later was such a chore.”

Su Yue smiled. “I can come up with the idea, but I can’t sew them myself. I’ll have to trouble you again.”

“Trouble? What trouble?” Ma Cuiyun waved her hand. “This is simple work for me. I’ll make them, and I’ll even learn your design. Next time I get pregnant, I’ll sew myself a pair just like yours.”

Su Yue looked at her teasingly and smiled. “What, are you planning to have a third child?”

Ma Cuiyun gave a bitter smile. “I think two children are enough, but I gave birth to two girls in a row, and my mother-in-law wasn’t satisfied. My husband is the only son in his family, so she feels that if I don’t give her a grandson, the Sun family line will end and I’ll be branded an eternal sinner. Do you think I have the right to stop? Before, Taozi was still young, but now she’s almost four. My mother-in-law says it’s time to have another child. Otherwise, if I get too old, I won’t be able to have one.”

Su Yue knew she couldn’t change this era’s obsession with sons over daughters. Every family had its own struggles that outsiders couldn’t meddle in. She could only offer a bit of comfort. “Maybe the third one will be a boy.”

Ma Cuiyun forced a smile, touched Su Yue’s belly, and sighed. “I hope you have a boy with your first. That way, you won’t have any pressure later.”

Su Yue waved her hand. “I don’t care about boys or girls. Honestly, girls are better. My Han Aiguo also likes daughters.”

“What about your mother-in-law?” Ma Cuiyun asked. “Would she be happy if you gave birth to a girl?”

“My mother-in-law gave birth to four sons in a row. She wanted a daughter but never had one, so she actually likes girls. Besides, both of Aiguo’s younger brothers already have sons. My mother-in-law has no shortage of grandsons.”

Ma Cuiyun looked envious. “That’s wonderful. You don’t have to feel any pressure at all.”

Su Yue silently agreed. She really was lucky that she didn’t have a difficult mother-in-law. Otherwise, endless family conflicts would be unavoidable.

Ma Cuiyun was quick with her hands and skilled with a needle. Within a few days, she had made the overalls according to Su Yue’s sketch. When Su Yue tried them on with a white shirt, the effect was surprisingly modern. The outfit looked almost identical to the overalls from later generations, stylish yet practical.

Even though Ma Cuiyun had never seen clothing like this before, she thought it looked neither strange nor out of place. On the contrary, it was elegant and, most importantly, perfectly suited for pregnant women.

Su Yue had originally planned the outfit out of necessity as she worried about not having suitable clothes when her belly grew larger. But making it early turned out to be the right decision, because before long, her belly swelled like an inflated rubber ball, round and firm like an upside-down pot.

Strangers who saw her assumed she was at least five or six months along, and when she told them she wasn’t even five months yet, no one believed her.

Not only had her belly grown, but her appetite had changed drastically. At first, she couldn’t eat much and would vomit almost everything, surviving only on sour radishes and sour plums. But once her belly swelled, it was as though her appetite had been unlocked. She no longer felt nauseous and on the contrary, the smell of food made her salivate, and she thought everything tasted delicious. She was like a greedy child who couldn’t get enough.

Han Aiguo was shocked by the transformation, especially when he saw her eat three full bowls of rice in one sitting. Before pregnancy, she could barely manage a bowl and a half, but now three large bowls seemed just right.

One night, when she was just reaching five months, Su Yue hit a new record. After eating three bowls of rice, she was still unsatisfied. She glanced at the pot longingly, but it was empty as she had eaten everything. Not only was she still hungry, but Han Aiguo hadn’t even eaten his fill.

Seeing her frustrated expression, Han Aiguo frowned, pulled her onto his lap, and rubbed her belly worriedly. “Is your stomach too full?”

Su Yue pursed her lips. She knew she shouldn’t, but she still wrapped her arms around his neck and complained pitifully. “Husband, I’m not full~ I’m still hungry~”

Han Aiguo was at a loss. “But you ate three bowls of rice and a large bowl of soup. Are you sure your stomach can handle it?”

Su Yue buried her face against his neck, feeling wronged. “I don’t understand it either. I eat and eat but still feel hungry. Am I a pig? Or maybe the baby in my belly is a big eater?”

Her words left Han Aiguo dumbstruck. He touched her round belly, and then looked at her thin limbs. She ate so much every day, yet not an ounce of fat stuck to her body, everything seemed to go straight to her stomach.

She was already slim to begin with, and now, carrying such a big belly, she looked almost fragile. He worried constantly that she might trip or fall.

But looking at her pitiful face now, his heart ached. Even if he knew she had eaten plenty, he couldn’t bear to let her feel hungry. Carefully setting her down on a chair, he rolled up his sleeves. “I’ll cook noodles for you.”

Su Yue nodded. “Make a little extra for yourself, or you won’t have enough. I already ate all the rice.”

When she later watched him quietly eating his share of noodles, Su Yue rubbed her belly and sighed. She really must be carrying a little glutton. Three meals a day weren’t enough anymore and sometimes she ate four or five times, with snacks in between. Thin foods didn’t satisfy her either; she needed solid meals, or else she’d wake up in the night too hungry to sleep.

When she realized that not even the food stamps from Han Aiguo’s salary plus her own cake money were enough, she grew ashamed. “Husband, what if I keep eating like this? We’ll run out of food stamps.”

Han Aiguo knew their rations had been stretched thin lately, but he only comforted her. “Don’t worry. What matters most is that you’re eating well now. If we run short, I can borrow some from my comrades. We’ll repay them later.”

Left with no choice, Su Yue thought about borrowing some from Xu Can’s family. They were well-off and should have spare food stamps.

After eating food, Su Yue patted her bulging belly in mock anger and scolded softly, “Look at you. Eating so much, you’re going to make us poor before you’re even born. If you keep this up, how will we afford to raise you after you come out? Can’t you eat a little less?”

As if offended, the baby kicked her sharply, making her belly bulge.

“Ow!” Su Yue yelped at the sudden kick.

Han Aiguo rushed over in alarm. “What’s wrong? Stomachache?”

Su Yue grabbed his hand and pressed it to her belly. “This little guy kicked me again. I just said something, and he’s already holding a grudge. What a stingy child.”

As if to prove her right, the baby delivered three consecutive kicks, drumming against her belly.

Han Aiguo felt the movement clearly under his palm and froze. Then, after a few seconds, he suddenly bent down and pressed his cheek to her stomach. The little one responded proudly, kicking his father right in the face.

Su Yue winced at the force, but this silly man only smiled gently, looking happier with each kick.

She couldn’t help shaking her head. This father was hopeless.

After listening for a while, Han Aiguo reluctantly pulled away, served her the noodles, and coaxed, “He’s only fussing because he’s hungry. Once you’re full, he’ll settle down.”

What else could Su Yue do? She lowered her head and dug into the giant bowl of noodles, eating until she finally felt satisfied. Sure enough, once she was full, the little one in her belly quieted down too.

But as soon as she relaxed, another worry surfaced. She sighed. “What if this little one turns out to be a girl? Wouldn’t such a greedy, noisy little girl have trouble getting married in the future?”

Han Aiguo pinched her nose, amused. “What nonsense. Liveliness is good. Girls shouldn’t be too quiet, or they’ll just get bullied by boys.”

Su Yue groaned. “It’s over… it’s over. Han Aiguo, you’re destined to be a daughter slave.”

He blinked in confusion. “What’s a daughter slave?”

Nestled in his arms, Su Yue explained with a laugh, “It means a father who dotes on his daughter too much. He spoils her, never scolds or disciplines her, and gives her the best of everything.”

Han Aiguo thought seriously, then nodded. “If she really is a cute little girl like you, I don’t think I’d be able to scold her either. A little girl is as delicate as you are so I wouldn’t bear to make her cry.”

Su Yue’s cheeks flushed.

Oh heavens. This man wasn’t even trying to flirt, yet his words were so heart-stoppingly sweet. She couldn’t take it.