Chapter 78: Celebrating the New Year and Good News

The next day was New Year’s Eve, an especially important day for the Chinese people. It was considered a day of reunion, marked by the all-important New Year’s Eve dinner.

The family ate breakfast as usual and went about their chores casually. After lunch, Su Yue began to get busy, preparing for the evening feast.

This was the first year their family celebrated alone in the army. It was rare that her husband was home, and now with two babies in the household, Su Yue felt deeply satisfied. She wanted to make this New Year lively and memorable.

However, since the two little ones were still too young to eat, only four adults would actually sit down to the New Year’s Eve dinner. The thought made the occasion feel slightly deserted. Su Yue remembered that Xu Can’s family also celebrated in the army, just the two of them and one child, which must have been even lonelier.

After discussing with Han Aiguo, she decided to invite Xu Can’s family to join them. Two families celebrating together would certainly make things more festive.

Since Sun Changfu had taken Ma Cuiyun and their children back home for family leave, there was no need to call them.

Xu Can’s eyes lit up when she heard the invitation, and she readily agreed. She too felt that a small family of three eating by themselves lacked the festive New Year’s atmosphere. Besides, being with Su Yue’s family meant good company and Su Yue’s cooking. That alone was a huge benefit.

Commander Yu had no objections. When he came, he brought along a bottle of liquor he had saved, intending to drink with Han Aiguo that evening. Xu Can, relieved she didn’t have to cook, carried over all the meat her family had prepared and handed it to Su Yue, asking her to cook it along with the rest. This made the night’s feast even richer.

Su Yue prepared a full table of dishes, each one fragrant and mouthwatering. The spread looked like a miniature Manchu-Han banquet. Even Xu Can and Commander Yu, who had grown up in well-off households, had never seen such an abundant New Year’s Eve dinner. They were both dumbfounded, practically drooling.

(The term Manchu–Han Imperial Feast refers to a style of cooking and a type of grand banquet that combines elements of Manchu and Han’s Chinese cuisine developed in the Qing dynasty of China.)

The children were no exception. Dabao and Xiaobao naturally caught the delicious scent and grew excited. Xiaobao, especially greedy by nature, stretched out his little arms toward the table and cried eagerly, his tiny mouth opening and closing, saliva pooling at the corners.

Old Lady Han quickly coaxed him while wiping his mouth. “Ah, little darling, you can’t eat this yet. Don’t be greedy. You’ll get to eat later.”

But of course, the little guy didn’t understand. His eyes remained glued to the dishes on the table, and he even licked his lips with his little tongue, looking utterly ravenous.

Dabao, sitting in Han Aimin’s arms, also stared at the dishes with his dark eyes, occasionally smacking his lips as though he too longed for a taste.

Su Yue was both amused and exasperated by her two greedy kittens. They were so young yet wanted to eat everything they saw. She worried her milk alone might not be enough to satisfy them soon and it seemed she would have to start them on complementary foods after the New Year.

Concerned that the children’s cravings might upset them, Su Yue let the others eat first while she carried Dabao and Xiaobao into the house to feed them.

Xiaobao, however, was clearly unwilling to give up on the delicious aromas outside. He kept opening his mouth and crying “Ahhh” at Su Yue, as if pleading, Mom, the food smells so good, please give me some.

Su Yue tapped his little nose and picked him up first. “You can’t eat this yet without teeth. Face reality, little fat one. Delicious food isn’t something you can imagine just yet. Be good, and drink your milk.”

“Ahhh…” Xiaobao protested twice, but the moment his mother’s milk touched his lips, his attention shifted. He immediately opened his mouth wide, drinking happily, soon forgetting the table of food he couldn’t have. While nursing, he entertained himself by tugging his chubby feet with his little hands, rubbing them against his face as though he were washing up with his own toes.

Xu Can came in to help hold Dabao, and when she saw Xiaobao’s antics, she nearly burst out laughing. “This little one is too funny.”

Su Yue noticed the envy and longing in her friend’s eyes. She knew Xu Can dearly wished for another child. She had been taking the supplement prescription for months without success, and Su Yue feared she might start losing hope. Wanting to comfort her, she said, “The soup I gave you before is effective. Just stick with it, and I’m sure you’ll have another child soon. Maybe you’ll even end up with boys like my two.”

At her words, Xu Can bit her lip, a strange light flashing in her eyes. Her expression looked a little unusual.

Sensing something, Su Yue quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?”

Xu Can hesitated, and then leaned closer, her voice trembling with a mix of excitement and anxiety. “I… Yue, my period hasn’t come. It’s already two days late.”

Su Yue froze, then her face lit up. “Really? Truly? Did you check your pulse? Did you try for yourself?”

Xu Can’s eyes glowed with suppressed excitement, but she kept her voice low. “I’m not sure yet. It’s only two days late, and even if I were pregnant, it’s still very shallow as you can’t tell from the pulse so soon. Sometimes a woman’s period is just a few days late. Mine has been delayed before too.”

Su Yue nodded. That was true. A woman’s cycle could shift even due to stress or mood changes.

She understood Xu Can’s state of mind. She must be thrilled, but at the same time afraid of disappointment.

Patting her friend’s shoulder, Su Yue asked gently, “Have you told Commander Yu?”

Xu Can shook her head. “Not yet. I’m not sure myself. I’m afraid of raising false hopes. Commander Yu wants another child as much as I do, but he’s never said it out loud because he doesn’t want me to feel bad. Instead, he always tells me one child is enough and too many would just be troublesome. But I know that’s not what he truly thinks. If he knew I might be pregnant, he’d be even more excited than me. And if it turned out I wasn’t, he’d be even more disappointed than me.”

Su Yue agreed. “You’re right. Better not to tell him until you’re sure. If your period still doesn’t come in a few more days, then it’s very likely you are pregnant. You can tell him then and give him a surprise.”

Xu Can took a deep breath, trying to suppress her rising joy. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. If it really works this time, I’ll owe you so much. The prescription you gave me must have been truly effective.”

Su Yue smiled. “No need to thank me. You’ve helped me so much too. Don’t be polite with me.”

Xu Can didn’t argue, but in her heart she silently made a promise. If she was truly pregnant this time, she would never forget Su Yue’s kindness. This favor was too great and more than a simple help between friends.

—-

Celebrating the New Year in the army was nothing like celebrating it back in Su Yue’s hometown, where relatives constantly came and went, filling the days with liveliness. Here, there were no relatives but just the quiet rhythm of eating, drinking, and caring for the babies at home.

The New Year had begun again, and with it, school reopened. Han Aimin once more had to take the train back to his hometown for classes. This time, Su Yue and Old Lady Han brought Dabao and Xiaobao along to see him off.

Although the twins were still young, they had already grown close to their uncle during this period. Especially since Aimin often played with them, the bond between them was strong. The boys liked him so much that even at the train station, they insisted on being held and played with just like at home. But this time, instead of picking them up, their uncle walked into a strange place without bringing them along. The two children suddenly panicked, stretching their arms toward him and crying out.

When the train began to move, and their uncle grew smaller and smaller in the distance, the boys actually burst into tears, as though they truly understood the pain of separation.

Han Aimin leaned out of the carriage window, waving vigorously. When he saw his little nephews crying, the fifteen-year-old’s own eyes reddened. He wiped at them with his sleeve, trying to hold back tears.

The sight made Su Yue’s heart ache. Aimin was still only half a child himself, yet he had to travel alone on long train rides and study in his hometown without his mother nearby. At most, he could only visit them twice a year. He never complained, always appearing sensible, but Su Yue knew his life there could not be easy. With Han’s second and third daughter-in-law watching over him, how well could he truly be cared for?

In that moment, Su Yue suddenly wanted to transfer Aimin to a school nearby so they could look after him. Moreover, she knew that in a few years the country would restart the college entrance examinations. When that time came, education would surely receive renewed emphasis, and high schools everywhere would resume proper courses. If Aimin could attend a high school in the provincial capital here, with effort he might even have a chance at entering a good university.

But for that to happen, they would need at least a house in the city. Fortunately, housing prices were still quite cheap.

Countless thoughts flashed through Su Yue’s mind, but one decision crystallized clearly, she had to buy a house.

—

The days afterward returned to routine. The only real difference was that Dabao and Xiaobao had grown older, and with age their appetites had grown too. Feeding alone was no longer enough to satisfy their cravings.

Xiaobao especially seemed insatiable. Whenever he saw an adult eating, his eyes lit up, and he tried to grab a bite for himself. Dabao was gentler, but his eager gaze was equally impossible to ignore. Su Yue and Old Lady Han often had no choice but to hide in corners to eat in secret, fearful of being caught by the two greedy little ones.

So after the New Year, when the children were nearly six months old, Su Yue decided it was time to officially introduce complementary foods to satisfy their appetites.

At first, she prepared only thin rice cereal, bland and tasteless, but even so, the twins were thrilled. When she brought the spoon to their mouths, they opened wide like little kittens waiting to be fed.

Su Yue first offered Xiaobao a small spoonful. He opened his mouth wide and swallowed the entire portion, waiting until every last bit slid down before spitting out the spoon. Then he opened his mouth again and cried out, clearly signaling for more.

Su Yue looked at him in disbelief and asked Old Lady Han, “Mom, have you ever seen such a greedy child? Our family isn’t poor nor we treated him badly, so why is he so greedy?”

Old Lady Han laughed, unable to stop watching the little one’s antics. “This boy has a good appetite. He’ll probably grow taller than his father someday.”

Xiaobao grew anxious when no one fed him right away. He kicked his legs against his grandmother, pointed insistently at the rice, and babbled urgently.

Su Yue ignored him for the moment and turned to Dabao, who was already waiting with his mouth politely open. Dabao ate more reservedly than his brother, at least not gulping the entire spoon down in one go. But once he swallowed, he too opened his mouth for more, just like Xiaobao.

Watching the two identical little boys making the same gestures, Su Yue thought helplessly, They’re both greedy cats. One just shows it more openly, the other hides it a little better. Neither is any different from the other.

In the end, the twins took turns with the spoon and managed to finish an entire large porcelain bowl of rice cereal between them. Even then, they remained unsatisfied; their mouths still open toward Su Yue in demand.

Su Yue sighed in despair. Raising two such big eaters felt nearly impossible, how was she supposed to feed them in the future?

She waved her hands at them. “That’s enough for now. Mama will make you some paste tonight. You can’t eat any more now; you’ve already had plenty.”

But Xiaobao grew anxious again. He pointed his chubby finger toward the kitchen and babbled insistently, his dark eyes full of longing. Dabao too turned his gaze toward the kitchen.

Old Lady Han chuckled in amazement. “These boys are really clever. They already know where food comes from and even how to urge you into the kitchen. How can they be so smart at such a young age?”

Su Yue pressed her forehead, muttering, “I just hope they’ll be as smart about their studies in the future as they are about food.”

To distract them, she and Old Lady Han brought out toys. Gradually, the twins forgot their hunger and played until they tired themselves out, then fell asleep together.

While the boys napped, Old Lady Han busied herself with housework, and Su Yue hurried into the kitchen to make a cake. A relative of Xu Can’s had ordered one two days earlier, and she had to finish it in time.

As she worked, a sudden knock came at the door. Old Lady Han opened it to find Xu Can, who barely greeted her before rushing straight into the kitchen.

She threw her arms around Su Yue’s waist, startling her.

“Sister Xu Can, what are you doing?” Su Yue asked, bewildered. “Are you here to pick up the cake? That’s not until tomorrow. I’m only just making it, it’s not ready yet.”

Xu Can shook her head, still hugging her tightly. After a long moment, she let go, her eyes bright with barely contained joy. “Su Yue, thank you, thank you so much!” she said, voice trembling with excitement.

In a flash, Su Yue realized what she meant. Her eyes widened, a smile spreading across her face. “Could it be…?”

Tears welled in Xu Can’s eyes as her smile shone with happiness. “Yes. I had it checked, it’s certain! I’m one month along.”

Su Yue quickly washed her hands and embraced her friend, patting her back. “That’s wonderful! You finally got what you wanted!”

Xu Can’s tears spilled over as she choked out, “Su Yue, I can’t thank you enough. I thought I’d never have another child in this life. I’d already given up, but I never expected… I’m really pregnant.”

Su Yue wiped her tears gently. “All right, this is a joyous occasion. You should be smiling, not crying.”

Xu Can sniffled and laughed sheepishly through her tears. “I’m just too happy.”

Su Yue smiled knowingly. “I’m guessing you haven’t told Commander Yu yet. Go back and give him the surprise. He’ll be overjoyed.”

Realizing she hadn’t told her husband, Xu Can nodded eagerly. “You’re right, I haven’t told him yet. I’ll go back now!”

Su Yue waved her off warmly. “Go on, tonight is a blessed day for your family.”

Xu Can left with a radiant smile, her whole being glowing with joy.

Watching her go, Su Yue’s own smile faded into melancholy, not because of her friend’s happiness, but because of her own circumstances.

She had just given birth to two mischievous little ones, and she and Old Lady Han were already run ragged caring for them. The thought of another child in the near future terrified her; the household would be overwhelmed. She needed to take precautions.

But Han Aiguo was so fierce in his passion, demanding her every day and exhausting her each time. It was dangerous, she couldn’t let things continue this way. Since giving birth, she had insisted he stay outside every time, but she knew this method wasn’t reliable. One slip, one accident, and the consequences would be disastrous. Their family would be driven into chaos.

Su Yue shivered just imagining it. Do hospitals even have condoms now? If so, I should buy some. That would be safest. Otherwise, perhaps I’ll have to ask Xu Can, even if it’s embarrassing.

But before she had the chance to gather the courage to ask, Xu Can unexpectedly appeared again and this time, she didn’t come alone. She brought an entire group with her.

That day, the courtyard bustled with commotion. Women and elders with nothing better to do poured out to watch the spectacle. For no other reason than this that Xu Can had arranged for Su Yue to receive a brand-new sewing machine.