Su Grandma, who had cooked for her large family for a lifetime, had nimble hands and feet.
Because Su Manxiu was pregnant, she was full of energy, kneading dough and chopping filling with great efficiency.
With Chen Zi'an helping, the speed was even faster.
When Su Manxiu offered to help, they both shooed her away.
"You go rest. It's just a small matter, Mother and I will handle it," Chen Zi'an said, pushing Su Manxiu out.
Su Xiaotian watched the two interact, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.
Su Grandma was exceptionally generous today, making pure white dumplings filled with plenty of meat. The round dumplings looked delightful.
The plump, white dumplings were taken out of the pot after three boils, their rich aroma filling the air.
The dumplings were placed on the table in the living room. Su Manxiu's craving intensified, and she couldn't help but lick her lips.
"Mother, they smell delicious!"
"You child, I've never seen you look so eager before," Su Grandma said with a smile.
But as she smiled, tears began to fall.
Among her children, she had neglected Su Manxiu the most.
It was because this daughter had been sensible since childhood, never causing her mother any worry. Over time, she had overlooked her.
"Zi'an, seeing how well you treat Xiu'er, I'm relieved. You don't know, but among all the children, Xiu'er is the one I owe the most. She didn't have a good childhood, so you must treat her well in the future."
Su Grandma became more distressed as she spoke, tears streaming down her face.
"Mother, why are you crying?"
Seeing Su Grandma suddenly shed tears, Su Manxiu forgot about her craving for dumplings and quickly grabbed her mother's hand to ask.
"It's nothing, nothing, I'm just happy!" Su Grandma wiped away her tears.
"Xiu'er, Mother is happy, my daughter can have a baby!"
This sentence was repeated many times by Su Grandma.
Su Xiaotian felt that her grandmother must have wanted to say these things for a long time today, but felt embarrassed because her eldest aunt couldn't have children. Now that her eldest aunt was pregnant, Grandma felt more confident.
After lunch, Su Grandma urged them to go shopping quickly, saying they had to return home that evening.
Chen Zi'an quickly said, "Mother, you and Third Brother and Xiaotian should stay here for one night, and someone will take you back tomorrow."
"The commune's ox cart will return later, and we'll be home before dark. Why should we stay at your place?" Su Grandma waved her hands repeatedly.
She felt uncomfortable staying at her daughter's house; it was better to go home.
Besides, she had to hurry home to make her old man happy too!
"Mother, I still want to eat your cooking," Su Manxiu said with a smile. "I didn't get enough of your long noodles when I was a child, and now I want to eat them."
Hearing her daughter wanted to eat her cooking, Su Grandma stopped talking about returning.
When Xiu'er was young, their family's conditions were poor. It was a rare treat to have good food, and she always let her brothers and sister have more, so she ate the least.
Now that she wanted to eat this, a mother couldn't refuse.
"I'll knead the dough for you later. I'll knead more dough and roll it out thinly for you to cut. You can dry it yourself and cook it when you want to eat it," Su Grandma said in a very kind tone.
After speaking, she sighed and said, "If you were like this when you were little, you wouldn't have suffered. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Mother knows she treated you unfairly, but the family was poor back then, there was nothing we could do!"
"Mother, aren't things good now? I'm living well, I don't lack white flour, and I can eat white rice," Su Manxiu quickly comforted her mother.
"Mother, don't worry, I won't let Xiu'er be wronged. I'll definitely ensure she eats well and lives well," Chen Zi'an also quickly pledged.
"I know Xiu'er is living well now, but as a mother, I still feel I've wronged her!" Su Grandma wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"Grandma, Eldest Aunt suffered when she was little, and now she's living well, and she'll have an even better life in the future!" Su Xiaotian felt very sad seeing Su Grandma like this and tried to comfort her.
"Alas, my sweet treasure says Eldest Aunt will have a good life, and she will surely have a good life," Su Grandma said, hugging Su Xiaotian.
"This child has been lucky since childhood," Su Manxiu also said with a smile. "I feel that my current life is also the good fortune that Xiaotian brought me."
"Grandma, Eldest Aunt, I want to go to the supply and marketing cooperative," Su Xiaotian said with a smile, not wanting the atmosphere at home to be so oppressive.
"Okay, we'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative, and also to the department store," Su Manxiu immediately agreed.
"Third Brother, go to the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative later and tell Old Li that we won't be going back tonight."
"You took Xiaotian with you in the morning. I heard that Granny Wang has come to the county town, and the commune's ox cart is going to the county town, so I came along. We agreed to return together at 3:30 PM at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative."
Su Laosan then understood why his mother had arrived so promptly; she had come with Granny Wang.
"Mother, we were going to the supply and marketing cooperative anyway," Su Manxiu reminded with a smile, tears in her eyes.
In such cold weather, her mother was wearing a cotton coat that was many years old. She must have been freezing on the ox cart the whole way.
Su Grandma patted her head and said, "Look at me, I'm getting confused. Then we'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative later."
Chen Zi'an had work at his unit and went to attend to it in the afternoon.
Su Manxiu had already taken leave, so she didn't go to work either and accompanied Su Grandma and the others for shopping.
When they went out, she took out some of the coupons the family had saved. When they arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, she realized her mother had many more coupons than she did.
"Mother, where did the family get so many coupons?" Su Manxiu asked.
"What you need to know, you know. What you don't need to know, don't ask. Your brothers and sisters-in-law never asked."
Su Manxiu looked at her third brother, who nodded.
He was also curious where so many coupons came from.
Su Manxiu remembered the coupons and money her mother gave her when she married Chen Zi'an, and knowing there was a secret, she stopped asking.
Su Grandma was indeed there for some serious shopping. She bought many different kinds of things, from food to clothing.
Su Manxiu noticed that most of the things she bought were for the New Year and for the children at home, and she hadn't bought anything for herself. So, she bought a smock for Su Grandma and one for Grandpa Su.
She originally wanted to buy cotton-padded jackets, but Su Grandma said it was already the twelfth lunar month, and the weather would warm up after the first lunar month, so buying cotton-padded jackets would be a waste.
She also said that the family had been allocated cotton this year, and they could make their own warm cotton-padded jackets.
In the end, Su Manxiu could only buy them smocks.
Afterward, Su Manxiu also got a lot of cloth, saying she would make clothes for her sisters-in-law.
"If you have cloth coupons, make a set of clothes for yourself. The baby is coming soon, so you need to prepare. Your sisters-in-law have clothes to wear," Su Grandma quickly refused.
"Zi'an wears uniforms, so we saved a lot of cloth coupons. It's just right to buy cloth for my sisters-in-law to make clothes, as a token of appreciation from me and Zi'an," Su Manxiu said with a smile. "My sisters-in-law are good to me and to Father and Mother, and I'm grateful to them."
It had to be said that Su Manxiu was a person who knew how to conduct herself. With the cloth coupons, she didn't think of making clothes for her brothers first, but for her sisters-in-law.
"It's thoughtful of you, child, and it's not a loss for your sisters-in-law's kindness," Su Grandma sighed.
If it were her youngest daughter, she would only complain about not getting enough support, let alone think of these things.
Su Grandma remembered Su Manxiu wanting to eat long noodles and immediately washed her hands to knead the dough when she returned home.
She had been a renowned skilled wife since she was young, especially skilled at making long noodles.
Long noodles are actually hand-pulled noodles cut finely and served with a savory sauce.
Locals make long noodles during the New Year to entertain guests, symbolizing frequent visits.
Although long noodles sound simple, they are not easy to make.
Good long noodles are chewy and smooth to eat, with unbroken strands.
The water for kneading the dough should be warm boiled water mixed with a little refined salt or alkali.
The ratio of water to flour varies for each person, and the resulting dough also differs. Su Grandma was an expert.
When any family in Hongxin Brigade was getting married or having a daughter's wedding, they would always ask Su Grandma to help make long noodles.
For so many years, Su Grandma had never failed at kneading dough.
By just pinching it with her hands, Su Grandma knew if the dough was kneaded well and how long it needed to rest, all based on experience.
Su Grandma skillfully kneaded, shaped, and finally kneaded the dough.
"I'm getting old. I'm sweating just kneading this little bit of dough!"
"Mother, let me do it!" Su Laosan quickly said.
Su Grandma looked at her son and nodded, "Alright, I'll watch from the side while you knead the dough."
Su Laosan was strong. Under Su Grandma's guidance, he quickly kneaded the dough.
At this point, the dough was elastic, moderately soft and firm, smooth, and did not stick to the hands.
"Laosan, put the dough in a basin and cover it to let it rest. Go see if your sister's family has any chores and help them out."
"Yes! I understand, Mother!" Su Laosan quickly responded.
While the dough was resting, Su Grandma began to make the meat sauce. There was still plenty of meat left from the morning. Su Grandma cut the meat into small cubes and then stir-fried it.
After the meat sauce was stir-fried, the dough had also rested. Su Grandma then began to roll out the noodles.
This was even more skillful work.
The dough for long noodles should be rolled into a square shape. Some people couldn't do it and ended up rolling it into a circle.
The ones Su Grandma rolled out were always square.
Finally, it was time to cut the noodles. Su Grandma cut them thinly and evenly. When spread out, each strand was distinct, thin, and unbroken.
Su Grandma rolled and cut all the noodles in one go, leaving aside what they would eat that night and drying the rest.
Su Manxiu stood by watching the entire time, and Su Xiaotian also watched with great interest.
In her previous life, with the advent of noodle machines, this traditional craft gradually fell out of use.
Having been reborn, Su Xiaotian was very interested in watching Su Grandma make long noodles.
"Mother, you must be tired. Please rest for a while."
"What is this? The noodles were kneaded by your third brother, and I didn't exert myself much," Su Grandma said with a smile. "The noodles are rolled and cut by Mother, and the meat sauce is also stir-fried. You can cook them yourself when you want to eat them."
In the evening, when Chen Zi'an returned home, he indeed ate the fragrant long noodles.
The aroma of the meat sauce and eggs filled the small room, attracting even the neighbors.
If Chen Zi'an wasn't usually so reserved, someone might have come over to mooch a meal.
"Mother, your noodles are delicious!" Chen Zi'an said after eating four bowls in one go.
"We're happy that you like them," Su Grandma said cheerfully.
Su Xiaotian also ate her second bowl. She couldn't help it; long noodles are served with a lot of soup and less noodles, so one bowl wasn't enough for her.
"Is my darling also craving them? When we get home, Grandma will knead more dough, and we'll eat our fill during the New Year," Su Grandma said dotingly to her little granddaughter.
The next day, Chen Zi'an was still busy. He sent the driver to take Su Grandma's family home.
Everyone at home was startled to learn that Su Manxiu was pregnant.
When she married into the Wang family, she didn't have children for many years. How long had it been since she married Chen Zi'an? How could she be pregnant?
"My goodness, Sister Taohua said earlier that the child in the young widow's belly wasn't Wang Gouzi's, and I didn't believe her." Wang Xianghua patted her thighs and said.
"Taohua said that earlier?" Su Grandma asked in surprise.
"Sister Taohua said she inquired and that the young widow had good relationships with several people. The child was most likely not the Wang family's. I didn't believe it, so I didn't say anything when I got home."
Wang Xianghua thought at the time that it was better not to mention Wang Gouzi's sordid affairs, so as not to upset the family.
Qi Liangying smiled and said, "It's a good thing they divorced due to a misunderstanding, otherwise our sister's life would have been ruined."
"Big Sister is getting old, and it's hard to get pregnant. I don't know if Brother-in-law will take care of her!" Liang Xiu said worriedly.
Chen Zi'an was a man, and a rough soldier at that. He probably wasn't good at taking care of people.
"How about I go take care of her?" Su Grandma said, unable to think of anything else.
Grandpa Su said, "Don't go. If they need anything, they'll ask us."
After all, she was a married daughter. What would it look like if they went to them proactively?
Su Grandma nodded.
"Mother, our family has a lot of millet allocated this year. Why don't we keep it to help Big Sister with her confinement?" Qi Liangying asked.
If it were before, Qi Liangying, with her own selfish thoughts, would definitely have been reluctant.
But now that Su Manxiu had married an official, improving their relationship would also be beneficial to their own family.
Besides, the family wasn't lacking in grain now, and her parents-in-law had said that they had saved some money for the children's weddings, so she had nothing to be reluctant about.
Even the most stingy Qi Liangying had spoken up, and the carefree Wang Xianghua and the generous Liang Xiu had no objections.
Su Grandma was very pleased with the generous behavior of her daughters-in-law and repeatedly said that the Su family was blessed to have such good daughters-in-law.
"Oh, look at me, I'm so happy I almost forgot. Your sister bought a set of clothes for each of you. Take them back and make them yourselves," Su Grandma said, rummaging through her bag and taking out several pieces of floral fabric for the three daughters-in-law.
"Big Sister just got married, she should wear better clothes. Why did you give them all to us?" Liang Xiu said, touching the fine fabric.
This was much better than the cloth woven in the countryside. They would surely look good made into clothes!
The other two also quickly said they couldn't accept them.
"Xiu'er bought them, so don't be polite. When the New Year comes, you can all wear new clothes when you visit your mother's home, and it will be respectable," Su Grandma said happily.
Only then did the daughters-in-law stop talking.
Su Lao Er asked, "Mother, did Sister only give clothes to the three sisters-in-law? Not to the three brothers?"
Su Grandma glared at him and said, "How many cloth coupons does your sister have? These were all saved by your brother-in-law. You're a grown man, why do you need to wear such nice clothes?"
Su Lao Er was scolded by his mother and retreated a step, folding his hands and not daring to speak.
"Old man, this is what your daughter bought for you. And these few pieces are for the children..."