The Daily Life of a Stepmother in the 1980s
Zhao Linan was very happy. He didn’t even know what it meant to celebrate a birthday. Back when they were in Wensheng, Zhao’s mother shared the same mindset as most people—thinking that as long as a child had enough to eat and warm clothes to wear, it was good enough.
Celebrating birthdays wasn’t something they would deliberately do.
Moreover, Zhao Linan’s birthday was also the death anniversary of his biological mother. In the countryside, this was considered taboo, and besides, the child wasn’t old enough to remember such things.
But today, Xu Tao told him it was his birthday. Seeing his mother buying him so many little toys and some educational books, he grinned happily all the way home.
Before even reaching the door, he proudly showed off, “Brother Shitou, look at my car!”
The little boy shook the toy car in his hand and, without even stepping into the house, started sharing it with his older brothers and sisters.
“Wow! Linan, your mom is so nice,” He Hua said enviously as she looked at Zhao Linan’s little toy car and tin frog toy.
“Yeah! My mom never buys me toys,” Shitou and a few other boys also looked on with envy.
Honestly, all the kids in the alley were quite envious of Zhao Linan. His mother was beautiful and gentle, often cooked delicious food, bought him toys, and even told him bedtime stories.
She was simply like a fairy mother!
“Yes, my mom is great.” Linan nodded proudly in agreement.
Although today was only his third birthday, Linan had always been smart. Hearing his friends praise his mother naturally made him happy and proud, that was his very own mother!
Xu Tao had bought her child a bunch of toys, and seeing him immediately play and share them with his friends after getting home didn’t bother her at all. After tidying up the small living room, she went into the kitchen to make a birthday cake for Zhao Linan.
It’s a birthday! How could there not be a cake? In this era, cakes couldn’t just be bought casually on the street. Xu Tao had experience making pastries and cakes. Once she got home, she began preparing everything, whipping cream and baking the cake base.
By around one or two in the afternoon, the milky aroma of the cake base drifted out of the house. The scent was even stronger than that of sweet potato snacks. The group of children in the alley was stunned and rushed to Zhao’s front door, sniffing the air deeply.
Zhao Linan joined in, sniffing along with them, looking particularly adorable as the group of kids imitated him.
“Linan, what delicious thing is your mom making again?” Shitou sniffed enviously at the sweet, milky fragrance. After confirming that the smell was coming from Zhao Linan’s house, he turned to ask Linan, his mouth watering with envy.
He really wanted to eat it! That sweet smell was too tempting.
“Mom is making cake.” Zhao Linan didn’t know what cake was either, nor had he ever eaten it.
But when Xu Tao took him to buy toys, she had said she would make him a cake. The little boy remembered this and now smiled brightly as he spoke.
“What’s a cake? Is it tasty?”
“It must be! Cake must be made of eggs. How could something made of eggs not be tasty?” Shitou, being older and gluttonous, knew how precious eggs were. Although he didn’t know exactly what cake was, just hearing the word "egg" made him think it must be delicious.
It had to be something tasty made from eggs!
“Besides, do you think something that smells this good could taste bad?” Shitou lifted his little head, sniffing eagerly, completely enchanted by the sweet, creamy scent.
He really wanted to try that cake!
“Linan, could you share a bit of that cake with us?” a boy named Wang Yang quietly asked.
“Mm, I’ll share.” Zhao Linan wasn’t stingy at all when it came to food or toys. Maybe it was because Xu Tao herself was generous, and the little boy naturally followed in her footsteps.
“Thank you!” The four or five kids, even though they hadn’t tasted the so-called cake yet, immediately thanked him when they heard his response.
“You’re welcome.” Zhao Linan nodded happily, then put down his toy car and ran back into the house.
Since his friends had thanked him, he figured he should ask his mom if they could eat the cake.
The group of kids stood by the door, watching Zhao Linan run inside. They knew he was going to ask for some food, and suddenly, the toys didn’t seem as appealing. They all gathered near the entrance, sniffing deeply at the overwhelmingly sweet aroma in the air.
“That wasteful woman, that little vixen! Always fooling around! Sooner or later, she’ll suffer for it!” Old Lady Lin from next door was cursing again. Ever since Xu Tao’s family moved in, her beloved grandson, Lin Xiaoqiang, had been crying every other day.
Old Lady Lin was constantly driven mad by his crying and could only secretly curse Xu Tao at home.
Meanwhile, Zhao Linan happily ran into the house. The little boy grabbed Xu Tao’s skirt and looked up, saying, “Mom.”
“Hmm? What is it?” Xu Tao was still struggling to whip the cream, her hands sore from the effort, while the cake base was steaming in the stove.
“I’m hungry. I want to eat,” the little boy said with a big smile.
Xu Tao heard the child say he was hungry and asked, "Why are you suddenly hungry? How about mom washes an apple for you to eat?"
"Okay, but let's share it," the child nodded, not minding that he couldn't have cake. He then pointed outside the yard with his small hand. "Mom, it smells so good."
Following the child's gesture, Xu Tao saw a group of children in the alley and guessed that the child was probably tempted by the cake being steamed in the kitchen. She smiled and nodded.
Today was the little one's birthday, and they had agreed to invite the Ye family over for dinner to celebrate. Xu Tao had gone out to buy groceries and some fruit.
"Got it." Xu Tao stopped working on the cream, took two apples, cut them into many slices, and placed them on a plate to hand to the child. "Take this and share it with your little friends."
"Okay, thank you, mom." Zhao Linan smiled and happily took the plate, walking cheerfully to the door.
A group of children, including Shitou, waited at the door. Seeing Zhao Linan come out with a plate, their eyes lit up.
"Wow! Apples!" said one child who had eaten apples before.
"Huh? What's an apple?" asked another child curiously, having never tried one.
Shitou, being the oldest and the leader among the kids, was experienced in distributing snacks. Every time Zhao Linan brought out something, it was Shitou who divided it fairly.
Xu Tao always prepared enough, cutting the two apples into equally sized pieces so that every child in the alley could have two small slices.
"Crunchy and tasty!"
"Yes, delicious and sweet!"
The children cheerfully munched on the apples while Xu Tao continued whipping the cream. With the Ye family coming over for dinner, she had to prepare the dishes, so she hurried to finish whipping the cream.
Due to limited resources, Xu Tao had to make the entire cake by herself. Her arms ached from whipping the cream, but she was happy when it finally turned out well. Once the cake base was steamed, she spread the cream and decorated it with nicely cut apple pieces, completing the cake.
Not long after the cake was done, Zhao Weiguo returned from work.
Xu Tao felt a bit regretful; had she known Zhao Weiguo would come back early, she would have let him handle the cream, saving her sore arms.
"This looks nice." Zhao Weiguo had read about birthday cakes being popular in Western countries but had never tasted one. He didn't expect Xu Tao to make such a realistic-looking cake.
"Don't touch it!" Xu Tao, seeing Zhao Weiguo reaching out, slapped his hand away to protect the cake she worked hard on.
Zhao Weiguo withdrew his hand, looking sulky.
Xu Tao didn't have time to rest. She had to cook and handle the chopping, and on top of that, she had to watch over the wood stove to ensure the fire was just right.
"You're back at the right time. Watch the fire for me and clean the fish." Xu Tao instructed Zhao Weiguo without hesitation.
"Okay." Zhao Weiguo agreed and took the fish outside to clean.
After cleaning the fish, Zhao Weiguo returned to the kitchen and saw Xu Tao preparing a feast. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
"That kid is lucky!" Zhao Weiguo muttered.
Xu Tao always denied spoiling the child, but Zhao Weiguo knew she genuinely cared for Zhao Linan. No one in the alley suspected Xu Tao was Zhao Linan's stepmother due to her deep affection.
"Exactly!" Xu Tao smiled. "I want Linan to be a happy child. If he's happy, so am I."
Xu Tao used to not understand why mothers revolved around their children. But after having Zhao Linan, she realized how naturally maternal love could flourish.
Around 4 p.m., Ye Zhenhua and his wife Wu Hui arrived with their daughter Ye Xiaohua, carrying two kilos of rock sugar and a box of expensive butter cookies.
"Brother Ye, Sister-in-law Ye, you really didn't have to bring anything!" Xu Tao greeted them warmly.
"It's just a little something," Wu Hui replied politely. "We wanted to invite you over for a meal, but you two have been so busy. Now we ended up coming here first."
"We don't know many people around here. Having more people makes Linan's birthday more lively. Besides, we invited you for dinner, so how could we let you spend money?" Xu Tao genuinely appreciated Wu Hui's thoughtful gift, knowing how expensive cookies were.
"It's nothing, just some snacks for the child," Wu Hui smiled and put down her daughter. "We saw Linan playing outside. You have so many boys in this alley!"
Wu Hui, who was fond of boys, noticed the group of playful kids. Zhao Linan, although well integrated with the group, still stood out with his clean appearance.
Xu Tao didn't dwell on polite refusals. Guests bringing gifts was a kind gesture, and excessive politeness would spoil the atmosphere.
"Yes, there are many children around here," Xu Tao smiled and asked, "Where are your three daughters, Xiaoqin, Xiaoqi, and Xiaoshu? Didn't they come along?"
"It's enough for Old Ye and me to go. There's no reason for the whole family to tag along just for a meal," Wu Hui said as she gently touched her youngest daughter's cheek.
If it weren't for the fact that her youngest daughter needed care, she wouldn't have brought her along either. "The other sensible girls at home still need to work on stringing bead flowers, so I let them stay home and eat there."
Although Xu Tao knew this was a common practice, she couldn't help but feel sorry for those sensible girls.
She understood that this was how things were in this era, parents would be criticized for bringing children along when going out to eat, but the children left at home were quite pitiful too. Xu Tao genuinely couldn't bear it. She really liked those girls; obedient and sensible girls always evoked affection.
"Sister-in-law, why don't you bring Xiao Qin and the others over for dinner too? I've prepared a lot of dishes and even made a birthday cake. It would be wasteful if we can't finish it. Besides, it's hot these days, and food can't be kept overnight," Xu Tao earnestly suggested to Wu Hui.
She wanted those girls to come over for a proper meal rather than casually solving dinner by themselves at home.
"No need, no need. They can cook for themselves," Wu Hui waved her hand in refusal but asked Xu Tao, "How are the dishes coming along? Do you need me to lend a hand?"
"Sure!" Xu Tao agreed, though she felt uneasy inside.
"Old Ye, watch over Xiao Hua for a bit. I'll help my sister-in-law," Wu Hui said, handing her youngest daughter over to Ye Zhenhua.
After a month or two of rest, Ye Zhenhua's arm had healed enough to have the bandages removed and was mostly recovered. Though he couldn't handle heavy tasks yet, watching a child wasn't a problem.
Besides, the children in the Ye family were all well-behaved and didn't need much attention.
When Ye Zhenhua arrived, Zhao Weiguo had already left the kitchen and was sitting in the small living room chatting with him about all sorts of things.
Xu Tao was in the kitchen preparing a large spread of fish, meat, and vegetables. Since she had started preparations early, it wasn't too overwhelming.
"Weiguo, we're out of vinegar. I need it to stir-fry shredded potatoes. Can you go buy a bottle?" Xu Tao called Zhao Weiguo from the kitchen.
"Alright," Zhao Weiguo agreed and went out to buy vinegar. "Brother Ye, just relax here. I'll go get some vinegar."
After sending Zhao Weiguo off, Xu Tao returned to the kitchen to continue cooking. As the sky gradually darkened, the aroma of food grew stronger.
In the alley, the children playing around were almost ready to head home for dinner. On his way back with the vinegar, Zhao Weiguo also grabbed the birthday boy, Zhao Linan, and brought him home.
"Do you guys want to come to my house for dinner?" Zhao Weiguo asked the other kids while calling Zhao Linan home.
Since it was Zhao Linan's birthday and Xu Tao wanted to prioritize making the little one happy, Zhao Weiguo happily went along with making things lively and asked the children.
"Can we really come?" Shi Tou's eyes lit up instantly.
Since the afternoon, delicious smells had been drifting from Zhao Linan's house, making Shi Tou drool with hunger.
"Of course," Zhao Weiguo nodded.
"Then let's go!" Shi Tou immediately took the lead.
A big feast with tasty food, who wouldn't go?
"Alright, but go home and let your families know first," Zhao Weiguo reminded them.
Though he was a bit worried that so many kids might get noisy, Xu Tao had already invited the Ye family's girls, and Zhao Linan was always playing with these little friends in the alley. Since it was his birthday and Xu Tao wanted him to be happy, she wouldn't mind a few more kids making the house livelier.
Might as well make the whole day as festive as possible!
"Dad" The three Ye sisters, following behind Zhao Weiguo, entered the house. Seeing Ye Zhenhua inside, the eldest, Ye Xiaoqin, felt a bit scared and respectfully greeted him.
Earlier, Uncle Zhao had come to their house and invited them over for dinner. That's why they came, but Ye Xiaoqin was worried their parents might scold them.
"Why are you here? Didn't your mom tell you to cook and eat at home?" Ye Zhenhua was momentarily stunned to see his three daughters.
"I called them over," Zhao Weiguo replied to Ye Zhenhua.
Xu Tao had asked Zhao Weiguo to buy vinegar and also reminded him to bring the three girls over for dinner. Zhao Weiguo, understanding Xu Tao's caring nature and how much she cared for the girls, naturally followed through with her request.
Xu Tao had prepared plenty of food and disliked eating leftovers. Rather than letting the girls eat alone at home, it was more lively for everyone to eat together.
"Since you're here, help watch the stove in the kitchen," Ye Zhenhua, being a man, wasn't as sensitive as Wu Hui. Hearing Zhao Weiguo's explanation, he didn't question further.
Though he longed for a son, it didn't mean he didn't care for his daughters. It was uncommon for parents to bring their children along when visiting others, but since today was just a family dinner at the Zhao's, it was fine.
"Okay," Ye Xiaoqin nodded and headed to the kitchen.
"Mom," Ye Xiaoqin trembled as she called out to her mother, who was tending the fire.
Wu Hui looked up and saw her eldest daughter, along with Ye Xiaoqi and Ye Xiaoshu. She glanced back at Xu Tao.
Though in the kitchen, she overheard the living room conversation and realized Xu Tao had deliberately sent Zhao Weiguo to invite the girls. Understanding Xu Tao's kind intentions, Wu Hui nodded.
"There's not much to do here. Just keep your sisters from causing trouble," Wu Hui instructed.
"Alright," Ye Xiaoqin obediently replied.
She was quiet and always followed her parents' instructions.
"Sister-in-law, sorry for the trouble," Wu Hui said to Xu Tao after the girls left.
"More people make it lively!" Xu Tao smiled sincerely. She truly wanted the girls to join in. If today's dinner had been crowded, she might not have invited them, but with fewer guests and it being Zhao Linan's birthday, she wanted a stronger celebratory atmosphere.
"The dishes are almost ready. Sister-in-law, help me bring them to the table," Xu Tao said, glancing at the nearly finished fish soup and hearing the children's laughter from the living room.
Wu Hui agreed and quickly began serving. Meanwhile, the neighborhood children excitedly told their parents about being invited for Zhao Linan's birthday dinner. Since Zhao's family had often shared good food with them, some neighbors even brought vegetables or stools to help.
Soon, the food was on the table. The Old Eight Alley children, along with the Ye sisters, sat together. Xu Tao had borrowed an extra table so the adults sat at a small table and the children at a larger one.
Before eating, Xu Tao brought out a cake, adding a sense of ceremony as Zhao Linan made a wish and cut the cake. The meal was fun and lively.
Neither the neighborhood children nor the Ye sisters had experienced such a joyful birthday celebration before.
The birthday dinner was exceptionally lively. As the evening ended, parents came to take their kids home, though the children left reluctantly, excitedly sharing stories about the meal, singing the birthday song, and eating cake.
"Mom, I want a birthday like this next month!" Shitou tugged at his mother even before leaving Zhao's courtyard, unable to resist after seeing how fun Zhao Linan's birthday was.
"Mom, please!" Shitou clung to Fan Qiumei's hand, acting spoiled.
Today, they celebrated Zhao Linan's birthday, enjoying the most lavish dinner of the year and even having birthday cake. Shitou was incredibly envious.
Smack! Heavily pregnant at eight or nine months, Fan Qiumei led Shitou out of the Zhao house and slapped him on the head. "You're dreaming!"
When Fan Qiumei came to pick up her son, she noticed the large spread of dishes at the Zhao family and the nearly finished cake.
The Zhao family was well-off, willing to throw a big birthday party with a table full of food just for the children to have fun. However, in times like these, families struggled just to get by. Thinking about having such a birthday party was pure fantasy.
Fan Qiumei had wanted to hit Shitou when he first spoke, but restrained herself since they were still in the courtyard. Once they stepped out, she didn't hold back, ensuring Shitou had a proper childhood experience.
He wanted a birthday party? This was the day his mother suffered, and he wanted a celebration? Hmph!
"Mom!" Shitou held his head in frustration. "You're going to make me dumb!"
"You weren't smart to begin with," Fan Qiumei retorted. The mother and son exchanged jabs without any emotional burden.
Shitou felt wronged. Why was there such a difference in how sons were treated?
Many children who attended Zhao Linan's birthday felt the same way. That night, the whole neighborhood knew about Zhao Linan's celebration.
Ye Zhenhua and Wu Hui, after dinner, sighed as they walked home with their four children. They hadn't expected Xu Tao to go all out like this.
"Your sister-in-law is really generous!" Wu Hui originally thought it was just a dinner gathering but was surprised by the grand celebration and the beautiful cake. It was the first time in her life eating cake.
"Yeah," Ye Zhenhua agreed. Today's dinner surely cost a lot.
"She truly treats Zhao Linan well. If I didn't know Zhao Weiguo was remarried, I'd think she was his birth mother" Wu Hui had grown up under a stepmother's care, who wasn't overly harsh, but times were tough. Not starving was already fortunate.
Wu Hui's childhood was hard. By three or four, she was herding cattle, feeding chickens, and doing farm work. She never imagined a stepmother could be kinder than a biological one.
"Your sister-in-law is educated, earns money, and has high morals," Ye Zhenhua said. From conversations with Zhao Weiguo, he knew Xu Tao was a writer. Her happiness today partly came from receiving hundreds in manuscript fees from her well-received novel.
"Educated, huh!" Wu Hui, who barely finished half a semester of first grade, was envious. Young, pretty, educated, kind, and graceful—what a woman!
"Zhao Weiguo is really lucky to marry someone so good on his second marriage," Wu Hui sighed again.
Indeed, he was lucky to marry a young, pretty, and wealthy wife who treated his son well. That took luck.
Ye Zhenhua nodded in agreement, feeling a bit envious. Holding his third daughter's hand, he gazed thoughtfully at the dim alley ahead.
Ye Xiaoqin, holding her younger sister Ye Xiaoqi's hand, overheard their conversation. She was surprised to learn Aunt Xu Tao wasn't Zhao Linan's biological mother. Yet she treated him so well. In her hometown, a neighbor's stepmother treated her stepdaughter terribly, making her starve and work.
She had always thought stepmothers were bad, but now she realized not all were the same.
o0o
After dinner, everyone left. Xu Tao, exhausted from making cake and whipping cream all day, left the dishes for Zhao Weiguo to wash while she took a big bucket of water to bathe.
After bathing, Zhao Weiguo finished the dishes and bathed the excited Zhao Linan.
Xu Tao sat on the bed reading a niche book she bought from a bookstore.
"Mom!" Zhao Linan, freshly bathed in pajamas, excitedly jumped into Xu Tao's arms.
Still thrilled from the day's celebration, Xu Tao put down her book and held him, picking up a children's book to read together.
"Mom, I want another birthday tomorrow!" Zhao Linan chirped.
"Nope! One birthday a year only" Xu Tao smiled, pinching his nose.
Celebrating today cost over thirty yuan on groceries and cake ingredients. Thankfully, her manuscript fee arrived in time. Otherwise, she'd never splurge like this.
Even though she and Zhao Weiguo earned well, by the era's standards, they were considered wealthy. Their rent was only a bit over a hundred yuan a year.
Without her writing income, making three hundred yuan would be grueling, unlike Wu Hui, who had to string bead flowers all day for little return.
"Really? No more birthdays?" Zhao Linan's excitement deflated.
Xu Tao chuckled, stroked his head, and pointed to a word in the book. "What's this?"
"Newspaper"
"And this one?"
"Letter"
"Good job!" Xu Tao praised.
"Reward!" Zhao Linan grinned.
Xu Tao kissed his cheek. "There's your reward"
Satisfied, Zhao Linan giggled. Though he wanted more birthdays, he didn't insist when Xu Tao said no, which she appreciated.
"Mom"
"Hmm?" Xu Tao flipped the page.
"Brother Xiao Zhi said he wants to swap moms with me!" Zhao Linan whispered gleefully.
"Oh?" Xu Tao laughed. "Do you want to swap with him?"
"No! Mom is good"
"If I weren't, would you swap?"
"Nope, Mom is still good"
"Why is Brother Xiao Zhi's mom bad?" Xu Tao asked, hugging him onto her lap.
"Brother Xiao Zhi has no food and goes hungry." Zhao Linan pouted.
Xu Tao frowned as she listened, already guessing the reason. Xiao Zhi was a child from the Hu family, living in the last house on Lao Ba Alley. He was about five years old. His mother had married while working as a sent-down youth in the countryside years ago. After struggling for many years, she couldn't endure it any longer and married someone there.
Not long after she got married, the policy allowing sent-down youths to return to the city was implemented. She went through a lot of trouble to get a divorce and return to the city. However, not long after returning and before securing a stable job, she discovered she was pregnant.
She wanted to have an abortion but was told by the doctor that her health condition wasn't suitable for surgery and that it might be very difficult for her to conceive again.
With no other choice, she gave birth to the child and married into the Hu family at the end of the alley. The Hu family disliked Xiao Zhi and treated his mother, Zhou Yu, poorly.
Zhou Yu, struggling with her own hardships, gradually developed resentment towards Xiao Zhi, blaming him for everything. As a result, she often treated him harshly, either beating or scolding him.
Xu Tao vaguely remembered hearing about this from He Hua's mother, Yu Li, and couldn't help but feel pity for Xiao Zhi. Among all the children in the alley, he was undoubtedly the most unfortunate.
"If Xiao Zhi gege is hungry again in the future, Xiao Nan can bring him home. Mommy will cook for him, okay?" Xu Tao couldn't bear to see a child suffer so much.
Xiao Zhi's full name was Zhou Haizhi. Although he was already five years old, he was about the same height as the three-year-old Xiao Nan and even thinner and weaker, looking rather unhealthy. Every time Xu Tao saw him, her heart ached. This was why she often allowed Zhao Linan to share snacks with other children generously.
"Mhm!" Zhao Linan nodded in agreement. The little boy thought his mother was the best and puckered his lips, leaning toward Xu Tao's cheek. "Kiss kiss"
"Alright" Xu Tao leaned in.
The mother and son exchanged playful kisses before returning to reading their enlightenment books until Zhao Weiguo finished his bath and returned to the room.
"Time for bed" Zhao Weiguo reminded little Zhao Linan as soon as he entered.
Zhao Linan pouted and lay down. "Mommy, tell me a story"
Xu Tao put away the enlightenment books, quietly lay down, and began telling a story. She usually told common fairy tales. "What should we read today? 'The Little Mermaid'?"
"Mommy, you've already told that one" Zhao Linan, with his good memory, didn't like hearing repeated stories unless they hadn't been finished the previous day.
This left Xu Tao a bit helpless. A short story could last at most two days, and over time, the fairy tales she knew were nearly exhausted.
"Then how about 'Thumbelina'?" Xu Tao pondered for a while before thinking of another story.
"Mhm, I haven't heard that one yet" Zhao Linan nodded.
At his age, Zhao Linan didn't differentiate between male and female characters in stories. He enjoyed them all, with his only rule being no repeated tales.
After much effort, Xu Tao finally lulled him to sleep with the story. She sighed softly, "Looks like I need to buy more children's storybooks from the bookstore when I have time"
o0o