The Daily Life of a Stepmother in the 1980s
Xu Tao rarely scolded Zhao Linan. The little boy was obedient and clever. Aside from the time when they first moved to Yangcheng and he struggled to adapt, Zhao Linan hadn’t cried much since. Seeing him now, sobbing uncontrollably with tears streaming down his face, tugged at Xu Tao’s heartstrings.
"Mommy, Xiao Nan is good. Please don’t be mad at me" Zhao Linan whimpered through sobs, reaching his chubby little hands toward Xu Tao.
The poor child was terrified!
“Mommy isn’t angry with you. Please don’t cry, okay?” Xu Tao pulled him into her arms, gently wiping away his tears. Her heart ached to see him so upset.
Xu Tao quickly deduced why he was crying so bitterly. It likely had something to do with Zhou Yu scolding him earlier. After being yelled at by Zhou Yu and then sternly warned by Xu Tao, Zhao Linan must have thought she was also furious with him, which led to his meltdown.
“Mommy was just worried about you. Wasn’t I calling you earlier, telling you to watch where you were going and to slow down? But you didn’t listen, did you?” Xu Tao held the child close, patiently explaining.
“Mm-hmm” Zhao Linan nodded through teary eyes.
He knew he was wrong. He’d been so thrilled to drag the umbrella around that he didn’t notice when he bumped into someone. Xiao Zhi’s mom really was scary!
“Now think about it. If you’d listened to Mommy earlier, would you have bumped into Xiao Zhi’s mom?” Xu Tao continued softly.
“No” the little boy admitted with a nod.
From the moment he bumped into her, he knew he’d made a mistake. But fear had overwhelmed him, especially when Xu Tao sternly threatened to punish him when they got home. Zhao Linan had taken it seriously and hid under the bed, thinking that maybe he wouldn’t be found there.
Children often had a naive sense of hiding places.
“Xiao Nan, Mommy loves you and doesn’t want you to get hurt. If you fall and your hands, legs, or knees get hurt, it’ll make Mommy’s heart ache. Do you understand?” Xu Tao cupped his face gently and gave him a kiss.
“Mm-hmm, Mommy, Xiao Nan understands. Xiao Nan will be good from now on” Zhao Linan promised, wrapping his little arms tightly around her neck, as if trying to squeeze the life out of her.
“Alright, alright. Mommy knows. Don’t strangle me” Xu Tao laughed helplessly, letting him hug her as long as he wanted. After a while of coaxing and cuddling, she finally managed to cheer him up.
o0o
When Zhao Weiguo came home from work that evening, Zhao Linan had already returned to his lively self, dutifully feeding the chicks and cleaning up after them like a responsible little farmer.
“You’re back? Hurry up and deal with the eel” Xu Tao said as soon as Zhao Weiguo walked through the door. She had been craving it since noon but couldn’t muster the courage to prepare it herself. After waiting all afternoon, she didn’t even give her husband a chance to rest before dragging him to the kitchen.
“Eels? You bought some?” Zhao Weiguo raised an eyebrow when he saw the three large, wriggling eels in the basin.
“They’re great, but they’re tricky to cook.”
“Yes, I want stir-fried shredded eel tonight” Xu Tao said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Zhao Weiguo nodded. “Alright.”
Without hesitation, Zhao Weiguo got to work. He had a fearless streak when it came to handling animals, whether it was fish, chickens, or eels. He always cleaned and prepared them with precision.
“You’re amazing, Zhao Weiguo!” Xu Tao couldn’t help but praise him, giving him a thumbs up as she watched from the side.
Zhao Linan clung to her leg, chiming in, “Yes, Daddy, you’re so brave, killing dragons!”
“That’s an eel, not a dragon” Xu Tao corrected him, patting his head.
“But why not? Isn’t an eel the emperor’s brother? The emperor is a dragon, so his brother must be a dragon too” Zhao Linan argued with wide eyes, proudly explaining his reasoning.
To him, the eel looked like a dragon and even had a dragon-like name.
“Alright, don’t confuse Mommy. I’m already dizzy from your explanation” Xu Tao chuckled, letting him keep his playful fantasy.
Zhao Weiguo quickly finished cleaning the eels and expertly sliced them into fine strips. All Xu Tao had to do was prepare the seasonings and cook.
The stir-fried shredded eel was soon ready, its fragrant aroma filling the kitchen. Xu Tao poured sizzling hot oil over the dish, using lard for extra flavor. The eels were wild-caught, adding a rich and savory taste. When Zhao Weiguo and Zhao Linan each took a bite, their eyes widened in delight.
“Mommy, this is so delicious!”
“Yes, it’s incredibly tasty” Zhao Weiguo agreed, helping himself to another serving.
Thankfully, Xu Tao had the foresight to buy three eels. The family of three ate to their heart’s content, feeling fully satisfied.
After dinner, Xu Tao followed their usual routine, reading a storybook to Zhao Linan before bed.
“Mommy, won’t Xiao Zhi sleep here tonight?” Zhao Linan asked, recalling how happy he’d been waking up with a friend that morning.
Children naturally loved company, and Zhao Linan especially disliked being alone.
“No, Xiao Zhi is going home tonight” Xu Tao replied, tucking him in with a small blanket.
“Alright, then” Zhao Linan said with a hint of disappointment but quickly settled against her without dwelling on it.
Xu Tao continued reading the story to the child, but halfway through, Zhao Linan had already fallen asleep. Xu Tao and Zhao Weiguo got up and headed back to their room. On the way, Xu Tao glanced at her watch.
It was already 9:30 PM. She wondered whether Zhou Haizhi had returned home or if it was the same as before.
Xu Tao couldn’t help but feel concerned about Zhou Haizhi. She thought about how he usually leaned against the stone at the end of the alley to sleep when he couldn’t go home. The thought made her heart ache. Despite knowing that Zhou Haizhi was still young, she also knew how stubborn he was.
“Let’s go to the end of the alley to check on him. Who knows if Zhou Haizhi has gone home today?” Although Xu Tao had given up the idea of adopting Zhou Haizhi to avoid trouble, she still couldn’t bear to see the child in such a pitiful state.
She thought it was better to check. If Zhou Haizhi wasn’t there, that would be ideal. But if he was indeed sleeping near the stone again, she could at least bring him home to rest.
A child that young spending the night outside was too heartbreaking.
“Alright” Zhao Weiguo agreed and went to grab a flashlight.
The flashlight was a silver model, powered by large batteries. Its light wasn’t very bright, but it was sufficient to illuminate the path. However, it was quite heavy to hold.
“Let’s go!” Zhao Weiguo took Xu Tao’s hand as they headed out.
Xu Tao was afraid of the dark, and her night vision was much worse than Zhao Weiguo’s. The alley was very quiet, and as they walked with the flashlight, they could faintly hear a dog barking occasionally in the distance.
“It’s so dark and quiet. I don’t know how Zhou Haizhi managed to last until dawn in a place like this” Xu Tao said, deeply admiring the child’s bravery.
Even as an adult, she couldn’t imagine staying alone in such a dark alley until morning. Just the thought of it sent chills down her spine, and her imagination would inevitably run wild.
“Be careful, there’s a hole here” Zhao Weiguo said, holding Xu Tao’s hand and reminding her.
“Okay” Xu Tao nodded, gripping his hand tightly as she carefully stepped over the hole.
The couple continued holding hands as they walked toward the end of the alley. It only took a few minutes to reach the stone Zhou Haizhi often mentioned.
They shone the flashlight around, and to their dismay, they saw Zhou Haizhi huddled under the stone.
He wasn’t asleep yet and was wearing the clothes Xu Tao had prepared for him the previous day. The child had wrapped himself in a garbage bag and was curled up into a small ball beside the stone, looking especially pitiful.
“Haizhi!” Xu Tao called out, her nose tingling as she saw the startled child shrinking back under the beam of the flashlight.
“Auntie” Zhou Haizhi said, embarrassed as he got up.
“Did your mom lock the door again?” Xu Tao took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her gaze drifted to a nearby door not far away.
Through the crack in the door, a faint light could be seen, indicating that someone inside was still awake. However, the door was firmly locked. It was heartbreaking how blatantly they refused to let the child inside. Zhou Haizhi, too timid to knock, endured it silently.
“Yes” Zhou Haizhi nodded.
“Come home with me and sleep with Linan. It’s not safe here” Xu Tao said, reaching out to touch his head.
“Auntie…” Zhou Haizhi hesitated, feeling embarrassed to impose but also yearning for the warmth of a home.
“Let’s go!” Xu Tao extended her hand toward him.
Zhou Haizhi glanced at her hand, then turned to look at the dark, tightly shut wooden door. After a moment, he slowly extended his frail hand toward hers.
Xu Tao’s hand was soft and warm. Once his small hand was held firmly in hers, he felt an overwhelming sense of security. He followed Xu Tao back to the Zhao family’s home, his eyes fixed on the warm beam of light from the flashlight.
He turned to look at Xu Tao, at the hand that held his, and then back at his home, now swallowed by darkness. The longing for family that had lingered in his heart vanished without a trace.
“Haizhi, didn’t I tell you earlier that if you had nowhere to go, you should come to my house? Why didn’t you?” Xu Tao asked gently when she noticed his silence.
“I didn’t want to bother you” Zhou Haizhi said softly, his voice filled with both shyness and gratitude.
“It’s no bother” Xu Tao replied firmly.
She was secretly relieved that she had insisted on checking. Otherwise, Zhou Haizhi might have spent another night leaning against the stone. The sight of him curled up there earlier had been heartbreaking, a mix of emotions too intense to describe.
Once they got home, Xu Tao asked Zhao Weiguo to help Zhou Haizhi bathe.
“Auntie, I can do it myself” Zhou Haizhi politely declined.
Xu Tao looked at the five-year-old child, who had been forced to grow up too soon because of his difficult life. She nodded, realizing he didn’t need to be overly doted on. “Alright, then I’ll get you some clothes.”
“Auntie, it’s fine. I’ll just sleep without clothes” Zhou Haizhi quickly said, fearing Xu Tao might bring him another set of clothes.
When he had tried to go home earlier, his mother, Zhou Yu, had seen him wearing clean clothes and started cursing him. Upon learning that the clothes were borrowed from Zhao Linan, she became even harsher and had driven him out of the house again.
“You can’t do that” Xu Tao insisted.
Children, especially at his and Zhao Linan’s age, were prone to kicking off blankets while sleeping. Xu Tao always dressed Zhao Linan in clothes before bed to prevent him from catching a chill.
With no choice, Zhou Haizhi put on the clothes Xu Tao had prepared.
“You haven’t eaten, have you? I made some shredded eel noodles” Xu Tao said. Knowing Zhou Haizhi’s situation, she doubted he had eaten dinner, or if he had, it wasn’t enough.
“Thank you, Auntie” Zhou Haizhi said, quietly grateful for her kindness.
“You’re welcome. Eat up” Xu Tao said, patting his head.
After Zhou Haizhi finished eating, she sent him to bed. Though he felt embarrassed, that night marked a change. Zhou Haizhi stopped resisting the warmth Xu Tao offered.
From then on, he went to his own house less frequently. Instead, he started coming to the Zhao home around 7 or 8 PM, bathing and sharing a bed with Zhao Linan to listen to Xu Tao’s bedtime stories.
Previously, the bed could only fit three people, but with Zhou Haizhi joining, Zhao Weiguo gave up his spot, letting the children have the space.
Time passed quickly. About a week later, while Xu Tao was watering the vegetables, she suddenly saw Zhou Haizhi running toward her in a disheveled state. His face was swollen and red, and there were traces of blood on his nose.
“What happened, Haizhi?” Xu Tao immediately set down the water ladle, alarmed by the sight.
“Auntie, here, take this money.” Zhou Haizhi anxiously shoved two hundred yuan into Xu Tao’s hand, speaking in a flustered tone while glancing nervously toward the door.
“Hm? Haizhi, why are you giving me money?”
“Auntie, just take it and hide it quickly” Zhou Haizhi said, hopping anxiously.
“Zhou Haizhi, you little brat!” A sharp voice pierced through the doorway, followed by Zhou Yu storming in with a bamboo stick in hand.
Zhou Yu stepped into the Zhao family house with large strides, her expression filled with rage as she glared at Zhou Haizhi.
“Get over here right now!” Zhou Yu demanded, her face looking fierce enough to devour someone.
“Sister Zhou, what’s wrong?” Xu Tao asked, puzzled.
“Who’s your sister? Don’t act like we’re close! No wonder you’ve been so ‘kind’ lately—giving him a place to sleep and feeding him. Turns out you just wanted to scam money from this little brat!” Zhou Yu pointed the bamboo stick at Xu Tao accusingly, her tone harsh and accusatory.
If they weren’t a few steps apart, Xu Tao would’ve thought Zhou Yu was about to jab her eyes out with the stick.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying” Xu Tao replied calmly.
“You ungrateful little thing! I told you to hand over the money, but instead, you gave it to her? Do you even know who your real mother is? I’m the one who gave birth to you after all that pain, and now you have the audacity to bite me?” Zhou Yu shouted, glaring at the bite mark on her hand. Her anger seemed to escalate, as if steam were coming out of her ears.
Unable to contain her fury, Zhou Yu took a few steps forward and swung the bamboo stick at Zhou Haizhi’s arm.
Xu Tao couldn’t stand it any longer and quickly pulled Zhou Haizhi behind her.
She knew that during these times, it wasn’t unusual for parents to discipline their children with bamboo sticks or whips. A child’s entire childhood was often marked by such harsh “education.” But Xu Tao simply couldn’t bear to watch this happen right before her eyes.
Zhou Yu, if you want to discipline your child at home, that’s one thing. But barging into my house to do it? That’s crossing a line!
From Zhou Yu’s earlier words, Xu Tao had pieced together why Zhou Haizhi was in such a rush to give her the money.
The child must’ve been caught hiding it, and Zhou Yu found out.
“Get out of the way, or I’ll hit you too!” Zhou Yu barked at Xu Tao, her tone threatening.
“Zhou Yu, let me remind you, this is my house. You think you can come here, discipline your child, and even hit me? Don’t you think you’re being a bit too bold?” Xu Tao retorted coldly, her voice frosty.
“You think I want to be in your house? You little brat! Get out here right now, or I swear I’ll beat you to death today!” Zhou Yu snapped, glaring at Xu Tao before shouting at Zhou Haizhi.
Zhou Haizhi was trembling with fear but still stepped forward.
Xu Tao tried to grab Zhou Haizhi to shield him, but Zhou Yu was quicker and yanked him away.
Whack! Whack! Whack!
Zhou Yu didn’t hold back at all. Each strike of the bamboo stick left Zhou Haizhi’s arm red and swollen.
“Zhou Yu, are you insane? This is your son! How can you be so cruel?” Xu Tao shouted, appalled by Zhou Yu’s actions.
“He’s my son. If I want to beat him to death, that’s my business! What’s it to you?” Zhou Yu snapped back, gripping Zhou Haizhi’s collar with one hand. “Give me the money!”
“No!” Zhou Haizhi replied firmly, his voice shaking.
Zhou Yu gritted her teeth and swung the bamboo stick several more times, this time hitting his thighs and backside with full force.
Xu Tao couldn’t stand it any longer and reached out to intervene.
But Zhou Yu, as if on purpose, swung the stick and struck Xu Tao’s delicate arm instead.
“Hiss!” Xu Tao gasped sharply and pulled her arm back.
Zhou Yu scoffed. “I warned you, didn’t I? You brought this on yourself.”
Xu Tao’s face darkened as she stared at the red mark swelling on her arm.
“What’s going on here?” Zhao Weiguo’s voice boomed through the room.
“Dad!” Zhao Linan, who had been hiding near the living room doorway, immediately ran toward him like a little rocket. The child had developed a deep fear of Zhou Yu after being scolded by her before. Seeing her now, furious and brandishing a bamboo stick at Zhou Haizhi, Zhao Linan didn’t dare make a sound until Zhao Weiguo arrived.
Zhao Weiguo scooped up his son, his imposing presence filling the room as he approached. His sharp eyes swept over Zhou Yu before stopping on Xu Tao’s arm.
“She hit you?” Zhao Weiguo asked, his voice low and his gaze darkening as he noticed the red swelling on Xu Tao’s fair skin.
o0o
^Eel in Chinese (黄鳝, huángshàn) sounds somewhat like emperor (皇上, huángshàng).
^CMIIW