The Daily Life of a Stepmother in the 1980s
The two custom-made cotton quilts were no light load, each weighing a full twelve jin[6kg].
When they were just small tufts of cotton, they didn’t seem too heavy. But once fluffed and made into cozy quilts, their size expanded considerably.
They looked soft and airy, but carrying both home in one go wasn’t easy.
The cotton shop owner only provided a thin transparent plastic bag and a piece of string, leaving Xu Tao no choice but to grip the string to carry them.
The pressure dug into her palms, turning them red.
She was already carrying quite a few things and couldn’t manage it all alone.
In the end, even Zhao Li’nan wasn’t spared, as she found a way to stuff two pieces of clothing into the child’s hands.
"Xiao Nan, you're not just one or two years old anymore. You're a big kid now, two or three years old! These are your new clothes, so you have to learn to carry them home yourself, alright?" Xu Tao set down the quilts and clothes, crouching to give Zhao Li’nan a little pep talk.
"Mhm! Xiao Nan is a big kid now! Xiao Nan will carry his own clothes!" Zhao Li’nan, seeing how overwhelmed Xu Tao was, didn’t fuss.
Instead, he nodded with a determined look, then bit his lip and mustered all his strength to carry the clothes.
It took them quite a bit of effort to make it home. Xu Tao had to go back and forth twice, and on the second trip, she even bought groceries along the way.
By the time they finally got everything inside, both mother and child collapsed onto the bed, completely exhausted.
"Mommy, Xiao Nan is so tired. My hands hurt" Zhao Linan puffed his little cheeks and blew on his reddened palms.
No longer just a one- or two-year-old, but a "big" two- or three-year-old, Zhao Li’nan was now experiencing what real responsibility felt like.
Xu Tao lay sprawled out as well, sweat beading on her forehead. She lifted her hand, showing him her own reddened palms. "You're not the only one. Mine hurt even more."
Zhao Li’nan blinked at her hands. Just a moment ago, he had been whining about his own pain, but now, with a little pout, he scooted over. "Mommy, let me blow on yours too."
"Thank you, baby" Xu Tao lifted a hand to gently pat Zhao Li’nan’s head before picking him up and setting him down from the bed.
There wasn’t a couch at home, so in her exhaustion, she instinctively went to lie down on the soft bed. But her cleanliness habits wouldn’t allow it.
No way was she letting the two of them, still in their outside clothes, roll around on her bed. So after just a moment of indulgence, she quickly lifted Zhao Li’nan off.
She was already regretting it. If she had known just how difficult carrying two quilts would be, she would have made Zhao Weiguo fetch them instead.
Heading to the kitchen, Xu Tao filled a basin with hot water and dampened a towel to wipe her face.
She did the same for Zhao Li’nan, reaching out to check the back of his shirt, making sure he wasn’t too sweaty.
He wasn’t too damp, so she just wiped down his neck.
While Xu Tao and Zhao Li’nan were freshening up, Zhao Weiguo and Zhan Yue returned. They had gone out that morning and were now stepping through the courtyard, both with smiles on their faces.
Xu Tao had just been about to start preparing dinner. Seeing them come inside, she paused.
She could already guess the general situation from their expressions, but there was still a hint of anticipation in her heart.
Was it a long shot—or a jackpot?
Judging from their faces, it seemed likely that the loan had gone through.
"Sister-in-law, it's done! The military agreed to guarantee your loan with the bank!" Zhan Yue announced the moment he saw Xu Tao, his voice brimming with excitement.
Zhao Weiguo, though much calmer in comparison, couldn’t hide the hint of a smile on his face.
"Really?" Xu Tao’s lips curled into a grin.
She had figured the military would probably approve, but she had expected it to take longer.
With all the procedures and red tape involved in military approvals, she hadn’t thought a single trip would be enough to get a definitive answer.
"It’s real" Zhao Weiguo confirmed with a nod.
"That’s great! You two sit down and rest for a bit, I’ll go make dinner" Xu Tao said, beaming at Zhao Weiguo.
Zhan Yue had spent the whole day running around with Zhao Weiguo, and now that it was dinnertime, of course, Xu Tao invited him to stay and eat.
"Then I’ll take you up on that, Sister-in-law" Zhan Yue said without hesitation.
Xu Tao hurried to the kitchen to cook while Zhao Weiguo and Zhan Yue continued discussing the details of the loan in the living room.
The military fully supported Zhao Weiguo’s plan to contract taxis.
They did, however, require him to ensure jobs for thirty retired soldiers. There was no room for empty promises.
In other words, Zhao Weiguo had no choice but to succeed in contracting the taxis. Failure wasn’t an option. The consequences were too heavy to bear.
After his initial excitement, Zhan Yue couldn’t help but feel concerned for Zhao Weiguo.
"Guo, that’s three hundred thousand. Aren’t you scared?" Zhan Yue took a sip of tea and tested Zhao Weiguo with his question.
"Of course" Zhao Weiguo admitted.
Who wouldn’t be? But when he thought about the promising taxi business and its incredible profits, his anxiety eased.
Xu Tao had a sharp eye. Over the past few days, Zhao Weiguo had been observing the taxi industry himself, even taking taxis to get a better feel for it.
The profits were obvious. If he could secure the contract, each taxi could bring in thousands of yuan per month.
With each car costing a little over twenty thousand, he could recover his investment in less than a year.
Once he made it through the first year, most of the initial investment would be recouped.
The subsequent profits would only grow larger. Given Yangcheng’s rapid development, this opportunity was too good to pass up. It was worth the risk.
Was he afraid? Naturally. The weight of a three-hundred-thousand loan was terrifying. But he had to grit his teeth and go for it.
"Guo, you’ve always been like this in my eyes. Out of everyone, you’re the only one I truly admire." Zhan Yue had grown up in a well-off military family and rarely looked up to anyone.
Zhao Weiguo was one of the few exceptions.
Despite only graduating from junior high, he had worked his way up to earn a college diploma. If it weren’t for his injury, he could have gone far in the military.
Even after being discharged, he had a job lined up, but he gave it up for an old comrade.
He had originally been assigned to a police station as a neighborhood officer. Had he taken the job, he would have at least been a squad leader by now.
"You brat" Zhao Weiguo chuckled and shifted the conversation to the transportation job.
Zhan Yue had helped him secure the transportation job through his connections. Now that Zhao Weiguo planned to leave, he needed to give Zhan Yue a heads-up.
"The transportation job is fine, but since I’m leaving, who do you think should take over?"
Once he took on the taxi business, he would likely have to drive one himself in the beginning. He wouldn’t have time for the transportation job.
Quitting outright seemed like a waste, especially when so many of his comrades still needed work. Finding a replacement was the best option.
But Zhao Weiguo felt torn. Once he started the taxi business, Ye Dage and Li Jianshu, both capable drivers would naturally join him to earn some money. He trusted them completely.
The transportation job had been decent, but compared to driving taxis, it wasn’t as lucrative. No matter who he chose to take over, it didn’t feel quite right.
"Give it to Jianshu" Zhan Yue suggested.
He didn’t have strong preferences when it came to their comrades.
But he remembered when Li Jianshu’s wife came over for dinner and how much frustration Li Jianshu had expressed about his future and job prospects.
He seemed eager for a stable position.
"He actually mentioned it to me once in private." Zhan Yue sighed. No matter who they helped, someone else would be disappointed.
"I was leaning toward him, too. Once the loan is approved and I’ve signed the contract with the taxi company, I’ll talk to him and see what he wants to do."
Zhao Weiguo understood that both taxi driving and transportation jobs made money.
But he and Zhan Yue knew that transportation wouldn’t be nearly as profitable as taxis.
Li Jianshu wasn’t the type to take risks. If asked, he would choose the safer transportation job.
But if he later realized he could have made more money driving taxis, he might have regrets.
That was what troubled Zhao Weiguo.
"Alright." Zhan Yue nodded.
"Sit tight. I’m going to help your sister-in-law in the kitchen." Zhao Weiguo treated Zhan Yue like a younger brother.
Once he had an idea of what Zhan Yue was thinking, he left him in the living room and went to help in the kitchen.
Zhan Yue didn’t mind. He noticed Zhao Linan playing marbles alone and called him over to play together.
Despite the age gap, the two got along surprisingly well.
"Heh, Linan, you lost again" Zhan Yue grinned, teasing Zhao Linan without holding back.
Zhao Linan didn’t get upset. He just kept playing, laughing along until dinner was ready and they finally put away the marbles.
Xu Tao knew about Zhao Weiguo’s trip to the military regarding the taxi contract, so she had prepared an especially lavish meal. Whether the plan succeeded or not, she figured they should celebrate.
Sweet and sour pork, braised crucian carp, radish and pork rib soup, garlic stir-fried water spinach, and hot and sour shredded potatoes, three hearty dishes and two vegetable sides, all beautifully presented and full of flavor.
"Sister-in-law, your cooking is amazing. I might just start coming over every day for meals." Zhan Yue took a sip of soup and praised Xu Tao’s cooking.
"Uncle, come. My mom’s food is delicious." Zhao Linan chimed in, nodding enthusiastically.
"Then if I come every day, will you get sick of me?" Zhan Yue asked with a playful smile.
He found Zhao Linan amusing. The kid played marbles seriously, but even after losing, he never cried or got discouraged.
He just kept going, as if he had an endless supply of patience.
"No" Zhao Linan said, shaking his head.
"Good boy." Zhan Yue chuckled and placed a piece of sweet and sour pork onto Zhao Linan’s plate.
Dinner was lively and satisfying. Between bites, Zhan Yue and Zhao Weiguo continued discussing the taxi business.
Xu Tao listened from the side. Whenever Zhao Weiguo and Zhan Yue hit a point of uncertainty, she would chime in.
One particular topic they hadn’t considered was pre-employment training.
"I think every taxi driver should undergo at least three days of training before starting. Service attitude, driving speed, and familiarity with Yangcheng’s roads all need to meet a standard" Xu Tao said.
She hated it when taxi drivers took unnecessary detours or didn’t know their way around the city.
Zhao Weiguo also understood the point that Zhan Yue was making and nodded immediately.
“Zhao Weiguo, I need to make something clear to you right from the start” Xu Tao spoke up, “I’m handing over the taxi company to you to manage. If you do a good job, I won’t have any objections, but if you don’t manage it well, I’ll step in.”
She was aware that not all of Zhao Weiguo’s former comrades were as honest and straightforward as Ye Zhenhua.
Not everyone had the clarity of mind like Zhan Yue.
Contracting the taxi company to provide employment for veterans was a good idea, but Xu Tao was not keen to take in just anyone.
“Don’t worry” Zhao Weiguo understood her concerns.
“Mm” Xu Tao nodded, not saying much more. She just wanted to clarify her stance. She feared that when it came to dealing with a group of military men, Zhao Weiguo might struggle with management.
It was better for Zhao Weiguo to clarify things in advance and be prepared than to deal with a situation later when things had already escalated.
“Sister-in-law, I think you’ll definitely have plenty of opportunities to step in” Zhan Yue teased with a smile.
Once military men left the army, they often developed all sorts of little schemes.
Even while still in the military, it was a complicated, corrupt system. After leaving, the restrictions on them were much fewer, and many lost track of their real situation.
Zhao Weiguo’s idea of contracting the taxi drivers was great, and now most of the major issues were resolved.
However, many smaller, unseen problems were still waiting to surface.
Zhan Yue thought his brother didn’t really know how to handle this, but his sister-in-law seemed more capable.
“Don’t say nonsense” Zhao Weiguo shot a glance at Zhan Yue.
Zhan Yue just smiled and lowered his head to eat, his outlook on the situation not as optimistic as Zhao Weiguo’s.
After dinner at the Zhao house, Zhan Yue returned home.
Zhao Weiguo and Xu Tao cleaned up the dishes, laid out the new custom-made blankets, and after soothing Zhao Linan to sleep, they returned to their own room.
“I’ll go to the market tomorrow to buy a couple of duvet covers for the blankets” Xu Tao said.
She had been so busy today that she had forgotten. Now that the blankets were fluffed, they were pure cotton, and they needed duvet covers to prevent dirt and damage, since cotton blankets couldn’t be washed.
“Mm, definitely need duvet covers” Zhao Weiguo nodded as he stroked the soft winter blanket.
Xu Tao lay on the bed, leisurely reading, while continuing to talk to Zhao Weiguo about the taxi company.
During dinner earlier, with Zhan Yue present, she hadn’t been able to voice all her thoughts.
Now, just the two of them, Xu Tao felt it was important to share her concerns.
“Are you planning to hand the transport work to Li Jianshu?” Xu Tao had overheard Zhao Weiguo’s conversation with Zhan Yue while cooking.
“Mm” Zhao Weiguo nodded.
“It’s fine, but you need to make it clear to him first. He wants to join the transport company, but if he goes into transportation and later sees the taxi business making money, he can’t back out just because he gets envious.”
Xu Tao also remembered what Zhang Shufen had said. She clearly wanted her husband to run the transport business.
Zhang Shufen seemed to have a good temper, but her perspective was narrow.
Of course, Wu Hui and Guo Pingping were also typical women of that time, but Wu Hui was clearly honest and upright, except for her somewhat traditional views on gender roles.
Despite Wu Hui’s traditional beliefs, it didn’t stop Xu Tao from maintaining a relationship with them.
Guo Pingping was open and straightforward, clear about what to say and what not to.
From what Xu Tao observed during dinner, it was clear that life wasn’t easy for anyone.
While she hadn’t fully understood the situations of Zhang Shufen and Guo Pingping’s families, she knew that Wu Hui and Ye Zhenhua’s marriage wasn’t in a good place.
She didn’t want Zhang Shufen to stir up trouble, but she also felt that things might not be as easy to arrange.
Neither Wu Hui nor Ye Zhenhua had asked Zhao Weiguo for help, but Zhang Shufen had spoken up first. This showed that Zhang Shufen was either quite stubborn or had really been worn down by life.
Zhao Weiguo nodded, understanding Xu Tao's concerns.
"Yes, I’ll talk to him another day and make everything clear. I’ll see what he decides" Zhao Weiguo said, his tone resolute.
He understood Xu Tao’s hesitation. The taxi business, with its lack of monitoring systems, was vulnerable to fraud, and it weighed on him.
But he also knew the potential of providing employment for veterans, and he was determined to ensure it didn’t become a source of regret.
"I’ll be careful, don’t worry. Once the loan comes through, I’ll make sure to select people carefully. I won’t hire just anyone," Zhao Weiguo reassured her.
Xu Tao felt a bit uneasy.
She wasn’t familiar with the military world, and though she trusted Zhao Weiguo, she found it hard to imagine the deep bonds and codes of conduct within it.
The absence of monitoring systems in the current business setup made her doubt human nature at times, but she realized that veterans had their own set of values and loyalty.
"I'm sorry" Xu Tao suddenly said, her voice carrying a note of guilt.
Zhao Weiguo paused, surprised by her apology. He set his book down and looked at her. "Why are you apologizing?"
"I apologize for my doubts," Xu Tao said candidly. "I trust you, but I questioned other veterans."
She realized her mistake in assuming the worst before anything had happened. She shouldn’t have doubted the integrity of others without cause.
Zhao Weiguo gazed at her for a moment, then smiled softly, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her forehead gently. "It’s cold, get some rest."
"Mhm," Xu Tao nodded, settling down beside him. Zhao Weiguo closed the books, turned off the light, and held her as they drifted into a peaceful sleep.
o0o
The next day, the military swiftly handled the loan issue. They coordinated with the bank, and by the afternoon, they had signed the contract. The loan of 300,000 yuan was set to be approved soon.
Afterward, Zhao Weiguo reached out to taxi companies to explore his options.
He learned quickly that while the taxi industry in Yangcheng was still in its infancy, it was growing, and many saw its potential.
However, with only 300,000 yuan, dominating the entire market would be impossible.
Xu Tao and Zhao Weiguo then discussed starting their own small-scale taxi company.
They planned to choose their own office, handle licenses, buy vehicles, and hire drivers.
"What should we call the company?" Zhao Weiguo asked, after everything else was ready.
Xu Tao thought for a moment, unsure at first. "Do you have a name in mind?"
"How about 'Peach Garden Taxi'?" Zhao Weiguo suggested with a smile.
"Peach Garden? Like the peach fruit?" Xu Tao blinked, surprised.
"Yes, the garden of peaches" he confirmed, smiling at her reaction.
"Peach Garden!" Xu Tao repeated, smiling. It had a nice ring to it, and it was a nod to her own name. "Perfect. Let’s go with that."
Zhao Weiguo gave her a satisfied nod. "Great. I’ll go get the business license now."
As Zhao Weiguo left, Xu Tao stood at the door holding Zhao Linan’s hand, a feeling of excitement and anticipation swelling inside her.
After several months of adapting to this new life, everything felt like it was about to start anew.
She was stepping into a different chapter of her life.
o0o