The Daily Life of a Stepmother in the 1980s
Xu Tao smiled and spoke politely to Fan Qiumei “If you’re short on money, there’s no rush to pay it back”
Xu Tao knew the situation of the Sun family and hadn’t expected Fan Qiumei to gather the money so quickly after hearing they were moving.
Suddenly, she felt that lending out those thirty yuan back then had been quite meaningful.
She liked how Fan Qiumei was measured in her actions yet straightforward. Even though her own life was a mess, and perhaps those thirty yuan were barely scraped together, she still held on to her principles despite her difficult circumstances.
“The child is fine, and I happened to have the money, so I wanted to pay it back quickly” Fan Qiumei smiled, her eyes reflecting the hardships of her life. Yet, as she held her child, it was as if she was holding onto boundless hope for the future. “As long as I owe someone money, it weighs on my mind. If I don’t find a way to return it quickly, I can’t sleep well at night”
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself” Xu Tao understood her feelings and reassured her, reaching out to touch the child in her arms while thinking about the pound of rock sugar she had specially brought over.
“Xiao Nan, didn’t Mom buy apples today? Go get one for Shitou to eat”
Fan Qiumei had borrowed thirty yuan, and when returning the money, she politely brought over a pound of rock sugar. If Xu Tao outright refused to accept it, Fan Qiumei would feel uncomfortable, so she thought of giving Shitou an apple instead.
“Okay, Mom” Zhao Linan’s little legs pattered as he ran toward the kitchen.
“Don’t trouble yourself, apples are expensive. Keep them for Xiao Nan” Fan Qiumei quickly waved her hand to dissuade Xu Tao.
Xu Tao had previously cut apples for the children in the alley. When she passed by a fruit stall, she had asked about the price and knew that apples cost more than one yuan per pound. Two or three apples made up a pound, which was not cheap.
“I bought a lot, and we can’t finish them all anyway” Xu Tao smiled.
Fan Qiumei knew Xu Tao was generous, so she didn’t insist. She watched Zhao Linan, who obediently ran to the kitchen, and then thought of how she had seen Zhao Weiguo, a grown man, washing dishes when she had arrived. Looking at Xu Tao sitting in front of her, a natural sense of admiration filled her eyes.
“Does your husband help with the dishes every day?” Fan Qiumei asked in a deliberately hushed voice, filled with disbelief.
“Yes” Xu Tao nodded.
“You’re really lucky” Fan Qiumei looked at Xu Tao’s fair, delicate face and then at her slender, pale fingers, sighing with admiration.
Women who got married in these times—how many had such good fortune? A woman who didn’t even have to wash dishes—this was the first time she had seen someone like Xu Tao.
Even during her postpartum period, she still had to handle household chores.
“What does luck have to do with it? Cooking and washing dishes aren’t things that women are naturally supposed to do. He eats too, doesn’t he? Since he eats, isn’t it only fair that I cook and he washes the dishes?” Xu Tao replied matter-of-factly.
Fan Qiumei looked at Xu Tao. When Xu Tao spoke, her face was full of confidence. What she said made perfect sense, yet Fan Qiumei also knew she couldn’t compare herself to her.
Sun Tonghai was a typical Yangcheng man, and he would never wash dishes like Zhao Weiguo. But as a fellow woman, Fan Qiumei genuinely admired Xu Tao’s ability to make her husband handle kitchen chores.
Zhao Linan ran to the kitchen and got two apples from Zhao Weiguo. The child came out happily, holding one apple in each hand.
“Shitou, here, have an apple” Zhao Linan generously handed one of the apples to Shitou.
“Thank you, little brother” Shitou’s dark-red face flushed as he accepted the apple, but he didn’t eat it right away. Instead, he held it in his hands, bringing it close to his nose to sniff.
After giving an apple to Shitou, Zhao Linan turned and stuffed the other one into Xu Tao’s hand. “Mom, peel it for me”
Zhao Linan always had to have his apples peeled. He found apple skin particularly unpleasant, but since he didn’t know how to peel it himself, he naturally relied on Xu Tao.
“Go ask Dad for the peeler” Xu Tao placed the apple on the table and pinched the child’s nose.
“Okay” Zhao Linan turned and pattered off to the kitchen again.
The child was full of energy and didn’t tire even after running back and forth several times. He was still just as happy and showed no signs of annoyance at being sent on errands by Xu Tao.
“You’ve taught Xiao Nan so well—he’s so smart” Fan Qiumei praised Zhao Linan and then casually asked Xu Tao when they planned to move while sipping water from her cup.
After chatting for a while, Fan Qiumei prepared to leave. “It’s getting late. I won’t disturb your rest. Shitou, put the apple back”
“No need, take it with you” Xu Tao stopped Shitou from putting the apple down.
“Thank you, Auntie” Shitou looked at Xu Tao and then at his mother. Only after Fan Qiumei gave him a slight nod of approval did he finally take the apple with him.
“Sitting at your house for a bit and even taking an apple—I feel so embarrassed”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? I bought them for the kids to eat anyway” Xu Tao replied as she walked Fan Qiumei to the courtyard gate. Only after watching her and Shitou return home did she gently close the gate.
“Mom, peel the apple” Zhao Linan stuck close to Xu Tao, tugging on her pants once he saw that Shitou and his mother had gone home.
His mother had promised to peel the apple, and he had even gotten the peeler, yet she still hadn’t done it. He really wanted to eat that apple!
“Mom needs to check if your little tummy can even fit such a big apple” It had been less than half an hour since dinner. If she peeled the apple now, the child wouldn’t be able to finish it, and it would go to waste.
“Mom, I can! I really can! My tummy can fit it!” Zhao Linan immediately puffed out his belly for Xu Tao to inspect.
Xu Tao pressed on Zhao Linan’s little stomach and felt how round and full it was. She smiled and reassured him “How about eating it tomorrow?”
“Mom, I want to eat it now!” Zhao Linan immediately clung to Xu Tao’s leg like a little kangaroo.
“Alright, alright, you win. I’ll peel it now” Xu Tao had no choice but to peel the apple for him.
Zhao Linan watched closely as she peeled, practically drooling.
Zhao Weiguo, having finished washing the dishes, came out and sat at the dining table. “The bathwater is ready”
“I’ll take a bath after peeling the apple” Xu Tao nodded in response.
Zhao Weiguo nodded, casually picking up a slice of the apple Xu Tao had cut and popping it into his mouth. Leisurely, he asked her “When are we moving?”
Xu Tao went to Lao Jiu Alley on Zhonglin Road today and paid the deposit for the rental. Naturally, she also wanted to move in as soon as possible. “Let’s move the day after tomorrow!”
Tomorrow will be for packing, and moving the day after works out just right.
“Alright” Zhao Weiguo had no objections. “I’ll let Qin Yubin and Liao Tuhang know tomorrow and have them come help with the move the day after”
Two young men who weren’t married yet—if they weren’t asked to help, they’d just be idle anyway.
“Sounds good. Once we’re done moving, we can have them stay for a meal at home” Xu Tao responded casually.
These days, moving was usually done with the help of familiar people. Especially in the countryside, whether it was moving or moving into a new house, it was customary to host a big feast.
Xu Tao didn’t plan on hosting a grand banquet, but she did think that on the first day in a new home, it would be nice to have a few people gather for a lively meal, which could also serve to clear out any lingering bad luck from the place.
“Mm” Zhao Weiguo had no objections.
Xu Tao quickly peeled the apple and even cut it into pieces before pushing the plate toward Zhao Weiguo. “The kid just finished dinner, his belly is still round. You eat more instead, don’t let him eat too much” After saying that, Xu Tao got up to grab her pajamas, preparing to take a bath and rest.
“Alright” Zhao Weiguo agreed, grabbing the apple with one hand and quickly eating it piece by piece, crunching away.
Zhao Linan had previously seen Zhao Weiguo casually pick up a piece of apple to eat. The little boy wasn’t stingy and didn’t mind, happily picking up a piece for himself. He chewed on it like a little hamster, crunching away with great enjoyment.
But by the time Zhao Linan had delicately finished two small pieces, he saw his father devouring the apple like a tiger. A whole apple had been cut into many small slices, and in no time, they were almost all gone. “Dad, that’s Xiao Nan’s apple!”
Zhao Linan, in a panic, tried to protect his food. Unfortunately, he failed. The little boy used both chubby hands to cover the plate, but Zhao Weiguo still managed to extend his “tiger claws” and grabbed the last two pieces, stuffing them into his mouth.
Crunch, crunch, he finished them all.
“Mm, this apple is quite sweet” After eating, Zhao Weiguo even gave his review with satisfaction.
“……” Zhao Linan was on the verge of tears. “Bad Daddy!” He ate his apple—all of it!
“I bought the apple. Can’t I eat it?” Zhao Weiguo raised a hand and poked his son’s forehead. He didn’t deny at all that Zhao Linan always called him a bad dad.
Compared to Xu Tao, he really wasn’t as indulgent with the boy and didn’t always go along with everything he wanted.
“I’m going to tell Mom!” The little boy was aggrieved, hugging the now-empty plate as he trudged toward the bathroom. He knew Xu Tao was taking a bath inside.
“……” Zhao Weiguo was stunned. Was he really that upset? “Zhao Linan, stop right there”
He was only following orders to eat the apple, and now the kid wanted to tattle? Did he really think that would work? Zhao Weiguo called out to stop him with exasperation.
“Hmph” Zhao Linan snorted, then plopped down at the bathroom door, hugging the plate close and drooping his head, looking like a pitiful little mushroom.
Zhao Weiguo was both amused and exasperated by his son’s temperament. He walked over, grabbed the back of the boy’s collar with one hand, and lifted him up.
“Hahaha, Daddy!” As soon as Zhao Linan was lifted, he burst into laughter. Zhao Weiguo held him up with one hand while supporting his belly with the other, then turned around and carried him back to the living room.
“A boy shouldn’t be so petty. I just ate an apple of yours, that’s all” Zhao Weiguo scolded him lightly, completely unbothered.
“But you ate all of it” Zhao Linan still hugged the empty plate, shrinking his neck in grievance, his eyes misty with tears and his lips trembling.
He only got to eat two pieces, and then it was gone. Gone. His happiness was gone in one bite, taken away by his dad. He wouldn’t be happy anymore.
“I’ll get you a bigger apple tomorrow, alright?” Zhao Weiguo pinched his son’s soft, chubby cheeks. Since coming to Yangcheng, the little guy had changed the most noticeably.
In just a few months, his body had become rounder, he had grown taller, and his personality had become much more cheerful.
“Alright then!” The little boy wasn’t hard to please. The moment he heard his dad promise to get him a bigger apple, he reluctantly nodded in agreement.
At the Zhao household, father and son had a small dispute over an apple, while at the Sun household, an apple brought warmth.
Shitou held onto his apple, reluctant to eat it. After bringing it home, he cut it up and shared it with his parents. Sun Tonghai and Fan Qiumei both got to taste the apple’s sweetness.
“This apple is really sweet. Too bad little brother can’t eat it” Shitou smiled as he nibbled on half an apple and spoke.
Zhao Linan told his little companions about moving houses. The children all chirped excitedly, expressing their thoughts and questions, and the conversation was lively.
Suddenly, they saw Lin Fang walking towards them from the end of the alley with a gloomy expression.
“Shh! The big rooster is back. She looks so fierce”
“Mm, shh, let’s not talk”
The children saw Lin Fang return, noticed her unpleasant expression, and whispered to each other. They all obediently sat on the wooden sticks, their eyes following Lin Fang’s movements.
Ever since they noticed her, they tried to sneak glances at her, thinking they were being discreet.
Children have a naive way of deceiving themselves. Even though they stopped talking, their curious gazes remained unconcealed.
Lin Fang was fired from the post and telecommunications office today. At noon, the director suddenly called her in for a conversation.
Someone had written a letter reporting her, accusing her of improper behavior, dishonesty at work, and listing many other issues.
In the end, the conclusion was that the post and telecommunications office had decided to dismiss her.
She was furious, causing a scene at the office for a long time, but in the end, she could only pack up her things and go home. From now on, she had no job.
Lin Fang was extremely angry. When she returned to Lao Ba Alley, she saw those annoying children staring at her as if they were mocking her. Her anger flared up even more.
“What are you looking at? If you keep staring, I’ll dig out your eyeballs!” Lin Fang shouted angrily, scaring He Hua into tears. Only then did she feel relieved and storm off home.
“Hua Hua, don’t cry” Zhao Linan and the other two boys comforted He Hua.
However, He Hua couldn’t be consoled. She kept wiping her tears as she sobbed and went home.
Zhao Linan and the other two children exchanged glances, then stood up and headed to their respective homes.
“Mom, the big rooster scolded us” Zhao Linan reported to Xu Tao as soon as he got home. She was tidying up in the living room.
“You ran into her?” Xu Tao raised an eyebrow and curiously asked her son.
“Mm, she was very upset” Zhao Linan nodded again “She said she would dig out our eyeballs”
“Don’t mind her. She’s just a crazy woman” Xu Tao couldn’t hold back a remark in front of Zhao Linan. Then she cleared her throat “Go play with your toy car and frog”
“Okay” Zhao Linan obediently went to his room to play with his toys.
Seeing that Xiaonan was playing alone, Xu Tao put down what she was holding and glanced at the clock. It was three in the afternoon.
Then she looked at the calendar, which showed that today was Tuesday. Based on the normal working hours of the post and telecommunications office, Lin Fang should have been at work.
Xu Tao smirked as she calculated the timing of sending the report letter. She figured that Lin Fang must have received feedback about it by now, and the thought made her quite pleased.
Some people’s presence is simply disgusting. But look, isn’t it satisfying when things work out like this?
Coincidentally, they were moving tomorrow, and today she learned that Lin Fang had been fired from the post and telecommunications office. Xu Tao immediately felt that the sunlight seemed even brighter.
With that thought, she felt even more motivated to pack.
On the day they moved from Shuiyin Road’s Lao Ba Alley, the weather was perfect, with a clear blue sky stretching endlessly.
Early in the morning, Zhao Weiguo had already left for Taoyuan Company. He had also called Qin Yubin and Liao Tuhang, each driving a taxi to help transport their belongings. Three taxis were parked at the entrance of the alley on Shuiyin Road, drawing a curious crowd of children.
“Xiaonan, your dad is amazing!”
“Three big cars!”
“Xiaonan, are those cars yours?”
A group of children, including Shitou, looked at the three taxis in amazement.
Zhao Linan was in high spirits as he faced the excited exclamations and questions from his little friends.
He stood beside them, holding a small chicken cage in his arms. His three now-grown chicks were squeezed inside, clucking and chirping, as if they were just as excited about their new home.
Xu Tao was busy packing at home while Zhao Weiguo and the others took care of moving their things.
The men went back and forth through the alley, and before long, most of the house was emptied. Before leaving, they even pulled out all the mature vegetables from the courtyard and took them along.
“Is there anything else?” Zhao Weiguo asked after making a few trips, checking around the living room and rooms.
“No, that’s everything for now” Xu Tao shook her head.
They had rented this house for a year but had only lived in it for a few months. Even though they were moving out, they didn’t return it to the landlord immediately. For now, they planned to leave it vacant for a while.
“Then let’s go” Zhao Weiguo grabbed the lock and led Xu Tao out the door.
With a click, the house in Lao Ba Alley was locked.
Xu Tao stood in the alley below, watching Zhao Weiguo secure the door. Suddenly, she recalled the day she arrived in Yangcheng.
When she first came to this world, everything was unfamiliar. Now, in the blink of an eye, several months had already passed. Time truly flies.
"Okay, come back and visit when you have the chance"
Walking through the alley, Xu Tao greeted some neighbors who had poked their heads out of their houses.
Some were familiar, others not so much, yet all were curiously watching. Their eyes kept drifting toward the three taxis parked at the end of the alley, clearly astonished.
They had always thought the Zhao family was just a little better off, living slightly more comfortably than everyone else. No one had expected them to be this wealthy.
Standing at the doorway of the Hu family home, Zhou Yu gazed at Xu Tao's departing figure, her expression complicated.
Her eyes shifted to the three taxis, then landed on Zhao Weiguo as he got into the driver's seat. The envy and jealousy in her heart surged uncontrollably.
Xu Tao carried Zhao Linan into the car, while Qin Yubin and Liao Tuhang each took a seat in the back.
"Xiao Nan, say goodbye to your friends" Xu Tao gently patted Zhao Linan’s head. The little boy, holding onto his small chicken cage, peeked his head out from the window while nestled in Xu Tao’s arms.
It was as if he only now realized that he was about to part ways with his playmates. A wave of sadness immediately washed over him.
"Xiao Nan, goodbye"
"Hua Hua, goodbye. Brother Shitou, goodbye…" Zhao Linan waved to the children outside, his small voice repeating farewell over and over. As he spoke, his voice gradually became choked with emotion.
Xu Tao felt a pang of sorrow as well. It struck her that, although these children were still young and innocent, they seemed to have begun to grasp the meaning of parting.
"Let's go" Xu Tao said to Zhao Weiguo.
"Mm" Zhao Weiguo nodded. He released the handbrake, pressed the clutch, eased off the brake, shifted gears, and stepped on the accelerator.
The car slowly began to move, leaving behind Shuiyin Road's Old Eight Alley. The silhouettes of the children, reluctant to say goodbye, gradually disappeared in the rearview mirror.
"Sniff…"
Zhao Linan leaned against the window. When he could no longer see his friends, he curled up in Xu Tao’s embrace, his eyes red as he whimpered softly.
"Don’t cry"
"Mom, can I come back and play with Brother Shitou and the others?" The little boy pouted as he looked up at Xu Tao, his voice filled with uncertainty.
Xu Tao stroked his head. "Of course. If you miss them, just tell Mommy, and I'll bring you back to see them"
Although Xu Tao knew children tend to forget quickly, and once Zhao Linan grew familiar with Old Nine Alley on Zhonglin Road, new friends would soon fill his world, she still meant what she said.
If he remembered Shitou and the others and wanted to return, she would bring him back whenever she had time.
After all, these were memories of the past few months.
"Okay" Zhao Linan sniffled and nodded. He kept looking out the window, hoping to catch another glimpse. But the car had already turned a corner, and Old Eight Alley was completely out of sight.
The three taxis drove for about twenty minutes before arriving at Nine Alley on Zhonglin Road. Zhao Weiguo, Qin Yubin, and Liao Tuhang quickly got to work moving their belongings.
Xu Tao had already labeled everything clearly when packing, ensuring all the kitchenware was placed together.
After getting out of the car, Xu Tao casually organized the kitchen supplies before heading straight to the nearby market to buy a large amount of meat and vegetables.
Meanwhile, Zhao Weiguo and Qin Yubin continued to unpack. They moved all the furniture, tables, and other household items into the new home.
To mark the occasion, they even lit a long string of Dadihong firecrackers at the entrance.
The loud crackling of firecrackers attracted many children from the alley.
Once the explosions died down, they eagerly rummaged through the scattered red paper, searching for any unlit firecrackers to play with.
The entire moving process had been quite lively. At noon, Xu Tao stayed busy in the kitchen, preparing a grand feast.
By the time Zhao Weiguo and the others had finished unpacking, they drove the three taxis back to the company and then returned home, ready to enjoy lunch.
None of the men seemed the least bit tired from moving all morning. While Xu Tao was cooking, they even borrowed hoes from the neighbors and enthusiastically tilled the empty land in the yard.
"Dinner's ready" Xu Tao walked out, pausing when she saw what they had accomplished. Their energy and enthusiasm genuinely surprised her.
"Sister-in-law, the vegetables here are growing well, so we left them. In about ten days, they should be ready to eat" They had tilled all the empty land but had carefully left the leafy greens untouched.
These vegetables had been planted by the landlady of the house next door. Since this home had been vacant for a while, she had used the yard to grow some greens.
However, her own home also had an abundant vegetable garden, and she and her husband couldn’t finish them all. When she showed Xu Tao the house, she had generously offered the vegetables to them.
"Mm, thank you all for your hard work today" Xu Tao smiled as she ushered them to wash up for lunch.
"Sister-in-law, you worked hard too" After moving all day, the men had only been lifting and shifting things, but Xu Tao had gone out to buy groceries and then prepared such a lavish meal.
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