Chapter 1: "Awakening

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: "Awakening

In mid-July, the double-rush harvest was in full swing, and all the production teams worked with frantic urgency.

The sun sank in the west, its brilliant golden afterglow illuminating half the mountainside. As dusk settled, the members of the Fengshou Team finished their work and headed home.

Along the way, the group chattered about the team’s latest gossip, with the main topic of conversation being Lin Zhao, the third daughter-in-law of the Gu Family.

"Hmph. The Old Gu Family’s third daughter-in-law skipped work again. Of everyone in the team, she has the most comfortable life!" The speaker was a woman with dark, rough skin. Her frizzy short hair was soaked with sweat, sticking damply to her forehead, and she reeked of it.

Another woman, also drenched in sweat, snorted. Her words were laced with such disdain for the Gu Family’s third daughter-in-law that you’d think she was talking about her own. "Da Zai’s mother is all looks and seduction. You can tell she’s no good. Just a lazy coward. I saw it from the start."

"Oh? You saw that coming, did you?"

Someone caught up from behind, glanced at them, and remarked with a sigh, "You can say all you want, but you can’t argue with the fact that the woman is fertile."

The women fell silent.

In the rural villages of the sixties, being able to bear children was a massive bonus!!

After the others had left, a gaunt woman with a vacant expression emerged. She stood frozen in place for a long moment before murmuring faintly, "If only I could have children like that..."

In the village, stray dogs ran about, barking. Their WOOFs mingled with the chatter of children and the occasional loud scolding from a mother, creating a noisy clamor.

Wang Chunhua came out carrying a basin of dirty water, which she tossed onto the small vegetable patch by her door. Just as she was turning to go back inside, a girl of about fifteen or sixteen ran out of the mud-brick house next door.

The girl had a frantic look on her face. When she saw someone standing by the door, her expression froze and she quickly averted her gaze before lowering her head and bolting.

Wang Chunhua was completely baffled. ’What is wrong with that girl...’

She had just turned her head when she heard a child’s tear-filled voice from next door: "Mama!"

"Somebody, help! My mama fainted!!"

Gu Dazai’s voice was loud and shrill, startling Er Zai, who was pulling up cabbages in the backyard garden.

Gu Erzai’s little legs churned as he dashed over. He saw his mother lying on the ground with a large bump on her forehead and immediately tried to help her up, joining his brother in hooking their scrawny arms under hers. But they were too small and thin; they couldn’t lift her. His voice was filled with panic, "Brother, what happened to Mama?"

"Little Aunt pushed Mama down," Da Zai choked out, his small body trembling.

When Lin Zhao didn’t wake up after a long moment, five-year-old Gu Dazai collected himself. "Er Zai," he told his brother, "go get Grandma."

At the door, Wang Chunhua heard them, quickly set down her basin, wiped her hands on her heavily patched trousers, and rushed next door.

She heard Da Zai’s instructions the moment she walked in. ’My goodness, what a clever child!’

When Da Zai saw an adult arrive, he finally had someone to rely on. "Auntie," he said urgently, "please check on my mama! My little aunt pushed her over!"

Wang Chunhua saw the huge bump on Lin Zhao’s head and cried out, "Goodness me, how did it swell up so big? We can’t just leave her on the floor. We need to get your mama onto the bed."

"I’ll help you, Auntie." Da Zai moved to his mother’s other side to help lift her.

Er Zai, seeing he wasn’t needed, glanced at the broken bowl and scattered egg custard on the floor. An idea sparked in his eyes. He turned and bolted from the house, shouting at the top of his lungs as he ran, "Grandpa! Grandma! Little Aunt beat Mama unconscious...!"

It was just when everyone was getting off work, so the road was crowded. Gu Erzai had a loud voice, and he was wailing pitifully. Everyone who passed by noticed, and the villagers couldn’t help but stop and watch him.

’Whoa, Chenghuai’s wife is clashing with her sister-in-law again?’ they thought. ’Sounds like it got physical this time!’

The Gu Family members were also in the procession of returning workers, a group of more than a dozen people. They were all exhausted after a long day, with no energy for anything but heading home for dinner. But then they heard that familiar, wailing cry...

Mother Gu, walking at the head of the group, had her expression change in an instant. Thinking someone was bullying her precious second grandson, she hefted the large hoe on her shoulder and quickened her pace.

Her voice, as loud as ever, arrived before she did. "Er Zai, what is it? Who’s bullying you? Tell Grandma!"

Er Zai wiped away his tears, looked up at his grandma with red-rimmed eyes, and said in an aggrieved tone, "It was Little Aunt! Little Aunt was bullying Mama! She pushed Mama down, and now Mama has a lump on her head as big as a bowl—no, as big as a basin! And she’s still not awake! Grandma, I want my mama! I want my mama... WAAAHHH..."

Those who are favored have nothing to fear. Gu Erzai knew his grandma doted on them, and he put on a show, wailing so loudly that the sparrows in the trees fled from the ensuing drama.

Someone in the crowd of onlookers let out a snort of laughter.

Meeting Er Zai’s furious glare, the man rubbed the tip of his nose and said teasingly, "Er Zai, do you even know how big a ’basin-sized’ lump is?"