Chapter 25 - 9: "Imagination Maiden

Chapter 25: Chapter 9: "Imagination Maiden

Da Zai and Er Zai were also squeezed in beside her.

She picked up Third Child and Fourth Child, moved them to the side, and sat up. Fanning herself haphazardly with her hand, her eyes were still heavy with sleep, not yet fully awake.

’It’s boiling hot.’

Da Zai and Er Zai had also been woken by the heat. The two children’s slightly long hair was damp with sweat, their faces covered in marks from the sleeping mat and flushed red.

"Mom." Only now did Da Zai’s usually steady voice carry a child’s tender innocence.

Lin Zhao kept her voice very soft. "Are you still sleepy? You can sleep a little longer if you are."

"What about you, Mom?" Da Zai rubbed his eyes, becoming a little more alert.

"I’m not sleepy anymore. It’s just too hot," Lin Zhao said. "I’m going to go outside, wash up, and make you all breakfast. What would you like to eat?"

"Anything you make is delicious, Mom." Da Zai thought of the dumplings they ate yesterday and swallowed hard.

Lin Zhao’s heart swelled with joy at the compliment. After a moment’s thought, she said, "How about I make some steamed egg custard? Third Child and Fourth Child can eat it too. Is that okay?"

"Okay," Da Zai said happily.

The mother and son quietly got out of bed and went out into the courtyard.

A breeze blew outside. The temperature hadn’t risen yet this early in the morning, making it much more comfortable out here than in the room.

Lin Zhao opened a window to let the air circulate.

"Da Zai, let’s wash up first." She took out a bar of facial soap and four soft-bristled toothbrushes, explaining each one to him. "This is facial soap. You and your little brother and sisters can use it to wash your hands, too. And these are the toothbrushes I bought for you all. When Er Zai and the others wake up, you’ll be in charge of passing them out."

Da Zai accepted the items from Lin Zhao with both hands. He carefully placed three of the toothbrushes back on the table, keeping his own to brush his teeth.

It was his first time brushing his teeth, and the experience was completely new to him. He copied his mom, brushing left and right, up and down. Whenever he caught Lin Zhao’s smiling gaze, his own eyes would curve into a happy smile.

Lin Zhao spat out the foamy water and reminded her son, "Don’t swallow the toothpaste foam. You have to spit it out."

With his cheeks puffed out and a ring of white foam around his mouth, Da Zai nodded.

Lin Zhao tried washing her face with the facial soap she’d gotten. It had a lovely fragrance and felt wonderfully refreshing. It didn’t dry out her skin at all; instead, her face felt supple and comfortable. Still, she was used to applying a bit of snowflake cream after washing her face.

Back in the house, she remembered the face cream she’d received last night. She decided to use that instead of the snowflake cream.

Outside, Da Zai was using the facial soap for the first time. The little boy found the scent so intoxicating he was tempted to take a bite out of the bar.

Lin Zhao leaned halfway out the window and called to him in a loud whisper, "Da Zai, come inside when you’re done. I’ll put some face cream on for you."

Hearing that, Da Zai rinsed the foam off his face, dried it with a towel, and ran inside, his feet going PATTER-PATTER. The moment he crossed the threshold, he instinctively quieted his steps.

Lin Zhao’s expression softened, and she dabbed the face cream onto Da Zai’s cheeks.

"Smells nice, doesn’t it?" she asked.

"It does," Da Zai replied quietly, though his tone was puzzled. "It smells different from last night’s."

Not the least bit flustered, Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow. "See, that’s something you wouldn’t know. Women like having all kinds of different skincare products. This is nothing."

Light dawned in Da Zai’s eyes. "When I grow up and become a factory worker, I’ll buy you lots and lots of snowflake cream, Mom."

Whether he meant it or not, words like that could always warm a person’s heart.

"Okay, I’ll be waiting." Lin Zhao pointed to the jar of children’s cream. "This one is for you kids. From now on, after you, your brother, and your sisters wash your faces, you have to remember to put some on."

Da Zai asked, "If I put it on, will I get as fair as Mom?"

Lin Zhao almost burst out laughing. "You want to be fair-skinned?"

Da Zai looked up at her and gave a shy smile. "I want to look like Mom."

"Hm?" Lin Zhao didn’t understand.

But Da Zai lowered his eyes and didn’t answer.

’The villagers said they were too dark to be their mother’s children.’

Lin Zhao didn’t press her son for an answer. Instead, she said, "You and Er Zai are just tan from the sun. That’s why you’re dark. See? Third Child and Fourth Child are both so fair and rosy. Once you’ve had some time to rest and eat well, you and Er Zai will have fair, rosy skin too. Just like me."

Da Zai brightened up and said earnestly, "I’ll remind my brother and sisters to put it on."

Lin Zhao wrapped an arm around her son’s thin shoulders and led him out of the room.

"Come on, let’s go steam some egg custard for you all."

"Do you want to eat anything besides the egg custard?"

"I’ll help you with the fire, Mom," Da Zai said, before answering her question. "The steamed egg custard is enough."

"That’s fine too. It won’t be long before it’s time for lunch anyway."

The mother and son got busy in the kitchen.

Gu Dazai sat on a small stool, helping to watch the fire. He kept glancing over at his mother, a smile never leaving his lips.

Before long, a tempting aroma wafted from the pot.

"Mom, it smells so good!" Sitting on his little stool, Da Zai’s nose twitched. He took a deep sniff, and the aroma was so intoxicating it almost made him dizzy.

’Mom used four whole eggs!’