January 1970.
In the dead of winter, during the coldest days of the lunar month, the early morning silence in Xinghuali Lane was broken by the sound of doors opening one after another in the various courtyards. In no time at all, the alley became a hive of activity.
The reason? Everyone was rushing to use the public toilet.
Within moments, a long queue had formed outside the alley's public toilet. Some were hopping from foot to foot, arms tucked into their sleeves, desperate to relieve themselves. Others stood patiently holding chamber pots, waiting to empty them. The line stretched far down the alley, with no end in sight.
Despite its size, the public toilet was no match for the sheer number of residents it served in Xinghuali Lane. As the queue grew longer, a long-faced woman emerged from Courtyard No. 44. She wore a grey floral-patterned cotton jacket and looked sprightly as she joined the line, chamber pot in hand.
No sooner had she taken her place than the gossip began. The round-faced woman in front of her, wearing a small floral-print cotton jacket, turned and asked eagerly, "Zhao Guihua, now that your youngest son is married too, are you planning to divide the household?"
This topic piqued everyone's interest, and all ears in the queue pricked up.
The long-faced woman, Zhao Guihua, maintained her composure and replied, "Well, I still need to discuss it with the old man. It's not a small matter, you know."
Though she said this, in her heart, she was reluctant to split up the family. What parents ever truly want to divide their household? Zhao Guihua was no exception. But given the public setting, she didn't want to give a definitive answer, leaving some room for maneuver.
Lost in thought about this matter, she wasn't paying attention to her footing as she made her way back to the courtyard after emptying her chamber pot. Just as she reached the entrance, she stepped on a patch of thin ice. She slipped and fell hard, her bottom hitting the ground with a thud and her head knocking against the doorpost. "Ah!" she cried out.
"Mom!"
"Old woman!"
The early morning quiet was shattered as people from every household in the courtyard rushed out. "What happened? What's going on?"
"Quick, let's carry her inside..."
"Why bother? Let's take her straight to the hospital!"
"How did she fall like that? I told you we shouldn't pour water in the courtyard when it's so cold..."
"Old woman, old woman..."
Zhao Guihua was in a daze, hearing someone call out to her. The voice was both familiar and strange.
This voice is so familiar, she thought. Has the old man come to fetch me?
Hearing this voice, Zhao Guihua struggled to open her eyes. Even if he was a ghost, she wanted to see her old man one last time. Since he had passed away, she hadn't had anyone to share her innermost thoughts with, anyone who truly understood her. Zhao Guihua forced her eyes open and got a shock.
Startled!
Everyone was leaning over her, peering down... "Old man? How did you get so young?"
Old Man Zhuang, the head of the Zhuang family, blushed at these words. This old woman!
He coughed and said, "What are you talking about? The children are all here."
Seeing his wife still staring at him, his face reddened even more. Then, remembering that she had hit her head, he quickly added, "How do you feel? Is it serious? Should I take you to the hospital to check your head?"
Zhao Guihua seemed not to have heard him. She slowly turned her head, seeing other young faces. Without exception, every face looked exceptionally youthful. She looked around, seemingly unable to comprehend the situation.
Old Man Zhuang hurriedly said, "Oldest son, go get the bicycle ready. I'll take your mother to the hospital for a check-up."
As he spoke, Zhao Guihua reached out and pinched his arm hard. Even through the thick cotton jacket, her vicious pinch couldn't be stopped. Old Man Zhuang yelped, "Ouch!"
Before he could ask why, Zhao Guihua asked, "Did that hurt?"
Old Man Zhuang was speechless for a moment. Then he pursed his lips and said, "Of course it hurt!"
This old woman, has she damaged her brain in the fall?
He grew increasingly worried and said, "Let's hurry to the hospital..."
Zhao Guihua held his hand and shook her head, "No need!"
She waved her hand, gesturing for everyone to step back, and sat up. As she looked around closely, her emotions fluctuated, but she quickly composed herself. She observed the room's furnishings and the concerned faces of her family members, big and small. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I'm fine."
Though she wasn't sure exactly which day she had traveled back to, as a modern old lady who had watched her fair share of time-travel TV dramas, Zhao Guihua was certain she had returned to her younger days.
Although her sons were already married and she was known as Old Lady Zhao, wasn't being in her forties or fifties still considered young? She hadn't even lived half her life yet.
"Mom, don't try to act tough. We should still go to the hospital for a check-up. I'm on marriage leave today anyway, so I'm not going to work," said a tall young man standing at the front of the group.
Zhao Guihua looked up at him. The young man was full of vigor, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a heroic air. This was her youngest son.
Zhao Guihua had three children, two sons and a daughter, and this was her youngest.
However, hearing these words, Zhao Guihua realized exactly which day this was. It was the day after her youngest son's wedding. He had only taken two days off for his marriage, and seeing his new wife already standing beside him, she knew this was the second day.
On this day in her previous life, she had indeed fallen and hit her head. Although she wasn't seriously hurt, because it was the second day of her youngest son's marriage, she couldn't help but wonder if her new daughter-in-law was bringing her bad luck. She had merely mentioned this concern to her husband, not really meaning it. But her eldest daughter-in-law had overheard and, being a gossip, had spread it around the courtyard and to the ears of the youngest daughter-in-law.
Her youngest daughter-in-law had been raised in a pampered environment and couldn't bear such an insult. They were already at a disadvantage by not having their own separate household, and now to be the subject of gossip from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law was too much. Naturally, it had caused a big row. Just days after the wedding, their family had experienced its first "domestic war."
Remembering her past life, Zhao Guihua rubbed her temples and decisively nipped the potential issues in the bud. She said, "I'm absolutely fine, don't worry about me. I just don't know which bastard spilled water in front of our door, causing me to slip!"
Old Man Zhuang's mouth twitched. "Uh..."
Zhao Guihua shot him a glare. "What? Did you do it?"
Old Man Zhuang immediately protested, "How can you say that? It wasn't me! Didn't you pour the water out yourself last night?"
Zhao Guihua was speechless.
The most dreadful thing is when the air suddenly becomes silent.
Cursing oneself, how embarrassing.
Their sons and daughters-in-law all pretended to look elsewhere.
The neighbors who had come to help started laughing, and Zhao Guihua quickly said, "Thank you all for coming. You can go back now, go on. I'm fine here, thank you for your concern."
Seeing that Zhao Guihua was indeed alright, the neighbors started to disperse, chattering as they left.
"Well, I should go back and make breakfast. I have to go to work."
"I need to do some laundry..."
"I have to go to the supply and marketing cooperative..."
The crowd scattered, leaving only the family members behind.
Zhao Guihua, not at all embarrassed, fake-coughed and swiftly changed the subject. "Why are you all standing around me? Don't you need to make breakfast? Are you not eating today?"
The eldest daughter-in-law, Liang Meifen, quickly said, "Mom, I'll go make breakfast. What should we have this morning?"
Although she was the one who usually cooked, it was customary for her mother-in-law to allocate the food and decide the portions. She wasn't free to cook as she pleased. Normally, they would have coarse grain porridge, but since it was the second day of her brother-in-law's marriage, surely they should have something better.
Before Zhao Guihua could scold her for being indecisive and always relying on her to make decisions about meals, she suddenly remembered that at this time, she was still in charge of the household. The words caught in her throat, and after a pause, she said, "It's getting late, let's not cook. It's also the second day of Third Son's marriage, so let's buy some fried dough sticks."
As soon as she said this, everyone except the seemingly distracted youngest daughter-in-law looked at her in shock, hardly believing what they had heard.
Zhao Guihua, unfazed by their stares, said loudly, "What? Can't I buy some fried dough sticks? Eldest daughter-in-law, go and buy..."
She counted the heads and said, "Buy eight fried dough sticks, eight servings of tofu pudding, and eight tea eggs. Go on."
Despite the decades that had passed, she still knew exactly where to find the money. She opened a drawer and took out some cash, saying, "Here, go."
Liang Meifen had never seen her frugal mother-in-law buy breakfast before. In the seven years since she had married into the family, this was the first time she had gone out to buy it, stepping out the door in a somewhat dazed state. As soon as she left, the cold wind blew, instantly waking her up. Looking at the money in her hand, she suddenly felt a twinge of sorrow.
It seemed the old lady really liked the third son's wife, even buying breakfast for her. When she had married into the family, she didn't receive such treatment on her second day. Thinking about her current situation, she felt even more lost and frightened, with a sense of desolation, feeling only bitterness in her heart.
Although it was rare to eat breakfast from outside, Liang Meifen didn't feel the slightest bit of happiness, her face etched with misery.
A few neighbors washing up in the courtyard exchanged meaningful glances.
At this moment, Zhao Guihua spoke bluntly: "You all go about your business, don't crowd around me."
The two Zhuang sons stared at their mother, asking, "Mom, are you really okay?" They felt that their mother seemed a bit strange today.
Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "Why are you hoping for something to be wrong with me? I'm fine, I'm fine. Go on, get going."
The eldest Zhuang son, Zhuang Zhiyuan, nodded and said, "Then I'll go wash up."
The third son, Zhuang Zhixi, also gently pushed his wife's shoulder, saying, "Let's go."
His newlywed wife, Mingmei, with her long eyelashes trembling slightly, followed Zhuang Zhixi out like a little wooden doll, returning to their room.
Old Man Zhuang was still a bit worried: "Are you sure you don't need to have your head checked?"
Zhao Guihua: "No need, just give me a mirror, I'll take a look myself."
Old Man Zhuang obediently complied. Zhao Guihua held up the mirror and examined herself closely. The bump on her head wasn't serious, and her face looked much younger. She should be forty-six this year, and her old man should be forty-eight.
So young!
She marveled sincerely. After gazing for a while, Zhao Guihua came back to her senses and noticed her old man's worried look. She said, "What? What are you looking at?"
Old Man Zhuang whispered, "I think you might have hit your head too hard."
She seemed odd.
Zhao Guihua understood his meaning and glared at him, saying, "You're afraid I've gone stupid?"
Hearing her loud voice, Old Man Zhuang instantly felt relieved. With such fierceness, she must be fine.
He said, "I know you're alright. Look at you, as fierce as ever."
Then he asked again, "How come you're willing to buy breakfast now?"
It wasn't just the eldest daughter-in-law Liang Meifen who was surprised; as her bedmate, Old Man Zhuang was equally astonished.
Zhao Guihua: "The children are all married now, we've accomplished one of our major tasks. It's time to loosen up a bit. One breakfast won't make us poor."
Old Man Zhuang thought about it and nodded: "That's true. With the youngest daughter-in-law joining the family, we're even better off now..."
Since the topic had been brought up, Zhao Guihua tightened her jaw and spoke: "Old Man, I want to divide the family."
