On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Sun Jingfei went to the kitchen early to help. She shooed Mother Sun out, saying she should rest and that dinner would be handled by her and her sister-in-law.
Mother Sun sat on the sofa for a while, but the longer she sat, the more uncomfortable she felt, always sensing it wasn’t quite right to sit idle without helping. Sun Jingfei said she was born to toil, and got slapped for it, with Mother Sun scolding her for being disrespectful.
Second Sister-in-law leaned against the kitchen doorway making grand pronouncements, saying once you touch up one part of your face, you’ll end up doing everything eventually. The ones who get work done are weak-willed; confident people simply wouldn’t do it. Then she asked Zhou Yu, since there had been no activity in her belly, was it her problem or was Fourth Brother no good? Better discover it early and get treatment! This made Zhou Yu’s face flush bright red, and she ignored her.
Mother Sun told her to stop gossiping and stuffed a basket of yellow bean sprouts into her hands, telling her to pick out all the husks.
Eldest Sister-in-law was worried about two things: first, Sun Yuyi’s dating situation; second, this morning’s incident of Sun Yuyan staring at a little girl peeing. The girl’s mother wouldn’t let it go and came straight to their door.
Second Sister-in-law thought it wasn’t a big deal. “What does a four-year-old understand? He was just curious.”
“The child doesn’t understand, but the parents think this is an education problem.” Eldest Sister-in-law shredded the cooked chicken breast into strips, preparing to make cold dressed chicken shreds for the children. “There are two gift boxes at home. I’m having your eldest brother take them over tomorrow to apologize. I don’t even have the face to go.”
“Has Eldest Brother returned from his business trip?”
“He said he’d be home at two. He’s probably catching up on sleep now.”
Eldest Brother had originally planned to nap, but the entire residential complex had a power outage for electrical circuit repairs. His phone was about to die, so he simply took his charger to the clinic. He didn’t go upstairs though, and drank tea downstairs with Sun Youping.
His work was special—his phone had to be on 24 hours a day.
After sitting downstairs for about half an hour, he gradually began to doze off. Sun Youping told him to go upstairs to sleep, but he was too lazy to go, finding the children too noisy. He suggested hiring a nanny, worried that Mother Sun’s health couldn’t take it.
Sun Youping poured him another cup of tea. “Let your mom take care of them herself. It gives her something to do.”
He was worried about Sun Yuyi’s situation; also, he didn’t know what to chat about between father and son. If Second Brother or Third Brother were here, it would be better—they could liven things up.
Before, he never felt there was anything wrong with silence between father and son, because everyone was the same. But as he aged, especially these past two years, he really wanted to chat with his father about something, or even if there was nothing to talk about, just keeping him company over tea would be good. Thinking this, he searched for topics and mentioned Sun Yuyi secretly dating. He didn’t oppose dating, but felt that college should be focused on studying—dating was for after leaving campus.
After a long while, Sun Youping replied, “Think of it another way—Yuyi hasn’t killed anyone or gone against society, hasn’t caused trouble for the police. What’s wrong with dating?”
Eldest Brother caught on and laughed heartily. Sun Youping really held grudges.
Sun Jingcheng came upstairs first looking for Zhou Yu. The two had bickered this morning. He’d forgotten exactly why they argued, but he knew Zhou Yu was still angry.
Sun Jingfei told him she was in the bathroom, then for the eight hundredth time corrected Mother Sun that toilet paper rolls are for the toilet, toilet paper rolls are for the toilet… while demonstrating, “Remember this—pull, pull, pull, tissue boxes can go in the living room.”
“What’s wrong with putting toilet paper rolls in the living room?”
“It’s inelegant!”
…
Zhou Yu had just opened the bathroom door when Sun Jingcheng blocked her back inside, asking if she was still angry. Zhou Yu couldn’t be bothered with him. “Who said I’m angry?”
“I did.”
“Who are you?”
“The roundworm in your belly.” After saying this, he imitated the form of a roundworm, twisting back and forth on her body.
…
Zhou Yu laughed in exasperation. “You really have no shame.”
“Not angry anymore?”
“I wasn’t angry.” Zhou Yu pushed him aside to leave.
“I don’t believe you.” Sun Jingcheng wouldn’t let her out.
“Oh my, the kitchen is busy.”
Sun Jingcheng didn’t care, squirming on her like a roundworm, saying, “I’m a roundworm, I’m a roundworm.”
…
Zhou Yu understood he’d come to collect on this morning’s bet. She told him, “Stand properly.”
Sun Jingcheng stood properly.
Zhou Yu kissed him on the cheek. “There, satisfied?”
…
Sun Jingcheng disliked her tone and kissed her cheek in return. “Giving it back to you. I don’t want it.”
Zhou Yu was shocked. “Look how capable you are!”
Sun Jingcheng laughed loudly.
Coming out, he saw Sun Jingfei standing there munching on a pear. He turned the pear in her hand and took a big bite from the other side. Sun Jingfei wanted to scold him but didn’t. Instead, she rubbed against him back and forth, parroting, “I’m a roundworm, I’m a roundworm, I’m a roundworm…” Then burst out laughing!
“Eavesdropping is truly shameful.” Sun Jingcheng said without changing expression.
“Little brother, you’re really something.” Sun Jingfei hooked his shoulder, speaking meaningfully. Just then Mother Sun came back from the balcony, saying that so-and-so downstairs had once pursued her, but she’d found him ugly and looked down on him. Now he was very successful, with a happy marriage and both son and daughter, owning two properties in Shanghai paid in full.
Sun Jingfei went to the balcony to look. Eldest and Second Sisters-in-law also gathered around. Sun Jingfei took a bite of pear and said, “Two properties paid in full, so what? I still wouldn’t like him.”
“He’s settled in Shanghai now. Said to have an annual income of several million.”
“Settled, so what? Several million, so what? I wouldn’t go even if you asked me to.”
“Biting a shit stick and acting smug.” Mother Sun wasn’t afraid of her stubbornness. “Back then when he pursued you so persistently, you held onto a turd like it was a treasure.” Seeing Sun Jingfei’s face darken, she held back and stopped engaging with her.
Insisting on marrying Ke Yong back then—now she’s tasting the bitter fruit, isn’t she?
Sun Jingfei turned back and sat on the sofa, no longer going to the kitchen.
Eldest Sister-in-law changed the subject, asking why Second Brother hadn’t arrived yet. Second Sister-in-law picked up, “He’s here, downstairs drinking tea with Eldest Brother.”
“Your eldest brother came too?” Eldest Sister-in-law was surprised.
“Second Brother sent a message five minutes ago saying he’s drinking tea downstairs with Eldest Brother.”
“Why didn’t Fourth Brother go?”
“Hey, where’s Fourth Brother?”
Fourth Brother was in the kitchen teasing his wife. Hearing the commotion, he came out. “Looking for me?”
“Why didn’t you go down for tea?”
“Not going. They didn’t call me anyway.” Sun Jingcheng was disdainful.
“Waiting for an eight-person sedan chair to invite you!” Mother Sun directed her dissatisfaction with Sun Jingfei at him. “Both running companies—others can earn ten million a year, you can’t even make one million…”
“Enough, Mom, you should be content!” Sun Jingfei scolded her. “Your three sons have all reached middle-class family status. And you say we’ve forgotten our roots—you and Dad only moved out of the urban village a few years ago, and already you look down on the middle class.”
“My tongue isn’t as sharp as yours. I can’t out-talk you!” Mother Sun wouldn’t engage with her.
“Just admit you can’t out-talk me.” Sun Jingfei went to the kitchen to help, pinched a blueberry to eat, then pinched one to feed Mother Sun.
Mother Sun wouldn’t eat it, but she insisted on feeding her. Mother Sun told her to go away!
Eldest and Second Brothers came up carrying a cake, asking who ordered it, saying the delivery person couldn’t find the door for ages. The children heard the cake had arrived and rushed out with a whoosh, surrounding the ice cream cake and looking at it for a long time, saying it’s melting, it’s melting!
“Nobody’s having a birthday—why order a cake?”
“What you’re saying—can’t eat cake without a birthday?”
Speaking of birthdays, Mother Sun counted on her fingers, saying in a few days it would be Eldest Brother’s birthday. “That day happens to be the last day of counting nines, nine times nine equals eighty-one days, when the ninth nine ends peach blossoms bloom, after that it’ll be warm spring with flowers blooming!”
“What a good omen!” Eldest Sister-in-law smiled.
“That day you treat it like any ordinary day, don’t even boil him an egg.” Mother Sun instructed her. “44 years old isn’t celebrated.”
“Alright.” Eldest Sister-in-law nodded.
In the living room, Second Brother asked Sun Jingcheng why he’d just grunted and gone upstairs when they called him for tea, asking what was with the grunt?
“My nose was itchy.” Sun Jingcheng slumped on the sofa.
“You’re the one with all the problems, always being passive-aggressive.” Eldest Brother scolded him, then called Sun Jingfei out. Today the siblings rarely gathered early, so they should discuss how to celebrate Sun Youping’s birthday.
Sun Youping was turning 69 this year. The original plan was to celebrate big at 70, but yesterday Mother Sun said in the group chat that full-age celebrations weren’t auspicious—had to be at 69 for good luck! 69-69, long and lasting! So 69 it was. The day would arrive in two more months, and the siblings sat on the sofa discussing it in advance.
Mother Sun passed by every so often, passed by every so often. When she heard Sun Jingfei suggest pooling money to buy a 200-gram gold brick, she pursed her lips but said nothing. The old man’s birthday got dismissed with a gold bracelet, but your father gets a 200-gram gold brick? Unexpectedly, Second Brother, being wealthy, said a gold brick was nothing—he’d provide it himself, no need to crowdfund.
Her nose nearly twisted in anger. She didn’t leave either, simply busying herself here and there.
Sun Jingfei wasn’t pleased. “What do you mean? You buy the gold brick, then does Eldest Brother have to buy a storefront?”
Second Brother also felt it wasn’t appropriate. “Then let’s pool money.”
Sun Jingcheng hesitated. “Mom’s pretty petty—if we buy Dad a gold brick, won’t she overthink it?”
“Mom will be secretly delighted!” Sun Jingfei said. “You think the gold brick is really for Dad? Believe it or not, before it reaches Dad’s hands, Mom will have confiscated it.”
Eldest Brother rarely agreed. “Mom’s more affectionate toward gold than toward us…” Before he finished, he got slapped on the back. Mother Sun said ungraciously, “Should’ve traded you all for gold when you were born.”
The siblings laughed loudly. They’d already seen Mother Sun hovering here and deliberately said this to tease her.
At the dinner table, Eldest Brother took the lead in speaking. Seeing Sun Youping had no objections, everyone joined the conversation, chatting about the dance “Banquet in the Tang Palace” that went viral on the provincial TV Spring Festival Gala on New Year’s Eve. Several people argued about what the dancers stuffed in their clothes and what they held in their mouths. Just as the argument was about to escalate into a fight, Eldest Brother stood up, telling everyone to calm down—he’d call the provincial TV station director. After saying this, he took his phone to the balcony.
The call connected. He went “ah,” “oh,” I see, looking enlightened as he hung up. Then with a grave expression, he sat back down. “The director said these people… are all Tang figurines revived from the museum.”
…
“Dad.” Sun Yuyi crossed his arms and rubbed his shoulders. “You’re really not funny!”
“Not funny?” Eldest Brother was unconvinced—not a single person laughed. He kicked his wife. Eldest Sister-in-law warned him in a low voice, “Tomorrow you’re going to apologize.”
…
“Eldest Brother, that’s so outdated!” Sun Jingfei said, then pulled Sun Jingcheng back to the inner room.
“Dad, she’s always being passive-aggressive.” Eldest Brother said to Sun Youping.
“Dad, those two are in cahoots.” Second Brother chimed in.
They ate and chatted at the dining table, while the children ran to the coffee table to divide the cake. Due to unequal distribution, they hurled newly learned profanity at each other. One cursed: “Look at your turtle form!”
Another replied: “Look at your turtle appearance!”
One cursed: “You turtle grandson!”
Another replied: “You tortoise bastard grandson!”
The dining table erupted in laughter! Sun Youping’s face turned green.
Second Sister-in-law went over and slapped each of them, asking where they learned this.
Mother Sun didn’t dare make a sound. A few days ago she’d taken them to square dancing, and two groups had argued over territory. She’d led them to stand there watching with great interest.
Second Sister-in-law kept muttering, saying nobody in the family cursed—where did they learn this?
Just then, the brother-sister pair came out from the inner room, one wearing Mother Sun’s coat, the other draped in Father Sun’s jacket, singing and dancing: “The sun goes down but will still climb up tomorrow morning, flowers wither but will bloom the same next year, beautiful little birds gone without a trace, my youth like a little bird won’t come back…別的那呀哟, 別的那呀哟…”
The children were so delighted they grabbed their clothes and danced wildly around the dining table together. Mother Sun’s eyes crinkled with laughter as she looked at Sun Youping with both pride and achievement—look, these were her pride and accomplishments of a lifetime!
Sun Youping couldn’t help but take a sip of wine, letting them make a ruckus like they’d gone wild. Someone boldly suggested they drink a nuptial cup. Mother Sun spat at them, but still shyly raised her glass and drank with Sun Youping.
After making a commotion for quite a while, Eldest Brother’s phone rang. He was about to go downstairs to answer it when he suddenly clutched his heart at the stairway entrance. As he slowly turned around, looking toward the lively scene in the room with pain, Sun Yuyan excitedly shouted, “Daddy’s performing being shot!”
“Jingyue—”
“Dad—”
“Eldest Brother—”