Chapter 21: Sharing Snacks, Wanting to Hit Mom Again

**Chapter 21: Sharing Snacks and Feeling Like Teasing Mom**

The firewood caught, and kids big and small gathered around, stretching out their hands to warm themselves.

It dawned on Su Xiaoxiao that it was already winter.

Strangely, the weather here had been without ice or snow since the start of winter, with many places still green and thriving. This often gave her the illusion that it was still late autumn.

Su Xiaoxiao wasn’t comfortable borrowing too much from neighbors she didn’t know well. But the children she invited to eat roasted taro and sweet potatoes had no problem with it—whenever the fire died down, they ran home to grab more wood.

Half an hour later, there was no need to roast the sweet potatoes on the wire mesh anymore. A pile of coals had formed beneath it, and Su Xiaoxiao threw the sweet potatoes and taro into the coals. The neighbor kids ran home again and brought back unroasted peanuts. Wu Shuang’s youngest daughter even tucked a few oranges in her coat to roast.

Su Xiaoxiao figured it wouldn’t hurt to try.

Eventually, the wire mesh was piled high with things still in their shells—including chestnuts someone had brought over.

By the time they finished eating all the roasted treats, no one was hungry anymore.

Tuan Tuan got thirsty, so Su Xiaoxiao went inside to pour him some water. He called out, “Mom, I want Malted Milk!”

Su Xiaoxiao asked the other children if they wanted any. Political Commissar Zhang’s eldest daughter rounded up her friends and said, “No thanks. Auntie Su, we’d better get going.”

Tuan Tuan blurted out, “Wait for me!”

Su Xiaoxiao hurried out. “What are you doing? This is your home.”

Tuan Tuan looked at his mom, then at the familiar house, and suddenly got shy, burying his face in her arms.

Su Xiaoxiao picked him up and couldn’t help laughing. “Did you forget where you were?” She waved to the kids already at the gate, “Come back and play soon, okay?”

The children waved and headed home.

After watching Tuan Tuan drink his Malted Milk, Su Xiaoxiao started sweeping. Once the porch was clean, she returned the wire mesh to Political Commissar Zhang’s family. Back home, she checked the sky—it was time to cook. She made a light rice porridge to tide them over and steamed a small bowl of egg with shrimp for Tuan Tuan.

In the afternoon, Su Xiaoxiao took out her notebook and pen to teach Tuan Tuan how to write numbers.

Tuan Tuan asked in his childish voice, “Mom, do I really have to?”

Su Xiaoxiao replied, “Guess what your big brother is doing right now?”

Tuan Tuan guessed, “Homework? But why does he have to do homework?”

Su Xiaoxiao shot back playfully, “Why does Mom have to work?”

“To earn money!”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “If you don’t learn to write, how will you earn money later? What if an elder asks, ‘Tuan Tuan, can you write this address for me?’ Would you know how?”

Tuan Tuan shook his head. “But these aren’t words!”

“If you don’t learn numbers, how will you write ‘18’ when someone says their address is No. 18, Headline Hutong?”

For the first time, Tuan Tuan seemed to realize how useful numbers could be. “Mom, teach me!”

“Shall we start with zero?”

Tuan Tuan nodded eagerly.

The next day at the post office, they happened to meet a military wife sending money to her hometown. Tuan Tuan trotted over, stood on his toes, and said to the clerk, “Auntie, I can write!”

The staff member chuckled, “What can you write?”

“I can write 12345.” Tuan Tuan held up his hand.

Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t even look. “You only know five numbers—you’ve got a ways to go. Come here!”

“Will you teach me to write, Mom?”

Since no one needed her help, Su Xiaoxiao picked up her son and took out a newspaper to read to him.

With so many characters on the page, using the newspaper to teach Tuan Tuan would either make him dizzy and sleepy or frustrated from not recognizing any of them.

As Su Xiaoxiao read aloud, Tuan Tuan listened like it was a story. Half an hour later, he started fussing to get down.

With the New Year approaching, more people were sending packages to their hometowns. Su Xiaoxiao didn’t have time to keep an eye on him, so she let him play on his own. After getting familiar with the post office staff, Tuan Tuan chatted with everyone, unafraid to speak up. He wandered around, looking here and there, never feeling lonely by the end of the day.

Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but worry—would he even be ready for kindergarten next year? Would he think the teacher’s just someone to chat with?

Her nieces and nephews from her past life weren’t nearly as outgoing. With a kid like this, Su Xiaoxiao didn’t know what to do, so she figured she’d just let it be—things would sort themselves out.

Once Su Xiaoxiao estimated her in-laws should have received the letter, she sent the New Year gifts. That way, when they saw the postmark date, they wouldn’t mistake the gifts as a return gesture for the local specialties they had sent her.

She didn’t pack anything fancy. Things like fish maw, dried abalone, or sea cucumber were things her in-laws wouldn’t eat and might even scold her for being wasteful. Instead, she sent dried shrimp and seaweed—things both the elderly and children could enjoy. She saw other military wives sending the same stuff.

About ten days after sending the package, Su Xiaoxiao received a large parcel. With Tuan Tuan in her arms, she couldn’t lug it back alone, so Wu Shuang helped her transport it on her bicycle.

Wu Shuang didn’t know many characters, but she could tell the box contained food. After dropping it off, she hurried home, afraid Su Xiaoxiao might think she was angling for some.

In truth, Wu Shuang knew Su Xiaoxiao wasn’t stingy—evident from how she roasted pounds of sweet potatoes and taro. She held back because Su Xiaoxiao was from the capital, a big-city girl, and worried she might secretly look down on her rural background.

And she wasn’t wrong to worry—there were indeed military wives in the residential area who put on airs and couldn’t take a joke.

At first, Wu Shuang figured one such woman was just the quiet type, but later, it was clear she just couldn’t stand her.

After Wu Shuang left, Su Xiaoxiao opened the box. The items inside were wrapped in layers of newspaper. Tuan Tuan squatted to unwrap them, but his legs got tired. When he opened a bottle of cola, his mom wouldn’t let him drink it, so he plopped down on the floor, pouting.

When Zhang Huaimin returned, he saw his wife squatting and his son sitting, surrounded by piles of newspaper. “What’s going on here?”

Su Xiaoxiao startled at his entrance. “Why are you back so early?”

“It’s already dark outside. Still early?” Zhang Huaimin knelt to gather the newspapers. “Did you bring all the post office’s old papers home?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Your parents’ package arrived. Must’ve worried about the long trip—look, they wrapped two bottles of cola for Tuan Tuan in eight sheets of newspaper.”

Zhang Huaimin followed her gaze to the cola on the other side of the box. “You can buy cola in the capital?”

“You can get it at the Friendship Store.” Ordinary citizens weren’t allowed to shop there. Her old self had never set foot in there. “Did Xinmin buy it?”

Zhang Xinmin worked in the finance department. Zhang Huaimin nodded. “Only he could get in. What else is there?”

“Butter cookies.” Su Xiaoxiao pulled them out. “I asked for capital specialties—why did Xinmin send these?”

Zhang Huaimin laughed. “To show you off. But why all this foreign stuff?”

“There’s more underneath.” Su Xiaoxiao dug out a box of lüdagun (glutinous rice rolls), wrapped in just one sheet of newspaper. She had to laugh, muttering to herself, “Talk about a double standard.”

Zhang Huaimin grinned too as the lüdagun appeared so easily when Su Xiaoxiao unwrapped it. He opened the container, popped one into Su Xiaoxiao’s mouth, ate one himself, then gave one to Tuan Tuan to try. “Is it good?”

Tuan Tuan reached for another. Zhang Huaimin scooped him up to wash his hands in the kitchen.

Once dinner was over, Zhang Huaimin found a small enamel mug and placed eight pieces of something inside, then had Tuan Tuan take the mug out to play with friends.

The soldiers and military wives from the north stayed indoors whenever they could—the winters here were damp and cold. But the chill didn’t stop the kids from having fun. As soon as Tuan Tuan reached the courtyard gate, he heard laughter and chatter. Still, it was his first time bringing food to share with friends, and he wasn’t sure of himself, so he turned back to look for his father.

Zhang Huaimin walked over to him. "I’m right here watching you."

Tuan Tuan took a few steps forward, glanced back to confirm his father was still there, then boldly headed east.

By late December on the lunar calendar, the moonlight illuminated the dark night as bright as day. As Tuan Tuan approached, the Zhongs saw him right away. Zhong Sanwa wasn’t in the mood to watch kids but was afraid of getting scolded, so after hesitating for a moment, he called out, “San Wa gege!” (a term meaning “Big Brother San Wa,” often used by younger children).

Tuan Tuan trotted over. “San Wa gege!”

The children gathered around Zhong Sanwa made way for him.

Tuan Tuan held up the mug. “San Wa gege, I got something yummy for you!”

Zhong Sanwa’s mother earned more than Su Xiaoxiao, and Colonel Zhong had more years of service and a higher rank than Zhang Huaimin, which meant a higher salary too. The Zhong family was wealthier than Su Xiaoxiao and Zhang Huaimin, and Zhong Sanwa’s mother was someone who knew how to enjoy life, so the boy didn’t care much for little snacks.

Noticing a tall figure in the distance—probably there specifically for Tuan Tuan—Zhong Sanwa took a piece, bit into it, then shoved it into the mouth of a boy slightly taller than him standing nearby.

The boy grimaced. “Gross! Your slobber’s all over it!”

Tuan Tuan raised the mug. “Mine’s clean!”

Zhong Sanwa took the mug, picked out a piece, and stuffed it into Tuan Tuan’s mouth. “Try it yourself.” Then he shared the rest with the other kids. “Good, right?”

Tuan Tuan nodded eagerly. “So good! San Wa gege, we have more at home. Come over!”

Zhong Sanwa was surprised—the little one was so generous. “Some other time. Let’s play for now.” He set the enamel mug aside on the ground. “Tuan Tuan, come join my team. We’re playing freeze tag.”

Tuan Tuan had seen kids in the capital play this before, but they never let him join. Thrilled to be included, he grabbed San Wa’s hand.

About half an hour later, Su Xiaoxiao stepped outside. “The water’s hot.”

Zhang Huaimin turned back. “Hold on. He’s having fun.”

Su Xiaoxiao looked eastward. Whether boys or girls, even the shortest child was half a head taller than Tuan Tuan. “Why does he always want to play with older kids?”

“Older kids know more games,” Zhang Huaimin replied. He turned to her. “Cold?”

She shook her head. “Not cold, but there’s a weird dampness.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “But you have to admit, living here means you don’t need as much vanishing cream.”

“True,” she said, touching her face. “I feel like I’ve gotten darker, but my skin isn’t as dry anymore. Do you think I’ll get my fair complexion back?”

Zhang Huaimin chuckled. “It’s not like you’ve been sunbathing. Winters here aren’t hot—you’ll be pale again by spring. I’ve been here for years and haven’t turned into charcoal.”

Su Xiaoxiao thought about it. Except for those naturally darker-skinned, most officers on the island had a tan complexion. Those who spent most of their time in offices or with light training routines looked no different from city office workers.

“Time to get Tuan Tuan,” she said. “Feels like it’s almost eight.”

Zhang Huaimin suddenly realized he hadn’t seen Su Xiaoxiao wearing her watch lately and almost asked where it was. But then it struck him—it was either taken by her sister-in-law or Liu Chen must’ve taken it.

“We’ll both go,” Zhang Huaimin said.

“You go ahead,” she replied.

He guided her along. “There’s nothing to do here anyway. No need to shut the door.”

Halfway there, Political Commissar Zhang's wife came back carrying a stool, probably having been chatting with someone. Spotting them, she teased, "You two lovebirds sure are close!"

Su Xiaoxiao nodded. "Calling it a night already, sis?"

Political Commissar Zhang's wife paused, clearly not expecting Su Xiaoxiao to take the teasing so well, and replied with a smile, "Nope. I'm going home to wash up, stoke the stove, and go to bed. Where are you two off to? Following Regiment Commander Zhong and Teacher Song's example for a seaside stroll?"

Su Xiaoxiao hesitated briefly before shaking her head. "Getting Tuan Tuan ready for bedtime."

As Political Commissar Zhang's wife walked away, Su Xiaoxiao turned to Zhang Huaimin. "A seaside walk in this cold?"

Zhang Huaimin replied, "Don't mind her. Regiment Commander Zhong has many kids, and Teacher Song finds the constant chatter—like a bunch of squabbling swallows—overwhelming. Sometimes she and Regiment Commander Zhong walk farther away. Since we're close to the sea here, a few hundred meters brings you near the shore."

"With so many children, how does Teacher Song manage?" Su Xiaoxiao felt her head spin at the thought of seven kids. She could barely handle Su Tuantuan alone—how does anyone raise seven?

"Have you ever seen her grocery shopping?" Zhang Huaimin asked.

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head. "I've been here this long and still don't even know what she looks like."

"Her older kids learned to cook by seven or eight. It wasn’t Teacher Song who taught them, though—they complained she was too stingy with the cooking oil."

Su Xiaoxiao also disliked how her former self was stingy with oil. "If you put it that way, I believe it!"

"So usually, the older kids take care of shopping and cooking. They do their own laundry three seasons out of the year. When Regiment Commander Zhong is on leave, he helps Teacher Song around the house. He seems to have no parents and doesn't go out during leave—he just helps with chores at home. All things considered, she’s actually less busy than you used to be."

Su Xiaoxiao recalled how she worked her fingers to the bone for that family without so much as a thank-you. "Thank goodness the kids are well-behaved."

Zhang Huaimin added, "She's a teacher—she probably knows all the tricks. I’m not sure of the details, though. I used to stay in the barracks and rarely came around here."

Noticing they'd reached the children, Zhang Huaimin called out, "Tuan Tuan, time for bed."

Su Tuantuan didn’t hear.

Zhang Huaimin turned to Su Xiaoxiao. "You try!"

Su Xiaoxiao stepped forward. "Su Tuantuan!"

"Mom, five more minutes!"

"I'm counting to three!"

"—Coming!" Tuan Tuan dashed over and plowed right into Su Xiaoxiao.

Su Xiaoxiao picked him up and gave his bottom a swat. Tuan Tuan went to hit back, but she pinched his ear. "Trying to smack your mother?"

"Did not!" Tuan Tuan pulled her hand away. "Mom! There's a bug in your hair!"