Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Xu Meng sighed. In this lifetime, she had walked out of that door with dignity.

It was a fresh start as they embraced a new life together.

From now on, everything related to the big locust tree had nothing to do with her—whether it was demolition or fortune, it was all irrelevant.

Now free from it all, Xu Meng was radiant with joy.

As for Feng Yanwen, who had died in disgrace in her past life, she finally felt vindicated in this one. She no longer had to endure her mother-in-law’s tyranny or live through a loveless marriage. She had a new life ahead of her.

Perhaps it was the joy of starting anew that made Feng Yanwen so vibrant and energetic. By contrast, Xu Jiefang, who had left the house with them, looked as wilted as frostbitten eggplants. He was so distracted he nearly missed a step on the stairs.

No one even glanced his way. Xu Jiefang returned home in a daze.

Granny Xue was still muttering curses under her breath, praying for Feng Yanwen’s miserable death. These grumblings were common enough—sometimes she would drag Xu Jiefang into her tirades—but today, he had no patience for it. When he entered the room, he noticed the bag was gone.

Xu Jiefang was a long-haul truck driver, often away for ten days to half a month at a time. Not long ago, he had returned from the south with a bag of goods.

He used to do this often, bringing back local specialties. Granny Xue had always liked such freebies. But this time, he had bought several pieces of clothing in the south, intending to give them to Feng Yanwen to mend their strained relationship. Now the marriage was over, and the gifts were still untouched.

When exactly the bag disappeared, he couldn’t say, but Xu Jiefang knew it must be with the old woman.

At that very moment, Granny Xue was hunched over, rummaging through the bag.

Her son had just divorced, yet here she was tallying up the bag’s contents, utterly indifferent. No southern orange cans, no malted milk—just a few stylish women’s clothes, clearly meant for “that no-good woman.” Truth be told, Xu Jiefang rarely bought anything for Feng Yanwen, and when he did, the items rarely reached her. They were usually intercepted by Granny Xue first. Only if she was feeling generous might Feng Yanwen get a scrap.

Not finding what she wanted, Granny Xue angrily tossed the bag aside and sat on the kang, slapping her thighs and wailing, “You’re all ungrateful! You’re still thinking about her, but does she spare you a thought? All these years I’ve raised you for nothing! A son abandons his mother once he marries! Think back to when you were little—we were so poor we couldn’t even scrape together a meal. I ate bran so you kids could have the grain…”

Once she started, she’d recount every hardship from the moment she got pregnant.

In the past, Xu Jiefang hadn’t minded. But today, it grated on him. Wasn’t everyone suffering back then? During the times she spoke of, some people didn’t even have bran to eat. Why was he shouldering all this misery? It wasn’t like he asked to be born—it was them who brought him into this world. And now, those hardships felt like chains around his neck, suffocating him.

Xu Jiefang couldn’t be bothered to comfort his mother. The house felt stifling, every corner unbearable. He felt smothered by helplessness. For the sake of so-called filial piety, he had neglected Feng Yanwen all these years. Yet in his mother’s eyes, it still wasn’t enough. She wanted more—more control. Since when was buying his wife clothes an act of betrayal?

Without even returning to his room, Xu Jiefang walked straight out of the house. Once outside, he felt like everyone was watching him. He bolted from the alley like a fugitive.

“Mom, Third Brother’s gone far now,” said Li Xiuzhi, who had been silent until now.

She had expected this. Third Brother cared for his wife—but so what? He was too blindly obedient, following his mother’s orders without question. Compared to Xu Jiefang, the eldest and second sons were more cunning, humoring their mother while doing whatever they pleased.

Li Xiuzhi continued, “Mom, about what I mentioned earlier—what do you think?”

The older she got, the tighter she clung to her money. Granny Xue had a hefty sum in her grasp.

In earlier years, everyone contributed to the family funds, and Granny Xue controlled the finances. Later, after Third Brother married, each household began managing their own affairs, and collective contributions stopped. But because Xu Jiefang and his wife were in a unique situation—without any biological children—they had always kept Feng Yanwen at arm’s length. As Granny Xue put it, they had guarded against her well—otherwise, this divorce would’ve been a devastating loss.

Xu Jiefang’s job was tough, but it paid well—sometimes over a thousand yuan a month!

All these years, the money had been stored with Granny Xue. Anyone could guess it was a small fortune by now.

Granny Xue abruptly stopped crying. “Money? What money? I don’t have any!”

Li Xiuzhi forced a dry laugh. “This isn’t for me. You know David’s starting his third year next semester. He’s got nothing to his name—he can’t even bring a girl home. I heard there’s a girl in his class, the daughter of a bureau chief, who’s taken a liking to him. But you know David—he’s so sensible, so dutiful. He knows our situation. How could we invite the bureau chief’s daughter here? We’d scare her off! So I was thinking of buying him a place. Don’t worry—it’s a loan. I’ll write you an IOU, and we’ll pay you back slowly when we can.”

Sons grew up, corrupted by their wives—no longer cherished. Now, grandsons were the true treasures of the heart.

Granny Xue rolled her eyes: "Is she really the bureau chief’s daughter?"

Li Xiuzhi assured her: "She really is the bureau chief’s daughter. Though the girl isn’t the prettiest, I told David that a pretty face isn’t everything. Everyone gets old eventually—looks fade with time. But we can’t let our side look too shabby, right?"

If the daughter-in-law were a real beauty, Granny Xue wouldn’t stand for it.

In this house, no one was allowed to outshine the old lady!

Granny Xue mulled it over. The top priority now was to find David a good match. If he could really get together with the bureau chief’s daughter, she’d finally have something to boast about. Once they were married, they could slowly work things out—wouldn’t everything from the bureau chief’s family eventually belong to the Xus?

Then she’d be the bureau chief’s elder.

Granny Xue’s lips curled slightly: "You said you’d pay it back."

Hearing the old lady’s tone soften, Li Xiuzhi grinned from ear to ear: "Of course, I’ll pay it back. Once I have the money, I’ll definitely repay you."

She’d pay it back when she had the money—but if she didn’t, what could they do?

After all, they were family. Who knows? Xu Jiefang might even need his nephew to support him in his old age. How could he refuse to help with his nephew’s wedding?

Li Xiuzhi had made up her mind: get the money first, deal with the rest later!

————

"Uncle, aunts and uncles, thank you all for today," Xu Meng bowed to those who had come to help.

Her sincerity made Sister Liu a bit flustered: "Oh, child, you’re too polite. Now that we’re neighbors, we’ve got to watch out for each other. I just hope you and your mom can live well." If they rented the place long-term, someone could keep an eye on the kids for the neighborhood.

It was only then that Feng Yanwu noticed this short, plump auntie. She seemed kind. He’d come in a hurry today and hadn’t brought anything. Thanks to this sister’s last-minute comment, things went smoothly—otherwise, it could’ve dragged on forever.

"We really should thank you," Feng Yanwu said. "It’s getting late—let’s eat out."

Xu Meng said, "Let’s just cook at home. Uncle brought two chickens yesterday, and we can’t keep them for long. I say we just kill and eat them." The city wasn’t like the countryside—raising chickens in the yard was a hassle. They stank, and neither of them had time to tend to them.

Sister Liu couldn’t say no and finally gave in.

Feng Yanwen thought this was a happy occasion. Since they’d invited Sister Liu, they might as well invite everyone in the alley they’d interacted with. So she decided to invite Chang Xi’s family, secondhand goods dealer Wang Shuanzhu, and three little neighbors. They’d kill both chickens and pick up some extra dishes.

Xu Meng said, "I’ll go buy groceries."

Sister Liu insisted on chipping in too. She and Feng Yanwen went back to prepare.

Feng Yanwu and the others had set out early in the morning and only grabbed a quick bite on the road. By now, they were hungry. Seeing how serious Feng Yanwen was about hosting, they figured they’d stay for lunch. These men were close to Feng Yanwu—all casual laborers working at the chicken farm.

Feng Yanwen planned the menu. The two chickens were ready, but broilers weren’t good for soup—better to braise them. They’d stir-fry them with potatoes. Times were better now—they could go easy on the potatoes and load up on meat. Xu Meng thought the same—with broilers, the meat was the star. They’d need plenty of seasoning to bring out the flavor. That settled the main dish.

For a proper feast, one big dish like this was enough to make a good impression.

But since this was Feng Yanwen’s first time hosting, she wanted to do it up right.

"We have potatoes at home. What else should we make?" Feng Yanwen rarely hosted and wasn’t sure.

Xu Meng, though, had been to plenty of banquets. She knew these laborers ate a lot and needed plenty of meat. They ought to grab some drinks and snacks too. But since Feng Yanwu would be driving back later, they’d skip the liquor and just get beer. And beer called for snacks.

"I’ll buy some spiced beef and ingredients like tofu sheets and mushrooms that we don’t grow at home. I remember we have peanuts—let Liu Jin and the others shell some to fry. Everyone loves peanuts—just don’t skimp. Also, on your way back, stop by the store for beer and drinks. Get both—the men will want beer, and the women will want something non-alcoholic. Buy the big bottles."

The three kids were already itching to help.

For a feast, the idea was to serve dishes you couldn’t just grow at home—that’s what made it fancy. Xu Meng skipped the greens, heading straight for the market to grab all kinds of special ingredients. By the time she got back, the place was already buzzing with happy chaos.

Who ever heard of someone being this happy about a divorce? The feast hasn’t even started yet, but quite a few people have already come to help.

Liu Jin went to let Chang Xi’s folks know. Both her parents happened to be home and agreed to come together.

Wang Shuanzhu’s work schedule was flexible, and he lived alone. Since he had to eat lunch anyway, it saved him the trouble of cooking for himself. When he heard about the free meal, he was in. He arrived carrying some items and casually placed them outside Feng Yanwen’s house. Feng Yanwu and the guys had been up early helping butcher the chickens in the kitchen. Once they were done, they got kicked out of the kitchen and sat around playing cards. Seeing Wang Shuanzhu arrive, Feng Yanwu waved him over to join the game.

"Hey, bro! You know how to play 'Upgrade'?" Feng Yanwu slung an arm around his shoulder and pulled him into the group. "You didn’t need to bring a thing. We just wanted to treat you, and now you’re out a few bucks."

"Just some things I had lying around," Wang Shuanzhu mumbled, flustered by the attention.

"Nah, I can’t let you go empty-handed. Next time I come to town, I’ll bring you some chicken and eggs," Feng Yanwu said warmly. "My family’s got a chicken farm—we raised over a thousand chickens this year. Now that summer’s passed, the hens are back to laying. I’ll bring you some next time."

Wang Shuanzhu kept to himself and hardly ever mingled, so Feng Yanwen was surprised he showed up at all, let alone brought gifts. They’d crossed paths a lot while haggling for used appliances and furniture, and he’d helped them plenty, often selling or even giving them small household items. When Feng Yanwen saw the package, she hurriedly told him to take it back.

"You’ve already brought it—no point taking it back," Wang Shuanzhu refused.

Thankfully, Feng Yanwu wasn’t one for fuss. He shot his sister a look and pulled Wang Shuanzhu into the card game.

Inside and outside the kitchen, Chang Xi’s parents and Feng Yanwen were busy. They’d cut up the chicken and given it a quick fry, while the potatoes were chopped into big chunks, ready to be stir-fried and stewed together. Chang Xi’s father declared himself head chef, pushing Feng Yanwen and Chang Xi’s mother aside.

"Don’t worry, our Old Chang’s a great cook. If he hadn’t become a train driver, he might’ve been a chef," Chang Xi’s mother said. "Hon, the chicken’s fried—it’ll keep. Save half for tomorrow. I counted—there are only about ten people, so one and a half chickens should be enough, especially with other dishes."

The two younger kids perched on little stools outside, shelling peanuts. Without the eldest around, the second child took on the role of big brother.

"Hey, Third, quit hogging the peanuts!"

Third looked up, chewing, his big eyes full of innocence.

"Alright, you little rascal," Second sighed. "There’ll be fried peanuts later—don’t eat them all now, or there won’t be any left to fry."

Third fell silent.

But Second had more work now—shelling peanuts while keeping an eye on his little brother.

When the eldest finally returned, Second sighed like a little adult and tattled, "Brother, Third was sneaking peanuts."

By then, Third had already finished and stubbornly denied it, shaking his head. "I didn’t!"

He’d only eaten one peanut before his brother caught him, yet now he was accused of eating a bunch. Gossip could ruin you.

The oldest wasn’t having it and shooed him off to the vegetable patch. "Go loosen the soil and pull weeds."

"Okay!" Third chirped, happily accepting his new task and skipping off.

They set up two tables—one for the men drinking beer and another for the women and children with drinks. Sister Liu showed up right as the food was served after finishing her neighborhood duties. Seeing Feng Yanwen’s radiant expression, she felt a pang of sadness. How awful was her marriage that divorce felt like a celebration? But it didn’t matter—Feng Yanwen was now part of the Big Locust Tree community, and Sister Liu hoped she’d thrive.

The tables groaned with hearty dishes: braised chicken with potatoes, soy-braised beef, cold-tossed pig ears.

The rest—stir-fried shredded pork with tofu sheets, sautéed oyster mushrooms, and fried peanuts—were also excellent. Feng Yanwu had to hand it to his sister—she’d really stepped up.

She’d only moved out a little over a month ago, yet she’d managed to put together such a feast. No surprise she couldn’t be bothered to fight with Xu Jiefang anymore. No matter how much he’d saved, dwelling on it was pointless. Now that she was doing so well, Feng Yanwu resolved to strive for success too. The better he did, the more secure and confident her future would be.

With that thought, he raised his glass. "Drink up, everyone! There’s plenty of beer and food—enough for all!"

Since Feng Yanwu had to drive back, Xu Meng reminded him again and again not to drink too much. After one beer, he refused more.

When the meal wound down, folks started heading out, leaving Chang Xi’s parents to help clean up.

Chang Xi was unusually happy today, though she didn’t know why. Divorce wasn’t exactly something to celebrate, but seeing Xu Meng so cheerful lifted her spirits too. While the adults tidied up, she whispered to Xu Meng, "My mom’s been really happy lately."

"Why's that?" Xu Meng briskly gathered up the dishes.

Folks were thrifty in those days—everyone finished the rice in their bowls, leaving only some leftovers on the plates. She neatly grouped the remaining food together and stacked the rest into a large basin for washing later. Back then dish soap wasn't widely available, so they had to scrub and rinse everything with hot water.

Chang Xi bounced along behind her, pouring hot water one moment and handing things over the next, keeping herself busy the whole time.

"Just that I've 'grown up,' apparently. When I told Mom I wanted to go to college, she got all excited," Chang Xi said with a sly smile. "She handed me a hundred bucks on the spot!"

Chang Xi’s parents often traveled south, staying away for ten days at a time, so they rarely had the chance to keep an eye on their daughter.

Luckily, railway jobs were still a sure thing, and kids could take over their parents’ positions. As long as Chang Xi didn’t cause trouble, her parents would thank their lucky stars. They were generous with money too. In recent weeks, she'd brought over lots of food—mainly buns, steamed bread, and dumplings. Since Xu Meng and Feng Yanwen rarely cooked, they ended up eating half of what Chang Xi brought. As Chang Xi put it, she always had leftover meal vouchers anyway, and used to buy buns for Liu Jin and others before.

But Feng Yanwen wasn’t the type to freeload. Since she was benefiting from Chang Xi’s kindness, she pitched in to tutor her. Chang Xi was shaky in English, so while Feng Yanwen studied with Xu Meng, she also helped Chang Xi out. Over time, the two girls had been studying together.

To Feng Yanwen, it was no big deal. But to the warm-hearted Chang parents, they were deeply grateful.

Xu Meng thought to herself—this was what a two-way street looked like.

After a long effort, they finally wrapped things up.

There was still quite a bit of food left, so Feng Yanwen told the trio not to wander off and reminded them to eat together.

Not having to trek all the way to their dad’s workplace cafeteria, they were all for it, nodding happily and even helping out with chores.

Xu Meng was annoyed by the lack of a fridge at home. With one, things wouldn’t have to be eaten the same day. When would they ever be rich enough to afford a fridge or a washing machine? She often visited Wang Shuanzhu, but his second-hand appliances were mostly TVs and radios. Fridges and washing machines were still considered household luxuries—people didn’t replace them unless they had to. Snagging a used one might take years.

Still, after today’s meal, she’d grown closer to Wang Shuanzhu, who promised to keep an eye out—especially for a washing machine—and give them a heads-up if one turned up.

Once the guests left, the courtyard fell quiet.

In the afternoon, Xu Meng went to Chang Xi’s house to study together, only to find her out. On her way back, she ran into Han Lingling.

"Xu Meng, have you been busy lately?" Han Lingling asked cheerfully, clearly remembering their earlier conversation.

Xu Meng had promised to visit once things settled down...

After her watermelon gig wrapped up, she’d immediately gotten caught up in Feng Yanwen’s affairs, completely forgetting about Han Lingling. Worse, she hadn’t even thanked Han Jiming for all his help before disappearing.

She felt like a total jerk...

"Uh, sorry about that. It’s been really hectic. I was selling watermelons at the station, business was good, so I didn’t want to leave. Just finished a few days ago, and then there was a ton going on at home. Only just got everything done today."

Han Lingling laughed. "Just messing with you! What’s with the books?"

Xu Meng: "I was going to study with a classmate." But she wasn’t home.

Han Lingling brightened. "Come to my place instead! I’ve been looking for a study buddy anyway." Without waiting, she tugged Xu Meng along.

Xu Meng had intended to visit properly, at least not empty-handed, but now she found herself heading straight to Shijia Hutong. Surprisingly, after all these years, the Han family still lived together in the same compound, complete with guards at the gate—though the faces had changed. As the two walked in arm-in-arm, one guard gave Xu Meng a few extra glances, making sure he hadn’t seen her before. A girl this pretty would’ve stuck in his memory.

"Lingling, is this your friend?"

Han Lingling replied airily, "Yes, and she might be coming around more." She flashed the guard a smile.

He nodded and smiled at Xu Meng in greeting.

Just inside the gate, a tall, lanky young man approached, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Xu Meng. "Lingling, who’s this?"

Han Lingling looked thoroughly unimpressed. "Xu Meng."

The man didn’t seem to remember who Xu Meng was, but he smiled and followed the two girls until Han Lingling, clearly annoyed, said, “Little Uncle Cheng, could you stop lingering around? Xu Meng and I need to review our lessons.”

This was Han Lingling’s cousin-uncle, Han Cheng.

Xu Meng remembered him vaguely. He was two years older than them. As a kid, he’d been chubby, but now he’d grown tall and lanky—so much so that he was almost unrecognizable. She liked him well enough and gave him a smile.

Han Cheng seemed especially pleased and started chatting more eagerly. “Oh, it’s you! You looked totally different when you were little—I remember you being pale and tiny. You’re not like that at all anymore.”

Her face had blossomed with age, and her figure had become curvy.

Han Lingling immediately pulled a long face and pushed him away. “Didn’t you say you had plans to go out shopping? Then why are you still here? I need to study. If you keep interrupting me, I’ll tell Second Auntie and see how she deals with you.”

It seemed like the Han family still lived together as one big household.

Only then did Han Cheng leave reluctantly. Once he was out of sight, Han Lingling pouted in dissatisfaction. “Don’t even bother with him. Who knows how many girlfriends he’s gone through—he’s such a womanizer. I hate guys like that.”

Then she grinned. “My little uncle is way better.”

Xu Meng couldn’t help but think: What about Han Jiming? He seemed pretty popular with girls too.

Just then, Han Jiming walked over from the backyard. Dressed casually, his hands were lazily tucked into his pockets. The outfit made him look even taller and more striking—he had that natural charm of someone who looks good in anything. It had been about three or four days since they last saw each other.

Xu Meng felt oddly uneasy, as if whatever had happened between them was something she didn’t want others to know. So when their eyes met, she unconsciously looked away. Han Lingling was the first to speak.

“Uncle, this is Xu Meng.” She didn’t know they had already met before, but recalling that her uncle had once seen her home, she realized her introduction sounded a bit redundant. With a laugh, she added, “You two probably already know each other—you don’t need me to explain further.”

Xu Meng felt even more awkward. Did they have to pretend they weren’t familiar with each other in front of Han Lingling?

She hadn’t worked out what expression to use when greeting Han Jiming, but steeling herself, she forced a smile.

Han Jiming gave a small smile. “Hello.”

Xu Meng looked away uncomfortably. “Hello, Uncle.”

“Uncle, huh…”

What a strange girl.