Chapter 19: Aunt Sun Presents the New Year Gift

After everyone had eaten their fill, Sun Shan’s eldest sister, Gu Yu, served tea to help settle the meal.

Sun Dagu took a sip of tea and sighed, “There’s nothing like the food from our hometown, especially the goose braised in fermented red bean curd—it’s so fragrant and delicious.”

Master He nodded in agreement. “Indeed, the geese from Sunjia Village are simply better than those in the prefecture city.”

Mrs. Huang quickly chimed in, “If you like it, take a few home. We have some here. Perhaps it’s a different breed on our side, which makes the flavor unique.” Her eldest daughter adored it, and Mrs. Huang wished she could give her the whole lot.

Brother Yu patted his belly and laughed, “Grandma, I won’t be polite then. The goose is really good. Later, please teach me how to cook it—I want to make it for Grandma, Grandpa, and Great-Grandma when I go home.”

Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Master He touched his son’s forehead affectionately and smiled, “Your grandma, grandpa, and great-grandma will be very happy to know you’re so filial.”

Sun Dagu didn’t hesitate—she immediately asked for two geese and turned to her younger brother, “Bomin, do you still have some at home? If not, buy from the village.” After all, the geese from Sunjia Village all tasted the same.

Before Bomin could answer, Mrs. Su quickly said, “Eldest sister, we have some at home. No need to buy outside.”

Gifting to the eldest sister was done willingly; after all, she had spent a great deal of silver on the family—two geese were nothing.

Aunt San nudged Uncle San, who was watching the lively scene, and gave him a knowing look.

Uncle San immediately caught on and cheerfully said, “Eldest sister, I have some large roosters at home. You can take a few back; our chickens are delicious too.”

Though reluctant to part with the chickens, to please the eldest sister, they had to go all out. When they visited their eldest brother’s home, they had agreed with their wives that whatever they had must be given to the eldest sister. The wives said that feeding her their own food would soothe her temper a bit.

It had been nearly ten years since the family division, and no one knew that the eldest sister was so narrow-minded that she had been resentful toward her sisters-in-law for all these years.

Upon hearing Uncle San’s offer, Sun Dagu nodded satisfactorily. Whether or not she took the chickens was another matter, but the fact that they dared to offer showed they still thought of her as their elder sister. She waved her hand and said, “Keep the chickens for your family. Chickens from the prefecture city and Sunjia Village are about the same. I won’t take any.”

Second Uncle also said they should send chickens and geese to the eldest sister. Sun Dagu smiled brightly, feeling very pleased. The younger brothers’ respect proved she hadn’t spoiled them in vain.

After chatting for a while, she brought out the New Year gifts from Mrs. Huang’s bedroom.

Pointing to the items on the floor, she said, “These bolts of cloth are for you all to make new clothes.”

Sun Dagu gave two bolts of cloth each to the first, second, and third branches of the family.

One bolt was about 33 meters long; a single garment for an adult required about 3 meters, winter padded jackets about 6 meters.

A full set of brand-new winter clothes needed roughly 10 meters of cloth. Giving two bolts was enough for each branch to make new clothes for the New Year.

She also took out a bolt of floral-patterned fabric, a color not available in the village. She addressed the girls in the Sun family, “This is for the girls—eldest and second branches—you two share it and make new clothes for the girls.”

The first and second branches had daughters.

Aunt San and Uncle San’s eyes widened in envy. How come their family had no daughters? The cloth was beautiful—one that would make people in the county town jealous.

Sunjia Village’s Gu Yu, Li Xia, Xiao Man, Han Lu, and Xiao Xue all brightened at the sight. Such a gorgeous color with floral prints!

Mrs. Su and Mrs. Jiang hurriedly thanked Sun Dagu, smiling broadly.

As for the cloth for Sun Shan and Mrs. Huang, Sun Dagu had separate gifts for them.

Sun Shan pretended not to notice and quietly asked his parents. He roughly knew one bolt of cotton cloth cost about 300 wen, so buying bolts of cloth required quite a few taels of silver. She had also specially bought printed fabric and the red-dyed cloth from Sun Shan, which was even more expensive.

She truly was generous; no wonder the whole family looked forward to the eldest sister’s homecoming visit.

Sun Dagu then took out some pastries and candies for the second and third branches.

Dege’er from the third branch drooled and said, “Eldest sister, I want to eat candy.”

Sun Dagu smiled and said, “You just ate; no candy now. Save it for the New Year, okay?”

Aunt Zheng eagerly agreed, “Eldest sister is right. We should save it for the New Year.”

Dege’er looked disappointed, staring longingly at the sweets.

Sun Shan handed him a milk candy from his pocket.

Dege’er was the only child who liked playing with Sun Shan. He didn’t find Sun Shan dull and dragged him around the village, happily sharing any tasty finds with him.

Dege’er’s carefree nature was entirely different from Aunt Zheng’s; he was much more innocent and kind-hearted.

Seeing Dege’er get candy from Sun Shan, Mrs. Su cursed silently in her heart. Her son was just foolishly generous. The milk candies smelled so good; why not save them and enjoy slowly? But with so many people around, she dared not say anything and planned to talk to him quietly at night.

Other children saw Dege’er with candy and wanted some too, but their parents wouldn’t allow it, so they quietly looked away and stopped staring at the sweets. They wouldn’t dare ask Sun Shan for any with the eldest sister nearby.

Sun Dagu didn’t notice Dege’er eating candy. She took out salted fish, sausages, and other preserved foods from the New Year gifts and distributed them evenly among the families. As for the gifts for the youngest sister, they had been set aside and she had already been informed yesterday. She was expected to return to her maternal home early the next morning.

She also took out three money pouches and handed them to the three Sun brothers, smiling, “Two taels each—here’s some New Year money for you.”

Then she gave an additional tael each, “This is for buying cotton to make clothes and quilts. It’s cold; you need to stay warm.”

Sun Dagu openly gave silver to her natal family in front of Master He and Brother Yu.

She believed that whatever the couple did, they should be open with each other—no need to hide anything.

Bomin looked at his brother-in-law and waved his hand, saying, “Eldest sister, I don’t want it. You should take it back.” He felt awkward; every year, she gave money to her siblings, especially the brothers-in-law, and he wondered if they had any complaints.

Uncle San was furious, wanting to peel back his elder brother’s scalp to see what he was pretending. Refusing money? Did he think there was too much?

With the eldest brother refusing, Uncle San could only helplessly say, “Alright, Eldest sister, we don’t want it either.”

He glanced at his brother-in-law. Fortunately, he was still smiling and hadn’t lost his temper.

Second Uncle also declined.

The three sisters-in-law felt heartbroken. Why refuse this year? In previous years, they took whatever was given.

Sun Dagu was straightforward and waved her hand, “If I give it to you, just take it. No need to push back and forth. We’re siblings—don’t be so formal.”

Master He also said, “Yes, take it. Your eldest sister is the boss; she has plenty of money.”

His words broke the awkward atmosphere, and everyone laughed heartily.

Uncle San, lively as ever, added, “Then I thank you, Eldest sister. I wish your business grows ever more prosperous and you earn plenty.”

Second Uncle and Bomin, less talkative, followed suit with their compliments, and the three sisters-in-law joined in.

Mrs. Huang told the three brothers, “Remember your eldest sister’s kindness. Our family’s wellbeing today is all thanks to her.”

She also thanked Master He, “Over the years, thank you, Master He, for your patience with us.”

Master He quickly waved off the thanks, “Mother, not at all. Now I rely on Chunlan; she’s the best at making money in the family.”

There was love mixed with teasing. He Erlang and Sun Dagu’s free romance and mutual support were rare in this era.

Sun Dagu gave He Erlang a side-eye.

She then handed out money pouches for the children—one each. Whenever a child took one, she said, “Study hard and learn to read.”

To Sun Shan, she said, “Grow tall and strong.”

The Sun family boys were sent to learn literacy from Zheng Tongsheng in Zheng Village, Mrs. Zheng’s hometown. Sun Dagu didn’t require them to become scholars; just being literate was enough. She thought to herself, if any were smart and clever, she would arrange for them to work in the prefecture city rather than stay in Sunjia Village all their lives.

Sun Shan guessed the contents were silver.

Dege’er whispered in his ear, “A qian of silver.” His lips curled into a broad smile.

One tael equaled 1,000 wen; one qian was 100 wen.

Sun Dagu was indeed generous, giving 100 wen. At present, pork cost 10 wen per jin, so this could buy 10 jin of pork.

In contrast, red envelopes in Sunjia Village were only worth one or two wen.

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