Chapter 20: Sun Shan Wants Clothes

Aunt Sun handed out the items, and night had already fallen deep; the oil lamp burning low was nearly out of oil.

The second and third branches wore smiles, carrying bundles of various sizes as they prepared to leave. Heh heh, it was better to head back a bit later—this way, the villagers wouldn’t see the gifts received and therefore wouldn’t come knocking to ask for favors.

Sun Shan let out a big yawn; children tire easily, and his head nodded drowsily.

Mrs. Su carried Sun Shan to the kitchen, heating water to wash his feet and face. Other children were flushed with warmth, but Sun Shan’s skin was cold. The doctor had advised soaking his feet before sleep.

Sun Bomin and his wife followed the instructions carefully; the household had but one incense burner, so they did their best.

They also ordered their eldest daughter, Gu Yu, to heat water for washing the faces of Grandmother and Aunt Sun, while Sun Bomin himself took care of Uncle He and brother Yu.

Madam Huang noticed only Sun Shan and three daughters in the kitchen and quietly advised, “Shan, save your sweets and eat them slowly. Don’t be so generous giving them away, understand?”

Sun Shan responded with a hum, adhering to the principle of humbly accepting criticism but rarely changing his ways. Mrs. Su agreed to everything but planned to do as she pleased next time.

Pleased with her son’s obedience, Mrs. Su continued, “You must be good to Aunt Sun and Uncle Sun, understand? Your future depends on them.”

The Sun family had many sons, and competition was fierce. Didn’t the second and third branches both strive to please the eldest sister? They couldn’t afford to fall behind.

She turned to her three daughters, “You must be diligent and observant, help Aunt Sun more with her tasks.”

Ideally, Aunt Sun would help find good matches for the four daughters. Take Yuniang from the village chief’s family, for example—how well off she was, dressed in fine silk with servants attending her.

The three older sisters nodded; they already knew without being told to curry favor with Aunt Sun. Each year’s new clothes made their village friends envious and jealous.

At that moment, Gu Yu came in to help Mrs. Su boil water; later, the sisters’ parents would also wash their faces.

After finishing Sun Shan’s washing, Mrs. Su glanced outside to make sure no one was around. Then, she told the four daughters, “Bring me the purses Aunt Sun gave you. Mother will keep them safe.” Officially for safekeeping, but she really claimed them as her own. The four sisters, accustomed to their mother’s ways, obediently handed over their money bags.

Third sister, Xiaoman, pouted, feeling wronged—it was Aunt Sun’s red envelope, not their mother’s. But refusing meant facing a severe beating with a rattan rod.

Mrs. Su was indeed formidable and struck hard.

Satisfied, Mrs. Su took the four purses, opened them, and found each contained a coin—four hundred copper coins in total—which pleased her greatly.

Then she asked Sun Shan for his.

Sun Shan refused, and though Mrs. Su asked again, he persisted in declining.

Growing anxious but unwilling to scold, Mrs. Su coaxed gently, “Shan, let Mother keep it for you. You’re still young; if you lose it, it would be a big loss.”

Sun Shan replied earnestly, “I won’t lose it. I’ll just keep it in my treasure box.”

Mrs. Su choked up. That box had been made by Sun Bomin himself, complete with a key.

The key hung around Sun Shan’s neck, meaning anyone wanting what was inside had to go through him.

Ah, her son had become harder to coax this year, especially where money was concerned. According to the eldest daughter, Shan saved all his pocket money from grandmother, keeping it in that box.

What a little miser—she wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

Mrs. Su asked again, “Are you really not going to let Mother keep it?”

Sun Shan shook his head. Just then, Sun Bomin came in carrying a washbasin, smiling, “Keep it safe? What’s that?”

Mrs. Su explained Sun Shan’s secret hoarding.

Sun Bomin laughed heartily, “If he wants to keep it himself, let him. He’s better at hiding things than we are.”

Mrs. Su had no choice. They had only one son; after all, it was his in the end. If he wanted it, so be it. She reminded him carefully, “Make sure to hide it well. Don’t let anyone trick you out of it.”

Sun Shan nodded and smiled, “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll keep it safe.”

Mrs. Su lifted Sun Shan and laid him in a small bed in Madam Huang’s room. Seeing the eldest sister and grandmother tidying old clothes, she quickly turned and said, “Eldest sister, Mother.”

Turning to Shan, she said, “Be good and sleep well. Don’t disturb Aunt Sun, okay?”

Sun Shan sat on the small bed and said seriously, “I won’t make noise. I’ll sleep.”

Tonight Aunt Sun and Madam Huang would sleep together, while Uncle He and brother Yu took a guest room. The Sun family had many rooms; there was no worry about sleeping space.

Mrs. Su said a few more words and left. Only Aunt Sun, Grandmother Huang, and Sun Shan remained in the room.

Aunt Sun smiled, “Shan, you’re sleeping on your own bed now?”

Madam Huang smiled, “He insisted on sleeping alone this year, so we let him. That little bed was made by Bomin.”

Sun Shan approached them and, seeing the pile of clothes brought from the prefecture, said, “Aunt Sun, I want two padded jackets to give to my maternal grandfather and grandmother.”

He couldn’t ask for too many—after all, the Su family was an outsider; the Sun family was his own. In this ancestor-centered society, if the Sun village thrived, so would the Sun family. That was why Aunt Sun did what she could to give back to the Sun village.

Aunt Sun was surprised, “Who told you to ask for that? Could it be Mrs. Su? Usually, children wouldn’t think to ask for two garments to honor their maternal relatives.”

Sun Shan shook his head. “I want them. My maternal grandparents are poor and have no clothes to wear.”

Mrs. Su’s family was much poorer than Sun Shan’s and relied on her support.

Thankfully, Sun Bomin and Madam Huang were kind-hearted, turning a blind eye.

During times of scarcity, when crops failed between seasons, the Su family would have run out of grain long ago. At such times, they often came to borrow grain from the Sun family. Mrs. Su, as the eldest daughter, would worry about her needy birth family.

She shamelessly borrowed from Madam Huang—actually, it was more like taking, as the Su family couldn’t afford to repay.

Mrs. Su had given birth to four daughters, so the Su family rarely came to visit. Only when desperate did they come to ask for grain. After Sun Shan was born, they felt bolder, though it wasn’t extreme. They borrowed grain when in need.

Mrs. Su dared not give anything too good, only rice husks or sweet potatoes. The Su family didn’t mind; as long as it could be eaten, it was enough.

Sun Shan asking Aunt Sun for padded clothes was inspired by Mrs. Su’s yearning eyes, giving him courage to ask.

Aunt Sun hugged Sun Shan, moved, “Oh, my Shan is such a good boy, truly filial.”

Madam Huang added, “My Shan is more filial than other children; whatever is good, he thinks of the family.”

Madam Huang took a roughly embroidered handkerchief from the bedside and smiled, “In my life, besides your father, the only one who ever bought me a gift was my dear Shan. This handkerchief was for my birthday, bought with his own pocket money.”

Having raised a bunch of grandchildren, Shan was the most thoughtful.

Aunt Sun hugged Sun Shan even tighter, calling him “my heart, my heart.”

Sun Shan looked up and asked earnestly, “Aunt Sun, when is your birthday? I’ll buy you a birthday gift. I have money.”

He jumped out of Aunt Sun’s embrace, opened his treasure box, and showed her a money bag.

Aunt Sun laughed until tears sparkled, not even opening the bag to count the money, saying, “Oh, what a good nephew, buying gifts for Aunt Sun.”

Madam Huang also smiled, “Shan, you must continue to be filial to Aunt Sun. She’s been the best to you.”

Sun Shan nodded vigorously, saying seriously, “I know. Aunt Sun has always been very good to me.”

Aunt Sun and Madam Huang picked out two sets of padded jackets and pants from the pile of clothes and handed them to Sun Shan, telling him to keep them safe and deliver them to the Su family.

Since Shan showed such filial piety, they would not let him down.