Chapter 33: The Su Family and Their Daughters

Sun Shan watched as his grandfather, grandmother, and two younger cousins immediately changed into their new, old-style cotton-padded jackets.

His grandmother sighed with delight, "These cotton jackets are so soft and warm; they’re much better than what we usually wear."

His grandfather smiled as well. "More than just warm, they’re incredibly soft. Heh, we truly owe our thanks to my dear grandson and his eldest aunt."

Old Mrs. Su reached out to stroke Sun Shan’s cheek. Feeling uncomfortable, Sun Shan endured it with a forced smile before slipping away to sit beside Sun Bomin. The women’s affection was simply too overwhelming.

Da Gen and Er Gen sat nearby, looking at Sun Shan with eager, ingratiating expressions. The two little boys kept sniffling and wiping their noses, a sight that made Sun Shan shudder; they were simply too unkempt.

Old Mrs. Su glanced outside and, seeing that the day was wearing on, told the younger Mrs. Liu, "Go and prepare the meal. It’s nearly noon, and Da Gen’s aunt has traveled a long way—she must be famished."

The younger Mrs. Liu rose reluctantly, a fake smile plastered on her face. "I know, Mother. I’m going now."

Mrs. Su quickly added, "My second sister will be coming over to eat as well, so please make a little extra."

The younger Mrs. Liu’s eyes widened as she exclaimed, "That jinx is coming to eat, too?"

Silence fell over the room. Old Mrs. Su and Old Mr. Su were so incensed that the pleasure of wearing their new clothes vanished.

"Mrs. Liu!" Old Mrs. Su scolded. "Who are you calling a jinx?"

Mrs. Su quickly steadied her mother, her brow furrowed in suppressed anger. "That is my sister, my mother’s daughter. Her older sister has come home today; is it so wrong for her to have a meal at her maiden home?" She gestured toward the sack of rice and meat sitting in the main room and snapped, "Cooking this should be enough, shouldn't it? It’s not coming out of your pocket. If you’re unwilling, I’ll just take it over to my second sister’s place."

The younger Mrs. Liu certainly couldn’t let her sister-in-law take the goods away; the sack of rice and the generous portions of meat were worth a significant sum. Forcing a smile, she said, "Oh, Da Gen’s aunt, I was just speaking nonsense. I’ll go cook right away." With that, she moved the rice and meat into her bedroom, ensuring Mrs. Su wouldn't have the chance to take them back.

Mrs. Su looked at her younger brother with irritation. The younger Mrs. Liu only dared to act this way because she relied on her husband—her brother. Originally, their mother had arranged for him to marry a different cousin, but he had insisted on pursuing the younger Mrs. Liu, refusing to marry anyone else. Now that he had brought her into the family, she had only become more insufferable, showing no respect even to his parents.

The more Mrs. Su thought about it, the angrier she became. If it weren't for the fact that she had married Sun Shan’s father and become a prominent figure in the prefecture, the younger Mrs. Liu probably wouldn't even bother to acknowledge her.

Seeing his eldest sister staring at him, the younger Su brother quickly chimed in, "Eldest Sister, I’ll go help in the kitchen." He knew that if he stayed any longer, she would surely lecture him. It was best to leave. After all, his eldest sister was the wealthiest relative they had; he couldn't afford to offend her.

Once the couple left, Old Mr. and Old Mrs. Su sighed heavily.

"My eldest daughter," Old Mr. Su said with a frown, "see if there are any widowers in Sun Family Village you could introduce to your second sister. It’s not right for her to stay in Huling Mountain Village; the villagers are starting to gossip."

The thought of his second daughter living at the edge of the village always gave him a headache. The rumors were rampant, and it was fortunate that his other three daughters were already married off. Currently, he had two grandsons, and since there were no granddaughters in his own household, he didn't have to worry about marriage prospects for the moment.

Mrs. Su felt for her second sister, too. Back when they were girls, she had been the most capable of them all. Thinking of her current plight, she felt a pang of bitterness. "Father, Mother, I have been keeping an eye out, but Second Sister has three daughters to raise. It’s hard to find anyone willing to take that on, and if I find someone too poor, she’ll only suffer more."

Whoever married her would have four mouths to feed; few poor families could handle that burden.

Old Mrs. Su also understood the dilemma and cursed, "That wretched Xu family! It was clearly their own fault they couldn't produce a son, yet they blamed my second daughter. I must have been blind to ever agree to that marriage." She grew more furious as she spoke, wishing she could tear the Xu family apart.

Sun Shan and his four older sisters watched their grandmother’s ferocious expression with a hint of fear. They realized how deep her hatred must run for her to be so filled with such intense resentment.

Mrs. Su quickly comforted her. "Mother, don't dwell on the past. That family will receive their retribution sooner or later."

Old Mr. Su, having vented his anger, sighed again. "What worries me now is my third daughter. She has given birth to two girls in a row. It’s truly vexing."

Old Mr. Su didn't know what sin he had committed in a past life to have four daughters and only one son. His eldest daughter had needed four girls before finally having a son; his second had been cast aside after three girls; his third was currently producing nothing but girls; and his fourth, who married last year, had yet to conceive. Why did the Su women seem so fond of bearing daughters?

He took a long look at his silent eldest son-in-law. Fortunately, he was a good man, and his eldest daughter was lucky.

This topic brought no comfort to anyone. Mrs. Su shared the frustration, knowing all too well the despair of failing to produce a son. She worried about her third sister and hoped her husband was a kind man. "Has Third Sister and her husband returned yet?"

Her parents shook their heads. "They didn't come back last year, and we don't know if they will this year."

The third daughter lived at the same distance as the eldest, yet while the eldest always brought bountiful gifts for the holidays, the third rarely visited. It was infuriating. The only reason they could hold their heads high in the village was because of the eldest daughter’s support. Their household received the most generous gifts in all of Huling Mountain Village, and everyone else looked on with green-eyed envy. Seeing the sack of rice, the ducks, chickens, pork, and the cotton jackets piled up today, who wouldn't be envious? It only served to prove that marrying into a wealthy family was the right path.

Seeing the adults so gloomy, Sun Shan decided to break the tension. "Grandfather, Grandmother, the peach trees outside are blooming so beautifully. Could you cut a few branches for me to take home?"

Old Mrs. Su laughed. "Shan, what do you want with peach branches? Do you want to plant a tree?"

Sun Shan felt a bit embarrassed but pressed on. "No, I want to take them home for Grandmother. It’s almost New Year’s, and if we display peach blossoms, they will bless her with a long life."

In Guangnan Province, there was a tradition of buying peach blossoms for the New Year. The blossoms carried three meanings: finding love; the word for 'red peach' sounded like 'grand plan,' symbolizing great success; and since peaches were the fruit of the heavens, eating them was said to prolong life.

The elders didn't fully understand the logic, but since it was just a few branches and their grandson wanted them, they were happy to oblige.

"What a filial boy," Old Mr. Su smiled. "Come, Grandfather will cut them for you."

Sun Bomin quickly intervened, "Father, the trees are doing well; please don't cut them for Shan." He didn't know where the boy had heard such things, but he remained skeptical.

Sun Shan immediately countered, "Cousin Yu told me! He said his family displays peach blossoms every New Year, placing them in Old Mrs. He’s room to ensure her health and longevity."

In truth, Sun Shan wasn't entirely making it up; Cousin Yu had indeed mentioned the flower markets during the New Year. Huangyang County had a flower market, too, though it was small, and the local residents couldn't afford such luxuries. Certainly, no one in Sun Family Village bought them.