Chapter 35: The Village Chief of Tiger Ridge Mountain Village

Before long, the fragrance of food drifted from the kitchen. Dagen drooled and exclaimed dramatically, "Cousin Shan, meat! We're having meat today!"

Sun Shan nodded. Indeed, it was the smell of meat, and Sun Shan loved meat as well.

Old Mrs. Su walked out and called, "Old man, son-in-law, time to eat." Seeing Shanzi and the others playing, she smiled and said, "Come inside and eat." She glanced at her three granddaughters, sighed, and added, "Damei, Er-mei, Sanmei, come inside and eat."

Earlier, her second daughter had come into the kitchen to help, and her daughter-in-law had been making snide remarks. In truth, one couldn't entirely blame the daughter-in-law; given the situation of her second daughter, it was already benevolent of her parents' home to provide her a place to stay. Because of this daughter, the Su family had become the laughingstock of Hulingshan Village.

Looking at Sun Shan, who was washing his hands, the old lady felt comforted again. Her eldest daughter had married well, and that brought face to the village. Who in Hulingshan didn't praise the eldest son-in-law for being kind-hearted? After all, who else could go to their daughter's home to "seek autumn wind" (ask for favors/gifts) so freely?

Sun Shan finished washing his hands and helped his two little cousins wash theirs. Dagen complained impatiently, "Cousin Shan, I never wash my hands." *Cousin Shan is such a bother. If it weren't for the candy in his pocket, I wouldn't be listening to him.*

Sun Shan ignored Dagen and helped Ergen wash his hands. The younger cousin was small and obedient; he did whatever he was told without a word of complaint.

Sun Shan took a milk candy from his pocket and said with a smile, "Ergen is a good boy. Here, keep this candy and eat it after you've finished your meat."

Ergen's eyes lit up. He tucked the candy into his pocket and giggled. Dagen was dumbfounded, watching Sun Shan with longing eyes.

Sun Shan waved his hand like a little adult and said, "Dagen, you didn't listen. No candy for you this time. If you behave next time, you'll get some."

With that, he ignored Dagen and called his three cousins to follow him, taking Ergen into the house.

The main room was quickly set with tables—one for the men and one for the women. Today's meal was inferior to what the Sun family served guests. There was a dish of pork stir-fried with winter bamboo shoots, a plate of braised chicken, a dish of steamed swamp eels brought over by the second Aunt Su, and a vegetable dish. As for soup, there was none. On the men's table, there was a small flask of wine brought by Sun Bomin.

Dagen and Ergen stared fixedly at the table, and even the three girls stared wide-eyed.

The second Aunt Su sat next to Mrs. Su, looking timid and afraid to glance at the table. Since arriving, she hadn't dared to say a word. If her eldest sister hadn't insisted she come, she never would have returned to her maiden home to be a nuisance.

Young Mrs. Liu looked at her sister-in-law with disdain and pursed her lips, though she swallowed whatever she wanted to say.

Old Man Su picked up a piece of chicken head and urged, "Everyone, let's eat. Bomin, have some chicken; it's delicious."

Seeing Old Man Su pick up his chopsticks, the others followed suit. Sun Shan ate slowly, and Sun Bomin placed several pieces of meat into his bowl, telling him to eat at his leisure.

Old Man Su picked up a chicken leg and said with a smile, "Shanzi, here, have a chicken leg. There's plenty of meat."

Sun Shan accepted it, thanked him, and immediately placed it into Ergen's bowl, saying, "Ergen is the smallest; Ergen should have it."

Ergen grinned. Young Mrs. Liu was satisfied and exclaimed exaggeratedly, "Oh, my! Ergen, hurry up and thank Cousin Shanzi."

Old Mrs. Su gnawed on a large piece of fat meat—the pork her eldest daughter had bought was excellent, fatty and succulent. She said happily, "Our Shanzi is such a sensible older brother. Dagen, you should learn from him."

Dagen was busy stuffing meat into his mouth; he nodded at whatever was said. He had no time to talk when there was meat to be eaten.

Seeing her second sister only picking at the greens and not daring to touch the meat—all under the death glare of Young Mrs. Liu—Mrs. Su picked up several pieces of meat and put them into the bowls of her second sister and the three nieces. *Hmph, it was brought by me anyway, so what if I give it to them?*

She asked intentionally, "Sister-in-law, when are you going back to your maiden home?"

Young Mrs. Liu, daring to be angry but not to speak, replied, "Tomorrow."

Mrs. Su nodded and said no more. Later, she would have to tell her mother to keep an eye on the New Year gifts they had brought, lest Young Mrs. Liu sneak them off to her own parents' home.

Today, they were eating sweet potato rice. Sun Shan felt full after one bowl; eating too much sweet potato caused bloating, and he didn't particularly care for it.

Soon, the food was finished, and Mrs. Su, the second Aunt Su, and Young Mrs. Liu cleared the bowls and chopsticks. Even a married daughter returning home as a guest had to work.

Once everything was tidied up, Mrs. Su took a package of pastries and a piece of meat, taking Sun Bomin and Sun Shan to the home of the Hulingshan village chief. After all, her maiden family lived here, as did her second sister, so it was only right to maintain a good relationship with the chief.

The Hulingshan village chief was very enthusiastic. Of all the daughters Old Man Su had, Mrs. Su had made the best marriage and was the most tactful. He looked at Sun Shan, patted his little head, and said with a smile, "This lad, he looks quite festive."

Sun Shan gave a shy, slightly awkward smile. He was wearing a large cotton-padded jacket made from the red fabric his eldest aunt had brought back. He looked like a portable lantern, which adults loved.

Mrs. Su said proudly, "Not at all, it's the fabric. His aunt specifically brought it back from the prefectural capital."

When the chief heard "prefectural capital," his eyes brightened. He exclaimed, "Fabrics from the prefectural capital are indeed superior; they feel so comfortable." He even touched Sun Shan’s red jacket, adding, "Thick and warm."

Mrs. Su chatted with the village chief while Sun Bomin and Sun Shan stood in the background, listening motionlessly. Once the conversation reached its end, they took their leave.

As they walked back, Mrs. Su pouted. "Hmph, they eat my meat every year, but he wouldn't even offer a small red envelope."

Sun Shan felt a bit embarrassed. Actually, Mrs. Su was right; they gave gifts every year, yet he had never given back a single copper.

Sun Bomin said indifferently, "Even if he gave one, it would only be a copper or two. It's not much. We are the ones asking for his favor, so it's normal that he doesn't give anything."

Mrs. Su was just venting; she didn't truly expect the village chief to give anything.

Back at her maiden home, seeing her children playing with the three nieces, Mrs. Su said happily, "Play a while longer, but we'll have to head back soon."

Hulingshan Village was quite far from Sun Village. Winter days were short, and the mountain paths weren't very safe, so it was best to leave early. Old Man Su and his youngest son were in the courtyard filling sacks with winter bamboo shoots.

Old Mrs. Su said, "Eldest daughter, you’d better go back early. The mountains aren't safe."

Old Man Su nodded in agreement. He was very satisfied with his eldest daughter, who visited several times a year, unlike other people’s daughters who only returned once.

When the second Aunt Su heard her sister was leaving, she signaled to Damei to go get the swamp eels. She whispered, "Eldest sister, I caught a lot of swamp eels in the field this morning. Take them back for your mother-in-law."

Mrs. Su didn't decline; one couldn't just give without ever receiving. She secretly carried a bag of sweet potatoes to her second sister. If she didn't bring anything back, she wouldn't be able to answer to her own household or mother-in-law.

Swamp eels were hard to catch in winter; her second sister must have worked very hard to get them, and Mrs. Su appreciated the gesture. Old Man Su packed two small sacks of winter bamboo shoots and gave them some dried mushrooms and nuts. The second Aunt Su had brought eight swamp eels, each as thick as a thumb. The little girls, Guyu and the others, were delighted—swamp eel tasted wonderful.

Sun Shan hurriedly wrapped up his peach branches and placed them on the handcart. The youngest Uncle Su tapped Sun Shan on the nose and laughed, "Shanzi, no one is going to snatch them from you." He didn't understand why people in the city wanted peach branches—they were just flowers and couldn't be eaten. It was truly baffling.