Bai Fumei in the ’70s Chapter 6
Translated by Serena Love
Proofread by Soupysuspicions
Edited by Lavender and Ladyhotcomb
Chapter 6
He Songye had just finished tidying up the room. She was inherently meticulous and couldn’t bear to see a speck of dust anywhere once she was idle. So, even though the He family’s house was aged and showing wear, she kept it neat and orderly. Its old age was hardly noticeable under her care.
He Songbai heard heavy footsteps approaching. Glancing up, he spotted a slender figure. A woman made her way towards the He family’s old house, dragging her heavy luggage. Once she set it down, she rolled up her sleeves, wiping the sweat from her brow. Glistening droplets trailed down her face, causing strands of her raven hair to cling to her cheeks, and her apricot eyes revealed her exhaustion.
He Songye shook a bell that was tied around her waist and waved to her brother in the fields.
Setting down the manure in his hands, He Songbai washed his hands at the well and approached the unfamiliar visitor in silence.
He Songye gestured to him, effectively conveying, “Help her with the luggage.”
He Songbai’s expression hardened, his penetrating eyes clouding with suspicion.
Seeing the thick vigilance in his eyes, He Songye tried to reassure him, gesturing, “I’ve allowed her to stay here.”
“No, she has to live somewhere else.”
Moving closer, He Songbai firmly pushed the woman back slightly, positioning himself to block the entrance. His voice was tinged with laziness, asked, “What are you trying to do?”
He pushed He Songye into the house with one hand as he said this.
Zhao Lanxiang watched as her partner slammed the door shut and locked He Songye in the room. He was indifferent to He Songye’s constant knocking from within.
His bushy eyebrows revealed both undisguised indifference and caution. In a cold, guarded tone, he asked, “Do you know who I am?”
His gaze then dropped indiscriminately, lingering on the woman’s breasts until he seemed to catch himself, his face flushing in embarrassment.
Zhao Lanxiang was surprised. She hadn’t anticipated this side of her otherwise modest and dignified husband.
Her heart actually quietly jumped a few times.
This seemingly “poor and sad” man, with his disheveled appearance, bore a striking resemblance to the gangster brothers that would become popular in the 1990s. With his sharp brows and untamed features, he looked ready to jump up and beat people at a moment’s notice.
It’s unfortunate…that he was born a couple of decades too early. Had he been around during that time, he would have been sought after by thousands of people. But now, he’s relegated to being a second-rate person who was often the subject of disdain and gossip.
The man was wearing a faded white torn shirt today, his eyes reflecting a casual demeanor. Having shared two decades of her life with him, Zhao Lanxiang was clear about one thing: beneath that cool exterior, her man was a wolf. His tone may be casual, but she was sure he had underlying suspicions that she might have deceived his honest older sister.
Unfazed by his detached gaze, Zhao Lanxiang pulled out three yuan. “This is for the rent. I am not staying here for free.”
“The collective dormitory for the educated youths has collapsed and I have no place to settle down. Your household is spacious despite having few members and I would love to live here. I will move out after the new educated youths’ dormitory is built at the end of the year.”
Zhao Lanxiang believed he was a smart guy, no matter how green and immature he was in comparison to his future self. Their family was currently poor. It was unreasonable to refuse a room that had been empty for many years in exchange for meager rent. What’s more...she didn’t look like a bad person.
He Songye’s persistent knocking and anxious shouts echoed from the inside, her frustration obvious as she resorted to kicking the door due to her being locked inside.
For his sister’s sake and considering Zhao Lanxiang’s weak and harmless appearance, He Songbai relented.
He took the wad of bills from the woman’s hand, giving it a casual glance before carelessly pocketing it. With a hint of warning, he said, “...I’ll just say the ugly words in advance, so you don’t stir up any trouble. If you make problems for me, you can pack up and leave.”
Zhao Lanxiang nodded, nudging her luggage with her foot. “Thank you for your efforts, comrade.”
Zhao Lanxiang wouldn’t be too polite to him for the time being. She was just a stranger who had paid rent. He Songbai, having faced disdain from the entire brigade since childhood, was naturally wary when confronted with unexpected warmth from a stranger. To him, Zhao Lanxiang either had ulterior motives or was a simple-minded fool.
This perception stemmed from their previous chilly interaction in the cornfield.
Owing someone a favor never sat well with He Songbai. He helped her the last time probably because of the few candies she gave to his sister. He undoubtedly believed that settling this ‘debt’ would free him, and he could simply leave. As for any additional food she offered, he’d consider that a separate matter.
Decades later, when He Songbai became wealthy, he retained this careful consideration. He never forgot those who assisted him and always reciprocated more generously than he received. By giving back three points of what he owed, he earned the title “God of Wealth” among many. People eagerly befriended him, resulting in a steady stream of favors that boosted his already thriving career.
He Songbai put away his aloof demeanor, bent down to lift the luggage, and carried it inside.
Upon her release, an irritated He Songye made a fist and knocked on He Songbai’s head twice, expressing her indignation at his earlier actions and reasserting her role as the family’s head. He Songbai didn’t resist, merely lowering his head.
He Songye, feeling slightly guilty, gestured towards Zhao Lanxiang, trying to explain. “He... he’s short-tempered, not pleasant.”
“But he’s not a bad person, rest assured.”
“Please sit. He’ll set things up.”
Zhao Lanxiang took a seat on a small bench, chin resting on her hand, observing He Songbai curiously. He swiftly assembled a simple bed with planks, using mortise and tenon joints instead of nails. His expertise shone as wood shavings danced with every chisel strike. Once done, he gently blew away the sawdust and smoothed out any rough spots with his thick thumb, pulling out any protruding splinters.
Although He Songbai’s defined eyebrows naturally lent him a stern and fierce appearance, his dedication and precision while working as a carpenter captivated Zhao Lanxiang, her gaze softening.
She felt an overwhelming urge to embrace this lean man and remove all the dust from his head. But... she knew that she could not do this, as her beloved was a man of great vigilance.
By the time He Songbai looked up, Zhao Lanxiang’s expression had returned to its usual state. Running her thumb over the bed, she asked, “Can I sleep here?”
He Songye smiled and gestured in response, “He does carpentry. Craftsmanship is okay.”
“Bed. Lie down and rest.”
Zhao Lanxiang offered the last meat bun from her pocket to the sweaty He Songbai. He didn’t take it, choosing instead to wipe his sweat with a tattered towel before heading to the well to freshen up. Zhao Lanxiang pressed the bun into He Songye’s hands, “Give this last one to him, I’m full.”
She patted her belly. She just ate nine buns with Sister He at the irrigation ridge. Both of them can’t even hold their stomachs now.
He Songye really struggled on her way back. After not consuming oily foods for so long, her stomach had weakened. After only a few steps, she vomited. Distraught and saddened, she knelt on the grass, staring at the mess for a moment. Unwilling to waste it, she scooped it up with a dustpan to feed the chickens.
The bun that He Songbai didn’t even spare a glance at was eventually lovingly placed in a pot by He Songye, reserved for their sister.
The siblings worked diligently to ensure the room was spotless for their city guest. Zhao Lanxiang stroked the new quilt on the bed before retrieving a silk quilt from her luggage that her parents purchased for her. She swapped it with He Songye’s, then handed hers back.
He Songye glanced at Zhao’s luxurious ‘city quilt’ and felt its texture. It would be warm in winter and cool during the summer. Her new quilt wasn’t necessary in comparison, so He Songye stored her new quilt back in its box. He Songbai witnessed this exchange, but in his eyes, it had another meaning.
As he chewed on some bitter cabbage, spitting out the residue bits, his eyes darkened.
He Songye jingled her bell, signaling He Songbai, who went to the kitchen. He then added some sweet potatoes and brown rice to a pot of boiling water.
Upon seeing her brother prepare sweet potato porridge, He Songye used a spoon to check its consistency. Noting the thinness of the soup, she shook her head and added several handfuls of rice while babbling.
He Songbai glanced up, maintaining his indifferent demeanor as he continued cooking.
He Songye tapped him on the head with her bell and shot him a reproachful look.
He Songbai responded calmly, “That’s almost too much. If we use this much rice now, what will we eat next month?”
However, when it came time to serve the porridge, he filled their grandmother’s bowl with pure rice, while giving the city guest a blend of half rice and half sweet potato. The leftover sweet potatoes were then equally divided among the three siblings.
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