Chapter 10 : The Name (3)

In a fit of anger, Jiang Aiguo blurted out something his mother often said at home to scold the old man. The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted it. His mother had warned him countless times never to repeat what was said at home in front of the old family, or they’d lose all the good things they were getting.

After all, half of the forty-five jin of food coupons that Old Jiang received each month were for high-grade fine grains—white flour, to be exact. A large portion of that ended up in their household’s bellies. At the start of each month, when Old Jiang went to the county to collect the subsidies, Fan Xiaojun would send her eldest and youngest sons to cry and act pitiful, tricking the old couple into handing over the good stuff. That tactic never failed. After all, the old couple had once considered adopting her son. No fool would agree to that without benefits. Her two sons were her money trees—she would never give them up lightly.

Because of this, even though Jiang Dachuan and his wife didn’t work hard, they still ate better than anyone else. Jiang Aiguo and Jiang Aidang, though still young, attended school with the village kids—all paid for by the old couple.

In Fan Xiaojun’s mind, all the old couple's money would eventually go to her elder brother. Since he didn’t have a son, naturally it would go to her sons. Spending it early wasn’t a problem at all.

Just then, Jiang Aiguo and Jiang Aidang came home crying. Fan Xiaojun was checking the family’s remaining food stores.

In the past, with help from the old house, they always ate their fill. Fan Xiaojun even secretly brought grain back to her natal family, convinced that the old couple would never let their grandsons go hungry. But now, with her brother-in-law’s wife giving birth to that little bastard, she wasn’t so sure. Looking at the thin layer left at the bottom of the vat, she felt anxious.

At year’s end, they did receive a good amount of sweet potatoes, but she didn’t like eating those—they caused bloating. She had long since sent them all to her mother’s family. Her sister-in-law there had praised her endlessly. Every time she returned home, they fawned over her, putting her above her sisters. Now, to ask them for grain—she was unwilling to lose face like that.

“Ma—ma—!” Jiang Aiguo screamed as he ran into the house.

The second son's house was much larger than the old family home. It had been built when Jiang Dachuan married Fan Xiaojun—sturdy and spacious. Initially, Old Jiang and his wife had planned to live with their eldest son in their later years, so they gave all their savings to the second son to build a house, treating it as his share of the family assets.

The house was made of blue bricks and black tiles, with lime-washed walls that were repainted annually. Though Fan Xiaojun was lazy, she kept the house spotless. Even the chickens in the yard were confined to a corner, and not a single pile of chicken droppings could be seen.

“Are you crying for ghosts? Weren’t you taking your brother to school? Did you skip again?”

Fan Xiaojun, already irritated, lashed out when she saw her eldest son. One hand on her hip, the other yanking his ear, she scolded him furiously.

Jiang Aiguo cried even louder. His younger brother, seeing his brother getting scolded, joined in. The house was suddenly filled with wailing and sobbing, sending Fan Xiaojun into a rage.

“What’s going on? Beating the kids in broad daylight again?”

Jiang Dachuan strolled in lazily from outside. Seeing his wife hitting their son again, he casually commented and went to the kitchen to scoop a ladle of water from the small tank, gulping it down.

He didn’t resemble Old Jiang or Grandma Miao much. Thin and short, his beady eyes darted around constantly—he didn’t look like a decent person.

“Weren’t you at work? Why are you back again?” Fan Xiaojun snapped at him.

“Why yell? Do you know how exhausting it is to work in this heat? I’m just taking a break. No big deal. Besides, we’ve got the old folks—no way we’ll starve.”

Jiang Dachuan was an expert at slacking off. He usually did the kind of work women did, like gluing matchboxes, and even that he complained about. His daily work points couldn’t compare to a more capable woman’s. If the family relied on him alone, they’d all starve.

Fan Xiaojun didn’t argue with him. She didn’t have the face to. At least Jiang Dachuan still went to work; she was even lazier. She’d either claim to be sick or use caring for the kids as an excuse. If she went to work one day out of ten, that was considered good.

“Look at your son. Skipped school again with Aidang. I think we should just stop sending him—save a few bucks.”

Fan Xiaojun gave her tear-streaked son a glare. In her view, schooling was pointless. Better to wait till her son was older and have her father-in-law pull some strings to get him into the army. Being a soldier was impressive—high subsidies and face.

Hadn’t her father-in-law saved some old commander? Surely he’d still have that favor to call in.

“What’s this now? Why’d you skip school again?” Jiang Dachuan ignored his wife. Women had limited vision. Things were different now—education was crucial. What future was there toiling in the fields like his older brother?

With both parents staring at him, Jiang Aiguo shrugged his shoulders and sobbed as he recounted what had just happened.

“You little bastard! Trying to get us all killed?”

Jiang Dachuan, more than anyone, knew his father's temper. Over the years, he had kept quiet, though he certainly held resentment. But his older brother had no sons—unless he agreed, no one could force him to give up his. This wasn’t the old days. That’s why, despite being lazy and selfish, his father rarely said a word to him. But still, there were lines you couldn’t cross. Once said aloud, those words could bring real trouble.

Now that his older brother had a son, these two idiots didn’t even try to curry favor with the old man and had the nerve to say such things. They could kiss any future benefits goodbye.

Jiang Dachuan looked around, then grabbed a stick as thick as his arm from under the stove and swung it at his son. Jiang Aiguo ran around, dodging in fear.

Though Fan Xiaojun often scolded her sons, she never hit them hard. If that stick landed, it could seriously injure the boy. She rushed forward to stop her husband, who had clearly lost his temper.

“I haven’t even held you accountable yet. Saying those things in front of the kids all the time—now look, they’ve gone and repeated them to Old Jiang. You’re the one who needs a beating!”

Jiang Dachuan turned, glaring at Fan Xiaojun with the stick raised.

“Go on, hit me! I gave you two sons—try it! If you dare touch me, I’ll take them and go back to my mother’s!”

Fan Xiaojun wasn’t one to back down. Hands on her hips, she jabbed a finger into his chest, furious.

Jiang Dachuan waved the stick but didn’t strike. In a rage, he threw it to the ground. “Take the kids back to the old house. Apologize to Dad. He dotes on them—he won’t hold a grudge against them.”

He slumped into a chair. “And grab a few eggs from the cupboard. Consider it a gift for my brother and sister-in-law. Maybe it’ll help calm the old folks down.”

“What eggs?!” Fan Xiaojun sniffled, heart aching. Those eggs were for selling. Even they rarely ate them—why should the eldest son’s family get them?

“Just do it! You really think I won’t beat you?” Jiang Dachuan roared, grabbing the stick again, looking ready to strike.

Startled, Fan Xiaojun realized he was truly angry. She dared not argue. Dragging her sons to the kitchen, she carefully picked six of the smallest eggs from the cupboard and placed them into a basket, her heart bleeding.

“You’re not coming with us?” she asked, nervous about facing her stern father-in-law.

Jiang Dachuan shot her a look. “I have to work. Your precious son pissed off the old man. If I don’t earn some points, how will we survive?”

Truthfully, he didn’t dare face the furious Jiang Cheng and was using work as an excuse to avoid him.

Fan Xiaojun had nothing more to say. Holding her sons’ hands, she headed to the old house.

— — —

“Ma—!”

When Fan Xiaojun arrived with the children, Miao Sanfeng was squatting in the yard washing cloth diapers. Seeing her two grandsons, she quickly wiped her hands and came to greet them.

“Aiguo, Aidang—what’s wrong with your eyes? Red like rabbits. Did you and Dachuan hit them again?” Miao Sanfeng frowned, visibly angry.

Though her heart now belonged to her eldest son’s precious little grandson, she still cherished the two boys from the second branch.

“No.” Fan Xiaojun noted her mother-in-law’s calm demeanor and suspected she didn’t know what happened. “Ma, where’s Dad? Not home yet?” she asked cautiously.

“He went to the educated youth camp. Still not back,” Miao Sanfeng replied, then warmly called out, “Come, sweethearts, come inside. Grandma has something good for you.”

Hearing “something good,” Fan Xiaojun’s eyes lit up and she said nothing more, following her inside.

She placed the bamboo basket on the main hall table. “Ma, this is a little something from Dachuan and me. Eldest Sister-in-law just had a baby—these eggs are for her.”

Miao Sanfeng was surprised. The second branch rarely gave anything—only took. Was the sun rising in the west today? Still, it was nice to see her sons getting along. She happily carried the basket to the kitchen. Lifting the blue cloth covering it, she saw six tiny eggs and curled her lip. Definitely from the second branch. Only they would be stingy enough to pick the smallest ones.

She put the eggs away and took out two sets of bowls and spoons.

“Wait here. Grandma’s getting you something good.”

She carried the bowls into her and Old Jiang’s room and locked the door behind her.

TR Note: In traditional Chinese rural homes, older family members often kept all valuables in their own locked rooms. Privacy and control over resources were common among elders.

Inside, she carefully scooped a spoonful of malted milk powder her daughter had brought last time, added it to the bowls, sealed the can tightly, and put it back.

“This stuff smells so good. Too bad little Laidi’s too young. I’ll save the rest for him.” She poured hot water from the room’s thermos, stirring the powder into a fragrant, creamy drink.

When she opened the door again, the aroma reached the two boys, who immediately ran over.

“Careful! Don’t spill it. This is high-end stuff—very expensive,” she warned, placing the bowls on the table. The boys clutched their bowls like treasures.

“Ma, is that malted milk? Where’d it come from?” Fan Xiaojun’s eyes gleamed. She’d never tasted it herself. But from the look on her mother-in-law’s face, she wasn’t about to share.

“Aiguo and Aidang have lost weight lately. No appetite. I thought they needed something nourishing,” Miao Sanfeng said, ignoring Fan Xiaojun’s hint.

Fan Xiaojun fumed silently and kicked her eldest son under the table, giving him a look.

The six-year-old didn’t understand. He set his bowl down, milk still on his lips, and looked at her in confusion. “Ma, why’d you kick me?”

Fan Xiaojun was furious but didn’t dare lose her temper in front of her mother-in-law. These old folks used to give all the good stuff to her sons. Now that they had a new grandson, they wouldn’t even share a bit of malted milk.

Jiang Dani and Jiang Erni came back from feeding the piglets. Seeing their two cousins drinking something special, they said nothing, just greeted politely and carried their two younger sisters back to their room.

“You money-losers! Stop right there!”

Jiang Aiguo, still bitter from his earlier beating, brightened at the sight of his older cousins—his usual bullying targets. He dropped his bowl, leapt off the chair, and charged at them with raised fists.

Jiang Dani, holding Jiang Sini, didn’t react in time and fell hard. A large steamed bun in her pocket rolled out, coming to a stop right at Fan Xiaojun’s feet.

Jiang Dani and Jiang Erni both turned pale, frozen on the spot.

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Chapter 10 : The Name (3)