Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Danger Period

One day, after returning from a wedding banquet for one of Qingying’s cousins, Qingying began to act wildly under the influence of alcohol. She kept pestering Fafu, rambling on incessantly. Qingying had a habit of having no secrets when drunk; she would spill everything, which made Fafu afraid to share much with her.

That night in bed, Qingying held onto Fafu and continued her chatter: "Do you know what 'safe period' and 'fertile period' mean for a woman?"

"I don't."

"I'll tell you. The 'safe period' is when it's hard to get pregnant, and the 'fertile period' is when it's easy."

"You know about this?"

"Not only I know, but Caiyun knows too. That’s why she only sleeps with you and Datou Langzi during her 'safe period,' and avoids you both during the 'fertile period' so she won't get pregnant."

"Who said I slept with Caiyun? Did you see it?"

"Not only did I see it, I even... never mind. Just get her pregnant, and Datou Langzi will claim it as his own. Caiyun will surely marry him then, and the Chen family's house will be all ours."

"Just say what you want to say; stop stammering."

"Before I went to my parents' home the other day, I had the water boiled and ready for you two. Don't tell Caiyun about this, or I’ll tell her it was your idea, and she’ll hate you for the rest of her life!"

As the saying goes, "Truth comes out after drinking." Fafu thought what Qingying said might be true, but one thing puzzled him.

"What’s this about Caiyun sleeping with Datou Langzi?"

"Datou Langzi wants to marry her and asked for my help. I told him to plant his seed first, but I was worried she’d only sleep with him during the safe period. To be safe, you have to do it too. The more she refuses you, the more you must insist; that means it's her fertile period, the best time to plant the seed. Do you hear me?"

Fafu found it incredible, feeling as if he were in a dream. He tried to push Qingying away to sit up and clear his head, but she held him too tightly. He pinched her arm, and she cried out, "Ouch! What are you doing?"

Her reaction made him realize everything before him was real. He had always thought her frequent trips to her parents' home were to visit her mother, but there were ulterior motives. He knew she was greedy and foul-mouthed, a cold-blooded creature, but he hadn't realized she was this wicked. He knew Datou Langzi and Caiyun had been in close contact lately, but he didn't believe they had that kind of relationship. He didn't want Caiyun to marry anyone, and he certainly didn't want her to leave.

The next morning, Qingying woke up and asked, "Did I drink too much yesterday?"

"Not too much. You can drink more next time," Fafu said, intentionally provoking her.

"Get lost. I know I drank too much. Did I say a lot to you yesterday?"

"You know the answer."

"What did I say?"

Fafu knew her pattern—she would say anything while drunk and forget it later. "You just kept praising how pretty the bride was, how rich the feast was, and how all the commune and brigade leaders showed up. That was it."

"Did I mention Caiyun?"

"She wasn't even at the banquet, why would you talk about her?" Fafu lied.

"That's good," Qingying sighed with relief.

A few days later, when Qingying went to her parents' home, Caiyun came over to stay with Fafu. Fafu told her everything Qingying had said while drunk, and Caiyun was shocked.

"I’ve noticed you and Datou Langzi have been quite close lately. Is there really something between you two?" Fafu couldn't help but ask directly.

"Do you want there to be or not?" Caiyun teased, twisting his ear.

"If there is, I’ll kill him!" Fafu gritted his teeth.

"On what grounds? He’s a bachelor, I’m a widow, and we’re both willing. What’s it to you? You, on the other hand, have a wife, yet you look at the pot while eating from the bowl, flirting and seducing women. Be careful, or I’ll tell Datou Langzi, and he’ll kill you!"

"So, you really did sleep with him?"

"He came first, you came later. Now I’m pregnant, and I don't know if it’s yours or his."

"Impossible, you’re lying."

"Don't believe me? Feel it." Caiyun placed his hand on her belly.

"Ah! You’re really pregnant?" Fafu touched her belly and found it was indeed swollen.

"Why would I lie to you?"

"What should we do?"

"I was pregnant when I married your brother, and it seems I’ll be pregnant again when I marry Datou Langzi."

"That won't do! I don't agree. I’ll take you to get rid of it."

"But I like Datou Langzi; I want to marry him."

"Then what about me?"

"Don't you have Qingying?"

"But I love you! I can't live without you!"

Caiyun saw Fafu’s eyes redden and her heart softened. She couldn't bear to tease him anymore. "Look at you, silly! I was just joking."

"Really?" Fafu asked, still doubtful.

"Really! I just wanted to test you."

"Then what about your belly?"

"Feel it again." Caiyun took his hand and placed it back on her stomach.

"Hey, where did it go?" Fafu asked in surprise.

"I got rid of it." Caiyun teased him again.

"I see, you were just puffing it out on purpose! You’re really wicked!" Fafu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"You’re a fool, and you won't even admit it. How could I ever do that with Datou Langzi? Except for you, I won't let any other man touch me!"

"Yun, I love you!" Fafu pulled her tightly into his arms.

"My dear, I am yours!"

They held each other tightly.

The first snow of 1962 fell for an entire day and night. The fields, trees, and houses were all covered in a thick, fluffy layer of white. As the saying goes, "A timely snow promises a good harvest"—a generous gift from heaven to the "responsibility fields."

After the snow, the world was a silver-clad paradise for the children. Yulan and Yujun were building a snowman nearby, using a large ball for the body and a small one for the head, decorating it with a carrot nose, twig arms, and charcoal and chili peppers for eyes and a mouth.

Santoutou and a group of children were having a snowball fight. Seeing the snowman, he shouted, "Let's turn Gou-dan into a snowman!"

The village children often called Yujun by his nickname, Gou-dan. Santoutou lunged forward, pinning Yujun down next to the snowman. The other children swarmed in, forcing Yujun into a sitting position. Santoutou and another child held his shoulders and legs while they piled snow onto him.

Yujun cried for his sister's help, but Yulan was outnumbered and powerless. Just as Yujun was nearly buried and crying in terror, Yuqiang returned from school, dropped his bag, and charged over, scaring the other children away.

As Santoutou ran home, Yuqiang caught up, kicked him to the ground, and struck him repeatedly. Santoutou shrieked, "Help! Help!"

Wang Hongbing, hearing his son’s cries, ran out and saw Yuqiang beating Santoutou. He struck Yuqiang down and pointed at him, "You little brat, how old are you to be hitting him?"

Yuqiang stood up, grabbing a handful of snow and slamming it into Santoutou’s face. "You little bastard, if you dare bully Yujun again, I’ll throw you into the Tiger Pond to feed the turtles!" He grabbed his bag and led Yujun away.

Caiyun, having been inside, didn't know what had happened. When Yulan told her, she quickly stripped Yujun and found his clothes soaked and his body frozen. She angrily asked Yulan, "Why didn't you come back to get me?"

"I was just about to when my brother arrived," Yulan replied.

By the afternoon, Yujun began to cough, run a nose, and develop a fever. Caiyun, realizing he had caught a cold, applied a damp towel to his forehead and rubbed his palms and back to lower his temperature. When she went to make dinner, she found the water tank empty and went to fetch water.

On her return, she heard someone singing a familiar Fengyang Flower Drum tune:
*Speak of Fengyang, tell of Fengyang, Fengyang was a good place,*
*Since Emperor Zhu was born, nine years out of ten were barren,*
*The rich sell their land, the poor sell their sons,*
*I have no sons to sell, so I carry a flower drum and roam the world...*

Soon, the singer reached Caiyun’s door. She was a woman in her twenties with a figure similar to Caiyun’s, carrying a flower drum and a bundle containing a two-year-old child. An eight-year-old girl stood by her side with a basket. Caiyun grabbed her hand, "Sister, stop singing. Come in and sit for a while."

"I can't. I need to beg for food for the children."

"You’re from Fengyang? We’re fellow villagers. I don’t have much, but there’s plenty of porridge."

"Thank you, sister. I’m from Hongtang, Fengyang. And you?"

"I’m from south of Fengyang city. I fled here when I was eight."

"It’s so good to meet a fellow villager. Sister, may I stay here for the night?"

"Of course. It’s cold, I’ll prepare some extra straw for you."

Caiyun understood the hardship of a woman fleeing with children, and she felt happy to help. After chatting, she learned the woman was named Liu Yunfeng, twenty-nine years old. Her husband had died of illness, and her in-laws had pressured her to marry her mentally ill brother-in-law. She refused and fled.

Liu Yunfeng stayed for two days, and when she tried to leave, Caiyun insisted she stay. Caiyun approached Qingying: "Second Aunt, Liu Yunfeng’s youngest daughter is cute. Would you consider adopting her?"

"Does she agree?"

"She’s homeless. If you want to adopt, find a way to keep her here first."

"How?"

"Open that room of mine and let them stay there."

"What do you mean 'your room'? That's my house."

"Forget that for now. Will you let them stay?"

"Tell her to come see me."

After Liu Yunfeng moved in, Caiyun and Qingying provided her with basic necessities, and she settled in, begging for food daily.

Yujun’s cold had just started to improve when Santoutou and the other boys shoved large icicles down his back, covering his mouth to keep him from screaming until the icicles melted.

Caiyun saw the bloody scratches on Yujun’s back and his shivering body. He fell ill again, even more severely. By night, he was burning up, delirious, and vomiting. Caiyun couldn't take it anymore and went to Wang Hongbing: "Can you control your son? This is outrageous!"

"What now?" Wang Hongbing replied impatiently.

"A few days ago, Santoutou buried Yujun in the snow. This time, they shoved icicles down his back! Look at my son now. If anything happens to him, I won't let you off!" Caiyun stormed away.

"You little widow, what are you acting so high and mighty for? Why don't you mention how your Yujun bullies my grandson?" Wang Hongbing’s mother chased her out, stomping her feet.

Two days later, Yujun’s condition worsened. He kept screaming of a headache, his face was flushed, and his body kept twitching. Terrified, Caiyun sought Fafu.

"Do you think he won't make it?" Caiyun asked, her voice filled with dread.

"No! We must get him to the hospital!" Fafu realized the danger was critical. He immediately hoisted the boy onto his back, and he and Caiyun rushed toward the commune hospital.