A century of poverty

Chapter 14 Matchmaking

In Wangzhuangtuo, west of Zhangzhuangtuo, most families share the surname Wang, with only a few exceptions. There are also a handful of families with the surnames Chen and Jiang.

Jiang Huaiyuan also has two uncles and cousins ​​who have lived in this village for generations. Ten years ago, his wife passed away, leaving behind two sons and a daughter.

My eldest son is twenty years old. He got married a few years ago and now has three children.

The second son is seventeen years old, and there is also a twelve-year-old daughter named Jiang Xiuying.

As the Japanese invaders intensified their aggression and plunder in China, people's lives became increasingly difficult.

It was incredibly difficult for Grandpa Jiang to raise these young children alone. A few years ago, he had traveled to Northeast China with some friends; the land was vast and sparsely populated. The further they went, the deeper the mountains and the denser the forests became. Perhaps in these remote, untouched places, they could find a way to survive. He planned to take his youngest son with him, as it wouldn't be convenient for his eldest son to travel with his family. He planned to come back and fetch them after a few years, once they were settled.

He only has his youngest daughter, who is a year or two old, and he doesn't know when he'll be back after leaving. So he thought it would be better to find a family to take care of her, and she could get married when she reaches the right age. So he talked to some people about it.

The girl, Jiang Xiuying, had a very difficult life. She lost her mother when she was three years old (by Chinese reckoning), perhaps not even two years old yet. Her mother lay on the bed with her eyes closed, completely unaware of her presence, and she even reached out to stroke her mother's arm and play with her.

As people lifted her mother to carry her outside, she said, "My mom's sleeping, don't take her away!"

Sometimes her second brother would run off to play, and she would fall behind, crying as she walked. When she reached people, some would speak coldly and verbally abuse her, calling her a "troublesome girl." Before she even knew what was happening, she was already being bullied and discriminated against.

The eldest brother is twenty years old, and the eldest sister-in-law is nineteen. They have been married for three years and have three children.

One winter, the weather turned cold exceptionally early, and my sister-in-law hadn't had time to make cotton-padded clothes for the child. Too cold to go outside, she worked through the night to make clothes for the child, pulling my sister-in-law along to help smooth out the old cotton batting. As the night wore on, my sister-in-law, holding the batting, dozed off. "Slap!" A loud slap landed on her forehead. Startled, she continued smoothing the old batting for her sister-in-law. She was not yet ten years old that year.

Afterwards, the sister-in-law regretted it deeply; she shouldn't have hit her poor little sister-in-law. She was just a child!

After that, her sister-in-law never hit or scolded her again and treated her very well. However, with so many children in the family, the burden of life was very heavy.

Now she is her sister-in-law's good helper. The work is neither hot nor cold, rough and uneven, leaving the twelve-year-old girl's hands chapped all the way up to her wrists.

Moo-tou Ma was well-known in all five villages because she frequently traveled around the area to find work. She lived on the west bank of Zhangzhuangtuo Street, just across the Xiaoxi River to Wangzhuangtuo, a very convenient location. Therefore, she often went to Wangzhuangtuo to see if there was any work to be done.

A few people from Wangzhuangtuo were sunbathing and chatting by the east wall, including Jiang Huaiyuan. Seeing her coming up the slope, someone said, "This is perfect for her. She knows all about everyone, from how old their children are to what's going on."

Jiang Huaiyuan, a tall man in his forties, with a prominent nose and a long face, is known for his generosity, open-mindedness, and sincerity. Despite his modest background, he is not materialistic and is remarkably decisive in his dealings.

Moo-tou's mom, being a straightforward person, chimed in, "What's wrong? Ask me!"

Jiang Huaiyuan explained his situation: "It's like this, I thought I'd go to Northeast China when the weather gets warmer. My youngest daughter is still worried about me at home, so I wanted to find her a family before I left, so I could feel at ease."

"You're absolutely right to tell me this. I've been keeping it in mind and looking for someone suitable. I'll let you know when I find someone suitable," Moo-tou's mother readily agreed. Then she asked about the child's age.

She quickly thought of someone.

In the afternoon, Second Grandma was sitting at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed) spinning thread.

As soon as Moo-Tou's mother entered, she called out loudly, "Is the little sister home?"

Second Grandma recognized her cousin's voice, stopped spinning the cotton sliver with her left hand and got up to talk to her. As they talked, they went into the room, and Second Grandma invited her to sit on the kang (a heated brick bed). Her cousin turned to sit on the kang and sat down.

The girl pulled her inside to sit down, asking, "What brings you here today?"

My cousin said, "I'm not just sitting around today; I have something important to tell my sister."

"Then tell me quickly, I want to hear it." The second grandmother sat cross-legged, and the two sisters sat facing each other, watching her intently.

"This morning I went to Wangzhuangtuo. Jiang Huaiyuan asked me to find a family for his youngest daughter. He's going to venture into Northeast China and he's worried about leaving her behind. Finding a family for her would put his mind at ease. This girl is the same age as our Xiwang, and I thought she'd be a perfect match for Xiwang, so I came to tell you about it."

"It sounds suitable, but the child is still young!" my cousin said.

My cousin said, "What are you afraid of? This girl may be young, but she's very capable. She can do everything, on the bed and on the floor. Your eyesight isn't very good, so you need someone like her by your side. In a few years, once you consummate your marriage, you can look forward to holding your grandson. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Hearing this, the second grandmother understood: "Then they didn't say what kind of dowry they wanted? I can't afford too much."

"No, we don't need anything. Her father said that as long as he's good to the child, that's enough. He'll come back from Northeast China in a few years and watch the wedding." My cousin said.

Jiang Huaiyuan left the girl with a stranger's family and took his second son on a train straight to Northeast China. When train service stopped, they took other vehicles to continue their journey. When all other vehicles stopped, the father and son traveled for several days and nights until they could go no further—they reached the Sino-Soviet border, where they stopped, built a small wooden hut, and made a living by hunting.

A few months later, a guest arrived. He was wearing a leather jacket, leather pants, and a leather hat, and his eyelashes were covered in frost, making it impossible to discern his appearance. Seeing that there was a wooden house here, he knew that someone would be staying there permanently, and he was overjoyed.

Standing outside the small courtyard gate fenced with wooden sticks, he called out loudly, "Friends inside, we have guests!"

Hearing someone approach, Jiang Huaiyuan came out and asked, "Who are you, distinguished guest?"

"I am Song Dacheng, also known as Old Man Song. I'm a hunter from around here, often traveling and bringing back some mountain goods. When I saw this little hut, I knew I had made a friend, so I came to visit!"

Jiang Huaiyuan greeted them warmly: "Please come in, please come in!"

Since arriving here, they had only dealt with the forest and their prey; meeting people for the first time made them feel especially close. They were quickly invited inside, served a plate of roe deer meat and soaked wild vegetables, and Old Man Song untied the wine from his waistband. The two drank warmly. Just then, the youngest son, Jiang Guangliang, returned. His father called him over to introduce him to their local friend, Old Man Song. Old Man Song poured Jiang a bowl of wine and said, "I come here every few months. If you have anything you want to take out, just give it to me. Also, tell me what you need, and I'll bring it back for you. It's for everyone's convenience. Making friends here is quite rare; finding someone you truly trust is a rare thing."

Jiang Huaiyuan said, "Although we're out here to make a living, we're by no means stingy. It's fate that we met here today. This is your home now, and from now on, we're brothers. Raise your bowls and cheers!"

Old Man Song stayed there for two days before heading to his next destination.

Poor twelve-year-old Jiang Xiuying was sent to her second grandmother's house.

Second Grandma has become a mother-in-law, which undoubtedly means she now has someone to do chores and serve her. Hope sees Xiuying as someone else, not a sister, and he has to watch his mother's expression when she treats him. Ultimately, he's just a twelve-year-old child who doesn't understand much.

All day long, her mother-in-law assigned Xiuying any chores she could manage, always putting her first and eating last. There was no one to confide in. As time went on, Xiuying grew homesick. Life at home was tough and tiring, but after years of living with her sister-in-law, they were like family, sharing a deep connection. Even in hardship, there were moments of joy. But at her in-laws' house, her mother-in-law didn't treat her with the same warmth as her sister-in-law; she always felt a distance. She missed home, she wanted to go back, and her mother-in-law allowed her. Once home, she no longer wanted to go back to her in-laws' house. Although her sister-in-law was happy for her to stay, during busy seasons and holidays, she would always send Xiuying to her in-laws' house early, lest she be impolite and upset her mother-in-law. Xiuying nodded in agreement.

When she returned to her brother and sister-in-law's house, after crossing the Xiaoxi River to the west, Xiuying felt a sense of openness and joy welled up within her.

Arriving at her husband's family home was also a journey east across the river, and Xiuying's heart immediately sank; she walked along, tears streaming down her face. This winding country path witnessed countless sorrows and hardships Xiuying endured. Once she reached the village, she quickly wiped away her tears, afraid of being seen and gossiped about.