Chapter 117

There weren’t many radishes planted in the family’s private plot—Granny Li thought Chinese cabbage kept better.

Last time, they’d only stewed radish once, but An An, having tasted it for the first time, had never forgotten it.

The moment his father left, An An climbed out of the basket on his own, grabbed his sister’s hand, and the two of them toddled off to dig around.

They were just playing at first, but to their surprise, they actually unearthed a white radish.

The memory of that stewed radish still lingered in An An’s mind. When he handed it to his father, his tiny hands shook with excitement.

Xiao Hua wasn’t particularly craving radish, but she knew that Granny usually stewed it with meat. She swallowed discreetly at the thought.

Li Dazhuang took the white radish from his son and gave it a good look. He had no idea how it had grown like that—wrinkled and shriveled, barely enough for two bites.

He casually tossed it into the basket on his back, then pinched Xiao An’an’s cheek and put on a mock-stern face.

“There are tigers and wild boars on the mountain. What if one of them eats you? And snakes too—aren’t you even a little scared?”

An An furrowed his little brows and tried to wriggle away, even giving his father a gentle push.

“No basket. I want to play.”

Li Dazhuang knew it was a bit much to keep a child his age cooped up in a basket, but he couldn’t help it—this little guy was just too attractive to animals.

Wild chickens and rabbits were fine—they could bring those home for a meal. But if a tiger, bear, or snake showed up, it would scare him half to death.

“Alright, but next time you want to go play, you have to tell me first. Got it?”

“Got it.”

An An nodded obediently. He just didn’t want to be stuck in the basket—he wanted to stretch his legs a bit. Everything else didn’t really matter.

If his dad insisted on tagging along, well, he could make that sacrifice.

On the way back, tired from playing, Xiao An’an stopped struggling and plopped himself into the basket. Li Dazhuang carried firewood on his back and An An in the basket, walking steadily along the rugged mountain path.

Xiao Hua walked ahead with her own basket, which held a few edible wild greens.

Back home, Li Dazhuang first unloaded the firewood, then carried An An to find his mother, planning to ask when she’d stew the radish.

Even though the radish was small, it was enough for everyone to have a bite.

Granny Li was in the kitchen preparing dinner, while Grandpa Li sat by the stove feeding the fire.

“Radish? Where would a radish come from on the mountain?”

Granny Li didn’t even look up from chopping vegetables. She assumed her son was joking again and didn’t bother to respond.

“Ma, it’s real! An An dug it up himself.”

At the mention of An An, Granny Li finally looked up and took the white radish from his hands.

Grandpa Li was drawn in by the conversation. When he saw what Granny Li was holding, he stood up at once.

“Radish? In the dead of winter? On the mountain? That’s impossible.”

Granny Li still had doubts. It looked like a radish, but she’d never seen one with so many fine root hairs.

“If you really want radish, I’ll plant more next year. This one’s too scrawny—probably won’t even have much flavor.”

She was mostly concerned because she’d never seen a radish like this before. Someone in the village had once died from eating something wild off the mountain. Granny Li didn’t want the same thing happening to them.

When An An heard they couldn’t eat it, his little head drooped instantly. Seeing his disappointed face, Granny Li’s heart softened. She was just about to say she’d cook it for him anyway when Grandpa Li stepped closer.

He took the white radish and stared at it for a long time, his eyes gradually lighting up. His excitement confused both Granny Li and Li Dazhuang.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t think this is a radish.”

Everyone froze at Grandpa Li’s confident tone. Even Xiao An’an seemed to understand that his precious radish was a no-go. He pouted, eyes brimming with tears.

“Wuu…”

“Then what is it? Should we throw it out?”

The moment Granny Li heard it wasn’t a radish and couldn’t be fed to her grandson, she lost all interest and was already considering tossing it.

“Don’t throw it out—absolutely not.”

Grandpa Li grew anxious. He examined the white root even more carefully, and the more he looked, the more convinced he became—it looked just like ginseng.

He cautiously closed the kitchen window, then shut the door tight. His careful demeanor made Granny Li realize this was serious.

“What is it, exactly?”

“If I’m not mistaken, this is ginseng. And not just any ginseng—this one’s probably hundreds of years old!”

These days, many people dismissed Traditional Chinese Medicine as superstition, but Grandpa Li had studied under an old TCM doctor for several years. He still believed in the healing power of herbs.

After all, why else would so many wealthy people in the past pay top dollar for them?

“Ginseng?”

Granny Li instinctively repeated the word, then clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide as she stared at Grandpa Li and whispered:

“Really?”

“Yes. I’m pretty sure. And it’s not young, either.”

Back when Grandpa Li studied under a well-known TCM doctor, he’d handled plenty of herbs, but even then, he’d never seen a ginseng root this large.

“Can we sell it?”

That was all Granny Li cared about. She had no intention of keeping the ginseng.

If it was really as rare as her husband said, it would be wasted sitting in their home. Better to trade it for money or ration tickets to improve their lives.

“We can sell it—but not right now.”

Grandpa Li understood the current climate. Even if they brought such a fine ginseng to market, few would dare to buy it.

Worse, it might bring trouble—serious trouble.

“Let’s keep it for now. If something happens, this could save a life.”

“Alright.”

Granny Li had always respected his judgment on such matters. She didn’t know much about Chinese medicine, but she’d heard stories about ginseng. Besides, if it couldn’t be sold, keeping it wasn’t a bad idea.

Hopefully, they’d never need it. But if they did, at least they’d have some protection.

Since Grandpa Li had studied under that old TCM doctor, he would be the one to handle the ginseng.

An An had no idea how valuable ginseng was. All he knew was that his big radish was off the table. He slumped, looking dejected.

“Don’t be sad, An An. When your aunt comes back before the New Year, I’ll ask her to bring you some radishes after the holiday, okay?”

“Okay.”

An An nodded and added a soft “Thank you, Grandma” in his sweet little voice, melting Granny Li’s heart.

Li Dazhuang stood to the side and opened the window to let the smoke out.

He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but the scene before him felt oddly familiar.

When he was little, he used to coax his parents the same way—sweet-talking them until they favored him.

Now his son was using the same tricks to win over his grandparents, even managing to edge into his old spot in their hearts.

They didn’t get to eat radish that night, but after hearing how valuable that root was, Granny Li was in a good mood. She steamed two eggs for the three children.

In the Li household, the kids always ate better than the adults. A bit of steamed egg mixed with their rice was already a tasty treat.

Granny Li watched An An’s cheeks puffed out with food and felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Before the New Year, Xiao Chun came home for a visit and brought gifts prepared by her mother-in-law.

This year, whenever Li Dazhuang found something useful, he’d deliberately choose items that wouldn’t attract attention and send them over. Thanks to that, Xiao Chun’s standing in her husband’s family had skyrocketed.

Not just her mother-in-law—even her sisters-in-law liked her now.

Whenever Xiao Chun’s family visited, it wasn’t long before the smell of meat wafted through the air.

The things she brought back were impressive, too. After putting them down, she immediately went over to An An, held his little hand, and gave him the gift she’d brought for him.

“This little guy’s grown so much taller!”

An An didn’t really remember this aunt, but his father had talked about her endlessly—how she used to take care of him when he was young.

Over time, An An remembered the story too. Now, whenever he saw her, he’d reach out his arms, hoping for a hug.

Since his dad wasn’t much help, he figured he’d repay her himself.

When it was time for Xiao Chun to leave, Granny Li specifically mentioned how much An An liked radishes and asked if she could bring some next year.

If it had been anything else, Xiao Chun would’ve needed to discuss it with her mother-in-law. But a few radishes? She agreed without hesitation.

Granny Li thought Chinese cabbage stored better—it wouldn’t spoil even after snow. But Xiao Chun’s mother-in-law preferred radishes. Buried in sand, they could last until spring, and she still had plenty saved up.

When Xiao Chun left, Xiao An’an was heartbroken. He quietly wiped his tears as he stood by the gate.

When she turned to look back, he was leaning against the doorway, big eyes brimming with tears, making Xiao Chun’s heart ache.

She waved and called out with a smile, “An An, I’ll come see you again in a few days!”

“Okay.”

An An’s little voice carried far, laced with a distinct sob.

Only after Xiao Chun’s figure disappeared did Granny Li pick him up and gently wipe away his tears.

If a child cried too much, their skin would get rough and chapped, and the cold wind could make it bleed.

“An An, don’t cry. Auntie will come back.”

That only made it worse. The moment she said it, An An couldn’t hold back anymore. He buried his face in his grandma’s arms and started sobbing.

“Oh dear, my sweet little baby, don’t cry, don’t cry.”

But the more she tried to comfort him, the sadder he got. He clung to her waist, curling up like a little ball of sorrow.

This year’s New Year was livelier than the last. The weather had been kind—plenty of rain and sunshine—so the harvest was bountiful.

After the autumn harvest, every household had received a good share of grain, and the pigs raised for the New Year were especially fat.

Compared to last year’s New Year’s Eve dinner, this year’s was much more lavish. The aroma of meat drifted through the village, and no one gossiped behind their backs.

After all, nearly every family could afford meat now. Even those who ate theirs right away would save a bit to make dumplings for the New Year.

Seeing the table full of dishes, the whole family’s faces lit up with joy, their eyes sparkling with hope for the future.

The chicken slaughtered for the New Year—its drumsticks still went to Xiao Hua and An An, while Shitou got both wings. No one thought the distribution was unfair.

After dinner, the family gathered around the stove to warm up. An An stretched out his chubby little hands, only for his dad to catch them in his own.

Since his dad’s hands were warm, An An reluctantly let him hold them.

“Xiao Chun told me her mother-in-law really likes her now and dotes on her daughter too.”

When families gather, they inevitably talk about relatives who aren’t present—like Xiao Chun, who had married into a nearby village.

Everyone, even Sister-in-law Li, had once worried that Xiao Chun wasn’t being treated well, especially since her husband clearly favored his mother. They feared she’d be bullied.

But now that their own family was doing better and occasionally sent things over, even if just for the sake of those gifts, her mother-in-law wouldn’t dare treat her poorly anymore.

“Her mother-in-law likes grandsons. Xiao Chun’s daughter is already quite grown. If she doesn’t get pregnant again this year, life will still be hard.”

Sister-in-law Li’s words brought a brief silence to the room.

“What’s wrong with having a daughter?” the usually quiet eldest son finally said.

Granny Li sighed helplessly.

They might think daughters were fine, but it was her mother-in-law’s opinion that mattered. Unless they lived separately in the future, Xiao Chun would have to endure it.

But in any village, splitting the household while the parents were still alive was seen as disgraceful.

An An, now warmed up, pulled his hands free and clapped them together. The sound lightened the mood, and Granny Li, wearing a slightly forced smile, quickly changed the subject.

“Well, life is what it is—we take it one day at a time. Let’s not talk about this now. When you go back to your mother’s place on the second day of the New Year, I’ll prepare some things for you. You haven’t been back much this year, so we should make it count.”

Feeling her mother-in-law’s care, Sister-in-law Li smiled and nodded.

Even if she wasn’t eager to return home, she appreciated the thought.

“And you, Dazhuang—this year, take An An and go visit your wife’s family too.”

In their village, if a man remarried after his wife passed away, he usually wouldn’t maintain ties with his late wife’s family. But before taking a new wife, it was common to still treat the in-laws as relatives and keep in touch.

“Alright.”

Come to think of it, An An had never been to his maternal grandmother’s house before.

Staying up on New Year’s Eve was always a challenge for the little ones. Xiao Hua, cradled in Sister-in-law Li’s arms, and An An, nestled in Li Dazhuang’s, both nodded off before midnight.

Granny Li came over to help tidy up and hurried them off to bed, warning them not to catch a chill.

An An had grown a lot and wasn’t as forgetful as he used to be.

The next morning, he still remembered what his grandma had said about visiting his mother’s family. Curious, he scooted over to his father and asked:

“Where’s Grandma’s house?”

“That’s your mom’s family home.”

“Do I call her Grandma?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Then does Dad call her Grandma too?”

“No, Dad just calls her ‘Mom’.”

Back in the day, Li Dazhuang would have found these questions utterly pointless and been annoyed at the child for asking them.

But now that he had a son of his own, hearing An An’s sweet little voice asking questions made him want to keep the conversation going forever.

“Dad, when are we getting up?”

“Right now.”

Truth be told, Li Dazhuang would’ve preferred to stay wrapped up in the warm blankets a little longer, but An An was eager to go out and play.

He tossed and turned under the covers, letting the cold air sneak in. It wasn’t warm anymore, so he figured he might as well get up.

Every winter, An An was bundled up like a little ball. Granny Li always worried he’d get cold, even making him wear two pairs of socks.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Granny Li, in front of Sister-in-law Li, prepared a return gift for An An to bring to his mother’s family, matching what Sister-in-law Li had brought back to her own.

Sister-in-law Li knew her mother-in-law meant well—trying to prevent any rift between them over such matters.

But honestly, she didn’t care about that anymore. As long as the family was doing well, that was enough. Life was clearly getting better, and she wasn’t about to fuss over a few small things.

They couldn’t afford to change into new clothes, so Granny Li simply swapped An An’s hat for a new one she’d made.

An An was tucked into the basket Li Dazhuang used to carry things, peeking over the edge and waving goodbye to his grandparents.

“Come back early, okay?”

“Got it.”

In times like these, even though things had improved a bit since last year, unless the two families were particularly close, guests usually wouldn’t stay for a meal.

An An’s grandmother’s house wasn’t far, but they’d definitely be late if they tried to make it back in time for lunch.

Granny Li had already considered this when packing their things and included some mixed grains and finer food for them to bring along, just in case they ended up eating there. That way, no one could complain.

Li Dazhuang hadn’t told them in advance that he was coming. When they arrived at the neighboring village, several locals asked who he was visiting, and he gave his father-in-law’s name.

The story of how that family’s daughter had died in childbirth wasn’t a secret in the village.

Seeing him carrying such a big basket, the villagers assumed it was full of things. Once he left, they gathered to gossip.

An An, sensitive to the cold, was fine at first, but once the wind picked up, he curled up quietly inside the basket.

Li Dazhuang had only been here a few times and had only a vague memory of the place.

If his mother hadn’t reminded him, he might not have remembered the visit at all.

As they got closer, the hazy images in his mind began to overlap with the real scene before him, making it all feel more real.

He knocked lightly on the courtyard gate, and someone soon came to open it.

This family had several daughters, most of whom were already married. Today happened to be the day daughters came home to visit, so the courtyard was lively.

The woman who opened the door was his mother-in-law. Since Li Dazhuang was bundled up tightly, she didn’t recognize him at first and asked hesitantly:

“Who are you?”

“Mom, it’s me, Dazhuang.”

Li Dazhuang didn’t mind that she hadn’t recognized him and greeted her cheerfully.

That familiar name jogged her memory, and the slightly aged woman finally recalled who he was.

Though surprised he had come, she stepped aside and welcomed him in.

Once inside the courtyard, little An An, who had been quietly sitting in the basket, peeked out. His eyes met his grandmother’s, and he instinctively gave her a bright smile.

It was the first time Grandma Zhu had ever seen such a beautiful little child. The moment he smiled, she couldn’t help but smile back. Then she heard him call out in a sweet, clear voice:

“Grandma~”

“Yes, Grandma’s here.”

Grandma Zhu could guess that this must be the child her fifth daughter had given birth to.

When her daughter passed, both of her daughters-in-law were newly pregnant, and she couldn’t leave home, so she had never gone to see the baby.

Li Dazhuang’s visit surprised the entire Zhu family, but once they realized who he was, they greeted him warmly.

He set down the basket and lifted An An out.

According to local custom, the remaining contents of the basket were gifts.

Grandma Zhu didn’t care what they brought—just seeing her grandson was enough. But her daughters-in-law clearly didn’t feel the same.

They had assumed the father and son were just here to freeload a meal. But when they caught a glimpse of the basket’s contents, their expressions softened into genuine smiles.

An An was clearly a little shy in the unfamiliar setting, clutching his hands together and smiling awkwardly.

The other children here had grown up together and were already playing in groups. An An was new and didn’t quite fit in with either older or younger kids.

Seeing his son left out like that, Li Dazhuang began to regret coming.

Grandma Zhu noticed the lonely little figure and quickly called over her grandchildren to include him.

Given the generous gifts they’d brought, her daughters-in-law also encouraged their kids to play with him.

An An had a naturally sweet temperament and was adorable to boot. Soon, he was playing happily with the other children.

Most of the daughters visiting the Zhu family that day had come alone—their husbands hadn’t joined them. So Li Dazhuang ended up chatting with his father-in-law.

During their talk, the old man brought up the idea of Li Dazhuang remarrying.

Given the times, he had never expected his son-in-law to stay single after his daughter’s death. It was only a matter of time.

Li Dazhuang had heard this sort of thing many times before and smoothly deflected with a well-practiced response. Grandpa Zhu hadn’t really meant to arrange anything, so when he saw that Dazhuang wasn’t interested, he let the matter drop and changed the subject.

At mealtime, the Zhu family was so large that there wasn’t even enough room at the table. Li Dazhuang and An An squeezed in where they could.

After being home for so long, stepping outside made them realize how much better their own meals were.

An An barely ate, especially after seeing everyone else scrambling for food like it was a battlefield. He ended up only eating two pieces of radish.

After the meal, Li Dazhuang tucked An An back into the basket, now filled with return gifts from Grandma Zhu.

At the gate, she saw them off and warmly said that if they had time, they should visit more often.

Though she had many children, Grandma Zhu wasn’t the type to play favorites. If she could, she would have doted on each one equally.

Back at the Li household, Xiao Chun hadn’t left yet. She’d been waiting for An An to return.

The moment he saw his aunt, An An nearly leapt out of the basket. Xiao Chun rushed over, scooped him up, and ruffled his hair.

“Auntie!”

“Yes, Auntie’s here.”

Xiao Chun played with An An for a while and only left in the late afternoon with her things.

Granny Li took An An by the hand and led him to the storage room to see the vegetables. His aunt had brought back quite a few radishes.

According to Xiao Chun, her mother-in-law had practically given her half their stock, stuffing her basket full.

While sorting through the items Li Dazhuang had brought back, Sister-in-law Li also found radishes and dried vegetables.

Given the current situation, everyone knew each other’s circumstances well. No one expected lavish gifts—just whatever they had on hand.

Li Dazhuang explained that it was probably because An An had only eaten those two things.

When he mentioned how crowded the Zhu family was and how everyone had to fight for food, Sister-in-law Li felt once again grateful that their family wasn’t so big.

Grandpa Li didn’t say much. He simply pulled out a sweet potato from who-knows-where, buried it beside the fire to roast, planning to give it to his precious grandson later.

With so many people scrambling for food, and An An being so gentle, there was no way he could compete.

Little An An happily played in the courtyard snow, trying to shape it into a small snowball to throw at his dad.

Just then, Grandpa Li finished roasting the sweet potato and called for his little darling to come eat.

Li Dazhuang was not like the indulgent fathers in their village who let their kids do whatever they wanted.

When he saw that An An dared to throw a snowball at him, he quickly made a much bigger one and hurled it back.

An An’s snowball was tiny and missed its mark entirely.

But Li Dazhuang, a grown man, made one the size of An An’s head. When he threw it, it knocked little An An flat into the snow.

Seeing An An topple over, Li Dazhuang laughed heartlessly.

But just as he let out the first chuckle, he felt a kick from behind and heard the ominous swish of a broom slicing through the air. His heart sank.

He didn’t even look back—he just ran.

Xiao Hua rushed over to help An An up.

An An brushed the snow off himself, crying and calling for his grandma. Granny Li dropped her sewing and came out, still seeing snow clinging to the boy.

She couldn’t bear to scold him, so she gently patted the snow away and said softly:

“Next time don’t play in the snow like that, okay? What if you catch a cold?”

An An wiped his tears, and Granny Li, thinking she’d been too harsh, quickly changed her tone.

“Alright, alright, Grandma won’t say anything. Don’t cry, okay?”

“Daddy… snow… hit me.”

An An’s pitiful little voice instantly set Granny Li off. She glared at her youngest son and stormed over, scolding:

“You’re a grown man, and you’re bullying your own child? What kind of father are you?”

Li Dazhuang, who had been spoiled since childhood, felt utterly wronged.

It’s not like he bullied An An for no reason—the little rascal started it!

“Mom, An An threw a snowball at me first!”

That didn’t help. Granny Li smacked him with the broom.

“You’re his father! Couldn’t you just tell him not to throw snowballs?”

Li Dazhuang paused. When he thought about it, she kind of had a point… but only kind of.

That little brat dared to hit him—why couldn’t he hit back?

Of course, he couldn’t say that out loud, or who knew how long the beating would last.

Xiao Hua led her brother over to warm his hands by the fire. An An sat there sniffling, looking utterly miserable.

After dealing with his youngest son, Grandpa Li came in, saw An An’s pitiful face, and sat him on his lap, peeling open the sweet potato and handing it to him.

He had never cared about such details before, but ever since An An turned one, he always left the bottom part of the sweet potato unpeeled so An An could hold it.

Li Dazhuang had taken quite a beating. When he walked in and saw his son sitting on Grandpa’s lap, happily munching on sweet potato, the contrast hit him hard.

An An was still holding a grudge over the snowball incident. When his dad came in, he turned his back and pointed his little butt at him.

Li Dazhuang hadn’t even gotten mad yet, and the kid was already giving him attitude!

Fine. He’d make it up to him.

He scooted over and sincerely promised An An that he’d never bully him like that again, repeating it over and over with not a hint of impatience.

Sure, teasing An An was fun, and he hated losing.

But he was also afraid that if An An stayed mad, he’d stop talking to him altogether. And that would drive him nuts—how could he live without his adorable little playmate?

These days, Li Dazhuang had taken to deliberately making An An angry, just so he could coax him back into a good mood again—it had become a source of endless amusement for him.

Especially when An An wasn’t wearing his hat. Every time he got upset, the few wispy strands of hair on his head would stand straight up, and once he was soothed, they’d flop back down. It was ridiculously entertaining to watch.

Little An An had no idea what his father was up to. He genuinely thought his dad knew he’d done something wrong. So when Li Dazhuang reached out to pick him up, An An, worried that Grandpa might get tired from carrying him, scooted over on his own.

After finishing his sweet potato and filling his belly, An An let out a satisfied burp, then nestled into his father’s arms and squinted his eyes in contentment. He looked completely relaxed and cozy.

Li Dazhuang couldn’t sit still. Now he finally understood why his father and older brother used to tinker around the house all the time when there was nothing to do.

Now that it was his turn, he was exactly the same.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the firewood pile in the corner was running low. Holding An An, he stood up and said, “Looks like we’re running out of firewood. I’ll take An An with me to gather some.”

Without waiting for a response, he headed straight for the door, not giving anyone a chance to speak.

Grandpa Li’s hand was still hanging mid-air. He’d been about to tell that rascal to go up the mountain alone and leave An An behind—but he never even got the chance to open his mouth!

Li Dazhuang climbed the mountain with a basket on his back. An An, already tucked inside, was used to the ride by now. He’d even remind his father to put his hat on before they left—otherwise, the falling snow would make his head cold.

Following the footprints left by others, they made their way up the mountain. Li Dazhuang gathered some dry branches and set them aside. Once he figured they had enough, he started packing up to head home.

But on the way down, he suddenly heard something strange behind him. The sound sent a jolt down his spine, making him break out in a cold sweat.