Divorced woman with child travels through time

Chen Wenfang pointed to the new cotton quilt on the kang (a heated brick bed), smiled, and said, "Brother Aniu, this is a quilt for you. It's all new, you and Xiaohao can use it together. I made it quite thick and large, it should be enough."

Wang Erniu spoke to her with a slightly naive tone, saying, "It's enough, it's enough, thank you for your trouble, my wife."

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "It's nothing, it's only right." Only then did Chen Wenfang realize that after Wang Erniu washed up, although he had changed his inner clothes, his outer jacket was still the same dirty, thin jacket. It seemed that he had not prepared a second one.

A beat-slow, Wang Erniu realized what he had just called her—he had actually called her "wife," and she had responded. Wang Erniu's face suddenly flushed again, but he figured she probably wouldn't notice because of his tan.

Chen Wenfang took the dirty clothes from Wang Erniu's hands and said, "Brother Erniu, I'll wash these clothes for you."

Wang Erniu was quite surprised and quickly said, "No need, no need, I'll wash it myself."

"It's alright, I was going to wash clothes anyway, I'll wash them at the same time." Without waiting for Wang Erniu's reply, she snatched the clothes from his hands and went out. Using the basin Wang Erniu had used for bathing, she poured in well water, added some wood ash, and soaked all the clothes in it for a while. After soaking, Chen Wenfang remembered that Wang Erniu hadn't brought any pillows, so she went back to the room and took two pillows from the closet and brought them over.

She went back to washing clothes; having a well made washing clothes very convenient. After scrubbing them clean with soap and rinsing them, Chen Wenfang quickly finished washing the clothes, swayed them, and stretched them out to dry under the eaves. However, they'd probably be frozen solid by tomorrow morning.

Inside the house, Wang Erniu was telling the children about his hunting adventures in the woods.

After washing the clothes, Chen Wenfang went inside. Several children were huddled together asleep, covered with blankets, their little heads peeking out as they listened attentively to Wang Erniu's story.

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "Zizai, why don't you sleep here tonight?"

Chen Xuanyu quickly replied, "Okay, okay, you go first. Mother, you go, I'll sleep here." He seemed eager to go; it appeared he didn't want to leave at all.

Helpless, Chen Wenfang said apologetically to Wang Erniu, "The children are a bit noisy, so I'll trouble you to put them to sleep."

Wang Erniu laughed and said, "It's alright, I used to lead troops. A few kids won't be a problem."

Chen Wenfang then went back inside to rest.

Wang Erniu told them a story about catching a wolf, and then let the children rest. Lying on the thickly padded kang (heated brick bed), covered with a fragrant and soft quilt, his body, refreshed from a bath, felt completely relaxed. Wang Erniu was lost in thought. How peaceful and comfortable! How long had it been since he'd felt so content?

Chen Wenfang slept soundly through the night, going to bed early and waking up early as well. Without her child beside her, she slept even more deeply, not thinking about the child needing a blanket. Waking up in the middle of the night, just as dawn broke, Chen Wenfang got up to make breakfast, taking the dough she had prepared the day before and starting to make steamed buns.

Wang Erniu, who lived in the side room, had excellent hearing. He woke up as soon as Chen Wenfang got up and dressed. He lay quietly listening, like a wild beast lying in wait for its prey. In the early morning, the children were all fast asleep. He sensed Chen Wenfang's movements as if the world consisted only of the two of them.

When Chen Wenfang went to the kitchen, Wang Erniu quietly got up. With so many children, it must be hard for her to cook all by herself; he had to help. After getting up, he dressed, drew some water from the well in the yard, quickly washed his face, and went to the kitchen.

Chen Wenfang planned to steam the dough in two pots at the same time. After kneading the dough, she covered it with a damp cloth and let it rise a little longer. Then she went to the stove to boil water and was making steamed buns when she heard a noise from the side room. Before she could think much about it, Chen Wenfang saw Wang Erniu enter the room. "Brother Erniu, why are you up so early? Why don't you sleep a little longer?" Chen Wenfang realized that her voice unconsciously carried a hint of coquettishness as she spoke to him.

Wang Erniu, still damp from the heat, was deeply moved as he watched Chen Wenfang bustling about. He said gently, "Can't sleep? I came to help you. It must be hard for you to cook for so many people all by yourself." With that, he went back to the stove and started a fire, adding a piece of firewood to the pot. After adding the firewood, he scooped out the ashes and saw the cured meat Chen Wenfang was soaking in the basin. He then picked up a knife and a cutting board and cut the meat out.

Although Wang Erniu wasn't very good at cooking, his knife skills were top-notch; he could slice a piece of meat into perfectly uniform and neat slices.

After cutting the meat, he washed a cabbage that Chen Wenfang had picked from the field and chopped it up as well. He even took a picture of the garlic that Chen Wenfang had placed next to him.

Chen Wenfang really liked this kind of observant and decisive man. She was very happy and satisfied with his help and cooperation; he was efficient and didn't drag things out. Perhaps it was because she was that kind of person herself. Before the water for steaming the buns boiled, Chen Wenfang put about ten eggs into it.

The two of them were busy in the kitchen, making two large pots full of steamed buns. They also stir-fried cured pork and stir-fried cabbage; the cabbage was especially sweet after the first frost.

Two large plates of cured pork belly were stir-fried. After the pork belly rendered its fat, it was taken out of the pan. While the oil was sizzling in the pan, cabbage was added and stir-fried. Both dishes were exceptionally delicious.

The sun was already shining warmly and coolly outside. Seeing that the steamed buns were almost cooked, Chen Wenfang covered the vegetables with a bowl and placed it next to the pot. She then went to the room to wake the children.

Chen Wenfang went to the yard first, washed the oil off her hands with soap, dried them, and went into the room. Unexpectedly, Chu Yi was already dressed and helping Chen Xuanyu put on his pants. Shiwu was sitting on the kang (heated brick bed), obediently putting on his shirt. Little Ahao, still young, was struggling to put on his shirt because of the thick winter clothes. He was pulling at his clothes with great effort, trying to dress himself. The children chatted and laughed as they dressed, creating a lively scene.

Chen Wenfang then realized that this little Ahao was just like Chen Xuanyu at fifteen—a chatterbox. So, had he been cooped up with Wang Erniu? He talks so much.

Chen Xuanyu was struggling with a strap on his shirt. Chu Yi helped him put on his cotton trousers. Then Chu Yi helped Shiwu put them on. After Chen Xuanyu finished fastening the strap, he still had to put on a cotton robe over it. "Haozi, do you think your father is really going hunting later? Will he take you?"

Little Ahao tried for a while but gave up, then huddled under the covers and said, "Of course, they'll definitely take me. I can protect myself. Daddy always takes me, and I can even fight rabbits."

Chen Wenfang came over, picked up little Ahao, and dressed him. She touched his thin jacket; the child's clothes were so flimsy. As she dressed him, Chen Wenfang asked, "Haohao, won't you be cold wearing this?"

"It's not cold," Xiao Ahao replied innocently.

Chu Yi didn't say anything, but carefully helped Shi Wu get dressed. Shi Wu then said, "Then, Hao, can we go together? Take me and my brother with us too. Didn't your father say he would teach us together?"

Chen Wenfang helped Xiao Ahao get dressed, touched his hand which was still a little cold, and said, "If you want to go later, go find Uncle Erniu yourselves. Go wash your faces and eat first."

The children put on their shoes and squeezed together to wash their faces and brush their teeth.