Chapter 2
Yidong City is a forest city, with its vast territory largely covered by the primeval red pine forest. The Li family lives in Beicha District, located at the foot of the red pine mountains.
Grandmother Li had four sons. The eldest, Li Muwen, joined the army during the war against Japan and was gone for many years without news. It wasn't until after liberation that they received a letter from him saying that, after the war, he had settled in Fujian Province with his unit, where he had become a leader, married, and started a family. The third son, Li Mulin, and the second son, Li Muwu, lived a few kilometers apart, both working as grain shop workers. The youngest son, Li Mulin, moved to the provincial capital years ago and rarely came home.
Although two of her sons were not by her side, after experiencing the trials of war, Grandmother Li was content with her current peaceful life. As long as her family was safe and sound, it didn't matter whether her sons were around or not.
With sons and grandsons aplenty, life was relatively comfortable. If Grandmother Li had any unfulfilled wish, it was to have a girl in the family. In Beicha District, the Li family was famous for having strong lineage. Grandmother Li's mother-in-law had given birth to seven sons, and after marrying into the Li family, Grandmother Li herself had borne six sons, though only four survived. Unfortunately, she never had a daughter.
While other families prayed for sons, the Lis, who had gone generations without a girl, couldn't help but wish for a tender little girl in their midst. But no matter where her four sons lived—north or south—all they ever had were boys. Whenever Grandmother Li received letters announcing the birth of yet another grandson, she couldn't help but sigh.
Finally, this time, her second daughter-in-law, Wang Sufen, defied expectations and gave birth to a fair-skinned baby girl. While Grandmother Li was overjoyed, she also felt worried. Wang Sufen was already nearly forty, had endured many hardships, and had borne four sons during the tough years. When she gave birth to the third son, Li Mingnan, her milk supply had been insufficient. By the time she had her fourth son, Li Mingbei, her milk had nearly dried up entirely, so Mingbei was raised on goat's milk. Rough and sturdy boys could grow up eating anything, but she wasn't sure if the delicate baby girl could digest goat's milk. In an era when a single bout of diarrhea could lead to a child's death, Grandmother Li feared they wouldn't be able to raise this long-awaited granddaughter.
Hearing the baby cry in the eastern room, Grandmother Li set down her chopsticks and said, "The little girl is awake. I'll go check on her."
Liu Xiulan, who had only eaten half her meal, stood up as well. "I'll go too. Maybe she needs a diaper change?" Supporting Grandmother Li, she followed her into the eastern room.
Inside, Wang Sufen held her crying baby, knowing the child was hungry. Though she doubted she had any milk, she couldn't let the baby cry like this. With a sigh, she unbuttoned her blouse and, to her surprise, felt a slight fullness in her chest.
Tentatively, she brought her daughter close, and the tiny infant latched on instinctively. At first, she struggled to suckle, her little forehead dampening with effort. But soon, Wang Sufen heard the baby swallowing.
Grandmother Li and Liu Xiulan lifted the curtain and entered. Seeing Wang Sufen smiling broadly, they heard her say, "Mother, the fish soup worked. The little girl is nursing."
"Really?" Grandmother Li let go of Liu Xiulan's hand and rushed to the bedside. She bent down, her head close to Wang Sufen's shoulder, and indeed heard the baby girl gulping eagerly. A glance at her daughter-in-law's chest, visibly fuller now, confirmed the child was well-fed.
Grandmother Li was overjoyed. She stroked the baby's thick hair and lamented, "If I had known, I wouldn't have stewed that fish. I should have saved it to make soup for you. This afternoon, I'll have Mingnan and Mingbei go to the river again to see if they can catch another fish." Thinking about the lack of rain that year, which had left the river shallow and fish scarce, she added, "If they can't catch anything, we'll just slaughter a chicken. Boil a piece a day, and it'll last you a good week or more."
Being quick and efficient, the old woman promptly sent the three boys out to fish after lunch. Li Mingdong, the eldest grandson, was exempt from chores, as he was preparing for next summer's college entrance exams. His only job was to study hard.
Mingxi, in his third year of middle school, was calm and composed, resembling Mingdong in demeanor. Though he helped with farming, firewood gathering, and fishing, he did everything methodically. In contrast, Mingnan and Mingbei, aged ten and seven, were bundles of energy, often rushing up the mountains the moment school ended. Grandmother Li didn't mind as long as they brought back firewood, mushrooms, or occasionally a rabbit to improve the family's meals.
Once the three boys left, the house quieted down. Li Muwu, smoking his pipe by the door, turned to Mingdong and said, "You've studied for so many years. Think of a good name for your sister."
Mingdong thought for a moment and smiled. "Peach blossoms flourish, their leaves lush and dense. The girl returns to her family, a joy to her kin. Let's call her 'Li Mingzhen.'"
Li Muwu stared at him blankly. "Speak human words!"
Snapped back to reality, Mingdong explained, "It means trees and grass growing thick and strong."
This time, Li Muwu understood. Nodding with satisfaction, he said, "Trees and grass never die off. It sounds like a good, sturdy name. I'll go register it right now."
Throwing on his padded coat and hat, he turned to leave but paused outside the gate. After a moment of thought, he returned and shouted, "Mingdong, what's your sister's name again? Was it Li Mingshu or Li Mingcao?"
The baby girl in the eastern room seemed to hear her father's attempts at naming her and immediately burst into tears. Mingdong, flipping through his Russian textbook, sighed in exasperation. "It's not 'grass' or 'tree.' It's Li Mingzhen! Fine, I'll write it down so you don't mess it up."
Taking the slip of paper, Li Muwu squinted at it, reading each character slowly. "Li...Ming...Zhen? That's 'Zhen'? This word is too hard to write. How will she manage when she goes to school? She'll cry for sure."
"Well, she can't be called Li Mingcao! If you don't like it, think of something else!" Mingdong shot back, frustrated.
After a long silence, Li Muwu sighed, stuffed the paper into his pocket, and walked out again. "Fine, this name is good enough."
In the eastern room, Wang Sufen chuckled. "He's just stubborn."
Grandmother Li also smiled but couldn't resist defending her son. "Your husband isn't stupid. He just didn't get to go to school. These years, he's learned a few words from Dongzi. I heard he can even write his name now—that's no small feat!"
As the two women whispered, the baby girl, Zhenzhen, began to wake from her daze. Opening her eyes, she found the world around her blurry. Stretching her arms and legs, she kicked off her loose swaddling blanket.
Grandmother Li laughed heartily and wrapped her up again, proudly declaring, "Look at our girl! Her arms and legs are so strong—she'll be able to kick over a pig when she grows up!"
Deeply shaken by this proclamation, Zhenzhen tried her best to keep her limbs still, hoping to change Grandmother Li's impression of her.
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Author's Note:
The story's background is inspired by tales from my own family. My eldest uncle was a university graduate in the 1960s, and my aunt was indeed adopted with yellow beans. Listening to stories from those times is often more captivating than any novel.