Who is my brother-in-law?

"They went to town? Then how come I didn't run into them on my way back? Should I go to town and find them?" Dong Yanyan asked anxiously. She had completely forgotten that her parents still treated her like the apple of their eye at this age. Of course they would panic if she didn't come home for a whole day! She should have kept a better lookout on the road; she might have bumped into them.

"No need. If they went to town, they'll definitely stop by my place first. They'll know you've already made it home by then. I'll head back and check first," the Third Uncle said as he prepared to leave.

"No way, it's already dark. I won't feel safe with you walking home alone. Stay at my grandma's place tonight. My parents will be back soon, and you'll have to plead on my behalf, or Mom will definitely give me a thrashing," Dong Yanyan said, grabbing his arm with a pitiful look.

Thinking that made sense, the Third Uncle decided to stay and wait with them for her parents' return.

Around six o'clock in the evening, the sound of a tractor echoed outside the doorway. Dong Yanyan hurried out to greet them, seeing her parents stepping down from the tractor. Her eldest uncle's son, Dong Ming, was driving. The group was chatting as they got off. Dong Yanyan waved into the house, and the Third Uncle also walked out.

"Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, you're back!" the Third Uncle said with a smile.

"You child, going to your uncle's house without even letting us know. Everyone was out looking all over for you," her mother said, scolding her with a playful smile. Dong Yanyan knew her mother was holding back her temper only because the Third Uncle was present.

"I had Third Brother from the Old Liu family pass the message along to you. I happened to see him heading out this morning, so I caught a ride to town in his cart. I didn't have time to tell you properly. If I'd known you'd be so worried, I would've come back earlier," Dong Yanyan said with a smile, putting on the air of a good child ready to admit her mistakes. Deep down, she felt quite guilty; she had put her parents through a whole day of running around in the dead of winter. They must have been furious and worried sick.

"Second Sister-in-law, it was my fault for insisting she stay for a meal before leaving. It's not often the child visits, so we just wanted to talk with her a bit longer," the Third Uncle quickly chimed in.

"It's fine. Your Liyan already told me. Since you're here, stay and have dinner with us," her mother said warmly.

"Third Uncle, I'm sharing in your good fortune today. Let's have a little drink together," Dong Ming said as he took off his cotton hat and gloves, walking into the house with a hearty laugh.

"Alright, today's trouble was my fault. I'll go stir-fry some dishes for you all. Nobody is leaving tonight; you're all eating here," Dong Yanyan said with a smile.

Under the bright incandescent light, Dong Yanyan wore an apron in the kitchen, helping her father stir-fry dishes while her mother prepped vegetables nearby. Her eldest brother and younger uncle were chatting with the Third Uncle in the main room. Seeing that her mother was willing to talk to her again, Dong Yanyan knew the storm had passed.

"By the way, whenever you have free time, go visit your Third Aunt. She says you've really matured over the past half-year and are much better at talking now," her mother said with a smile.

"You think I don't want to go? But I'm still just a student, and I'm spending your money. I had to visit my Fourth Aunt because propriety demanded it. This time, I spent over three hundred yuan buying things for my Third Aunt. I just hope my Eldest Aunt, Eldest姑 [Aunt], and Younger Aunt won't find fault with it, otherwise the little money I earned won't be enough to cover anything. I originally wanted to use this money to buy New Year goods, but thankfully I have two hundred left. I'll give all of it to you later," Dong Yanyan said with a smile. She harbored a tiny bit of selfishness, keeping five hundred yuan for herself to buy cosmetics and clothes when school started. Since she was going to be around Jia Xuan, everything she wore and used had to have some taste; she couldn't let him lose face because of her.

"Keep your money for yourself. The family has enough," her mother said with a smile.

Without answering, Dong Yanyan scooped the freshly stir-fried garlic shoots out of the wok, turned to her dad, and said, "Dad, hand me the shredded pork I cut. I'll make another dish of Yu-Shiang shredded pork."

"My oldest girl cooks so well, much better than I do!" her father said cheerfully with a broad smile.

"Of course! Let you taste a master chef's skills. You're in for a real treat today!" Dong Yanyan said, looking immensely pleased with herself.

***

On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the Minor New Year, her mother was already up early mincing filling and wrapping dumplings. Her father tended the stove fire in the kitchen, while Dong Yanyan lay nestled in the bedding, telling stories to Nannan.

"Legend has it that the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month is the day the Kitchen God ascends to heaven, so every household puts out candy offerings on the stove. Once the Kitchen God eats the candy, his mouth gets sweet. When he meets the Jade Emperor, he'll say nice things about the family, and then our lives will get better and better year by year."

"That Kitchen God sounds like a real glutton," Nannan said, resting her chin in her little hands with a smile.

"No nonsense! Children say whatever comes to mind without malice," Dong Yanyan said, tapping Nannan's little head playfully. "Nannan, starting from now, we can only say nice things, no bad words. Because the New Year is coming, understand?"

"Why can't we say bad words just because the New Year is coming?" Nannan asked curiously.

"Because if you say bad words, you'll get a spanking!" Dong Yanyan joked with a smile.

Just as the two sisters were talking, Sister Xiaomei, the village chief's daughter, pushed the door open and walked right in! Dong Yanyan quickly shrank back under the covers. Being caught tucked away in bed early in the morning was simply too embarrassing.

"Yanyan, I brought your package," Sister Xiaomei said with a smile. "How are you going to thank me?"

"Sis, then you should stay for dumplings at our house. My mom makes the best dumplings," Dong Yanyan said, throwing on a coat and crawling out of the covers. She glanced at the sender's address from the provincial capital, finding the handwriting somewhat familiar.

"Thank you so much. Have some of our melon seeds." She set the package aside, reached into the alcove of the heated brick bed to retrieve some candies and melon seeds, and placed them in a fruit tray.

"Your family's melon seeds are certainly big," Sister Xiaomei said, grabbing two handfuls and stuffing them into her pocket. She smiled at Yanyan and said, "I still have to hurry to the country fair, so I'll be off."

"Let me walk you out," Dong Yanyan said as she quickly dressed. Sister Xiaomei waved her hand. "No need to see me out, it's freezing outside. Come over and play at my house when you have time!" With that, she closed the door behind her.

"Big Sister, what's inside this?" Nannan hugged the package and asked curiously.

Dong Yanyan tore open the wrapping box to reveal a cute little plush tiger doll. At the bottom of the box was a letter. Unfolding it, she saw it was from Xu Cheng. It turned out the newspaper office had paid out their salaries early ahead of the Spring Festival, and the moment he received his pay, he bought a little gift for Nannan and mailed it.

This silly boy truly hated owing people favors, just like she had been back then. Yet people like him often lived hard lives; those who could shamelessly borrow money, run up debts, and scam others were the ones who lived well. He had probably bought things for Song Mingcheng too. She wondered if he would buy her a new piece of clothing, or even just some nice food.

"Who bought this little tiger for you? It's so pretty," Nannan stroked the little tiger lovingly, asking timidly.

Dong Yanyan shoved the little tiger into her hands and smiled. "Your brother-in-law bought this as a New Year gift for you. Go on and play with it."

Nannan hugged the little tiger tightly to her chest with a happy smile. "Who is my brother-in-law? He's so nice to me!"