Grandpa hadn't actually wanted to trouble everyone. The new courtyard was perfectly fine and didn't need any renovations. Mo Xiaoman also remembered that in her past life, Grandpa and Grandma had moved without any ceremony as soon as the decision was made. This life was different. It wasn't that Grandpa had split from the family after a fight with Uncle Mo and Second Aunt Mo. Instead, Mo Xiaoman had taken the lead after Mo Guoqiang kicked down Grandpa and Grandma's thatched hut, leaving them without even a place to stay for the night. They could only take shelter at Secretary Mo's house. It was at Secretary Mo's suggestion and insistence that Grandpa followed the arrangements.
The next day, before the sky had even brightened, Mo Xiaoman was gently patted awake by Grandma. As expected, Fifth Auntie had helped them prepare. Grandpa carried a basket on his back and held a small clay stove, which contained red-hot embers Fifth Auntie had scooped from her hearth. A few pieces of dry wood were laid over the embers. With one arm, Mo Xiaoman hugged a large pumpkin, and with the other, she held onto Grandma, who was carrying a winnowing basket. As they left Secretary Mo's house and walked along the road, a gust of wind blew, causing the firewood in the stove to catch fire, conveniently lighting their way. The family walked as quickly as they could, trying to get back to their new home while the fire was still burning bright.
As for the housewarming ritual Fifth Auntie taught them, Mo Xiaoman completed it while bursting with laughter. She never would have imagined in her wildest dreams a moment so joyfully absurd: rolling a pumpkin around and around the house like an idiot!
Once the hearth was lit, they could start cooking. Grandpa told Mo Xiaoman to boil a large pot of water first. Just as the water came to a boil, the men carrying the pig arrived.
As the saying goes, the government has its policies, and the people have their ways around them. Over the past year or two, quite a few people had been privately slaughtering their own pigs. It wasn't seen as a major offense, so people generally didn't make a fuss. It was just the way things were in the countryside; fellow villagers didn't take certain matters too seriously. After all, who didn't raise pigs? What if you wanted to do the same thing yourself one day?
This black pig, slaughtered because it was a runt, would have been secretly killed and its meat sold by its owner in the coming days anyway, even if Grandpa hadn't bought it. No one would have reported him; even the brigade leaders wouldn't have bothered with it.
Still, on the surface, everyone had to keep up appearances. The key was not to give anyone any leverage against you.
The three able-bodied young men who slaughtered the pig were quick and efficient, finishing the job in no time. The pork and bones were deboned and packed into a large basket for Grandpa to carry inside. The men took the offal, lining a bamboo basket with taro leaves, and carried it down to the river to soak and clean. They agreed that Grandpa would come get it later to be cooked, and then the young men went off to work at the production team.
Once everyone had left, Mo Xiaoman and Grandpa cleaned and tidied the courtyard, taking care of some odds and ends.
When noon came and people got off work, Secretary Mo and Fifth Auntie came over to check on things. They told Grandpa to wait until a bit later to start stewing the pork bones and other ingredients. Before long, more people started to arrive one after another. Everything had already been arranged, so there was no need for idle chatter. After greeting Grandpa, they all got to work in an orderly fashion: dredging the well, remodeling the kitchen, building a new stove and chimney, and reinforcing the four courtyard walls. As a bonus, they used old bricks and stones to build two small, low sheds by the vegetable garden—one for storing firewood and one to serve as a pigsty. Grandpa said that in a few days, he would get a pair of piglets to raise.
Following Mo Xiaoman's request, they also split bamboo into strips and wove two types of mats, one coarse and one fine, to create a simple ceiling for the two main bedrooms. Later, Mo Xiaoman planned to collect some newspapers and pictorials to paste over them, which would be both beautiful and would keep dust from falling. When Fifth Auntie heard the idea, she thought it was wonderful and praised Mo Xiaoman for being so clever.
Grandma smiled, pressing her lips together. 'Of course her Xiao Man is clever. She has such a quick little mind. After coming back from the market, she chattered on and on, asking so many questions, and both Grandpa and Grandma answered them patiently. She learned so much. She actually saw a ceiling like that in the co-op. Seeing that there were helpers at home today, she wanted to copy it, and naturally, Grandpa and Grandma went along with her wishes.'
For rural celebrations, the real feasting had to wait until evening. Everyone had to work during the day, so only at night could they truly relax and enjoy themselves.
The lively moment finally arrived. Adults and children filled the courtyard, which buzzed with laughter and cheerful noise. The women gathered around Grandma, showering her with all sorts of auspicious pleasantries. Grandpa bustled about, his face flushed with excitement. Even the girls who usually paid Mo Xiaoman no mind were now willing to come over, talk to her, and pull her along to play. Mo Xiaoman tried her best to manage her attitude, gradually opening up from being too timid to joke around, and slowly blending in. Fortunately, most of the kids were rather unobservant, so no one found her change in behavior strange or abrupt.
Many people came after hearing the news—relatives, close neighbors, and others from the same production team. They all brought gifts to offer their congratulations. One family brought a few pounds of rice, another brought two pounds of beans. Rural gifts were just that simple and unadorned, yet they were filled with sincere sentiment. Everyone who came was invited to take a seat. The planned three tables ended up becoming four, and with the addition of a large, informal table just for the children, it was practically five. The drying yard was packed to the brim, bustling with people. Secretary Mo and the production team leader ran an electrical wire out and hooked up a 100-watt light bulb, illuminating the courtyard as bright as day.
Fifth Auntie was put in charge of all the food. Having married off a daughter and welcomed a daughter-in-law, she was no stranger to managing such events. She worked busily but without a hint of chaos, all while directing the handful of younger and older wives from the Mo Family who had come to help, her sharp voice keeping them spinning.
Adults and children took their seats, and the feast began. The clatter of bowls and chopsticks filled the air, and the tempting aroma of wine and meat wafted through the small courtyard, drifting high into the air. Just as the lively meal reached its midpoint, the loosely shut courtyard gate was shoved open with a BANG. Mo Xiaoman turned her head to look, and her heart instinctively clenched. The group walking in was the families of Mo Guoqiang and Mo Laoer!