Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 622 New Year's Festival (Part Two)

Mo Xiaoshan, carrying a heavy backpack and dragging a burlap sack, stepped through the familiar, slightly low earthen and wooden gate of the courtyard. It was as if a boulder had been thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a huge wave of jubilation.

"Big brother's back!"

"It's Big Brother! Big Brother is back from the city!"

The first to spot him were the fourth and fifth brothers, who were chasing and playing in the yard. The two boys, who were about half a year old, were wearing patched cotton pants that were covered in dirt. They rushed over like agile monkeys, each grabbing one of Mo Xiaoshan's legs, their dirty little faces looking up with bright, sparkling eyes.

The shout was like a rallying cry, and immediately, four more figures poured out from the main room, the kitchen, and even the back of the house.

The eldest sister, Daya, is already fifteen years old and has grown into a young lady. Behind her are Erya and Sanya (two stepsisters), as well as the two-year-old seventh sister who still has a runny nose.

Mo Xiaoshan was instantly surrounded by his six younger siblings, their chatter almost lifting the roof off.

"Big brother, did you bring me a sugar figurine?"

"Brother, does the city have many, many tall buildings and many horse-drawn carriages?"

"Brother, what's the university like?"

"Big brother, did you bring us any new gadgets?"

Several little hands had already begun to curiously tug at the bundle on his back and the sack in his hands.

Old Six, with his sharp eyes, spotted a corner of an oil paper package peeking out of the burlap sack and shouted excitedly, "It's pastries!...It's pastries! I can smell them!"

Daya was older and knew to help Mo Xiaoshan unload his burden, but her eyes couldn't help but dart into the sack.

Er Ya and San Ya, the two stepsisters, seemed a little timid, but their eyes revealed endless longing. They stood on the outer edge, wanting to get closer but also seeming to have some reservations, only looking over on tiptoe.

At this moment, the fourth brother tugged at Mo Xiaoshan's sleeve and began to complain: "Big brother, you're finally back! Heiwa from the east end of the village stole my spinning top the day before yesterday and even pushed me. You have to help me get revenge!"

“Yes, and Shi Suo too. Last time we played war, he hit me on the head with a stick!” Lao Wu immediately chimed in, as if he had found his biggest backer.

Seeing his younger siblings' united front, Mo Xiaoshan couldn't help but smile. He patted the fourth brother's head and then the fifth brother's shoulder, saying in a tone that was half joking and half serious, "Okay, when your eldest brother has time, he'll go find them and give them a good 'talking' so they won't dare to bully you again."

The commotion had already alerted the adults who were busy inside.

Stepfather Li Ergou and mother Chunniang walked out of the main room one after the other.

Although Li Ergou was only in his early forties, years of working in the fields made him look older than his actual age. His skin was dark and rough, and his back was slightly hunched.

He wore an old cotton robe with patches, and his hands were covered with calluses and cracks from years of farm work.

At this moment, he looked at his stepson, who was surrounded by children, tall and well-dressed but whose scholarly air was undeniable, and his face was filled with a heartfelt smile.

He rubbed his large hands together, wanting to pat Mo Xiaoshan on the shoulder or ask if the journey was tiring. His lips moved a few times, but he didn't say anything. He just stood at the door, looking a little helpless. In the end, he could only repeat in a simple and honest way, "You're back... Good, it's good that you're back..."

The mother, Chunniang, reacted much more directly and intensely.

The moment she saw her eldest son, her eyes immediately reddened, and tears welled up uncontrollably.

She strode forward, disregarding the presence of the children, grabbed Mo Xiaoshan's hand, and looked him up and down as if to confirm that he was unharmed.

"Shan'er... my Shan'er, you're finally back..."

Her mother's voice choked with sobs, and tears finally streamed down her slightly rough cheeks. "You've lost weight, but you seem to have grown taller... Are you eating enough at school? Are your blankets thick enough at night? Have you caught a cold?... Have those classmates... bullied you? Is the teacher... is the teacher strict? Has he scolded or reprimanded you?"

Her questions came one after another, filled with a mother's unique, trivial yet genuine care. She held her son's arms tightly, as if he would disappear if she let go.

Mo Xiaoshan felt a pang of sadness, followed by a surge of warmth.

He took his mother's rough hand in return and gently comforted her, "Mother, I'm fine, everything's alright. I eat well and sleep warmly at school, my classmates and teachers are all very nice, no one bullies me, so don't worry."

Just as the mother and son were pouring their hearts out to each other, a loud baby's cry suddenly came from the inner room, temporarily interrupting this tender scene.

"Oh dear, it's Lao Ba who's awake!" Chun Niang suddenly realized, quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve, and hurried into the inner room. She took out the baby boy, who was just over a year old, and skillfully patted and soothed him gently.

"Oh... don't cry, don't cry, Mommy's here..." She comforted the child while continuing to talk to Mo Xiaoshan, asking him about the details of his university life, afraid of missing anything.

Mo Xiaoshan patiently answered his mother's questions, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to his stepfather, Li Ergou, who was still standing there with a somewhat stiff smile.

He looked at his stepfather's faded cotton coat, patched in many places, and his old cotton shoes covered in mud, and sighed slightly.

This reunion, filled with heartfelt conversations, lasted for quite some time, until…

"Gululu..."

A loud rumbling sound came from Mo Xiaoshan's abdomen.

The sound was quite loud; even Chunniang, who was sobbing, and Li Ergou, who was grinning beside her, heard it.

Mo Xiaoshan's face immediately showed a hint of embarrassment.

Chunniang was taken aback, then slapped her forehead: "Look at me! I was so busy talking! Shan'er, you...you haven't had lunch yet, have you?"

Mo Xiaoshan nodded honestly: "Yes, I didn't have time to eat in Maoxi Township. I was thinking of getting home as soon as possible."

"Oh dear! What time is it!" Chunniang stamped her foot in distress as she looked at the setting sun outside. "Lunch at home was way over, and we've even washed the pots!... Wait here, I'll go get you something to eat!"

As she spoke, she tried to put the eighth child, who was gradually stopping crying, into Mo Xiaoshan's hands.

"Hey, Chunniang, you go about your business, give me the baby." At this moment, Li Ergou, who had been silent all along, finally found something he could do. He quickly stepped forward and awkwardly but carefully took the soft little baby from Chunniang's hands.

The baby was held in his arms, and although the posture was stiff, the movements were very gentle.

Chunniang glanced at her husband with satisfaction, then said to Mo Xiaoshan, "Go inside and rest, have some water, and I'll make you a bowl of noodles and fry two eggs... It'll be quick!"

After saying that, he turned around and rushed into the kitchen.

The younger siblings, having received their share of candy, snacks, and trinkets from the bundle and sack that Mo Xiaoshan had opened, couldn't contain their excitement and cheered. They then scattered and ran out of the yard to show off to their friends in the village.

The noisy courtyard suddenly fell silent.

In the main room, only Mo Xiaoshan and Li Ergou, who was holding the baby, remained.

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward and subtle.

The eighth child babbled and waved his little hands in Li Ergou's arms, which eased the tension somewhat.

Seeing his stepfather standing there, seemingly hesitant even to sit down, Mo Xiaoshan broke the silence by speaking first: "Um... I brought you something." As he spoke, he bent down and began rummaging through the burlap sack.

First, he carefully took out a bottle wrapped in straw paper from a pile of books. Then, he took out a cloth bag and opened it. Inside were several brand-new hunting knives and skinning knives, with thick blades that looked like they were made of good steel.

Finally, he also took out a pair of sturdy deerskin boots.

"This is liquor from Dongping Old Distillery. I heard it's strong and has a good flavor. These knives are from 'Sharp Blade Workshop' in Shixing City. They should be good for chopping bones and skinning. And these boots are made of deerskin. They're durable and warmer in winter." Mo Xiaoshan placed these items in front of Li Ergou one by one.

Li Ergou's eyes widened instantly when he saw the items handed to him, especially the bottle of wine and the brand-new leather boots. His face showed an expression of disbelief mixed with joy.

"This...this...Xiaoshan, why...why did you buy all this..." His voice stammered, his tone reproachful, but the joy in his eyes was undeniable. "How much money did this cost? You...you're such a spendthrift! Studying at university is expensive, you should save your money...why buy me all this useless stuff..."

Mo Xiaoshan smiled and explained calmly, "Well, I didn't spend much money. Most of the money came from the school."

"They even give out money at the school?" Li Ergou was even more surprised. Holding the child, he looked at the gifts and stood there like a bewildered child.

“Yes!” Mo Xiaoshan nodded. “This academic year, the instructors at the university led us to factories or research institutes in the city for internships, helping out with some work. It’s a kind of… well, practical work experience.”

"The factory gives me a token wage as a supplement. I saved about six or seven yuan this semester. Besides buying some necessary stationery and books, I used the rest to buy these New Year's goods to bring back."

"Six or seven yuan?!" Li Ergou gasped, this was almost equivalent to his savings for more than half a year.

His expression became even more complex, a mixture of pride in his stepson's ability to earn money and deeper worry. "Even if... even if he earned it himself, he can't be so extravagant!"

"Xiaoshan, listen to your father... um, listen to my advice. You need to save this money. There will be many places to spend money in the future! Getting married, building a house, each of these will cost a lot of money. You are a student now, and you will need to be more respectable in the future, which will make the expenses even greater!"

He patiently persuaded her, and the little dog in his arms seemed to be affected by his tone, squirming restlessly.

Mo Xiaoshan listened quietly with a faint smile on his face, without uttering a word of rebuttal.

Looking at the man before him, who appeared older than his actual age due to years of hard work, he felt a mix of emotions.

Five or six years ago, when his mother remarried this widower, bringing with her several children, he was filled with resistance and disgust.

She felt that this man had taken away her mother's love and occupied her father's place.

But over the years, although they still don't communicate much and there's even some distance between them, Mo Xiaoshan has gradually accepted his stepfather deep down.

To be fair, Li Ergou treated his mother very well, almost always obeying her every word, and he never mistreated his children who were not his biological children.

With many children in the family, the burden was extremely heavy. In recent years, his mother had given birth to the seventh and eighth children in succession, and most of her energy was devoted to taking care of the infants and managing the household chores. Almost all the heavy work in the fields fell on Li Ergou's shoulders.

He works from dawn till dusk every day, tending to those dozens of acres of land. In his spare time, he also has to go into the mountains to hunt for furs and do odd jobs in the town's workshops in order to barely make ends meet for his family of ten.

Even so, every few months, he would always find a way to send some money to Mo Xiaoshan, who was studying in Shixing City. Although it wasn't much, sometimes it was one or two yuan, and sometimes just a few jiao, Mo Xiaoshan appreciated his kindness.

He knew that although university tuition was free and meals were subsidized by the school, daily expenses such as clothes, shoes, hats, stationery, and books were still considerable, especially in the first year when his family almost entirely covered the costs.

"Yes, I know," Mo Xiaoshan replied softly. "However, I'll be graduating soon too. By July this year, my three-year studies will be complete. Then I'll be able to earn money and help support my family."

Hearing this, Li Ergou was overjoyed, but he said aloud, "No need, no need! You don't need to worry about the family. Just take care of yourself. I can still work, and the fields produce crops. Your mother and younger siblings won't go hungry."

"Now that you've graduated from university and earned money, the most important thing is to save it for yourself and build a family business. If you can get married soon and start a family, your mother... your mother will be so happy!"

He paused, looking at the child who was gradually falling asleep in his arms, and said in a lower voice, "Although there are many children in the family and the burden is heavy, fortunately... fortunately the government provides some subsidies and agricultural taxes are reduced or exempted. At the end of the year, even if we are tight on money, we can get by... You don't need to worry about the family."

After hearing this, Mo Xiaoshan did not continue the argument.

He knew that his stepfather might be doing this for his own good, or perhaps he didn't want to be a burden to him.

But he knew all too well the hardship of making a living in the fields.

He looked around the spacious but rather simple main room, with a mud floor, some cracks in the walls, and old furniture.

He recalled the villagers discussing income comparisons on his way back.

Indeed, in Xinhua, farmers are happy. They own their own land, have no worries about food and clothing, are not exploited by landlords, and receive various preferential support from the government.

Compared to the tenant farmers struggling for survival in the Ming Dynasty, or the serfs in Europe who had no freedom, this place was simply paradise.

For the first three years of reclaiming new land, taxes were waived; in the fourth and fifth years, taxes were halved; and only after five years were taxes levied in full.

Moreover, as long as you have enough children, you can also deduct the agricultural tax payable.

I've heard that, in order to encourage the new population to fill the vast territory, the government is also considering a new policy that would allow second-generation citizens who are willing to go to newly established settlements to directly obtain 80 acres of land, enjoy the same "three exemptions and two reductions" tax benefits, and even obtain low-interest agricultural loans.

Xinhua's land is so vast, it seems there are always fertile fields to be cultivated, waiting for more people to fill them.

However, happiness is not the same as wealth.

Mo Xiaoshan had mentally calculated that even if his stepfather farmed alone, and the weather was good all year round, after deducting the cost of seeds, farm tools, and the family's food, he would only be able to save ten or a dozen silver dollars by the end of the year, which would be considered an excellent year.

If a drought or flood occurs, they will probably have to rely on government subsidies and relief to get through the crisis.

In cities like Shixing and Guangfeng, where industry was becoming increasingly developed, an ordinary factory worker could earn a monthly salary of four or five silver dollars.

As seniority increases and skill levels improve, earning eight or nine yuan a month, or even more than ten yuan, is not uncommon.

After deducting daily expenses, saving two or three yuan a month adds up to twenty or thirty yuan a year.

It can be said that within Xinhua's territory, in terms of economic income, farmers relying on traditional farming have been far surpassed by the rapidly rising working class.

This gap will likely widen further as industrialization accelerates.

The kitchen was filled with the sizzling sounds of oil popping and noodles hitting the pot, accompanied by Mother Chunniang's cheerful humming.

In the yard, several free-range chickens were leisurely pecking at their food.

The eighth child in Li Ergou's arms fell into a deep sleep, breathing evenly.

This home, though poor and noisy, is full of life and warmth.

He is about to complete his studies and embark on a future that is completely different from his parents'.

He knew that some ideas couldn't be changed overnight, and that he needed to shoulder some responsibilities in his own way.

The road ahead seems to be becoming clearer at this moment, in this slightly awkward yet warm twilight.
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(End of this chapter)