Second watch, asking for pink tickets.

***

A few little girls were playing a game called Ban Zhuanyun, chatting and laughing. Lian Manman was seated between Zhang Caiyun on one side and Lian Yeye on the other. When it was Zhang Caiyun’s turn, she stopped joking and focused entirely on her move.

This game of grasping marbles, Ban Zhuanyun, actually helps train the little girls’ dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Generally, the girls who play this game well have skillful hands and are quicker at learning needlework and embroidery than others.

While Zhang Caiyun was focused on Ban Zhuanyun, Lian Yeye leaned next to Lian Manman’s ear and spoke to her in a low voice.

"...When Sister Caiyun came and said she would stay for a few days, our grandma was furious," Lian Yeye told Lian Manman, "It wasn’t enough for her to vent her anger by banging things inside. She even went to the doorway outside to curse. She said something about how our elbow bends outward, our heart is skewed, doesn’t know near from far, and all the good food, drink, and gifts were given to outsiders."

Lian Manman listened with a smile.

"What a pity, she can’t control this matter, she can get as mad as she wants, it doesn’t affect us at all."

"Wasn’t it on the second day after New Year, when big aunt from the town came? It seemed she had a word with our grandma about Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt. Our grandma was angry because Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt brought Sister Caiyun’s family to stay, but didn’t invite Big Aunt’s Yin Suo to stay." Lian Yeye whispered again.

"I know, she’s probably not just mad about that. On the second day of the new year, I went to my maternal grandma’s house, and she must be angry about that too." Lian Manman nodded and said.

In Liaodong Prefecture, the custom is that the second day of the New Year is when married daughters return to their parental homes to visit relatives. Originally, when the Lian Family was not divided, this was a big day for the Lian Family. No one was allowed to leave or attend any other event. Their entire duty that day was to receive Lian Lanlan’s family, who came to visit Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou.

The Lian Family’s daughters-in-law, Lady Gu, Lady He, and Lady Zhao, had no parents and didn’t need to return to their natal homes on the second day. However, Lady Zhang had both her parents, so by rights, being the youngest daughter-in-law, it was appropriate for her and Lian Shouxin to visit her parents’ house that day.

But Lady Zhou did not allow it. What is this Zhang Family of yours compared to my eldest daughter? Is it more important and honorific? On this day, if you’re not at home to warmly welcome and serve my eldest daughter’s family, but instead go back to see your parents, it means you have no daughters, don’t respect your eldest sister-in-law, don’t look up to your in-laws, don’t consider our Old Lian Family.

If you dare do such a thing, you are a heinous sinner, you’re not filial, and you expect to live a dark life in the future!

Lady Zhou’s cleverness lies in that she didn’t say it outright, but she would give you a cold shoulder. Further, she would start banging things around, scolding cryptically until you voluntarily conformed to her wishes.

Therefore, since Lady Zhang married into the Lian Family, except for the first year of marriage, when she went with Lian Shouxin back to her parents’ home on the second day, which Lady Zhou allowed her some face, she never did it again.

Lian Manman heard Lady Zhang mention this matter and had turned it over in her mind. She felt that Lady Zhou allowing Zhang to return home on the second day of the first year was because it was a new marriage after all, and if she didn’t go back the first year, the Zhang Family would disagree. After that, prohibiting Zhang from going home on the second day had many reasons. For example, Zhang’s first child was a girl, or after spending more time with Zhang, it was clear she was easy to bully.

This was before the family separation; during the year they lived at the old house after separation, because the whole family was busy making a living and because Zhang had just recovered, they didn’t visit relatives on the exact second day.

Later, Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou’s entire family moved to Taicang.

This year, Lady Zhang’s entire family went to Burner Pot Village on the second day, and they didn’t even meet Lian Lanlan’s family. Lady Zhou felt her eldest daughter was neglected, that her status in the Lian Family wasn’t like before, representing that she didn’t have the same say or authority as before.

One by one, none of them feared her anymore, none of them took her seriously, it was simply outrageous.

In fact, after Lian Manman and the others returned from Burner Pot Village, Lady Zhou sent for Lian Shouli and wanted Lian Shouxin to come over and talk. At that time, Lian Yeye had tattled, so Lian Manman and the others knew Lady Zhou wanted to vent her anger and perhaps even had the idea of having Lian Shouxin take Yin Suo to stay. They found an excuse and prevented Lian Shouxin from going.