Axolotl Translations

The snow had fallen steadily through the night, and by morning, a thick layer over ten centimeters deep blanketed the ground outside. Seeing this, Qiao Haoyu decided to skip his morning workout. Instead, he grabbed a metal shovel and headed out to help the other men in the compound clear the snow.

Xiangdong and Xiangxi, who had been training alongside Qiao Haoyu for years, ever since they’d dreamt of joining the military, never skipped a day. Today was no different—they’d planned to go for a run as usual. But when they saw their brother-in-law grabbing a shovel, they each picked up a large broom and followed him outside.

“You two don’t need to come with me,” Qiao Haoyu said when he noticed them. “Stay here and take care of the snow in the yard. Make sure to clear the front and back courtyards properly—especially the path to the bathroom in the backyard. We don’t want your sister slipping and falling.”

Hearing this, the brothers didn’t argue. Instead, they got to work—one shoveling, the other sweeping—methodically clearing the snow.

Meanwhile, the twins, excited by the new environment, woke up early. They quickly dressed and ran outside, their delighted shrieks echoing as they took in the vast expanse of white. Without hesitation, they dashed into the courtyard, rolling and playing in the snow.

“Keep it down, you two! You’ll wake up your sister,” Xiangdong warned in a hushed tone, watching the little ones tumble around like caged birds suddenly set free.

The twins immediately shrank their heads and nodded obediently, signaling they would be quiet. But the moment their older brother turned back to work, they resumed their mischief—throwing little handfuls of snow at each other and giggling in hushed whispers.

Their great-aunt soon stepped outside and saw her two little troublemakers rolling around in the snow. Shaking her head in exasperation, she called out, “That’s enough, you two! Stop messing around and making trouble for your brother. If your coats get wet, you’ll catch a cold. Come inside, now.”

She strode over and pulled them to their feet. The moment she touched their tiny hands, she frowned. “Your hands are freezing! If you’re not careful, you’ll get frostbite, and once that happens, it won’t heal properly. Every winter, it’ll come back—itching and hurting. Let’s see how you like that!”

Hearing this, Nuannuan and Yangyang were thoroughly spooked. Without a single protest, they obediently followed their great-aunt back inside.

Their great-aunt was genuinely concerned that the little ones’ hands might not withstand the cold. Once inside, she checked the kettle and found hot water. She poured some into a basin and told them to soak their hands properly.

Then, she made her way to the kitchen for a quick inspection. The cabinets were fully stocked with grains, vegetables, and meat, reassuring her that they were well-provisioned. That was good—at least they weren’t neglecting their own needs.

Since they had arrived so late the previous night, she hadn’t had the chance to properly take in the surroundings. Now, she wandered into the backyard, observing everything carefully. Though the houses in this compound stood close together, the high walls between them provided plenty of privacy. There was also a large vegetable garden in the backyard, and off to one side, a well—making daily life quite convenient.

After surveying both the house and its surroundings, she finally felt at ease about Wei Jiajia living here.

Seeing the spacious backyard, she thought it would be a shame not to raise a few chickens. When the baby was born, red eggs would be needed for the celebration, and during Jiajia’s postpartum recovery, chicken soup would be essential. With that in mind, she began making plans in her head.

Returning to the kitchen, she examined the stove. It was a traditional rural clay stove—the kind she had used back in Shencheng’s countryside. This was no challenge for her.

She went to the backyard to gather some dry firewood, then struck a match to light it. Once the flames took hold, she added a coal briquette on top to sustain the fire.

By the time Qiao Haoyu returned home, the water in the pot was already boiling—just waiting for the rice to be added.

“You’re back? Come and scoop some hot water to wash up,” she called out as soon as she saw him enter. “It’s freezing outside, and you’re wearing so little! And why haven’t you buttoned up your coat? Be careful, or you’ll catch a chill.” Her voice carried a hint of reproach as she shook her head disapprovingly. He was still young, but if he didn’t take care of himself now, he’d suffer for it in old age.

Qiao Haoyu simply listened with a good-natured smile, making no attempt to argue. He knew she was only worried about his health.

In truth, he had always been naturally warm-bodied, his body radiating heat throughout the year. In winter, his wife loved curling up next to him at night, saying that as long as she stuck close, she wouldn’t feel the cold. Having lived in this climate for so long, he never found the cold unbearable. In fact, while shoveling snow earlier, he had felt so warm that he had unbuttoned his coat completely. He had forgotten, however, that there were elders at home. Moving forward, he would have to be more mindful—no need to give the elderly any reason to worry.

Great-aunt’s breakfast was simple: porridge, steamed buns, some pickled vegetables that Wei Jiajia had prepared in advance, and a small cold dish. Once they had finished eating, Qiao Haoyu headed off to work, while Xiangdong and Xiangxi took their younger siblings outside to explore and get familiar with the neighborhood. That left great-aunt at home, waiting for Wei Jiajia to wake up.

Pregnant women needed their sleep, so no one had woken her for breakfast. Instead, they had left her portion warming in the pot, ready for her when she finally got up.

When Wei Jiajia eventually emerged from the bedroom, the first thing she saw was grand-aunt sitting in the main hall on the handmade sofa, needle and thread in hand, busy with her sewing.

“You’re up! Must be hungry. Go wash up and get ready to eat,” great-aunt said with a warm smile.

“Mmm, I’m starving!” Rather than heading off to freshen up, Wei Jiajia walked straight over, wrapped her arms around great-aunt’s neck, and snuggled against her, speaking in a playful, coquettish tone.

“You’re about to become a mother, and you’re still acting like a spoiled child?” great-aunt teased, patting the soft, fair hands wrapped around her neck. “Be careful, or the baby in your belly might see this and laugh at you later.”

“They wouldn’t dare!” Wei Jiajia straightened up and, with exaggerated bravado, declared, “If they ever make fun of me, I’ll have their father spank them!”

Qiao Haoyu? Spank his own children? Great-aunt gave her a sideways glance. “You think he’d actually do it?”

Wei Jiajia hesitated, lowering her gaze in thought. If it was a son, then yes, he probably would. But if it was a daughter… she wasn’t so sure.

“Hurry up and wash your face and eat,” Great-aunt urged, seeing her standing there lost in thought, her expression shifting between a frown and a pout. “Don’t starve the baby.”

Alright, that was enough! Wei Jiajia decided she couldn’t dwell on it—if she did, she might just end up feeling jealous of her future daughter…

Great-aunt brought out the breakfast she had prepared and set it on the dining table, waiting for Wei Jiajia to freshen up.

“Oh, right! Great-aunt, where are Xiangdong and the others?” Wei Jiajia asked curiously as she picked up the boiled egg that grand-aunt had made especially for her. She was about to peel it when she realized that aside from great-aunt, she hadn’t seen any of her younger siblings yet.

“They went out for a walk,” great-aunt replied with a helpless smile. “Haoyu said there are lots of kids in this courtyard, and there’s even a basketball court. He told them to go out and stretch their legs instead of staying cooped up inside. So, as soon as they finished breakfast, they grabbed their ball and ran off.”

Except for Nuannuan, the other three boys all loved playing basketball—even little Yangyang, that tiny bundle of energy, was no exception. Back in Shencheng, space was limited, and the only basketball hoop available was the one on the school playground, which the kids could only use after class.

So, when they came here, they had made sure to bring the basketball and soccer ball that their older sister had gifted them for their birthdays. The moment they heard there was a basketball court, they had taken off running, ball in hand.

As for Nuannuan, she was practically their little shadow. Wherever her brothers went, she followed—there was no way she’d let them leave her behind!

“Are they dressed warmly enough? I don’t want them catching a cold outside,” Wei Jiajia asked after taking a sip of her porridge.

“No need to worry, they’re well bundled up!” Great-aunt assured her with a smile. “Haoyu even gave the two older ones a military coat each, and those silly boys were over the moon. They ran out the door wearing them right away.”

She had come well-prepared for this trip, making sure that the cotton inside the children’s winter jackets was thick and warm enough.

Hearing that, Wei Jiajia nodded in relief. She had been worried that they might struggle to adjust to the climate here and end up stuck inside all day. Going out for a walk and seeing a different environment and culture would be good for them.

She hadn’t even thought about getting military coats for her younger brothers—her husband had been the one to trade for them with his comrades. She only found out when he came home asking for money and ration tickets, saying they were a gift for Xiangdong and the others.

As for the twins, since they were too small for military coats, he had prepared military-style canteens and army-green backpacks for them instead, saying it was a gesture from their brother-in-law.

“Oh, by the way, do you know where we can buy some chicks? I took a look at the backyard this morning—it’s so spacious. It’d be a waste not to raise some chickens,” great-aunt suddenly asked, remembering her plan.

“What do we need chickens for?” Wei Jiajia asked, confused. She didn’t see the point, especially with how cold it was—who knew if the chicks would even survive in this weather?

Great-aunt rolled her eyes at her. “You’re getting a little slow with this pregnancy,” she teased. “What else? For eggs, of course! And don’t forget, when you give birth, you’ll have to hand out red eggs to all the neighbors. Do you really think the egg ration tickets you and Haoyu get will be enough? And when you’re in confinement, you’ll need to eat a few old hens for nourishment. If we don’t start preparing now, you’ll be in a real bind when the time comes.”

Wei Jiajia was momentarily stunned. Red eggs? No one had told her she was supposed to do that!

“But it’s freezing outside. The chicks might not survive. We can’t exactly raise them inside the house, can we? That would stink up the place!” She shook her head, rejecting the idea outright. She would rather go without eggs than deal with that mess.

“Then what do we do?” Great-aunt frowned, thinking for a moment before suggesting, “Why don’t we ask around the courtyard? Maybe some families have old hens they’re willing to trade. We can get a few and start raising them now, so by the time you’re in confinement, there’ll be enough.”

She added, “As for eggs… we’ll start saving up from today. If we put them aside from now until the baby is born, we should have enough. From now on, apart from you, no one else will eat eggs.” Great-aunt made the decision firmly.

“No way,” Wei Jiajia immediately objected, her brows furrowing. “Xiangdong and the others are still growing. How can we cut off their nutrition? And you and Haoyu need to eat as well. We can’t just stop having eggs altogether.”

Before great-aunt could argue, she continued, “Besides, there aren’t many people raising chickens in the courtyard. Most of them are in our section with the single-story houses. Every family here has several kids—they’re all counting on their hens to lay eggs for them. There’s no way they’d be willing to trade them.”

Since the soldiers in this compound had relatively high stipends, unless they had a large family back home to support, most of them weren’t short on money—but they were short on supplies. There was no way they’d give up their hens so easily.

“What should we do, then?” Great-aunt was starting to feel anxious. This place was so remote—far from any villages or shops. Even if she wanted to try her luck at the black market, there was no way for her to get there.

Wei Jiajia glanced at her great-aunt’s worried face and smiled. She walked over and wrapped her arms around great-aunt’s arm. “Don’t worry. When Haoyu comes back tonight, I’ll ask him to go to a nearby village and trade for some. It’ll be fine.”

“There’s a village nearby?” Grand-aunt was surprised. She hadn’t noticed one when they arrived yesterday. The closest one she had seen was quite far from the military district.

“It’s behind the mountain. If you take the small path, it’s about an hour’s walk. But if you go the way you did yesterday, it takes three hours—it’s a long detour, even farther than going to the county.”

“Will the villagers be willing to sell?” Great-aunt asked.

“They will. Haoyu and I have traded for eggs there before. Every household raises chickens, and they save up the eggs to sell to the collection stations. As long as we offer a little more money, it won’t be a problem. And as for hens, some families secretly raise extra chicks when they hatch a new batch. They’d be more than happy to sell them to us.”

Besides, Wei Jiajia knew that next year, when the three-year disaster period ended, the country would enter a phase of self-examination and reform. Many corrupt officials who had falsified or concealed grain production reports would be removed from power. To restore agriculture and improve rural livelihoods, the government would encourage the revival of rural markets, allowing bartering again. At that time, collective farms and small-scale factories would emerge, making it easier to acquire supplies.

Unfortunately, just a couple of years later, those reforms would be halted again. The thought left a trace of regret in her heart.

“That’s good, then. Let’s have Xiangdong and Xiangxi go with Haoyu when the time comes. We’ll trade for as much as we can—it’s cold enough that things will keep for a while. Don’t worry about money. I brought this much with me!” Great-aunt leaned in close to whisper in Wei Jiajia’s ear, then lifted her hand to make a familiar gesture, her face full of pride as if expecting praise for her cleverness.

After enduring years of hardship, great-aunt had developed a simple philosophy—if she could get food, the price didn’t matter. No matter how expensive it was, she was determined to buy it first and worry about the cost later.

Wei Jiajia was amused by great-aunt’s expression and couldn’t help but laugh. With a smile, she said, “You don’t need to use your money—I have my own. Did you forget about my job? Haoyu and I have been saving up our salaries for quite a while now. Besides, I still have the few thousand yuan you set aside for me from my parents. There’s no need for you to spend anything.”

“That money from your parents is for you and your siblings. When they grow up, you’ll divide it among yourselves. Your savings should go toward raising your child. As for my money, we’re going to spend it.” Great-aunt reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Wei Jiajia’s ear before continuing, “Don’t be afraid to spend great-aunt’s money. It’s all going to you five siblings and your Aunt Fen’s family anyway. If you really want to do something good for me, then buy food with it. If I get to eat something delicious, I’ll feel truly happy. And besides, I have more than enough money—this is nothing.”

That last remark was clearly meant to lighten the mood, as great-aunt had noticed the way Jiajia’s expression dimmed at her words.

But grand-aunt wasn’t entirely joking—she really did have a substantial sum of money, left to her by her late husband, along with the wealth from her dowry. It was no small fortune.

Back then, being a young, beautiful widow with considerable assets had made her a target for many. Countless people had their eyes on her wealth, and she had lost count of how many matchmakers she had thrown out of her home. If not for her elder sister—Wei Jiajia’s maternal grandmother—shielding her, she would have long been devoured by those greedy wolves.

Unfortunately, her sister passed away within two years. Her heartless brother-in-law, seeing the turmoil of the civil war, decided to flee the country with his other wives. Fearing that her young niece would be mistreated abroad by those scheming women, great-aunt went to his house, intending to take her in.

To her surprise, the moment she made the request, her brother-in-law agreed without hesitation, as if afraid she would change her mind. He hastily packed up a few of the child’s belongings, wrote a formal letter severing ties, and sent them both out the door without a second thought.

Without her sister’s protection and unwilling to remarry for security—especially since she had always shared a deep bond with her late husband—great-aunt found herself alone with a young child to care for. After careful consideration, she made a decisive choice: she sold her grand house in the city, gathered her fortune, and, under the cover of night, fled with her niece to a small rural town, adopting a new identity.

That evening, when Qiao Haoyu returned home, Wei Jiajia informed him of the decision she and great-aunt had made. Just as he was taking off his hat, he paused upon hearing the news, then simply put it back on and said, “Then let’s go now. If we do it under cover of darkness, we’ll be able to trade for more without attracting too much attention. It’s always better to be discreet with these things.”

“We’ll go with you, brother-in-law,” Xiangdong and Xiangxi chimed in from the side.

“But the mountain is covered in snow, and the roads are dangerous at night. Won’t it be risky?” Wei Jiajia asked with concern.

“It’ll be fine. Snow actually helps—it reflects light, making it easier to see. We’ll go quickly and come back as soon as possible. Who knows if the snowfall will get heavier? If it does, we won’t be able to go at all.”

Indeed, no one cleared the mountain paths, and if the snow piled up, it could easily bury a person. It was best to act now while the roads were still somewhat navigable.

Hearing her husband’s reasoning, Wei Jiajia realized he was right. The colder it got, the heavier the snowfall would become, and the opportunity would be lost. She nodded in agreement.

Seeing that their sister had given her approval, the twins lit up with excitement. They immediately turned around to put on their cotton-padded jackets, even donning the military overcoats Qiao Haoyu had given them.

Wei Jiajia went to the room and brought out two pairs of leather gloves and two fur-lined cotton hats, handing them over to keep everyone warm before they set off with her husband.

“You all get some rest. Just leave the door unlocked for us—we don’t know how late we’ll be back,” Qiao Haoyu reminded them.

“But you haven’t even eaten yet! Why don’t you have dinner first?” Great-aunt interjected with concern. Hearing that they might return late, she immediately worried. Going out on an empty stomach wouldn’t do, especially for Haoyu, who had just gotten home and hadn’t eaten a single bite yet—unlike Xiangdong and Xiangxi, who had at least had some snacks.

“No need. Just keep the pot warm—we’ll eat when we get back,” Qiao Haoyu declined. The later they left, the more dangerous it would become. If the snowfall drove hungry beasts out of the mountains in search of food, things could take a bad turn. He had Xiangdong and Xiangxi with him, and it was best to be cautious.

With that, he grabbed two large sacks and, accompanied by the two brothers—who were thrilled at the chance to broaden their horizons—headed out into the night.

“Don’t worry, great-aunt. At their pace, they’ll definitely be back by midnight,” Wei Jiajia reassured her.

At the dinner table, Yangyang and Nuannuan remained quiet and well-behaved, knowing that their brother-in-law and older brothers had gone out to find food for them.

From a young age, their sister had taught them never to tell anyone about the good food they had at home. If word got out, they might end up with nothing. They had taken this lesson to heart. Over the past two years, they had witnessed classmates crying from hunger, and that only made them even more determined to keep their mouths shut. They feared that a careless word might bring disaster upon their family.

After dinner, the family set aside food for the three who had gone out. Weighed down by exhaustion, Wei Jiajia was eventually sent to bed by great-aunt, who insisted she get some rest.

When Qiao Haoyu and the twins finally returned, the first thing they saw was the warm glow of the lanterns in the main hall.

“You’re back? Quick, come in! You must be freezing!” Great-aunt hurried outside at the sound of movement in the courtyard. She was met with the sight of the three men, each carrying a large sack on their backs, and Qiao Haoyu holding a basket in his hand—inside, the faint cries of chickens could be heard.

Out of breath from their trek, they gratefully followed great-aunt inside. She poured them each a cup of water to soothe their throats.

“Is Jiajia asleep?” Qiao Haoyu asked.

“She is, she is. She went to bed before ten,” Auntie replied.

Hearing this, Qiao Haoyu relaxed. He didn’t rush to see his wife just yet—his body was still chilled from the journey, and he didn’t want to bring the cold into her room.

“Great-aunt, you should go rest. We’ll take care of the rest,” he said when he saw her heading toward the kitchen.

“Well, alright then. But eat quickly and get to bed soon,” she instructed before retiring to her room, clearly tired herself.

Once they finished their meal and tidied up, Qiao Haoyu urged the twins to head to bed.

Then, he carried the chickens into the main hall, planning to build them a proper coop in the morning. Only after everything was settled did he finally make his way inside, ready to give his wife her nightly massage.

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