Chapter 7: Nicknamed Sweet Treasure, Full Name Su Jiuni

Page 1/3

At dawn, the sky began to lighten.
Yao Bao was awakened by the quarrel outside the house. Still half-asleep and with her eyes closed, food was stuffed into her mouth.
After the initial shame and resistance failed, Yao Bao began to suckle calmly.
She couldn’t stop her mother from feeding her, nor could she control the mouth that was eating; what else could she do?
She lay back and accepted it.
As she woke, the shouting outside became clearer.
Upon hearing the loud voice, Yao Bao immediately recognized it as her grandmother’s.
Grandmother was arguing with someone.
First came a sharp, biting female voice: “What, did I say something wrong? Our Dahua Village has stood beneath the Snow Mountains for so many years, and I’ve been married here for decades. There has never been a snow slide before! But your family’s cursed child was born causing a snow slide; which house in the village wasn’t damaged? Cracked and shattered! She’s a disaster! Your family should be the ones to pay for the losses of everyone!”
Old Madam Su sneered repeatedly, “Bah! Like a head sticking out of a coffin, shameless to the end! Just so happens that today I have something to say! Since you married into Dahua Village, the Su family has never prospered a single day! Your yard’s gates on both sides are the poorest in the village! Maybe you were born a jinx, bringing misfortune wherever you go. Anyone associated with you becomes so poor their pants fall down! First, wash off your bad luck, go to the Great Buddha Temple to cleanse your spirit! When you come back, we’ll settle the accounts of these decades properly. Not a single copper coin less!”
The sharp-tongued woman immediately grew agitated, spitting and cursing, “Nonsense! Other people’s poverty is none of my business! Which family in Dahua Village isn’t poor? Why blame me?”
Grandmother Su retorted, “That’s an interesting statement. You jump up in anger when the blame lands on you, but you have no shame when you pin it on others! While you’re busy twisting your head to squeeze money, there’s a pigsty nearby, do you want to crawl in there to look for filth too?”
“…Su Lanshi! You’re just arrogant because you have a distant relative in a high position! Have you ever wondered if that official has even glanced at your poor relatives all these years? They’re all just rooting around in the dirt! Yet you really think you’re someone important!”
“Why drag in unrelated things? Mind your own patch of land and stop running your mouth in other people’s yards! Next time I hear you call my Yao Bao a disaster, I’ll tear you apart, you old money-losing curse! A thousand-year jinx!”
By the time Yao Bao finished nursing, the quarrel outside had ended decisively in Old Madam Su’s favor.
Though the Su family was small, they were united, and the men were strong and sturdy. Even Old Madam Su and the second daughter-in-law were famously fierce; the villagers knew better than to easily provoke the Su family.
Inside the main room, a fire basin burned—it was the only source of warmth during the cold farming season.
The three little Su children—Su An, Su Wen, and Su Wu—were already awake, gathered around the fire basin waiting to eat roasted pears.
They remained calm despite the commotion outside; their grandmother never lost.
As far as they could remember, whether in verbal fights or physical scuffles, grandmother always came out on top.

Page 2/3

Moreover, their grandfather and uncles were backing her up with weapons behind the scenes, so the neighbor’s nosy woman only dared to shout from a distance.
When grandmother and her “troops” came in, the pears were ready. There was no fancy presentation, just golden pears placed by the fire basin to soften before eating—necessary in the freezing cold to keep the children from eating cold fruit and getting stomach aches.
“She’s afraid of the strong and bullies the weak, always testing my limits. If she had dared to come one step closer just now, I’d have charged right at her!” Sitting down on a small wooden stool by the fire, Grandma Su lamented not being able to get physical.
The three kids chimed in, “Bullies the weak! Grandma, can we eat the roasted pears now? We’ve been waiting forever!”
Upon waking, they saw the basket full of pears and their eyes lit up.
Though pears weren’t as precious as meat, they were a treat—what child isn’t tempted by delicious food?
They had stubbornly stayed by the fire all morning, waiting.
Old Madam Su pressed a pear, its skin browned and fragrant, filling the air with an enticing aroma.
“You three little gluttons, eat up. One each. Be careful not to burn your tongues.” She distributed the pears among the three children, reserving four for Su Da and Su Er and their wives.
Two pears remained in the basket untouched. “Second son, take those two pears to Xiu’er later.”
“Mother, you and father haven’t eaten yet. Why give them to that old Chen woman?” Su Er grumbled unsatisfied.
“Do you think I want to give them away? It’s to save face for your sister! When I tell you to take them, you just take them—no more nonsense.”
Su Er, a typical mama’s boy, shrank back without another word when his mother glared.
However, the brothers quietly made a move: each couple set aside a pear to share with their parents.
“These pears are so sweet! I’ve never eaten such sweet fruit! Father, Second Uncle, where did you pick these?” Su An tasted the hot, sugary pear and smiled with satisfaction.
Su Da rubbed his little head and chuckled, “Just eat if there’s food. No need to ask so many questions. But yes, these pears are sweet.”
Their daughter, feeling sorry for the family’s lack of supplies, had specially made these pears—they were so thoughtful and filial; what a good child!
Old Madam Su and her husband ate their pears and then turned to another topic, “Yao Bao hasn’t had a nickname yet. I think we should call her ‘Sweet Treasure.’ What do you think?”
“Sweet Treasure, Sweet Treasure… Hey! That sounds nice! Let’s call her that!” Su Da laughed, eyes sparkling as he took the opportunity, “Father, Mother, why not give her a full name too?”
Few people in Dahua Village had formal education; Old Su was one of the few who had attended a private school for a few years, making him a bit of a scholar.

Page 3/3

He named the younger generation in the family.
Upon hearing this, he naturally had no objections.
“Sweet Treasure was born when we picked nine pears. Su Jiu… Jiu Li… Li sounds like ‘leave,’ which is unlucky, so let’s name her Su Jiuni—Jiuni meaning ‘rainbow’!”
The name was met with praise throughout the room.
Old Su smiled warmly, gazing through the gray cloth curtain at the small room beside him.
Above the nine heavens, at the peak of the rainbow.
He didn’t hope for great fortune for his granddaughter—just that she would never want for food or clothing, and live safely and happily. That alone would be a great blessing.
The gray cloth curtain was lifted as the three children ran into the room with pounding footsteps. Su An led the charge, holding up half an eaten pear like a treasure:
“Mother, sister has a name now! Her nickname is Sweet Treasure! Her full name is Su Jiuni! Isn’t it lovely? Sister, are you happy? Brother still has pears! Sweet and delicious pears! I saved a bit, didn’t finish them, just for you!”
Seeing the pear, gnawed and sticky with saliva, coming toward her, Yao Bao’s eyes grew wide with fright. She stiffened her legs, tightly closed her mouth, and tilted her little head back as far as possible.
She could hear everything outside!
She didn’t want to eat pears!
There was saliva!
Go away!
When resistance failed, Yao Bao quickly buried her head into her mother’s arms: “Mother, help me!”
Liu Yuelan chuckled softly, “Alright, you three, stop pestering your sister. She’s still little and can’t eat fruit yet—you can have it yourselves.”
She gently pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. This was the first time her daughter showed such closeness.
So adorable it melted her heart.