1983, Northeast China

Chapter 57 Changing Household Registration

The paper was spread out on the kang table, and no one spoke for a long time.

The oil lamp hung on the wall, its wick cut short so the light was dim, but the red seal on the paper was glaringly obvious.

Chen Shi first laid the paper flat, then placed the note that Zhao Defa had written later next to it.

One of them was known to the commune.

One of them is a certificate from the brigade.

Chen Xiulan sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding Xiaoman in her arms, her eyes fixed on the red mark.

Chen Shi looked at her, but didn't rush to tell her what they had talked about in the brigade's house, nor did he ask how Liu and Gu Cheng looked when they left.

Chen Xiulan stared at it for a long time before whispering, "This... really counts?"

Chen Shi knew why she asked.

Over the years, what she heard most often from the villagers was that she should just endure it and it would pass, but only she herself knew best what she got in return for enduring it.

Chen Shi reached out and gently rubbed the edge of the red seal with his fingertips.

When Zhao Defa pressed the seal, he deliberately dipped the paper in red ink. The ink on the paper wasn't completely dry yet, so when he touched it, some of it got onto his hand.

He moved the paper closer to the lamp, looked at the date, the signature, and the few hastily written characters by Officer Liu.

"It's all true. I saw it done with my own eyes. Now you can rest assured, right?" Chen Shi said.

Ya Ya lay on the edge of the kang table, her eyes following Chen Shi's finger.

She couldn't read, but she vaguely understood what her uncle was saying.

"Uncle, is this the paper that allows you to go into the mountains?"

"Half of them are."

"What about the other half?"

"The other half is for changing your and Xiaoman's names for school. We'll have to go to the commune and then the police station."

"Do we have to go to the police station?" Aunt Wang asked.

"The brigade can issue a letter of introduction for entering the mountains and selling mountain products. But my sister is registered in a separate household, and Yaya and Xiaoman are being transferred to my sister's household. The brigade's stamp alone isn't enough." Chen Shi straightened the papers again. "Household registration is under the jurisdiction of the Public Security Bureau, so they need to stamp it."

Upon hearing the words "household registration," Chen Xiulan blinked twice, as if she had just come to her senses.

Chen Shi saw this and said, "Sister, you're still in your postpartum period. Should I go and find out first, and then we can wait until spring..."

"No need to wait." Chen Xiulan raised her head and said firmly, "I'll go tomorrow."

Aunt Wang was getting anxious. "Xiulan, why are you going to put yourself through this? The snow outside hasn't melted yet, and you're going back and forth to the commune. You'll end up with a lot of postpartum illnesses."

Chen Xiulan looked down at Xiaoman in her arms, then at Yaya, and said, "Let's not delay any longer."

"It's my household registration, I'll go and put my fingerprints on it myself. My two children live with me, so I need to be there too."

Perhaps sensing Chen Xiulan's emotions, Xiaoman hummed twice.

Chen Xiulan patted him on the shoulder and said, "I'll take Xiaoman and Yaya with me."

Chen Shi didn't speak, but nodded.

The next day, Aunt Wang took out her thickest scarf and wrapped Chen Xiulan in it layer by layer. She also wrapped Xiaoman's quilt in an old cotton-padded jacket, leaving only a small gap.

Ya Ya was also dressed in a rounder outfit, and followed silently beside her.

Li Cheng came in from outside, his eyebrows frosty. "Uncle Zhao found a horse-drawn sled from the team and said he'd take you to the commune. Don't dawdle."

Chen Shi nodded and carefully put away the commune paper, the brigade certificate, and the information note he had written the night before.

Before leaving, Chen Xiulan glanced back into the house, then carried Xiaoman out the door.

The horse-drawn sled was parked outside the yard.

Zhao Defa handed a brigade certificate to Chen Shi.

"I added another sheet last night. I wrote about Han Changgui's death, Xiulan's separate registration, and the two children living with their mother. The brigade stamp was affixed."

He paused, then looked at Chen Xiulan, "When we get to the police station, don't panic. Just answer whatever they ask."

Chen Xiulan nodded.

The snowy road is not easy to walk on.

The horse-drawn sled traveled along the main road outside the village towards the commune, leaving two long tracks in the snow pressed into the sled's blade.

Chen Xiulan sat on the sled, her eyes holding an indescribable gleam—a look Chen Shi had only ever seen in his sister before she got married.

Aunt Wang sat next to Chen Xiulan, shielding her from the wind with her arm the whole way.

Chen Shi and Li Cheng followed one after the other, and whenever they encountered a slope or ditch, they would come down and give it a push.

Ya Ya sat on the sled's horn, her little hands gripping the rope tightly.

When they arrived, there were already people lining up in the commune courtyard.

Some people came to get letters of introduction, and some came to ask about land allocation.

The snow in the yard was trampled and made dirty.

Chen Shi asked around before he finally found the office.

The people inside looked at the brigade's certificate and the paper left by Officer Liu. They went out for a while, and when they came back, they did a simple verification and stamped the "the situation is true" column.

With that "smack," Chen Xiulan finally felt relieved.

Chen Shi hadn't expected things to go so smoothly at the commune; he thought at least someone would make things difficult for him.

It's good if things go smoothly, as it gives them enough time to get to the police station. If things go smoothly there too, he can take Ya Ya for a stroll.

Some public institutions were located relatively close to each other. The police station was not far from the commune, and it was just a low-rise bungalow.

After entering the room, the person sitting behind the household registration window looked up.

Chen Shi paused in his steps.

It's Liu Dachuan.

Liu Dachuan clearly didn't expect to see them here.

He was holding a dip pen in his hand, and there were household registration books and several forms spread out on the table.

"What brings you here?"

He had barely finished speaking when he saw the baby Chen Xiulan was holding in her arms. He frowned slightly. "Isn't she still in her postpartum period? Why did you have to get her out of bed?"

Chen Xiulan took a step forward. "I came here on my own initiative. I was thinking about how I troubled you for so long because of our family's affairs, so I took this opportunity to come and see you today while I'm registering my household registration."

Liu Dachuan looked at her, got up and poured her a cup of hot water. "Warm your hands first. What kind of household registration do you need?"

Chen Shi handed over a few sheets of paper.

Liu Dachuan looked at each one one by one.

The brigade certified that the commune's situation was true, including Han Changgui's death record, Chen Xiulan's application for a separate household registration, and the explanation that the two children lived with their mother.

When he saw the paper from Officer Liu, his finger paused for a moment. There were other people in the room, and some things couldn't be said at the window.

Liu Dachuan arranged the papers neatly and asked Chen Xiulan, "Have you thought it through? We'll register it as a separate household, and both children will be registered under your name, taking your surname."

Chen Xiulan said, "I've thought it through."

"Voluntary?"

Chen Xiulan nodded. "It's voluntary."

"Then let's proceed according to the procedures." Hearing this answer, Liu Dachuan seemed to be in a good mood.

He opened the household register, found the page for Kaoshantun, took out a new form, carefully asked them what characters were in their names, and then wrote them down stroke by stroke.

Ya Ya was held by Chen Shi, her body twisted down, and she tilted her head to watch Liu Dachuan write.

"The child wasn't born long ago, so it was all conceived together this time," Liu Dachuan said. "Like the mother, Chen Xiaoman?"

Chen Xiulan said softly, "Yes. I haven't decided on a formal name yet, this is my nickname."

"Let's register him first, and we can change the registration later when he's ready to go to school. Next is Chen Ting." Liu Dachuan looked at Ya Ya, "You're Chen Ting?"

Ya Ya smiled at Liu Dachuan, "That's me."

"What a pretty little girl, Chen Ting, she'll be starting school soon." Liu Dachuan added Ya Ya's name as well. "Alright, Chen Xiulan, come here and put your handprint here."

Chen Xiulan handed Xiaoman to Aunt Wang and extended her right hand.

Red handprints fell on the paper.

After the ink had dried slightly, Liu Dachuan and the others picked up the police station's seal again.

The handle was made of wood, polished smooth from being touched so many times. He aimed it precisely and pressed down hard.

"Smack."

It's finally settled.

Liu Dachuan put the form away and handed out a certificate of completion, saying, "Take this back to the brigade to register your grain rations. The household registration is done here, and the brigade will write it accordingly."

Chen Shi took it and asked, "Why are you registering your household registration?"

Liu Dachuan waved his hand, "Serving the people is the same no matter where you are. Take care on the way back. Don't let her stay in the wind for too long."

"Thanks," Chen Xiulan said.

Liu Dachuan capped his pen. "I followed the procedures. No need to thank me."

After he finished speaking, he lowered his head again to organize the household registration books.

Chen Shi looked at the stack of papers beside him and understood.

Liu Dachuan didn't not want to investigate the case; he was forced behind this window by someone.