The train runs fast, all thanks to the locomotive!
Zhao Guihua felt that their family was entirely dependent on her!
If they were to rely solely on the men in the house, then improving their life would be a far-fetched dream.
She led Liang Meifen up the mountain, well-prepared this time. Although it was a matter of life and death, she tied one end of the rope around herself and the other to a tree. She instructed Liang Meifen, "As long as the ice doesn't crack, you don't have to worry about me. We'll take turns and save our strength."
This was indeed a physically demanding task. After the two women finished, their arms were so sore that they could hardly move. But the men in their family couldn't take time off, so it was up to them. After all, they were the ones who wanted to earn money.
The two took turns working. Although they didn't understand the principle behind it, it worked wonderfully. By noon, the two women had caught a basket full of fish. They sat on the ground, panting heavily.
Wiping the sweat off her forehead, Liang Meifen said, "This work is better suited for men."
No wonder everyone wants to have sons, especially in rural areas. Apart from the old-fashioned idea of carrying on the family line, having a son also means an extra pair of working hands in the family. And that's vitally important.
Zhao Guihua glanced at Liang Meifen and said, "Alright, let's pack up and go home. You can head straight back, I'll go to the black market."
Liang Meifen: "What?"
She looked at her mother-in-law in shock, saying, "You're going to the black market alone? How is that possible?"
Zhao Guihua: "Why not? Look at you, you'd definitely get into trouble if there were any inspections. Then I'd have to take care of you."
If it weren't for the fact that one person couldn't handle the fishing on the mountain alone, she wouldn't even want to bring this daughter-in-law along. It's not that she was afraid she'd blab, but because she was always panicking and turning pale at the slightest thing.
She couldn't handle any trouble!
Zhao Guihua unbuckled her belt, unbuttoned a small button on her waistband, and took out two tickets and five dollars from a hidden pocket. "We'll split up. I'll go to the black market to sell the fish secretly, you go to the granary to buy some grain, and make dumpling soup with white flour for dinner."
This left Liang Meifen stunned.
Was their family that well-off now? What kind of household was this, eating fine food every day?
Even if she didn't say a word, Zhao Guihua could tell what she was thinking. Her eyes widened, and she said, "You have a problem with my decision? We've been working so hard on the mountain every day, and we can't even eat some fine food?"
Liang Meifen felt wronged: "Mother-in-law, I didn't mean that."
She also loved fine food, but she was afraid that they would run out of it at home. But seeing her mother-in-law's stern face, she thought to herself, it's not her money anyway! The old woman didn't know what was good for her!
She said, "Alright, I'll go to the grain station to buy grain once we're in town."
She wanted to ask if they were out of fine food at home, but seeing that her mother-in-law was already prepared to go back, she quickly followed and offered, "Let me ride the bike."
Zhao Guihua said in a low voice, "You ride your bike, but be careful. If you cause Xiao Hong to fall, I bet Xiao Ming at home will have your head."
Liang Meifen had already started pedaling. She stumbled a bit, almost falling off. She took a deep breath, feeling that she couldn't live like this anymore. It was bad enough that her mother-in-law was a wicked old woman, but the new sister-in-law was also very strange.
What normal daughter-in-law would name her bicycle?
She sighed, feeling melancholy. She felt that she was the only normal person in this family.
While pedaling, Liang Meifen tried to probe subtly, "Mother-in-law, my sister-in-law's salary is based on service post, right? Sixteenth level?"
The larger the number in the service post, the lower the rank. If it reaches the first level, it's very high. This is completely opposite to the mechanical factory. In factories like Zhuang Lao Nian's, the larger the number, the higher the rank. The first level is for newcomers.
Zhao Guihua sneered, "Why don't you just ask her how much she earns?"
Liang Meifen laughed awkwardly, "I, I didn't mean that."
Zhao Guihua chuckled, "If you didn't mean it, then don't ask. Don't play tricks in front of me, like waving a big knife in front of Guan Gong, do you think I'm a fool?"
Liang Meifen blushed at the comment. She thought to herself, 'What a wicked old woman.' She was in a difficult position, but what could she do? After all, she and Zhiyuan truly loved each other. She lamented her pitiful fate but couldn't help asking, "Actually, I kind of want to know."
Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes and snorted, "Her salary is in the thirties, higher than the third one."
There was no need to hide this. Nowadays, even neighbors generally knew how much each other earned. If a family had no workers but still managed to have lavish meals, you'd see, they would soon be reported to the neighborhood committee. Immediately, the red-sleeved old women would come to investigate.
So, there was no need to hide this.
Liang Meifen was surprised, "Her salary is over thirty? How is that possible? She's only been working for just over two years, right?"
Normally, someone with her short working history would earn around twenty, not more than twenty-five. This was something Liang Meifen knew.
Zhao Guihua casually said, "After she started working, she caught a group of thieves on the bus, one against seven, and was commended for it!"
Liang Meifen: "Ah!!!"
Her bicycle swerved towards the ditch. Zhao Guihua exclaimed, "Good grief!"
She quickly jumped off the bicycle, grabbing it just in time to save Liang Meifen and the bicycle. It was a close call, another half meter and they would have fallen into the ditch. Zhao Guihua was speechless, scolding, "Are you a pig? Riding your bike towards the ditch, are you trying to kill yourself? Do you feel uneasy if I don't scold you for a day?"
Zhao Guihua was always loud and boisterous, something Liang Meifen had grown accustomed to. She hung her head low, taking deep breaths. After a long while, she finally gathered herself and asked, "Mom, that thing about Ming Mei... one against seven?"
Zhao Guihua replied, "Hmm, yes, one against seven. What about it? Do you want to give it a try?"
Liang Meifen's face turned pale once again.
Zhao Guihua continued, "I heard the thief pulled a knife on her, which riled her up, and she knocked them all down. Think about it, we're lucky to have such a capable daughter-in-law in our family."
Liang Meifen was speechless.
She felt her world was falling apart. How was she supposed to live like this?
Seeing the ghost-like expression on her daughter-in-law's face, Zhao Guihua said, "What's the matter with you? She's not going to hit you. What are you afraid of? Alright, hurry up and go, I need to head to the black market."
Liang Meifen remained silent.
Her mother-in-law was a daring old woman who dared to venture into the black market.
Her sister-in-law was a brave young woman who dared to fight a knife-wielding thief, one against seven.
And her... her life was just too hard!
It was really too hard, how did she end up with this family?
Liang Meifen was so distressed that she could barely recover. But seeing the bullying look on her mother-in-law's face, she gritted her teeth, got back on the bike, and this time, she didn't dare to chat, she focused on riding. If she crashed "Little Red", she feared she might really get beaten.
Life was indeed tough.
Liang Meifen felt the pressure of life and continued to ride in silence.
At this time, her unlucky mother-in-law started to chatter, Zhao Guihua said, "You don't need to be afraid, Ming Mei is not a tiger. We're family, she's not the type to resort to violence casually."
Liang Meifen grunted in response.
"Furthermore, Ming Mei is naturally optimistic and gentle. As long as you don't cross the line, she won't, and her family won't. Ming Mei's father is even scarier than Ming Mei, just don't provoke him."
Liang Meifen trembled, her heart filled with uncertainty.
"I heard that Ming Mei's uncles and aunts all know some martial arts..."
Liang Meifen whimpered.
Life was hard, she really couldn't afford to provoke this sister-in-law. Where was her authority as the eldest sister-in-law?
Fortunately, they arrived at the black market soon after entering the city. Her mother-in-law finally stopped her chattering. Even though they hadn't been to the black market often, every old resident knew where it was.
Everyone knew, after all, who wouldn't want to exchange for some food and drink?
As soon as Zhao Guihua arrived at the black market, she immediately left her daughter-in-law behind. In her eyes, this scaredy-cat would only slow down her shopping speed. She covered her face, put on her hat, and entered the black market with her fish basket.
As soon as she entered, a man approached and gestured "five". Zhao Guihua handed over fifty cents. It seemed she was spending money before she even started earning. However, the two didn't exchange a word. The man took the money and stood back at the entrance of the alley, while Zhao Guihua found a spot to set up her stall.
Don't underestimate Zhao Guihua for her lack of expertise, but she has a wealth of experience, and she's heard a lot about this kind of thing and remembers it well.
As people get older, they may not remember what they ate last week, but they can recount the trivial matters from decades ago as if they were spilling a bag of beans. Despite the hardships of the courtyard these days, Zhao Guihua often reminisces about this period when she gets older.
She found a spot to squat down, and soon someone approached, whispering, "How much for the fish?"
Zhao Guihua: "One fish for one and a half, three for four."
"There are big and small ones..."
Zhao Guihua: "Can't you pick the big ones?"
"All right, give me three."
The fish is pretty good, otherwise it wouldn't sell for a buck and a half. You know, an old hen only costs two bucks.
But just as Zhao Guihua thought, it's New Year's, how can you not eat fish? It's for good luck. The middle-aged man quickly picked three big ones and left happily. He was the first one, so he definitely picked the biggest ones.
Profit!
"I'll take three too."
This price is higher than the food store, but the food store sells fixed quantities, and this one doesn't. Besides, these are much bigger than the ones in the food store. If you buy three at once, it's actually not worse than the food store.
Zhao Guihua quickly set up shop, business was not bad, and she sold several more in a row, finally taking a break. No wonder they say the black market is profitable. In just a while, she earned the monthly salary of an ordinary worker.
Three for four, basically everyone buys three. Zhao Guihua already had twenty-four in her hand.
She glanced at the basket on her back, there were still more than a dozen fish left. Since people have been picking from her, the ones left are definitely smaller than the ones sold. At first glance, it doesn't seem so, but if you keep watching, you naturally have this feeling, and naturally feel a bit inappropriate. So, after selling for a while, the pace slowed down.
Zhao Guihua watched for a while, decisively got up, carried the bamboo basket to a meat stall, and asked softly, "How much?"
The stall owner was a middle-aged man, also an old hand, speaking very fast: "One dollar with a ticket, one dollar and two without a ticket, look, all my meat is pork belly."
The food store is eighty cents with a ticket, and it's only eighty-five cents at the end of the year. But Zhao Guihua can understand why they ask this price. If they don't make money, why would they risk coming to the black market?
Zhao Guihua decisively: "I have thirteen fish here, exchange for ten pounds of your meat, deal?"
Her fish selling spot was not far from the meat selling spot. Both sides are clear about each other's prices. Although Zhao Guihua sells for one and a half, but everyone takes three, in fact, this is just over one and three, only a little more expensive than a pound of meat.
But this can't be calculated like this.
The fish left in Zhao Guihua's hands are the ones that were picked over, not as big as the ones she sold just now, so they're definitely not worth this price. Plus, meat is never hard to sell, so a one-to-one exchange is definitely not possible.
As long as you want it, this price can be negotiated.
Of course, if the stall owner doesn't want it, that's another story.
The stall owner peeked and hesitated for a moment before bargaining, saying, "Eight jin."
It seemed that the stall owner still wanted it.
Don't think that fish usually doesn't sell as well as meat, but during the New Year's period, it's not bad at all. Having both fish and meat would attract more customers, those who wanted either could come. Perhaps they might even buy something else while they were at it.
Zhao Guihua: "Nine jin."
She said, "Look, it's not small."
The meat stall owner also argued, saying, "Look, this one is small. And this one, it's not big either."
Zhao Guihua: "It doesn't matter if it's big or small, let's meet halfway, eight and a half jin."
The stall owner sighed and said, "Sister, I just want to have both fish and meat, sell a little more and earn a bit more, but if I have too much, it's not right. I'm selling this meat for one yuan and two cents, there's no profit, I can't do it, you know what I mean, right? So, how about eight jin and three liang?"
Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let's exchange!"
The two decisively swapped, leaving the crowd around them dumbfounded. Wow, these two know how to play!
Zhao Guihua had come for the meat in the first place. After this exchange, she quickly left the black market with her small basket on her back. A young man came up and asked, "How much is the fish?"
"One yuan each!"
"Ah, you..."
Everyone looked at him with contempt, thinking this old man was just too cunning!
Zhao Guihua didn't care how the stall owner sold his goods. If she wanted to reduce her risk, she would always have to suffer a bit. If you always think about not losing out, you might end up getting tricked in a place like the black market.
"I'm making money, making money, I don't know how to spend it..." Zhao Guihua hummed a little tune from the future.
Zhao Guihua had a successful outing, her steps light. She was selling stuff in the black market for the first time. You know, she hadn't slept much last night, pondering how to get in, how to leave, and how to escape if she encountered anyone.
She had gone through this several times, and today it turned out to be unnecessary.
But she didn't regret being thorough in her thinking the night before. If she hadn't been, and something had happened, she would have been in tears.
In life, you need to have a plan.
Zhao Guihua, carrying her basket, entered the alley and saw a group of kids setting off firecrackers. The kids couldn't afford the expensive ones, so they bought those weak little ones, like pinching fleas. Her own two little ones, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, were also standing there, watching the older kids play, enviously.
Zhao Guihua then remembered that tomorrow was the beginning of the Lunar New Year!
She called out, "Hutou!"
Hutou, hearing the call, immediately led his sister over, crisply saying, "Mom!"
Zhao Guihua rubbed the little one's head, asking, "Want to play with firecrackers?"
Hutou's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously, "Yes!"
Zhao Guihua smiled and handed over two cents, saying, "Go buy a box."
Two cents was for the smallest box, but it was enough to entertain a six-year-old like Hutou. Sure enough, the little guy's face turned red with excitement, and he quickly ran off to the state-run shop with his sister in tow.
Zhao Guihua was carrying a bamboo basket on her way home. It was not yet time to get off work, so the yard was not lively. As soon as she entered the house, she saw Liang Meifen in a daze and asked, "Did you buy the flour?"
Upon hearing this, Liang Meifen quickly came back to her senses and nodded, "Yes, I bought it!"
She eagerly said, "Mom, the grocery store has apples now!"
But she didn't have any money on her, so she couldn't buy any.
Zhao Guihua could tell at a glance why Liang Meifen was upset. She felt a bit sorry for her daughter-in-law, who had been working for seven or eight years and had earned a fair amount of money, but had not saved a penny. She thought, what a careless person she was.
She said, "You go and buy some."
She handed her daughter-in-law five dollars and said, "Hurry up."
"Alright!"
Liang Meifen hurried out. At that time, everything was scarce. Although many goods were continuously supplied at the end of the year, there were more people buying, so if she didn't hurry, there would be nothing left.
As she rushed out, Zhao Guihua watched her eldest daughter-in-law's figure, thinking about the fish-selling business. Without a doubt, this was a job for both of them, and they should each have a share. But seeing Liang Meifen's spendthrift nature, she felt that this wouldn't work.
She was determined to be the wicked mother-in-law.
She made up her mind, started to cut the meat, and quickly pickled the eight-plus pounds of meat into pieces. After she was done, she sealed the jar. This salted meat could be kept for a long time.
Zhao Guihua finished her work, opened the cabinet under the stone platform. Their food preparation area was hollowed out underneath, specifically for storing grains. Once locked and covered with a thin wooden board, it didn't look like a cabinet.
This was a skill learned during the famine years. Who didn't have the ability to hide things?
Despite having bought meat today, Zhao Guihua had no plans to eat it right away. They had been eating well recently, so she had to plan for the future. Just as she finished tidying up, she heard the sound of small footsteps. Two children ran in and said, "Granny, give me a match!"
They had bought small firecrackers but didn't have any matches.
Zhao Guihua said, "Here."
She cautioned, "Be careful when you play, don't hurt yourself, come back early when you're done. It's almost New Year, when your uncle comes back, he can take you to buy some more for us to set off during the New Year!"
Hutou jumped up with a roar, excitedly saying, "Awesome!"
No little boy dislikes firecrackers, and Xiao Yanzi likes them too. She giggled on the side, the little girl was soft and sweet, "Pop pop pop~" mimicking the sound of firecrackers.
Zhao Guihua said, "Alright, go play."
"Okay!"
The two children ran out hand in hand, and as soon as they reached the yard, they saw Jinlai's three children also heading out. Hutou was a little scared, pulled his sister and ran, saying, "Let's go quickly!"
Upon seeing this, the three Jinlai brothers quickly followed. As soon as they left the courtyard, they arrogantly asked, "What are you holding in your hands?"
"I want to play with firecrackers too! I want to play with firecrackers too!" Tonglai stomped his foot.
Jinlai said menacingly, "Hand it over!"
Hutou put his little hand behind his back, gathered his courage, and said, "No, I won't give it to you, it's mine!"
Why should he give his own things to others? He certainly wouldn't.
However, Hutou was still a little scared. He held Xiao Yanzi's hand tightly, and his palm was already beginning to sweat.
Jinlai squinted his eyes and said, "You won't give it to me? You dare not give it to me? I don't think you know who's the boss of this street!"
This child was used to being domineering. He was spoiled at home. When the three of them boys went out together, they were always able to rule the roost in this alley. The other children in the alley didn't even want to play with them.
Seeing Hutou refuse, Jinlai pushed him directly. Hutou staggered back. Jinlai said, "Give it to me!"
He reached out to grab it!
"What are you doing!"
A rebuke came from afar. Ming Mei had seen these three little rascals bullying someone from a distance. She quickly ran a few steps, steadied Hutou, and frowned at the three children. To be honest, she had a very bad impression of these three children.
Stealing and being arrogant was one thing.
But she wasn't the type to dawdle. Ming Mei stared at the three children, looked around, and saw a brick that someone had discarded not far away. She walked over and picked it up. Jinlai immediately backed away, "What are you doing! If you hit someone, my mother won't let you off!"
Ming Mei stared at the three little rascals, threw the brick to the side, and kicked it. Snap!
The intact brick was split into two. Ming Mei revealed a very bright smile and said, "Did you see that?"
The three children were dumbfounded. The other children who were sneakily watching from the sidelines also gasped in surprise. Ming Mei's smile became even brighter, and she said, "If any of you dare to bully Hutou and Xiao Yanzi again, that brick will be your fate!"
Jinlai looked at Ming Mei's smiling face, then at the brick, and after going back and forth a couple of times, he felt that the smile of this new daughter-in-law was terrifying. He swallowed and quickly nodded his head. After nodding, he pulled his two brothers and ran away. Yinlai and Tonglai also ran away quickly.
Ming Mei watched their retreating figures, snorted, and patted Hutou's head, saying, "If anyone bullies you in the future, don't hide it. Go home and tell."
Hutou's eyes sparkled, "Auntie Ming Mei, you are so amazing, so amazing."
Ming Mei was pleased and said, "Of course, I am not an ordinary person."
She showed off a little and then said, "Alright, you guys go play."
Ming Mei entered the yard with her bag slung over her shoulder, just in time to see Madam Zhou Li coming out to pour water. She snorted and turned to enter the house.
Ming Mei sighed, "What kind of person is this..."
She muttered to herself before entering the house, smiling and saying, "Mom, I'm off work."
Zhao Guihua: "You finished work quite early today."
Ming Mei: "There was a fight over boarding the bus today, and it got quite ugly. I went with driver Li to explain the situation. After that, I came straight back." As she said this, Ming Mei suddenly exclaimed, "I can't, I have to go find Zhuang Zhixi. We agreed that he would pick me up, but I've come back early. What if he makes a wasted trip?"
Ming Mei rushed back, and then rushed off again. Zhao Guihua's mouth twitched, saying, "That girl runs like a rabbit."
She followed her out, calling, "Ming Mei."
"Hmm?"
Ming Mei turned around: "What's up?"
Zhao Guihua pulled out five yuan and handed it to Ming Mei, saying, "You and Lao San go and buy some firecrackers."
Ming Mei looked down at the money, saying, "Isn't this too much?"
Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "How is it too much? Small New Year, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and the fifteenth, when do we not use them? Buy five yuan's worth, just right."
Ming Mei: "Oh."
She took the money and quickly left. This was the first time Ming Mei had been to the Forward Machinery Factory. If you asked her about the performance of the vehicles, she knew quite a bit. She had been around such places since she was a child, and all her family worked in places related to vehicles.
But if you were talking about a machinery factory, Ming Mei knew nothing. She was a bit curious, she didn't know if they would let her in. Ming Mei quickly arrived at the factory area. It was quitting time at the factory, and a song was playing on the loudspeaker.
"We workers have power, hey..."
The workers were gradually leaving. Ming Mei stood on her tiptoes, looking around. A young security guard saw her, blushed, coughed, and asked, "Comrade, can I help you?"
Ming Mei: "No, I'm waiting for someone."
"That comrade, you..."
Ming Mei suddenly raised her arm and waved: "Zhuang Zhixi!"
Zhuang Zhixi was hurrying out. At the sound of his name, his eyebrows lifted, and he smiled. He quickly approached, saying, "How come you're here? Didn't we agree that I would pick you up?"
He looked at the blushing security guard beside him, saying, "Brother, this is my wife. She came to pick me up."
Security guard: "Oh..."
So this beautiful girl is already married.
Zhuang Zhixi didn't care what others thought. He took Ming Mei's hand and asked, "Wife, are you cold? Are your hands freezing?"
Ming Mei shook her small hand and said, "Not cold, I've been keeping my hands in my pockets."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed, saying, "That's good, I'm cold. Can you warm my hands?"
His hand clasped Ming Mei's small hand and tucked it into his pocket. Holding hands in public wasn't appropriate, but who could stop them if they were in his pocket? He laughed, saying, "Your hand is so warm, it warms my heart."
Ming Mei giggled, playfully scolding, "You're such a sweet talker."
The security guard who was still enviously watching them from a distance: "Damn."
He learned something.
No wonder he was still single!
So that's how people flirt.
Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei didn't rush home, instead, they went to buy firecrackers. The firecracker shop, although not far from the courtyard, was not on this road. The couple turned and headed there, with Zhuang Zhixi leading the way. He held five yuan in his hand and bought a few strings of firecrackers, as was customary for his family.
With five yuan, they could buy five large strings of firecrackers and still have some leftover for smaller ones.
After Zhuang Zhixi bought and tied up the firecrackers, he whispered into Ming Mei's ear: "My mother must have made money today."
Ming Mei asked, "How do you know?"
Zhuang Zhixi gave a smug smile and said, "No one knows a mother better than her son. That's my mother, no one understands her better than I do. In the past, we never bought firecrackers so easily. This year, we bought them even before the Little New Year. It's clear that she made money today and is in a good mood."
Ming Mei retorted, "Your mother is so capable, it's impossible for her not to make money."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, you sure know how to flatter... Ouch!"
Ming Mei pinched him, and Zhuang Zhixi yelped, quickly saying, "We're in public."
Ming Mei snorted.
Zhuang Zhixi stroked his chin and said, "It seems that this speculation business really does make a lot of money. Even my frugal mother has started to loosen her purse strings."
Ming Mei: "Don't get any ideas."
Zhuang Zhixi: "If my mother can do it, why can't I?"
Ming Mei nodded: "Yes, you're not as capable as your mother."
Zhuang Zhixi: "......"
He sighed, "So in your eyes, I'm not as capable as my mother. But I always thought I was quite capable, you..."
"Isn't that the young widow from our courtyard?" Ming Mei suddenly interrupted Zhuang Zhixi's words. Zhuang Zhixi followed Ming Mei's gaze and said, "Hey, it really is."
It was indeed Wang Xiangxiu. She was alone, quickly turning the corner from the alley, adjusting her clothes as she walked, her face flushed. She seemed to be in a hurry, disappearing in a flash. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged glances.
Zhuang Zhixi was puzzled: "How did she get over here? She usually rushes home as soon as she gets off work, but today..."
Just as he was saying this, he saw a familiar face and blurted out, "Damn."
Ming Mei: "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
She looked over, completely unaware of the reason for Zhuang Zhixi's exclamation.
Zhuang Zhixi: "See that man over there? Don't look directly, sneak a peek. Do you understand? Don't let him notice."
His tone was much more excited, Ming Mei: "Oh, oh, oh."
She took a glance. It was a man in his thirties, wearing a blue work uniform. This was the uniform of the machinery factory. Although she had just married into this courtyard a few days ago, she naturally recognized it, as all the workers in this alley worked at the machinery factory.
He wasn't very tall, seeming to be half a head shorter than Zhuang Zhixi, with a square face.
"Is he from our factory?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "He's from our courtyard, Zhou Qun, Madam Zhou Li's son."
Zhuang Zhixi's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected to witness such juicy gossip. These two people walked out of the alley one after the other, and it wasn't Zhuang Zhixi's fault for overthinking. After all, these two were rather unusual.
One was hastily adjusting his clothes, the other had a sly look on his face.
Zhuang Zhixi: "I really didn't see this coming..."
Everyone in their courtyard knew that Bai Fendou had a crush on Wang Xiangxiu. He had been waiting for her, still unmarried at thirty-one, always helping her family out. As for Zhou Qun, he didn't have much interaction with the Zhou family. Although it was clear that Zhou Qun was good to his children, he didn't have any dealings with the two widows of the Su family, other than exchanging greetings when they met.
But this...
It would be interesting if these two had any sort of relationship.
Ming Mei, halfway through eating her melon, felt like she was biting into an unripe one. She quickly turned to Zhuang Zhixi and asked, "What's going on? What do you mean? Do they have a relationship? I haven't heard Old Lady Su mention it!"
Zhuang Zhixi: "This is Madam Zhou Li's son. He hardly interacts with Wang Xiangxiu in our courtyard. Yet, here they are, coming out of the same alley. If you say there's nothing fishy going on, who would believe it? Coincidence? It could be, but do their expressions look like it's just a coincidence? They're acting all sneaky, right?"
Ming Mei's mouth hung open in shock, feeling that she indeed lacked worldly wisdom.
She sighed sincerely: "You guys sure know how to stir things up."
Although they didn't actually see anything, the young couple was quite shocked. They felt stunned all the way home. It wasn't that they were naive, but this matter was indeed quite shocking.
The young couple followed Zhou Qun back to the large courtyard. As soon as they entered, they saw Hutou and Xiao Yanzi sitting on small stools at the door, waiting for someone.
"Uncle!!!"
Seeing their uncle today brought them immense joy: "Firecrackers, you bought firecrackers!"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, now come and help."
"Okay!"
Hutou and Xiao Yanzi jumped up and down in excitement, attracting the attention of others in the courtyard. Jinlai and his two brothers watched with envy and asked, "Mom, when are we buying firecrackers this year?"
Wang Xiangxiu, who was cooking, replied, "Don't worry, there are still several days left."
"But tomorrow is also New Year's Day. I saw Li Weiwei's family setting off firecrackers today. Li Weiwei and the others have them, Hutou has them, only our family doesn't!" Jinlai looked at his mother discontentedly and said, "We want some too."
Yinlai and Tonglai nodded, "Mom, let's buy some."
Wang Xiangxiu: "Where do we get the money for that? You wait a while, we'll buy some after I get paid in a few days."
"No, no!"
Old Lady Su watched this scene and said, "Don't make it hard for your mother. Our family's life isn't easy. Half-grown children are a drain on the family. There are three of you, and our family relies on your mother alone to earn money. Times are tough."
She glanced at Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Your mother hasn't bought a single piece of clothing for three years in a row, she's not having it easy. We need to eat first. It's not your mother's fault, it's the milk, the milk is weak, otherwise if she could do more work, she could earn a bit more... It's my fault."
As she spoke, her voice choked with tears. Wang Xiangxiu quickly turned around and said, "Mom, what are you talking about? I know you've also put a lot into this family."
She thought for a moment and said, "Alright, our family will buy some this year too!"
She gritted her teeth and pulled out two dollars from her pocket, saying, "You guys take this money, go buy it tomorrow during the day, but don't use it all, we still need it for the New Year."
Old Lady Su stared at the money, her eyes flickering, then she softly said, "I'll keep an eye on them."
She continued, "In a few days, I guess Zhao Di will be back, and when she does, I'll borrow some money from them. Their brother is gone, and Jinlai and the other two are the roots of the old Su family. They, as aunts, can't ignore them."
Upon hearing that her elder cousin was coming back, Wang Xiangxiu breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart, saying, "That's good, when Jinlai and the others grow up, they will surely be filial to their aunts."
Old Lady Su said, "Of course, my children are the most filial. Actually, they have their own children, there's no need for our Jinlai and the others to provide for their old age. As long as Jinlai and the others can support their aunts in critical times, that's enough."
Jinlai loudly said, "I'll support my aunt."
Old Lady Su said, "Ah, that's right, when your aunt comes, you three must speak to her."
"Okay!"
The three children took the money and excitedly discussed what fireworks to buy tomorrow. Old Lady Su lowered her voice and asked, "Didn't you say last time that you wanted to find an opportunity to get close to the third son of the Zhuang family? How's that going? Any progress?"
Wang Xiangxiu shook her head, "It's not that easy. I've thought about it, and I was being too optimistic. Although his salary is almost thirty, he and his wife just got married. They're in their honeymoon phase, and I won't gain anything by getting involved."
Old Lady Su looked at her daughter-in-law, encouraging her, "You're so beautiful, it shouldn't be difficult for you to win over a young man who's just coming of age. I know you can do it. With such a young man, you just need to beckon him, and he'll lose his bearings. I'm not asking you to sell anything, just a little hand-holding in exchange for some benefits, it's not a bad idea, right? After all, we're doing this for the children."
Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said, "Alright, I'll look for another opportunity, I really haven't had one recently."
Old Lady Su said, "Okay, I'll also look for an opportunity to see if I can sell a sob story to his young wife. Our family is in such a difficult situation, they should help out if they have money." Before, when this family didn't divide the money, Zhao Guihua was in charge of it, and she had no way to get involved.
But now it's different, now each room in their house holds their own money, and she feels that she still has a chance.
A young wife, where would she know how to save money? Money in her hands is just a waste.
She smiled slightly and said, "Tomorrow is the eve of the Lunar New Year, let's make some meat."
Wang Xiangxiu frowned in distress. Life was too hard for her, every day was a struggle for survival, leaving no room for respite. But what could she do? Her man was no longer around. She gave a bitter smile and said, "I'll try my best. Bai Fendou has also run out of money."
Otherwise, she wouldn't be seeking help from Zhou Qun.
She sighed and lowered her head to cook.
Old Lady Su spoke softly, "If it's too hard, we can just eat cornmeal buns. We don't have to eat meat. You don't need to deal with those people for a bit of money. I worry for you."
These words warmed Wang Xiangxiu's heart. She said, "I know, Mom."
Thank goodness for such a kind mother-in-law, otherwise, she didn't know how she'd make it through.
Wang Xiangxiu expressed such sentiment, but Liang Meifen was quite the opposite. Hearing her mother-in-law's words, she cursed in her heart: wicked old woman. She really was a pitiful creature.
Zhao Guihua said, "We made money from selling fish today. Not only did we make money, but I also exchanged some for meat. But whether it's money or meat, I won't divide it among any of you. We all live in this house, and we haven't split the family to the point where everything needs to be accounted for. Today, I went with my eldest daughter-in-law, and the third daughter-in-law even lent her bicycle. These should all be taken into account, right? So it's impossible to divide everything clearly. A family doesn't need to split everything. This money, I'll hold onto it. If the eldest daughter-in-law works more, when it gets warmer after the New Year, I'll make a set of clothes for Hutou and Xiao Yanzi as compensation."
Liang Meifen: "Mom..."
Zhao Guihua glared, "What are you shouting for, are you calling souls? I can't trust you with the money!"
Ming Mei quietly watched her sister-in-law, feeling deeply that she was a bit pitiful. It was most comfortable to hold onto the money herself. However, Ming Mei didn't dare to interject casually. She was as obedient as a small salted fish.
Liang Meifen: "..."
What kind of mother-in-law is this, so cruel!
She complained, "I didn't want the money. I just said, Xiao Yanzi is still small and grows fast. There's no need to make separate clothes for her. Make two sets for Hutou. When Hutou has outgrown them, let Xiao Yanzi wear them."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Guihua became angry and slammed her bowl on the table, "Stop talking nonsense. Isn't Xiao Yanzi your daughter? You're a woman yourself and yet you favor boys over girls. I can't stand you for being so senseless! Eat, eat, eat, hurry up and eat. After eating, go back to your room. I get angry just looking at you! You're not right in the head!"
The room fell silent.
Liang Meifen pouted in grievance, feeling that her life was hard. Sobbing, she thought, tonight, to the bathroom, let's go!
Her sad refuge!
Her Arctic Ocean of tears!
