Chapter 14 1960

After the summer vacation in 1960, Gu Yihan started fourth grade and was eight years old. In the countryside, she was already a big girl, and her height was taller than her peers, already 1.3 meters.

Gu Hao is 18 years old this year and has been admitted to high school. However, due to the growing food shortage and the increasingly severe disaster situation, the high school has given him a holiday.

Gu Yihan attends the village primary school. Because Gujia Village is better off than the outside world, the school is open as usual.

During the meal, Grandma Gu said, "You've all seen the situation in our village. Nobody comes to our house to borrow grain."

He sighed and said, "You've all seen how those families in our village who helped their relatives have become enemies. They eat and drink for free at other people's homes and take it all for granted."

Wang Ni and Zhang Cuihua remained silent, knowing that their mother-in-law was referring to them.

“Mother, this eldest daughter is 15 years old now, it’s time to find her a good husband.” Gu’s sister-in-law, Wang Ni, was also anxious.

Grandma Gu glared at her and said, "What's the rush? Life hasn't been good for anyone these past two years. People who can't afford to eat are anxious to find someone to help them. She's your own child too. Why don't you want her to be better off?"

Although she cherishes her grandson Gu Hao the most, she doesn't believe she has neglected the girls in her family.

After hearing what Grandma Gu said, Sister-in-law Gu didn't know what to say.

In the afternoon, only Gu Yihan and Zhang Cuihua were at home; Grandma Gu had gone to her private plot.

Gu Yihan was reading in the courtyard when she saw a middle-aged woman enter the courtyard. She had a sallow complexion and a thin figure.

The middle-aged woman saw Gu Yihan and said directly, "She really has no manners. All the rules have been forgotten."

This completely baffled Gu Yihan. She looked closely but couldn't recognize the person. Who was this?

“Your mother is absolutely right. This is an ingrate. He doesn’t even greet his maternal grandmother. He’s a good-for-nothing, yet she still lets him go to school. Is your grandmother blind?”

But this infuriated Gu Yihan. "I don't have such a vicious maternal mother. Aren't you just jealous of me because you can't compare to my grandmother?"

When Zhang Cuihua saw Gu Yihan confronting her mother, she went up and slapped Gu Yihan.

Gu Yihan nimbly dodged and immediately ran out. She knew she couldn't stay home alone; if the two of them ganged up on her, she would definitely suffer.

"Your daughter is an ingrate! When she's old enough, she should hurry up and marry a capable man. That way, you can earn more dowry money," Zhang Cuihua's mother said viciously.

Zhang Cuihua didn't respond to her mother's words; she knew that she didn't have the final say in Gu Yihan's affairs. "Mother, what brings you here?"

Zhang Cuihua's mother immediately grabbed her daughter's hand and said, "We're out of food at home and have been starving for days. You must lend your mother some food."

Zhang Cuihua's mother choked up and said, "It doesn't matter if I starve to death, but your brother and your nephew are still young. You only have this one brother. If something happens to him, and you are bullied in your husband's family, there will be no one to support you."

Zhang Cuihua was also in a dilemma.

She turned and went into the kitchen to get today's food, handing it to her mother: "Mom, all the food in the house is in Grandma's room. Grandma takes it out in advance every day before cooking, and this is all we have."

Zhang Cuihua's mother was immediately displeased and, suppressing her displeasure, said, "Daughter, have pity on your mother. We're really starving, otherwise I wouldn't have been so shameless as to come to you."

She started crying as she spoke, and Zhang Cuihua had no choice but to say, "Mother, we really have nothing left at home."

Zhang Cuihua's mother said anxiously, "Go to your mother-in-law's room and get it. Don't you know whether your own family or your husband's family is more important?"

Zhang Cuihua: "My mother-in-law doesn't allow anyone to go into her room."

Zhang Cuihua's mother's eyes lit up: "Your mother-in-law didn't say I couldn't go to her room, right? Then I'll go get it myself."

Zhang Cuihua's mother quickly ran into Granny Gu's house and saw two bags of dried sweet potatoes and a bag of corn kernels at the door. She picked up the bags of grain and headed straight out the door.

When Zhang Cuihua saw her mother carrying so much grain, she quickly stopped her and said, "Mother, you can't take it all. What will we eat if you take it all?"

"Stone, Stone, come quickly and carry the grain," Zhang Cuihua's mother whispered towards the door.

"Here he comes, Mother." Zhang Cuihua watched as her brother picked up the grain and left.

Zhang Cuihua saw her mother turn to her and say, "Don't worry, when your brother came, I told him to walk away quietly, no one saw him."

Zhang Cuihua cried and grabbed her mother, saying, "Mother, if you take the grain away, my mother-in-law will make me go back to my parents' home, and she will make Ai Dang divorce me."

Zhang Cuihua was genuinely terrified.

Zhang Cuihua's mother said happily, "Then you should go back to your parents' home. You're still living like a widow in the Gu family. I'll find you a good one."

After saying that, he shook off Zhang Cuihua's hand and left.