Chapter 20: Patchwork

The fifth sister-in-law is the youngest daughter-in-law of the head of the village. She opened a grocery store at the entrance of the village, selling oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, needles and thread. The price is a little higher than in the town, but not outrageous. It is convenient for the villagers, and the fifth sister-in-law can also make some money.

Xia Youtian grinned and looked at Jiang with a smile:

"This packet is brown sugar, this packet is pickled pig ears, and this jar is rice wine from Shaoxing. We are going back to your parents' home with you today, we can't go empty-handed!"

While Jiang was using a broom to brush off the frost and snow on Xia Youtian's body, she said angrily, "Didn't we prepare woolen green cloth and furnace fruit? It's enough to just be polite. Why spend this money?"

Xia Youtian disagrees:

"Wouldn't it be nice to keep the woolen blue cloth to make you a coat? If it's not enough for a coat, you can make some shoe uppers! As for the glutinous rice fruit, save it for the children!"

Jiang said angrily:

"Give the children so many snacks to eat, be careful that they will get greedy, and then they will come to you to cry when they have eaten all the food! What can't be made into shoe uppers? It's really not decent to give a New Year gift without a piece of woolen blue cloth."

The area around Beiguan Village is located in the north of the Great Chu Dynasty, and many people there speak loudly.

Jiang had a soft temper and her tone of voice was always gentle. Even if she spoke with a hint of anger, it was much softer than other people's calm and peaceful voice.

The key point she didn't say was that it would save money. However, Xia Youtian was not stupid, so how could he not know what his wife was thinking?

He said with a smile:

"The glutinous rice cakes and woolen green cloth are what you, the daughter-in-law, give to our parents. The wine, meat and brown sugar are what I, as the son-in-law, give to my father-in-law and mother-in-law."

Seeing Xia Youtian's firm attitude, Jiang couldn't help but laugh.

Although I still couldn't suppress my worries about the dwindling money at home, there was a kind of sweet happiness that could not be stopped by the harsh reality.

The couple drank porridge and ate a few steamed buns with pickles. They changed into good clothes, took the children and the prepared new year gifts, and the whole family went out. Jiang carried a backpack and Xia Youtian carried a load, and they went out.

The backpack was filled with brown sugar, pig ears, and two thick clothes, which the children could wear in case they got cold on the road.

On one end of the pole was the piece of woolen cloth and the jar of yellow wine for the Jiang family, and on the other end was the water lilies.

Lihua, Goro and Daohua, holding hands, followed the couple closely, laughing and chattering as they walked forward.

The biggest advantage of going out in the morning is that the sky becomes brighter as you walk further.

Five hours later, they arrived at Liushutuozi. Jiang's mother, Shen, was already waiting at the entrance of Liushutuozi village.

When the people of Liushutuozi Village saw Jiang and her son-in-law Xia Youtian, they greeted them warmly.

"Oh, is this Xiaoqi from the Jiang family back? Xiaoqi is such a filial child!"

"Xiao Qi is so lucky. Look at the son-in-law he found. How filial and sensible!"

"These children are so handsome! This is Lihua! She is taller than my iron pillar!"

"Oh my god, this is Linghua! You are so comfortable! Others walk but you take the car!"

"This must be Wu Lang! Wu Lang looks so energetic! Such an energetic young man is so popular!"

Xia Daohua knew that they were half being polite and half sincerely envious.

Jiang and Xia Youtian had good foundations, so naturally their children would not grow up to be ugly.

Lihua is clearly a young version of Liu Yifei, and Linghua is also very cute, like a child star who can melt people's hearts. Wulang has handsome eyebrows and eyes, and a tall figure. He looks like a lively little tree when he stands there.

Even though I have shaved my head and applied ointment, and look very ordinary, even a little weird, if you look closely, you will find that I have a good appearance that is far above average.

Shen said proudly, "Of course, don't you see who gave birth to the child? How can our Xiaoqi's child not be good-looking?"

Jiang blushed: "Mother, what are you talking about?"

Shen raised her head proudly: "What? The truth! If you don't believe me, ask them if what I said is right?"

The villagers all echoed: "Yes, yes, Xiao Qi Niang is absolutely right!"

Jiang's face turned even redder. She quickly shook off her mother and children and walked quickly towards her parents' home.

Shen burst into laughter, seeming to enjoy seeing her daughter looking so shy that she didn't know where to put her hands and feet.

She followed, holding Lihua's hand, and called out to Xia Youtian:

"Arita, follow me! Let's go home!"

The little ones followed Lihua closely, and Linghua also got out of the basket and walked away by herself.

Xia Youtian smiled innocently and followed with his load on his shoulder. In fact, he also liked to see his wife being shy.

The Jiang family prepared a large table of dishes. Jiang’s two sisters also came back today.

Xia Youtian was dragged away by his elder brother-in-law and his husbands to drink. Jiang and her two sisters gathered together to talk, and the children played together with their cousins.

The third generation of the Jiang family is prosperous.

Before Xia Daohua recognized all her cousins, she was called over by old lady Shen.

Shen and her aunt Qiao prepared new cotton-padded clothes for Lihua, Wulang, Daohua and Linghua.

Lihua's was made from an old bright red cotton-padded jacket of Shen's that was about 80% new.

Goro's is made of brand new woolen blue cloth.

The dress that Daohua wore was made of hundreds of pieces of cloth in different colors. In order to make this dress for Daohua, Shen and her aunt went all over the village and several neighboring villages, asking for cloth scraps from every household.

It is said that this kind of clothes, called "Baijiayi", can be worn by sick or injured children to pray for blessings and to seek God's protection, so that the child can avoid disasters and difficulties.

Linghua’s new cotton-padded jacket originally belonged to her seventh cousin from her fourth aunt’s family.

During the Chinese New Year, my seventh cousin played with firecrackers with her cousins ​​and accidentally burned a big hole in her sleeve. She refused to wear it again.

Fourth aunt was so angry that she beat Seventh cousin, but she still couldn't change her mind.

Finally, my aunt asked for the cotton-padded jacket and used the scraps of cloth and cotton left over from making a cotton-padded jacket for Daohua to mend the burnt sleeves of Baken neatly.

Seventh cousin and Linghua are of similar size, so this patched new cotton-padded jacket is just the right gift for Linghua.

Jiang couldn't help but have tears in her eyes, and she thanked her sister-in-law profusely.

Qiao laughed heartily and generously, and even deliberately joked with Jiang:

"What are you talking about, sister!

You have just divided the bills, and you need money for everything. As your family members, shouldn’t we help out a little?

Look how easy it is to please you! Just by giving me a few cotton-padded jackets, you saved me a lot of money!"

Mrs. Qiao spoke humorously, and Mrs. Jiang also laughed with tears in her eyes.

As the saying goes, every family has its own problems, and no one's life is as easy as it appears to outsiders.

Fortunately, the eldest sister-in-law is diligent, capable, smart, and broad-minded. With her helping her mother who never worries about anything, Jiang feels much more at ease.

Please collect, please recommend to the female channel, please leave your paw prints, love you, (づ￣ 3￣)づ

(End of this chapter)