Chapter 165 A Pair of Red Earrings

As soon as Song Chunmei finished speaking, Song Chunlian chuckled.

“If you dare to fight back, he won’t dare to hit you. You’re asking this kind of question. Wouldn’t the Taoist priest have helped you for nothing?”

Master Zhang nodded, "That's right, Third Sister, don't worry about that. When you see that man again, you definitely won't hold back like before, wishing you could beat him to a pulp. Things will change once the debt is paid off."

“In this world, there is no such thing as hatred or love without a cause. I have come here today to settle your karmic debt.”

"That's good. It's a small matter if I get beaten, but I'm afraid it will affect the children." Song Chunmei looked at Cuicui and said, "Don't put up with it in the future, and don't spoil him with the housework. If they don't do the work, don't give them food. We'll eat the good stuff."

Cui Cui wiped away her tears and nodded, "Mother must keep her word. If you see my father being more assertive in the future, your daughter will naturally be more assertive as well."

Song Chunxue asked thoughtfully, "Senior brother, is there any way to separate my third sister and her husband?"

“That won’t do. I’d rather tear down a temple than break up a marriage. Do you want me to be punished?” Master Zhang glanced at Song Chunmei. “Besides, she’s already this old and has a child. Separating might not be a good thing. Your third sister isn’t destined to remarry.”

"Does the fifth one have one?" Song Chunlian seized the opportunity to ask. "She's the youngest, is it possible to find a good person to take care of her?"

Master Zhang looked at Song Chunxue with an inscrutable expression.

Song Chunxue remained calm and composed, allowing him to scrutinize her.

"It's hard to say." Master Zhang scooped up a slice of meat and put it in his bowl. "It all depends on her wishes."

Song Chunmei frowned. "That's like saying nothing at all."

“I think what the Taoist priest meant was that she can have it if she wants to, and she can’t if she doesn’t,” Song Chunlian said, leaning closer to Song Chunxue. “It means you have someone like that around you.”

Recently, many people have been trying to introduce her to potential partners. If Song Chunxue agrees, then she will naturally get one.

"So there isn't one. My second brother promised to find me a dog to keep me company, preferably a big wolfhound. I wonder if he still remembers." Song Chunxue glanced at the curious crowd. "Let's eat. The food is getting cold, and the charcoal that my fourth sister lit is almost gone."

The meal took quite a while. By the time the three sisters finished chatting in the kitchen, washed the pots, and went to bed, the moon was already high in the sky.

Standing in the courtyard, Song Chunxue looked at the bright moon in the sky and couldn't help but laugh, "I remember when I was a child, in the summer when we were winnowing wheat, the moon would rise and be so bright, it was no different from daytime. The adults were working, and we would ride corn stalks around the field like white horses. Those were the good old days."

The two older sisters stood on the steps, and Cuicui also came out of the room, raising her hand and pointing to the sky.

"Don't point at the moon, it'll rot your ears," Song Chunmei stopped Cuicui. "Go back to your room and sleep, you're so sleepy you're crying."

Cui Cui peeked out twice, then turned around and climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed) to sleep.

Song Chunlian hesitated, thinking to herself that her third sister was quite fierce towards her daughter.

Hopefully she will change in the future.

Master Zhang had already gone to sleep in the east room with Alai, while the three sisters and their child were all sleeping in the north room.

Song Chunlian's family had other rooms, but the kang (heated brick bed) that was temporarily heated was too damp to sleep on the first night.

The child was very sleepy, and Cuicui had already fallen into a deep sleep on the kang (a heated brick bed).

The three Song sisters sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), wanting to chat about their private matters.

Song Chunxue took out the last cloth bag from her bundle. "Fourth Sister, this is for you."

Song Chunlian was somewhat surprised, "What is this?"

"The cloth, peacock blue satin, is so beautiful," Song Chunmei exclaimed. "Fifth Brother is living a good life now, he can even find money to spend everywhere, he gave me two taels of silver."

"Two taels of silver?" Song Chunlian looked at Song Chunxue. "You really found money?"

"Yes, this two taels of silver is for you, and all three of your older sisters have it too." Song Chunxue placed the silver in her hand. "Take it and spend it. I have some more."

"Oh?" Song Chunlian looked at the real silver in her hand. "Could it be that it was given to you by one of your lovers? I feel like the Taoist priest is implying that you have someone by your side now."

Song Chunxue sighed, "If you say so, then so be it. Anyway, I haven't seen it myself."

“Then you…” Song Chunlian lowered her voice and said, “Actually, you don’t need to feel ashamed. I just haven’t met anyone I’m satisfied with. Besides, with A-Lai’s personality, if I find someone else, I’ll definitely mistreat him.”

“But you are different. Having many sons is like having none at all. You keep pushing this one onto that one, and in the end, there is still no one to take care of you in your old age.”

She said earnestly, "Don't be too picky. The rich are the most reliable. People's hearts may change, but money won't."

Song Chunlian let her hair down and gently combed it with a wooden comb. Her long, thick, black hair was completely different from that of her second and third sisters.

Just by looking at their hair, you can tell which of the sisters is doing the best.

Song Chunxue was both amused and exasperated. "I have money of my own now, why would I need to pick a rich man? You can ask Third Sister if you don't believe me."

Third Sister Song Chunmei looked at Song Chunxue and said, "Then I'll tell you."

"Fifth Sister has been incredibly lucky lately, finding money wherever she goes. She said the silver she gave us was exchanged for a broken jar. Today we were eating guokui (a type of flatbread) in the river bend, and she went to pee. When she came back, she found gold! Damn it, it was gold! I didn't even recognize it." Song Chunmei sighed deeply. "When luck comes, you can't stop it."

Song Chunlian paused in her combing of her hair. "Gold?"

"I've never seen gold before, what does it look like?"

Song Chunxue took it out from her bosom. "Here, keep this big piece for me, and you two can each take half of the small one. You can cut it with a knife."

The third and fourth sisters exchanged a smile.

"This is incredible! Listen to Fifth Brother's tone. None of those rich lords are as generous as you." Song Chunlian took the gold coin the size of a soybean. "And you know what, the color is really beautiful."

Song Chunmei chuckled, "Of course! It's gold, even if it's the color of poop, it's still the most expensive. But gold is too precious, so Fifth Brother should keep it for himself. The silver is more than enough for us."

Song Chunlian returned the gold to her, saying, "That's right. Originally, I didn't intend to accept these two taels of silver, but since you're willing to give me gold, I'll take it."

As she spoke, she slipped off the kang (a heated brick bed) and pulled out a jade pendant from a dark, old box.

"I don't have anything valuable to give you. This is something I've kept in my trunk for over twenty years. I was planning to sell it for some money, but as you know, it'll only fetch a few dozen coins at the market in the village. Here, take it."

Song Chunxue could tell that the jade pendant was of good quality, and it must have cost a lot of money to buy it.

"I don't like these fragile things anymore. This was bought for you by your brother-in-law, right? Keeping it is a keepsake." She handed the jade pendant back, grinning mischievously. "I only like silver now."

Song Chunmei glanced at her and said, "Tsk tsk tsk, you really change your tone now that you have money. I remember you used to cry your eyes out over a pair of earrings and kept talking about them for days."

“Yes, I remember it was a red agate earring, not worth much. I have a pair here.” As she spoke, Song Chunlian went to the cabinet on the kang and took out a jewelry box from inside.

When Song Chunxue saw a pair of exquisitely colored carnelian earrings, she couldn't help but shed tears.

She remembered; the earrings she had always longed for looked just like this.

Years have passed, and it still looks just as beautiful.

One glance was enough to bring tears to her eyes.