Ten days of destiny are hard to defy

Li Wei drove her aunt away, and now she's the most precious person at her maternal grandmother's house. After all, she was once mature, otherwise she really wanted to dig out all the old, delicious, and fun things her grandmother had hidden away. Unfortunately, things have changed, and she doesn't have the mood or the shame to do so anymore.

Since I'm just killing time anyway, I might as well visit some relatives.

My eldest uncle lived in the front yard and had a small donkey cart. Every day, he would go to the winery where Li Wei's father worked to pick up some distiller's grains and sell them on the street. He had a two-year-old son nicknamed Tiger, who was cared for by his aunt. His aunt was a girl from Li Wei's village, introduced by Li Wei's mother, Cheng Min, who had married out of the village. My second aunt, who lived on the street behind my maternal grandmother's house and had been married for less than a year, was also introduced by my mother, Cheng Min, from Linjia Village.

Li Wei guessed that if her maternal grandmother had more sons, her mother could buy all the girls in their village wholesale. If she had more daughters, her mother could buy all the young men in the village wholesale, and the two villages could become in-law villages.

This shows her mother's talent for pyramid schemes; no wonder she loves business more than farming.

Now that the household responsibility system has been in place for several years, Li Wei's family has rented out all their large fields to others, keeping only a small plot of garden land for growing grains and vegetables. This practice was quite progressive for the time, considering that in the local area, they were barely making ends meet, and achieving a comfortable standard of living was a matter for more than a decade later when the economy developed.

There are still more than two weeks until the autumn harvest, which is the second least busy time of the year after winter. Grandpa has been resting for a few days, tending to the vegetable garden with Grandma and tidying up the farm tools to prepare for the upcoming autumn harvest.

With nothing to do, Li Wei strolled to the front yard to visit her eldest cousin, Da Hu, who lived with her maternal uncle. Da Hu looked a lot like her aunt; he was fair-skinned and chubby, with big, bright black eyes, and very lovable. This cousin had grown up to be a successor to his father's profession, carrying it on and making it even better. While her uncle drove a donkey cart, he drove a tricycle—a rural custom known as "three-donkey rickshaws."

Da Hu was too young, just over a year old, and had only just learned to walk. He couldn't speak yet, but he was clearly very happy to see Li Wei, babbling and wanting her to hold him. His aunt was rather simple and honest, not very talkative, and far less worldly-wise than his second aunt, who came from the same village.

Li Wei couldn't stand it after playing for a while. The child was too heavy-handed, and her aunt was too dull!

She's here for a vacation, not to change locations to take care of her child. This is not a safe place to stay; let's leave quickly.

The next place we're visiting is my second uncle's house. Like my eldest uncle, my second uncle separated from his family after getting married and started living independently.

My second uncle's contracted land was originally a horse-drawn cart in the village. It was a three-horse cart, several levels higher in terms of features than my eldest uncle's. His social status and interpersonal relationships in the village were also better than my eldest uncle's. Like my eldest uncle, he lived in a three-room tile-roofed house.

Just based on the fact that her uncles all had their own houses after getting married, Li Wei always felt that her maternal grandparents had lived a very successful life.

There's a saying in the countryside: "If you build a house for your son and help him get married, you can die in peace."

Most importantly, the children all married well and know how to live good lives. Their upbringing has been successful.

Although her aunt married more often and changed jobs several times, Li Wei felt it had little to do with her maternal grandparents. If there was any connection, it was that they shouldn't have provided her with so much education. As the ancients said…

The most righteous are often the lowly butchers, while the most ungrateful are often the scholars.

Therefore, there is no absolute relationship between quality and the amount of reading. Li Wei felt that her aunt had read a lot of books, but it broadened her horizons and raised her aspirations, and many of her pursuits also rose higher and higher.

The problem probably lies in the fact that she hasn't read enough books. Those who truly understand what they read might not live such a boisterous life as she does.

Li Wei was lost in thought when she arrived at her second uncle's house. Her second uncle was out making deliveries, and her second aunt greeted her warmly.

"When did Xiaoming arrive? Are your parents alright? Why don't you have lunch here? Your second aunt will make you some egg pancakes."

Li Wei sighed inwardly, wondering how people from the same village could be so different in their character.

She went to her aunt's house and left without saying a word.

My second aunt, on the other hand, is not only eloquent but also incredibly capable at housework—two completely different people. It really is true that different strokes for different folks.

Li Wei felt that her mother might have regretted introducing her introverted aunt to the family and was much more cautious when introducing her again, which led to the birth of her extroverted aunt.

Li Wei stayed at her second uncle's house for a while before leaving.

The eldest aunt was rather sullen, while the second aunt was a bit more intrusive and noisy. From the moment Li Wei entered the house, she went on and on about how many times her grandfather had visited, what he brought and what he had taken, how much her father earned, how much her mother made, and so on…

Li Wei thought her second aunt should be renamed "Gossip Girl." She had thought that her second aunt's uncouth, middle-aged womanly demeanor over twenty years later was the result of enduring the hardships of life, but it turned out that this was her true nature. She had simply hidden it among the elders and her siblings, but now that Li Wei had arrived, she treated her like dirt, openly revealing her gossipy, meddlesome personality.

Thinking back to my past life, I wonder how many family secrets my second aunt tricked me into revealing. Sigh, I had no experience back then!

Luckily, she had lived an extra lifetime, otherwise her family's little secrets would have been exposed to her second aunt's sharp eyes. Now, Li Wei just wanted to tell her mother, "Mom, there's a risk with aunts; be careful when introducing people!"

She just came to take a look, but it only confirmed once again how scarce material life was these days. Even her second aunt's newly built home was nothing to see. Li Wei watched it like an old movie, and poverty was not a pleasant memory.

Besides, she and her second aunt didn't have much in common; they were from different generations. Although her second aunt tried her best to persuade her to stay and offered to make her egg pancakes, Li Wei still wanted to go back to her maternal grandmother's house to eat chicken. Li Wei refused her second aunt's kindness. If she didn't leave soon, she really couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't leave. She couldn't help but tell her second aunt how many mouse holes there were in the house so that her second aunt could send a few cats over to save her some cat food.

We rushed back to my maternal grandmother's house before lunch.

After having lunch at her maternal grandparents' house, Li Wei took a nap. Her eldest uncle returned around dusk, and Li Wei begged him to take her home. She had school the next day and didn't want to ride on her grandfather's bicycle, which he had left before dawn that day.

The eldest uncle had a very good temper and readily agreed. He didn't even unload the little donkey; he just put Li Wei on it and drove home.

Grandma originally wanted to give her eldest daughter some vegetables and other necessities, but Li Wei refused without saying a word. Her eldest aunt was naive, but her second aunt was very observant. Besides, her family didn't lack those things, so she didn't give her second aunt any reason to criticize her, putting Grandma in a difficult position.

In fact, many years later, when her maternal grandparents got old, her mother always returned to her parents' home with lots of bags and small packages, but returned home empty-handed. Now, Li Wei thinks that this has nothing to do with her second aunt.

It was only a short distance of over ten miles, but I got home in less than half an hour. My mother invited my uncle to stay for dinner on the way.

To Li Wei's surprise, apart from her father who was not home, her mother and twins showed unusual enthusiasm for her return.

Hmm! Could it be that a day apart feels like three autumns?

After three years apart, my sister-in-law and mother missed me, which made me feel a little sweet.

Then, Mom called Uncle into the house to rest, and turned to Li Ming with a sigh of relief: "Xiao Ming, make some pancakes for Xiao Lin and Xiao Hui. They've been nagging all day because they think my cooking isn't good. Oh, and take them out to play for a while. They've been cooped up at home all day, and their commotion is giving me a headache. Go on, go on!" After giving these instructions, she turned and left.

This is her mother, a truly hardworking person, but she just doesn't like doing farm work or taking care of children.

Li Wei looked at the two little brats with suspicion: "You're asking for a beating again. Tell me, what did you do at home today? You've even become a picky eater?"

Li Lianhui remained silent, while Li Lin peeked at her sister and said, "Hmm... even Mom's pancakes don't smell good..."

Her sister is sometimes much scarier than her mother.

Li Wei stared at her: "These are all pancakes made by Mom, why don't they smell good anymore? You think you can cause trouble just because I'm taking a day off!"

Little brat, she's always known Li Lin is no good; she'll climb on the roof if you don't discipline her for three days.

"No, no, Mom... she doesn't even put in the oil, and there's sugar too."

When Li Lin saw her sister staring intently at her buttocks, she quickly explained that the fault lay with their mother.

Unfortunately, no matter how quickly she explained, she couldn't stop her sister's little slap from landing on her, even though it didn't hurt.

Li Wei wasn't actually that angry; after all, she was just a child. Her hands were just itchy, and she wouldn't feel comfortable unless she rubbed them against Li Lin. Thinking back, this little girl, as she grew up, would often use her as a foil to highlight Li Lin's brilliance, all to achieve her own unattainable goals.

They were raised by the same parents, so why did this girl grow up to be so cunning?

"Then why didn't they go out to play? Where are Wu Feng and Erpangzi?"

Li Lin said dejectedly, "There's no one here anymore. Wu Feng went to her aunt's house again, and Erpangzi went to play with his brother."

"What about Luo Jianhua and Luo Jianzhong?" There are so many kids running around in the neighborhood, where did your usual quick wit go?

Li Lin said, a little aggrieved, "Didn't you say that I wasn't allowed to play with Luo Jianzhong?"

Oh, right, it seems she actually said that in a fit of anger, but:

"And what about you? Why don't you take Xiaohui out for a walk?"

Li Lin realized that her sister seemed determined to punish her today, and she panicked a little:

“Yesterday, I heard Wu Feng say that there are people who kidnap children.”

Li Wei wasn't angry at first, but after hearing about the flower seller, she almost collapsed from anger.

This is Li Lin! The grown-up Li Lin is even more cunning than a vixen, so timid and afraid of death! I bet if it weren't for her silly older sister protecting her, this girl would never have left the house in her entire life.

This time, she didn't bother with Li Lin. She wasn't in the mood anymore, so she took two pancakes from the cupboard, opened the lid of the pot, and made some snacks for the twins.

"I'm telling you both, remember this: you can go out and play by yourselves, but don't go too far. Tell an adult where you're going. Don't talk to strangers outside. If someone you don't know tries to take you away, don't go with them, even if they say they know your parents and offer you treats. They might be bad people..."

Sigh, that's just fate. She's destined to be a nanny.