Chapter 12 Chapter 12 New Year (Minor Revision)

Zhao Xiaoxing was skeptical, but Qingmei smiled and said, "I'll teach you how to say it, remember it well."

Zhao Xiaoxing leaned over and listened carefully, saying, "Is this okay?"

Qingmei said, "I'm sure it will work. They used to bully me. Now I can just give them a hard time."

Zhao Xiaoxing and Qingmei were both daughters-in-law of the Li family, and they had a deep revolutionary class bond. She briefly learned the lesson from Qingmei, and Qingmei let her go.

When we returned to the Li family's house, Li Laoer was smoking a pipe in the house, and the house was filled with smoke.

Li Qianjin fried soybeans in a pot, sprinkling them with a generous pinch of salt to make them a good accompaniment to wine. Sun Xiufen helped stuff straw into the stove.

She only has this precious son, and he has to carry on the family line, so she has to spoil him no matter what.

Seeing Zhao Xiaoxing come back and want to take over Li Qianjin's spatula to stir-fry the soybeans, Sun Xiufen was more attentive than ever before: "Let him stir-fry it himself. He's so old and doesn't know how to do it himself. Come here quickly and tell me what the young widow's attitude is."

Li Lao Er shouted from inside the house, "Come in and talk."

Sun Xiufen pulled Zhao Xiaoxing into the house and helped her pat the snow off her shoulders.

Zhao Xiaoxing was flattered. Standing under the kang, she stammered, "She doesn't agree."

Sun Xiufen's brows immediately furrowed, and she shrieked, "She doesn't agree? Why would she disagree?! You didn't explain to her that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Li Laoer lay on the kang, staring intently at Zhao Xiaoxing. He took a puff of his pipe and said, "Tell me, what's going on?"

Zhao Xiaoxing said, "She said Zhou Wu would definitely give her a betrothal gift, and she wanted to keep it herself, so why would she need to go through you?"

Sun Xiufen's eyes twitched as she walked to the edge of the kang and leaned against it, saying to Li Laoer, "Old man, does this mean she wants to get married, but she also wants money?"

Li Laoer's lips drooped, and he said as if he had expected it long ago: "I knew she was greedy and wouldn't agree so easily."

Zhao Xiaoxing wasn't at home so she didn't know that the three of them were discussing it at home.

If Qingmei agrees outright, don't take it seriously, because before the family split up, Qingmei always refused to remarry. It's impossible for her to agree after the family split up.

This time, they explicitly asked for a betrothal gift, so it must be true. Why? Because the young widow is having trouble living with this old sickly woman.

Zhao Xiaoxing secretly raised her head and watched the three of them discussing something on the kang. Li Qianjin, seeing her shifty look, immediately became furious and picked up the short broom on the kang and hit her: "What are you looking at? Go fry some beans, and if one gets burnt, I'll give you a slap in the face!"

Zhao Xiaoxing hurried outside. She sniffed and smacked her lips, all she could think about was getting to tomorrow quickly so she wouldn't get beaten and could still eat braised pork.

After a while, Sun Xiufen came out and saw Zhao Xiaoxing heartlessly stuffing a handful of fried soybeans into her mouth.

Sun Xiufen was so annoyed with her that she couldn't bear a child for years, and she still had something to eat. If she hadn't needed her help to persuade Qingmei today, she would have had her son hit her twice.

Sun Xiufen pretended not to notice and said with a hypocritical smile, "You and mother should go to her house together."

Zhao Xiaoxing covered her mouth in shock: "What are you going there for?"

Sun Xiufen said: "Send her a pig's trotter. It's Chinese New Year tomorrow. I still need to discuss the betrothal gift with her."

Zhao Xiaoxing said angrily, "You want to marry her off and give her a pig's trotter?"

Sun Xiufen was a little angry: "Then give her the wild boar leg and we can eat cabbage for the New Year, what do you say?"

If Zhao Xiaoxing had given it to someone else, she wouldn't have been willing to give it to Qingmei. She wouldn't be able to eat the wild boar leg if she gave it to her in-laws anyway, so it might as well be given to Qingmei.

Seeing her nodding vigorously, Sun Xiufen was so angry that she almost had a heart attack. She chopped off the pig's trotter and threw it to Zhao Xiaoxing, asking her to roll it in the stove to remove the pig hair.

While removing the pig hair, Sun Xiufen asked Zhao Xiaoxing to roll a straw rope. When it was almost done, she used a fire poker to pull out the pig's trotter, tied it with the straw rope, and carried it to Qingmei's house.

When they arrived at Qingmei's house, Qingmei was helping Mrs. Fang move things next door to the east.

Mrs. Fang and Brother Fang brought their stupid brother back from visiting relatives in the county and bought a lot of things for use during the first month of the lunar year.

Sun Xiufen waited for a while and said hello to Mrs. Fang, but Mrs. Fang was indifferent to her.

Sun Xiufen handed the pig's trotter to Qingmei in front of them and said, "Mom stewed it for you to eat during the New Year. It's good for women to eat pig's trotters. It's very nourishing."

Qingmei expected her to show her affection, so she said expressionlessly, "I don't want it. You can keep it for yourself. It's my filial piety to you."

Sun Xiufen already felt sorry for pig's trotters, and when she heard Qingmei wanted to honor her, she immediately became very proud.

Before she came here, Li Laoer had taught her that she should at most split the betrothal gift in half with Qingmei, and that she should get Qingmei's consent first. If Qingmei didn't agree to split it in half, he would threaten her by saying she was cunning, lazy, and cunning in front of Zhou Wu, and that she wouldn't be able to marry him.

Sun Xiufen pulled Qingmei to the corner and muttered for a long time: "Zhou Wu is also picky. He even asked me if you are filial. If you are not filial, he will not want you. I spoke well of you in front of him, and he reluctantly agreed. Otherwise, how could a family of hunters choose you?"

Qingmei sneered inwardly, stuffed the pig's trotter into Sun Xiufen's pocket, and said, "That's a problem for you, Aunt Li. Please help me say something good in front of him. I don't want the pig's trotter anymore. Just give me the money first. I don't need to see anyone. I'll go to their house by myself."

Aunt Li?

Okay, I changed my mind after the separation.

At first, Qingmei asked for money, but Sun Xiufen was not happy. But when she heard Qingmei said she was willing to give it to her, her eyes widened and she asked, "Are you serious?"

Qingmei said, "Yes, but I want the gift now. You know my grandmother is not in good health, and I still owe the clinic medical bills. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and the clinic is closed. I have to get my grandmother's medicine prescribed tonight."

Sun Xiufen rolled her eyes. It was not easy to get money from Qingmei. Seeing Qingmei had something to ask of her, she simply put the pig's trotter in her pocket and complained, "You are really obsessed with money. You can't wait a moment. Who knows how much betrothal gifts he can give? You want it now, isn't it asking me to pay it to you?"

This is exactly what Qingmei had in mind.

In her previous life, they took Zhou Wu's eighty yuan betrothal gift, which was her life-saving money. If they couldn't get it back in her previous life, they would have to pay for it in this life.

Qingmei said softly, "You always say he's a generous man, so why wouldn't he give you a betrothal gift? It's too late for me to ask him for it today. I don't want much either, just 80 will be fine. If he gives more, I won't share it with you. If you don't give any, I'll go ask him myself tomorrow."

"Eighty?!" Sun Xiufen covered her mouth and whispered, "Our family has only saved this much money over the years. You guessed it, didn't you?"

Qingmei said bluntly, "Everyone who gets married these days spends a few hundred yuan. I'm still a virgin, and he's a hunter and a butcher, so how could he not come up with the money? If you don't give it to us now, then forget about it."

Sun Xiufen couldn't make up her mind. She paced back and forth, then turned to Qingmei and said, "I'll go back and talk to my husband." She took two steps and, to reassure Qingmei, said, "Don't go find him. I'll be right back."

Qingmei whispered softly, "Then you have to hurry up."

Sun Xiufen didn't call Zhao Xiaoxing and walked back at full speed.

Zhao Xiaoxing squatted at the foot of the wall, looked up at Qingmei and said, "I wish I had the same ideas as you."

Qingmei patted her head and said, "Our night school teacher taught us that if life becomes unbearable, we can divorce. The New Marriage Law protects women like us."

Zhao Xiaoxing said, "Why divorce? Let's just make do with what we have. I'm not like you who beg for money. If I leave this family, I'll have no home."

Qingmei pointed to the tiled house behind her and said, "It's better to live with me than with him. I can always give you an extra bed. But I won't force you. You can live your life the way you want. No one else can force you."

Zhao Xiaoxing didn't say anything for a long time, and I don't know if she heard it.

After a while, Zhao Xiaoxing asked again, "You're not really going, are you?"

Qingmei snorted coldly, "How is that possible? They can just dream of it."

Sun Xiufen came back soon after she left.

It was already getting dark and there was no one on the street. She came over and took out eighty yuan and counted it in front of Qingmei and Zhao Xiaoxing.

"When are you going after you get the money?" Sun Xiufen held the money tightly and insisted that Qingmei say it in person.

Qingmei said casually, "Tell Li Qianjin to tell him I'll be there on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Tell him to prepare a feast and wait for me at home. I might have to walk a little slower, so I have to bring grandma with me."

Sun Xiufen lowered her voice and said, "Why did you take that old woman with you?"

Qingmei whispered, "Say it again?"

Sun Xiufen remembered that Qingmei had forbidden her to call him that, and sighed, "Okay, take the money and make a red cotton-padded jacket to wear when you come to my house."

As he said that, he stuffed the money into Qingmei's hand.

Zhao Xiaoxing was stunned watching from the side. She didn't expect Qingmei to actually get the money.

In fact, Sun Xiufen and Li Laoer had discussed this when they returned: if Qingmei asked for money without saying anything, they should never give it to her.

Because I know she misses her grandmother, if she decides to marry him, she will definitely take good care of her grandmother. If she doesn't tell me, I must not give her money.

Hearing Qingmei bring it up, it was a sure thing. Sun Xiufen happily gave the money to Qingmei, secretly planning to ask Zhou Wu for more.

When she gave the money, only Qingmei and Zhao Xiaoxing were present.

When walking home, Sun Xiufen didn't notice Qingmei and Zhao Xiaoxing arguing behind her. In the end, Qingmei stuffed five yuan into Zhao Xiaoxing's pocket.

Zhao Xiaoxing quickly stuffed it into her shoe shell to avoid being discovered by her in-laws.

*** ***

On New Year’s Eve, the brigade’s broadcast was full of joy.

The children in the village ran from house to house to see which family had set off firecrackers so that they could pick up the duds.

Others would set their sights on cigarette boxes, and tear off the cigarette labels as soon as they could. If there were unusual cigarette labels, they would hold them up like treasures and show them off to other children.

Early in the morning, the sound of chopping dumpling stuffing could be heard from Mrs. Fang's house.

Qingmei's family followed closely behind, also chopping meat.

Around eight o'clock, Qingmei was still making dumplings. Mrs. Fang stood on a bench and called out across the wall, "Xiaomei! Let's celebrate together this year. Don't make meat dishes, I have them."

Mrs. Fang is a kind-hearted person. Her original intention was to help Qingmei and grandma so that they would not be unable to celebrate the New Year.

But things are different now. Qingmei is ruthless and got 80 yuan from the Li family. The vegetable basket at home is fully stocked with everything she bought from the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Come to my house. My place is big." Qingmei came out, looked up at Mrs. Fang standing on the wall and said, "Let's move your big round table over for lunch."

Mrs. Fang had a younger brother who was a fool. She built a room specifically for him because there was no extra space in the tiled house.

"Okay, then I'll finish wrapping the dumplings and move." Mrs. Fang turned around and saw Xiaogang grinning at her foolishly. She wanted to reach out and help her hold the stool.

The little jar doesn't have a big name. It looks like a water jar, round and plump. Everyone who sees it will say that it is well taken care of by my sister and brother-in-law.

Unfortunately, his intellectual development was limited, and he only had the IQ of a four or five-year-old. His clothes and pants were always clean, his skin was rosy, and he wore a floral handkerchief pinned to his chest, which was quite elegant.

Xiaogang is seventeen years younger than Dasaofang. He is more like a son than a younger brother.

The couple had no children, so they raised the little jar as their own child for twenty years.

Mrs. Fang was busy making dumplings while taking care of the small jar, and it was noon when she finished.

The reunion dinner in Donghe Village is at noon. At this moment, there are more firecrackers in the village. Everyone is waiting to finish the meal so that they can go to the brigade headquarters to watch a movie in the afternoon.

Mrs. Fang and Xiaogang carried the table over and saw the bright red paper-cuts on Qingmei's newly replaced windows, which really created a New Year's atmosphere.

It just so happened that Zhao Wuhe also came.

She took a lot of things in big and small bags, all of which were New Year's goods for her childhood sweetheart.

Before entering the house, he stood in the yard and shouted, "My daughter, come and pick me up. I want to spend the New Year at your house today!"

Qingmei helped put the round table in place. Seeing her coming, she hurried over. Seeing so many things, she said gratefully, "Auntie Gu, please come in and warm yourself by the fire."

Zhao Wuhe held up a bag of cakes and handed it to Qingmei, saying, "Here, this is your favorite jujube flower cake. Just for this, I went out early this morning to queue up at Wufangzhai."

Qingmei was stunned for a moment. Jujube flower cake?

How did Aunt Gu know that she liked to eat? She had never told anyone in her life.

Zhao Wuhe knew that she had let the cat out of the bag. She knew that this happened when Qingmei was sick in the tile-roofed house in her previous life and mentioned it to her while chatting to pass the time.

At that time, I had only eaten green plums once, and I dreamed of eating them again. Zhao Wuhe remembered it in her heart, and now that she had the money and time, she bought them.

Qingmei looked at her, and she looked at Qingmei. Considering the last time they dug in the mountain late at night, it seemed that neither of them could be sure that the other had had an adventure.

Mrs. Fang looked at the two of them standing hand in hand and muttered to herself, "When did these two become so close?"

You have to know that Zhao Wuhe is a big shot in the team, and Qingmei is completely different from her and has nothing in common.

Mrs. Fang was still a little afraid of Zhao Wuhe, after all, the difference in their status was too big.

Brother Fang bought some firecrackers and called Xiaogang out to the yard to set them off. From the window, Xiaogang's round head could be seen swaying back and forth excitedly. When his brother-in-law patted him on the back of the head, he didn't get angry, but covered his head with his hands and smiled foolishly.

After setting off firecrackers, at the stroke of noon, everyone started to eat the reunion dinner. People who celebrated the New Year together at the table congratulated each other happily.

After dinner, Mrs. Fang and her family went home, and Zhao Wuhe stayed with her grandmother on the kang and talked.

Qingmei was cleaning the stove when Zhao Xiaoxing ran over.

There was braised pork warming in the pot for her. Zhao Xiaoxing ate it piece by piece, enjoying it very much.

"Don't worry, there's more." Qingmei was about to give her some more, but Zhao Xiaoxing waved her hand and said, "No, you'll get stomach upset if you eat too much oil. Keep it for yourself."

Zhao Xiaoxing came over in a hurry, took two bites, and held the bowl and said, "Are you sure you're ready? Li Xianjin will go and tell Zhou Wu tomorrow. You haven't seen Zhou Wu, he's very fierce."

Qingmei said: "It's confirmed, you can put your mind at ease."

"What's the matter?" Zhao Wuhe just came out of the house and overheard.

Qingmei didn't hide it from her. She glanced into the room and said, "I'll tell you slowly later."

"Okay, I have something to tell you too." Zhao Wuhe said to Qingmei in a good mood: "My son is going on holiday and will be back at the end of the month."

Qingmei remembered that in the original book, Gu Qingzhou did come back at this time, and it seemed that he couldn't resist Zhao Wuhe and wanted to go on a blind date with Chen Qiaoxiang.

This time when he comes back...he can't go on a blind date with Chen Qiaoxiang, right?