Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Retreat, Retreat, Retreat, He who knows the current situation is a wise man...

The new house was about to be completed. Qingmei, with a pink scarf on her head, stood in the front yard with her hands on her waist, looking extremely satisfied.

The villagers were working hard to help her build the house before the spring plowing season. The surrounding walls were almost finished, creating a stark contrast to the downtrodden Chen family next door.

On the stool next to her was a small pot of sweet and sour March bubbles and wild mulberries, all of which were picked for her by Xiaogang and his seven or eight-year-old brothers from the back mountain.

Those who are a little older, in their early teens, don’t like to play with them anymore.

They didn't know what to call her, so they followed Xiaogang and called her "Qingmei". Qingmei didn't get angry, and would often serve them two bowls of food and ask them to come up and eat.

Gu Qingzhou has been busy with tasks recently and has called several times to inquire about the new house. Sometimes Qingmei answered the phone. Listening to Wen Lang's voice on the phone, it seemed like a different person. The two of them were more polite than when they spoke face to face.

Sometimes when Qingmei went to the county to buy things, someone else would take the call and they would just say a few words and then hang up.

Everyone seemed to tacitly agree that Qingmei and the Gu family were close and would eventually become family, and there was no gossip about it. Ms. Zhao Wuhe was very pleased.

Qingmei was still thinking about what delicious food to make for everyone at noon. Bamboo shoots from the mountains have recently come out, and she wondered if the supply and marketing cooperative would help the villagers sell them.

If only she had bought more, I would have eaten some today and pickled the rest.

When the weather gets hot, my grandma has no appetite in the summer, so I stir-fry snails with pickled bamboo shoots and make noodles. It’s appetizing and refreshing. After eating it, my grandma wants to eat more.

If you add some sauce and chili sauce and sell it, everyone will definitely rush to buy it.

"Xiaomei, come here!" Zhao Xiaoxing saw from afar a slender figure standing proudly in front of the new house admiring it. Who else could it be but her childhood sweetheart.

Qingmei turned around and saw two strange men, one big and one small, and Xiaoyan who was following them timidly. She immediately understood that they were here to pick up Xiaoyan.

Brother Fang told them, "Come to my house and talk. There are many people here."

Qingmei noticed Xiaoyan's trepidation, walked over to her, took her arm and said, "Let's go, it's okay."

Brother Fang opened the door and let them in. Sister Fang had gone out to do some work. Xiao Gang was playing with her friends at the door, so they were the only ones at home.

Qingmei and the others didn't go to the kang, but dragged a bench around in the main room and sat around.

After Zhao Xiaoxing sat down, she said, "They said it was her husband's family who came to pick her up, but I don't think that's the case. She has her family members around, so how come there's no one to speak of such a big thing?"

The middle-aged man introduced himself and said, "My name is Yu Yu, and this is my son Yu Fu. We are indeed Xiaoyan's in-laws. If you don't believe me, you can ask her."

Qingmei turned her gaze to Xiaoyan, who was holding her hand and trembling slightly.

Qingmei thought it was the family that broke off the engagement last time, so she asked Yu Yu, "Didn't you break off the engagement? Why are you looking for her again? Are you going to pester her?"

"Don't get me wrong, it's not true." Yu Yu waved his hands and explained reasonably, "We are from a different family. The man from the first family is already engaged to someone else."

Qingmei looked at Xiaoyan questioningly, and Xiaoyan turned her head away and said shyly, "Yes."

Qingmei didn't think Yu Yu was unreasonable, but Xiaoyan was clearly reluctant to go. Perhaps she was too old?

She said, "Brother Yu Yu, we are talking about freedom of marriage now. The age gap between you two is too big, she——"

Yu Yu had been refusing to let his son speak. Upon hearing this, Yu Fu suddenly shouted, "What's so great about her age? I don't mind her age at all! I just want to marry her!"

What? !

"Ah? You are the one getting married, not your father?" Qingmei set her eyes on the little boy, who looked about the same age as Xiaogang's companion.

Yu Fu shouted, "If my father's health fails, he'll be counting on me to marry and have children!"

Qingmei said coldly, "Spreading branches and leaves is bullshit."

Zhao Xiaoxing was also surprised and said, "You, you are looking for a child bride! No wonder Xiaoyan couldn't speak and wanted to jump into the river. You are the remnants of feudalism!"

Yu Yu also knew that this was wrong, and quickly stood up to express his opinion: "My health is not good, and I only have this one son. I don't know if I can make it until he grows up. Ahem, I seriously and respectfully want to marry Comrade Xiaoyan to my family as my daughter-in-law, and I will definitely not treat her badly."

Xiaoyan held Qingmei's arm tightly and said, "I, I don't want to."

"Did you hear that? Xiaoyan doesn't want to."

Qingmei said with a headache, "Even if Xiaoyan agrees, the marriage can't be completed. Your son is not yet an adult and can't get a marriage certificate. Besides, people are now advocating for delayed marriage and delayed childbirth. How old is your son?"

Yu Fu said: "I am ten years old. I am small and can serve my wife. I boil water for her and help her wash her face, feet and buttocks!"

Zhao Xiaoxing couldn't help but curse: "Little rascal, wait for you to get a slap in the face!"

Xiaoyan couldn't bear it anymore, and cried bitterly in Qingmei's arms.

Qingmei said to Yu Fu, who was still trying to speak, "If you act like a hooligan when you are young, you will get your magpie cut off."

Yu Fu's smug face froze for a moment, and he immediately covered his buttocks with his hands, his expression changing instantly: "Wow wow wow wow, Dad, I don't want to cut off the little magpie! I don't want to cut off the little magpie!"

Yu Yu felt sorry for his son and thought he was embarrassing himself, so he immediately shouted, "Why are you crying? If you keep crying, I'll cut you off right now!"

Yu Fu stood up, kicked the bench over and reached out to pull Xiaoyan, but seeing that Xiaoyan was being held by Qingmei, Qingmei's aura was different from Xiaoyan's, and it seemed as if she could really fight him, so he sat on the ground and cried loudly.

This trick always works. His father can give him whatever he wants.

Yu Yu looked at his son with a sad face. It was all because of his son's pampering. He would cry and make a fuss whenever he got upset.

At this moment, Xiaogang came in happily from playing outside, followed by four or five friends.

He saw a child making a fuss in his house, so he squatted down and pulled his hand upwards: "Who are you? Why are you making a fuss in my house?"

Yu Fu cried and said, "I'm here to pick up my wife."

Xiao Gang's face changed drastically: "Get a wife? You're so young and you're going to be controlled by a wife?"

Yu Fu stopped crying, looked up at Xiao Gang, who had a sincere expression on his face, and said, "Isn't it me who manages my wife?"

Xiao Gang said sincerely, "How is that possible? Who takes care of your family's food and clothing? Who gets scolded if they get dirty?"

Yu Fu recalled: "When my mother was alive, she was the one who took care of things, and my father got scolded."

Xiao Gang continued, "When your family earns work points, who keeps the money? Why don't you buy snacks for us?"

Yu Fu's face changed drastically: "My mother holds the money. She won't buy me snacks or let my father buy cigarettes!"

Zhao Xiaoxing glanced at Qingmei, and Qingmei quietly pointed at Mrs. Fang who was standing outside the door. She must have taught her.

A few more friends came in and surrounded Yu Fu with shy faces: "Can you catch loaches? Can you harness a donkey? Can you cook pig food? You can't even earn work points, and you still want to get married. Your face is thicker than the wall of Qingmei's house!"

Yu Fu doesn’t think it’s a big deal to make a scene in front of adults, but if he makes a scene in front of his friends, he feels embarrassed and loses face.

He sat on the ground awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

Xiao Gang added, "After you get married, she won't let you sleep when it's time to sleep, and will call you home when you're having fun. She'll have to wash your dirty clothes and smelly socks, and if you don't obey, she'll pull your ears off."

Brother Fang, who had been standing in the room, couldn't hold back his anger and coughed twice.

Xiao Gang wiped the corners of his lips with a handkerchief, then reached out and pulled Yu Fu up: "Why are you still rolling on the ground? Even I'm a fool and I wouldn't roll on the ground."

Yu Fu: "..."

He got up quickly... he needed some quiet time.

He can't be any dumber than a fool.

Qingmei then asked Yu Yu, "Xiaoyan's family doesn't plan to take care of her anymore?"

Yu Yu sighed, realizing it would be difficult to take Xiaoyan with him today. He spoke frankly, "Yes, I also wanted her parents to come pick her up. Her parents said that a married woman is like spilled water, so they asked me to just take her home. After all, I've already given the betrothal gift, and her parents took the gift and are busy arranging her brother's marriage."

Qingmei patted Xiaoyan on the back, sighed, and said, "How much was the betrothal gift?"

Yu Yu stretched out his thumb and index finger and said, "I gave you eighty yuan."

Yu Fu suddenly shouted, "Dad! I don't want a wife anymore. Give me back my money. I want to go home, buy some snacks, and have a good sleep!"

Yu Yu asked him, "Seriously?"

Yu Fu said, "This amount of money is enough for me to buy a lot of snacks. Take the money back. I don't want to get married. I want to keep the money myself."

Xiaoyan slowly raised her head from Qingmei's arms, tears streaming down her face. She choked up and said, "My parents took the money to pay for my brother's wedding. If you want it, go ask them. If you ask me for it, I can only give you my life."

Xiaoyan chose to jump into the river because of this. She had no money to pay back the betrothal gift, as her parents had already given it to her future sister-in-law's family.

She was simple and conservative at heart, and thought that she would just give her life to them and be done with it.

Moreover, her parents always thought that she had lost her virginity and that she was a disgrace to the family, so they hurriedly gave her away.

A surge of anger ignited within Qingmei.

Another eighty yuan.

How many girls will be killed by this eighty yuan?

Qingmei felt Xiaoyan's trembling. Carrying 80 yuan on her back, would she choose to jump into the river again?

Qingmei was about to speak when Zhao Wuhe's voice came from outside: "Eighty? What eighty? I'll give it to you!"

Zhao Wuhe interrupted Qingmei's words about giving money and came in with Mrs. Fang: "We thought it was time to cook, so we came here when you were not here. I didn't expect you to be here talking about something important."

Qingmei didn't hold back with Zhao Wuhe. As long as the money was returned, it didn't matter who gave it. Eighty yuan was worth buying a life.

As for Xiaoyan's parents, we will make other plans and save our lives first.

Unexpectedly, Xiaoyan grabbed Qingmei's arm and said to Zhao Wuhe, "I don't want your money! I don't trust anyone who gets the money!"

She was afraid that someone would take the money and sell her again.

Qingmei lowered her head and said to her: "Then do you believe in my money?"

Xiaoyan shook off Qingmei's arm, slid down from the bench and knelt before her. "Please, Sister Qingmei, lend me eighty yuan! I trust you of all people. Please save me one more time. I'll give you my life, I'll be your slave. I don't want to get married."

Qingmei quickly stood up and pulled her along, saying, "If you trust me, I'll help you pay back the eighty yuan."

Xiaoyan burst into tears of joy: "Really? Are you willing to lend me 80 yuan?"

Qingmei said: "Yes, that's what I thought at the beginning."

Xiaoyan's tears rolled down her cheeks. "I knew I could trust you. You've saved me three times, including this time. I will definitely return the eighty yuan to you. Don't worry."

Qingmei pulled her to sit down again and said, "I believe you."

She looked up and said to Yu Yu, "I'll return the 80 yuan to you. Are you even now? The rest is her and her family's business. It has nothing to do with you from now on."

Yu Yu saw that Xiaoyan was determined not to go to his house, and he was afraid that she would jump into the river out of frustration, which would cause someone to die and would not be good for anyone.

He thought for a moment and said, "That's all. Giving her two pounds of pork belly and five pounds of white flour is bad luck for me. I don't want any of them."

Zhao Xiaoxing said coldly, "That's right. You guys forced her to jump into the river once. If we can give you the betrothal money, it means we have good character."

Zhao Wuhe said helplessly: "Well, my money is not as good as Xiaomei's."

Qingmei happened to have some money for building a house, so she told them and went back to get the money.

She handed it to Yu Yu, who took the money and counted it, then said to her, "Okay, I promise you, I will never come to her again."

Qingmei said, "Not only should you not come to see her, you should also tell her parents that she has already given them her betrothal gift. From now on, her affairs will not be theirs, and she will not interfere in theirs either. If they still have plans for her marriage, I will definitely report them to the Women's Committee and have them arrested."

Xiaoyan cried until her voice was hoarse. She walked up to Yu Yu and said, "Remember it was Comrade Qingmei from Donghe Village who gave me the betrothal money. From now on, I belong to her. Tell them that I am like the water that has been poured out. I will never go back."

ah?

What my people?

Qingmei stared at Xiaoyan in a daze, not wanting to interrupt for fear of irritating her again.

Zhao Wuhe patted Qingmei's shoulder heavily and said, "You're great! My son hasn't found a wife yet, but you got one first."

"No, no, no, it's not the same thing." Qingmei said: "We are sisters."

Xiaoyan turned her head and said loudly, "Who wants to be your sister? I will be your slave!"

Zhao Xiaoxing almost burst out laughing, clapping her hands and congratulating Qingmei: "You have a new house, and you have a wife too."

Qingmei knew it was a joke, so she sighed and looked at Xiaoyan: "Okay, just follow me and work for a while."

To prevent Xiaoyan from jumping into the river again, she added, "You have to earn money to pay me back. Eighty yuan will take a long time to work. Don't think about messy things."

Xiaoyan said gratefully, "I know, and I'll never forget it."

Seeing that they were no longer paying attention to him, Yu Yu quickly pulled Yu Fu away. It was so embarrassing, it almost constituted a crime.

They left without anyone to see them off. Xiao Gang and his friends watched them from afar, watching them leave the village before they jumped back.

Qingmei called Xiaogang over, rummaged through her pockets, found fifty cents, and said, "Go buy some soda. This is your reward."

Mrs. Fang said hurriedly, "Why are you giving him money? Fifty cents is so small, you should keep it for yourself."

Brother Fang took Sister Fang and said, "Spend it if you give it to me. This is my face money. I can't pick up the face I lost, so I can only take advantage of Comrade Xiaomei and drink some sweet water to sweeten my heart."

Qingmei chuckled and said, "Yes, Brother Fang also paid with his dignity today."

Xiao Gang took the fifty cents and pulled out his trouser pocket, where there was a ball of banknotes.

He counted it and found that it was the money he had saved since the Chinese New Year. He squatted in front of the bench, counted it out one cent at a time, grabbed it in his hand, walked over to Xiaoyan and said, "Here you go."

Xiaoyan cried so hard that her eyes hurt. She squinted her eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "Why are you giving me money? Go buy yourself a soda."

Xiao Gang said seriously, "I have one dollar, twenty-five cents, plus fifty cents, a total of two dollars and eighty cents. I'll give it all to you. Return it to Sister Xiaomei, and your debt will be reduced. You can work like a slave for a few fewer days."

Xiaoyan was so moved by his sincerity and kindness that she couldn't hold back her tears and started crying again while clutching the money.

It's both heartwarming and sad. When she was at her wit's end, the people who helped her were strangers.

Zhao Xiaoxing had no choice but to hand her another handkerchief and let her wipe her tears and blow her nose.

Xiaoyan calmed down and didn't take Xiaogang's money. She stood up and bowed to Qingmei, Zhao Xiaoxing, Zhao Wuhe, and Xiaogang's family: "Thank you all, I will never forget your help."

Zhao Wuhe's money wasn't as fragrant as Qingmei's, but her house had the same fragrance. She offered to let Xiaoyan continue living there. After all, they were both young girls, and keeping each other company would only require an extra pair of chopsticks.

After this, Qingmei asked Zhao Xiaoxing to accompany Xiaoyan back to rest. Xiaoyan refused and wanted to help with the cooking.

Seeing her standing precariously in front of the stove, Qingmei was worried that she would stew herself.

After cooking, Xiaoyan took the rice bowl to her grandmother who was chatting at her old sister's house. Qingmei also went there. When someone asked about it, Qingmei said she was a distant sister.

Grandma was old, but her mind was still clear. She sat cross-legged on the kang and looked at him, but didn't say anything. Qingmei said she was a distant sister, so she must be.

My older sisters were also having dinner and asked my grandmother to join them. She placed her own food on the table and everyone helped themselves to the food.

Qingmei didn't eat here, she had to go back to see if the villagers who were building the house had enough to eat. Physical work makes the appetite big, and if she didn't eat enough, she had to make pancakes.

After working for an entire afternoon, the saleswoman from the supply and marketing cooperative came over.

"The sewing machines you asked me to look out for have arrived. The county allocated only five. I'll queue up and keep one for you."

Qingmei scratched her head and said sheepishly, "Thank you so much, big sister. It's just that I haven't bought the plane ticket yet."

She had asked about it the last time she went there with Zhao Xiaoxing, but she didn't expect that her elder sister really took it to heart.

"Oh, I thought you had it. Now this is going to be troublesome."

The saleswoman was standing in the front yard, pacing back and forth. Suddenly, she slapped her thigh and said, "Well, you're good friends with Captain Jin. Go talk to her. She issued a sewing ticket last year, but she still hasn't redeemed it. Ask her if she can use it."

Qingmei's eyes suddenly lit up. Captain Jin was busy with work every day without sleep or food, so how could he know how to use a sewing machine?

Zhao Xiaoxing was faster than her and ran towards the brigade headquarters.

When she arrived, Qingmei stood in the front yard and asked the saleswoman to sit down and eat some melon seeds.

The saleswoman saw a new face in the yard helping to serve food to the workers and asked in confusion, "Who is this girl?"

Qingmei said: "A distant relative knew I was building a house and came to help."

The saleswoman had heard that a girl had been fished out of the river and left with Qingmei, but she wasn't sure if that was the case. But since they said they were relatives, then this person must be a relative.

"Your relatives are all good-looking." The eldest sister also asked casually: "Is there anyone who has a family?"

Bang!

Xiaoyan dropped the big iron spoon on the ground. She picked it up in a hurry and looked at Qingmei with tears in her eyes.

Qingmei swallowed and said, "I promised, I promised..." She promised herself to me as a slave.

The saleswoman, unaware of Qingmei's inner struggles, said with emotion, "Whoever marries her will be blessed. You can tell she's a hard worker, just as capable as anyone else."

Xiaoyan said timidly from a distance, "Is he really no worse than anyone else?"

The saleswoman said, "Of course. Qingmei is a capable person, and Zhao Xiaoxing is also capable. You are their sister, so of course you can be no worse."

Xiaoyan clutched the large iron spoon for her meal and expressed her dream: "Can I drive a tractor, too?"

The saleswoman paused. "Why do all these girls dream of driving tractors? Is this the latest trend?"

Qingmei stood up, gave her bench to Xiaoyan, and persuaded her: "Let's not drive the tractor yet. Look, the sewing machine will be here soon. Can you fix it first?"

Thinking that she wasn't from Donghe Village and certainly couldn't drive a tractor, Xiaoyan thought it was just wishful thinking. She settled for the next best thing: "A sewing machine is a sewing machine. It's still a 'machine' after all."

“…” Qingmei: “You are right.”

Not long after, Zhao Xiaoxing took the sewing plane ticket back and said to Qingmei, "Captain Jin said to give it to her at 80% of the market price. She has no use for it anyway."

"I told you, there's no use for her to keep it."

The saleswoman happily put the sewing machine ticket away, took out the receipt, wrote it down, arranged a date for delivery, and left.

Zhao Xiaoxing was very happy to know that Xiaoyan wanted to make sewing her career. They had a common goal and were like sisters again.

After lunch, Zhao Xiaoxing began to doze off.

Qingmei was in high spirits and wanted to take them to the fish pond to watch Brother Wang Yang pump water and catch fish.

The fish that have been raised for a winter are lazy and unwilling to move under the ice, and each one is fatter than the other.

These were collective goods, to be distributed to canteens throughout the city. However, some items were personal to the Donghe villagers—snail and clam shells.

Qingmei was ready to watch over Brother Wang Yang and the others while they pumped water and caught fish. After they finished fishing, she would find a corner and pull her sisters together to catch snails.

Ideals are full, but reality is skinny.

She finished her story with great enthusiasm. Zhao Xiaoxing and Xiaoyan were about to go over, but Mrs. Fang stopped them and said, "Don't go. Someone is inviting you to a wedding."

Qingmei asked, "Whose family is hosting the party? How come I don't know?"

She is a good cook and many people ask her to help stew fish and meat. Usually, when someone in the village has a wedding, adults and children will start clamoring for help in the first week.

Mrs. Fang said, "Whose family could it be?" She was afraid they would hear her, so she walked up to them and said, "It's Huang Wenbi's family."

Zhao Xiaoxing glanced at Qingmei and lowered her voice, saying, "Who would be so desperate as to marry into Huang Wenbi's family?"

Xiaoyan didn't know about Huang Wenbi's past with Qingmei and just thought he was a person with bad relationships. She also listened with her head tilted.

Mrs. Fang, who had nothing to hide, told them what she had just seen: "You will never guess, it is——"

Qingmei said, "Could it be Chen Qiaoxiang?"

Mrs. Fang slapped her thigh and said, "That's her! You were talking in the room just now. She was wearing a red veil and had no one to pick her up. She walked from next door to Huang Wenbi's house on her own."

Next door is Chen Qiaoxiang's former home, which was later sealed and is now empty. A provincial department seal is affixed to the door, prohibiting anyone from entering.

"She's always been so overambitious. How could she have married Huang Wenbi?" Zhao Xiaoxing glanced at Qingmei and said, "Didn't she...didn't she always want to be an officer's wife?"

Mrs. Fang said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Who would marry her? Her father was shot, didn't you know? Her mother was sent to Yunnan for forced labor. A family like that, not only military officers' families wouldn't want her, but our family wouldn't want her either."

This is how relationships work in the village. Even if the relationship is not good, people will still show up at weddings and at least give some gifts.

There are also a very small number of people who do not participate in anything, almost cutting off their connections with the village. There are no such people in Donghe Village.

Since Huang Wenbi's family invited them, Qingmei asked her grandmother, and her grandmother said that Huang Wenbi's mother had visited the family many years ago and invited Qingmei to come over and sit down.

Qingmei was too lazy to cook dinner. Anyway, everyone would go to a wedding banquet together after work, and she could have a break.

After the afternoon's work, half the village packed up and headed for the Huang family, some bringing eggs, some pillowcases, and still others two feet of floral cloth as gifts.

Qingmei went to ask her grandmother if she wanted to go. Her grandmother said no, so she gave her fifty cents and asked her to buy a few eggs, which was considered a representation.

Zhao Xiaoxing went back to the Li family and rummaged through the drawers and cabinets, and found a pound of old rice hidden by Sun Xiufen. She added two salted duck eggs to make up for it.

Xiaoyan felt that it was inappropriate for her to go there, so she stayed at home with her grandmother and Zhao Wuhe.

Qingmei and Zhao Xiaoxing went to Huang Wenbi's house.

Here you will pass by Zhao Xiaoxing's parents' home. When passing by, Zhao Xiaoxing didn't even turn her head and walked straight past the door of her parents' home.

Her mother, who was standing at the door and wanted to say hello to her, had no time to say anything and could only watch Zhao Xiaoxing leave.

When they arrived at Huang Wenbi's house, they heard Huang Wenbi's mother bragging to others from a distance: "My son didn't spend a penny to marry his wife. I said my son is a capable man. The other party's family doesn't have parents to burden them. From now on, I have the final say in my family."

Qingmei thought to herself as she carried the eggs, "Not only is it free, it's also profitable." But who has the final say? The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law will have to interact more before a definitive conclusion is reached.

Zhao Xiaoxing curled her lips, walked over and handed the things to Huang Wenbi's mother.

Huang Wenbi's mother couldn't write, so she drew a strange mark and circled it on the notebook. The circle probably meant egg.

The banquet was held in the courtyard, and it was quite large. Since everyone was from the same village, they were all giving each other face. There were nearly twenty tables of people invited at short notice.

Huang Wenbi's family was stingy, but they always went to big banquets. Of course, they didn't give much, mainly to get the food and drinks. Giving little was better than not giving anything, otherwise no one would be interested in coming, and the gifts were just a few melons and dates.

Qingmei and Zhao Xiaoxing found a corner to sit in and saw Huang Wenbi standing at the table and greeting people in a gentlemanly manner.

Men who get married have a different mental outlook and always smile at everyone they meet.

After a while, the villagers who worked at Qingmei's house also arrived one after another, and the banquet was full and it was time to start.

You don’t know until you come. When you see the green dishes being served, everyone falls silent.

Stir-fried sweet potato vines, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, and rapeseed, and finally a clear soup with wakame. Why clear soup? It didn't have a single greasy smell.

There was an aunt at the table who knew how to drink. She took a sip from her wine glass, spat it on the ground, and cursed, "Old Madam Huang is just a weasel, right? She only knows how to trick us into giving gifts. Look at this wine, it's not even sorghum wine. She must have bought some cheap alcohol and mixed it with it!"

The tables around Qingmei were filled with people who worked in her household. They were so used to her cooking that their mouths had become attached to it. Faced with a meal so devoid of oil, let alone any color or flavor, they all stared at each other without moving their chopsticks.

Brother Wang Yang's family background is okay, but he can't stand it.

He pondered for a long time, then, while Huang Wenbi was talking to someone else, he crouched down and ran over to Qingmei and said, "Sister, why don't we go home and eat? I'm afraid we'll have diarrhea after this meal and delay your family's construction."

To be honest, I can't even put my chopsticks down to eat green plums.

She thought for a moment, then moved closer to Brother Wang Yang and said, "I'll leave after the toast later. You guys can leave in half an hour, and we'll be able to eat when we get back."

Brother Wang Yang thought Qingmei was incredibly capable. The meals she prepared for the workers were a hundred times better than the wedding banquets here. She was also very generous, agreeing to go home immediately, more open-minded than most men.

As they finished speaking, someone in front of them shouted, "The bride is coming out!"

There were several tables in front of Qingmei. She straightened her back and looked towards the front of the house.

Chen Qiaoxiang was wearing half-worn, somewhat outdated clothes. Her hair was braided with a cheap red hairband, and her eyes were red and puffy. When she came out, she bowed to everyone and then, holding a wine glass, prepared to drink from Huang Wenbi's cup.

Naturally, someone in front teased the bride and groom, and everyone laughed along.

Qingmei was watching the excitement when she heard someone quietly call her, "Sister Xiaomei."

Qingmei turned around and saw Xiaoyan and asked hurriedly, "Why are you here?"

Xiaoyan said, "Grandma said the food here must be bad. I don't even know if it's washed or not. I told you to run away when you're almost done."

Everyone was sitting at the banquet, but Xiaoyan was standing alone, standing out from the crowd.

Chen Qiaoxiang put down her wine glass, looked over suspiciously, and turned her head to ask Huang Wenbi, "Who is that person?"

Huang Wenbi was at the dam that day, and he said to Chen Qiaoxiang, "Who else could it be? It was me who told you to jump into the river that day."

Chen Qiaoxiang saw Xiaoyan wearing Qingmei's new spring and autumn clothes, and her facial expression was good. She was not so sad as to jump into the river.

Perhaps it was because she had slept on the floor too much, or perhaps it was because she was drunk, but Chen Qiaoxiang felt a pang of pain in her heart and subconsciously asked, "She's not from our village, where does she live?"

Huang Wenbi clinked his wine glass with the others, took a bite of lettuce, chewed it, and said, "I live in the old Gu family house."

Chen Qiaoxiang's hand holding the wine glass suddenly tightened: "Why can she live in the Gu family?"

Huang Wenbi leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Who else could have asked for this? It's Qingmei. I heard she told people outside that she was her distant cousin, and she's trying to keep her by her side. As for me, whether it's Qingmei's new big courtyard or the old Gu family house, I don't want to leave, no matter which one I live in."

Chen Qiaoxiang remembered that when her family was in trouble, she couldn't even get through the Gu family's gate. Now, a person without any relatives or friends could actually move in directly! And it was Qingmei who asked for it. How could Qingmei have such a high status in the Gu family?

She gripped the wine glass tighter and tighter, and her face looked so ugly that she didn't look like a bride at all, but rather like a woman possessed by a vengeful ghost.

She ignored the order of the tables and went straight to Qingmei's table. She lowered her head and stared at Qingmei.

Xiaoyan was startled by her and cried out, "Ah!"

Qingmei didn't stand up, but looked at her sideways, wondering what this person was doing after drinking a little.

Zhao Xiaoxing held her head high and said, "Who are you glaring at? Others are drinking wedding wine, and you're drinking poisoned wine?"

Chen Qiaoxiang thought that marrying Huang Wenbi was like drinking poison. She heard everything his mother said to others outside, and it was like a knife, stabbing her heart again and again.

She raised her glass and said with a forced smile, "Congratulations, Qingmei. I never knew a widow like you could get so close to Captain Gu. It must have taken a lot of thought, didn't it?"

Xiaoyan whispered, "How can you talk like that?"

Chen Qiaoxiang's words were so loud that everyone at the surrounding tables could hear them. Wasn't this just embarrassing Qingmei in public?

During this period, everyone has forgotten that Qingmei was a widow. Since they have separated, why do they have to keep talking about being a widow all the time? Isn't it annoying?

Brother Wang Yang said from the next table, "Xiao Huang, take care of your wife. People are here to congratulate her out of kindness. If you don't know how to speak, keep silent."

Chen Qiaoxiang ignored Huang Wenbi's attempts to stop her and said to Qingmei, "Who asked you to come and congratulate me? You must be so happy that you're going crazy. Seeing me marry a man you dislike and end up in such a state, you must be beating drums in your heart too."

This is not about talking about childhood sweetheart, it is a complete insult to Huang Wenbi.

With an embarrassed look on his face, he put the wine glass in his hand heavily on the table and found an empty chair to sit down. He wanted to see how crazy Chen Qiaoxiang would get.

Qingmei stood up, still with a calm expression on her face. She threw her chopsticks on the table and said:

"I'm here to repay a favor. It has nothing to do with you. Don't take yourself too seriously. Besides, I don't want to stay here. I'm leaving now."

Zhao Xiaoxing also stood up and threw the chopsticks on the table: "Come on, I'll go with you."

Mrs. Fang, who arrived later and was sitting across from them, also stood up and said, "Now that you're married, don't dwell on Captain Gu anymore. Look, this table of lush green dishes is quite fitting for the occasion. You don't need to return the favor for the eggs I gave you today. Let's not meet again."

Qingmei walked to the gate of the yard. There were twenty tables in the yard. More than half of the people stood up. One by one, they threw their chopsticks on the table, stopped eating, and followed Qingmei out.

Some of them were helping out at Qingmei's home, had come into contact with Qingmei, and knew that she was a thoughtful, generous and kind lesbian.

Others knew that Qingmei was an advanced member of the March 8th Movement. Even Captain Jin had never received such an honor. Where did Chen Qiaoxiang get the courage to slander her?

Chen Qiaoxiang's mother-in-law kept trying to persuade everyone: "My daughter-in-law is drunk and acting crazy. Please don't be offended. Please sit down and have something to eat and drink. On this happy day, please give me some face and sit down so we can talk properly."

Brother Wang Yang sneered, pointing at the table full of vegetarian dishes. He wasn't even willing to offer a plate of mushrooms, stingy to a certain degree. "Didn't your family hold this banquet just to receive gifts? We gave them gifts, and yet we can't leave? Are we being slandered by your family for nothing?"

"That's right. What kind of person is her childhood sweetheart? What kind of person is your daughter-in-law?"

"If it weren't for the friendship of several lifetimes, who would be willing to come to your house to watch you marry a girl who was shot? It's not good if her face is too big, otherwise don't marry her."

......

Qingmei walked proudly in front, followed by a large group of people.

The children who loved to be in the crowd did not join in the fun, but ran and jumped along with the adults as they went back.

Huang Wenbi propped himself up on his knees, gave a few wry smiles, and said to Chen Qiaoxiang, who was standing there in a daze, "Alright, are you satisfied? This time you've really saved your mother-in-law money. There's no one left to eat at the banquet. If you really feel that marrying me has wronged you, let's go get a divorce certificate now."

Chen Qiaoxiang covered her face and sobbed, sitting on a chair and saying, "I won't get the divorce certificate, I won't leave. Why did her childhood sweetheart end up like this, and why did I end up like this? My parents weren't human, so why can't I be human too!"

Huang Wenbi said, "She's a good childhood sweetheart. Do you think you can easily embarrass her today? Is she still the same person she used to be? How foolish."

Huang Wenbi sneered a few times, then stood up and went to take care of his mother.

This time, his mother has lost all her dignity and face. Life at home will probably be difficult.

Except for those who went back to their own homes, the rest were people helping in the new house.

Qingmei went directly to the canteen of the brigade to borrow the stove and made fried shallots with dried tofu, stewed mixed fish, and sauerkraut soup for everyone.

Three large pots were delivered to the front yard of the new house. Everyone, who originally didn't feel hungry, gathered around and rushed to line up to eat.

Qingmei and her sisters helped to prepare food for everyone. During the meal, her thoughtful sister-in-law advised her: "Don't be angry with Chen Qiaoxiang. She grabbed a life-saving straw and she thinks it's too thin. Everyone knows that she dreams of catching a big fish. Seeing that you are doing well, she felt jealous and couldn't help drinking."

Qingmei would never be angry with Chen Qiaoxiang. Wouldn't being angry with her be punishing herself?

Moreover, Chen Qiaoxiang's wedding was a mess. No one was there, and facing the empty wedding banquet, Chen Qiaoxiang must have felt upset.

Originally, Qingmei had planned to sit in a corner and kill time before slipping away. But she had to make such a big noise that everyone was taken away. Chen Qiaoxiang deserved it.

"I know, I'm not angry at all." Qingmei said simply, "I'm waiting to give you the meal quickly. I'm going to go to the pond to see if there are any big fish."

"Then I'll help you get some food. Go quickly. It's getting dark soon, and the fish will probably be all gone. The ones left are all scrambling for the snails."

Zhao Xiaoxing also shouted, "Who will help me get some food? I want to grab some snails too."

Qingmei, who prided herself on being an expert at snail grabbing, looked down on the inexperienced Zhao Xiaoxing and Xiaoyan, and said proudly, "Just watch me grab them."

"I want to go too..." Xiaoyan was timid and pursed her lips as she looked at the team in front of her.

Soon a familiar sister-in-law came to help them. Qingmei took her bowl of rice and found a corner to eat her meal, while teaching Xiaoyan the experience of grabbing snails.

After dinner, they each carried a small backpack and went to the pond.

The three sisters rushed to the scene and found that the fish pond was only filled with silt. At the bottom of the pond, several men in waterproof pants were throwing the last few remaining fish into net bags.

Qingmei saw quite a few people eager to make a move near the pond, so she said to Xiaoyan, "We've arrived at the perfect time. When we hear someone whistling, we'll rush in. We shouldn't go too deep, but rather the shallows. The three of us will circle around one spot and stomp on it. Once we've secured our spot, everything we dig up will be ours."

Xiaoyan nervously looked at the men rubbing their hands together on the shore. She said cautiously, "But they are all men. There are very few women."

Qingmei asked, "Do you distinguish between male and female snails when you pick them?"

Xiaoyan shook her head: "No difference."

Qingmei said, "It doesn't matter whether he's a man or a woman, as long as he can grab the snails, it's good! Forget it, I can't count on you, so just leave it to me!"

Xiaoyan and Zhao Xiaoxing both felt that this sentence sounded familiar, but they couldn't remember where they had heard it before.

Qingmei's ambition made them both have high hopes for her.

Soon, the collective fish pond was finished, and an officer on duty blew a whistle and shouted, "Down!!"

Dozens of people on the shore immediately rushed into the pond.

Qingmei was petite and ran fast, and because of her light weight, she was not as trapped as the men, and she ran to the front of the crowd in a flash.

The teams ahead were competing fiercely, all eyeing the shallows on the north side of the pond. Last year, several giant eels weighing over a pound were caught there, along with several baskets of snails.

Qingmei just rushed over when she heard a weak "ouch" behind her. She held on and didn't look back.

Zhao Xiaoxing is just unreliable.

She even had the nerve to call Qingmei to save her from behind, but Qingmei heartlessly pretended not to hear and continued to rush forward.

Then there was another weak "ah".

Well, the calf and horse are gone too.

This person didn't ask for help, maybe because he fell headfirst.

There were several "ouch" sounds coming from behind, all of them were people who were stuck in the mud and couldn't get their legs out. Qingmei was secretly happy, thinking that there were fewer competitors.

She ran very fast, not caring about the mud splashing on her face, and the shallows were right in front of her!

Victory is in sight!

Qingmei overtook another older brother, but she didn't look carefully at her feet and stepped on a stone, causing her body to fall forward suddenly. If it weren't for the strength in her little arms, she would have definitely fallen to the ground.

She supported herself with her arms, her knees sunk in the mud, and several people around her tried to overtake her.

Qingmei tried to pull her legs out but couldn't.

When she looked up again, she saw that the target she had favored had been occupied by someone, not just one person, but five people!

The big basket of snails and fat eels were all gone. She had been thinking about them for the whole afternoon!

I turned around and saw angrily that the stone under my feet was moving!

Qingmei had been bullying Chen Qiaoxiang and had managed not to yell at her, but now she was furious: "You son of a bitch! If you dare, trip me up! Don't let me catch you!"

That’s right, in her heart, Chen Qiaoxiang was not as irritating as her son.

Qingmei was furious and turned around to catch the turtle.

The turtle, a full-grown old turtle, was as big as a small steel basin. It ran very fast across the muddy pond. Qingmei struggled to get up, chasing it while cursing.

Mrs. Fang and others who were originally planning to come up and try their luck, also wanted to grab a turtle and sell it for a good price, but when they heard Qingmei cursing, they all stepped aside.

I can’t afford to offend you.

Zhao Xiaoxing and Xiaoyan finally pulled their legs out of the mud, but Qingmei slipped between them to grab the old turtle and then pressed their shoulders back in. They were stuck in the mud, unable to get out, wanting to laugh but not daring to.

Are you still bragging to them? You are not much different from them.

Qingmei tried to catch the old turtle in the mud pond twice, but it seemed to be escaping her, just two or three steps away, and she just couldn't catch it.

Qingmei walked slower and slower...

Finally, he fell into the mud and couldn't get out.

She turned around to call for help, but found no one around to help her. She looked closely and saw that everyone was at the edge of the pond, and she was the only one who had been tricked into the middle of the pond by the turtle's son.

Qingmei waved at Zhao Xiaoxing and Xiaoyan: "Help me, I can't get out."

The mud sank to her waist and stopped drowning her, but she was completely unable to move and could only wave her arms around.

Zhao Xiaoxing and Xiaoyan finally dared to laugh when they saw the clay figure in the middle of the pond, which looked just like the statue in the square.

Zhao Xiaoxing retaliated, "Aren't you awesome? Why don't you just come out on your own?"

Xiaoyan also learned to whisper, "Come out by yourself."

Qingmei waved her hands for a long time, but finally realized that they were unreliable. Then she looked over and found Mrs. Fang next to them.

She waved her hands fiercely: "Sister-in-law, save me!"

Mrs. Fang stepped on a snail and slowly picked it up, then shouted to Qingmei, "I can't save you. Let Captain Gu save you."

Zhao Wuhe was watching the fun on the shore when she came over and saw Qingmei stuck in the mud. After hearing what Fang Dasao said, she praised him and said, "Well said, this is the right time to find my son."

Mrs. Fang laughed out loud. As a married woman, she was used to speaking casually.

It was a rare sight for Qingmei to be embarrassed, so she shouted to her, "Hurry up and shout, 'Captain Gu, save me!' If you shout, we will come to save you!"

Zhao Xiaoxing was so excited that she almost went crazy. She also imitated him and said, "Shout, 'Captain Gu, save me!'"

Xiaoyan's mosquito-like voice: "Shout, 'Captain Gu, save me...'"

Qingmei fluttered in the mud like a mud monkey. She didn't want to beat the old turtle, she wanted to kill them.

Someone kept shouting in my ears: Captain Gu, save me!

Qingmei turned around and saw Brother Wang Yang and Brother Fang facing each other, shouting at each other: "Captain Gu, save me~"

"I won't shout!" A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated. Qingmei was extremely sad and grabbed the mud and threw it at them everywhere!

Everyone inside and outside the pond was laughing, and it was inevitable that they would be hit by Qingmei's mud while laughing happily.

Zhao Xiaoxing dodged a pile of mud and shouted, "Captain Gu, please save our little Qingmei! She's crazy!"

Qingmei struggled in the pond, panting, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get up. The old turtle, the fuse, was still two steps away, craning its head to watch her.

At this time, someone discovered it, and everyone surrounded and chased it, and no one paid any attention to Qingmei anymore.

Qingmei watched everyone come and go: "....."

Forget it, he who knows the times is a hero.

It’s important to come out.

Qingmei coughed and said softly, "Captain Gu... please save me."

But no one heard her.

Qingmei's face flushed with embarrassment, and her heart began to beat wildly for no apparent reason. Everyone else was joking, but she was the only one whose heart skipped a beat.

Hope no one heard.

It's so embarrassing.

She collapsed powerlessly on the mud and looked up at the sky. She felt that she had to change her ways and never believe again the lies that they would come to save her if she called them.

And Zhao Xiaoxing and Xiaoyan are not good people either.

"Hello."

A small bamboo pole reached out from a distance and poked her waist.

Qingmei pulled it apart without even looking.

The little bamboo stick poked her waist again, and Qingmei shivered from the itchiness. She jumped up from the mud and cursed: "You're not done making fun of me... are you...?"

A familiar, gentle voice came from above, "'Captain Gu, save me,' wasn't that what you said?"

Qingmei was dumbfounded when she saw Gu Qingzhou falling from the sky.

She opened her mouth in the middle of the pond and froze in place: "Why are you here?... I, I didn't say anything."

"You said it."

Gu Qingzhou was wearing clean casual clothes, squatting on the shore, holding a small bamboo pole with a smile in his eyes.

He wanted to poke Qingmei again, but Qingmei grabbed the small bamboo pole and stood in the pond like she had just jumped out from between the rocks.

"I just heard it."

No one else heard it, but he did.

It sounded like a kitten's meow, soft and light.

Thinking that no one could hear, I boldly spoke out my true feelings through a joke.

There is a little mud monkey that needs to be rescued by Captain Gu.

Look, Captain Gu is here.

Gu Qingzhou squatted by the pond and smiled at Qingmei Le.

Qingmei was stuck in the pond, her dark little face showing white teeth, and her eyes were crescent-shaped with a smile unconsciously: "Then Captain Gu, will you save me?"

Gu Qingzhou rolled up his trouser legs slowly and said casually, "After you save me, will you go on a blind date with me?"

Qingmei laughed angrily: "Why don't you just do it like this? It would save you a lot of trouble."

Gu Qingzhou was also amused. He stopped what he was doing and said, "Then would you like to introduce yourself first, or should I introduce myself first?"

Qingmei was about to speak when she saw Zhao Wuhe coming over. She got a fishing net from somewhere and planned to come and rescue Qingmei herself.

Qingmei was deeply moved. Gu Qingzhou was just joking. How could a blind date be like this?

"Son, let her hold on."

He stood up and took the fishing net in his hand. Qingmei stretched out her dirty little hand, thinking that he would throw it to her to use as a rope.

As a result, Gu Qingzhou actually came over!

Zhao Wuhe was speechless. He let Qingmei hold him, but he was not holding Qingmei.

Qingmei, who was caught in the fishing net, had a drooping face and stood in the middle of the net like a small torpedo that had just been caught and could explode at any time.

Gu Qingzhou was almost overjoyed and was about to close the net when he was hit on the butt and kicked into the pond by Ms. Zhao Wuhe out of righteousness.

Now Qingmei started laughing again, and the more she laughed, the crazier she became.

Zhao Wuhe nodded, keeping his achievements and fame to himself.

Gu Qingzhou struggled to get to Qingmei. She felt her center of gravity shift. Captain Gu was so strong that he pulled her out of the pond and carried her upside down on his shoulders along with the fishing net.

Qingmei: "..."

Zhao Wuhe: “…”

Gu Qingzhou's appearance did not attract much attention, as everyone was busy catching the old turtle.

Zhao Wuhe stood on their side and was called away by Mrs. Fang after walking a short distance.

Captain Gu was almost at the top of the slope when Zhao Xiaoxing saw him and shouted, "Captain Gu, why are you carrying sandbags? Go save people."

Qingmei, who was carried upside down on his shoulders, was filled with shame and indignation. She pressed her little face against his hard back and kept saying, "Get out, get out, get out, get out, get out! Don't let them see me!"

If these women saw this scene, they wouldn't know how to make fun of her.

"We'll go later." Gu Qingzhou responded, then he went up and walked a few steps around the crowded area. Suddenly he stopped and said, "Go back and take a shower, then we can go on a blind date, right?"

Why is this person so anxious? It wasn't like this last time.

Qingmei muttered, "What if I don't go on a blind date?"

Gu Qingzhou smiled faintly: "My record for throwing sandbags is 43 meters, the highest in the entire army, and no one has broken it so far."

After Gu Qingzhou finished speaking, he felt two small hands suddenly tugging at his clothes on the back, and then a soft voice came from his ear: "Captain Gu, don't worry, I'll go on a blind date with you after I go back and blanch myself."