The next day, the four Chen sisters, who were in elementary school, went to the Second Elementary School to pay their fees and register, led by Chen Lao Er.
Chen Chunhua went to the No. 1 Middle School to register by herself; she's going back to junior high school today!
She didn't live on campus. The county's No. 1 Middle School was in the eastern part of the county, and it only took twenty minutes to get there by bicycle. When Li Yumei got married, her dowry included a women's bicycle, which came in handy!
Junior high school classes are from 7:00 AM to 11:30 AM, 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM, and evening self-study is from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM! Being a day student is fine!
Li Yumei could choose to stay at the school, but it would cost 30 yuan, and she refused to pay any more!
Even though she was a day student, Chen Chunhua was very happy. She was already very content to be able to continue her studies!
The tuition for junior high school is over 180 yuan per semester, which is almost half the price of primary school, which is just over 100 yuan. She is really worried that her mother will not give her the money to go to school!
Chen Chunhua was very grateful to her fifth sister. Although at first, when they learned that her fifth sister was coming back, her second and third sisters complained that it would cost money to have another person come back to eat, stay, and pay for her, and asked why they didn't just stay in the countryside. They were all unhappy.
She herself was a little worried, because her mother had never liked her and her sisters!
After her fifth sister returned home, Chen Chunhua spent more than a month getting to know her. She realized that as long as she passed the exam, her family would support her studies. Therefore, she had to study even harder and cherished the opportunity to study!
Meanwhile, at the Second Elementary School, after Chen Lao Er paid the registration fees for his four daughters, Chen Xihua was walking towards the door of the third-grade classroom when she suddenly heard a little girl's happy voice from not far away, "Zhou Qingqing, you're here too! Can we still be deskmates?"
Chen Xihua stopped and turned around. Two little girls, around eight years old, walked into the second-grade classroom. The one who was talking was wearing a pink dress, had a round face, short hair, and smiling, crescent-shaped eyes. She was very cute.
The other one next to her was wearing a light green skirt suit, with two braids. She had a slightly chubby face, but her expression was indifferent. She didn't speak, but her overall demeanor was refined. This must be the female lead, Zhou Qingqing.
Chen Xihua glanced at it and walked into the third-grade classroom, not paying much attention. They probably wouldn't have any more opportunities to interact or communicate; they would just live their own lives.
Moreover, the Zhou family had never done anything bad to the Chen family; it was Li Yumei who wanted to compete with them!
In the original book, Zhou's eldest brother also saved Chen Chunhua, the eldest daughter of the Chen family, about four years later, when Chen Chunhua was seventeen years old.
Zhou's eldest brother had just returned from leave from the army. It was around 8 or 9 p.m. that day. He had just returned to the county and was walking on the road when he rescued Chen Chunhua, who was surrounded by thugs.
Then, Chen Chunhua developed feelings for Brother Zhou, who was a year older than her, but Brother Zhou was completely unaware of it.
And so, Chen Chunhua, having developed feelings for soldiers, married a retired soldier soon after through an introduction. However, she was unaware that her new husband had been discharged from the army after only a little over a year due to his volatile temper and insubordination. After that, she was subjected to domestic violence!
Chen Xihua realized that her thoughts had wandered again. After entering the classroom, she found a seat at the back and waited for a long time. Then, the third-grade homeroom teacher, a male teacher, came in and instructed the male students in the class to move the books.
After receiving her textbooks after her name was read, Chen Xihua went home. Classes officially started the next day, September 1st!
After the Chen sisters officially started school, Chen Lao Er also began to busy himself with the pastry shop. He rented a shop of about 30 square meters on South Street, signed a six-month lease, and paid 600 yuan in rent.
After waiting for two days, I obtained the business license for my individual business and purchased various kitchen utensils, especially a boiler, two large steamers, and ingredients for making osmanthus cake and water chestnut cake!
On September 5th, Chen's Pastry Shop officially opened! At first, they didn't make many: one pot of osmanthus cake and one pot of water chestnut cake. The steamer was quite large, square, and each pot of osmanthus cake could be cut into sixty-four pieces.
The osmanthus honey used in osmanthus cake and the water chestnut flour used in water chestnut cake are both relatively expensive, so both osmanthus cake and water chestnut cake sell for 50 cents each, which is more expensive than a 30-cent vegetarian bun and the same price as a large meat bun.
Unlike breakfast buns, the Chen family's pastry shop doesn't close down after the morning market. Someone has to be there all the time until all the pastries are sold out!
So, in the morning, Li Yumei makes pastries, then goes home to take care of the kids and cook, while Chen Lao Er watches the shop, sells pastries, and makes purchases!
On the first day, we sold over a hundred pastries, with a turnover of fifty or sixty yuan.
By the end of the month, Li Yumei calculated that she had over 1,700 yuan. After deducting rent, material costs, and other expenses, she had earned 800 or 900 yuan. A smile finally appeared on her face, and she no longer looked so miserable, as if someone owed her money.
This is much higher than the salary in a factory. The salary of an ordinary textile factory worker is a little over three hundred, and even a married couple only earns six or seven hundred. If the pastry shop makes another batch of pastries to sell, the money will be even more!
After a few days of operation, Chen Family Pastry Shop gradually stabilized. Chen Xihua mentioned to Chen Lao Er that Chen Family Pastry Shop should only sell osmanthus cake and water chestnut cake. They should build up their reputation and only make high-quality products. They wouldn't have to worry about sales later.
The pastry recipes my grandmother taught me are still very authentic. She also knows that in the past, many landlords would search everywhere for all kinds of recipes, and these recipes were quite valuable!
Moreover, although their place is a small county town, Jiang City, which it belongs to, is located in the center of the north and south of the country and is a major transportation hub for water and land. The entire Jiang City and the southern province will develop rapidly in the near future. Jiang City is also not far from Hai City, the future financial center!
If the pastry shop can improve the quality and taste, it will become a cultural snack. Right now, the main thing is to save up some money and buy the shop. Chen Lao Er has a good business sense; he quickly understood what his fifth son was saying!
The Chen family no longer had to worry about making money, but Chen Xihua's studies at school were not so smooth.
She started learning English in the third grade. Listening to the English teacher's heavily accented Mandarin and non-standard English accent, she felt like she was going to burst. She really wanted to correct the teacher's pronunciation, but as a student who had just transferred from a rural area, she decided to give up!
The students also noted down various Chinese homophones, and during breaks they would read them aloud, creating a cacophony of sounds!
It was so agonizing! The English teacher especially liked to call on students. If anyone wasn't paying attention, she would call on them. Chen Xihua couldn't even slack off. It was too hard for her. Could she just stop studying?
However, although she herself knows English, if she lets it continue like this, it will be difficult for her classmates to learn English well, especially in terms of accent. She still needs to think of a solution!
Oh, right, the tape recorder, the tape recorder at home, left by my grandma. She can bring it over sometime and play the English tapes a few times during breaks.
After hearing the difference in standard pronunciation, the students will gradually correct themselves, and those whose families can afford it will buy tapes to listen to!
During the summer vacation at home, Chen Xihua often played it for her four older sisters, and their English improved significantly. In particular, her second sister, Chen Jinhua, was no longer so resistant to learning English. Even Chen Xiaoliu could pick up a sentence or two after listening to it so much!
It's settled then. I'll pick it up on Friday afternoon!
On Thursday afternoon, during the third period, third graders were having a PE class. Chen Xihua was jogging on the playground when she suddenly saw her second sister, Chen Jinhua, sneaking out of the school gate with three male classmates. Her second sister was dressed similarly to the boys. At eleven years old, she was already 1.53 meters tall, about the same height as her male classmates. Chen Xihua almost didn't recognize her!
Seeing that her second sister and her three friends looked like they were going to fight, Chen Xihua immediately told the PE teacher that she had a stomachache and wanted to ask for leave. The PE teacher didn't say anything and let her go home early.
Chen Xihua followed her second sister and the other three to a small path behind the school. There were five or six older boys, around twelve or thirteen years old, waiting on the other side, looking menacing. It seemed they had indeed arranged a fight!
As soon as the two groups met, they rushed up and started fighting. Although Chen Jinhua didn't know any moves, she was strong and tripped up the two boys on the other side. When the boy who was leading the group saw this, he suddenly picked up a wooden stick and was about to hit her on the back of the head.
Chen Xihua noticed something was wrong and immediately rushed over, shouting, "Second Sister, be careful!" She grabbed the boy and kicked him far away. With a few more moves, she indiscriminately took down the remaining boys. They were all fighting, and there was no right or wrong.
In her previous life, as the heir to a large company, her father still had her learn some basic self-defense and fighting techniques. Back in the countryside, she often did farm work, so she was quite strong!
The scene suddenly froze, like a movie being played out in a freeze-up. Everyone was completely still, especially Chen Jinhua, whose mouth was wide open in disbelief. She never expected her fifth sister to be so powerful and to know martial arts!
"Fifth, Fifth Sister, what are you doing here? Ahhh, you know martial arts!"
"It's not martial arts. I learned it from a retired uncle in the village. It's a move from the army!" Chen Xihua saw her second sister's initial confusion followed by an excited and admiring look as she jumped up. She wanted to cover her face, so she gave a fawning explanation and then changed the subject!
"By the way, second sister, did the teacher know you skipped class and got into a fight?"
"No, Fifth Sister, I, Zhang Weibing, Wang Xiaoqiang and I came out secretly. Our teacher had something to do at home and left early."
"But Fifth Sister, don't tell Father and Mother. Besides, it's not my fault. It's all Zhao Zhiyong and his gang's fault. They don't believe I'm stronger and come to me every day to provoke me, saying they want to fight!" Chen Jinhua was a little guilty at first, but then she complained confidently, "Fifth Sister is so amazing!"
I used to approve of my fifth sister because I enjoyed seeing her argue with our parents, but now that I see how decisively she hits people, I've come to admire her.
At home, I've overheard Xiao Si whispering a few times that Fifth Sister is so amazing, and she looks at Fifth Sister with such admiration. I didn't think much of it then, but now I'm starting to admire Fifth Sister a little!
Chen Jinhua glanced at the six people lying on the ground and said smugly,
"Hmph, Zhao Zhiyong, why aren't you leaving? Are you waiting to get beaten up by my sister?!"
"Chen Jinhua, you just wait and see!" The boy who was leading the group, named Zhao Zhiyong, stood up, said this somewhat bluffingly, and then led his men away!
When Chen Xihua hit them, he only targeted their weak points and didn't hurt their internal organs!
After everyone had left, the two sisters slowly walked home. "Fifth sister, can you teach me that martial arts...?" Chen Jinhua asked expectantly.
Chen Xihua: "No!"
"Why?"
"Second sister, what do you like? What do you want to do in the future?" Chen Xihua asked instead of answering!
"Can I not study? I don't have any hobbies!" Chen Jinhua was momentarily speechless at the question, unsure of what he wanted to do!
Chen Xihua broke out in a cold sweat: Wasn't this exactly what she was thinking?!
"Second sister, if you get into the county's top high school after elementary school, I'll teach you self-defense. If you get into any high school in Jiang City three years later—not necessarily Jiang City High School—I'll teach you martial arts. If you get into university, then..."
"Stop, Fifth Sister, let's learn self-defense first. It's a deal. If I get into the county's top high school, you'll teach me self-defense!" Chen Jinhua interrupted his sister excitedly. As for going to university, that was a long way off!
Chen Xihua: "It's a deal. There's less than a year left. Second sister, you have to keep going!"
"Aren't the other No. 2 and No. 3 middle schools in the county good enough?" After thinking for a moment, Chen Jinhua asked with a hint of uncertainty.
Chen Xihua said gently, "What do you think, Second Sister?"
"Okay, okay, the county's No. 1 High School it is!" Chen Jinhua exclaimed in surprise.
After dinner at the Chen family home, Chen Chunhua was preparing to clear the dishes and wash them!
"Big sister, wait a minute, I'll wash these dishes!" Chen Xihua interrupted Chen Chunhua. The whole family looked at her, but Chen Chunhua continued tidying the table, saying, "No need, I..."
"Big sister, you're in junior high now, and you're quite busy with your studies every day. You also have to ride your bicycle back and forth. From now on, you won't have to wash the dishes every day. My sisters and I will take turns: from Monday to Friday, second sister, third sister, fourth sister, and me and Xiao Liu will wash them. On the weekend, it will be hard for you to wash them, since you're on holiday at home!"
As for clothes, my siblings and I will each wash our own clothes from now on. Before, you washed all of our parents' clothes except for ours. From now on, we will each wash our own!
Today is Thursday, so I'm doing the dishes. Tomorrow is Friday, which is usually Xiao Liu's turn, but I'll temporarily cover for him. Once he starts first grade, he can do the dishes too. I'll also wash his clothes for him. Big sister, you can wash your own clothes from now on!
Li Yumei wanted to say something, but she felt a little uneasy because she had never won against Wu Yatou. Xiao Bao was supposed to do the laundry and dishes? Never mind, Xiao Bao was still young and it wasn't his turn yet. She would think of something later!
"No, I won't wash them, mind your own business!" Chen Meihua glared at Chen Xihua and shouted, then looked at Chen Lao Er, "Dad, I don't want to wash clothes or dishes, my eldest sister used to do it!"
"Um..." Chen Lao Er was about to smooth things over again!
"If you don't want to wash your own clothes, you'll wear the same dirty clothes every day. If you don't want to wash the dishes, we'll give you a fixed bowl and you'll eat from that every day, like the dogs kept in the village. It's just left there, and they lick it clean every day, so it's not dirty!"
Chen Xihua was just thinking about how to reform her vain and pretentious third sister when she bumped into this!
When Chen Xihua mentioned the dog bowl, the Chen family members felt a bit disgusted, especially Chen Meihua, who looked aggrieved. However, seeing that her father was not prepared to help her and looked helpless, she looked at Chen Jinhua and Chen Xiuhua with displeasure, hoping that they would object!
Chen Jinhua was the first to speak up: "Fifth Sister, we can take turns washing, I'm fine with it!"
Chen Xiuhua whispered, "I can too!"
"Xiao Liu, you heard that too. From now on, you'll have to do housework too, like washing clothes and dishes!" Chen Xihua pulled him over.
"But, Fifth Sister, Mother said that boys don't have to do these things; housework is all done by girls!" Chen Baohua didn't quite understand!
"Good boy, a real man should know how to do laundry and cook, help with housework, and do things for himself. He will do better in his studies in the future."
Boys who don't do housework are stupid, lazy, and can't learn or don't want to do it!
Sixth Brother, you're a smart and well-behaved boy, you can learn it, right?
“Yes, sixth graders will learn!” Chen Baohua readily agreed, knowing that housework was something good children did!
Chen Xihua was very satisfied: "Good boy, when Xiao Bao is older, Fifth Sister will teach you!"
Li Yumei: I hope her little treasure won't become an idiot like Wu Yatou!
Chen, the Stupid Lazy Second Brother: "..."
Seeing Chen Lao Er's somewhat guilty expression, Chen Xihua realized that he really hadn't helped with the laundry or cooking at home. Men in this county don't do much housework, let alone help with cooking; they even have to be invited to eat. They tend to be very chauvinistic. However, when it comes to outside matters, men will take the initiative to do everything!
Chen Xihua thought to herself, "That's why I have to raise Chen Xiaoliu from a young age so that he can be both elegant in public and capable in the kitchen!"
Once everyone had stopped objecting, Chen Xihua took the bowl from Chen Chunhua's hand.
Still a bit dazed, Chen Chunhua didn't realize that she wouldn't have to wash dishes and clothes every day anymore. But as the eldest sister, it was only right that she do more housework!
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