The late summer sun is still very strong and can burn people to the point of peeling off a layer of skin.
As it was past noon, the sun became even more powerful.
Several middle-aged women who had gathered together to sew shoe soles hid in the shadow under the eaves.
Taking advantage of this free time, they chatted while working.
The things we talk about are both big and small.
Big things include the burning of a garment factory warehouse, while small things include what happened recently in this alley.
For example, the child of the Zhang family failed the exam and was beaten, then ran away from home. The whole family looked for him everywhere but couldn’t find him, and they were very worried.
For example, the young daughter-in-law of the Liu family didn't give birth to a baby for three years. After divorcing her, she found another man and gave birth to twins the next year. Now, people in the Liu family can't even hold their heads up when they go out.
There is something even more shocking. The father-in-law and daughter-in-law of the Wang family got together. In order to save face, the Wang family had to suppress the matter. Now the family is living in such an awkward situation...
In short, they knew everything that happened in this alley.
These aunts have their own intelligence network.
Any disturbance in any household will not escape their sharp eyes.
And if anyone doesn't have first-hand information, that person will be disliked at the "intelligence exchange meeting" of the aunts the next day.
Just as a few middle-aged women were sitting together, exchanging information with each other as usual, a woman holding an umbrella walked in from the entrance of the alley.
These aunties deliberately sit at the entrance of the alley, and anyone who passes by here will inevitably have to greet them.
The woman who walked in from the alley was dressed simply, wearing an apricot cotton and linen top and pants, and a pair of cloth shoes.
Perhaps because she was thin, her clothes and trouser legs swayed as if blown by the wind when she walked, making her look fragile and delicate.
She is a woman who makes people feel pity for her even without seeing her face.
The aunties who were chatting animatedly just now fell silent.
As soon as this walking posture came out, the woman's identity became obvious.
Zhao Chunying, the famous widow in their alley.
Zhao Chunying was also a poor person. She became a widow at the young age of 25. Her husband had squandered all the family fortune by taking medicine for several years, and he also had to go into debt.
She was left with only a three-year-old daughter to depend on.
Fortunately, Zhao Chunying took over her husband's job and slowly paid off her debts over the past few years. She now lives a decent life with her little daughter.
The men in the alley saw that it was not easy for her to live alone, so they would always help her with things like fetching water and hauling coal. As time went by, a lot of rumors began to spread.
Because of this, the women in the alley didn't like her very much.
The aunties formed a united front, lowered their heads, and ignored Zhao Chunying.
"Auntie Li, Auntie Wu, you are sewing shoe soles."
Zhao Chunying's soft and gentle voice sounded.
The two ladies whose names were called had to look up and replied with a fake smile, "Yes, Chunying, you got off work so early today?"
"Lingling has a cold, so I took a day off today so that I can take care of her at home." Zhao Chunying said with a worried look on her face, as if she didn't realize that these people disliked her at all.
"Then you guys get busy. I'm going home first. Lingling is waiting for me at home."
Zhao Chunying politely said goodbye with a worried smile on her lips.
Her house is not far from the entrance of the alley, and she can get home in a few steps.
When they saw Zhao Chunying walk into the house and could no longer see her, the expressions of several aunties changed.
"Bah! So fake!"
"Old Li, Old Wu, why are you bothering with her? Aren't you afraid of getting tainted by her?"
Aunt Li rolled her eyes and said, "We didn't quarrel. She already said hello. If I ignore her, it will seem like I'm bullying her if it gets out!"
Aunt Wu's face was not looking good either. She said sarcastically, "If I ignore her now, believe it or not, the whole alley will know that we bullied her in a short while. When the head of the alley comes back in the evening, he will accuse me of being disunited and unfriendly!"
Everyone's face turned grim when they heard what Aunt Wu said.
The men in this alley had no idea what kind of drug Zhao Chunying had drugged them with.
In their eyes, Zhao Chunying is a pure and innocent white lotus, and they are unreasonable shrews!
Because of this, every family in the alley had many quarrels.
Zhao Chunying also became the public enemy of women.
"Look at how delicate she is every day, how she walks in small steps, she thinks she is some kind of lady from a noble family!"
"It means that these men are so bewitched by her that they can't see that she is just pretending every day."
"Did you see it just now? The clothes she was wearing were new. So what if she was wearing plain clothes? There wasn't even a patch on it! I don't know if these men are blind. They are living such a good life!"
Men are not as meticulous as women. Besides, Zhao Chunying is a widow. If they stare at her, they are just looking for trouble!
But how sharp are women’s eyes?
Zhao Chunying pretends to be low-key and talks about difficulties, but what is the reality?
Not only did he have meat to eat every now and then, but he also often had new clothes.
Most of the people in the alley still have patches on their clothes!
You said that it would be fine if Zhao Chunying was really in trouble, they are not unreasonable.
Living in the same alley, and seeing the difficulties the orphan and the widow are going through, can you still bear not to let the man go over and lend a hand?
But she, Zhao Chunying, is not like that!
After living together for a long time, they can always see some clues.
Her family is still struggling to make ends meet, but the man in the family has to help Zhao Chunying who is living a good life. Who can stand this?
"You said that she has to take out half of her salary every month to pay off debts. Where does she get the money to buy clothes regularly?" Aunt Wu has been puzzled by this question for a long time.
The workers had a fixed monthly salary, and cloth coupons were a hot commodity. The cloth coupons in their hands were very valuable.
"Maybe she found someone else to replace it?"
"How is that possible? What can she exchange with others? The salary is so little, she doesn't even have food or drink?"
"If you ask me, maybe some wild man gave it to her!" A pretty young daughter-in-law sitting opposite Aunt Wu suddenly spoke up.
"Xiaofeng, do you mean you know something?" Aunt Wu rolled her eyes, knowing that there must be something going on, so she asked immediately.
Xiaofeng is the newly married daughter-in-law of the Zhang family in the alley. She is usually taciturn. Seeing that she is quiet and easy to get along with, they take her with them to do work and chat these days.
If a person who doesn't talk much suddenly becomes mean, it would be strange if there is no reason!
"I……"
"Xiao Feng, why do you want to ruin my reputation?"
Xiao Feng was about to speak when she was interrupted by a voice that sounded both resentful and incredulous.
If you listen carefully, you can hear a cry in it.
At some point, Zhao Chunying came out of her house.
But they were all chatting so enthusiastically that no one noticed her!
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