Chapter 10: Born to be incompatible
The next day, Meng Shulan woke up before dawn.
She didn't have a watch and didn't know the time, but she estimated it was around four or five o'clock.
Last night, she returned to her boudoir after more than ten years. She slept well and is now in good spirits. She quickly took out her math book, put it under the oil lamp and started reviewing.
She read for more than two hours. When she heard her mother getting up, she put down the book, went to the yard to release the chickens and ducks, and then helped to make breakfast.
When He Jinqiu saw this, he told her not to worry about these things, as her memory was better in the morning and she could go read a book.
Meng Shulan said: "Mom, I'm thinking about it in my head. It's okay, I can use my hands and my brain at the same time."
He Jinqiu was smiling so hard that she couldn't stop urging her.
The Meng family's breakfast was cornmeal porridge. Because Meng Shulan was there, He Jinqiu fried some vegetables with animal oil.
If only the old couple were eating, they would have porridge with pickles.
After dinner, Meng Fude carried his hoe and went to the fields, while He Jinqiu and Meng Shulan went to the town to attend the market.
Today is the big market which is held every three days, and He Jinqiu wants to buy some delicious food.
My eldest daughter and two granddaughters will come over at noon. We have already agreed to celebrate and celebrate my youngest daughter’s 18th birthday.
Coincidentally, Meng Shulan’s birthday this time happened to be on Sunday.
On market days, there would be mule carts, tractors and other vehicles on the road outside the village that would carry passengers, and the fare was five cents per person.
Usually He Jinqiu was reluctant to sit down. Why would she sit down when she thought that she could save the money for an egg for her daughter?
But today, she couldn't bear to let her daughter walk with her.
The mother and daughter stood on the roadside for a while, and several villagers who were going to the market came one after another.
Among them is Meng Shulan’s aunt Ding Guixiang.
When she saw Meng Shulan, Ding Guixiang asked her, "I heard that you fell yesterday afternoon and came back crying. How are you? Did you get hurt?"
Although she seemed to be concerned about others, Ding Guixiang's shrewd and smiling eyes clearly showed that she was gloating over someone else's misfortune.
Before Meng Shulan could even speak, He Jinqiu immediately squeezed over and separated the two people who were originally sitting next to each other.
"Ding Guixiang, you are still concerned about my Shulan? If a real aunt really cares about me, she can't just say it. She should bring two eggs and visit my house. That's how sincere she is. Otherwise, it's boring to just ask a few questions and pretend."
He Jinqiu and Ding Guixiang are sisters-in-law and they are born to incompatible with each other.
Back then, the old man and the old lady of the Meng family looked down on their eldest son Meng Fude and disliked him because he had a problem with his feet. The two brothers were not treated equally, which made He Jinqiu full of resentment and naturally had a bad relationship with the second branch.
Ding Guixiang is also a strong-willed and greedy person.
In the past, she always thought that the two old people were partial to their family, and she would quarrel with He Jinqiu over a dish or a bowl. Their relationship was very tense.
In recent years, as Meng Chenggong's financial situation has gradually improved, He Jinqiu has become too lazy to argue with her.
However, she could not tolerate the fact that Ding Guixiang dared to make fun of her daughter.
He Jinqiu looks so fierce when protecting his cub.
Ding Guixiang frowned, "Sister-in-law, you are too realistic. Not to mention that eggs are expensive, our family is also tight. If I really have some, I will definitely save them for my Danhong. She only comes back once a month now, and it's hard to go to school. Last time, my Danhong came back and said that she did well in the monthly exam and made a lot of progress.
This child is sensible and knows how to study hard. He also cares about his family. He said that this year is the only time left, and he will do his best to take the exam. If he really fails, forget it, and don't add burden to the family. Unlike some people, if they fail once, they will try again, eat and use the family's money, and still need parents to support them at the age of 18. If they really pass the exam in the future, they will say that there is hope. If they fail..."
Ding Guixiang looked at Meng Shulan and laughed, then said to the villagers around her: "It's not that easy to get into college. How good can the teaching quality be in the countryside? Even if you repeat the same grade over and over again, you probably won't be able to do it."
The Danhong that Ding Guixiang was talking about is Meng Shulan’s younger cousin.
The two are only a month apart in age. They slept in the same bed when they were young, and later studied in the same class and school, so they are often compared to each other.
During the junior high school entrance examination, Meng Danhong failed to get into high school. She then repeated a year and finally reached the passing line, reaching an average level.
Ding Guixiang was overjoyed to see her daughter passed the exam. She spent some money and used her connections to get her daughter admitted to high school in a county town more than two hours' drive away from them, hoping that her daughter would be able to get into college and make a name for herself.
Because the place is far away, Meng Danhong only comes back once a month to get money and food.
Ding Guixiang could hardly read and had no idea how her daughter was doing over there, but she thought that schools in the city must be better than those in the countryside. Plus, Meng Danhong always said that her grades were good, so Ding Guixiang thought her daughter was doing very well over there, and she was so happy all day long and showed off to everyone she met.
But how could she know that Meng Danhong had to repeat a grade to get into high school, and with the change in environment and the difference in teaching speed, she simply couldn't keep up. She didn't dare tell her family, so she could only lie.
Meng Shulan remembered that in her previous life, her cousin failed to pass the preliminary exam because her grades were so poor. She was too embarrassed to go home and ran away with a male classmate.
She didn't come back until she gave birth to a child and there was no one to take care of it.
Ding Guixiang likes to show off, but it’s actually nothing.
But she always had to put down Meng Shulan, implying that she was ignorant and that it was a waste of time to repeat the grade and she would definitely not pass the exam.
It’s so difficult to get into a university nowadays.
Everyone is worried about whether Meng Shulan will repeat her studies and take the entrance exam.
Although she has good grades and has won awards every year since she was a child, she is probably still a little short of the qualifications to get into university.
Otherwise, why didn’t I pass the exam in the first half of the year?
In the first half of the year, Meng Shulan went to the examination hall while ill. She knew it, her family knew it, and she also told people about it when they asked about it.
But if you didn't pass the exam, you didn't pass it. No matter how much you say, they will all sound like excuses to others.
At this time, hearing what Ding Guixiang said, the other two wives in the village also started laughing.
When He Jinqiu saw this, he couldn't stand it and opened his mouth to quarrel, but was stopped by Meng Shulan.
Meng Shulan said, "Mom, what aunt said is right. It's not easy to get into college. Sometimes you may not get what you want even if you work hard. But if you don't work hard, you won't even have the thought. Just like sister Danhong, didn't she even get into high school? If she hadn't repeated a year, she would have been married. How could aunt be here to brag and praise? I guess she's already thinking about how many eggs to save for sister Danhong so that she can have confinement after childbirth."
Meng Shulan smiled.
The eighteen-year-old girl was wearing a thin jacket with white flowers on a blue background, black bucket pants and big cotton shoes, with two braids draped over her shoulders, dressed like an ordinary village girl.
But her face was so extraordinary, it was fair, tender and pretty, with big, bright eyes, a straight nose, and a small mouth like peach blossoms in March, which curved slightly when she smiled, revealing neat teeth that were dazzling.
Oh, this is the most beautiful girl in their Yantang Village. Even if she can't go to college, she can marry someone well with this face.
Thinking of this, the two village wives nodded in agreement.
Yes, yes, it’s better to try than to give up.
What if you pass the exam? That’s a lifelong thing. There’s nothing wrong with working hard for two years.
Ding Guixiang originally wanted to satirize Meng Shulan, but she didn't expect to be blocked by her. She was naturally unhappy and her face was twisted with anger.
What’s wrong with this damn girl Meng Shulan?
Usually when I talk to her, she always keeps silent. Why is she arguing with me today?
(End of this chapter)
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