Chapter 3
◎ In the evening, Bei Bitang stood in front of the sink, washing the pot.
Warm golden color◎
In the evening, Bei Bitang stood in front of the sink, washing the pot.
The warm golden color gave her a divine glow.
People returned from work and school, and the alleys gradually became lively. The sounds of neighbors chatting, children playing, the blaring of radios, the clatter of bicycles, and the sounds of frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying...
Bei Bitang was a little unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle. When she was in the Northwest, it was too quiet and empty. The Northwest was so vast that if you weren't careful, you could get lost or be attacked by a sudden wild animal.
Bei Bitang carried a clean pot and greeted the neighbors along the way.
There was no light in the room. Miao Xiuxiu narrowed her eyes slightly, crossed her legs, and peeled green beans, swaying back and forth.
Putting down the pot, Bei Bitang wiped her hands and said, "Isn't Big Sister going to the banquet?"
Miao Xiuxiu raised her eyes and said, "How much wealth can a young person have? These days everyone is a big eater, and the dishes at the banquet are not enough for them. Xiao Maodou's alarm clock wants to eat edamame scrambled eggs in the morning."
Bei Bitang said, "Edamame is so hard? Can a kid eat it?"
Miao Xiuxiu said proudly: "I stew it for a little longer, until it is soft, and then press it with a spoon. It has a soft and slightly sweet taste. The little one loves it very much."
Is this still Miao Xiuxiu? The three sisters have never been spoiled by her. Is it said that they are all related by blood.
From the three sisters and three surnames, it can be seen that Bei Bitang and her sisters are half-sisters. Bei Bitang's father is Miao Xiuxiu's third husband. She had two previous husbands, and she gave birth to a daughter for each of them.
Ever since Bei Bitang's father passed away from illness, Miao Xiuxiu had a sullen expression year-round, rarely smiling. The widow's three daughters, precocious and capable of taking charge, rarely showed affection or affection towards her. The eldest and second daughters were a bit afraid of her, and the third daughter, by nature, was indifferent; she had never been seen warm to anyone.
Bei Bitang wanted to ask how she was going to sleep tonight, but before she could ask, Miao Xiuxiu told her, "Come and help me shell the edamame. My eyesight isn't working well."
Bei Bitang refused, saying, "I want to go to the bathhouse. I've been on the train for several days and nights, and I don't know how much dust and sweat I've accumulated."
Miao Xiuxiu said, "You sweat less, why go to a bathhouse? Just get a kettle of hot water, add some cold water, and wash at home."
Bei Bitang could tell Miao Xiuxiu didn't want to give her a bath ticket. She was always very clean, and she wiped her face and hands with a wet towel every day on the train. For this bath, she had to go to the bathhouse.
Bei Bitang said nothing, bent down, opened the luggage bag, took out a change of clothes, took a washbasin, soap and shampoo, and went out to the bathhouse.
Miao Xiuxiu looked at her little daughter's back and said unhappily, "What a waste of money."
As for money, Bei Bitang had it. She joined the Construction Corps in the second month after she arrived in the Northwest. She was a half-soldier and half-worker with a subsidy of 30 yuan a month. The money was really a lot, but the life was really hard.
During her first year of shoveling land, Bei Bitang developed wounds of varying sizes on her hands and feet, but she persevered. Later, for the sake of her and her boyfriend's future home, she worked even harder, taking on a part-time job that earned her a higher subsidy.
Miao Xiuxiu didn't know much about the subsidy for joining the Corps, and Bei Bitang didn't explain it in detail in her letter. After leaving home, the Northwest wasn't as good as Bei Bitang had imagined. Late at night, when the blisters were so painful that she couldn't sleep, she complained through her tears, "Three sisters, why me?"
So Bei Bitang didn't tell her family about her current situation. At first, she didn't want to worry her family back in Shanghai, but later she got used to it. She didn't even tell her closest friend, Second Sister, and it was a good thing she didn't. Otherwise, Miao Xiuxiu would have been furious if she knew who she spent her money on.
Even though Bei Bitang didn't say it, Miao Xiuxiu guessed that she had money on her. The generous gift Bei Bitang gave to Wei Bili at her wedding surprised everyone. In those days, if she could get cotton supplies, who would worry about not having money and tickets?
Bei Bitang had some money, but it wasn't much. She could still afford to go to the bathhouse.
Bei Bitang emerged from the steaming hot bathhouse, her hair dripping wet. Her complexion was rosy and fair, and her wooden clogs made a resounding clatter. The young men and women in the alley couldn't help but look up at her.
The edamame had been peeled, but Deng Miao Xiuxiu still couldn't bear to open them. Bei Bitang didn't get angry either. She gently wiped her hair with a towel and asked, "Mom, where should I sleep tonight?"
Miao Xiuxiu replied, "Let's wait until my uncle comes back and follow his arrangements."
The son-in-law that Miao Xiuxiu refers to is her eldest son-in-law, and the second son-in-law she calls her second son-in-law, and you can tell how close they are just by hearing them. There is no need to guess who has a higher status in Miao Xiuxiu's heart, but she doesn't care about them either.
Bei Bitang gritted her teeth and said nothing, her mind turning slightly. It seemed that during the years when she was away, her mother had lost the last bit of her toughness towards her brother-in-law. Someone else had come into the head of the family. In public, it was her mother, but in private, it was her brother-in-law.
Lin Bilan came back with the little boy. As soon as she entered the door, the little boy in her arms stared at Bei Bitang, the beautiful and unfamiliar aunt.
Lin Bilan nodded towards Bei Bitang and said indifferently, "You're back."
"Yes, big sister." Bei Bitang moved the corners of her mouth, stood up from the bench, and couldn't help but look at the little boy, her first nephew.
I couldn't help but say, "This is Xiaokang, he looks exactly like my eldest sister, the face shape, nose, forehead are all similar."
Three sisters, three fathers, and one mother. Lin Bilan, Wei Bili, and Bei Bitang only have one or two similarities in appearance. Each of them has their own unique features, but they are all good-looking. It's just that Bei Bitang stands out too much, making the other two look less noticeable.
As soon as the little boy was born, everyone stared at his face and saw that he looked more like Lin Bilan, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.
The little boy smacked his lips, looked at Bei Bitang with round eyes, and reached out for a hug.
Bei Bitang was a little at a loss, wanting to hug but not daring to.
Lin Bilan handed the little kid to Miao Xiuxiu, looked at Bei Bitang's luggage on the floor, and said with a smile, "Little sister, you came back from the northwest this time, didn't you bring back any local specialties? Let's broaden our horizons and try something new. As an aunt, this is your first time meeting your nephew, don't you want to prepare a gift?"
Bei Bitang ignored her and took out a small blue handkerchief from the gap of the luggage bag.
Lin Bilan and Miao Xiuxiu stared at the handkerchief in her hand. Even the little kid was eager to grab it, uttering words one after another, "Yes. Xiaokang wants it."
Bei Bitang unfolded her handkerchief, revealing a small silver bracelet within. The ring was just the right size for a three or four-year-old. Northwestern ethnic minorities loved making silver jewelry, and crafting a bracelet for a child was a breeze.
Bei Bitang handed the small silver bracelet to Xiao Maotou and said gently, "Take a look. Does Xiaokang like it?"
Lin Bilan smiled, touched her son's hair, and urged him, "Xiaokang, tell us you like it, and this silver bracelet will be yours."
Bei Bitang smiled but said nothing. The change in the eldest sister's appearance was not as great as the change in her personality. She became more free-spirited.
When Huang Dashan came back from get off work, it was already past seven o'clock in the evening. The prepared meal was placed on the table, covered with a hollow green plastic lid.
As soon as Huang Dashan appeared in the alley, Xiaokang, who was held in Miao Xiuxiu's arms and clinging to the window waiting for his father to get off work, danced with joy, "Grandma, Mom, Dad is back!"
Lin Bilan immediately smiled sincerely, opened the lid, and waited for Huang Dashan to sit down before starting to eat.
Bei Bitang looked towards the door and saw that her brother-in-law looked older and a little fatter.
Huang Dashan approached the dining table, squinted his eyes and looked at Bei Bitang's face for a while, then smiled and said, "Bitang is back?"
Bei Bitang also smiled and said, "Brother-in-law."
Huang Dashan sat down at the main seat without hesitation, and Miao Xiuxiu sat down at a seat beside him, saying, "Sir, would you like some wine? The dishes tonight are quite good."
Bei Bitang seemed to have an illusion that Huang Dashan had always been the master of this family. The four of them, mother and daughter, depended on Huang Dashan for survival. Her mother had never worked, and her eldest sister had never worked either. The whole family was supported by Huang Dashan. She and her second sister were also sent to school by Huang Dashan, so her mother was very grateful and supported Huang Dashan in everything.
Huang Dashan said without hesitation: "Let me drink something yellow."
Miao Xiuxiu said to her eldest daughter, "Go get the wine glass and the bottle of Shaoxing rice wine for your son-in-law."
Lin Bilan complained in a low voice, "Mom always orders me around." But she still went to get it obediently.
Miao Xiuxiu and Huang Dashan ignored her, Bei Bitang watched coldly, and only the ignorant little kid reached out and made a fuss to eat the edamame paste.
Lin Bilan brought the wine and filled a full glass for Huang Dashan.
Huang Dashan raised his head and swallowed it in one gulp. He sighed twice in comfort and looked at Bei Bitang. He said in an elder's tone, "Do you want to drink, Bitang?"
Bei Bitang shook her head and said, "I don't want to drink, brother-in-law."
Lin Bilan glared at her husband, "There's not enough wine in the house for you to drink alone."
Then he turned to Bei Bitang and said, "Don't listen to your brother-in-law's nonsense. Why drink wine? Eat more vegetables."
Bei Bitang smiled without saying anything, looking down at the plate of turnips in front of her without a drop of oil or water, and picked up the vegetables with her chopsticks to eat.
Lin Bilan poured wine for her husband while eating, while Miao Xiuxiu fed the little boy.
After Huang Dashan drank a few glasses of wine, he said with a red face: "Second sister didn't come back to see the youngest sister, the family reunited and had a meal."
Miao Xiuxiu said, "Come back in a few days. There's no rush. Bitang won't leave again anyway."
The room was quiet for a moment, and Huang Dashan asked, "Mom, what did my little sister bring back?"
As expected of a couple, what they say means the same thing.
Miao Xiuxiu hesitated, not knowing how to start. Lin Bilan didn't criticize Bei Bitang for the sake of the silver bracelet, but she also didn't mention the fact that Bei Bitang gave the silver bracelet to her nephew.
Bei Bitang didn't raise her head, and said calmly, "The things haven't arrived yet. They were sent by post, but I have other uses for most of them."
At the end of her speech, she looked up and examined their expressions one by one.
She had originally wanted to divide the things in half, but seeing this situation, she made up her mind to send most of the things to her boyfriend's house. It was unrealistic to give nothing to his family, and she couldn't be so heartless. Bei Bitang wasn't worldly-wise or indifferent to everything, not caring about other people's opinions, but some people were just not worth it no matter what.
Huang Dashan's face darkened slightly as he pressed Bei Bitang, "What's the use?"
Bei Bitang said calmly, "It's about work."
Now everyone was speechless. They were indifferent to Bei Bitang's return to the city, but they couldn't stop her from returning. Her return was nothing more than a bed, and Bei Bitang would have to make up for it by doing housework.
It's so hard to find a job these days. Huang Dashan hasn't been hired for a full-time position in years. They won't consider Bei Bitang's job prospects. She's nineteen, already eighteen years old and ready for marriage. Once she's married, they won't have to worry about anything, and outsiders won't say anything.
After dinner and washing up, Bei Bitang and Miao Xiuxiu slept on the same bed in the inner room. Tonight the little one was making a fuss about wanting to sleep with his mom and dad.
If the little one slept with Grandma, Bei Bitang would sleep on the floor, and Lin Bilan and Huang Dashan would always have to live like a married couple. The little one couldn't always sleep with Mom and Dad.
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