Chapter 68 Chapter 68 (Updated) One is for responsibility...
Qiu Ling was really panicked.
Every night when it was quiet, she would think back on how terrible her life was. Sometimes she even thought that she should have just followed Dazhu.
But when she feels the warm body in her arms, she will give up the idea.
It was she who brought Daya into this world. She was really looking forward to having Daya when she was pregnant with her. No matter whether it was a boy or a girl, she would love any child of hers.
Will give the best love to the children as possible.
It was something she never got when she was a child.
Her original family favored boys over girls. While other girls of the same age in the brigade were already engaged, she was left at home to work and earn work points.
It's not that I don't want her to get married, but she has never been pretty since she was a child. In addition, she works too much and doesn't eat enough. Her skin is dark and her body is thin. Even if someone is willing to marry her, they can't afford much dowry.
It would be better to stay at home and help with the housework. You can do the laundry, cook, and take care of the children, and you can also work in the fields and earn seven or eight work points.
If she hadn't met Dazhu, she would probably still not be able to get married, and she could hardly imagine her future life.
When she is able to work, she is of course useful to her parents' family, but if she is unable to work, her parents' family will definitely abandon her without hesitation.
Either abandon her aside to let her starve to death, or drive her up the mountain to be killed by wild beasts.
So when the Huang family came to propose marriage, she was both grateful and nervous. She was grateful that they could take her away, but at the same time she was nervous about what kind of life she would live after she got married.
She never had high hopes for her life.
But what she didn't expect was that her husband Huang Dazhu was really good to her.
If it wasn't good, he wouldn't have called his best brother to take care of him when he was sick in bed and could hardly breathe.
Afterwards, Dazhu cried like a baby, and kept saying he was sorry to Xu Mo.
Not only was he sorry to Xu Mo, but so was she.
She was not a beautiful and special woman, but a woman who would not be noticed even if thrown into a crowd, and she was also a widow with a child.
If it weren't for Dazhu, Xu Mo would not have taken such good care of her and her daughter over the years. She was an ungrateful person. She took advantage of the brotherhood between Dazhu and him and relied on Xu Mo.
Once I depend on him, it's like I've grabbed a life-saving straw. No matter what happens, the first thing I think of is to ask him for help.
Time and time again, she had lost count of how many times she had troubled Xu Mo. She talked about feelings, but both she and Xu Mo knew very well that he might not have her in his heart, and she might not have him in her heart either.
One is for responsibility, the other is for dependence.
Instead, mix the two of them together.
Sometimes Qiu Ling really hoped that she wouldn't think too clearly. Now, even though she understood everything, she still held Xu Mo's hand tightly and dared not let go.
Once she is let go, she won't care if she is shattered to pieces.
But what about Daya?
Her most precious child, she had clearly thought about giving her the best she could ever since she conceived her.
But if she were gone, one could imagine how miserable Daya's life would be in the Huang family. Even now that she was still alive, the Huang family had already thought about sending her away, saying that they wanted to send her to live a good life, saying that the family's ancestors were old landlords, and who knows how much gold, silver, and jewelry were buried there, and that she would have enough food to eat and warm clothes in the future, and that good days were waiting for her.
But later she asked Xu Mo to check on that family.
I thought that if the family's conditions were really good, she couldn't let Daya enjoy the good life with her, but...
The conditions are pretty good, better than the Huang family in any way. Now there is no such thing as a wealthy life, but as long as we can eat well and dress warmly, we are rich.
But if you really inquire carefully, you will find out that the man in that family had a disease due to his promiscuous life when he was young. He has only one son, who was born stupid. So he wanted to buy a little girl so that she could help with some things when she was young and marry her to his stupid son when she grew up, so as to carry on the family line.
Look, this is the Huang family.
How could she dare to leave Daya alone in the Huang family? Even if Daya could survive, it would be a miserable life, even more miserable than hers.
So she really wanted to leave the Huang family. Even though she knew that this was wrong, and even though she knew that it would put all the pressure and responsibility on Xu Mo, she still expressed to him that she wanted to be together.
He agreed.
He answered without hesitation.
But Qiu Ling really couldn't laugh at that time. Just because Xu Mo was kind-hearted and because he valued his brotherly friendship with Dazhu, she meanly took advantage of this and forced the responsibility that didn't belong to him onto his shoulders.
And once it happens, there will be a second and a third time.
The longer time went on, the less she seemed to recognize herself. Although her mind was clear, she felt that everything was hazy. She was like a corpse without a soul, doing one thing after another that she found disgusting, and she kept doing it.
Just like now, Xu Mo had only disappeared for more than half a month, and the Xu family had mentioned countless times that he would be back sooner or later, but she was still waiting anxiously, hating that she was clinging to Xu Mo but had to cling to him tightly.
Also... I can only pester him.
Qiu Ling suppressed her nausea and physical disgust towards herself, and forced herself to ask, "Is Xu Mo okay in the city? When can he, when can they come back?"
"It should take some time." Zhao Lizhu said truthfully, "They did a great job on something earlier, so the deputy director asked them to stay to finish the work, but it won't take more than a month."
Of course, it's time to wrap up.
If it's really like what my cousin Shuangshuang said, then I'm not sure when I'll come back.
"Is that so..." Qiu Ling bought some time, but she still felt uneasy because it took too long.
At this time, Zhao Lizhu suddenly said: "Sister Qiu Ling, are you free tomorrow? I want to take you out for a walk."
Qiu Ling was startled, "Go outside?"
"Well, take a look outside." Zhao Lizhu nodded heavily. Although she was sent away from home to study, she had always been on the road between home and school and had hardly been to other places.
It is not convenient to go out. Without a letter of introduction and money in my pocket, I cannot leave even if I want to.
Most of what I know about the city is what I heard from others and then filled in my own mind, but I have never actually set foot in it.
But when I actually went there, I finally understood why so many people yearn for the city, and I felt that my horizons had been broadened a lot. It’s not that the big team is bad, but there is really a need to see more so as not to confine oneself to a small world.
During those days in the city, she didn't dare to go out of the courtyard at first. She would wait for Xu Tan to get off work and then take her for a walk. It was her cousin Shuangshuang who encouraged her to go for a walk. If she observed carefully, she would find many interesting things.
She didn't really understand, but everyone kept saying how amazing her cousin Shuangshuang was, so she must be right.
At first, I walked around the courtyard accompanied by Uncle Xu.
After trying, she found that there was actually nothing to be afraid of outside. She became braver and dared to go out alone and walk further.
Likewise, see more.
Her life was completely different from that of sister Qiu Ling, so she couldn't empathize with her. Compared to sister Qiu Ling, her life at home was really too good. Her parents were obedient to her brother and sister-in-law and would consider her sincerely.
So it would be too fake to say "I understand you very well", but in this world there are always people whose starting points are worse than Sister Qiu Ling, but as long as you can take on the responsibility and be bold and brave, you will find that no matter how big the problem is, you can overcome it.
"I met a grandmother named Tang in the city this time. Sister Qiu Ling, do you know what a five-guarantee household is?" Zhao Lizhu didn't wait for her to respond and continued, "It means a person without a spouse, children, or even relatives. Do you think such a person will be bullied?"
Qiu Ling frowned, "Of course."
Her eldest daughter, even though she had grandparents, mother, uncles and aunts around, was still bullied and treated like a commodity and wanted to be exchanged for money.
There is a lot of malice in this world. If no one protects them, the elderly, women and children are the most likely to be bullied.
"But I found that it was not like that." Zhao Lizhu chuckled. "Grandma Tang has no income. The government subsidizes her five yuan a month for daily needs. Grandma Tang has no relatives to protect her, but the street office visits her every once in a while, and brings gifts to her house during festivals. If someone bullies her, the Women's Federation will stand up for her."
She paused and looked at the person in front of her seriously, "Sister Qiu Ling, do you know? Although you married into the Huang family, it does not mean that the Huang family is your master. You are the slave of the Huang family. As long as you want, you will find that there are many people willing to help you..."
And not just Brother Xu Mo.
She has seen and heard a lot in the city these days, especially about her aunt and her in-laws. It turns out that half a year ago, her aunt couldn't even decide her own salary, but now the situation is completely reversed. As long as they are willing to take risks and stand their ground, no one can really put pressure on them. This is not the old society. Marriage is no longer determined by parents and matchmakers, but free love is advocated. If you can't make it, you can choose to divorce instead of wasting your life.
The Huang family is just the husband's family.
They have no right to stop Sister Qiu Ling from getting married. If they force her to do something she doesn't want to do, she can just say "no" to them. If she is not strong enough, she can always seek help from outside.
And this external force is not just Brother Xu Mo.
If the brigade can't handle it, then contact the Women's Federation. If the Women's Federation can't handle it, then contact the commune. If the commune can't handle it, then call the police and make a fuss. As long as you have your reasons, what are you afraid of?
Zhao Lizhu actually felt that she shouldn't care about these things.
But considering the relationship between Sister Qiu Ling and Brother Xu Mo, if we don't care about it now, when she marries Xu Tan and becomes a member of the Xu family, the conflict with the Huang family will eventually come to her.
Your family may not suffer any losses by then, but who would be happy if there are disturbances every now and then?
It would be better to make a decision early. As long as Sister Qiu Ling is brave enough, she will find that the Huang family is nothing at all. She is sure of this.
After all, she also knew that with Brother Xu Mo around all these years, even if the Huang family had some excessive ideas, they were stopped. This showed that even though this family was outrageous, they at least had some concerns.
As long as Sister Qiu Ling is willing, the process may be difficult but it will definitely have a good ending.
So she invited him, "Do you want to go outside with me? I heard that the Women's Federation has dealt with many such cases. It doesn't mean that they must help you. We can listen to their opinions first."
Qiu Ling stood there in a daze, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.
Zhao Lizhu also cordially invited him, "Just keep me company. We have known each other for a long time, and we have never been alone together like we are now."
"But the letter of introduction, and..." Qiu Ling hesitated.
What should I do if I still have money?
You can't go out without a penny, but she didn't have a dime, not even a cent. Even if Zhao Lizhu was tempted by what she said, she would still be hesitant.
"Just follow me, I'll take care of the rest." Zhao Lizhu said this with confidence.
The fabrics in the yard can be exchanged for a lot of things and money, and this is her confidence.
And it's just going out, not a long journey.
At most it would just be some travel expenses, and she was still willing to pay for Sister Qiu Ling. Although she didn't expect her to pay it back, Brother Xu Mo would definitely give her the money if he knew about it.
Seeing that Sister Qiu Ling was still a little hesitant, he didn't give her a chance to refute and said directly: "Then it's settled. Meet at the brigade entrance around 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. You can bring Daya with you. It's a good opportunity to show her the world."
After saying that, he turned around and ran away, not giving her any time to hesitate.
Zhao Lizhu knew that if she entered the yard, Sister Qiu Ling would not really come over no matter how anxious she was. She was really afraid of meeting Uncle Xu and his aunt.
After entering the yard, Lu Lianhua seemed not to notice what she was doing. She continued to talk with her future in-laws, discussing the details of the wedding during the New Year.
Maybe it's because they have money in their pockets, Shuisheng and his wife feel more confident when talking about these things this time.
This time they only bought three large bags of cloth, which not only emptied the family's money but also left them with some foreign debts. However, after selling out these bags of cloth, they were able to pay off their foreign debts and earn some more.
In addition, the two boys are working in the textile factory. At first, they were supposed to stay for ten days or half a month, but now they have been here for almost twenty days. Moreover, the factory wants them to finish up the work and reorganize the goods in the old warehouse. I am afraid they can only stay here for another ten days.
By this calculation, the two of them will have more than 30 yuan in their pockets when they return, so getting married will be easy.
It could be done in a more grand manner.
As they were talking, someone knocked at the door. Lu Lianhua got up and opened the door. She was surprised to see the person coming. "Why are you here, Aunt Wu? Come in, come in. I'll go get you a cup of hot water."
"Don't bother, I just want to take a look at your cloth." Aunt Wu walked in bare-handed, but behind her was her son-in-law carrying some wild goods.
The Wu family's live-in son-in-law now smiles at everyone he meets, which is completely different from his previous behavior. However, some people can understand it after thinking about it. If anyone gains twenty pounds in a year or two like Xiao Tiancai, it is enough to show how good his diet is. If it were them, they would not only wake up from their sleep when they see others smile.
Xiao Tiancai put the wild goods in his hand on the ground and explained his purpose directly, "Mom has been thinking about picking out some cloth to make a few more sets of clothes for Xinxin and the children."
"Okay, okay, you guys hurry up and pick first." Lu Lianhua took the two of them directly to a room. The big bag had been opened and all the materials inside were spread on the floor. "The child is delicate, so comfortable cotton like this is the most suitable. It's also in a delicate yellow color. If I didn't have a child at home, I would really like to keep it for my own use."
"We want this one." Aunt Wu liked it as soon as she saw it and motioned to Xiao Tiancai to take it. Then she selected a few pieces of light-colored material. After adopting Xinxin, she had never been let down in terms of food, but good material like this was really rare, and she selected several pieces in a short while.
Anyway, she has no shortage of meat. If she can't afford the cash, she can exchange it with meat. The wild boars raised in the mountains will give birth to piglets after a while, and the supply will be endless. The team will only get bigger and bigger.
First, she selected some fabrics suitable for young girls, and then picked out a few pieces for herself. Then she said to Xiao Tiancai, "You should also choose a few pieces. When you are done, take each piece to Mrs. Chen's house and ask her to make a few pieces of clothes for you."
“Okay!” Xiao Tiancai smiled happily after hearing that. He knew his mother was thinking of him in her heart. He was so moved that he couldn’t stop smiling. He must be filial to the old lady in the future!
He then said, "Why don't I give all the scraps to Granny Chen and let her teach me how to make clothes?"
He definitely couldn't let his mother and Xinxin do needlework. Anyway, he had nothing to do so he might as well learn it himself. In the future, he could make clothes for his mother and daughter-in-law, and he wouldn't have to bother outsiders with sewing and mending.
"It's up to you." Aunt Wu didn't care much. After choosing the fabric, she asked about Shuangshuang. When she knew she had a partner, she said, "Be sure to let me know when the date is set. I'll pay for all the meat and vegetables at the banquet."
Thanks to Shuangshuang's idea, she is now the one who earns work points.
It happened that the fields had harvested grain some time ago, and part of the work points were exchanged for money and part for grain. Now there is money, grain and meat in the house, and the sense of urgency has dissipated a lot.
Now she is looking forward to Xinxin giving birth soon, no matter whether it is a boy or a girl. When the children grow up, she will teach them the art of hunting.
Now they have got so many pieces of fabric, even though they are defective, but such a small defect is really no big deal for them.
Going into the mountains all year round, it is hard not to get some scratches or holes on your clothes, but small flaws can really be ignored.
She said, "There are other villagers who want to exchange, but if you have extra, just give it to me and I will exchange it with you for wild boar meat at the market price."
"Well..." Xu Shuisheng wanted to ask for a lower price, but when Aunt Wu looked at him, he dared not say anything and could only smile helplessly, "Okay, okay, just tell me what you want. I don't have any more Shuangshuang and Lizhu here, so you can exchange as much as you want."
"That's great." Aunt Wu had money and meat, and it was hard for her to resist the urge to shop. "If you have more, buy two more big bags, and I'll trade you a whole pork leg."
A pork leg weighs about thirty pounds, minus the bones.
According to the market price, it should be at least thirty-three yuan, and this is still the lowest estimate.
Xu Shuisheng waved his hands repeatedly, "It's too much, this big bag is only ten..."
"Stop wasting time. I'm too lazy to talk to you." Aunt Wu looked at the girl next to her. "Is this Xu Tan's girlfriend? I'll trade with you. Just bring me two big bags. Any fabric will do."
"Ah..." Zhao Lizhu didn't know what to say.
A big bag only cost ten yuan, and she could make six or seven yuan just by carrying it back and reselling it. She knew she could make a lot, but it was too much. Moreover, the wild boar meat weighing more than thirty kilograms might be worth more than she estimated in the end. If she didn't want a ticket, she could just grit her teeth and bid a high price. It was not impossible to sell it for one kilogram and one dollar or two or three dollars.
"Just do as Aunt Wu said." Lu Lianhua accepted the good intention on behalf of Lizhu, "When you get married, invite Aunt Wu to sit at the table and give her plenty of wedding candy."
"That's good." Aunt Wu smiled contentedly. As she got older, she loved to be involved in happy events. According to the date, Xinxin should have given birth by then, so she could just grab some more wedding candies and bring them back for her.
Finally, Xiao Tiancai went back to the house and brought over a piece of hind leg meat weighing nearly 36 kilograms. "It should be around 33 kilograms without the bones."
It was two or three pounds higher than expected. Zhao Lizhu couldn't take advantage of it anymore, so she took out a piece of red material and handed it over. "I'll give this material to Sister Xinxin. I'll definitely visit her when I have the chance in the future."
"Okay, then you have to come more often. Xinxin is like a child even though she's a mother. She will definitely be happy to have more playmates." Aunt Wu quite likes Xu Tan's partner. He is open and good at talking.
After talking for a while, Aunt Wu left, followed by Xiao Tiancai, who was carrying two large bags and holding a lot of materials.
It's a bit heavy but not tiring at all.
On the contrary, I was even happier because what I was carrying on my back was cloth! Who would be so happy to have so much cloth?
Oh, it's his house, no wonder he's so happy~
After sending the person out of the hospital, they went back to the house to sort out the scattered materials. The Zhao family didn't want to stay here any longer. They originally thought that they could help Lizhu carry the materials back, but they ended up selling two large bags before they even got back to the brigade. The price they got was not low. The eldest brother of the Zhao family regretted it, "If I had known earlier, I would have spent money to buy some."
"Who told you to dig? The money that goes into your pocket can't be taken out. You don't deserve to earn it."
Zhao Lizhu, who was standing by, found it funny when she heard her mother scolding her eldest brother, but considering her eldest brother's hard work, she decided to give him some face and walked out of the house to get some water to wash her hands.
As a result, I was called over as soon as I came out.
After she came over, she asked, "Auntie, is there anything wrong?"
Lu Lianhua nodded and asked directly, "You just left the yard, was it because of Qiu Ling?"
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