Chapter 41 The mother and daughter immediately changed into new shoes…
The mother and daughter changed into new shoes, wrapped up their old shoes and put them in their bag. Yu Jiajia offered to help carry things, but Cheng Xiuying said, "There's no need for you to carry these. I can carry them with one hand." She carried chicken, meat and fruit in one hand, and linked arms with Sibao's arm with the other. The mother and daughter walked out together, and each ate a cream popsicle at the door.
Cheng Xiuying exclaimed, "These shoes are so comfortable, it's like walking on cotton. No wonder they're so expensive!"
Yu Jiajia: "Once I've saved up enough money for shoes, I'll buy Mom another pair!!"
Cheng Xiuying: "You child! You're too loose with your hand."
When she got back to Jiefang Road, it was just in time for her commute. Her bicycle handlebars were hung with chicken and pork belly, as well as two bags of rare fruits. Everyone who saw her would ask, "Xiuying, why did you buy so many nice things?"
Cheng Xiuying: "Yesterday, the Public Security Bureau gave me meat coupons as a reward. I received pork and a rooster and went to visit my husband's family."
"Tsk tsk, you guys are too filial, bringing so many good things to see that old hag! If you ask me, you should give her a dollar a month for her retirement, and nothing else."
"Exactly! What kind of mother would want to cut off her younger son's flesh and feed it to her older son?"
"You bring good food and drinks with you, but you don't get anything in return, and you even think you're easy to talk to."
Cheng Xiuying sighed, "She is my mother-in-law after all."
Then someone pulled him aside and asked if it was true that gold had been found in Granny Xu's house.
Cheng Xiuying speaks her mind and even gossips with others: "Who knows? But Granny Xu has fallen into the latrine twice! And they found so much gold in her house! Maybe there really is gold in the toilet. I wonder if there isn't any yet. I'm tempted to go and search the toilet myself."
"Surely not. Who would be so stupid as to hide gold in the toilet? Wouldn't they be afraid someone would steal it?"
She stood on tiptoe and wiped the fresh gray stains off her shoes.
Everyone exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, you bought new leather shoes? They must have been expensive!"
Cheng Xiuying smiled and said, "My fourth child insists on using her bonus to buy me shoes. She's spending all her bonus on me."
Yu Jiajia stood to the side smiling, acting as a mascot, without having to interrupt.
Everyone was so envious they cried. This girl was too good! First a bicycle, then a watch, and now she'd even buy them little leather shoes. Looking at their own children, they felt like they'd tear their parents' flesh out of their own to make ends meet.
There's no comparison at all.
Even the most filial child is nothing compared to Yu Jiajia's filial piety.
Cheng Xiuying, basking in the envy of others, drove Yu Jiajia home.
The two toilets we encountered along the way both had long queues outside. I don't know if they were using the toilet or figuring out where to hide gold inside.
Yu Jiajia: "Mom, I think the toilets in our county are going to suffer! Now everyone knows there's gold in the toilets!"
Even if everyone thinks it's probably gone, what if it still exists?
Nobody wants to miss this 'what if'.
Anything related to gold, no matter how absurd, will have people who believe it.
Cheng Xiuying: "I wonder how many toilets will collapse tomorrow morning."
That scene was hilarious.
Yu Jiajia: "Let's not do that, otherwise where will we go to the toilet? Mom, you should become a section chief soon, then we can live in the cadre building and go to the toilet at home."
Cheng Xiuying loved hearing this. She also wanted to move into the cadre building with her family. If that day ever came... Holy crap, just thinking about it made her excited.
When they got home, Cheng Xiuying called Yu Jiajia over to wash her hair, saying, "We must outdo Songya today."
Yu Songya is Yu Hongzhi's youngest daughter. She is very much loved by Grandpa Yu and Grandma Yu, who insisted on naming her according to the "Song" generation.
When it came to naming Yu Hongding's daughter, the character "Song" couldn't be used. If it were, Old Mrs. Yu would hang herself at Yu Hongding's doorstep.
Of course, Cheng Xiuying didn't care about this before; any name was fine with her.
Now I think Jiajia sounds better than Songya.
Jiajia means "good" or "well"! Her four treasures are all good, good, good!
Yu Jiajia washed her hair, and Cheng Xiuying dried it with a towel. "Sibao is so beautiful! She looks like a fairy. I can't believe I gave birth to a fairy, hahaha."
Yu Jiajia also loves her face: "Thank you, Mom, for making me so beautiful!"
The Yu family is full of beauties, and she is the most beautiful of them all.
When Yu Jiajia's hair was almost dry, Cheng Xiuying found a blue silk scarf, braided it into a plait, and then wrapped the scarf around the ends of her hair.
Yu Jiajia was enjoying the thoughtful care of Comrade Cheng Xiuying, living a life where she could do whatever she wanted without lifting a finger. And here it was!
The others returned one after another, and were shocked by the large red poster at the door. It was quite frightening. Yu Songchuan asked, "What happened? The Revolutionary Committee came looking for gold? The Revolutionary Committee actually lost gold? Who could hide it in the toilet?" But what he was most curious about was, "Whose house is in trouble? Xu Pozi's house, right? The door is wide open, and things are all over the place! The Wang family's door is closed, but it's also a mess."
Yu Songyan: "The Fang family is arguing and they're talking about splitting up the family property."
Cheng Xiuying then recounted the Revolutionary Committee's raids on homes that day, especially how the Wang and Fang families were hit by their own boomerangs. Finally, she said, "Wang Liren is going to join the Revolutionary Committee."
Yu Jiamin: "That's disgusting. They actually let him become an official."
Yu Jiajia: "Who says otherwise!"
If they hadn't been careful enough, the whole family would have been doomed.
With so much gold and silver found, the whole family would be criticized and denounced. I don't know what would become of her and her third sister. It would be best if the whole family were exiled to Northeast or Northwest China to contribute to the country's development.
Cheng Xiuying: "Wang Liren wants to make a name for himself. Some people will probably be envious when they see that Wang Liren has become an official, and they will also want to make a name for themselves. When Sibao and I went to the market, we were accompanied by two bastards. You guys better keep your eyes peeled and don't talk nonsense or wander around."
I wonder how many people are eyeing their house!
The safest thing to do is leave your baby outside and not look after them.
If you wander around every day, even if you don't search, people will still suspect you. Just dig around together, and you'll eventually find something.
Nobody's a fool; everyone understands.
"Mom, don't worry," Yu Songchuan chuckled. "I'll just wander around aimlessly every day."
Cheng Xiuying immediately understood and praised, "Not bad."
Yu Songchuan looked down and saw that Cheng Xiuying and Yu Jiajia were wearing new leather shoes. He exclaimed, "Mom, Fourth Sister, you're wearing leather shoes! I want to wear them too. My bonus is definitely enough to buy leather shoes!"
The others looked on with envy, but no one spoke up, knowing their own limitations.
Cheng Xiuying casually replied, "Your feet are still growing! Why would you wear nice shoes? We'll buy them for you when you're older."
Yu Songchuan: "Mom, I want to buy a pair of sneakers."
Cheng Xiuying couldn't just expect the horse to run without feeding it. The child was indeed young, but not stupid. A pair of Feiyue shoes cost seven or eight yuan; she could afford it if she gritted her teeth. She said, "Tomorrow, I'll buy you a pair of black sneakers."
Yu Songchuan: "Mom, I want a Warrior! From now on, I'll ask you to keep all my rewards for me. My mom is the best, the best mom in the world."
Warrior shoes are two yuan more expensive than Feiyue shoes! But since Cheng Xiuying had promised to buy him shoes, she didn't mind the two yuan difference. "Okay."
Yu Songchuan was overjoyed; he was going to have sneakers! Actually, he hadn't expected to have leather shoes in the first place, since he and his fourth sister weren't on the same level.
How could his mother possibly buy him leather shoes?
Cheng Xiuying: "Alright, get ready, let's go to your grandparents' house."
Everyone froze, none of them wanting to go.
It's not that they can't win, they just don't want to go there.
I get annoyed just seeing that family.
Cheng Xiuying: "I bought three catties of pork and a big rooster. When we got to your grandma's house, we ate to our hearts' content. Anyone who didn't eat enough didn't have to eat when we got back."
She had calculated that although these things seemed like a lot, there were many people in her family, and they all had big appetites. Even if they ate to their hearts' content, these things wouldn't be enough.
It's definitely a loss!
After all, it will eventually end up in the stomachs of Grandma Yu's family.
The only thing to do is to eat as much as possible and lose as little as possible.
A mother may not be kind, but a son cannot be unfilial. The family consists mostly of workers and cadres, and Cheng Xiuying is very concerned about her reputation!
We can't wait until the old folks find out and come running around complaining that they're hogging the food. We live in the same county; something this big can't be kept secret.
Yu Songchuan patted his chest and said, "Mom, don't worry! I guarantee I'll fight over it."
Yu Songqing lost all interest in eating meat, and his suspicions grew stronger that gold had been found in his house. But he didn't go to investigate! What did this gold have to do with him? His heart ached.
The sound of a cat meowing came from behind the house.
Yu Jiajia: "Why are there cats here? I'll go check!"
Cheng Xiuying: "Does Sibao want to get a cat?"
Yu Jiajia: "Is it okay?"
Cheng Xiuying looked at her daughter with anticipation and said, "Come on, Mom will catch it for you."
Yu Songqing suddenly thought of something, and he was both surprised and delighted: "You guys pack your things, I'll go check on things."
Everyone looked at Yu Songqing, while listening carefully to the cat's meow.
It does sound like a cat's voice, but this lingering feeling is really off.
Who else could it be?
Lu Xiaoqing.
They all ran outside, went around the room, and went to the back of the house, where they saw Lu Xiaoqing in a white dress meowing like a cat, trying to attract Yu Songqing's attention.
Yu Songchuan clicked his tongue: "This guy isn't very bright. Anyone could call him 'Big Brother,' but he insists on meowing like a cat."
Yu Songqing was pulled by Yu Hongding and stood at the back, preventing him from going to the front.
Yu Hongding: "Boss, have you thought this through? Do you still want this leg?"
Yu Songqing's excitement vanished in an instant, like a balloon bursting with a hole.
Lu Xiaoqing never expected that her cat-like meows would attract the entire Yu family. She was stunned, but quickly, she mustered her courage and looked at Yu Songqing with deep affection: "Songqing, I'm sorry, I broke my promise. I can't live without you. So, I've come again."
Yu Songqing's heart was once again captivated. He took a small step forward, about to speak, when Cheng Xiuying punched him in the stomach. "Think carefully before you talk to this jinx."
Broom star... gold...
He couldn't afford meat, couldn't ride a bicycle, and even missed out on potential gold.
Granny Xu's family has found so many, what about our own?
Yu Songqing, wearing a mask of pain: "Lu Xiaoqing, you're right. A marriage without the blessings of family is not a happy one. We have no future, so it's better to part amicably."
Lu Xiaoqing cried out in anguish, "Songqing, as long as we have love, we will surely be able to overcome any obstacle."
Yu Songqing shook his head sadly: "No, you don't understand. Once you've broken up, you've broken up. There's no going back."
Cheng Xiuying was fairly satisfied with Yu Songqing's attitude; as long as he wasn't confused, that was fine. She stood in front of Lu Xiaoqing, blocking her gaze from being drawn to Yu Songqing. "What's wrong? Your high branch has broken? You've gone back to the boss? It's only been two days, and your high branch has already fallen? You really are a jinx; whoever dates you is unlucky, they're all cursed by you."
Lu Xiaoqing's expression froze, and she sobbed, "Auntie, you can look down on me, but you can't insult me."
Cheng Xiuying: "You think you're worthy of my insults? Alright, stop meowing like a cat and get lost, or I'll lose control of my hands."
Lu Xiaoqing, tears streaming down her face, said, "I won't leave. I love Song Qing. You can't stop us from loving each other."
Cheng Xiuying laughed angrily: "Lu Xiaoqing, stop crying. You're acting like some innocent little flower who's been bullied terribly by my family. Do you dare to swear that if you marry into a better family and find someone new, your brothers will be childless and die a horrible death?"
Lu Xiaoqing's face paled. She could swear on herself, but not on her brother. "Auntie, how could you do this?"
Cheng Xiuying: "Just tell me if you can swear an oath."
Lu Xiaoqing wept bitterly, glanced at Yu Songqing with lingering affection, and ran away.
It's difficult to make progress in front of the Yu family; we'll just have to wait until next time.
Cheng Xiuying scoffed and patted Yu Songqing's shoulder: "You're already being cuckolded, and you're still sad? My cuckolded boss, shake the muddy water out of your head." She said to Yu Songyan: "Second brother, help me find out what's going on. Once you've found out, I'll give you twenty yuan of my next salary."
Yu Songyan thought it wouldn't be difficult, and he could get twenty yuan for free, so he readily agreed: "Sure."
Yu Songqing still believed in Lu Xiaoqing. He wanted to say a few words in her defense, saying that she wouldn't do that, that she was the most gentle and kind person, how could she be fickle? But he was afraid that Cheng Xiuying would beat him up, and that when the results came out, everyone would regret misunderstanding Lu Xiaoqing.
Maybe they'll agree to let them be together.
The family set off for Grandma Yu's house. There were three bicycles in total, just enough for the whole family to sit on.
Cheng Xiuying was driving her beloved daughter Yu Jiajia, Yu Hongding was driving Yu Songchuan and Yu Jiamin, and Yu Songyan was driving Yu Songqing.
Yu Songqing felt upset again. It was clearly his car, but now he could only sit on it and couldn't ride it.
Cheng Xiuying is so domineering! Sigh.
Grandma Yu's house is in a small courtyard on Guangming Road. It has four rooms and a small courtyard. There are jujube trees and persimmon trees in the courtyard, but unfortunately they are not ripe yet.
The room was actually quite spacious, but with so many people—twelve in total—it felt very crowded.
Old Mr. and Mrs. Yu are in their sixties and still in good health. Yu Hongzhi and his wife Kang Wenjuan are in their forties and are both textile factory workers. They have three children: Yu Song'an, Yu Songda, and Yu Songya.
The eldest son, Yu Song'an, and the second son, Yu Songda, are married. Yu Song'an has a son and a daughter, who are four and two years old, respectively.
Yu Songda currently has no children.
Yu Songya, 18, has just graduated and is looking for a job.
Grandma Yu was cooking in the kitchen when Grandma Sun from next door came over with her great-grandson to talk to her.
Grandma Sun: "You're still eating this? Why don't you go to your second son's house? Your second son has made it big."
Grandma Yu scoffed, "It's never their turn to prosper! A whole family of shrewish bastards."
Grandma Sun: "You don't know! Their family is doing really well now at the steel mill. My niece-in-law saw them coming out of the food station carrying a lot of good stuff: a big rooster, several pounds of pork, and two bags of fruit. We wouldn't even dare to eat like that during the New Year. Tsk tsk, the son eats big fish and meat, while the old lady eats only vegetables and tofu."
Grandma Yu paused in her chopping, "Really? No way! That stingy Cheng Xiuying, would she really eat like this? Are we going to starve?"
Granny Sun: "I heard they rescued a policeman, and the police station rewarded them with a lot of meat, enough to last a lifetime."
Grandma Yu was shocked: "We could never finish eating all of this in a lifetime?"
"Of course! They were living the high life." Granny Sun leaned closer and whispered, "I also heard they found a lot of gold in the toilet and hid it all. Did they give any to you, their old mother?"
Grandma Yu thought none of this was true. How could the second son's family have such an ability? She scoffed, "I don't believe it. How could there be gold in the toilet? Who would hide something good in the toilet? Are they crazy?"
Grandma Sun didn't know either, but since someone gave her a dollar and asked her to say it, she had to. She continued, "It's true! The Revolutionary Committee even found a lot of gold in that courtyard house, all taken from the toilet. Your second son must have hidden gold too, but we don't know where. If they're going to give it to you, you'd better hide it well."
Old Mrs. Yu's face immediately turned cold. She picked up a fire poker and started hitting Granny Sun. "You vicious woman, what are you up to? Second son has no gold, and he hasn't given me any gold as a tribute. We are all honest, law-abiding people. Get out of here!"
She did look down on the second son's family, but she only wanted to take the good things from them for herself; she never expected the second son's family to be ruined.
Grandma Sun quickly grabbed her great-grandson and ran away, feeling that it was too much trouble to take even a single yuan.
Granny Yu is too shrewd.
After she left, Old Mrs. Yu muttered to her daughter-in-law, Kang Wenjuan, "Has the second son's family really become successful?"
Kang Wenjuan: "It's not good to spread these kinds of things around. Who knows if it's true! Is there really gold in the toilet?"
The textile mill and the steel rolling mill were far apart, one to the east and the other to the west, so news didn't travel that fast. She hadn't heard of it at the factory.
Grandma Yu put down the kitchen knife: "No, have Hongzhi take me there on his bike to take a look."
If there really is gold, I must offer it to that old woman, and I must take all that meat home! I'll take this opportunity to make a scene.
Let others see Cheng Xiuying and Yu Hongding's fake filial piety.
Yu Hongzhi pushed his bicycle, preparing to take Grandma Yu to Yu Hongding's house, when he saw Yu Hongding's whole family arrive at the door.
Grandma Yu thought to herself, "This is no good." Her eyes were fixed on a large rooster and a piece of pork belly four fingers wide on the handlebars. So much! We wouldn't even dare to eat like this during the New Year! Who could afford to buy so much good food at once?
Then, his gaze fell on the brand-new women's bicycle that Cheng Xiuying was riding. If Song Ya rode it, it could be part of her dowry...
Behind them were two more bicycles, one almost brand new and the other about 70% new!
Wow, the second brother's family has really made it big!
She grinned and said, "Oh my, the second brother's family is here. Come in and sit down." Then she said to Yu Hongzhi, "Hongzhi, don't go out. Stay home and take care of your second brother."
Cheng Xiuying: "Mom, Hongding and I have come to see you and Dad. This is the rooster and pork we bought for you, along with some peaches and apples." They had already shown the rooster and pork to all the neighbors as they walked!
Everyone says Yu Hongding and Cheng Xiuying are filial! Everyone is envious and jealous!
Old Mr. and Mrs. Yu are really lucky! Their son, whom they kicked out, is still so successful, with three bicycles in the family! And that women's bicycle is green, such a bright color!
Grandma Yu went straight to pick up the chicken and pork, but Cheng Xiuying said, "Mom, I can do it, don't tire yourself out."
Grandma Yu felt like she couldn't take it all in. The rooster was so fat and big; she'd salt it and save it for Songya's birthday. And the pork—such a huge piece! Enough for several meals! She'd make steamed buns, braised pork…
Everyone else came out too. Kang Wenjuan wanted to get the meat; only by having it in her hands could she have control!
Cheng Xiuying laughed: "No need, I can carry it."
She led the way to the kitchen. "Mom, I'll make you some chicken soup and braised pork. Sibao and Songchuan, help me out." She had to keep Sibao in mind; the fifth son was strong and could hold people off.
The third brother is clever and cunning; he has to protect Yu Hongding outside.
Grandma Yu was heartbroken to see Cheng Xiuying about to cook all the meat. "How can you be so wasteful? Can't you just eat it all? I've already made tofu soup, and I'll just fry a few eggs and stir-fry some shredded pork with chili peppers."
How could Cheng Xiuying possibly listen to her? She was determined to finish all the meat.
Yu Hongzhi's uncle didn't know what to say, but Kang Wenjuan came over to persuade him and reached out to snatch the rooster away—it was such a big one!
Cheng Xiuying pushed her out directly: "Sister-in-law, you leave the kitchen to me, just wait to eat meat."
It's not that she enjoys cooking; it's that she has to make sure all the meat is cooked and eaten by her own family, leaving no chance for anyone else.
Yu Songchuan pushed his cousin and his wife out, but the kitchen was definitely not an option; everyone else could just wait to eat.
Old Mrs. Yu was furious. She knew her second daughter-in-law was cunning and no good! Who would squander all the things they brought when visiting relatives? She reached out to pinch Yu Hongding.
Yu Jiamin grabbed the old lady's hand and held it back, saying, "Grandma, you've worked hard your whole life. Today, you can enjoy yourself. Just wait to eat."
Grandma Yu wanted to pinch Yu Jiamin to vent her anger, but Yu Jiamin gripped her even tighter, not giving her a chance at all, as if the two of them were very intimate. Grandma Yu hated this granddaughter the most; she didn't have a single bit of a girl's gentleness, just like Cheng Xiuying, and most importantly, she was incredibly strong.
Yu Jiamin would not allow Old Lady Yu to beat her father; this was a task her mother had given her, and she had to protect her father.
Grandma Yu looked at Yu Jiamin with annoyance, "You're a grown woman, and you don't even know how to help out in the kitchen. You've never been as smart and kind as Songya, nor as honest and capable as Siya. Sigh, who will marry you in the future?"
Yu Jiamin: "Has Songya found a job yet? It's more important to find a job first."
Grandma Yu: "Has Siya found a job yet?"
Yu Hongding was annoyed by his mother calling him "Siya" all the time. He laughed and said, "Sibao found a job recently. She's an officer in the publicity department of the steel rolling mill."
Grandma Yu nearly had a heart attack. "Siya is Siya? What Sibao? With her honest face, how could she become a staff member in the propaganda department? Are you kidding me?"
Yu Hongding smiled and said, "Sibao is suited for this job."
When Grandma Yu saw his deadpan expression, she knew it was true. "Siya is stupid and clumsy, she's not suitable to be a staff member. She might cause trouble in the future. It would be better to let Songya be a staff member in the propaganda department."
Yu Hongding: "That won't do. Director Li has praised Sibao several times already. He only recognizes Sibao."
Kang Wenjuan was very disappointed. She coughed lightly, and Old Lady Yu quickly said, "I heard your family found gold? You can't keep this at home. You're still young and don't know the value of things. I'll hide it for you."
Yu Hongding: "What gold?"
Grandma Yu: "I know everything. Your family found a lot of gold in the toilet. Where did you hide it?"
Yu Songqing: "Grandma, we don't have any gold. If we did, our whole family would be criticized and struggled against, and we wouldn't be able to sit here with you."
Old Mrs. Yu thought to herself, "Who's going to talk to you about 'we'?"
Yu Songyan: "Grandma, who told you that? This is really malicious; they want to kill our family."
Grandma Yu: "I know that old woman next door, Granny Sun, has bad intentions, so I kicked her out. Don't worry, I understand. You don't need to hide anything from me. We're family, and we'll solve anything together. I've lived longer than you've lived, and no one can find my hidden things!"
Yu Songyan: "The Revolutionary Committee searched through the entire courtyard and actually found gold and silver treasures in Old Xu's house! It's a pity that we didn't know! But it's better that we didn't know, otherwise they would have confiscated our property too."
He said with lingering fear.
Grandma Yu gritted her teeth. This family was shrewd and didn't reveal a word. She asked again, "How many meat coupons did the Public Security Bureau give you as a reward? Give me a few pounds later."
Yu Jiamin smiled and said, "Grain and meat are all external things. What's important is the Third-Class Merit Medal. My mother, Jiajia, and Songchuan all received the Third-Class Merit Medal."
Even Old Man Yu couldn't remain calm. "Third-class merit?"
Yu Hongding: "Yes, three third-class merits."
The topic has veered back to the Third-Class Merit Citation.
Yu Hongzhi then steered the conversation back on track: "Why were you rewarded with so much meat?"
Yu Hongding glanced at his elder brother, "We don't know either. It was a reward from the police, and Xiuying just kept it."
Yu Hongzhi: ...
He was incredibly envious. How could his younger brother's family have such bad luck? Even a trip back to their parents' home resulted in encountering a dying policeman! Anyone who ran into such a policeman would have to lend a hand. Why wasn't there a policeman he could save?
Grandma Yu: "How many kilograms of meat did you get as a reward? You should also give me a few dozen kilograms as a token of your respect."
Everyone: ...
Yu Hongding: "I don't know either. It was a reward from the Public Security Bureau to Xiuying, and she's keeping it."
Yu Hongding:......
When Yu Songya returned, Grandma Yu quickly got up to greet her, and put her arm around Yu Songya to sit on the chair next to her. "Hongding, quickly give me the car keys so Songya can ride the bicycle. This women's bicycle is the most suitable for Songya."
Yu Songyan rolled his eyes. Who wouldn't want a new car?
Yu Songya had just seen the green bicycle in the yard. It was so beautiful! If she could have a bicycle like that, it would be much easier for her to find a job. She never expected that the bicycle belonged to her second uncle.
How could my second uncle's family possibly afford a women's bicycle? They certainly wouldn't buy one for Sanya and Siya; surely it's for themselves?
She looked at her second uncle expectantly, wanting it.
Yu Hongding thought to himself, "The old lady really dares to think." He said, "I didn't take the key."
Grandma Yu went to the kitchen to ask for the key and immediately saw Yu Jiajia sitting on a chair eating an apple. This brat is dressed so nicely. These clothes and shoes would be so nice for Songya. And now she's eating an apple.
Grandma Yu was furious: "Siya, who told you to eat an apple? There were only a few, and you ate one!"
Cheng Xiuying: "What's wrong with Sibao eating one? Don't be so stingy. We got all these good things because of Sibao." She glanced at Yu Songya.
She wore a light blue dress, with wispy bangs and two small buns, and a pair of faux leather shoes. I used to think she was incredibly stylish, but now that I see the fairy-like Sibao every day, I think Yu Songya is just so-so.
No one can compare to her four children.
Grandma Yu reached out to snatch the apple from Yu Jiajia's hand, but Yu Songchuan quickly stepped in front of her and grabbed Grandma Yu's hand: "Grandma, be careful."
Yu Jiajia hid behind Yu Songchuan, munching on an apple. "Yay, yay, yay, I can't reach it!"
Grandma Yu was just fed up with her energetic grandchildren, and Cheng Xiuying was a real nuisance! She shouldn't have let Cheng Xiuying into the house! "Second daughter-in-law, give me the car keys so Songya can ride her bicycle."
Cheng Xiuying refused outright: "No, it's not that I'm stingy, but that's a new bike that the county committee rewarded Sibao with. I can't let Songya ride it. Songya can't ride a bike. What if she falls and breaks it?"
Yu Songya: "Second Aunt, I can ride a bike, I won't fall."
Cheng Xiuying: "That won't work either, I'm not comfortable with that. Only Sibao and I can ride this bike."
Grandma Yu: "You!"
Yu Songya smiled faintly, "Jiajia is so old, why is she still calling herself Sibao?"
Cheng Xiuying looked at her coldly, "No matter how old Jiajia is, she's still my fourth treasure, my darling, my good baby."
Yu Jiajia blushed with embarrassment and called out sweetly, "Mom."
They are a wonderful mother and daughter who go their separate ways.
Yu Songya inhaled.
Grandma Yu was actually helpless against her second son's family. She couldn't beat them in a fight, but she could verbally spar with them. However, she suffered greatly as a result, and her reputation was extremely bad. Everyone knew Grandma Yu as a vicious mother who wanted nothing more than to leech off her son. Yu Hongzhi's reputation was equally bad!
She suffered a great loss, and now she's just trying to endure it.
Cheng Xiuying shook her fist, her knuckles cracking. Coupled with her cold face, Old Madam Yu didn't dare to confront her directly. She turned to slap Yu Hongding, but Yu Jiamin blocked her way.
Grandma Yu turned around and hugged Yu Songqing, who was standing next to her. "My grandson, you are the most successful in our family. I love you the most. Your parents are so unfilial. They won't even give me a bicycle."
“Grandma, the bicycle belongs to Jiajia.” Yu Songqing said stiffly. Seeing Grandma Yu’s tears and snot about to smear on him, Yu Songqing felt a chill run down his spine. He grabbed Yu Songan next to him and shoved Grandma Yu into his arms. “Our eldest cousin is the most successful in our family. I can’t compare to him. Eldest cousin, Grandma loves you the most, please comfort Grandma.”
He performed these actions smoothly and effortlessly, and feeling refreshed as he moved away from Old Lady Yu.
It turns out that avoiding Grandma Yu is so easy; one force can overcome ten techniques, so he doesn't need to be cowardly.
His mood brightened considerably.
Grandma Yu naturally didn't want to wipe her snot on her eldest grandson, so she blew her nose with a handkerchief, saying, "I'm old, I'm disliked by everyone."
Yu Songqing: "Big cousin, you can't look down on Grandma. She loves you and Songya the most."
Grandma Yu and Yu Song'an: ...
The chicken soup and braised pork in the kitchen were almost ready. Cheng Xiuying also steamed a pot of mixed rice, which was rice and millet cooked together, using up most of the rice from Grandma Yu's house.
Of course she wasn't heartbroken.
Grandma Yu and Kang Wenjuan were heartbroken.
That damned Cheng Xiuying, she's trying to make her money back!
The table wasn't big, and Old Mrs. Yu said, "There aren't enough chairs, so Chunlan, Jianfang, Sanya, and Siya shouldn't sit at the table." She didn't dare stop Cheng Xiuying from sitting at the table; Cheng Xiuying could easily overturn it.
Wu Chunlan and Zhou Jianfang are the daughters-in-law of the eldest and second sons.
Yu Song'an: "Chunlai is still pregnant, how can she not sit at the table?"
Yu Songda was also unhappy that his wife wasn't at the table: "She can squeeze in and sit down."
There were more than a dozen people, and even if they squeezed in, they wouldn't all have a place to sit.
Yu Jiajia doesn't care, but her mother will never agree!
If you don't let her sit at the table, her mother will flip the table.
If you don't let your third sister sit at the table, she'll flip it over.
Cheng Xiuying said, "The men are at one table, and the women are at another. The dishes have all been served."
Let's eat it like this then.
Cheng Xiuying served the dishes, placing the best meat and vegetables in front of Yu Jiajia. She picked up a piece of chicken leg meat with her chopsticks and put it into Yu's mother's bowl: "This chicken leg meat is the best, give it to Mother." She then picked up a chicken head and put it into Yu Songya's bowl, "I remember Songya loves to gnaw on chicken bones the most."
Yu Songya: ...
Grandma Yu then placed the chicken head on Cheng Xiuying's plate, saying, "You're mistaken, you love chicken heads the most." She then placed a piece of good meat on Yu Songya's plate.
It was time to eat, and everyone reached for the chicken and braised pork with their chopsticks.
Cheng Xiuying didn't eat the chicken head. She wanted to eat the meat first. If she ate the chicken head now, all the other meat would be gone. She would eat the chicken head when there was no more meat left. "I couldn't bear to eat the chicken head that my mother put on my plate. I'll save it for last."
Yu Jiajia spotted the chicken wing tips, picked them up and put them in Cheng Xiuying's bowl, then picked up a piece of chicken leg meat with her chopsticks and put it in her own bowl before quickly eating the meat.
Everyone, eat quickly! If you're even a little slow, you'll eat less meat than others.
You can't take too much food and pile it up in your bowl, as that's considered impolite and greedy, and most importantly, you'll get scolded by your elders. You also can't use your chopsticks to pick through the food on the plate, or your elders will hit your hand with them.
With so many people, if everyone tries to grab the vegetables, then there will be no one to eat.
Whichever piece is sandwiched between them, that's the piece.
Only Yu Song'an's two children could put a few more pieces of meat into their bowls, because the children were too young and would eat them slowly.
Yu Jiajia loves the feeling of scrambling to eat; the food tastes especially delicious. She uses her chopsticks quickly and steadily, and her eyesight is good, always managing to spot the best pieces of meat.
Grandma Yu looked at the group of bandits and felt sorry for Yu Songya's slow movements, so she put a few pieces of braised pork on her plate.
Cheng Xiuying also put a piece of braised pork on each of her two daughters' plates.
Yu Jiamin was stunned. This was the first time she had received such preferential treatment from Cheng Xiuying, who had actually served her food.
By then, the plate was almost empty.
Yu Jiajia put a piece of meat back on Cheng Xiuying's plate, saying, "Mom, let's eat together."
Yu Jiamin hesitated for a moment, then put a piece of pork belly back on Cheng Xiuying's plate.
Cheng Xiuying couldn't stop smiling.
Yu Songya: ...
She finished all the meat, which made her seem unfilial. She turned to Grandma Yu and said, "Thank you, Grandma. When I start working, I'll buy you a roast chicken."
Cheng Xiuying pouted, too lazy to show off the nice things Sibao gave her, afraid that Old Lady Yu would be worried about them and unable to sleep.
The men's table had almost finished eating as well. They usually appeared to be brothers and sisters, but that was just an act. When it came to eating meat, they were very particular and wanted to eat all the good meat themselves.
Especially Yu Songqing, who hadn't eaten properly all day, and now he could eat a whole chicken by himself! He didn't care about a word, his eyes were only on the meat! After this meal, he didn't even know where the next meal would come from!
After everyone had eaten their fill, Yu Songqing took a steamed bun made from two kinds of flour and ate it all with the soup base.
Old Man Yu frowned as he watched, thinking, "This starving devil."
After finishing their meal, Cheng Xiuying didn't plan to stay any longer. She wiped her mouth and led the children home.
Grandma Yu was so angry that she stomped her feet.
Kang Wenjuan: "Mom, our family's food is poor, while my second brother's family's food is good. I feel sorry for you and Dad suffering at our house. Why don't you take Huaiyuan to stay at my second brother's house for a while and get some proper nutrition?"
Yu Huaiyuan is Yu Song'an's eldest son. He is four years old this year. He can eat and drink well and can leave his parents. It would be best to take him out to eat and drink delicious food.
Grandma Yu looked at the mess on the table and gritted her teeth: "Your father and I will take Huaiyuan over tomorrow."
Kang Wenjuan: "Mom, you should also inquire about the gold. With the shrewdness of the second son's family, it's impossible that other families can find gold while they can't."
Grandma Yu: "I know that."
While clearing away the dishes, Wu Chunlan chimed in, "How much gold they must have gotten! How lucky is Second Uncle's family? They'll be living a life of wealth and luxury from now on."
Old Yu tapped his old pipe and raised his eyelids: "You can say this at home, but you can't say it outside, especially not to your maternal family! If anyone makes up a story that the second son's family found gold, you can all go back to your maternal family."
No matter how bad his second son was, he never thought of sending him to work in a prison.
Wu Chunlan: "I'll just talk about it at home, I won't go back to my parents' home to talk about it."
Kang Wenjuan: "Dad, don't worry. We all understand the principle of shared prosperity."
Yu Songya: "Grandma, Siya looks so pretty today. Those leather shoes are made of calfskin. I want calfskin shoes too."
Grandma Yu hugged Yu Songya with heartache: "Let's go to the toilet later and see if there's any gold. If we find something, Grandma will buy you some calfskin shoes."
Yu Songya wanted them right now, but calfskin shoes were really expensive, over forty yuan a pair. Who could afford to buy them? Cheng Xiuying and her daughter each had a pair, saying they used Yu Jiajia's bonus, but who would be willing to spend all their bonus on shoes?
There must be more!
That's all that can be said publicly.
After washing the dishes, Wu Chunlan and Zhou Jianfang both said they were going to the toilet and ran back to their parents' homes. They had to tell their parents about the gold hidden in the toilet, just in case they found it.
Unable to find anyone, Kang Wenjuan started scolding, "Whenever something good happens, you rush back to your parents' house. Are you trying to squander all the family's good fortune?" She went to the restroom first, only to find a long line outside...
Cheng Xiuying's family enjoyed their meal, and Yu Jiajia was so full that she wanted to go for a stroll in the park.
Cheng Xiuying: "Go!"
This is such a small thing, of course I have to satisfy my precious daughter.
She then said to the others, "You should all go home now."
Yu Jiamin: "I also want to go to the park for a stroll. I'm a bit full. Let's rent a boat later and go to the lake to enjoy the breeze."
Yu Jiajia: "Okay!"
Yu Songchuan followed closely in his fourth sister's footsteps, reaping all the benefits of being with her. "I want to row a boat too," he said.
Yu Songyan: "I also want to go boating."
Yu Songqing: "I also want to go boating."
He must keep up with the crowd from now on. Missing out on gold has already made him regret it for half his life, and he must not miss out on anything else in the future.
He had a sudden realization: all the good things that happened in the family were related to Jiajia!
Yu Hongding smiled and said, "What a coincidence, I also want to take a stroll in the park."
Cheng Xiuying: ...
She actually wanted to go for a walk in the park alone with Sibao.
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