Chapter 77: Big Wrong Power of Two
Jiang Yuqin gave birth quickly, in the wee hours of the morning. When Ding Chao learned it was a daughter, he breathed a sigh of relief. A girl was a good thing. On the way here, Ding Chao wondered if Jiang Yuqin was having a boy or a girl. If it was a boy, would she make a fuss about sending Ding Hongwang away?
It wasn't that Ding Chao didn't want a son; he simply felt it was best to hold off on having one for now. At worst, Jiang Yuqin could have another child later. As for whether or not family planning was in place, they didn't need to worry about it; they just had to keep having children.
Ding Chao didn't bring any food for Jiang Yuqin. He went to see Jiang Yuqin, but his hands were empty.
"I'll get you something to eat." Ding Chao came to Jiang Yuqin. He looked at the weak Jiang Yuqin and then thought of getting something to eat for her.
Jiang Yuqin didn't think Ding Chao was wrong, wondering if he'd been so flustered that he'd forgotten. It wasn't Ding Chao's fault; this was his first time being a father. As for the last time, that didn't count. Jiang Yuqin had a miscarriage, and that child never came into the world. This was Ding Chao's first time at the hospital waiting for Jiang Yuqin to give birth.
"Where is Hongwang?" Jiang Yuqin thought of Ding Hongwang. She had to be a good adoptive mother and care more about Ding Hongwang.
"Let him stay with the neighbors next door first," Ding Chao said. "You're more important when you give birth here."
Jiang Yuqin smiled when she heard this. Her husband still cared deeply about her. Jiang Yuqin always managed to console herself with this. No matter what Ding Chao did, Jiang Yuqin could always find an excuse. There was no cure for this kind of love-brainedness, at least not yet.
"Do you want to see your daughter?" Ding Chao asked.
"A daughter..." Jiang Yuqin knew she was giving birth to a daughter, and she felt a little unhappy. Why not a son? "Let's have a son later."
Ding Chao didn't need to say much, Jiang Yuqin herself was talking about having a son. Jiang's mother didn't give Jiang's father a son. When Jiang Yuqin was still Jiang's father's daughter, Jiang's father was often laughed at by others. Others laughed at Jiang's father for not having a biological son and for raising a son for someone else.
It's not that Jiang's father doesn't want a son, and it's not that he hasn't thought about trying with Jiang's mother, but Jiang's mother hasn't gotten pregnant again, and Jiang's father has no other choice. Jiang's father can't just find another woman to have a child, that won't work.
When others talk about Jiang's father, Jiang Yuqin can also feel something. Jiang Yuqin doesn't want Ding Chao to be ridiculed for not having a son, and doesn't want Ding Chao to be said to be only able to raise other people's sons.
"Wait until later." Ding Chao nodded. It would be nice if they had another son in a few years. By then, Ding Hongwang would be older and Ding Chao would feel relieved. Ding Hongwang was still too young, and Ding Chao was a little worried that Jiang Yuqin would not treat him well. When Jiang Yuqin was pregnant this time, she wanted to send Ding Hongwang to the Ding family first. Ding Chao remembered this very well. "I'll go back and make some soup for you. You can take a rest first."
"Go back and rest for a while. It's okay if you come back later." Jiang Yuqin said, "It's not easy to get food at this time. Wait until morning. The vegetable market will be open in the morning, and you can go buy vegetables. I'll be fine in the hospital, so go back quickly."
"Well, you take a rest." Ding Chao said.
Jiang Yuqin gave birth to a child, which had nothing to do with the Jiang family. Jiang Moli and others did not go to visit Jiang Yuqin. Jiang Yuqin's biological mother went to see her, but Jin Manzhi did not go to see her, fearing that Jiang Yuqin would make a fuss later.
"It's good to have a daughter." Jin Manzhi said, "It's not impossible to have another one later."
Jin Manzhi and others didn't care about family planning at all. They just thought that sons were the heirs and only sons could provide for them in their old age. Jin Manzhi brought some chicken soup to Jiang Yuqin to comfort her a little.
Regarding Jiang Yuqin's life experience, Jin Manzhi and others still don't want too many people to know about it. It's better if fewer people know about it.
"Of course I can." Jiang Yuqin said.
"What about that child?" Jin Manzhi asked, "I'm talking about Ding Hongwang."
"He is my son." Jiang Yuqin looked at Jin Manyi. These people only knew how to ask questions. They didn't know how to take Ding Hongwang away directly. What's the use of talking every time? If Ding Chao heard it, he would be unhappy again.
These people didn't really care about her, and Jiang Yuqin was fed up with them. Jiang Yuqin thought of the Jiang family again. Jiang Moli was married, and she even lent money to Zhao Guodong to buy a house. Her own family, with both working parents, was still renting and hadn't bought a house yet. Zhao Guodong and his wife bought a house, which made Jiang Yuqin even more upset.
"Mom, Zhao Guodong and the others have bought houses, but we don't have one yet, so we can only rent one." Jiang Yuqin asked, "Why are you lending us money to buy a house?"
When Jin Manzhi heard what Jiang Yuqin said, she thought Jiang Yuqin was crazy. How could she have the money to buy a house for Jiang Yuqin?
"You should save up money and buy one," Jin Manzhi said. "Buying a house is no small matter. You should think carefully about it. You have two children to support now, and they need to go to school. If you have more children in the future, the cost will be even higher."
Jin Manzhi blamed her second uncle. If he hadn't let on, Jiang Yuqin would still be his biological daughter, and she could have claimed the house. If Jiang Moli had moved out, wouldn't the house have belonged to Jiang Yuqin? And if his father later found out that Jiang Yuqin wasn't his biological daughter, what would happen?
Uncle Jin Er shouldn't have drunk so much and shouldn't have said those things, which led to the situation becoming so bad now.
"You still have to help save money." Jiang Yuqin said, "Your children all have houses to live in, but I can only rent a house."
"Renting a house isn't bad either," Jin Manzhi said. "As long as there's a place to shelter from the wind and rain, it's enough. So many people rent houses and don't have their own homes. Many people can't afford to pay so much money to buy a house all at once."
"You have saved money for so many years, how much have you saved?" Jiang Yuqin asked.
"If you don't save money, you still have brothers and sisters," Jin Manzhi said, "and they all need money. So, if you're a few hundred or a few hundred short of buying a house, we'll give it to you. If the difference is too big, there's nothing we can do."
Jin Manzhi couldn't possibly lend out as much money as Jiang Moli did. She knew Jiang Yuqin wouldn't pay it back. Jiang Yuqin simply asked them for money, claiming it was a loan, but in reality, it wasn't. She simply took it. Later, not only did Jiang Yuqin not pay it back, she continued to ask for more. Where did they get so much money to give to Jiang Yuqin?
When Jiang Yuqin was discharged from the hospital, no one else in the Ding family came to see her. When Ding's mother learned that Jiang Yuqin had given birth to a daughter, she felt even less inclined to visit her, nor did she consider confinement for her. Why would someone who had only given birth to a daughter need confinement? Wasn't Jiang Yuqin quite capable? So, let Jiang Yuqin confine herself, and let her family take care of her.
Ding's mother didn't even kill a chicken to send to Jiang Yuqin. Jiang Yuqin felt bitter, but she had no other choice. Ding's mother was Ding Chao's biological mother. If Jiang Yuqin said a few more words, Ding Chao would say that Ding's mother didn't eat much during her confinement. Jiang Yuqin didn't say much after hearing that.
When Jiang Moli went to visit Niu Cuihua and her husband, she happened to hear Niu Cuihua talking about Jiang Yuqin.
"Her in-laws didn't send a single chicken," said Niu Cuihua.
When Niu Cuihua was in confinement, Jiang's mother did not stay in the country all the time, but she sent a lot of money and things to Niu Cuihua, which was considered as Jiang's mother's confinement. Jiang Yuqin's in-laws were nearby, and they had not come to visit Jiang Yuqin yet.
"There's not even a chicken?" Jiang Moli asked.
"Yes." Niu Cuihua nodded. "Not to mention a chicken, not even an egg was delivered, and no one went over."
"..." Jiang Moli's mouth twitched slightly.
"While Jiang Yuqin was raising other people's children and nursing her own, she still had to think about her adopted son," Niu Cuihua said. "Whether her life was easy or not, only she knew."
"It's true that only she knows. When she was still at home, her father didn't let her marry Ding Chao, but she insisted on marrying him." Jiang Moli said, "She just thinks that she married for love, so she has to pay for love. She is the same as her biological mother. But her biological mother has made it now and doesn't have to live such a hard life, while she still has to live such a hard life. I guess she thinks that things will get better in a few years."
Jin Manzhi didn't act as a stepmother or foster mother to anyone, but Jiang Yuqin acted as a stepmother or foster mother to someone else's child, which was different. Jiang Yuqin always felt that she was a good stepmother, which was her self-admiration.
There are many people like this in this world. They always think that they are doing extremely well, that others are not doing as well as them, and that they are doing so great.
Jiang Moli hadn't seen Jiang Yuqin for a long time. Before she moved, she might have run into her when she went out to buy groceries. After she moved, Jiang Moli rarely came over. Once a month was considered a lot.
Jiang Moli and Zhao Guodong each had their own families, so visiting once or twice a month was good enough, not every day. They all maintained a certain degree of discretion to avoid any further incidents.
Niu Cuihua and his wife felt that they already owed Jiang Moli a lot of money and had troubled her with many things, and they couldn't continue to trouble her. When Niu Cuihua and his wife went to Jiang Moli's house, Jiang Moli's family always cooked a lot of dishes for them, which made Niu Cuihua and his wife feel very embarrassed. Even when Jiang Moli said that they ate like that on weekdays, Niu Cuihua and his wife still felt that they had taken advantage of them.
"Moli, have lunch here at noon today." Mother Niu came back from outside. When she saw Jiang Moli, she said, "It's just some simple food."
"I won't eat here anymore." Jiang Moli said, "I have to go back. I'll eat with you guys another day."
"That's fine." Mother Niu nodded. "Come and sit down when you have time."
"You guys go about your business, I'll go back first." Jiang Moli said.
It wasn't because Niu's mother came back that Jiang Moli went back, but because Niu Cuihua and Niu's mother still had things to do, and it was meaningless for Jiang Moli to stay here. Jiang Moli couldn't let others put down their work to entertain her, so it would be better for her to go back early.
When Jiang Moli came over, she brought some food for Niu Cuihua and her husband, such as beef and snacks. Jiang Moli felt that giving these things was more practical, as Niu Cuihua and her husband were often short of delicious food, and the two children were also short of snacks. Jiang Moli didn't have any children yet, so she had a good attitude towards Zhao Jiaojiao and her family.
When Mother Niu saw the things on the table, she thought of Jiang Moli who had already left.
"Your sister-in-law has given you so many things again," said Niu's mother. "These things must have cost a lot of money, so you can save a lot of money. Your sister-in-law never came here empty-handed, so you shouldn't go empty-handed either."
"We didn't go there empty-handed, but we didn't come back empty-handed either," Niu Cuihua said. "Moli always asked us to bring something back. Sometimes when Moli wasn't around, my mother-in-law didn't give us anything, but Moli would ask the servants at home to let us bring something back."
"A sister-in-law like this is rare," said Niu's mother. "You have accumulated so much good fortune over so many lifetimes. I have no money, so I borrowed most of it, and you bought this house."
"That's right. Everyone says I have a good aunt." Niu Cuihua agreed with her mother. "My aunt likes to keep things separate, but that doesn't mean she doesn't help us. She helps us a lot, but it would be better if some things were kept separate to save trouble."
"It's best that you can think this way." Niu's mother was worried that Niu Cuihua would be unable to get over it. She told her not to always think that others were living a good life. Niu Cuihua and her husband's life was not that good. People should not compare themselves with others, but only with themselves.
"Yes." Niu Cuihua nodded. "Mom, put the meat in the refrigerator first and stir-fry it in the evening."
"It's good to have a refrigerator. It's convenient for storing things." said Niu's mother.
"Before, I put some things in the refrigerator for a while longer. My mother-in-law came over and saw it. She told us to eat them quickly and not keep them frozen for so long. It's not that things in the refrigerator won't spoil, but freezing them for too long is not good for your health." Niu Cuihua said, "Eat them quickly. You have to eat them anyway. There's no need to save them for guests. There aren't that many guests to entertain in the city."
Everyone knows that eating costs money, and entertaining guests costs even more. So, unless it's absolutely necessary, people don't often go to other people's homes for dinner. Even if you do visit, you don't necessarily have to eat, and some people leave quickly.
Niu Cuihua initially wondered if city dwellers were too cold and heartless, but then she realized otherwise. It was clearly because they valued friendship. They didn't want to burden their relatives; they knew life in the city wasn't easy. Niu Cuihua and her friends used to think city dwellers had it easy, but that wasn't the case. They also had to work hard to afford food, clothing, housing, and transportation, and every day they opened their eyes, they incurred invisible expenses.
"I'll make stir-fried beef with green peppers tonight," Niu Cuihua said. "I'll buy some green peppers later. This piece of beef is quite large, so I'll stir-fry some tonight and some tomorrow. Mom, you've been working hard lately, getting up early, so you need some nourishment."
"I'm taking advantage of your sister-in-law." said Niu's mother.
When Jiang Moli returned home, she saw a box of exquisite pastries with vivid floral patterns.
"Where did it come from?" Jiang Moli asked, "Did the neighbor send it again?"
"It was sent from next door," Jiang's mother said. "The eldest sister's children gave it to her. She said she couldn't eat so much by herself, so she gave me some. She also said that since we are a big family, it can help her digest some. She also said that if I don't want it, I can throw it away as fertilizer for the flowers, so I took it. I'll make some rice cakes and send them to her someday. Last time, she ate the rice cakes I made and said they were delicious."
Mother Jiang didn't know if Mrs. Wen really liked the rice cakes, but she was very happy to eat them. Mother Jiang thought that maybe these rich people sometimes just liked to eat simple things and didn't want to eat something so complicated.
"Okay, you do it. Make more." Jiang Moli said, "I'll ask Yaran to come over and eat too."
"Sure, ask your mother-in-law and the others to come over, and I'll make some more." Jiang's mother said with a smile, "When making these foods, you have to make more so that more people can eat them. That's how it tastes."
"Mom, Jiang Yuqin gave birth to a daughter and is now in confinement," Jiang Moli said. "I heard from my sister-in-law that Jiang Yuqin's in-laws didn't even visit her or send anything."
"She chose to marry herself, so she can't blame anyone else," Jiang's mother said. "It's hard to persuade a damned person with kind words."
"Yeah, yes." Jiang Moli nodded, "I think so too. Fortunately, she is not Dad's biological daughter, so we don't have to worry about her."
Jiang Moli looked at Jiang Yuqin's life and thought she was out of her mind. Jiang Yuqin was so competitive in front of the other members of the Jiang family, but she was so humble in front of the Ding family. Jiang Moli couldn't understand what Jiang Yuqin was thinking. Is love really that important?
To be honest, if Sheng Jiahao wasn't good enough and rich enough, Jiang Moli wouldn't be with him. Jiang Moli needs to think about how she wants to live her life and her future. She can't just blindly be with someone. The consequences of being blind are terrible and will make her life a mess.
Jiang Moli prefers to make more plans, even if the plans cannot keep up with the changes, but at least it can make her life more comfortable and not too hectic.
"I don't know if Dad knows." Jiang Moli said.
"Your dad... probably knew it before us." Jiang's mother looked around. Seeing that Jiang's father was not in the living room at the moment, Jiang's mother whispered, "Your dad knows about Jiang Yuqin's life experience. Sometimes he still pays attention to her. After all, they have been father and daughter for so many years. Of course, your dad wants to see Jiang Yuqin's life worse."
Jiang's mother understood Jiang's father's mentality. Look, Jiang Yuqin had such a good life in the Jiang family. Jiang Yuqin had to marry Ding Chao to have such a bad life. Jin Manzhi's genes were like that. Jiang Yuqin was not a Jiang family member and did not inherit the Jiang family genes. Jiang's father also felt that Jiang Moli was doing so well and Jiang Yuqin was doing so poorly. This made him feel a little happier and relieved his inner depression. He had raised his daughter for someone else for so many years, and he felt too uncomfortable.
Whenever Jiang's father thought about some things in the past, he would get angry. Jiang's father used to think that Jiang Yuqin could live a good life, but now he doesn't think so anymore. He thinks Jiang Yuqin should live a worse life.
"Your father didn't tell me, but I know everything," Jiang's mother said. "We've been married for so many years, how could we not know?"
"It's not a bad idea. Just think about it." Jiang Moli said, "Jiang Yuqin is a woman..."
Jiang Moli still hopes that Jiang Yuqin can think more clearly. Jiang Yuqin is a woman just like Jiang Moli, and Jiang Moli wants women to live a better life. Every time Jiang Moli sees people like Jiang Yuqin, she wants to shake her head. No matter how others pull these people, it's useless. These people still want to drag others into the pit.
"Don't bother with her," Jiang's mother said. "It's useless for you to intervene. She won't be grateful to you."
"No, I didn't care about her." Jiang Moli said, "I don't have a good relationship with her, why would I care so much?"
While Jiang's mother was making rice cakes, Jiang Moli not only called over Teacher Lu, but also the elder brother and second sister Sheng and their family. Zhao Guodong and his wife also came over. Jiang's mother said she'd make more, so everyone could have some time to play together. Old Mrs. Wen from next door was also invited over for some cakes. Jiang's mother didn't invite any other neighbors. At most, she'd bring some food over to them, but they wouldn't necessarily appreciate Jiang's rice cakes.
"Your cooking skills are good, it doesn't stick to my teeth." Teacher Lu sat on the sofa and ate two pieces of rice cake.
"It wasn't just me who did this. Cuihua and her mother also helped out." Jiang's mother said with a smile, "It's only because the house here is big that we could invite you all over to play."
"There are many people, it's lively." said Mrs. Wen.
Old Lady Wen really liked the atmosphere of the Jiang and Sheng families; there wasn't much fighting or intrigue, and it felt especially warm and cozy. When Teacher Lu was with people like Jiang's mother, they wouldn't argue. Some in-laws would argue, and even if they didn't, they'd still find fault.
Teacher Lu, unlike Jiang's mother, knew more about Old Lady Wen. She was a bit surprised to see her approach. She had heard from her youngest son that Jiang's mother and Old Lady Wen had a good relationship, and now it seemed to be true. It was a real feat for Jiang's mother to get along so well with Old Lady Wen.
"If you think it's delicious, eat more," Jiang's mother said. "We've set up a grill in the backyard, marinated some meat, and some vegetables we grew ourselves. You can come over later."
"Just go about your business, there's no need to entertain us," said Mrs. Wen.
Old Lady Wen saw the Sheng family's children, as well as the children brought by Second Sister Sheng, and she treated them all quite well. These children had no idea how powerful the Wen family was, and they hadn't been taught to flatter Old Lady Wen in order to gain benefits from her. The children treated Old Lady Wen like any other old lady, and Old Lady Wen was fine with that. Old Lady Wen simply didn't like it when people deliberately tried to curry favor with her, hoping to gain benefits from her.
After a while, everyone went to the backyard and had a barbecue together.
Old Mrs. Wen sat on a recliner made by Jiang's father. He had made two recliners and placed them in the backyard. He had wanted to make two more, but Jiang Moli said that was enough. She said they couldn't all lie in a row in the backyard, so having two recliners was good enough. Jiang's father's craftsmanship was pretty good. Although the recliners he made weren't as exquisite, they were still quite comfortable to lie on.
The weather is not very hot now. It is easy to fall asleep when lying on a lounge chair and smelling the scent of grass and trees.
Old Mrs. Wen lay there for a while and then closed her eyes and fell asleep, but she only slept for about ten minutes and woke up soon.
"Your recliner is nice." Old Mrs. Wen said, "It's warm."
"If you like, I'll give you one." Jiang's mother said with a smile, "My man made it. As long as you don't mind that we slept on it."
"It's better to leave this recliner here with you. I'll come over another day." Old Mrs. Wen said. Although she had so many plants planted in her front and back yards, she still felt that her side was not as good as Jiang's mother's. Maybe it was because the people and things here were more interesting.
"Alright, come and eat." Jiang Moli said loudly. She brought some food and placed it in front of Old Lady Wen. "Would you like juice, milk, or soy milk?"
"Drink juice." Mrs. Wen said, "It's sweet and sour."
"Okay." Jiang Moli said, "Don't eat too much sweet food."
Jiang Moli knew that Mrs. Wen's health was not very good. She could eat a little of some things, but not too much. Jiang Moli didn't want Mrs. Wen's health to deteriorate, so she had to take better care of her.
"Just one cup, not much." Old Mrs. Wen curled her lips slightly, in a good mood.
Old Lady Wen's children and grandchildren were all a bit afraid of her. They rarely told her to eat less, as they thought she would take care of it herself, so they didn't ask too many questions. Old Lady Wen still liked to be asked a few more questions and shown some concern, even if they were simple words.
"Okay, I'll pour you one glass." Jiang Moli placed the juice in front of Mrs. Wen.
When Jiang Moli went back to continue grilling, Mrs. Wen looked at Jiang's mother and said, "Your daughter is very caring."
"She has been like this since she was a child. Her grandmother often says that she has a sweet mouth." Jiang's mother said. You know, Grandma Jiang is a person who likes her grandson more. Grandma Jiang is also very happy when Jiang Moli coaxes her, so Grandma Jiang treats Jiang Moli better. Jiang Moli's other cousins do not have such good treatment in front of Grandma Jiang.
"There's nothing wrong with being a little sweet-talker. What a nice girl." said Mrs. Wen.
"That's right, there's no doubt about that," Jiang's mother said. "She even brought us here to live with her. We became her dowry."
"Gender equality," Teacher Lu said. "Sons can live with their parents, so why can't daughters?"
Teacher Lu doesn't think there is anything wrong with Jiang's mother living with Jiang Moli and her husband. It is such a good thing that the whole family can be together and have a good relationship.
"As for you, don't worry about what others think. As a family, happiness is the most important thing," said Teacher Lu. "Seeing how happy you are, I feel lucky that our Jiahao has fallen for your Jasmine."
"Jiahao is very good." Jiang's mother said.
"You two should stop bragging about your sons and daughters," said Mrs. Wen. "Your sons and daughters are all good, much better than mine. They come every month and it's just like a routine, sitting there solemnly. I ask questions, and they answer. After a few rounds, they complete their mission and then go back."
"They still come to see you." Jiang's mother comforted.
"They do have filial piety," said Mrs. Wen, "but not a lot."
"Big sister, that's not bad," Jiang's mother said. "That's considered good. I know some people have been kicked out by their sons and daughters-in-law, and their daughters can't take them in. They're just finding places to sleep on the main street, in parks, and under bridges."
Jiang's mother knew many people from lower-income families, and she had witnessed situations like this: often, when only one person was left in an elderly couple, that person would be evicted. The children were unwilling to support the elderly, and so they kept chasing them away, leaving them homeless.
Second Sister Sheng looked at how Jiang Moli grilled meat and asked, "You can grill meat too?"
"No, I don't know how to grill meat." Jiang Moli said, "Isn't there a chef who marinates the meat?"
The chef at home was also there. It wasn't like Jiang Moli baked everything. Jiang Moli watched the chef do it. The chef didn't say much. He just worked hard. After all, he got paid, so he just had to do his job well.
"In front of the elders, show off a little." Jiang Moli whispered, "If you don't know how to do it, just watch others do it and try a few times. There are so many people here."
"Uh..." Second Sister Sheng was amused by Jiang Moli's words, "Let Jiahao do it. Husband and wife are one. If he does it, then you do it."
"He's doing it." Jiang Moli said, "Give him some face."
"Having you here is the greatest honor for him." said Sister Sheng.
Zhao Guodong and his wife were with Niu's mother and the others. Niu's mother wasn't very familiar with Teacher Lu and the others, so she spoke little. Zhao Guodong and his wife spent more time with her. Zhao Jiaojiao would even call her "Auntie," and she especially liked to hang around her "Auntie."
With so many people present, and everyone having eaten some rice cakes and other snacks, there was no rush to eat the barbecue. The barbecue was still fast enough for everyone to eat, and everyone ate to their heart's content. There was still some pickled meat and vegetables left over.
"I want these vegetables." Sister Sheng said, "The vegetables you grow yourself are good. I want some. The children like them."
"Don't you want some meat?" Jiang Moli asked.
"No need, we buy them plenty of meat," said Second Sister Sheng. "It's all from outside. When your chicks grow up, we'll come over and catch one. That would be great."
"When the chicks grow up, come and catch them," Jiang Moli said.
Old Madam Wen and Teacher Lu and his wife naturally didn't bring these things, and Brother Sheng and his wife also wanted to bring some fruits and vegetables grown by Jiang's father and mother. Brother Sheng and his wife had no shortage of money, and they had no shortage of meat to eat, so they didn't think of bringing pickled meat. If they had live crabs, they would bring them.
After cleaning up, Jiang Moli asked Zhao Guodong and his wife to take the remaining marinated meat back home. It didn't matter whether Zhao Guodong and his wife grilled it or fried it and ate it with rice. Jiang Moli and her group didn't plan to continue eating it. The next time they ate, they had to eat fresh meat.
When Niu Cuihua and her husband returned, they brought back a lot of things.
"They're really generous." Mother Niu said, "When entertaining guests, you really need to prepare more things."
Niu's mother was a little embarrassed when she went to Jiang Moli's place. Jiang Moli, Jiang's mother, and others would always tell her to eat more, but Niu's mother didn't get too polite with them. Other people have so much stuff, and if Niu's mother was too cautious and didn't dare to eat, it would be bad. Niu's mother ate a lot today and was very full.
"Your aunt's in-laws probably know that we rarely buy meat, so they all want vegetables," said Mother Niu.
"They prefer green vegetables, the ones grown and raised by my mother-in-law and uncle." Niu Cuihua said. She didn't quite understand why those people liked the ones grown and raised at home. Would such things taste better?
For some things, Niu Cuihua can tell that they taste different, but for some other things, Niu Cuihua can't tell the difference at all.
The chicken you buy outside is more tender and looser, not as firm, and is easy to stew. The chicken you grow yourself is firmer and takes longer to stew, so you can tell the difference.
"They said the fermented tofu we made before was delicious," said Niu Cuihua.
"They are trying something new." said Niu's mother.
Jiang Moli originally wanted to invite Zhou Yaran to eat rice cakes, but Zhou Yaran didn't come because she had something to do. Jiang Moli packed some rice cakes and asked the driver to send them to Zhou Yaran's home. If Zhou Yaran still lived in her parents' home, Jiang Moli would have asked her parents-in-law to help bring them over, but Zhou Yaran happened to be married and living with her husband's family.
Zhou Yiran was not free, so her man did not come alone.
When Zhou Yiran returned home, she saw the rice cakes that Jiang Moli had sent over, and she was in a particularly good mood.
"I knew Jasmine would never forget me." Zhou Yiran said.
"She had someone send it over, and it was quite a lot," said Yao Peng.
"That's because she knows I'm not the only one at home. I can't eat alone while you all watch." Zhou Yiran said, "Auntie's rice cakes are delicious. In the past, when Jasmine's family made rice cakes, I always went to eat them. When my mother found out, she scolded me, saying that I was so greedy and always went to other people's houses to eat."
Zhou Yiran picked up a piece of rice cake and took a bite. "This is the taste. It's really delicious. Do you want to try it?"
"Eat." Yao Peng took a piece, took a bite, and nodded. "It's really delicious."
"I went to Jasmine's house to eat rice cakes so often that I even brought some home. My mom told me to bring some rice with me when I went over, so that I could be considered bringing my own food." Zhou Yiran wanted to laugh when she recalled the past. "Also, when my mom scolded me or wanted to hit me, I would run away and sleep with Jasmine. When my mom saw that I didn't go home, she went straight to Jasmine's house to look for me and found me. Jasmine's mom also said that it was okay that the child had disappeared somewhere else, and asked her mom to stop scolding me because children are always naughty."
"You have a good relationship." Yao Peng said.
"Of course," Zhou Yiran said. "Moli and I have known each other since we were very young. We sang together, competed together, and performed on stage together. Our friendship is very deep. If I really have to choose between you and Moli, I will definitely choose Moli. Moli won't betray me, but you might not."
"Can she live with you forever?" Yao Peng couldn't help but wonder why his position in his wife's heart was not as high as Jasmine's. "You may think so, but she may not think so."
"Wrong, absolutely wrong." Zhou Yiran made a big cross with her hands in front of her chest. "If a man is bad, just kick him out. Jasmine is more rational than me. Our Jasmine is the best."
"Yes, she's the best." Yao Peng said with a hint of sourness, "We've known each other for quite some time, and we'll spend our whole lives together."
"Behave better." Zhou Yiran raised an eyebrow. "Besides, do you really think you're qualified to be on par with Jasmine and let me choose one?"
"I was naive." Yao Peng sighed.
"Eat it, it's really delicious, very delicious." Zhou Yiran said, "Now that I'm older, I'm embarrassed to always go over and get free food like I did when I was a kid. Jasmine is married, and I'm married too. Why do women have to get married? Can't they have children if they don't get married? It's better to be a creature that can reproduce on its own. You don't have to worry about so many problems."
"..." Yao Peng felt that it would be better for him to eat two more rice cakes.
"What do you think, wouldn't it be better if it could reproduce on its own?" Zhou Yiran said.
"We are not viruses." Yao Peng said, "We are not brainless..."
"Alright, alright, no need to say more," Zhou Yiran said. "Don't tell me we're higher animals. Those that reproduce on their own are lower animals. Who knows, they might become very advanced in the future. There's only one person left in the world who can't reproduce. But there's only one self-reproducing creature left in the world who can reproduce. Do you know powers of two? You're a math teacher, you should know."
"I originally taught physical education," said Yao Peng.
"You're teaching math now." Zhou Yiran glared at Yao Peng. "Powers of two, two times two, keep multiplying, the values are incredibly terrifying. As a math teacher, don't you even understand this?"
"..." Yao Peng wondered if he should understand this or not. Elementary school students hadn't learned such profound things yet. "I know, but elementary school students don't."
"Of course you have to know." Zhou Yiran said, "If you don't know, you're misleading the students. From now on, our children should not be your students."
"This... is also fine." Yao Peng said.
"You don't need to teach Jasmine's students." Zhou Yiran said.
"All right," Yao Peng replied. "Will you help with the child's homework?"
"Come here, come here. You are a teacher and you have the nerve to ask this question." Yao Peng was glared at by Zhou Yiran again. Anyway, Zhou Yiran didn't think about tutoring the child's homework in the future.
The assistant director of the Dream of the Red Chamber crew went to direct another TV series, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He felt that Jiang Moli was suitable for the role of Xiao Qiao. Xiao Qiao's scenes were few, but those scenes were important. The importance of the two Qiao sisters can be seen from the poem "The two Qiao sisters are locked up in Tongque Spring".
When Jiang Moli received the call from the assistant director, she originally thought that "Dream of Red Mansions" needed to be reshot, or that some other situation had occurred, but she did not expect that the other party wanted to invite Jiang Moli to play Xiao Qiao.
"I know you want to sing opera, so it won't take up too much of your time." The assistant director of "Dream of the Red Chamber" was named Fu. Director Fu was an assistant director on the crew of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," but he was able to shoot more clips, just like the director of the A and B teams. "After much consideration, you are the most suitable."
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