The fifth sister-in-law was the youngest daughter-in-law of the village head. She opened a grocery store at the entrance of the village, selling oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, needles and thread. The prices were a little higher than in town, but not outrageous. It was convenient for the villagers, and the fifth sister-in-law could also make some money.
Xia Youtian grinned and looked at Jiang with a smile:
"This packet is brown sugar, this packet is pickled pig ears, and this jar is yellow rice wine from Shaoxing. We're going back to your parents' home with you today, so we can't go empty-handed!"
Jiang brushed the frost and snow off Xia Youtian with a broom and said angrily, "Didn't we prepare the woolen cloth and the incense burner fruit? It's enough to just be polite. Why spend this money?"
Xia Youtian disagrees:
"Wouldn't it be nice to keep that woolen blue cloth and make you a coat? If it's not enough for a coat, then you can make some shoe uppers! As for the oven fruit, save it for the children!"
Jiang said angrily:
"Giving the children so many snacks to eat, be careful they get too greedy, and then they'll come crying to you when they run out! What can't be made into shoe uppers? It's really not nice to give a New Year gift without a piece of woolen blue cloth."
The area around Beiguan Village belongs to the north of the Great Chu Dynasty, and many people there speak loudly.
Jiang had a soft temper and her tone of voice was always gentle. Even when she spoke with a hint of anger, it was much softer than other people speaking calmly.
The key point she didn't say was that it would save money. However, Xia Youtian was not stupid, so how could he not know what his wife was thinking?
He said with a smile:
"The simmered fruit and woolen green cloth are what you, the daughter-in-law, give to our parents. The wine, meat, and brown sugar are what I, as their son-in-law, give to my father-in-law and mother-in-law."
Seeing Xia Youtian's firm attitude, Jiang couldn't help but laugh.
Although I still couldn't suppress my worries about the dwindling money at home, a kind of sweet happiness welled up in my heart that even the harsh reality couldn't stop.
The couple drank porridge and ate a few steamed buns with pickles. They changed into good clothes, took the children and the prepared New Year gifts, and the whole family went out. Jiang carried a backpack and Xia Youtian carried a load, and they went out.
The backpack was filled with brown sugar, pig ears, and two thick clothes, which the children could wear in case they got cold on the road.
On one end of the pole was the piece of woolen cloth and the jar of yellow wine for the Jiang family, and on the other end was the water lily.
Lihua, Goro, and Daohua, holding hands, followed the couple closely, laughing and chattering as they walked forward.
The best thing about going out in the morning is that the sky becomes brighter the further you go.
Five hours later, they arrived at Liushutuozi. Jiang's mother, Shen, was already waiting at the entrance of Liushutuozi village.
When the people of Liushutuozi Village saw Jiang and her son-in-law Xia Youtian, they greeted them warmly.
"Oh, is this Xiaoqi from the Jiang family back? Xiaoqi is such a filial child!"
"Xiao Qi is so lucky. Look at the son-in-law he found. How filial and sensible!"
"These kids are so handsome! This is Lihua, right? She's taller than my iron pillar!"
"Oh my god, this is Linghua! You are so comfortable at least! Others walk but you take the car!"
"That's Wu Lang, right? Wu Lang looks so energetic! Such an energetic young man is so popular!"
Xia Daohua knew that they were half being polite and half being genuinely envious.
Jiang and Xia Youtian had a good foundation, so naturally their children would not grow up to be ugly.
Lihua is clearly a young version of Liu Yifei, and Linghua is also very cute, like a child star who can melt everyone's heart. Wulang has handsome eyebrows and eyes, and a straight figure. He looks like a lively little tree when he stands there.
Even though I look very ordinary, even a little weird, with my hair shaved and ointment applied, if you look closely, I have a good appearance that is far better than average.
Shen said proudly, "Of course, don't you see who gave birth to it? How could our Xiaoqi's child not be good-looking?"
Jiang blushed: "Mother, what are you talking about?"
Shen raised her head proudly: "What? The truth! If you don't believe me, ask them if I'm right."
The villagers all echoed: "Yes, yes, Xiao Qi Niang is absolutely right!"
Jiang's face turned even redder. She quickly shook off her mother and children and walked quickly towards her parents' home.
Shen burst into laughter, seeming to enjoy seeing her daughter so shy that she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet.
She followed, holding Lihua's hand, and called out to Xia Youtian:
"Arita, follow me! Let's go home!"
The little ones followed Lihua closely, and Linghua also got out of the basket and walked away by herself.
Xia Youtian smiled innocently and followed with his load on his shoulder. In fact, he also liked to see his wife's shy look.
The Jiang family prepared a large table of dishes, and Jiang's two sisters also came back today.
Xia Youtian was dragged away by his elder brother-in-law and his brothers-in-law to drink. Jiang and her two sisters gathered together to talk, and the children played together with their cousins.
The third generation of the Jiang family is prosperous.
Before Xia Daohua could recognize all her cousins, she was called over by old lady Shen.
Shen and her aunt Qiao prepared new cotton-padded clothes for Lihua, Wulang, Daohua and Linghua.
Lihua's was made from an old bright red cotton-padded jacket that was about 80% new and belonged to Shen Shi.
Wulang's is made of brand new woolen blue cloth.
Daohua's dress was made of hundreds of different colored scraps of cloth, pieced together one by one. To make this dress for Daohua, Shen and her aunt went from house to house in the village and several neighboring villages, begging for scraps of cloth.
It is said that this kind of clothes, called "Baijiayi", can be put on sick or injured children to pray for blessings and seek protection from God, so that the child can avoid disasters and misfortunes.
Linghua’s new cotton-padded jacket originally belonged to her seventh cousin from her fourth aunt’s family.
During the Little New Year, my seventh cousin was playing with firecrackers with her cousins and accidentally burned a big hole in her sleeve. She refused to wear it again.
My fourth aunt was so angry that she beat my seventh cousin, but she still couldn't change her mind.
Finally, my aunt asked for the cotton-padded jacket and used the scraps of cloth and cotton left over from making a cotton-padded jacket for Daohua to mend the burnt sleeves of Baken neatly.
Seventh cousin and Linghua are of similar height, so this patched new cotton-padded jacket is just the right gift for Linghua.
Jiang couldn't help but have tears in her eyes, and she thanked her sister-in-law profusely.
Mrs. Qiao laughed heartily and generously, and even deliberately joked with Mrs. Jiang:
"What are you talking about, sister!
You just divided the bills, and you need money for everything. As your family members, shouldn’t we help out a little?
Look how easy it is to please you! Just by giving me a few cotton-padded jackets, you saved me a lot of money!"
Mrs. Qiao spoke humorously, and Mrs. Jiang also laughed with tears in her eyes.
As the saying goes, every family has its own problems, and no one's life is as easy as it seems to outsiders.
Fortunately, the eldest sister-in-law is diligent, capable, clever, and broad-minded. With her helping her mother who never worries about anything, Jiang feels much more at ease.
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