Chapter 473 A Dream of Youth 5
As the rooster crowed at dawn, the lamp in the second-floor room came on. Xie Ning yawned, feeling a bit sleep-deprived. Chen Shi picked Xie Ning up and dressed him.
Xie Wangzhi, who was standing next to her, laughed and said, "It seems that Bao'er is not used to getting up early for the first time."
Xie Ning let Chen use salt to clean her teeth and rinse her mouth, feeling rather speechless. Who was it that made such a racket all night last night...?
"Mother is going to my eldest sister's place today. I need to help Father. Luckily you have the day off today, otherwise I would have taken Bao'er to the stall."
The environment there wasn't very good; it was noisy, and Chen didn't really want to take Xie Ning there.
"What happened to my eldest sister?" Xie Wangzhi was somewhat surprised, as his mother hadn't told him about this.
"have no idea."
Chen placed the warm face towel on Xie Ning's face, momentarily forgetting to move, and said hesitantly, "I guess, their family is probably bringing up my eldest sister's health again."
My husband's older sister has been married for so many years but has never had a child. She hasn't been living a very good life there. If it weren't for Xie Wangzhi's hard work and occasional financial support, that family would probably have divorced her long ago.
However, the inability to have children is ultimately a point of contention.
Xie Wangzhi's face darkened. "We'll see how things go when Mother comes back. If my eldest sister can't make it, she can get a divorce. There's always food for her to eat at home."
He had wanted to bring this up for a long time, but neither his parents nor his older sister were willing. In any case, he looked down on Guo Dayong.
The dynasty did have legal provisions for women to divorce. After a divorce, a woman would return to her parents' home and be called a "returning daughter." Apart from being subject to gossip, she could also inherit a portion of her parents' estate.
Mrs. Chen nodded. "Indeed, my sister-in-law is a good person, but she's a bit too soft-hearted."
If she were more assertive, she would have divorced long ago. That family is no good. I don't know why the Xie family elders would marry their eldest daughter off to them. Chen arrived late and doesn't know the inside story.
After chatting for a while, the two looked down and saw Xie Ning staring at them with wide, unblinking eyes. Chen coughed lightly and said in a low voice, "Bao'er, you mustn't tell anyone about what your father and mother are talking about. Be a good child, and I'll buy her some bean cakes today."
Xie Ning covered her mouth and nodded, her mischievous little expression making Xie Wangzhi chuckle.
It was chilly in the morning, so Xie Wangzhi put on a thicker outer robe for himself and told Chen to wear a thicker jacket. Then he carried Xie Ning downstairs.
"Brother?" Xie Ning pointed to Xie Qi's room.
Xie Wangzhi glanced at the faintly bright sky and smiled, "Your brother finally got a day off, so let him sleep for an extra hour to recover."
Xie Qi usually has to get up early to go to the academy, unlike him, who is a teacher and only needs to go to the academy when he has classes.
Next to the storage room on the side, there was a carrying pole. Grandfather Xie was steaming buns in the kitchen. When he saw Xie Wangzhi carrying Xie Ning down, he took a few buns and asked, "These are freshly steamed meat buns. Do you want the vegetarian ones?"
"Yes, by the way, where are Dad and Mom?"
"She went out early this morning, following Liu Xi's wife to Guo Village. She wouldn't let me go with her, so I'll just let her go," Grandfather Xie sighed, his heart filled with worry.
This marriage was ill-fated, but what's done is done, and it's too late to say anything now. They thought they could just make do and get by, but all these years of trouble have made things difficult for them, and they're in the wrong.
The fact that the eldest daughter cannot bear children is ultimately a source of criticism.
Xie Ning blew on the bun before taking a bite. The dough was soft and fluffy, and the rich meat juice flowed into her mouth. With another bite, she tasted the tender, juicy, and slightly chewy pork filling, which also contained finely chopped shiitake mushrooms, making it even more delicious.
When Xie Wangzhi saw Xie Ning looking at the pickled cabbage and vegetarian bun in his hand, he broke off a small piece for her to eat before eating it himself.
Meanwhile, Grandmother Xie followed Guo Lin's eldest son all the way to Guo Village, without letting anyone see them, and went straight into Liu Xi's house.
"Sister Hui, you've finally arrived!" A peasant woman dressed in a short brown robe and wearing a headscarf grabbed Grandma Xie's hand.
"Ah-Xi, tell me, what exactly happened?"
Grandmother Xie's surname was Liu, and her given name was Hui. She and Liu Xi came from the same village and had been friends since childhood. She also had a younger sister with the same surname who married into Guojia Village.
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