Putting aside the fact that this child has a good temperament, the free and easy days of a woman are too short. Once she reaches marriageable age, what kind of life she will have after going to her husband's family is really a matter of luck.
If you end up with a reasonable family, that's fine. But if you end up with a unreasonable family, unless you can stand up for yourself, you'll only suffer. If your family treats you poorly, your life will be too miserable.
Noticing her grandmother's less-than-pleasant expression, Qian Xiao quickly changed the subject: "Grandma, why are you making shoe soles again? Didn't we say we wouldn't do this anymore? It's too tiring."
Making shoe soles is hard work; if you don't have the strength in your hands, you won't even be able to pierce through with a needle.
“Then what am I supposed to do if I’m just sitting around doing nothing? I do the easiest jobs in the village. If I don’t do something to do when I get home, I’ll feel anxious.”
Perhaps this is true for the older generation. They've been busy their whole lives, and if you suddenly let them rest, they feel lost and as if they're no longer needed.
"Alright then, let's make a deal that you can't overwork yourselves. You and Grandpa have to take good care of each other so you can help Little Potato take care of the kids in the future."
Grandma Qian chuckled: "Alright, your grandpa and I will definitely live to be old hags, so we can take care of Little Potato's kids."
The child is still so young. Even if they get married early, it will be fifteen years from now. By then, she and her husband will be over eighty years old. She doesn't even dare to think about living that long.
"Grandma, I'm serious, don't take it as a joke. We'll do all the heavy work when we come back. You guys can just stroll around and chat."
They have several workers at home, and their wages are not low, so supporting the elderly couple is not a problem at all.
Sun Kaicheng returned holding his son's little hand. The height difference was so great that Sun Kaicheng had to bend over.
"What secrets do you two have that you need to tell outside? Are you done?" Qian Xiao guessed that it was about her son wanting a younger sister, and she was making a big deal out of it.
"It's nothing. We've pretty much settled things. Should we leave tomorrow or go back today?"
"Tomorrow, I think we're running low on firewood. I'll chop some later." There are only two elderly people left in the house, and whoever comes back will have to do the heavy work.
"No need for you, I can do it myself. I'll chop this area in the morning and then go chop Grandpa's and the others in the afternoon."
Just then, Grandpa Zhou and Grandma Zhou came in: "We really need to chop some." They weren't being polite with their grandson.
Since the arrival of Little Potato, the two families have become practically one, with the four elderly people spending all their time talking and looking after the child.
Qian Xiao also took an axe and chopped wood with Sun Kaicheng. She was strong, so chopping wood was not a heavy task for her. Sun Kaicheng did not try to persuade her not to. It was nice that the two of them could work together and chat.
"How did it go after you delivered it to them last night?"
Sun Kaicheng shook his head: "I don't know. We can't get involved in the rest, but we should find out later."
He looked around, leaned closer to Qian Xiao, and lowered his voice: "That person came back mainly for the people in the cowshed; we just happened to be passing by."
How did you know?
"I glanced through his little notebook," and although it was messy, I could roughly guess his purpose.
"They've been living peacefully all along, so why did they suddenly become a target?" If these people were just in the way, shouldn't they have been killed long ago?
Sun Kaicheng pointed upwards: "Isn't this a discussion about ending everything ahead of time? Those who were wronged before will eventually have to go back. They've been occupying those positions for years. Do you think they'll be willing to give them up if you suddenly go back?"
"Just you wait, things are going to be chaotic for a while."
Qian Xiao nodded, understanding. The darkness before dawn is also when those people are at their craziest. However, it is good news that all of this can end early. From now on, they won't have to live so cautiously. At least they won't have to think twice before saying a word, wondering if they can say it before daring to speak.
"Did you remind your younger brothers?"
"Not yet. We're just in a hurry to get back. Once we get back, I'll write a letter to them, but I can't say it outright, I can only give a subtle hint. I hope those little fools will understand."
It's unbelievable that a family has six single men. Even when pressured to get married, they don't even go home. It's like when a monk runs away, he takes the temple with him.
After finishing all the heavy chores at both sets of grandparents' homes, the couple took their son back to their home in the county town.
In the days that followed, the couple waited quietly as news kept pouring in.
In October 1974, Longguo Radio Station issued a notice that the college entrance examination would be resumed on June 6, 7 and 8, 1975. The students taking the exam included workers, farmers and educated youth sent to the countryside from all walks of life.
Anyone under the age of thirty and with no criminal record can register to take the college entrance examination.
From that moment on, history veered out of Qian Xiao's comprehension. The world seemed to accelerate, with many technologies that wouldn't appear in later generations appearing here ahead of time.
Every day when Qian Xiao opens his eyes, he sees the changes in this country, which often makes him feel a little unreal. He also admires the top talents in various industries who have emerged and become the backbone of the nation from ordinary people.
They never considered security; it was as if they were on a mission, determined to change the country quickly, as if they had accomplished their goal.
She often wondered if she was living too cautiously, or if this world wasn't the parallel world she thought it was.
If you were to ask her if she would be more radical if she could do it all over again, she thinks her answer wouldn't change. Perhaps she's always been a selfish person, always making conditions first, wanting herself to be safe and alive.
No matter how things change, she continues to live her life in an orderly manner. She adapts well to the fast-paced life and production, and she is constantly learning and enriching herself so that she will not be left behind by the rapid development.
She touched her swollen belly. Everything was fine. On the day the family planning policy was announced, she was unusually weak and fainted. Everyone was shocked because in their eyes, Qian Xiao had always been a tough woman and they had never seen her get sick.
They rushed Qian Xiao to the hospital, and the final test results shocked everyone. The timing was perfect; people who got pregnant before today were not subject to family planning regulations. Even if it had been discovered just one day later, the consequences would have been quite troublesome.
The Qian family's child is truly extraordinary; he was able to give everyone advance notice of his arrival on this day, so as not to cause his parents any trouble.
When Qian Xiao and Sun Kaicheng woke up, they looked at each other in disbelief. This child was not in their plans at all. Come to think of it, Little Potato was not in their plans either. Both of their children were so good at creating surprises.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com