"That's more like it. We've not only grown up together, we're also relatives." Even if it's just for her second grandfather's sake, she'll try her best to help him find a solution.
The key point is that both great-grandfathers and great-uncles are worth it. Their branch only has their grandfather and two brothers left, which can be considered a large and flourishing lineage. They have more than twenty grandsons in total, and many of them are older than them.
Her great-grandfather and great-uncle never made things difficult for her with their grandsons who were still farming, nor did they allow their sons and daughters-in-law to come to her for help. Such sensible elders were a blessing to their family.
Dog is different from his other cousins; the two of them have been playing together since birth, so they are naturally closer.
"Hehe," the dog grew even sillier as it got older, and would just giggle like an idiot.
Qian Xiao rolled her eyes at Er Hua: "How come I heard you're getting married soon? You didn't even have a boyfriend when I came back last time. This is too fast."
Erhua's face immediately turned red: "It's not that we just hit it off, so he asked a matchmaker to come and arrange it. My mother thought he was a good person, so she arranged for us to get engaged. And he's someone you both know."
"I do have some impression of them, but I can't remember exactly what they look like. It's been many years since I've seen them, and they've all grown up. I doubt I'd recognize them now. Was it Grandpa Zhang who introduced them?"
"No, we found Aunt Wu to be the matchmaker. Grandpa Zhang also knows about it and says it's a good thing."
"How was he to you?" Since Erhua's mother agreed, he must be a good person. She vaguely remembered that the little boy was quite refined-looking, unlike the other children in their village.
That person seemed to have come to visit Grandpa Zhang when he was a child, and he had never played with the other children in the village. He was exceptionally clean.
Although Erhua was shy, she was still able to speak without hesitation: "He's quite good-looking. My mother said that people like him are easy to manage in life. He also has a good temperament and never speaks loudly. His family doesn't look down on me because I'm from the countryside."
Qian Xiao didn't like hearing this: "Why should I look down on you? If you go back three generations, whose family wasn't made of peasants? We rural people live better than city people. Don't belittle yourself before anything has even happened."
“You went to junior high school and you’re educated. You’re also capable, and your needlework is superb. What’s the problem? It’s just that you don’t have a household registration. When food was scarce, city people didn’t live as well as us country people.”
"Listen to me, after you get married, don't just stay at home serving the whole family. You're their wife, not a farmhand. Don't be afraid or feel inferior if you don't have a job. Find some odd jobs and earn your own money so you can stand tall."
"No matter how much or how little you earn, as long as you don't live a life of dependence, you can stand up for yourself. The girls of Qianjiatun are not married off to be tormented."
"Even if we prepare for the worst and you can't find work for a while, don't feel insecure. The food you eat comes from your family. To put it bluntly, a woman marries a man for food and clothing. If your family feels they are losing out by supporting their daughter-in-law, then it's better not to get married."
Erhua looked at Qian Xiao with bright eyes. She felt insecure because she had married a city person, so she thought she would take good care of the family and do more chores after she went there.
But after hearing what Erdan said, she instantly felt that everything she had thought before was wrong. We are all human, so why did she think that she was inferior to those city people?
"What kind of work can I do?" If she could find a job, she would have gone to work long ago instead of staying at home.
"I remember there was a match factory in the commune. You can go there and get some work making paper boxes. Although you don't earn much, it'll still be some income. Once you're familiar with the area, ask around and see if there are any substitute or outsourced odd jobs. Don't be picky, just take any job you can find."
"These opportunities are for those who are prepared. You have a diploma, so take your time to find a suitable job. Don't back down before anything even happens. You have to stand on your own from the beginning. It's not like your family will abandon you."
"We shouldn't bully others, nor should we let others bully us. Stand tall and do what you're supposed to do. Don't belittle yourself too much."
Erhua nodded: "I understand. Don't worry, my future in-laws seem to be quite nice, so life shouldn't be too difficult."
My mother had asked around carefully, and the family seemed to have good temperaments. The neighbors said they rarely heard them arguing, and there were no rumors of them mistreating their daughter-in-law.
"That's good. If anything happens, talk to her at home. Don't keep it to yourself. In my eyes, Erhua is a strong girl. Don't let her become a pitiful little thing."
"I understand. I have so many brothers at home, I can't let anyone bully me." She suddenly felt a little timid about marrying into the city, but to be honest, she wasn't the type to always give in.
"When was the date set?" I don't know if she'll be able to make it; she has to go back to work on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.
"It's set for the eighth day of the month."
Qian Xiao frowned, wondering if she could ask for leave again on the eighth day of the new year. She had benefited from the holiday, as none of the other workers had asked her to work shifts. Would it be a bad idea to ask for leave as soon as she started working again?
"When do you start work?" They grew up together, and one look at Erdan's expression told him that this guy probably didn't have time.
"I went back to work on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year and returned on the sixth. We don't actually get a break during the Lunar New Year, but some of my colleagues in the office covered my shifts so I could rest for a few days. It wouldn't be good to ask for leave immediately if I went back to work."
Erhua waved her hand dismissively: "Hey, I'm a little disappointed that you can't come, but I can't let you miss out on your work, right? It's okay if you can't come, but you can't forget my gift."
Qian rolled her eyes and said, "Don't worry, you'll get your share."
In recent years, whenever Qian Xiao went out, she never forgot to bring back some small gifts for Er Hua. Er Hua didn't accept them with a clear conscience. Almost all of the shoes Qian Xiao wore were made by Er Hua, and they were much more comfortable to wear than store-bought shoes.
It's this kind of reciprocal relationship that allows them to maintain such a good relationship despite seeing each other so infrequently.
"Oh, right, I made you a pair of big cotton-padded shoes. They're filled with this year's new cotton, so they're really warm. I forgot to give them to you when you came back last time. Luckily, you can still wear them for a while."
"Where did you get the cotton?" There are many things that the village is lacking, and cloth and cotton are both good things.
"Hehe, I planted some in my backyard, just enough for one pair of cotton shoes each," she said. If she were to touch the ones at home, her sisters-in-law would definitely be unhappy, but they couldn't interfere with the ones she planted herself.
"Then I won't be polite," Qian Xiao said, putting her hand inside the shoe. It felt thick and warm.
"You talk as if you've ever been polite to me. When are you two getting married?" Erdan has been engaged for two years. He's the same age as me, so it'll be soon too.
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