Chapter 223

Jiang Guotai kept talking to Jiang Xiao for a long time. His two children were listening. Jiang's father was also listening silently. He was proud and complicated.

Through their conversation, he also understood how big the gap between him and them was. Once upon a time, he was also ambitious and wanted to change his hometown and revitalize the economy of his hometown.

At that time, the government encouraged the opening of factories. He was the first person to respond and take action. However, he lacked some luck. The good factory encountered a natural disaster like chicken plague. He owed a lot of money all of a sudden, which almost crushed him.

Father Jiang looked at them and thought sadly that the tea plantation in his hometown would definitely make a lot of money in the future. It was a pity that the eldest son did not come back. If he could bring his wife and children back and get three acres of tea land, he would not have to do anything in the future and could make money just by sitting at home or lying down.

Thinking of his eldest son, Father Jiang's originally happy mood changed. He walked down silently and went to the kitchen to help cook.

Only Mother Jiang and Shen Hongyun were in the kitchen now. Seeing him come down, Shen Hongyun asked him with a smile: "Why did you come down? Have they finished talking? You don't need to come to the kitchen. Ailian and I are enough here."

She was wearing an apron. Mother Jiang was not very good at cooking. It was obvious that she planned to do it herself.

Father Jiang took the apron from Mother Jiang and said, "How can I let you cook? You finally came back, go watch TV, Ailian, you also watch TV with Hongyun, leave this to me!"

Father Jiang's confidence in recent years seemed to be fully demonstrated in his cooking skills in the kitchen.

Shen Hongyun was not someone who had to do things by herself. In fact, she was very good at being lazy. When she was at home, as long as Jiang Guotai was not busy, she would let Jiang Guotai cook. But outside, she acted very virtuous and a good wife, praising Jiang Guotai to the sky. Jiang Guotai knew what kind of character his wife was at home, but he was still willing to roll up his sleeves to cook.

But Shen Hongyun didn't always let Jiang Guotai do it. When Jiang Guotai was really busy with work, she would keep the house in order so that Jiang Guotai didn't have to worry about the house. She

smiled and said, "Can you really do it alone in the kitchen?"

Jiang Guoping said, "It's just a small job, do you really need you? You go outside and take a rest. Today I will show you my skills."

Unlike Shen Hongyun who likes to be lazy, Jiang's mother is a very hardworking and capable person. In the education she received since childhood, the kitchen is not for men to enter. If her cooking is not really delicious and Jiang's father really can't stand her cooking, Jiang's father would not cook for the Jiang family.

She wanted to stay in the kitchen to help, but Shen Hongyun pulled her aside and said, "Come on, let's go out and chat. Since the big guy has said he can cook, we just need to wait and eat!"

Mother Jiang was still hesitating with the dishes in her hands, "Then should I really leave?"

"Go ahead, go ahead, you guys chat together. Take out the melon seeds, tangerines, and dried grapes, and make a pot of tea. You can eat and chat at the same time." Father Jiang pushed them out of the kitchen with a smile.

Shen Hongyun came out of the kitchen and said to Jiang's mother with a smile: "You said your big man hasn't changed after all these years, and he is still willing to go to the kitchen to cook. How great! He loves you, so you should take more rest . You are so tired, don't exhaust yourself."

Jiang's mother was really strong when she was young. As a girl in her teens, she could carry seven or eight centimeters on the river bank, which was better than some men.

Working on the construction site in those years, most men could not bear such hardships, but Jiang's mother followed Jiang's father and worked for so many years.

Jiang's mother sighed and said, "I'm destined to work hard."

Shen Hongyun smiled and said, "Fortunately, your big man still knows how to care for you."

Jiang's mother smiled and said, "Otherwise, my life would be worthless."

If she didn't even have this, why did she work so hard these years?

If it weren't for Jiang's father being nice to her these years, who could have survived the huge debt and the hopeless life that seemed endless?

Women are stupid. Sometimes they just want the little kindness a man has for her.

Her brothers from her natal family had advised her to remarry. At that time, she was still young, beautiful, and had a strong and healthy body. She had three children, two sons and one daughter. She and Jiang's father didn't even have a marriage certificate. It was easy for her to run away and not come back, and it was easy for her to find another man. There were many men willing to marry her.

But she just didn't want to.

Shen Hongyun patted her hands which were as rough as old tree bark, "Fortunately, we've made it through."

Jiang's mother looked at Shen Hongyun's hands which were over 40 years old but still white and tender. Her fingers shivered suddenly, and she withdrew her hands, put her hands behind her and hid them, smiling, "Yes, we've made it through. Now I'm just waiting for the eldest and second son to get married and have two grandchildren, and then I'll marry the youngest one, and I'll stay at home to help them take care of their grandchildren."

Her hands were big and rough when she was a girl. In the past few years, she first worked on the construction site, then sold lunch boxes and did the washing, and her hands became more and more unsightly.

Speaking of Jiang Song, the eldest son of the Jiang family, Shen Hongyun couldn't help but ask curiously, "Is there any news about your eldest son yet?"

Speaking of Jiang Song, Jiang's mother couldn't help but lower her head, tears suddenly flowed down, and she choked and said, "He was disobedient. I begged him so much to come back and review. His grades were so good. He would definitely be able to get into university if he reviewed for a year. He was disobedient and just didn't come back. He listened to his classmates and ran to Shenzhen. We went to Shenzhen to look for him right away, but where could we find him? There was no news, and we didn't know where he went. It was so cold, and he didn't know where he was suffering."

Whenever Jiang's mother thought that her eldest son might be arrested and imprisoned, her heart ached as if it was cut by a knife.

Shen Hongyun thought Jiang Song was ignorant, but she comforted Jiang's mother, saying, "Don't worry, Songzi is so big that he can't be lost. He is nearly 1.9 meters tall and has a physique. It is estimated that the child is too playful and has been playing outside and can't remember to come back!"

She also talked about Jiang Song's situation with Jiang Guotai in private, and she also thought that he should have been arrested during the severe crackdown two years ago.

She was right. Jiang Song's mind is now on his girlfriend. He didn't come back to celebrate the New Year, but went to his girlfriend's house to run around. His girlfriend's mother likes him more and more, and treats him like her own son. Jiang Song is the same, sweet-mouthed and good at handling things, and can cook delicious dishes.

He originally planned to come back, but he and his girlfriend almost broke up because of the entanglement with another girl. During this period, he was busy coaxing his girlfriend. He always went back with his girlfriend during the Chinese New Year. Finally, he coaxed his girlfriend to smile a little.

Jiang Song was not stupid. He didn't know which one to choose between a girl who was born in the countryside and worked in a dance hall and a college student from a well-off family. Besides, he didn't like that girl. He liked his girlfriend and thought she was petite and cute.

Of course, he thought his parents would worry, but he thought he was fine. When he brought a college student wife back to his parents, wouldn't his parents be unhappy?

His girlfriend's mother was more and more satisfied watching him busy in the kitchen wearing an apron. She could already imagine that her daughter would have an easy life after marriage, with her son-in-law cooking for her.

They were especially satisfied with Jiang Song's tall stature and handsome appearance.

Jiang Song's last girlfriend was 1.81 meters tall, but his current girlfriend is only 1.58 meters tall, a full 30 centimeters difference in height. When they stand together, everyone says they have the cutest height difference. His

girlfriend likes this about him too.

In fact, the fact that the Jiang family members don't go home once they get married is really a basic rule for the men in the Jiang family. From Jiang Guoan, who was said to be a live-in son-in-law and didn't come back to the village all year round, to Jiang Song, it is really too normal.

Jiang Wu had bad luck in her previous life, and met a marriage swindler. Otherwise, if she had met someone who was good to her, she would probably be like Jiang Guoan and Jiang Song, who would only come back once a year after falling in love.

However, this time when Jiang Hongbing got married, Jiang Guoan, who rarely came back to the village, came back with his wife and son. He just came back in the morning, and as soon as he came back

, he asked if Jiang Wu and Jiang Bai had come back. They were not welcomed in the village, and it was not until the evening that they heard that Jiang Wu had come back, and they hurriedly dragged Jiang Guoan and his son, carrying things to the Jiang family.

When he came, there was no one in the main hall. Jiang Guoan poked his head into the kitchen and shouted, "Second brother!"

Jiang's father turned around and said in surprise, "Guoan is back?"

Jiang Guoan raised a faint smile on his fair face: "Well, I will definitely come back to celebrate the marriage of a red soldier."

His wife also came in and said, "Second brother is cooking? Where's sister-in-law?" She rolled up her sleeves: "Is there anything I can help with?"

Jiang's father looked at her fair and clean hands, which looked like they couldn't do any work, and said with a smile: "No, no, go find your sister-in-law to watch TV." He

shouted again: "Ailian! Ailian! Guoan is here!"

Jiang's mother heard the shouting and came out of the fire barrel. She opened the door and saw Jiang Guoan and his wife with the child.

His wife no longer had the condescending expression that she used to have when she looked down on the farmers. Instead, she said with a smile on her face: "Where are Luo Luo and Bai Zi? Why can't I see them? Jia Hua wants to play with his brothers and sisters!"

Jiang Guoan's son was named after his wife's generation. Grandpa Jiang and Aunt Jiang disagreed at first. Jiang Guoan followed Jiang Song and Jiang Bai in changing the last character to 'Hua', which is next to 'Mu'. This appeased Grandpa Jiang and Aunt Jiang. This also made the old couple completely hate his wife, and they were even more reluctant to come back.

Jiang's mother smiled and said, "Xingxi and Guotai are talking about something upstairs."

Jiang Guoan's wife smiled and said, "Then wait until they are done talking before going to play with their brothers and sisters."

Jiang Guoan's son is very different from Jiang Xi and his family. He looks like a half-grown child now. He is a little shy and unwilling to be dragged down by his parents to make friends with his brothers and sisters. He is very awkward and his expression is not very happy.

Jiang's mother hurriedly brought oranges and melon seeds over and asked him to eat. He also hid behind his mother and was unwilling to come out.

Jiang Guoan and his wife came back because the Jiang family had two promising people, Jiang Bai and Jiang Xi. Although she did not plan to live in the village in the future, she was happy to associate with Jiang Xi and Jiang Bai. In the future, maybe her son can benefit from the two brothers and sisters, Jiang Bai and Jiang Xi! Jiang Bai is now on TV. When her son grows up, maybe he can be like Jiang Bai and let Jiang Bai take him to film!

Jiang Guoan and his wife don’t want to live in the old house of the Jiang family. It’s a good opportunity to come to the Jiang family for a meal, and it would be best if they can stay at the Jiang family at night. Isn’t

the big house of the Jiang family much more comfortable than the old house? She saw a mouse running past the bed during the day, which scared her to death!

If it weren’t for Jiang Liu and Jiang Bai in the Jiang family, she really didn’t want to come.

She politely asked for help in the kitchen, but Jiang Ma politely said no, so she quickly went into the room and ate melon seeds, watched TV, and chatted with Jiang Ma and Shen Hongyun.

Jiang Guoan went upstairs to find Jiang Xi and Jiang Guotai. It happened that the conversation upstairs had come to an end. Jiang Guotai saw Jiang Guoan coming up and greeted him with a smile.

It was not until Jiang's father finished cooking and came up to call Jiang Xi, Jiang Guotai and others to come down to eat that Jiang Guoan remembered to go back. Jiang's father pulled him back: "It's already dinner, why are you going? Eat here!" Jiang

Guoan stayed.

Jiang Guotai smiled but said nothing.

Jiang Guoan, like the Jiang family, was also a man who could drink a lot without getting drunk. This made him very comfortable after entering the city. After a drinking party, when others were drunk and talking nonsense, he was still wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, sitting there politely with a smile on his lips.

His wife loved him the most. Her parents didn't agree with her marrying a rural boy, but she insisted on marrying him. She dragged her whole family to pave the way for Jiang Guoan, and even transferred him from a primary school teacher in a small town to a middle school in the city.

Jiang Guoan was also humble at the dinner table, and stood up to toast Jiang Guotai and Jiang Guoping, but he was born with such a cold temperament, and he couldn't say too flattering words, as long as the meaning was conveyed.

Jiang Xin, on the other hand, was a lively person and was responsible for creating a lively atmosphere at the dinner table. He and Jiang Miao had unconsciously placed Jiang Wu in the position of a core member. He was very considerate of Jiang Wu at the dinner table and always paid attention to Jiang Wu's needs. The tea in Jiang Wu's cup was never empty. Jiang Wu had only taken a few sips of tea when Jiang Xin was very tactful and helped her to refill it. The same was true for the white wine.

Jiang Guotai also had a good alcohol tolerance. Whether he was discussing business in the neighboring city or accompanying the leader to dinner, he also drank a lot.

He himself thought the rice wine was not strong enough, so he took the wine he brought back to drink with Jiang Wu.

This wine was brought back by his future in-laws and Jiang Xin was asked to bring it back. Under normal circumstances, he would not use such good wine to entertain people.

Jiang Xiao doesn't like wine, but she doesn't refuse it. If there is good wine, she is willing to drink it.

It can be said that except for Shen Hongyun, Jiang Miao, and Jiang Guoan's wife, everyone at the table can drink.

The next day was Jiang Hongbing's wedding. Jiang Guotai came back this time for Jiang Xiao. After meeting Jiang Xiao, he came to Jiang Dabo's house early in the morning, gave Jiang Hongbing a big red envelope, left Shen Hongyun here, and took his two children and several young people from the village who worked for him, also known as the motorboat, and left.

At the end of the year, whether it was his sand factory or brick factory, it was the busiest time with the largest shipments. He also had to take advantage of the arrival of spring to solve the contract of the river beach and the mountain tops of Shijian Township, and then he could start to ask people to plant red lotus.

If he doesn't complete all the contracting procedures, and now he asks people to plant lotus roots, he would be just working for others. Jiang Guotai would never do such a stupid thing.

And this has to be done quickly, otherwise the government workers will be on holiday soon. After the beginning of spring, the best time to plant lotus roots here is in February and March. It is already February now, and after the Spring Festival, it will be March. So this matter must be done as soon as possible, and at the same time, the issue of lotus seeds must be resolved. So many lotus seeds need to be reserved in advance, otherwise who can find so many red lotus seeds for you temporarily?

Jiang Hongbing's wedding was very lively.

Jiang's father and mother got up early in the morning and went to Jiang Dabo's house to help.

Jiang Liu was also dragged there, and she was quite happy to go to Jiang Dabo's mother's house.

Jiang's father felt sorry: "Hongbing's wedding, such a big event, why didn't Baizi come back? He should have come back!" If

his son didn't come back, he would have one less person to show off.

Jiang Xi replied, "He's filming a drama for CCTV."

Jiang's father immediately shut up. Of course, his son's future was more important. "It's the same if you go."

As soon as Jiang Xi arrived at Uncle Jiang's mother's house, he was pulled upstairs by Uncle Jiang and Jiang Hongbing.

Jiang Hongbing was probably in high spirits today because of the good news. He was also born with fair skin. Although he worked as a bricklayer outside with Uncle Jiang and Jiang Hongjun in recent years, he did not get tanned, but red. At this time, the bride had not been picked up yet, but his face was red. He called Jiang Xi: "Xingxi, come on, come up and roll around."

Jiang Xi, who had never been asked like this before, looked at Jiang Hongbing's 1.8-meter-tall red bed and was stunned for a moment: "Me?"

"Yes, yes, roll around, roll around twice more."

"No, aren't they all looking for children to roll around in bed with?"

Jiang Hongbing's face flushed with laughter, and he pulled her enthusiastically: "Aren't you a child too? Come on, roll around a few more times for me, and pray that I will give birth to a daughter like you!"

Influenced by Jiang's aunt, Jiang Hongbing wanted to have a younger sister since he was a child, and he was extremely greedy for Jiang Xiao. Unfortunately, Jiang Xiao was taken to the mountains by Grandpa Jiang every day, and he was too idle to go down the mountain. He couldn't see Jiang Xiao, so he wanted to give birth to a daughter who was as fair, beautiful and smart as Jiang Xiao.

The people watching the excitement were almost laughing their heads off. Shen Hongyun cracked melon seeds and said to Jiang Xing with a smile, "If your cousin tells you to get out, just get out. He likes damsels in law. Let her give birth to a damsel. Not to mention her, who among us doesn't want to give birth to a damsel as smart and beautiful as you?"

"That's right! Xing, get out, get out and roll around. Roll around a few more times, and tell him to give birth to a few more fat damsels

in law!" Jiang Hongbing laughed and said, "How can we have more children? The family planning policy is in place! Just two is enough."

If the first child is a damsel, they can have a second child five years later, but if the first child is a boy, they can't have another child.

But there are still many families who secretly give birth, such as Jiang Bai and Jiang Xi, who were secretly born as extra children. There are very few families with only one child.

In Jiang Xi's past and present lives, this is the first time that someone has asked him to roll on the bed.

Uncle Jiang said, "Rolling once is enough, don't roll more, it's best to have a boy and a girl, both sons and daughters."

Jiang Hongbing said excitedly, "It's okay, Xixi, just roll a few more times, I like girls, roll from this end to that end, and then help me roll from this side to this side!"

More and more people gathered outside, all watching the excitement in the corridor outside, and the room was also crowded with people.

Someone else laughed and said, "Hongbing, besides wanting a daughter, what if your wife wants a son?"

Jiang Hongbing smiled and said, "It's all good, as long as he's your biological son."

So everyone urged Jiang Hongbing to get out of bed quickly.

Jiang Xi really sat on it, lay down on the bed, thought for a while, and said while rolling around: "Rolling on the bed, rolling on the bed, two couples, first a daughter, then a girl!"

Jiang Hongbing was so happy that he clapped his hands and laughed: "This is good! This is good! Read it twice more!"

Uncle Jiang quickly said: "Don't read it again, change to something else!"

Jiang Xi also smiled and said: "Rolling on the bed, rolling on the bed, full of joy, rolling and rolling, rolling out good luck!"

Uncle Jiang was holding his eldest granddaughter and was very anxious: "Hurry up and say you want to give birth to a son!"

Jiang Xi refused to say anything, which made Uncle Jiang very angry.

The eldest son of his family gave birth to a girl, and the second child can only be born after the eldest granddaughter is five years old. After a lot of

effort, the second son got married, thinking that he could have a grandson, but it turned out that his second son didn't like boys and wanted girls, or two girls, so wouldn't he have three granddaughters? He was worried! His eyes fell on the third son Jiang Jun, who was watching Jiang Xi rolling on the bed excitedly. When Jiang Xi finished rolling, he said excitedly: "Xing Xi, there's me. When the time comes, I'll let you roll on the bed!"

Everyone around him laughed, and they were so happy.

Mother Jiang was helping in the kitchen. She heard the laughter outside and couldn't help looking up to see what was making everyone laugh so happily. Someone kept shouting "檸檸檸".

She knew that it must be her daughter Jiang Wu.

She was the only one in the village who was named Wu.

When all the girls in the village were named this flower or that flower, father Jiang insisted that his daughter be named after her eldest brother and second brother. The eldest son was named Jiang Song, and the second son was named Jiang Bai by grandfather Jiang. Father Jiang personally decided on the name of Jiang Wu. Father

Jiang loved Jiang Wu very much when he was the only girl of this generation.

Father Jiang and Aunt Jiang were both entertaining guests outside. They had invited an auntie from the village who was a great cook to cook. Mother Jiang was helping out. The auntie heard what was going on outside and said to Mother Jiang with envy, "You are so lucky. You have three sons and daughters. Each of them is as promising as the other and looks as good as the other!"

Who in the village didn't envy Mother Jiang for having these three big babies?

Not to mention the eldest, but who could have imagined that the second and third sons would be so successful?

They said the same thing to Jiang's mother: "You have finally come to an end after all the hardships. You will have plenty of happiness in the future!"

Jiang's mother herself was quite calm. While putting firewood into the kitchen stove, she said calmly: "What happiness do you have to enjoy? You still have to work until you die?"

"Wait until your two children graduate and go out to work. It will only be tiring for a few years."

Jiang's mother said coldly: "I can't enjoy their happiness, and I don't expect them to."

She was not a fool to feel the indifference of her youngest son and daughter.

Especially Jiang Xiao, who rarely called her "Mom" when he came back. When facing her, the smile on his face was like wearing a mask.

Jiang's mother had never been educated, so she couldn't express that feeling, but she could feel it herself.