Chapter 61: Educated Youth Geng Yunye squeezed in front of the stove,...
Geng Yunye squeezed sideways to the stove, with his sweater sleeves rolled up to reveal his strong arms: "You go and take a rest, I'll do it." His voice was unquestionably gentle, but it hid a bitterness that only he knew.
Amid the crisp sound of wooden chopsticks colliding with porcelain bowls, scenes from his past life flashed back before his eyes. At that time, he firmly believed in the concept that men should work outside and women should work inside, and thought that working hard to make money was the best contribution to the family. However, he did not know that it was this self-righteous protection that caused the gap between them to become deeper and deeper.
Cheng Xin looked at her husband's broad back. Geng Yunye scraped the leftover soup into the泔水桶, then repeatedly scrubbed the oil stains with wood ash, and finally rinsed it clean with well water.
"Don't stare at me." He carried the washed dishes into the kitchen, and his deep voice came from the kitchen: "Go to the main room and peel some edamame. I'll make salted edamame tonight."
Just as she finished speaking, brisk footsteps were heard outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by Geng Fang's cheerful shout: "Aunt! Uncle asked me to take you to see the new floral fabrics that have arrived in the factory! They said that it's the New Year and it's perfect for making new clothes!"
Geng Yunye's hand, which was wiping the stove, suddenly stopped. On this day last year, Cheng Xin stood in the corner of the kitchen and asked him carefully if she could go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy cloth. He was too busy making money to accompany her to the city, and promised to bring her some cloth. In the end, they just bought ready-made clothes to save trouble, but she was not as happy as he imagined.
Until Chen Ying moved into his house wearing a pitiful mask, coaxed Cheng Xin to open her heart with sweet words, and sowed discord behind her back. He was like a blind man and was unaware of it. By the time he found out, the relationship between them was already full of holes.
Geng Fang, who had two pigtails, half leaned into the courtyard gate. Her faded blue cotton jacket was stained with flour. "I just finished helping my mother steam buns and came here! Don't worry, uncle. I'll bring aunt back soon!"
Geng Fang is completely different from Chen Ying. She speaks directly and has the most simple kindness. This time he deliberately chose Geng Fang, who is illiterate but sincere, not because she is more controllable, but because he finally understands that the most terrifying thing in marriage is never the calculations of outsiders, but one's own arrogance and ignorance of intimate relationships.
Cheng Xin looked at him a little stiffly. Geng Yunye walked up to her and put her scarf back on. "Go ahead. Just be back before dinner." He didn't understand at that time. What she wanted was never material comfort, but listening to her in the daily life and companionship in the long-term.
Geng Yunye stood at the door, his eyes following the two overlapping figures in the distance. Geng Fang was gesturing with her hands and feet, making Cheng Xin laugh softly. At this moment, he finally understood that love is not about imprisoning the other person in a self-righteous protection circle, but about making her eyes light up and her heart full of hope.
"Aunt, I'll take you around Gengjiawan!" Geng Fang took Cheng Xin's arm affectionately, "Do you want to visit the underwear factory or the primary school first?" Without waiting for an answer, she smiled and said, "My uncle told us before we got married that we had to make you happy! He said you would get sick if you stayed at home all the time!"
Cheng Xin smiled faintly: "Let's take a walk first."
The two walked out along the bluestone road, and heard the sound of sewing machines coming from the factory in the distance. Geng Fang pointed at the red brick building and proudly puffed out her chest: "That's our factory. Last year, we received an order from a Shanghai department store. We have already delivered 3,000 pieces, and we can even export this year! My cousin is a great contributor. He is the one who takes the lead in sample design and business negotiations. Even the team has to ask for his opinion before signing!"
Cheng Xin listened attentively, and the image of Geng Yunye drawing at his desk appeared in front of her eyes.
Gengjiawan Primary School next to the factory is a few gray bungalows. There is a ping-pong table under the locust tree at the door of the classroom, and the faded red flag on the flagpole flutters in the cold wind.
"It's winter vacation now, it will be very lively in spring." Geng Fang exhaled white air, "Aunt, you live nearby, it's less than five minutes' walk."
Cheng Xin looked at the empty playground and silently thought about building a school building after her mother's bamboo weaving factory made a profit. She would build a school building based on the layout of Gengjiawan Primary School, adding glass windows and a cement playground.
"Aunt, is it difficult to get into university?" Geng Fang suddenly stopped, her eyes full of admiration. "I heard that you have to learn a lot of things. You are amazing! If I only had a high school diploma, I would wake up laughing in my dreams!"
Cheng Xin pursed her lips and spoke after a long while: "I have graduated from junior high school for several years, and I don't know my level." She looked up at the gray sky in the distance, with a trace of confusion and determination in her eyes, "I just want to give it a try, just in case I can pass the exam."
Geng Fang said firmly: "You are as smart as my cousin, you will definitely pass the exam!"
Turning the corner of the drying yard, smoke rose from the warehouse door, and the aroma of pickled vegetables and fried peppers hit her face. Huang Cai, who was squatting in front of the earthen stove adding firewood, heard the footsteps and hurriedly stood up, wiping her hands covered with patches on the patched apron again and again. Her face was sallow, her hair stuck to her sweaty cheeks, and her faded blue shirt was washed white.
"Sister Cai!" Geng Fang greeted her warmly with a bright smile on her face. She put her arm around Cheng Xin's shoulders and introduced her enthusiastically, "This is my cousin, she's preparing for the college entrance exam!" She then introduced her to Cheng Xin, "This is Sister Huang Cai, she and Brother Wu Kai are both teachers at our brigade's primary school."
She moved closer to Huang Cai and asked in an intimate tone, "Sister Cai, what do you want to talk to me about this morning?"
Huang Cai looked embarrassed. Her eyes stayed on Cheng Xin's delicate face for a short time and then quickly dropped down. She rubbed her apron nervously with her hands: "Fangfang, I want to ask if the factory is short of manpower? I have nimble hands and feet. I can cut fabric and sew buttons. I want to find some odd jobs." Her voice was filled with cautious expectation.
"We need someone as skilled as you!" Geng Fang patted his chest and said, "We are rushing to get an order recently. I will tell the factory manager when I get back!"
She lowered her voice and explained to Cheng Xin: "Sister Cai and her friends had no place to settle down after returning to the city, so the brigade approved the warehouse for them to temporarily live in. They both have high school educations, and they are very serious about teaching in elementary schools."
Huang Cai's eyes turned red instantly, her lips trembled and she couldn't speak, and she kept wiping her eyes with the corner of her apron.
Cheng Xin looked at her hands covered with chilblains from working, with mixed emotions in her eyes. She took a half step forward and said softly, "Sister Cai, if you need any help, just let me know." She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to Huang Cai, "Life will get better."
After saying goodbye to Huang Cai, Geng Fang took Cheng Xin to the underwear factory. The factory was filled with steam, and the newly delivered fabrics were piled up into a small mountain. The indigo coarse cloth, moon-white poplin, and rose-red floral fabrics glowed softly under the fluorescent lights.
"Aunt, look at this!" Geng Fang lifted the top piece of jacquard cotton cloth and rubbed it on Cheng Xin's face. "The material just arrived today, it's as soft as a baby's face!"
Cheng Xin brushed her fingertips across the fabric, and she picked out a few pieces of navy blue corduroy and floral dacron, then put the fabric back where it was: "Write it down first, and discuss it with your uncle when you get back."
"My cousin and aunt have such a good relationship!" Geng Fang winked, "They always think about each other when they do anything."
When I opened the door, I saw the iron pot bubbling and the edamame swirling in the boiling water.
Geng Yunye had just finished adding firewood to the furnace when he saw Cheng Xin coming back. He stood up, wiped his hands, and said with a smile, "Just right, let's try it and see if the saltiness is right."
Cheng Xin glanced at the underwear design spread out on the small table beside the bed. The drawing was densely packed with lines that had been revised repeatedly. The lace pattern design made her heart skip a beat and she looked away in haste.
"I saw some new fabrics in the factory," she stared at the edamame tumbling in the pot, "I can't go back to my parents' home this year, so I want to make new clothes for my parents and my brother. I'll pay for it myself..."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Geng Yunye took down a wooden box from the top of the cabinet. Inside was a box full of great unity. "Why do we still need to separate you and me after we get married?"
Cheng Xin looked at the thick stack of money, her voice trembling with nervousness: "Put it away quickly!" She looked at the half-open wooden door vigilantly, "How can you leave so much money lying around!"
Geng Yunye didn't care and stuffed the box into her hand: "The most dangerous place is the safest. The wife of the head of the family must hold the financial power in her hands, otherwise the man will be laughed at when he goes out. From now on, you can buy things as you like. Buy whatever you like."
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