When Ruan Changgui and Sun Xiaohui arrived home, the brothers Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua were playing with spinning tops outside the house, while Ruan Zhigao, Liu Xinghua, Ruan Changsheng, Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie were sitting in the main hall eating.
Ruan Changgui looked into the room and asked Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua: "Have you eaten?"
Ruan Yuejin stuffed the rope in his hand into Ruan Yuehua's hand and panted slightly, "Grandpa and grandma said that we have separated and will eat separately from now on. They didn't cook for us, but only for the five of us."
Ruan Changgui turned around and went to the kitchen in the side room. Seeing that the two iron pots were completely empty without even a grain of rice left, he felt uncomfortable and said with a sigh, "It's amazing! There really are grandparents like this..."
Sun Xiaohui followed him and didn't care. She whispered, "Forget it. The food has been distributed to us anyway. We can just make it ourselves. Do you still want to eat pickles?"
Ruan Changgui thought about it and felt that it made sense. Since he was going to eat pickled cabbage anyway, he might as well make it himself.
Being hungry, Sun Xiaohui turned around without hesitation and went to scoop and wash rice.
The newly built wood stove is in the small thatched shed opposite and it will take a few days for it to dry out before it can be used. Now they can only temporarily use the stove in the side room until the new stove can cook.
Now Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua still eat with their children in the main room. After the stoves are separated and new tables and benches are put in place, they will eat directly in the side room instead of in the main room.
Sun Xiaohui put the washed rice into the pot, walked out of the kitchen and shouted to the main room: "Xiaojie, come and help me light the fire."
Ruan Jie hadn't finished the rice in her bowl yet. She bit her lip and looked outside.
Before she could speak, Liu Xinghua said, "Xiao Jie is eating, so I don't have time to light the fire for you."
Sun Xiaohui was still a little afraid of Liu Xinghua, probably because she had been controlled by Liu Xinghua for more than ten years, which had caused her psychological pressure. Even though they were separated now, she still didn't dare to speak up to Liu Xinghua.
So she calmed down and said, "Then eat quickly."
Seeing Ruan Jie opening her mouth to respond, Ruan Xi hurriedly picked up a pickled carrot and stuffed it into her mouth, preventing her from responding.
Seeing the situation, Ruan Zhigao spoke again: "Whoever eats it will burn it."
Sun Xiaohui stood outside with her eyebrows raised - Hey! You can't even order your own daughter around, why do you meddle in other people's business?
But she didn't get angry. She held her breath and turned back to the kitchen to light the fire. She said to Ruan Changgui, "Go pick two eggplants and a handful of peppers from the private plot allocated to us, and then go to the chicken coop to pick up some eggs. We will have something good to eat tonight."
There were a total of ten old hens in the house, five of which were divided among them, and the chicken coops were also separated.
Upon hearing this, Ruan Changgui went out and picked eggplants and peppers from the field. He came back and washed them and put them on the chopping board, then went to the chicken coop to pick up eggs. Five hens laid three eggs, but two of them failed.
After picking up the eggs, Ruan Jie had just finished her meal.
Sun Xiaohui poked her head out from behind the stove and called her, "You silly girl, why don't you come over and help me?"
Ruan Jie was holding a pile of dishes in her hands, and she didn't dare to speak loudly to Sun Xiaohui, "But I still have to wash the dishes."
Sun Xiaohui was burning a fire and asked angrily, "Who gave birth to you?"
Ruan Jie pursed her lips and said nothing. Liu Xinghua's voice came from behind her, "You gave birth to her, but you didn't raise her. Xiao Jie will be raised by me from now on. If she doesn't eat your food, don't order her to do anything."
What's the logic behind this? Sun Xiaohui said again: "If that's the case, I won't let her follow you."
She's already thirteen years old and a grown-up girl who can do anything. Why should she be ordered around by Liu Xinghua? At this age, she can help with a lot of things at home, so she just eats one more meal, so just let her eat less.
Liu Xinghua has always disliked Sun Xiaohui. This time, Sun Xiaohui and Ruan Changgui were playing a double game to separate the family, and she disliked Sun Xiaohui even more. She promised to protect Ruan Jie, so Sun Xiaohui would not make the decision on this matter.
She said firmly, "I raised Xiao Jie by myself. It doesn't matter whether you let her or not. She must follow me. As long as I am alive, no one is allowed to bully her, whether at home or outside, not even her own mother!"
Sun Xiaohui was intimidated by Liu Xinghua's aura and feared that she would suffer a loss if they got into an argument, so she held her breath and didn't say anything.
She angrily stuffed the firewood into the bottom of the pot, thinking to herself - wait, if she can't deal with this old woman, can't she deal with her own daughter? You have to listen to her in this life because she gave birth to you. Don't even think about getting out of her control!
Ruan Changgui has always been a weak and cowardly person who doesn't like to take responsibility. He doesn't like quarreling, especially when one of the people involved is his wife and the other is his mother. He walked up to Sun Xiaohui and said to her, "You go cut the vegetables and I'll cook."
Sun Xiaohui didn't say anything. She stood up from behind the stove and swallowed her anger for the time being.
She planned to make a plate of pounded peppers and eggplants and a bowl of steamed eggs.
Steaming eggs is very simple. Just crack the eggs and add water. When the rice is almost done, put them into the pot and steam them together with the rice. Pounding eggplant with peppers is a little more complicated, mainly because the garlic and peppers need to be mashed.
After Sun Xiaohui beat the eggs and put them into the pot to steam, she turned around and found the garlic jar at home and started to pound the chili peppers and garlic.
The green and red peppers are put into the garlic jar together with the garlic and pounded hard with a garlic hammer.
Sun Xiaohui's hands were very strong, as if she was hitting Liu Xinghua's head.
While beating her, he muttered: "From now on, we will eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks every day, and make you greedy to death!"
Of course, it is impossible to eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks every day, she is just satisfying herself with her mouth.
However, with her and Ruan Changgui being two good laborers, supporting a family of four is definitely better than the life of the old couple Ruan Zhigao supporting a family of five. Moreover, they also have to save money for Ruan Changsheng to marry.
After pounding the chili peppers and garlic and smelling the spicy aroma from the garlic jar, Sun Xiaohui's mood was already very good.
When the spicy and refreshing pounded pepper eggplant and hot steamed eggs were served on the table, a happy smile appeared on her face, and she even called Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua to eat in a high tone.
He even deliberately said loudly: "Today we are eating pounded peppers, eggplants, and steamed eggs!"
After dinner, Ruan Zhigao and Ruan Changsheng went out for a walk, while Liu Xinghua, Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie stayed in the house. Hearing Sun Xiaohui's voice, Liu Xinghua sneered, "What the hell!"
Ruan Xi also laughed and shook his head, with nothing to say.
Ruan Changgui still had some dignity, holding his bowl and saying to Sun Xiaohui: "Aren't you afraid of people gossiping about you?"
Sun Xiaohui picked up a piece of eggplant covered with garlic and chili powder and said, "What's wrong with scolding? It won't hurt a piece of meat. Besides, I've already been scolded for proposing to split up the family. What's the big deal if I get scolded a little more or a little less?"
Ruan Changgui felt that what she said was unreasonable, but it also seemed to make some sense.
Forget it, nothing is more important than living a comfortable life.
This kind of nourishment naturally does not belong to Ruan Jie.
Liu Xinghua struck a match and lit the oil lamp in the room.
The wick started burning. She threw away the extinguished matchstick, looked at Ruan Jie and asked, "Do you regret it?"
Ruan Jie shook her head, "No regrets."
Ruan Xi smiled beside him and said, "Not bad, you have principles."
Ruan Jie looked at her and Liu Xinghua and said, "I'm not a fool. I know who really loves me. Even if they eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks every day, I will choose to follow my grandparents. I am not afraid of hardship."
Ruan Xi still smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't let you suffer for too long."
Hearing this, Liu Xinghua suddenly remembered, turned around and looked at Ruan Xi and asked, "Oh, I forgot about this. Xiaoxi, how was your study with the old tailor today? Did he teach you how to operate the sewing machine?"
Ruan Xi nodded. "Not only did he teach me how to operate the sewing machine, but he also taught me how to make marks, as well as some sewing methods, such as straight stitching, pressure stitching, dropped stitching, and some manual techniques."
Neither Liu Xinghua nor Ruan Jie had ever touched a sewing machine, nor did they understand how to sew. But Liu Xinghua's eyes lit up as she listened, with the flame of the oil lamp reflected in her pupils. She confirmed again, "Is this true or false?"
Ruan Xi looked at her, "How could I know this if it's fake? I can't make up these weird words. He does have a weird personality, and his words are harsh and hard to get along with, but if you don't take it to heart, it's okay. I don't care."
Liu Xinghua smiled widely, her hair shining silver under the light. "Since he is willing to teach you, then you should learn from him. If you can really learn the craft, it will be worth it to endure a little humiliation. It's not a loss anyway."
Ruan Xi nodded vigorously, "Yes, I will definitely study hard."
The three generations of grandparents and grandchildren were talking under the flame of the oil lamp, their faces all covered with red light and shadows.
Early the next morning, Ruan Xi got up and washed as usual. After washing, she and Ruan Jie helped Liu Xinghua cook, and then washed the dirty clothes that she had taken off yesterday. After dinner, I went to Jinguan Village to continue learning the craft from an old tailor.
After breakfast, Ruan Zhigao went out with a hoe on his shoulder to call the members of the production team to go to work. For the first time, Ruan Changsheng followed him with a shovel on his shoulder, whistling as he walked, looking frivolous.
Ruan Zhigao turned his head several times, and seeing that he was following him, he finally couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
Ruan Changsheng said: "It's not obvious yet, go to work."
Ruan Zhigao sneered, "Why? The sun rises from the west today?"
Ruan Changsheng ignored his sarcasm, whistled, and continued walking past him.
He knew very well why Ruan Zhigao and Sun Xiaohui wanted to separate the family property, for he was the youngest in the family and had been spoiled a bit, but not to the point of being without a conscience. Since it is his business, he should bear it himself!
After taking two steps, he stopped again, turned around and looked at Ruan Zhigao and said, "A man should act like a man!"
Ruan Zhigao narrowed his eyes.
"A treasure..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
