Time flew by and it was mid-August. Uncle Xu had already called Xu Ping's father several times, urging them to come back quickly to pick up the child.
"Maybe he was delayed by something." Grandma Xu defended her eldest son weakly.
Seeing that her second son and daughter-in-law were silent, Grandma Xu asked tentatively, "How about you, second son, go and send the eldest girl to Beijing?"
Before the second uncle could say anything, Second Aunt Xu glanced at her eldest niece, then complained to the old lady, "Aren't train tickets to Beijing free? Besides, do you know where they live in Beijing? Beijing is so big, and you're willing to risk your second son's life and let him mess around in Beijing? I can't bear to let his father suffer like that!"
Grandma Xu didn't dare to say a word. She knew very well in her mind that she would most likely not be able to rely on her eldest son and daughter-in-law for support in her future. Although the younger daughter-in-law often complained about the old couple's partiality and the eldest son's family's cunningness, she still contributed her share of the effort on weekdays. Without her approval, the younger son would not be able to always support the two old people with eggs, meat, rice and noodles.
In particular, this time the old man broke his leg, and the surgery and treatment fees cost more than 5,000 yuan. The two old people didn't have much savings, so the money was all paid by the second son and his wife. The second daughter-in-law said that when the money comes back, the eldest son must pay half of the expenses for the treatment of the injury.
But before she could figure out how to ask her eldest son for the money, he ran away, leaving behind only one thousand yuan. What could one thousand yuan be enough for?
The old lady gave the one thousand yuan, along with her own coffin money of more than two thousand yuan, to her young daughter-in-law.
The daughter-in-law was so angry that she cursed her uncle's family for being shameless. Despite her harsh words, the more than 3,000 yuan eventually returned to the old lady.
Therefore, if it is not a big deal, the old lady is unwilling to go against the wishes of her daughter-in-law.
"Xu Ping, it's getting dark. You and Xu Dong should go to the river south of the village and drive the ducks back." Second Aunt clearly had something she didn't want Xu Ping to hear, so she sent her out along with her eldest son, Xu Dong, who was already a messenger.
"Okay, Second Aunt, Dongdong, let's go." Although Xu Ping was curious about what they would talk about, and those topics must be related to her, she was obedient. If the adults didn't want her to listen, there must be a reason for not letting her listen. She called Xu Dong and went to the river to drive the ducks together.
After they left the courtyard, Second Aunt said, "Mom, did you know that my eldest sister-in-law is pregnant again?"
The old lady gave her a suspicious look and said, "I haven't heard of that. This is impossible, right? Family planning is so strict!"
Second Aunt Xu snorted coldly, "What's there to be afraid of if they're strict? My uncle and his wife are obsessed with sons." She curled her lips and smiled at the old lady, "I haven't even congratulated you yet, but you've got another grandson."
"What did you say? It's a boy? How did you know? This happened a while ago? Has she given birth already? Or did she have an ultrasound?"
The expression on the old lady's face was a little distorted, between being very surprised and happy, but not wanting to show it, and she was having a hard time holding it in.
This was also the first time Uncle Xu heard about it. He scratched his head and said to his wife, "No, where did you get this information?" Fortunately, his wife was not the kind of person who spoke nonsense. If she said there was such a thing, then it was most likely true.
But, there is no telephone at home, and this old woman is rarely seen going out. How could she know something that neither her mother nor her younger brother knew?
Aunt Xu ignored him and sighed, saying to the old lady, "My God, is a son really that important? This eldest brother and his wife have been staying away from home for years, hiding away, just to have a son. Is it worth it?"
The old lady smacked her lips and thought to herself: You dare to say that because you have three sons. If you two sisters-in-law were switched, you could give birth to a few girls and then say that.
Second Aunt Xu didn't want to get an answer from the old lady. She just kept talking to herself, "Those two were so cruel. Pingping was such a good child, but they just left her like that, without a care in the world. And then there were those three daughters, the second and third, who were just given away without a care in the world. They were their own children."
Second Aunt Xu looked down on the behavior of her uncle and his wife. Normally, she treated her husband as the only son of the Xu family and turned a blind eye to the inaction of the eldest brother Xu in taking care of his parents. Although it was more difficult, she felt at ease and avoided a lot of useless anger.
Old Lady Xu argued weakly, "Hey, that's good now. Now that we have four daughters, your eldest brother and his family can finally settle down."
Second Aunt Xu didn't like seeing her mother-in-law like this, so she said bluntly, "These children should go to school now, and at least graduate from junior high school. Do you think I'm reluctant to provide Pingping with so little food for the whole year?"
"Ah?" Old Mrs. Xu was puzzled.
Second Aunt Xu said: "Pingping has always been an illegal hukou. Even the fourth child who was not given away in the city was not registered. Now the fifth child is born, a son. The eldest brother and his wife must give this son a name and register him in the family tree.
Pingping wants to have a household registration. I found out that she has to pay a 30,000 yuan fine for having more than one child. Do you think my eldest brother and his family can afford that?"
Old Mrs. Xu hesitated, "Thirty thousand?"
In their village, the most powerful Party secretary's family couldn't save 10,000 yuan a year. Thirty thousand yuan for one extra child, and the old family already had two extra children.
She even felt a little lucky in her heart: Fortunately, her second and third granddaughters were sent away at birth, otherwise...
"Pingping has been without a household registration for many years, isn't it okay? If you ask me, this household registration, not applying for it..." It's nothing. But in the end, these words were swallowed back in the face of the second daughter-in-law's angry eyes.
"My dear mother-in-law, what can I say to you? Pingping grew up by your side, is she not as good as a grandson you have never met? Do you understand that Pingping will go to junior high school soon, and no middle school will accept her without a household registration! Are you really going to let her study until she graduates from elementary school? What can she do in the future after graduating from elementary school?" Second Aunt was furious.
The old lady hurriedly comforted him: "That can't be done, that can't be done. You have to finish junior high school anyway. I, I, I, second brother, go call your eldest brother and tell him that if he doesn't come back, he won't come back..."
The old lady was at a loss for a moment and blurted out, "Just say I'm dead!"
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