There was nothing to do at noon, so after delivering medicine to old lady Li, several children took the biscuits given by the old lady. The old man gave her a lot of money and notes. She probably kept some of it and returned the rest to him.
"This medicine is not too expensive." They were prepared to spend more for something that could save lives. Gu Yan smiled and said no more, letting them guess on their own.
When she got home from work in the evening and had just fed her two children, several uninvited guests came in one after another. There were men and women following the eldest son of the Han family. After seeing her original eldest sister, she searched her memory and realized who these people were.
The three brothers of the Gu family, the so-called brothers of the original body. Several people followed behind the eldest and third sons of the Han family, each of them hunched over with a sullen face, looking at her with eyes full of resentment.
"What a shame. Were you really kicked out of the Han family?"
The person who was speaking was her brother, who was only one year and three months older than her. His beloved brother made his mother want to starve him to death in order to save her food rations. This guy had bullied her since they were little and always acted condescendingly towards her, his younger sister.
Gu Yan ignored him with a cold face and turned to ask the Han brothers, "What does this mean?"
"The second brother said that you two are divorced, and the children belong to you. Since you are no longer a member of our Han family, I must notify your family to come and pick you up. You are not a member of the Han family, but you want to occupy my house."
Seeing that Gu Yan did not refute what Boss Han said, the eldest sister of the Gu family came over anxiously and grabbed her arm, "Sister, have you really been kicked out of the Han family? And you are raising four children alone? How are you going to live in the future?"
One question after another, all of them were the eldest sister of the Gu family's concerns for her younger sister. The woman was so anxious that tears came out of her eyes. She looked at the four of them, mother and daughter, with a worried frown on her face. You fool, how dare you offend your husband's family? Now that you’ve been kicked out, how are you going to live in the future?
"Han Laoer and I are divorced. I don't want him because he's such a lazy guy. Don't worry, sister. I know what I'm doing. Don't worry about me."
"What a bullshit number. You, a woman, have been kicked out of your husband's house, and you have to take care of four children. Gu Yan, you are so stupid. Since you have already divorced, come with me."
Gu Yan was very surprised when she heard this. Why would this guy help her, a “freeloader”? He has always been scolded as someone else's kid since he was a child. Why has he changed his temper now?
Before she could ask, the man spoke again: "Pack your things, and you can sleep on the same kang with mom when you go back. Your food supply will be transferred back to our brigade, and after work, you can help take care of mom. As a kind brother, I will give you a place to stay."
Gu Yan was holding his little girl in his arms. If he was holding a stone, he would definitely be so angry that he would raise his hand and throw it at him. Damn it, after all this talk you just want me to go back and take care of the old lady who is paralyzed in bed. I work and earn work points to support myself, and after work I can be your free babysitter. You have a pretty good fucking plan.
"What about my children? Your... mom's small kang can't accommodate them, right?"
"What child?"
This guy's eyes were roving around the little ones, and Dahua and Xiaohua were so scared that they jumped onto the kang and sat on the left and right sides of their mother. My uncle is so scary, will he not let my mother have them? Mom won’t listen to him, right?
"Why do you want a child? How are you going to find a partner in the future with this burden? Their last name is Han, they belong to the Han family, and have nothing to do with you."
"Bullshit. The child I gave birth to has nothing to do with me? Gu Tiebao, your brain is full of paste, how can you say such stupid things? The child has nothing to do with the mother, did you jump out of a crack in the stone?"
It took Gu Tiebao a long time to come back to his senses after being scolded by Gu Yan for the first time. Pointing at Gu Yan, his face turned ashen. No wonder the Han family said she was crazy, this dead woman was indeed very crazy. She dares to talk to him like this, she doesn't want to live anymore, right?
"You're the one who came out of the cracks in the stone."
"Yes, I jumped out from the cracks in the rocks."
Gu Yan was not annoyed at all and nodded in acknowledgement very solemnly. Her calm and serious demeanor made Gu Tiebao so angry that he was like a Buddha being born and two Buddhas ascended to heaven. This damn woman didn't say anything, but why is she so infuriating?
"You..." He pointed at Gu Yan with his hand trembling, and was tongue-tied for a long time before he uttered the harsh words. "Don't come back home if you take the child with you. I won't raise a child for nothing. Only a fool would raise a child for you. If you have the ability, don't beg me. I don't have a sister like you...ah."
Before he could finish his harsh words, the arm that was pointing at Gu Yan was hit hard by a rolling pin. He crossed his arms, his face full of disbelief that the girl he had bullied since childhood actually hit someone.
"Don't point your finger at me. This is what annoys me the most. If you dare to raise your hand again, I will break your arm. I mean what I say, so you'd better remember it clearly."
This time, the Gu family members who had never seen such a thing were all stunned. It turned out that what the Han family said was true. This timid and cowardly girl of theirs was really crazy. It seems that he is quite crazy and even beats his own brother.
"Crow, what's wrong with you?" Sister Gu was shocked. She pulled her sister and asked in confusion, "Are you really crazy? Why do you even beat your own brother? He is the head of our Gu family and the support of our married daughter."
"What a bullshit backer. I was the one who married his wife, and now he wants to trick me into going back to be his free servant. He is a piece of trash who can't even take care of his parents, wife and children. You are so naive to want to be our backer. He is here to add insult to injury and squeeze out the last bit of my usefulness. He wants to make me a free servant and then sell me off to earn some dowry. His calculations are really good."
"But... this... but the Han family doesn't want you anymore, where can you go with the child?"
"Take the child back home and ask your loved one, does he agree?"
"You're dreaming." Gu Tiebao, who was shamelessly hit on the wrist by his sister in public, had a livid face and looked at her with gritted teeth. "If you want me to raise a child for you, give up on this idea as soon as possible. Our mother is sick in bed. If you want to show your filial piety and go back with me to take care of her, then pack up and leave now. If you want to take your nest and eat for free, I don't care if you die."
"Then get out of here as soon as possible." Gu Yan's eyes were extremely cold, and the words he said seemed to contain ice. "I was sold out by the Gu family a long time ago. I have nothing to do with them. All of you get out of here. I don't want to see any of you."
The three brothers of the Gu family were all gloomier than the other, especially Gu Tiebao, who was trembling all over. Originally, the Han family informed him that they no longer wanted his sister, but after he came to his senses after being angry, he was actually quite happy. His mother was sick in bed, and his wife vented all her dissatisfaction with her mother-in-law. In the past few months, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have quarreled countless times.
He was caught in the middle and felt awkward, thinking that it would save him a lot of trouble if Gu Yan was around. After all, this guy is timid and cowardly, so he can let his mother vent her anger and beat and scold him. He didn't expect this guy to be so crazy that he would even attack him. That’s right, if she wasn’t crazy or possessed by a ghost, how could she dare to offend the Han family and get chased away? In that case, he would be asking for trouble if he picked her up. He was too lazy to take on this hot potato.
"Okay, let's go. Gu Wuya, don't regret it. When you die, just wait and see who will collect your body."
"Don't worry, I won't die even if you die. You should consider this issue yourself."
Gu Tiebao paused, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with this bold and sharp-tongued girl. He turned and pointed at her, wanting to say something but couldn't find the words. Gu Yan raised his hand and hit him again, making him withdraw his hand as if he had been electrocuted.
"Gu Wuyao, are you looking for a fight?"
"Shut up, you scared my kids." Gu Yan patted the two kids, then turned to look at him with anger on her face. "If you want to fight, go ahead and fight. I'll accompany you to the end. If you want to lose an arm or a leg, I'll grant your wish."
Think about the fate of the old couple of the Han family, one suffered hemiplegia and the other a fracture, but they didn’t even dare to drive them away forcefully. Gu Tiebao could only breathe heavily for a moment, the thought of taking action having been suppressed by reason.
"Let's go. This woman will have nothing to do with the Gu family in the future. We don't care whether she lives or dies."
When Sister Gu saw her younger brothers were about to leave, she reached out to pull them away anxiously. Boss Han on the side also spoke at this time, and his words were addressed to Gu Yan.
"I don't care whether you come back to the Gu family or not. Now that you are divorced from my brother, you are no longer a member of the Han family. You must leave now. We don't allow outsiders to live in our Han family's house."
"Yes. Leave quickly. Our Han family cannot tolerate a lunatic like you. You are not allowed to stay any longer. Leave now."
"Go, go. Go, you jinx, hurry up..." Little Han didn't dare to say the word "get out". She paused and continued, "If you are not a member of our Han family, you cannot live in our house. Go quickly."
My mother's arm and my father's stroke, the Han family's resentment towards Gu Yan has reached its peak. The Han family, who originally did not agree to the divorce and did not want Gu Yan to take away Han Lao Er's son, were overwhelmed by anger and no longer cared about those things. They just want to see them miserable. The more miserable they are, the more anger in their hearts can be soothed.
The Gu family was asked to come and pick up the person to avoid further trouble if Gu Yan made any mistake. After all, they don't care about people when they are alive, but they can still extort money from them if they are dead or disabled. Seeing that Gu Yan had offended the Gu family, he opened his mouth and drove them away without mercy.
Seeing the two Han brothers rushing people out, the two sisters-in-law outside the door also poked their heads out to watch the fun. The three Gu brothers actually stopped and looked at Gu Yan with interest, as if they were enjoying a good show.
Gu Yan was a little hesitant for a moment. Was he going to move house with the child so late at night? She is not afraid, but will the two little ones get frozen?
The hesitant expression on her face did not escape the eyes of these people who were gloating. They all thought that she was being controlled, and their previous anger and resentment turned into sneers.
"If you kowtow to my parents and admit your mistake now, I can consider letting you stay for a few more days."
"Yes, kowtow to my parents, and we can consider letting you go."
The two Han brothers were arrogant, and the two Gu brothers also sneered. Only the eldest sister of the Gu family had a worried look on her face, but she was too cowardly to dare to fight for her. Even after being driven away, the girl was still so arrogant. What could she, as her elder sister, say?
Facing these men who were arrogance and condescending, Gu Yan looked at them as if they were fools. I have been waiting for the right time to divorce, and now a place to live can still be my Achilles' heel. And you want me to kowtow to those two cruel old men. Are you all crazy?
Just as Gu Yan was about to speak, Sister Xu came out and stood beside her. "Sister, don't be afraid of them. Take the children and move to our house first."
She looked at the woman who had helped her time and time again, and the coldness in her icy eyes faded away.
Anyway, it's not snowing or raining, so the worst that can happen when living in a shack is to cover yourself with a few more quilts, put down an electric blanket or fill it with a hot water bottle. She had already made preparations for accommodation in the wild, but she didn't expect that she would lend a helping hand again. You have to know that their family also has a tight housing situation and is not well off. As the old saying goes, it is easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away, so her action was very risky.
"You can move out. Go and ask Han Laoer to come back and sign a document to sever ties with me. From now on, the children will take my last name Gu and have no relationship with your Han family or Han Laoer."
Gu Yan actually doesn’t care what her child’s surname is. Her flesh and blood are her treasures no matter what their surnames are. But it would be better to further sever ties with the Han family if there is a chance. The less the child's involvement, the less likely Han Laoer will cause trouble in the future. Otherwise, when the children grow up and he comes to rely on him for retirement, it will be so unfair to the children.
"Why? This is the bloodline of our Han family. Why should we have the surname Gu?"
"Boss Han, you have to be so shameless to say such a thing. You are not ashamed, but I am ashamed for you. On the one hand, you said they were members of the Han family, but on the other hand, you couldn't wait to drive them away overnight. You treat your nephews and nieces like this, aren't you afraid of being scolded?"
Han Lao Da's face turned pale and blue after what she said. He looked around and said, "You broke your mother-in-law's arm and made your father-in-law have a stroke. You are disrespectful to your elders and unfilial to your parents. You are a traitor and you are committing treason. You are not afraid of being scolded, so why should I be afraid?"
"Don't compare me with you. I'm not as shameless as you Han family members. My child was almost thrown away to feed the wolves. I only hit that cruel old woman a few times, didn't chop her up, and didn't go to the county to sue her for murder. I was very restrained and generous, okay.
As for your father, he was really pissed off by your good brother. Instead of attacking Han Hongtu, you come here and say nonsense to me. As a mother, what did I do wrong to fight for my child?
If a person is old, everyone must obey him unconditionally. No matter how unreasonable or unreasonable he is, you must not resist him. That's not respecting elders, that's aiding and abetting evil. If evil people can do whatever they want when they get older, where should we put kindness? ”
Boss Han was left speechless by her eloquence and opened his mouth several times but couldn't find any sound. The third brother was not good at speaking sternly, and was even more speechless.
"Don't talk nonsense. Either you go find Han Hongtu and come back to sign and put your fingerprints, agreeing to sever ties with the children, and I'll change their surnames. Or you get out of here. I'm tired after a day and I need to rest."
After Gu Yan finished speaking, he stood at the door to see the guests off. You try to take advantage of your age to bully me, but I won’t fall for it. Right and wrong, good and evil, loyalty and treachery should never be determined by age. Everyone is equal before the law, so stop with the moral blackmail.
The group of people who came to cause trouble returned home in disgrace. The Gu brothers said that they would no longer care about the girl who went out, and told them not to blame them for her problems in the future. The Han brothers went back to their room and discussed the matter all night, and finally made up their minds to force the second brother to sign the consent form.
In resentment and anger, I don't care about anything. As long as they can make Gu Yan sad, they will do it at any cost. Han Laoer, this mama's boy, has even simpler ideas. He can't afford to offend that tigress Gu Yan. If she doesn't want the child, then don't want it. He can just marry an obedient one in the future. He won't have to worry about not having a son anymore.
Early the next morning, Boss Han asked someone to write the document. The three brothers came to find Gu Yan, signed a contract and asked her to move out of the Han family's house immediately.
"Okay, give me a morning and I'll move right away."
After Han Laoer finished, he turned around and left. This cold-hearted guy didn't feel any reluctance or guilt for abandoning several children.
The remaining two actually really wanted to kick Gu Yan out personally. Unfortunately, Gu Yan’s powerful fighting ability makes people only dare to think about it, and they dare not take action after gritting their teeth in hatred.
I went to work early in the morning as usual, and asked for leave from the team leader when I got off work. When the captain heard that she was kicked out of the Han family, he agreed without hesitation during the busy spring farming season. His eyes showed disapproval, but more of a concern for her as a woman.
"Don't worry about anything else." This was the scolding he got when he told his wife about this. "Since they dare to do this, they must have a way to make a living. Otherwise, they would have cried and kowtowed to beg for mercy long ago. How could they be forced out by the Han family?"
is that so? The captain expressed great doubt. She is a woman raising four children. I want to see how she supports them.
Sister Xu didn't see Gu Yan in the morning, and just now she heard about her move. He was so anxious that he ran to the shack as soon as he got off work. Sure enough, they had already moved all the things in. The two children carried their younger brother and sister on their backs, and Gu Yan was using wood as thick as an adult's arm and previously dried weeds to repair the leaks.
The woman helped without saying a word. "Why are you so stubborn? You could have told me first. I told you yesterday to stay at my place first. The kids will get cold if they live outdoors in this weather."
Your house is so small, where are we going to sleep when we go there? You can't share the same kang with your husband, right? I have a material in my space that is specifically used for repairing houses. It is waterproof and heat-insulating. When you apply it between wood and hay, the effect is no different from that of a house.
"It's okay. The weather is warm now. You won't be cold." Gu Yan smiled, and the two of them worked together to put the wood in place. "Sister, please go home and cook. Those four guys will be crying from hunger soon."
Sister Xu clapped her hands, "Okay. It's time to cook. I'll ask Daniu to bring it to you when it's ready, and you can take your time." She wanted to ask them to go home, but then she thought better of it. With so many things to look after, it would be terrible if someone stole them. It’s better to send it over after it’s done.
Gu Yan thought for a moment and nodded, accepting the other party's kindness. It is not difficult to make a fire and cook in the wild, but Sister Xu’s kindness should not be wasted. After the shack is repaired, I will pretend to have found a pheasant or a rabbit and treat them to a meal. It also helps improve the situation for those kids who are greedy.
Lunch was mixed grain and wild vegetable porridge, which Sister Xu cooked quite thickly. There is too little food, so it’s good to have porridge. Gu Yan asked Xu Gang to take some of his pickles back home, and everyone licked their lips while enjoying the delicious food.
"Mom, you're so stingy for only giving two to each person."
"Why are you so stingy? You won't miss out on all of them. Save the good stuff for later. If you eat it all at once, what will you eat next?"
The four of them lowered their heads and kept silent. After a while, the second brother spoke up: "Let Aunt Gu help us pickle the pickles this fall. Her pickles are really delicious, the best I've ever tasted."
Sister Xu laughed: "You little bastard, you are just trying to find a way to say your mom didn't pickle the fish well."
"No. Mom's pickled ones are good too, but... Aunt Gu's are tastier."
Lao Er's speaking skills calmed down Sister Xu, who was so angry that she got angry. I have to say, Gu Yan’s pickled vegetables are really good. How did he get such delicious taste? She has to learn from her. Otherwise, ask her to help pickle it.
"Pickled vegetables? No problem. I'll pickle them for you this fall."
A bland mouth will definitely be conquered by my rich seasoning. This thing does not need to be taught, and it cannot be taught. You will naturally learn it when your life gets better in the future.
"Sister Xu, please go to work quickly. Don't waste time. I'll finish it this afternoon. It won't affect your sleep at night."
Sister Xu took a look at it and estimated that she could indeed do it. After thinking about it, I decided to carry my tools and go to work. Maybe earning a few more cents could help her get more food. Otherwise, how are these women going to survive?
Others were worried, but Gu Yan was cheerful and didn't take it seriously at all. The two sisters Dahua put their younger brother and sister on a mat on the ground. One of them watched them play, while the other helped their mother get things back and forth. There were waves of laughter one after another, and the footsteps were brisk without a trace of gloom.
Children’s minds are so pure, they find the greatest happiness and joy just by following their mothers. As for a place to live, as long as it can shelter from the wind and rain, it's fine. After leaving the Han family, the two girls did not feel reluctant at all, and even seemed to be slightly relieved. From now on I won’t have to face my grandma’s abuse, my aunt’s sarcasm and bullying, and my bastard dad’s violence anymore. The huge mountain that was weighing on my little heart has been completely removed. I feel happy just thinking about it.
The little girl picked up a few flat stones, picked some wild grass and put them on top to cut, then turned around and smiled at her younger brothers and sisters.
"Sister will cook for you two. Just wait, I'll make some rice balls today. We'll also need to find a few bowls to serve the rice later." After the sister said this, the two little guys smiled foolishly to give her face. The lively little girl even rolled over, and the frightened sister quickly carried her back to the mat.
"Don't rummage around. The ground is very cold. You'll catch a cold."
"Oh……"
The little baby spoke baby language to communicate with the little sister, and the little sister frowned and tried to guess what her sister was saying with difficulty. Gu Yan looked at the children with a knowing smile, then reached out to continue smearing the mud.
The main frame is made of thick tree trunks, and the gaps in the middle are filled with thinner wood. A thick layer of mud was spread on top, and then hay was covered on top. With the help of Dahua, the work was basically completed in the afternoon.
The shack was tightly sealed on three sides, leaving only one side for ventilation. Gu Yan also nailed the triangle above the opening tightly with wood and installed a simple door at the bottom. Hang a curtain outside so it’s convenient to go back and forth.
She took great pains to remove the bed board of the large double bed in the space, and fixed the four corners with wooden supports. A mat was laid on top and covered with a large piece of patchwork sheet. Gu Yan turned around and sat down to try it. It felt good and didn’t hurt his butt. Wait until night to lay the mattress out; it will be more comfortable and warm.
Two large urns, a pair of buckets, plus the pots and pans, clothes and bedding she bought later, these were all their belongings. Gu Yan found a rough wooden box from the space. He originally wanted to use it to pack clothes, but he couldn't stand its rough texture. He squatted on the ground and looked left and right, feeling dissatisfied.
"Mom, just cover it inside and out with newspaper." Xiaohua was thoughtful. She sat on the newly built bed to coax the two babies to sleep, then turned around and whispered to her suggestion.
"Well, I'll leave this job to you two. I'll go build a stove outside. We have to cook tonight."
"Okay, I can do this job. Let my sister go dig wild vegetables, and we'll make wild vegetable porridge in the evening. We can work together to paste the wall on the weekend."
"You're still drinking wild vegetable porridge, aren't you feeling sick? We still have sweet potatoes, so let's drink sweet potato porridge at night." Add some oatmeal and eat it with pickles, it should be good. Eat eggs after closing the door at night to supplement nutrition.
Locals usually use coal to cook and rarely use firewood. The people are shaped by the land and water they live in, so it should be due to habit that there is an abundance of coal in the local area. Anthracite is cleaner, does not need to be re-ignited for every meal, and is also convenient to use.
Gu Yan has run out of coal now, and she is too lazy to get more. I simply built a simple wood-burning stove with stones and replaced the small pot I used to use with a large pot for the wood-burning stove. After all, we are in the wild, and this stove is more convenient than the coal stove used locally. She had finished building it in less than an hour. She tried to move the pot and found it was quite sturdy.
"Xiaohua, look after your brothers and sisters while mommy goes to fetch water!"
Xiaohua squatted on the ground and nodded obediently. The rough and shaggy box in her hands had changed its appearance. Not only did the little girl make the paper smooth and neat with newspapers, she also skillfully pasted two bright flowers on the top and front. Isn’t this the material packaging she had opened earlier? There is a garden printed on it. This child is really thoughtful. She actually cut off the clean part intact and used it for decoration.
"Does it look good?" Noticing her staring at him, the child looked up and asked in a low voice.
"It looks great." Gu Yan's eyes were filled with appreciation and praise. "Take your time to clean up. Mom is going to fetch water." Xiaohua is a very careful child and doesn't need her to give too many instructions. She feels at ease leaving her at home.
While carrying the bucket, she discovered another problem. She didn't bring a shoulder pole with a hook, and there were no neighbors nearby. She used to use the one from the Han family. Did she have to bring it back now? This place is quite far from the village well, so it would be more convenient to carry it on your shoulders than to carry it there.
After walking a few steps, Gu Yan heard the sound of splashing water and patted himself with a smile. How stupid! There is a river nearby, why are you running into the village? It was previously cut off due to drought, but last year's snow and early spring rain have made it flow again. Having such a nearby water source is very convenient.
The river was not deep, so she picked a water hole and scooped the water into the bucket with a ladle. Now that there is no pollution, the river water is clear and crisp, and a sip of it is sweet and refreshing.
Fill the water tank, light the stove and prepare to cook. Xiaohua has tidied the small shack neatly and cleanly. Dahua came back carrying a wicker basket full of bitter herbs. The girl sat on a stone, picked the fish clean, and went to the nearby river to wash them. The mother and her children were in the wild, but they felt like they were in a luxurious house. His face was filled with a happy smile and his steps were as light as a bird flying out of a cage.
"Oh, it's all done." Sister Xu walked around to check out the situation after work. She looked at the smooth bed board and the door with hinges. She patted Gu Yan and said, "You must have prepared for this a long time ago. Where did you hide the materials before? It was put together in one day, and it's quite warm inside. There's no wind at all, so it won't be too cold to live in in winter."
"I covered it with a layer of mud, so it's warm. Since you're here, let's eat here tonight." Plastic sheeting was laid on the big hole, and with the high-tech mud, it was of course impossible for air to get through. The shack was in a good location, being sheltered from the wind. This way, those who cared about her would no longer have to worry about her accommodation during the winter.
"No, I have to go back and cook for those four guys."
Sister Xu certainly wouldn't eat her pitiful rations. After seeing that there was no problem with their accommodation, she told them to call her if they needed anything and then left.
As soon as she left, someone unexpectedly came with a bag. Uncle Li put the bag down and took a closer look at her shack.
"It's too small and there are no windows. The mud and thatch shack can't withstand heavy rain. Why don't you take the children and live in my house?" The old man considered these words for a long time. He was afraid that it would be easier to invite the god than to send him away. She would refuse to leave and he was afraid that the Han family would cause trouble. But I was also worried about them living in the wild. Now he brought sorghum to her, and he spoke from the bottom of his heart.
"It's okay." Gu Yan didn't explain much. "Wait until I live here for a year or two, and you will naturally know how sturdy this shack is." "Uncle, take the sorghum back and eat it yourself. It's difficult now, how can I take food from you two old people?"
"Keep it. We have more supplies than you. We can still get by. Your aunt doesn't eat much since she sits still, so we have plenty of food."
The old man said this and stood up and left. It's good to say it, don't force it. He has already made his feelings clear. If it leaks when it rains, it will be impossible to live in it. The girl will remember this promise.
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