Chapter 46
"Haha... of course it's your brother. I was worried about whether they could live well before, but now I am really relieved. Whether a person likes another person or not, his eyes and attitude cannot be concealed. Your brother is such a calm person, but when he looked at Gu Yan, his eyes were full of fire."
"It's really strange! My brother and my ex-sister-in-law didn't have this feeling when they were together. They were like colleagues at work, talking in a very formal manner. It's like he's come alive when he's with Gu Yan."
"Yes, Mom is completely relieved. Gu Yan is a capable and filial child, and your brother is responsible and capable. As long as the two of you don't dislike each other, you can live a good life."
After the old lady finished speaking, she remembered something and patted her daughter: "You should call her sister-in-law, don't be so cautious, she is now your full-fledged sister-in-law."
"Yes, I just let it slip. You definitely can't call me that in front of Gu...Sister-in-law." After saying this, Li Bailu smiled coquettishly at my mother, then rolled her eyes and spoke tentatively.
"Mom, can you lend me fifty dollars?"
"What do you need so much money for?"
The old lady became alert when she heard this. My son-in-law is the only son in the family. He has two older sisters and three younger sisters. After the sisters got married, their houses were very spacious and their sons were capable. It was because of this that I married my daughter to a place ten miles away. But her daughter was weak and lived far away from her parents' home. She was controlled by her mother-in-law and dared not resist at all. Even the private money she secretly gave her could be taken away by her.
"…My eldest sister-in-law's son is getting married, and she wants to borrow some money from me."
"Your parents-in-law are the ones who run your family. What kind of money did she borrow from you? You, my child, are the same. Can't you say that you don't run the family and have no money?"
"I...I did. But she said I could go back to my parents' home to borrow money. We have my eldest brother, and everyone knows that our family is well off."
"You, why can't you refuse people?"
"Didn't you say you wanted to get along with your sister-in-law? Suffering a loss is a blessing, my father said."
The old lady was speechless this time. She wondered what was wrong with her in the past to teach her child this. She is naturally weak-willed and timid and dares not argue with others. Isn't this the way they teach their children that they are being bullied now?
Gu Yan is really good at teaching. He says different things to each child.
"Talk to your sister-in-law. She's the head of the family now." What else can he do? The child is already twenty years old, and there's nothing he can say to change the situation.
"My sister-in-law... Mom, if you don't have any private money, can you lend it to me? My sister-in-law is so powerful, she won't lend me this kind of money, right?"
"You also know that you shouldn't lend this money, right?" The old lady shook her head helplessly: "My private money was also given by your brother. Now your sister-in-law is the shopkeeper of this family. Everything has to go through her."
Li Bailu bit her lip, feeling embarrassed. Not to mention Gu Yan, even her brother, who was a principled man, would think that this matter was inappropriate. It's not a matter of saving lives, how can I borrow money from my relatives?
After washing the clothes, Gu Yan went to cook. His sister-in-law was there, so they had noodles for lunch. Use pure wheat flour, add a small amount of salt, and knead it into a dough of moderate hardness using cold water. Place it on a panel and let it rise naturally.
Various vegetables were cut into cubes and mixed together to make sautéed vegetables. Today, I didn’t dare to add lard, but instead added some strong-flavored sesame oil. Add a little bit of MSG, appropriate amount of pepper and chili, so that it won’t be bland.
"Gu Yan, do you still have any oil? This sauce smells so good." Wang Xiaomai came over following the scent, and Gu Yan quickly covered the pot.
"Hush, it's just a few castor beans. I crushed them and wiped the pot."
Wang Xiaomai nodded quickly, and the two women lowered their voices like thieves, "The castor and sesame in the brigade are growing well this year. Can we get more oil in the fall?"
"Who knows? Maybe they'll all be handed over to the grain station. We can only wait and see."
"Alas, why don't we have city hukou and get the food we need? I work hard for a year and get nothing. If I want to taste the food I grow, I have to steal it. Everything is public property. It's really boring."
It will be more than ten years before the land is distributed to the households, and we will have to endure this kind of life for more than ten years. Once the land was handed over to the farmers themselves, the city's industry developed rapidly. In the future, except for food prices, everything else will increase in price. So don’t worry too much about that little piece of land, and run away when you have the chance.
Except in the event of a zombie outbreak, the countryside is a great place to hide out. In peacetime, the city is still better.
"It will be fine. There will be bread and milk. We are such hardworking people, how can we not live a good life?"
"Haha, where did you learn this weird accent? I don't dare to count on drinking milk, we don't have that stuff here. You have to go to the northern grasslands to find dairy cows and goats. As long as I can eat white flour every day, even if it's just noodle soup, I'll be satisfied."
"That's absolutely no problem, just wait." Not to mention flour, we can also ship rice from the south to you. The price is not high at all. There are also various southern fruits that you have never heard of, and you will be able to taste them in the future.
The two women chatted for a while, and then Wang Xiaomai turned around to cook. Gu Yan changed the pot to boil water and prepare to pull the noodles. He first took a pot and gave it to the elderly, guests and children, and then took the second pot for himself and Li Zhongxia.
Li Bailu had finished eating and refused her sister-in-law's offer to help her with more. White flour is rare, so just eat one bowl. He went to deliver the bowl himself, then sat on the kang and tugged at his clothes in embarrassment.
The couple just lowered their heads to eat and didn't notice her entanglement. After cleaning up Xiaohua and washing the pots and dishes, Gu Yan coaxed Niu Niu to go to the ear room to sleep. Li Zhongxia also followed his wife.
Just as Li Bailu was scratching her head anxiously, her brother came back. "Bai Lu, do you have something to say?"
The woman nodded quickly, licked her lips and spoke with determination. Now they are the only ones there, and if Gu Yan were here, she is afraid that she would be scolded.
"My eldest sister-in-law's son is getting married, and she wants me to help borrow some money from you."
Li Zhongxia certainly knew what kind of person his sister was, so it was not surprising that she agreed to such a thing. But what should we do about this matter? If I don’t lend it to you, I’ll be in trouble. Lend it to me. Will Gu Yan, who is very particular about what is right and what is wrong, agree to it? Will he start by scolding this useless sister-in-law as soon as he opens his mouth?
"Brother, if you don't have it... you don't have it, right? My eldest sister-in-law said she will pay it back next year, she won't default on it."
"You borrowed the money for your sister-in-law and you said you wouldn't default on it. It's been more than two years now and she has mentioned this before." Before Li Zhongxia could speak, her mother had already started to retort her. "Every failure makes you wiser. How come you can't learn from it, kid? They were obviously trying to take advantage of you, so why did you agree to it?"
"I..." Li Bailu lowered her head and dared not say a word because of her old mother's scolding. Li Zhongxia also spoke up for her. "You can't be so soft. You're like a dough. People are just going to rub you. Be tough. Don't bully others, but don't let others take advantage of you. If you really get used to it, you won't be able to live like this in the future."
“I understand.” After being told by her eldest brother and mother, the woman lowered her head and agreed.
Li Zhongxia went back to his room to take a nap, and Gu Yan asked him what was going on. He briefly explained it, and thought that his wife would be disappointed in his wife and think that his sister-in-law was a wimp, but she rolled her eyes and actually gave some advice.
"Let Bai Lu tell her sister-in-law this when she gets home. If they want to borrow money, they can come in person and write an IOU. I will go to their brigade to settle the bill next year. Come if you're willing."
This was said to Li Bailu when they went to the grave in the afternoon. She immediately smiled and hugged her sister-in-law's arm. "They just want to default on their debts, or delay the payment for a few more years to earn interest from the bank. Sister-in-law, have you guessed what they are thinking?"
"It's such an obvious trap, anyone can understand it. You also know this, so why did you agree to help her borrow it? Let me teach you a trick. When you don't know how to refuse someone or don't dare to refuse someone, just pretend to be dumb and deaf and don't hear anything. If they say anything else, just avoid them. I don't need this passive method, but it should be very useful to you."
"Yeah, why didn't I think of this trick? If you can't afford to offend me, then you can just hide from me." The woman tilted her head and looked at Gu Yan with starry eyes. "Sister-in-law, you are so powerful. You can deal with anyone."
"It's just a basic skill to counter a man's moves. Remember, you can't use this trick on your man. If he bullies you, you must not give in. If you use words, you can argue with him. If you use physical force, you can beat him down. Stop the first time, and don't let the bad habit get allowed to develop."
"Haha...but what if I can't beat him?"
"Send me a message. I have never beaten anyone who refuses to obey me. Your family has its backers, so you don't have to be so soft and afraid of them."
The woman was so moved by what she heard that she held her sister-in-law tighter. She understood the truth, but she was just a soft-hearted person. Sometimes she always thought it was better to do less than more and not bring trouble to her parents' home.
But they are pressing us step by step, so we can only fight back. After all, she still has a mother and a brother and sister-in-law. Everyone in the Kono Brigade knew about my sister-in-law's reputation. She was able to get a divorce on her own and even changed all four children's surnames to her own. This unheard-of thing has been accomplished, so she doesn't have to worry about such a small matter.
All relatives within the five generations of kinship were at one grave. They drew a circle with the sour soup they brought, then knelt down and began to burn paper. The men and children were muttering as the incense was burned, expressing their concern for their deceased relatives. The woman in the back was crying with her hands covering her head, also muttering as she cried.
Gu Yan had no feelings for the ancestors of the Li family, but when he thought of his father-in-law he thought of his relatives from his previous life. He covered his face with a handkerchief and burst into tears. She didn't cry like others, but just shed tears silently. When this activity is over, the eyes will be as red as a rabbit.
"Have you and my father known each other for a long time?"
"Yes, Mr. Li is very kind."
"You should call me dad."
"Well, Daddy takes good care of us mother and son."
"I'll take care of you from now on."
After returning home, Li Zhongxia was asked to help carry something. Gu Yan had nothing to do in the afternoon, so he took his children to see his sister-in-law off. Before leaving, I gave her five pounds of pickled eggs.
"Sister-in-law, how can I take this? I am a married girl, and I didn't bring anything good when I went back to my parents' home. You usually take care of my mother. If I take your things when I leave, what will I become?"
"Just take it if I tell you to. I saved a kid last month and his mother insisted on giving it to you. The chickens I feed lay a lot of eggs, too. They cover our household expenses for a month. Take the gifts back and your mother-in-law will be more supportive of you."
Li Bailu took it, bit her lip and was angry that she was useless and made her brother, sister-in-law and mother worry about her. "Sister-in-law, am I really useless?"
Gu Yan held Niu Niu in his arms, and the two talked as they walked. "Don't think like that. Everyone is different. Don't compare yourself to others, especially me."
I am not a person of this era, and I have the tools to cheat. No one can escape the constraints of the times, and your situation is now the norm. As long as the husband's family and the husband do not go too far, life will be like this.
"Haha... Actually, I really admire you. How can you be so powerful? You can fight against an entire family by yourself, and finally succeed and take the child away."
"That's not being awesome, that's just risking your life. I'm awesome for getting this high-quality man, your brother, into my own hands."
"Haha... you have good taste. My elder brother, even if it's not just me, his younger sister, who is praising him, has been the object of everyone's praise since he was young. If the world hadn't changed, he would definitely have passed the imperial examinations."
"Well, anyone with eyes can see it. The key is that I dare to do it. If I were timid and shy and didn't dare to speak up, I don't know which fox would snatch this piece of fat meat away."
"Sister-in-law, you are really brave. If it were me, I wouldn't dare to say anything to a man."
The aunt and sister-in-law chatted and walked two miles away unknowingly. Li Bailu looked around and asked her to go back. She had walked this road many times, and there was no danger in broad daylight. Gu Yan waved goodbye to everyone and returned the same way, carrying her little girl.
Looking at the sun in the sky, she put her daughter down, and the mother and daughter slowed down as if they were going on an outing in the countryside. Wild flowers, picking. Wild fruits, picking. The most amazing thing is that when Niu Niu saw a rabbit, Gu Yan actually ran over like a 100-meter sprint and caught it for her.
"Bunny."
"Yes, it's a little flower rabbit. Let Niuniu play with it. You can pick vegetables to feed it. Mom will make a cage for you when she gets home and put the rabbit in it."
"Okay, I want... Rabbit."
I took my daughter to the edge of the village and heard people shouting. The brigade's custodian was spreading the news while banging on a broken basin.
"Everyone, go put out the fire, quickly, quickly, the millet field on the east side of the mountain is on fire, and now the fire has spread to the east side of the mountain. Everyone, hurry up and grab your tools to put out the fire..."
Hearing about the fire, Gu Yan suddenly exerted his strength and ran home at the speed of a 100-meter sprint. He handed Niu Niu to Xiaohua and told the child not to run around. He turned around, picked up a shovel, soaked the quilt in a bucket of water, and followed the crowd to run up the East Mountain.
This paragraph is not in the original book. Damn it, is this fire really Li Zhongxia’s disaster? She thought of many fire prevention measures to prevent the warehouse from catching fire again. I didn't expect the fire to come so early. The northwest wind today is about level three or four, and the eastern mountain is covered with trees and crops. The fire is carried by the wind. Can human power put it out?
Li Zhongxia, oh Li Zhongxia, please don't be stupid. Just need more people to dig a buffer zone. Once the trees and crops are set on fire, it will be impossible to put out the fire.
Closer and closer. The place is already full of people at this moment, and everyone is looking at the blazing fire, at a loss as to what to do. The entire Dongshan was engulfed in flames, making it like trying to catch a hedgehog and having no idea where to start.
The blazing flames were like a gigantic monster, losing its temper fiercely and vowing to devour everything it encountered. Men, women, young and old were all frightened and didn't even dare to get too close.
"Cut down trees and cut grass on the north and south sides to create a buffer zone to prevent the fire from getting bigger and becoming unsalvageable." She found the branch secretary and quickly made her suggestion. The branch secretary slapped his forehead, then asked the director to split the soldiers into two groups to work.
"I'm really confused. Li Guangquan, go to the next brigade and call for help. Let's put out the fire together. Our brigade alone is not enough."
"Oh, I see."
The branch secretary, director and captains of each team, along with their respective members, began to disperse to both sides and select suitable places to serve as isolation zones. Gu Yan didn't find Li Zhongxia, so he anxiously started to ask people everywhere if they had seen her man. With such a big fire, Li Zhongxia would definitely come. But there was no one outside. Could this person really have run in to put out the fire?
"The Xu family's grave is in the ground on the mountain. I don't know why they haven't come out yet. Boss Xu ran out to call for help, and your man ran in to save people."
The Xu family members gathered together, but brother-in-law Xu and the children were not seen among them. Gu Yan was also extremely anxious at this moment. After understanding the situation, she let go of the person and rushed into the fire.
"Hey, what are you doing?" The two women quickly grabbed her and said, "Don't run in. The fire outside may look sparse, but the entire crop is on fire inside. If you go in rashly, you may not be able to get out."
Sister Xu stumbled over from the village, looking at the fire and crying miserably, "My husband and children are in there, please save them, save them. It's all my fault, it's all my fault, I shouldn't have let them clean up their private plots. If I had gone home earlier, this wouldn't have happened..."
"Calm down, you're carrying a baby. Wait here, I'll go get them."
Gu Yan yelled at Sister Xu, struggled to break free from the two women, rushed into the raging fire, and disappeared in an instant.
Several people who saw it stamped their feet in anxiety. "Why don't you listen to my advice? The fire is too big. This is not water. If you are good at swimming, you can swim out. Fire is the most ruthless. They are not afraid of anything. They dare to rush in."
"You are worthy of being recommended to join the party. This is a high level of awareness."
"No, her husband was a political commissar."
When Sister Xu saw her rushing in, she suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself twice, then struggled to rush in. He was held tightly by the people around him.
"Girl, girl, come out quickly, come out quickly..."
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