After more than ten days of hard work, we finally planted the corn and sorghum. It will take some time for the millet to be harvested, and the fields will be temporarily relaxed. It happened to be raining and everyone was idle at home. Looking at this spring rain that is as precious as oil, the seedling of hope in my heart is growing vigorously.
Sister Xu wore a straw hat and went to the shack where Gu Yan was staying temporarily in the rain and wind. "When did you build this shed? Now we don't have to worry about rain when cooking. The wood is so heavy, you must be strong enough to do it all by yourself." You even said that you would ask my man to help with it after the seeds are planted, and you've already finished it.
"The two children can help, and with some tools, it's not that difficult." All the preparations take time, so the divorce has been delayed until now. Otherwise, if she were to take four children out to the wild in such a cold weather to recuperate, the mother and children would catch a cold, get sick, or even suffer physical damage.
"You're so capable. No wonder you dared to get divorced and raise four children on your own." Sister Xu smiled and sat on the bed, testing it and feeling it was quite flat. This girl is really capable. She needed a carpenter to make such a big and flat bed. When did she prepare it?
"Oh, I'm here to tell you something. Han Lao Er has found a new wife, a widow whose husband has died, with a little girl of three or four years old. She has already come to the Han family and is now living in the north wing where you lived before."
Gu Yan was really shocked this time. There really was a blind woman and someone like Han Lao Er? What kind of person is this bastard? Why doesn’t the other party ask about him? Or does he have other reasons? But, no matter what your reasons are, you can't jump into this fire pit. As if she could see what she was thinking, Sister Xu smiled and continued.
"That woman's family home is seven or eight miles away from our brigade. When her husband died, she was driven out by her husband's family. Both her parents are gone, and her brother and sister-in-law don't want her to be at home. Look, she was found in the pit you cleared."
"This... I can't marry a lazy guy like Han Lao Er. There is no one who is honest and willing to work, so why do you have to find such a thing?"
"A good pot needs a good lid, and a bad pot needs a bad lid too. As a widow of a deceased husband, no man would want her. She can only find a second marriage or an old bachelor. Instead of marrying an old bachelor in his forties or fifties, Han Laoer is at least strong and healthy."
Gu Yan was speechless for a moment, and the usually eloquent Gu Duidui also lost his temper. I forgot that today there is no gender imbalance as in later generations due to family planning, there are few bachelors and almost everyone can find a partner. The woman was driven away by her husband's family and her own family would not take her in. There is no other way except to get married quickly. Not everyone has her powerful cheating tool to survive in the wild.
"Han Laoer also has two side rooms, so she finally has a place to stay. She needs shelter and food, which are the things she needs most. She doesn't care what kind of person Han Laoer is."
Sister Xu paused for a moment and suddenly smiled. "Besides, your reputation has been spread all over the streets by the Han family. People might think you are a shrew and a lunatic. Otherwise, you would have raided your own house and broken your mother-in-law's arm. Your father-in-law was so angry that he fell ill, and all the men, women, and children in the family have been beaten by you."
Gu Yan nodded and basically understood how things were going. Her behavior is considered heretical nowadays, and a little exaggeration can turn right into wrong, and the old Han family seems to be the victims.
Well, never mind them, she just needs to live her own life. After the new daughter-in-law was bullied by the Han family and abused by Han Lao Er, she understood what was going on.
Some people might think that maybe the Han family could change their ways and the second son of the Han family might suddenly turn over a new leaf. No, Gu Yan doesn’t think so. A dog will always eat shit. A person used to being beaten with hands and scolded with mouth. A crooked tree has been crooked from the root since it was young and cannot be changed.
Sister Xu sat there until almost noon before leaving. When the Dahua sisters heard that their father had married a new wife, they felt inexplicably worried. I felt strangely relieved after seeing my mother's calm expression. The two of them didn't ask anything and just played with their younger siblings obediently. Who cares? As long as their mother is around, no one will bully them.
Gu Yan saw that the rain had stopped in the afternoon, so she settled her children at home and went to Lao Li's house with two pairs of shoe soles sewn by machines from later generations.
The old couple were kind-hearted. They gave her food and allowed her to live in their home. She thought it over and decided to give them this. Sewing shoe soles is too tiring and laborious. The old lady doesn’t know if she can still do it. This thing is the most expensive, and it would be difficult if no one helps.
When I entered the village, I saw something new of this era. A canvas-top military jeep was parked in front of the Li family's gate. Needless to say, it must be the old couple Li's son who was working away from home and had returned.
Gu Yan ignored the curious discussions among the people surrounding Jeep. She stopped and hesitated whether she should go in. After hearing that the brigade secretary, team leader and accountant were all there, he thought for a moment and then turned and left. With so many people trying to curry favor with her, she'd better not join in the fun. This thing can be given at any time, there is no rush.
I returned along the same route and when I passed by the gate of Old Han’s house, I unexpectedly saw Han Laoer’s new wife. The three sisters-in-law stood together, looking at the jeep with giggles, probably attracted by this rare thing.
The eldest and third oldest families shut their mouths when they saw her, and only started pointing and talking after she passed by. They must have been explaining something to her new sister-in-law.
Gu Yan was too lazy to pay attention to these. Without even a pause, she passed them and quickly headed north. Go home quickly if you have nothing to do. The smocks for Dahua and Xiaohua have not been finished yet, and there are also clothes for the twins, the boy and the girl. You have to work on them while it's raining.
There was a lock on the small door of the shack. Gu Yan took out the key and went straight in. Dahua and Xiaohua are both reliable children and will not run around with their younger siblings. Sure enough, there was a message neatly written by Xiaohua on the stone slab on the bed. Take your younger brothers and sisters to pick wild vegetables so that she won’t worry.
After putting the slate into the child's schoolbag, she closed the door and prepared to use the sewing machine in the space. Manual work is too slow, and she has to make clothes, shoes and socks for five people by herself. She can't sleep at night if she doesn't use the machine.
The materials for the girls' smocks were second-hand goods she found when searching space containers. These second-hand clothes were originally shipped abroad. Many labels were thrown directly into the clothing recycling bin without being cut off. The one she picked was made of pure cotton, and the red printed fabric had faded and turned white, so she fixed it for the child. Whenever anyone asks, just say that they are old clothes given to me by others and they were altered.
The sewing machine works many times faster than manual work, and both pieces of clothing were finished in less than half an hour. There is a circle of yellow ribbon on the small lapel, which makes it more playful and cute when paired with the red background and yellow flowers.
Then he found two old clothes, took out some scissors and made them for the two little ones. My daughter's is light blue with white dots, and my son's is dark blue. They are both shirts.
Just as I picked up the scissors, there was a knock on the door. "Why is the door closed in broad daylight? Gu Yan, you should be home, why is the door closed?"
The voice was unfamiliar, but it called out her name. Gu Yan took a peek through the gap and found that it was Han Lao Er's newly married wife. The woman was leading a thin child, and the clothes of the mother and child were clean without a patch. What are they here for? Their only connection is the Han family, so there doesn't seem to be much to talk about.
Gu Yan was completely confused, but avoidance had never been her attitude towards life. So he opened the door silently without saying a word, and looked at her with an expression as if asking, "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, you scared me, I thought you were not at home?"
"Then why don't you go away."
Probably he didn't expect Gu Yan to be so ruthless and start to scold people. We are all from the same village, and she still had a smile on her face. How could this person talk like that? No wonder the Han family doesn't want her anymore. Which man could be interested in such a she-devil? A woman has to be gentle as water to be liked. For someone like you, it's not unfair to be kicked out of the house.
"Why are you so choking? No wonder my sister-in-law and my sister-in-law said you were crazy. If you act like this, people will really think you are crazy."
"Does your aunt's madness have anything to do with you? What are you doing here? Get out of here if you have nothing to do with me. Don't delay my sewing."
"You..." The woman was about to cry. She pointed at her for a while before continuing, "I just came here to advise you with good intentions. As a woman, don't be so strong. You broke your mother-in-law's arm, and your father-in-law was so angry that he became paralyzed. He is now receiving acupuncture, and I don't know if he can fully recover. As someone's daughter-in-law, you are so rebellious for doing this. You won't find a man who wants you."
"Did I ask you to be a matchmaker? When did I say I wanted to find a man?" This guy must be crazy. He came to her and said these nonsense words, and he looked like he was doing it for her own good. Why are you pretending to be so high and mighty?
"What on earth are you doing here? If you have nothing to do, get out of here. It's not your turn to arrange my affairs, just take care of yourself."
"You... you are such a naive person. Everything I said to you was for your own good. You are so crazy and rebellious. What will you do in the future? It's not easy for a woman to raise four children. I am worried about you!"
"Forget about it. Just worry about yourself. I don't need you to worry about me."
Is this woman a saint or a green tea? Is she sincere or just pretending? Gu Yan, this straightforward female man, is a little hard to understand. But the other person always spoke softly and gently, and she couldn't bring herself to curse or chase him away with a weapon. But his tone remained cold, hoping that the other party would give up and not make things uncomfortable. She had just severed ties with the Han family and didn’t want to have anything to do with them anymore.
"You... I'm doing this for your own good. If you don't appreciate it, that's fine, but why do you keep scolding me?"
"Mom, don't cry, Mom, don't cry..."
The woman said this with a wronged tone, tears already falling down her cheeks. She looked like a bullied young wife, and the pitiful voice of the little girl next to her made people think that Gu Yan had hit someone again and beat him up.
"You can leave now if you have finished speaking. I have something else to do so I won't be here for the time being."
After saying that, Gu Yan returned to the shack and closed the door. Let her do whatever she wants. She really has no way to deal with this kind of weak and fragile woman who cries when she talks to her. Since it didn't affect her interests, she just covered her ears and pretended she didn't hear it.
"Why are you like this? I meant well, and you don't appreciate it, but why do you start cursing? How did I offend you? Can't you just speak politely? As the old saying goes, listening to advice is enough to have a full meal. You will have no friends if you are so mean. I heard that your brothers from your mother's side said they would not recognize you in the future. How are you going to live as a lonely person?"
"Your family wants you? Then why are you in such a hurry to get married?"
He was so hungry that he didn't even bother to find out what kind of person Han Lao Er was. This guy was really annoying, and Gu Yan couldn't help but talk back to her. Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, the other party cried even harder.
"You...how can you be like this? You know you shouldn't expose someone's shortcomings when you insult them, but why do you start by exposing their scars? My parents are gone, my brothers bully me, and you join them in bullying me. I...how can I live like this?"
Oh my god, where did this funny guy come from? You were the first to expose my secrets. What does your brother have to do with me? Why are we comparing them?
Are you really an adult this year and a mother of a child? It sounds like the words of a child who knows nothing about the world. Is this person really innocent or is he just pretending? Gu Yan's head went numb for a moment. His hand had already grasped the rolling pin, and his chest was rising and falling with suppression.
"We don't seem to have any relationship. Don't you think it's inappropriate for you to come here and say these nonsense? Hurry up and leave. Don't force me to chase you away. Whether I am good or not, whether I am in trouble or not, it has nothing to do with you. Just live your own life. Don't you think it's inappropriate for a new daughter-in-law to come to my ex-wife's place?"
What on earth is this person doing here? Gu Yan guessed for a long time but still couldn't come to a conclusion. Whether it’s the ex or the successor, any normal person would treat each other as strangers when meeting each other. Who would come to your house on purpose?
"Inappropriate? Why not? I thought you were going to follow my old path soon, so I came here to advise you. What's inappropriate about that?"
"Thank you then, okay? You can leave now."
"It's very rude of you to turn guests away like this. Didn't your parents teach you that? I came here for your own good, but you didn't even pour water for me and you even scolded me just now..."
"Shut up."
Gu Yan really couldn't bear it anymore. What was in this woman's head? Why was her brain circuit different from that of normal people? I have made it clear time and again that I don't want to make friends with you, why don't you just leave? Why do you keep pestering me? Well, this person cannot be judged by normal people, but anyone with a brain would not say these words at this moment.
"I have nothing to do with the Han family anymore, let alone you. Leave now and put away your kindness. I don't need it."
This is clear enough, isn’t it? If you keep on procrastinating, I’ll really take action.
"I... No, I'm doing this for your own good. No one will want you like this. How are you going to live as a woman with three children? I can't even take care of my own daughter, and you..."
Is this man crazy or stupid? Why doesn't it make sense. Gu Yan looked up speechlessly and took a few deep breaths to try to suppress his anger.
"Swish" the door was pushed open from the inside, and she was holding a rolling pin, her face as dark as the prelude to a storm.
"Get out of here, or I'll start to take action. You should have heard what those two said about me. I'm going to break your arms and legs, and it will be too late for you to regret it."
The woman was frightened by her aura and took several steps back, tears welling up in her eyes again. His lips trembled but no words came out.
"Shut up and get out of here. If you dare to come again, I'll just have a rolling pin to serve you. Come on now if you're not afraid of getting beaten."
The woman took a few steps back, and the mother and daughter fell to the ground with their buttocks. Their clothes were covered with mud, and their faces were covered with tears. They looked as pitiful as beggars.
She said nothing more, and Gu Yan didn't waste time talking to her. He turned around and went back to the shack. Take out the tools and continue your unfinished work. She didn't get up and open the door until the clothes of the two little ones were altered. Dahua and Xiaohua were cooking with their younger brother and sister on their backs. The stove was already lit and the two girls were whispering about something. I heard the voice behind me and turned my head quickly.
"Mom, what are you doing in there? Are you making clothes for me and my sister?"
"They must be making clothes. They should be all done." Mom has a sewing machine and she uses it secretly and very quickly.
The two children got up and went into the house, and jumped for joy when they saw the clothes on the bed. It’s a flowery dress, without a single patch on it.
"Try it and see if it fits. If not, Mom will change it." I originally wanted to ask them if they saw the woman outside the door? Needless to say. That neurotic woman has nothing to do with them. There is really no need to even mention it.
Dinner was still the same, porridge and pickles. The mother and her two daughters sat on the bed, eating and teasing the two little kids who were already craving for cereal. The little girl was lively and reached out to grab it several times, but was stopped in time by Gu Yan. When she finished eating and put down the bowl, the little girl suddenly threw herself at him with all her strength and was about to fall to the ground.
She turned around and grabbed a handful of the child's arm, while the other side was pulled by the person who suddenly broke in. The two of them worked in tacit understanding and put the little girl back to her original place. The little girl had no idea that she had just had a thrilling swim. She was still laughing happily when the two adults put her on the bed like a swing.
Gu Yan smiled at the little guy, turned around and thanked the visitor. The first thing that catches your eye is the neat and straight military uniform and a gentle smiling face above the tough clothing. With sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a red mouth, he looks handsome and elegant, and does not look like a tough soldier at all. More like a teacher coming out of a school to teach and educate. He is so tall that his head touches the ceiling.
"My name is Li Zhongxia, and I'm Mr. Li's son. I heard from my parents that you take good care of them, so I came here to thank you."
The voice is surprisingly gentle, low and like a cello with an attractive magnetism. Gu Yan, the usually casual tomboy, suddenly became gentle, fearing that she would spoil the spring breeze of this season.
"You're welcome. It's just a simple thing."
The man smiled unchanged and handed the bag in his hand to her. "This is malted milk and sugar for the kids."
Gu Yan was stunned for a moment, and then he said, "I'm so sorry, such a rare thing should be kept for grandpa and aunt."
"My parents have some." The man noticed that Dahua and Xiaohua were secretly looking at him, so he met the children's gaze and smiled brightly, expressing his kindness. "It's like this. I came here for two things." Seeing Gu Yan looking at him quietly waiting for the next words, he continued, "First, thank you for taking care of my parents. The second is... I would like to ask if you are willing to live in my house?"
Um? So fierce? Gu Yan's thoughts suddenly flew out of time and space, as if he had returned to the future when he was being pursued by a man. You seem quite gentle, but you are so aggressive. Although it is normal for adult men and women to seek sex...
Stop, the female man caught back her running thoughts in time. He immediately raised his hand to himself in embarrassment. Gu Yan, you are a crazy fan. People say that they definitely want you to help take care of the two elderly people. Have you not had a boyfriend for so long that you're so horny that you can have erotic dreams even while standing?
"What are you doing?"
Not only was the man surprised that she was taking pictures of herself, but the two girls on the bed also looked at her in surprise. Is mom stupid? It’s okay to hit others, but why does she hit herself?
"It's okay, my hand just twitched. Just continue talking without worrying about me."
This woman is so strange. The brigade cadre doesn't think highly of her, but he quite appreciates her behavior. Daring to challenge the mountain of oppression shows a bit of our party’s revolutionary spirit. The man remained calm and continued talking to her.
"My parents are old, and I am not at home all year round, so I can't be filial to them. So I want to ask you to take care of them for me. When they are gone, the house will belong to you. Before that, I will give you 15 kilograms of food coupons plus 15 yuan every month. Do you agree?"
Workers on the second and third lines of coal mines only earn 20 to 30 yuan a month, and the help she provides after work can contribute a lot to them. If he went to another house today, he probably wouldn't have to leave the yard, as the neighbor's woman would be eager to do the job. It was probably Uncle Li's idea for him to come here. I want to help this woman who has four children and lives in a shack.
"I can take care of it, but you don't have to pay me." Gu Yan was a little hesitant when he thought of the house. Food and clothing are not a problem, she just needs to find a way to cover it up. But this residence? There are still more than ten years before reform and opening up. Are we going to stay in a shack with our children forever?
"I will do my best to take care of you while you are still alive, and I will pay the rent after you are gone. Do you think this is okay?"
Li Zhongxia was very surprised, but his many years of professional experience quickly calmed him down. The smile on his face did not change at all, and outsiders could not tell at all.
"Then it's settled. Pick a date and move to my house. I'll leave my parents in your care from now on. I have work to do and have to leave tonight, so I'll take my leave now."
The fact that this woman dared to break up with her husband's family and divorce him shows how stubborn she is. He didn't need to argue with her now. When she moved into his own home, his parents would definitely not treat her badly. Li Zhongxia stated his meaning briefly and turned to leave the shack. He was tall and kept his head down and his back bent when he went out.
"Stay, let my father know when you move, it will be faster if someone helps."
Gu Yan nodded, and the man waved his hand and turned away quickly. She stood there blankly, and did not move until the tall and solid figure disappeared.
"Mom, are we really going to move in with Grandpa Li?"
Hearing Xiaohua's words, Gu Yan regained his composure. I squatted down to look at the child, took her hand and said, "Why, you don't want to go?"
Housing has been the biggest problem in the past decade. It's ok for now, but once the two little ones grow up they won't be able to accommodate them anymore. Should we build another shack? Warmth and waterproofness are no problem. But this small, low space without even windows is not good for the child's physical and mental development.
"No. Grandpa Li and Grandma Li are both very nice people. My sister and I are willing to go. It's just that..."
"Just what?"
Xiaohua bit her lip, hesitated for a while, looked at her face, and then spoke, "Mom, are you going to marry Grandpa Li's son?"
"Why do you ask?" This was not mentioned in the previous topic. Is this how you thought of it? "Grandpa Li's son is married and has his own family. My mother is just helping him take care of the two elderly people. She is like a hired nanny. It has nothing to do with marriage."
I originally thought that the child was worried that she would be bullied after remarrying, so he spoke to explain and comfort her. Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, Xiaohua showed obvious disappointment.
"Oh, I thought there would be a new dad."
"Haha, a new dad is like a stepdad. Aren't you afraid that your stepdad will beat you up or bully you?"
"Then...Mom, can't you find someone who doesn't hit people? Can't you find someone who is as capable as Uncle Xu and doesn't hit people?"
"Why should we let mom find it? Can't we just live on our own?"
The child put his arms around her neck lovingly and hid his face behind her. "I don't want Mom to work too hard. Although Mom can do magic and can make many things appear, she still dares not delay any work to cover it up. She has to plant all the seeds even in the rain. If you had a man like Uncle Xu to help you, you wouldn't have to work so hard."
Gu Yan hugged the child tightly, feeling warm and peaceful in his heart. In her previous life, she lived a carefree and unrestrained life and did things according to her will. There are too many restrictions these days, and I also have to take care of the growth and education of four children. Maybe I will have to live in this mountain valley for the rest of my life.
But what she gained was what she longed for but dared not pursue in her previous life. The children's dependence on and love for her kept her away from loneliness, and the empty feeling in her heart seemed to never appear for no reason again.
"Don't worry about it. Mom is an adult and can support you. You are a child, so just do childish things. Study hard, go to college, and live the life you want."
The child nodded silently, hugged his mother's neck and enjoyed this warm moment obediently. It was not until they heard the baby crying from inside that the mother and daughter got up and walked back.
Each of them is given half a cup of milk before going to bed. The two little ones don’t need any coaxing. They fall asleep obediently without finishing the milk in the bottle. Gu Yan picked up the bottle, washed it and put it back into the room, then pointed at the pillow to signal his two daughters to go to bed quickly.
There was a sound of rain in the middle of the night, and Gu Yan grinned happily. I don’t have to go to work tomorrow, so I have time to make shoes for my children. Both of their pants were made from dark-colored work clothes, and their shoes should be made of the same color fabric. To make it low-key and inconspicuous, she specially added square patches on the knees. Maybe add a patch to the shoes...
I fell asleep again with all sorts of random thoughts, and the sky was still gloomy the next morning. The two older ones got up to cook, and she was dressing the two younger ones when Sister Xu ran in in a hurry.
"Uncle Li is dead."
"Which Uncle Li?" Gu Yan looked up in surprise, his heart suddenly beating anxiously.
"The one whose son is a commander in the army. Didn't his son come back yesterday by car?"
"This is impossible. He was fine..." She had agreed last night to take care of the old couple, how could he just disappear like that?
"I didn't dare to believe it before! So I went to the Li family to check. Really, the old lady was so tired that she fainted from crying, and she started crying again when she woke up. The secretary had already gone to the commune to send a telegram to his son, but his son seemed to say that he was going on a business trip, so he didn't know if the telegram would be received."
Gu Yan was used to seeing life and death in his previous life, but when the doomsday came, half of the people turned into zombies and lost their lives. Since then, for various reasons, humans and even animals have never stopped killing. Even in times of peace and prosperity, there are all kinds of sudden fatal illnesses, but the old man’s death still brought her a great shock. She was not prepared at all because the old man who embodied her admiration for the elders had passed away.
"I heard that he got up to go to the toilet early this morning, but he fell and never got up again. The old people all said that this was a good thing. After working hard all his life, he finally had a good death. This is something that can only be achieved in several lifetimes. But he has an old partner who is paralyzed in bed at home. What will happen to his old lady if he dies?"
"I'll go and take a look." Gu Yan called his two daughters and asked them to look after their younger siblings. "Just take care of the baby. I'll cook dinner when mom comes back."
"Well, don't worry, Mom."
"Xiaohua, play with me. I'll cook. Don't worry, Mom."
"Be careful, especially around fire." She had said this countless times, and the two children nodded obediently and waved their hands for her to leave quickly.
The two women talked all the way and soon reached Li's house up the hill. At this time, the main hall of the Li family was already full of people. No one was working, but when they heard about this, they all came to watch the fun.
Old man Li was wearing a brand new Zhongshan suit and stopped on the ground to the west. The captain of Team Five was discussing with the accountant what to do about the aftermath. It takes time to make a coffin, so we have to decide now. Otherwise you'll be groping in the dark. Even if it's made of thin boards, you have to make one. It's not good to roll up the mat and bury it. And he also had a dead son, who was killed on the roadside. This time when he dies, he has to take his son to the ancestral tomb. Someone has to make the decision on these matters.
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