Chapter 36 (1)
Gu Yan didn't know that the Li family was already putting pressure on Li Zhongxia, so she took the three little ones to Sister Xu's house. After entering the house, she let the children play while she and Sister Xu cooked under the shed. I took the opportunity to hand her a bag of brown sugar.
"What is this?" Sister Xu took it and smelled it, but had no intention of opening it.
"Brown sugar, it's for your health."
"Oh, no. I'm in good health. You can keep it for yourself. We have children to take care of."
"And what's more, Li Zhongxia came back with several packages." I'll use it in your name first, otherwise this thing can't be delivered.
"Not bad, even after being demoted, we still have this good thing." From the top to the bottom, everyone in the team thought that this was what it meant to be demoted.
Gu Yan smiled and said nothing more. He has been working away from home for more than ten years, and if he has any sense at all, he wouldn't come back empty-handed. This man looked gentle, but his deep eyes were like an ancient well and a cold pond, making it impossible to peek inside. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Just looking at these eyes, he is definitely not as calm, gentle and innocent as he appears to be.
After chatting for a while, Gu Yan took the children home. As soon as I entered the door, I ran into Li Damu. The man had one leg out of the threshold, and when he saw her he turned back and shouted.
"Talk about this matter properly, don't keep it hanging and let people gossip about it."
No need for explanation, Gu Yan also knew what this meant. But she didn't ask anything, pretending not to know and went to the kitchen to help serve the food.
Lunch consisted of porridge and vegetable dumplings. Gu Yan's pickles were the finishing touch, adding a touch of spice to this bland meal.
Old Mrs. Li's eyes moved back and forth between Gu Yan and her son, but she didn't dare to mention it to his face until he agreed. If you get rejected after making it clear, we won’t be able to live together in the future. She liked the days when Gu Yan and her daughter were together and didn't want to be separated from them. She also didn't want to leave Gu Yan without a place to live and have to build a shack again.
The twins are still young and cannot understand these things. Lower your head and eat obediently. Little girl drank the porridge with a spoon, looking silently at her brother and sister, subconsciously imitating their actions.
Dahua and Xiaohua both felt that the atmosphere was strange, as they had seen the previous scene. What is the situation now? Mom, are you interested in this Uncle Li? When someone introduced her to a date before, she was not so gentle at all, her face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. Now that this is the case, are you attracted to this uncle?
No one at the table spoke a word, which formed a sharp contrast with the hustle and bustle in and outside the yard. They had the meal in such a strange way. Everyone carried their bowls and chopsticks to the cooking shed. Gu Yan added water to the pot and pretended to wash it, but Xiaohua pulled him by the corner of his clothes.
"Mom, are you...are you going to marry Uncle Li?" She had asked this question a few years ago. At that time, her mother said that Uncle Li already had a wife. Now that Uncle Li is divorced, you can marry him, right?
Gu Yan looked around, then bent down slightly and said, "That's what Mom meant." After saying that, she observed the child's expression and found that she seemed happy but also a little nervous. Gu Yan opened his mouth and continued to explain to this thoughtful child.
"Being single has many inconveniences in this era." Xiaohua nodded sensibly. Their mother knew how much they and their sisters had been ridiculed over the years. "Mom needs a man to help cover up, and you also need a father. Niuniu needs a mother, and Grandma Li needs a daughter-in-law.
Don't have any psychological burden, just do whatever happens. There is no need to worry about whether you should be likable or afraid of being disliked. None of this is needed. We are a perfect match for each other, and I will give you an inch if you give me an inch. Don’t be cautious and afraid. Mom will always be your mom. No one dares to bully you when I’m around. ”
Xiaohua's originally uneasy heart suddenly calmed down. He put his arms around his mother's neck and rubbed against her coquettishly. Children of her age in rural areas basically don’t know how to act coquettishly with their parents. But she has kept this habit for so many years. Whenever I feel touched, I will hug my mother. Her arms are the safest harbor in the world. All storms can be blocked out, and all anxieties and panics can be comforted.
"...What if Uncle Li doesn't agree?" She heard Grandpa Li's question. If Uncle Li agreed, he should have agreed on the spot, right?
"If you don't agree, let's build two houses and move out. Everyone knows that Mom has made a lot of money from raising pigs and chickens in recent years, and she also earns Li Zhongxia's salary, so she can afford to build two bungalows."
"Oh..." The children couldn't help but cheer. Their mother was so foresighted and had done sufficient preparation. You can attack when you advance and defend when you retreat, and you will be invincible.
"Mom, you are so kind!" This thoughtful child showed the most genuine smile, no longer looking worried as before.
Early the next morning, before it was fully light, the team's work bell rang. Gu Yan stood up, lifted the quilt like a thief, put on his clothes, and tiptoed out the door. The summer crops are harvested and the schools are closed for seven days, so the children don’t have to get up early to go to school.
In the yard, Li Zhongxia was holding two sickles. When he saw her come out, he handed her one. The two looked at each other without saying anything, then silently walked out of the yard and towards the team warehouse. People arrived one after another along the way, and set off slowly after the captain issued the mission.
"We are rushing to get the autumn and summer, what are you wasting time on? Thunderstorms are our favorite season, so everyone should hurry up and carry the harvested wheat to the threshing ground quickly..."
The captains shouted at the top of their lungs, but everyone seemed deaf and didn't hear them, so they just did what they had to do. Some people repeatedly search their pockets as if testing their depth. I hope the wheat is dry enough so that I can rub off the grains.
Gu Yan was assigned to work as a foreman on an eight-acre plot of land. She had quick hands and worked with her head down during the autumn harvest a few years ago. After an hour, he was far ahead of everyone else. The captain then realized how reserved this man had been.
"Perform your best performance and motivate everyone. When the time comes to pay taxes, I will name you a model worker."
Gu Yan nodded in agreement, but still did not use his full strength after squatting down. The title of model worker will help her in this year's election, but if she offends the majority of fellow members because of it, it would be putting the cart before the horse.
Always keeping a body length away from the second one, Gu Yan silently observed her condition while swinging the sickle. Later on, she was obviously tired and she started to slow down.
As soon as Li Zhongxia started to harvest wheat, he was called by the team leader. He obeyed the order completely, handed the sickle to someone else, and carried the pointed shoulder pole at both ends to the edge of the field. A handful of wheat ears can be twisted into a rope, which is used to tie piles of wheat straw. This is a technical job, and even many old farmers who have been dealing with the land all their lives don't know how to do it.
"Sure. You've been outside for so many years, but you've still remembered this technique." The captain patted him on the back with a smile on his face. The two of them were almost the same age and had played together when they were young, so their relationship was not unfamiliar.
"How could I forget? This is a skill for eating."
"Well, well said. Food is the first necessity of the people. You should remember your roots."
The captain patted him again, sighed, and turned away. I heard that he asked to return to his hometown to farm. It seems like things are very turbulent recently. I wonder what his intention is? Li Zhongxia had attended a private school for many years. He heard from an old scholar in the village that it would be no problem for him to pass the examination to become a scholar. After being a leader in the army for so many years, how come he ended up like this?
After a morning of intense work, everyone was so tired that they banged their arms and legs when the work ended. There is an old saying in the countryside: You will be like the work you do. What this means is that no matter what kind of work you do, your body needs to slowly adapt to it. Just as we started working, everyone's waists, arms and legs couldn't take it anymore. Some of the older people were already working on their knees.
"Sister Gu, Sister Gu..." Not long after finishing work and walking out of the field, a lady from the third team came jogging towards Gu Yan.
"Why, do you want to talk to me about something?"
"Well...I..." Seeing that she was peeking around and didn't want anyone to know, Sister Xu got up and left. The woman then whispered to Gu Yan.
"I need your advice on something." Seeing that no one was advising them, the woman continued, "My mother-in-law found a partner for my brother-in-law and they are going to get married in July. Normally, we should get married. I don't say anything because the betrothal gift is more than mine and my second brother's. After all, the situation is different at different times. But she actually asked us to move out of the side room and make room for them to build a new house. This is unbearable.
The wing room was given to the second son, and now the ear room is given to the third son. All the family’s money is in the hands of the elderly and they don’t give us a penny. How are we going to live if we move out? If the two elders ask the brothers to work together to build two thatched houses, I would have no problem living there. There is nothing wrong with striving on your own in the future. The three boys in our family have no shortage of labor, so as long as we work hard, we won’t have to worry about life. But now isn't this clearly bullying? They're kicking us out without giving us anything. I... I'm not happy about this. ”
It is easier said than done to treat everyone equally. Especially in this age when there are more wolves than meat, it is even more impossible for parents to treat their children equally.
Gu Yan smiled warmly at his elder sister and put his arm around her.
"You have to know where your parents-in-law's weak spots are. Only in this way can you negotiate with them and protect your own interests."
Seeing that the eldest sister still didn't seem to understand, Gu Yan continued to induce: "There are five people in your family. What do your parents-in-law care about the most?"
"My son." This time the elder sister understood. My parents-in-law are not very biased towards boys when it comes to the two daughters born to my second son. They have never bullied their granddaughters, but they still care a lot about their grandsons.
"But what does this have to do with my brother-in-law marrying a wife and occupying the house?"
Gu Yan was really speechless. Big sister, no wonder you gave birth to a son and your sister-in-law gave birth to a daughter, but your mother-in-law only dared to bully you.
"After the wheat is harvested, take the food rations for you and your mother and go back to your parents' home." Seeing that she still didn't understand, Gu Yan continued, "You can give up the house. Let their eldest son, your husband, remain single. If they don't consider you as their family, you can take the child away easily. Remember, change the child's surname, and he will no longer be their family member in the future."
"Ah?..." The woman suddenly realized. The key to this matter lies with her three sons. The old couple wants each of their children to get married and have more grandchildren to expand the family. Instead of forcing several grandchildren away for something that has not yet begun and whose outcome is unknown.
"Girl, you are amazing. How did you come up with this?"
"Don't worry about it. Go back and talk to your sons. You can also tell your parents-in-law about your dissatisfaction and plans through neighbors or relatives. Maybe they will change their minds just by making a gesture without you taking any action."
Gu Yan patted the woman's shoulder and turned around to pick a few wild flowers on the roadside.
There are several key points in this matter. First, her parents-in-law are partial but not confused, and they don’t act arbitrarily. They did this simply because they felt it would not cause any loss to them, and they were taking advantage of her because she was usually generous and easy to talk to. Second, it is the Achilles' heel of the parents-in-law. She gave birth to a boy who was cared for by her parents-in-law.
These two items are indispensable, and not everyone can solve this problem in this way. It is difficult for women to survive after divorce in this day and age, and they can hardly control their husband's family when they return to their parents' home. Because they could not stay for more than a few days because they would be sent back by their mother's family due to food problems, and it was even more impossible to go back with the children. Food and shelter are your life. Sometimes when you get beaten, even your mother’s family will advise you to bear it.
Moreover, the husband's family has to be composed of similar elderly people. If she encounters a top-notch one, it would be more effective for her to defeat ten with one force.
The woman went home happily after getting the advice, and Li Zhongxia, who was carrying a load on his shoulder, looked at Gu Yan with admiration. Is this really an uneducated and ignorant woman? The analysis of the problem is to the point and the enemy and our own situation is clear. Absolutely the right medicine for the condition.
I thought she would only use knives and guns, but it turns out she can also teach people how to be scheming.
After a day of cutting wheat, my arms and legs are so stiff that I can't even bend them. After Li Zhongxia returned home, he saw Gu Yan cooking under the shed as if nothing had happened. He was nimble and showed no sign of fatigue.
She was the leader today. Team 5 won first place in the entire brigade on the first day, and she made a great contribution to it. Being pressed down on the head by a woman can bring out the infinite potential of men. It seems that the wheat harvest of Kono Brigade will reach its climax in the next few days, and it may even win a place in the entire commune.
There were two oil lamps lit in the main room, which was an absolute luxury in that era. It was she who insisted that her two daughters each light a lamp while doing their homework.
This woman is so unique, she stands out among the rough rural women. She had a friendly and easygoing relationship with the children, like friends. Even though the twins were very young, she treated them with kindness and respect. People in the compound said that she had a good temper and had long forgotten how she had beaten the Han family a few years ago, making them cry and beg for mercy on their knees.
He couldn't understand this woman. Did her previous attitude mean that she was interested in him? What does she want? He is no longer the high-spirited political commissar of the division. His wife filed for divorce as soon as he took off his military uniform. What did she see in him?
Li Zhongxia looked down at himself. He was wearing a striped vest and army green pants, all covered in mud. The Liberation shoes on my feet were left at home. The glue on the left foot was coming apart and there was a hole on the big toe of the right foot. Also covered in dust and mud.
There's nothing special about this peasant's appearance, right?
"What are you staring at? The water tank is running low. Go fetch two buckets of water for washing at night."
As soon as Gu Yan spoke, he immediately came back to his senses. He put down the shoulder pole with pointed ends and replaced it with a shoulder pole with iron hooks at both ends to carry water. The whole action was done in one go, and there was no sign that he had been studying the person for a long time.
For dinner, Gu Yan had steamed corn bread. It looked so golden that you thought it was made entirely of cornmeal. In fact, she put a lot of millet flour and white flour, which made it taste sweet and soft, without any rough feeling at all.
"Mom." She had just put down the basin and sat down when Niu Niu came over staggeringly, holding her little baby. The little girl took her arm and sat on her lap.
Seeing that her mother's arms were occupied, the little girl sat on the other side of her mother, holding the baby in her arms. He looked at the other person with his big eyes, as if to say, "You're occupying my territory."
"Mom." Niu Niu hugged Gu Yan's neck, expressing her possessiveness strongly.
"My mother." Xiao Ya glared at her and also hugged Gu Yan's neck.
The two children had small arms and legs, and they almost hung on her in order to hug her tightly. She looked around, smiled helplessly, and kissed both on the left and right.
Glancing at Gu Yanlei who was sitting aside waiting obediently for dinner, she couldn't help but sigh that although the child was a bit slow, he was not as clingy as her daughter, especially when there was something delicious. If he also sticks to his mother, how can she eat with three children in her arms?
"Be good! Little girl, go eat by yourself. Mommy scoops some porridge for your sister and coaxes her to eat a little."
"Why does mommy hold my sister and not me? I want mommy to hold me too."
As soon as the little girl finished speaking, Niuniu hugged Gu Yan even tighter. The expression is self-evident. I have taken over this territory and I will never give it to you. The little girl has a very strong possessiveness. She hugs her mother tightly and refuses to let go.
Old Mrs. Li on the kang reached out and patted the two of them, smiling happily on her deeply wrinkled face. "You two naughty girls, how can your mother eat if you are like this? She has been cutting wheat all day, don't you feel sorry for your mother's tiredness?"
After she said that, the little girl, who had grown up and understood quickly, let go of her mother first and sat down obediently next to her sister. Xiaohua kissed her and handed her the spoon so that she could eat.
"Mom's steamed buns are delicious. I'll give you a small one."
"I want a little rabbit nest made by my mother." As he said this, he did not forget to glance at Niuniu next to him with his big eyes. Seeing her in her mother's arms, her little mouth couldn't help but pout, looking aggrieved.
"Mom is very busy at work and has no time to make the rabbit. Can you let Mom make it for you after we finish harvesting the wheat? Or I can make it for you. I can do it too, but you forgot."
"No, I want mom to do it."
Why is he so stubborn suddenly? He was very well behaved before. What happened now? He looks like he’s in a bad mood. Xiaohua was a little worried for a moment, not knowing what to do with this disgruntled sister.
"When mom is not so busy in a few days, I will make a rabbit nest for Xiaoya. I will also make a carp and a rooster. Can I make a few different designs for Xiaoya?"
"Okay." Seeing Niu Niu sitting and eating by herself, her mother's big hands gently stroked the top of her head. The little girl was happy. The scale of care was finally balanced after the weight was added. She started to eat with a smile.
Li Zhongxia sat aside. Seeing that she calmed down the two children who were competing for favor without getting angry, scolding, or even using force, I secretly gave her a thumbs up in my heart. His son and his aunt's child are more than one year apart in age, and they often quarrel with each other. He has heard his wife and her sister yelling hysterically about this many times. The feather dusters at home were all beaten bare.
In fact, it’s not just his wife, most parents have this parenting style. He is a man known for his gentle temperament, but he has also resorted to violence when facing problems with children. But how can this woman treat her children calmly and keenly identify and solve problems after a tiring day?
After dinner, Gu Yan went to feed the pigs. He wanted to help but was rejected, so he sat on the kang and massaged his mother's legs. When talking about Gu Yan's refusal to take action, his mother actually laughed out loud.
"She didn't do it? You weren't watching. If the kids made mistakes of principle, she would do it, too. She would hit them on the palms with a bamboo stick, depending on the severity of the offense. Last year, no, at the beginning of this year, Lei Lei stole pancakes from the kitchen and she hit him several times. His hands were swollen."
"Really?"
"Of course not. She will never allow stealing, lying, laziness or playing tricks. No matter how slow Leilei is, he will do his job well."
"What can he do at such a young age?" Li Zhongxia laughed and found that he couldn't understand this woman anymore. Educating children is so principled and targeted. Isn’t Leilei just a little slow and lazy? Who did she learn this from?
"She lets the children do things within their ability, such as helping to move stools, sweep the floor, or delivering dishes after meals."
After the old lady finished speaking, she saw that her son didn't say anything, so she glanced out the window and nagged him in a low voice. "What do you think about what we are talking about? Gu Yan is definitely a good girl. She is good at everything at home and outside. She is better than your previous wife."
"Mom, please let me think about it. Marriage is not a joke. I have failed once, and I can't just start a family with someone casually again. We don't know each other at all, and it's irresponsible to get married rashly. My growth and life trajectory are completely different from hers. Do you think we are really suitable? Are we going to be together just for the sake of the children having a complete family?"
"No. Mother is..." After stuttering twice, the old lady sorted out her thoughts and continued.
"Mother knows that you have read a lot since you were young and know a lot. Later, you joined the army and have broad horizons. You may look down on rural women. But mother tells you that Gu Yan is definitely different from ordinary rural women. She taught herself with a dictionary and learned to write. All the letters home in the past two years were written by her. She also read books and newspapers. She is not an illiterate person."
"The letters from the past two years were written by her? Are you sure, mother? The handwriting doesn't look like that of a beginner."
"Sure, she's been practicing for a long time."
The ripples in my heart spread uncontrollably with my mother's words. Li Zhongxia continued to massage his old mother without making any expression, but a storm was brewing in his eyes.
His heart was already fluttering, and after Gu Yan and the others had washed up and he had arranged for his mother to sleep in the ear room, this woman actually came knocking on his door.
When he saw her figure, he realized that she had been on his mind for the past few days. In the moonlight, meeting her dark eyes, his cheeks instantly felt hot and he felt his blood boiling in his head.
"You, something?"
Gu Yan nodded and took out the things hidden behind him. They turned out to be nine red roses, with a faint halo under the moonlight, and their fragrance was intoxicating and refreshing.
"In foreign novels, red roses represent love. We don't have this flower here, so I went to great lengths to find these roses. I'm giving them to you."
She stretched out her arms holding up bright flowers, and he stood there blankly with his heart pounding. After living for more than thirty years, has he encountered the legendary confession? How could there be such a bold woman in this world who came to him in person to express her feelings without the need for a matchmaker?
"Are you refusing?" Compared to his turbulent emotions, Gu Yan was obviously too calm. "Am I much worse than your ex-wife, so you reject me?"
"No. You...you're fine." The young woman doesn't look like a mother of four children at all. She is full of energy and vigor.
"It's good that you don't hate me. We can first establish a relationship and try to get along with each other."
"Why choose me?" Li Zhongxia finally calmed down, took a deep breath and asked carefully. I've introduced so many to you, but you rejected them all. Why are you flirting with me again now?
"Because I just want to marry you!"
With just one simple sentence, his heartbeat, which had just recovered, lost control again. Does this woman know what she is talking about? She is so bold... He has never seen such a bold woman before.
"Comrade Gu Yan, this is a serious matter, don't joke around."
"How can you tell I'm joking?" Gu Yan straightened his expression and became as serious as him. "If you think it's too much of a burden for me to take care of four children, just tell me. I'll move out with the kids tomorrow, and it won't affect your search for a partner."
After she finished speaking, she threw the flowers in her hand into his arms and turned to leave. Li Zhongxia hurriedly reached out to grab her, and was completely disturbed by this woman who dared to love and hate and was so decisive.
“…I didn’t say I disliked you.”
"What is our relationship now?" The woman's eyes seemed to be flashing with little stars, and every blink of the eyes stirred his heartbeat and breathing.
"We're in a relationship."
"Okay. Good night, bye."
She waved goodbye and walked away without taking a single petal with her. He was left alone with the flowers in his hands, disheveled in the night wind. He mechanically went back to the room, closed the door, put the flowers in the vase, crawled into bed, covered his head with his hands, and felt neither laughing nor crying.
The beginning of this love journey was too absurd. He is a man and should be the one who takes the initiative. Gu Yan, just wait for me. Sooner or later, I will take back this situation.
In just one night, the season seemed to have changed in Old Li's house. A gentle spring breeze blew in the hot summer. A few children ate egg pancakes and looked up to see if their mother had taken the wrong medicine.
I just ate red bean and jujube rice dumplings on the Dragon Boat Festival. It’s only been a few days, why are you making egg pancakes in broad daylight? Each of the five of them also had a small bowl of malted milk. This was too revealing and extravagant.
"Eat quickly. You two will be responsible for taking care of your younger siblings during the afternoon break. Niuniu is the youngest, so be careful not to bump into anything."
"I know." Dahua nodded carelessly, and Xiaohua responded with a smile obediently. He turned around and whispered in his mother's ear.
"Not yet."
Gu Yan'er's voice was not loud, and the answer allowed the adults present to guess the answer almost exactly. The old lady grinned and smiled secretly. She took a sip of millet porridge and looked at her granddaughter and talked to herself.
"A family is complete only if it has both a father and a mother."
This sentence made everyone look up at Gu Yan and Li Zhongxia. The two smiled at each other in silence, each more unfathomable than the other.
It was another day of high-intensity labor. When work was over in the evening, all male comrades were notified to go to the threshing ground to work overtime after dinner. The harvested wheat must be threshed as soon as possible, otherwise if it rains, the loss will be too great.
When Gu Yan got home, Li Zhongxia had not returned yet, and the two daughters had already prepared dinner. The millet porridge is thicker than that of others and has more solid ingredients to keep you going. The juicy green onions and tender cucumbers are delicious when dipped in soy sauce. They were all picked from our own private plots.
"Why hasn't Uncle Li come back yet? Should I serve the meal to the main room or wait for him to come back?" Xiaohua brought her some warm water and put it on the ground, and Xiaoya followed behind with soap. Niu Niu couldn't snatch the girl away from her sister, so she had to follow closely, fearing that she would be left behind.
"Mother."
"It's my mother."
Well, the drama of fighting for mother is played out again. It seems that as the center, whenever she appears, passion is everywhere and sparks fly.
"Don't argue. Didn't mom tell you that you are all my children and I love you all."
"No. Mom is our mom, not Niu Niu's mom. She wants mom, unless Dad is shared with us."
"Yes, share the father with us, so that others won't laugh at us for not having a father." Lei Lei actually agreed with the young lady. The twins, a boy and a girl, stood together, expressing their deep longing for their father.
Who said anything this afternoon? Children are the most innocent, but often the more innocent they are, the more hurtful the words they say can be. Ever since her divorce, there has been constant gossip. They are still young and don't have her iron-clad heart, so it's normal for them to be hurt.
"I agree to divide you up, so are you going to call me dad now?" Li Zhongxia put down the carrying pole in his hand, squatted not far outside the shed, clapped his hands and stretched out his arms to the children. "Do you want a hug from daddy?"
"Yes." The twins ran over and threw themselves into the man's arms without any fear of strangers. Seeing that no one was competing with her for the soap, Niu Niu quickly took the soap and sat next to her mother.
The two Dahua sisters were also smiling. They put the towel on Gu Yan's legs, turned around and ran into the shed. "Mom, hurry up and wash, we're ready to eat."
Xiaohua was still a little awkward. When she brought the bowl over, she whispered to her, "Don't waste time... He's still waiting to be washed."
Gu Yan nodded obediently, without any objection to his daughter's "betrayal" behavior. After washing herself, she poured out the water and considerately mixed some warm water for the man.
The excitement of the twins wore off, and they happily ran out to tell others that they had a father. All the neighbors in the yard who heard it came out to congratulate him and stretched out their hands to ask for candy and cigarettes. Just as Li Zhongxia was about to turn around and go back into the house, Old Lady Li had already opened the window and handed out a small package.
"Here, there are cigarettes and candies, you can share them with everyone."
This time, more and more people came to congratulate. The little one who got the candy went to inform his friends, and the men also came to join in the fun when they heard the news. For a moment, there was laughter and joy, just like a wedding.
"Those who smoke and eat candy, this is considered a treat. Don't ask me for more after we get the marriage certificate." Gu Yan stood behind Li Zhongxia without him noticing, and spoke with the manner of a man who lives a very frugal life.
"Gu Yan, you are too stingy. You can live a normal life on your own, and now you have a man to help you, you can't be so stingy."
"Why not? We only get a few work points a month, and you guys spend all of them on food and beatings. Our whole family is left with nothing!"
"Oh, look at this young wife, she's the head of the family right after she got married. Li Zhongxia, you are such a lowly man."
"You're talking as if your wife doesn't have the final say in your family. Hu Laosan, it's fine for others to say this, but you have no power at all."
This woman was not shy at all, not at all embarrassed, talking about her whole family in front of everyone. Li Zhongxia had a new understanding of his daughter-in-law's shamelessness. Seeing that Hu Laosan was pointing at Gu Yan but looking at him, he immediately spoke up to support his wife.
"It's only when a woman is in charge of the household that a man is smart. It's such a blessing to have someone take care of your food, clothing, housing and transportation. Only bachelors do everything by themselves. Aren't you so pitiful?"
"...How can that be possible? We are all married."
A group of onlookers burst into laughter when they heard this, and no one mentioned the matter of henpecked children anymore. The men went home to eat while smoking, and then they would have to work overtime later.
A woman holding a child pointed at Gu Yan and looked him up and down, mumbling something.
"Gu Yan, I remember you are the same age as me, twenty-nine this year. Why do you look so much younger than me, like a newly married young wife?"
Before Gu Yan could speak, a woman took over. "That's right. Gu Yan, how come you look younger and younger? You're a mother of four children. If you don't know me, who would dare to believe this? Tell me quickly, what kind of vanishing cream are you using? It's really effective."
"What else can there be? A riot of colour. But I get up early to exercise, so that probably has some benefits as well." Where can you buy the essence mask extracted with high technology in the future?
"Yeah, I get up early to exercise too."
"You just brag. People who are late for work every day get up early to exercise. It's a joke."
"That's right, it's better to save some lard and use it to spread it, the thing will be quite moisturizing."
"Haha...I'm not an old sow anymore."
A group of women were chatting and laughing, and each of them had candies in their pockets when they left. The Li family is very generous. Other families can’t even get a share, but today it seems like everyone has a share.
The women also quickly dispersed. The happy event is someone else's, just share in their joy. I have to go to the fields tomorrow to see if I can rub some wheat grains to bring back to taste.
When Gu Yan turned around and returned, Li Zhongxia had already finished his meal and left the table. Seeing her come in, she pointed at Niuniu and said, "Hurry up and eat. Niuniu was afraid that someone would snatch yours away, so she has been protecting you."
"Mom." Upon hearing this, Niu Niu opened her arms towards Gu Yan. She went over, picked up the child, and kissed her as a reward. "You're so good. Mommy will steam little bunnies for Niuniu tomorrow, okay?"
"good."
"I want one too."
The twins said in unison, and Gu Yan quickly touched them. "Okay, I have them all."
The two Miss Dahua were like little adults. After they finished their own food, they picked up their younger brother's and sister's food and fed them one by one to prevent them from getting too excited and forgetting about their business. The twins, boy and girl, and Niu Niu surrounded Gu Yan and chattered about their requests. A little rabbit, a dog, and the brave Gu Yanzhu actually said she wanted a snake, which scared her brother so much that he hid in his mother's arms and tried to protest.
Gu Yan laughed and coaxed the children, and the old mother beside him smiled so hard that her wrinkled face turned into a flower. This gentle feeling is like the steam from a hot spring, spreading into every corner. Since leaving home at the age of seventeen, he felt this faint warmth again.
After working overtime for three hours, I found a note on the door when I came back. "There are some biscuits left in the kitchen. Eat them before going to bed." The handwriting was elegant and majestic. It was Gu Yan's handwriting.
In the cooking shed, plates were placed on top of large bowls. The pancake inside is golden and exudes a strong aroma of scallion oil as soon as it is opened. My stomach growled twice, and I couldn't wait to eat. I originally wanted to keep two pieces, but there were words written on the stove.
"We'll have egg dumpling soup tomorrow morning."
You guys have better ones, so these are mine. Is that what you mean? Li Zhongxia smiled, wiped the words on the stove, ate his meal and went back to his room to sleep.
People are in high spirits when they are happy. Today everyone is saying that he is in high spirits and works like a whirlwind. It's not the first time, why are you so excited? Lying in bed, I reached out and touched my heart. I'm sure everyone around could have heard the noise.
The next morning, I gave the wheat grains I brought back last night to the head of the household. Gu Yan glanced outside, then turned back and laughed at him. The bright big eyes curved into crescents, the white pearly teeth bit the bright red lips, and the beauty was vivid and lively.
"You...what are you laughing at?"
Seeing that he was a little embarrassed and angry, Gu Yan quickly straightened his face and tried hard to hold back his laughter. "How could you do such a thing? You forgot all the three major disciplines and eight points of attention as soon as you got home?"
"That's not right. The military discipline is not to take anything from the people. I'm just obeying everyone's will. Nowadays, the distribution of food is biased towards the city. It's normal for everyone to want to have a taste after working hard for a year. It's unforgivable."
"I thought you would report them." Threshing and stealing is an annual routine. There's nothing we can do about it. If I don't give any points, I'll be very greedy. What to do? There are always countermeasures for every policy.
"Am I a blockhead in your eyes, ignorant of the ways of the world and inflexible?"
"Not really. It was an illusion created by the clothes you were wearing."
"The army is also made up of people, and social etiquette is needed everywhere. Everyone works hard for a year to get this chance to be deducted, and in the end, it may not even be enough to feed the whole family. If I report it again, what will I become?"
Gu Yan nodded, "It's quite unfair. The grain grown by the old farmers themselves has to be supplied to the city first. They live on coarse grains all year round. If they don't deduct a little when there is a chance, they are stupider than a fool."
"Our country is not yet rich, and these are only temporary difficulties. As long as everyone works together, I believe that one day everyone will be able to have enough rice and flour to eat."
Gu Yan smiled and said no more. He picked up the sickle and prepared to go to work. Yes, it's all temporary. After going through this period, the hardworking Chinese people will run all the way and try their best to catch up with the distance left behind by the great powers.
After more than ten days of hard work, all the wheat was threshed and dried. The fields were planted with soybeans.
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