"Mom, the widow Lin's family at the east end of the village forced her to remarry. I heard that the family she married into was from the ravine behind. The wife died and left behind two children. Life was very hard for them. I promised her family 20 yuan.
You weren't there today, and there was a big fuss. Later, Aunt Xiang said that it was a new society now and we couldn't force them. Otherwise, we would have to go to the township to complain. Her sister-in-law from her mother's family is very powerful and she's very good at talking.
The captain and Aunt Xiang made the decision for her. She said she would not marry. Her son and daughter were the apple of her husband's eye, and she just wanted to see them grow up without any thought of marrying. Everyone cried along with her words. Before her family left, they even threatened that if she died without her daughter, they would not send a letter.
Zhang's mother sighed after hearing this. "She's really pitiful. Her husband paid a high price to marry her, and they had a boy and a girl. After a few years of happy life, he left. There's no one in her husband's family to help her. Before the marriage, they compared their horoscopes, but her mother-in-law didn't agree. Now that her husband is dead, she hates her even more."
"There's also this thing. Nowadays, feudal superstitions have been broken. No wonder I was surprised that her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law didn't associate with her. They paid a high price to marry her, and then her husband died. They blame her. Then, mother, have you done the horoscope for us?"
"Yes, but don't tell anyone. All three of my sons are gone. Your eldest sister-in-law and your eldest brother are a perfect match for many children and grandchildren, and a harmonious family. You and the second son are a perfect match for me, and it will last a hundred years. You will also bring wealth and everything will go smoothly. I was also a match for Xiaowu and Jiaojiao, and they were made in heaven, with a thousand-year love relationship, a smooth journey to heaven, and all the six blessings. The master who compared their horoscopes said it was the best horoscope ever matched. Hehe."
After saying that, Zhang's mother thought about it and still wanted to give a few reminders, saying that young people cannot understand those dirty things.
"Everyone of us older generations knows about Widow Lin's affairs, but you new brides don't understand. This arranged marriage was a trap set up by Widow Lin's family. They're from Shanglin Village, and I heard that even Widow Lin's daughters weren't honest. Look how everyone has been starving these past two years. Imagine how her family has fared. They have rosy complexions, and their two children are strong. It sounds pitiful, but we can tell what's going on behind the scenes just by imagining it."
Lin Juhua slapped her thigh and shouted, "Mom, now that you mention it, I remember. Last year when I went to the village, I saw that bitch, and it was her. No wonder she was so weird every time she saw me. She's so bold that she doesn't even back down and even provokes me.
The last time I went to the countryside, I had a stomachache and was looking for a toilet. I wandered around the alley for a long time and got a little lost. Just as I was about to look for someone, I saw a couple hugging and kissing each other. They ran away as soon as they saw me. I was so angry that I didn't dare to chase them. From a distance, it was definitely not Widow Lin.
Zhang's mother was so anxious that she grabbed her hand and winked at Zhou Jiao, "You can't go and tell on her, or you can't let anything slip. It could be fatal. Stay away from her from now on. What if she wants to kill you to silence you?"
Zhou Jiao followed suit, "Yes, sister-in-law, you see, she's deliberately provoking you. I just don't know if you remember that incident. You can't say it out loud, or else it'll be all over if something really happens."
"Mom, she won't try to kill me someday, will she? Why does this always happen to me? I saw my aunt cheating on me, and I don't even dare to go back to my parents' home. I know I'm a soft-spoken person, but I never say anything that could kill someone." Lin Juhua was so anxious that she was spinning around in circles.
Zhou Jiao was speechless. She looked at her mother and decided to go ahead herself. "Second sister-in-law, don't be afraid. You think she hasn't made any movement for so long, which means we can't confirm this. If her deeds are exposed in the future and she blames you, don't be afraid. Just refuse to admit it. Don't be afraid. It's okay."
Zhang's mother also nodded and comforted her, "It's okay, if you don't tell anyone, no one will know. Even if they do, it's okay. If anyone dares to look for you, I'll support you."
"Then I feel relieved. I am a kind person and have never hurt anyone. Since you all say it's okay, then it's okay. Haha, this woman is really good at pretending. No wonder our Guoqiang told me not to get close to her, saying that she is scheming and I will not be able to get away from her. Maybe she has hooked up with my man." Lin Juhua said with a mysterious smile.
Zhou Jiao and her mother-in-law looked at each other and smiled meaningfully. "This guy is so kind-hearted. They were worried just now. But since the man is in charge, it's not a bad thing."
Zhou Jiao hurriedly changed the subject, unable to continue the conversation, as it was about to get boring. "Second sister-in-law, I need your help. Mom gave me cloth coupons when I got married, and my coupons are about to expire. My fifth brother went to the city to get a new one today. It's army green. Can you help me make it? A sewing machine will make it quicker."
"Mom, you can see it by opening the cabinet behind you. Bring it out and help me cut three pieces of cloth. I'll make one for each of my three brothers. Second sister-in-law, please give me a hand."
Mother Zhang stood up and opened the wardrobe. Wow, there were so many things in it. She took out a cloth and quickly closed it to prevent the short-sighted person from seeing it. Her daughter Jiaojiao was still young and didn't know the human heart. She wanted to talk to her privately about the ingratitude.
With this child like this, it's no wonder her aunt is so greedy. Without her mother around to teach her, these are her responsibilities. Grandma Zhou taught her medicine and embroidery, but not housekeeping. She has to be there to remind her.
This is because Zhang's mother didn't know what kind of person Zhou Jiao's mother was. Later, when she saw how her mother behaved, she sighed to her husband that her daughter resembled her mother. Jiaojiao didn't grow up with her mother, and was as stingy with money as her mother. Fortunately, his son Xiaowu was in charge of the finances.
Zhou Jiao saw her expression change, and she felt a pang of sadness, moved to the point of wanting to cry but also a little to laugh. She had a mother-in-law who was even better than her own mother. Other mothers-in-law only wanted to move their belongings into their own rooms, support their other sons, and treat their children equally. In her previous life, she had no mother-in-law and lived a comfortable life. Later, the old man of the Zhang family treated her like his own granddaughter. Both her in-laws had been easy to get along with. If she were to end up in a family of the highest rank in this life, how depressing would she be.
Lin Juhua stepped forward to take the cloth. "Wow, there's so much cloth, more than enough to make 10 pieces. I really want one for my son too." But looking at her mother-in-law, she decided not to say it out loud, or she would definitely get angry. Besides, she couldn't be too greedy, as this was all good material.
"Mom, let's think about what kind of thing to make. This material is thick, so there's no need to add cotton. How about making it look like a military uniform? I see that's what the village cadres wear, and they don't even have the best material. Make it bigger, so that in winter you can wear a sweater and a cotton-padded jacket inside, and this one outside to look impressive."
Lin Juhua felt the fabric, her eyes dazzled. She had never seen such fine, thick material in her life. Zhou Jiao had given her a piece of fine fabric as a wedding gift, but she couldn't bear to part with it and kept it.
"Just decide for yourself. Make whatever your man likes to wear. Go find your sister-in-law and ask her to think about what her man likes too." Mother Zhang ordered.
Watching her walk out of the room, Zhang's mother quickly cut enough cloth to make three dresses and put the rest in the closet. She said to her worriedly, "Jiaojiao, don't give these away. Make clothes for Ping'an in the future. Just think about how cool they will look when you wear them. I know you feel embarrassed to trouble your two sisters-in-law during the confinement period, but everyone in the family needs you to help me, and I help you. Otherwise, if you don't pay for it all, they will take it for granted after a while."
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