When the elderly couple and Wang Chunli were all at Tao Ying's house, Wang Baohe would stay with Wang Dashuan and Li Guiying to save on firewood.
In rural areas, people use large earthen stoves to burn coal; they mainly burn corn stalks, corn cobs, and a type of locust tree unique to the mountains here.
Now that Tao Ying's family has come, Li Guiying lit all four large kang beds two days in advance, just in case the room got damp from the fire.
"Sister-in-law, what are you doing? If I had known you would do this, I wouldn't have let you come back." Li Guiying said somewhat unhappily when she saw the things in the car.
The child has been staying at my sister-in-law's house for a semester. My parents-in-law have been eating and drinking well at my sister-in-law's house for several months, and my sister-in-law has even given my mother-in-law money. Isn't this just a way of letting my parents-in-law subsidize my family? This time, I asked my sister-in-law to come back for the New Year, and she even had to spend money.
“Look at you, so anxious. We’re family, we shouldn’t be so formal. If we’re going to argue like this, how can we be called family?” Tao Ying said softly, pulling Li Guiying aside.
"Sister-in-law..." Li Guiying couldn't win the argument with Tao Ying.
“Guiying, your sister-in-law has already bought it, how can we let her take it back? Your sister-in-law is coming for the New Year, so don’t make her do any work. She’ll be happier than if she spent less money,” Zhou Daya said from the side.
“There are so many people in the family, how can I let my sister-in-law do the work?” Li Guiying hadn’t originally intended for Tao Ying to do any work.
I haven't seen my sister-in-law for several months, and she looks younger than I do now.
"Mom, the way you're talking makes it sound like I'm lazy." Tao Ying was a little embarrassed.
"Then you can steam the steamed buns later." Zhou Daya rolled her eyes.
It's as if no one knows who else; they're the type who'd rather sit than stand, and lie down than sit.
There's really no one else to direct her. Everyone can boss her and Yangyang around, yet she's still doing the work. She's just trying to fool someone.
"Mom, there are so many people here, what kind of work do you need my sister-in-law to do?" Li Guiying said before Tao Ying could speak.
The daughter will be living in their house for three years. Not only will Tao Ying not have to do any work, but Li Guiying would love to find a board to worship Tao Ying.
"It's nothing," Zhou Daya muttered as she walked away.
I don't know what kind of magic Tao Ying has, but everyone is swarming around her.
“Sister-in-law, please stay inside. It’s warm inside. We have four rooms in our house. The men will share one room, and I will share one room with Mom, Chunli, Chunni, Chuntao, and Yangyang. Is it alright if you have a room by yourself?” Li Guiying invited Tao Ying into the house, speaking as they walked.
This was agreed upon with the old lady and Chunli.
The old lady said her sister-in-law was pretentious and troublesome, while Chunli said her aunt was particular, clean, and quiet. So Li Guiying made the arrangement.
"Okay, I'll do as you say." Tao Ying had originally thought that there would be several people in one room, but she agreed without hesitation when she heard the arrangement.
"Grandpa, is it too crowded for all of us to live in one room?" Wang Baoshan blinked and asked Grandpa Wang in a low voice.
Why is it that Mom can have a room with my eldest sister and I can have a room with my second brother, while the five of us have to share a room?
Especially since the old man smoked a pipe, the smell in the house was something Wang Baoshan couldn't even imagine.
"Can we not be so crowded? You can share a room with your mother, then we won't be so crowded," Grandpa Wang said helplessly.
I've never heard of any man having such a low status.
I've never heard of any family treating their daughter-in-law like a goddess.
I've never heard of a mother-in-law and her brother's wife working together to coax the eldest son's wife.
"Then, let Baohe share a room with my second aunt." Wang Baoshan looked around and realized he only dared to provoke Wang Baohe.
If it smells, it smells; it'll only last a few days anyway.
"Go tell your mother and your second aunt yourself." Old Master Wang covered the kneaded dough with a basin.
"Why aren't you working? Didn't you see Baomin has gone to chop firewood?" Old Master Wang asked with some disdain, seeing that Wang Baoshan had no sense at all and didn't even know to fetch some water to wash his hands.
"Grandpa, I'm going to help my second aunt chop some meat." Wang Baoshan glanced at Wang Baomin with some disdain.
I don't know why he's so annoying.
On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, Tao Ying, wearing Zhou Daya's new cotton-padded coat that had been around for many years, strolled around outside with her hands tucked into the sleeves.
The main problem is that everyone else has work to do, except for Tao Ying.
Even Tao Chenyang was assigned to peel onions and garlic.
After wandering around for a while, I felt a bit cold. Just as I was about to go inside, I saw a woman in her forties secretly pulling Li Guiying along.
"Guiying, are you really going to let your brother-in-law's eldest daughter come back for the New Year? Married daughters can't see their parents' house lights, or they'll be poor for life." The woman's face was full of anxiety.
“Your mother-in-law is so biased. She should be the one to handle such a big matter,” the woman sighed.
"Third sister-in-law, it's alright. I don't believe in this stuff. A daughter is still your daughter even after she gets married. Look at my eldest sister-in-law, she's been looking after her parents' house for so many years, and her family is doing better and better."
Li Guiying said nonchalantly that her mother-in-law, Zhou Daya, had already told her about this matter.
There's an old saying that goes something like this.
However, Li Guiying didn't believe that whether her daughter was doing well or not had anything to do with her.
If a couple does nothing all day and just waits for money to fall from the sky, they're bound to have a hard time.
If a family works together, even the hardest days will eventually pass.
It's already difficult enough for my daughter to get a divorce. If her family doesn't help her out at this time, wouldn't that be forcing her to die?
"Why are you so stubborn?" Third Sister-in-law slapped her thigh.
"Third sister-in-law, there's still a lot of work to do at home, I'm going home now." Li Guiying didn't want to talk to her third sister-in-law anymore.
Tao Ying went for a stroll to the side again.
Before we knew it, it was Lunar New Year's Eve.
At five o'clock in the morning, Li Guiying and most of the others got up.
Li Guiying first braised pork knuckle, and Tao Ying got up at seven o'clock.
Wang Baohe brought Tao Ying water to wash her face.
After Tao Ying finished washing up, the whole family got to work.
"Guiying, what can I do?" Tao Ying walked over and asked.
"Sister-in-law, go up on the kang and wait. We'll eat soon," Li Guiying replied.
"Okay." Tao Ying immediately obeyed and returned to the kang (heated brick bed), even covering her feet with a small mat.
Zhou Daya glanced at it and couldn't help but gasp, wondering who her mother-in-law was.
After breakfast, Wang Dashuan led a few boys, carrying meat, pastries, wine, and incense, to visit the grave.
Wang Chunli and Wang Chuntao were in charge of pasting up the couplets.
Li Guiying led Wang Chunni to fry meatballs, Zhou Daya was in charge of tending the fire, and Grandpa Wang was in charge of kneading the dough.
Tao Ying sat outside and picked vegetables with Tao Chenyang.
I really think this kind of simple life is quite beautiful, with the whole family living together happily and harmoniously.
When Wang Dashuan and the others returned, it was time for their reunion dinner.
A large table of dishes, looking extremely plentiful.
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