Er Shun stared at the mosquito net, unable to sleep. He had worked all day, but he couldn't understand it. Er Shun got up, picked up his hoe, and went back to the field.
His best friend left without saying goodbye, which puzzled his parents. They told him not to think about it, but the more they did, the more he wanted to know why.
Gui Xiang poured out all the things she had been holding back to her best friend, and finally felt much better. She slept soundly, then got up full of energy to open her shop and work hard, earn more money, buy more houses, and so that her granddaughter could choose others instead of being chosen by others.
In the countryside, Changshun counted the money from selling watermelons. He had always taken great care of these watermelons; they were the last things his mother left him before she left in anger. He knew he had hurt his parents, but poverty was truly terrible.
The watermelons are big and sweet, with a gritty texture. They're not the only ones growing watermelons here, but theirs are the best.
He took them out to sell, and after people had tasted them, they bought all the watermelons from his entire watermelon patch. Although the price wasn't as high as he would have made selling them one by one, he didn't have to worry about the losses from unsold watermelons.
"With this money, we can find a wife for the eldest son."
Changshun's wife's eyes lit up; she never expected that watermelons grown on that hillside could fetch so much money.
"What talk of a wife? Tell him to work honestly and stop causing trouble all the time. If he doesn't want to study properly, then he should suffer the hardships of working."
Changshun had a dark expression on his face.
"If you find a wife, the eldest son will settle down. Someone will keep him in check, and there will be another person to help with the housework. What's wrong with that?"
Changshun's wife felt that her husband's temper was getting weirder and weirder.
"You're all talk and no action. You're still a child. Do you want to be a mother-in-law? Or did your family say something again? Don't even think about touching this money. Back when we were planting melons and fruit trees, you slammed the door and went back to your parents' house. Do you really think I don't know what that means?"
“I… I’m just afraid you’ll lose all the family’s money. I’m doing this for the family too. If you’re angry with me, your second son’s family is living a good life in Beijing, but your parents are petty and insist on arguing with you, their own son. It’s because they look down on me. You’re the eldest son in the family. Everything in the family should rightfully be yours.”
Changshun simply snorted and put all the money away.
Once a gap exists, it will remain there forever. It's fine on ordinary days, but it will be brought up again whenever something happens.
They each try to shift the blame onto the other, making themselves feel better by blaming the other for their own sins.
Water was sprinkled on the leveled road surface, and everyone mixed cement mortar together with their tools, chatting and laughing.
"Once this road is repaired, we'll come here for training every day."
"Great! Our road is repaired! Shouldn't we celebrate? This is a wonderful occasion! Let's have a commotion and celebrate!"
“That works. I can play the gong. Who can do the Yangko dance? That would be so festive.”
"I know, I know. It's simple. I'll tell you, and you'll be able to learn it right away."
"Let's show you, let's learn from you."
Everyone burst into laughter, not in mockery, but out of genuine joy.
The person who said they knew how wasn't shy at all, and immediately started to move, their feet on the mortar, yet their movements were very agile.
"That's good, it also helps to mix the mortar evenly."
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