"Uncle, we've been working a lot in the fields and got home late. We usually eat separately, but since you're here today, let's eat together. I'll cook. For lunch today, let's have some sorghum rice porridge, potatoes and eggplant, with some green onions. This is the best way to cool down in the summer, isn't it?"
The eldest daughter-in-law smiled when she spoke and looked very enthusiastic.
My uncle's face was so black that it looked like blood was dripping from it. This wasn't a time of famine. Wouldn't it be rude to feed guests sorghum rice? And adding some green onions to it, was that even humane?
The uncle wanted to speak, but was stopped by the old man, "Niece-in-law, I don't want to bother you. Just eat your own food like before and don't bother me." He still said that the old man was here to see the eldest brother, and whether they were good or bad was none of his business.
The eldest daughter-in-law glanced at her father-in-law and said, "That's not good. We haven't seen each other for so many years. We should at least have a meal together."
"Just keep the sorghum rice for yourself, we won't worry about you," said the uncle unhappily.
The eldest daughter-in-law smiled awkwardly and said, "Dad, you are not unaware of our family's conditions. Second Uncle is not an outsider, and you can't go out and starve just to have a meal. That would be a joke. You are not Second Uncle..."
The old man said calmly, "If I eat, I will eat my eldest brother's food. I won't eat yours and let you starve."
"Uncle, that's not what the child's mother meant. We don't have anything good at home. Let's buy a chicken from the village tonight and stew it." Da Shuang looked a little embarrassed.
"Chickens now lay eggs, and one chicken costs two or three dollars. How can you ascend to heaven if you eat the chicken? If you don't eat it today, you will die." The eldest daughter-in-law argued with Dashuang.
"Shut up!" Da Shuang's face turned red.
"No one wants to eat your chicken. If you don't want to act here, get out!" The old man's hands were shaking with anger. He was so angry that he would starve to death just to eat a chicken, yet he could still say such words. What else could he say?
"Dad, what you said is really hurting our hearts. It's not that I can't bear it, but we really don't have the conditions at home." The eldest daughter-in-law tried to make amends.
"Get out! All of you get out!" After insulting his uncle like this, he no longer cared about whether he was his daughter-in-law or not.
The eldest daughter-in-law was not angry. "Second uncle, please sit here. We will go back to the house to cook. We have to go to the fields in the afternoon. This land is barren now. Our family depends on this piece of land to survive." After that, she pulled Dashuang back to the house.
"Grandpa, second grandpa, my dad went to town to buy meat and will be back soon," Li Bin, the youngest son of Ershuang's family, said to his two grandfathers.
"Uncle's town is a little far away. Ershuang will come as soon as she knows. Don't be picky. I'm going to cook now. Uncle, do you like steamed buns or rice?" The second daughter-in-law Xu Guihua is an honest person. After Ershuang heard what Uncle Tiedan said, she didn't discuss it with the eldest family. She just said she would go to town and asked Xu Guihua and Li Bin to go home and cook later.
When they were about to come back, the eldest sister-in-law held her back and said that they would go back together after finishing their work. As for what Ershuang had done, he had no money during the lean period and had to borrow money for everything he did. The eldest daughter-in-law would not starve herself to entertain her second uncle whom she had not seen for dozens of days. If the second uncle was willing to act generous, they would eat with him. They would estimate the time it would take to go to town and back. When they came back and found that Ershuang was not back, they would eat whatever they had. She would not pretend to be generous.
The eldest daughter-in-law, Zheng Yue'e, who was in charge of the fire in the house, curled her lips and looked at them. She felt that the second uncle didn't look like a rich man, yet he was still trying to get close to him.
Da Shuang puffed on his pipe and asked, "Are we through yet?"
"What are you living for? Are you stupid? You are so old and you come back here. Don't be childless and let us support you. Don't be stupid. Stay away from me." A person who has fled from famine is lucky to be alive. What else do you want to take advantage of?" Zheng Yue'e rolled her eyes at the man, looking stupid.
Da Shuang took two long drags on his cigarette and said, "I have to look good. I have to have a meal at least."
Carrie Lam: "Who are you giving face to? Your father still depends on us for support. Stop messing with those worthless people and come here to add fuel to the fire."
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