After work in the afternoon, Yang Chunyan and her sisters-in-law gathered at Zhou Huaishan's house. Seeing Li Qiuyue, who was content with having a son, they were happy for her.
Zhao Huifang held the baby in her arms and looked at her with a smile: "That's good. We don't have to hide at home anymore."
Li Qiuyue nodded, "I'm almost suffocating at home. I'm almost going crazy because of all the random thoughts I have all day long."
Zhang Xiuxiang said bluntly: "Indeed, you were very naughty during that period. If it weren't for the fact that you were hiding and having a baby, we wouldn't bother to pay attention to you."
Li Qiuyue felt embarrassed after hearing this, "Sister-in-law, Chunyan, you have worked hard during this period, please don't hold it against me!"
Zhao Huifang smiled and said, "We don't bother to argue with you. Just wait until your full month and prepare a few delicious meals to reward us."
Li Qiuyue nodded readily, "Okay, when I'm one month old, you guys order the food, and I'll ask Chef Fang to cook for two tables."
When Zhou's mother came in, she thought they were talking about the full-month banquet, so she said hurriedly, "We can't have a big one-month banquet. That would be like insulting the family planning office. We can just have some fun at home."
Yang Chunyan smiled and said, "We are not talking about holding a full-month banquet!"
"That's good!" Zhou's mother pulled a chair over and sat down. "I went to your Aunt Datian's house to ask for information. She said that a few days ago, a family in the construction team paid a fine of 500 yuan and their household registration was also completed. By then, the maximum amount may be this."
Li Qiuyue said generously: "Five hundred is five hundred, pay the money and you can give birth, it's better than those who are dragged to the operating table when they are about to give birth."
Zhou's mother glared at her and said, "Look at you, you are just a square-headed person who speaks without thinking!"
"Hehe!" Li Qiuyue smiled awkwardly. She really thought so. Compared to hiding alone in the city, she would rather pay money to live at home. Besides, she could afford it.
Yang Chunyan and others also thought that paying 500 yuan would allow them to register their household registration, which was quite convenient.
"Chunyan, your youngest child is asking you for food." Zhou Huaian shouted outside while holding Xiao Jiuer.
"Here he comes!" Yang Chunyan went out to pick up her son. The little guy jumped into her arms and leaned against her chest. "Mommy will feed you when we get home!"
Zhou Huaian laughed and said, "Third brother has been laughing all afternoon. I think he is happier than I was at that time!"
Yang Chunyan glanced at him with a smile, "You were still the same then, foolishly telling everyone you were an old man."
Zhou Huaian smiled and pulled Xiao Jiuer's hand, "You're already an old man!"
As soon as the two of them went out, they met Aunt Zhou San who came over with a baby on her back. "I heard from your mother that Qiuyue gave birth. I came to see her."
Zhou Huaian thought about Zhou Huaigang's matter, "Aunt, how is Huaigang getting along with his girlfriend? When will he invite us to the wedding?"
"That's all! I get angry when I talk about this!" Aunt Zhou San said angrily, "That woman's family is not looking for a son-in-law, they are clearly looking for a free long-term worker."
"What's going on? Aren't you said to have a good personality and temper?"
Aunt Zhou San said angrily, "It looked good, but when it came time to discuss the marriage, the girl's mother and husband started to get up to their tricks, demanding three turns and a ring, as well as a gift money, and the dowry she brought was just a few beddings, nothing else.
After getting married, Nong Huaigang and his wife had to help her family with work during the busy season, and then they had to pay for the eight festivals. The most annoying thing was that they also had to pay a share of the money when her brothers got married and started a family.
I have lived for decades, but this is the first time I have seen someone selling his daughter so confidently. My Huai Gang is not an old bachelor who can’t find a wife. If I can’t afford to serve him, I won’t serve him.”
Yang Chunyan smiled and advised her, "Third Aunt, you should be happy. It's not bad that they clearly marked the price. If it were someone shameless, and waited until the deal was done before making a fuss, Huaigang's life would be over."
Aunt Zhou thought for a moment and said, "You are right. It is better to speak out in the open than to do evil in secret."
Zhou Huaian said with a smile: "Don't worry, Third Aunt, once your family has finished building the new house, your daughter-in-law will come naturally."
"We'll start the construction as soon as the busy farming season is over, and then we'll build it according to your style!" Aunt Zhou San said happily and walked towards the yard.
When Yang Chunyan and her friend arrived home, Zhou's father had already harvested the millet in the yard, and the yard was filled with baskets.
Zhou Huaian hurried forward and together with Zhou's father, carried the basket to the west wing and put it away, then went to the backyard.
The old man, Zhou Huairong and Zhou Huaijun carried the bamboo flats to the drying room, while Jiang Yu and others were busy washing them in front of the sink.
It was the busy farming season, and few villagers came to deliver red mushrooms. Even Xu Erchun and his friends were busy with the autumn harvest at home. Fortunately, Zhou Datian and Secretary Xu's families still harvested and delivered mushrooms, so they could produce five to six hundred kilograms of dried goods a day.
Yang Chunyan fed her son and carried him to the backyard. When Jiang Yu saw her, he asked, "Chunyan, Qiuyue gave birth to a son?"
"It's a son!"
Wu Caixiang asked hurriedly, "Have the fines for the third child been agreed upon?" The youngest child in her family gave birth to a daughter last year, and they wanted to have an extra child. If the fine is not too much, the two of them will make up for it, and that will be enough.
Yang Chunyan smiled and said, "I don't know, the people over there haven't arrived yet!"
Jiang Yu curled her lips, "She gave birth in the afternoon, so many people don't know about it yet. Now those gossipy women in the village have finished their work. At the latest, they will come to talk about the fine tomorrow afternoon."
Wu Caixiang: "Don't worry, it's not like the third family can't afford the fine!"
Jiang Yu: "It's not worth it even if I can afford it. I have to give birth to a child and raise it myself, and I still have to pay a fine. It makes me feel depressed just thinking about it."
"Alas!" Wu Caixiang sighed, "There's nothing we can do about it!"
Yang Chunyan thought it was true. Thinking that she would have dinner next door, she decided to feed the pigs first. "Huaian, you look after Jiuer. I'll feed the pigs first."
"That's right!" Zhou Huaian brought out a cool mat, spread it out, put him on it, and put the rattle in his hand. "Have fun with it, and I'll come and hug you after your mom feeds the pigs."
"Oh oh!" Xiao Jiuer shook the rattle a few times, threw it aside, and kicked the small rubber ball beside him with his feet.
"Two lifts, four turns, six sits, seven rolls, eight crawls, and eight walks." The little guy is almost six months old, and he can already turn over and sit up, and sometimes even crawl a few times.
Ever since he fell out of the cradle last time, Yang Chunyan found an old quilt and spread it on a mat and put him in it to play, so that she wouldn't have to worry about him falling and hitting the ground.
Yang Chunyan poured the pig feed into the trough, and the pigsty inside immediately started to quarrel. She picked up a bamboo stick and knocked a few times, "What are you yelling about? I'll bring it to you later."
She picked up another bucket of pig feed and poured it into the trough, and the three pigs squeezed together to grab it.
These three pigs were caught before the New Year and have been raised for nearly ten months. They look to weigh about 140 to 150 kilograms.
Yang Chunyan estimated that by the end of the year, the fat pigs would weigh at most 200 kilograms. The three pigs in the pen outside would weigh only about 160 or 170 kilograms.
The pigs rely entirely on eating grass and cooked pig food, without any fattening feed, so they grow much slower than the March fattened pigs of later generations, but they taste really good.
She went out with the pig food bucket, and Zhao Huifang and Zhang Xiuxiang also came to help, and they rushed all the red mushrooms into the baking room before dinner.
During the meal, Zhou's mother talked about the third room. "Chunyan, your third aunt wants you to go to Yangjiapingzi and see if there is a girl who is suitable for the third son? Introduce her to him."
Yang Chunyan shook her head, "I don't know either. I'll go back and ask my mother during the Mid-Autumn Festival." Decades have passed, and she is in a hurry when she returns to her parents' home. How can she still remember which girl didn't tell her in-laws?
After hearing this, Zhou's mother said to the others, "Don't worry about it. Go back to your parents' home during the Mid-Autumn Festival to help Huaigang take care of him. Your third aunt has a good temper, and Huaigang is hardworking. After harvesting the grain, he will build a new house. It will be a good idea to marry him."
Zhao Huifang laughed and said, "Mom, how could you forget your own niece?"
Mother Zhou smiled and shook her head. "She looks down on country people and wants to marry someone in town. I've already told Yumei and asked her to help find someone in town. I'd better not make myself unhappy."
At this time, there was a knock on the door outside, and Zhou Jiaming ran to open the door quickly, "Grandma, grandma is here!"
Zhou's mother hurried out to greet them, only to see He Xiulan walking in with a basket and a backpack on her back. "Why are you being so polite?"
He Xiulan smiled and said, "It's not good to come here during the day. I'll hurry over when it gets dark."
"Thank you! Thank you!" Mother Zhou took the basket from her hand and turned to look at the kitchen, "Huifang, make a bowl of rice and eggs for your Aunt Datian."
"Okay!" Yang Chunyan and others hurriedly helped to clean up the pots and pans.
He Xiulan brought eggs, hens and children's clothes, and told them that she had reported Li Qiuyue's extra birth, and that the Family Planning Office would come to discuss the fine the day after tomorrow at the latest.
Li Qiuyue said gratefully: "Thank you, Auntie. What did they say over there? Can you give me a fine of 500?"
"When I went to the town this afternoon, they said they would fine you 800 yuan. Let me come and talk to you first. When they come, you can bargain and cry poor. 500 yuan should be enough!" He Xiulan pointed to the sewing machine in front of the window, "It's better to carry these things away and hide them, so that they won't see and raise the price!"
"We'll carry them to my second brother's house later." Li Qiuyue thought of the six pigs she still had at home, "Should we take the pigs away?"
He Xiulan smiled and shook her head, "No, as long as you pay the fine, we won't take those things away."
Zhou's mother and Li Qiuyue breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. If they really wanted to hide even the pigs, it would be a troublesome matter!
Yang Chunyan carried the Yin rice eggs into the main room, "Mom, please ask Aunt Datian to come out and eat the Yin rice eggs."
"Here we are!" Zhou's mother pulled He Xiulan out, "Thanks to you and Datian for helping me with my family's affairs, otherwise I don't know how much trouble it would have been!"
He Xiulan smiled and said, "Why are you being so polite to me? It's thanks to the youngest brother's help that we have the money to renovate the house!"
"We all come from the same ancestors, so we should take care of each other." Zhou's mother handed her the spoon with a smile, "It's time to attend your Huaiqing's wedding next year, right?"
"I have someone to look at, but I haven't decided yet."
"Huai Qing is a capable man. He will slowly find someone that suits his taste."
After eating the rice eggs, He Xiulan said goodbye and went back.
Mother Zhou remembered the old man's instructions, and went back to the house and said to Li Qiuyue, "Mom knows you love your son, but I still have to say one more thing. If you want your son to grow up to be a useful person, don't learn from your mother's way of raising a good child to waste."
After hearing this, Li Qiuyue looked at her son in her arms and was stunned for a moment, "I remember it."
Seeing her expression, Zhou's mother felt that the old man's worry was not unreasonable. "Think about it carefully. Why do we and your third father's family teach children in this way? Then you will understand."
After saying this, Zhou's mother went out and called Zhang Xiuxiang and Yang Chunyan. They sent the sewing machine and bicycle to Zhou Huaijun's house and waited for the fine collector to come. (End of this chapter)
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