Jiang Yu, who married from Guanyin Brigade, chimed in: "The woman left first, and then the man left. The older one was only about ten years old when the couple left. It's been four or five years since then."
"My three siblings don't even have any relatives here. At the beginning, the production team took care of them, but now they are so busy with their own families that they have no time to take care of them."
Zhang Xiuxiang nodded, "That's right. If our local mothers and fathers pass away, we still have grandparents and mothers-in-law to take care of them."
Jiang Yu said: "Children without anyone to take care of them are very evil. I heard that Zhao Meina took her two children to help others cut grass in exchange for oxen to plow the fields. Those with soft hearts helped them, while those with evil hearts bullied them.
I heard that the old bachelor in the village sneaked into the house in the dark, trying to take advantage of the boss. Fortunately, the Su family next door heard the noise, otherwise the kids would have suffered a lot. "
Yang Chunyan had never thought that such a thing could happen. "Beast, if we catch him, we should destroy his dog whip."
After hearing this, several people burst out laughing.
Zhang Xiuxiang nodded, "Chunyan is right. If we catch someone doing this, we should break his whip."
Jiang Yu nudged Jia Hongchun, who was standing nearby washing truffles, and said, "Look at these two sisters-in-law. They usually don't say anything and I thought they were gentle, but it turns out they are also fierce."
She turned around and smiled, "It's better for women to be more aggressive. If you are too soft, you will suffer losses easily."
Yang Chunyan poured the pig intestines into the ceramic bowl, picked up a piece of braised pig's head, cut a plate and put it on the table before going to the front yard. She saw the three siblings put the enamel jar on the table and went back to look after the truffles.
She went up to Su Tianfen and said hello, then went up to Zhao Meina and said, "Auntie has cooked some egg soup and rice for you. You can bring your brother and sister-in-law with me. Let Auntie Su watch the truffles for you. They won't fall off here."
When the two younger ones heard about the egg soup rice, they couldn't help but swallow their saliva and quietly grabbed Zhao Meina's hand, "Big sister..."
Yang Chunyan noticed that the sleeves of the two older ones' clothes had become too short, especially the eldest brother's pants, which were no different from cropped pants, and the skin exposed outside had turned purple due to the cold.
Zhao Meina hesitated for a moment and said, "Thank you, Auntie. We just drank the sugar water and we are not hungry anymore."
Su Tianfen, who was standing next to her, pushed her and said, "Go ahead! You are not hungry, but Xiu Na and Xiao Chuan are hungry too."
"Thank you, auntie!" Zhao Meina took her brother and sister-in-law and followed Yang Chunyan to the backyard.
The aroma of braised meat wafted into the air, and the second sister and the third child swallowed their saliva with a "gulp".
Yang Chunyan took the bowl and chopsticks and served the three people rice, "Cook the dishes for yourself and eat!"
"Thank you, auntie!"
Before Zhao Meina finished her words, Zhao Xiuna and Zhao Xiaochuan picked up their chopsticks and bowls. Without even picking up the food, they kept shoveling mouthfuls of rice into their mouths and started chewing with their cheeks puffed out.
The brother and sister's eyes lit up. The eggs smelled so good! So delicious! I haven't had such a delicious meal in a long time.
Yang Chunyan picked up chopsticks and put a few slices of pork head and pig intestines in the bowls for the two children. "Eat slowly. If there is not enough, help yourself. Auntie has something else to do outside, so I can't accompany you."
Zhao Meina looked at the food in the bowl, thinking that she had eaten such delicious food when her parents were still alive. Looking at her younger brother and sister-in-law wolfing down the food, she knew that they were starving today.
She said to Yang Chunyan gratefully: "Thank you, auntie, thank you!"
"No thanks, I'm full!"
Yang Chunyan rubbed her head, thinking that she had gained a few pounds after becoming pregnant, and the eldest brother could give her two sets of clothes that he had worn when he was thin.
After Yang Chunyan left, the three siblings relaxed a little. Yang Xiuna put a piece of pork head in Zhao Meina's bowl and said, "Sister, it's delicious."
"Hmm!" Zhao Meina also thought they were all delicious, especially the multi-grain rice cooked with egg soup, which was much better than the sweet potato and potato rice.
We have truffles to sell this year. After we make the money, we will go to Aunt Su's house to buy some sorghum rice and corn to eat.
Seeing her sister-in-law eating meat and pig intestines, she tapped the edge of their bowls and said, "Eat, don't just eat the vegetables."
"Oh oh!" Zhao Xiuna retracted her hand obediently. Zhao Xiaochuan looked at the pig head meat on the plate reluctantly, "Sister, after selling the truffles, we can also buy this meat to eat during the New Year."
Zhao Xiuna glared at him and said, "Greedy cat, you've eaten so much meat today and you still want more. The money from selling truffles should be used to buy food."
"Everyone has meat to eat during the Chinese New Year." Zhao Xiaochuan muttered and buried his head in putting rice into his mouth.
Zhao Meina put down her chopsticks and said, "Second sister is right. When we have extra money after buying food, we can go to Aunt Su's house and buy a few chickens to raise. Then we will have eggs to eat in the future."
Zhao Xiaochuan immediately became happy, "I'll catch some bugs for the chickens to eat."
"Okay, our Xiaochuan is the most obedient." Zhao Meina touched his head, "Are you full? If you are, I will clean up the dishes."
Zhao Xiaochuan touched his stomach and said, "I'm so full! My stomach is bulging."
Zhang Xiuxiang came out of the baking room, walked over to look at the siblings, and shook her head when she saw the clothes they were wearing.
She went back and said to Jiang Yu, "Aunt Jiang, take these to the entrance of the oven to filter the water. I will go back and find some clothes for Xiaoqian and Jiakang for them to wear."
"Yes, yes!" Jiang Yu picked up the truffles and walked towards the door of the oven. Seeing Zhao Meina coming over with bowls and chopsticks, "Mina, this side cannot be stained with oil. Put the bowls and chopsticks there and wait for your aunt to clean up herself."
"Thank you, Auntie!" Zhao Meina hurriedly put the dishes and chopsticks back on the table, "Let's go to the front yard."
Jiang Yu looked at the sisters' clothes, which were obviously much shorter. "Wait in the front yard after weighing. Aunt Zhang has gone to get clothes for your sister-in-law. She has two children who are about the same height as Xiu Na and Xiao Chuan."
She remembered that Xiaoqian and Jiakang were two or three years younger than the two younger ones? Now they seemed to be taller than them.
After hearing this, Zhao Meina looked at her brother and sister-in-law's thin clothes and said gratefully, "Thank you, Auntie."
Jiang Yu looked at the three siblings who were pale and skinny, and rubbed Zhao Xiaochuan's head, "Why thank you! While truffles are still available these days, find more and send them to sell. Next year, you will have more space."
"I remember that."
Zhao Meina knew that they felt sorry for her three siblings, but they were indeed pitiful. Even their parents thought they were unnecessary burdens and didn't want them anymore.
She took her brother and sister-in-law to the front yard and saw Yang Chunyan keeping accounts. She walked over and said to her, "Thank you, auntie. I didn't wash the dishes..."
"Don't worry about it, just put it there!" Yang Chunyan looked around, "It will be your turn soon, will you go back with Aunt Su later?"
"Yeah!" Zhao Meina glanced at Su Tianfen, "I live next door to Aunt Su."
"Go ahead!"
Yang Chunyan gave the account book to Zhou Huaian, and went back to the room to get a jacket, spring and autumn shirts, and two sets of old clothes. They might be a little big, so it was better to roll them up instead of wearing them too short.
The two younger ones will ask the eldest and second sisters-in-law tomorrow if they have any at home. If not, they will go buy some cloth and cotton to help make two sets. (End of this chapter)
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