Mother Qian looked at her two daughters who were helping her.
She gave birth to four children, three daughters and one son. It was inevitable that she would be too doting on the only male in the family. This is what most families do nowadays, so she and her husband didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
But now, none of the three daughters in the family are close to them anymore. After the eldest daughter got married, except for bringing some gifts home during the holidays, she almost never comes home. The second daughter, Qian Hui, is actually the most caring one, but she was hurt by her family because she went to the countryside as an educated youth. The number of letters she wrote to her family in the past few years can be counted on ten fingers. Not to mention the youngest daughter, who has been very shy since she was a child.
Qian's mother was cooking and wanted to say something but didn't know where to start.
It's rare to have a good meal throughout the year, so the family prepared a very sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner this time, including bacon and sausage, spicy chicken, pork with preserved vegetables, zheergen, and dog meat jelly. Qian Hui looked at so many delicious dishes and remembered that when she was in middle school and her family was well off, the New Year's Eve dinner was even more sumptuous than today's.
Pulling back her thoughts that had slipped away, Qian Hui controlled herself from thinking too much.
At dinner time, the family compound was very lively, with the intermittent crackling sound of firecrackers. Eight people were sitting around the table, feeling a little crowded.
Deng Qiudi looked at her two sons and attentively held the younger one on her lap. "Oh, you two are really something! Aunt Hui finally came back, and you didn't even think of giving way to Aunt Hui."
"Hey, Xiaohui, you've been in Northeast China for so long, you must be missing the food at home. Hey, eat more."
Qian Hui didn't say anything, but nodded to this "good" sister-in-law. Seeing that the situation at the table was a little awkward, Qian's father and mother quickly spoke to ease the atmosphere.
"Xiaohui, these are the ones you used to love to eat. Eat more. It's a rare opportunity for you to come back for the New Year. When you go back this time, I'll bring you some of the bacon and sausages we have at home."
Qian Hui suppressed her sadness and smiled, "Okay, thank you, Mom. Let's eat quickly. It's cold, and the food won't taste good if it gets cold."
While eating the New Year's Eve dinner, no one did anything to spoil the fun. Qian Lin did not stop eating from the moment she started. She knew this family very well. Usually, her parents bought delicious food but she did not get a share. She usually paid for her meals at work. When she thought about her parents not sympathizing that she was just a temporary worker and most of her salary was paid home, she moved her chopsticks even faster.
Seeing Qian Lin's attitude, Deng Qiudi didn't dare to say anything and joined the crowd scrambling for food.
A table full of delicious food was eaten up by the time the meal was over, leaving only some vegetable juice. This was because there was no staple food left. Otherwise, according to Qian Lei's personality, he probably wouldn't even have washed the dishes.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, not many people visited relatives in the morning. Only the good friends in the family compound gathered together to chat. Qian Hui did not go out and packed her things at home. She did not bring anything with her this time, but planned to buy some local specialties to take back when she left. Thinking of Xu Hongxia and Shen Anning at the educated youth site who both loved spicy food, she planned to ask her friend Xinghua to buy some for her.
Because Deng Qiudi was going back to her parents' home on the second day of the New Year and Qian Hui was leaving on the third day, after dinner on the first night of the New Year, the whole family, except for the two children, even the married eldest sister, were called back.
Qian Hui looked at this and knew that they were definitely coming for her, so she didn't say much. She sat on the bench and waited with interest for them to speak first.
Deng Qiudi and Qian Lei looked at Qian Hui. "Well, second sister, you've been back for two days, and your brother and sister-in-law haven't had a good chat with you yet. So, I want to ask you, what's going on with your job in Northeast China?"
Qian Hui smiled and said, "Brother, you also work in the factory. You must have an idea of how much the new workers are paid, right? The factory didn't even give me a house, and I have to eat every month. To be honest, I don't have much money left every month. In the past few years, I owed the village a lot because I didn't do my job well. It's only because the village head and party secretary are so kind that they allow me to pay it back slowly."
As soon as these words were spoken, Mr. and Mrs. Qian were the first to lower their heads.
When Qian Hui first went to Northeast China, she often sent letters home. During the first Chinese New Year, she also sent a lot of mountain products home. When she first arrived, her hands were not as fast as the aunties in the village, and some of the products she sent home were bought with her own money.
But when she later asked her family to send her some cloth coupons, what did her family say? They said that her sister-in-law had just given birth to a child and all the cloth coupons were used for the child. No one considered how she survived in the Northeast without a thick cotton-padded jacket.
"Brother and sister-in-law, if you want to borrow money, I really don't have any. Maybe I can spare some in a few years."
Qian Lei waved his hands, "No, no, second sister, why does big brother want your money? It's like this. In your sister-in-law's father's factory, there is a director's child who also went to the countryside in Northeast China. He is a boy, not bad looking, and comes from a good family. So, big brother thinks you two are a good match, why don't you try to date..."
. . . . . .
"And after we start dating, will I give him my job? He'll have worker status and a county hukou, so he can find a way to transfer back home. And I'll just go back to the village and continue being an educated youth?"
"Your calculations are really loud!"
Qian Hui was too lazy to talk to her inhuman brother and sister-in-law. She stared at her parents to see what would come out of their mouths.
"Hui'er, no, your sister-in-law said that you can get married first. Then you can have a family and a child. You don't have to work. How great is that." Qian's father's words pierced Qian Hui's heart like a knife. At this moment, she felt like a fool.
You should not give yourself any illusions, nor should you have any last bit of hope for your so-called parents.
He stood up and took the things he had packed. "My household registration was transferred to the Northeast when I was sent to work as an educated youth. My household registration is also a collective household of the factory. I have long been severed from this family. I have almost paid back what I owed you for the past 18 years... I hope you can all live well."
Looking at Qian Hui pushing the door open, Qian's eldest sister and Qian Lin were a little surprised, but also a little impressed. They did not have such courage and confidence.
"Hey, Xiaohui, that's not what mom and dad meant. Where can you go so late at night? Come back soon, it's so cold..."
"Mom, why are you stopping me? She's really grown cocky. She doesn't even give me, her big brother, any face. She doesn't even cherish such a good opportunity. She'll suffer in the future..."
Qian Hui booked a room in the guesthouse and lay on the bed for the first time in a long time. Although the mattress was hard, it was much better than the floor at home.
Raising a son to provide for old age, this is really the funniest joke she has ever heard in her life!
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