Chapter 488: Returning a Peach with a Plum (Page 1/2)
A month and a half later, Huo Qingci received a package from Huo Qinghuan, which contained flower cakes, spices, and various dried mushrooms from southern Yunnan.
Lin Man didn't expect that before Huo Qinghuan left, he said he would get her some wild mushrooms, and he actually got her a few bags of dried wild mushrooms, including chicken mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, red mushrooms, and black truffles.
These dried wild mushrooms exude a rich aroma that makes people salivate. Lin Man decided to keep half of them, and naturally asked her parents-in-law to come and take the rest. They can't eat it all alone, right?
She couldn't help but sigh, "Qinghuan really does what he says! I didn't expect him to actually go up the mountain to get mushrooms for us when he got there."
Huo Qingci smiled and nodded, "Yes, Qinghuan has always been like this. As long as he makes a promise, he will try regardless of whether he can do it or not."
Huo Qingci knew his younger brother's character well, and he always gave his all to his promises. He was also very sentimental and obedient, and he would listen to whatever they said, no matter if it was good or bad.
Lin Man couldn't help but think of Huo Qinghuan's life in southern Yunnan, where he went up the mountain to cut wood every day to earn work points, and also had to find time to pick mushrooms and herbs.
She secretly felt fortunate that before Huo Qinghuan left, she asked Huo Qingci to give him half a powerful pill, otherwise, with his original physical condition, he would probably not be able to withstand such heavy physical labor.
Suddenly, Lin Man asked curiously, "Qingci, your brother is now with them in the mountains, cutting wood and reclaiming wasteland. Didn't your parents say anything? Didn't they say when they would bring him back?"
Huo Qingci was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Although my parents are a little worried, Qinghuan chose this path herself.
He's already been sent to the countryside as an educated youth, and there's no way to change that. We can't just find a way to bring him back just because logging is hard, right?
Lin Man nodded, expressing her understanding. She felt that Huo Qinghuan had firm determination and courage, and believed that he would be able to create his own future in southern Yunnan.
Huo Qingci continued to explain: "Grandpa said to let him stay in the countryside for a year or two. If he writes to say that he can't do it anymore, then we will see if there is any good job in Beijing and arrange one for him.
Qing Huan just passed away, so even if we wanted to bring him back, it would be impossible. If we force him back, he would become a laughing stock in the countryside, and our family would be the focus of special attention."
"Yeah, you're right."
Lin Man thought about it and it made sense. Huo Qinghuan and the other educated youth were now reclaiming the barren hills. Probably in a year or two they wouldn't need to cut down trees anymore, and they would just need to grow some crops on the hills, right?
There is no need to cut wood anymore. Huo Qinghuan might not want to come back. The last time he wrote back, he said that he and his classmates were digging herbs and picking mushrooms in the mountains.
Although the letter did not mention selling those local products, he did mention that his classmates were trying to save money.
Lin Man understood that they wanted to make a living from the mountain and secretly earn extra money by selling mountain products.
But it's better this way. If he can find a way to make money locally, his life there won't be too hard.
"Your brother spent quite a bit of money on sending the package back. Let's send him some food in a couple of days! I heard people over there like to eat glutinous rice, so we'll send 20 kilograms of it.
Send him some fermented tofu and chili sauce, as well as some candy, beef jerky, red dates, and dried seafood."
"Manman, this place is so far from our home, it costs a lot to send a package.
Let's wait until Mom gives birth to the baby, then we can go send him a package together and hope he has a happy new year." Huo Qingci's voice was filled with helplessness.
Lin Man listened to his words, and although she felt a little disappointed, she replied: "Okay, then let's do as you say!"
(This chapter is not yet finished, please click on the next page to continue reading) Chapter 488: Returning a Peach with a Plum (Page 2/2)
Huo Qinghuan knew that she liked to eat wild mushrooms, so as soon as she got there, she took the trouble to go to the mountains to pick wild mushrooms, dry them, and send them to her.
She thought that he was reluctant to eat these precious wild mushrooms himself and sent them all back to her. This thought was truly precious.
In fact, she was not short of money. She had all the supplies in her space. The only thing she needed to spend money on was the cost of buying stamps.
But for her, these are not problems. She is not short of money. As long as she thinks it is worth it, what's wrong with spending some money on her obedient brother-in-law?
If Huo Qinghuan treats him well three times, he will naturally return the favor ten times.
The next day, Huo Qingci asked Huo Junshan to come and pick up the package, but Xiao Ya did not come because her belly was getting bigger and bigger.
Lin Man only had one pound of flower cakes and half of the dried mushrooms in the package, and asked her father-in-law to take the rest back.
Whether he would share some with Huo Qingyan and the others was none of her business, but when her father-in-law went back, Huo Qingci gave his mother ten pounds of apples and forty eggs, and also caught a turtle and two chickens for her.
Lin Man saw it but didn't say anything. Because her mother-in-law was old, she was afraid that something might happen to the baby in her belly. So in the later stages of her pregnancy, she rarely went out.
Moreover, she is retired now, so she doesn't have to get up early for work, and she doesn't have children to take care of at home. She can sleep as late as she wants in the morning and doesn't even have to buy groceries.
My father-in-law is now rushing to help my mother-in-law with housework, and he is more diligent than his second son.
Although Huo Qingyan would also help Song Jingjing with some work, such as going downstairs to fetch water, or helping his wife look after the children while Tang Xiaomi was cooking.
Seeing that Song Jingjing and her mother-in-law's due dates were approaching, Lin Man asked Huo Qingci with some concern, "Your mother and sister-in-law's due dates are approaching, right? Your sister-in-law has a nanny, and her mother will come to help her during her confinement. Who will take care of your mother when she gives birth?"
It's impossible to ask her, the eldest daughter-in-law, to take care of her mother-in-law during her confinement. She has four children to take care of. How can she have the time to take care of her mother-in-law during her confinement?
It's impossible for the mother-in-law to ask her seventy-year-old mother to take care of her during the confinement period. At most, her family members will come to visit her, and they will definitely not help with other things.
"Don't worry, Manman. My dad said he'll just ask someone he knows in the compound to take care of my mom until she recovers."
"Your dad didn't ask us to ask Xiaohua to come over, right?"
"No, he knows we have four children at home, and my mother said she can take care of the children by herself without hiring a nanny."
"In that case, let Xiaohua go and help for a few days. Your mother needs to go to the hospital to give birth and she won't be able to do it without someone to take care of her."
Her parents-in-law didn't ask Xiaohua to go over and help, but as a daughter-in-law, she couldn't completely ignore the situation. There were children to take care of at home. Since she couldn't go over to take care of her mother-in-law, she asked Xiaohua to go over and help for a few days.
"Okay, then tell Xiaohua about it tomorrow."
When Lin Man told Xiao Hua about this, Xiao Hua did not object. Now her monthly salary has increased to 25 yuan, and she is very satisfied with this job.
"Aunt Lin, wait until my aunt has a seizure, and I'll go to the hospital with her."
Lin Man shook her head. "My mother-in-law's due date is still seven or eight days away. You can go there tomorrow."
Song Jingjing's due date is in these two days, and her mother-in-law's due date is still seven or eight days away. Lin Man is worried that she will give birth early, so it would be better for Xiao Hua to go there tomorrow.
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