Hearing the powerful voice, the voice that was imprinted deep in her soul, Lin Lan immediately recognized the identity of the person.

She is Lin Mei!

Who is Lin Mei?

Lin Mei is her third sister, a twin sister.

According to Lin Lan's estimation, they should be fraternal twins, because the third sister looks rather ordinary and not as pretty as her!

But the third sister is more aggressive and capable than her, but she only harms others, while the original owner harms herself.

In the original owner's impression, the third sister was her enemy since childhood, who was outstanding and strong-willed and always made things difficult for her.

After Lin Lan integrated the information, she found that the third sister was actually very capable.

For example, in this era, when the original owner was only thinking about how to get money from her mother-in-law, the third sister had already secretly engaged in speculation and earned a lot of private money. She not only went to the countryside but also to the city, and later traveled all over the country.

A real strong woman.

Of course, no one is perfect. Her shortcoming is that she is extremely indulgent towards men, so that her man has always been a gigolo and a hindrance to her, which is really annoying.

In the years of competition and rivalry between the original owner and her third sister, her most powerful weapons were her men and her appearance!

Every time she went back to her parents' home, if the things the original owner brought back were better than those of her third sister, she would be very proud, as if to say, "I am prettier than you, and my man is more capable than your man, and it should be so."

If you lose and fail to suppress the opponent, you will snort coldly and say, I am better looking than you, and my man is more capable than your man, so what do these things matter?

Back then, the original owner would send whatever she had back to her mother's home, such as mosquito nets, cloth, money, quilts, and anything that was decent and presentable she would take back to her mother, just to compete with her third sister to see who gave more things to her mother and who would look better, otherwise she would not have been so short of cotton.

So, it is really a mess that cannot be settled.

Hearing her third sister calling her like that, Lin Lan suddenly had an idea.

She immediately put the cloth back on the car and said to Sister Liu, "Don't be afraid, they are one of us."

But then Sister Liu came towards Lin Mei and grabbed her hand and said excitedly, "Big sister, this is incredible. Both pieces of cloth were sold. It was her! That big sister bought them!"

Lin Lan: ...So you guys are a group of people.

Emma, ​​why do I feel that the old lady and Lin Mei are really like sisters? They are a good match!

Lin Mei also snorted coldly, "What? You've become rich? Shanzui Village can't get rid of you, and you even come to the market to show off. Don't you want the whole world to know that you got a hundred yuan?"

"What's wrong? Are you jealous?" Lin Lan smiled, "Third sister, I'm splitting up, won't you go and heat the kang for me?"

Burning the kang means to congratulate the new owner on his/her move, and to bring gifts and gift money as a gift.

Lin Mei curled her lips, "Why do you need to heat the kang? You have to buy something to show off to your parents? How much did you spend out of the hundred yuan? Should you send the rest back to the old lady to take credit?"

"Don't worry, third sister, I won't cheat. You don't have that much money, so my victory would be unfair." Lin Lan smiled.

Lin Mei pouted and threatened her, "Don't be so playful with me. If you keep shopping so ostentatiously, I guess the old lady will bring her son and daughter-in-law to look for you tonight."

Lin Lan was shocked. Emma, ​​she hasn't even gone back to ask for money yet, why are they coming to her house?

"Third sister, you don't know, our house is shabby, there is no place to stand, no place to sit, and a lot of people sleep on the palm-sized kang."

Lin Mei glanced at her and said, "If you have money, just build a big brick and tile house. Wouldn't that make you look good?"

"The brick and tile house was blown here by a strong wind? If there are bricks and wood, there must be strips of paper. Give them to me." Lin Lan tried her best to imitate the original owner's tone.

"If you don't have money to buy bricks and tiles, how can you buy these things? If you're not going to get married, why are you buying so much cloth?"

"I'll lay it out, and nail the rest to the wall as a fence."

Lin Mei rolled her eyes, thinking that her fourth sister was going to send the things back to her parents' home to show off.

The old lady's birthday is coming up in a few days, so the girls will naturally go back to celebrate and bring gifts.

According to the current living standards, people usually just bring two steamed buns, some vegetables, and at best a piece of meat or a pair of shoes, and basically nothing else.

But it looks like Fourth Sister is going to lose face.

In order to reassure them and prevent her family from coming over, Lin Lan said loudly, "Third sister, tell mom on your way home that I will definitely go to her birthday party in a few days. I will definitely give her an unforgettable birthday."

Lin Mei thought that she was going to spend a lot of money to show off her poverty, and her face turned pale with anger and she snorted.

Lin Lan looked at her third sister's expression and said, "Third sister, can you lend me ten yuan?"

Lin Mei was so frightened that she immediately took two steps back and looked at her warily, as if she had seen a ghost.

Is this fourth sister crazy? She would never ask her for a penny even if she was starving to death before, so why is she asking her to borrow ten dollars today when she has a hundred dollars to spend on shopping?

There must be something wrong with this.

Considering Fourth Sister's previous behavior, she didn't expect Lin Lan to deliberately borrow money to scare her.

Then he thought of the 100 yuan his fourth sister had. If she was going to borrow the money, she wouldn't have spent it all showing off. "You spendthrift old woman, 100 yuan is a lot of money you can spend in a lifetime, and you spent it all in one go?"

Lin Lan shrugged. "You were able to find me, but you didn't hear people say that I went shopping in the whole market? There are still many things I haven't bought, including cotton and non-staple food..."

"Stop, stop, just give up." Lin Mei didn't say that she didn't have ten yuan, but just said, "You've spent all the hundred yuan, what can I do with ten yuan? I've spent it all long ago."

Lin Lan stopped talking nonsense with her, "Third sister, would you like to come to my house and have a seat?"

Even though they had fought since childhood, she was her biological sister after all, so Lin Lan still wanted to get closer to her.

Anyway, apart from mocking her, quarreling with her and comparing with her, Lin Mei never took advantage of her.

Oh, it was the original owner and Lin Mei who were having a quarrel and competing with each other.

Lin Mei sneered, "Forget it, I have something going on at home."

She turned around and asked Sister Liu how much she sold it to Lin Lan, and Sister Liu gestured.

Lin Mei glared at Lin Lan and said, "She's quite generous now." Then she said to Sister Liu, "She's one of us, give her a discount."

Just let Sister Liu return one dollar to Lin Lan.

Sister Liu looked very distressed. She had finally met a generous man, but she always listened to Lin Mei, who was their leader.

Lin Lan said, "You don't have to return it to me. Please help me keep an eye out for cotton. If I can't buy cotton, my cotton-padded clothes and quilts will be useless."

"Okay, I'll give you the letter on mom's birthday." As he said this, he glared at Lin Lan, as if to say, "You decide."

You want me to get you some cotton, but you also want to press it on my face. Forget about the cotton!

Lin Lan understood immediately, "Third sister, you see, we just separated, and we really have nothing at home. We are even short of food. We may have to think about giving Mom a birthday gift."

"Then you say you want to celebrate your birthday properly? You are just showing off your poverty." Lin Mei sneered.

"Give mom a surprise." Lin Lan smiled. "Third sister, please help me think about it. I will take all the cotton as soon as it comes. I will buy it at the market price and I won't take advantage of you."

Then she said that she had to go to the slaughtering team and stopped chatting.

Lin Mei's eyes were as sharp as knives. Lin Lan felt that she could be seen through. She thought it would be better to just meet each other and then part ways. There is still a long way to go.

However, Lin Mei didn't seem to intend to let her go. She decided to follow and see, so she carried one piece of cloth and asked Lin Lan to carry the other.

"Third sister, it's so heavy, let someone help carry it over."

"You just tried to fly with two horses on your shoulders, how come you can't fly with just one?"

Lin Lan had no choice but to accept her fate and go to the supply and marketing cooperative with Lin Mei. "Third sister, you said that we are carrying the cloth for speculation to the supply and marketing cooperative. Isn't this just walking into a trap?"

"I know better than you. I made this cloth myself and gave it to my sister. Who cares?"

"Oh, Third Sister, please return all the money to me."

"Go there." Lin Mei rolled her eyes at her.

When I arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, I put my things together and sat outside in the shade of the trees waiting for Han Qingsong to come.

Lin Mei looked at the things on the floor and curled her lips and rolled her eyes. Just having a little money is really a sign of how much money you spend.

"Third sister, please sit down and take a rest."

"I'm not tired."

"I see you spinning around, your mouth curled up to your ears, I feel tired for you."

Lin Mei rolled her eyes vigorously, sat down on the side, and pointed, "What is this? A fire stick?"

"Flute, Third Sister, Flute!"

Lin Mei sneered, "Eat it as a meal? Or burn it as firewood?"

"This is spiritual food." Lin Lan took the flute over for fear that her third sister would throw it away.

Lin Mei stopped talking about the broken flute and pointed at the pile, "Do you need to buy so many bowls? Are they for your parents-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law?"

"There are seven people in our family, and each person has a bowl, and we have to..."

"What the hell!" Lin Mei said sarcastically, "You are really sick. Do we need a bowl for each person to drink water?"

"What about porridge?"

"You and Xiaowang will drink the porridge, Erwang and Sanwang will drink the porridge..."

"Just forget it." Lin Lan felt that this was a clash of living habits and didn't want to argue.

It's like some people think it's okay for the whole family to use one basin, and to wash their faces, feet, buttocks, and even noodles and vegetables, but they think it's pretentious for others to wash their faces and feet in separate basins.

Her third sister was even more amazing. She even calculated the price of the bowls. "A bowl is only five cents. Why should two people use one? Besides, this is made of coarse porcelain. What if it breaks..."

"You are really a big shot. Who dares to hit a bowl? Go back and tell the children that whoever hits the bowl will be beaten and not allowed to eat!"

Lin Lan: !!! So you are the tyrant's third sister!

The two of them were not on the same page. She was no longer the fourth sister who was always interested in comparisons and quarrels. However, the third sister was still the argumentative third sister who could not be provoked and would be defeated.

Lin Mei found Lin Lan silent and felt bored. She always felt that her fourth sister was different. In the past, when they met, she was like a lit firecracker, talking without waiting for her to say anything, but now she became mute when she kept talking.

"Okay, wait a minute. I'll go back and show you the cotton." Lin Mei left immediately after saying that. She came back after two steps. "If you buy these things, won't your mother-in-law ask someone to move?"

Lin Lan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Thank you, Third Sister, for reminding me. It's okay. She doesn't dare. She has given me the money. What's the point of moving a few of my bowls? Besides, she is afraid that I will make a fuss."

Lin Mei turned around and left, leaving a small whirlwind behind her.

Lin Lan: ...

Before noon, she saw Han Qingsong pulling a rickshaw towards her. He was wearing his military uniform, and his tall stature and steady steps made him very conspicuous among the group of dusty members, causing many people to turn their heads to look.

"Here." Lin Lan stood up and waved to him.

Han Qingsong actually saw her at first sight.

In front of the supply and marketing cooperative was a small square with several large locust trees and sycamore trees on each side. Lin Lan was sitting on a rock under the tree. There was a pile of things in front of her, like a small mountain, and it was hard not to see them.

He quickly pulled the trolley and strode over.

Lin Lan got up and moved things.

Han Qingsong: "Leave it alone, I'll do it."

He took out a towel from his pocket and handed it to her to wipe her sweat and fan her, then went to pack her things. He was quick and nimble and had finished everything in no time.

When he saw the flute, he was stunned for a moment, but he didn't say anything and loaded the car silently.

After loading the car, he pulled the car and glanced at Lin Lan.

Lin Lan thought he wanted her to push the cart, so she immediately went to the back to help him push it.

Han Qingsong: "...You go up."

"Haha, I'm not tired, let's just walk."

Han Qingsong didn't move.

Lin Lan: "...Then, I'll go up."

Han Qingsong nodded.

Lin Lan climbed up happily. Who is trying to show off? He is a grandson. It must be tiring to walk such a long way.

Although I’m not wearing high heels, but these broken straw sandals... I must make a few pairs of shoes when I get home.

She just didn't have the patience to make shoe soles, so she decided to see if she could buy two pairs of soles. Money can make the world go round, and she could buy anything. That was it.

She was in high spirits, so she sang the ditty cheerfully. She didn't care whether it was played on the loudspeakers of this era or not, she just sang whatever she could get.

Han Qingsong in front did not say anything and just walked silently.

"It's my child's grandmother's birthday in two years, and I have to go back." Lin Lan remembered and told Han Qingsong about her encounter with Lin Mei.

Han Qingsong hummed, "I'll accompany you?"

"No, don't delay going to work, I'll take Xiaowang with me." These days, except for the winter when people don't have to work and can visit relatives, they basically don't go out at other times because they have to earn work points.

The other children also earned work points, so they would not be delayed. Moreover, they were not willing to go because the original owner favored his brother's nephews and treated them better than his own children, which made the children jealous.

Han Qingsong didn't say anything.

Lin Lan told him about her shopping process, especially the supply and marketing cooperative. She was afraid that Han Qingsong would think she was embarrassed, so she glanced at him and felt relieved when she found that he had no expression.

She gave him a shot of prevention so that he wouldn't hear other people's gossip and have something against her.

After all, there were people from several villages who went there together.

She also talked about buying two rolls of cloth. "Home-woven cloth is cheaper, so I bought all of it. It's a bit much... but it's really cheap!"

She was also afraid that Han Qingsong would think she was spending money recklessly and would have opinions about her.

In the end, Han Qingsong said, "Very good."

Is this not objecting?

But it seemed impossible to get him to say a few more words. It seemed that he would never get the same feeling as if he had bought the most valuable item with very little money.

Han Qingsong took big steps and walked steadily. He didn't need to stop on the way, so he got home quickly.

As soon as they entered the village, they met people returning from work. They saw Han Qingsong was pulling a handcart with his wife sitting on it.

Everyone laughed in good faith, and the young people even frowned and said, "Look at Qingsong, he loves his wife so much."

"That's right. Look at her. She has five children but she still acts like a kid."

"Learn from that."

Lin Lan was embarrassed, and was afraid that Han Qingsong would be too embarrassed to say it, so when they got home, she jumped out of the car before it even stopped, "I'd better walk from now on."

"It's okay." Han Qingsong put down the car.

Erwang, Maisui and Xiaowang at home heard the noise and ran out happily, "Mom is back, Mom is back!"

Lin Lan had already put the small things in her cloth bag and took out some candy to give to each of them.

The candy was not bought by her, but brought back by Han Qingsong, and she kept it.

As soon as she entered the fence, she saw the yard filled with pots and basins of all sizes, and she immediately felt that she was really good at buying.

She asked in a low voice, "Has grandma been here?"

Xiao Wang said: "My grandma is sick."

"Is it sick?"

"My liver hurts." Xiao Wang covered his chest and sobbed like the old lady, "My liver... hurts!"

Lin Lan couldn't help but burst out laughing, then quickly covered her mouth.

Erwang and Maisui spoke with great excitement.

It turned out that the owner of the black goods shop saw that his goods were sold out, so he packed up and sent Lin Lan's goods back without waiting.

The villagers initially thought that he was selling black goods in the countryside and wanted to buy some, but it turned out that they were all bought from Lin Lan's family. The villagers were all stunned.

So many!

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Han ran over excitedly and wanted to put the picks that Lin Lan bought in her own home.

Naturally, the black goods owner refused. Lin Lan repeatedly told him to put the goods in his yard, otherwise she would hold them accountable if they put them in the wrong place.

Since the black goods owner didn't give her face, Mrs. Han went to find Han Qingsong.

Han Qingsong came back after getting the news. Although he couldn't see the difference between the size of these jars, and what was the use of buying so many pots and jars, he felt that Lin Lan went there excitedly and bought them back excitedly, so they must be useful.

If he dares to punish him, he will probably have to sleep on the kang for the rest of his life.

Therefore, he did not give in and just said that it was bought by Lin Lan and he would deal with it when Lin Lan came back.

How could old lady Han bear this?

She immediately covered her chest and said that she was so angry that her liver hurt. She said that her jar, basin, and soup pot were broken, and her son bought new ones, so what was wrong with her replacing them?

I can’t bear to let go!

This is what happened just after we separated, and you still expect him to take care of you in your old age?

She started to curse, and Han Qingsong just let her curse.

Sanwang couldn't help but said to Mrs. Han, "Grandma, with all that money, why don't you buy a good jar? Why do you have to wait for my mother to buy it before you come to ask for it? Do you want to get the hundred yuan back?"

The old lady couldn't bear it anymore and chased Sanwang to beat him.

Sanwang ran away, and the loach did the same, jumping into the river and disappearing.

Xiao Wang cried and shouted: "Grandma dropped my brother into the river!"

The old lady was so angry that her heart, liver, spleen and lungs ached. She went home holding her chest in anger.

After listening to the three little ones, Lin Lan had a hard time holding back her laughter. Finally, while tidying up the aquarium, she lay down in the aquarium and laughed a few times, making a buzzing sound. The children thought it was fun and they all went to the aquarium to make some buzzing sounds.

Lin Lan took a look and said to Han Qingsong, "The old lady wants a jar, why not give her this one?"

She pointed to a corrugated jar. She used all glazed jars to store grain and noodles without getting wet.

Han Qingsong said: "No need."

Lin Lan couldn't tell whether he was saying this in anger or not, but she was quite surprised that Han Qingsong didn't give the old lady the jar when she came to ask for it. She had originally bought an extra one in case the old lady came and complained about Han Qingsong being a bad person and gave her one as a gift.

Since he said it was not necessary, then forget it. She was not used to it.

After work in the evening, Lin Lan instructed Erwang and Mai Sui to cook, and instructed Han Qingsong, Dawang and Sanwang to put away the household items.

The big jar for storing grain should be placed inside the house, with a water jar inside and a smaller one outside, and a pickled vegetable pot inside and outside, covered with a lid to protect them from rain.

As a result, the house was packed with people, leaving only a small path for walking.

When Han Qingsong was carrying the vat into the house, the vat mouth was large and the door was small, so he could hardly get in. Fortunately, he was strong and the door frame was made of flexible wood, so he squeezed in.

But it may be troublesome to take it out when the time comes, and you may have to remove the door frame.

Lin Lan thought she would talk about it later.

Pots, pans, bowls and all kinds of cooking utensils were laid out, making the already cramped house even narrower, but also filled with the smell of smoke.

Han Qingsong said: "Let's make do with it for now, and then build a small house nearby."

Lin Lan said yes!

In the next few days, while the weather was hot, Lin Lan took some time to take apart the quilts and cotton clothes at home and wash them.

Fortunately, Erwang Maisui helped, so she, who was not good at needlework, completed the task smoothly.

I just had some trouble when doing the laundry.

There was no laundry detergent at that time, only soap, which came in cubes and was also bought with tickets.

Lin Lan didn't buy it this time. There was only one piece in the house, which was brought back by Han Qingsong.

Nowadays, villagers are reluctant to use soap when washing clothes, and few households in the village buy soap. They basically use alkali, and even alkali is not used. Instead, they soak wood ash and then beat it on a stone with a wooden hammer, which can wash away most of the ash.

Lin Lan was afraid that the hammer would tear the cloth. Those clothes had been worn for many years and were very thin. Even if she used too much strength, it would not work. If she hammered them again and again, they would definitely tear faster.

She reluctantly used the soap first and would find a way to buy a few more bars later.

It’s okay not to do daily laundry, but I’ve used this quilt for a year and it really needs to be washed and cleaned.

There were few clothes at that time. Those with better conditions had single clothes and cotton-padded clothes. Those with worse conditions had single clothes and cotton-padded clothes when the weather was cold. When the weather was hot, the cotton-padded clothes could be used as single clothes after the cotton was removed.

So the inside of the cotton-padded jacket is empty, and there is no spring or autumn clothes to wear to keep out the dust. Plus, I don’t take a shower in winter, so it’s really... Even if there is a quilt, it’s the same without sheets or quilt covers, so it can’t be clean at all.

After thinking about it, she felt that the cotton cloth was still not enough, and she had to make quilt covers and bed sheets so that the quilts would not have to be taken apart and washed every year.

In addition, we have to make more clothes for the children to wear under their cotton coats.

We also have to find a way to let the children take a bath in winter. They can't go without a bath for four or five months.

Wash and dry it, put it away, and wait for the cotton to be in place before you can sew it.

In the blink of an eye, it was time to beg for money - the eve of Mrs. Lin’s birthday.

Lin Lan made some arrangements at home and took Xiaowang to Linjiatun the next day.

Han Qingsong saw her carrying a rag bag, which contained a two-grain cake, a few candies, and nothing else. After a while, she carried a newly bought basket, and he wondered if she was giving this as a birthday gift to the old lady, which didn't seem quite appropriate.

Lin Lan also added a few cucumbers and tomatoes.

After packing up, Lin Lan said to Han Qingsong, "If I can't come back at noon, Mai Sui and Er Wang can just heat up the rice, and you can eat together."

Han Qingsong nodded, "Okay, go ahead."

He thought maybe she had some money with her, so it would be nice to give the old lady some money.

Linjiatun is not very far from Shanzui Village, less than ten miles away, and it takes just over half an hour to walk there.

But having a child makes things much slower.

At first, Lin Lan led him and told him stories along the way. After walking for ten minutes, his pace slowed down.

Lin Lan found a spot under a tree and let Xiao Wang sit on a basket. She took out a washed cucumber, broke it in half, and handed him the juicy top part. "Xiao Wang, eat the cucumber."

Xiao Wang hesitated for a moment, "Mom, aren't you going to give it to grandma?"

Lin Lan smiled and said, "No, this is what we brought for the trip."

"What about Shin-chan?"

"I won't give it to you. I'll give it to my Xiaowang." Lin Lan stroked the top of his head. Xiaowang didn't feel very secure and always liked to confirm with her again and again.

She knew he needed her firm answer, that she loved him.

Xiaowang put on a sweet smile and started to chew the cucumber.

Lin Lan also ate a piece.

After resting for a few minutes, Lin Lan continued on the road carrying him on her back. After walking for a while and taking a rest, Xiaowang asked to walk by himself.

By the time we arrived outside Linjiatun Village, we had finished eating all the tomatoes, cucumbers and cakes.

"Xiao Wang, will you feel hungry if you don't eat lunch?"

Xiao Wang touched his belly and said, "Mom, I'm not hungry even if I don't eat for a day."

"Good son." Lin Lan touched his soft head and led him to her parents' home.

Linjiatun is not big, smaller than Shanzui Village, with less than two hundred households.

Linjiatun is close to the river, with abundant water and stones. Hardworking families pick up stones to build walls and foundations, and then build yellow mud walls on top. Although they are also covered with wheat straw, they are much neater than Shanzui Village.

Shanzui Village is said to be backed by a mountain, but it is not the kind of mountain you see in the northeast or south of the Yangtze River. Rather, it is a short mountain where nothing grows, where you can’t grow crops and there are no trees to cut down.

Old Lintou'er's house was in the south of the village, along the river, and we arrived there quickly.

Lin Lan has an older brother, three older sisters, and a younger brother, so she is considered a big family.

The door of Lao Lin's house does not face south, but east, facing the road.

The gate to the courtyard was open, and a woman's loud voice could be heard from inside.

Just as Lin Lan and Xiao Wang were about to go in, a man rushed out from behind the haystack, grabbed Lin Lan and walked into another alley.

"Hey..." Lin Lan was about to shout.

The man growled, "Don't howl, it's me."

"Third sister, why are you sneaking around like a thief?"

"I have to wait for you." Lin Mei pulled her into another alley and talked behind a haystack.

She glanced at Xiao Wang and said, "This is... Xiao Wang?"

Lin Lan touched Xiao Wang's head and said, "Call me Third Aunt."

The original owner disliked Xiaowang and never took him out. Everyone only knew his name but not him.

Xiaowang called out obediently.

Lin Mei fumbled around and said, "Oh, you didn't say you were bringing the kids. I didn't bring any candy."

Lin Lan knew that this was her personality. She couldn't admit that she was not prepared or didn't have it, for fear of losing face.

She smiled and said, "What are you preparing for yourself?" She took out a piece of candy and stuffed it into Lin Mei's pocket, "For you."

Lin Mei: ...

She stuffed the candy into Xiaowang's hand and said, "Eat it."

Xiaowang thanked him with a smile and put the money in his pocket.

Lin Mei: ...Mom, what the hell, you're just a little idiot, why are you so polite? You're so elegant, like a cadre's kid.

Lin Lan looked at Lin Mei's basket and asked, "What did you bring to celebrate the birthday?"

Lin Mei, however, wanted to see Lin Lan's first.

Lin Lan showed it to her.

Lin Mei's eyes widened. "Old Four, you're crazy. Why don't you bring anything for Mom's birthday?"

Lin Lan shrugged, "I have jars and bowls at home, I can't just carry a jar here."

The cloth was not enough for her. "Oh, I am not empty-handed. Here is a basket. I just bought it."

Lin Mei sighed, quickly covered her mouth, poked Lin Lan with a finger, and laughed softly, "You're here to irritate me. Dad only knows how to weave baskets. There are wicker everywhere by the river. Do you need to deliver them?"

Lin Lan curled her lips, "My father can weave baskets, but why don't we have any baskets at home?"

Lin Mei snorted, "It's because you are poor but you are showing off. Who can you blame? My eldest sister and second sister both have baskets to use." She knew her mother-in-law could weave them, but she had no use for them.

Lin Lan looked at what Lin Mei brought. Lin Mei covered the bag in the basket and said, "Nothing."

If she doesn’t bring the fourth child, what else can she bring?

Lin Lan smiled and said, "What did you bring? How about giving me half?"

Lin Mei rolled her eyes at her and opened the bundle, revealing four white flour buns, a few eggplants and a handful of long beans.

Lin Lan exaggerated, "Third sister, you are really willing to give. Since you have brought it, take out the steamed buns and let's have one."

She now has white flour at home, but she herself can't bear to eat it, and her children don't have enough, so she didn't bring any.

Lin Mei clapped her hands, took out four white flour buns, wrapped them in a bundle, then hid aside and found an intact haystack that no one had touched to hide the buns in it.

Lin Lan: ...

How can it be like this?

After hiding it, Lin Mei snorted, "If you still want cotton, shut your mouth. I'm already collecting it. I'll give it to you next time."

At this moment, Lin Lan had only an empty basket, while she had a basket full of vegetables, so she was always more proud than the fourth brother!

"Okay then, let's go in together?"

Lin Mei also took Xiao Wang's hand and said, "Let's go!"

As soon as the three of them entered the yard, the yard, which had been as noisy as a vegetable market, suddenly became as quiet as a chicken.

Everyone looked at them. Xiaowang and the others didn't know them, and Lin Lan and Lin Mei didn't know them either.

The two of them could still come in hand in hand, and it would definitely snow in the summer and thunder in the winter.

"Third and fourth aunts, you are finally here!" Several children came running over, especially Xiaoxin from the second house, who was the original owner's most beloved nephew.

The child rushed over and tried to push Xiaowang away, "Who are you? Get up."

Xiaowang was so scared that his face turned pale and he hugged Lin Lan's thigh tightly.

Lin Lan stuffed a piece of candy into Xiao Wang's mouth and said to Xiao Xin, "You are my brother, don't scare my Xiao Wang."

"Sugar, candy, I want to eat it!" Xiaoxin stretched out his hand to take the candy from Xiaowang's mouth.

"Pa" Lin Lan slapped Xiao Xin's hand away, "What are you doing?"

When Xiao Xin saw that his beloved Fourth Auntie actually hit him, he immediately became restless and started rolling on the ground.

"What's the matter? What's the matter?" Old Mrs. Lin rushed out of the house.

Elder sister Lin and second sister Lin also came over, and Xiaoxin's mother, the second daughter-in-law of the Lin family, Tang Hehua also rushed over.

Tang Hehua picked up her child and said, "His fourth aunt, what's wrong with you? You're showing off as soon as you enter your mother's house? I heard that you divided the family property, how many treasures did you give back to mother?"

Lin Mei: "Second brother, what are you talking about? Xiaoxin is a kid who throws himself into a rage when he's not happy. It's time to take care of him."

Old Mrs. Lin looked at Xiao Wang and said, "Come in quickly. Are you thirsty? Have a drink of water."

As she spoke, she went to look at the baskets of the two ladies.

The two girls loved to compete and compare with each other, and they always tried to bring something for her.

As a result, this time she was stunned when she saw it.

Why bring a few eggplants in the hot summer?

We can’t even finish eating the food we grow at home.

The fourth lady... empty?

Coming to your mother's house empty-handed?

This is a free meal!

Seeing the old lady's face turn pale, Lin Lan stuffed the basket into her mother's arms, "Mom, we just separated and got a few pounds of food. I was starving after having no food to eat. I also got a few dollars, so I bought two jars and some household items. I also bought you a basket..."

Mrs. Lin loosened her grip and the basket fell to the ground, jumped, and then rolled away.

The eldest and second sisters Lin stepped forward and said, "Third and fourth brothers, what are you talking about? Don't make mother angry."

They helped the old lady into the house.

Lin Lan complained: "Mom, I can't just come in and drink water after I get something. If I don't get something, I'm not a human being. You won't let me in, right? We walked all the way here and we are so thirsty. Besides, I brought a basket, so I'm not empty-handed."

Lin Mei was almost dying of laughter. This damn girl, the fourth child, must have something wrong with her.

She stuffed her basket into Lin Lan's hand and said, "When you divided the family property, didn't your mother-in-law share your vegetable garden or private plot or anything like that? Can't you bring some cucumbers and tomatoes for mother? You should at least bring two steamed buns. There are so many people here today, we won't have food to eat." As she said this, she looked at Lin Lan smugly. If she dared to tell her about the steamed buns, she would not get any cotton for her.

Lin Lan: "Third sister, how can I compare with you? You have been in charge of the family for a long time, and your family must have some wealth. I just separated from my family, and I have only two shabby houses and a hundred yuan..."

What?

Old Mrs. Lin immediately turned her head to look at her, anger in her eyes.

One hundred dollars?

Old Mrs. Lin has never seen a hundred yuan, and now she has less than twenty yuan on hand.

Lin Lan sighed, "She said she would give it to me when we split up the family business, but then she said she still owed me. Now she's only given me ten yuan, which is not enough to buy some small things at the market. So, I wonder if Mom is..."

"What are you thinking? Asking me for money? I don't have any!" Old Mrs. Lin waved her hands like wave drums.

Lin Mei looked at her fourth sister. She knew about the one hundred yuan matter. All the women in Shanzui Village knew about Lin Lan's purchase at the market.

But I guess it hasn't been passed here yet.

"I don't want to borrow food or money, but two kilograms of cotton will be fine. Mom, I didn't get any quilts or cloth when I divided the family property. Now Dawang has no cotton-padded jacket to wear, and Erwang and Sanwang's are too small. What do you think..."

"You...you useless girl, why did I give birth to such a useless girl like you? You are capable of making noises, why don't you make noises? Why are you mute? Take a rope and hang yourself in front of their house. If that doesn't work, go to the brigade and hang yourself..."

Lin Lan: ...Now I know why the original owner likes to commit suicide and scare people so much.

Xiaowang was frightened by her and started crying.

Sister Lin and her wife Wang Lianying came over together. Wang Lianying stuffed a piece of cake into Xiaowang's hand and said, "Good boy, don't cry."

Wang Lianying said to Mrs. Lin, "Mom, it's getting late. Let's have dinner early."

Old Mrs. Lin was unhappy, “They come to dinner with ten big carrots, how can I say anything about that?” She is the mother so she can tolerate it, and the brothers and sisters have no objections either, but the two daughters-in-law must have opinions, right?

Sister Lin laughed and said, "Mother, what you said means that even if a daughter-in-law comes to our house for a meal, it's not okay? Are married daughters really like spilled water?"

Second Sister Lin also followed suit, "That's right, if that's the case, then we'll be too embarrassed to leave. Let's go with Fourth Sister. Sister-in-law, let's go!"

Wang Lianying smiled and said, "You are all done now. Stop joking and get ready so we can have dinner."

Tang Hehua was still angry and kicked the basket on the ground hard.

When Mrs. Lin saw it, she said, "It's a good basket. Why are you kicking it? If it breaks, we will suffer the consequences. You can just use the straw to fill it up at the base of the wall."

Because it was not yet noon and the men had not returned from work, Tang Hehua could not go to the men to complain, so she could only sulk and complain to the children.

Mrs. Lin saw the fourth daughter still standing there looking at something and immediately got angry. "What are you doing standing there? I'm your own mother, not your mother-in-law. Can I really not let you eat?"

Lin Lan observed the old lady's expression and felt that she was not that extreme. She also thought that if she made such a fuss, the old lady would cut off all ties with her.

She looked at everyone. In fact, the Lin family was relatively normal. The eldest and second sisters were older than them and married early. She and the third sister spent more time at home.

My parents are the type who favor boys over girls. Since I was a child, all the food in the family has been given to the men. The men don't have to do housework when they get home. But they are not too harsh on their daughters either. They still make sure they eat enough.

The eldest brother has a good personality and is very kind to his younger sister, but he is actually kind but a little cowardly. The eldest sister-in-law has received a few years of education and is sensible. Although she complains that her parents-in-law favor boys over girls and sometimes behave inappropriately, she does not favor the younger sister-in-law or bully the daughter-in-law, so they get along well.

The younger brother was more cowardly. He was the only one in the family who went to school, but he didn't study hard. He went to a junior high school that was not even as good as the primary school before the Cultural Revolution. He was not good at anything and couldn't even figure out how to be a scorekeeper. He had to go home and continue farming.

My younger brother's wife, Tang Hehua, is more powerful. She likes to take advantage of others. Her family conditions are good and they look up to her at home.

Because the second brother Lin has a weaker personality, he has always been under her control.

Lin Lan also wanted to test it out. If her parents' family could tolerate her, they would continue to have normal contact with her in the future. If not, then goodbye.

She flattened her lips and said, "Old lady, you always ask me to hold a rope or jump into the river. Is it true or false? Don't you know that I take it seriously?"

So you didn't know that I drank pesticide a few days ago? Why are you still irritating me so much?

Old Madam Lin spat, "Today is my good day, so stop saying sad things. Who in our family can be fooled by your little tricks? You've had this problem since you were a kid."

Lin Lan said nothing and walked into the house.

The Lin family's house was much smaller than Mrs. Han's. Mrs. Han's house was very deep, with the south and north kangs, and enough space for a wardrobe and two large vats. Mrs. Lin's house only had the south kang, with a wardrobe and a vat in front of it, which was almost full.

Therefore, there were noodle jars and water jars in the main room, which was very crowded, similar to Lin Lan's current small house.

Although it was noon, the room's wooden windows were small and had window lattices, so it wasn't very bright inside.

Lin Lan took out the candies she had brought and gave one to each child.

You can be angry with adults, but you still need to coax children.

Wang Lianying whispered, "I heard that the child's uncle is back. Is everything okay?"

Lin Lan's family had also heard about the pesticide drinking incident, but they didn't know the details. According to custom, after the original owner tried to commit suicide and scare people, she would usually succeed and get something, and would bring it back to her parents' home to show off. After this happened so many times, naturally no one came to visit her and just waited for her to return to her parents' home to perform on her own.

Lin Lan smiled and said, "I came back a few days ago. We just divided the family. Each person was given half a pound of food a day..."

"Oh, half a catty is not enough to eat. The little brat will make me poor," Wang Lianying calculated and said, "You have to have some private plots and vegetable gardens. Plant more radishes and potatoes, and you can have some meals. There are also some dried sweet potatoes and sorghum rice at home. I will discuss it with my parents later. Don't worry..."

"Sister-in-law, I'm grateful for what you said. There's no need for food. His father will find a way." Lin Lan declined. No family has enough food.

"Look at what you said. We are all family. Would you let your nephew go hungry when you are in trouble?"

Sister Lin and the second sister asked Lin Lan about the separation of the family, what they had got and what they lacked. They all said that there was no time to burn the kang while working, so they could help each other with some things and send them back to her parents' house so that Lin Lan could come and get them.

They obviously felt that the fourth sister had changed, and it seemed normal and a good thing that the child's father had returned.

Old Madam Lin snorted and glared at Lin Lan. "Didn't I hear that she bought all the vats and baskets? She couldn't use them all herself and she came to give them to me. There's no cotton at home, and these children probably won't be able to go out naked in the winter. Sisters, please give her two kilograms of cotton."

Cotton claws are cotton that has been rolled up for too long and is not warm. At a time when cotton is in short supply, this is a good thing and can be used again after being re-rolled.

The eldest sister Lin and the second sister have been married for a long time and are both the heads of the family. No matter how tight the situation is, they can grit their teeth and get by.

Sister Lin also gave Lin Lan the cotton coupons she was going to use as a dowry for her eldest daughter, and asked her to return them next year. Lin Lan declined and only wanted some old cotton.