The morning mist was like a gauze with its threads pulled out by the sun, gradually dissipating into the sky.
The icicles under the eaves reflected golden light. Although the cold was still flowing in the air, the rising sun slanted down on the bluestone slabs, adding a bit of warmth to this cold winter day.
In the Gu family's yard, bamboo plaques are placed next to each other, and fluffy quilts drying in the sun are gently swaying in the breeze, like a soft cloud.
Today is a rare good day this month, so Li took out all the quilts in the house to dry them in the sun to remove the musty smell.
On the stone table in the corner of the courtyard, her aunt held the embroidery frame in her left hand while the silver needle in her right moved back and forth across the red silk, occasionally picking up the thread ends. Gu Jiayue leaned over to take a look and saw that she was actually embroidering tiger-head shoes.
My eldest sister-in-law was found to be pregnant two days ago, and the whole family was overjoyed. My eldest aunt-in-law was even more exaggerated and wanted to burn incense and tell the ancestors about it immediately.
It was grandma who remained calm and stopped my aunt's crazy behavior.
But grandma was not very rational. She couldn't wait to finish her meal and ran to the room to find the cloth to make a tiger-head hat for her great-grandson.
My aunt-in-law was no less impressive. She usually hated sewing, but today, for the first time ever, she took the sewing basket and vowed to make a pair of small shoes.
At this moment, she was humming a tuneless little song, and even the way she squinted her eyes while threading the needle revealed her unconcealable joy.
Second aunt was also sitting on the other side of the stone table, biting off the silk thread and shaking out the newly cut navy blue cloth for demonstration.
The cotton bulged slightly in the fabric. Her fingertips stroked the fine stitches, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously rose.
This year the family had more money, and grandma had bought some cotton early and distributed it to the family. So he planned to make a new set of clothes for the head of the household to wear during the Spring Festival.
After all, men have to go out for social events during the Chinese New Year. Everyone will be wearing new clothes at that time. Wouldn't it be laughed to death if the head of the family wears tattered clothes?
As for her? She could just take the boss's unwanted clothes and alter them, then wear them as is. She had no interest in going out and meeting people anyway.
Especially during the Chinese New Year, she was not willing to go out at all. She was especially reluctant to go back to her parents' home on the second day of the Lunar New Year, which everyone looked forward to.
Because once she got home, her aunts and uncles would pull her aside and ask: Are you pregnant? Or why not adopt a son? Girls are just a waste of money, they will all belong to someone else in the future.
She didn't like to hear these things. Those words were like thorns, piercing her heart from time to time.
The girls from the Gu family also brought small stools and sat in a circle, each of them sewing.
Since they had learned embroidery professionally at the academy, the girls in Taohua Village were now all skilled craftsmen. Especially after Huo Qiushuang came, she even opened an accounting class.
Nowadays, the girls in Taohua Village are not only good at embroidery, but also at accounting and cooking, which makes the girls in other villages very envious.
In the past few days, there has been a constant stream of people coming to the village to visit.
Let’s not talk about anything else, just take the girl from the village chief’s family as an example. The people who came to see her actually broke down the threshold of his house.
Thinking of the young man who stepped on the door railing of the village chief's house and looked at a loss with his face flushed, the girls couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh.
"Three sisters-in-law, we are going to the county town to buy ingredients for Laba porridge tomorrow. Would you like to join us?" A cheerful greeting suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate.
Five or six aunts came in one after another, carrying bamboo baskets and holding shoe soles. Gu Bailu and Gu Zhigeng quickly put down what they were holding and stood up to move stools.
The aunts were not polite either. The bamboo stools were moved on the bluestone slabs with a clattering sound. The aunts sat down next to the women of the Gu family. Their fingertips continued to shuttle between needles and threads, but their mouths were not idle.
In an instant, the yard was filled with greetings and laughter.
"Go! Of course!" The aunt's voice was so loud that the tiger on the embroidery frame seemed to become more majestic. "I have to buy some pork bones and mutton for my daughter-in-law to nourish her body."
She raised her chin, her eyes and eyebrows showing pride, completely losing her former aggressiveness.
"Oh, has Mrs. Gu changed her personality?"
"I used to think she was a powerful mother-in-law..."
Amidst the teasing, the aunt-in-law was not annoyed. Instead, she straightened her back and said, "My family doesn't tolerate those dirty things!"
She said this with a mixture of pride and confidence, because it was the truth.
Don’t think that Grandma Gu scolds this and that all day long (of course, she mainly scolds my aunt), but every time she scolds someone, she has a reason and a basis.
Grandma Gu never bullies her daughter-in-law for no reason.
So with his words and deeds, the three daughters-in-law of the Gu family could not do such a thing.
Besides, Zhao Xing'er was pregnant with the Gu family's first great-grandchild, a highly-protected member of the Gu family. Who would dare mistreat a daughter-in-law pregnant with a golden grandson? The rolling pin in her mother-in-law's hand wouldn't tolerate it.
"That's right, this is indeed the family tradition of your Gu family." The aunt who spoke gave a thumbs up.
"Hey, her third sister-in-law, isn't your Yuchuan's illness cured? Have you given him a visit?"
"Yes, Yuchuan is a tall and strong boy. He was smart when he was young and he's handsome now. But he was delayed by that illness. Now that he's recovered, you shouldn't have trouble finding a wife given your family's current situation, right?"
Someone suddenly mentioned Gu Yuchuan, and the sole of the shoe in Li's hand paused.
The sunlight fell on the white hair at her temples. She smiled and replied, "I'm looking at you," but there was an inextricable sorrow in her eyes.
Ever since her son recovered from his illness, his distant attitude has been like an invisible wall. Even though he still retains the childhood habit of blowing on the soup to cool it down before drinking it, the stiffness in his hugs and the gap in his conversations keep her tossing and turning at night.
"Hey, I have a niece from my mother's family. She's seventeen years old. She's so pretty and pretty. Should we go see her someday?"
Li was a little tempted, but thinking of her son's cold face, she could only shake her head and refuse. "Forget it, let's wait a little longer. After all, Yuchuan is still young. Let him see for himself first."
Seeing that Li refused, the aunt was not stupid and immediately understood what she meant.
"Oh, it's noon now, right? I have to go back and make lunch."
As we were talking, the sun had already climbed to the zenith. Smoke rose from other houses, and some people got up to go home. The yard suddenly became lively.
Li hurriedly tried to persuade him to stay. "Please sit for a while. You can eat at my house later."
"No, no, there are still old and young people waiting at home."
"No need to send it off."
Seeing that some people were leaving and it was time to cook, the others did not stay any longer.
"Then I'll go too. Aunt Zhang, wait for me. I'll go to your house and pour some sour soup. The kids at home want to eat pickled fish, so I'll make some sour soup and some pickled vegetables."
"Hey, why bother? I just made it the day before yesterday, so it should be ready today. Just take it."
"Three sisters-in-law, we'll be leaving first. Oh, you guys are having such a good chat but haven't made any plans yet. We're here to ask if your family is going to the county town too, can you take us with you?"
The topic turned to taking a carriage to the county town. The Gu family had a carriage, and if they could take it to the county town, not only would they not have to walk, but it would also be very convenient.
Mainly because I heard from people who have ridden in it that the carriage is very comfortable to sit in.
Li looked at Gu Jiayue, who smiled and nodded.
She knew what these aunts meant when they started talking.
Gu Jiayue was still willing to help with this little thing.
This is how people in the countryside get along with each other, neighbors bothering each other. This is how they stay together.
The aunts immediately surrounded her and stuffed her with hot pancakes and dewy cabbages. Gu Jiayue did not refuse and let the aunts stuff her hands full.
Anyway, they are just some small farm stuff, not worth much. I feel relieved after I accept them.
Li stood up again. "Oh, why are you sending these as a gift?"
"Don't talk, it's not a gift for you."
Several people started pushing and shoving again.
Gu Jiayue couldn't stand this kind of scene the most, so she took two steps back holding her things.
Gu Zhigeng stood beside her, holding a handful of pickled cabbage in his hand. "Sister, I want to eat pickled fish too."
"Then tell Second Aunt?" To be fair, the pickled fish made by Second Aunt is so delicious that you can swallow your tongue.
Gu Zhigeng rubbed in front of Second Aunt and said with a flattering smile, "Second Aunt, I want to eat pickled fish."
Gu Yuhe, who had just come out to see what was going on, immediately started drooling. "Pickled fish? Where is it? I want some too."
He had a loud voice and everyone knew what he was saying in an instant.
Li glared at him, "Eat, eat, eat. All you do all day is eat. Come out if you've finished your winter vacation homework!"
Gu Yuhe hung his head, pouting in frustration. Could he finish that mountain of homework in just a day or two?
He had been writing since he got up in the morning, and his second brother, the black-faced monster, was watching him the whole time. If there was even the slightest mistake, he would tear up the homework he had worked so hard to write and make him rewrite it.
It was already early in the morning, and his schoolwork was progressing slower than a tortoise. He still couldn't find anyone to reason with.
Because everyone in the family supports my second brother in doing this.
Being tortured like this every day, and now even getting scolded for wanting to eat a pickled fish?
He really feels wronged!
"Ah? What winter vacation homework?" one of the aunts asked in confusion. "Didn't my second son go back and say the teacher said we should just play during the holidays and not do homework?"
An auntie immediately chimed in. "He has homework. My son Pu Sheng says he has a lot, so he has to get up before dawn every day to do it. His hands are frozen red, but he keeps doing it. It makes me sad to see him. So this time I went to the county town, in addition to buying ingredients for Laba porridge, I also wanted to buy some good charcoal for Pu Sheng so he can study well."
"Haha, you Zhang Erwa, you actually dare to fool his mother!" The aunt didn't care about arguing with Li at this time. She carried the basket and rushed home.
On the way, he picked up a branch as thick as a thumb.
Oh, Zhang Erwa is going to have meat to eat tonight.
Stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat, so fragrant!
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