Xiao Jiu certainly knew what women would face if they started their own businesses in this era.
Especially with their scumbag fathers still alive and the Tang family having uncles and brothers, Tang Cuihua's choice to establish her own household is not just telling everyone that she will either not marry or find a husband in the future.
Because she was neither a widow who had started her own household, nor a daughter who was the only child left after her parents passed away.
Of course, there could be other reasons as well.
Ultimately, it comes down to the low status of women; it's not that they can't do it, but that they are looked down upon by others.
When the village chief was processing Cuihua's household registration, he explained all the possibilities, but Cuihua didn't care at all, which is why it was successful.
Afterwards, the Tang family also came to make trouble, and Tang Youtian was particularly dissatisfied. However, with his second wife standing there, he didn't cause too much trouble. After all, he already had a son, and he had someone to carry on the family line. As long as Tang Cuihua didn't come looking for trouble, he could tolerate it.
But the old woman from the Tang family was unwilling. Strangely enough, before the old man even said anything, she disagreed. It was one thing for her to constantly insult these unfilial granddaughters in the village, but whenever she had a chance, she would come over to cause trouble and try every means to get into Cuihua's house. Unfortunately, Cuiju and Cuilian had already been successfully brainwashed by Cuihua and knew how to resist.
Unable to get any favors from Tang Youtian, she became even more resentful, and consequently, she also disliked the woman Tang Youtian later married.
A typical example of a wicked mother-in-law in this era.
However, she dared not say anything more under these circumstances, and just covered her mouth and chuckled. Her grandmother patted her head.
"Our little wine will definitely find someone who cherishes you, loves you, and understands you in the future."
Will it?
Hehe, she dared not have any hope.
——
Today is the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, and there is only one market day left in town. Grandma still needs to make New Year's goods at home, so she asked Grandpa to pull the cart to see if there was anything she needed to buy. For safety reasons, she didn't let Xiaojiu go, but took her little brother who insisted on coming along and would cry if she didn't.
The eldest and second eldest brothers went to find firewood, and they wouldn't go out until the New Year.
Xiao Jiu was in charge of tending the fire, and Tao Qing was helping her grandmother knead the dough. They were busy when Grandma Zheng from next door rushed in anxiously.
"Yingzi, Yingzi, hurry, hurry! Old Zhou has fainted from anger because of his unfilial adopted son. There's a complete mess up ahead. That unfilial son even ran away. What should we do? Don't you have a cart? Let's pack it up and get Old Zhou to the township health center right away."
"What? Old Zhou fainted? Oh dear, what bad timing! My Shuanzi went to the market with his cart. Tao Qing, Tao Qing, go check on your Grandpa Zhou! Jiu'er, don't start the fire yet, Grandma can't cook. We can't take care of you right now, so stay home and behave yourself!"
Fainting from anger?
"My brother Yue isn't home?"
"Yes, he went to help out at his master's place during the school break. He said he wouldn't be back until the 30th. Otherwise, how could they dare to do that?"
Watching her grandmother and Grandma Zheng running around with their bound feet, she felt a pang of heartache. Their generation had truly suffered greatly.
Unfortunately, Xiao Jiu was a nobody, and by the time she ran over, Grandpa Zhou had already passed away. The courtyard was filled with people, all with regret and sorrow on their faces. All that could be heard was Grandma Zhou's heart-wrenching cries, but she couldn't catch her breath and fainted as well.
This terrified everyone. They tried pinching her philtrum and loosening her collar. Although she woke up, she seemed to have lost all her energy, which made her grandmother cry.
"Xiang, Xiang, hang in there! We're going to the hospital right away. You have your grandson waiting for you, so please don't fall asleep."
"Ying, Yingzi, I... I can't go on. My son, A-Yue, is in your care. Please tell him not to seek revenge, not to ruin their future, and to let them live well. Old Zhou and I are watching from heaven..."
"Xiang, don't go. I can't handle this son of a bitch; only you can deal with him. Wait for him to come back and talk to him. Don't sleep, wake up..."
In the Zhou family's kitchen, steamed buns were still being prepared for the New Year. The elderly couple were looking forward to celebrating the New Year with their grandson.
Who would have thought that the arrival of Zhou Dashan and his family of four would actually cause Rensheng to die of anger?
"Call the police! Call the police now! Arrest that bastard Zhou Dashan and avenge the old couple!"
Someone shouted something, and the scene quickly spiraled out of control; even the village chief couldn't maintain order.
Zhou Dashan and his eldest son ran away, but his wife and second son were held down by the villagers and are now kneeling on the ground, terrified.
Who would have thought that the old couple would be so useless? They just came to ask for some money and food. If they don't want to give it, they don't have to. Why make such a fuss?
People are furious. They have no food or money, and their husbands have run away. The woman is kneeling on the ground, crying, while adults and children spit on her, throw dirt and vegetable leaves at her, and some even slap her youngest son.
Xiao Jiu couldn't help but worry that if the gloomy boy knew the truth, would he kill the whole family of four?
Perhaps Grandma Zhou was worried about this, which is why she left such a last message?
That afternoon, the police arrived and took away Zhou Dashan's wife and son, along with his biological parents.
The funeral arrangements for the elderly Zhou couple were taken over by their kind grandparents. Since they no longer had any contact with the Zhou family, the funeral was simple. That evening, Zhou Yue rushed back from the villages around the county town, knelt down as soon as he entered the door, and crawled all the way to kneel in front of the old couple's coffins.
This coffin was originally prepared for the village elders, but they never expected that it would be given to someone else before they could use it themselves.
Of course, the grandparents didn't treat them badly either, giving each of them ten yuan as compensation.
The coffins weren't worth much; they weren't made of good wood. The main expense was labor. Both coffins were painted black, and although they had no decorative patterns, they still looked solemn and heavy in the courtyard.
Zhou Yue knelt there silently, tears streaming down his face, and Xiao Jiu felt bad seeing this.
This is a child who was abandoned. He finally found someone to care for him, but he didn't have many good days before he passed away. He was even driven to his death by someone who angered him.
This is something that Zhou Yue can't swallow, and even Xiao Jiu can't swallow it!
Seeing Zhou Yue's clenched fist, Xiao Jiu silently walked over, knelt beside him, held his hand tightly, and pried his fist open.
“Brother Yue, Zhou Dashan has run away. I know you have the ability to find him, but I think it’s not worth ruining your life for such scum. You still have things to do. When you become stronger in the future, you will have plenty of ways to deal with him, but definitely not now. Don’t forget, Brother Xing is still making achievements and building his future on the battlefield. If you act impulsively at this time, you may do something that you will regret for the rest of your life.”
"Everyone in the village heard Grandma Zhou's last words. With all her might, she told my grandmother to keep an eye on you, to prevent you from taking revenge, to study hard, and to serve the country well. In the future, when you and Xing-gege both achieve something, they can die in peace and will be watching over you from heaven. So, Yue-gege, don't force yourself to think about revenge. Once you let it go, you've let it go. People can't come back to life, but you still have your own responsibilities as you live."
Xiao Jiu's voice was very soft, so soft that only the two of them could hear it.
She believed she still had some influence with Zhou Yue, which is why she risked exposure to say those words before he exploded.
Seeing the bloodlust in Zhou Yue's eyes gradually fade, she only breathed a slight sigh of relief before reminding him.
"You'll be taking the high school entrance exam this spring, brother. Hang in there for two more years. Once you get into military academy, you'll find that scum like Zhou Dashan won't have a good ending, even if you don't have to do it yourself. If you trust me, you can leave it to me. I'll definitely avenge you. What do you say?"
Zhou Yue frowned, looked down at her, and saw Xiao Jiu's seemingly harmless face, smiling innocently.
"Grandpa and Grandma Zhou were good to me and watched me grow up. They are my grandparents too. I'm not willing to accept their unexpected passing. Brother Yue, do you think I'm a suitable candidate?"
Zhou Yue stared intently at Xiao Jiu with his dark eyes, as if trying to see through her. Only when an elder's voice sounded from the side did Zhou Yue quickly stand up and bow to the person beside him.
These were villagers the same age as Zhou Yue's grandparents. They came over with sad expressions to comfort Zhou Yue and patted him on the shoulder.
"Xiao Yue, listen to your grandfather's advice. Hatred will make you lose your way. You are such an outstanding child, you are destined to be a soldier. You must not do anything impulsively that will ruin your and your brother's future. Otherwise, not only your grandfather, but even your grandmother will die with regrets!"
They should have been called maternal grandparents, but because they changed their surname to Zhou, they can be called maternal grandparents or paternal grandparents, as long as the two brothers have the blood of the Zhou family flowing in their veins.
One person offering advice is well-intentioned, but if multiple people offer advice, then it's genuine concern, given Zhou Yue's strength.
If they let him get away with messing with Zhou Dashan, the whole family of four might not survive.
Their deaths are a minor matter, but ruining the two brothers' futures is a much bigger deal.
After thirteen-year-old Zhou Yue went to live with his grandparents, his height increased dramatically, growing taller every day. He was no longer the skinny, pitiful little beggar he had been when he came in 1952.
"Grandpa Village Chief, I want to join the army. I'll leave in the spring."
The village chief flatly refused him, "No way, you're only thirteen. There's no way a thirteen-year-old can join the army. This isn't wartime. Don't talk nonsense. Your brother has already joined the army. Your responsibility is to study. Your grandpa said you're a very good student, the kind of student who can get into the best high school in the city. Once you get into high school, you can apply to military academy. Isn't that the same as joining the army? But that starting point is much better than you blindly joining the army now. Don't be confused. I'm an old man, and I know just as much as you do. Don't try to fool me. Listen to me, study hard. Your grandparents will be even happier to see you get into school!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com