It's been so many years, and the villagers all know his personality. For so many years, he's always listened to his wife and never takes charge of the household.
Northern men are known for doting on their wives. In other families, this might be considered doting, but in his family, it's not just about doting; it's about being completely controlled by his wife. Whatever she says goes. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to have such a hardworking younger brother who, despite being a strong laborer, still go hungry after all these years.
Looking at him now, I feel both sorry for him and can't bring myself to sympathize with him.
It is said that there is always something hateful about a pitiful person. In the end, this is what he brought on himself. He is a grown man who cannot distinguish right from wrong and cannot stand up for himself. Outsiders have tried to advise him openly and secretly, but he is willing to be confused. What can anyone do?
"Look, it's all because of his wife."
"His wife, hasn't she been like this all these years? She covets anything good that others have, and if she can't get it, she resorts to tricks."
And his younger brother is no better; he's a sly, cunning, and petty thief—what bad things hasn't he done?
They've even set their sights on someone? They've got some nerve!
"If he really dares to do this, he'll be in jail!"
"Hmph, they might all get shot!"
"Hey, isn't it because you have a good older sister who spoils you with everything?"
"Tsk tsk! Everyone says that marrying a good wife brings prosperity to three generations. Look at this, isn't this karma?"
The woman his parents found for him was capable and thrifty, and her parents were also open-minded, but he refused to accept it and insisted on marrying this one, even threatening suicide.”
"Tch, he's just mesmerized!"
Even the most cowardly man has a bit of guts.
What's more, now they're practically putting his face under their shoes.
He heard bits and pieces of what the villagers were saying, but he knew they weren't nice. He felt like he was being burned alive. All he wanted to do was drag that woman over, slap her a few times, kick her a few times, and then hack at her a few times to vent his anger.
His deep-seated male chauvinism stirred, and he became like a raging lion. The villagers sympathized with him, but no one spoke up. Finally, Liu Guoqiang couldn't bear it any longer and went to comfort him.
"Brother, don't be angry. Go back and ask your wife. Maybe there's some misunderstanding?"
Everyone knows that the two sisters have a good relationship. When her own brother said this, it was basically a done deal, and there was no room for clarification.
Liu Guoqiang himself didn't believe what he said, let alone outsiders who were watching with indifference.
Liu Guoping himself naturally knew better than anyone that some things are more credible when told by others.
It's a pity that he never believed it. He thought she was there to live a life with him, so he foolishly believed everything. He was bossed around by her, and he even ruined his family and alienated his only brother.
They held the person down. Jian Dan didn't want to watch the commotion. It was so cold outside, and she was covered in sweat from running. Now, with the wind blowing, she was shivering.
The three children were also quite frightened and needed to hurry back to drink some ginger water.
"Village chief, it's nothing, we'll head back now. Call me if you need anything."
Several children followed, squeezing their way out, calling out to each other.
"Good fortune, happiness, peace, joy, you're home! You're so amazing! Let your sister treat you to a nice meal when you get home."
Simple was followed by three children, and then four large dogs baring their teeth. The crowd that had been so crowded just moments before instantly parted to make way for them.
On the village road, the group of male educated youth who had just seen off the oxcart were now walking back, completely exhausted, and were still joking around.
"We thought we were in good physical condition because we go up the mountain every day, but look at us now that something's happened, we just managed to sneak out."
And then there's Dongfang, just like us, he ran off and then vanished without a trace.
Qian Cheng chuckled.
"Didn't he go looking for a wife?"
Chen Jing and Li Guang also came to greet them.
"How are you? Are you alright?"
Li Guang circled around the group of people twice.
"It's alright, no injuries,"
Gu Jianjun dared to reach out and grab Li Guang, but suddenly his nose stung, and he couldn't help but sneeze a series of sneezes. He was stunned when he finished.
Then, as if a switch had been flipped, everyone started sneezing and scurried away. Li Guang was so startled that he took several steps back, pulling Chen Jing along with him.
"Brother Jing, you're not feeling well, don't catch it."
A sound came from not far away. They turned around and saw Lin Dongfang holding the child, but this time he stretched his arms far out.
"Take it away! Take it away!"
"Goodness, they've all caught a cold in just a short while."
"It's quite cold today. I was sweating profusely while shoveling snow, and I haven't even dried yet. I just ran around and broke out in a sweat again. With this wind blowing like this, how can I not catch a cold?"
"You've all worked hard today. Go back quickly and heat up the kang (heated brick bed). If you have ginger, boil a pot of ginger water and drink it to get rid of the cold."
There were fewer female educated youth than male educated youth to begin with, and Su Hong and Wei Shujuan lived and ate separately.
Tan Yajun is now all alone, and she's cooking with Bai Xiaoqin.
After the weather turned cold, Ling Weidong and Chen Jing, who had been cooking separately, started cooking together again. Only Li Jianye, Wang Jiancheng, and Chen Guofeng and Li Wenjun, who arrived last, were left to cook with the female educated youth.
The newly arrived Chen Guofeng and Li Wenjun somehow managed to get together with five female educated youths, including Liu Xiaoyun and Chen Yu, who had come before the autumn harvest.
After going around in circles, Li Jianye and Wang Jiancheng ended up with Wang Hongmei and Tang Cui again. Although Wang Hongmei and Tang Cui still didn't like each other, they were getting more and more used to being partners.
Li Guang scratched his head.
"Brother Ye, Brother Cheng, do we still have ginger? We said we were going to buy some in the next couple of days, did you go?"
The six young men, Chen Jing being picky about food and Gu Jianjun and Li Guang's culinary skills being only so-so, all felt much more relaxed after coming together.
Yuan Ye and Qian Cheng were in charge of the meals, while the others were responsible for finding ingredients, firewood, fetching water, and everything else except for the kitchen.
None of them were exactly well-behaved, and with their large appetites, they couldn't rely solely on the meager food they could earn through work points. They'd go up the mountain one day and run errands the next, so the food was pretty good.
"I have ginger and brown sugar. You guys go back and warm up first, and I'll have Xiao Rui bring them to you later."
These were all friends who had hung out together, and none of them were stingy, so they didn't stand on ceremony.
"Okay, then we'll wait."
Lin Dongfang sneezed a few more times and quickly spoke up.
"Send some to me too, ouch!"
"I'll go get the rest in a bit, ouch!"
The few militiamen who remained also sneezed repeatedly.
Seeing this, the old man immediately reached out to shoo them away.
"Alright, alright, everyone hurry back, drink some ginger water, and sweat it out."
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