Chapter 10 (Edited and moved some plots forward, those who have read it...
Yue Hongmei didn't sleep well that night. She walked to Ding Guo's room with a pair of black eyes, looked at the closed door, gritted her teeth and cursed silently, then went out to the toilet.
At this time, there was already someone squatting in the toilet. It was a neighbor from the east end of the building, named Sheng Guihua. When she saw her come in, she smiled and asked, "I heard that your eldest daughter came back yesterday?"
When this was mentioned, Yue Hongmei began to feel upset and said unhappily, "He's back to collect debts!"
Sheng Guihua laughed in surprise and said, "How could that be possible? Don't be ungrateful. Your daughter is sensible, honest and hardworking. When she was at home, everyone in our compound praised her!"
Yue Hongmei pursed her lips, picked up her pants and walked away, saying, "What can I say? She was so honest back then, but I don't know who taught her to be a shrew in the past few years in the countryside. She almost overturned the table at home last night. I deserve her!"
As she turned out of the restroom, she heard Sheng Guihua say, "Is this true? No way!"
Many neighbors saw her daughter Junjun crying and leaving last night. Today, she will inevitably be asked questions about this and that. So she will tell everyone about Ding Guo's unreasonableness, so that it won't be like a few years ago when everyone who saw her would say that she was blessed, that she had a good daughter who was diligent and sensible, and those nosy people would ask her to be nicer to her own daughter in both explicit and implicit ways.
She was tired of hearing that.
She can live her life however she wants. They are all her children. She can love whoever she wants. It is not someone else's turn to gossip about her.
Now is a good time to let everyone in the compound know what kind of person Ding Guo has become.
After returning home, Yue Hongmei suppressed her anger, washed her hands and face, and went into the kitchen to make breakfast for the whole family.
Ding Guo had already returned to the bedroom. He was lying on the bed, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan. Suddenly, he received a wave of deposits. He clicked on them and saw that they were all from Yue Hongmei. In a short time, he had contributed forty or fifty points to her, and the money was still rolling in.
"What are you doing so early in the morning?"
Yue Hongmei was not wasting time. She was busy in the kitchen, and the more she thought about her eldest daughter, the more upset she felt.
In the past, her colleagues at work and neighbors in the compound often mocked her openly or secretly. They all thought that she was stupid for not loving or caring for her own daughter and for wanting to bring the child home.
She didn't have a deep relationship with her eldest daughter to begin with, and because of the ridicule she suffered, she became even more disgusted with her eldest daughter who was too dull and not presentable.
If you are upset, it will only contribute to internal friction.
At half past six, someone knocked on the door to wake me up.
Ding Jianshe's face was no longer as red and swollen, but her expression was still a little unnatural. Seeing Ding Guo coming out, she glared at her fiercely. Ding Guo narrowed her eyes. Ding Jianshe shuddered for no reason and turned around and rushed out.
Breakfast was noodles made from a mixture of cornmeal and white flour, and a bowl of black shredded pickled vegetables.
These days, food is tight for every family, so everyone is used to eating frugally.
But the book mentioned that the Ding family was frugal with themselves but not with Ding Nianjun.
Ding Nianjun's food ration is not sent home, but directly handed over to the company canteen every month.
She didn't pay her salary, so she had it all in her own hands, spending it as she wished. Even so, Yue Hongmei would occasionally give her meat coupons and money, fearing that she wouldn't have enough to eat outside.
Whenever Ding Nianjun came back, breakfast would definitely be stir-fried white noodles with a poached egg. There would be no pickles on the table, but instead the cold dishes carefully prepared by Yue Hongmei.
Lunch and dinner are either steamed buns or fragrant rice. There must be carefully cooked stir-fried dishes on the table. Braised pork is a common guest on the table, and dumplings are served from time to time.
Every time at this time, Ding Zhigang and his wife, Ding Jianguo, and Ding Jianshe would all look at her eating with gusto, and they would all look pleased.
Ding Xiang and Ding Jianshe were neither pleased nor jealous because they had become accustomed to their parents' favoritism, a habit that made them feel that everything was natural.
Ding Guo: It’s just... quite problematic!
Ding Jianguo and Ding Jianshe worked far away from each other. They quickly got up and prepared to go to work. Before leaving, Ding Jianguo glanced at Ding Guo, then looked away and said to someone unknown: "My clothes are hanging on the head of the bed. Don't touch the things on my table when you clean the bedroom..."
After saying that, he picked up the cross-body bag and walked out the door carrying it.
Ding Guo didn't even raise his eyelids, and ate the noodles slowly with pickled vegetables.
Although she disliked it, she would not waste food, and she found that there was less noodles in her bowl than those of other members of the Ding family.
"After dinner, take your return certificate and household registration booklet and go get your food allowance processed. Transfer your food allowance as soon as possible." Yue Hongmei said sternly, "There is not enough food at home."
Ding Guo put down the bowl and said with a half-smile: "No wonder there are only two noodles in my bowl. It turns out that there is not enough food. I am confused. I sent so much food back to you before. I didn't even hear you say thank you. But how come there is not enough food at home after I came back and ate two meals?"
Yue Hongmei: "You..."
"Okay, your mom just wants to remind you not to forget to go and get the food relationship. Your family can still afford to provide you with food." Ding Zhigang didn't want to confront his eldest daughter anymore, and even wanted to ease the relationship. "Don't be so stubborn all the time. If you have anything to say, just say it nicely. So, if you haven't rested enough, just rest at home for two days before going to get it. There's no rush.
After dinner, clean the house and wash Jianguo and his family's clothes. If you want to go out for a walk, go out for a walk. If not, just stay at home."
"The food and vegetables are all in the kitchen." He tried to act like a loving father, trying to find some warm topics, and said with a smile, "I remember you cook well, let us taste your hands at noon..."
Ding Guo finished the last mouthful of soup, put down the bowl, and interrupted him: "I'm going to handle the food business!"
Then he stood up.
Yue Hongmei then realized that her clothes were patched up with patches, and she looked so shabby that she couldn't stand looking at them. She shrilly asked, "Don't you have a decent piece of clothing?"
If Ding Guo walked out of the housing estate wearing such an outfit, she didn't dare to think about how her neighbors and colleagues would look at her tomorrow.
Ding Guo took out a brand new handkerchief and slowly wiped the corners of his mouth, saying with a half-smile: "Isn't food tight at home? I'm going to beg for food!"
Seeing that Ding Guo was about to go crazy again, the two little ones got up, wiped their mouths, picked up their schoolbags and ran away.
After leaving the house, Ding Xiang swung her schoolbag in annoyance: "She is dressed like a beggar. It is such a disgrace to the family. I will never acknowledge her as my elder sister."
Ding Jiandang responded: "Me too!"
At home, Yue Hongmei felt a headache and was about to curse. Ding Zhigang coughed lightly, glanced at her, and said, "The girl has grown up, and it's time to dress up. So, give the child some money and cloth coupons and let the eldest daughter go out to buy some clothes."
After hearing this, Yue Hongmei felt pain not only in her head but also in her heart.
She was going to save the cloth coupons for Junjun.
The kid from the Pan family said that as long as he could convince Ding Guo to marry him, he would immediately persuade his family to arrange an engagement for him and Nianjun.
If the plan goes well and it will only be done this year, then we should start saving up all the necessary bills in advance, right?
But I didn't expect that the eldest girl would be fine when she left, but come back as a troublemaker, which caused so many twists and turns.
Seeing her husband winking at her, she thought about it and decided that she had to continue persuading her eldest daughter to agree. It would not work without some bleeding, so she stood up with a sullen face and went into the house to get the money and ticket.
When she entered the bedroom, she heard the debt collector's daughter say, "Dad, you still love me. I haven't been to our Fengning department store for a few years. I want to see how beautiful the clothes are in the department store. I also want to buy a braid to wear. I haven't worn a braid yet..."
"Why buy a blouse?" Yue Hongmei was unhappy. If Junjun wore a blouse, she would also wear one. But does a blouse look good on anyone?
She took a few dollars and some cloth coupons and said, "Go buy yourself a piece of cloth..."
This time Ding Zhigang took the initiative to interrupt her. He saw that his daughter's face was gloomy and her eyes were narrowed. It was a sign that she was going crazy. He quickly interrupted her and glared at Yue Hongmei: "What are you talking about? Buy whatever clothes your daughter wants. Give the child a few more dollars."
Yue Hongmei was so heartbroken.
A suit in a department store is not cheap. The cheapest one costs a dozen yuan, the average one costs over twenty yuan, and the better ones cost more than thirty yuan.
She was also thinking of buying Junjun a better skirt.
This required her to take out dozens or even twenty dollars to give to her eldest daughter who was not presentable, and she felt so heartbroken that she bled.
But seeing her husband winking at her, she gritted her teeth and thought, forget it, you can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child. She went back into the house and got a few cloth coupons and a few dollars. She put together twenty yuan and went out with a stern face, saying, "Spend sparingly."
Ding Guo smiled and said, "Thank you, Mom. After buying the braid, I should be able to buy a pair of leather shoes with this money, right?"
Yue Hongmei asked sharply: "You still want to buy leather shoes?"
Ding Guo lowered her head and motioned the couple to look at the cloth shoes on her feet.
The shoes had been painted so white that their original color was almost unrecognizable, and there were two big holes in the front. The big toe and the second toe were saluting them.
Yue Hongmei's eyes went dark, she was sure that Ding Guo did it on purpose, deliberately making things difficult for them.
She was blocked, and the scrolling list behind Ding Guo became unblocked, scrolling very quickly.
Of course Ding Guo did it on purpose, this was a combination she carefully selected.
But even though they knew she did it on purpose, neither Yue Hongmei nor Ding Zhigang could just watch her go out wearing such an outfit.
Yue Hongmei suppressed her anger and looked at her husband, and Ding Zhigang nodded slightly.
I've bought all the clothes, am I still missing a pair of shoes?
Yue Hongmei had no choice but to turn around and get the money again.
The cheapest pair of leather shoes costs at least six or seven yuan, and she couldn't bear to spend that money.
He gritted his teeth, took out five dollars, plus a cloth coupon, went out, forced a smile, and said, "Big... Ding Guo, it's boring to wear leather shoes at this time, listen to mom, buy a pair of elastic shoes, many girls in our courtyard like to wear them, it doesn't cost that much to buy elastic shoes, you can save the rest to buy snacks."
This money is more than enough to buy a pair of elastic shoes after buying a braid.
It is better to leave her some pocket money than to continue to give her money to buy her leather shoes.
Ding Guo took it and stuffed it into his pocket, saying with a half-smile, "There are so many families in our courtyard who have adopted daughters? The adopted daughters wear small leather shoes, beautiful bras, and ride 28-inch bicycles. The biological daughters are all like me, sacrificing their lives for the family, but they are only given two noodles in the morning, and they are hungry before they even put down their bowls."
Yue Hongmei's face turned blue and red from choking. When she served the noodles in the morning, she did deliberately put less in Ding Guo's bowl, but it shouldn't be just two noodles.
Ding Zhigang was getting impatient. He glared at Yue Hongmei, took out ten yuan from his pocket, then took out the grain coupons, meat coupons, and industrial coupons, and stuffed them all into Ding Guo's hands. However, he still tried to make amends to his wife: "Your mother is worried that you may feel uncomfortable in your stomach after eating a lot of meat last night, so she doesn't dare to let you eat more. Now, you're not full, right? Take these money and coupons to the state-owned restaurant to buy two buns, and buy some leather shoes if you want."
Ding Guo contentedly put away the thirty-five yuan and various bills he had gotten from Ding Zhigang and his wife, and went back to the house to change clothes.
She had to sell the clothes she bought from the mall, but the original owner only had four or five dollars left, and she obviously couldn't afford these things. If not from the couple, who else could she get the money from?
Yue Hongmei wanted to say something else, but seeing that it was almost time, she had to give up for the time being and shouted into the house: "Ding Guo, your father and I are going to work. Wash the dishes and sweep the floor before you go out. Come back early at noon and help me cook something."
Since you're getting so much money, you can probably help with some housework, right?
Otherwise, I’m afraid she’ll burn her hands!
After the couple left, Ding Guo changed into a less shabby outfit in the house, put the relevant certificates into his space, clicked on the backstage and bought two meat buns to eat.
She really didn't have enough to eat in the morning, so she bought it for convenience and decided not to go hungry.
After eating, go out.
I didn't even look at the empty bowl on the table. Just leave it there. It looks nice.
The long dirt road in front of the family compound was quiet.
The book describes that this dirt road in front of the gate is a holy place for cooling off in the summer because of its lush trees, with people sitting on both sides.
Maybe it's still early now, there's no one around, so it's quiet.
Walk down the dirt road and you'll be on the main street.
After searching the original owner's memory, I went to the Youth League Office first.
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