"Mom, I understand."
When Er Ya returned, Zhang Hongmei had already tidied everything up and was sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) gesturing with white cotton cloth.
"Hongmei, what are you doing?"
"Sister Erya, I want to make a thin blanket. It's getting hot, and my blanket is too thick."
"I'll do it with you. By the way, isn't the fabric a bit too milky white?"
“I already returned it. I don’t want to owe anyone anything. Besides, it was money the old man was preparing for his own funeral. As soon as I had it, I sent it over.”
The two talked and worked at the same time, and they were quite fast.
“Hongmei gave my mom one hundred yuan.”
"My second sister is so filial."
“What’s this about being filial? I just feel unsafe having too much money. Besides, my brother is getting married, and there are expenses everywhere around the house. My dad also spent a lot of money finding a job for my brother. I don’t want my parents to be too tired, so I give them more of what I have.”
"That makes sense. Just do your best to fulfill your filial duty."
After finishing the quilt, Zhang Hongmei took out another piece of cloth and made a new mattress, much thicker than the quilt, so it wouldn't be uncomfortable to lie on the kang (heated brick bed).
Er Ya didn't get home until dark. She saw her sister feeding the pigs while muttering curses. After listening for a while, she realized it was because she wasn't going to school or home. She couldn't be bothered with her; she was getting sillier and sillier.
Now her family almost ignores her, and she manages to make a scene on her own. I wonder what her grandma and aunt said to her again? It certainly wasn't anything nice.
Er Ya guessed wrong this time. She only found out at dinner that they had found a boyfriend for her older sister. But Da Ya disagreed and wanted to find someone with a government-subsidized job. Her aunt had said that someone with a government-subsidized job wouldn't have to work and would live like a pampered young mistress in a play.
Liu Maocai didn't care whether she wanted to or not. In fact, the man's conditions were the best in the surrounding villages, but that fool just wouldn't agree.
"We're meeting at Matchmaker Li's house tomorrow. I'm telling you, don't cause any trouble. If you do, you're fired!"
Liu Daya was furious but dared not speak out. She thought her father didn't want her to have a good life, so she went back to her room and cried.
The next day, Er Ya had no time to deal with them and went to Zhang Hongmei's house, taking her to the sweet potato field.
"What if the wild boar escapes again? What if we never clean up the stench?"
Zhang Hongmei was speechless. "Er Ya, are you still asleep? Where are there so many wild boars? But we can dig a few more traps."
"Okay, hurry up."
Zhang Hongmei: Girl, you're too impatient!
The two of them still carried a basket, a snakeskin bag, and shovels and pickaxes. Lunch was cornbread brought by Er Ya. Actually, Zhang Hongmei was quite disgusted with it, but there was nothing she could do since Er Ya had brought it.
The two went straight to the sweet potato field without stopping along the way, mainly because there weren't many wild vegetables left. The village children were too afraid to go into the mountains and were digging around the perimeter.
When they arrived at the field, they actually found two rabbits in the trap. Er Ya was excited, but Zhang Hongmei was not so optimistic.
Why are animals so active in the sweet potato field? Is there no food left in the mountains? Please don't let this happen. If we wait another month, things will get better. The sweet potato vines can be eaten, but the sweet potatoes in the field will still grow as usual. But it's not possible now.
"Sister Er Ya, let's forget about the rabbits for now and dig a trap first, otherwise our sweet potatoes will have been planted for nothing."
“Okay, right away. I have plenty of strength now. I'll dig, you go chop some sticks.”
"Okay, I'll go chop first. Let's dig up as many as we can today."
Er Ya also realized the seriousness of the situation and picked up the pickaxe to work.
The two of them didn't rest after lunch and dug four traps by 4 p.m.
The two of them were so tired that they walked listlessly.
When Er Ya got home, she felt something was wrong. The house was quiet, except for the grunting sounds from the pigs in the pigpen.
She quickly put down her tools and went into her parents' room. Her mother was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed) crying. Her father wasn't home.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
"It's alright, Er Ya is back. Mom will go cook now."
"Mom, I brought home a rabbit. Should we eat it tonight, or pickle it?"
"Let's pickle them. Your brother is going to work in the county in a few days, and your dad can give them away as gifts. It's just that I, Er Ya, won't get to eat them. Mom will cook you some eggs."
"No need. Our old hen hasn't hatched any chicks yet."
"Almost done." The mother and daughter worked quickly. First, they cooked pig feed, and in another pot, they boiled water to cook rice.
Suddenly, Liu Daya lifted the curtain and came out of the room, startling Er Ya. What a peculiar thing. Could it be that she doesn't like the person she's looking for?
She didn't do any work; she just sat on the doorstep and cried. Er Ya was afraid to bump into her as she passed by.
Dinner consisted of a soup made from two kinds of noodles, leftover cornbread from lunch, a bowl of pickled vegetables, a bowl of soy sauce, a few scallions, and a few cloves of garlic.
The food was ready, and everyone came back. Liu Maocai entered with a blank expression, and Liu Jianguo was also unhappy. Liu Daya didn't dare sit on the doorstep when she saw Liu Maocai return.
Everyone was gathered around the table, except for Liu Daya, who was still standing in the yard. Er Ya was curious: what stupid thing had this idiot done this time?
Liu Maocai told everyone to eat, completely ignoring Daya.
Before she had finished eating, her grandmother came over, leaning on her cane. Li Cuihua ignored her completely, and turned and went into the house as soon as she entered the courtyard.
Her grandmother didn't mind at all, and sat happily on the stool that Er Ya had given up. "Third sister, look how sensible Da Ya is. She gave up such a good man to her aunt. Tomorrow, why don't you go ask the matchmaker if the young man from Li Family Village has taken a liking to your sister?"
Er Ya was shocked. "What's wrong with your son?"
After finishing the last sip of his noodle soup, Liu Maocai put down the bowl and looked at his mother expressionlessly. "Go ask her yourself, so you won't blame me if there's bad news. You know the matchmaker Li's family, otherwise how could a grandmother take her child and aunt to steal her niece's boyfriend? I find it shameful. She's lost face in the village today. Jianguo, take your grandmother back."
"Third brother, what are you talking about? I asked you to find a boyfriend for your sister, and you said there aren't any, but you're saving good ones for your own daughter? My precious is so much better than that brat Daya. Even if we were to meet Daya, no one would want her. She just looks so poor. And if they're not interested, why don't you just give your sister more money as a dowry?"
"Heh, I have no money. I gave you the hundred yuan you agreed on when I left with nothing. Not a penny more. Jianguo?"
Liu Daya remained standing there, dumbfounded, until Liu Jianguo sent her away.
She didn't understand why her grandmother's words were different from before. She said she had a lucky face and was destined to have a stable job, and that no young man from the countryside was good enough for her. She also said her aunt was not as good as her.
That's why I asked my aunt to go on a blind date for me. Turns out they were all lying to me. I was the only one who was foolish. My mother told me that this young man's family was well-off, and I was blinded by greed, only thinking about getting a job in the city.
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