During the Qingming Festival, there was a lot of rain. When they were going home, it was drizzling. They were all wearing raincoats. Fortunately, there were many of them, so they could talk while walking.
"Your business has been booming lately. The village chief is always busy at home, either making skewers or grinding tofu. Everyone in the village is very envious. If it weren't for the vegetable harvest, they would probably be a little jealous too."
Uncle Zhang chatted with them about the village's situation, while Taozi talked with his brother about some interesting things that had happened at the stall recently.
"Yes, look at how often the village chief delivers bamboo to us. He takes cash with him every time he comes, so he must be making money every day." The bamboo belongs to the whole village, so there's no personal ownership. The village chief only needs to cut the bamboo, take it home, and trim it. He can get hundreds of bamboo stalks from each bamboo, so he's making money.
In the village, some families are still plowing their fields. Taking advantage of the rain, they are turning over the soil so that they can plant rice seedlings after the Qingming Festival.
"Xichun, you're back! Did you come back for Qingming Festival?" The villagers stopped to greet them as they saw them pulling a cart full of things.
"Yes, I came back to visit."
Since Xichun went to the city to do business, everyone has been very envious. This girl is really promising. She harvests the village's vegetables every few days, and the village chief always takes a full cart with him. If only they could have this kind of business. Unfortunately, who dares to try like Wang Fuzi's family? They might lose everything.
Chen Cuihua and her husband were also working in the field. When they saw Xichun and his group carrying their things home, she pretended not to see them and muttered to herself.
She had initially thought that Xichun had gone to the city and that she would have a business again, but the Liu family took over. Her family couldn't even recoup their investment, so she had no choice but to reluctantly drag her business back.
She gossiped behind her back to the villagers, saying that the Liu family was good at currying favor with Xichun, just like the Zhang family, otherwise how could they have this business? When Aunt Liu heard this, she didn't tolerate it and started cursing loudly at her doorstep. Although she didn't name names, everyone knew that she was cursing Chen Cuihua.
Xichun opened the door with her key. In the yard, Aunt Liu was cleaning for Xichun from time to time, so it looked very clean. The backyard was also full of vegetables, and it looked very lively.
It was almost dark when they returned. When Aunt Liu heard that they had come home, she invited both families to her house for dinner.
Their business has been doing well lately. Spring plowing requires a lot of hard work, so they're willing to spend money on things, and business is pretty good. That's why I invited them over today and bought quite a bit of meat.
The guests and hosts had a good time, and Xichun returned home. Aunt Zhang originally wanted to stay with Xichun at the Zhang family home, but Xichun refused. Her yard was different now than before; it was covered with thorns, and after the lesson from last time, no one dared to come again.
Xichun slept soundly through the night. She cooked a few dishes and took incense, candles, and firecrackers to the mountain. All the families of the same clan in the village gathered together to pay respects at the graves, but Xichun was all alone.
The mountain was bustling with activity as adults and children from all over came to pay respects to their elders. The atmosphere was both solemn and lively, making it one of the busiest times at the gravesite.
There were no traces of incense or candles burned at Xichun's father's grave, but her grandfather's grave next to it showed that someone had already come to pay their respects. It seemed that the Chen family didn't even recognize her father anymore.
In many families, girls and women are not allowed to visit graves, but not all families are the same. Xichun lit incense, burned paper money, and set out offerings before setting off firecrackers.
"Father, may you rest in peace over there. May your grave be cleaned and tended so that you are not forgotten." Xi Chun thought to herself. After the incense and candles had burned out and she was sure that they would not start a forest fire, she carried the offerings down the mountain.
The Chen family encountered Xichun halfway up the mountain, but they all pretended not to see her and walked straight past without giving her a friendly look. Xichun did the same, ignoring everyone and carrying her things down the mountain.
As dusk fell, Xichun, having finished her meal, arrived at the Ma family's house with a piece of meat and a box of pastries. The Ma family had just finished eating with their clan members and were returning home. Upon seeing Xichun, Wang's smile became noticeably brighter.
"Xichun, you're back! Have you visited your father?"
"I've already seen it. This is for you to nourish your body. I'm going to the county town tomorrow, so I brought it here tonight." Xichun handed her the things and was about to leave.
"Xichun, don't go yet, wait for me." Wang Shi grabbed her hand and told her to wait there.
Ma Xiaobao and Grandma Ma went inside. They knew that Xichun hadn't come to see them, so they naturally didn't want to make a fool of themselves.
"Xichun, come in and sit down. Your Grandma Ma hurt you before, and it's also my fault for being useless. Today, I'm here to apologize to you on behalf of my mother." Ma Dawei saw that Xichun hadn't stepped into the room from beginning to end, and he knew that his mother and he had hurt her deeply before.
"It's alright, what happened before is in the past, I won't hold it against you anymore. But I have something to do later, so I won't go in." Xi Chun didn't expect him to come and apologize to her. To be honest, the Ma family was really going too far, and Xi Chun naturally didn't like them.
However, considering that she had helped her several times later, Xichun's anger had subsided. But she still didn't have a good impression of those two, even though they weren't insulting her in a sarcastic way anymore.
Xi Chun thought that perhaps she would only be willing to visit the Ma family after her mother gave birth.
The two stood there awkwardly. Fortunately, Wang came out soon, carrying a small bundle in her hand. Xichun saw that there was a set of clothes inside.
"These are the clothes I made recently. I thought you'd be growing taller, so I made them a bit bigger so you can wear them for a few more years. Xichun, take them home and wear them. Your mother isn't very capable, so all I can do is make clothes for you."
Wang thought that she hadn't given Xichun anything when she went out to do business several times, so last time she talked to Ma Dawei, took the money and bought cloth in town to make clothes for Ma Xiaobao and Xichun respectively.
"Thank you, Mother. I'll keep it. I'll come back to see you when I have time. If you give birth, please ask Uncle Ma to let me know." Xichun accepted the clothes before going home.
Xichun returned home with the clothes in her hands, and Aunt Zhang looked at the things in her hands with some curiosity.
"These are clothes your mother made for you. The stitching looks pretty good," Aunt Zhang said with a smile.
"Yes, I never expected my mother to make clothes for me." Xichun was still a little surprised.
“What mother doesn’t love her own child? She was originally a refugee from famine. She was bullied by Old Mrs. Chen and had no backbone. Later, your father passed away, and your mother was just like us. She couldn’t do business like you. So, finding someone to marry and raising you was the best she could do. Sigh, don’t blame her. Her life has only gotten better recently.”
Aunt Zhang tried to persuade Xichun, saying that Wang Shi was Xichun's only remaining relative in the world. With her mother around, there was still hope; if her mother were gone, she would be left with no one to rely on for the rest of her life.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
