Chapter 250 Pick One and Take It Away
Aunt Zhang is popular in the village and rarely shows disdain to others unless that person really deserves to be punished.
Gu Xixi immediately decided to wait and see what happened.
It seemed as if Aunt Wu did not understand the host's unwelcome attitude and she still had a warm smile on her face, like a big cockscomb swaying in the rain.
She trotted to the eaves, her body already almost soaked.
Aunt Wu smiled and said, "That's what I said, but the word marriage means that good things take time, and our Xixi is a good girl sought after by many families."
"I have to take the initiative and visit them more often. Maybe we can all be happy after chatting!"
Gu Xixi finally understood why He Jinglan said it was better not to listen.
Seeing her deep eyes glancing over, He Jinglan hurriedly explained in a low voice, "I didn't hide this from you on purpose."
"It was only when I heard the kids talking about you during the break this morning that I realized you were so popular!"
Aunt Zhang glanced at Gu Xixi and was about to speak to Aunt Wu.
Aunt Wu did not give Aunt Zhang a chance to refuse, and began to promote her product enthusiastically: "I know that Mr. Chen in the past had delicate skin and tender flesh. You must think that my third son is dark-skinned and thick-skinned."
"But everyone in the village knows that I have no other ability except giving birth to sons. Among my five boys, except for the eldest and second oldest who are already married, you can pick any one of them to marry into your family. His father and I have no objection."
"The fourth brother is much whiter than his third brother. He was born in the same year as Xixi. They are a good match in age and can read. They will definitely get along well after they get married."
Aunt Zhang couldn't help curling her lips, "Learn to read? You haven't been to school for a day. You can only count copper coins and draw a correct character, right?"
Aunt Wu smiled awkwardly, but she was not ashamed of not having the right product. She continued, "Then it's my son, Lao Wu!"
"He's young! He's young, healthy, and most importantly, timid and obedient. If Xixi asks him to beat a dog, he'll definitely not dare to chase a chicken!"
Aunt Zhang was already laughing, and she couldn't tell whether she should be angry or not. "She's quite young, only thirteen, right?"
Gu Xixi was shocked and couldn't help but cough.
Thirteen years old? Minor?
Crime! Outright crime!
He Jinglan was already leaning against the wall, smiling softly, "Our family doesn't want to raise an older son, Aunt Wu, aren't you too anxious?"
Aunt Wu blushed, but she didn't pretend, and muttered, "How can I be in a hurry?"
"Don't even mention our village. I dare say that in the surrounding villages, as long as there are many sons in the family and they have good ears and eyes, who wouldn't want to send a son to Xixi to marry into the family?"
“No, no,” Gu Xixi smiled stiffly and waved her hands, “You’re too kind. I grew up in the village and I’ve never heard you say something so… exaggerated.”
Aunt Wu became serious and said, "I didn't exaggerate a single word."
"In the past, everyone thought that since your father was gone and you didn't know anything, you would just live off the family fortune and it would be gone in a few years."
"But now it's different. You have a good harvest every year and earn more and more. You have also built so many orchards and hired long-term workers, so you don't have to do the heavy work yourself."
"Besides, even the village chief and his wife listen to you in everything. This makes you respectable in the village."
"Whoever wants to marry into your family will not only reduce the burden on his parents and brothers, but also have one less person to share the family property and land. He can also enjoy a leisurely and wealthy life with you for the rest of his life."
"It's a pity that I'm a woman. If I were a man, I would also have to squeeze in front of your house!"
He Jinglan leaned over and whispered in Gu Xixi's ear, "Although Aunt Wu is annoying because she forces people to buy and sell, she is a real person and she dares to say what she wants."
Gu Xixi sighed, "It's all for survival. If you think about it this way, you won't think she's that bad."
At this time, when Aunt Zhang looked at Aunt Wu again, her displeasure had turned into helplessness.
She swatted a few mosquitoes and had to invite Aunt Wu to come in and sit down.
"Sister Wu, I know it's not easy to raise five young people with your few acres of land."
"I will have to raise three betrothal gifts and hold wedding banquets for them in the future. The burden is so heavy that I dare not even think about it."
Aunt Wu felt as if she had found a soulmate, and said worriedly, "It's more than that."
"My second son's wife recently sounded out what I was thinking, and that means she wants to split up the family business."
"But we only have a few acres of land at home, and if we divide it up among the people, it's not even enough for each person to have one acre."
"Now that there is no new land to be cultivated in the village, do I dare to agree to divide the family? How should we divide it? Can we survive after it is divided?"
"Back then, I didn't want them to suffer at such a young age, so I didn't let them go out to learn a craft. Now it's too late to regret it."
We are all country folk, and sufferings like this are actually very common.
Even if Aunt Zhang had not experienced it personally, she could understand Aunt Wu's situation.
She sighed and said, "It's difficult no matter what. Going abroad to learn skills may not always be a good thing."
"The third kid from Chen Laoer's family didn't learn how to cook, and his legs were covered with blisters from being burned. The master sent him back and gave him ten cents, but he didn't care anymore."
Aunt Wu nodded. "The child's life was saved, but he became a cripple, and he still hasn't even found a wife."
When talking about these things, they couldn't help but think of the more human sufferings they had witnessed in their lives, and their expressions became a little depressed.
Gu Xixi was not feeling at ease either.
She looked at the plate of green wild vegetable dumplings on the table and thought, isn't it because the yield per mu cannot be increased if there is not enough land to divide?
Children in the countryside have to work as apprentices at a young age, without any protection. Isn't it because the traditional way of making a living from the soil is simply not enough to support so many people?
So, changes must be made.
Although she sympathized with Aunt Wu, Aunt Zhang still rejected the proposal.
"To be honest, I even withdrew the engagement letter I sent to Matchmaker Zhao."
She glanced at Gu Xixi and smiled, "Because Xixi herself means that she doesn't want to get married in the next two years."
"So don't be so anxious and angry. No matter who he is, we will say the same thing."
Gu Xixi quickly nodded to prove that what he said was true.
Of course, Aunt Wu also knew the name of Zhao the Matchmaker.
She was stunned for a moment, but finally tactfully stopped asking. "That's right, Mr. Chen just ran away. These stinky men always make life difficult for us women."
"If I were Xixi, I would also want to be quiet for a while and stay away from them!"
Gu Xixi opened her mouth and wanted to say that she didn't care about that matter.
But then I thought, instead of making things worse, it’s better to remain silent.
Anyway, what Aunt Wu said is basically correct.
Aunt Wu stood up and said goodbye, "Then I won't disturb you from eating."
Aunt Zhang sent it off and lent her an oil-paper umbrella that she often used.
Wait until the old doctor and Shitou come back one after another.
Aunt Zhang served warm mung bean and millet porridge, a large plate of scrambled eggs with chopped green onions, and a portion of garlic sauce for each person.
The vegetable dumplings dipped in garlic sauce are sour, spicy and chewy, and very appetizing.
Gu Xixi said while eating, "Tomorrow afternoon, I want to teach everyone how to grow corn at the land temple."
Except for the old doctor who remained calm, everyone else looked up in surprise.
Aunt Zhang asked, "Everyone? Teach them all?"
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