When faced with Jiang's return gift, Widow Liu declined it several times, but when she could no longer refuse, she finally accepted it.
It's alright for her to eat meager meals, but it's the children at home who suffer!
"We've both had tough lives, and we live in the same village, so let's keep in touch and help each other out."
Jiang comforted the other party, saying that these were her true feelings. She had at least some advantages, while the other party was a genuine native.
Over the years, the other party has been able to praise the husband's two elderly parents and the people she raised with her three children; it must be said that she possesses noble virtues.
Besides, having more friends means having fewer enemies.
As widows, they helped each other and had each other's company in Wujia Village.
"Oh, thank you."
Hearing this, Widow Liu felt comforted. Since she became a widow, her family had cut off all contact with her, and the villagers avoided her like the plague, fearing that she would seduce the men in her family.
But why would she seduce another man?
Fortunately, her in-laws treated her well and helped take care of the children, allowing her to work and earn money without worry, supporting Changjun's education...
Watching Widow Liu's departing figure, Jiang Yue sighed inwardly.
The two were about the same age, with the other person being at most a year older than her, but compared to her, the other person looked much older.
Alas, fate is cruel!
After a moment of silence, Jiang Yue then perked up, closed the door, and returned to her seat at the dining table.
"Was that person from the Liu family who just came?"
Old Zhou added bowls and chopsticks for her third son's wife and casually asked her what was wrong.
"Yes, she came to give a gift, I can't let her go empty-handed."
Jiang Yue nodded and gave a brief explanation.
Old Mrs. Zhou nodded, and when it came to Mrs. Liu, she also felt it was a pity.
She became a widow at a young age, raising a son and a daughter alone. Her family wanted her to remarry, but she refused. She has been raising her in-laws and children all this time. It hasn't been easy for her!
"Is everyone here? Come on, let's raise a glass in celebration!"
Grandpa Wu raised his glass, gesturing for everyone to make a small toast.
In his mind, today was his third son's wife's housewarming party. Everything else was secondary; today was just a day to eat and drink well!
"Everyone's here! Come on, let's congratulate the Jiang family of five on their housewarming!"
The village chief raised his glass, and with two elders taking the lead, the others stood up, respectfully lowered their glasses, and began to drink.
Of course, while the men's cups contained wine, the women's and children's cups contained cooled boiled water.
After the opening drinks and a few rounds of drinks, we officially started eating!
The dishes on the table were all rare meat dishes, and both adults and children ate with gusto, their mouths greasy and their hearts filled with joy.
Grandpa Wu drank until he was completely drunk. He grabbed the three boys from the third son's family—Da Niu, Er Gou, and Qing Yun—and kept muttering to himself:
"Da Niu, your mother has had a tough life. You must take good care of her in the future!"
"Ergou, when you marry in the future, you can't marry a muddle-headed woman. You have to be filial to your mother!"
"Qingyun, whatever you do in the future, always remember your mother. It wasn't easy for her to raise you three brothers and Cao'er all these years."
As for Cao'er, he was sitting among the women, and it was difficult for him to pull her away, so he had to give up.
"Okay, sir~"
Tears welled up in Wu Daniu's eyes; he would definitely take good care of his mother!
"Don't worry, sir. When I get married, I'll have my mother approve. I'll only marry someone if she says she's suitable!"
Wu Ergou honestly said that he knew everything he had was given to him by his mother, and he must take good care of her.
"Qingyun obeys."
Wu Qingyun was studying at the academy this time, and the teacher noticed that he had changed a lot. He would talk to him during breaks.
He confided his confusion to the Master, who replied:
The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease; the child may wish to care for his parents, but they will no longer be
The tree wishes to remain still, but the wind never ceases; the children wish to support their parents, but the parents have already passed away.
The tree is an objective thing, and the wind is the ever-flowing time; this metaphorically represents the fact that the passage of time does not stop according to one's personal will.
The Master told him that when a son wishes to fulfill his filial duty to his parents, they have already passed away.
Rather than regretting it for the rest of your life, it's better to fulfill your filial duties as soon as possible.
Yes, he must be filial to his mother!
As Jiang Yue listened to her sons promise to be filial to her, she felt quite pleased with herself.
Raising children doesn't necessarily guarantee support in old age, but with three sons and one daughter, she shouldn't be too bad off in her old age, right?
After the meal, some people looked at the houses, while others cleaned up the dishes.
Jiang Yue touched her hands with water as a formality before being chased out of the kitchen by her sisters-in-law.
In the corner, she saw Grass collecting bones and other things, squatting there feeding Little White.
Little White buried its head in its food, wagging its tail happily.
When Cao'er saw her mother arrive, she quickly got up and rushed into her mother's arms, saying shyly:
“Mother, you are the best mother in the world. I will be as filial to you as my brother.”
There were so many people at the table just now, she was too embarrassed to say it.
"Oh, Mother believes in Cao'er, and she believes in your brothers. You are all good children, filial children."
Jiang Yue hugged her daughter and gently patted her back.
Now that the house is finished, it's time for Da Niu and Er Gou to start planning their marriage.
I reckon she'll be a grandmother in less than two years!
After the excitement, things return to calm.
The family of five were each tidying up their own rooms.
Jiang Yue was very satisfied with her current room. The bathroom was just around the corner from the door. The sink was small, just right for one person. A few steps away was a squat toilet with flushing, which was much more convenient than a latrine.
She originally wanted to install a shower, but she didn't have the means, and since she wasn't an engineering student, she didn't understand the principles behind it. So she ordered several bathtubs instead, one for herself and one for each of the other rooms' bathrooms.
In the very center was a large bed, which was close to the wardrobe. The space was quite large, and her few clothes only took up a corner.
The other children's rooms were similarly laid out, differing only in size.
Her dowry chest and other items were placed in the corner next to the window, where there was a table with a bronze mirror she had bought.
Beneath the bronze mirror was a box containing a wooden hairpin.
It's empty, but it looks simple and neat.
It's the end of May now, and June will be here in a couple of days. The weather is getting warmer, and I'll need to buy a few cooling mats to put on the street when I go out sometime.
There wasn't much to pack. My mother-in-law and sisters-in-law were busy cleaning and tidying up during the move.
"Knock knock knock~"
A knock came from outside the door, followed by Cao'er's soft, sweet voice asking:
"Mother, it's me, Cao'er. Can I sleep with you tonight?"
"Hey, here I am."
Upon hearing that it was her daughter, Jiang Yue went to open the door without saying a word.
The bolts are double-layered, making them very secure and safe.
After opening the door, Jiang Yue saw Cao'er holding a little tiger doll and smiling sweetly at her.
"Come in quickly."
Jiang Yue is powerless against her daughter's smile; she's just too adorable!
As soon as his daughter came in, his three sons came running over one after another, as if they had made an appointment.
"Mother~"
"Stop! You're all men now. All three of you go back to your rooms to sleep. You're all grown up, how can you still sleep with your mother? If word gets out, you won't feel ashamed, but I will!"
Jiang Yue refused outright. Her daughter was so young, while these boys were already so old. They weren't ashamed, but she was!
"Oh~"
The three Wu brothers looked at each other, then reluctantly left their mother's east wing.
Well, how should I put it? Everything is new, but they still miss the old, drafty, dilapidated house, the days when the mother and her children huddled together for warmth...
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