sneaking
Wang Shuitao's main purpose in returning this time was to see how the twins had changed.
Babies under one year old change very quickly. In just a few days, they have gained weight and their faces have become much fairer and more delicate.
Especially the little niece, it's clear that Sun Miaobi has been feeding her more carefully than before, and her size is now much closer to that of her nephew.
Wang Shuitao reached out and gently stroked the children's soft cheeks, making them giggle and laugh.
The baby's toothless smile can only be described as innocent and adorable.
Sun Miao stood upright with her palms against her inner thighs and her feet together.
Just like every office worker waiting for their boss's inspection, secretly observing their sister-in-law interacting with the children.
They were trying to gauge Wang Shuitao's level of satisfaction with her recent work results.
Wang Shuitao has always been lawless, both in the past and present.
The main idea is that I am the third oldest, second oldest, and third oldest.
He did not understand Sun Miao's fear.
As the younger sister, she shouldn't have frightened her sister-in-law to this extent, especially since the job at the sugar factory was passed down to her by her brother, Wang Jinbu.
However, Wang Shuitao had already realized through her previous attempts that personality traits are difficult to change.
So she softened her tone and said gently to Sun Miao, "Sister-in-law, you take such good care of the two children."
Sun Miao seemed flattered, her face as red as an apple as she lowered her head and whispered in a low voice, "Then I'll go cook."
The cradle that my uncle made earlier is now finished, and the two children are lying peacefully inside, stretching their little hands and moving their little legs.
Wang Shuitao pulled the scooter to the kitchen doorway, where it was easily visible, and went inside to start a fire.
In the middle of the stove was a half-meter-wide iron pot, which already contained some water and, as was Wang Shuitao's custom, the preserved vegetable and minced meat she brought back.
Only put half of it in.
Sun Miao was washing vegetables, sweet potatoes, and sorghum rice, which she would cook all in one pot later.
It's a meal with both rice and vegetables, very convenient, and it's what the wives here cook most often.
Upon lifting the lid again, a cloud of white steam rushed out, mingling with the aroma of food.
It was only about fifty degrees Celsius, not very hot.
Three bowls were already placed on the edge of the stove, and Qian Lijuan appeared silently outside the kitchen, standing next to the jogger.
Wang Shuitao picked up a bowl, deliberately filled it with extra minced meat, and handed it to her sister-in-law.
"You go ahead and eat, I'll get some and come right away."
Qian Liju took everything in. After several months, she finally spoke in front of her daughter, but only let out a cold snort.
Wang Shuitao turned her head and glanced at her sideways, then said slowly, "Sister-in-law, you should eat more so that your breast milk will be nutritious enough and the baby will grow up quickly."
Then he picked up his own rice bowl, walked straight out, and simply tossed Qian Liju the words: "Help yourself."
They sat down at the table and started eating.
With a "thump".
Qian Liju slammed the bowl heavily onto the table.
The technique was excellent; not a single grain was spilled.
It was clear she had been holding it in for a long time, but despite her daughter's increasingly somber expression, she persisted and said, "So it was you who made Sun Miao feed Da Nan? Do you even know that...?"
"It's me, what's wrong?"
Before her mother could finish speaking, Wang Shuitao's face fell instantly.
"I'm in charge of this family now. Does anyone have any objections?"
No one spoke in the quiet house, and the mud walls were bathed in warm yellow sunlight.
There are obvious scratches on it, and even fingerprints left by a relative who helped with the renovation.
The building is over ten years old, and after being exposed to wind, sun, and rain every day, cracks have started to appear on the walls.
The situation inside was slightly better, but outside, the corners of the walls were covered with moss and vines hung from the walls.
It has taken in quite a few insects.
Fortunately, spiders are not lacking, and the ecosystem has managed to maintain a delicate balance.
The shadow of the spider web covered Sun Miao's entire face. Silently and quickly, she shoveled the small amount of minced meat that her mother-in-law had deliberately piled aside to show her displeasure into her mouth and swallowed it.
After that, she looked up and gave her sister-in-law a fawning smile.
In the past, her sister-in-law would always join her mother-in-law in scolding her, calling her a vixen who seduced Wang Jinbu, a slut, shameless, and a beggar.
While feeling sad, Sun Miao also felt a strange sense of relief; she was used to pleasing people like that.
This is her home.
Sure enough, despite her mother-in-law and sister-in-law's frequent beatings and even secret pinching, she managed to stay there.
However, ever since she gave birth, her sister-in-law has become a different person. That day, she held her hand and said that she would help her deal with her mother-in-law.
Sun Miao was terrified. Everyone knew that disrespecting one's elders was a crime punishable by divine retribution.
But her sister-in-law held her hand tightly.
Two dry, twig-like hands clasped together, their bones digging painfully into each other, yet their palms were warm.
For the second time, Sun Miao had a rebellious thought: she wanted to agree to her sister-in-law's request.
In the end, he simply collapsed onto his sister-in-law and endured the beating he was used to.
She wanted to get close to her current sister-in-law, but her heart was filled with a deeper fear than before.
Looking at Sun Miao's smiling face, Wang Shuitao deliberately raised her voice and said, "Eat more in the future. I'll have to check on you next time you come back."
Qian Lijuan cleared the rice bowls off the table. Having experienced a lot, she tried to probe her daughter and found that she had no intention of softening at all.
Then I was at peace again.
————
The country lanes are narrow, only about the width of a hand, and are so compacted by footsteps that no grass grows on them.
However, the lush weeds around would still stick out their sharp tips and poke into the thin trousers and cloth shoes.
Wang Shuitao once again lifted her leg and scratched the skin there hard, leaving several red marks.
We've arrived at the old house.
Every time she comes back, she visits her grandparents and uncles and aunts to reconnect.
In the face of the suppression of filial piety that has been passed down for thousands of years, she and Wang Jinbu have no advantage over their parents.
Fortunately, newspapers in big cities now publish notices about severing ties with relatives every day, and people's expectations of filial piety are constantly being lowered.
However, there are still many taboos in the village, but that's alright, the nursery rhymes we've sung since childhood have already addressed them:
"Mice are afraid of cats, cats are afraid of dogs, dogs are afraid of tigers, tigers are afraid of elephants, and elephants are afraid of mice. Each creature has its own way of subduing the others, so no one should be arrogant."
Wang Shuitao could naturally ask her grandparents to take care of her parents.
Strangely enough, apart from Wang Datong, his parents, siblings, and even his siblings' partners were all normal.
I have never tried to do anything just because we are relatives, not even something as simple as getting a larger share of the wooden box making quota.
That's why Wang Shuitao was willing to spend a long time with them.
Otherwise, based solely on the fact that she can bring extra income to the village, she could achieve her goals even if she were to leave them behind.
Wang Shuitao had already seen her aunt Wang Zhenzhu and happily ran two steps to her side.
The two then went into the house hand in hand.
As for now, it's certainly better to be kind to others. Back when Wang Shuitao was in kindergarten, she had a dream of a world of great harmony.
Perhaps feeling a bit inexplicably sentimental today, Wang Shuitao lingered a little longer in this lively family gathering.
It was already a bit late when she left, but at her uncle's enthusiastic invitation, Wang Shuitao set off with the hammer he used for carpentry in his pocket.
Every evening, I can see the sun and moon shining together, yet the sky is always dark.
Wang Shuitao carried a shoulder bag, the hammer inside making her shoulder ache. She had to hold the bag up with one hand and reach into it with the other, ready to deal with anyone who might rush out.
She wasn't even afraid; on the contrary, she was somewhat eager to try.
The sentence in the book, "He who possesses a sharp blade will naturally have a murderous intent," only became truly understood at this moment.
So when she saw three suspicious figures near the dormitory, Wang Shuitao didn't take a detour. Instead, she quietly gripped the hammer and slowly circled around to their backs.
Unfortunately, it was her first time doing something like this, and her elongated shadow gave her away.
The tall, slender man suddenly turned around—
It is Meng Songying.
Two astonished faces stared at each other, and for a moment no one uttered a sound.
Wang Shuitao saw two old men dressed in tattered clothes hiding behind him.
It was a man and a woman, and they looked like a married couple.
At such close range, you could even smell a sour, rotten odor wafting from the opposite direction.
A hand covered in scars grabbed Meng Songying's clothes.
Wang Shuitao didn't continue looking; it was Meng Songying who stepped to the right and blocked her view.
She also saw his tense face and wary body language, which he displayed by clenching his teeth.
Without saying much, he adjusted the shoulder strap of his bag that had slipped off his shoulder and left.
Meng Songying took a step forward, but felt a slight obstruction; his clothes were being tugged at.
Turn around.
Behind him were the faces of two elderly people, their faces deeply lined with wrinkles, showing no trace of their former pampered lives.
The eye sockets were sunken deep into the eye sockets, and the cheekbones were high and protruding, supporting a thin layer of skin.
He hesitated and did not continue walking.
Upon opening the dormitory door, the first thing that catches the eye is still that wooden box by the bedside.
Wang Shuitao opened it, popped the tiny pink peach candy into her mouth, and crunched it to pieces.
It's very sweet.
There is no odor.
Wang Shuitao let out a long breath, and her previous frustration seemed to disappear. She thought to herself:
snort!
If there are secrets, then I have secrets too!
We're not close anyway, and I'll never tell you!
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