Aunt Ke pleaded with snot and tears streaming down her face:
"Father, I know you are the fairest and most just person."
You helped the eldest brother find a job as the brigade leader, made the third brother a scorekeeper, and the fourth brother's in-laws are the best family in the village.
But our second wife has never received your care. This time, I'm begging you.
We'll borrow money from you, and once the child's father starts working, we'll pay you back five yuan, no, eight yuan a month, okay?
The old man was so angry that he banged his pipe on the door frame. With a snap, the pipe, which had been in service for more than ten years, broke in half.
The old lady, fearing the old man would get sick from anger, jumped out, hands on her hips, and angrily scolded:
"You black-hearted bastard, are your eyes blinded by cow dung?"
When did your father-in-law and I ever favor the other wives?
Yes, we usually take good care of Yu Bao'er. She gets the food she deserves because of her own good fortune. Besides, she has five older brothers, so we can easily feed her little belly with just a little effort!
The eldest brother became the team leader because he did a lot of work during the famine; the whole village saw it. Did he get it because of your father-in-law's connections?
Those who were watching the spectacle finally realized, "Wow, the eldest son of the Ke family had quite the old man's demeanor back then."
When the famine first appeared, he discussed with the village chief about hunting in the mountains behind the village so that every household could store some food. Their village was the only one that did not starve to death at that time, and when other villages came to steal food, he and his young men fiercely stopped them.
Without making any contributions, how could the eldest son of the Ke family possibly hold onto his position as captain?
Before Aunt Ke could speak, the old lady continued, "Speaking of which, all four of my children, including my two daughters, have gone to school."
It's just that your husband is too stupid. I had to beat him with a broom handle to get him out of elementary school!
The third and fourth sons are both smart. The third son got into high school on his own and is the most educated person in the village. If he doesn't become the scorekeeper, who will?
It's just that the fourth brother was born at the wrong time; his father-in-law was away fighting a war, and the family had no money.
He only went to junior high school before returning home. Otherwise, with his intelligence, he might have been able to get into university!
Besides, he found his wife himself; she has nothing to do with his family. It's just that our family is well-off, so he made an inquiry and decided on her.
What does this have to do with your father-in-law?
They just separated, and you've already squandered over eighty yuan all at once. Who knows if that doctor is real or fake? And what about you? They have temporary workers; they won't wait for you to bring the money!
I think you two have been ripped off like fools. You've lost your own money, and now you're eyeing my and your father's savings for our funerals. Pah! Why don't you just fly to the moon?
"Mother, that doctor is very famous. Many people have gotten pregnant after taking his medicine, and it's even a boy."
Without a son to support us, who will take care of me and my husband in our old age and see us off when we die?
Who will stand up for my four poor daughters and protect them from being bullied by their husbands' families?
After returning from the market, Ke Enshu went straight to the mountain while the weather was still nice. She had just arrived home and was standing on the outside, listening to the farce inside with a blank expression.
She understood her parents' obsession with their son, but seeing him spend eighty yuan without batting an eye left her feeling uneasy and bewildered. Could this rebirth truly change her life?
Now that their parents have the money to buy medicine to have a son, will they still treat their four daughters with the same open and honest care as before?
She had stolen Ke Meiyu's marriage, but she couldn't find the treasure chest no matter how hard she tried. Had Ke Meiyu already found it?
However, when she heard her mother say that having a son would support her four sisters, Ke Enshu couldn't help but feel sad and heartbroken for her parents.
She must be crazy. How could her parents withstand the pressure from home and village, and still love and care for their four daughters without a son? Even if another child were born, would their more than twenty years of affection simply vanish?
Her blank gaze suddenly hardened; she was determined to sever all ties with the old house and make a fortune so she could live a good life!
Ke Enshu pushed through the crowd and angrily pulled Ke Erda Niang up, "Mother, we won't beg them."
"We've made it through so many years, and we've finally separated. From now on, we'll work hard, and we can earn back not just eighty dollars, but eight hundred, eight thousand, or even eighty thousand."
“But, but your father’s job…” Aunt Ke Er was unwilling to get up, and looked at the man with a gloomy face, saying with some fear.
“Dad,” Ke Enshu walked over and tugged at his sleeve, “Mom is getting old, so it’s a good thing that she can get pregnant sooner. We can earn money again if we don’t have any, and we can find a job later.”
"I'll be going to the city in a while, are you worried about not having a chance?"
Ke Lao Er let out a low growl, then crouched down under the eaves, clutching his head.
"Mother, please get up quickly. I went up the mountain and found a lot of chestnuts," Ke Enshu said with a light laugh. She hadn't been empty-handed from running up the back mountain every day.
The farce ended quickly, and everyone awkwardly stepped forward again, wanting to ask Ke Enshu where the chestnuts were picked.
Upon hearing that it was deep in the mountains, their expressions turned grim.
Although they had their backs to the mountains, they had also gone hunting in groups during times of famine.
But the memories of the depths of the back mountain are not good, they can even be described as terrible.
The mountains behind stretch endlessly, the territory of many ferocious birds and beasts. The dense, shady forests make it difficult to leave once inside. Moreover, in the depths of winter, when the wild animals can no longer find food, they may even descend the mountain…
Which family hasn't lost a relative or two on the mountain?
After adjusting her emotions, Aunt Ke Er felt like showing off. On one hand, she complained that Ke Enshu was too bold, that a little girl like her dared to go into the back mountain alone. On the other hand, she was happy that the back mountain was a treasure trove, and that she had brought a lot of things home during this time.
The group was tempted again. If a little girl could gather so many good things from the back mountain without getting hurt, then if they went together and didn't go far, there shouldn't be too much of a problem, right?
"Is the back mountain fun?" the little guy suddenly asked curiously, turning his head.
Ke Meiyu was taken aback, then suddenly sneered: "Fun, really fun! It's like a wildlife park, with tigers, wolves, bears, foxes, wild boars—you name it!"
"Huh?" Lu Yuehai opened his mouth in surprise.
“You can hear wolves howling on the mountain at night,” Ke Meiyu said, pulling him off the table and laughing, “Come on, let’s see what delicious food my mother has made.”
We haven't properly thanked our savior yet.
Although the little boy's speech was not very clear and had a regional accent, he was a clever little boy who knew everything. He also knew that an uncle had saved him and his sister who had tried to help but failed.
"Yes, I also want to thank Uncle Qin properly!"
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