The Tang family began discussing how to support Ke Meiyu: they needed a large number of people, a strong presence, a grand scale, and substantial gifts!
Ke Meiyu started patting her nephews' heads, stuffing each of them with a few milk candies and pretty fruit candies.
She sat leaning against the old lady and muttered to herself, "Grandma, I've already told my grandma that we need to pay more attention to the children's education!"
“You see, your grandchildren’s generation can no longer rely on the path of education, but they have other ways to develop. Organizations change every day. When I go to the provincial capital, I will mail books to my brothers and sisters-in-law.”
"Even if it's not for exams, just to broaden their horizons, they should all take a good look. Who knows, when an opportunity comes, they'll be well-prepared! At the very least, they'll know how to farm and raise animals. And you can learn how to educate your children too, so that when your children and grandchildren are successful, they can accompany me to give speeches!"
“My cousins are the most important. Once I send them the materials, you need to keep an eye on them. They should put in their best effort when it’s time to study and play hard when it’s time to play. Life is about living life to the fullest.”
Ke Meiyu was making empty promises to the old lady, saying there were seven worker-peasant college student spots up for grabs, and whatever she said was law.
The old lady listened intently, nodding emphatically every now and then: "Your grandpa and grandma usually have nothing to do. When we try to do something small, your aunt and sisters-in-law always chase us away. We're just idly strolling around the yard, and we've trampled the yard raw!"
"From now on, we'll do as you say. What's the point of having a child if they don't study? Will they regret it when they grow up?"
After fooling the old lady, Ke Meiyu looked at her nephews, who were licking the candy with innocent and satisfied expressions, with a hint of schadenfreude. Amen...
There were quite a few relatives from her maternal grandmother's side. Relying on the original owner's memories, Ke Meiyu recognized everyone. Suddenly, her eyes lingered on the beautiful new bride who entered last, then she casually looked away and greeted everyone with a smile.
After everyone had been talking for a while, Tang's aunt pushed the new bride forward, saying, "Jinhan's wife, hurry up and soak up your sister's good fortune. Maybe you'll be able to conceive a top scholar too."
When family members are together and the door is closed, they feel less restrained and all kindly smile and make way for each other.
Ke Meiyu chuckled and took her cousin's wife's hand, saying affectionately, "Hello, cousin's wife. You are so beautiful and seem to have a good personality. You look like someone who has stepped out of a book. No wonder my cousin insisted on marrying you, even if it meant going against his will."
The new bride smiled shyly, her tense body slowly relaxing. "I'm just a plain-looking girl, how can I compare to your beauty?"
As soon as she finished speaking, her straightforward sister-in-law laughed and said, "Little sister, don't be offended. Our cousin's family has a great scholar in its ancestor. They lived in seclusion in the mountains and only came down a couple of years ago."
"They speak softly and use deliberate language, which sounds quite pleasant, but sometimes we rough people can't quite understand them."
"If your cousin's wife had come down the mountain earlier, she might have become your classmate."
Ke Meiyu listened with curiosity and excitedly pulled the person aside, asking, "Then, little cousin-in-law, you must have many stories passed down from your ancestors, right? I love listening to stories!"
"Yes, there are quite a few," the new bride nodded. "If you want to hear more, I can tell you more about landlords seducing virtuous peasant women, scholars abandoning their wives to marry the county magistrate's daughter, and rich girls having extramarital affairs..."
Before she could finish speaking, a group of women whose expressions changed drastically covered her mouth.
“Little sister, what story do you want to hear? Your second sister-in-law will tell you. I grew up listening to stories,” the second cousin-in-law said with an embarrassed smile. “Your little cousin-in-law’s stories are all outdated. The organization doesn’t allow them anymore. Don’t listen to them and then blurt something out, or you’ll be dragged through the streets!”
The others echoed, and the younger cousin's wife seemed to realize she had said the wrong thing, hanging her head and looking annoyed.
Ke Meiyu's curiosity was completely piqued. These stories sounded incredibly exciting, didn't they?
So, while everyone was busy cooking, she quietly pulled her cousin-in-law into the house to listen to a short story.
"Little sister, I... I can't tell you, otherwise your cousin will make me eat half a bowl less rice."
Seeing that they were kindred spirits, Ke Meiyu pulled out a handful of milk candies from her pocket and stuffed them into her mouth, saying, "No, my little cousin-in-law won't say anything, and neither will I. Nobody will know!"
My cousin's eyes sparkled as she deftly stuffed the candy into her pocket and began to tell her story, "Little sister, I have so many stories to tell, but this time I'll just tell you the one that happened in my ancestor's time..."
After she finished speaking, her younger cousin's aura changed completely. Gone was the ethereal beauty from before. She became like an old woman telling a story vividly at the village entrance, yet she was incredibly captivating. Ke Meiyu listened with rapt attention, as if she were witnessing it with her own eyes!
Just as the story of the blacksmith and the young widow was getting exciting, there was a loud banging on the door, which startled the two of them.
"Who is it?" Ke Meiyu asked loudly, sounding a little guilty.
“Your Ninth Brother,” Qin Yuanjiu replied irritably.
My cousin's wife smiled teasingly, "She's a newbie after all, she misses you so much after just a short time apart. Alright, I'll tell you a story later, I won't disturb you two lovebirds any longer."
Ke Meiyu nodded regretfully, "Little cousin-in-law, after I'm done with my wedding, I'll invite you to my house!"
The two had agreed that she would go open the door. After her younger cousin-in-law left, she asked rather irritably, "What's the matter? Can't we women even have a quiet conversation?"
Qin Yuanjiu glared at her and said something inappropriate.
If he hadn't interrupted, wouldn't the red tent have been churning up waves next?
There was also a muscular blacksmith, and a young widow with a slender waist but unusually voluptuous figure...
Where does that leave the person on his certificate?
Ke Meiyu raised an eyebrow, puzzled. She saw that he had blocked the door by himself, so that outsiders could not see what was going on inside.
So she poked his chest and asked, "Why are you glaring at me?"
"The day after tomorrow is our wedding day. My maternal grandparents' family is all coming to support me. Have you made any preparations?"
“Ke Yunyue married a former educated youth from the provincial capital. The Huang family cares about face; they may not all come, but one or two family members have to come to the village to show off.”
"Although Ke Enshu stole my marriage, I embarrassed the second wife and the Yu family. They'll definitely be holding back their anger the day after tomorrow!"
"Although we are a couple in name only, our marriage is also a matter of face for you, Comrade Qin, isn't it? You are an intellectual from Beijing, are you really inferior to them?"
Qin Yuanjiu grabbed her restless little hand and squeezed it slightly. "I've been hearing you mention that you're only superficially harmonious. Are you trying to tell me something?"
"You're overthinking it," Ke Meiyu pulled her hand back and rubbed it. "I have many older brothers, so I couldn't help but imagine you in their shoes..."
"Ke Meiyu!" Qin Yuanjiu stepped forward with a dark and gloomy face, pushed the person into the house, and closed the door behind him.
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