Chapter 14
In the next room, Meng Daguo and Meng Eryong were checking accounts with the account book, while Zhen Zhen was eating melon seeds and chestnuts nearby.
Meng Daguo did the math and said, "The bill and the money match. After deducting the cost of food, I barely made a few bucks."
Because the food was delicious, the villagers gave more gifts, but there were also some shameless people who gave a fifty-cent gift and brought twelve children to sit at the table.
Meng Daguo took out a wad of money from the inner pocket of his military coat, his eyes shining as he looked at Zhen Zhen in a flattering manner.
"Mom, Eryong and I collected more than 2,000 kilograms of coal slag. We sold 1,000 kilograms and left 1,000 kilograms for you to use for heating."
Meng Daguo gave Zhen Zhen a stack of money. After counting carefully, there were more than a hundred yuan. He earned more than a hundred yuan just by lying at home. Is this the joy of raising a child?
Zhen Zhen was extremely happy in her heart, but she looked distressed as she said, "Daguo, look at your hand. I've said before that it's okay for me to suffer a little, but I really can't bear to see you two brothers suffer!"
Meng Daguo worked very hard for two months just to get his mother's recognition. When he heard his mother's words of love for him, he felt that all the hard work of these two months was worth it.
"Mom, it doesn't matter if we suffer a little, but as long as we are here, you won't suffer."
Zhen Zhen wiped away her unfounded tears, "My son! When you and Eryong were born, I thought you were here to collect my debts, and I thought I would never enjoy the blessing of you two brothers until I died. Who knew you two would be so filial? It's worth it for me to give birth to you!"
Meng Eryong had been whipped by his elder brother for more than two months and was originally resentful, but when he heard his mother say this, he felt that all the hard work was worth it. Of course, it would be even better if his mother could give him some money to spend.
Meng Eryong watched his mother lock the money in the safe.
Zhen Zhen turned around and asked, "What's the matter, Eryong?"
"No...it's okay," Meng Eryong laughed dryly, "Mom, we have quite a lot of money at home, right?"
"It's okay! It looks like a lot, but the end of the year is approaching, and at least half of it will be gone when you buy meat, eggs, flour, brown sugar, and cotton-padded clothes. You should buy some gifts to thank the uncles and aunts who came to your house to help at your wedding, right? Your wife is pregnant, and there are expenses everywhere in the house." Zhen Zhen looked at him with a smile.
Meng Eryong felt that his mother's eyes were like a mirror, and he smiled and said, "Mom, I just got married, and I have a lot of money to spend. Besides, Aihong is pregnant with our Meng family's eldest grandson! You have to give our Meng family's eldest grandson some face, right? I don't want much, just give me five yuan."
Zhen Zhen thought about it and gave him five yuan.
Meng Eryong felt that he had gotten the upper hand and left with satisfaction.
As soon as he left, Zhen Zhen called Meng Daguo in again and gave him five yuan as well.
"Mom will only give you one person, don't let your brother know."
Meng Daguo was filled with joy at being favored by his mother and nodded happily.
Meng Eryong took the money and went into the room in a good mood. As soon as he entered the room, he took off Tao Aihong's clothes.
Tao Aihong thought he was just going to kiss and rub her, but he was serious and even wanted to take off her pants. Tao Aihong said anxiously, "What are you doing? I'm not even four months pregnant yet. It's not time yet!"
"Dachuan said it will be done in three months!"
"Dachuan? Why did he tell you this? But I'm afraid of hurting the child."
"Don't worry! No matter who you hurt, you can never hurt my son! I'll try to be gentle. If you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and I'll back off."
Tao Aihong couldn't persuade him and had to agree. The two of them did it nervously and both felt that the sound was very quiet.
Zhen Zhen was tired after a day of work, so she soaked her feet in the evening and covered her feet with a hot water bottle, intending to have a good sleep. However, just as she fell asleep, she heard the earth-shaking sound of the bed next door.
It's inevitable that young people have a lot of firepower! Zhen Zhen covered herself with the quilt, ready to have a sleepless night, but in less than five minutes, the noise in the next room stopped.
That's all?
That's it? Normally, the sound of Meng Daguo's bed could last for 20 minutes, but not Meng Eryong!
The next day, Zhen Zhen got up early, which was rare. After all, she had a new daughter-in-law coming home. If her daughter-in-law got up and she, the mother-in-law, was still sleeping, it would be embarrassing if the news got out.
Jiao Huilan also got up to make breakfast. She steamed the dumplings that were not finished yesterday. Knowing that Zhen Zhen didn't like leftovers, she specially made tofu rolls for her and cut two salted duck eggs that Grandma Meng brought.
Daya saw the bride yesterday and ate chicken, duck and fish. She happily sat down beside Zhen Zhen's legs with her small bowl in hand.
"Grandma, the bride is up!"
Tao Aihong was late in getting pregnant. She was originally worried that her mother-in-law would find fault with her. But then she changed her mind and realized that she was pregnant with the eldest grandson of the Meng family and she had just gotten married, so it was inevitable that she would be late in getting pregnant.
"Mom." Tao Aihong called flatteringly.
Zhen Zhen responded, "The food is cold. Ask your sister-in-law to heat it up for you."
Tao Aihong said embarrassedly, "Mom, I don't know what's wrong with my pregnancy this time. I feel sleepy and lazy all day long and don't want to move. I'm afraid I won't be able to help my sister-in-law cook for a while."
Meng Eryong's eyes widened. Although he also felt that it was his sister-in-law's job to cook and do housework, Tao Aihong was just a farmer. She was usually lively and energetic, working hard at home every day. She was even called by Zhao Ying to pick up manure. Why didn't she want to do anything when she came to his house?
Of course Tao Aihong didn't want to do it anymore. She was not stupid. Yes, she and Jiao Huilan were both pregnant, but being pregnant was different from being pregnant!
She was pregnant with the eldest grandson of the Meng family, while Jiao Huilan was pregnant with a money-loser. Her mother-in-law naturally had a scale in her heart to judge who was lighter and who was heavier!
Jiao Huilan lowered her head sadly. Tao Aihong was pregnant with a boy, the eldest grandson of the Meng family, so it was normal for her to be a little bit spoiled. At least she had the money.
Unlike her, who is pregnant with a girl, what right does she have to be lazy?
Zhen Zhen didn't expect that Tao Aihong was so kind-hearted. She wasn't dead yet, but this daughter-in-law wanted to bypass her mother-in-law and take charge of the family?
She smiled and said, "Aihong, your sister-in-law is also pregnant."
Tao Aihong didn't take it seriously. "Is the baby in my sister's belly a girl? People say girls are obedient, unlike the debt collector in my belly who keeps making trouble for me all day long. I'm not at all worried! But, mother, I'm not doing this just for myself. Don't I also want to give birth to a healthy grandson for our Meng family?"
Zhen Zhen picked up the chopsticks without raising his head.
"Okay, if you don't want to cook, then don't cook. Tomorrow I'll go to the city and hire a few nannies to take care of you. One will give you a back massage, one will give you a foot massage, and another will cook for you. I'll make sure the eldest grandson of the Meng family is born safely in your belly!"
Tao Aihong couldn't laugh anymore, "Mom, that's not what I meant..."
"What do you mean? You want to bully your sister-in-law as soon as you walk in? Your sister-in-law cooked for you while she was pregnant, and you are not grateful enough. You even dared to squeeze your sister-in-law's belly and make a fuss about the gender of the child! I tell you, I can't stand you being like this! What's wrong with girls? I just like girls! If you dare to say something like this that favors boys over girls again, I will hit you on the head with a shit-scratcher!"
Meng Eryong opened his mouth, but thought of the shit-stirrer he used to pick up the shit, and he knew the situation and said nothing.
Tao Aihong was stunned by the scolding. She never thought that her mother-in-law would be so disrespectful to her! Yes! How could she be so naive to think that her mother-in-law would be controlled by her?
Everyone knows that her mother-in-law is a wicked woman in the whole area. She can scold and beat anyone she wants. And she is the daughter-in-law with the lowest status in the family. How dare she challenge the authority of the wicked mother-in-law?
Tao Aihong stood up with a guilty conscience, "Mom, I really didn't mean that."
"Since you don't mean to do that, your sister-in-law is already pregnant, so from today on, you two will take turns cooking."
Tao Aihong: ???
Zhen Zhen doesn't plan to get used to her. This is not a peaceful era. These days every household can't afford to eat. This family eats and drinks her food, and relies on the things in her space to avoid starving to death. She can't lose money and still have to work like a workhorse to cook and do housework, right?
That’s a nice thought!
Jiao Huilan wanted to say that it wouldn't be a problem if she did more work, but just as she was about to speak, her mother-in-law pinched her hard under the table, forcing her to swallow back all the words.
After returning to the room, Tao Aihong was so angry that she pinched Meng Eryong, "Your mother just said that to me, and you didn't even say a word to help! You didn't protect me at all!"
Meng Eryong frowned, "Why do I feel that what my mother said is quite right? What did you say before you got married? You said that you would get along well with your eldest sister-in-law, but you wanted to assert yourself as soon as you entered the house? Let me tell you! Our Meng family is not your Tao family! My father is gone, and my mother is the head of the family! You want to show my mother your face, wait for the next life!"
Tao Aihong was so angry that she couldn't speak. "Your mother is not good enough, so I asked your eldest sister-in-law for help. It's okay, right? But your mother just protected him like that! I can see that your mother doesn't have you in her heart at all! Apart from the third child, your mother loves your eldest brother the most!"
Meng Eryong curled his lips and thought to himself, you know nothing!
My mother has high hopes for me! How can Meng Daguo compare to that?
"Okay, you can pick up shit at the Tao family, so what's wrong with you coming to our Meng family to cook? You really think you're a rich lady!"
Tao Aihong touched her belly and said, "It's not that I don't want to do it, it's the son in my belly!"
Speaking of his son, Meng Eryong's expression softened a lot. There is no rural person who doesn't love his son. His eldest brother has two daughters. If he can have a son, he will be a great contributor to the continuation of the Meng family line.
After thinking for a while, he took out fifty cents to buy some snacks for Tao Aihong. Tao Aihong didn't bring a penny when she got married, so with the fifty cents she could buy some fruit to satisfy her hunger and she wouldn't have to care about her unhappiness for a moment.
Many people from the village came to help at Meng Eryong's wedding. Zhen Zhen and Jiao Huilan steamed steamed buns as a return gift, with each helper receiving two steamed buns and half a pound of pork.
This was considered a good thank-you gift. Many families could not eat noodles and pork all year round. Zhen Zhen was very generous and made the people who helped very happy.
The Okawa family received two portions. Looking at the heavy steamed buns and pork heads in their hands, Okawa's mother praised:
"Zhen Guizhi is so generous. Look at the steamed buns she made. They are so fragrant and big! I never thought she could be so thoughtful!"
Dachuan was drooling. His family couldn't eat noodles all year round, and they hadn't eaten steamed buns for two years.
The last time I saw Meng Daguo eating meat buns, he was very greedy.
"Mom, let's make some buns to satisfy our hunger!"
Dachuan's mother originally thought that making dumplings was too extravagant, but then she thought that since she already had the meat, she might as well eat it for once! After all, it was only once a year, so she agreed.
Zhen Zhen also sent a special gift to Old Lady Meng, including two pounds of pork, two fish, a basket of large meat buns, and ten large cakes.
He also gave two kilograms of meat and half a bag of flour to Boss Meng's family. This gift touched their hearts. Meat and flour are such precious things! Others don't get this treatment, and only my family would give them this kind of gift.
Mrs. Meng felt relieved. "We are a family after all. Guizhi still has her parents and our family in her heart."
Old Mrs. Meng curled her lips and thought, what the hell! It's probably because of the twenty yuan! However, this was the first time that her daughter-in-law had gone to such great lengths to honor her. She said no, but she was delighted in her heart.
After giving the gifts, Zhen Zhen took out the prepared meat and stuffed the sausage with Jiao Huilan.
Jiao Huilan was an expert at stuffing sausages. She stuffed twenty of them and hung them on the wall to dry.
The steamed buns and dumplings at home have been prepared. After stuffing the sausage, and roasting some fish and pork, everything will be almost ready for the New Year.
"Make some sweet cakes to help Daya satisfy her craving." Zhen Zhen ordered.
Jiao Huilan was already used to her mother-in-law doting on Daya, and nodded happily, "Mom, you really dote on her too much. She either eats candy or canned food all day long. No one loves a child as much as you do!"
Zhen Zhen smiled, "My granddaughter can love me however she wants! Besides, it's my own stuff, I can give it to whoever wants to eat it!"
Tao Aihong couldn't help curling her lips when she heard this. A little girl wanted to eat candy! And canned food and candy?
Why didn't she leave some for her pregnant son? She was pregnant with the eldest grandson of the Meng family!
After everyone left the kitchen, Tao Aihong lifted the curtain. She had been smelling meat all day and thought it was just a few pounds of roasted meat, but who knew that the Meng family's kitchen was filled with meaty vegetables. Everything was available except chicken!
Looking at the pots and pots of white bread and steamed buns, Tao Ai's eyes almost popped out!
Wow! The food at the Meng family is so good!
In order to find out the truth, Tao Aihong got up early to cook. She walked into the kitchen, thinking that having eaten dumplings and meat buns yesterday morning was really a luxury, and she couldn't eat the same way today, right?
"Sister-in-law, how do you make breakfast?"
Jiao Huilan was afraid that she didn't understand, so she kindly came to help her, "Steamed buns, steamed bread, tofu rolls, dumplings, anything is fine."
Tao Aihong's eyes widened. She thought breakfast was luxurious enough, but there was meat for dinner. Looking at the large plate of meat, Tao Aihong picked up her chopsticks and started picking. She liked to eat fatty meat, so she picked up all the fatty meat in front of her. She also picked up the lean meat that she didn't like, and she always picked it up once before putting it down.
She scattered the delicious food all over the place.
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