Li Qiaoqiao didn't believe it: "Is his family really not getting enough to eat?"
"It's true. Your maternal grandmother's nephew married the sister of that regimental commander."
"Oh, is that so? Then I wouldn't know."
"How come you don't know anything about this?"
"Don't tell me I don't know, I don't think my sister-in-law knows either. My father-in-law was in charge of our family's grain for those years."
Li Qiaoqiao's mother knew that Tang Huihui had been helping Xiaoman take care of her children in the military region during those years, but she always thought that the Han family's grain was managed by Grandma Han: "Your father-in-law manages it?"
"Hmm. Mother, do you think I should go to the hospital to get it checked out?"
"Wait a little longer. Maybe you'll get pregnant in a while."
"Alright, Mother, I'm going back now."
"You really don't know where your family's food comes from?"
"I really don't know. Mom, I'm going back now. Jinbao will be home from school soon."
"Hmm. Be more attentive in the future, don't be completely clueless."
"Okay, I'm leaving now."
"Um."
When Li Qiaoqiao returned home and saw Tian Dahua cooking, she remembered this incident. "Sister-in-law, I have something to ask you."
While washing the vegetables, Tian Dahua asked, "What do you want to ask?"
Li Qiaoqiao asked in a low voice, "Do you know where our family's food came from during those years of famine?"
"Is that even a question? Binzi and Xiaoman must have brought it back."
“Not necessarily. My mother said there was also a regimental commander in my maternal grandmother’s village…” Li Qiaoqiao told Tian Dahua what her mother had said. After listening, Tian Dahua thought for a moment: “No matter where the grain came from, we’ve all benefited from it.”
"That's true. You're busy, sister-in-law. I'm going to do Jinbao's laundry."
"Um."
That evening, Tian Dahua and Han Gui were chatting when the topic came up: "Why did she suddenly ask that?"
Since Da Bao and Dani went out on their mission, Han Gui had been paying more attention to what was happening outside, so he knew more than Tian Dahua. Knowing more meant thinking more: "What else did she say?"
"He didn't say anything, just that Binzi and the others didn't have enough food."
"No." Han Gui sat up in bed. "I need to talk to Father about this."
"No need, right? I think she was just asking casually."
As Han Gui put on his shoes, he said, "I'd better tell them first."
Let's talk about it tomorrow.
"No, I can't sleep if I don't tell you."
When Han Gui arrived, Han Dashan and Tang Huihui were already asleep. "Dad, I have something to tell you."
Han Dashan didn't want to get up: "Let's talk about it tomorrow."
"Dad, I'll just say a few words. I can't sleep if I don't."
"Alright then." Han Dashan looked at Tang Huihui: "You get dressed and open the door for the boss, I won't get up."
"Um."
Han Gui came in and then closed the door again. Seeing Han Gui's serious demeanor, Han Dashan sat up, still wrapped in the blanket. "What's wrong?"
Han Gui sat down next to Han Dashan and whispered, "Today, when the third brother's wife came back from her parents' home, she asked Da Hua where our grain came from a few years ago."
Han Dashan frowned: "Why is this third son's wife so troublesome? If we didn't have that grain, wouldn't she go hungry too?"
"Father, I don't know if she asked casually or..."
Tang Huihui: "She asked as soon as she came back from her parents' home. It must have been her mother who told her to ask."
Han Gui looked at Han Dashan and asked, "Then what about this matter?"
"You go back first, I'll think about it. By the way, if Lao San and his wife ask you what you said to me tonight tomorrow, just say you're worried about Da Bao and Da Ni and want me to ask Bin Zi about it."
"Okay. I'll head back now."
"Um."
A few days later, Han Dashan went to the county town for a stroll. After returning home and having dinner, he called Han Gui and his wife, as well as Han Zhuang and his wife, into the house. "I went to the county town today. It's quite chaotic there. Binzi wrote me a letter a while ago. In it, he said some things are best kept to ourselves; revealing them would bring trouble. Binzi is the most promising member of our family. Only when Binzi is doing well can we do well. As for you, your lives are pretty much set. But Dabao, Dani, Erniu, and Jinbao are different. Especially Jinbao."
Han Dashan looked at Han Zhuang and Li Qiaoqiao and said, "When Da Bao and Dani were little, Binzi was still a regimental commander. Now that they're older, Binzi has been promoted to brigade commander. When Jinbao grows up, Binzi will definitely be promoted even higher. The higher Binzi rises, the more opportunities Jinbao will have. Don't you agree with what I'm saying?"
Han Zhuang: "Yes. Dad, don't worry, I won't say anything out of line."
Li Qiaoqiao: "Dad, I won't say anything out of turn."
Han Gui and Tian Dahua both promised not to say anything inappropriate.
Han Dashan: "I know you all don't talk nonsense. But sometimes you don't know what to say and what not to say. Your mother, your grandmother, and I have lived a few years longer than you, so today I'm reminding you of a few things. First, a few years ago when God didn't give us enough to eat, if anyone asked, just say that our family was barely able to eat our fill. Didn't I send you up the mountain to dig for wild vegetables back then? Second,"
Han Dashan looked at Tian Dahua and Li Qiaoqiao: "Eldest daughter-in-law, third daughter-in-law, you've married into the Han family, so you're now part of the Han family. Whether you do things or say things, you must think about the Han family. Only when the Han family is well can you be well, and only then can your children be well. Eldest daughter-in-law, third daughter-in-law, you'll be relying on Dabao and Jinbao to support you when you're old. Dabao and Jinbao's father only knows how to farm. If you don't want Dabao and Jinbao to stay home and farm, then don't hold Binzi back. If you hold Binzi back, you're holding Dabao and Jinbao back."
Tian Dahua knew why Han Dashan said that: "Dad, don't worry. I won't hold Binzi back. A couple of years ago, when my mother asked me if we had enough food, I said no. Later, when you asked me to deliver food to my mother and father, I also said that the food was squeezed out of our teeth."
Han Dashan nodded: "You did the right thing. Third brother's wife, what about you?"
"I...I..."
Han Zhuang could tell from Li Qiaoqiao's expression: "You're not going to tell your mother that we have more food than we can eat, are you?"
"I..." Li Qiaoqiao didn't want to admit it, but she was afraid it would affect Han Bin. If Han Bin fell on hard times, her Jinbao would have no one to rely on when he grew up. "My mother shouldn't tell anyone, right?"
Tang Huihui showed no mercy to Li Qiaoqiao: "Your mother favors boys over girls. If this weren't a modern society, your mother would have sold you long ago."
"I……"
Han Dashan looked at Li Qiaoqiao and said, "Did your mother ask you where the grain came from?"
"have."
"What did you say?"
I said I didn't know.
Han Dashan thought for a moment and said, "If your mother asks you again, just say you're bragging. Actually, our family isn't even that well-fed. Third brother's wife, remember this: whether Jinbao can amount to anything in the future depends on his second uncle." Han Dashan knew that Jinbao was Li Qiaoqiao's lifeline. If he brought Jinbao up, Li Qiaoqiao definitely wouldn't dare to say anything out of line.
"Dad, I'll remember. From now on... I'll do more work and talk less."
Tang Huihui: "Especially, you can't tell your mother. After Zhuangzhuang and you got together, I asked around in your village. I know your mother's character very well. She would do anything for your brother and the others. If your brother and you fell into the water together, your mother would definitely save your brother first, even if you were closer to her. Am I right?"
Li Qiaoqiao knew Tang Huihui was right. "Mom, I won't talk nonsense anymore."
"Um."
Han Dashan: "Alright, that's all for today. You can all go back to your rooms and rest."
As soon as Han Zhuang returned to the room, he looked at Li Qiaoqiao and said, "Li Qiaoqiao, let me tell you, if you dare to say anything out of line, my second sister-in-law can slap you to death."
Li Qiaoqiao thought of the wild boar: "I swear I'm not lying."
After her sons and daughters-in-law left, Tang Huihui asked Han Dashan, "Now the third son's wife shouldn't say anything out of line, right?"
"I hope so."
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