Chen Xingling smiled bitterly: "You can't do anything about it, right? Just be patient and say a few more words to him."
Ma Dali sighed: "Besides apologizing and speaking ill of her, what else can I do? Our village is originally full of people with the surname Ma, and there are not many outsiders. And she has so many troubles - she is really an eyesore!"
Chen Xingling couldn't help but ask curiously, "What kind of people did she mess with? If they are not married yet, they will succeed sooner or later, and then Erli will have nothing to worry about."
"How many of the men who hang around a widow's door are real men?" Ma Dali rolled his eyes and explained, "Some are married, and some are just second-rate guys on the streets."
Chen Xingling frowned and sighed: "Why is she so depressed! She is already in this situation, why doesn't she find someone to live with and live a down-to-earth life!"
Ma Dali lowered his eyes and lowered his voice: "I have said it before, that woman's eyebrows and eyes look quite unusual, and you can tell at a glance that she is not the kind of woman who can be worry-free."
"Wow!" Chen Xingling teased, "You really can read faces? That's amazing!"
Ma Dali shook his head: "I don't know if she can tell faces, but there's something wrong with her eyes. She's not the kind of person who is open and generous. I can tell at a glance."
Chen Xingling said, "She has nothing to do with Erli, so you can rest assured. No matter which man she gets together with in the future, it will be her own choice. You don't have to get involved or interfere. She is not a child, and she has to make her own choice about who she wants to marry. If you make the decision for her, if something unreliable happens in the future, she will completely rely on you for the rest of her life."
"How dare I?" Ma Dali explained, "I told Erli not to go there casually in the future. If you have anything to say, let Sanyue Sifang go through it. Otherwise, it will easily make people suspicious. We should be open and honest and never let people talk about us. Not only that, I also told Sanyue and the others not to go through it casually. If Xiaojing comes, just let her carry it. If the things are too heavy, help to turn them through the door."
Chen Xingling nodded approvingly: "We should indeed avoid suspicion."
"Now I go out early and come back late." Ma Dali smiled bitterly, "I wish you could take on another project right away, even if it means I have to sleep in a tree net on the construction site. My relatives, uncles, and uncles are all very angry. If I hadn't been honest when I was young and my family was full of scholars, they would have come to my house long ago. As for me, I try to avoid them now and run away when I see them."
Chen Xingling couldn't help but suggest: "Why don't you just come here to guard the factory at night. It's spacious here anyway, so you can get a wooden bed and sleep in the back."
"Is it possible?" Ma Dali asked in surprise, "Really?"
Chen Xingling smiled and asked back, "Am I kidding? I don't know when my fourth brother will be able to come, and my fourth sister-in-law doesn't dare to sleep here alone. I was planning to let my brothers take turns to watch over here, but then I thought that they all have families and are not as good as you, a bachelor. If you can come, I will just make you a permanent resident. Although there are no valuable treasures in the factory, there are so many things inside and outside, it is better to have someone to watch over them."
"Then you can!" Ma Dali promised readily: "Don't worry, I will definitely keep watch. It's very quiet here at night, and it's more suitable for reading and studying. I am happy to do it!"
Chen Xingling could only explain: "It's more than that. Do you think night watch is just night watch? You must also be responsible for opening the door in the morning and closing the doors and windows at night."
"No problem!" Ma Dali nodded.
Chen Xingling added, "You can use the kitchen. Boil water and fill the thermos in the morning. When my fourth sister-in-law and the others come, let her do the rest."
"Yes." Ma Dali said, "Embroidery workers usually start work very early. Some who like to be early start to pick up needles and threads at six o'clock. In summer, it may be even earlier."
"Wow..." Chen Xingling smiled bitterly: "Then someone must be on guard. Who can come to open the door so early? I have to take care of the children and prepare lunch boxes for school, and then I have to go to class. My fourth sister-in-law is a famous bed-slacker. She won't get up before 8 or even 9 o'clock every morning."
Ma Dali looked suspicious and said, "No way? Isn't it early today? We set off firecrackers at seven o'clock!"
Chen Xingling didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I told her a lot yesterday evening, and also emphasized to my third brother and the others that everyone in the family had to be here before seven o'clock today. I heard that my fourth sister-in-law was pushed out of bed by my eldest sister-in-law, otherwise she wouldn't be able to get up no matter what."
Ma Dali: “…”
Chen Xingling lowered his voice and said, "Hold on for a while. I'll leave it to you for now."
"But I occasionally have classes in the morning." Ma Dali said helplessly.
Chen Xingling had already made up his mind and said, "It's okay. You just need to open the door and boil some water. Leave the rest to the two masters. They are also one of the managers. If the workers have any problems, they can go to them directly."
Ma Dali's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he asked, "Have you -- told them?"
"Yes." Chen Xingling explained: "I told them to try their best to help manage the younger generations. They are all experienced seniors. We can feel more at ease if they can lead the young people to work."
Ma Dali tried to hold back his laughter: "It sounds better spoken than sung! They mean the same thing, but the way they are said is so different!"
Chen Xingling chuckled.
Ma Dali was not too worried and explained: "The embroiderers are all girls and women, and most of them are patient and hardworking women, so it is not difficult to manage them. People without self-discipline and patience cannot do such delicate work."
"That's right." Chen Xingling nodded.
At this time, Xiaohuzi's playful voice was heard outside!
“Mom! Mom!”
Chen Xingling walked out quickly and saw Gu Qi parking her bicycle and chatting with her brothers. Little Tiger had already run over and hugged her.
"Mom! I want candy too!"
Chen Xingling asked with a smile: "Is school over? Where's Aunt Xuan? Didn't she come with you?"
"No." Little Tiger answered with a smile: "I knew that the store opened today, so I came here early to get some candy. I asked my dad to pick me up in advance. Aunt Xuan is still at Chongwen Middle School!"
"Tiger!" Ma Dali raised his hand and waved the candy in his palm: "Look!"
Little Huzi immediately let go of his mother and threw himself into Ma Dali's arms.
Ma Dali lifted the little guy up high and let him sit on his shoulders.
"Huzi, uncle will take you outside to ride a big horse!"
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go now, gogogo!"
Gu Qi greeted his uncles and sisters-in-law, waved to Ma Dali, and then slowly walked towards Chen Xingling.
"Xing'er, are you done with your work? It would be better to go home earlier in the evening."
Chen Xingling shook his head: "Wait, let's talk about it later. Today is the first day of business, and there are still many things to do. Xiao Xing has nothing to do recently, so she will come over in advance to cook."
Gu Qijun looked a little embarrassed and whispered, "Today... is my mother's birthday."
ah? ? ?
Chen Xingling: "I've been so busy lately...I almost forgot about it."
"I know." Gu Qi looked around and said, "You've been busy with the opening of the embroidery factory recently, going out early and coming back late, and you've been very busy. It's okay, I'll go to the food market to buy some cooked food first, and then ask Xiao Xing to cook two more dishes, which should be enough."
Chen Xingling quickly held him down and said with a smile, "No, I'll go around to buy something later. You take Xiaohuzi here first. If you don't buy things there at the moment, they might try to rip you off. I'll make the arrangements."
All she had to do was pick up one or two roast chickens or braised ducks from the supermarket's deli section without paying for anything.
Even if it was Gu Qi who paid for it, it was still the family’s money!
Gu Qi couldn't help but ask, "Is it okay? Will you be too busy?"
"It's nothing." Chen Xingling explained: "I will buy it in advance and transfer it to you later. It's okay, Ma Dali will move his mattress here soon. He will be responsible for the padding, and we don't have to stay until closing. We just opened today, and will be open tomorrow night to let the embroiderers come to work the night shift freely."
"Well." Gu Qi explained helplessly: "My meat coupons were all taken by my mother. I don't know if I can buy it without coupons. Xing'er, you buy meat every day - you must have run out of coupons a long time ago."
Chen Xingling blinked and whispered, "I have a way to buy it, but the quantity is limited, so I have to buy it in advance. If you want to buy more, you have to make a reservation one or two days in advance."
Gu Qi understood everything and warned, "Things on the black market are expensive, don't eat too much meat tonight."
No one knows a mother-in-law better than her eldest daughter-in-law. Chen Xingling ruthlessly pointed out: "If you don't make it richer, your mother will cry and even make a scene."
Gu Qi frowned: "Um... then."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
