Chapter 16 Can't Sew
The light in the room was dim, and Gu Ping'an didn't look towards Gu Tang's bed at first. He stopped stupidly when he got closer, "Second sister! Where did all these furs come from?"
"I exchanged it for a rabbit." Gu Tang was still fiddling with the rabbit skin in his hands. He picked up one and threw it into Gu Ping'an's arms.
"Feel it and see if it's soft. I've almost caught all the rabbits in the back hills just for these rabbit skins."
Gu Pingan hurriedly caught it with both hands, and couldn't help touching it a few times, with a look of joy on his face: "It's so soft and smooth! Is this rabbit skin?
My uncle has a fur coat made of rabbit skin, and my grandmother is very careful about it and won’t let anyone touch it. Even my aunt can only look on with envy.”
"I remember that fur coat was obtained by my father, right?" The original owner had this memory.
This happened four or five years ago. There was a pig disaster at the time. Wild boars were everywhere in the mountains and forests. There was nothing to eat in the middle of winter, so the big pigs and their little ones all rushed down the mountains and went into the villages, looking for food from house to house.
At that time, the head of the village called on a group of strong laborers to catch wild boars. Her father also went with them and led people to kill several wild boars.
In addition to wild boars, some people also caught a lot of rabbits with fishing nets. When her father saw this, he exchanged some wild boar meat for the freshly peeled rabbit skins.
Her father's original intention was to make a fur coat out of the rabbit skin, not for anyone in particular, but to put it in the house so that whoever was going on a long journey could take it and wear it.
At least I have some decent clothes to keep warm.
The rabbit skins were almost tanned by a hunter from the neighboring village when Mr. Gu in the main hall suddenly fell ill.
Feng said that he had caught a cold, and her words all showed that she wanted the ten or so rabbit skins.
Her father didn't want to give it.
Feng cried and cursed, and even blamed Gu Laian, who was still studying at the time, and insisted that her father send the rabbit skin over.
In the end, her father endured it for the sake of his elder brother and reluctantly sent the rabbit skin to the main room.
Not long after the two elders of the Gu family collected the rabbit skins, her uncle had an extra fur coat.
It goes without saying where the rabbit skin comes from.
Because of that matter, her father went out for a drink, and when he came back he got drunk and made a scene, even smashing his uncle's inkstone and writing brush.
The two elders of the Gu family were already in the wrong, and seeing her father making such a fuss, they didn't dare to say anything more and just let her father make a fuss.
People often say that human hearts are biased from birth, but to be as biased as Feng is really chilling.
Hearing Gu Tang talking about this, Gu Pingan waved his hands repeatedly: "Don't talk about this, grandma won't let you say it! Grandma told everyone that I bought it with money, and won't let you say that I stole my father!"
Gu Tang raised his eyebrows: "So grandma also knew that it was stolen? Was there any movement in the main hall or the east wing today?"
"They're boiling medicine!" Gu Ping'an pointed outside the courtyard, "Dr. Gu from our clan came yesterday and said that Grandpa had chest pain and Uncle had a brain injury, so he prescribed medicine for both.
Early this morning, my second cousin hurried to Doctor Gu's house and brought back more than ten packets of medicine. They are now boiling in the east wing, and the whole yard is filled with the smell of medicine."
Speaking of boiling medicine, Gu Pingan remembered something else: "Second sister, Dad wanted to ask you just now, when did you boil the medicine you got yesterday?"
Gu Tang paused. Medicine? She did bring back a few packets of medicine, but they were not for curing diseases, but for nourishing the body.
"It's on the couch. Don't go anywhere today. Just stay at home and make medicine for me."
Gu Ping'an was a little embarrassed: "I haven't chopped enough firewood for the winter yet, and it's going to rain today. If I don't go chop firewood, how will I keep warm in the winter?"
"The firewood you cut earlier is enough for our family. If others don't have firewood, that's their own business. Just focus on making medicine for me peacefully. If anyone asks, just tell them that I said so!"
"Dad's side..." Gu Ping'an looked a little timid, a little afraid of his father.
"What's wrong with Dad? If Dad dares to ask you to chop wood, I will tear down his house!" Gu Tang frowned and looked very ferocious.
"Okay! I'll listen to my second sister." Gu Pingan was happy, picked up the medicine bag and prepared to leave.
Gu Tang remembered that the water had not yet been boiled, and hurriedly called him back: "I haven't washed up yet, don't rush to boil the medicine, boil the water first."
"Oh!" Gu Ping'an responded happily and walked out of the house.
Gu Ping'an was in a very good mood as he didn't have to brave the cold wind to go into the mountains to chop firewood.
It was so cold and he had no warm clothes, he would have to be a fool to go chop wood!
There was nothing he could do before, as no one would take the initiative to do it for him, and he himself did not dare to embarrass his father, so he could only endure the cold and hardship silently.
Now that the second sister is willing to stand up for him, apart from anything else, just look at the momentum of the second sister yesterday, no one in the Gu family dares to mess with her right now.
It’s strange to say, but ever since my second sister fell ill after coming back from the mountains last time, her temper has changed a lot.
I don’t know if it’s because grandma treated people too harshly that made my second sister so angry that she lost her mind.
There was a case in another village two years ago. She was beaten and scolded by her husband’s family all day long. Later it was said that she had lost her mind and killed her entire family with a knife. After that, she went crazy.
Could my second sister be the same?
The more Gu Ping'an thought about it, the more worried he became. He went to the kitchen to find his father who was cooking porridge and told him about his worries.
Gu Lianshan's face darkened immediately after hearing this: "How can a boy like you act like a woman, daydreaming all day? Your second sister has finally come to her senses!"
Enlightened? Or confused?
Gu Pingan looked confused.
"Your second sister said that she has figured it out. You can live your life in a frustrated way or in a happy way. Since you are living your life in a frustrated way, why do you have to live your life in a frustrated way?"
Gu Ping'an paused, thinking that what his second sister said made sense.
"Is this your second sister's medicine?" Glancing at the medicine bag in his son's hand, Gu Lianshan quickened his pace in stirring the paste.
"Yes, my second sister's medicine."
After hesitating for a while, Gu Ping'an asked tentatively: "My second sister asked me to make medicine for her at home today..."
Gu Lianshan was a shrewd man, so he had no idea what was going on. "Your second sister doesn't allow you to chop wood?"
"Well, you're not allowed to go. They said the firewood I chopped is enough for us. If others don't have firewood, they can chop it themselves!"
As he spoke, Gu Ping'an stole a few glances at his father, wondering if his father would be angry.
Gu Lianshan didn't see his son's eyes, and stopped stirring the porridge for a moment. After a while, he said, "It's understandable that the old man in this big family can't do it. But who doesn't have strength, big or small?
Everyone stays indoors, one complains about being cold, the other complains about not being able to bear it. We are all farmers. Three-year-old kids in other families know how to help collect firewood, but in our house, they all stay indoors, dreaming about being masters, mistresses, or girls. It doesn’t make sense…”
Gu Ping'an was very happy to get his father's approval. He put down the medicine bag in his hand, lit the clay stove, and boiled water for Gu Tang in a clay pot.
Gu Lianshan glanced and said nothing.
It’s clear at a glance that it must have been his daughter who ordered it to be burned.
"Oh, right, Dad." Gu Ping'an remembered something.
"My second sister is sewing a fur coat in the room. I see she doesn't seem to be very good at it. She sews and then takes it apart. She has been struggling for a long time but hasn't finished sewing a single piece."
(End of this chapter)
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