novelraw Chapter 395 - 6: This Can’t Go On_2
Chapter 395 - 6: This Can’t Go On_2
Zhao Xiuhua also felt a bit guilty.
She indeed hadn’t been willing to put much meat at lunch today, knowing that Little Three ate well in the army, and the meat at home had to be saved for the two main workers.
But... with his earlier sarcasm, how should she say this now?
...
However, Shi Suifeng didn’t mind and instead looked at his nephew and niece, "Sweeties, do you want to eat meat?"
Meat!
Who doesn’t want to eat it?
The two children held their big bowls, looking at him with hopeful eyes, which seemed to fill Shi Suifeng with newfound courage. He turned to his old mother:
"Mom, let’s kill a chicken tonight and stew the whole thing so we can all have a taste."
The old lady’s face fell, "What are you talking about! Coming back and asking for meat and oil, how can we live like this?"
"Chicken is now 65 cents a pound, and the chickens at home are still laying eggs. How can we eat them?"
Shi Suifeng, however, was quite generous, "It’s okay, Mom, you pick one and weigh it. I sent home over a thousand yuan, so just deduct it from there."
Zhao Xiuhua caught her breath again.
— You sent over a thousand yuan home?
Have you not thought about how our big house got built? How your brother got married? How your nephew gets cloth to make clothes for the New Year?
That money belongs to the whole family, how can you just talk about eating meat? The chickens are also raised by her!
But she hesitated just for a moment, and this inconsiderate son innocently asked again, "What’s wrong, Mom? Could it be that my money has been spent by the family?!"
He stood up, "Mom, I feel like you all speak so strangely now that I’m back. What’s really going on?"
How could she explain this?
They still relied on Shi Suifeng’s monthly 20 yuan, so Zhao Xiuhua immediately put on a smiling face:
"Look at you, at your age, hearing the wind and thinking it’s rain... Mom just pities you, doesn’t want to spend your money, but since you insist—"
Before she finished, Shi Suifeng also laughed, "I knew my worries were unfounded. Mom, since you put it that way, I can’t embarrass my two elder brothers, let’s just say this chicken is my treat from them."
Everyone around the table turned green.
...
"Mother, this won’t do."
The eldest sister-in-law moved into the kitchen, diligently plucking chicken feathers with a kettle of hot water in hand, sighing with concern:
"Dabao is already seven and should be going to school. Little Uncle spends money like this, and from what he says, it sounds like he’s wary of us... how about in the future..."
Zhao Xiuhua’s face looked unpleasant, "Mind your own business."
The eldest sister-in-law immediately fell silent.
Meanwhile, the second daughter-in-law, who was tending the fire, also spoke, "Mother, I think Little Uncle is old enough now, he’s handsome too, it might be time for him to get married."
No wonder the second daughter-in-law was favored by the old lady. Her words flowed more smoothly than the stiff ones from the eldest daughter-in-law.
The old lady gave a rare nod in response.
"How do you two sisters-in-law think about it?"
The eldest sister-in-law remained silent, finally squeezing out, "We’ll listen to Mother."
The second daughter-in-law, however, had more to say:
"Mother, Little Uncle feels distant from us because he hasn’t been home much, and there’s no one to care for him here. If he ends up marrying someone local to the army, we truly won’t have him as part of our family anymore."
"Marrying a wife needs to be done locally."
"I have a cousin, 17 years old this year, quite pretty and capable. How about introducing her to Little Uncle?"
The old lady glanced at her without speaking.
As if she didn’t know what her daughter-in-law was thinking?
Little Three’s 20 yuan monthly allowance could support a whole family in the village. If they kept Little Three’s heart here, once he built his own home, the second and third sons would all be in one place. Then, with the two daughters-in-law controlling the money, no benefits would come to her as the mother.
No, such a daughter-in-law cannot be accepted.
A thousand thoughts rushed through the old lady’s mind, yet she ultimately stayed silent.
...
In the morning, they only took a break for about an hour, leaving the two little ones to pluck chicken feathers at home, while the adults had to go back to work.
This afternoon, the old lady’s task was still weeding. She had just taken her hoe into the field when she saw Old Mrs. Zhou from the village coming over:
"Xiuhua, busy are you?"
Old Mrs. Zhou’s family was harmonious, with kind parents and filial children; they were a respected family in the village. Now that she was approaching, Zhao Xiuhua’s mind ran through a few thoughts and she responded with a smile.
"Yes, I need to finish this plot of land this afternoon."
"I heard Little Three is back home?"
Old Mrs. Zhou came straight to the point, "How old is he this year? He should be getting married, right?"
What a coincidence to receive a pillow when you’re about to doze off!