novelraw Chapter 396 - 6: This Can’t Go On_3
Chapter 396 - 6: This Can’t Go On_3
But since Old Mrs. Zhou made the offer, the other party’s conditions must be good. How could she find an excuse to pick someone not so suitable?
After all, if the daughter-in-law is outstanding, her family surely would be too, and then pressuring Little Three’s salary wouldn’t be reasonable.
What if she refuses to obey at home? That won’t work either.
As a mother who’s worked hard to raise her children, when the daughter-in-law enters the house, she should experience the hardships she went through back then, otherwise she’ll be disobedient.
Zhao Xiuhua thought about it but didn’t delay her response:
"Exactly, the kids are grown up now. I’m worried too."
Old Mrs. Zhou sincerely sighed:
"What are you worried about? Just look at your three kids, each one more handsome than the other. Little Three is even a soldier, with an allowance. Who wouldn’t want such a son-in-law?"
She leaned in a bit closer: "What do you think of Wen Juan from the captain’s family?"
Zhao Xiuhua gasped.
— It’s both too good and not good.
The captain’s family has good conditions, many brothers, and Wen Juan always handles farm tools, and can earn full work points, definitely well-regarded at home. But the key is that girl hasn’t done much work. Once she enters the house, if disciplined harshly, wouldn’t the captain’s family take it out on theirs?
No way, absolutely not.
But since Old Mrs. Zhou asked, the captain’s family must have set their sights on Little Three. She can’t delay and must refuse quickly!
So Zhao Xiuhua sighed: "Good, Wen Juan is really all-around, and her conditions are great. But I’m afraid Little Three has a stubborn temper, he... sigh!"
A sigh that concealed a thousand words.
Unable to find a reason, she’d solve it with a sigh.
Old Mrs. Zhou started mumbling because of the sigh—
Wen Juan’s conditions are indeed excellent, even though the girl might not seem like one who works earnestly, but she’s young, pretty, and from a wealthy family.
Marrying into the captain’s family would ensure no hardship in the village.
But it’s the captain’s wife who asked her to talk, showing that the parents are interested...
Old Mrs. Zhou, unwilling to give up, asked again:
"Wen Juan’s conditions are hard to find within miles. Xiuhua, what exactly is Little Three thinking? We could help explain as someone with experience."
...
Zhao Xiuhua had already thought of a perfect excuse.
"It’s not that we look down on them; their conditions are simply too good, we wouldn’t want to wrong them."
"Old sister, you know, our Little Three has always been just a regular soldier in the army over the years, with a small monthly stipend, not even meeting the standards to bring family along."
"Yet, he’s foolishly dreaming of marrying a wife to join him... You know, honest people in that place wouldn’t earn work points, nor be able to get a salary... When you step outside, everything costs money."
"Young people, it’s tough."
...
Old Mrs. Zhou’s face also grew somber.
It’s only 1970 after all, speculation and profiteering are despised by everyone, while urban household registration is held in high regard.
Rural women transferring from their village to another place neither get work points from the brigade nor a guaranteed food supply, let alone find any work...
After all, even positions for temporary workers require fierce competition, how could it be possible for an outsider?
Old Mrs. Zhou also has relatives in the military, so she knows that even many legitimate military wives with the qualifications aren’t arranged.
She measured her small feet: "Oh, how do young people not understand these things? I should go and talk to them."
After speaking, she hurriedly left.
When the woman’s family takes the initiative, it’s considered somewhat inappropriate to speak outright; everyone speaks implicitly but understands each other.
Watching Old Mrs. Zhou’s silhouette disappear, Zhao Xiuhua angrily slammed the hoe into the ground, uprooting a pile of weeds, and couldn’t help but have a dark expression as well.
...
Meanwhile.
The Old Chu Family also gathered, lazing around at work.
"Mom, this can’t go on."
The words are the same, but the intentions differ greatly.
Old Mrs. Chu’s face sank, looking at the ground with weeds as if they were her enemies. Her daughters-in-law muttered softly, grieving, "Mom, the family’s assets can’t withstand much more plundering."
The old woman sneered, her face dark: "Does our family have anything left to plunder?"
The eldest daughter-in-law sighed: "Mom, Little He is clearly going mad, acting without sense, if our family’s food is plundered, next they’ll start smashing and looting."
"And if we report her, if she drags out the matter of blood donation, the whole family won’t end well."
"But just enduring like this, there’s no end!"
"Mom, maybe... we should arrange a marriage for the younger sister."