Chapter 48: “the Best Big Sis-in-law”
One of the parties involved in the topic had injured buttocks and needed to see the doctor, so the onlookers couldn’t keep surrounding them and left reluctantly.
“This Lu Family drama is more entertaining than anything at the Educated Youth Point. Watch, there will be even more excitement in the future.”
“Lu Old Woman and Yi Zhou’s sister are not to be trifled with. Why did Yuxian insist on marrying into that family? Sigh! The hard days are just beginning!”
Village Chief’s Wife was still cracking her pumpkin seeds, her chin slightly raised, as if she knew everything.
“What else could it be? She’s not young anymore. If she doesn’t marry soon, she’ll become an old maid. The Lu Family boy has been married before and has a little oil bottle, but he can’t help being a soldier with a monthly allowance. Su Family daughter couldn’t find a better match than Baozhen’s dad, so of course she clings to him.”
If she guessed right, Su Yuxian was still planning to accompany the army.
If she accompanies the army, with mountains high and mother-in-law far away, wouldn’t she live comfortably?!
“Tsk tsk, Yuxian is becoming more and more like her mother.” The woman wearing an indigo patched jacket said.
“People want a good life, that’s not wrong.” Another person said.
Village Chief’s Wife shook her head, not optimistic in her heart.
It’s not wrong, but she can’t help marrying into a wolf’s den.
Everyone says Lu Yizhou is good, an upright young man, just like Gu Family’s third son, but for no reason she felt the Lu Family boy was somewhat hypocritical.
No evidence, so just consider him not to her liking.
What the crowd didn’t know was—in the original book, after Lin Zhao died, Lu Baozhen used the buns and sugar “exchanged” from Black Carp, caring for and accompanying Da Zai Er Zai, making them regard her as a good friend.
In this way, Black Carp got what it wanted.
Lu Baozhen relied on it to get more and more good things, Lu Family days got better and better, and Su Yuxian only needed to please her stepdaughter to live well.
And Da Zai and Er Zai began to have bad luck, gradually losing all they could rely on, surviving to adulthood with difficulty by digging wild vegetables and help from villagers.
Now.
The twins’ mother didn’t die, and even taught them to stay away from Lu Family members. Lu Baozhen couldn’t approach Da Zai Er Zai, so she turned her attention to the stepmother.
Su Yuxian had just married in and already bore the bad reputation of the unlucky daughter-in-law, starting in hell mode, lying in bed doubting herself.
Lu Yizhou also felt she was unlucky, didn’t even want to enter the room, didn’t unpack his luggage, and directly returned to the troops.
Hearing this, Su Yuxian rolled her eyes upward and fainted.
Before fainting, a thought flashed in her mind: it shouldn’t be, it shouldn’t be like this!
She should be able to live a good life!
–
Yuan Bao ran to Gu Family Old House, spittle flying, telling Da Zai Er Zai and others about Lu Family matters.
Lai Mei slapped her thigh hard, expression regretful, “Too bad I didn’t get to eat something hot. By the time I arrived, it was already over.”
Da Zai generously shared spicy strips with everyone, seriously saying: “Watching the excitement is not as good as spicy strips.”
Mom didn’t let them deal with Lu Family, he hoped Brother Bang Bang and they would stay away from that family too, but didn’t know how to say it, then had a brainstorm to use treats to win them over.
“You’re right! Thanks, Da Zai!” Lai Mei took the spicy strips, reluctant to eat big bites, took a tiny nibble, and her eyes suddenly lit up.
“Da Zai, you and Er Zai have such a good life. Third Aunt buys you treats every day.”
He was tired of saying the word envy.
And also, he was about to start school but hadn’t even seen a schoolbag hair, while Er Zai running wild all over the village had one.
God, you’re really unfair, wuwuwu.
“Brother Lai Mei, what’s wrong?” Da Zai saw Lai Mei looking heartbroken, blinking his big black-and-white eyes, asking puzzledly.
“Nothing.” Lai Mei bit into a spicy strip venting frustration, then smiled broadly again.
One candy, one snack, could satisfy him so much.
Half-grown boys get hungry fast. Er Zai’s stomach growled, asking his brother: “Bro, when can we eat watermelon?”
Tie Dan sucked his finger, turned to Da Zai: “Did Third Aunt buy you watermelon again? Da Zai, why do you two seem like city kids.”
Da Zai Er Zai pursed lips and stole laughs.
No, not really.
Mom said they lived better than city people.
…
The two little brothers found a moment to go home, hugged the watermelon back to the old house.
Bang Bang and others were both shocked and delighted.
“Da Zai! Er Zai!!” Tie Dan couldn’t believe the vague guess in his heart, lowering his voice.
“My mom said to share this watermelon with everyone.” Da Zai said. Sharing with brother and sisters, he didn’t mind.
Tie Dan jumped three feet high with full wow, excitedly shouting: “Wow! Third Aunt is the best third aunt in the whole commune!!”
Huang Xiulan was also happy, cut open the watermelon, let the kids take themselves, sent a few pieces to the main house.
“Mom, eat watermelon.”
Gu Mu couldn’t rest, making her lie there doing nothing was worse than killing her. She half-sat up, making cloth shoes for the family kids.
Little kids run everywhere, shoes wear out fast, in just two days the big toe could poke through. Take advantage of free time to make a few more pairs, next the third branch might not have time building brick and tile house.
“From Third Son’s Wife?” Gu Mu looked at the watermelon slice in her eldest daughter-in-law’s hand, asked.
“Yes, Da Zai Er Zai brought it home, said their mom wanted us to eat together.” Huang Xiulan explained with a smile.
Knowing everyone eats together, Gu Mu wiped her hands, took it, bit down, sweet and juicy.
“Third Son’s Wife really knows how to pick melons, this one’s great, one bite and I’m not so stuffy anymore.”
Huang Xiulan knew why her mother-in-law was stuffy: couldn’t sit still, just like her own confinement, itching to go out and plow three mu right away.
“Mom, endure a bit first. When the injury heals, move however you want.”
Gu Mu of course listened.
Hearing the kids outside chatting and laughing, time wasn’t hard to pass.
Home had sweet juicy watermelon to eat, busy Gu Family members smelled it and appeared.
Sit in a row, eat fruit.
Gu Chan returned to her maternal home today. Just at village entrance, she heard a few women chatting while cooling off.
“Don’t know how Yuan Shan’s Mother is doing, bled so much yesterday, wonder when she can recover.”
Mom?
Mom was injured!
Gu Chan felt like hit with a dull stick, eardrums buzzing, the bamboo basket on her arm nearly fell.
Her face changed abruptly, ran home.
Stumbled on a stone on the road, braids loosened but no mind to fix.
At home door, panting hard, heart pounding.
Pushed the door.
“?
Look what she saw!?
Family sitting in a row, eating watermelon there.
“…” Gu Chan stunned.
“This…?” Full of question marks.
Er Zai jumped up, face blooming brilliant smile, “Elder Aunt! Elder Aunt come eat watermelon!!”
Gu Chan shifted gaze to his face, expression dazed.
This, Er… Er Zai?
Spiky super short hair, no patches on black short-sleeve shorts, feet in sandals she’d only glimpsed once at supply and marketing cooperative, army green bag on body.
Little face fleshed out, white and tender.
Simply more, that word, stylish than city kids, yes, stylish!
“Er Zai?!” She gaped, shocked to stutter: “You, you are Er Zai?!”
If not at home, she wouldn’t dare recognize no matter what.
Gu Family saw daily no feeling, Gu Chan half month no return to maternal home, impact huge.
“It’s me.” Er Zai little face confused.
He put down the melon, short legs strode to his aunt, head up, himself pinched his little chubby cheeks, showing Gu Chan all around.
Left once, right once.
After several times.
“Elder Aunt, look carefully at me, I’m Er Zai, you don’t recognize me anymore?!”
Wished to show his round back head to Elder Aunt.
Gu Chan cupped Er Zai’s face with hands, fixed his head, “Recognize, recognize. But how did you change so much?”
Thought of something, eyes lit up: “Your dad came back?”
She anxiously looked around, “Where? Where’s your dad?”
Da Zai walked over, clearly said: “Dad didn’t come back. New clothes Mom made for us, new shoes Mom bought at supply and marketing cooperative, Mom also bought us baby cream.”
Hm?
Ah!?
Bought by Zhaozhao?!
Gu Chan’s brain nearly burned out.
Long time to recover, until a juicy watermelon piece stuffed in her hand.
She snapped back, asked Huang Xiulan: “Eldest Sister-in-law, how’s Mom? Heard at village entrance Mom was injured.”
Huang Xiulan originally puzzled, they didn’t send message via someone, how did A Chan know about mother-in-law’s injury.
Now knew, turns out heard from villagers.
No secrets in village, bad news travels thousand miles, not just saying.
“Yes injured, but doctor prescribed medicine, Mom’s spirits good these two days.”
Gu Chan didn’t see Mom, still worried, took watermelon to Gu Father Gu Mother’s room.
“Mom, you okay?” Asked right on entering.
Gu Mother was stared at drinking brown sugar water, suddenly bamboo curtain moved, eldest daughter’s anxious worried face appeared.
She immediately gave bowl to Gu Father, patted bed edge, “Fine, why’d you come, tired? Rest a bit quick.”
Gu Chan two three steps forward, plopped down, eyes scanning Gu Mother.
“Mom, where are you hurt?”
Gu Mother said: “All superficial wounds, changing medicine frequently, almost no feeling now.”
Countryside people not so delicate, some women go to fields big belly, birth right on yellow earth, some down to fields second day after birth… her injury nothing.
Hearing this, Gu Chan finally relieved, handed over the watermelon in hand.
Gu Mother refused, “We all ate, you eat, your sister-in-law sent, sweet and juicy, quenches thirst great, you must be thirsty after the road, eat quick.”
Gu Father nodded.
Gu Chan was indeed thirsty, half year no taste of sweet, immediately ate.
Quickly finished watermelon, wiped hands, asked: “Mom, what’s with Zhaozhao?”
“Clothes and shoes on Da Zai Er Zai, all bought by her?!”
Gu Chan full of doubts, “Why? I only half month no home, how’s home feel so strange.”
Gu Mother told her family changes this time.
Learned sister-in-law cared for four kids, became supply and marketing cooperative salesperson, Gu Chan overjoyed.
“This is good!” Her tone light and happy.
Then dissatisfied looked at Gu Mother: “Mom you didn’t even send word to me. Injury not tell me okay, Zhaozhao becoming salesperson such good news, how didn’t send message.”
Gu Mother said: “You come back every half month, no need message, now you know.”
“…”
Gu Chan returning to maternal home had proper business.
After seeing biological mother, she familiarly went to Gu Family Third Branch.
Led by twins, entered Lin Zhao’s room, then discovered this room had many more clothes for four kids.
“Da Zai, Er Zai, why your clothes in this room?”
Da Zai ears hot, felt he five and half big kid, still sticking to Mom, not manly at all, so didn’t speak.
Instead Er Zai, little face held high, super proud: “We sleep with Mom.”
Little friend eyes amazingly bright: “Mom also tells us stories.”
“That’s good, Elder Aunt finally relieved about you.” Gu Chan smiled.
Then, nimbly changed bed sheet, put dirty bed sheet, dirty clothes, dirty shoes in basin, fetched water, soaked rag, wiped table, wiped cabinet, inside and out spotless.
Finished Lin Zhao’s room, tidied next room, then to kitchen, washed pots bowls spoons basins, organized.
Finally to backyard, saw backyard veggies growing well, fenced, asked two kids, learned Second Uncle did it.
“This looks much better.”
Gu Chan swept front and back yards, picked up big wooden basin, went to river to wash clothes.
Er Zai insightfully took out laundry soap for Elder Aunt: “Elder Aunt, use laundry soap.”
“Ah? No need for that, soapberry fine, laundry soap expensive, save it.” Gu Chan said.
“Laundry soap fragrant, Mom likes.” Er Zai on tiptoes, put laundry soap in basin.
“…”
Who doesn’t know laundry soap fragrant, but expensive.
Lowered head met two nephews’ serious faces, Gu Chan compromised.
Fine, use soapberry first, last a little laundry soap for fragrance.
Gu Chan hugging wooden basin about to go out, Da Huang and Amber who went strolling in village returned.
Seeing stranger, Amber four legs dig ground, little ears up, milk fierce woof woof.
“Amber, this is my Elder Aunt, no fierce!” Da Zai rushed hugged Amber.
Little milk dog view changed, dog face confused, couldn’t fierce anymore, nestled in little shit shoveler’s arms with a whine.
“Elder Aunt, this is Amber, name Mom gave, Da Huang and Amber are our family’s new members.” Er Zai loudly told his Elder Aunt.
Gu Chan’s first reaction: raising dogs wastes so much grain.
“Your family have enough grain?”
Da Zai seriously: “Mom says enough.”
“Enough then good.” Saw Da Huang gained some meat, not skinny skeleton like before, Gu Chan happy too.
After all a life, hero’s bloodline.
Soon, villagers saw such a scene.
Gu Chan hugging big wooden basin walking front, behind trailed several little friends, one big one small two dogs, straight to river.
“A Chan, helping your sister-in-law tidy house again.”
“A Chan so diligent, married still come back now then help little brother family, really diligent.”
Some sighed, some mocked her..
“You help Cheng Huai family like this, your husband’s family no opinion? After all married, your heart should be at husband’s home, always thinking of maternal family, careful your mother-in-law they have opinion.” Elder aunt earnestly advised.
Words implying, for your good, not listen is ungrateful.
Gu Chan smiled, ignored, called on Er Zai who wanted to fight heaven earth people, swiftly to river.
Third brother soldier outside, comes back once year hard, if she not guard home for Cheng Huai, what about her brother?
Not to mention else, just for four nieces nephews’ sake, she must treat Zhaozhao well.
Afternoon, half past three.
Lin Zhao rode bicycle home.
Entered door, saw clothes drying in yard.
Not yet called two kids, saw slim small figure, skin tanned wheat color eldest sister from backyard.
“Eldest Sister.”
