Chapter 251: “no One’s Superfluous”
The Gu family’s conditions were much better than where Zhao Daya married.
Zhao Liuniang was willing to give to her biological sister, and this stingy person put together quite a few good things.
Half a catty of brown sugar, half a piece of cured meat, a handful of red dates, two buns.
Most of them were thank-you gifts from Lin Zhao for helping her third sister-in-law, Lai Mei.
She was reluctant to eat them herself and wanted to save them for New Year, but she didn’t mind sharing some with her sister. Her sister had raised her. Zhao Old Man wanted to send her up the mountain to be fed to wolves, but Eldest Sister saved her, skimped on her own ration to secretly feed her, and that’s how she survived.
Not to mention, Eldest Sister heard Lai Mei hurt her head and brought ten eggs when she came. No one knew how long it took her to save those ten eggs.
Zhao Daya’s face changed slightly when she saw the things her younger sister handed over.
She kept refusing them.
“Where did you get so many good things?”
“What do you want me to do with them? I don’t want them! We have grain at home.”
“Lai Mei is hurt so badly, he needs to nourish himself. Soak these red dates in water for him, I heard they replenish blood. The brown sugar too, and the cured meat—cook it for him once he’s better.”
“Why are there even buns? Did you steam them at home?”
Zhao Liuniang said: “We still have some at home, it won’t leave their mouths empty. These were specially saved for you. Xia Xia isn’t it that time of the month and her stomach hurts? Give her the red dates and brown sugar. I’ve wanted to give them to her for a long time but never had the chance. Eldest Sister, you give them to her for me and tell her they’re from her little aunt. Don’t take my credit.
“You all eat the cured meat and buns together and taste the meat. Eldest Sister, you know my husband’s family conditions are decent. My third sister-in-law always supplements Bang Bang and the others. The malt extract Yu Yu drinks was given by her third aunt. Don’t worry about me, I’m doing great.”
Zhao Daya hesitated upon hearing her younger sister say this, her mind in turmoil.
Zhao Liuniang stuffed the things into her hands.
“You’re my biological sister. What’s wrong with me giving you things? Take them openly, don’t be polite.”
Except for being a bit timid around Zhao Old Man, Zhao Liuniang had an open and straightforward temperament.
Zhao Daya had no choice but to accept them.
“That’s right.” Zhao Liuniang said.
She had long heard that Xia Xia suffered terribly during that time of the month. Brown sugar couldn’t cure the illness, but it could make her more comfortable.
Zhao Daya said: “Your sisters-in-law are all good. Get along well with them, don’t be petty, be diligent, and it’s okay to take a loss occasionally. Family shouldn’t keep score.”
Her younger brother’s wife’s life was better, and she was afraid her younger sister would develop improper thoughts.
People should focus on their own lives and not compare. Constant comparison—how could life be comfortable?
Zhao Liuniang listened. “I know.”
Zhao Daya smiled awkwardly. “You’ve had ideas since you were little. I’m saying too much—don’t get annoyed with me.”
“Not annoyed.” Zhao Liuniang intimately linked arms with Eldest Sister. “Never annoyed in a lifetime. I like hearing Eldest Sister teach me.”
She was raised by Eldest Sister. To her, Eldest Sister was like a mother—no, more important than a mother.
Zhao Daya’s heart felt warm.
As soon as the sisters went out the door, they saw Gu Qingzhou pushing a bicycle over, with a basket hanging on the handlebars.
“Mom asked me to see Eldest Sister Daya off.” he said.
Zhao Liuniang’s face lit up. “Mom is so thoughtful.”
Then she looked at Zhao Daya. “Eldest Sister, you don’t have to walk back. Let Qingzhou take you. The bike is fast.”
Zhao Daya had never ridden a bicycle and waved her hands at a loss. “No need, no need, too much trouble. I’ll walk back. I’m used to it…”
“Eldest Sister!” Zhao Liuniang interrupted her refusal. “The bicycle belongs to third sister-in-law. She’s willing to lend it out—don’t feel bad about it. It’s fine. Eldest Brother’s Wife and I have both ridden it. No problem.”
“Walking back is such a hassle. Why not ride if there’s a bike?”
Gu Qingzhou watched Second Sister-in-law persuading as he remained silent the whole time.
Zhao Daya tugged uncomfortably at her clothes, no longer refusing, though she still seemed very awkward.
Zhao Liuniang helped her onto the bike.
Once seated, Zhao Daya felt dazed. She never thought she’d have a day to ride a bicycle.
“Qingzhou, ride slowly on the road.” Zhao Liuniang instructed, planning to boil an egg for her brother-in-law tomorrow morning.
Gu Qingzhou nodded. Seeing Second Sister-in-law and her Eldest Sister no longer speaking, he pedaled off, and the bicycle glided away from the spot.
……
In the brigade where Zhao Daya lived, the members had never seen a bicycle.
Spotting one was like seeing something rare, and they all crowded forward.
Seeing Zhao Daya, they were stunned. “Daya?!”
Zhao Daya jumped off the bike and waved to the villagers.
“It’s me.” She smiled shyly.
The villagers circled Gu Qingzhou and that women’s bicycle. One aunt reached out to pinch Gu Qingzhou’s arm.
“Young man looks pretty upright. Got an object? If not, Aunt will introduce you to one.”
As she spoke, her eyes fell on the bicycle, wishing she could push it back home.
Gu Qingzhou was nearly scared silly. When had he ever seen such a bold aunt?
It was like… he was a piece of pork, fat and lean.
So scary.
The youth tried his best to dodge.
Zhao Daya couldn’t stand by. The awkwardness of being stared at faded completely. She stepped forward and pushed through the crowd.
“This is my younger sister’s brother-in-law. He’s still studying, in high school. Don’t crowd him—you’ll scare him, and Liuniang will make a fuss with me.”
Hearing Gu Qingzhou was a high school student, the villagers’ eyes lit up even more.
“Oh my, a top student, impressive.” The aunt who wanted to introduce him a match smiled broadly. “Top students still need to marry and have kids. The girl I want to introduce you to is very pretty and diligent. She doesn’t know many characters, but what use is knowing characters for living life? She…”
Before the aunt finished, someone else interrupted. “Hahaha, Aunt Qian, you’re talking about your little daughter, right? Stop fooling this young man. Everyone in the village knows your little girl is lazy as a maggot, can’t do anything. Marry her and treat her like an ancestor? Don’t harm people.”
The aunt promoting her daughter sulked.
She couldn’t help resenting her daughter in her heart—how she didn’t care about her own reputation at all, making it impossible for her to find a cultured good son-in-law…
Gu Qingzhou: “…”
He stayed silent.
Were the aunts in this brigade so… fierce?
Introducing matches right away.
No checking character?
Not afraid he might be a bad guy.
Zhao Daya seemed to sense Gu Qingzhou’s mood and said embarrassedly: “…The villagers are pretty enthusiastic. Come to the house and sit?” She made the invitation, wanting to offer her younger sister’s brother-in-law a drink of water.
Gu Qingzhou shook his head.
“No, there are things to do at home. I’ll head back first.”
After greeting Zhao Daya, he pedaled the bicycle away.
“Hey, why leave so fast? Chat a bit more.” The aunts weren’t done gossiping and called out regretfully.
Gu Qingzhou didn’t look back and pedaled even faster.
Like his own Third Brother, he wasn’t talkative, with a steady and reserved temperament. He feared dealing with village grandpas and grandmas the most.
Enduring this for half a day was too much for little Gu!!
The youth, straight and tall as a little poplar, whooshed away.
The villagers regretfully withdrew their gazes.
Then.
Zhao Daya was surrounded.
“Daya, your younger sister married well. I heard Fengshou Brigade is growing mushrooms. Those mushrooms earn a ton of money. Didn’t you ask if our brigade can grow them too?” someone asked first.
This was a big money-making matter—the whole village cared.
They didn’t know who to ask before, but now they had their chance!
Zhao Daya shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“How could you not know? You didn’t ask?” The moment the words fell, the asker shook their head again. “Impossible. Even if you didn’t ask, could your younger sister not tell you?”
Another person asked eagerly: “Daya, if you know, don’t hide it on purpose. We don’t have any malice, just… if our brigade can grow them too, we’ll go to the captain and ask him to go to the commune secretary to make our brigade a… pilot?!”
“I heard Dongfeng Brigade is building mushroom rooms. When will it be our brigade’s turn? I heard mushroom growing earns quite a bit.”
…
The villagers surrounded Zhao Daya, chattering away.
“I really don’t know. I didn’t ask much.” Zhao Daya raised her voice a bit. “But Liuniang said something about being patient, um, meaning it’ll be our turn sooner or later.”
She was embarrassed to say she hadn’t understood.
The literate elderly person guessed. “It means ‘be patient and don’t rush,’ right?”
Zhao Daya nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, that’s it.”
The elderly person glanced at her and said: “We need to start a literacy class. People still need culture.”
“Otherwise, you can’t even understand words.”
This wasn’t aimed at anyone, just a small sentiment.
Zhao Daya’s cheeks burned, and she mumbled softly: “…I’ll learn. If the literacy class opens for a day, I’ll learn for a day.”
After seeing Liuniang, she realized the gap between herself and her younger sister was growing—not in terms of living well or poorly, but in other aspects.
—Like some of the things Liuniang said, she sometimes couldn’t understand.
“It’s good you have this determination.” The elderly person with some ink in his belly looked approving.
His expression serious, “It won’t do to be illiterate in the future.”
Zhao Daya took it in and resolved to learn to read.
Some listened with one ear and out the other, only caring about more income to fill their bellies. They asked urgently: “What does ‘be patient’ really mean?”
“Can our brigade really grow mushrooms?!”
The elderly person sighed slowly and answered: “Don’t worry, wait for the notice.”
The villagers deflated.
Their shoulders slumped, looking listless.
Zhao Daya pursed her lips and, taking advantage of no one noticing, slipped home quietly.
In her hands were the supplements from Zhao Liuniang, plus a small basket.
This basket was stuffed to her by Liuniang’s brother-in-law. She still didn’t know what was inside.
Back home.
The girl named Xia Xia came to greet her.
“…Mom, you’re back. Why so early?” Fengshou Brigade was pretty far—nearly two hours walking.
Zhao Daya smiled. “Your little aunt’s brother-in-law biked me back, so I got back early.”
“A bicycle?” The little girl’s eyes sparkled.
“Yes.”
Xia Xia looked envious. “Did little aunt’s family buy a bicycle?!”
“That bicycle belongs to your little aunt’s sister-in-law.” Zhao Daya explained to her daughter.
“Oh.” Xia Xia wasn’t surprised.
She had seen her little aunt’s two sisters-in-law.
She knew which one Mom meant.
The one more like a city person than actual city people… she didn’t quite know what to call her.
Zhao Daya first opened the basket. Inside were two yams and a jin of Fuqiang Flour.
She froze in place.
“This…”
Xia Xia’s eyes went wide too.
She could almost smell the wheat fragrance of the white flour.
The little girl swallowed saliva and said: “Mom, this is… Fuqiang Flour? Where’d it come from?”
“…From the Gu family.” Zhao Daya felt deeply moved inside.
Bringing things for Lai Mei was what she, as the aunt, should do. She hadn’t expected the Gu family to return the favor, and with such good things!
Grain that fills the belly—how could that not be good?
“Ah…?” Xia Xia was surprised. “The Gu family members are really nice.”
Zhao Daya said: “Yeah, all very good.”
She had sent their family’s valuables over, and the man hadn’t been too happy… Now let’s see what he says!
At this moment, Zhao Daya’s back straightened.
She took out the red dates and brown sugar for her daughter. “From your little aunt. Brew the brown sugar in water when your little day comes. Eat a red date when nothing’s going on—good for the body.”
Xia Xia suddenly got so many good things, her eyes curving into smiles.
“From little aunt? Little aunt is so nice.”
Yes, her younger sister was great. Zhao Daya said in her heart.
Back then, all the villagers said she was foolish—couldn’t even keep herself alive, yet still raising an extra one.
Much better to “send” Liuniang away—fewer burdens.
What extra?
No one is extra.
That was a life.
She gritted her teeth, eating less herself to raise her younger sister, feeding her bit by bit until she grew up.
Zhao Daya never expected repayment, but her younger sister’s reciprocation still made her eyes heat up.
So good.
They had survived.
Even.
Had a little ability to give back to each other.
…
Lin Zhao had also heard about the Zhao family matters.
The situation of the Zhao sisters was a microcosm of country girls. She’d seen plenty and was long used to it.
But.
Hearing about Zhao Old Man’s “retribution,” she was still happy for the six Zhao sisters.
Speaking of their biological father being unable to move freely and unable to travel far, Zhao Liuniang’s face was full of relief.
She was increasingly unguarded around Lin Zhao.
“…” Lin Zhao was speechless for a moment, then said: “Pretty good. Trading thirty jin of grain a year for peaceful days. Second Sister-in-law, don’t feel bad—Bang Bang and Lai Mei can pick up several jin of grain each year. That’s nothing for our family.”
“…Not feeling bad.” Zhao Liuniang said stubbornly.
In fact, the more she thought, the more heartbroken she felt. Thinking that thirty jin of grain was going to that person—it hurt too much!
Lin Zhao saw right through her and reminded: “You still have income from mushroom cultivation. The first time you sold over ten yuan.”
At this, Zhao Liuniang immediately grinned like a flower.
She slapped her thigh and laughed with a goose cackle.
Lin Zhao’s mouth twitched.
After laughing a bit, Zhao Liuniang rubbed her cheeks, her smile fading, voice sinking. “Report cards are coming out soon. Don’t know how Bang Bang and Lai Mei did…”
Lin Zhao’s expression didn’t change.
“You’re not worried?” Zhao Liuniang had been pondering these days—if the brothers failed again, how to give them an unforgettable winter vacation.
She had a heart that hoped for her sons to become dragons.
No choice—who made the educated ones in the family do the best.
Those who said education was useless were all farting.
If education was useless, why did the factory recruitment always require junior high or high school students? The illiterate didn’t even get a chance to apply.
She was set for life like this—Bang Bang and Lai Mei had to get out.
To say something fanciful, if their Third Uncle got even more capable and could arrange for them, they still wouldn’t make it without skills.
“Not worried. Yu Baoheng Bao should have done well.” Lin Zhao said.
“How do you know?”
Lin Zhao’s brows curved up. “They have a good foundation. After all, I taught them, and their little uncle did too. If they still don’t do well this time…”
No matter.
After all, only first grade.
The twins were young—if they couldn’t keep up, they could repeat the grade.
But she thought the chance was slim.
Both kids were smart—elementary courses were no challenge for them.
