Chapter 38

“Heidan, how are the cookies?”

In this era of no gutter oil and no flavoring, these cookies baked with wheat flour and pure vegetable oil were so delicious that Dong Jiahui tasted them herself and thought they were very good.

Heidan sat beside Dong Jiahui, holding a cookie in his hands. He was chewing it like a squirrel. He nodded his head after hearing Dong Jiahui’s question.

Farmers usually can’t buy these cookies, which cost 65 cents a dozen.

You can buy ten or so eggs, and they are not enough to fill your stomach.

The cookies sold by the village supply and marketing agency were in bulk. There were small round cookies with onion flavor, salty cookies in the shape of fingers, and sweet-scented ones sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Dong Jiahui had eaten them when she was a child, and the family would leave the boxes for storage and pack some small things.

Dong Jiahui sat aside and watched Heidan. Looking closely, Heidan was a very cute little boy. He looks very cute when he eats, but usually, he keeps his head down and does not like to talk, so he does not look as cute as Yingbao, who loves to laugh and make trouble.

“Heidan, do you like me?”

When suddenly asked this question, Heidan was a bit surprised as he turned around. He looked at her with his big eyes, and then met Dong Jiahui’s smiling gaze. Then, he retreated as if he was scared. He was like a snail poking out of its shell.

His reaction made Dong Jiahui feel a little silly and a little embarrassed at the same time. Although she was concerned about Heidan and Yingbao and took good care of them, this concern and consideration did not come from a mother’s position.

She has never been a mother and does not know how a mother loves her child with all her heart and soul. So, for Heidan, who lacks a mother’s love, her heartaches for him were greater than love.

“Heidan, do you miss your mom?”

She unapologetically mentioned “Mom” in front of Heidan, paying careful attention to Heidan’s expression. For a four-year-old child, “mom” was a strange yet familiar word to Heidan.

A child’s memory is so short that he has almost forgotten what his mother looks like.

His aunt had said that if he recognized his new mother, his real mother would not come back, and she (Jiahui) was here to steal his father.

Thinking about this, Heidan felt that the cookies in his hand didn’t taste good anymore either.

The change in Heidan’s eyes did not escape Dong Jiahui’s eyes. She sighed in her heart and said softly to Heidan, “You miss Mom, don’t you? Then I’ll tell you, you have to study hard, and when you grow up and go to college, you can go to the city to find your mom. “

“Heidan, I know you are a smart kid, although you don’t like to talk, you know everything in your heart. Since you don’t want me to be your mom, then you can call me Aunt from now on, okay? I won’t take up your mom’s place, but I will care for you just like mommy. “

Heidan still held the cookie and did not say anything, but somehow, he suddenly had the urge to cry. But like an adult, he held back his tears.

Many years later, Heidan grew into a young man and moved to the city to live with his father, who was promoted. His classmates, who did not understand his family’s situation, saw Dong Jiahui, who brought him an umbrella on a rainy day, and marveled, “Zhao Zhuojun, your mother looks too young!”

“And also very elegant, like a movie star.”

Zhao Zhuojun sat in his seat and concentrated on his test papers, not uttering a word to deny his classmates’ words.

For so many years, although he has always called her “Aunt Hui” and has not changed the way he called her, in his heart, he has long respected her as his mother.

To give themselves a life, some people empty out their lives.^[1]To give themselves a life-Like some people use/give up their time and effort for someone else Although some people say nothing, they give themselves incomparable maternal love. 

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After waiting for an hour or so in the supply and marketing agency, Zhao Donglin finally came in late. He saw a pile of things next to Dong Jiahui’s seat and moved directly outside the door without saying anything.

“There’s no place to put it. You have to tie it with a rope, otherwise, you have no place to sit down. “

When Dong Jiahui was just about to say, “I’ll walk back,” when she heard the last sentence, she chose to shut up.

She has never been a person who likes to aggravate herself. Walking is too tiring. If she has a bicycle, she should choose to take the bicycle. Although the road was uneven and her butt hurt, it was better than walking all the way for an hour or so.

There is a very classic saying in the world that you would rather sit in a BMW and cry than sit behind a bicycle and laugh, not knowing that in this day and age, a twenty-eight-bar bicycle was comparable to a future BMW.

On the way home, it was just the lunch break. The family came back from the field one after another. Zheng Yuefen stared at the first thing when she saw the things brought back by Dong Jiahui.

How much does it cost to buy so many things? This new sister-in-law is too capable.

Shitou, come here. Auntie bought a lot of food from the town.

Dong Jiahui had already taken cookies for Yingbao, and when Shitou came back, she didn’t give him too much and took out Shitou’s share.

When he heard that there was good food over there, Shitou came running over to Jiahui. The temperature has dropped in the past few days. He caught a cold and sucked two caterpillars like clear snot under his nose.

The three children in the family, Heidan and Yingbao bathed diligently. They look clean and tidy. On the other hand, Shitou didn’t take a bath diligently. He was also naughtier than Heidan and Yingbao and coupled with the recent cold, naturally, he looked sloppy.

When he got to Dong Jiahui, Shitou reached out to get the oil paper bag. Shitou’s hands were covered with dirt to the point where you couldn’t see his original skin color. Dong Jiahui quickly stopped him.

“Shitou, wait a minute, you have to wash your hands before eating. Look at your hands. They are full of mud. If you eat with these hands, you will have a bad stomach. Okay, Auntie will take you to wash your hands. “

Shitou’s eyes rested on the cookie. After Dong Jiahui finished talking, he did not say yes or no. He dumbly walked to the well with Dong Jiahui’s lead.

“Look, the little hands are dirty. You have to wash them before you eat them.

The snot was about to fall out, Shitou sucked it up and the green caterpillar-like snot was sucked into his nose.

“Oops, the snot has to be wiped off before you can eat. It’s not hygienic, oh.”

She is an adult, or an adult with a slight cleanliness habit. Seeing this scene, the cells in her whole body were about to explode.

Zheng Yuefen stood aside and took a glance. Originally, she wanted to tell Dong Jiahui that she was pretentious, but her words turned around in her mouth. Finally, she said, “Sister-in-law, you went to town today and bought so many clothes.”

Dong Jiahui took a dry towel to wipe Shitou’s hands. Hearing the speech, she replied, “Well, it’s starting to get cold. Heidan and Yingbao don’t have many clothes, so I have to buy some for them. In addition, the new year is coming in a few months. I’m going to make a winter coat for mom and dad for the new year. “

She will make a new dress. Sewing clothes for the in-laws was considered filial piety for them. However, it is cost-effective to make her mother-in-law happy.

When Zheng Yuefen heard Dong Jiahui say that she would make clothes for Heidan and Yingbao and that she would also do it for their in-laws, her heart became uncomfortable. Do not think that she does not know. These days, Dong Jiahui’s hands were making their little sister a jacket with a flower on a red cloth. She heard that Dong Jiahui bought it in the city before she married Donglin.

“Sister-in-law, why don’t you include my family of three? Shitou also lacks clothes for winter. “

Dong Jiahui said with a smile as if she didn’t understand, “Shitou has you as their mother to take care of it.” I have already paid my respects for our parents’ share. You said there are still more than two months before the New Year. I have to prepare fewer things. I really have no ability. “

At this time, Zhang Qiaoer had just come out of the house. She knew that her second daughter-in-law was starting to be ill (crooked) again. So, she said, “Well, let’s eat. If you have to make clothes, I’ve left you a ticket, which is enough for the three of you. “

“I do not know how to make clothes. Incidentally, my sister-in-law knows how to sew.”

Dong Jiahui was speechless. What she wanted was more than the cotton; she also wanted to give her hand. Jiahui was not polite at all; she immediately replied directly.

“I’m afraid I don’t have the time. Today I met a neighbor from my mother’s production team, and she asked me to make clothes for her, and the cost per piece of clothing was two yuan.”

Dong Jiahui’s work points in the production team were 60 cents a day. According to the bonus from the team last year, a woman’s work points were ten cents and a man’s work points were thirteen cents. That is to say, Dong Jiahui can earn 60 cents a day and two yuan for making clothes. That’s equivalent to the work money you earned for the last three days. The key is that people actually give it to you, and you earn it as an extra income.

“Two yuan!”

Zheng Yuefen was so surprised that she almost broke her voice, and the rest of the family was also quite surprised.

“That’s good. If the warehouse is all right tomorrow, you can come back early. Don’t let others empty it. “

It’s good that her daughter-in-law can earn money with her craft. When the Dong family gave the sewing machine, she heard that half of the money was earned by her daughter-in-law for making clothes for others.

In terms of making money, everyone’s attitude has come down in one continuous line since ancient times. That is, the more the better, there is no too much. This kind of sitting at home and making money by crafting is definitely the best way to make money.

“En. I know Mom. “

Zheng Yuefen became angrier when she saw her mother-in-law talking to Dong Jiahui and left herself alone.

Don’t think she didn’t know what Dong Jiahui said this was for. That is to say, I will collect money to make clothes for others. I can’t help you and do it for nothing.

But why? She did it for her in-laws, for her sister-in-law, and for Heidan and Yingbao. All of it without money. There are still three more people in the family!

“Look, sister-in-law, can family still mention money? I gave mom all the money I made with Donghe. Should I ask Mom to give you the money? Even if Mom gives it to you, will you feel sorry for accepting it? “

After listening to this sentence, Dong Jiahui looked at Zheng Yuefen with a straight eye. She thought Zheng Yuefen’s ability was just to mess around. Unexpectedly, she knew how to deal with herself with her mother-in-law as her knife. She was impressed and felt a bit more attentive to dealing with it.

“Sister-in-law, you really misunderstood me. I mean, since people give money, I have to work closely with them first. You see, it’s only a few days before the new year. I have to work during the day, and I have to take care of my two children from time to time. How can I have time to clean up the family’s clothes? Heidan and Yingbao is my responsibility. I will not shirk my responsibility. For Mom and Dad, I am also willing to be filial. My sister-in-law even helped me and lent me a hand. Don’t blame me. I really didn’t mean to. “

Since you treated me so badly, I will not be polite. Look at who has thick skin. To be pressed in the head and forced to drink water? I’m sorry, I really don’t have this habit.

Zheng Yuefen was short of words and wanted to argue hard. But Zhao Donghe interrupted and said, “Well, I haven’t seen you talk so much in previous years.” If you think it’s troublesome, don’t add clothes this year. “

Recently, she had a cold war with Zhao Donghe. She also saw her husband’s bullish temper, so she really didn’t dare confront him. She had to cave in and stop talking.

The lunch was cooked by Meixiang. Mabo tofu, dry pot cabbage, leek and egg soup, and wild vegetable cakes. It was all learned from Jia Hui.

“Meixiang, your cooking skills are getting better and better now.”

Dong Jiahui was not stingy in her praise. Meixiang smiled shyly. Zhang Qiaoer also nodded, “It is indeed better than before, so, even if you are married off tomorrow, I will not worry that your in-laws will dislike you for not cooking well.”

Zhang Qiaoer said this because when she first married into the Zhao family and when she was young, her mother-in-law disliked her inability to cook, and from that time on, her mother-in-law was the one who did all the cooking at home, and only when her mother-in-law passed away a hundred years ago was the kitchen handed over to her.

Later, she found that her two daughters had inherited her “skills” when it came to cooking. But now, it seems that her daughters are not without talent, or that she, as a mother, did not play a good leading role.

“Aiya! Mom, what are you talking about? “Hurry up and eat.

After the beginning of the year, Meixiang will be eighteen. In the countryside, many people get married at this age, for example, the original owner, Dong Jiahui. She was eighteen years old when she was married to Lu Chengyuan.

What is there to be ashamed of? Your brother, who got married this year, did not care about you, and so after the New Year, we will start to find you an in-law. We are not in a hurry, even if you pick a year or two.

Next year, it will be 1976, and the gang of four^[2]The Gang of Four (simplified Chinese: 四人帮; traditional Chinese: 四人幫; pinyin: Sì rén bāng) was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials will be dismantled. The college entrance examination will be resumed in 1977. In Dong Jiahui’s opinion, her sister-in-law doesn’t need to get married at all. If she can go to college, what kind of good man won’t she have in the future?

Thinking of this, Dong Jiahui smiled and said, “A good girl like our Meixiang has to open her eyes and choose. Marriage is a lifelong thing. There is a saying that marriage is a woman’s second reincarnation. Meixiang’s first life is so good, and her second life naturally has to be better. “

In Dong Jiahui’s words, she praised Meixiang and her husband’s family. The whole family, except for Zheng Yuefen, who looked at her in a bad light, was very happy to hear it.

Your sister-in-law is right. We are not in a hurry. We will find a good one for you.

Meixiang blushed and buried herself in the meal. Seeing that she was embarrassed, others could not help but laugh at her. Dong Jiahui smiled and fed Yingbao a bowl of rice. She accidentally made eye contact with Zhao Donglin. The content in his eyes was rich and bright, and Dong Jiahui’s face unconsciously blushed.

The next day, Dong Jiahui came home from the warehouse while making clothes and waiting for Hong Tao to come over. At nine o’clock, the voice of Hong Tao’s talking finally rang outside the courtyard door.

Oh my God, I walked all the way here. Your homemade it easy for me to look for.”

On such a cold day, Hongtao, who walked all the way, had a red face and was panting. Dong Jiahui hurriedly welcomed her into the house and poured her a cup of warm boiled water with a spoonful of brown sugar in it.

After drinking the brown sugar water, Hongtao slowed down and saw Mei Xiang holding her baby in the room.

“This is your sister-in-law, right?”

Dong Jiahui nodded, “Well, I am the youngest in the family. She is well-behaved and understanding. “

Although they had only been together for a few days, Dong Jiahui can already see that Meixiang is a good girl, understanding and considerate, although she is the youngest in the family, she didn’t have a spoiled and arrogant temperament. Her three views are also very positive, because of this, Dong Jiahui thinks that it would be a great loss for Meixiang if she rushes to find someone to marry. Such a good girl is suitable for a better life.

“You have a good-looking sister. Does she have an object?”

Hong Tao had a lively nature. She has good social skills and is very easy to make friends with; she is seemingly unconventional and straightforward, but her words and actions are extremely measured. This character in the countryside is very well-liked. If you go to the Dayu village to inquire about Hong Tao, at least eight out of ten people will say she is not bad.

“No, she’s still young. Our family loves her; we want her to stay for two more years. “

Dong Jiahui knew what Hong Tao meant as soon as she heard the words, guessing that she wanted to give Meixiang a blind date, so she hurriedly said the words to block it.

“Oh, if you care for her, you shouldn’t let her stay long. You should cook a pot earlier for a good meal, otherwise, you won’t be able to eat hot food. My mother’s family has a little brother with good character. He matches Meixiang very well. Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”

In a few words, the title of Hong Tao to Meixiang has been changed from sister to her name. Dong Jiahui, who has passed through, has to admire her communication skills.

When the young girl heard them, she blushed. Dong Jiahui rescued Meixiang. She picked up Yingbao, took Hong Tao to her house, and asked Meixiang to prepare lunch.

After entering the house, Hongtao looked around and praised, “You have a good house.”

Dong Jiahui smiled and put Yingbao on the sofa. She took two cookies from the cupboard and gave them to Yingbao, letting her sit and eat them herself.

“It’s not bad; it’s quite convenient to live in it anyway.”

“Better than mine. The furniture I had when I got married has long been broken by the children.”

“It’s normal to have children at home.”

Hong Tao smiled at Yingbao, who was eating cookies. From her pocket, she took out a piece of candy and handed it over to her. Do not underestimate Yingbao’s age; she had never randomly accepted things given by others. Instead, she looked first at Jiahui to get her consent before taking it.

“Aunt gave you a candy, you have to thank aunt.”

Yingbao softly looked at Hong Tao and said, in a milky voice, “Thank you, aunt.”

Women are naturally not resistant to cute things. Hong Tao smiled and took Yingbao into her arms. With a rare face, she said, “Your little girl is really good, even if you didn’t give birth to her, but she also had you in her heart.” Don’t be upset if I said these. In our village, a lot of people wanted to see your jokes.

Dong Jiahui snorted and asked, pretending not to understand, “What kind of jokes?”

Such as not living well with your in-laws, not getting along well with the stepchildren. You know, the villagers will start to talk about it when they are not busy.

Dong Jiahui was noncommittal and took the initiative to end the conversation.

“I drew a few styles. See which one you like?”

Dong Jiahui drew a stand-up collar, buttoned tang suit style, the current popular Zhongshan suit style, a military-style, and a modified version of the suite style.

After taking a closer look, Hong Tao pointed to the last modified suit style and said, “Let’s go with this one. If I wore this for New Year’s Eve, not many people would be wearing the same style as me. I’ll definitely steal the show when I wear it for New Year’s Eve. “

Dong Jiahui nodded. In fact, this style will be very popular in a few years.

Okay, then I’ll give you two more sizes. Now in the cold weather, you’ll have to add a cotton-padded jacket. “

“Yes, it’s added outside the cotton-padded jacket.

“Okay.”

Dong Jiahui took out a leather ruler and measured Hong Tao.

“When should I get it?”

“Three or five days.”

“I’m not in a hurry, or you can have someone give me a message when you’re done.” After saying that, Hong Tao turned and asked again, “How much do I pay this time?”

“The old price, I must give a discount to a sister. Remember to introduce other guests to me later. “

Hong Tao smiled and took three dollars out of her pocket. Two for the clothes and another for the pants.

“Okay, I like to talk to frank and straightforward people. I’ll give you the money first. I believe in your craft, and I’ll introduce others to you later.”

Notlucia: I checked the next chapter; it’s too long. T__T I have to say sorry for now. I will upload the next chapter tomorrow. I really got dizzy from the switched names and the typo errors from the raws.  But have a fun night! 💛