Gu Yunting, whom Yang Manman had been thinking about, got off work, swung his long legs onto his bicycle, and pedaled furiously toward Huaihua Village.

As he entered the village, the villagers, who had just finished work and were heading home with their farming tools, only caught a glimpse of his tall, blue figure speeding past.

“That’s the eldest son of the Gu family, isn’t it? That blue worker’s uniform looks really nice.” In those days, being a worker was a secure job. Most rural folks worked the fields to make a living, so having a family member who became a worker was considered a great blessing.

Indeed, everyone envied the eldest son of the Gu family for passing the worker’s exam. Not only did he receive a monthly salary, but he also enjoyed various factory benefits during holidays. Moreover, this job could be passed down to his descendants.

“But it’s been three years since the eldest son of the Gu family got married, and they still don’t have a child.”

Wu Meili, standing nearby, spat out, “That Yang Manman is just a hen that doesn’t lay eggs. I think they’ll never have a child in this lifetime.”

Some of the aunties frowned upon hearing Wu Meili’s words. “Wu Meili, that’s too harsh. Don’t let Yao Chunhua hear you, or she’ll tear your mouth apart.”

Yao Chunhua was fiercely protective. Not only of her own children but also of her daughter-in-law who married into the Gu family.

Once, someone had mocked Yang Manman for not being able to conceive, and Yao Chunhua had immediately gotten into a fight with that person. Later, the offender was assigned to carry manure for a full month.

Wu Meili also remembered this incident and felt a bit uneasy, but she still braced herself and said, “I’m just stating the facts.”

“Wu Meili, isn’t it because the eldest son of the Gu family didn’t want to meet your Baozhu back then that you’ve been holding a grudge against Yang Manman?”

Wu Meili’s eyes flickered with guilt. She put her hands on her hips and raised her voice, “Nonsense! Don’t talk nonsense. I’m not going to argue with you anymore. I need to hurry home and cook.”

With that, she quickly walked away, but those who passed by her could still hear her muttering curses about Yang Manman’s inability to have children.

As soon as she got home, Wu Meili saw her daughter, Gu Baozhu, and her son-in-law, Yang Guangming, who had brought their grandson for a visit. Her face immediately lit up with joy.

Avoiding her son-in-law, Wu Meili went into the kitchen and told her daughter about the eldest son of the Gu family becoming a worker.

“You know, if you had married the eldest son of the Gu family back then, you might have become a city dweller by now,” Wu Meili said, looking down on Yang Guangming, who was just a carpenter.

Gu Baozhu’s eyes flashed with resentment, but when her gaze fell on her son, who was eating candy not far away, her expression softened, and she smiled smugly. “Gu Yunting will definitely regret it.”

She was waiting for the day Gu Yunting would regret refusing to meet her and instead marrying Yang Manman.

Yang Manman, as her mother had said, was a hen that didn’t lay eggs. If Gu Yunting had married her, he would have a son by now.

Meanwhile, Gu Yunting, whom others were hoping would regret his choices, had already returned home. He listened to his wife’s account of her morning treatment and received the prescription his younger sister had written from his mother.

After glancing at the prescription, he carefully folded it and placed it in his pocket. “I’ll go out early after eating to buy the herbs. Manman can have her medicinal bath tonight.”

Sure enough, when Gu Yunting returned that evening, he brought the herbs. After dinner, he personally prepared the medicinal bath for Yang Manman.

In Huaihua Village, located in the south, it didn’t snow in winter, but the nights were still bitterly cold, with the wind howling outside.

Inside the house, Yang Manman, soaking in the medicinal bath, felt her heart warm.

As she soaked, she discussed with her husband, who was reading a book nearby, what gift they should give for her sister-in-law’s wedding.

“I heard it’s cold in the northwestern military region. Why don’t you exchange some yarn for me, preferably red? I’ll knit her a thick scarf,” Yang Manman suggested.

Her knitting skills were top-notch, and it was something she could proudly offer.

A red scarf, if finished in time, could be given to her sister-in-law on her wedding day.

“That’s a good idea,” Gu Yunting agreed, closing his book. He felt the water temperature, found it a bit cool, and carefully added hot water from a thermos he had prepared earlier. “I’ll bring you the yarn tomorrow and exchange some coupons with my coworkers.”

They didn’t know exactly what was needed there, but having more coupons would allow them to buy whatever was necessary. As for money, his parents would surely not shortchange his younger sister.

Indeed, in the main room next door, a candle was still burning in the room belonging to Old Man Gu and Yao Chunhua.

By the candlelight, Yao Chunhua was diligently sewing a cotton-padded jacket, using the new cotton they had saved up that year. She worked carefully, occasionally glancing up at her husband, who was also busy, and muttering, “I heard it’s much colder in the northwest than here in the south. It snows in winter, and temperatures often drop to minus ten or twenty degrees. I wonder if Ningning will be able to handle it after she moves there with her husband.”

After all, their daughter had been spoiled since childhood and wasn’t used to hardship. Of course, they couldn’t bear to see her suffer, but they couldn’t help worrying.

As a mother, the thought of her grown daughter getting married and moving to a harsher, distant place where she couldn’t see her made Yao Chunhua feel uneasy.

That’s why she was making this cotton-padded jacket for Gu Jianing, stuffing it with as much thick new cotton as possible. She hoped to finish it before her daughter left for the northwest, so she wouldn’t freeze there.

Old Man Gu, who was calculating the family’s savings and various coupons, chimed in, “Yes, but this is the path our daughter chose. Zexi is a good man, so we should support her. Finish the jacket as soon as possible, and we’ll give her more money and coupons, especially for cotton. She’ll need cotton-padded clothes, pants, and quilts. Once she’s there, she can buy whatever else she needs.”

The family savings amounted to a little over 1,000 yuan. Old Man Gu planned to divide it into five shares: one for each of their four children and one for themselves. He would then take an additional 100 yuan from their share to make it 300 yuan for their daughter.

Old Man Gu shared his plan, and Yao Chunhua nodded in agreement. Although they doted on their daughter, their sons were equally important, and their shares couldn’t be touched.

With that in mind, she worked even faster, but her stitches remained neat and tight.

In the west wing, the candlelight illuminated Su Miao, who was lying in bed, wrapped up tightly and wearing a headscarf to protect against the wind as she recovered from childbirth. She was gently watching her husband, Gu Yunnan, change their son’s diaper. They, too, were discussing what gift to give for their sister-in-law’s wedding.

Su Miao’s impression of her sister-in-law was neither good nor bad. Although the sister-in-law was somewhat spoiled and demanding, the Gu family, including her husband, doted on her.

But Su Miao wasn’t jealous. Since she had married into the family, the Gu family had treated her well, in stark contrast to her own family, which favored sons over daughters. Even the spoiled sister-in-law had given her food and clothes when she first arrived, thin and small.

So now, for her sister-in-law’s wedding, Su Miao was willing to give whatever she and her husband could afford.

However, since the family hadn’t yet divided their assets, most of the money and coupons were still held collectively. But that didn’t matter.

“I’m not working tomorrow. I’ll go up the mountain and see if I can hunt something. If I’m lucky, I’ll bring it back quietly and have Mom smoke it. That way, my sister can take it with her when she leaves for the northwest.”