Chapter 85: Clever Mosquito Repellent

During dinner, the eldest sibling and his spouse came over and discussed the events of the afternoon. The woman, Zhu Qiyu brought, made a strong impression, and Wang Zhenguo liked her. However, the conditions set by the other party were quite high, demanding a gift of three hundred yuan, and they refused to proceed without it.

Wang Zhenhai took a puff of his cigarette and said, “Little brother, you should have an idea about this. I have a feeling that the old lady is trying to get money from us. My wife and I agree that we won’t pay. It’s not our turn to do so. Besides, the amount they are asking for is too much. I didn’t like that woman at all. If my son were to find someone like her, I would definitely object. Her demeanor doesn’t seem trustworthy.”

Wang Zhenhai couldn’t find the right words to describe the woman. To be honest, as soon as he saw her, he didn’t stay long at his mother’s house. He found an excuse and left. He felt uncomfortable being in the same room with her.

Wang Zhenhe sighed softly. “Big brother, I won’t get involved in our mother’s affairs anymore. Let them do as they please, as long as it doesn’t cause trouble for us. I won’t care. I’ve been feeling disheartened now.”

Wang Zhenhe could only use this word to describe his feelings. He didn’t need to say anything more or be harsh on her. After all, he was raised by her. But he had lost all hope in her, especially after she had harmed his wife and children. All that was left was deep regret.

Wang Zhenhai knew that his mother had truly hurt his younger brother this time. As a bystander, he couldn’t help but acknowledge that his mother, coming from a landlord family, had a variety of ways to torment others.

Not wanting to see his younger brother feeling sad, he quickly changed the subject. “Little Three, the busy farming season is over. I heard that the brick factory is looking for people to move bricks. Why don’t we give it a try? It would also be good to earn some extra money for the family.”

When the older brother mentioned earning money, Wang Zhenhe’s eyes lit up. “Is what you’re saying true? Then let’s go take a look tomorrow and ask for leave from the team.”

The two brothers agreed, and the next day they headed to the brick factory. There were quite a few people looking for work, but Wang Zhenhai knew some people there, so they decided to stay and try their luck, despite the disappointment of those who had not been hired.

However, moving bricks was not an easy task. According to the locals, it required a lot of effort. Without a strong physical constitution, one couldn’t handle it. They had to pour out the bricks from the kiln, stack them on the ground, and help load them onto vehicles when customers came to buy. By noon, the brothers were physically exhausted, and they noticed that the others were in a similar state.

They returned home for lunch, walking three miles back. Wang Qian felt sorry for her father when she saw him looking so tired and dirty.

She quickly brought him water to wash his face and clean himself up. “Dad, I think you should stop doing this work. It’s too tiring. Look at how exhausted you are.”

Wang Zhenhe looked at his youngest daughter, who was frowning with concern. Her caring words seemed to make his fatigue from work disappear. He couldn’t help but feel touched by her kindness. “Daughter, is the food ready? I’m so hungry I can’t even move.”

Wang Qian quickly brought a small stool for him. “Dad, sit down. I’ll bring the food out for you. Mom has gone to the river to do the laundry. She’ll be back soon, and I think my brother will be back soon too.”

Wang Zhenhe sat in the yard, watching his daughter bustling around like a little bee, setting the table and bringing out the food. “Dad, come and eat,” she called out.

“We’re back!” Mingyuan and the others ran in with their small backpacks.

“Brother, go wash up and come eat. I’ll go check on Mom,” Wang Qian said. Before she could leave, Zhang Lan had already returned, carrying a basin of laundry. She sat down to eat after hanging the clothes to dry.

They had rice for dinner that day. Wang Zhenhe had already finished one bowl, and Wang Qian served him another. When Zhang Lan sat down to eat, the second bowl was also emptied. “Oh my, I finally feel full,” he exclaimed.

Seeing her husband so exhausted, Zhang Lan couldn’t help but express her concern. “Zhenhe, why don’t you stop doing this? We can find other ways to make ends meet. Don’t sacrifice your health for a little money.”

Although the family was struggling financially, Zhang Lan couldn’t bear to see her husband in such a state.

Wang Zhenhe chuckled and said, “Wife, if others can do it, why can’t I? Don’t worry, your man can handle it. Besides, my big brother is doing the same work as me, isn’t he?”

Wang Qian served her father another full bowl of rice, and after eating three bowls, Wang Zhenhe finally felt full. The family enjoyed a good meal together. Wang Zhenjiang came to find him, and as he was leaving, Wang Qian stuffed some hazelnuts into her father’s pocket. “Dad, if you get hungry, you can snack on these.”

During dinner, to everyone’s surprise, Grandpa Zuo came over. Wang Zhenhe was pleasantly surprised, as he hadn’t expected that they would relax their vigilance over Grandpa Zuo after receiving the gifts.

When Wang Zhenhe went to deliver the gifts, he coincidentally met Grandpa Zuo coming out. They exchanged greetings, and Wang Zhenhe realized that Grandpa Zuo would have some free time today. He knew what that meant.

“Nephew, I must thank you. Not only have you taken care of us, but you’ve also spent money on us. I feel indebted to you. From now on, you are my nephew, and our families are relatives,” Grandpa Zuo said.

At this difficult time, Grandpa Zuo had experienced the warmth and coldness of human relationships. The Wang family had extended a helping hand to him when he was in dire straits, and he felt unable to repay their kindness. If he could get back on his feet in the future, it would be a different story. Even if he couldn’t, he would still treat the Wang family as his own.

Hearing Grandpa Zuo’s words, Wang Zhenhe responded warmly, “Uncle, from now on, you are my uncle. Let’s not stand on ceremony. Everyone has difficult times, and we just lent a helping hand. Uncle, have you eaten? if you’re not full, have some more on the kang.”

Grandpa Zuo didn’t hesitate at this point. He took off his shoes and sat on the kang with everyone. Zhang Lan quickly handed him a pair of chopsticks. Since they were familiar with each other, Grandpa Zuo didn’t feel awkward. He stayed for another meal at the Wangs’, and he praised Zhang Lan’s cooking. “Niece, your cooking is delicious. It’s on par with my wife’s.” Grandpa Zuo took the opportunity to compliment Zhang Lan’s culinary skills.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Zhang Lan replied, “Uncle, you’re too kind. I can only make simple country dishes. I don’t have any special skills.”

The siblings helped tidy up the table, and after chatting for a while, Grandpa Zuo hurriedly left. Although he was allowed to come out and wander for a while, he couldn’t be too conspicuous.

The next day, on their way to the brick factory, Wang Zhenhai recounted the events of the previous night to his younger brother. He had been approached by their father the previous night, who had asked for his opinion about the woman. There was no need for Wang Zhenhai to hide anything from his younger brother, and he shared his honest thoughts with him.

In fact, Wang Deshan also disagreed with the marriage proposal. His feelings were similar to those of his elderst son. The prospective daughter-in-law was not compatible with the family, and even if his second son’s family looks like they always wanted to gain an advantage, it was still better than this.

As a result, Wang Deshan firmly opposed the marriage proposal, and the elderly couple began to argue in front of the children.

Wang Zhenhe asked, “What happened later?”

Wang Zhenhai smiled wryly and said, “We managed to calm them down, but the situation is still tense. The three hundred yuan is not a small amount, and our father is not very satisfied with the person. I think it’s going to be tough. Although father usually can’t make decisions, if he insists, it will be hard for our mother to handle.”

Wang Zhenhe didn’t care about who would win or lose in this situation, and he couldn’t control it either. His mother was quite a handful, and he felt that his father was in for a tough time this time.

When they returned in the evening, Zhang Lan revealed another piece of news. The matchmaker had visited again that day and the prospective bride had set another condition: she wanted to live separately from the elderly couple after marriage.

“Haha, you wouldn’t believe it, but your mother was so angry that she started scolding right then and there. She had been counting on her youngest son, but it turns out that the girl doesn’t want to live with them. I think this will be quite a spectacle,” Zhang Lan said, recalling how her mother-in-law had been hopping mad. Finally, someone had managed to get under her skin.

Wang Qian, however, didn’t seem concerned. “Mom, I don’t think this matter is over. Just wait and see. Do you really think your little brother-in-law will give up so easily?”

The couple realized that they hadn’t heard Wang Zhenguo’s stance on the matter from anyone. They thought about his character and realized that he might be capable of doing something unexpected.

However, the subsequent news disappointed them. Wang Zhenguo had a quarrel with his mother, but Zhu Qiyu firmly suppressed him. The reason was simple: if he wanted to get married, he should figure it out himself. Without a house or money, the elderly lady wouldn’t intervene.

…………………….

As the days grow warmer, the Wang family finds themselves facing a new challenge. Their trusty cotton mosquito net, once sufficient for their cramped living quarters, now feels inadequate as each family member has their own room.

While winter still allows for close quarters, the summer heat makes it impractical for everyone to share a single space. The changing seasons have brought about a need for individual comfort, prompting the family to reconsider their living arrangements.

Wang Qian knew that there was no extra fabric or money in the house to buy a new mosquito net. Zhang Lan wanted to give the old one to her daughters, but she refused. With both adults needing to work, not getting enough sleep would take a toll on their health. Since there were no mosquito repellents available in the rural area, she had to find a solution.

She remembered how her grandmother used to repel mosquitoes and had also researched some methods online. With a purpose in mind, she went to the hills and collected a lot of mugwort, and then picked some cattails by the river, which she brought back and dried in the sun.

By evening, the mugwort and cattails had dried completely. During dinner, she lit them and placed them in each room to repel the mosquitoes.