Chapter 8

Ma Hongmei was a woman with great pride. Although she was not as beautiful as Gu Yinyin, nor as good-natured as Liu Wenxiu, she was indeed quick and efficient when it came to work. Especially when working in the fields, she was worth two people, almost equal to a man.

Therefore, Ma Hongmei always felt she suffered losses. Every time she returned to her mother’s home, her mother taught her how to win over her mother-in-law.

“Your mother-in-law surely likes Gu Yinyin and Liu Wenxiu more. One is good-looking and the other is gentle in temper. But the more it is like this, the more you must please your mother-in-law. Snatch as many benefits as you can. The delivery driver’s job is so good, yet your mother-in-law didn’t give it to your man. Then you should get more food at home. When you’re free, give that old immortal Li Ailian a back rub or knead her legs. No matter what, pry something out of her mouth. Even if you dislike her in your heart, you must keep up the appearances.”

Ma Hongmei kept this deeply in her heart. Whenever she had time, she put on a smiling face to serve her mother-in-law. Li Ailian was served so comfortably that she gradually grew more and more fond of Ma Hongmei. In private, she gave her money, fine flour, and eggs—whatever she wanted.

But Ma Hongmei still felt that her mother-in-law favored Liu Wenxiu and Gu Yinyin. Even though she received so many benefits, she never thought she had gained an advantage.

At this moment, when Tieshuan and Baoni spoke out, Liu Wenxiu’s eyes instantly brimmed with tears.

“Mother! We’re all one family, how can it be like this! No wonder I kept wondering—eating the same food, how come the children in the third household grew so tall and strong? Have I been slacking off on work, or what?”

Li Ailian’s face also grew a little unpleasant. “You’re listening to children’s nonsense! There’s no such thing as hiding fine flour and eggs!”

Gritting her teeth, Liu Wenxiu stood up and went to the kitchen. The kitchen floor had some water on it, and following the footprints along the damp trail, she easily pulled out the fine flour and eggs.

At that moment, Ma Hongmei’s heart nearly shattered. Li Ailian cast her a glance, signaling her not to speak, and took the matter onto herself.

“Wenxiu, this fine flour and these eggs were hidden by me. I was just thinking of improving the meals some other day. Don’t overthink it…”

But how could Liu Wenxiu not overthink? She looked at her two daughters and one son, all thin like monkeys, and tears fell like broken beads from a string. “Mother! I’m not a fool! If this matter isn’t settled, then let’s just split the household! You’ve seen how fat Tieshuan and Baoni are!”

Gu Yinyin quickly added: “Yes, split the household.”

Da Wa, who had been eating a pancake, also took the chance to chime in: “Split the household!”

Xiao Wa, after swallowing a mouthful of egg dumplings, sobbed indistinctly: “Split the household!”

Li Ailian’s chest rose and fell rapidly. If it had only been Gu Yinyin making a fuss, she could have ignored it. But now even Liu Wenxiu was rebelling. If she did not appease them, she feared the big Captain would be called again.

“Fine then. These leftover fine flour and eggs—let the eldest and the second households split them and make an extra meal. The third household won’t get any.”

Ma Hongmei could no longer hold back. “Mother! How could you do this! You are far too biased!”

When even the daughter-in-law she favored the most, Ma Hongmei, accused her of being biased, Li Ailian grew angry as well. She slapped the table and shouted: “Enough! Stop making trouble! Whoever dares to make a fuss again can get out! Or else we’ll all go together to find the big Captain. At worst, we’ll ruin Hongxing Village’s chance at the evaluation, and our family will be finished too!”

Only then did the few of them finally fall silent.

Although Liu Wenxiu had obtained the fine flour and eggs, she still felt wronged in her heart. She hid herself in the room and cried for a long while. Her husband, Shen Guochang, sighed again and again, harboring some resentment toward his mother for being partial.

Ma Hongmei had lost those fine flour and eggs for nothing. She thought of how she had not dared to use too much whenever she secretly made extra food for her children, only managing to cook something once a week. Now that it was all gone, she sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes red with anger.

Gu Yinyin, on the other hand, was delighted. She had gotten so much fine flour and eggs for free, and this could also cover up the fact that she had privately bought flour herself. Wasn’t it sheer joy to be able to have extra meals alone?

That afternoon, she did not go to work. She took leave and brought Da Wa to the village elementary school to handle enrollment.

There was no elementary school within Hongxing Village itself, and they had to walk half an hour to reach Zhangjiawa Elementary School.

Zhangjiawa Elementary School was not big, with only one class per grade. Although the school was small and its facilities shabby, at least it was kept clean and tidy.

Gu Yinyin brought both Da Wa and Xiao Wa to pay the fees. The teacher looked at Da Wa and asked: “Which grade are you registering for?”

Gu Yinyin thought about how Da Wa had only studied half a semester before dropping out. Although he was already ten years old, he still had to continue in the first grade, so she said: “He only attended half a semester of first grade before, so let’s just register him again in the first grade.”

But Da Wa muttered gloomily: “Register me for third grade.”

The teacher was stunned for a moment, then smiled. “You should listen to your mother. Each grade has different lessons. If you skip directly to third grade, you definitely won’t be able to keep up.”

Da Wa did not speak. Xiao Wa quickly tried to explain for her older brother: “Teacher, Mother, my brother is very smart! He already taught himself the knowledge from second grade.”

The teacher looked at the two children in some surprise, not quite believing it. “Taught himself? How?”

Gu Yinyin was also curious. Da Wa pursed his lips and glanced at the chalk and blackboard nearby. “Teacher, may I use this chalk?”

“You may, go ahead.”

Da Wa picked up the chalk and walked to the blackboard to start writing. He had always practiced writing with tree branches in the sand, never with chalk. At first he was not very used to it, but after a few strokes he grew fluent.

“Before my bed, the bright moonlight,

I mistook it for frost on the ground.

I raise my head to gaze at the bright moon,

I lower it to think of my hometown.”

The characters were not especially beautiful, the handwriting childish, but still fairly neat. Even so, this was enough to leave both the teacher and Gu Yinyin utterly astonished!

After that, Da Wa also wrote down a few two-digit arithmetic problems and their solutions. The teacher nodded again and again. “He can definitely study in third grade. Then I’ll register him for third grade!”

On the way back, Gu Yinyin could not help asking curiously: “Da Wa, how did you learn those things?”

Da Wa walked with his head lowered. “I secretly listened outside the classroom whenever I had free time. Then I practiced in the sand when I got back.”

Truly worthy of being a future renowned professor at Qinghua University! The more Gu Yinyin looked at him, the more pleasing he seemed. She patted Da Wa on the shoulder and said sincerely: “Da Wa, you’re amazing! You must keep up this spirit of loving to learn. In the future, you’ll surely have great prospects!”

Da Wa was startled and raised his head, his clear eyes looking at Gu Yinyin. He remembered how she had once caught him practicing his handwriting. At that time, she had not even spared him a glance, as if he did not exist.

And now, she was actually praising him?

Da Wa pressed his lips together and said nothing. Except for his younger sister, no one had ever praised him for reading and writing. He was not very used to it.

But he had to admit, this was the happiest day he had experienced in years. He could go to school again. His mother had personally taken him to pay the tuition, and she had praised him, saying he would have great prospects.

When they returned home, Gu Yinyin tidied up inside and outside the house. She then took out two pieces of new cloth and went to borrow a sewing machine from Director Qiu to make a set of new clothes for each child.

In the village, children’s clothes were usually handmade by their mothers. Ready-made clothes rarely fit well and were expensive. Seeing her children in ragged clothing, Gu Yinyin could not bear it and decided to make new ones.

She had never made clothes before and did not know how, so she sought some advice from Director Qiu. Slightly nervous, she stepped on the sewing machine, letting it clatter as she stitched.

It was often said that girls usually enjoyed making clothes. Gu Yinyin was good at figuring things out and had a sharp memory, so before long, she managed to make a set of clothes for a boy and a set for a girl. Though some of the stitching was not neat, they were still far better than the old tattered ones!

She happily stuffed a few pieces of milk candy into Director Qiu’s hand. “These are for your child!”

Unable to refuse, Director Qiu watched Gu Yinyin’s departing figure and suddenly realized that Gu Yinyin was actually quite likable.

In the past, Gu Yinyin had always stayed cooped up at home and rarely went out. Everything she knew about her was from Mei Ling, and most of it had been unfavorable.

Just as she was thinking about this, Mei Ling came over, looking dispirited. “Auntie.”

Director Qiu frowned in displeasure. “What’s wrong with you? Why do you look so absent-minded?”

Mei Ling sighed. “Ai… I have something weighing on my heart, but I don’t know who to talk to. Auntie, can you help me think of a solution?”