"Humph, such a grown person, and to think not showing up for work just because of a headache or slight fever; think she’s so capitalist’s miss, acting so recklessly! In my opinion, best marry her off early. Not only would that save the family so grain, but also we could ask for a larger dowry to ease her brothers’ days."
Zhu Juying ran out of the house, looking at Huang Maochun with a face full of outrage.
"What’s all this fuss about? Xiangxiang is still feverish; she’s already asked for leave from the team. What’s wrong with resting? Besides, there was such a good marriage proposal that you deliberately spoiled. Now you want Xiangxiang to marry again, what are you really planning here?"
Huang Maochun threw away the roasted peanuts in his hand, placed his son in the needle basket by the waist, and started arguing with Zhu Juying.
"What heart am I planning? I’m thinking kindly, that in-law from last ti was no good at all, I saw no benefit, they give us nothing, that’s it, just a few tens of yuan for the dowry, not even one of the big three items. My daughter is being too humble, rushing to marry soone and asking for nothing."
Zhu Juying’s head was buzzing with anger, the dowry Xiangxiang got from her fiancé was already ten or twenty dollars more than what the average girl gets. As for the big three items, not only could their village’s mud-legged people not afford it, even the folks in town begging their grandparents still might not be able to get one.
All struggling for work points to make ends, how could she and the old man shalessly ask for too much? Her daughter Xiangxiang is no fairy; she just wants a stable life after marriage.
"We are not asking for much, just want the in-laws to treat my Xiangxiang well, and them as a couple to live a stable life; I don’t care about the rest."
"I care if you don’t, and let tell you, my cousin’s son works at a smithy in the county, earning this amount each month. I’ve already agreed to introduce Xiangxiang to him, and they promised eighty yuan for the dowry and a Butterfly brand bicycle. These were agreed; they’ll be coming over soon."
Huang Maochun said this without noticing Zhu Juying’s increasingly ugly expression; her mind was full of the dowry money, planning how to spend it.
Even though her cousin has so physical disabilities, that’s a secure job. She isn’t lucky to marry into the city, her husband earning well, she could wake up from a dream laughing.
Thinking of Lu Xingchang, she couldn’t help but frown, regretting having seen him good-looking and imdiately agreeing to marry.
"Let tell you, only her father and I have the say in Xiangxiang’s marriage matters; as an in-law, you better not ddle too much. Don’t bother having your cousin or anyone co here; even if they do, I’ll drive them out. Just don’t bla then for leaving you without face."
"You dare!"
"Watch dare!"
Huang Maochun, infuriated, picked up the scissors from the basket, aiming at Zhu Juying. Just then, the door slamd open and a feverish, unable to stand, Xiangxiang held herself up on the doorfra, her hands shaking pointing at Huang Maochun.
"Huang Maochun, if you dare lay a finger on Mom, I will fight you to death."
Huang Maochun hesitated with the scissors in hand while Zhu Juying didn’t back off, thinking it might be good to stab her, which could lead to a family split or her son’s divorce. She desperately wanted to get rid of her intimidating daughter-in-law.
The two glared at each other tensely, Xiangxiang, holding the door fra, continued coughing. She glanced at her terrified little nephew trembling, feeling an overwhelming sadness. If it weren’t for the child, her brother could divorce easily, but with a little nephew, all they could do was make concessions; they couldn’t leave the child motherless.
The courtyard gate was knocked "bang bang bang," interrupting the highly tense trio.
Shen ng, carrying a basket covered with a blue cloth, knocked on the door again.
"Aunt Juying, are you ho? It’s Xiao ng. Aunt?"
Mao Chun reacted quickly; she grabbed a handful of hair and turned around to open the courtyard door. Seeing Shen ng with a basket, her eyes lit up, but her face showed a hint of grievance.
"Sister-in-law, you’re here. Look at this, there’s a fuss at ho. Co in quickly, co in. What have you brought? Let take it for you!"
Shen ng didn’t stand on ceremony and handed it over directly, but in that mont of handing it over, she swiftly hid all the good items under the dried vegetables into her pocket space.
"Oh dear, what happened here, why the quarrel? Aunt, please support Xiangxiang, she can barely stand. Is she sick?"
"What sickness? She just dislikes the cold and doesn’t want to go to work, being lazy. Sister-in-law, do you want to co to my room for a chat?"
Before Zhu Juying could speak, Mao Chun spoke first, not embarrassed at all as she opened up the basket Shen ng had brought. She rummaged through it, finding only so dried vegetables, which made her face darken a bit, and the thought of inviting Shen ng for a chat faded considerably.
She also knew about the two cars that had visited Shen ng’s ho that noon; who wouldn’t be envious seeing those big and small packages? She had thought Shen ng would bring sothing valuable when she visited, but it turned out to be just these worthless dried vegetables, sothing everyone had at ho.
"Forget it, I have sothing to discuss with Aunt Juying, this basket..."
"Take it, I have to go soothe the children now, they are fussing. I’m afraid I won’t have ti to chat with sister-in-law."
She pushed the basket towards Shen ng’s chest and turned back into the house. Zhu Juying, watching this, blushed with embarrassnt. No matter what, Shen ng was a guest at their ho; this really wasn’t proper.
"Xiao ng, let’s talk inside the room!"
Shen ng smiled and followed Zhu Juying inside. She then put the items she had hidden back into the basket. Lu Xiangxiang looked very weak, her cheeks flaming red and her breathing rough.
"Xiangxiang seems quite sick. Have you taken any dicine?"
"Cough, cough, cough... No, I thought I’d just sweat it out and be fine, it’s nothing, sister-in-law. I’ll wait and see. If it’s not better by tonight, I’ll ask dad to find Brother Changhong."
Shen ng glanced at the door and nudged Zhu Juying with her elbow.
"Aunt, I still have so fever and anti-inflammatory dication at ho. Let Uncle Guai co over later, and give them to Xiangxiang tonight."
She spoke a bit louder this ti and handed the basket to Zhu Juying, who hesitated but then took it, rummaged through the dried vegetables, and discovered a canned bottle, a box of honey sachets, and a pound of brown sugar beneath.
"How can this be, these are too valuable, I really can’t..."
"Aunt, please take it. Xiangxiang is sick, and it’s essential for her to take dicine. These dried vegetables can be used later to make dumplings or buns."
Lu Xiangxiang was drowsy, but she understood deep down. It must be Sister-in-law ng who had brought them so good things again. Her mom was so flustered only because of this. Rembering that ever since they had established a good relationship with Sister-in-law ng, she always provided genuine help while her own family could only pitch in when it was inconvenient for them, which truly paled in comparison. Their family had indeed gained a lot of benefits.
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