On the way back, Xie Jinghao looked at Shen ng, wanting to speak but hesitating. She couldn’t figure out why Shen ng was still so nice to her second sister-in-law, Wu Xianglan, who used to bully both her and the child.
It was just cleaning, and it paid nearly twenty yuan a month. That’s a lot of money. She really should be throwing it to the dogs instead.
"Say what you want to say. Why do you keep sneaking looks at ?"
"Big sister, why are you so good to second sister-in-law now, giving her such a good job? I think Sister-in-law Qin Lan is much better than her."
Shen ng looked at her and pinched Xie Jinghao’s face.
"You’re mistaken. It’s not that I don’t think of you, but Ni is still young and can’t be left alone. Otherwise, I’d also find you so work."
Xie Jinghao waved her hands repeatedly. She did not want to go. People in the county were not that easy to get along with, all lifting their chins high and speaking in a way that could choke you. When she accompanied Big Sister to the Cooperative Society or the State-Owned Restaurant, she never t a kind person; they liked to roll their eyes while talking. She couldn’t bear the thought of living in such an atmosphere every day.
Life should be spent in a familiar place, taking care of a husband and children, cooking als throughout the seasons, and living solemnly.
Shen ng understood Xie Jinghao very well and naturally knew her thoughts and ideas, which Xie Jinghao could see but Wu Xianglan could not.
What kind of place was that textile factory? Aside from those who were formally assigned there, anyone who managed to get in had big and small connections. A rural woman suddenly entering such a nice unit was definitely going to be talked about.
"Jinghao, Big Sister knows what you’re thinking. I’ve never been a person who repays evil with kindness. Making money there is real, but the taste of it is not easy to endure. Wu Xianglan went, and it’s okay, no matter."
"Big sister, not to speak ill of her, but she’s not soone who understands gratitude. She sounds nice now, weeping and wailing, but wait until she finds a bigger backer. You’ll see if she still pays attention to you then?"
Shen ng smiled without responding; she never intended to have Wu Xianglan do anything important, so there was no future to speak of with her.
"Alright, let’s not talk about her. Let’s go ho. Xifeng said she’ll co to play after paying New Year’s visits. Let’s go ho and see, Ni must be sleepy."
"Alright then!"
Xie Jinghao didn’t try to persuade her further; she knew she couldn’t change Shen ng’s mind as she was always a decisive person.
In the living room, Shen ng turned up the valve of the coal stove a bit more, making the fire larger. The aluminum pot perched above the stove bubbled vigorously, and the fragrance of the hot wine gradually filled the room.
Shen ng added chunks of apple, clove, hawthorn, honey, oranges, cinnamon, and blueberries, stirring them slowly with a spoon.
"Hey, what are these little black berries? Sour and sweet, they have a strange taste."
"They’re called blueberries. I saw them in an old newspaper, and just a few days ago when I was out, I saw so by the roadside, so I picked them all. This grape wine is what I brewed in the fall. I heard that drinking it boiled with fruit in winter is really good for our won’s health, so you all should try it."
Shen ng said this shalessly, as the wine was good quality, borrowed from another space, with a wholesale price of over five hundred yuan for a bottle.
She also brought out sunflower seeds, shortbread, peanuts, layered sugar candies, and horn-shaped honey sweets, arranging various snacks on the table.
Outside, snowflakes were gently falling, but inside, there was laughter and cheerful voices, gathering around the stove to cook wine. The joy was unspeakable.
At this mont, Shen ng felt particularly relaxed. In her previous life, she was always either flying here and there or working overti on PowerPoint presentations with a black card.
When had there ever been such a relaxed mont, let alone gathering together with friends? If it hadn’t been for her monthly visitor’s punctual arrivals, she almost forgot she was a woman.
"Oh my, take a whiff, does it sll nice? This delicate aroma, it’s all thanks to Xiao ng. Without her, where would we have gotten this exposure?"
"Indeed, living in the countryside all our lives, we’ve never even seen this grape wine that can be boiled and drunk. Such a waste of so much fruit though, if not thrown away, we can eat it all later!"
"If you want to eat it, just eat it. No one’s stopping you."
......
Shen ng watched the won chatting around the dining table, laughing along with them. Sister-in-law Lianhua, Xifeng, Shirley, Xie Jinghao, and just now, Lu Xiangxiang ca over to play too. A group of won chattering away, speaking in local dialects, occasionally throwing in so "good gracious" and "damn it" type of expressions.
But Shen ng felt that they were incredibly endearing.
"There’s so good news. I’ve found Shirley a job in the city moving stuff and stoking boilers. It’s a bit heavy, but she’ll earn more than eighteen yuan a month, plus food coupons and benefits. Their life with her mother and sisters should be easier from now on."
"Oh wow, that’s such great news! Congratulations Mrs. Daya, you’ve had one good thing after another since your divorce, how fortunate you are!"
"I really envy you. Your life might have been tough before, but now it’s like after hardship cos happiness. In a few years, find yourself a good man and your life will get even more prosperous."
Hearing everyone say this, Shirley felt even warr inside. She had more to share, but with so many people around, and even Xie Jinghao and Lu Xiangxiang without their share, she had this good job. If they got upset and had so thoughts about it, wouldn’t that make things difficult for Shen ng?
But everyone was sincerely nice to her, speaking with such warmth in their words.
"Thank you, thank you all. I used to be like a porcupine, all bristling at whoever I t, speaking without a filter. Thanks for not minding and helping so much. My life now is all thanks to you all, especially Xiao ng. I am so unworthy, why would you help like this?"
After Shen ng finished talking about the job, her eyes stayed on Wang Lianhua. She had just wanted to have a happy chat with her sisters, but she didn’t expect to see, after Wang Lianhua removed her scarf, several purple bruises on her neck. The room was so warm, yet she kept pulling at her sweater under her cotton jacket, refusing to take it off even when encouraged, and now it beca apparent she had been hit again.
"Shirley, I’m not just helping you. I’m helping a fellow woman who is suffering from abuse."
Wang Lianhua was montarily stunned upon hearing this and then quickly acted as if nothing was wrong. Seeing that she didn’t bring it up, Shen ng didn’t ask either. Such matters weren’t worth fussing over when unsolicited.
Had it not been for Shirley’s own determination, Shen ng wouldn’t have reached out to help. Everyone has their own fate, and so things can’t be forced.
When the mulled wine was ready, Shen ng served a bowl to everyone. She also saved so for Ming Fang and a little cup for the children to try a small sip.
Wang Lianhua’s heart ached. She hadn’t missed Shen ng’s aningful glance and deep down, she understood the hint about divorce. But such a step was not as easy as it seed, and besides, she had never considered it. After all, life is life, endure a little for the sake of the children, and it would pass.
As noon approached, everyone began to help tidy up, ready to head back and prepare their own als.
Shen ng called out to them and took several jars out of the cupboard.
"This is your portion of red... grape wine. It can stew eggs, expel cold, and warm the uterus, nourishing the body the most. When you’re feeling unwell, eating this is better than anything."
Although they felt embarrassed to eat and take, everyone was still happily carrying things and left.
Upon exiting the door, and walking at the back of the group, Xifeng pulled Shirley aside, leaned in, and whispered: "What’s the deal with this job? Tell all about it!"
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