"Wow, Mrs. Xia is pregnant, that really is sothing to celebrate, congratulations to Xia Xiao." Everyone turned to congratulate Xia Xiao.
Xia Xiao looked at the heartfelt congratulations from everyone and smiled slightly, realizing that her thoughts and those of the others were still quite different.
So Xia Xiao couldn’t help but ask, "Don’t you think life is already tough at ho, with one son and four daughters already? Wouldn’t having more children just add to the family’s burden?"
"More children bring more fortune, we’ll surely be able to provide for them, and besides, she’s already pregnant; it would be hard to give that up," Sister Aihua said first.
Only then did Xia Xiao realize that in this era there probably weren’t any contraceptives, and not many people would think about using them anyway.
"Xia Xiao, you’re just thinking too much. It’s a great thing that your mom can have another child. With more siblings, everyone can help out if anything happens," Yang Xuehua said.
"Exactly," Sister Aihua agreed.
"Xia Xiao, if you’re unhappy about the birth of your little brother or sister and think they shouldn’t be born, that would be selfish," Feng Ying said.
Xia Xiao shook her head, "I don’t think they shouldn’t be born, it’s just that we’re poor and can’t even afford als; I’m just worried about how hard it’ll be to provide for them."
"You’re overthinking it, the state supports us. City kids get food coupons from birth; there’s no way they won’t make it," Yuhua said.
"I don’t like it either. My family favors boys over girls. I have an older brother and sister; it was only supposed to be my sister assigned to the countryside, but after my mom had a boy, I had to go instead. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be stuck here unable to return to the city," ihua finally spoke up.
The tone of ihua’s voice made it clear how deeply resentful she was of her little brother and the gender bias in her family.
As ihua finished speaking, everyone fell silent. In the city, if the family had two children, one had to go to the countryside. For three children, still only one needed to go, but four ant two had to leave.
Those of them assigned to the countryside all had siblings in the city studying or working. Regardless, life in the city was indeed more comfortable than the rural hardships, so everyone felt sowhat uneasy.
Initially, everyone ca with great enthusiasm and curiosity, actively working and trying to contribute to the production team. But once they couldn’t return to the city, people grew discontent.
However, according to Xia Xiao’s original family’s circumstances, she was destined to end up in the countryside eventually, but not at such a young age of thirteen—she should have been a few years older.
After chatting with her dorm mates, Xia Xiao started writing a letter ho, inquiring first about her grandfather’s health and then about her second and third sister’s studies, as well as her youngest sister’s schooling, urging them to study hard. If they really wanted to alleviate the family’s burden, they should aim to skip grades and cut tuition costs.
Once the special period was over, the college entrance exam was restored, Xia Xiao also hoped that her sisters would study hard, at least finishing middle school and preferably high school, so that they might be able to apply for university together.
After caring for her sisters, Xia Xiao then turned her attention to her parents, her unborn sibling, and her brother, reminding her brother not to flaunt his wealth to avoid envy and advising everyone to look after their health before ending the letter.
"Sister Feng Ying, Xia Xiao’s handwriting is getting better and better," Feng Ying glanced at Xia Xiao’s handwriting and comnted.
Xia Xiao stiffened montarily before slowly exhaling, relieved that she had tucked the letter into her space ring. Otherwise, keeping it in her luggage could risk exposure one day, which would be troubleso. The food coupons and oil tickets she sent ho were not things to be known by dorm mates or other mbers in the production crew.
"Sister Feng Ying writes really well, as do sisters Yuhua, Xuehua, and Aihua, even ihua’s handwriting is good. My own writing doesn’t compare in your presence."
Xia Xiao wasn’t just being modest, she knew the several girls in her dorm all had good handwriting.
That day, Xia Xiao got up early to work in the fields with everyone, and after work, she entered the mountains to set traps.
She intended to make a trip to the city to mail her letter, but barely out of the production team, Xia Xiao ran into Gao Jiaxing.
"Brother Gao, are you heading to the city?" Xia Xiao asked.
Since it was now sumr vacation, Gao Jiaxing had been working with the production team as well. Once work ended, he would disappear imdiately, so Xia Xiao wasn’t sure if he was coming or going.
Gao Jiaxing shook his head, looking at Xia Xiao and said, "Where are you headed?"
"I’m preparing to go to the city to mail a letter," Xia Xiao said.
"Do you need to go to the city just to mail a letter? You could just have soone going to the city take it to the post office," Gao Jiaxing said.
"I need to buy so stuff too, so I’d rather go myself," Xia Xiao said, waved her hand at Gao Jiaxing, then had a sudden thought and added, "Brother Gao, I set traps in the mountain, the sa place where we set traps before. If you have ti, could you check on them for ? I might not be back so soon."
"Okay," Gao Jiaxing responded.
Xia Xiao then left without saying more to Gao Jiaxing.
As Gao Jiaxing watched Xia Xiao’s retreating figure, he wanted to shout sothing, to say sothing, but he ultimately didn’t and instead walked back towards the production team.
Farther away, Xia Xiao spoke to Spirit, "Spirit, are there any people nearby? Will anyone see if I enter my space?"
"There are people. To your left on the small slope, there is a couple, and not far in front, in the forest, there is another couple."
Xia Xiao blushed, not having noticed those details initially. She had also observed that couples had been prevalent in the production team recently, even spotted in the woods occasionally, but she hadn’t expected love affairs to reach even there.
Xia Xiao just had to keep her gaze fixed straight ahead and walked even further until she was sure no one was around before daring to enter her space.
Once in her space, Xia Xiao didn’t go to the city imdiately but went straight to the mountains through her space.
Once at her trap site, Xia Xiao placed two wild rabbits from her space into the traps before heading to the city.
Before mailing the letter, Xia Xiao first went to the house of that young married woman, but unfortunately, despite knocking repeatedly, nobody answered; perhaps the young woman had moved away.
Xia Xiao felt sowhat disappointed. She had thought there would be a regular business deal, but it turned out to be unstable, so she would need to rely on what Gao Jiaxing had arranged.
After walking around the city, Xia Xiao went from her space to Black Bear Cave. The young Black Bears had grown quite fast, now taller than Xia Xiao, and when they saw her, they first sniffed her scent before running towards her.
"Big Bear, Er Bear," Xia Xiao called out with a smile.
Having seen cartoons featuring Bald Qiang and the bear brothers before, although Big Bear and Er Bear were brown bears, these two in front of her were Black Bears, she decided to call them Big Bear and Er Bear.
Compared to the Black Bear parents, Big Bear and Er Bear were closer to Xia Xiao, imdiately becoming joyful at her scent when she arrived.
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