??Chapter 58: Chapter 56 Going Ho
Chapter 58: Chapter 56 Going Ho
“Mom…” Shen Yunfeng, upon hearing her mother-in-law’s words, instinctively wanted to argue. The mushrooms had just been brought back today, and she hadn’t had the heart to cook them that evening. Why should they be given away now? Her cousin couldn’t afford to eat them.
“Enough, you don’t have to worry about this anymore,” said Mother Xue in a not-so-kind tone before she left.
“Dear in-law, ah, dear in-law, there’s no need to take them, no need at all. Country folks don’t eat such delicacies,” Second Madam also felt sympathy for her in-law and quickly followed to stop her.
Mother Xue simply ignored her; if these two people could treat their own niece this way, what good character could she expect from them?
Shen Yunfeng turned to look at Shen Yunfang, who blinked innocently at her, as if to say, “This really has nothing to do with , I didn’t do anything.”
“Yunfang, I asked you here today because my health is good enough for work now, so how about you go back to the village tomorrow? Next ti when I need you, I’ll call you,” said Shen Yunfeng sternly as she stated her purpose.
She was sowhat afraid of Shen Yunfang’s shalessness. What if she didn’t want to go back to the village after staying here for a month?
Shen Yunfang agreed readily, “Sure, I’ve been out long enough too. Now that you, my cousin, are well again, I will return to the village tomorrow. Second Madam, when you go ho today, please let my uncle know and ask Uncle Yougen to co pick
up tomorrow morning.” She had gathered quite a few things during these days, more than her slender fra could carry back on her own.
She had managed to get all the things she needed, and just now she even heard about mushrooms. It seed she wouldn’t have to wait until September to start growing mushrooms. If she could get fresh mushrooms now, she could try planting them once she got back.
When Shen Yunfang left the Xue Family, she was already carrying a heavy basket. Inside, there was a small bag of fresh mushrooms prepared by Mother Xue, about three jin of pork, a large bundle of kelp, over a jin of small Xiaohai fish, and two bottles of fruit canned goods.
The next day early in the morning, after Jian Hui arrived for work, Shen Yunfang handed over the keys to the main gate, made arrangents to visit her in the county in a few months, and then began packing her luggage. She moved everything onto the cart at the door and, carrying the basket, rode the horse cart back ho.
It was already March. Although it wasn’t yet the season of spring blossoms, the piercing chill had passed, and the road was mostly free of snow, so the horse cart traveled quickly. Two hours later, she returned to Gaijiatun, feeling like exclaiming proudly at the village entrance, “I, Hu Hansan, am back again!” She felt especially good returning with her pockets full.
In the Northeast, after the Lunar New Year ‘cat winter’ officially ends, Shen Yunfang’s return happened to coincide with the first working day of Gaijiatun’s brigade.
A large group of people stood at the edge of the field, seemingly unsure of what to do.
“Oh, Yunfang girl is back! How was the county town?” A woman in her thirties with sharp eyes spotted the Shen Family’s unlucky lone star returning and hurriedly called out.
“It’s alright I guess, it’s just that everything costs money,” answered Shen Yunfang with a cheerful laugh.
“What good things have you brought back?” asked a nosy young daughter-in-law who, without any politeness, approached Shen Yunfang and reached out to rummage through the basket she was carrying.
Could Shen Yunfang let her pry? Even if it were her own relatives, it would be aggravating, let alone such an unrelated person. She turned swiftly, keeping the basket away from the broad-faced daughter-in-law, and with a smile said, “Nothing much, just my sister-in-law’s mother-in-law saw that I was returning and gave
so food to take back.”
“Ah, you’ve beco stingy after just one trip to the city,” said the daughter-in-law, feeling slightly embarrassed for not having been able to reach the basket, and her words carried a tinge of resentnt.
Resentful or not, Shen Yunfang didn’t care. She turned to her uncle standing with his hands behind his back and said, “Uncle, my sister-in-law’s mother-in-law also gave
a piece of at. I’ll bring so over for Auntie when I have a chance.”
“No need, that was given to you, keep it for yourself to eat,” replied Shen Yeqing, his face softening at his niece’s words. The fact that she still thought of him even when away from ho brought him pride.
“It’s quite a large piece, and besides, I don’t know how to cook. Auntie is the one with the best cooking skills,” said Shen Yunfang, who hadn’t planned on keeping it all to herself anyway. She still had many years to live in this village and needed to maintain good relations with her uncle, the brigade leader.
To say that Shen Yunfang still has any kinship with the Shen Family now is purely nonsense. She inherited Shen Yunfang’s mories, but not her emotions, so these relatives of the Shen Family, to her, are just slightly familiar strangers.
“Alright then, your aunt is over there. I’ll talk to her in a bit,” said Aunt Shen, who, though in her forties, still had to participate in collective labor.
“Ah, Uncle, I’m heading ho now. I’ll bring so at to my aunt later,” Shen Yunfang said, seeing that it was about ti to leave.
With a wave from Shen Yeqing, Shen Yunfang waved to everyone and picked up her basket to head ho.
“Wow, it’s great to have relatives who live in the county,” said a villager enviously.
“Heh, it’s nothing special, just living life like everyone else,” said Shen Yeqing, modestly.
“I saw Yunfang carrying a big jar in her left hand just now; wasn’t that the wine she got for the team leader?”
“Ah, the team leader is in for a good drink at noon. Your kids are all doing well for themselves,” said another.
“Right? I heard your Yunfeng’s father-in-law has quite a bit of clout in the county, being a leader sowhere?”
“Hey, how’s that marriage deal for Yunfang girl going? I heard the Li Family’s old man is pretty decent, just that his wife is a bit troubleso.”
…
After returning ho, Shen Yunfang tidied up a bit and then went off to Uncle Shen’s house with half of the at.
“Well, look who’s back, Yunfang, and even bringing at. It’s hard enough to get so goodies; you should keep it for yourself to eat,” Aunt Shen said from a distance, already seeing Shen Yunfang approach with at in hand, unable to hide her joy.
This was probably the first ti she was greeted with such warmth right at the doorstep. Shen Yunfang lifted the pork in her hand; it seed more welco than herself.
“Hehe, Auntie, how could I hog it all to myself? Moreover, if Yunfeng’s mother-in-law gave
sothing, it’s all because of your good reputation.” While uttering these pleasant words, she stuffed the at into Auntie’s eagerly outstretched hands. “In our family, it’s you who have the best cooking skills. I’m just waiting to eat.”
“Haha, just you wait and see, you’ll be drooling with delight,” Auntie said, carrying the at to the kitchen. While walking, she held up the pork, admiring it: “Yunfeng’s mother-in-law really put in effort. Look at this at, such a big piece, with three layers. Nice.”
Shen Yunfang pulled the corner of her mouth in the background; it seed she was indeed not as significant as that piece of pork—Auntie had completely ignored her after getting the at.
She shook her head and followed inside the house.
“Xiu, look at this at, so fat. Your mother will fry so with spices for you later; it’ll be delicious,” Auntie said to her daughter with a smile, who had just walked out of the house.
“And for Yunfang too, you can both eat together.” She finally acknowledged there was another person there.
“Mom, let
do it,” said the second daughter-in-law, erging from the kitchen, stepping forward to take the at from her mother-in-law’s hands.
Auntie was quick to act, twisting her wrist to avoid her daughter-in-law’s reaching hands, “You might as well forget it. With your cooking, if you ruin the at, what then? Go and rest.” at was so scarce in the village at that ti that they greatly treasured a big piece like this.
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