In the bright room, Mrs. Zhou took good care of her little niece according to Zheng Hehua's request. And according to Bao'er's preferences, he took out the booklets he collected and read them slowly.
Bao'er listened with great interest, without turning his head. His pair of dark eyes just stared at Mrs. Zhou, and his two little hands were unconsciously playing with the tiger-head shoes.
Zheng Chunhua and several sisters-in-law from Zheng Hehua's natal family were sitting nearby and listened with their ears pricked up. It's a pity that they haven't read books, and they are not as smart as Baoer, who has just turned one month old, so they just listen.
An Dongmei, the mother of sisters Zheng Hehua and Zheng Chunhua, entered the room and left, taking the old linen bedding with her. Not long after, Zheng Hehua walked in with a calm face.
She looked at the woman dressing up, with a slightly plump figure, a fair and rosy face, and joy and comfort hidden in her brows. Before she got married, Mrs. Zhou, who was known as a flower in every country, had a trace of envy in her eyes.
Living in a family that values boys over girls and doesn't even treat daughters as human beings. Hehua always thought that the relationship between her daughter and her parents was like that, they would beat and scold them at will if they were not satisfied.
But when she grew older, she realized that this was not the case. With daughters, families have a good life, some have a bad life, and some have an average life, neither good nor bad.
For example, Zheng Hehua herself is the type who lives a poor life. Another example is Mrs. Zhou, a charming girl who is envied by everyone. Not only can you learn a craft, but you can also take this opportunity to learn a few words.
With a slight sigh, Hehua put all her thoughts behind her. Life is lived by people, not by complaining. It doesn’t matter if life was miserable in the past, it’s better to live better now than before.
Turn around and close the door to prevent the cold air from entering the room. Then, with a friendly smile on her lips, she hurriedly stepped forward and said.
"Sister, thank you for taking care of Bao'er for me and taking time out of your busy schedule to read to her. Her child is blessed to have such a good aunt like you."
Mrs. Zhou stopped reading, packed up the booklet in her hand, and put it back in a secret place on her body. Then, she said to Lotus who was already sitting on the kang.
"Sister-in-law, what are you talking about? Don't be polite to me. We are all a family. If I don't help, who will?"
After half an hour of business chatting between the sister-in-law and sister-in-law, Madam Zhou proposed that she would like to go outside and have a look, so that her mother could help her in the kitchen. There are so many guests here today that my mother and the nearby aunts may be too busy.
He Hua, the sister-in-law, naturally had no intention of stopping her and sent Madam Zhou off personally. Then, she returned to the kang, taking care of her daughter who was back to playing again, while talking to her eldest sister and her sisters-in-law.
Regardless of how good the lotus flower is on the outside, give gifts to those who should be given gifts, and be filial to those who should be filial. But in fact, she didn't like her parents at all, and even resented her parents.
However, she does not reject her eldest sister and her natal sisters-in-law who share the same disease, and is even willing to talk to them more and get along well with them.
On the other side, Mrs. Zhou walked out of her eldest brother and sister-in-law's room and walked directly towards the very busy kitchen. There were several women there, all of them very busy. The smell of food came out from inside, making people hungry.
Mrs. Zhou has money in her hands and her food is not bad on weekdays. But at this time, she still swallowed in shame. He stared at the chicken, duck, and fish for a long time before silently looking away.
Patting her forehead in annoyance, she quickly found an apron and put it around her waist. She participated in it in a very natural way and became a busy member of the kitchen.
More than an hour later, Mrs. Zhou and Wu Meili squatted beside the basin to wash vegetables. Suddenly something came to mind and he asked mysteriously.
"Mom, can you tell me why you hired my sister-in-law back then? My sister-in-law's parents really made me speechless. My sister-in-law didn't ask them for anything, she just let them use her sister-in-law's things to show their face. They were not very happy about it, but instead they coveted my sister-in-law’s things and brought over junk goods to make up the money.”
"Why did you think of asking me this? It's a long story!"
Wu Meili put the cleaned vegetables aside, picked up the unwashed vegetables, washed them, and explained slowly.
"When your sister-in-law was fifteen years old, your sister-in-law's mother planned to marry an old man in his fifties as a concubine. It was said that he was married off, but it was actually the same as selling him."
Mrs. Zhou nodded and said: "I have heard a little bit about this matter, but I don't know much about it. I only know that there was a big fuss at the time, and then there was no sound. When I found out about it again, my sister-in-law She has become my sister-in-law."
Wu Meili smiled and continued to wash the vegetables while continuing.
"Daughter, you don't know that after the Hehua child heard the news, she had a fight with her mother, packed up a few clothes and went up the mountain. Before leaving, she threatened that even if she starved to death on the mountain, she would not be able to survive. I won’t be a concubine for an old man in his fifties.”
Madam Zhou was shocked when she heard this. She exclaimed and asked in disbelief.
"How...how to live in the mountains? With no food, no water, and only a few clothes, can you survive?"
Wu Meili smiled and shook her head and said.
"Everyone who heard the news at the time was like you and felt a little unbelievable. After all, how dangerous it is in the mountains! Snakes, insects, beasts, lack of food and clothing. Not even a man in his prime can survive, let alone a A daughter’s family without much ability.”
Mrs. Zhou glanced in the direction of her sister-in-law and said in hindsight.
"In the end, my sister-in-law survived and married into our family."
"Yeah, she survived and she's doing well."
Wu Meili nodded and continued.
"Later, your eldest brother met her when he was in the mountains and helped her from time to time. Over time, the two of them developed a relationship. The boss even ran up to me and told me that he wanted to marry her."
"Then why did mother agree?"
Mrs. Zhou asked confusedly:
"Under such circumstances, my sister-in-law does not look like a candidate to be hired as my daughter-in-law at all!"
Wu Meili glanced at Mrs. Zhou with a smile and shook her head again.
"You kid, how do you know the purpose of being a mother? Your sister-in-law is very good and worthy of me hiring her back."
Mrs. Zhou's eyes lit up and she asked enthusiastically.
"Mom, tell me, what is the reason?"
Wu Meili picked the vegetable leaves, crushed the reason into pieces, and explained it carefully.
"Daughter, look, a daughter's family can resolutely refuse a marriage that is not good for her, leave home and go to the mountains, and stay intact in the mountains and forests for more than a year. What does it mean?"
Mrs. Zhou thought for a while and said tentatively.
"It shows that my sister-in-law has her own ideas and is not the kind of person who accepts things as they come. Moreover, she has a very strong ability to survive and it is not easy for her to just go like that."
"That's right, that's what it is."
Wu Meili nodded, and then continued Mrs. Zhou's words.
"Your sister-in-law is able to make decisions and make decisions. This is one of the abilities I value most in her. My son, I know that the boss can make up his mind on small matters and forget about big ones. With such a daughter-in-law beside me to help me, I I feel relieved too.”
Mrs. Zhou nodded beside her, indicating that she understood. In this day and age, there are really very few women who can make decisions. Most of them have been raised to be very obedient and do not dare to resist.
Wu Meili changed a basin of clean water and continued.
"I thought at the time, your sister-in-law is obviously capable of staying in the mountains and forests for such a long time. If there is any natural disaster one day, wouldn't it be safe if she took the whole family to drill into the mountains? ?”
Mrs. Zhou was so surprised when she heard this that she could stuff an egg in her mouth. She looked at Wu Meili with admiration and respect, and said excitedly like a qualified little fangirl.
"Mom, you are so thoughtful. When will I be as smart as you?"
Wu Meili smiled proudly and said.
"When you see more, know more, and understand more, you will be like me."
"Uh-huh,"
When Madam Zhou heard this, she nodded as if she was pounding garlic.
"I will definitely read more and learn more. I won't lose my mother's face."
Wu Meili looked at the sky, looking at the slightly dazzling sun, and continued with a sigh.
"Actually, there is another very important reason."
Madam Zhou raised her eyebrows and asked.
"(⊙o⊙)What? What's the reason?"
Wu Meili closed her eyes in embarrassment and said.
"That means your eldest brother and eldest sister-in-law have feelings for each other and really like each other."
Mrs. Zhou nodded, her expression not changing at all.
Wu Meili was silent for a while, sighed again, and asked with emotion.
"Daughter, do you hate me for marrying you to someone you don't like?"
After Mrs. Zhou heard this, she pursed her lips and complained.
"Mom, why are you talking about this? There is no such thing at all. Parents' orders, matchmaker's words, which family is not like this? What's more, the son-in-law chosen by my mother, although he is a little lazy, is very good to me. I have no problem with him."
Wu Meili frowned and continued: "Daughter, but..."
Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Mrs. Zhou.
"I know what you want to say, mother. That person already has a wife, why should I hurry up and become a concubine? I can only blame us for not being destined."