“I heard that Dong Zhiqing likes Chen Zhiqing. That girl looks like full of Schemes . She is not a good girl at first glance. She sheds tears all day long without doing anything and just with that those men were coaxed around. Dacao, I heard that your son is helping her work every day, but you don’t care about it?”
Sun Dacao smiled, a knowing glint in her eyes. “My family’ Xiangdong told me that Chen Zhiqing plans to be his wife. Since the two of them want to do it together, let’s do it.”
As those words tumbled out, the other women’s faces shifted, their expressions turning subtly strange. But Sun Dacao, lost in her own satisfaction, didn’t seem to notice.
Behind them, Dong Wenzhong stood frozen, a wooden bucket clutched in his hand, his intention to fetch water momentarily forgotten. He felt like a complete fool, a punchline to a cruel joke. He, who had once looked down on Xu Ying, now saw her soaring, seemingly beyond his reach, while she, in turn, appeared to not even glance his way. A wave of shame washed over him as he recalled his past arrogance. Now, looking at his patched clothes and rough, calloused fingers, regret gnawed at him. The more he lingered in this feeling, the more uncomfortable he became, a persistent whisper in his mind insisting that his life shouldn’t be like this. It shouldn’t be so dismal, yet he yearned to grasp that better life, but it remained stubbornly out of reach.
Xu’s mother trotted all the way home, her voice echoing as she called for her daughter. “Daughter, Mom shouldn’t go out. I should spend more time with you.” A look of profound guilt creased her face.
Xu Ying, who had been happily munching on melon seeds in the yard, looked up, a bewildered expression on her face. “Mom, what’s wrong? What happened?”
Xu’s mother fidgeted, her fingers fumbling, unsure where to settle them. “No, it’s okay.”
Xu Ying’s gaze was peculiar, a mix of confusion and something else. Her second brother , Xu Shengcai, was diligently studying nearby, preparing for his upcoming exam. The commune director had promised to recommend him for an exam in the spring, and if he passed, he could serve as a county teacher. It wasn’t official yet; he’d need to pass another assessment. Still, Xu Shengcai was brimming with excitement.
“Mom, let’s go to my grandma’s house tomorrow,” Xu Ying declared.
“What are you doing there? Do you miss your grandma?” Xu’s mother asked, surprised.
Xu Ying’s tone turned serious. “Mom, it’s time for my uncle to get a wife. As his sister, don’t you care at all? My grandma is anxious for my Uncle to find a partner. What if he finds a bad one? She will definitely bully my grandma. Are you willing to watch her get bullied?”
The mention of her own mother immediately ignited a fierce protectiveness in Xu’s mother. Was it easy for her mother to raise her? Absolutely not. She couldn’t stand by and watch her mother be bullied.
“Okay,” Xu’s mother conceded. “Let’s go see your grandma tomorrow and see if your Uncle has found a wife. We can also help check it.”
It was already late when Xu Ying finally returned home. She chatted in the yard for a while, washed up, and then retreated to her room to sleep.
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Xu’s mother took her daughter back to her parents’ home. When they arrived, Zhang’s mother had just finished her meal. Seeing her daughter, a look of joy spread across her face. “Why are you back at this time? Have you had breakfast?”
“Have you eaten, Mom? Where is my little brother?” Xu’s mother asked, craning her neck.
“Your brother has gone to the mountains. Thanks to your daughter, every household now goes for a walk in the mountains if they have nothing to do, just in case they hunt wild animals and pick mushrooms!” Zhao’s mother said, approaching Xu Ying. She beamed with pride; her granddaughter had brought such prosperity to their village that their family now commanded immense respect. Everyone who saw them smiled and engaged in friendly conversation.
Xu’s mother puffed out her chest, a proud smirk on her face, and sat swaggeringly on a chair. “Mom, what did you say about my little brother’s marriage? Have you seen anyone recently? If you like her, remember to ask me to check it for you.” Zhao’s mother nodded, understanding her daughter’s concern. She agreed with a smile. “There are many people who want to marry your brother now, and the life of the village is getting better and better. Our Yingying works in a state-owned hotel . Even the director of the commune praises our Yingying. Now everyone is fawning over our family.”
Xu Ying’s anxiety spiked when she heard this. In her previous life, her uncle wasn’t very talented, and his family conditions were meager, leading to people saying he didn’t have many relatives. Now, her uncle supposedly had many suitors, meaning there had to be some pretty faces among them, perhaps confusing him. No, she had to quickly ensure her uncle and Tong Yingzi got to know each other. They couldn’t be separated.
“Mom, I’m going out to find my uncle. You two can chat first.” Xu Ying declared, and then ran out.
She found Tonggouzi Village by following her third uncle’s directions, and after asking all the way, she located Tong Yingzi’s home. She stood there, observing Tong Yingzi’s house from a distance. It was indeed as her third uncle had described: Tong Yingzi’s family was desperately poor. The dilapidated thatched house looked like it could be blown down by a strong gust of wind. The door was shaky, riddled with several small holes.
Xu Ying remained there, and after a while, she saw a girl emerge from the yard. The girl was dressed in patched clothes, her figure slender, seemingly malnourished. Her skin was dark; not exactly ugly, but certainly not attractive.
As if sensing Xu Ying’s gaze, Tong Yingzi turned around, their eyes meeting. She offered a polite nod.
Seeing this, Xu Ying dashed over. “Hello, I am sent by the commune leader to inspect the people’s situation. Sister, what are you doing?”
When Tong Yingzi heard that she was from the commune, and observing Xu Ying’s clothes, which certainly didn’t resemble those of a village resident, she smiled. “I went to the mountains to pick mushrooms. The director of the commune has brought business to all of us, so we can’t be idle, and we must work hard.”
“Then can I come with you?” Xu Ying asked, her eyes bright with expectation.
Tong Yingzi had never encountered such a beautiful girl before. She nodded immediately. “Okay, but it’s not easy to walk on the mountain. If you can endure the hardship, go with us.”
Xu Ying was utterly unafraid. Seeing her determination, Tong Yingzi led her towards the mountain. The mountains in Yushan Commune were all interconnected, and Tonggouzi Village was adjacent to her uncle’s village. The mountains of the two villages were also side by side. Xu Ying, intentionally or unintentionally, guided Tong Yingzi towards Zhangjiacun.
Unexpectedly, she actually ran into her uncle, Zhang Baogui. Zhang Baogui was the kind of fair-skinned, clean-cut young man. His three older sisters, still unmarried, had pampered him since he was young. All the typical household chores were handled, leaving him with no need to lift a finger. Fortunately, Zhang Baogui possessed a good character and hadn’t been spoiled rotten. He was usually honest, soft-spoken, and easily shy.
“Uncle,” Xu Ying exclaimed, genuinely excited to see him. The two weren’t far apart in age, and they had often played together as children, maintaining a close bond.
Zhang Baogui heard the voice and turned to see his niece. He was immediately overjoyed. “Why are you here? You should be with my sister.”
“My mother is bringing me with her!” After Xu Ying said that, Tong Yingzi also approached from behind her. Xu Ying hurriedly whispered a few words to her uncle, cautioning him not to cause any trouble.
Who knew that his uncle would actually smile when he saw Tong Yingzi, and the two of them looked as if they had known each other for a long time.
“Do you know each other?” Xu Ying asked, a touch of drama in her voice.