Chapter 218

Gu Qingzhou hadn't finished his homework, so he didn't delay and took the things back to the brigade.

He went to the Brigade Leader's house first to return the bike.

The Brigade Leader's wife saw the bags Gu Qingzhou was carrying, and once he left, she said to the Brigade Leader, "He brought back so many things again, they look bulging, I don't know what they are..."

"It must be things Chenghuai's wife is giving to her parents-in-law out of filial piety." The Brigade Leader guessed.

He now had an incredibly good impression of Lin Zhao; she was capable and filial. Half the daughters-in-law in the village put together couldn't compare to her alone.

The Brigade Leader's wife's eyes were complex, and her heart was sour.

"Chenghuai has a monthly allowance of several dozen yuan, all of which he hands over to her, plus her own salary... this little bit of filial piety for the old couple is nothing at all." The Brigade Leader said, "Don't be sour. Once Dahai gets into the epidemic prevention station, he'll have a monthly salary, and won't it all be handed over to you? You'll have the money in your hands, and you'll be even more comfortable."

Their family hadn't divided the household yet, and his wife was the one in charge.

The Brigade Leader's wife's mind flashed with scenes: the scene of her son handing over his salary every month, the scene of the villagers envying her, the scene of buying a schoolbag for Tie Niu... The more she thought, the brighter her eyes became.

"Right, right."

As she spoke, she picked up the enamel mug the Brigade Leader had finished drinking from and went to the kitchen, humming a song as she went to add water.

The Brigade Leader was speechless.

Whenever there was good news, this woman became incredibly enthusiastic, as if she were a different person.

At the Gu house.

Gu Qingzhou had just entered the room.

Gu Mu saw the things he brought and hurried to greet him, taking one of the bags, and asked, "What is all this? Did your Third sister-in-law give it to you?"

"In the city, even a green onion costs money, and you can't buy a piece of tofu without a coupon. She still has to take care of four cubs, it's not easy, try not to accept things from your Third sister-in-law."

Gu Qingzhou put the things away and sat down to rest.

After drinking a few mouthfuls of cold boiled water, he said, "You know what my Third sister-in-law's temper is like, I can't talk her out of it."

And I don't dare to.

It's not that I'm afraid of my Third sister-in-law, but I'm afraid of my Third brother.

When Third sister-in-law first married over, she said something to him, and he didn't answer immediately. Then Third brother came to find him and stared at him for a full two minutes, staring until he was sweating profusely. Third brother asked him... if he had any opinions about his Third sister-in-law. What opinions could he have? I was wronged to death! Ever since then, I haven't dared to provoke my Third sister-in-law, I treat her like a treasure, and now it's peaceful!

Gu Mu had no way to refute Gu Qingzhou's words.

She changed the subject, "What is all this?"

Gu Qingzhou said, "One bag is material for pasting matchboxes, Third sister-in-law said to give it to the eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law. Eldest sister has to take care of her husband, so she doesn't have time for this work and had to give it up."

"The other bag is for us, the red dates and honey are for Mother, the green brick tea is for Father to taste, and the leather gloves are for me."

He took out the leather gloves and tried them on.

He didn't know what kind of leather it was, but it was especially light and soft, and it felt very close to the skin when worn, not affecting his work. There was a layer of velvet inside the gloves, and as soon as he put them on, he felt his hands heating up.

"These gloves are good." Gu Fu said.

Gu Mu took them from her youngest son's hand, touched them, and also said, "They are very good. I don't know where your Third sister-in-law got them, they don't look like the defective goods from the supply and marketing cooperative."

"These things..." Gu Fu's gaze flicked over the other items, and he had a guess in his heart, "They don't look like things from around here. Did her third brother send them?!"

Gu Mu: "It's possible."

Those brothers of Third daughter-in-law are all thinking of their sister, and they send whatever good things they have to her.

I'm used to it, I'm used to it.

Gu Mu returned the gloves to Gu Qingzhou and said, "With these gloves for warmth, I'll ask your Third sister-in-law to get you a box of frostbite ointment, I hope your hands won't get frostbitten again this year."

It's strange to say.

The eldest, second, and third are all fine, but Qingzhou gets frostbitten every year.

His hands get red and swollen, and they crack; he can even bleed when he picks up his rice bowl, which makes his parents very heartbroken.

"Hmm." Gu Qingzhou nodded.

Gu Mu looked at the red dates and honey her daughter-in-law gave her out of filial piety, her face piled with smiles.

"Such big dates! And honey too! Except for the beehive Third brother knocked down back then, I've never seen honey again. I feel the fragrance and sweetness even without opening the bottle."

"Your Third sister-in-law is really thoughtful."

To tell the truth, ever since the household was divided, the old couple has been living better than before.

The couple from the second branch lives at home, and Gu Yucheng does the heavy work like fetching water and watering the vegetable garden. The second daughter-in-law is diligent, and she washes the clothes for her parents-in-law while she's at it.

When the eldest catches fish, the eldest daughter-in-law cooks it and sends some to the old couple.

Third daughter-in-law is also filial... she comes back from time to time, and she never comes empty-handed. The old couple has been eating meat much more often, and the cupboard in the room is filled with malted milk, chicken cakes... all to supplement their health.

They don't work as hard as before, having to earn eight or ten work points every day. Now they each earn five or six work points a day, and that's enough grain to eat.

Not yet sixty, living such a good life, Gu Mu wouldn't have dared to think about it before.

Among all the parents and parents-in-law in the village, none of them have it as good as they do.

Gu Qingzhou listened to his mother's words, and a smile spread in his eyes.

Back when Third sister-in-law didn't care about anything, his mother would sigh three or five times a day.

Just like Xianglin's Wife.

She would keep saying: I shouldn't have looked at her face, I shouldn't have thought the Lin family girl was educated and agreed to let Third brother marry her, I've let my son down, I've let the four cubs down... blah blah blah.

It happened every time, and everyone wanted to run away when they saw her.

Now, the situation has completely reversed—

She keeps saying: Your Third sister-in-law is a good one, your Third sister-in-law is filial, your Third sister-in-law has nothing to say as a daughter-in-law, your Third sister-in-law really knows how to teach children... she praises her every time she opens her mouth.

Gu Qingzhou cleared his throat, suppressed his smile, and asked, "Mother, should I send the material for pasting matchboxes, or will you?"

"No need to send it. I'll go call your eldest sister-in-law and let her divide it with your second sister-in-law." Gu Mu said.

She wanted to go see Li Bao while she was at it.

Li Bao had a nap, and his spirit was better.

It was windy outside, and Huang Xiulan was afraid her son would catch a cold again, so she kept him in the room.

At this moment, the child was curled up on the bed eating an apple.

He was eating it so preciously and carefully, chewing every bite slowly, and only swallowing it down his throat after it had no flavor left.

Tie Dan was afraid he would be tempted, so he didn't dare stay in the room and sat at the door.

Seeing Gu Mu come, he shouted to the kitchen: "Mother, Grandma is here!!"

Hearing this, Huang Xiulan came out quickly.

"Mother, why are you here? Is something the matter?" She asked straight to the point.

Gu Mu asked: "How is Li Bao?"

"He just woke up, his spirit is much better, he's eating an apple right now." Huang Xiulan was very happy, her tightly furrowed brows relaxing, "Third sister-in-law said eating more apples can improve some kind of force..."

She forgot.

Tie Dan reminded her: "Resistance. Third aunt said resistance."

"Right, that's the force." Huang Xiulan didn't understand much, she just trusted Lin Zhao; whatever Third sister-in-law said, she did.

"Mother, the vegetable and lean meat porridge Third sister-in-law mentioned is really good. Li Bao ate it and didn't vomit again, I reckon he'll be better tomorrow."

"Not vomiting is a good thing, don't be careless, keep an eye on him tonight, if anything happens, come find me and your father." Gu Mu instructed worriedly.

You can't be careless when a child is sick, especially at night; if the fever lasts too long, people can become stupid.

"I know." Huang Xiulan responded.

Gu Mu explained the purpose of her visit, "Third daughter-in-law sent some material for pasting matchboxes. She intends to divide this work between you and the second daughter-in-law. If you're willing to do it, go to the old house and discuss the division of labor with her."

A pie fell from the sky!!!

Huang Xiulan was stunned for a moment, then quickly came back to her senses, excitedly saying: "I'll do it, I'm willing to do it!"

Who wouldn't want to do work that can earn money?

Gu Mu: "The second daughter-in-law will be back soon, you discuss it with her, I won't interfere."

After discovering that not interfering too much makes everyone happy, she rarely interferes in anything anymore.

"I'll go now." Huang Xiulan couldn't wait to get it confirmed.

Gu Mu understood her mood; there were few places to make money in the countryside, and now that a money-making opportunity had finally appeared, no one would be in a hurry.

"Let's go."

Huang Xiulan remembered the pot was still burning and said to Gu Lan: "A-Lan, watch the pot, I'll be back in a while."

"Okay."

Thus, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law returned to the old house.

Tie Dan listened to the conversation between his grandmother and his mother, his eyes turning as he looked at Gu Lan, "Sister, is our family going to have the work of pasting matchboxes?"

His tone was light and cheerful, as if he were planning something.

Gu Lan corrected his phrasing, "It's not our family's, the work of pasting matchboxes will be completed in cooperation with Second Aunt."

"It's all the same." Tie Dan waved his hand casually and added: "Sister, pasting matchboxes can earn quite a bit of money, right?!"

"I don't know." Gu Lan shook her head.

"But there will always be an extra income." She said.

As long as you are careful, anyone can do the work of pasting matchboxes, she could do it too, Gu Lan looked forward to it.

"I hope Mother can earn a bit more, I want to eat my fill." Tie Dan's eyes shone.

He went out every day to find food, stuffing anything that could fill his stomach inside, but he still always felt hungry.

Gu Lan looked at her younger brother with heartache, "Mother increased the grain, you're still not full?"

"It's enough, I'm just greedy." Tie Dan spoke vaguely, not saying again that he wasn't full; he knew there wasn't much grain at home, and not much money either.

Both younger brothers were raised by Gu Lan, so Gu Lan could see what Tie Dan was thinking at a glance.

She sighed slightly, walked toward the kitchen, dug a sweet potato out from under the stove, and gave it to her brother.

"If you're hungry, eat a sweet potato to fill your stomach first."

Tie Dan used a leaf to cushion the sweet potato, peeling it while blowing on it, "Sister, why did you bury a sweet potato?!"

Gu Lan: "Mother buried it."

Tie Dan's expression stiffened.

"?"

"Mother knew you weren't full, so she buried it specifically for you." Gu Lan explained.

Tie Dan turned around, acting awkward, "How did Mother know I wasn't full?"

He muttered, "I didn't show it."

Gu Lan's expression was calm, "You were born by Mother."

"... Oh!"

At the Gu family's old house.

Zhao Liuniang learned that Lin Zhao had given the work of pasting matchboxes to her and the eldest sister-in-law, and she grinned happily.

"Really, that's great."

She looked at Huang Xiulan, "Eldest sister-in-law, shall we divide it now?"

Fine.

She was even more anxious.

"Okay."

Thus, the two divided a bag of material equally.

Thinking that they could share a few yuan at the end of the month, they were both too excited to speak.

Oh my, Third sister-in-law is just too good!

Gu Mu was afraid they would go out and show off, so she reminded them with a straight face: "Don't blabber when you go out, make a fortune in silence, our family is already conspicuous enough."

Zhao Liuniang expressed her stance first, "We won't, we won't say anything."

She and her eldest sister-in-law aren't stupid, Mother-in-law looks down on them too much.

Huang Xiulan also said: "There's nothing to say, we still have to be busy pasting matchboxes, right, sister-in-law?"

"Right."

Gu Mu: "..."

Pasting a matchbox, it feels like they're about to do something extraordinary.

Lin Zhao didn't know about these things for the time being.

After picking up Da Huang and Xiao Hu Po, as well as the twins, their family was officially moved to the city.

Upon hearing the news, Uncle Song and Aunt Song came over carrying two meat dishes.

"You should have brought our Qian Bao and Yao Bao over long ago!" Uncle Song picked up the two cubs, his eyes gentle, and also a bit heartbroken, feeling that the twins had been wronged.

Lin Zhao said softly, "It's not too late to pick them up now."

"You just bully the two cubs because they have good tempers." Uncle Song's expression was disapproving.

Lin Zhao had a question mark over her head and retorted: "They don't have such good tempers. I left them behind, and I had to coax them for a long time. If you don't believe me, Uncle, ask Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao."

The twins were pointed out and nodded hurriedly.

"That's right, Mom coaxed us for a long time." Gu Hangbao said.

Uncle Song: "..."

He held the twins and went to the side, feeding them food, being as careful as could be.

"Aunt, look at Uncle! He doesn't love me anymore, he only protects the two little ones now." Lin Zhao complained to Aunt Song.

Aunt Song patted the back of her hand, smiling.

"Don't the two little ones also benefit from your light? If they weren't born by you, your uncle would at most take a few more looks, he wouldn't have so much patience."

Lin Zhao was instantly coaxed, smiling brightly.

She asked: "Aunt, where is Yuncheng? Why didn't he come?"

Aunt Song glanced at her own man and said straight out: "Your uncle made Yuncheng reflect at home, he didn't let him come, saying he gets upset when he sees him."

"..."

Yuncheng is quite miserable, his partner is gone, and his parents find him annoying.

But he deserves it, who told him to have bad eyes.

Lin Zhao didn't mention it again.

The family happily ate a hot meal, officially celebrating Lin Zhao moving to the city with the four cubs.

Before Uncle Song and Aunt Song left, Lin Zhao handed them a lunch box.

"I can't let Yuncheng participate, but I can't not let him eat. I packed it separately, Uncle and Aunt can take it back for him."

Afraid that Uncle and Aunt would stay angry, she comforted them in a soft voice.

"Yuncheng being able to break up with that female comrade shows that he values you more. It's his first time dating, it's inevitable to see the wrong person. Forgive him this time, if he does it again, you don't need to do anything, I'll teach him a lesson."

Yunjin popped his head out from the kitchen, shaking the water off his hands, "Mom, don't forget to bring what my sister said to my brother."

His brother is also afraid of his sister; what his sister says, he doesn't dare to be careless about, he's bound to be as attentive as possible.

"I know." Aunt Song said amusedly.

It's time to properly manage Song Yuncheng, his eyes are too bad.

Song Yuncheng heard what Aunt Song brought, and the smile on his face disappeared without a trace.

He looked at his mother resentfully, "Mom, you're doing this on purpose so I can't eat well. Isn't it what you often say, don't hit someone who is eating."

"If you can't eat it, leave it, let your father take it for lunch tomorrow. Anyway, the weather is cool now, it won't go bad." Aunt Song said.

Uncle Song looked over, indicating he had no opinion.

Song Yuncheng hurriedly scooped the lunch box into his arms, "I'll eat it, I've been hungry all day!"

Sigh, people really can't make mistakes, his family status has dropped to the bottom, I'm afraid it's not even as good as the Da Huang and Xiao Hu Po at his sister's house.

The next day, early in the morning.

After Lin Zhao got up, she didn't want to start a fire, intending to go to the state-run restaurant to buy breakfast.

Song Yunjin came out of the bathroom, with a few tufts of hair sticking up, and seeing his sister seemed to be going out, he asked: "Sister, what are you going to do?"

"Buy breakfast." Lin Zhao said.

"Call me for errands!" Song Yunjin let out a grumpy roar.

"I live here... isn't it to be an errand boy? That's all I'm good for. If you don't let me do things, I'm eating and drinking for free, don't I have any shame?"

Lin Zhao: "..."

"Stop nagging, you go buy it!"

Song Yunjin closed his mouth, asked her how much to buy, and after hearing the answer, he ran to the state-run restaurant to queue up.

He ran all the way, and when he arrived, there weren't many people.

Lin Zhao finished washing up, asked Da Huang to call the twins to get up, and packed the things she needed to take to work today.

She had to take Qian Bao and Gu Hangbao, and she had to take a large bag of miscellaneous things.

Two "woof woofs" came from the next room.

Xiang Yubao's voice sounded, "Gu Hangbao, time to get up. If we're late for school, the teacher will make us call our parents again."

As soon as he heard about calling parents, Gu Hangbao immediately opened his eyes and sat up, more awake than if his brother had splashed water on his face.

"I'm awake..." He lay on the corner of the wall, rubbing Xiao Hu Po's round head.