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Seeing that the children of Old Su’s family were digging for earthworms to eat, the rest of the village felt a little more balanced. What is the use of the adults looking energetic? If the children starve to death, there will be no hope for the family in the future.
Still expecting a woman to have children? Stop dreaming. People are straving these days. Who still wants to give birth to children?
On the surface, people dare not talk about it, but they still have to say something behind their backs. So more and more people know that old Su’s family can’t live any longer.
The old Ding family was the first to hear the news.
Old Ding’s family is not a local here, but an immigrant who came in the early years. They are poor and destitute. After finally settling down in Linjia Village, their family were slightly worse than others, with only one son and two daughters in the family. The daughters are all married off, and the eldest is married in Shanhou Village. The in-law’s family is even poorer than them. The second child is also married to Su Dagen1‘s family in Sujia Village of the nearby Yellow River production team. Their family has a lot of strong laborers, although the mother-in-law… Anyway, the days are not bad2.
Right now there is a shortage3 everywhere, Ding Laosan4 and his wife are still calm. Although their family is poor, they have few children, and their son, Ding Jianjun is twenty-three and has not married yet, so the three strong workers in the family are able to support themselves, and life is pretty decent. During this famine year, there is still something to eat and not eating tree bark like other people’s homes.
So when they heard that their grandson and granddaughter actually went to eat tree bark, Ding Laosan and Ding Lao Niang5‘s moods could be imagined.
The good daughter went to give birth to children. Not to mention eating delicious food but how can she let the children dig earthworms to eat?
And they know that the three brothers of the Su family are in good spirits. The old Su family is specially treating their children badly. Even if the children are treated badly, how can thEIR daughter be okay?
So they immediately packed up and prepared to go to the village to find their distant relatives, the old Lin family. There’s no way, the old woman of the old Su family is too powerful, if they just went like this they fear of not being able to handle it. And their family has only one son, and the Lin family has two sons.
They should support each other anyway.
The old Lin family was also talking about their married daughter at home. The old Lin family has two sons and two daughters. The youngest daughter married to their production team and from time to time they can take care of her.
But the eldest daughter is married to Sujia Village of the Yellow River production team next door.
Since the beginning of the year she has not come to visit.
They didn’t have time to go to their in laws’ home. After all, they can’t go empty-handed, but now the family is short of food, and can’t bring out things to send. If they go empty-handed, the old lady of the Su family will scold them for being cheap.
The couple was thinking about it, and someone from Lao Ding’s family came to the door.
They are all from the same production team, and they usually have a good relationship. The Lin family is honest and often taken advantage of. There are old Ding and his wife here.
Old Ding’s family is not easy to take advantage of. Usually, when outsiders bully Old Lin’s family, Mrs. Ding will scold them.
So the old couple of the Lin family still trust them.
As soon as the Ding family talked about the old Su family, both Old Man Lin and Mrs. Lin were red-eyed.
“This is going to starve our family Shuhong’s baby to death. Didn’t she give birth to two daughters, and later gave birth to a boy? If it wasn’t for the famine, our family’s Shuhong would have not affected her health, and she would definitely have to have a boy6.”
When Mrs. Ding heard this, she was somewhat upset. Her daughter gave birth to the eldest grandson as soon as she got married.
However, she soon remembered that her grandson was digging for earthworms.
So she said, “I said, sister-in-law, it’s useless for you to cry, we have to go to the old Su’s house. Our daughters went to their house to enjoy the blessings, not to be abused. The children eat so little. Our daughters might be in a worse situation.”
“That woman surname Gao is too cruel!” Although Mrs. Lin has an honest and gentle person, she is also a mother.
“Let’s go! Go to Old Su’s house. If it’s a big deal, we’ll fight. Who’s afraid of who!” Mrs. Ding was very happy that the two of them were able to stand up.
The two of the Ding family were about to go outside, when they found that the old Lin family had entered the house again, and Mrs. Ding shouted, “Sister-in-law, what are you doing? You’re not going to back out right?”
Father Lin waved his hand quickly and said, “No, no, wait a minute, we’ll pack some food, and the one surnamed Gao will say we’re going to eat rice again.”
Ding Laosan and Ding Laoniang: “…” why do you need to send food when making trouble? These two people deserve to be taken advantage of!
When leaving, Ding Laosan also called his son Ding Jianguo and the Lin family called their two sons.
Ding Jianjun looked at the two simple and honest sons of the Lin family, and whispered to his mother, “Mom, can you trust them? Why do I feel that this is not for back-up but this is to send to people to be slapped in the face ah?”
” What nonsense! The old Su family have three sons but the two sons-in-law dare not fight, only Su Aidang will. When the time comes, you and your father and the three men of the Lin family will go there, I don’t believe they are not afraid! ”
Ding Jianguo wanted to say that the name Su Aidang has been spread to their Dashan production team. If they don’t have the advantage in number, he wouldn’t have bother.
Seven people from the two families rushed to the Yellow River production team. They are not even this sharp when it comes to work. They are also preparing to get things done at noon, and have to go to work in the afternoon.
At this time, the old Su family was sharing the egg custard.
That’s right, because the children worked hard and dug rations for the old hens, the old hens were in a good mood and laid two eggs in the past two days.
Gao Xiulan was in a good mood, so she decided to listen to her daughter and give them something sweet. They will be able to work hard.
Su Qinghe tried to make an egg custard, two eggs, mixed with water, and steamed in a pot.
After it was done, it was put on the table, and Gao Xiulan gave it to the children to share. As usual, it is distributed according to work, and then according to the number of men and women.
After the distribution, Gao Xiulan did her daily brainwashing, “This egg was given by Qing’er’s godfather, and these eggs are all from Qing’er. If you eat one more, she will eat one less. She is letting you eat them. You must remember her kindness in the future. If anyone is ungrateful in the future, they will be struck by lightning!”
Eating an egg custard, even lightning strikes out. Su Qinghe immediately laughed, “This is all thanks to Mom. Mom went to the county to get it back, how hard it was. Come and eat more.”
She gave Gao Xiulan a spoonful of egg custard.
Gao Xiulan was touched by the thoughtfulness of her daughter.
The three brothers looked at their mother too and felt very sorry.
This family is actually supported by two women, they are so useless.
Su Aidang took a big mouthful of food, then slapped the table, “Mom, I’ve decided, I’m going to participate in the construction of the farmland base. I’ll received high work points and also have a meal.”
Su Aiguo said, “Third, I’ll go too.”
Su Aihua pondered, “If the three of us gone, I don’t know if the captain will let us or not, we are also the laborers of the team now.”
Su Aidang raised his brows and said, “What the hell, our mother and sister are starving and they won’t let us go to work and earn food? Whoever won’t let me go, I’ll fight them!”
Lin Shuhong and Ding Guihua: “…” the men have left, and the family only depends on them two women?
Of course Gao Xiulan hoped that they would go, and she was very happy to hear their words.
But then she thought of what her daughter said. If these three are too tired, what will happen if they fall ill? From now on, there will be no brother to care for the daughter, this is not good. Anyway, there is still Su Dagen at home for the time being, and when he is gone, let them go.
So, she said with a stern face, “What’s all the noise? Hurry up to eat, are you not going to work in the afternoon?”
The three brothers were stunned.
Su Qinghe said, “Mom is reluctant for you to endure hardship. Brothers, don’t think so much about it, just eat.” That being said, she still knows what the old lady is thinking. It’s hard for her mother to remember what she said before.
The three brothers didn’t know what the old lady was thinking, and their eyes turned red with emotion. Looking at Gao Xiulan, eyes full of admiration.
“Mom…”
Two words appeared in Su Qinghe’s head, Mama’s boy… Unfortunately, this is one-sided.
Lin Shuhong and Ding Guihua both shivered. Why are they not so tired of being a daughter-in-law?
Gao Xiulan also shivered, patted the table and said, “Eat! Eat! What are you doing? Just go to work if you don’t want to eat.”
What are they trying to show her? Want to be loved more, they are not ashamed of how old they are. She won’t be deceived. She just wants to dote her Qing’er .
The three brothers bowed their heads to eat. Mom is duplicitous.
After finishing the meal quickly, the two sisters-in-law cleaned up the dishes, and Su Qinghe was ready to go back to the house to look at her assets and see how many days she had to prepare to put food out.
The children hurriedly carried earthworm jars to dig earthworms.
The eggs are so delicious, they must catch more earthworms and let the chickens lay more eggs.
When they got to the door, a strong man appeared in front of them, which scared them.
When they looked again, they were happy, “Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle!”
The people from Old Lin’s family and Old Ding’s family were also happy when they saw the children. But they were not happy to see the clay pots the children were holding.
Old Su’s family didn’t even give them a meal!
The children didn’t know the adult’s thoughts. They felt that there were guests at home, and they went back to the house happily and shouted, “Mom, my grandma and grandpa are here, and my uncle is here too.” Su Dabao shouted at the top of his voice.
Daya also informed the people in the kitchen, “Mom, grandma and grandfather, and uncles are here.”
Sanya ran into the house, “Grandma! Grandma! Someone is here!” Grandma said that I have to tell her what’s going on at home; even if my parents fart, I have to tell her.
“What are you yelling about? You’re too full and you have nowhere to waste your energy, right? Work more! Is it easy to eat some food?” Gao Xiulan came out of the room.
She had just returned to her room to serve her old hen.
That’s right, worried about someone stealing the eggs, she’s letting the old hen live in her room now.Usually, she can talk to the old hen before going to bed. The one from below may hear her.
Gao Xiulan was very unhappy when her conversation was interrupted, and walked outside while scolding.
Su Qinghe also heard the movement. As soon as she came out, she saw a lot of people standing in the yard. It looked like they are looking for trouble but it shouldn’t be. After all, who brought food to make trouble?
So she smiled and walked out.
This is the family of the eldest sister-in-law and the second sister-in-law, so they can’t treat others badly.
In the end, when she got to the yard, she heard her mother, Gao Xiulan, shouting, “What are you doing and what is this? Your team has nothing to do, you don’t have to work anymore?”
Her momentum was more like a troublemaker than the other party.
Father Lin and Mother Lin swallowed nervously, “In-laws, we came to deliver food, and we know the children have no food, so we sent a few bites. You can give some to the children.”
Big brother Lin and second brother Lin were both smiling behind them. “Yes, yes, let’s eat one bite less and don’t let the children starve.”
The three members of the old Ding family were immediately covered with black lines.
Why are they blindly looking to them for back-up?
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1
The eldest son of the Su Family
2
“not bad but not good.” – Jisoo
3
Remember, the timeline of this story is during the Great Famine of China.
4
This is not his name but more like what other people call him. This literally translates to Old Three. I’m thinking of just keeping the chinese term rather than translating it in English but leave a comment if you have other suggestion/ ^^
5
Lao Niang mean Old mother or Old lady/woman or Maternal Grandmother.
6
So, ofc the patriarchal views are very prominent in this era. They thought that because it was only later on that their daughter give birth to a son, Old Mrs. Su is deliberately starving the children.