It’s already past ten. Su Yuanyuan sat down to make a fire, this ti using tree branches. She estimated that if the whole family had no place to stay, they would co over. If that were the case, she wouldn’t have a place to stay and wouldn’t want to be with them, feeling disgusted.
For lunch, she made herself so sorghum porridge. Cooking like this on the stove, it’s better than cornal porridge.
She also cut a piece of pickled vegetables. That was her lunch.
Su Yuanyuan was worrying unnecessarily. Yang Hongwen hadn’t let Su Daqiang’s family co over at all.
"Why are you back? Did they give you such a long vacation over there?" Yang Hongwen looked at the disheveled family of three, pretending not to notice and even smiled as he asked them.
Su Daqiang was very embarrassed, stamring. "Big brother, we took a three-year vacation, one last year, this year, and next year."
"Is that even possible, really nice? Da Qiang, did you make money out there?"
Su Daqiang was even more embarrassed. The two of them weren’t incapable, but it was really too exhausting over there.
"It’s okay, we earn a bit more than we do here at ho."
"That’s good. Now both of you are official workers. People don’t know how envious they should be?
By the way, how many days are you staying? You sold your house, where will you be living?"
"Big brother, we thought of staying at Xiao Hua Niang’s place for a few days."
"Alright, then hurry over. It’s been a long and tiring journey."
Yang Hongwen sent Su Daqiang’s family off. He sneered; it’s been more than two years, leaving a young woman at ho, and upon returning, they didn’t even ask a word. It’s right if this girl wants to sever ties.
Xu Chunjiao ca in. "Are you okay with it now?" She knew that her husband always had a thorn in his heart.
Yang Hongwen sighed, "Such a good girl, even if she was born on an unlucky day, she’s our own flesh and blood. Even if others dislike her, we shouldn’t."
"Those two are fools. You see, Liangliang is already an eight-year-old child. After coming into our house, his eyes don’t know where to look, he’s seen the whole place, and I bet he’d want to check out the wing rooms if they weren’t locked.
And they co to others’ hos without speaking. This is the result of their upbringing; you can tell what kind of people the parents are just by looking at the child."
"Yeah, the Su Daqiang couple is really ssed up. When they ca in, they didn’t ask about the girl at all."
"I’ll find Chunhua to visit, talk to that girl.
I see they aren’t doing well. If they knew the girl had so much grain, they’d surely snatch it."
"You underestimate that girl. Last night, I saw two horse carriages go into her house when I went outside, and I think the girl’s house is probably emptied by now."
"I’m still not settled, I’ll go check. That Su Daqiang family makes sick."
Yang Hongwen didn’t say much. If his wife wanted to go, she could. The girl truly was a child to be pitied. She didn’t say much, never slacked off in her work. Even after a day of work, he’d feel exhausted, but that little girl never uttered a sound.
Xu Chunjiao found Hu Chunhua, and the two went to Su Yuanyuan’s house.
They saw her eating. "Girl, you’re eating this? Your sister is steaming corn buns, she’ll bring you so later."
"Aunt, there’s no need. I’m afraid my parents will suddenly co by. If they see eating well, they won’t be able to take it. They’ve said I don’t even deserve to eat."
Hu Chunhua’s face changed, "Those bastards, they’re the ones who don’t deserve to eat."
Xu Chunjiao quickly chid in, "Girl, they’ve gone to your grandma’s house."
Su Yuanyuan nodded, "That’s good. If they don’t co looking for , I’ll just stay quietly at ho."
"Yuanyuan, where’s your grain? Store it at my house; I’ll lock it up for you," Hu Chunhua suggested. Were it anyone else, she’d never ddle in such affairs, but for this girl, she was willing to trouble herself.
"Aunt, don’t worry, both of you. I sold all my grain last night. I only have two bags of corn left."
Now the two were relieved. "What about the other things at ho?"
"I sold everything from firewood onwards." An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. They didn’t leave any firewood back then; it’s not excessive for to do the sa.
"That’s good, giving them nothing. What a shaless family," Hu Chunhua sneered, disgusted with them.
"Girl, your brother is really sothing else. He ca to my house, even looked at the woodshed. If the wing rooms weren’t locked, he’d probably go in too."
"What kind of good offspring can the Su Daqiang couple raise?" Hu Chunhua blurted without holding back.
Su Yuanyuan wasn’t affected anymore. Having passed over, this girl already had no ties with the couple. She had repaid their debt with her life.
The two were assured the girl had arranged everything. They knew her temper; she would never go to their hos for als. Over these years, she never went to others’ houses to eat.
"Aunt, leave the things for Old Yang at your place. Keep them safe. Should I find him today?"
"Sure, co today. I wouldn’t be at ease keeping everything at my house."
Su Yuanyuan sent off the two aunts, feeling touched inside.
She returned indoors, tidied up a bit, locked up, and headed to the county town.
Old Yang also went to the market today, and they were having lunch when Su Yuanyuan arrived.
"Uncle Yang, I’ve collected a lot for you. You can pull it from the won’s director’s house in our village this afternoon."
"Is sothing up?"
"My parents are back. Uncle Yang, do you think it’s possible for to sever ties with them?"
Old Yang furrowed his brows, also aware of the girl’s situation.
"Girl, if you really sever ties, you’ll be on your own."
"Uncle Yang, haven’t I always been on my own?"
"Okay, since you’ve decided, I’ll go early this afternoon and discuss it with Yang Hongwen."
"Uncle Yang, do you think if they want to take their place, would the other side agree?"
"Girl, actually, you don’t know that over there, it’s about having soone to go. Of course, they don’t prefer older people."
"But they went as a pair, and I’m just one. They wouldn’t have another person follow along, right?"
Old Yang nodded, "That’s possible, one for one."
"Then wouldn’t that an I couldn’t break away from them? If that’s the case, I won’t take their place no matter what—it would be repulsive to ."
"Girl, I understand your point. They might find soone else to take the spot."
"But even if it’s their relative, I’d still have to be with them. I don’t want to. Just thinking about them makes feel sick."
"There’s nothing we can do then."
"In that case, I absolutely won’t take their place. I’m living comfortably in the village."
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