Read Novel Full Chapter 92
Chapter 92 : Exchange of Gifts
He was so furious that he dragged Guo Haifeng out for a public criticism session that very night. After this incident, the two girls in the brigade finally saw Guo Haifeng’s true colors.
Families with daughters in the team sternly warned them to stay away from this male educated youth, afraid they might be deceived by his charms.
However, Xu Caixia still appeared infatuated. Not only did she continue to bring him food, but she also worked tirelessly, willingly recording her work points in Guo Haifeng’s name.
The villagers in Dashuping speculated that the two were dating and would eventually get married.
Jiang Li listened to Aunt Geng recount these tales with animated gestures, bits of roasted sweet potato in hand. Aunt Geng’s vivid storytelling made it seem as though she had witnessed everything firsthand.
During the winter, when there was no farming to do, villagers often gathered at Old Lady Qi’s house to listen to the radio.
However, the old lady was frugal with the batteries and rarely used the radio. She would occasionally switch it on for half an hour, letting the elderly and children enjoy themselves.
Meanwhile, Chen Xianyun became one of the most sought-after people in the brigade thanks to her sewing machine. Whenever someone had a tricky sewing job, they would bring her gifts like eggs or steamed buns to request her help.
Chen Xianyun gladly accepted. Even earning a few cents was worth it to her, and she enjoyed the work.
As the year came to an end, there was a sense of joy in the air. Rich or poor, everyone tried to prepare something special to sweeten their days.
In the days leading up to New Year’s Eve, Chen Xianyun was busy preparing all sorts of dishes at home. She fried fish fillets and fruit, ground tofu, made rice cakes, stir-fried dried bacon with garlic sprouts, and stewed pheasant with cabbage.
The delicious aroma wafted over to the neighboring farm. Zhao Xiangyu, who had run out of energy to complain, took deep breaths of the meaty smell, imagining the sweet potatoes in her bowl were chunks of pork.
When Zhuang Dabao saw sweet potatoes in his bowl again, he flapped his legs and demanded eggs.
Zhao Xiangyu felt heartbroken for the boy but had no choice. All their savings had been sunk into their pig-raising business. Now, with the New Year approaching, she couldn’t even spare money to buy salt.
“If the brigade hadn’t distributed food, and if we had fewer mouths to feed, we’d have starved by now,” she thought bitterly.
Zhao Xiangyu hugged Dabao and coaxed, “When the New Year comes, Grandma will steam an egg for you.”
But Zhuang Dabao wouldn’t relent. “I want to eat it now! You’re a bad grandma! I don’t want you anymore. I want to find my mother!”
No matter how Zhao Xiangyu tried, Dabao wouldn’t calm down. Finally, she lost her temper. “Your mother doesn’t want you anymore! She’s remarried and will have another child soon. You’re our family’s child now, so why are you always thinking about that heartless woman?”
Dabao’s eyes filled with disbelief. “You’re lying!” He shoved Daya, who was quietly eating nearby, and ran off.
Zhao Xiangyu tried to chase him, but Zhuang Guoliang stopped her. “Let him go! He’s old enough to learn some lessons!”
Zhao Xiangyu, torn between anger and sorrow, cursed Cheng Yanyan and her ancestors.
Daya timidly brought over a bowl of water. “Grandma, have some water,” she said cautiously.
But Zhao Xiangyu slapped the bowl out of her hands. It shattered on the floor, and Daya froze in fear.
“You useless girl! You ruin everything in this house! I’ll beat you to death!” Zhao Xiangyu shouted, grabbing a broom and hitting her.
Daya didn’t dare resist, covering her head and silently weeping as the blows fell. After two strikes, Zhao Xiangyu grew too tired to continue. She tossed the broom aside, panting heavily.
Even beating someone had become exhausting in these hard times.
But Zhao Xiangyu’s anger was far from spent. She glared at Daya, as if she wanted to devour her whole. “Kneel down! Don’t you dare get up until I say so. And forget about eating!”
Zhuang Guoliang, fed up with the scene, set down his bowl and chopsticks and went outside to smoke.
Daya knelt on the ground for over an hour. Her knees bled, and it wasn’t until evening that she was allowed to stand.
Jiang Hongmei, with a calculating glint in her eyes, offered Zhao Xiangyu an idea. “Daya is already 14, and Erya is 12. Keeping them at home is a waste, they’ll just idle around. Why not marry them off as child brides? You’d even get some betrothal money for them.”
Zhao Xiangyu found the suggestion quite appealing. After all, the family was barely scraping by. Why keep the girls around to eat for free?
“I heard marrying them to someone in the mountains fetches an even better price,” Hongmei added.
Zhao Xiangyu didn’t show much emotion outwardly, but she had already made up her mind. That very evening, she began making inquiries and learned of a family named An in Xiaoxingling. The An family had two single brothers in their twenties and was willing to pay 30 yuan to marry them off.
Zhao Xiangyu decided to proceed immediately. She planned to use the money to buy some eggs for her two eldest grandsons as a New Year’s treat after all, the boys had been living in constant fear.
Preparing for the arrangement, Zhao Xiangyu pulled out a set of clothes with only a few patches and tossed it to Daya. “Don’t leave the house for the next few days. I’ve found a good family for you. Behave yourself, work hard, and don’t even think about coming back.”
Daya trembled in fear. At her age, she understood well enough that this “good family” would bring her nothing but misery. She cried out in desperation, “Grandma, I don’t want to go! I’ll work harder at home. Please don’t send me away!”
“If you have any sense of gratitude, you’ll do as I say. You’ve eaten and lived here for years, it’s time you repay me!”
Zhao Xiangyu slammed the door shut and locked it, ignoring Daya’s frantic banging and cries.
Erya stood nearby, pale with fear. She wanted to help her sister but didn’t dare. When she made a move toward the door, Zhao Xiangyu barked at her to go wash clothes.
Reluctantly, Erya grabbed a wooden basin and stumbled out, biting her lip. She headed to her grandmother’s house in Zuojiawan, hoping to find her mother.
But when she arrived, her eldest uncle dismissed her coldly. “We don’t have any food here. Get lost! You’re from the Zhuang family now. Stop coming to the Wu family for help.”
Erya pleaded, “Uncle, Grandma is going to sell my sister! Please, save her!”
Uncle Wu froze for a moment, then his face hardened. What could he do? Take the child in himself? His own family was barely surviving, and tensions were already high with his sister returning to their parents’ home.
With no help forthcoming, Erya returned home empty-handed, her heart heavy. As she neared home, exhaustion and hunger overwhelmed her, and she collapsed.
When Erya opened her eyes, she felt warm for the first time in days. The scent of crackling firewood and freshly cooked rice filled the air.
“You’re awake?”
Liu Lixin touched her forehead and smiled. “The fever’s gone.”
The people surrounding her breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Jiang Li studied the frail girl lying on the bed. Erya’s face was grimy, her hands and feet marred with purple scars. But her eyes, though red and puffy, held no fear only confusion and a surprising strength.
Earlier that day, Jiang Li had found Erya unconscious outside her home. The child’s body burned with fever. Alarmed, Jiang Li called Qi Shaoqiang to help carry her to Liu Lixin.
Erya, now awake, tried to get up despite her aching stomach. “Thank you for saving me, but I need to go home.”
She struggled to her feet, her mind filled with worry. Her sister had been locked up for so long. Grandma must be furious by now. Worse, she might vent her anger on Sanya. Erya had to hurry back.