1980s: I was reborn after being scumbag to death

Chapter 10 Born to be irresistible

The next day, Meng Shulan woke up before dawn.

She didn't have a watch and didn't know the time, but she estimated it was around four or five o'clock.

Last night she returned to her boudoir after more than ten years. She slept well and was in high spirits. She quickly took out her math book, put it under the oil lamp and started reviewing.

She read for more than two hours. When she heard her mother getting up, she put down the book and went to the yard to release the chickens and ducks. Then she helped to make breakfast.

When He Jinqiu saw this, he told her not to bother with these things, as her memory was better in the morning and she could go read a book.

Meng Shulan said, "Mom, I'm thinking about it. It's okay, I can use my hands and my brain at the same time."

He Jinqiu was grinning from ear to ear, so she stopped urging her.

The Meng family's breakfast was cornmeal porridge. Because Meng Shulan was there, He Jinqiu stir-fried some vegetables with animal oil.

If it were just the old couple eating, they would just have porridge with pickles.

After dinner, Meng Fude carried his hoe and went to the fields, while He Jinqiu and Meng Shulan went to the town to attend the market.

Today is the big market that is held every three days, and He Jinqiu wants to buy some delicious food.

My eldest daughter and two granddaughters will come over at noon. We have already agreed to celebrate and celebrate my youngest daughter’s 18th birthday.

Coincidentally, Meng Shulan’s birthday this time happened to be on Sunday.

On market days, there would be mule carts, tractors and other vehicles on the main road outside the village where passengers could ride for five cents per person.

Usually He Jinqiu was reluctant to sit down. Why would he sit down when he thought that he could save the money for an egg and feed it to his daughter?

But today, she was reluctant to let her daughter walk with her.

The mother and daughter stood by the roadside for a while, and several villagers who were going to the market came one after another.

Among them is Meng Shulan’s aunt Ding Guixiang.

Seeing Meng Shulan, Ding Guixiang asked her, "I heard you fell yesterday afternoon and came back crying. How are you? Did you get hurt?"

Although she seemed to be concerned about others, Ding Guixiang's shrewd and smiling eyes clearly showed that she was gloating.

Before Meng Shulan could speak, He Jinqiu immediately squeezed over and separated the two people who were originally standing next to each other.

"Ding Guixiang, you're still concerned about my Shulan? If a close aunt really cares about me, she can't just say it. She should bring two eggs and visit my house. That's how sincere she is. Otherwise, just asking a few questions and pretending to care is so boring."

He Jinqiu and Ding Guixiang are sisters-in-law and are born to incompatible with each other.

Back then, the old man and the old lady of the Meng family looked down on their eldest son, Meng Fude, because he had a problem with his feet. The two brothers were not treated equally, which made He Jinqiu full of resentment and naturally had a bad relationship with the second house.

Ding Guixiang is also a strong-willed and greedy person.

In the past, she still felt that the two old people’s partiality towards their family was not enough, and she would quarrel with He Jinqiu over a dish or a bowl, and their relationship was very tense.

In the past few years, as Meng Chenggong's financial situation gradually improved, He Jinqiu became too lazy to argue with her.

However, she could not tolerate Ding Guixiang daring to make fun of her daughter.

He Jinqiu looks so fierce when protecting his cub.

Ding Guixiang frowned, "Sister-in-law, you are too realistic. Not to mention that eggs are expensive, our family is also in a tight spot. If I really have some, I will definitely save them for my Danhong. She only comes back once a month now, and it must be hard for her to go to school. Last time, my Danhong came back and said that she did well in the monthly exam and made a lot of progress.

This child is sensible and knows how to study hard. He also cares about his family. He said that this is the only year left and he will do his best to take the exam. If he really doesn't pass, forget it and don't add to the burden on his family. Unlike some people, if they fail once, they will try again, eat and use the family's money, and still need their parents to support them at the age of 18. If they really pass the exam, they will say there is hope. If they fail..."

Ding Guixiang looked at Meng Shulan and laughed, then said to the villagers around her: "It's not that easy to get into university. How good can the teaching quality be in the countryside? You may not be able to get in even if you repeat the same grade over and over again." The Danhong that Ding Guixiang was talking about was Meng Shulan's younger cousin.

The two are only a month apart in age. They slept in the same bed when they were young, and later went to the same class and school, so they are often compared.

During the junior high school entrance examination, Meng Danhong failed to get into high school. She then repeated a year and her score was above the passing line, reaching an average level.

Ding Guixiang was overjoyed to see her daughter passed the exam. She spent some money and used her connections to get her daughter into high school in a county town more than two hours' drive away from them, hoping that her daughter could get into college and make a name for herself.

Because the place is far away, Meng Danhong only comes back once a month to get money and food.

Ding Guixiang could hardly read or write, and had no idea how her daughter was doing over there. She thought that schools in the city must be better than those in the countryside. In addition, Meng Danhong always said that her grades were good, so Ding Guixiang thought her daughter was doing very well over there. She was very happy all day long and showed off to everyone she met.

But how could she know that Meng Danhong had to repeat a grade to get into high school. Coupled with the change in environment and the difference in teaching speed, she could not keep up at all. She did not dare to tell her family and could only lie.

Meng Shulan remembered that in her previous life, her cousin had such poor grades that she didn't even pass the preliminary exam. She was too embarrassed to go home and ran away with a male classmate.

She didn't come back until she gave birth to a child and there was no one to take care of it.

Ding Guixiang likes to show off, but it’s actually nothing.

But she always had to criticize Meng Shulan, implying that she was ignorant and that repeating the grade was in vain and she would definitely fail the exam.

It’s so difficult to get into university nowadays.

Everyone is worried about whether Meng Shulan will repeat her studies and take the entrance exam.

Although she has good grades and has won awards every year since she was a child, she is probably still a little short of what it takes to get into university.

Otherwise, why didn’t I pass the exam in the first half of the year?

In the first half of the year, Meng Shulan went to the examination hall while sick. She knew it, her family knew it, and she told people about it when they asked her about it.

But if you didn't pass the exam, you didn't pass. No matter how much you say, it will all sound like excuses to others.

At this time, after hearing what Ding Guixiang said, the other two wives in the village also started laughing.

When He Jinqiu saw this, he couldn't stand it and opened his mouth to quarrel, but was stopped by Meng Shulan.

Meng Shulan said, "Mom, Auntie is right. Getting into university isn't easy. Sometimes, even if you work hard, you might not get what you want. But if you don't work hard, you won't even have the desire to go. Just like Sister Danhong, didn't she even get into high school back then? If she hadn't repeated a year, she would have been married already. There wouldn't be any chance for Auntie to brag and praise her here. I'm probably already thinking about how many eggs she can save for Sister Danhong so she can take care of herself after the baby is born."

Meng Shulan smiled.

The eighteen-year-old girl was wearing a thin jacket with a blue background and white flowers, black bucket pants and big cotton shoes, with two braids draped over her shoulders, just like an ordinary village girl.

But her face was too extraordinary, fair and tender, pretty, with big and bright eyes, a straight and upturned nose, and a small mouth like peach blossoms in March, which curved slightly when she smiled, revealing neat teeth that were dazzling.

Oh, this is the most beautiful girl in their Yantang Village. Even if she can't go to college, she can still marry well with this face.

Thinking of this, the two village wives nodded in agreement.

Yes, it’s better to try harder than to give up.

What if you pass the exam? That’s a lifelong thing, so there’s nothing wrong with working hard for two years.

Ding Guixiang originally wanted to satirize Meng Shulan, but she didn't expect to be blocked by her. She was naturally unhappy and her face was twisted with anger.

What's wrong with this damn girl Meng Shulan?

Usually when I talk to her, she always keeps silent. Why is she arguing with me today?

(End of this chapter)