The mother of the era is reborn to support her cannon fodder children!

Chapter 205 "Mutual Schemes"

Uncle Gu, looking utterly astonished, broke his silence and asked, "What do you mean?"

Gu Xing'er trembled and didn't rush to answer.

"What's wrong with you, you brat! Tell me now—" Grandma Gu slapped her granddaughter's arm, making a loud "smack" sound.

Gu Xing'er winced in pain.

She still has an injury on her arm, but thankfully it's only a superficial one.

Gu Xing'er slightly composed herself, her eyes filled with pride, "I've found a boyfriend from the city."

Grandma Gu was stunned.

what's going on? !

Her mind was in turmoil, and she asked, "How old are you? Have you ever been married? Do you have children? Are you alright? Do you have a job? How many people are in your family...?"

Gu Xing'er looked unwell.

What do you mean? You look down on her so much.

He patiently said, "He's two years older than me, a classmate, and has a job. I didn't ask how many people are in his family. We've already agreed that we'll get married after my birthday."

Grandma Gu: Hmm? The terms are surprisingly good.

"How is that family?"

Gu Xing'er didn't care.

"What does it have to do with me? As long as I win my man's heart and get him to hand over his salary to me, I don't care what his family does."

Grandma Gu knew that her granddaughter had never suffered a loss since childhood, so she didn't offer any further opinions.

But in my heart, I breathed a long sigh of relief.

During this time, she was caught in the middle between her daughter-in-law and Xing'er, which was not a good time for her either.

Her daughter-in-law, who's supposed to take care of her in her old age, and her spoiled granddaughter, are both wrong with her. Sigh.

She's getting on in years and just wants to enjoy her retirement. She doesn't want to deal with these messy things, she really doesn't want to!
If Xing'er gets married, the family will be at peace.

Grandma Gu felt that there was hope for the future again!

"Xing'er, you chose this person, so you have to treat him well this time. Don't be willful anymore. It's not easy to find such a fool..." she instructed her granddaughter.

Gu Xing'er held her chin high, "I know, I'm not stupid."

Her goal has always been clear: to marry someone from the city.

Zhang Xuejun likes her and listens to her; she could have gotten something better.

It's not that she doesn't want to find someone better, it's that she can't. City people are arrogant and look down on everyone. Gu Xing'er knows that with her qualifications, she won't be able to marry into a good family; they simply won't even look at her.

Of course, Gu Xing'er didn't think it was her fault; instead, she felt that the city people were snobbish and looked down on her, which was their loss...

Knowing that Gu Xing'er had found a good place, Old Madam Gu was extremely smug.

She glanced at her daughter-in-law and said, "Second daughter-in-law, you are Xing'er's second aunt, an elder, so don't be too fussy. Xing'er won't be staying at home for many more days, so please bear with it a little longer."

“If you drive Xing’er away, she’ll have nowhere to go. You’re her second aunt; if you don’t take care of her, who will?”

Aunt Gu couldn't help but say, "That's what she deserved. She published it herself; no one forced her."

She almost felt sorry for her sister-in-law after she gave birth to such a troublemaker...

No, sympathy my foot!

She should pity herself.

For the sister-in-law, severing ties was a relief, but her family's suffering was not over yet.

Gu Xing'er protested, her face flushed and her neck thick with anger, "If I hadn't been wronged and treated unfairly, would I have acted like this?! It's all their fault, I did nothing wrong!"

Aunt Gu was too lazy to criticize.

The girls watching the spectacle had complicated expressions on their faces.

In their eyes, Gu Xing'er was the best girl in the whole village. She had access to education, her own room, few patches on her clothes, no need to do farm work, not even housework, and no one beat or scolded her. Her family never thought of using her to exchange for a bride price...

Only daughters of wealthy landlords could live such a life.

How about them?
They were beaten and scolded, and had to get up before dawn every day to work, feeding the chickens, sweeping the floor, washing clothes, and after finishing the housework, they had to work in the fields. They also had to take care of their younger siblings. They would give a sour face to anyone in the family who was mistreated... It was as if they were born to work, work, work. Many of them didn't even remember what an egg tasted like when they were about to get married...

Gu Xing'er is truly unaware of her good fortune.

If it were them...

Just thinking about it makes me feel how beautiful it is.

Unfortunately, they were not blessed with good fortune.

Grandma Gu felt that Gu Xing'er had gone too far. She scolded Xing'er when she first found out, saying that Xing'er acted impulsively by publishing the news in the newspaper, but she knew she was wrong. She hoped that they could find a suitable opportunity to ease the tension, since they couldn't let Xing'er be left without a family.

"Xing'er!" Old Madam Gu scolded, "Your parents raised you after all. They were wrong in dividing the family property, but you can't blame them. Don't say these things again!"

Gu Xing'er suppressed her displeasure and obediently said, "I understand."

Grandma Gu looked satisfied.

Who said her Xing'er has a bad personality? She's quite obedient, isn't she?
She looked at Aunt Gu and said, "If Xing'er marries into the city, she might become a worker. Having a worker niece will make you proud."

Aunt Gu didn't want any light; she just wanted Gu Xing'er out of her sight.

Just as I was about to say something, my arm was pulled.

Uncle Gu glanced at his wife, his shrewd eyes flashing, and said, "That's for sure. We can't be happier for Xing'er."

Aunt Gu pursed her lips, not wanting to lose face as the head of the household, and said only, "Gu Xing'er can stay, but she can't do nothing anymore. We don't keep lazybones in the family."

Previously, her mother-in-law had told Gu Xing'er to do chores, but after she moved back, she didn't do any at all. Her daughters-in-law did the work instead. There's a lot of resentment in the family lately, and it's very oppressive.

Grandma Gu was somewhat dissatisfied, but she also understood that not only her granddaughter-in-law had objections, but her grandsons were also unhappy that she favored Xing'er.

He no longer openly protected Xing'er.

“Okay. Arrange some simple tasks for her; she’s never done them before. Give Xing’er some time to get used to it.”

Aunt Gu was utterly disgusted.

I took a deep breath and went back inside, out of sight, out of mind.

She then told her daughters-in-law not to pay attention to her. The daughters-in-law of the second wife hesitated but ignored her and instead competed to help Gu Xing'er with her work.

They all have children, and they thought that once Gu Xing'er married into the city, she might be able to help their children. Doing some chores wouldn't be a big deal; it would be something they could do easily.

Knowing that her daughter-in-law was fawning over Gu Xing'er, Aunt Gu was so angry that she couldn't recover for two days.

Relying on Gu Xing'er is like dreaming.

She preferred to believe that there were pies in the sky.

He didn't feel ashamed of his daughter-in-law. People in the countryside have few opportunities, and kneeling down is nothing for the sake of their children's future.

This is a later story.

at the moment.

The onlookers only realized what was happening after the Gu family finished speaking.

"Xing'er, are you really going to marry into the city? Then... you'll be a city dweller and eat government-supplied food?" asked a girl who could talk to Gu Xing'er for a few minutes.

Gu Xing'er said smugly, "That's right."

When Zhao Liuniang saw this, she felt that Heaven was unjust.

Not wanting to see the villagers flattering her annoying sister-in-law, she stormed off and went to find Lin Zhao, telling her what she had just heard.

In the end, the light in his eyes dimmed.

"Third sister-in-law, how come Gu Xing'er is so lucky? With her personality, she actually managed to marry into the city and get a government-supplied food ration..."

Lin Zhao's smile looked a little strange.

Zhao Liuniang sensed something was wrong, stopped her envious mutterings, and leaned closer to Lin Zhao.

"Third sister-in-law, you're acting strangely. What's going on? Is there some explanation behind this?"

Lin Zhao was surprised by her second sister-in-law's keen insight.

She said, "If you marry into the city and don't have a job, you won't be able to get the rations."

Zhao Liuniang asked urgently, "You mean, Gu Xing'er needs to have a job to receive the rations?"

“Yes, that’s right.” Lin Zhao nodded. “That’s why it’s so difficult to change from rural to urban residents.”

It’s not that simple.

Just as Gu Xing'er had predicted, the city was already overcrowded.

"After the document on sending educated youth to the countryside was issued, each street kept an eye on those who were unemployed. It was already difficult to find jobs in the city, and after this policy was implemented, there were even fewer job openings. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there were jobs available but no market for them."

"It's difficult for Gu Xing'er to find a job."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Liuniang became happy.

"So, our former sister-in-law, who has such high aspirations... is going to be disappointed?"

Undisguised schadenfreude.

Lin Zhao thought they looked like vicious villains, but she felt strangely pleased.

"Correct."

Zhao Liuniang was no longer angry; she had come dejectedly but returned home happily. When she got home, she saw the two boys, Bangbang and Laimei, devouring the fried ribbonfish.

"Oh, you two are so greedy, starting to eat already. Your dad isn't back yet."

Seeing that there was still some food left in the bowl, he refrained from hitting the child with the broom behind the door.

Bangbang felt guilty. He tried to stop his younger brother, but failed, and in the end, he joined forces with him...

Lai Mei didn't want to wipe the oil from the corners of her mouth, and she struggled to look away from the remaining fried fish.

"My brother and I shared a piece; we didn't eat much," he quickly explained, afraid that Zhao Liuniang would be angry.

Bangbang changed the subject, "Mom, did Third Aunt send this fried fish?"

"That's your third aunt, isn't it?" Zhao Liuniang locked up the fried fish, afraid that the family's gluttonous cat would steal it all. She knew how good her third sister-in-law's cooking skills were. No wonder the children couldn't resist; even the adults found it hard to resist.

“Third Aunt is so kind,” Lai Mei said.

Bangbang nodded.

Zhao Liuniang said, "After eating such good fried fish, you two can't be lazy. Go and help the third family gather firewood, gather as much as you can. It's getting cold soon, and we can't do without enough firewood."

"You don't need to tell me that, Mother." Lai Mei patted her chest. "Don't worry, my brother and I will take care of the firewood for Third Aunt's family. We'll make sure they have plenty of firewood."

After saying that, he pulled Bangbang out the door.

"Eat right away, grab a bite and we'll head home," Zhao Liuniang called out.

The two young boys remained silent, and it was unclear whether they had heard them.

The mother wasn't worried; everyone said her kids were born on the chimney and wouldn't miss a single meal.

Main house.

The elderly couple from the Gu family were talking about Gu Xing'er.

Mr. Gu observed his wife's expression.

"The dowry I've saved up..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by an angry voice, "Don't give it to her!"

Gu's mother had grown cold towards Gu Xing'er and didn't want to care about anything anymore, since she had her grandmother and the second wife to take care of her.

"If you're going to cut ties, cut them off completely."

Her face darkened. "Even if we go out of our way to give it to her, she won't appreciate it. She'll just think we're two old geezers trying to take advantage of her. What's the point?"

Seeing his wife's anger, Gu's father said, "Don't be angry. I'm just asking. You can't just say you won't give it to me."

"We'll all listen to you in this family, and no one will be allowed to upset you."

Gu's mother felt a little better.

"Are you going to her wedding?" Mr. Gu asked, posing a difficult question.

“Let’s go,” said Gu’s mother. “It wouldn’t be right for the two of us not to go. The rest of the family won’t go.”

If I don't go, I'll inevitably be the subject of unpleasant rumors.

The elderly couple didn't care; they had younger generations in the family.

Seeing that his daughter-in-law was sensible, Gu's father nodded.

"Row."

He glanced at Gu's mother's expression and asked, "...Should we inquire about that young man?"

Gu's mother looked at the old man and said, "If that young man isn't good, why don't you let your youngest daughter break up with him?"

Aren't you afraid of being blamed?

"Will she listen to you?"

After asking three questions in a row, Gu's father smiled sheepishly.

“Look at you, I’m asking for your opinion, why are you treating me like a class enemy?”

The old man was suffering.

Gu's mother glared at him and warned, "Don't worry about so much."

"Your little daughter won't appreciate your kindness, nor will she appreciate your loving fatherly heart. She'll only resent your incompetence. You can try it if you don't believe me."

Mr. Gu quickly shook his head.

He won't try.

"I'm just saying..."

Muttering to himself, he left, unable to resist, and never mentioned what he had just said again.

He asked because he was afraid his wife would regret it, but now it seems she's really just shrugged and given up.

In the city.

A tenement building.

Zhang family.

The family of eight squeezed into a house of about 40 square meters. The small space was divided into two rooms. The two heads of the family lived in one room, and the eldest son and his wife and children lived in the other room. The two brothers, Zhang Xuejun and Zhang Aijun, slept in the living room in bunk beds, with oilcloth curtains forming a relatively independent space.

After dinner.

Zhang Xuejun called out to his family, "Dad, Mom, I have something to say."

Zhang's parents were puzzled, so they sat down again.

"What's wrong?" Zhang's father asked.

Zhang Xuejun: "I've started dating someone."

This happened so suddenly, it was like a bomb was dropped on the Zhang family, leaving everyone dizzy.

Zhang's mother was the first to react.

"Which company is it? Do you have a job?"

There was no joy on her face; she was only concerned with these two questions.

The Zhang family has three sons. The eldest son is very important in taking care of the family in their old age; he is the lifeblood of the Zhang couple. The youngest son is the most affectionate and has a sweet tongue, and he is also their darling. Zhang Xuejun, who is sandwiched in the middle, is not as favored and has to calculate all the benefits himself. He is the kind of person who doesn't want to be taken advantage of.

“My junior high school classmate is unemployed,” Zhang Xuejun said.

Zhang's mother was dissatisfied.

What's the point of talking if you don't have a job?

Zhang Xuejun: "My salary is enough to support my wife."

He glanced at his cramped home, "Even those with jobs don't want me."

He doesn't even have a proper room, and he's just a temporary worker with no connections. Getting a permanent position seems a long way off. If he doesn't lower his standards, it will be hard for him to find a wife.

Gu Xing'er was the prettiest girl in the class, came from a well-off family, and had an older brother who was a military officer. Since she was offered to him, he went along with it.

Family members know their own situation, and Zhang's parents understood what their second son meant.

"You handle it," Zhang's father said, too lazy to interfere further.

A hint of unease flashed in Zhang Xuejun's eyes.

When my older brother was dating, his father cared about everything, but when it came to him, his father only cared about this. He was unhappy about it, but he was used to suppressing his feelings and didn't express his dissatisfaction.

"Brother, when will you get a room?" Zhang Xuejun asked his older brother. "The house is too crowded. I'm getting married soon, and it's not right for my new wife to live in the living room too."

Sister-in-law Zhang is looking forward to being allocated a house. She also wants to live in a big house, but the house they are currently living in is the one allocated to her parents-in-law, which is the property of the eldest son's family. She can't be happy that the second son is eyeing it.

He lost his temper in front of everyone.

Brother Zhang is shrewd, just like his wife.

But it doesn't show on the face.

"I'd love to! But I didn't get a spot. Housing allocation is based on seniority, and I... have a long way to go."

Zhang Xuejun looked at his parents and said, "What should I do? I can't keep putting this off."

Zhang's mother rolled her eyes. "What's the rush? You've only just started dating. There's still no word on when you'll get married."

The thought of having to spend money again made her feel irritable.

Zhang Xuejun didn't care about his mother's terrible attitude and said, "My girlfriend and I have agreed to get married after her birthday."

"So urgent?" Zhang's mother frowned.

The Zhang family's rule is that married couples only need to pay living expenses each month; they don't have to hand over their entire salary.

Thinking about losing ten or so yuan every month, Zhang's mother's impression of her second daughter-in-law, who hadn't even entered the family yet, plummeted.

"They're all bloodsuckers."

Zhang Xuejun pretended not to hear and went to work.

He was a cargo unloader, a very hard job, and he didn't earn much, only about twenty yuan a month, barely enough to eat. Wanting more... that was definitely impossible.

Gu Xing'er knew none of this.

She had a thick filter of prejudice against city people; the life her uncle Song lived was the life she longed for.

(End of this chapter)