Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

Zhao Fengying wiped her hands on her apron and said, "Yes, especially since our forest area has no shortage of timber."

Because they were all acquaintances, we knew each other well, and I felt the workmanship and quality were good, plus it was a bit cheaper than the ones sold at Peking University, so I bought the replacement…”

Xu Li pursed her lips and immediately chimed in, "That's right, Auntie, we were able to sell them because we know people. Otherwise, it would be so much better if people just went to the store to buy them."

Actually, stores don't sell very quickly either; many people get stools made along with their furniture.

As a result, Xu Dahong wouldn't listen at all. With a ferocious expression, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "No matter what you say, you still don't treat us as family!"

Otherwise, they would have told me about this good deal long ago. I just don't believe it. Even if I don't know anyone there, I can still sell it at the market!

The moment he said he was going to sell it at the market, everyone fell silent.

We looked at each other, not knowing how to continue the conversation.

It was Xu Dashan, the older brother, who patiently spoke up.

"Da Hong, you've lived here before, and this isn't the countryside, so where did this market come from?"

The forestry bureau only has a small, spontaneously formed market. In the summer, some people sell vegetables they've grown themselves and fish they've caught. Now, in this freezing weather, they only sell frozen goods and fish; there are hardly any people there. Even selling stools there wouldn't sell.

However, Xu Dashan's words deeply provoked Xu Dahong, who burst into tears and howls, filled with grievances and resentment.

"Second brother, don't you feel guilty about all this? If I had been able to find a partner here and settle down, wouldn't I have been able to eat rations and not have to go back to the countryside!"

"It's all because you, as her older brother and sister-in-law, didn't do your best! I'm only a year older than Xu Li, look at the conditions of the man she married, and look at the conditions of Liu Manzhu, whom I married! Waaah... My life is so miserable..."

When the old lady saw her youngest daughter like this, a hint of resentment flashed in her triangular eyes as she looked at her second daughter-in-law. She then took out her handkerchief and silently wiped away her tears.

Zhao Fengying, as the sister-in-law, felt wronged, even more so than Dou E, and felt like she was being wronged to death.

The sister-in-law was especially angry that she brought up these unnecessary things in front of her son-in-law. She no longer cared about her husband and mother-in-law and questioned them directly and bluntly.

"Xu Dahong, you have to have a conscience! Back then, you couldn't find anyone to date, so your second brother and I dug and dug, searching everywhere to find you a partner. We even begged and pleaded with everyone. Why didn't you do your best?"

Those who like you, you don't like; and those you like, they think you're from a rural area and not good-looking, so they don't like you. What can we do?

Xu Dashan was at his wit's end, facing his mother and sister who were both crying, and his wife who was furious.

Moreover, it was all in front of his son-in-law, Zhu Wenliang, which made him feel even more humiliated.

He snapped, his face stern, "Fengying, that's enough, just shut up!"

Zhao Fengying ignored Xu Dashan and blurted out the words that were on the tip of her tongue, "You still have the nerve to compare yourself to your eldest niece? Not to mention height, you're far inferior in appearance! Not to mention, our Xiaoli was born with a city household registration, so it's only natural that she finds a suitable partner!"

Xu Li was truly disgusted. While comforting her mother by patting her back, she said coldly, "Aunt, it's not that I'm being mean as a junior, but when you married my uncle, no one forced you to. Wasn't it your own choice and your own willingness?"

Now they're even blaming my parents! That's just like blaming the Earth's gravity for not being able to poop!

Xu Dahong was speechless after being confronted by the mother and daughter, her face turning red and then pale. She could only turn to Xu Dashan and the old lady for help.

"Second Brother, Mother, look at us! We've come all this way, and this is how we're being treated! Don't they have any sense of hierarchy? They clearly don't welcome us at all! Let's just grab our tickets and leave!"

The old lady seemed even more heartbroken as she wiped away her tears. "Don't say anything more. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have arranged this."

"I was thinking that at this age, with my neck buried, I could live a few more years and see my grandchildren while I could still walk. Who would have thought..."

Xu Dashan, a dutiful son, couldn't stand his mother's words and slammed his fist on the table in anger. "Are you all so disobedient? Does my word have no effect?!"

As an outsider, Zhu Wenliang shouldn't have interfered in the Xu family's affairs, but since the conversation had subtly mentioned him, angered his wife and mother-in-law, and even made his father-in-law show favoritism, he had no choice but to speak up.

"Dad, calm down."

"Grandma, Aunt, you've come all this way. If you weren't welcoming, would my mom have been busy since last night? These are just angry words spoken in the heat of the moment."

No matter what, we'll always be family. Blood is thicker than water; those other families can never be as close as us.

Someone came out to persuade them and offered a way out, and the old lady and Xu Dahong didn't really want to leave so soon after arriving.

Especially after learning about such a good job selling stools, he became even more obsessed and wanted to work there.

So, the mother and daughter wiped away their tears and offered some words of reconciliation.

Even though Zhao Fengying, Xu Li, and Xu Juan were still angry, they didn't pursue the matter any further for various reasons.

Therefore, when Xu Bei estimated that it was about time and returned with dozens of wooden stools, he saw Xu Dashan and the old lady Xu Dahong chatting in the east room with the door closed, while Zhao Fengying and Xu Juan were sitting in the west room.

However, his keen senses alerted him to the unusual atmosphere.

Xu Bei casually asked, "How long ago did my sister and the others leave for work?"

Xu Juan immediately replied, "My sister and brother-in-law just left a little while ago."

As Xu Bei took off his hat, gloves, and coat, he deliberately probed, "By the way, Mom, didn't Dad say yesterday that you should take Grandma and the others to take a bath? When are we leaving?"

Zhao Fengying subconsciously pursed her lips, "Who knows? It depends on your grandma and the others. They come almost every year. It's not like they've never been to the staff bathhouse before. It doesn't necessarily require me to take them."

Xu Juan gently patted her mother's arm. "Mom, stop talking. It's easy for them to hear in the east room."

"So what if I heard it?" Zhao Fengying said, but her voice was low.

Xu Bei, through careful listening and listening, guessed some clues, not to mention the subtle hints from his younger sister, Xu Juan.

"What happened? Did you two have a fight after I left?"

Zhao Fengying had a lot to say, and when her son asked her, she naturally began to tell him in a low voice, like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

"Son, how can this be? They came all this way, and we picked them up from the station and treated them to good food and drinks, but when they heard about the commission they made selling stools, they started complaining about not bringing them along."

What's even more infuriating is your aunt, who said those shameful things in front of your brother-in-law. Even if she had said it behind closed doors, I wouldn't be so angry. How will she view our family in the future? What if she doesn't value your sister? I'll hate her to death...