"Big brother, big sister-in-law! Why are you here? Xiaoxiao, are there still any steamed buns?"
Fan Xiuying saw the three mixed-flour steamed buns coming out of the pot and knew her daughter did it on purpose.
"Mom, our family is out of food. We can only buy more next month when the ration coupons come in. Grandma's here, so I brought everything out. Don't scold me, I won't eat! I'll give it all to Grandma, or maybe save one for Dad."
I didn't expect uncle and aunt to come, either. Uncle and aunt, why don't you just make do, have some cornmeal mush and pickles? Mom and I won't eat."
Uncle Jiang Laocheng couldn't bring himself to say anything, telling the niece not to eat so the two of them could.
He hurriedly waved his hand, "No need, no need! Your aunt and I already ate before coming down! We already ate, you guys eat! You guys eat."
Feng Guihua glared at Jiang Laocheng, always like this. Having face doesn't feed you.
But for her son's job, she could only hold back her anger.
"Yes! We've eaten, we've eaten."
Jiang Xiaoxiao listened, beaming with joy.
"Uncle and aunt, you guys are really great. Mom, hurry up and eat! I'm hungry, Grandma is hungry too."
She turned around and served Fan Xiuying a bowl of mush, then poured herself a bowl.
"Grandma, Mom, hurry up and eat. What are you waiting for?"
She put the chopsticks in Fan Xiuying's hand, and the spoon in the old lady's hand.
"Eat up, Grandma, aren't you hungry?"
The old lady watched her granddaughter talking non-stop, knowing this child had said it all, what more is there to say?
She couldn't not understand her son and daughter-in-law! They definitely didn't eat.
But being forced by her granddaughter, she couldn't say a thing.
This child really is something.
Girls change a lot as they grow.
This granddaughter is quite impressive.
The old lady sighed, what is there to say?
Skipping one meal won't starve you.
Plus, they still need something from someone.
The meal was finished.
Fan Xiuying cleaned up after washing the dishes.
Just as she entered the room, the old lady called to her.
"Third son's wife, come sit, I have something to tell you! Tell third son too when he gets back, just let him know. No need to tell him, I know he's good.
I say something and he listens."
Fan Xiuying felt a tightness in her chest.
The old lady was here.
What to do?
What to do?
Uncle Jiang Laocheng looked at the old lady, waiting for her to speak.
Didn't they come eagerly for this?
Feng Guihua rarely greeted Fan Xiuying in a gentle tone.
"Sister-in-law, come sit."
Fan Xiuying's face was tense, her heart heavy, the anger inside her unable to be suppressed.
She knew they came to rob her family.
And it was blatant robbery.
Who doesn't know how hard it is to replace a job.
Everyone has children and relatives, their family has children too.
And letting others replace them.
Who would be willing?
"Third son's wife, did you know the street has started registering educated youth to go to the countryside?"
The old lady spoke up.
"I know!"
Every household is restless over this, not a few.
"Good that you know! Is your family having Shitou go?"
The old lady knew, based on how the couple dotes on their little daughter, naturally it would be the son.
The eldest has already gone to the countryside, the second has already replaced a job, and is married. Now there's only the grandson and this granddaughter left.
The old lady was persuaded by her eldest daughter-in-law, mainly because she thought the grandson couldn't replace the job anyway.
If the job is wasted, it's wasted. Might as well let my eldest grandson replace it, after all, we're one family.
"Grandma, it's not my brother going, it's me! I've already registered, how do you know? Did you come today because you knew I've enrolled and am leaving in a few days, came specifically to see me? I knew Grandma cared about me the most."
Jiang Xiaoxiao hugged the old lady's arm, intimately, as if their relationship was truly exceptional.
She smiled up at the old lady with glee.
The look akin to deep maternal love.
The old lady was stunned.
Feng Guihua from the eldest family was also dumbfounded.
"What? You're going? Sister-in-law, aren't you the ones who dote on Xiaoxiao the most, how could you let Xiaoxiao go this time?"
Isn't it supposed to be Jiang Shitou?
Feng Guihua was anxious.
If Jiang Shitou doesn't go!
Then what's there for their Zhiyong?
They calculated that without Jiang Shitou blocking, their family's job would smoothly come through.
What's the current situation!
"Yes, this time Xiaoxiao is going!"
Fan Xiuying saw her mother-in-law trying to speak but couldn't, and Feng Guihua's surprised expression was embarrassing like having eaten filth.
Instantly she understood.
This was their plan!
They wanted her son to leave, which suited their wishes.
Couldn't help but glance at Xiaoxiao, had the child calculated it all in advance?
Each step taken had been calculated right?
"This won't do, sister-in-law, your Xiaoxiao is pampered, how can she cope in the countryside? How can she bear it! How could you bear that? Xiaoxiao, your mom prefers sons over daughters, I'm sympathizing with you?"
Feng Guihua was keen to stir trouble, making Jiang Xiaoxiao and Fan Xiuying quarrel, quickly change the name.
This cannot be allowed to succeed, or else what about them?
Fan Xiuying turned green, what do you mean prefer sons over daughters?
Other families might have this, even uncle's family.
In their family, they really don't have this saying, always cherishing the daughter, never the son.
Actually came to their house to stir trouble, seems they're anxious, right?
Jiang Xiaoxiao shook her head, looking disbelieving, "Aunt, there's no such thing, it's me who wanted to go. I forced my parents to agree, I want to go, my third brother happens to replace my dad's job, I don't want to work in the textile factory.
Going to the countryside is honorable, working class is most honorable."
The slogan was somewhat awkward.
But such is required in this era.
Indeed, Feng Guihua had a constipated expression.
"Oh Xiaoxiao, you're foolish, you must have been tricked, going to the countryside means farming! Under the sun and wind, early rising and working late, working hard, you're a young girl going into the fields, what for? You're better off at home."
What Feng Guihua didn't say aloud was, if you don't want to work in the textile factory, my son does.
No one made you go to the textile factory.
Jiang Xiaoxiao shook her head, looking innocent and cute, "Aunt, don't say that. I'm responding to the nation's call, I've already registered, the list will be announced tomorrow, and mom has started preparing things for me.
Don't worry about this anymore, I am definitely going."
Jiang Xiaoxiao felt triumphant, letting them covet her father's job.
In her previous life, she had replaced the true elder brother and went to the countryside, giving up the textile factory job.
It was the uncle who worked around to let the family's son replace Jiang Xiaoxiao's spot, the uncle's family thrived smoothly, but they never showed gratitude, treated her parents better.
In the hardest times, when parents went over to borrow food, how did uncle and aunt turn the parents away at the door.
At that time, father Jiang was already missing a leg after the car accident.
It was her cold-hearted pushing that led to her family's successive troubles, ultimately overwhelming her parents.