Back To The 80s-Chapter 204: Difficulties (Request for Monthly Tickets)_1
Upon hearing that Gu Xiaobei had agreed, Zhuang Shuxian breathed a sigh of relief. She confidently said, "Don’t worry, leave it to me."
Early Sunday morning, Chen Gang came to pick them up with his donkey cart.
Gu Xiaobei took a military coat of Lu Zhanguo, and let Qin Li carry a small blanket, which could be used to cover their legs.
Early in the morning, due to frost, the temperature was still very low.
Chen Gang tethered the donkey cart to a tree outside the military base gate.
This was the first time in both her past and current life that Gu Xiaobei had ridden a donkey cart, which she found quite novel.
When Chen Gang arrived, he had laid a thick layer of straw on the donkey cart, on top of which he laid two clean sacks.
Zhuang Shuxian, holding Jiujiu, spread the small quilt over their bodies, and sat facing forward. Gu Xiaobei and Qin Li leaned against them, sat side by side facing backwards, and placed the military coat over their knees.
Along the way, Zhuang Shuxian noticed that the further they travelled, the more desolate and remote it became, which made her feel somewhat sorry for Jiujiu.
After more than an hour, they arrived at the Chen Family’s home.
Since Gu Xiaobei had been there twice before, she knew the conditions of Jiujiu’s home. Zhuang Shuxian and Qin Li, who saw no surprise on their faces upon seeing it, knew that this type of living condition was too common in more remote rural areas, and they had all come from hard times themselves.
Upon seeing visitors, Li Xianglan also came out of the house with her child, and looking at the increasingly fair and delicate Jiujiu, she felt her teeth itch with envy.
Zhuang Shuxian had heard about Jiujiu’s mistreatment by her fourth sister-in-law before, so she didn’t have a good expression when she saw this woman.
Jiujiu led Zhuang Shuxian into the Chen Family’s house, where a stove was lit and the foul smell was even stronger.
Gu Xiaobei couldn’t stand the smell, and stood at the door with Qin Li, not going in.
"Mother, I came back to see you." After Jiujiu led Zhuang Shuxian into the room, she let go of her hand and walked towards the Chen Family’s mother.
"Jiujiu..." The Chen Family’s mother said with some surprise, "Jiujiu, how did you come back?"
"Mother, I came back with this grandmother and my Aunt. Mother, I also brought you egg cake, which was bought by this grandma." As she was speaking, Jiujiu took out a cake wrapped in oil paper from her bag, presenting it like a precious treasure.
Zhuang Shuxian examined the Chen Family’s mother carefully from the side. Despite her haggard appearance due to illness, she didn’t look like Jiujiu at all, not in face shape, nor in features.
The Chen Family’s mother took the egg cake, and said to Zhuang Shuxian with a shy smile, "You are really kind people. Jiujiu is lucky to have met you."
"Jiujiu is a thoughtful child, we like her very much." Zhuang Shuxian politely replied after examining the Chen Family’s mother.
Jiujiu held the Chen Family mother’s hand, unwilling to let go. Seeing this, Zhuang Shuxian quietly backed out.
In the yard, Li Xianglan had already returned to the house with her child. Chen Gang moved a few small stools for Gu Xiaobei and Qin Li. At this time, the sun was shining warmly, and sitting in the yard didn’t feel cold.
Zhuang Shuxian came out of the house, sat down, and let out a long sigh.
Aunt Wang passed by the main gate and saw Gu Xiaobei sitting in the yard. She cheerfully entered.
"Is this to bring Jiujiu back for a visit?" Aunt Wang warmly asked as soon as she entered the yard.
Gu Xiaobei recognized this kind-hearted neighbor who had once given Jiujiu three cents, she also courteously stood up and said, "Yes, we wanted to come back and visit before the snow falls."
Chen Gang also moved a stool for Aunt Wang. As soon as she sat down, she started talking, "I’ve always thought that Jiujiu is a fortunate person from a young age. I was the one who delivered Jiujiu, and she was born feet first. I remember saying that this girl is a fortunate child, she’s destined to become a queen."
Upon hearing this, the last bit of hope in Zhuang Shuxian’s heart disappeared.
"What does ’born feet first’ mean?" Gu Xiaobei asked curiously.
"Other children are born head first, but Jiujiu was born feet first." explained Aunt Wang.
Gu Xiaobei was taken aback. Even though she had never given birth before, she had heard that children are normally born head first. If the child is born feet first, isn’t that a difficult birth? Why did they give it such a nice name?
Then, Aunt Wang said: "Fortunately, Jiujiu’s mother was young and strong at the time. Otherwise, it would have been dangerous."
Zhuang Shuxian was too disappointed, Gu Xiaobei was still pondering the difficulties of childbirth, and Qin Li simply didn’t understand all this. None of them noticed the real implications of Aunt Wang’s last sentence.
Aunt Wang sat for a while and then hurriedly left. If Gu Xiaobei hadn’t come, she would never have visited. She felt nauseated just seeing Li Xianglan.
Suddenly, Qin Li looked up and said to Chen Gang, "Where does your village head live? The household registration form for Jiujiu needs his signature. Then we can take it to the police station to register her name in the family book."
Li Xianglan had been listening to the conversation outside from the house. Hearing that Jiujiu’s household registration was going to be added to her family’s, she was unwilling. Holding the child, she came out and said with a stern face, "Jiujiu’s household registration can’t be added to our family’s."
"Why not?" Gu Xiaobei was discontented.
"Jiujiu is a jinx. She caused the death of my father-in-law and third brother. I can’t let her jinx my family. Besides, didn’t you adopt Jiujiu? Why don’t you register her in your household? Are you planning to send her back if you don’t want to raise her?" Li Xianglan said maliciously.
Although Gu Xiaobei was caught off guard by her words, she was never a person to be outdone in a verbal dispute. She scoffed, "As far as I know, your father-in-law and your third brother were both gone shortly after you got married. If someone is a jinx, it’s more likely to be you."
After saying this, Gu Xiaobei paused for a moment, looking at Li Xianglan’s changing face, and continued, "As for raising Jiujiu, rest assured, there may come a day when you will be begging Jiujiu for help. So it’s best not to burn your bridges." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Li Xianglan’s face turned pale with anger: "Me? Ask her for help? A little girl, do I need to ask her for something?"
"Don’t be so sure about what the future holds. Have you seen how Jiujiu is doing now? She is only going to have a better life in the future." Gu Xiaobei scoffed.
Hearing this, Zhuang Shuxian, who was sitting down, got a bit angry, "Why not let Jiujiu join my family’s household registration? What kind of daughter-in-law bullies people like this? Your mother-in-law is just paralyzed, not dead! Your man is still around, this family is not yet your place to call the shots!"
Zhuang Shuxian had lived half her life and had also started as a daughter-in-law. She had seen all kinds of people, so when she spoke, she hit the nail on the head even more accurately than Gu Xiaobei.
Gu Xiaobei silently applauded Zhuang Shuxian in her heart, thinking ’old ginger is still hotter.’
Just as expected, Li Xianglan’s face turned pale, then red. She wanted to yell back at them, but Zhuang Shuxian’s forceful manner kept her quiet. She huffed and then went back into the house with the baby.
At noon, Li Xianglan didn’t come out. Fortunately, Gu Xiaobei had experienced this before. She brought pancake and pickles from the night before, asked Chen Gang to warm up the pancake, and everyone scarfed down something for lunch.
Jiujiu came out of the house with reddened eyes. She didn’t understand why her mother said so many strange things to her, like not to hold grudges against her mother in the future, that she was also helpless, that she was sorry for her.
Seeing Chen Shi cry, Jiujiu also shed tears.
She also put a red string around her neck with a strange pendant hanging from it.
Zhuang Shuxian saw Jiujiu’s red eyes, and pulled Jiujiu into her arms with heartache, "What happened?"
