Daily Life in the 70s-Chapter 109: The Four Aunts

Yu Ying Primary School only had eight teachers, including the principal. Apart from the three assigned to them, the rest were organized by the community itself, and Hao Qinghui was one of the educated youths who were assigned.

All the teachers shared the same office and didn’t interact much, only greeting each other when they met.

Yang PeiMin also nodded and smiled at him.

However, Hao Qinghui walked over, "Mr. Yang, are you going back to Daji Village?"

Yang PeiMin nodded, she usually rushed back to cook after school if there was nothing else to do.

"I wanted to ask you about someone, I’m looking for Shen Simao." Hao Qinghui stopped two meters away from her and asked.

Shen Simao was Fourth Uncle’s name. Traditionally, a new bride like her, freshly married into the family, wouldn’t know the name of a distant uncle-in-law, but thanks to Fourth Aunt’s bluntness, endlessly repeating "Simao" whether she opened or closed her mouth, it was hard for Yang PeiMin not to know. Moreover, she also had to take care of Fourth Uncle’s embarrassment by pretending not to hear anything.

At this moment, Yang PeiMin wasn’t surprised; she confirmed with him that there was such a person. Fourth Uncle was skilled, and not just Hao Qinghui had sought him out for his renowned craftsmanship.

Instead, he began to explain to her, "Before I went to the countryside, my grandmother gave me a string of wooden beads to think over, carved with the twelve zodiac animals. Yesterday, while I was chopping wood, I accidentally broke the head off the sheep zodiac. I learned that there’s a master craftsman in Daji Village who does exceptional woodwork, so I thought I should see if he could repair it, as these beads are very important to me."

Yang PeiMin nodded and, after saying goodbye to the children, went outside to get her bicycle and said to him, "Mr. Hao, do you have a bicycle?"

Hao Qinghui shook his head, "Mr. Yang, don’t worry about me; just tell me roughly how to get there and the direction to Master Shen’s house. I know it’s not far from here, and I walk fast. I’ll get there quickly."

Yang PeiMin called over a few kids heading back to Daji Village and asked them to take Hao Qinghui to Fourth Uncle’s house.

The children from the same village always waited to walk home together after school, whether older or younger; they waited until they had enough people before leaving. This was a directive from the adults to prevent the younger kids from getting lost.

Hao Qinghui nodded significantly and laughed, "Look at me, I forgot about this; the kids are also going back. I asked them this morning, but they didn’t know anyone named Yang Simao, although there are several who work with wood. I wasn’t sure whom to look for."

Yang PeiMin waved at him and rode away on her bike.

When she got home, everyone else had also returned from work.

To her surprise, Fourth Aunt Shen was also there. Seeing Yang PeiMin pushing her bicycle in, she clicked her tongue, "Look at our niece-in-law making something of herself, just look at that presence, having a job really makes a difference, looks just like a city person."

Yang PeiMin smiled at her and asked, "Fourth Aunt, what brings you here? Is there something the matter?"

Fourth Aunt Shen gave her a displeased look and said, "What are you talking about? Can’t I come to visit you without a reason? Today, my team distributed some plums and peaches, so I brought some over for you to try."

Yang PeiMin parked the car, walked into the house, and greeted Fourth Aunt Shen standing by the doorstep, "Fourth Aunt, you are thoughtful."

She greeted her parents inside but didn’t see Shen Yixiang and the others. Chen Guizhi was sitting on the edge of the kang, smiling and waving her over, "Daughter-in-law, your Fourth Aunt is just being polite. She even brought us some fruit. Look how big these plums are."

Yang PeiMin walked over, looked, and smiled, "Indeed, Fourth Aunt is being polite. Mom, don’t we still have some steamed buns at home? Later, we can also pack some for Fourth Aunt to take back. Reciprocity is necessary; nobody’s money comes easily, especially during these hard times."

Whether Fourth Aunt Shen had an ulterior motive or not, she preemptively blocked the way by playing up her poverty.

As expected, Fourth Aunt Shen’s expression stiffened, but she recovered quickly, feigning confusion, "What are you talking about, niece-in-law? Why should you be the one saying this? Look, Yiguang gets a salary from his side, and you have one from yours. Plus, your second brother and sister-in-law are also earning work points. If you still talk like this, then we are even more embarrassed. Second sister-in-law, isn’t that right?"

Yang PeiMin held back the responding Chen Guizhi and answered herself, "Fourth Aunt, don’t be fooled by our appearances. Yiguang and I had to borrow external debts when we got married. Plus, as you can see, Yiyue and her siblings are still in school. Isn’t that an expense? And we have to think about the future, raising kids and all, which requires money."

Fourth Aunt Shen rolled her eyes secretly, then looked again at Chen Guizhi.

Yang PeiMin quickly added, "Mom, is Fourth Aunt here for something specific? We are all family here; what can’t we discuss? You know, Fourth Aunt doesn’t usually visit us much. If she’s here now, there must be something important, right?"

"Fourth Aunt, it wouldn’t be that you are getting married, would it? That would be great news. If that’s the case, I would be relieved. Fourth Aunt is the most well-off among Dad’s siblings, surely there wouldn’t be any issues prompting her to seek help." Yang PeiMin’s eyes sparkled triumphantly as she regarded Fourth Aunt Shen with a delighted demeanor.

Fourth Aunt Shen’s expression faltered.

Finally, she looked at Chen Guizhi again and smiled, "Sister-in-law, does the niece-in-law now make all the decisions at home?"

Chen Guizhi nodded naively, unable to contain her smile, "My daughter-in-law does well, always careful not to overburden me and your second brother. She’s a filial child."

Fourth Aunt Shen choked again, her expression constipated, and after a pause, she managed a smile that did not reach her eyes, "Second sister-in-law is too careless. Are you not managing the money? It’s not that I have anything against the niece-in-law, but it’s natural for girls to favor their parental home a bit more, always thinking of ways to provide for them. Daughter-in-law, don’t take offense at my words, but look around; which other new bride takes control of household matters so quickly? Aren’t you afraid of gossip?"

Sitting beside Chen Guizhi, Yang PeiMin helped her thread a needle for shoe-repairing and replied, "I should actually learn from you, Fourth Aunt. You always move things from your parental home to your in-laws. It’s rare to see a married woman like Fourth Aunt who not only brought a dowry but also continually brings more supplies. Fourth Uncle must be dreaming happily having married you, right?"

She thought Fourth Aunt Shen didn’t know that every time she returned, she schemed to pull things to her in-laws’ place. She never left empty-handed, while what she herself took was just typical stuff like cabbage and potatoes that everyone had. Yet she always adorned her actions with flattering titles, like it’s fresh, or so-and-so likes this particular thing, or this is good for someone’s ailment, and such.

She made Granny Shen utterly confused, increasingly thinking her the most considerate among her daughters, always praising her filial piety to everyone, willing to carry things back to her in-laws to give her face in her matrimonial home.

But Yang PeiMin was not Granny Shen. She wasn’t fooled by her antics. Just a few fruits wouldn’t buy her bigger advantages. Not a chance.