Daily Life in the 70s-Chapter 30 - Morning

Yang PeiMin huffed back to her room and lay down.

In the other room, Zhang Minghua and Yang Dahai were discussing Shen Yiguang's interest in their daughter that day.

"We've been hoping to match them up for a while now, but they took to each other on their own, which really is a wish come true. That Shen family kid is steady and takes good care of people. Our girl is like a child that never grows up; a steady match will do her good. What do you think, her dad?"

Yang Dahai took quite a while to come back to his senses. Just like when he and Zhang Minghua first found out, although they had unilaterally hoped to secure this outstanding son-in-law, now that there was a real hint of something between them, it all seemed too quick, and they weren't psychologically prepared.

He couldn't help but reach for his water pipe, took a puff, and then slowly said, "What does Minmin think about this? Have you asked her?"

When asked this question, Zhang Minghua also felt somewhat helpless. "That girl is still insisting on disagreeing. But that's just childish talk. She's young and doesn't understand what's good and what's not. We as parents must make the decision for her. Otherwise, where can you find such a suitable match again? We've seen the upkeep of the Shen family — honest folk all around. Although the boy might be under more pressure as an only son, that has its advantages too, such as not dealing with sisters-in-law. Didn't we want to try sounding out the Shen family before? Now everything has fallen into place, haven't they just agreed with our thoughts?"

"Preparing for Peijun's wedding these past few days, with people coming and going, I've been all ears to their gossip. Some even circled around to inquire about PeiMin's affair with that 'educated youth', and it was only after I put my foot down that it was over. But those women, as you know, they finish talking about one thing and then start on another, prattling on about the village's eligible daughters and their wedding affairs — who married whom, temperaments, dowries and all, they can talk about it all day long. Our own girl inevitably gets mentioned too."

"But it's just out of curiosity, with no intention of matchmaking. I'm aware of some comments not made to my face. Our daughter not liking household chores, not working in the fields, being delicate, and having a bit of pride... In the village, any decent family wouldn't consider our girl, let alone those struggling families that need a daughter-in-law to work. It worries me to hear all this."

Listening to his wife's words, Yang Dahai smoked his water pipe in silence.

"I've thought it through. After they are married, I'll have Shen apply to take her with him as he follows the army, that way she won't have to deal with his family's demands. Things will be better once they have children..."

"Starting tomorrow, keep PeiMin close by your side. It's time she learned a thing or two. A girl has to become a wife someday, and how can she not know anything then?" Yang Dahai made the final decision.

"Alright. Her hand isn't fully healed yet, but I'll have her watch and start by learning some kitchen tasks. Otherwise, she'd end up relying on her in-laws to cook; what kind of look would that be?" Zhang Minghua said with a smile.

But Yang PeiMin had no idea that her fate had been settled by the Yang Dahai couple in just a few sentences in the other room.

Her hand ached and her belly ached. After laying on the bed for a while, she remembered it was time to change her sanitary pad, and painfully got out of bed.

"Sister has made you this bowl of brown sugar ginger tea," Yang Peiying walked in.

"Okay, I got it." Yang PeiMin took it and drank it.

The hot bowl of sweet tea warmed up her belly, making her feel a lot better.

She couldn't help but blush as she remembered the instructions Shen Yiguang had given her before leaving.

How did that person understand so much?

Afterward, she had Yang Peiying bring in hot water, and with one uninjured hand, she cleaned herself up simply. After that, she felt as tired as if she had fought a battle, with no energy left to think about anything else, and fell asleep as soon as she lay down.

The next day, before dawn, she was woken by a noisy commotion; Yang Peiying was no longer by her side. Following that, she heard the screams of a pig, abruptly ridding her of any sleepiness she had left. She then remembered that today was Yang Peijun's wedding; were they slaughtering a pig now?

The pigpen was also inside the courtyard, about fifty meters from her room, but the sound was so clear at this moment, with the sky pitch-black, she didn't dare to stay alone in her room and got up, fumbling in the dark.

"Minmin, why are you up so early?" Zhang Minghua, carrying a basin for the man slaughtering the pig, saw her coming out of the room, "Did the noise wake you? Are you cold?"

It really felt very cold getting up early. The snow had fallen intermittently throughout the night, and there were still snowflakes remaining on the ground beneath the eaves, reflecting a bit of light.

She tightened her scarf. She reckoned it was around five o'clock, but the courtyard was lit with stoves and torches, as bright as daylight. The people who had come to help had already finished slaughtering the pig and were now dealing with the bristles, chatting and working at the same time, adding a bit of warmth to the chilly morning.

She didn't even know when Yang Peiying had gotten out of bed because after seeing Pan Shuiqin's wedding, she knew how exhausting it was to host such a wedding banquet. Everyone got up early to busily prepare, and she didn't feel like sleeping in herself.

"Once I woke up, I couldn't fall back asleep. Mom, see if there's something I can do. Assign me a task."

"Ah, there's nothing that needs your hand. You can't get it wet. Go and eat something first, then lie down in your room for a while. I'll call you later." Even though she had agreed with Yang Dahai to let Yang PeiMin learn to work, she felt a pang of heartache at her daughter's sensible offer to help.

"Mom, I can't do much else. Let me go to the kitchen and tend the fire." She figured that all she had to do was to sit by the stove, watch the flames, add wood, and listen for the cooking commands to control the fire size. That should be simple enough, right?

"Okay." Zhang Minghua agreed with a smile, praising her several times.

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Yang PeiMin walked away with her face covered, blushing.

Afterward, Zhang Minghua went to show off to Yang Dahai, "The child got up on her own, came looking for me and asked if there was anything she could help with. It's clear she is really growing up and becoming thoughtful."

Yang Dahai nodded with a smile in his eyes, "Take it slowly with her, and be careful with her hand so she doesn't overexert herself."

Around seven in the morning, villagers began arriving one after another to help.

Then, a bit later, relatives and friends arrived, and taking care of guests, pouring tea, and serving water also became a hectic affair.

Yang PeiMin was pulled out of the kitchen by Yang Peijun.

"What's going on?"

"Minmin, I heard you can do makeovers. Why not give your sister-in-law one too?" Yang Peijun's attitude was very accommodating at that moment, his face was always accompanied by a smile, lacking the schadenfreude he had the night before.

Yang PeiMin glanced at him and lifted her injured hand to his face, "See? It's hurt. I can't do it."

"It's your left hand that's hurt, your right is fine. Look, Minmin, if your sister-in-law looks presentable when she enters the family, it reflects well on me too, right?" Yang Peijun said with an ingratiating smile.

"I've heard that my third sister-in-law is a pretty woman. She doesn't need any makeup. That natural beauty is the most beautiful. Don't be too greedy, third brother. And have some sympathy for me, your little sister, or else I will go tell mom."

Yang Peijun rolled his eyes at her, "You sure talk a lot." And he turned and walked away.