The 70s Novel: The Supporting Character Just Wants to Lie Down-Chapter 37: Parcel Delivery and Sewing Machine
Since Aunt Zhou received this commission, she naturally took it to heart and went to visit relatives the next day.
Arriving at Shanghuang Village, she happened to witness a lively scene.
Today is Sunday, the sky is clear and the clouds are wide. Wang Baoxing and Liu Yulan, as usual, went to work. Wang Miaomiao was at home, forcing Wang Jia Bao to recite, and from time to time, Wang Jia Bao’s complaints and Wang Miaomiao’s suppressive threats could be heard from the room.
Wang Pandi sat in the living room slowly doing some needlework, listening to the noise of her younger siblings inside. She smiled knowingly; life is just like this.
On the table lay a bag that had been slashed by a thief, which she had already mended and casually embroidered with patterns to cover up the scars, so no one could tell it had ever been damaged.
"Liu Yulan, Liu Yulan, are you home? Come out and get your package, there’s a letter for you too," came a man’s shout from the door.
Wang Pandi went out and saw a middle-aged postman stopped at her door.
"Are you Liu Yulan?" the postman looked at her and asked.
"No, my mom is at work," Wang Pandi shook her head and answered truthfully.
The postman responded with an "oh" and said, "Then you should go get her back. This is a large item, and she needs to sign for it personally."
By this time, Wang Miaomiao and Wang Jia Bao had also come out, listening to this; they curiously looked at the box tied to the back seat of the postman’s bicycle.
"Quick, go and call mom back," Wang Miaomiao nudged Wang Jia Bao.
Wang Jia Bao reluctantly pouted but, having been so used to being suppressed by Wang Miaomiao lately, obediently ran off to fetch her.
It was lunchtime, and as Liu Yulan returned, some nearby villagers followed to watch the excitement.
"Oh wow, what is this, Yulan?" They were naturally curious, seeing such a large box at the Wang Family’s door, especially since it required Liu Yulan’s personal signature.
Liu Yulan smiled, not intending to hide it, and said, "It’s a sewing machine. If anyone needs it in the future, you can come to my house. My Pandi’s craftsmanship is quite good."
"Oh? A sewing machine? Yulan, your family has struck it rich..." Envy and jealousy... 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
"It’s a gift from my brother back home, no need to spend our own money," Liu Yulan smiled, telling a little lie.
The postman took out a letter, "And there’s a letter too, keep it safe." He handed the letter to Liu Yulan and said, "Open the package and check it; if everything is fine, I’ll be on my way."
Wang Jia Bao excitedly said, "Let me, let me..."
As he spoke, his face filled with a smile, and his hands swiftly began to open the box.
The eyes of a few women sparkled as they stared at the box without blinking.
When the box was opened, there was a somewhat new, somewhat old sewing machine inside.
Liu Yulan looked at it with a slight frown. Seeing this, everyone believed her words; it was second-hand, indeed Liu Yulan had a good family back home, still full of envy...
"Yulan really is fortunate, having a brother back home who still thinks of her," said a sour aunt from the Li Family, "Just don’t know why there was no news from them in previous years. If she’d had such a good family back then, my Zhaodi wouldn’t have suffered so much, having to come out hungry from time to time to beg for food..."
Liu Yulan’s displeasure showed as she was about to retort when a clear voice interjected, "Your Zhaodi? Hah, how many meals from your family has she eaten? Do you want to count and give them back? Ha, everyone knows their own family’s affairs. Instead of coming here to gossip, why don’t you go home and add a handful of rice to the pot to save your kids from coming out to steal and cause trouble..."
Aunt Zhao was notoriously stingy in the village, partly because she had a large family and her husband was lazy. Her children were often underfed and had been caught for petty theft multiple times.
"You... huh..." Outraged by the remarks, Aunt Zhao spat at Zhou Fengjuan, "You’re no good either, introducing Zhaodi to a cripple, pushing your niece into a pit of fire, you’re all birds of a feather with Liu Yulan, nothing to be proud of."
"How dare you talk like that, see if I don’t tear your foul mouth apart," Zhou Fengjuan couldn’t tolerate words like that, thinking the matter was in the past, only for people to bring it up. She was really irritated...
What does it mean to take kindness for a donkey’s liver and lungs, what does it mean for a dog to bite Lu Dongbin, unable to recognize a good heart...
Is this like a piece of white cloth fallen into a dye vat, unable to wash it clean?
In an instant, the two began fighting. Liu Yulan, seeing this, didn’t care about the numbers advantage or the spectacle it created. She went up to help Zhou Fengjuan, making it two against one, "I’ll give you a piece of my mind, do the Wang Family affairs need the Li Family to intervene? Besides, where do you rank that you’re speaking for Zhaodi? Even Li Dalong wouldn’t speak to me like this, who are you to hold such resentment..."
The onlookers kept persuading but none stepped in to separate them.
Mostly because Aunt Zhao had a loose mouth and offended many, leaving few who were willing to associate with such a person.
Liu Yulan and Zhou Fengjuan had strong fighting prowess, and Aunt Zhao, unable to cope, repeatedly begged for mercy before fleeing in disarray.
Seeing the combativeness of Liu Yulan and Zhou Fengjuan, the crowd exchanged glances and awkwardly dispersed after some rather forced laughter.
Once everyone at the front door had left, Liu Yulan tidied her clothes, "Jia Bao, help move the sewing machine inside."
The group worked together to move the sewing machine into the living room, placing it in the corner. Liu Yulan didn’t move it into her own bedroom; she had asked her brother to buy the sewing machine for Wang Pandi, recognizing her potential in this area. As it was prepared for her, naturally it should be placed in her room, but unfortunately, the back rooms were too dark, so it was better to place it in the living room where it would be brighter to use.
Ever since seeing the sewing machine, Wang Pandi hadn’t lost the smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes. She was still staring at the sewing machine without stopping.
Liu Yulan smiled and said, "When your hand is better, give it a try. I’ll buy some fabric in town when I have time, and you can make clothes for everyone at home."
"Mom..." Excited beyond measure, Wang Pandi looked at Liu Yulan in both surprise and wonder.
Looking at her three children, Liu Yulan felt a lump in her chest, "Sigh... I was too obsessed before, but I won’t be anymore." Money should be saved, but not to the point of being stingy, necessary expenses must be made.
"Oh, and about your washcloth, sigh... Let me get it for you." These words were directed at Wang Miaomiao, and after saying this, she turned and went into the room, coming back with four brand-new towels, giving two each to Wang Miaomiao and Wang Pandi.
Feeling somewhat moved, Wang Miaomiao received the towels, "Thank you, Mom."
She couldn’t get used to the family habit of several people using one towel and felt embarrassed to ask Liu Yulan for a new one, so she had Wang Pandi make three small square cloths from old clothes for use as towels.
Wang Pandi was overjoyed as well; what a great day it was. Seeing that her sister had as many towels as she did, she smiled broadly, her eyes brimming with tears. Her mom... treats her and her sister equally...
