The Female General Dominates All After Transmigration-Chapter 138 - 137: Not Instigating—Shi Tou Teaches His Brother
On this trip, they brought three chickens, all small roosters raised by their family that year. They were not large but had tender meat.
In the evening, they stewed one, and Wang Liansheng went out to buy several braised dishes and brought back a bottle of wine. The two brothers, who hadn’t seen each other for a long time, shared a pot and chatted incessantly about things at home, talking until almost nine o’clock before dispersing.
In the evening, Ling Chengyan invited the second sister-in-law to stay at home, letting Wang Liansheng accompany the second brother-in-law to stay at the guesthouse.
The two brothers, after having a few cups of wine, walked off warmly shoulder to shoulder.
Xiaoyu and Xiao Xing also went inside to rest, and Hong Liang was placed on the small bed in the outer room.
Ling Chengyan coaxed Shi Tou to sleep, casually chatting with the second sister-in-law.
Finally, the second sister-in-law said, "We have the two of them, and originally didn’t think much about having more, but unexpectedly I got pregnant again... You know, it’s a life, can’t bear to just let it go..."
Ling Chengyan wasn’t surprised she brought up the matter. Seeing Shi Tou was asleep, she got up and brought the second sister-in-law a cup of milk: "Have some milk, it’s nutritious, good for both you and the child."
Zheng Xiaotian was not as tall as the eldest sister-in-law, with a rounded face and fair skin, her figure was also of the plump and full kind, yet this time she looked much thinner aside from a strong waistline, her complexion wasn’t good, with a yellowish and somewhat swollen face, tired and haggard, as if aged five or six years.
Once she heard Ling Chengyan’s words, Zheng Xiaotian’s eyes reddened, though she accepted the milk cup, she didn’t drink. Her voice was somewhat choked: The child in her belly... if destined not to be born, why bother with nutrition?
"Sister-in-law, don’t stress too much, things are up to people, the important thing is for you and brother to make up your minds, once you decide, there will always be a way."
Since the policy was implemented, she often heard related things, like those hiding at home not going out or secretly running back to their mother’s place...
Actually, Ling Chengyan thought hiding at home or going back to the mom’s place weren’t good solutions, facts showed they would be found.
"But, I heard that if the child is indeed born, there will be fines, saying they won’t allocate land." The second sister-in-law mumbled, looking very worried.
For farmers who live off the land, the land is fundamental, without land allocation, how would a family survive? It’s even more terrifying than the sky falling.
Ling Chengyan sighed silently, held her hand, and said: "Sister-in-law, to tell the truth, I drive all over, seeing quite a bit, our area is still fewer, many places have already opened up to doing business, many don’t rely on farming anymore, leaving home to do business... I know someone who sells seeds at the entrance of a department store, guess how much he earns a year?"
Zheng Xiaotian was attracted by the topic, hesitatingly guessed with open eyes: "Maybe a few hundred bucks!"
Heard that factory workers earn thirty or forty a month, if the fourth younger brother’s wife thinks it’s so much, obviously, he earns quite a bit. She tried to guess high.
Ling Chengyan smiled, held up two fingers: "In cold weather, seeds sell better, he said approximately this amount a month."
"Twenty?"
Ling Chengyan shook her head: "No, two hundred."
"Oh my! Really can sell for two hundred?" Zheng Xiaotian was slightly disbelieving, her naturally wide phoenix-shaped eyes widened.
Ling Chengyan smiled and nodded, adding: "When it’s hot, seeds don’t sell well, so he sells ice cream and sodas, reportedly earning even more than from seeds."
"Two hundred a month, wouldn’t that be... oh my, over two thousand a year!" Zheng Xiaotian was simply shocked by the news.
They painstakingly worked in the production team, apart from food rations, even in the best year, the average income was only a few tens a person, they hadn’t divided the family, a big family of twelve couldn’t even split five hundred.
One person could earn over two thousand a year!
Suddenly she said: "Isn’t that more than factory workers make?" More than just more, way more indeed.
Ling Chengyan smiled, patted her hand: "Drink your milk, wait any longer it’ll get cold."
Zheng Xiaotian, in a daze, picked up the milk and drank it, only after finishing did she realize: "You gave me this to drink, doesn’t Shi Tou need it at night?"
Ling Chengyan took the cup, went to rinse it, saying: "There’s more, left some for him."
Returning, Ling Chengyan said: "Doing business, when done well makes money, but compared to workers also has shortcomings, it’s unstable. Sometimes gets driven away, cloudy and rainy days, no business... Also illness, workers have reimbursement, doing business means no one cares, you pay yourself."
Zheng Xiaotian graduated from elementary school, could write and calculate, paused for a moment after hearing this, shook her head and said: "If business really is as you say, those things about hospital costs and rainy days aren’t major, overall it’s still better than being a worker."
Ling Chengyan smiled faintly: "Second sister-in-law really is good at accounting."
Zheng Xiaotian seemed a bit embarrassed: "Just simple counting..."
Ling Chengyan smiled: "Small business doesn’t have complicated accounts either."
Zheng Xiaotian’s eyes brightened: "Oh... hehe, actually, your second brother is better at accounting than me, his mind is more agile."
Ling Chengyan smiled, didn’t say much.
Had she not known that both second brother-in-law and second sister-in-law were smart folks, understanding accounting, she wouldn’t suggest doing business.
But seeing the second sister-in-law’s obvious waning distress and her eyes gaining some brightness, Ling Chengyan felt her words weren’t in vain.
Actually, in her view, many things seem difficult only because of limited perspective and insight, once you step out, it’s not a big deal.
Like the second sister-in-law’s situation, whether the team or the commune, both have influence locally, when people aren’t local, they cannot reach.
Of course, when it comes to skirting policies, she wouldn’t jump right in, thus she mentioned for them to decide themselves first. Business was just mentioned, it’s up to them how or whether to proceed.
Having newfound hope, Zheng Xiaotian’s mood loosened, the constant pursuit and worry seemed to lessen, for the first time in a long while, she managed to sleep well.
In the morning, after Chengyan woke and saw Xiaotian still deeply asleep, she didn’t disturb her, hugged Shi Tou, and along with a dazed Hong Liang, washed their faces and took the two children out to buy breakfast.
Opposite the courtyard was an old residential area, in the alley several shops quietly opened, one selling breakfast, steamed buns were excellent, with soy milk and tofu na.
In the winter morning, steam rose from the steamer, carrying scents of dough and meat, enticing indeed.
Hong Liang watched the aunt with a white hat placing buns on a plate, his eyes unblinking, his fingers unwittingly inserted into his mouth.
Shi Tou, seeing his cousin like this, furrowed his small brow, took out his handkerchief to wipe his cousin’s fingers, earnestly said: "Don’t suck your fingers, they have germs, will make you sick."
