Jing Ran remembered the excuse she had hastily concocted and her gaze flickered.
"I came to borrow some ink from you! Someone from my family sent a letter, and my second brother and I plan to write back, but we suddenly realized we’re out of ink..."
Lin Tang nodded, "Mhm, you should reply."
Then the conversation died.
"Tangtang, do you always speak this little?" Jing Ran suddenly asked out of curiosity.
"Why do you ask that?" Lin Tang raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the question, "Didn’t I just respond to you..."
"Alright~" Wanting to know more about her, Jing Ran continued to ask, "What do you usually do at home?"
"Read books."
A conversation stopper at its finest.
After replying, Lin Tang went back inside to get the ink and came out with it.
Jing Ran felt she had made her presence known enough for the day, so she tactfully said her goodbyes to the Lin Family.
She had a round face that was very healing when she smiled, and everyone had a good impression of her.
"This lass is straightforward and seems like someone we could get along with. Tangtang, don’t always coop up at home; why don’t you go out with the educated youths to dig up some wild vegetables or something? Staying inside all the time might make you sick!" Li Xiuli said.
Women are prone to worry, unable to let go of this concern or that one.
Lin Tang: "Got it."
"Don’t just say you got it and then forget everything once you turn around..." Li Xiuli muttered on.
Lin Lu gave Lin Tang a helpless look, suggesting she just listen and close her eyes as if she had heard nothing.
Seeing this, Lin Tang stretched out her legs, covered her face with a book, and pretended to sleep.
...as if she could hear nothing.
Seeing her father and daughter like this, Li Xiuli smiled helplessly and finally quieted down.
-
Soon, it was the harvest season again.
This year, there weren’t any significant changes in the brigade compared to last year...
The only difference was that the brigade’s potatoes were twice the size, and the wheat ears were also heavy.
The educated youths were assigned the task of digging potatoes.
This was a task that the village kids loved the most, but with the educated youths around, they inevitably had to find some work for them to do.
Have them cut wheat in the fields? They could hardly use the tools properly, let alone cut wheat; even cutting pigweed was unsuccessful.
Asking them to carry manure had the big lads whimpering.
If they couldn’t carry manure, they had no right to be looking for a partner.
Unknowingly, the matchmaking standards of Shuangshan Brigade changed.
Take for instance, around the corner.
"Amei, I fancy you, let’s date." A young intellectual-looking educated youth picked a small yellow flower and approached a country girl.
His gaze constantly scanned her lunch box, wishing for x-ray vision to see exactly what was inside.
This was the girl’s first time being confessed to. Her face turned red and she said, "Do you know how to carry manure?"
The educated youth: "!!!"
In the moment he was silent, the smile on the country girl’s face disappeared.
"You can’t even carry manure and you’re looking for a partner? Wimp, pfft!!"
With that, she turned on her heels and walked away.
A breeze blew, rustling the leaves off the trees, which fell upon the educated youth’s head and shoulders, and the smile he had earlier vanished.
This incident was witnessed by Liu Damei, the village’s loudspeaker, and she immediately spread it so widely everyone knew about it.
Her description was particularly vivid...
Saying the educated youth stood there like a stone statue, reaching out as leaves rustled down, in a moment of utter disarray.
When Lin Tang heard about this, she was chatting leisurely with Gu Yingzhou.
Seeing her older nephew’s face full of earnestness, followed by an affected extension of his hand, she almost laughed till she vomited.
"Oh my goodness, Goudan, you’re killing me with laughter. It’s a shame if you don’t act!"
Lin Tang laughed until she was almost in tears.
But Lin Zhicheng remained completely serious, reining in his expression and turning to Gu Yingzhou, "Uncle, do you know how to carry manure?"
Gu Yingzhou: "..."
Without hesitation, he nodded immediately, "Yes."
Lin Zhicheng immediately breathed a sigh of relief, boasting proudly, "I knew it, uncle, just wait—I’ll go clear your name right away."
With that, he ran out of the Lin Family’s house.
Lin Tang barely managed to contain her laughter and teasingly looked at Gu Yingzhou, "Comrade Gu, do you really know how to carry manure?"
Gu Yingzhou had a deep look in his eyes, "Otherwise, what? In a situation like just now, even if I can’t, I must."
It’s a matter of male dignity; how could he not?
Lin Tang mused softly, "Oh, I understand now. The cursed desire to win in humans."
Gu Yingzhou: "..."
Li Xiuli heard Lin Tang’s laughter and came out of the house.
"What are you laughing at? I can hear your giggling from inside the house."
Anyone who didn’t know better might think the old hen in the house was about to lay an egg.
Believing that shared joy is a double joy, Lin Tang generously shared the gossip Lin Zhicheng had just related.
Li Xiuli responded coolly, "What of it? Do you still remember the fuss about your second brother being targeted by Lianhua and the commotion your second sister-in-law caused?"
"I remember, but what does that have to do with this?" Lin Tang was puzzled.
Li Xiuli shook her head, saying, "It’s absolutely related. Back then, didn’t you teach them quite a few tips on how to avoid being duped?"
"Based on what you taught them, the people of the brigade further summarized it. There were so many rules and regulations..."
Lin Tang’s interest was instantly piqued, and she excitedly asked, "Like what?"
Gu Yingzhou watched the young girl’s eyes light up, rubbing his forehead helplessly.
Tangtang, do you still remember that you’re a young girl, not like the village matrons?
He could almost predict what an older Tangtang would be like.
Fortunately, the girl was discreet with her words, content to listen and seldom joining in on discussions, otherwise, he’d be worried...
Worried she’d get beaten up!
Faced with her daughter’s eager gaze, Li Xiuli’s desire to recount stories surged.
"It’s too long to recall it all. I can only remember a few," she prefaced.
Lin Tang: "It’s fine, it’s fine; anything is fine!"
Li Xiuli began, "They even established a village rule that advocated respect for the old and affection for the young, hard work, and reliability..."
She could only recall that one rule about the village.
Then she continued.
"For the young men looking for a partner, firstly, avoid those who have been severely brainwashed by their family; secondly, avoid the sloppy ones who aren’t diligent; thirdly, avoid those who are mean and don’t care about their family; and fourthly, avoid the nitpickers..."
Lin Tang clicked her tongue and commented, "Quite a list of demands, huh."
"You may think it’s a lot now, but if your third brother were to find a nitpicker who always wants to compare with you, I’m afraid I would die of aggravation!" Li Xiuli said and then abruptly changed her tone, "Die of aggravation? Hardly. I would just kick them out."
She still had to babysit Tangtang’s children, so how could she afford to die of aggravation?
At that thought, Lin Tang shuddered, feeling that it made sense.
Gu Yingzhou frowned slightly.
With Tangtang’s older and younger sisters-in-law being quite decent, if they were to get someone like his second mother-in-law...
Then they might as well not visit her parental home.
If Tangtang missed her family, he could easily bring her parents over to their place.
Unaware of the concerns on her partner’s mind, Lin Tang continued to inquire, "What about the girls looking for a partner?"
Li Xiuli looked at Gu Yingzhou, her face filled with pride, "Of course, someone like Yingzhou would be the best!"
Lin Tang covered her face, "Oh, mom, don’t be so boastful. Yingzhou is great, but he doesn’t meet the criteria..."