The year stepped into 1982, a new year, new atmosphere, busy visiting on the first day of the new year.
When Xu Qinghe led his family to visit Xu Zhong, everyone in the house was wearing new clothes. Even little Zhuangzhuang, over a year old, was wearing a red Chinese outfit, looking festive and cute, his chubby little body resembling the child in a New Year painting.
Xu Zhong’s eyes squinted happily, but Liu Sanmei was not so happy. The better Xu Qinghe’s family was doing, the worse it made her son’s family look!
In the past, Xu Qingjiang was a teacher. Although the family was not particularly wealthy, at least they were living much better than Xu Qinghe’s family.
But now?
They’ve set up some furniture factory, and many people from the village are working there. There’s also the Chili Sauce Factory, where all the women in the village capable of doing work have joined in. Even women can earn thirty a month, and if a couple works together, they can make sixty.
In comparison, many people in the village have successively built new houses. Next year, Liu Sanmei hears that even more people are planning to build new houses.
Hence, the more Liu Sanmei looks at her old house, the more unhappy she becomes. After Xu Zhong gives out red envelopes, Liu Sanmei says, "Qinghe, Qingjiang is your own brother, and Juxiang is your sister-in-law. You can’t just watch them live so poorly that they can’t survive."
Xu Qingjiang glances at Liu Sanmei and says, "Mom, it’s not as exaggerated as you say."
Living too poorly to survive? How’s that possible!
He earns a decent amount from teaching every month!
"Am I exaggerating? The house is so old, you should bring some money to fix it." Liu Sanmei’s words left Xu Qingjiang speechless.
Fixing the house would need at least a few thousands, and he doesn’t have that kind of money.
"Today is the first day of the new year, say less." Xu Zhong lowered his face, not wanting things to get unpleasant on the first day of the new year.
"What did I say?" Liu Sanmei was instantly displeased upon hearing Xu Zhong’s words. She said irritably, "Even though I’m a stepmother, when I married you, he was only three."
Liu Sanmei pointed at Xu Qinghe and said, "Without me as a stepmother, do you think you’d have grown this big and married a wife?"
"I married my wife myself." Xu Qinghe held Ji Ying’s hand and said, "I started earning points in the village at sixteen, working in the mountains, later followed my master, traveling around doing carpentry. All the money I earned was handed over to you and my father. Ten full years, at twenty-six, speaking of a wife, you weren’t willing to pay a single cent."
"I won’t say much, after all, you raised me." Xu Qinghe said calmly, "I don’t want to talk much about past matters. In the future, if you or my father have some issue, I certainly won’t stand idly by, and will take care of you till the end. As for other matters, I am powerless."
"It’s the first day of the new year, who are you cursing?" Liu Sanmei, seeing Xu Qinghe was no longer easy to manipulate like before—saying a few words would make Xu Qinghe eager to give them money or good things—felt instantly angry. She hadn’t even mentioned him paying to build a house for them.
"Okay, say less, Qinghe didn’t mean anything else." Xu Zhong defended Xu Qinghe.
"Dad, we have things to do at home, let’s head back." Xu Qinghe, ignoring Liu Sanmei’s aggravated reaction, led Ji Ying and the others away.
Xu Nianhua and his siblings quietly breathed a sigh of relief; their father indeed had changed.