Old Lady Lin only took the money that was meant to be returned, “Alright, you guys just separated and built a house, so you should pitch this in,” She felt that her son-in-law was indeed capable of earning enough to sustain a life for the family so she didn’t need to personally contribute. However, she didn’t want to take even an extra dollar from them.
So it entered the stage of pushing the money back and forth, which made Lin Lan feel powerless.
She was really impressed with the back-and-forth ability of the people in this area. Everyone was clearly poor and in need of money, but when the festive seasons came, there wasn’t a lack of offerings being sent here and there.
It looked like a battlefield!
The key point for her was to just make sure that she gave whatever she planned to. To be fair, Lin Lan wasn’t usually genuine when it came to actions like these. In fact, she was going to calculate the amount of gifts or offerings she received throughout this festive season and see did she profit or incur a loss.
Hence, Lin Lan felt very dizzy.
“Mother, don’t do this to me. I’m your daughter, not a sibling.”
Seeing that her daughter spoke very seriously, Old Lady Lin took it as her own money. Thinking that her little girl no longer compared her gifts with her Third Sister, she felt like her daughter had truly changed and was comforted by the fact.
She also asked Lin Lan whether there was enough cotton and cloth at home, how well her son-in-law treated her after the separation, whether her parents-in-law picked on her, whether the children were obedient and so on.
Lin Lan answered one by one before realizing, “Mother, it’s getting late and I still have to go home and cook.”
Old Lady Lin hurriedly packed three big pomegranates for her, “Go back and give it to the children.”
She sent Lin Lan and Xiaowang out of the door, telling her again and again, “Live a good life with your husband and don’t cause trouble anymore,” She worried all day at home, fearing that there would be news that her fourth daughter had hung herself or drank medicine again.
“Mother, I got it. We’re leaving!” Lin Lan took Xiaowang home.
Shanshui Labor Reform Farm was one of the three major labor reform farms in this area. In addition to this county, the labor reform prisoners of the three neighboring counties were also sent here.
Their garrison was built in the valley of Pingdingshan. The environment was harsh and they were guarded by armed army personnel every day.
The main task of the prisoners here was to take charge of the hundreds of acres of farmland around Pingdingshan. The other hundreds of acres of mountainous areas and wastelands were under their care as well.
During their breaks, they were also responsible for mining stones, building roads, building canals, etc. Life there was absolutely difficult.
Ever since Han Qinghua was imprisoned, he felt that there was a sword hanging above his head all the time. He kept thinking that the sword was going to fall at any time and end up ending his life.
Suffice to say, he was tired.
Prisoners here would have to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning to wash up before being escorted to run as exercise. After half an hour, they would have their breakfast.
To have a meal here was like being a soldier in war as they needed to grab what they could. As a first come first served basis, the ones who were late would have to starve.
They would go to work after eating, and since it was the autumn harvest, the younger bunch were arranged to harvest the corn.
He wondered how these tasks could be done by humans as blood blisters appeared on his hands within two days.