Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 11999

The brothers Sanxi and Sixi are the least favored in their family. People say that parents love their youngest child, but that's wrong, at least not in this family.

Before her fourth sister-in-law married into the family, she, as the third daughter-in-law, was the least favored. Now that her fourth sister-in-law has married into the family, she has diverted the hatred from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. It won't be so obvious anymore. If my fourth sister-in-law could be more assertive and suppress the arrogance of my mother-in-law and eldest sister-in-law, and I could then take the opportunity to build a good relationship with my fourth sister-in-law, my life in this family would be much better, right?
Just as Sanxi's wife was thinking to herself, there was a noise coming from the door of the side room.

"Mother, stop talking. It's probably Fourth Brother's wife who came to apologize to you," Da Xi's wife quickly reminded Sixi's mother.

Sixi's mother immediately wiped her face, looked up, and saw that the person standing at the door of the side room was not Xiuhong, but another Liang brother's wife from the same clan.

"Auntie, we've finished the work in the kitchen, we're going home now."

Sixi's mother nodded, and Daxi's wife immediately turned around and walked towards the two wives at the door with a smile, "Sisters-in-law, you've really worked hard today. You should go back and rest first. The whole family will come over for dinner tonight."

"We'll see when the time comes. We're leaving now."

"Okay, take care."

Several more groups of people came in similar situations until the last outsider who had helped in the courtyard left. Si Xi's mother breathed a sigh of relief and instructed San Xi's wife, who was standing nearby, "Go and take a look in the kitchen to see how many of those main dishes are left, and come back and tell me in detail."

"Okay, Mother, I'll go check right away." Sanxi's wife turned to leave, but Sixi's mother called out to her, "Where's Second Brother's wife? I haven't seen her since we finished eating."

Sanxi's wife looked blankly at Daxi's wife.

Da Xi's wife smiled and said, "My second sister-in-law is feeling heavy. After the banquet, she sat down in the sun and dozed off. I told her to go back to her room and rest."

If this were any other time, Sixi's mother would definitely have scolded her, saying, "Whose daughter-in-law isn't pregnant? You're just being sleepy after you've eaten your fill, acting all precious."

But her daughter-in-law was due to give birth in the next few days, so she had to be careful. In addition, she had been angered by Xiu Hong earlier, so Sixi's mother just nodded and praised Da Xi's daughter-in-law: "You, as the eldest sister-in-law, are the most considerate. If the fourth daughter-in-law and the others could all be like you, I would have less to worry about."

Da Xi's wife smiled shyly, "I learned it all from my mother. She taught me so well."

Sanxi's wife listened to her mother-in-law and sister-in-law praising each other, then quietly pursed her lips and left the side room, heading towards the kitchen.

"Third sister-in-law, please close the courtyard gate when you're done, thank you." Da Xi's wife's voice came from behind, her tone impeccable.

"Okay, sure," Sanxi's wife replied, but inwardly she was cursing: Hypocritical! She acts so virtuous in front of her in-laws and others, but behind their backs she's stirring up trouble...

The courtyard gate was closed, and the other men in the family had all gone back to their rooms to rest. Sixi's father and mother had long since gone to sleep in separate rooms, leaving only the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in this side room.

Da Xi's wife moved to Si Xi's mother's side, squatted down, and gently massaged Si Xi's mother's legs.

“Mother, I advise you not to argue with your fourth sister-in-law anymore. I’ve figured it out. She’s relying on her family’s influence and is very assertive now. She has no intention of getting along with us properly.”

"Going to see her will only provoke her and make us angry. You should stay away from her in the future, otherwise her family might secretly sabotage Da Xi and the others, and then we'll be in big trouble!"

Sixi's mother still felt lingering fear when she recalled these events. She could never forget the way she knelt at the entrance of the second room's courtyard to apologize until her death. It was as if she had rubbed her face in the ground for half her life, a lifetime of humiliation.

"Besides, now that my fourth sister-in-law is part of our family, she's one of us too," Da Xi's wife continued. "If we coax her well, who knows, maybe she'll respond better to gentle persuasion than force?"

Sixi's mother spat out, "To you, I'm not lying. Even if she married into our family, I wouldn't consider her a true member of our family."

"Even if it's Sanxi's wife, I may scold her, but I still acknowledge her in my heart. As for the fourth son's wife, humph, I was forced into it because I couldn't fight against the powerful. She entered our family, but not my heart!"

Da Xi's wife smiled and whispered, "Mother, once people enter the door, those things enter the door too. People are annoying, but things smell delicious."

Sixi's mother looked wary, her eyes filled with doubt, and her tone was tinged with reproach and disdain: "Eldest daughter, what do you mean? We may be poor, but we can't be short-sighted. We can't let her dowry cloud our judgment!"

"Mother, what I mean is..."

"Mother, are you inside?" Just as Da Xi's wife was about to explain, Si Xi's voice suddenly came from the doorway.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the house were both startled. Sixi's mother's face tightened, and Daxi's wife gently nudged Sixi's mother's leg and winked at her.

Si Xi's mother finally relaxed her brow and responded to the door with a curt "Yes, madam."

"Then I'll come in." Sixi said, stepping into the house. She found that in the dimly lit room, not only was her mother there, but her sister-in-law was also standing next to her.

"Sister-in-law is here too?" Sixi greeted.

Da Xi's wife smiled kindly: "Mother has been busy for two days, her back and legs are sore, I'll help her massage her shoulders and legs."

Si Xi immediately understood and hurriedly said, "Mother, you've been working so hard these past two days because of my wedding. I know you're doing this."

Sixi's mother waved her hand, and to echo what Daxi's wife had said earlier, she raised one hand and pounded her leg, her gaze sweeping over Sixi: "Why aren't you in the house with your new wife? What brings you here?"

Si Xi took out three long cakes from behind her and placed them on the table, saying, "Mother, Xiu Hong told me what happened before. Mother, don't blame her for not taking five cakes. We really don't have two left. She's going back to her parents' home to pay New Year's visits during the first month of the lunar year, and we won't have enough cakes. We'll have to buy more then."

"If it's not enough, what are you giving it to me for? Take it back! How can I bear to take your things?"

"Mother, we can still spare three, please accept them!"

Si Xi's mother didn't say a word.

Sixi looked up at Daxi's wife again, and Daxi's wife smiled at Sixi and said, "Our mother knows your good intentions. Such good cakes, we'll take them to Uncle's house to pay New Year's greetings during the first month of the lunar year. Everyone will feel proud, and they'll all praise your new wife for being so thoughtful!"

Si Xi smiled and said, "Mother, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

"Wait a minute, I actually have something to tell you."

"What's the matter?"

"Fourth son, although your fourth branch has separated from us, that's after you move back to your own house." Sixi's mother looked at Sixi with a stern face. "Right now, you're living under the same roof as us, and the banquet is being held here, so everything must be done according to the rules." "What rules, Mother?" Sixi asked again, trying to speak gently and in a consultative tone. After all, Xiuhong had already entered the family, and he wanted to avoid arguing and affecting Xiuhong's mood.

Sixi's mother said, "When your three sisters-in-law married into the family, the new bride had to make breakfast for the whole family every other day. You've already eaten it three times. Now it's your turn, and the rules can't be broken!"

"This is not only our family's rule, but also the rule of the entire Changping Village, and the rule of the surrounding villages."

"Even the wives in the Yang family went through this!"

When Sixi heard this, she did not refute it, but nodded with a smile: "I understand. Xiuhong is a reasonable person. She understands these rules when I tell her them."

After Si Xi finished speaking, he received a glare from his mother and a cold snort.

Si Xi, being quite sensible, didn't linger any longer and hurriedly returned to her own room.

In her own room, Xiu Hong hadn't changed out of her wedding dress. She had to wear it until bedtime tonight, but she had already washed her face and removed her makeup.

This was the first time she had ever applied rouge and face powder to her face in her entire life. The lady who did her makeup was her aunt, Jiang Guiling.

Following her own preferences and aesthetics, Jiang Guiling painted a lot on Xiu Hong's face. Xiu Hong was busy all day and felt sticky and uncomfortable on her face, as if she were wearing a mask.

She shook her head when she saw the water in the basin had become murky while washing her face.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, since her dressing table and bronze mirror weren't there, she took out a palm-sized bronze mirror from her purse and examined her face from all sides. She found that although her face was very clean, several places on her cheeks were red and stung when they got wet.

She knew this was damage to her skin caused by her aunt using a rope to remove the fine hairs from her face when she opened it that morning.

"Ugh, being a wife isn't easy, my face hurts so much, tsk tsk..."

Just as Xiu Hong was feeling sorry for herself in the mirror, Sixi returned.

"Have the things been delivered?" Xiu Hong asked, glancing sideways at Sixi's empty hands.

Si Xi nodded and said, "Mother and sister-in-law are very happy and praised you for being sensible and virtuous."

Xiu Hong laughed and spat at Sixi: "Give me a break. I can understand if you want to be a peacemaker, but don't try to fool me like a child."

Si Xi's thoughts were exposed, and he smiled awkwardly before moving closer to Xiu Hong and sitting down beside her on the bed.

"Anyway, no matter what, the fact that Mother accepted three cakes means she listened to us, which is a good thing," he said.

Xiu Hong remained silent.

Sixi continued, "Oh, right, Mother also said that tomorrow morning, according to our local custom, the bride has to get up early to cook for the family..."

Xiu Hong stopped examining him and turned to look at Sixi: "Don't worry, I'm a person who knows the rules. I married you to live a good life with you. I will do what I, as your daughter-in-law, should do, and I will not give others the opportunity to gossip about me behind my back!"

Si Xi breathed a sigh of relief, a genuine smile spreading across her face: "I knew I hadn't married the wrong person, you are the most virtuous woman in the world!"

"Stop flattering me, I don't fall for that," Xiu Hong said. Si Xi had been her little tagalong since childhood, and she knew all too well how good he was at flattery.

“It’s settled then. I will definitely cook breakfast tomorrow, because I am the new bride and I know this rule.” Xiu Hong put away her smile, stared at Sixi, and began to seriously set rules for him.

"But as my man, you have to keep the vows you made to me before. You said you would treat me well, do those vows still stand?"

Si Xi nodded vigorously, "Of course it counts. I married you because I want to be good to you."

"That's good. Being good to me isn't just about saying a few words; it's about taking action," Xiu Hong said again.

“I understand. Tomorrow morning, I’ll help you cook. You can cook, and I’ll add firewood!” Sixi said immediately.

"Okay, so if your family sees you like this and scolds you, saying that men shouldn't go into the kitchen and wants you to leave, what will you say?"

"Why shouldn't men go into the kitchen? Men need to eat, so they should go into the kitchen!" Sixi said. "Rules are rules, but people are flexible. I help my wife cook, and that's our new family rule, hey!"

"Hmm, that's more like it. This is the man I, Yang Xiuhong, chose myself!" Xiuhong happily pinched Sixi's cheek.

Sixi's face was originally round, but he had hardly eaten enough at home over the years, so his round face was not visible at all. He was too thin. He was more than a head taller than Xiuhong, but he weighed less than ten pounds more than Xiuhong. You can imagine how thin he was!

Xiu Hong pinched Sixi's cheek, her eyes filled with tenderness. "Once our little home is ready, we'll move back in and cook for ourselves. I'll make you delicious food every day and fatten you up!"

Si Xi held Xiu Hong's hand tightly, her face serious: "I should be the one saying this. I will work hard to make you plump and healthy. You can do the housework if you want, or do it if you don't want to. All you have to do is be my wife, eat with me, sleep with me, and talk to me!"

“…Okay!” Xiu Hong rushed into Sixi’s arms, and the two hugged each other tightly. Even through the thick wedding clothes, they could still feel each other’s strong heartbeats.

Both of them were sixteen or seventeen years old, young and vigorous, full of youthful energy. At this moment, as they embraced tightly, it was inevitable that they would feel... well, you know.

"Xiuhong, how about...we..."

Sixi's mouth was suddenly covered by Xiu Hong, which also stopped him from saying anything more.

"No!" Xiu Hong looked up and glanced at him shyly, both of their faces flushed. "There's a whole family here, who knows who might come over for a visit? Just bear with it a little longer, wait until tonight... You drink less, then we'll have plenty of opportunities..."

It's broad daylight, the sun hasn't even set yet, and there might be two more tables of food and drink at home later tonight.

If people found out that the two of them had already done those things, they would probably be laughed at for the rest of their lives. Xiu Hong didn't want to expose their private and beautiful things to provide people with gossip for tea and teasing in the fields.

Having received Xiu Hong's promise, Sixi was excited and expectant. He temporarily suppressed his restlessness, hugged Xiu Hong tightly, and smelled her fragrance.

Finally, I have a wife! And the girl I've always admired since I was a child. I've really made it through this difficult time, and now I have more and more hope for the future.

Happy Year of the Horse, my darlings!