1980s: I was reborn after being scumbag to death

Chapter 15 Ancestral
The He family's ancestors were once prosperous. Their daughters who learned a craft were never allowed to marry out, but only accepted sons-in-law.

But that was in the past. It’s a different era now and those things are no longer around.

Today, the He family members make a living from the soil and are all farmers.

Meng Shulan looked at the handkerchief placed on the iron box and was a little afraid to touch it.

It is so beautiful. On the small royal blue silk handkerchief are embroidered the sunset, gradient blue peonies, and two colorful pheasants.

After the exhibition in the previous life, someone did research on the embroidery techniques on the handkerchief. Although this piece of handkerchief is small, there are dozens of needlework techniques used, two of which were even lost at that time.

He Jinqiu said, "Shulan, do you want to sell this to raise money for a sewing machine?"

This handkerchief has been hidden at the bottom of the box for nearly thirty years. He Jinqiu has thought about selling it to supplement the family income, but although it looks good, is there anyone who wants it?

Nowadays, people can’t even fill their stomachs, and they need tickets to buy a piece of cloth. This handkerchief looks good, but it is useless. Who would want it?
He Jinqiu remembered that his sister He Saijun took out the piece and used it after she got married, and he didn't know if it was gone now.

It was because she liked it back then and couldn't bear to part with it that she kept it at the bottom of the box. To be honest, it was just a handkerchief.

Meng Shulan shook her head. "Mom, I can't bear to sell such a good thing. I'm just borrowing it to find a way to borrow some money."

In the previous life, when this handkerchief was exhibited, it caused a sensation in the industry. At that time, that scumbag Han Ning wanted it and said that someone was interested in bidding for it.

At that time, Meng Shulan had been working in the cultural center for some time, so she naturally would not sell it casually.

After that, the handkerchief was rented to the cultural center for collection and display and study purposes. Although not much rent was collected each month, the creator He Shaoqing's name was made known, which also fulfilled the grandmother's wish and thought.

"Borrow money with this handkerchief?"

Meng Changli was a little confused.

Meng Shulan nodded. "Although I'm not 100% sure, I'm very confident. Sister, next Sunday, let's go to the city and find someone. We can show the handkerchief to her. Maybe she can help us."

I lived for more than ten years in my previous life. If I couldn't even make some money, it would be really useless.

Since Meng Shulan said there was a way to think of it, Meng Changli naturally had no objection. Her sister was well-read and knowledgeable, so it would definitely be right to listen to her.

Seeing that both daughters nodded, He Jinqiu also fully cooperated. After all, the handkerchief was useless if it was kept at the bottom of the box.

The mother, daughter and their two daughters settled the matter.

At this time, Meng Fude pushed the door open and came back, holding a big silver carp skewered with grass whiskers in his hand.

"What are you three talking about?" The door was closed so tightly.

Meng Changli quickly called out "Dad" and then went to take the fish from his hand.

The fish was caught by Meng Fude in the reservoir, specially for his daughter's birthday snack.

The whole family was there. Meng Fude was smiling. When he returned to the main room and saw the things on the table, he asked He Jinqiu, "Why did you take out your treasure?"

He Jinqiu: "I'll tell you later."

The fish are back, let’s quickly clean up and make lunch, as my daughter has to go back to school in the afternoon.

The Meng family had a particularly rich lunch today. Silver carp was stewed with sour radish. The soup was milky white, fresh and fragrant, and especially delicious.

He Jinqiu also bought a palm-sized piece of pork belly and two pounds of pork ribs in town that morning.

Stir-frying pork belly with lettuce is delicious and refreshing.

The pork ribs are stewed with lotus root. The lotus root is very powdery and the soup is delicious.

The staple food is steamed white rice.

This meal was so rich that it could be considered a New Year's Eve dinner. At the dinner table, He Jinqiu kept picking up dishes from her two daughters and granddaughter. It was a rare occasion for her to have meat, so she let the children eat their fill first.

"Mom, you eat too."

Meng Shulan then gave the food in her bowl to He Jinqiu.

After dinner, Meng Shulan helped clean up the kitchen and started preparing things. She had to finish dinner early and go back to school.

You need to bring several sets of clothes for a week's food and clothing. The school ration is calculated at one pound per day, half of which is rice and half is corn grits.

In addition to buying porridge and steamed buns in the morning, the school only steams rice for students at noon and in the afternoon, so you have to bring two bottles of pickles.

One bottle contains dried preserved vegetables fried in lard by He Jinqiu, and the other bottle contains spicy bean paste.

In addition to these, Meng Shulan also brings two dollars of living expenses every week to buy breakfast and other daily expenses.

When Meng Shulan was packing her backpack, Meng Changli came in and took out two dollars to give to her sister.

"I'm still growing. I usually go to the market to eat some meat, and use the rest to buy some study materials."

The school was more relaxed on market days, and students could leave school at noon without a leave note.

Meng Shulan said she would not accept anything.

My sister is not the head of the family anymore, so she has to ask her husband and mother-in-law for money when she wants to spend money. How can she feel comfortable taking it?

Meng Changli felt strange. "It's only been two weeks since we last met, why do you seem so distant from me?"

In the past, when Meng Changli secretly gave money to her sister, she would refuse. But when it came to asking her to buy books or something, she would accept it and even hug her and act coquettishly. How come she became so mature all of a sudden this time?

Meng Shulan smiled, "Sister, I'm already eighteen, so don't treat me like a child anymore. If I weren't studying, I should be working in the fields, helping my parents, and finding ways to make money to support the family."

Meng Changli laughed and said to her, "Why do you think so much? The most important thing now is to get into university. As long as you pass, you'll be assigned a job in the future, and there will be plenty of opportunities to repay us."

Yes, for the villagers nowadays, going to college is the only chance to change their fate. Otherwise, how can they get out of this remote mountain area?

However, times will change, and ordinary people will have many opportunities in the future.

And just like in my previous life, what good was it that I graduated from university? What could I do to help my family with that meager salary? On the contrary, because I wanted to marry into the Han family, my parents had to put together a decent dowry.

So in her previous life, her admission to university did not change her own destiny and bring honor to her family, but other changes were not significant. She was even worse off than her brother who was a soldier. At least he paid off the family debts and provided for herself.

However, this inherent idea of everyone cannot be changed by just a few words from her.

And Meng Shulan does want to take the college entrance examination.

So she didn't continue the topic, but took her sister's hand and said to her: "Sister, can you please not tell your brother-in-law about our plan to open a shop and the handkerchief in Mom's hand for the time being, especially your mother-in-law?"

When Meng Changli heard this, the smile on her face slowly faded.

She nodded and said, "Even if you don't mention it, I won't tell you for the time being. It's hard to say anything about things that haven't been confirmed. You know my mother-in-law, she's got to control everything. Once we buy the sewing machine and are sure we want to do it, I'll bring it up with them."

When the time comes to set up a stall to do business, whether I go back to my parents' home or rent a store in town, these things cannot be kept secret.

When talking about family matters, Meng Changli's expression became a little more stubborn and complicated.

Meng Shulan looked at her sister's beautiful face and tightened her grip.

"Sister, if anything happens at home, remember to come back and tell me."

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(End of this chapter)