Farmhouse Pastoral Notes

Chapter 42 Borrowing Money
Without the variety of modern nightlife, there were very few entertainment items for people in ancient times.

Yuan Shi had just mended Hu Zi's torn clothes in the room, and couldn't help but yawned twice, stretched out his hand to rub the sore corners of his eyes, and Yuan Shi went down to the ground to put away the needlework beside him.Lock the door again, and then turn off the lamp and go to the kang.

As soon as the lights went out, the room was plunged into darkness. Yuan Shi took advantage of the moonlight to slip into bed, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

The yard was quiet, and the small chirping of insects could still be heard.There was still a faint light in a utility room in the west room, through the yellowed window paper, two figures in the room could be vaguely seen, one of them was holding the other's hand and begging, "Cong'er, her aunt. , please help me, I can’t do anything, Cong’er didn’t do it on purpose, he just had a small gash on his face, and he wanted to extort 5 taels of silver from us as soon as he opened his mouth, that’s 5 taels! It’s not that his eldest aunt doesn’t know about the situation, but your elder brother plays every day, no matter how much money you have, it’s not enough to spend, how can there be any money to pay for it?” At this point, the woman paused, wiped the saliva from the corner of her mouth with her hand, Then he said, "If you don't pay money, they will send Cong'er to the cell. The cell is no place for people to stay. Aunt Cong'er, you think of a way. Our Gu family is just such a single seedling! You can't ignore it.
Cong'er, his aunt..."

The woman was wearing an old colorless dress with dense patches and polished cuffs. Her hair was like straw and her face was yellow, which was more likely caused by long-term malnutrition.

The yellow-faced woman talked for a long time, but did not get any response from Gu Shi. The woman was curious, and quickly looked up. After seeing Gu Shi's sneering eyes, she angrily threw Gu Shi's hand away. The begging face before, now yells, "Well, you are a heartless thing. This is because you don't recognize your mother's family after you get married. Is your heart black when you eat it? You can't bear to see it. Seeing that something happened to the only seedling of the Gu family, my mother is also blind and keeps talking about how wonderful you are all day long at home, why is it so difficult for you to get some money now..." The woman was scolding on the rise, and she was a little carried away for a while, wait and see Seeing Gu Shi's drooping face, he trembled and was frightened to silence.

"Are you finished scolding? Should I say a few words? Do you think I should call you sister-in-law, or Gu Zhang?" Gu gritted her teeth and looked at the woman in front of her, sneering, "You It’s a shame to come to my house, I have forgotten what happened a few years ago, do you need me to help my sister-in-law recall the memories?” Gu Shi said here, and smiled at Gu Zhang Shi, “Also! What does your old Gu family care about me? Thing, it wasn’t like this attitude when I was sold here at the beginning, hey, this is because life is not going well, so you came to me, it’s rare that a busy person like sister-in-law still remembers me.” Gu looked at her eyes ironically. This guilty-faced woman wanted to cut her into pieces. She almost killed her at the beginning, but now she came here with a shy face to ask for money?snort!Was it for nothing that she, Gu's, survived all these years?Just dreaming.

"Her aunt, you...you can't say that." Gu Zhangshi held up her confidence, and said in a weak voice, "Your brother and I were also doing it for your own good. Look, isn't it good to be married? Eat and drink Well, Brother Juner is still studying, so we searched for you with all our heart..." The more Mrs. Gu thought about it, the more she became more confident, "You see, you don't have to worry about eating and drinking now, isn't it because of me and your elder brother? Is it a credit..."

"Shut up!" Gu interrupted the other party's words directly, with his hands hanging by his sides tightly clenched, and then looking at Gu Zhang who looked right, he sneered and said with a snort, "Oh, why not?" How about me? Then I really thank my sister-in-law for her kindness, for marrying me so well." "Let me just say, it's not that her aunt doesn't understand, and you really don't have to thank her, it's what a sister-in-law should do..." Gu Mrs. Zhang said no thanks and looked unconscious, which made Gu's anger even more, "You really think that I am thanking you, and you don't look at how big your face is, it's my fate. You met a good family, look at my second sister, and then look at my third sister, but thanks to you, it is a tragedy to be wasted." Gu's eyes were shining with sparks, and he looked at Gu Zhang's coldly. , Shrank Gu Zhangshi to the corner of the wall in fright.

Gu's heart couldn't help feeling a little sad. Her second and third younger sisters were sent to hell by this animal in front of her at an average age. Gu's was thinking every day, why God didn't open his eyes, how could they still live? It's alright, she's so chic with the money that their sisters sell themselves, but I didn't expect, I didn't expect, the retribution came so fast, the only seedling of her scumbag brother, Gu Cong had an accident, it's really pleasing to the heart, Gu's even thought Would you kowtow to the Buddha?How is it possible to return the money!
Seeing Gu Zhang's pale face, Mrs. Gu thought of something, suddenly showed that creepy smile, walked up to Gu Zhang, bent down and said in Gu Zhang's ear, "What? Remember? My good sister-in-law really has a good memory. I think the second and third sisters will thank the sister-in-law if they know about it. After all, I didn’t expect the sister-in-law to remember them. It’s been so many years." Gu’s tone was very light , as if an ethereal voice fell into the woman's ears, and the woman yelled in fright, "ahhh, it's not me, it's obviously because Gu Boss lost the bet, it has nothing to do with me, just look for it." Go find Boss Gu..." After listening to Gu Shi's words, Gu Zhang suddenly began to bark his teeth and claws, like a lunatic, stretching out his hands and slapping the surrounding air indiscriminately.

This guilty conscience made Gu's heart happy, and finally let out a bad breath.

"Hmph, do you think he'll be better off? You two don't have a good thing. You're really a match made in heaven. When my younger sister runs out, she uses her daughter. Dani is your own daughter. She actually married the next door for 7 taels of silver." An old widower in his 40s who only drinks and beats women in the village, you are such a good mother." Mrs. Gu thought again of her poor niece, what a good child, who was ruined alive.

"It's not my fault, it's all Boss Gu, and she's my daughter. After raising her for so many years, she shouldn't be the last to honor us."

What Gu Zhang said was full of confidence, and he didn't think he did anything wrong at all.

"Huh, it's your daughter anyway, I don't care how you want to spoil it, Gu Zhang, this is a hundred Wen, I give it to my mother, I don't have the rest, even if I have, I won't give it to you" Gu Shi didn't want to say a word to the person in front of him at all, so he took out his wallet from his sleeve and threw it on Gu Zhangshi.

"Are you sending a beggar? It's so different from five taels of silver." Gu Zhang's eyes lit up when he saw the purse, and he opened it quickly, only to find that it was only 100 Wen, and then began to criticize Gu who was opposite.

"Don't give it to me..." Gu Shi just wanted to snatch it back, Gu Zhang Shi stretched out his hand to hide, and quickly put the wallet in his arms, thinking that a little bit is a little bit, but he can't just take it back, otherwise Boss Gu should hit her again Now, thinking of this, Mrs. Gu did not hesitate. It can be seen that there is no extra money from Mrs. Gu today.

With a bang, Mrs. Gu closed the door and kicked Mrs. Gu out of the Yang family.

Mrs. Zhang looked back, and snorted coldly in her heart. No matter how powerful Mrs. Gu is, it is useless. She can hide from the first day of the new year but not the fifteenth day. It will be fine when that dead old woman comes tomorrow. Give.

Gu Zhang sneered at the gate of the Yang family, and then ran down the path. Boss Gu was still waiting for her at home for money, and it was going to be too late for her to go back, so she had to be beaten.

Gu Shi had a nightmare all night, as if she had returned to the time when she was suffering so much.There are five girls and one son in the Gu family. His father is cruel and his mother is cowardly. The elder brother got married and his wife got even worse. All gone, the fourth brother was sold to a cripple in the same village for 8 taels of silver because of his beauty, the fifth brother couldn't stand it, and finally ran away with a salesman while the elder brother was not paying attention He never came back again. When Gu knew about it, he thought he should run away, otherwise he would have to take advantage of that beast sooner or later.

Oh, she really has nothing to recall about the days before she got married. When Gu Shi woke up, it was not yet bright. Looking at the dark night outside, Gu Shi felt troubled. According to her sister-in-law's temperament, that was She vowed not to give up without answering, probably her mother would come over to ask for money tomorrow, her tears couldn't stop streaming down, what could she do, she could refuse Gu Zhang, but she had no choice but Gu to refuse her mother.

Chunqiu got up very early today, because she slept too much yesterday, so that Chunqiu is very energetic now, but ever since Chunqiu woke up, she has discovered the unusual atmosphere of their house today, because it is quiet!
Even Chun Hua and Xiao Shitou, who have always played the most, didn't say a word, cooked breakfast in a proper manner, and left in a proper manner after eating, so frightened that Chun Qiu couldn't regain his senses. What happened to her second sister today?
Chunqiu was troubled by this problem for a long time.It wasn't until an old lady suddenly rushed into the gate of their Yang family that they got an explanation.

When everyone was resting in the yard, an old lady with white hair and dark blue clothes covered in patches ran into the gate of Yang's house, hugged her uncle's legs directly in front of everyone's eyes, and started began to cry.He didn't give others any buffer time, and kept shouting "Fen'er, Mother Fen'er, I'm sorry for you", Fen'er?Chunqiu thought to himself, this is the nickname of the auntie. At this time, Chunqiu was huddled behind the pear tree and watched intently. He didn't know when Chunhua came from Westinghouse.

"What's so interesting, I'm here to ask for money again." Chunhua's tone was not very good, and the meaning was a little vague, but Chunqiu is not a child, so after thinking about it for a while, I can understand everything, the old lady of feelings is here The uncle is here to ask for money?But can her aunt give it?Chunqiu wondered in his heart, you know, her aunt is not much better than her grandmother, isn't it better that grandmother gave the steamed stuffed bun business to the previous loach recipe?But these are also Chunqiu's guesses.

"You want money? But why are you crying?" Chunqiu pointed to the old lady who was crying and wiping her face full of snot and tears. She turned her head to look at Chunhua, and there was a fight. People who didn't know thought it was abuse.

"Hmph, pretend to be pitiful, it's okay, it'll be fine in a while, anyway, I come here several times a year, and I'm used to it, alas," Chunhua said with a calm expression, and sighed slightly sadly after she finished speaking.

"..." I'm used to it!Chunqiu was a little stunned by surprise, isn't it, this is not acting, if you say you are used to it, you are used to it.

"I don't believe it, look, stop crying." Chunhua saw Chunqiu's face full of disbelief, she stretched out her finger and pointed to the opposite side, Chunqiu followed her finger and looked back, let alone, she really stopped crying.

"Let's go, let's go back to the house. It's time to complain again. I'm tired of hearing it." Chunhua took Chunqiu to the house, and said as she walked. Already immune.

Chunqiu was stunned and pulled away by Chunhua without saying anything.

On the other side, the complaining conference is also going on.

"Fen'er, my mother is sorry for you." Mrs. Gu was pulled up from the ground by Mrs. Gu, and said while crying.

"Mom, if you have something to say, just say it. If it's about Cong'er, I can't do anything. Don't blame me. My four children are waiting for me, and I can't afford to take care of them." Gu said absolutely, He just forgot to cry what Mrs. Gu said.

Yuan shi stood aside and suppressed a smile. She came here several times a year, which made people speechless.

"Fen'er, you have to help, Cong'er is the only child of our old Gu's family." The old lady Gu was dumbfounded, but she did not forget the task, her complexion changed rapidly, and her eyes burst into tears again.

"But am I still from our old Gu's family? Mother, if you don't believe me, ask my mother-in-law. Back then, you sold me to Lao Yang's family. The words are all in black and white. Mother, what do you want me to do?" Gu looked at her. Old lady Gu looked sad, and her eyes were already dry and sore.

"But... you are still my daughter, my daughter, if you don't care about your mother, there will be no one for your mother." Mrs. Gu said nothing. It was true at the beginning, but Hua'er is still her daughter. If a daughter is a daughter, she should take care of her .

"So don't give the money I gave you to Boss Gu to gamble. Mother, look, our five daughters are not enough for him to harm, and now we have sold our own daughters. How can you pay back the money to such a person? Mother, "Ms. Gu hates that iron cannot be made into steel. Why is her mother so cowardly and uninitiated, and is he, Boss Gu, his own son?"A few of them are also daughters who have been raised for more than ten years. They sold them when they said they would sell them. Why is her mother so cruel?Gu's eyes looked sadly at the old lady Gu, and she felt sad for her sisters who had been gone for a long time.

"Fen'er, mother has nothing to do. If I don't agree, he won't give me a pension. Mother is just such a son. Hua'er, you can treat me as a poor mother, okay? Mother really doesn't have long to live." Gu The old lady's tone was a little trembling, she looked up at Gu's clasped hands and kept praying.

She is just an ordinary peasant woman, married to her husband, and her husband to her son after death, she can't do anything.

"Mother, am I not your own daughter? Mother, you should be sober, he, Boss Gu, is just a beast, how could he raise you?" Gu's tone was serious, looking at the old lady Gu's graying hair, she was also stabbed in her heart. Ge's life hurts, when her mother asked her, did she ever think that she also has difficulties?

"No, no, the boss won't treat me like this. He will support me. This is what he said himself. You can't lie to me." Mrs. Gu was full of disbelief and kept shaking her head. Yuan's heart is also uncomfortable.

"Okay, what your son said is right, and I was wrong, okay? Mother, this is three taels of silver. I'm helping you this time for the last time. Go back." Gu Shi held back tears, and put the money she had prepared in her hand. The money was given to Mrs. Gu.Why doesn't her mother think about it, if Boss Gu raised her, why would he not dare to show up for so many years and just hide in the town and never come back.Forget it, she, Mrs. Gu, will stop talking.

"Fen'er, mother knows that I'm making things difficult for you, but I can't help it. I'm just such a son, Hua'er, don't worry, I won't come again next time, and I won't ask you for money." Mrs. Gu With an affirmative face, he even raised his hand above his head to swear, for fear that Mrs. Gu would not believe it.

"Let's go, mother, my sister-in-law is still waiting for you at the door." Mrs. Gu reached out and pulled her mother's skinny hand, with a heavy voice, pointing to Mrs. Gu who was wandering around at the gate of Yang's house not far away. Said, she feels very tired now, her mother said that every time, she said it was the last time, but at the end of the day, she still came over, heh, Mrs. Gu didn't want to recall, she just wanted to cry right now, she really too tired.

"Fen'er, that mother is gone." The old lady Gu glanced back, and after finishing speaking to Gu Shi, she staggered away with her staggering steps, looking at the thin and thin back, Gu Shi hadn't Unable to hold back the tears, he covered his face with his hands, squatted on the ground and began to cry bitterly.

Yuan's eyes on the side were also a little bit dry, so she had to come over and comfort her softly. Only Mrs. Gu can force her sister-in-law to be so fragile. "Sister-in-law, don't think about it, just go there." "Second brother, sometimes I envy you, look at my mother, why is it so useless, why do you have to follow my brother, she is Aren't you stupid?" Mrs. Gu couldn't help crying, and her tone was a bit upside down.But Yuan Shi understood, reached out and patted Gu Shi's shoulder, and said in a deep voice, "It's still different, after all, you are a daughter."

"Hahaha, that's right, I'm just a dispensable daughter, woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..." After speaking, she squatted on the ground and kept crying...

Yuan Shi didn't speak, but just stretched out his hand to pat Gu Shi's back. At this time, other people's words are useless, and he has to come out by himself to be regarded as the real past. However, Yuan Shi sighed in his heart. Her sister-in-law's knot is over, unless Mrs. Gu is not around, otherwise, it will be difficult!

Chunqiu doesn't know what happened in the yard, she is playing with Chunhua in the house now, and what she is playing with is the beanbag that Chunqiu begged Yuan Shi to make for her, it can be regarded as Chunqiu's childhood memory.

Chunhua was not very happy because of the old lady Gu's affairs before, so as soon as the spring and autumn were counted, she took out a newly made sandbag and handed it to her. The two studied for a while and decided to go out to find Huzi and the others to play together.

"Third Sister, let's go out to play, there are so many people, they are all at the entrance of the village." Chunhua held a sandbag and said to Chunqiu beside her.

"Okay, let's go, mother is outside, talk to mother" After Chunqiu finished speaking, he ran out with Chunhua, leaving Yuan Shi alone in the yard. After crying, Mrs. Gu went back to the house to wash her face. It's okay, just sit in the yard and continue to flip her tea.

"Mom, my second sister and I are going out to play"

Yuan shi smiled back, and then said worriedly, "Don't fall, run slowly." At this point, she still didn't feel relieved, "Don't go into the water..."

Chunqiu responded with a giggle, pulled up Chunhua at the side and ran away, not caring about what Yuan Shi had to say later.

The breeze blows Chunqiu's hair slightly, revealing that bright smile on his face...

(End of this chapter)