nycdaug Chapter 122 You wouldn't happen to be the hen they were talking about that can't lay eggs,
Chapter 122 You wouldn't happen to be the hen they were talking about that can't lay eggs,
Meng Jiuhe just looked at the girl in his arms. He wanted to say that he just wanted to help her, so why didn't she appreciate it? With her pockmarked face, she was being criticized and disliked. Didn't she feel bad at all?
Xu Chaoyan patted his back gently as she murmured, "Sleep now. There's plenty of time in the future."
Even after Xu Chaoyan fell asleep, Meng Jiuhe was still wide awake, staring blankly at the top of the tent.
Was he being disliked, or did he annoy people by acting on his own initiative?
Meng Jiuhe remained wide awake until the sky began to lighten, finally managing to take a short nap.
The crowing of roosters echoed over and over in the distance. Xu Chaoyan opened her sleepy eyes. She was so tired that she wanted to just lie down and sleep soundly until the end, but reason pulled her back to reality.
He glanced at Meng Jiu and saw that he had dark circles under his eyes, making him look like a national treasure. He wondered to himself, "Did this guy not sleep last night and go to steal a cow?"
She quietly got dressed and got out of bed without making a sound.
Meng Jiuxia brought over a basin of warm water, hesitating whether or not to knock on the door.
Xu Chaoyan opened the door from the inside and saw her. She immediately waved her hand, telling her to keep her voice down.
"Your older brother is still fast asleep, don't disturb him."
Meng Jiuxia pointed to the kitchen, and the two then walked over there.
"Sister-in-law, I've already made breakfast. Eat some while it's hot so we can get to work. Oh, and here's yesterday's wages. Keep it safe for now."
Meng Jiuxia took out a few copper coins from her tattered purse and handed them over.
Meng Jiuxia looked at the few copper coins lying quietly in her palm, but did not reach out to take them.
"Sister-in-law, why don't you keep it for yourself? You can slowly save up for your dowry later. I still have some left over now."
Meng Jiuxia suddenly put on a stern face, walked over angrily, and shoved the copper coin into her hand: "Are you complaining that I don't earn enough, or are you looking down on me?"
Meng Jiuxia was young and not strong enough, so her wages were naturally reduced by one cent. Xu Chaoyan just wanted her to keep it for herself, since she was not young anymore and would naturally get married in the future, so she could buy some things she needed.
It seems she misunderstood. The sister-in-law's face was puffed up with anger, like a squirrel with its cheeks puffed out, which was quite cute.
Xu Chaoyan felt the warmth of the copper coin, picked one up and placed it in her hand, explaining gently and patiently, "We don't lack food at home right now, keep this for when we need it."
Meng Jiuxia looked at her stubbornly, refusing to accept the money: "You just look down on me and think it's too little. What am I supposed to do with it? You'll have to save it up to support your nephew later."
Xu Chaoyan deliberately put on a stern face: "You're not listening to your sister-in-law anymore? Just keep it. A girl is growing up, and you need to prepare a dowry. The family's financial situation isn't good right now, but when I have more money, I'll prepare a proper dowry for you. Keep some for yourself after work each day. You can buy some silk thread to embroider a handkerchief, or if all else fails, you can prepare socks for your husband. I'm really not good at these things."
Xu Chaoyan spoke the last sentence with little confidence, her voice growing softer and softer.
Meng Jiuxia stared at her in shock, her mouth agape wide enough to fit an egg, and she simply took the coin back.
"Didn't your mother teach you last time? You didn't learn it."
Xu Chaoyan glanced at her somewhat guiltily, her voice softening, no longer as matter-of-fact as before.
She couldn't help but cough a few times.
"Well, this also requires talent. I'm not cut out for needles, so from now on, the needlework at home will have to rely on you, sister-in-law. I promise to prepare a generous dowry for you in the future."
Meng Jiuxia looked at her with a worried expression: "You're such a grown-up, and you can't even do needlework. What will happen to my nephew's clothes in the future? Also, I won't get married. I'll stick to you shamelessly for the rest of my life."
Xu Chaoyan splashed some warm water on her face: "You wish! You'd be a spinster your whole life, aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"
Meng Jiuxia wiped the water off her face, her cheeks flushed slightly: "I'm happy, who can tell me what to do? I'm not going to eat their food. I'll take care of your child from now on. You should also try harder. It's been so long since you married into the family, and there's still no sign of anything happening."
She suddenly covered her mouth for a while before exclaiming, "Morning Glory, you wouldn't happen to be the hen that the village aunties talk about that doesn't lay eggs, would you? I was planning to have you and your older brother have a few more children. I've already calculated it out, one at the beginning of the year and one at the end, so that the first one will be weaned and ready to walk. Our family is dwindling in size, so you have to take on the responsibility of carrying on the family line."
Xu Chaoyan almost spat out her water, giving her a reproachful look and a puzzled expression: "How do you, a young girl, know so much? Who told you this? Don't learn bad things from this."
Xu Chaoyan thought to herself: This guy is planning to become Andy Lau.
Meng Jiuxia looked her up and down, finally fixing his gaze on her abdomen, his face full of worry.
“Grandma used to always talk about it to my mother. You'll understand once you hear it enough. The aunties in the village have said it too. Besides, every family has a bunch of babies. That's what makes a family prosperous.”
Meng Jiuxia's gaze grew increasingly pitiful as he looked at her. Finally, as if he had made a decision, he walked over and grabbed Xu Chaoyan's hand, saying, "Sister-in-law, don't be discouraged. Once I earn some money, I'll take you to see a doctor and have someone check your health. Don't worry, our Meng family won't look down on you."
For the first time, Xu Chaoyan felt somewhat powerless to refute. The two of them had simply slept together, so how could they possibly have a child? She couldn't possibly tell her sister-in-law this, and besides, the risks of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl giving birth were too great. She wanted to live a few more years.
She tried to explain, but Meng Jiuxia saw it as sophistry. She explained that she wasn't sick.
Meng Jiuxia nodded, looking like a little adult: "Sister-in-law, I understand your pain. Although my brother dislikes you, you should take the initiative. You are husband and wife."
Xu Chaoyan couldn't listen to any longer and quickly interrupted her: "Little sister-in-law, you're just a young girl, don't listen to those people's nonsense. Right now, your brother's health is the most important thing, nothing else matters."
Meng Jiuxia's face visibly fell again, and she pouted, "You're complaining about my brother's health again. Sister-in-law, look, after seeing the doctor a few times, I think he's recovering quite well. Don't complain about him."
The little girl is just a little girl; she only said a few words and she looked like she was about to cry.
Meng Jiuhe had been standing outside for quite a while when he couldn't help but offer a word of advice to his younger sister, just as Xu Chaoyan interrupted him.
"Cough, cough, cough, little sisters, you're up so early."
Meng Jiuxia quickly composed herself and regained her composure, though her voice sounded a little strange.
"Good morning, brother. I've prepared hot water for you. Go wash your face quickly."
The two looked at each other, and Meng Jiuxia mouthed a few words: "Big brother didn't hear that, did he?" Afraid that no one would understand, she pointed to her ear.
Xu Chaoyan shrugged helplessly and replied in a breathy voice, "I guess not? Otherwise, things wouldn't be so calm."
After finishing their meal, the two filled their containers with warm water and prepared to go out.
Meng Jiu and the others followed behind and stopped them.
Xu Chaoyan looked puzzled: "Why are you stopping us? Hurry up and go back inside. The sun will be very strong soon, and my sister-in-law and I need to go to work. Just keep an eye on the chickens and Hei Zi, and don't bring us lunch. Just take care of yourself."
Meng Jiuhe stood there, refusing to budge: "You have to take me with you. What kind of man am I, just sitting at home doing nothing? I'll do whatever you do, otherwise nobody's leaving this house today."
The three of them remained at an impasse. Xu Chaoyan glanced at the sun, which was almost up, and decided not to argue with him anymore, so she took him out.
The three of them rushed as fast as they could, but they were still a little late. Yesterday, when the employer saw that they were late, he waved them away as if they were animals.
"Go, go, go. If you're late, don't even think about working. There are plenty of people coming to me looking for work, I don't need one more. You're all lazy and good-for-nothings, you can't be expected to put your heart into your work. And you even bring your gigolos with you when you go out, so I definitely don't want you."
Meng Jiuhe clenched his fists tightly, his expression grim; no one would be happy to be called a pretty boy.