Chapter 57 The Life Of My Parents' Home Should Also Be Considered
"Xiuniang, if you are really worried, you might as well go ask our mother-in-law. I reckon our stockpiled grain was still abundant enough to set aside a portion to your parents' home. After all, they are relatives, we should help each other. If they feel apologetic about it, they could return back the same amount of grain when their life is better next year."
Tian Xiuniang didn't answer her words, but she started to mull it over.
"Sister-in-law, would you like to come with me? I..."
Tian Xiuniang kept shilly-shallying but spoke out in the end, "You know, mother-in-law doesn't like me going back to my parents' home. So, I'm afraid that she won't accept my request. If you are there for me, you could give me a hand."
Chen Zhaodi agreed and they two moved slowly to Liu Cuihua's room.
The moment Liu Cuihua saw they came here together, she roughly guessed their intention.
Even when Tian Xiuniang stood behind her and massaged her shoulders the minute Tian came in, Liu Cuihua didn't refuse.
Liu Cuihua pretended not to know their meaning, she asked, "Why are you two coming here now?"
Chen Zhaodi was not as eloquent as Tian Xiuniang. This time, she was mainly here to accompany Tian Xiuniang and also wanted to see if her mother-in-law could help her parents' home as well.
Although her parents' home had hoarded up some grain, no everyone knew how long it could sustain before running out of it.
Therefore, the more food they had, the better life they would live.
When asked by her mother-in-law, Chen Zhaodi kept mute.
Tian Xiuniang smiled obsequiously, "Mom, it's no big deal. Uh... Well, you see, it's snowing outside. Food is hard to be searched. So ... I wonder if you could lend some grain to my parents' home..."
Liu Cuihua snorted in her heart as she thought Tian Xiuniang had lent large quantities of grain over the past few years but they never returned back. As the saying goes, "Kiss your money goodbye."
That being said, Liu Cuihua wasn't hardhearted. She knew clear that what kind of life Tian's parents' family was living. Life was quite hard in winter. But she couldn't bear to leave alone their relatives when their Wu family's basic needs were met.
"Fine, stop pleasing me. It's reasonable for you to consider your parents' home since we're all raised by our parents. Each of you just take back 20 liters of rice to your parents' home."
Tian Xiuniang and Chen Zhaodi showed a delighted smile when gaining Liu Cuihua's approval. But Liu Cuihua went on, "It's the last time. Who will ever consider lending things out to her parent's home in the future, don't blame me, the old woman, for being impolite!"
Only a stick and carrot strategy could restrain their actions.
Su Jiuyue who played with those kids all day did not know what happened today in Liu Cuihua's room. She didn't notice her two sisters-in-law had gone somewhere until she was called by her mother-in-law for the meal in the afternoon.
"Mom, where's my two sisters-in-law?" Su Jiuyue asked.
Liu Cuihua cooked the meal when two of her daughters-in-law had gone. Su Jiuyue hastened to take over the bowls and chopsticks to serve rice for everyone.
While setting out dishes, Liu Cuihua replied, "Your two sisters-in-law wanted to visit their parents' home so I let them go back."
Su Jiuyue didn't ask more questions. After dinner, she took initiative to pick up and do the dishes. She slept early that night so that she was unaware of her sisters-in-law's return.
The next morning, Su Jiuyue took Wu Xiyuan and followed the eldest brother Wu Dacheng to Niutou Town.
The mountain was covered by heavy snow but many people could still be seen on the road. Most of them walked along with their own families in the opposite direction to them three.
Those living in a mountain lived off it. People could search food in the mountain but the ones who lived in the city had no choice ... but to wait for death...
Along the way, Su Jiuyue noticed that there were several passers-by who stared at their baggage, which terrified Su Jiuyue. Probably, it's because of seeing Su Jiuyue followed by two men that passers-by dared not to grab their baggage.
The three walked all the way to Niutou Town, where there were more people here coming from other places this time than the last time they were.