Chapter 41: Do Not Shortchange Yourself

Tang Xin was unwilling to get out of bed, but her academic performance had always been quite good, so she remembered nearly everything her mother-in-law told her after hearing it just once. Especially the concept of work points, a unique aspect of rural life, which she took the time to understand thoroughly from her mother-in-law.

She soon realized that life in the countryside was truly arduous. After returning from the fields, there were still chores to be done. The private plot, vegetable garden, pigsty, and chicken coop all needed tending. Additionally, there was pigweed to gather, water to fetch, firewood to collect, and so forth. Essentially, throughout the year, there was rarely any leisure time. The key point was that despite such relentless toil, there was hardly any income to show for it.

Comparatively, city dwellers lived much easier lives. After work, they only needed to cook and do laundry. Tasks like mopping the floor were done once every ten days or so. No wonder rural folk tried every possible way to move to the city, while the educated youth were desperate to return there.

Night had already fallen. Li Sheng was circling the house with his wife and mother, flashlight in hand, while Father Li was still drinking with Old Third Gu. Father Li, usually silent and hardworking, didn’t smoke and only enjoyed a few cups of alcohol. Yet drinking was easy to lead to trouble, and alcohol wasn’t cheap either. These few days were a rare opportunity; usually, the old lady only allowed him a drink during the New Year or festivals.

Originally, it was Li Sheng who was drinking with Old Third Gu, but unwilling to drink more, he simply let his father take his place.

As for Old Third Gu, Tang Xin recalled him as well, since he was mentioned in the book. She didn’t know his exact name, only that he was three years older than Li Sheng. Years ago, Father Li led a group to open a mine, and an explosion killed two commune members—one of them was Old Third Gu’s father. After his father’s death, his mother cursed Father Li bitterly, but eventually took the ten yuan compensation from the brigade and remarried. She didn’t take her only son with her.

Old Third Gu’s father had fled famine to arrive at the Harvest Brigade, and had no other relatives there. With his father dead and his mother remarried, he became an unwanted orphan. At thirteen, he could earn work points to support himself with the brigade’s help, but as a half-grown boy, he was still easily bullied.

Father Li always supported him, and Mother Li treated him as another son, even helping him marry later on.

Yet Old Third Gu’s luck was poor. Not long after his marriage, his wife gave birth to a son, but she fell ill and died before Gu Nan turned two. He raised the child alone, relying on the help of Father and Mother Li, so Gu Nan could grow into a cheerful and handsome young man.

According to the book’s plot, after Li Sheng died, Old Third Gu simply treated himself as the eldest son of the Li family, taking up the burden of providing for them. Father and Mother Li were cared for by him until their old age. Li Kai and Li Xiyue didn’t go hungry thanks to him, and he even helped raise the twin brothers. In the novel, Old Third Gu never remarried, solely to look after the Li family.

Tang Xin remembered him so vividly not only because of his immense sense of responsibility, but also because after Li Sheng’s death, he was the only one to show the original owner any warmth.

Old Third Gu was still drinking. After some thought, Tang Xin returned to her room and took out a large apple for Gu Nan.

Gu Nan accepted it with delight, “Thank you, sister-in-law.”

Fang, however, laughed and corrected him, “You’re mixing up the generations; you should call her aunt.”

Technically, Old Third Gu and Li Sheng were brothers, making Tang Xin the younger brother’s wife. Gu Nan was used to calling her sister-in-law while following Li Jiang and Li Hai, but since Grandma Li said to call her aunt, he didn’t argue and immediately changed his greeting, “Thank you, aunt.”

He then gave the apple to Fang, asking her to cut it into four pieces—one for each of the three brothers, and one to save for his father.

He was a good child, but Tang Xin couldn’t help feeling things were rather confusing. Gu Nan called Fang grandmother, yet was close to Li Jiang and Li Hai as brothers.

Fortunately, Old Third Gu had come from another village as a refugee, so no one was too strict about family hierarchy with him and his son.

Although the weather was no longer hot, Tang Xin, being particular, still wanted to bathe. She had bathed before the wedding, but was too busy and exhausted yesterday, and felt she’d go moldy if she didn’t wash tonight.

Li Sheng, upon hearing his wife’s request, immediately went to heat water for her bath.

Li Xiyue grumbled inwardly, thinking her eldest brother was far too considerate of his wife. In their village, it was always women serving men. Only her brother, at his wife’s wish to bathe, would promptly heat water—didn’t he feel that was undignified?

When Tang Xin went to fetch her pajamas, she brought a fragrant soap for Li Xiyue. “Don’t use laundry soap when you bathe; it’s bad for your skin.”

Li Xiyue was instantly delighted. She sniffed it, remarking on its wonderful scent, and asked how much it cost, noting she’d never seen it at the commune—was it only used by city folk?

Seeing her joy, Tang Xin sighed; truly, the family was too poor and sheltered.

Her little sister-in-law was actually quite naive and good-natured. With her guidance, Li Sheng would not come to harm, and everyone in the Li family would prosper. Surely her mother-in-law and sister-in-law would have no reason to oppose her, and the rest of the family wouldn’t stray off course.

Take Li Kai, for example. Though he eventually became a local big shot like the main character Lu Liqin, his intelligence—even if it was just cunning—lacked direction. His cleverness brought him trouble; he suffered many hardships for want of proper guidance. If someone had taught him from the start, perhaps so many tragedies could have been avoided.

After a joyful wedding night, Li Sheng had no intention of taking a break tonight. His mother had said the first three days after the wedding were auspicious, and he wasn’t about to shortchange himself.

During the day, Li Sheng was a considerate husband, even fetching bathwater for his wife under the scornful gaze of his younger sister. But at night, when seeking his own pleasures, his domineering nature surfaced. He tormented Tang Xin until she was utterly exhausted, barely alive, yet she managed to wake early the next morning, remembering her important tasks.

In truth, Li Sheng was the first to rise in this household, followed by Father and Mother Li, who were already off to the fields by then. Early morning work for an hour before breakfast was customary for farm families; the children were still young, so the adults didn’t force them to get up early.

After such strenuous activity the night before, Tang Xin felt incredibly drowsy, barely able to keep her eyes open. Yet despite Li Sheng having exerted himself more, he was up even earlier, ready to head out for work.