Educated Youth in the Countryside: She is the Village's Embroidery Queen!-Chapter 474: No Smelly Boys

The reality was indeed as she predicted, Wu Yongfei was reluctant to trouble the children and also reluctant to trouble his wife.

So, after Ge Sujuan went home and talked to him, Wu Yongfei decided to go back himself.

He was a man of action, so once he made the decision, he immediately put it into action.

He first went to the team leader to get a travel permit, then went to Yi Chichi to borrow some money.

"How much do you need?"

Yi Chichi, knowing his intention, didn’t refuse but looked at him and asked.

"Would twenty, twenty do?"

He said it with trepidation, afraid she might not agree.

Wen’s mother asked, "How much money do you have on you?"

"The family has saved up a total of forty-six yuan, but Juanzi and the child need to live, I can’t take all the money, I only took ten yuan."

So adding the twenty borrowed from Yi Chichi, it was exactly thirty yuan.

It’s not a small amount, but it’s not a lot either.

The main issue was the over two thousand kilometers journey, which would take several days even on a direct route, and transfers would prolong the time even more.

There’s food and accommodation to consider on the way.

Mr. Wu’s illness was very serious, going back for the funeral meant he should do something for his aging mother as a son.

No matter how the usual relationships were, when he goes back once every few years, he still needs to maintain face.

Thinking of this, Yi Chichi said, "Are you sure you only want to borrow twenty?"

Wu Yongfei was silent for two seconds, then nodded, "Only twenty, more would be a burden for Juanzi and me to repay."

Raising children is expensive; adults can live roughly, but not the children.

"Wait a moment."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Yi Chichi didn’t say anything, but went inside and brought out twenty yuan, along with two pounds of nationwide grain coupons.

Surprised to receive grain coupons, Wu Yongfei was taken aback, then looked up at her and managed to squeeze out a thank you.

Seeing his red eyes, Yi Chichi didn’t say "you’re welcome" or "it’s nothing", but smiled and said, "You’ll have to pay it back."

"I will definitely pay it back!"

Wu Yongfei nodded heavily, those willing to lend money are true friends.

True friends need to be cherished.

As the saying goes, repaying borrowed money makes borrowing again easy, he understood these truths.

The money must be repaid, and friends must also be cherished.

"I promise to repay you before the end of next year!"

"Alright."

Yi Chichi nodded, "Better get back quickly, so Juanzi won’t worry."

"Hmm."

He responded, bid farewell to Yi Chichi and Wen’s mother, and went home.

Qin Jiu was inside practicing calligraphy and didn’t come out.

After he left, Wen’s mother sighed, "These kids have it tough too."

When they first came, if not fair-skinned and tender, they were still youthful.

After going to the countryside, they all turned darker and weathered.

Their eyes no longer as clear as when they first arrived, filled with hopes for the future.

Now, there’s just a lack of light, a sense of living day by day.

"It is tough!"

Working in the fields is truly tough, factories aren’t much better, but they don’t have to be exposed to the sun, and hands and shoulders won’t grow thick calluses.

The countryside is tough, not just physically but emotionally too.

Because there’s no hope, no visible future.

Physical hardship can be endured, but enduring emotional hardship is much more difficult.

Fortunately, the time when the sunlight would shine on the land wasn’t far off.

In the evening, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted while lying in bed.

"Have you finished your designs?"

"Finished, but the final draft isn’t decided yet."

Wen’s mother turned to look at her, "Why isn’t it done yet?"

"Can’t decide."

She felt they were all good, but aesthetics differ, what she thought was good might not appeal to the committee.

"Mom, why don’t you take a look for me?"

Wen’s mother refused, "I’m not good at it. If you can’t decide, just take them all and let the committee choose."

"What if they like them all?"

This question stumped Wen’s mother, she hadn’t considered this possibility. Hearing it now, well...

It’s possible indeed.

Having mysterious confidence in her daughter-in-law, she chuckled, "Then give them all, and ask the committee for more coupons."

They didn’t initially ask for money, and it’s awkward to ask for it now.

Coupons are different, they were given before, so it’s easier to ask.

Moreover, coupons were more useful than money.

Coupons could be exchanged for money, but money on its own couldn’t easily secure coupons, which required scouring for those with extras.

Hence, more coupons were always better.

After Wen’s mother’s analysis, Yi Chichi found it reasonable.

Women need compliments, so she turned over and hugged Wen’s mother through the blanket, "Mom, you’re so smart. I’ll follow your advice, and tomorrow I’ll send them all to the committee for them to choose." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Wen’s mother felt her scalp tingle from the embrace. It had been years since anyone hugged her so intimately, and this sudden gesture was electrifying.

Yet her heart felt warm inside.

Indeed, sweet and soft little daughters are better than smelly boys.

In a moment of enthusiasm, she blurted out, "In the future, you and Wen Shi must have a daughter, not a smelly boy!"

Yi Chichi felt awkward. That’s not something they could decide.

"Then Mom, you’d better pray that Wen Shi’s seeds are up to the task."

Wen’s mother went on, "I get it, plant melons, get melons, plant beans, get beans. If a smelly boy is born, it’s not your fault, I’ll have a talk with Wen Shi."

This wasn’t something that could be taught successfully either.

Having children was enigmatic, like the compound where the second sister-in-law in the old world lived, it was all boys.

The compound where the fifth sister-in-law lived had all daughters, there was no average in between.

In Wen Shi’s compound... never mind, whatever comes, comes.

"Mom, it’s time to sleep."

"Sleep!"

Wake up and clear the snow.

If not cleared, it might cave in during the day.

The snow continued to fall heavily during the night, so much so that they had to get up early to clear it as the roof was piling up, causing some houses’ roofs to collapse in the village.

A loud rumble woke up countless people.

Wen’s mother and Yi Chichi were also startled awake, and got out of bed. After feeling around in the dark to light a candle, they exchanged glances and got up to dress.

"Must be someone’s roof that collapsed."

Wen’s mother said while dressing, "I’ll go take a look, Chichi you add some firewood to the stove."

The temperature had dropped considerably, and without adding wood, it was hard to keep warm till morning.

"Alright, mom, be careful, and take the flashlight with you."

"Got it!"

With her clothes on and holding the flashlight, Wen’s mother opened the door to a storm of wind and snow, accompanied by the noisy presence and hurried footsteps of others rising due to the sound.

Everyone who heard the noise had come out.

Yi Chichi didn’t bother with what was happening outside; she added a few logs into the stove before taking another flashlight to check the snow on the roof, finding it was really thick.

Just then, Qin Jiu’s voice came through, "Aunt, what are you looking at?"

Yi Chichi turned around to see Qin Jiu, fully dressed, standing at the door watching her curiously.

She felt a surge of joy, "Xiao Jiu, you’re just in time. Hold the flashlight for Aunt, I’m going up the roof to clear the snow."

Qin Jiu acknowledged, took the flashlight, and glanced at the roof, face shocked, "Oh my, how did this much pile up?"