Farmhouse Green Plum

Keeping secrets only involves filial piety and selfishness, and adults may still forgive them for the sake of money.

But being labeled as restless will ruin your reputation and you may never be able to get married. In serious cases, you may even be thrown into a pig cage.

Daya was naturally worried, but she didn't want to give up this opportunity. Xu Yuzhi's marriage had already been arranged and she would not be able to stay in the village for long.

Apart from her, there was no literate woman in the village and this was the only chance.

After thinking for a long time, Lai Di made a difficult decision: "I'd better forget it."

"Okay," Daya said without any hesitation, "When Xiaoxiang comes back, ask her if she wants to learn to read. I have to go in and cook breakfast. My aunt and her family will be here today, so I have to finish breakfast quickly and prepare lunch."

"With her courage, she definitely wouldn't dare to do that." Since she had already made the decision, Lai Di let the matter go and felt relaxed again. She teased her good friend about her courage, "Even mice are braver than her."

"You should ask her, just in case she wants to learn."

Lai Di agreed, rubbing her stomach and said, "I have to go back and find something to eat. I've been traveling all morning and I'm starving."

After breakfast, Daya picked up a broom and decided to clean the house inside and out. As soon as she finished sweeping the main room, Li called her and said, "Go get a bucket of water and clean the tables and chairs. Let Tianwa sweep the floor."

Your uncle likes cleanliness, so don't let people think our house is sloppy."

Having said that, regardless of whether she agreed or not, she called out to Song Tian: "Tianwa, come and help your sister sweep the floor."

Daya touched her red and swollen hands. Because of the fever from working, the chilblains inside were itchy, so she said, "Grandma, let my cousin clean the table. I have chilblains on my hands."

"I can't order you around now?" Li asked sarcastically, looking askance, "You are so picky about your work. Who doesn't have chilblains on their hands? You are the only one who is so delicate."

Seeing that Li was about to get angry, if it were in the past, Daya would have given in, but now, she changed her mind.

My hands are mine. If I give in, I will be the one who suffers. So I continued, "He only has a few small bumps on his fingers, but the backs of both my hands are frozen and swollen, almost full of pus."

Li glared at him and cursed, "You mean I abuse you? You are getting more and more ignorant as you get older. Go and see, who in the village doesn't have chilblains on their hands?

You are not a rich lady, why don't you work when you have frostbite on your hands? Are you all like you, starving to death? If you don't want to work, just jump into the river and be reborn!"

Daya pursed her lips, and under the pressure of Li's sharp gaze, she threw away the broom heavily, went into the kitchen, poured water, lit the fire, boiled a pot of hot water, and took it to the main room to wipe the tables, chairs and benches.

When Li saw this, she threw the sole of the shoe she was sewing at her, saying, "You are very precious now, but you still need hot water to clean the tables and chairs. What a waste of firewood."

Daya was already holding her breath, so she immediately said, "I picked up all the firewood, so it's a waste if it's wasted!"

“You, you, you…” Li was so angry that she couldn’t speak clearly. She turned around and saw the carrying pole in the corner. She stepped over and picked it up and waved it, “Come here and kneel down!”

Daya stretched her neck, bit her lips tightly, and tried her best to suppress the surging heat in her eyes.

After Yang finished feeding the cows, she came out of the cowshed and saw this. She hurried over to persuade Li: "Hey, it's New Year's Day, why bother with a little kid like her?"

He helped Daya cover up, "That water is the leftover hot water I boiled for the cows. She won't have to wait for a while before it cools down."

Cows are a very important property of the Song family. They rely on them to plow all the land, big and small. They are worried that the cows will freeze to death, so when the weather gets cold, the family always boils hot water for the cows to drink.

As she spoke, Yang reached out to take the shoulder pole from Li's hand and winked at Daya, "While the water is still hot, go and wipe the table quickly, or it will get cold soon."

Daya wiped away her tears and picked up the bucket to wipe the table.

Li followed Yang's force and let go of the carrying pole, but she kept talking, "She is getting more and more disobedient now. Not only does she talk back every other day, but she is also picky about the work she does..."

Even after Daya had finished wiping all the tables, chairs and benches, Li's scolding had not stopped. Daya simply went to the kitchen to help Yang prepare lunch, and ignored her scolding.

At three quarters past four, someone outside shouted, "Daya, your mother is here, come out and greet her!"

"Second aunt is here!"

Daya stood up happily: "Second Aunt, I'll go out and greet Second Aunt."

After saying this, he ran out like the wind without waiting for Yang's answer.

Because she was raised on Song Ergu's milk, Daya always called her "mother" when she was young, until one day a villager teased her: "Daya, you are a child without a mother."

Daya, who was only three years old at the time, explained in a baby voice: "I have a mother. My mother is in Guoxiang."

"That's not your mother, that's your second aunt. Your parents are supposed to live together. Why are you calling me Li Wu?"

"Second uncle."

"You see, your second aunt lives with your second uncle, so she is your second aunt, not your mother. Your mother died a long time ago and is buried on the slope west of Songlinpo."

The young Daya thought about it, then raised her head and burst into tears.

The villagers laughed and shook their heads, saying, "This girl is really funny."

Later, she could not remember anything before the age of four, and even many of her memories from when she was four or five years old gradually became blurred.

She didn't remember who teased her, nor who was around. She only remembered the conversations and the sky covered with a black cloth that she saw when she looked up. It was deeply engraved in her memory.

When she ran to the vicinity of the village chief's house, Daya saw her second aunt, who was carrying a backpack, a basket in one hand, and holding a child who was slightly older than Daya with the other hand. A tall and thin boy was following behind her.

She was greeting the village chief's wife, Qian: "Aunt Qian, Happy New Year. Haowa, Weiwa, hurry up and call someone, this is Grandma Qian."

The young man and the boy shouted in unison, "Happy New Year, Grandma Qian."

"Oh, your two sons are so sweet." Qian smiled, grabbed a handful of melon seeds and peanuts from the fruit plate, and walked towards the brothers Li Hao and Li Wei.

The two took the peanuts and melon seeds, their mouths became even sweeter, and auspicious words popped out one after another.

"Second Aunt!" Daya shouted and rushed over excitedly.

Qian teased her: "Daya is here to pick up your mother."

Daya smiled at her and didn't say anything. After greeting her two cousins, she held the backpack and said, "Second aunt, let me help you carry it."

Aunt Song slightly turned sideways to avoid her outstretched hand, "This is heavy, you carry the basket."

Daya smiled brightly, took the basket, and said, "Now that I am stronger, I have started chopping wood."

Seeing this, Qian teased them again: "Oh, the one who grew up drinking your milk is different. He knows how to love you."

Aunt Song smiled and patted Daya's head, saying goodbye to Qian: "Aunt Qian, come and play when you have time."