Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
âThatâs true. The only things that we can water now are the sweet potatoes and our vegetable fields.â Mrs. Bai concluded.
The others werenât happy after hearing this. They fell silent because they all knew how bad their situation was.
With the water level in their well, they didnât know how many more times they could water their crops. If they couldnât hold on until the day of harvest, their coming would be harrowing.
Just as everyone was silent, Mrs. Wang, Gu Ziyi, Mrs. Fang, and her son came in. âHey, whatâs going on? Why are all of you just sitting there and not saying anything?â
âWe were just talking about the crops in our fields and arenât optimistic about them. Do take a seat.â Zhou Ying explained and got up to give her the stool.
After greeting Gu Ziyi and the mother and son, she asked, âBig sister, where are the two children? Why didnât you bring them?â
âChengxi took them to play. Heâll be back in a while.â Gu Ziyi replied with a smile.
Zhou Ying picked up the teapot and was about to pour a cup of tea for them when she found that the pot was empty. âYou guys continue chatting while I get some more tea.â
After she said that, she took the teapot and walked out.
The others surrounded Gu Ziyi and asked about her life in town.
Seeing this, Mrs. Fang took the opportunity to find Gu Ziqiu and give her a gift. When Zhou Ying returned with her teapot, the groom drove a carriage to pick up the bride. Gu Chengxi immediately brought a group of youngsters to greet them, asking for some red packets and candies before letting them in.
After that, Gu Zishan and the rest stopped the groom from getting in again at the entrance to the house. After receiving some red packets, they only let the groom in.
Gu Chengzhi went in and carried Gu Ziqiu out of the boudoir.
After the newlywed couple went to the living room to pay their respects to the brideâs parents, they set off.
As soon as the carriage left, Second Aunt Gu took a water basin and went out, crying. She splashed it at the door and stood there, staring at the carriage with tears flowing down her face.
âIt really fits that saying; a married girl is like water that has been poured out.â Zhou Ying said it with emotion.
âThatâs right; thatâs why we women have a hard life. No matter how good your maternal family is, once you get married, youâre an outsider.
âThe in-laws still treat you as an outsider before you become the head of the family.â Mrs. Guo spoke at this moment.
Zhou Ying was stunned after hearing that and continued, âThis is why women should be self-reliant. We shouldnât rely on others.â
With Mrs. Liuâs personality, if her daughter Gu Ziqi could not marry into a prominent family in the future, she would not care about her after that. This meant she had to rely on herself.
As for whether Gu Ziqi could understand her hint, she didnât care about that. Afterwards, Zhou Ying turned around and called everyone back into the house. When the banquet started at noon, because Gu Chengzhi, his wife, and Gu Chengye had gone to send off the bride, Gu Chengrui had to accompany Father Gu and Second Uncle Gu to entertain the guests and give toasts to everyone. After a round of drinking and when everyone was almost done eating, the three finally returned. They quickly ate a few mouthfuls because they still had to see the guests off later.
When it was time to send off the guests, the patriarch pulled Gu Chengrui aside and said, âYou can sit down now since your two elder brothers will be able to handle the small number of guests now.â
âExactly. Take a seat, and letâs discuss something.â The village chief agreed.
Gu Chengrui had no choice but to sit down when he heard he had something to discuss. âWhat is it about?â
âI heard that many people have started to escape to the south. What do you think our village should do? Should we leave after the summer harvest?â The village chief asked directly.
âYeah, Iâm afraid the well water in the village wonât last long.â The patriarch nodded.
âI personally think that we shouldnât leave if possible. The most important thing is that our village is not yet at the end of its rope.
âTake the ring of mountains behind us, for example. Do you think thereâs no water or food in it?
âWith the harvest from the fields, we can still hold on for another year.
âA yearâs time should be enough for the weather to recover..ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om