NOVPUBChapter 119: Chapter 118 Unable to Work, It’s Ruined
Ye Shuying was taken aback by her son’s words; were they something he heard today, or had someone taught him?
Mother-in-law Ms. Ding and elder sister stopped eating and silently watched the little boy, barely over a year old. 𝔫𝖔𝔳𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝔠𝔬𝖒
They wondered, had Ye Shuying taught him, or had the child thought of it himself?
In the afternoon, Ye Shuying was not idle. Since her mother-in-law didn’t help with the child, she had to carry him on her back using a sling, laying a towel behind him, and went to water the vegetable garden in the slightly chilly breeze.
Mother-in-law Ms. Ding returned to her room to work on her private projects, embroidering handkerchiefs to sell for some personal cash.
The elder sister didn’t linger; her home was just a few steps away, and naturally, she had to return to do the household chores, as her husband went to do odd jobs and she managed all the tasks during the off-season at home.
She had two sons and one daughter, with the daughter being the oldest at six years, and the youngest son was already two years old.
The eldest daughter looked after her two younger brothers at home, and they also often visited their grandparents’ house.
She didn’t need to bring the children to her mother’s house; her widowed mother trulyuldn’t be relied on to help with the children.
She knew her mother was somewhat selfish anduldn’t depend on her maternal home. She wouldn’t help with chores at her parents’ home during normal times or the busy farming seasons.
Her husband was very decisive and didn’t listen to her much. Although he lacked a formal trade, he was very capable when it came to working, particularly in terms of physical strength.
Working outside, Ye Senhainstantly felt someone was watching him, sneezing twice while he worked.
“Big brother, you’re not catching ald, are you? You can’t afford to fall sick at this critical time and infect me. If the two of us can’tme out to work, earning money for the New Year will be tough,” his brother worriedly nagged.
“No way? I don’t feel like it’s ald! I’ll just drink more water, and I’ll be fine.”
The othernstruction workers laughed when they heard the brothers’nversation:
“Ye Senhai, just don’t drink too much water; frequenting the toilet too often will make the boss say you’re lazy and pee too much.”
Ye Senhai just smiled at those working alongside him without retorting. They were being paid daily, with the money calculated by time, and the boss made sure people were monitoring them.
The bosses hoped they would spend less time in the toilet, smoke fewer cigarettes, move swiftly, and perform well, ideally making a day’s workunt as two.
Lunch wasn’t provided at thenstruction site, let alone dinner; at noon, they just bought some dry food from nearby and ate it—not filling, just enough to tide them over.
The brothers had to walk home for dinner; it took them over an hour to reach the village in the dark, arriving home hungry and exhausted.
Every day they walked for over an hour in the dark of early morning to get to work and did the same when returning home at night.
Earning money was such hard work, but then again, isn’t it always?
If they chose to live like the lazybones in the village, they might enjoy spare moments during this slack time but would keep their family poor.
Another reason Ye Senhai worked so hard was that only one new house had been built at home, which he used to get married.
There was no house yet for his younger brother’s marriage, and the money needed was still insufficient.
Their father had passed away so early? As the eldest son, like a father, the brothers had to work harmoniously together, hoping to earn enough to build another new house for the younger brother and to get him a wife.
When the brothers got home, they first washed their hands and feet and went to the living room to find their elder sister there.
Senhai didn’t say anything; he just quietly walked to the dining table, too hungry to talk much.
His younger brother was different, curiously glancing at his elder sister. It was just a short walk home; why eat dinner here again?
“Sister, why are you eating at home? Shouldn’t your brother-in-law be back too? Didn’t youok for him?”
“I’ve prepared the meal and let them eat first! Your brother-in-law willme here later,” the elder sister responded.
Ye Lanxiang wasn’t embarrassed by her younger brother’s words. She thought he was young and didn’t blame him for his lack of tact; it was just casual talk among siblings.
When her husband and younger brother-in-law arrived, Shuying served them food and rice, didn’t pour water for them, and while everyone was eating, she had to feed her son first before sheuld eat.
Ye Lanxiang saw a little cured meat in the dishes on the dinner table and indeed, as Shuying had said, the men’s presence at home made the evening meal a bit meatier; life at her mother’s house was better than hers.
The meal she prepared tonight for her husband and child didn’t have meat; the money her husband earned wasn’t just for saving.
She chewed on a piece of cured meat and then looked at her younger brother as the youngest said:
“Snd brother, third brother, today the village chief held a mobilization meeting. Snd brother, your uncle has bme famous.”
The news burst from Ye Lanxiang wasn’tmplete, but it already made Senhai and her younger brother very curious.
“Big brother’s uncle has bme famous! What happened?”
“What does the village chief’s announcement have to do with my uncle? Elder sister, why do you speak in fragments?”
Ye Lanxiang was pleased with the attitude of her snd and third brothers; their curiosity would inevitably prompt further questions.
“Snd brother, the village chief said it’s the wealthiest family in theunty, the Tang Family, wanting tollaborate with your uncle to build a factory and to buy the land at the village entrance. Think about it, your uncleuld bme a small boss now. Building a house must require hiring workers, right? Wouldn’t you have work to do then?”
“Snd brother, this is a good thing! I’d also like to work in our village. It would save me the trouble of walking every day. Big brother, you must speak with your uncle about this, so we brothers can work together.”
Upon hearing his elder sister’s words, Senhai too was pleasantly surprised but not as overly excited as his younger brother.
“During the meeting, did anyone at the village end sell their land?”
“Not yet, those people are still discussing and haven’t made a decision yet. Some want to sell the land, others don’t. The village chief said that arding to Housekeeper Tang, if the Tang familyuld buy the land here, they would prioritize hiring villagers and also give them opportunities to enter the factory as apprentices and laborers.”
“With such a good deal, why aren’t those selling the land rushing it? Theyuld earn money and have job opportunities.”
Ye Lanxiang looked at her younger brother’s anxious words and then glanced at her snd brother and said:
“Exactly! Such good opportunities; I also wish my husbanduld work there. However, some people can’t bear to see others prosper, saying their land sale has no relation to the village.”
“The village chief mentioned again, as Housekeeper Tang said, if they can’t buy the land in our village, they’llnsider buying in the next village over which would mean the neighbors will benefit from thenstruction and labor. This is one of thenditions.”
Hearing his elder sister’s words, Senhai’s initially calm demeanor began to waver, mainly worrying that if those people didn’t sell the land, even with his uncle there, the final say would be with the Tang family; whatuld his gentle-natured uncle possibly influence?
The work opportunity might be lost!
“Let’s hurry up and eat; the village chief might hold a mobilization meeting for Quan Quan tonight.”
