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Chapter 525: Chapter 515: It’s Good to Have a TV to Watch
"Exactly, always showing off. What’s there to boast about? You’re a college graduate too, and you even got admitted before her Fang Chengjian did. You’re way better than them."
Dashuan’s wife deep down always felt that even though Fang Chengjian had also gotten into college, he was not in the same league as Yunfang.
"Whether I’m better than Fang Chengjian, I don’t know for sure yet, but I am definitely better than Shen Yunxiu," Yunfang said modestly. Although she looked down on people like Fang Chengjian, to be fair, he did have some tricks up his sleeve. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to sweet-talk Shen Yunxiu into his arms and have her so willing to work for him. "I heard from the neighbors that to support Fang Chengjian through school, Shen Yunxiu worked as a temp in a factory. So, if you find Shen Yunxiu doesn’t quite seem like a city person, that’s because she’s tired from working as a laborer." Yunfang thought about how back in the old days in her hometown, as an unmarried woman, she was pampered. Her uncle and aunt never made her do any chores, let alone the heavy lifting. But now, look at her, working in the factory every day just like the men. How could her spirit be the same?
"Ah? This this..." Dashuan’s wife didn’t know what to say anymore.
Should she say it was wrong of the Fang Family to make Shen Yunxiu work and earn money to support Fang Chengjian through school? Not really, since she was married to Fang Chengjian, and as his wife, she should help out. They were already married, so could you still expect his parents to keep supporting him? That didn’t seem right. But then again, putting all the burden on Shen Yunxiu didn’t seem quite right either.
"It doesn’t matter. With Shen Yunxiu’s nature, she’s definitely doing this willingly. She’s now so lost in love that she can’t see the good from the bad. Don’t worry; her time to suffer is not far away," Yunfang said with conviction.
"Maybe it won’t be so bad. If she truly perseveres for a few more years and sees Fang Chengjian through, wouldn’t that be good?" Dashuan’s wife was a traditional woman. If she were in that position, she would do the same.
"If Fang Chengjian were a man with a conscience, then Shen Yunxiu’s sacrifices would surely lead to better days ahead with him. But I think Fang Chengjian is not that kind of person. I bet he’s just sweet-talking Shen Yunxiu into making money for him now. By the time he graduates and finds a job, Shen Yunxiu will probably be pretty much done."
Done with what? Probably be ready to pack up and make room for someone new. Once Fang Chengjian graduates from college, if he still wants Shen Yunxiu, a rural wife, that would be a surprise. Yunfang saw right through Fang Chengjian, and she believed many others did too. It’s just that Shen Yunxiu was still dreaming, maybe afraid or unwilling to wake up.
"No way, he can’t be that heartless, right?" Dashuan’s wife was somewhat in disbelief. More accurately, she couldn’t imagine people being so callous.
"Right now all we can say doesn’t matter. We’ll see when he graduates," Yunfang also hoped she was wrong. Not because she pitied Shen Yunxiu, but because she pitied her uncle and aunt.
"Geez, why do these city folks have to be so scheming? And always up to no good," Dashuan’s wife lamented.
"It’s not just a city or rural thing. We’ve got plenty of those types back home too. It’s just that without a conflict of interest, they tend to hide it well, and ordinary folks can’t see it," Yunfang said sensibly.
Suddenly, both of them heard a noise from the courtyard. Yunfang looked at her watch—it was already past six in the evening. "It might be your mother-in-law starting to prepare the filling. Let’s get up and make dumplings too." They couldn’t let the old lady do all the work alone.
Quickly throwing off the covers and putting on her shoes, Dashuan’s wife said, "You stay in bed and get some more sleep with the child. I’ll go help with the dumplings."
Yunfang couldn’t do that. How could she sleep in the room while others worked outside? That wouldn’t be right. "No need, I can’t sleep anymore. We’ll sleep together later at night. Let’s wrap the dumplings together; it’ll be faster." She put on her shoes, got down to the floor, and tucked the children in properly.
The two women left the room and, sure enough, saw Madam Wang preparing the filling by herself.
"Why didn’t you all sleep in a bit longer? Did I wake you up?" When Wang Da Nai saw her daughter-in-law and Yunfang come out together, she was a bit surprised, but she didn’t ask anything else.
"No, we weren’t asleep anyway. I was just going over to have a chat with Yunfang." Dashuan’s wife naturally walked over, took the basin and chopsticks from her mother-in-law’s hands, and started working.
"Da Nai, why don’t you go and rest a bit? My sister-in-law and I can handle the work." Yunfang urged Wang Da Nai to go and rest some more. The older woman had worked hard the past few days, and now that they were all at home, they couldn’t let the elderly woman work anymore.
"No need to rest anymore. I’m getting on in years and sleep less. If I sleep now, I won’t be able to sleep tonight. If we all work together, we can make extra. If we can’t eat them all, we’ll freeze the leftovers and bring them out for tomorrow morning’s meal." The old lady said as she prepared to go to the other room to scoop out flour to knead dough.
"Da Nai, it’s really cold outside, don’t go. Give it to me, I’ll go." Yunfang snatched the flour basin from Wang Da Nai’s hands and went outside.
"Mother, I went to give Yunfang some money just now. Dashuan said he also wants to buy an apartment in the Capital, so he asked me to give Yunfang three thousand yuan to keep an eye out for us. I’ve also kept a thousand for ourselves. It should be enough to build three big tile-roofed houses in the village when we get back." As soon as they were alone, Dashuan’s wife simply briefed her mother-in-law on the situation.
"Alright, as long as you two have discussed it and are in agreement, it’s fine by me. I’m too old for anything else; I’ll just look after the kids for you. As for the rest, I can’t be bothered anymore." Although Wang Da Nai said this, she felt quite comfortable inside. Besides, it was her son’s house they were talking about buying, and as his mother, she certainly had to support that.
At that moment, Li Xianglian also came in, "Da Nai, you all got up so early. Why didn’t you call me?" She had actually been asleep, the most solid sleep she’d had since coming to the Capital. If her husband hadn’t heard some noise outside and woken her up, she would still be sleeping.
"There’s not much work; just a few of us will wrap them up quickly. We don’t need you." Wang Da Nai said with a smile.
"That won’t do. I must join in wrapping the New Year’s dumplings; I’ve got to snag some good luck for myself." Li Xianglian went over and competed with Dashuan’s wife to work, "Come on, let me stir the filling."
In the end, the dumplings for the thirtieth were wrapped by the four women together. They made three different fillings: chive and egg, pork and cabbage, and lamb and carrot.
All four of them were skilled workers, chatting while they worked. By a little after eight in the evening, they had wrapped up a whopping six trayfuls of dumplings, each tray piled high with plump and pale dumplings, looking delicious even before tasting them.
After wrapping the dumplings, the women went inside and called the children to get up, as the thirtieth’s meal of dumplings was a must. Then the men set off firecrackers, and several families gathered together to enjoy a reunion meal of dumplings.
After the meal, the children were full of energy and scampered off to play in the yard together, while the adults started playing cards in the house.
Yunfang was not too fond of playing, so she stayed with Wang Da Nai, who also didn’t know how to play, to serve the table.
After watching the card games for a while, she still found it quite boring and sighed, "If only we had a TV to watch."
