"How can it be so easy to recruit a son-in-law? That's what wealthy people do. With a family like ours, how can we compare it with others? Who can we recruit?"
Eugene Gui only felt that my mother was having a whim.
"The son-in-law who is willing to come to the door is either a scoundrel or an incompetent bastard." Eugene Gui snorted coldly.
"Didn't you say that the third son of your family is going to be someone's son-in-law?" Qian thought about the rumors about the third son of the Bai family and became excited.
Bai Laosan is not a scoundrel, nor does he look like an incompetent bastard. Handsome in appearance and capable. Eugene Gui and his two younger sisters are still out of the house. It would be a good idea to simply kiss him more and trick Bai Laosan into the sixth daughter's door.
"There is a saying that he was an apprentice in a lacquerware shop in the town. The owner of the shop, Shopkeeper Xu, wanted to recruit him. Some time ago, Shopkeeper Xu came to the house to propose marriage. Don't mention it, he was scolded by Erzhuang Tainai. The fish, meat, cloth and fruits that others brought were thrown out together."
Eugene Gui grabbed another handful of melon seeds and said as he ate them: "Er Zhuang's mother said that if the third child dares to step in for someone else, she will treat her as a grandson."
Qian was surprised and said: "Since ancient times, parents have made the final decision on marriage. Why don't you care about what your parents-in-law think?"
"Mom, have you forgotten? Who has the final say in the Lao Bai family? The second strong man is his mother! If she hadn't nodded, would I have been able to marry in? Even if my parents-in-law made the decision, they couldn't let the third child step in for others. You Even though my father-in-law is usually a good-natured person, if the third child is fooled by someone else, he will have his legs broken."
This is true, Qian has experienced the fighting power of the old lady Bai, and also experienced the power of anger of an honest man with a white board.
"But there is a reason why the Bai family is poor. They are a bunch of stubborn donkeys who don't know how to adapt. What if there are so many sons and one of them is trying to knock on the door? Bai Laosan is also a person who can't turn around. If you ask me, I would just abandon the whole family and follow. Shopkeeper Xu is very popular." Eugene Gui looked disdainful.
Eugene Gui felt that the Lao Bai family was a bunch of fools who got together and became poorer and poorer, each one trying to act like a big tailed wolf. A poor person won't bow her head even if she drinks from the northwest wind. If she has the ability, don't let her come to her parents' house to borrow brown sugar and eggs.
"However, it all depends on people. Shopkeeper Xu is too benevolent and righteous. If someone comes to force..."
"Mom, we are a respectable family, and we have to consider our reputation when doing business. How can we be like our family who needs a shop but no store, money but no money, a mud house with three rooms and a meager land of two acres, and we can risk everything to rely on the Bai family. Don't fight me. It’s Bai Laosan’s idea. He’s not like your son-in-law who takes advantage of the trap. We’ve already plotted against one scholar’s son, and then plotted against another. When the time comes, Lao Bai’s family will try to divorce me, and we’ll have to fight to the death with our family.” You Jingui interrupted Qian. Although she regretted marrying into the Bai family now, she didn't want to be divorced.
When Qian was told something important, it was not like he was angry and ashamed just now.
"Okay, let me tell you, it's not like I don't understand the truth that strong melons are not sweet." Qian said.
Eugene Guichao curled his lips towards his mother: "You said it nicely, among our sisters, which one of us is not forced by you?"
Qian: "..."
We can't talk about this anymore. Why is it that my daughter is taking a pill today, irritating her mother one sentence after another.
"It is said in the village that your old Bai family will have a better life if they give birth to a daughter. Now that your mother-in-law has given birth to a daughter, she may have really followed the advice of Taoist Pojiao. Go back and serve your mother-in-law quickly, don't let the rest of the family take the lead..."
Qian was heartbroken when she looked at Eugene Gui. She stood up and waved her hand, wanting to drive her daughter away quickly.
"Mom, do you really believe the nonsense that the Taoist said? Just a girl's movie can..."
"Fourth sister! Fourth sister! Amazing!"
Before You Jingui finished speaking, You Qingya, the sixth daughter of the You family, ran in in surprise.
Eugene Gui was startled by Liu Mei.
"What's going on?"
"Fourth sister, Uncle Sanlang and Uncle Wu caught a lot of big fish..."
You Qingya was panting and describing the feat of catching fish by the men of the old Bai family.
Eugene Gui was so shocked that he even forgot to eat the melon seeds.
"Qingya, are you telling the truth? Can the thick ice in the river really catch fish?"
Eugene Gui's face was full of disbelief, and his voice rose several times.
"It's true!" You Qingya nodded desperately, "I just came out of your house, and I can see clearly that the two or three big wooden barrels are full of big fish."
After saying that, he added dissatisfiedly: "I also want to eat fish. I asked Sanlang to bring me one, but he refused and said that all the fish were for my aunt. I was so angry that I, an aunt, can't compare. A newborn little girl? Fourth sister, you have to scold Saburo for me, turning his elbows outward, because I held him when he was little..."
You Qingya was so indignant that her face turned red with anger.
After hearing what You Qingya said, Mrs. Qian was also shocked. Is the little girl from Lao Bai's family really that effective?
Eugene Gui stood up suddenly and looked around for shoes.
"Slow down and take care of yourself." Qian kicked her shoes to Eugene Gui.
Eugene Gui touched his belly and put on his shoes, his face full of disbelief.
Then he looked at Mr. Qian and asked tremblingly: "Mother, is it possible that what Master Pojiao said is true?"
Before Qian could speak, You Qingya picked up the key points of what the villagers were talking about.
"...Now, everyone in the village is saying that your sister-in-law brought those big fish, and they also say that the good fortune of the old Bai family lies behind..."
Qian suddenly became energetic.
"In the middle of winter, not to mention catching big fish, even fry are not caught by anyone. As soon as your sister-in-law comes, there are big fish in the river, so I don't know what your sister-in-law brought. What greater blessing can there be? Maybe you can make your son-in-law prosperous, and you will be an official’s wife in the future. Why don’t you hurry up and serve your mother-in-law during the confinement period..."
Eugene Gui left without waiting for his mother to finish speaking.
"Well, you have to think about your mother's family and pick up a few big fish to bring home." Qian asked from behind, and then shouted, "I forgot to bring the eggs and brown sugar!"
Eugene Gui didn't even listen to what her mother was shouting and rushed home in a hurry.
Qian put away the brown sugar, handed the eggs to You Qingya and said, "Go to your fourth sister's house and get some big fish in exchange."
…
Lao Bai's house.
The crowd watching the fun has not dispersed yet. They are packed into three floors inside and three floors outside. The snow outside the yard has melted under their feet.
After Eugene Gui arrived home, he squeezed into the yard with great difficulty.
Under the big locust tree in the yard, three large wooden barrels and a large wooden basin were placed in a row. Inside, there were fish swimming with their tails swaying close to each other.
That fish is so fat! The cool sunlight shines on the fish scales, making the entire yard brighter than usual.
A few big fish were unwilling to be left alone. They jumped up and performed in the air. With poor technique, they fell down with a "snap" and smashed out of the shallow pit in the snow.
Despite being mentally prepared, Eugene Gui was still shocked when he saw so many big fish.
Is it possible that things have really turned around for Lao Bai's family?
"Sanlang, this fish was really caught in the river?"
Eugene Gui rushed to his son and asked with joy on his face.
"Mom, my uncle took us to catch it." Sanlang answered honestly.
Dalang on the side glanced at Sanlang and quite disagreed with his statement.
"Second Aunt, you didn't catch it, you broke the hole in the ice, and the fish came up on its own."
Dalang's childish voice, waving his hands and gesticulating, described the picture of fish emerging from the ice hole one after another.
Eugene Gui's heart trembled when he heard it. This was as bizarre as the fairy tales told to the older generation.
Even though the surrounding villagers had heard Bai Dalang say it many times, they still listened with gusto and sighed as if they were listening to it for the first time.
After listening to this, complex emotions of envy and jealousy came to my mind.
How come the Lao Bai family has such good luck?
"It's amazing, Lao Bai's family got lucky." The envious words of Che Lulu sounded again.
"Hmph, I think they are just being mysterious. They don't want to tell us how to catch the fish, so they say the fish jumped up on their own." Someone murmured sourly.
"What do you know? If there was really a way to catch fish, how could Lao Bai's family have become so poor these years? Someone went to the river to catch fish just now. Not even a single fish scale was visible. Ergouzi at the head of the village even fell into the ice. In the hole." Some people were angry, while others defended the Bai family.
"Why don't other people have the same luck as the Lao Bai family? The little girl of the Lao Bai family is a lucky star. She brings good luck to the Lao Bai family as soon as she is born. Look at how the old Bai family was so full of cold water when they didn't have a daughter. Ya, things are different now that we have a daughter." The village chief's wife patted her thigh and concluded.
Everyone nodded.
Although everyone already believed this statement when they saw Big Fish, the village chief's wife's summary further strengthened everyone's understanding. After all, the village chief's wife is the authoritative representative of the village.
"No, it's a big fish today, but I don't know what it will be tomorrow. It may even be gold. Grandma Bai, please be careful when walking and don't trip over the gold." Someone joked to Mrs. Bai.
It caused everyone to burst into laughter.
"The more I talk about it, the more evil it becomes. This big fish was caught by my family just now, and it has nothing to do with my newborn granddaughter. In our village, there are some who have good millet harvests, and some cows who give birth to many calves. What a rarity. Just like the two dogs who fell into the ice hole, his male dog also attracted a group of female dogs. Those who are unlucky are all vain." Old Mrs. Bai stood in the yard with her hands folded, her face calm.
Just now she quietly pulled Bai Dazhuang to the kitchen to ask about the details of fishing. Bai Dazhuang and Bai Dalang described the same thing.
The spectacle of fish jumping out of holes in the ice in front of people's eyes made old Mrs. Bai feel very anxious.
She didn't want Lao Bai's family to become the focus of public opinion in the village.
