80s Transmigration: The Young Widow's Hustle to Riches

Lin Changyou rose early, put on a new set of clothes and new shoes, and stepped out of his room. Just as he opened the courtyard gate, Zhang Xiuqing arrived.

"Dad, I made breakfast. Come on over and eat with us."

"Alright, I’ll eat at your place." Lin Changyou thought for a moment before adding, "Xiuqing, we’re counting on you today. When we get back, you should go visit Little Lan for a few days and relax."

He had originally wanted his eldest son’s couple and Lin Guodong to go with him to Lexing. But Zhao Xiaohui got upset, saying the old folks were biased and looked down on her. So, Zhang Xiuqing had volunteered to stay home to watch the house and feed the pigs.

Zhang Xiuqing smiled. "It’s no problem. I’m not a three-year-old child. Besides, with all those pigs in the pen and the end of the year approaching, who would I go crying to if something happened?"

Lin Changyou nodded. "Someone needs to keep watch over the pig farm at night. We wouldn’t be at ease with you here by yourself anyway. Guoliang and the others will be back this afternoon."

Lin Changyou and Zhang Xiuqing had just returned from eating at her house when Lin Guohui and his wife arrived, carrying a vegetable basket.

Lin Guohui stood at the courtyard gate and looked at Lin Changyou. "Uncle, let’s hurry. We’ll be late and miss it."

Lin Changyou gave him a cool glance. "We won’t be leaving for a bit. If you’re in such a rush, you can go on ahead."

Lin Guohui shot him a dissatisfied look. ’If I could find the place myself, would I need to ask you to come along?’ he thought bitterly.

Zhou Chunlan chimed in with a placating smile, "There’s no rush. We’ll wait and go with you all."

About ten minutes later, Lin Guoliang rode up to the gate on his bicycle with Zhang Yuru. "Dad, Yuru’s here. Let’s go!"

Lin Changyou called out, "Go get your second brother and his wife."

Zhou Chunlan watched the ever-more-charming Zhang Yuru with envy and let out a dry laugh. "Tsk, tsk. Look at Yuru. Now that she’s found herself a family in the city, she’s completely different. My, my, getting taken care of by your in-laws certainly suits you. You’re just getting more and more beautiful!"

Zhang Yuru’s pretty face flushed, but she didn’t answer, instead turning to the approaching Zhang Xiuqing. "Aunt, aren’t you going to Lexing?"

Zhang Xiuqing glanced at Zhou Chunlan and her husband. "Someone has to stay and watch the house. You go have fun for a few days. I’ll head over tomorrow or the day after."

"Oh!" Zhang Yuru linked her arm through hers. "Then I’ll wait for you in Lexing."

As they walked into the courtyard together, Zhang Xiuqing asked in a low voice, "What was she saying to you just now?"

Zhang Yuru lowered her voice. "Just a couple of snide remarks. I couldn’t be bothered to respond to her."

The two entered the courtyard and helped Lin Changyou load the fermented bean curd into the wicker packs. Zhao Xiaohui and Lin Guodong came over then as well.

The father and his two sons, carrying the fermented bean curd on their backs, walked out of the courtyard gate. Lin Guoliang said to Zhang Xiuqing, "Don’t see us out. We’ll be back this afternoon."

Zhang Xiuqing nodded. "Dad, you all be careful on the road, and watch yourselves when you cross the ferry."

Lin Changyou waved, and the group set off at a brisk pace toward the village crossroads.

Zhou Chunlan tugged at the brand-new, magenta plaid jacket Zhao Xiaohui was wearing, then glanced at her black, straight-leg pants. "Little Hui, that outfit looks so good on you," she said, her voice dripping with envy. "When did you have it made?"

"It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? Made from fabric that Little Lan brought back." Zhao Xiaohui gave her a smug look. "Clothes made from good material are just different. I put this on the moment I got up this morning, and it still doesn’t have a single crease."

Zhou Chunlan put on an exaggerated expression. "Little Lan is just too good to you! An outfit like this must have cost over ten yuan to make. If my sister-in-law were half as generous as Little Lan, I’d wake up from my dreams laughing."

"Sister Yuezhen nearly died working for your family," Zhao Xiaohui said, shooting a sidelong glance at Zhou Chunlan and her husband. "Today is her big day, and you two are showing up empty-handed? You’re not even going to prepare a couple of wedding gifts for her?"

"We’re so poor we’re practically begging in the streets. What do we have to prepare gifts with?" Zhou Chunlan craned her neck to peek at the wicker pack on Zhao Xiaohui’s back. "Little Lan is so good to you. Today is a big day for her too, so what did you, her sister-in-law, buy for her?"

Zhao Xiaohui glanced at her and said mysteriously, "My Little Lan’s *actual* big day isn’t until next year! You’ll see what we get for her then."

Zhou Chunlan was left speechless. She hurried over to Lin Guohui’s side and grumbled under her breath, "Just look at that. Look at *her* sister-in-law. Your sister doesn’t even measure up to a fraction of Little Lan."

Lin Guohui’s face was grim. "She’s just trying to get a rise out of you. Why do you even bother talking to her so much?"

Zhou Chunlan glanced at Lin Changyou, who was walking up ahead with his hands behind his back, then shot her husband a glare and stopped talking to him.

The group reached the river embankment, where the path was flatter, and they were able to pick up their pace.

When they reached the ferry crossing, Wu Shufen’s second sister, Wu Shuqin, was already waiting there with a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl and Lin Guoliang’s maternal uncle, Wu Jiafu.

Wu Shuqin looked a bit like her sister, Wu Shufen. Wu Jiafu was tall, with an oval face and a somewhat dark complexion.

Lin Changyou stepped forward with a smile. "Jiafu, Shuqin, when did you get here?"

"We got here about ten minutes ago. My second sister said something came up, so she couldn’t make it." Wu Shuqin smiled and gave her daughter a gentle nudge. "Xinglan, aren’t you going to greet your uncle and cousins?"

"Uncle... cousins..." Tong Xinglan greeted them shyly, her face flushing red.

Lin Guoliang asked, "Why didn’t Auntie and Uncle come along with you?"

Wu Jiafu smiled and said, "They were busy at home. They’ll visit another time when they’re free."

The group crossed on the ferry and arrived in Dashiqiao Town to see the bus already pulling out of the station.

"Master Chen, hold up! Master Chen, hold up!" Lin Guoliang shouted, running toward the bus. Old Chen spotted Lin Guoliang in his rearview mirror and quickly hit the brakes.

Li Hongmei slid open a window. Seeing it was Lin Guoliang and his group, she said, "There’s plenty of room. Get your things on board."

Lin Guodong nodded happily. "You got it! Thanks, Sister Li."

The two brothers loaded the five bamboo baskets onto the bus. Li Hongmei took out her ticket book. "Guoliang, are all of you together?"

"Sister Li, this group here is with me," Lin Guoliang said, handing the money to Li Hongmei.

Zhou Chunlan shot Lin Guoliang a resentful look. "The richer he gets, the stingier he is. What’s the big deal with buying two more tickets?"

Lin Guodong sneered, "We’re only taking you to East Market for Sister Yuezhen’s sake. Don’t push your luck."

Lin Guohui tugged on his wife’s sleeve. "It’s not like we can’t afford two tickets. We’ll buy our own."

The group arrived in East Market and got off at the bus station. Lin Changyou said to Lin Guoliang, "Give your wicker pack to Little Hui. You take Guohui and his wife to Ah Yong’s place."

Lin Guoliang nodded and left with Lin Guohui and his wife.

Lin Changyou’s group walked through an alley and onto a tractor path. Gazing at the boundless fields of rapeseed and the houses lining the path, Wu Jiafu sighed, "The areas around the city are really nicer. Even the houses are better than ours back home."

Lin Changyou nodded. "That’s true. After all, Lexing is the brigade closest to the city of East Market."

Tong Xinglan tugged on Zhang Yuru’s arm and asked quietly, "Sister Yuru, where does your boyfriend live?"

Zhang Yuru pointed to the tractor path across the Shiqiao. "You follow that path all the way to the end, then turn left. It’s about a ten-minute walk from there."

Tong Xinglan gave her an envious look. "Sister Yuru, you’re so lucky. Just like Sister Little Lan, you’ll be practically a city dweller yourself."