Chapter 63: I Am Content
She put down the stone plunger in her hand, looked around in all directions, then stuffed the money and tickets back into Shen Meng’s hands again.
"Zhenping’s wife, what are you doing? I don’t want this money and tickets, you take them back. And these candies, such a rare treat, take them back for Ming Kai’s kids to enjoy. You’ve brought stuff over, Aunt knows you are sensible and reasonable. I am indeed upset, but not with you. We are all villagers here; no need for such formalities. I’m angry at your Uncle Guai, that damned fool. He went to help you and forgot to go to the county to pick someone up, nearly losing his job driving the ox cart. How could I not be angry?"
Shen Meng was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. She had been asleep at home until now and had no idea what had happened at Uncle Guai’s house; she felt even more embarrassed now.
In the village, there are quite a few who do shoddy work, all eyeing Uncle Guai’s job. To travel back and forth between the commune and the county and to Lu Family Village’s production team, you could earn ten work points a day without much effort. Who wouldn’t want such an easy job?
"I’m really sorry, Aunt. I, I wasn’t aware of this matter. Because of this, you should keep the money and tickets. If Uncle Guai really lost his job driving the ox cart because of me, I would be guilty indeed. Aunt, how about you have Uncle Guai hand over one yuan to the production team? That should stop the village officials from saying too much. If there is any more trouble, I’ll go talk to some people."
Zhu Juying paused in her refusal. Although her husband wasn’t scolded this time, with this precedent set, she feared that people might gossip about him in the future.
"Fine, Zhenping’s wife, Aunt will swallow her pride and take the money you’ve given. But you take back the tickets; I cannot accept them. And the extra 50 cents is not ours to keep; we cannot take more than our due."
"Aunt, I’m not a sucker here to play big shot. I brought the cotton tickets because Uncle Guai mentioned it—Xiangxiang is getting married next year. A girl who is getting married needs to have a decent quilt, doesn’t she? The tickets I give you, you and Uncle Guai will still have to spend money regardless. Zhenping sends over some sort of tickets every month; I can’t use them all. You take them; consider it our family’s contribution to Xiangxiang’s dowry."
Seeing the smiling and gentle Shen Meng, Zhu Juying, regardless of her reluctance, no longer had the heart to hand back the cotton tickets. Her daughter was nineteen and had been betrothed to a decent family. She had inquired repeatedly, ensuring that it was a good household, before agreeing to the engagement.
Although her old man drove the ox cart for the production team, they were still peasants at heart, with no savings. The cotton quilt saved for her daughter had been taken away two years ago by her new daughter-in-law.