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墨書 Inktalez
No matter whether they have truly matured mentally, most high school students consider themselves "adults," and being adults means they can engage in social interactions.
In Hu Ruoyun's middle school class, there were fifty-four students, but only thirteen advanced to high school after the entrance exams. Consequently, the more than forty students who did not go to high school had little contact with those who did, while the connections among high school classmates became even closer.
In Annan County, in Gaoqiao Town, which is over thirty kilometers from the county seat, it was too far to ride a bicycle. Taking the bus back and forth cost two yuan, so Hu Ruoyun had fewer opportunities to meet with his brother Biao, who studied in the county.
There are many ways to socialize, and writing letters is one of them. The content of the letters usually lacks a specific theme; they consist of daily trivialities and observations. Written on long grid paper, placed in an envelope with an eight-cent "Great Wall" stamp, the mail carrier would deliver them.
Besides maintaining close contact with brother Biao, Hu Ruoyun also exchanged news with classmates who entered several other high schools. However, receiving a letter from Jiang Qiuying still surprised him somewhat.
In her letter, Jiang Qiuying mentioned that she learned about Hu Ruoyun's class at Eight Middle School from brother Biao before writing to him. She briefly talked about life in high school and shared some new experiences while reminiscing about their three years in middle school. Finally, she asked if they could gather during the winter vacation since it had been a few months since they parted ways.
With his forty-six years of experience, Hu Ruoyun felt that there was something more behind her words.
Who would be there? How would they gather? Where would they meet?
It’s important to note that during this era, gatherings between boys and girls outside of organized events were somewhat inappropriate.
However, since a girl initiated such a proposal, he had no reason not to agree. He vaguely replied that they should definitely get together during the winter vacation for the New Year.
Around the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, primary and secondary school students began their winter break. According to rural customs, once the Lunar New Year arrived, everyone aged a year older—hence the saying on spring couplets: "As the heavens add years, so do people gain longevity."
Hu Ruoyun's aunt Zhao Meixia was married in Gaoqiao Town; her husband’s surname was Zhang, though Hu Ruoyun only vaguely remembered what he looked like.
Before reporting to school, his mother repeatedly reminded him: "Once you get there, go to your aunt’s house first to recognize the place. You’ve been studying right by her door for three years; if anything happens, she and your uncle can take care of you... Your uncle's brother is still the small team leader..."
To be honest, Hu Ruoyun did not have a good impression of his aunt.
In rural areas, there is a saying that describes "three distant relatives": uncle by marriage, uncle (father's brother), and aunt-in-law (father's sister's husband).
It suggests that these relatives are merely theoretical connections without blood ties or deep emotional bonds.
Hu Ruoyun's mother is the eldest among four siblings, with a younger sister, a younger brother, and another younger sister, each spaced a year or two apart. Altogether, there are four sisters. Her aunt married into Gaoqiao Town, where she not only has farmland but also runs a small shop selling daily necessities. It is said that her life is much easier compared to her two older sisters and brother who struggle to make a living on their small plot of land in the countryside.
During the Lunar New Year, married daughters often bring their families back to their maternal homes to visit their parents and relatives, which inadvertently becomes an opportunity for everyone to showcase their living standards. After the daughters leave, women with shallow eyelids often boast about the variety of snacks their daughters and sons-in-law have brought when chatting on the streets.
Before her aunt settled down, Hu Ruoyun's mother would discuss with her second sister, Zhao Meiying, about returning to their maternal home for the Lunar New Year. They would coordinate their visit to avoid overlapping with their brother Zhao Shunqiang and his family’s visit on the second day of the new year, allowing everyone to gather together for a lively reunion. This tradition had been maintained for many years until three years ago when her aunt got married and single-handedly changed this arrangement.
In her first year of marriage, she unilaterally decided to return to her maternal home on the second day of the new year and only “informed” her two sisters without giving them any room for discussion.
This forced her sisters-in-law to notify their own maternal families at the last minute about changing the date for their visit.
This planted a thorn in her sisters-in-law's hearts, while her brother advised his wife not to take it too seriously since she was the youngest. Yet he too felt displeased.
On the second day of the new year, the three sisters returned to their maternal home with their families. As the only boy in the family, Hu Ruoyun's brother warmly encouraged his wife to prepare food and drinks to welcome his sisters, brothers-in-law, and nephews.
Hu Ruoyun's mother and her Second Aunt actively helped their sister-in-law with preparations. In previous years, such lively scenes always brought comfort to their aging grandmother as she wiped her myopic eyes.
However, this year, the aunt's actions completely disrupted the harmonious atmosphere of the New Year celebrations.
First, she chattered excitedly: “Mother, I brought two pounds of beef from Old Temple Village! It’s genuine ‘Lao Miao Beef,’ costing nearly ten yuan per pound…” She spoke as if afraid that her sister, brother-in-law, or anyone else wouldn’t hear her.
Then she added, “The bike I rode is from our Gaoqiao Town Supply and Marketing Cooperative; it’s the highest quality model available…”
Tieshan (the name of Third Aunt's husband) mentioned that they own five storefronts at the market; they currently use two for a small retail store selling sewing supplies and cooking essentials. After the New Year, they plan to expand by adding tobacco and tea products to grow their business! The other three storefronts are rented out for a monthly income of one hundred fifty yuan!”
While it’s fine to show off what gifts you’ve brought or your new bike or your family’s business at the market—those things are acceptable—what is truly unacceptable is criticizing your sisters and sisters-in-law who are busy in the kitchen while you sit there munching on sunflower seeds: commenting on whether there’s too much salt in one dish or too much oil in another…
Uncle Zhang Tieshan is an honest man who disapproves of his wife's behavior and occasionally gives her sidelong glances urging her to tone it down, but his wife pretends not to notice.
The two older sisters said to her with annoyance, "If you’re not going to do anything, then don’t just sit there and make a fuss!" Yet, deep down, they still treated her like the youngest sister they spoiled.
Sister-in-law Hou Feng Cai didn’t say a word, but inside, she was boiling with anger.
What no one expected was that during dinner, another remark from the aunt completely blocked everyone’s hearts. She raised her chopsticks, first putting a piece of beef into her mouth, then looking directly at Grandfather across the table and saying, "Dad, how much money do we have saved up at home? We need to buy supplies in the spring, and we don’t have enough cash on hand."
In the countryside, the property of parents is traditionally considered to belong to the sons. This is an established rule, and the aunt's challenge to this ironclad principle caught everyone off guard. Not only did it leave the parents speechless, but it also changed the expressions on the faces of Sister-in-law and Brother. The atmosphere at the dinner table became quite strange.
But the aunt wasn’t finished; she turned to her two sisters and one brother and said, "Brother, Sister, could you lend us 500 yuan?"
This move left everyone in the room utterly bewildered.
In rural areas, borrowing money—even from close relatives—requires some preliminary conversation. You need to gauge whether they are willing to lend and if they have the means to do so.
Otherwise, for whatever reason, if you ask for money and they can’t lend it, it puts both parties in an awkward position.
Typically, one would start by hinting at their situation—mentioning some difficulties or a temporary cash crunch...
Those who are able and willing to help usually respond with something like, "How much more do you need? Let me see if I can help..." If they avoid your question or change the subject, it generally means they either can’t or don’t want to lend you money. In that case, there’s no need to press further; otherwise, it could lead to an uncomfortable situation where you ask and get turned down, leaving both sides feeling uneasy.
Today’s actions by the aunt left everyone feeling unsettled.
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