It was New Year's Eve.
After two months of hard work, Liu Hui Zhen had successfully memorized two thousand Chinese characters, becoming an outstanding student in the literacy class.
Even Yi Da Ma had memorized all the phonetic symbols and recognized two to three hundred characters!
However, Yi Da Ma kept her newfound literacy a secret, known only to Liu Hui Zhen.
Meanwhile, Shen Yuan Chao had successfully rolled over 500 times, reaching fifty percent of his goal.
Liu Hui Zhen's work at the relief station ended early that day, and she received her wages. After paying Shen Yuan Chao's expenses and a portion for her family, Liu Hui Zhen had thirty-five thousand yuan left. But she didn't spend much. The Chinese people have always had a habit: when money is abundant, spend more, when it's scarce, spend less, and never spend it all, no matter how little it is.
Especially in this era, no matter how much people earned, they were accustomed to saving a portion for emergencies and retirement.
This was the most prosperous New Year Liu Hui Zhen had experienced since her husband's death.
Looking at Shen Yuan Chao rolling over on the bed, Liu Hui Zhen's eyes were filled with gratitude. Thank goodness she had adopted Shen Yuan Chao, otherwise, her family wouldn't be in this situation today.
Liu Hui Zhen specially bought half a pound of meat, deciding to make dumplings with Shen You Chu and Shen You Tian for the New Year. As for Shen Yuan Chao, Liu Hui Zhen opened a can of milk powder, giving him a nutritional boost.
While Liu Hui Zhen was preparing for the New Year, Qin Huairu was quickly working on her sewing machine in the courtyard.
Jia Zhang Shi, standing nearby, felt the thick cotton trousers. "Once you're done, put them on Bang Geng. He'll be the most spirited boy in the courtyard today. Later, you can take Bang Geng to each house to pay New Year's greetings. Especially to the old lady and Yi Zhong Hai. They won't be able to resist giving our grandson some New Year's money, right?"
Qin Huairu nodded, a thought flashing through her mind. Sha Zhu actually liked Bang Geng quite a bit. If they went to pay him New Year's greetings too, Sha Zhu would probably give Bang Geng some New Year's money, wouldn't he?
However, Qin Huairu dared not say it. Jia Dong Xu was still resentful towards Sha Zhu.
Looking at Bang Geng lying on the bed, Jia Dong Xu's eyes lit up. "Ma, Huairu, our Bang Geng can roll over! He just rolled over twice in a row!"
Jia Zhang Shi's eyes lit up. "He learned to roll over at six months old. My grandson is amazing! Later, when we go out for the New Year, we should take Bang Geng to the west courtyard and show everyone. Show them the difference between our Bang Geng and that abandoned child! Especially that Sha Zhu and Yi Da Ma. They're always giving good things to the west courtyard. Hmph! Today, we'll let our Bang Geng, dressed in his new clothes, show them who will be the most successful child in this courtyard!"
Looking at Bang Geng's brand new clothes and his chubby cheeks, Qin Huairu pursed her lips. "It's too cold outside. Plus, Liu Hui Zhen is busy working all day. We haven't seen Shen Yuan Chao at all. I'm guessing he probably doesn't have milk, and even his rice porridge might not be enough. He must be skinny like a bean sprout, just like Chu Chu and Tian Tian!"
Jia Dong Xu said, "That's for sure. Just think about it. Liu Hui Zhen's two daughters don't have enough to eat, and they're so skinny. Not to mention an abandoned child who isn't even her own. He's definitely not getting enough to eat. This time, our Bang Geng will win!"
Thinking about how Bang Geng was always one step ahead of Shen Yuan Chao, Qin Huairu felt a sense of smugness.
"After the New Year, my mother and I will bring the grain from the village. Plus, Dong Xu got a raise this year. We'll have some savings!"
Jia Zhang Shi said, "Yes, the grain will arrive soon, and our family will be even more prosperous. We can eat more meat and vegetables next year. That fool Liu Hui Zhen moved her rural household registration to the city! Without the rural grain quota, I wonder how she'll manage!"
"It would be even better if she loses her job at the relief station. That would be truly unlucky!"
The more Qin Huairu thought about it, the happier she became. At that moment, in the front courtyard, Yan Bu Gui was putting a new cotton jacket, made from Yan Jie Kuang's old clothes, on Yan Jie Di. Looking at her chubby daughter, Yan Bu Gui smiled and said, "Our daughter is much smarter than Bang Geng. I heard outside earlier that Bang Geng can only roll over at six months old. Our daughter could do it at four months!"
San Da Ma chimed in, "Of course! Our children are all smart, each one better than the others in this courtyard. Much better than anyone else! But I wonder if Shen Yuan Chao can even roll over?"
Yan Bu Gui replied, "He definitely can't. Just look at Liu Hui Zhen's two daughters. They're skinny as bean sprouts. Shen Yuan Chao doesn't even have milk, and he only gets rice porridge once in a while. I saw Yi Da Ma send some rice porridge to Liu Hui Zhen before. But after that, Liu Hui Zhen didn't buy any more. I calculated it, she's probably only giving him one meal every three days, at best. And she sold her blood for a small bag of brown sugar, so she probably won't even give it to the child. Right now, Shen Yuan Chao is probably not even half the size of our daughter!"
Yang Rui Hua said, "This is only the first year Shen Yuan Chao was adopted. Next year, when Liu Hui Zhen no longer has the rural grain quota, that's when it will really be tough for her!"
Yan Bu Gui added, "Liu widow made her own choices. She can't blame anyone else!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Firecrackers went off outside. Yan Bu Gui got up and said, "You go ahead and tidy up. I'm going to find Lao Liu and have a couple of rounds!"
As he walked towards the middle courtyard, he saw Liu Hai Zhong crouching in a corner, acting suspiciously.
Yan Bu Gui approached him and asked, "Lao Liu, what are you doing?"
Liu Hai Zhong pointed towards Yi Zhong Hai's door. Yan Bu Gui's eyes lit up. There was something going on!
Yi Zhong Hai and Yi Da Ma were arguing even on New Year's Eve.
Liu Hai Zhong whispered, "For a while now, Lao Yi and Yi Da Ma have been arguing, three days of big fights, two days of small fights. I heard them mention divorce several times!"
Yan Bu Gui was astonished. "Lao Yi actually brought up divorce?"
"He did!"
Yan Bu Gui clicked his tongue. "Seems like Lao Yi can't wait anymore. He desperately wants to marry someone who can bear him children!"
At this time, Sun Xiu Ju sat on a stool, wrapping dumplings with a cold face. Yi Zhong Hai said, "Are you going to stop? Every year, we spend New Year's with the old lady. What's the point of you not going this year? Sun Xiu Ju, the old lady is our elder. Are you not afraid of doing wrong by her?"
Yi Da Ma retorted, "I have a clear conscience towards the old lady!"
It's just the old lady who only thinks about her retirement, never about herself!
Yi Zhong Hai was furious. "You're... for the sake of that abandoned child, Shen Yuan Chao, you're not even celebrating your own New Year?"
"Yes, unless you adopt Shen Yuan Chao right now!"
"Don't even think about it!"
"Yi Zhong Hai, I'm curious. We don't have children, and we have the means. Why are you so against adopting Yuan Chao? Wouldn't having another son be a good thing?"
Yi Da Ma finally voiced her long-held question. This was a question on everyone's mind in the courtyard.
Aside from their unwillingness to see Liu widow prosper, Shen Yuan Chao, regardless of his appearance or other circumstances, was a perfect candidate for Yi Zhong Hai's retirement needs. Yet, Yi Zhong Hai refused to adopt him. Why?
Liu Hai Zhong asked, "Lao Yan, what do you think is the reason why Lao Yi wouldn't adopt this child?"
A childless family refusing to adopt a child. What's the difference between that and a cripple refusing to take a crutch?
Something fishy is going on!