Reborn in a small village in the 1990s

Chapter 35

“Mom, I’m not talking about you. If you want to eat, then eat. If you don’t, I won’t care. I got the flour, meat, and cabbage myself, and I made it myself. Why should I give it to others?” Zhao Da’e said angrily. “My dad is no good either. He’s been home for seven or eight days. Doesn’t he know there’s no firewood? Does he expect us to gather firewood? When you got home, I didn’t ask, and he was still loitering around. Let him loitering. His wife is giving birth and is cold, and there’s no firewood to heat the kang (heated brick bed). The kang is cold. And you’re still telling him to eat dumplings? It’s a bit unnecessary…”

Cheng Jinxiang scolded, "How dare you speak like that?"

"If you don't want to eat, then don't eat either." Zhao Da'e cleared away the dishes.

Cheng Jinxiang was a bit timid, and seeing that Zhao Da'e was angry, she said, "Eat."

"If your sister doesn't eat some meat, she won't have anything to eat. She'll get thin from hunger."

Zhao Da'e pouted: "That's more like it."

While they were eating dumplings, Zhao Tiesheng carried firewood home. He put the firewood at the entrance of the barn and opened the door to go inside, only to find that the door was blocked. He then asked, "Big Goose, open the door, I've brought the firewood back for you."

Zhao Da'e didn't open the door: "You brought home such a little bit of firewood? Dad, are you kidding me? It's not even dark yet, why are you in such a hurry to come home? What's the rush?"

"I didn't eat lunch."

“What does it matter to me whether you eat or not? My grandma sprained her ankle, and you went to take care of her. If you haven’t eaten, go tell my grandma.” Zhao Da’e said disdainfully, “I asked you to chop some firewood, and you chopped a bundle and ran home. That little bit of firewood will be gone after one meal. But we have to cook three meals a day, and the kang (heated brick bed) needs to be heated. I don’t ask for much, just four bundles of firewood a day.”

Zhao Tiesheng complained, "If I chop four bundles of firewood a day, I don't have to do anything else."

Zhao Da'e slammed the door open and blocked the entrance: "Then what else do you want to do? You have nothing to do all day. You're complaining about chopping some firewood? What are you complaining about? Chop it or don't, it's up to you. If there's no firewood, I'll go and chop down this big pear tree tomorrow."

Zhao Tiesheng was a little angry, and stormed off, saying, "This is outrageous!"

Zhao Da'e scoffed, then closed the door and looked at his mother, Cheng Jinxiang: "See? This kind of man, you still want him to eat dumplings? He's nothing. I think my dad won't shed a tear until he sees the coffin. Just wait and see how I deal with him in a few days."

Cheng Jinxiang said angrily, "Hey, there's not that much firewood in the mountains. Just enough to make a fire is fine. Don't be so outrageous."

Zhao Da'e snorted: "No firewood, I'll go buy coal to start the stove."

"A goose..."

"You just eat your dumplings and stop interfering in everything."

Early the next morning, it was just dawn.

Wearing his pink cotton-padded jacket and carrying a large basket, Zhao Da'e strolled over to the house of Zhao Tingliang, the village's cart driver.

Zhao Tingliang and Zhao Da'e's grandfather, Zhao Tingxu, were actually from the same clan, not very distantly related; Zhao Tingliang was the grandson of the same grandfather as Zhao Tingxu. However, these days, with so many brothers, even close blood relations can become strained, and the bond can slowly weaken. So when Zhao Tingliang saw Zhao Da'e arrive, he was clearly taken aback: "What's wrong, girl? What's the matter?"

Zhao Tingliang and Zhao Tingxu are of the same generation, with Zhao Tingliang being the fourth child in his family. Therefore, Zhao Tingliang is called Fourth Grandfather by Zhao Da'e.

"Fourth Grandfather, are you going to town today?"

Near Dongtaizi Village, the area around the market is generally called "Jieli" (街里). This is because, in the world of most rural people, that market represents the farthest distance they can reach in the world, and only in that market are there streets, hence the name.