Transmigration: Flirted with My Childhood Sweetheart
Chapter 378 - 377: Making the Head Flower

Chapter 378: Chapter 377: Making the Head Flower

Yu Xiangqin eventually decided to marry Zhao Zhuangshi.

There was no foreseeable chance of returning to the city, she had long stopped hoping for it. Even if she could return to the city, her parents were just ordinary workers, and she wouldn’t be able to find any job; she could only be a freeloader at home.

In that case, the pressure on the family would be too great.

And Zhao Zhuangshi...

Although he was quite a bastard and had countless messy flaws, seeing how thoroughly he cared for his mother and sister, he wasn’t rotten to the core.

Yu Xiangqin was not a dithering person, and once she made up her mind, she no longer overthought it, taking care of Zhao Zhuangshi while preparing for the wedding.

Their wedding was set in a month’s time because Widow Zhao heard that the Yu family had almost emptied their savings. Guessing that Yu Xiangqin might not have enough money to go home for the New Year, she decided not to wait any longer. Marrying her into the family early also provided the girl a home.

Widow Zhao didn’t hide the matter of Yu family paying for Zhuangshi’s medical expenses. She bluntly said it was a father-in-law showing affection to his son-in-law.

This talk spread throughout the surrounding villages; there were benefits and drawbacks.

The good thing was that Yu Xiangqin wouldn’t carry the reputation of someone who sold herself because she couldn’t afford medical bills;

The bad thing was that Zhao Zhuangshi became the laughing stock of the village, a man mooching off his wife, limping because of it.

Widow Zhao was used to hearing all the gossip. She could throw a fit, and seldom did anyone dare to gossip in front of her; she didn’t care about the behind-the-back talks.

As for Zhao Zhuangshi...

He was still lost in the confusion of suddenly having a wife, completely unaware that he had become the talk of the village over meals.

Concerning this, Widow Zhao said, anyway, he’s in the clinic, and can’t hear any of it. Even if he did hear, it wouldn’t matter since he no longer had the capability to fight back.

Widow Zhao kept herself busy, not just preparing sugar and meat for the wedding, but also ordering a big wardrobe and a desk from Second Uncle Li.

She had long said she wanted to get a big wardrobe for her daughter-in-law. As for why she added a desk—

Widow Zhao added, her daughter-in-law is an Educated Youth and also a literacy class teacher. It’s natural for her to read and write occasionally; isn’t there a desk also for the primary school teacher at Old He family’s house? What? A literacy class teacher doesn’t need it? Why ever not, she insists it’s necessary!

People said that Widow Zhao, who hadn’t seen her daughter-in-law in eight generations, was so eager she’d pluck the stars from the heavens for her.

Yu Xiangqin, hearing and watching all this, found her smile growing day by day.

Due to her impending marriage, the Educated Youth Corps also started busying themselves. She wasn’t the first Educated Youth to get married, but it was a rare occasion for celebration.

On a restful Sunday, a few girls gathered in the front yard to shell peanuts. Zheng Shan was also brought over by Lin Nianhe; the young girl sat next to Lin Nianhe taking up a corner of the kang table to do her homework.

While they were chattering, Wang Hong pushed the door open.

"Ah, it’s freezing to death."

Wang Hong quickly entered, placing her hands on the edge of the kang and casually greeted, "Everyone’s here, good, I have something to ask you all."

"Aunt Wang, have some peanuts." Lin Nianhe grabbed a small handful of peanut kernels and handed them over.

"No thanks." Wang Hong waved her hand, sitting down on the kang she said, "The textile factory is hiring people who can do needlework, for making headdresses, paying ten cents per piece. I’ve seen it, it’s not too hard, can you do it?"

The textile factory matter had been bothering Wang Hong for several days. With a ton of rules and requirements, it had worn her out.

The girls in the backyard trio weren’t interested, particularly Wen Lan, who now felt a headache just hearing the word "headdress."

Wen Qingqing and Wen Ruannuan looked at each other, not very interested. They never did needlework at home, and ten cents per piece wasn’t very appealing to them.

Yu Xiangqin instantly snapped out of her giddy state and raised her hand high: "I’ll do it, I’ll do it!"

Wang Hong looked at her, lips pursed in amusement, teasingly said׃ "Alright, I’ll note it down. You can work with your mother-in-law; it’s good to have company."

Yu Xiangqin’s face symbolically reddened.

She had heard such things too much recently and was already immune to them.

Wang Xue and Miao Hongqi looked at each other for a long time before it was Wang Xue who finally asked, "Aunt Wang, is there a specific quantity required for this work?"

"No, you take as much as you can make, and get paid for as much as you submit." Wang Hong knew what they were worried about and continued, "If you two can sew, just do it. We’ll provide the materials, and you don’t have to add anything."

"Alright, I’ll do it," said Miao Hongqi immediately.

"I can do it too," Wang Xue also said.

"Okay, I’ll note it down for both of you." Wang Hong lowered her eyes to write down their names, "What about you two? I remember Xiao Lan’s hands are quite skilled."

Wen Lan repeatedly waved her hands: "No, don’t count me in. Hezi’s trouble makes my head hurt just thinking about the Head Flower!"

But upon second thoughts, she changed her mind: "I’ll still do it, count me in!"

"Why do you keep changing your mind? Are you doing it or not?"

"I will, I’ll do it!"

Wen Lan’s eyes became determined.

She was also momentarily confused by the fear influenced by Lin Nianhe. Making Head Flowers is good, the pieces are small, she wouldn’t fear being seen, and she could take them to school to work on when there are no classes!

Even a dime is still money!

"What about you guys?" Wang Hong looked towards the four who had been silent.

Lin Nianhe stuffed a peanut into Zheng Shan’s little mouth: "Aunt Wang, do I look like someone who can do needlework?"

Wang Hong: "No, next."

Wang Shumei was busy knitting a sweater for Wang Xiaoxiao recently, and smiled saying she couldn’t for now, she’ll talk about it after this busy period.

Wen Qingqing and Wen Ruannuan were in the same situation as Lin Nianhe, both saying they couldn’t do needlework.

"Alright, you guys are busy then, I’ll go to another house." Wang Hong noted down the names, got up, and walked out.

Just as she opened the door, lifting the curtain, she heard someone outside calling, "Is Educated Youth Lin here?"

Wang Hong stuck her head out and after a moment of stunned recognition said, "It’s Shanshan’s mother, come in quickly, Nianhe and Shanshan are both in here!"

Zheng Lirong entered carrying a big box and a sack, casually placing them aside as her eyes fixed on Zheng Shan.

In the few months they hadn’t seen each other, her daughter had gotten darker and plumper, dressed in a clean pink floral cotton-padded jacket, hair neatly braided with small butterfly bows tied at the ends.

Zheng Shan lifted her head, her bright big eyes tinged with a hint of red, she pursed her lips and called out, "Mother."

Zheng Shan had started talking after being kidnapped last time, though she spoke very little, mainly to Lin Nianhe, and sometimes managed a few words to Bai Xiaojun, like—go away, stop bugging, shut up.

As per Lin Nianhe’s testimony, it wasn’t actually Zheng Shan’s fault as an older sister, but that Bai Xiaojun truly deserved some lessons.

Lin Nianhe even thought Zheng Shan was too good-tempered; if she had a little brother who constantly tried to stuff all sorts of bugs into his own mouth, she would hang him from the beam and whip him with a belt.

"Ah, ah!"

Zheng Lirong’s eyes reddened, she took a few steps forward but didn’t dare to stretch out her hands to hug Zheng Shan right away, instead vigorously rubbing her hands together first, fearing her own cold would affect the child.

She intentionally kept her distance, which Zheng Shan sensitively misinterpreted, her eyes grew redder, she pursed her lips, and her small trembling hands picked up the pencil she had just put down.

As she was about to lower her head, her pigtail was seized by Lin Nianhe, lifting her head to meet Lin Nianhe’s smiling eyes.

"Don’t rush towards your mom, she is covered in snow, it’s cold."