"You're still recovering from childbirth, why are you out here? It's cold, go back inside," Chen Mantun urged, sweeping snow off himself.
"Big sister, today Third Sister and Fourth Sister went to gather firewood. We'll make the house warm. Isn't it cold? Come and warm yourself by the fire."
Chen Liyuan went to get a stool, while the third sister, Chen Lipei, quickly poured hot water for their father and elder sister.
Only after Chen Lishu sat by the stove, holding her mug and taking a sip of hot water, did she finally feel alive again.
Inside the house, Chen Mantun couldn't hide his excitement as he reported to Wu Chunmei, "We sold them for forty-one yuan in total, and Lishu even bought two catties of white sugar."
Chen Lijuan, being young, immediately craved sugar upon hearing about it. But she was used to being sensible and wouldn't dare ask her parents for it.
Chen Lishu saw a clear watermark flowing down the corner of her mouth.
"Second Sister, go get some sugar. Dissolve it with goji berries and make some sugar water for Mom. And make another bowl for everyone to have a taste."
The younger children cheered immediately.
"Don't disturb the little sister while she's sleeping," Chen Liyuan said sternly, then turned to follow Chen Lishu's instructions.
Her elder sister was capable and earned money, and in her heart, Chen Liyuan already admired her greatly.
After drinking the sugar water and having dinner, with the kang heated to a comfortable temperature, Chen Lishu snuggled into the covers and had a good night's sleep.
The next day, to avoid suspicion from the villagers, she and Chen Mantun went to another village dozens of miles away with the money and white sugar.
By the end of the day, they had exchanged nearly two hundred catties of grain. They left fifty catties at home and sold the rest in town.
In just a few days, their savings grew from fifty yuan to one hundred and fifty yuan, with an additional fifty catties of grain.
Chen Lishu's wedding day was also fast approaching.
"We haven't prepared much for you. Take this fifty yuan. Buy whatever you like."
One day, Wu Chunmei suddenly called her over and, from under the kang cabinet, produced a tightly wrapped small handkerchief. She opened it, counted out fifty yuan, and handed it to her.
With the days looking brighter and the younger children being considerate and obedient, and with better food, Wu Chunmei's complexion had improved significantly, and much of her gloom had dissipated.
Chen Lishu did not refuse. She didn't know the specific situation of the Gu family, and with this money, she would have some capital. She had no intention of giving up this opportunity to earn money after marriage.
Time flew by until the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. Weddings at that time were not as grand as they are now. For longer distances, people might borrow a horse-drawn cart or a bicycle.
The Gu and Chen families lived in the same village, separated by only a dozen households, so it was just a short walk.
Chen Lishu changed into her only set of clothes with relatively fewer patches, placed a bundle containing just two changes of clothes beside her, and waited quietly for the Gu family to come and pick her up.
Everything would change with her wedding today. And she only hoped that with her own hands, she could make life better and better.
"Big sister, I don't want you to leave," Chen Liyuan stood aside, tears starting to fall. She had been reluctant since yesterday.
The younger children stood in a line against the wall. Seeing their second sister cry, they also rubbed their eyes.
"It's not that far, it's no different from being at home," Chen Lishu felt a bit uncomfortable with the atmosphere. She got up and wiped her eyes, "If you miss me, come find me. If I miss home, I can still come back."
As they were talking, several figures suddenly entered the yard. Then the door opened, and Gu Xingguo, the eldest son of the Gu family, his wife, and the fourth son Gu Xingye walked in.
Chen Lishu stood up, and just as she reached for her bundle, Gu Xingye quickly snatched it away, revealing a row of white teeth against his tanned skin. "I'll help Third Sister carry it."
His mother had repeatedly instructed them to treat this third sister-in-law well, especially since she chose to marry into the Gu family at such a critical time, and not to let her feel disheartened.
Chen Lishu was stunned by his calling her "Third Sister," then smiled and nodded at him before stepping out of the room.
The Gu family had four sons and one daughter. Since they hadn't divided the family, more than ten people lived in a row of connected houses.
Without Gu Xingdong present, even the wedding ceremony was omitted. According to her mother-in-law Li Xiulan, they would hold a grand ceremony later when Gu Xingdong returned.
Chen Lishu was directly assigned to the room where Gu Xingdong usually stayed.
The room, over ten square meters, had newspapers pasted on the walls. There was a kang over two meters wide. On the kang, a wooden chest held two neatly folded quilts.
On the other side, by the wall, stood a brand-new five-drawer cabinet and a chair. It was simple, yet exceptionally clean and tidy.
Chen Lishu surveyed the room where she would likely live for a long time and was very satisfied.
As soon as she finished putting away her things, the door was knocked. A sweet, clear voice came through the door, "Third Sister-in-law, Mom wants me to call you for dinner."
"Yes, coming!" Chen Lishu responded and opened the door. She saw a girl of fourteen or fifteen standing at the door, with short hair at ear-level, a round face, and big eyes, fitting the current aesthetic perfectly and looking very amiable.
As Chen Lishu stepped out, Gu Xingping couldn't help but steal a glance at her face.
Although the two families weren't far apart, they didn't see each other often when they were in school. And Chen Lishu rarely went out except for work in the team. She only knew that the person was beautiful. Now, looking at her up close, with her oval face, almond-shaped eyes, and fair skin, she was indeed very beautiful.
The Gu family had specially prepared four dishes for her arrival. Sliced cabbage and potatoes, stewed tofu, stir-fried bean sprouts, and a chicken.
"Third Sister-in-law, please sit. We're all benefiting from you to eat so much meat. Mom even killed a hen that was laying eggs."
Liu Yuemin, the wife of the second son Gu Xingmin, pulled her over to sit down with a smile.
Chen Lishu's smile froze slightly when she heard her words.
Li Xiulan shot her second daughter-in-law a warning glance and reached out to pick up a piece of meat, placing it in Chen Lishu's bowl. "Raising chickens is for people to eat. It's the same whether we eat the eggs or the meat. Don't listen to her nonsense."
"Thank you, Mom," Chen Lishu immediately raised her face and smiled at her.
As this was her first meal in the family, even though everyone knew each other, they weren't very familiar. Li Xiulan took the opportunity to introduce everyone to her again.
The eldest son Gu Xingguo, his wife Zhang Qin, had two sons and one daughter. The second son Gu Xingmin, his wife Liu Yuemin, had two sons. The fourth son Gu Xingye was twenty years old and unmarried. The fifth child Gu Xingping was fifteen and in the second year of junior high.
After the meal, as a new member, Chen Lishu naturally offered to help with the household chores. She went to help clear the bowls and chopsticks from the table and was about to roll up her sleeves to wash them when her eldest sister-in-law Zhang Qin took over, "Third Sister-in-law, you just arrived, go back to your room and rest. Leave this to me."
"Sister-in-law, that's not right. Precisely because you just arrived, you should familiarize yourself with things. I think you're not helping her by saying that," Liu Yuemin brought in a plate and chimed in, "Third Sister-in-law, don't you think so?"