Liu Yuemin glanced at Chen Lishu, seeing little reaction on her face. She hesitated before smiling and saying, "Mother is right. I think Uncle Mantun and his wife are truly exemplary. As the saying goes, parents are the best role models for their children, and third sister-in-law is definitely no less. Your coat looks particularly good, Mother; it must be quite expensive, right? Which daughter-in-law in our village would spend so much money on their mother-in-law? To be honest, your sister-in-law and fourth sister-in-law and I would all be reluctant to do so."
Chen Lishu's eyebrows twitched involuntarily at her words. Liu Yuemin had never said a good word to her since she married into the family. With this sudden change in demeanor, had the sun risen in the west?
Zhang Qin and Zhang Xiaoju, who were also mentioned, had their smiles freeze on their faces. However, neither of them spoke up to clarify anything. It wasn't worth arguing with Liu Yuemin, their sister-in-law.
In the afternoon, brothers Gu Xingdong and Gu Xingye returned from town, each carrying a square cardboard box.
"Fourth Uncle, what did you buy?" Gu Zhao, who was playing in the snow with his younger brothers, stopped his game when he saw them enter the yard and asked curiously.
Gu Xingye smiled and said, "Your third uncle bought a color television for the family. Stop fooling around, everyone. Soon, we'll be able to watch TV once the antenna is set up."
Gu Zhao's eyes widened in disbelief. "A television? A color one?"
Gu Xingye teased him, "This silly boy, are you too happy?"
Let alone Gu Zhao, the other children were also stunned. In the village, only Zhang Changhe and Sun Yuzhu's families had televisions. Because of their good relationship with the Zhang family, they usually went to Zhang Changhe's house to watch TV with Gu Pan. Now, their own home had bought a television, and it was a color one! As the children realized this, they immediately cheered and jumped up, "Great, our family has a TV now!"
"No more playing. Let's all go inside." Gu Zhao waved his hand, and the younger children, like candied hawthorns strung together, all trooped into the house.
"Mom, Third Uncle bought a color TV," Gu Ming ran to the edge of the kang and happily reported to Liu Yuemin.
Liu Yuemin's eyes flickered, and she reprimanded in a displeased tone, "My ears aren't deaf, I heard."
Earning two yuan a day wasn't enough for the two of them to show off; first a coat, then a television, making everyone else look bad.
Chen Lishu revealed a faint smile at the sight. This was the Liu Yuemin she knew.
The two 12-inch Peony brand televisions Gu Xingdong bought had one placed on the dresser in Gu Shoufou's room.
"Before coming back from the city, I got two TV tickets. I brought one for Mother's side as well," Gu Xingdong said, placing the other on the floor by the edge of the kang.
Chen Lishu laughed, "My mother will probably start worrying about the electricity bill."
"Third Uncle, how do we set up this TV?" The children, fascinated, gathered around the television, eagerly calling out to him.
Usually, the children were quite afraid of Gu Xingdong, especially when he was not smiling, and they would practically skirt around him. But now, their entire attention was captivated by the television, and they no longer cared.
"This needs an antenna. Without it, we can't receive any programs," Rui Rui explained earnestly from the side.
"That's right." Gu Xingdong patted his son's shoulder and turned to work on the antenna with Gu Xingye.
After nearly two hours of work, the static on the screen flashed, and finally, people appeared.
Gu Zhao rushed out like a gust of wind and excitedly shouted up at the two men on the roof, "People are on! Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, there are people on!"
Finally being able to watch TV, it wasn't just the children who were excited; the adults were also thrilled.
Although Liu Yuemin was dismissive in her heart, she couldn't help but edge closer.
The television was currently broadcasting "Eighteen Years in the Enemy Camp," instantly capturing everyone's attention.
Outside, it had begun to snow lightly without anyone noticing, but inside, it was as warm as spring. The fire in the stove crackled occasionally. Adults and children alike munched on sunflower seeds and watched the television, creating a lively scene.
Compared to the bustling atmosphere at the Gu family's home, the neighboring Liu family was much quieter.
With Liu Xiaobao arrested, Wang Qiao'e and her daughter not only sold their land but also took all the valuable belongings in the house.
Widow Liu cursed angrily for a long time, but she couldn't find them anywhere. In the end, she could only unyieldingly sit back down on the edge of the kang.
Although Chen Baozhu was dead, Liu Xiaobao's case still had to be judged. As an accomplice and with a prior record, the circumstances were relatively serious, and he would be sentenced to at least five to ten years in prison.
Widow Liu was sitting at home, worrying about how to get her son a lighter sentence, when the door was violently kicked open.
With a loud "clang," a dark shadow lunged towards her. The next second, she felt her neck tighten and was then roughly choked.
"Bitch, it's all thanks to the good son you gave birth to. If it weren't for Liu Xiaobao, my Baozhu wouldn't have died. He gambled and played cards on his own, and he insisted on bringing my Baozhu along. If it weren't for him, my Baozhu wouldn't have lost money, wouldn't have been desperate to steal to pay off debts, and wouldn't have died. I'm going to strangle you!"
Zhang Chunhua's eyes were scarlet, and her face was filled with intense ferocity.
In just a few days, half of her hair had turned white, and she looked more than ten years older.
Her son was her life. For over thirty years of marriage to the Chen family, being able to give birth to a son for the Chen family was something she had always been proud of. But now, all of it was gone.
If it weren't for Liu Xiaobao, her son wouldn't have become addicted to gambling. A good child, gone just like that!
Hearing her words, Widow Liu was instantly enraged. She raised her hand to scratch her face, while cursing, "You shameless old hag! Our Xiaobao didn't do anything, but he's being implicated by your dead ghost and is going to jail. If it weren't for your dead Baozhu's terrible idea, would my Xiaobao be like this today? He was the one who stabbed him; what does it have to do with our Xiaobao? He deserved to die!"
Zhang Chunhua suddenly looked up, her eyes red and swollen from crying every day. When she glared at people, she looked terrifying.
"My Baozhu is not dead! I won't allow you to speak of my Baozhu like that!"
Her hands, gripping Widow Liu's neck, were like iron clamps. No matter how much Widow Liu scratched, it was useless. As the force tightened, Widow Liu's eyes rolled back, her breathing grew weaker, and her vision went black.
Fortunately, neighbors who had followed rushed over and pulled them apart in time, otherwise, Widow Liu might have lost her life.
"Let go of me! I'm going to strangle this old whore to death today!" Being held back, Zhang Chunhua's face contorted with madness.
Neither of the Liu women were good people. She really thought they didn't know about the illicit dealings between Widow Liu and Chen Mancang behind their backs. However, they were both over fifty years old, and if she were to expose it, the entire family's reputation would be ruined.
They had quarreled and argued privately, but it was useless. Later, thinking that she had a son, as long as Chen Mancang wasn't too excessive, she would turn a blind eye.
But now, her Baozhu was gone!