Chapter 15
The house Ye Qingzhi currently lived in had two rooms, with a courtyard of over fifty square meters in the front, where two orange trees grew. The backyard was about eighty square meters, planted with scallions, ginger, garlic, and various vegetables.
The location was also good, very close to the private plot and the creek, making it convenient to pick vegetables and wash things.
The only drawback was the lack of a well. In fact, Wei Jiancheng’s mother had already found a master to locate a good spot, but she had suddenly fallen ill, and the well was never dug.
The original owner had wanted to dig a well, but raising two children had already taken all her energy. She had no spare money for it.
“Is this the water source the master pointed out?” Auntie Ye asked, looking at the circle of stones, where Pulsatilla was now growing. “Sigh, it’s a pity your mother-in-law didn’t live long. If she were still alive, this well would have been dug long ago.”
“Yes, my mother-in-law was a very good person,” Ye Qingzhi said with a smile.
Wei Jiancheng’s mother was a very capable woman. The construction of this house was largely thanks to her.
Knowing she didn’t have long to live, she had used twenty catties of grain to get the original owner as a daughter-in-law. Understanding that Wei Youliang was unreliable, she had secretly hidden away grain to help her son and daughter-in-law get through the difficult times.
If she were still alive, not only would the well have been dug, but the family’s life would have been much better.
But there were pros and cons. A strong mother-in-law meant a difficult life for the daughter-in-law. Being subservient was the least of it; the terrible part was that nothing she did was ever good enough.
Ye Qingzhi recalled the original owner’s memories. Indeed, even when she was so ill she couldn’t get out of bed, and even with the original owner’s gentle nature, she had still been suppressed to the point of suffocation.
From this perspective, it wasn’t hard to understand why Wei Youliang would like a pretentious “white lotus” like Fang Xiaomei.
Or rather, no man disliked a gentle and considerate woman.
“Qingzhi, Second Great-Aunt’s offer is four hundred, including the furniture in the house,” Auntie Ye said, looking at the tables, chairs, and benches, all of which had been made when Wei Jiancheng’s mother was alive.
It had only been a few years, and both mother and son had passed away from illness. Now, the daughter-in-law was also remarrying with her grandsons. From now on, their branch of the family would be gone. Things had truly changed.
Ye Qingzhi thought for a moment. “Four hundred without the furniture. If she wants the furniture, add another thirty.”
After deciding to sell the house, she had asked around about the market price.
She had originally thought that a house in the countryside would be worth at most one or two hundred. But after inquiring, she found out that a single room in the countryside cost two hundred.
She remembered reading in a period novel that in the 60s and 70s, a room in the capital city also cost only two hundred.
Later, she realized that it was the house itself that was expensive, not the land. This explained why the housing prices in their small mountain village were similar to those in the provincial capital and the national capital.
“The furniture is all made of good wood. Thirty is not expensive,” Auntie Ye nodded. She gave Ye Qingzhi a few more instructions and hurried off to find Second Great-Aunt.
There were two beds, two large wardrobes, a desk, a cupboard, a square table, stools, and so on. Thirty yuan was really not a lot.
As for the pots and pans, she would leave some at He Qiming’s house and take some commonly used ones to the base, like the aluminum pot, which was very good for cooking.
She also liked the oil jar. She didn’t know where her cheap mother-in-law had gotten it, but it was blue and white porcelain, beautiful and practical.
“Mama, are we really going to sell the house?” Wei Anjie asked, looking at the home he had grown up in, a little reluctant to leave.
Ye Qingzhi had already told the two children about selling the house. After all, they were also part of the family. If they had strongly objected, she might not have sold it, but then they couldn’t blame her if they couldn’t keep it in the end.
Both the one hundred yuan Wei Jiancheng had sent back and the money from selling the house would eventually be given to the two brothers.
“Your Grandma Fang has left. I ran into her at the commune, walking with Old Niu the butcher. Of course, Wei Haibo and Lin Xiujuan left with her. Your grandpa is all alone now. He’ll definitely latch onto us in the future. Mama doesn’t want to support him in his old age, and I don’t want you to either. So, I want to transfer your household registrations. Once we do that, we might not be able to keep this house,” she explained the whole situation to them.
Wei Anjie only half-understood, but Wei Anmin got it.
He took his brother’s hand and said seriously, “Mama, Grandpa always helped Grandma Fang bully you, and he wasn’t good to us either. We won’t support him in his old age.”
Wei Anjie nodded vigorously. “Me neither.”
Ye Qingzhi hesitated for a moment. The hundred-day mourning period was almost over, and she would be getting her marriage certificate with He Qiming soon. So, there were some things she needed to discuss with them.
“Since you agree to transfer your household registrations, then… what are your thoughts on your surname?” she asked in a low voice.
The two brothers exchanged a look. They had thought about it before. If their mother remarried, they might have to change their surname, just like Wei Haibo.
In fact, they had no impression of their father, Wei Jiancheng, whom they had never really met. They even disliked him for having another woman. So, they were not opposed to changing their surname.
“But doesn’t Uncle He have sons of his own?” Wei Anmin asked, looking at her in confusion.
“That’s precisely why. After you change your surname, he will care for you even more,” she said, stroking their heads.
There was one thing she didn’t say. He Qiming was already a deputy regimental commander at such a young age; he might climb even higher. If the two boys took his surname, it would be beneficial for their future.
Of course, she couldn’t deny that she also wanted to get back at Wei Jiancheng. Since he didn’t want his sons, then they didn’t need to have his surname.
“If you’re not willing, you can take my surname, Ye. Ye Anmin, Ye Anjie. That sounds nice too,” she said, thinking they were reluctant.
“We don’t mind. If we have to choose, we’d rather take Mama’s surname,” Wei Anmin said. He also thought Ye Anmin sounded nice.
Wei Anjie nodded. He and his brother were born to their mother and raised by her through great hardship. Why couldn’t they take her surname?
“Alright then. You’ll take my surname. In the future, when we introduce ourselves, we’ll say that Jingyan and Jingyang have their father’s surname, and you two have your mother’s,” she said, patting their arms.
This would only be for the next ten years. When the 80s arrived, with her knowledge of the future, she might not be able to make them rich and powerful, but ensuring they lived a comfortable life would be no problem.
The next evening, around eight or nine o’clock, Auntie Ye came to her house with Second Great-Uncle, Second Great-Aunt, and Uncle Xiangping.
After they were seated, Ye Qingzhi poured them water. After some small talk, they got to the main topic of the evening.
“Qingzhi, are you really planning to sell this house? Where will you live after you sell it?” Second Great-Uncle asked curiously.
“Uncle, I won’t hide it from you. I’m planning to go back to my parents’ house or remarry with my children. With Jiancheng gone, I… I can’t protect this house,” she said, lowering her head so they couldn’t see her true thoughts.
They say that with age comes wisdom. Second Great-Uncle had been a tailor in his youth and now traveled from village to village making clothes. He had seen a lot. She wasn’t sure she could hide her thoughts from him.
He paused and frowned. “Have you thought it through?”
Second Great-Aunt, hidden behind his back, poked him. You old fool, one is willing to buy and the other is willing to sell. Why all the nonsense?
It wasn’t that she was impatient. After the founding of the nation, the state encouraged childbirth, so every family had several children. As a result, housing was becoming increasingly tight.
A family like theirs, with good conditions, had all their children survive. Six sons and one daughter. The sons had sons of their own. Their house had already been expanded once, and they had applied for a new foundation to build another house, but it was still not enough.
They were interested in Ye Qingzhi’s house because, one, the location was good, and two, the backyard was large. They could secretly move the back wall a bit, take up some extra space, and build another two rooms.
Anyway, their family had many male members, so the other villagers wouldn’t dare to say anything.
“Yes, I’ve thought it through very clearly,” Ye Qingzhi said, pretending not to see Second Great-Aunt’s little movements.
Second Great-Uncle sighed and said earnestly, “You’re not wrong to think this way. As for the price, Youfu’s wife has already told me. Don’t worry, as elders, we won’t let you suffer a loss. We’ll do as you said, four hundred and thirty. Let’s wait until after the harvest is over. We’ll ask the brigade leader and the village party secretary to be witnesses, write up a contract, and then I’ll give you the money.”
“Alright, it’s settled then,” she nodded.
As they were leaving, Second Great-Aunt looked around the house, more and more satisfied. She then looked at the clean and tidy kitchen and was even more pleased.
“Qingzhi, these pots and pans must be hard to carry, right?” she asked with a hidden meaning.
Hard to carry? She clearly wanted to take advantage of her.
Before Auntie Ye could speak, Ye Qingzhi said with a smile, “It’s just some pots and pans. I’ll hire an oxcart to take them along with the clothes and quilts in one trip.”
Second Great-Aunt was about to say more when she heard her husband cough twice, and she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.
After seeing them to the door, Ye Qingzhi had just come back inside when she saw Auntie Ye had returned.
“Auntie, thank you for your trouble,” she said gratefully.
“Don’t be a stranger. Don’t take what Second Great-Aunt said to heart. When the time comes, besides the furniture, take everything else with you. Second Great-Uncle is a tailor; he has money,” Auntie Ye said, worried that she was young and thin-skinned and would be taken advantage of.
“I know. Auntie, when the time comes, I’ll tell the brigade leader that I’m giving my private plot to you. I’ll say I sold it to you. You don’t have to really pay. We’ll just go through the motions,” she said softly.
Normally, land belonged to the state and could not be bought or sold. But in the countryside, as long as two families agreed, signed an agreement, and put their fingerprints on it, it was a done deal.
“I’ve discussed this with your uncle. We’ll be a bit thick-skinned and take advantage of you. We’ll give you one hundred yuan,” Auntie Ye said. She really liked that plot of land. It was not far from her own, the land was flat, and it got plenty of sun. The potatoes and radishes grown there were bigger than anyone else’s.
“No need for money. The private plot is different from the house. When the villagers find out we’ve transferred our household registrations, they’ll definitely want to take back the plot that was allocated to me. You might even have trouble then,” Ye Qingzhi said, shaking her head. She knew how to distinguish between right and wrong.
She had originally planned to just tell the brigade leader that she was letting Auntie Ye farm her plot. But once her household registration was gone, the plot would be taken back.
If it was a sale, then Auntie Ye would have a reason to argue. She had paid for it, so why should the village take it back?
Clearly, Auntie Ye understood her meaning, but she really wanted to give her the money.
Of course, Ye Qingzhi couldn’t accept it. This plot of land would definitely be a source of dispute in the future. Whether they could keep it would depend on Wei Youfu’s ability.
“Auntie, I’m serious. If you mention money again, I’ll be really angry,” she said, her face darkening.
“Alright, alright. It’s getting late. I’ll go home now. I have to work tomorrow,” Auntie Ye said with a cheerful wave.
The days passed, and the harvest was finally almost over. Ye Qingzhi dragged her exhausted body home. Seeing that Wei Anmin had cooked, she had no appetite at all.
“Mama, I put some meat in it. At least have some soup,” Wei Anmin said, looking at her tired face with heartache.
“Mama, we have money now. You don’t have to work so hard,” Wei Anjie said, pouring her a glass of honeysuckle tea with white sugar. It had already cooled and was perfect to drink now.
She gulped down half a bowl and let out a long sigh. “One should finish what one starts. I’ve worked for a whole year, and only the autumn harvest is left. I want to finish it. Also, although Uncle He’s salary is managed by me, that’s his money. And the money from selling the house, I have to save that for you two to get married. I can’t just spend it.”
The two brothers nodded. They certainly wouldn’t spend money recklessly; they were just worried about their mother working so hard.
“It’s alright. I didn’t do the extra work this year, so it’s already much easier,” she said, comforting them.
Compared to the original owner, it was indeed much easier than in previous years. But for her, she was really tired now, not just physically, but also mentally.
It was a good thing she wouldn’t have to work in the fields anymore, at most just grow some vegetables to eat.
That’s right, she had to prepare some vegetable seeds to plant herself. It would be a way to pass the time and also convenient to have fresh vegetables.
The next day, Ye Qingzhi came home from work at noon and saw the matchmaker at her door again.
“Auntie? What can I do for you?” she asked, opening the door to let her in.
“What a thing to say! I’m here to be a matchmaker, of course. Qingzhi, you said last time that you would consider it after the hundred days were over. It’s been over a hundred days now. Well? Have you met anyone you like?” the matchmaker asked with a smile.
“I’ve been so busy with the harvest. I haven’t had the time to think about it,” Ye Qingzhi said, counting on her fingers. It really had been over a hundred days.
Of course, the matchmaker knew. She was just asking deliberately.
“I was wrong last time. This time is different. This one is really good. He’s the same age as you, twenty-five this year. He’s handsome, his parents are young and strong, he’s hardworking, and has a good temper. Really, Auntie is not lying to you. If you don’t believe me, I can bring him for you to see,” she said, praising him effusively.
“What’s his name? Which village is he from?” The way she was being so vague, there must be a problem.
As expected, the matchmaker said with some regret, “His name is Li Junfei, from Xiaoyang Village. His family’s conditions are very good. It’s just that he can’t speak. But this is his first marriage, and he said he will treat your two children as his own.”
Can’t he speak? Then how did he say he would treat her children as his own?
Ye Qingzhi was speechless. “Auntie, I’m really not in a hurry. You can look for someone else for me.”
The matchmaker frowned. She really thought this Li Junfei was a good match.
“Qingzhi, won’t you reconsider? If you ask me, a mute is better. He won’t talk back to you or argue with you.”
“This one is really not suitable. Please look for someone else for me,” she said, pushing the matchmaker out.
The matchmaker huffed and pouted. A widow with two sons, and she still expects to marry into a good family? She’s lucky to have a mute who wants her.
Seeing the matchmaker leave in a huff, Ye Qingzhi gave her two sons some instructions and went to find Auntie Ye.
“Qingzhi, I was just about to look for you,” Auntie Ye said, handing her a letter. “Qiming sent it to you. I reckon he wants to discuss the marriage with you.”
“Auntie, that’s what I came for. The matchmaker came to my door again just now. This time, it was a mute,” she said, shaking her head with a laugh. “In a couple of days, you and his aunt can come to my house and go through the motions.”
Auntie Ye counted on her fingers. It had been one hundred and three days since Wei Jiancheng had died. Time really flew.
“Alright, I understand,” she nodded.
Back at home, Ye Qingzhi opened the letter. He Qiming said he had already submitted the marriage report. When it was approved, he would take leave to come home. He told her to pack what she could first, as he might only be able to get a few days off.
He Qiming is coming back?
A flash of surprise and joy appeared in her eyes. She had thought she would have to take the four children to the Northwest by herself.
If he could come back, then she could take some things that she originally couldn’t, like the one-meter-tall pickle jar, which was filled with this year’s newly pickled beans and cabbage.
“Mama, did Uncle He write to you again?” Wei Anmin asked, peeking at the letter.
“Yes. Your Uncle He is coming back in a couple of days. Then we’ll move.” She had wanted to say “join the army,” but after thinking about it, she decided against it.
There was only one last step left. She couldn’t allow any accidents.