Chapter 198: The Excited Chen Sisters
Chapter 198: The Excited Chen Sisters
The next day.
After breakfast, Chen Bangguo left the house with the cold rabbit meat and two large pieces of pork that his Uncle had packed for him, a broad smile on his face. The Zhouwang Brigade and Bangjie Brigade were adjacent, and while the distance from Naye Village to Xiaojiang Village wasn't extremely far, it wasn't close either. It would take about an hour to walk back.
When he arrived home, he saw his parents and younger siblings sitting by the fire in the living room. He waved the package of rabbit meat and said with a smile, "Dad, Mom, I brought some delicious food back for you."
Chen Bangli's eyes lit up, and she quickly stood up to ask, "Brother, did you bring back the rabbit meat Uncle made?"
Chen Bangguo laughed, "You guessed right! That's exactly what I brought back!"
Li Ying chuckled, "That's not hard to guess. You took four wild rabbits to Uncle's house and stayed overnight. Of course, Uncle made rabbit meat and would definitely give some to you to bring back."
"Mom, I have to say, your idea was great. Those wild rabbits should have been sent to Uncle. His cooking skills are just too good. The rabbit meat he made is indescribably delicious. If we had eaten it at home, it would have been a waste."
As he spoke, Chen Bangguo handed the package of rabbit meat and one of the pieces of pork to his mother. He then picked up the remaining piece of pork and said, "This piece of pork is for Uncle San's family. I'll take it over to them and invite them over to discuss something."
Chen Dacai asked, "What do you need to discuss with Uncle San?"
"There's a great opportunity. I'll tell you all once Uncle San and the others are here." Chen Bangguo then left with the pork.
"This kid, always speaking in half-sentences," Li Ying muttered, then took the pork and rabbit meat to store them.
Chen Dacai's house wasn't far from his brother's. Chen Bangguo returned with Uncle San, Aunt San, and his cousin Chen Bangfeng in just a few minutes.
After everyone settled around the fire, Chen Dameng asked, "Bangguo, what's the good news?"
Chen Bangguo explained, "Uncle San, here's what happened. Yesterday, Dad caught four wild rabbits and sent them to Uncle. During dinner, Uncle told me some good news."
Chen Bangfeng, curious, asked, "Seventh Brother, what's the good news?"
Chen Bangguo smiled at his cousin, "This good news involves you too."
Chen Bangfeng was surprised, "It involves me?"
"Uncle said he plans to open a restaurant in the county after the Spring Festival and have my cousin and his wife manage it."
Chen Bangguo poked the burning wood with a stick, sending sparks flying, and then said something that made everyone's expressions change: "The restaurant needs workers, and Uncle has already told me that if we three older ones are willing to work hard, he will reserve positions for us at the restaurant, so we can all work in the county."
As soon as he said this, everyone present was stunned.
Chen Bangli was the first to react, her joy evident as she asked, "Brother, is this true? Can I work in the county?"
Chen Bangfeng was also incredibly excited. Working in the county was a dream for village girls in this era, a dream that was almost impossible to achieve.
After all, it was extremely difficult for village girls to leave the countryside in those times. There were only two ways to do so:
1. Education.
For a village girl, the chance to escape rural life through education is incredibly slim. Not every rural family can afford to let their daughters attend school like the Deng family does. In most cases, girls either receive only a few years of schooling or none at all, often remaining illiterate.
Those who can continue their education are already a rare few, and even fewer manage to get into middle or vocational schools, let alone universities.
So, while education does offer a path out of the village, very few girls manage to achieve it.
The second option is marriage.
Compared to men, women have a slight advantage in this regard, as they can escape rural life by marrying into a city family.
However, the odds are still very low.
Unless you have exceptional beauty, why would a city dweller choose a village girl like you?
These two paths are the only normal ways for a village girl to escape rural life.
There is another option, though: working in the county town.
However, this path is even more challenging. Jobs in the county town are highly competitive, and without the necessary education or connections, a village girl like you stands little chance of securing a position. Even sweeping the streets might be out of reach.
So, when the opportunity to work in the county town presented itself, it’s no wonder Chen Bangli and Chen Bangfeng, the cousins, were over the moon, as if they had won the lottery.
Their happiness wasn’t limited to them; Chen Dacun, his wife, and Chen Damei and her husband were equally thrilled.
"This is what Uncle said to me in person, so of course it’s true," Chen Bangguo said, poking at the red-hot coals in the fire with a stick. "Uncle originally planned to discuss this with us during the New Year’s visit, but I happened to go over yesterday, and he told me first. I’m just passing the message along so you two can be prepared."
Chen Bangli exclaimed, "That’s great! I’ve never been to the county town before. Once I start working there next year, I’ll be able to live in the city."
Chen Bangfeng’s eyes sparkled with anticipation at the thought.
Hearing this, Chen Bangqiang, his face filled with anxiety, asked, "Brother, did Uncle mention anything about me working in the county town?"
Chen Bangguo shook his head. "Uncle said you and Bangxing (Third Uncle’s son) are still too young. It’s not suitable for you to work in the county town yet. He’ll make arrangements for you once you come of age."
Chen Bangqiang’s face fell in disappointment. He longed to see the bustling city, but it seemed he would have to wait until he was older.
After their initial excitement, the conversation turned back to the restaurant.
Li Ying, filled with admiration, said, "Brother-in-law’s vision is truly different. While others consider opening businesses on Shuangwang Street, he’s already looking at the county town. Whether he makes money or not is yet to be seen, but his foresight is already far superior to others."
Her sister-in-law, Zhou Dafeng, added, "With Brother-in-law’s eye for business, how could he not make money?"
Li Ying smiled. "That’s true. When Yuntai left the brick factory, I was wondering what Brother-in-law had in store for him. I never expected him to open a restaurant in the county town. Brother-in-law’s business is growing bigger and bigger."
"Unfortunately, our sister didn’t have the chance to see it. She passed away too soon, before she could enjoy the fruits of his success..."
"Ah, why bring that up now?"
"..."
(End of Chapter)
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