Chapter 210: No Comparison, No Harm
Chapter 210: No Comparison, No Harm
Deng Changyuan and Deng Yuntao had been childhood friends since they were little, so he was well aware of how Old Ninth treated his daughter-in-law. Compared to Old Ninth, the actions of his own parents were truly hard to describe.
This time, his wife had gone to the county town to give birth, and the money spent was hard-earned by him. He never expected his eldest brother and parents to have such an attitude, openly and secretly accusing his wife of wasting money, which made him feel incredibly frustrated.
Yes, they hadn’t split the household yet, and the money he earned was also the family’s money. But he wasn’t just throwing it away. Giving birth in the county town was crucial for his wife’s and child’s safety; it was a necessary expense.
Yuntao and his wife had supported his wife’s trip to the county town by not only providing a place for her and her in-laws to stay but also personally going to the county town to help take care of her. They had both spent money and put in effort.
In contrast, his parents and eldest brother and sister-in-law were criticizing his wife for wasting money, which was truly disappointing.
This was the main reason why he, who had never spoken harshly to his parents, had directly laid down the ultimatum to split the household and live independently.
He hoped his parents and eldest brother and sister-in-law wouldn’t go too far. If they listened to reason, the family could continue living together for a few more years. But if they insisted on saying inappropriate things in front of his wife, he wouldn’t blame himself for being unfilial and would ask Old Ninth to help split the household.
With his current income, if he lived independently, life would be much better!
Ou Guohua, of course, had no idea that her husband had laid down such harsh words over her matter while she was in the county town. These days in the county had greatly broadened her horizons, truly showing her the difference between city and rural life.
In the village, feces were everywhere. It was normal for rural children to defecate right in front of their homes. If a house was near a stream, the feces would be shoveled into the water. If not, they would simply call the dogs to eat it.
In the future, whether in the city or the countryside, people probably wouldn’t see dogs eating feces, but in this era’s rural areas, it was a common sight that everyone was used to.
Besides human feces, there were also chicken and duck droppings. Most chickens and ducks in the countryside were free-range, so the area around houses was often covered in chicken and duck droppings. If you didn’t watch where you were walking, you were guaranteed to step in it.
If you stepped in dry droppings, it was still manageable, but if you stepped in fresh ones, it was truly disgusting.
In the county town, everything was clean and tidy. Especially last month, which was the first "National Civility and Politeness Month," the entire county town was thoroughly cleaned, even the hard-to-reach areas. It looked incredibly comfortable.
This was just a comparison in terms of hygiene; in many other aspects, the county town and the countryside were on different levels.
Ou Guohua sighed to her friend, "Sister Ping, life in the county town is indeed a hundred times more comfortable than in the village. No wonder so many people go to great lengths to become city dwellers. I’ve only been here for a few days, and I already don’t want to leave."
Zhang Xiuping smiled, "Don’t worry. Once my restaurant opens and I get familiar with the county town, I’ll help you and Ah Fang find suitable businesses. Then you can come to the county town and keep me company."
Ou Guohua said, "I’ll be waiting for your good news. Being able to live in the county town and do anything, even a small business, is much better than staying in the village!"
Zhang Xiuping said, "Don’t think too much about it now. Focus on giving birth and then raising the child until weaning. Otherwise, with a child, you won’t be able to do any business."
When it came to childcare, Ou Guohua couldn’t help but feel a bit troubled. She sighed, "I don’t know if my in-laws will be willing to help with the baby. If they don’t, I’ll have to do it myself, and that would make it hard to start a business in the county."
Zhang Xiuping, thinking of her cousin Bu Dafang’s situation, suggested, "If your in-laws aren’t willing to help, you can ask your parents to look after the baby. That way, you can give them a monthly allowance, which would be a win-win situation."
Ou Guohua’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. "You’re right, Sister Ping. Let’s do that."
...
Ou Guohua went into labor on the seventh day of the fourth lunar month. After a long and arduous journey at the women’s health clinic, she gave birth to a baby girl around seven in the evening.
The arrival of their granddaughter made Ou Guohua’s parents, now grandparents, very happy. However, as a mother, Ou Guohua felt a twinge of regret. In the countryside, failing to have a son as the first child was seen as incomplete.
Zhang Xiuping, who had grown up with Ou Guohua, could see her friend’s worries and said, "Ahua, having a daughter is actually great. Look at my daughter; in the future, they can grow up together just like we did. If you had a son, they might not get along as well. In that sense, it’s a good thing and can help keep our sisterhood alive."
Ou Guohua, still pale from childbirth, smiled. "Sister Ping, you’re good at making me feel better. Honestly, I don’t really care whether it’s a boy or a girl, but you know the village. My in-laws aren’t as open-minded as Nine Gong. I came to the county to give birth, and I don’t know what they might be saying behind my back. If I take a daughter back, I’m afraid they’ll say some hurtful things to me."
Zhang Xiuping frowned. "I don’t think they would go that far."
Ou Guohua sighed. "I hope you’re right, but knowing my in-laws, there’s a good chance they might."
Zhang Xiuping thought for a moment and said, "How about this: when we go back tomorrow, I and Ahfang will take turns visiting you. With us around, your in-laws won’t dare say anything nasty to you."
Ou Guohua replied, "That’s just treating the symptoms, not the root cause."
Zhang Xiuping suggested, "Why don’t you talk to Ah Yuan when we get back and have him speak to his parents in advance? That way, we can avoid any hurtful words that might damage the family harmony."
Ou Guohua shook her head. "Let’s not. This is just my guess, and nothing has actually happened yet. If I tell Ah Yuan, it might seem like I’m stirring up trouble. Let’s see how it goes and deal with it if they say anything."
Zhang Xiuping nodded. "Alright, let’s see how it goes. I’ll visit you every day, and if you need any help, just let me know."
"Alright, let’s not talk about these unpleasant things anymore. Sister Ping, tell me, does the baby look more like me or her father?"
"Of course, she looks more like you. Look at her nose, her mouth, and those little hands—they’re just like yours."
"Really? Let me see..."
(End of Chapter)
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