(Word Count: 4885)
Eldest sister Han has a soft personality. She can’t bear to see her eldest brother’s lonely figure. After all, Han Ze is her biological brother. As an elder sister, wouldn’t it be too cruel for her to treat him like that? She hesitated and said, “Shouldn’t we have said that just now?”
Second sister Han thought about what they had just done. If her brothers and sisters treated her like that, she would definitely not be able to bear it. She pursed her lips and asked uncomfortably, “Then what should we do?”
“What do you mean what should we do? Eldest brother is so stubborn. We have to make him realize the seriousness of the matter. Why does he still want to keep the noodle stall if it doesn’t make money? Everyone knows what to do, but eldest brother is so stubborn. He thinks his cooking skills are so great that everyone has to flatter him.” Han Xilan rolled her eyes and snorted, “Only you two are soft-hearted. It’s time for eldest brother to learn a lesson.”
Eldest sister Han and second sister Han looked at each other and said nothing. They also felt that eldest brother should close the noodle stall. The stall is set up to make money. Would it look good if it doesn’t make money?
But Han Ze is their eldest brother, and their goal is to make their eldest brother give up the noodle stall and not let him lose money, rather than to quarrel with him, threaten him, and make him sad.
What they did just now was obviously wrong. They should explain to their eldest brother that he would lose money if he sold noodles at a high price, and let him know that they are really doing it for his own good and not to harm him. Even if he does not close the noodle stall, the quarrel between the brother and sister will not be so ugly.
For a moment, the two sisters regretted their impulse just now.
At this time, Han Hai and his wife came back from outside. Han Xilan glanced at them and asked with a smile: “Second brother and sister-in-law, do you know that the eldest brother is setting up a noodle stall in town?”
The tone of her voice was full of amusement, making fun of him.
“Yes, everyone in the village knows that my eldest brother has set up a noodle stall in the town.” Han Hai smiled. He not only knew that his eldest brother had set up a noodle stall in the town, but he also knew that the noodles on his eldest brother’s noodle stall cost ten yuan a bowl. Some time ago, he went to the town to attend the market and glanced at the noodle stall from a distance. Maybe because there was no business, his eldest brother closed the stall before ten o’clock.
At that time, he was concerned about his eldest brother’s face and did not go forward to ask. During this period, his eldest brother was at home, and he thought that the noodle stall had been closed for a long time.
Han Xilan said again: “My eldest brother sells noodles for ten yuan a bowl. Do you think he is crazy about money? There is no business at the stall. We suggested that he close the noodle stall, but he was not happy.”
The eldest and second sisters of Han frowned slightly. How could a sister say this to her brother?
Han Hai was very surprised and asked: “Hasn’t my eldest brother been at home recently?”
He didn’t see him go to the town.
Han Xilan rolled her eyes: “He was still setting up a stall in town this morning. There was no business, and I don’t know what the point of setting up the stall is. No one can persuade him when he is stubborn.”
Her tone was full of disgust and disdain for Han Ze.
Han Hai’s wife glanced at her sister-in-law. Although her sister-in-law was not laughing at her man, she was still disappointed. She was not disappointed for her brother, but for her family. Her brother was honest and sincere, and he was very sincere to his sister-in-law. He paid most of the tuition for four years of college. Now that her sister-in-law has graduated from college, she has turned her back on him and disliked her brother for being stubborn and obstinate. She didn’t even think about who insisted on letting her go to college in the first place.
The sister-in-law’s attitude towards her eldest brother made her think more. Now her mother-in-law lives in their house. After her sister-in-law came back, she also lived with her mother-in-law in their house. She ate and drank at their house. Although it didn’t cost much money, she still felt uncomfortable. No one wanted to have one more person in the family for nothing, let alone an ungrateful person. The ungrateful person could use them now and flatter them, but when she doesn’t need them in the future, maybe she would dislike her and Han Hai just like she disliked her eldest brother.
Although they were not afraid of her dislike, it was still annoying.
Moreover, when her mother-in-law was not around, she could do whatever she wanted. Now, not only did she have a mother-in-law who controlled everything, but she also had a sister-in-law who was a troublemaker. The mother and daughter hid in the house and whispered every day. She didn’t know what they were whispering about. She thought that they must not be whispering about anything good. The sister-in-law was not a good person. She made her mother-in-law sick a few days after she came back. Who knows what trouble she would cause in the future?
Thinking of this, she narrowed her eyes. She had to find a way to get rid of the sister-in-law no matter what. She couldn’t let her live in the house anymore.
Han Hai was sitting on the stool and was about to speak when his wife said, “Whether brother sets up a stall or not is his own business. Why should we care so much about him?”
Brother’s honesty does not mean he is stupid. If the noodle stall really did not make money, he would have closed it long ago. The fact that he could wait until now is just a matter of how much he makes.
She did some calculations. Noodles cost ten yuan a bowl. There would definitely be few customers, but there were also those rich people who wanted to try something new. If she could sell three or five bowls, let alone ten bowls, she could earn ten or twenty yuan. This was a hundred times better than doing nothing at home and not earning a penny.
Han Xilan didn’t say anything. She always knew the situation. She was now living in her second brother’s house. Her second brother listened to his second sister-in-law in everything. She didn’t dare to talk back to her.
Han Hai’s wife glanced at her sarcastically, and she knew more about her sister-in-law. She looked up to her sister-in-law when she dared to argue with her. Now she didn’t dare to say anything because it would only make her look down on her. She was just a mean person who flattered the powerful and bullied the weak.
……
Han Ze returned home and handed the household registration booklet to Han Zhaodi. Han Zhaodi took the booklet expectantly and could not wait to turn to the page of the eldest daughter. She saw that her name had been changed to Han Yao. Her eyes were moist. She was admitted to the experimental class of Shuangji Middle School. She was the only one in their class who was admitted. When she entered junior high school, all the teachers and classmates were strangers. At that time, she would tell them that her name was Han Yao, not Han Zhaodi. From now on, no one would laugh at her because of her name. She could finally get rid of the name Han Zhaodi.
She continued to turn the pages and saw that the name of her second sister Pan Di had been changed to Han Min, the third sister Dai Di was changed to Han Jin, the fourth sister was named Han Xin, and the fifth sister was named Han Lin. After reading it, she handed the household registration booklet to her father, looked at her father and whispered, “Thank you, Dad!”
Thank you, Dad, for insisting on changing their names, so that they would not be laughed at when their names were mentioned, and their self-esteem would be maintained.
Han Ze touched her head. The eldest of the five girls was the most sensitive and sensible. He said, “What are you thanking me for? Dad will be satisfied if you don’t blame him for giving you such names.”
Han Yao raised her little face and said, “I don’t blame Dad, because I know that this name was given by grandma.”
Han Ze raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile, “Do you mean to blame your grandma?”
Mrs. Han treated them badly, so it was not wrong for her to blame her.
Han Yao shook her head, her little face full of seriousness: “I don’t blame grandma. Not only grandma likes boys, but everyone in the village likes boys. There are five girls in our family and no boy. It’s normal for grandma to resent us. But I don’t like grandma either…” At this point, she lowered her head.
If it was her father before, she would not tell him the truth, but her father now was so good to her that she didn’t want to lie to him. If she told the truth, she was afraid of making her father unhappy. No one would like a child who didn’t respect the elderly.
Han Ze saw his daughter’s uneasiness, patted her head and said, “Dad doesn’t blame you. No one stipulates that if the elders don’t like you or even despise you, you should like them. You don’t hate her, you are already a good child.”
Han Yao’s eyes were bright, and she looked up at her father and confirmed, “Really?”
Han Ze nodded, “Really.”
After a pause, he said, “You can dislike grandma, but we can only keep this in our hearts and can’t tell others about it, otherwise others will say that you are unfilial and ignorant, and that dad doesn’t know how to discipline the children.”
Han Yao nodded vigorously. She knew what to say and what she couldn’t say. That is, her father had changed. If he were the same father as before, she would not tell him the truth. She smiled and said, “My father is an honest and filial son, and I have to be an honest and filial granddaughter. Although grandma doesn’t like us, I will still buy her new clothes and delicious food when I grow up. Who made her give birth to dad? Without dad, there would be no us. We have to be grateful to her.”
Is this child a smart person?
Han Ze didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he didn’t say anything. Thirteen-year-old children are not young anymore. They have their own opinions on the world. He could only give some advice from the side. If he said too much, it would cause them to rebel. He said, “Yes, grandma is old, let’s not bother with her.”
Han Yao nodded solemnly.
Han Ze was relieved. Thinking that the child would soon go to junior high school, he changed his mind and said, “Next time there is a market, go to town with Dad and I will pick a bicycle for you so that you can go to school.”
Han Yao was a little tempted, but her mother kept saying last night that she needed to pay a lot of fines to register the fourth and fifth sisters, and the family should have little money. She smiled and said, “No need to buy it. Don’t we have an old bicycle at home? Push it to the bicycle repair place and let them repair it and replace the parts. It can still be ridden.”
She was already very satisfied to be able to go to school, and she didn’t care much about external conditions.
Han Ze knew what she was thinking by looking at her expression, and sighed again, this child is so sensible that it makes people feel distressed. If she was not sensible, she would not give up going to school for her two younger sisters. He said: “Don’t worry, Dad has money, it’s not a problem to buy you a bicycle.”
Han Yao still refused, “There are many children in our family, and parents are under a lot of pressure. If you can save some money, save some money.”
This child.
Han Ze said angrily: “Dad said it’s okay, then it’s okay, you have to be obedient, understand?”
Han Yao: “……Okay.”
So reluctant, Han Ze was angry and amused, but still said: “You are still young now, your mind should be on studying, don’t think too much about other things, if there is no money at home, Dad will find a way to make money, although Dad doesn’t have much ability, but it’s still no problem to support you five sisters, understand?”
“I know.”
Han Yao felt warm in her heart, just like the fourth sister said, she likes her father.
……
Han Ze got up to cook at daybreak. Just as he put the porridge into the pot, Han Yao also got up. She was so excited that she couldn’t sleep well all night when she thought her father was going to take her to buy a bicycle. Seeing her father cooking in the kitchen, she went over to help light the fire.
With the help of his daughter, Han Ze cooked faster.
After the meal, the father and daughter hurried to the town. When they arrived in the town, it was just daybreak. The market was quiet and there were not many people.
The vegetable seller came over with a slaughtered hen, green vegetables, and shallots, smiling like a Buddha. Han Ze took the vegetables from his hand, gave him the money, and calmly lit the fire to stew chicken soup. Han Yao washed the vegetables and cut onions beside him, doing some small things within her ability.
After the chicken soup was cooked and the noodles were rolled, the vegetable vendor came over again. He sat at the dining table and saw Han Yao wiping the table. He smiled and said, “Your child is really sensible. She came to help you so early.”
Han Ze glanced at his daughter and said with pride, “This child is really sensible.”
Han Yao’s cheeks were red, and she was obviously embarrassed. Her father had never praised her in front of outsiders.
The vegetable vendor was very envious. Thinking of the naughty child at home, he said, “Daughters are still good. My two boys are very naughty.”
After saying that, he thought that Chef Han’s family seemed to have only five girls and no sons. His words were too easy to be misunderstood as showing off his son. He wanted to say a few more words, but he quickly stopped talking.
Han Ze seemed not to notice his abnormality. He said very agreeably, “I don’t know how other people’s daughters are, but my daughter is really good. She is filial, sensible and considerate.”
Vegetable vendor: “…”
Is it really good to praise your own children in such a boastful tone?
Han Yao’s face became even redder. Her father was really selling melons and boasting about himself.
Customers came one after another, and the market gradually became lively. Han Ze asked Han Yao to go shopping first to see what she liked.
Han Yao looked at the endless stream of customers at the noodle stall and hesitated, “I’ll go after the stall is closed.” Han Ze took ten yuan and stuffed it into her hand, saying, ” The noodles will be sold out soon. You don’t need to help here. Go pick a bicycle and tell dad when you’re done. Dad will pay. We’ll go home early. Your mom has to take care of your sister and there’s no one at home to cook.”
“What are you giving me money for?” Han Yao asked.
Han Ze waved his hand and said, “It’s hot today. Take the money and buy some ice cream and cold drinks. Go.”
Han Yao clenched the money in her hand, her little face full of smiles, glanced at her father, turned around and ran away.
…
Han Yao didn’t rush to the bicycle sales point, but went to the town’s bookstore to buy two books, and then turned to look at bicycles. When she arrived at the bicycle sales point, she fell in love with one of the blue bicycles at first sight. She whispered to the boss about the price, three hundred yuan.
She smacked her lips, thinking it was too expensive. She decided to forget it, as her father earned money with ease. After thinking for a while, she asked, “Boss, do you have any bicycles that cost less than a hundred yuan?”
“Han Zhaodi, your family has become rich and you can even afford to buy a bicycle?”
Han Yao heard the familiar voice and impatience flashed in her eyes. Why did she meet Guo Jinghui everywhere? She didn’t want to pay attention to him from the bottom of her heart. She looked at the boss, waiting for his answer.
Guo Jinghui felt a little embarrassed when he saw Han Zhaodi ignored him. He started school later and was two years older than Han Zhaodi. A fifteen-year-old boy was at the age when he cared about his reputation. He walked up to Han Zhaodi with a gloomy face and said in a mocking tone, “Are you borrowing money from others to buy a bicycle?”
“What’s it to you? Besides, my name is Han Yao now, not Han Zhaodi.” Han Yao glared at him, not understanding why there could be such a disgusting boy. She turned around and asked the boss, “Boss, can I see the bicycles you have here that cost less than 100 yuan?”
“Han Zhaodi’s name is so distinctive, why did you change it to another name?” Guo Jinghui stepped forward with a smile and was met with a roll of eyes from Han Yao. He didn’t care and said to the bicycle shop owner, “Boss, which is the most expensive bicycle here? I want to buy it.”
After that, he glanced at Han Yao. This is the difference between rich people and poor people.
Han Yao didn’t take the childish look seriously. It’s not a big deal to be rich. Money is earned by parents. If he has the guts, he can compete with her in academic performance. What a narrow-minded childish guy. At the same time, she was ashamed of her past self. She actually quarreled with such a childish person. Doesn’t it make her look childish too?
The owner of the bicycle shop laughed a lot. Children nowadays are really amazing. They know how to compare at a young age. However, he still carefully introduced the bicycles in the store to them.
After listening to the owner’s introduction, Han Yao already had an idea of what model of bicycle to buy. She planned to go back to the stall to find her father. Unexpectedly, she saw her father as soon as she turned around. Her little face was full of surprise: “Dad, why are you here?”
Han Ze smiled and said, “I closed the stall and saw that you didn’t come back, so I came directly to find you.”
There is only this store selling bicycles in the town, so there is no need to worry about not being able to find him.
When the bicycle shop owner saw Han Ze, he was quite surprised. He smiled and asked: “Chef Han, this is your daughter?”
Han Ze looked at the bicycle shop owner. Seeing that he was familiar, he knew that he was a regular guest of the noodle stall. He smiled at him and said, “This is my daughter.” Those who have been showing their sons, but have never seen a girl who showed up, Chef Han is different from others. He is a good father who loves his daughter.
Eyeing his body, although he was shorter than Han Zhaodi’s father, he was young and should be able to beat him?
Han Yao took her father’s arm, pointed at one of the bicycles, and said, “Dad, this bicycle is pretty good. I want this one.”
Han Ze looked along his daughter’s hand and saw that it was an older bicycle. The bicycle was heavy, but very sturdy and could withstand use. He smiled and asked, “Why did you choose this one?”
Han Yao told the truth, “This bicycle is cheap and durable.”
Bicycles are for riding, not for looking at. The blue bicycle looks good, but the price is also good, and it is not durable. It is not as practical as this bicycle.
The bicycle is for Han Yao to use. Han Ze respects her opinion and asks the boss for the price with a smile.
The bicycle shop owner smiled and said, “It originally costs 180 yuan. Since the girl is Chef Han’s daughter, I’ll give you 160 yuan.”
160 yuan, he earned money for travel expenses.
Han Ze didn’t say anything polite and took out the money readily. Han Yao immediately pushed the bicycle out. The father and daughter each took a bicycle and rode away, ignoring Guo Jinghui who was hiding beside them, restlessly.
Guo Jinghui walked out of the corner as if he was relieved until he could no longer see the figures of the father and daughter.
…
Han Yao’s new bicycle attracted curious onlookers from the Han family, including Mrs. Han, who was sick and lying in bed and unwilling to get up. Of course, Mrs. Han was not curious about her granddaughter’s bicycle. She just didn’t understand why her eldest son would buy a bicycle for a little girl. Even if her eldest son didn’t plan to adopt a son in the future, there was no need to spoil a little girl like this, right?
“I think he is rich and coquettish.” Mrs. Han got up from the bed with a dark face, put on her shoes and went to Han Ze’s house. Her movements were so agile that she didn’t look like someone who had been sick and lying in bed for half a month.
Han Xilan was worried about her mother, so she hurriedly followed behind and chased after her.
Han Hai’s wife was also very curious about Zhaodi’s bicycle. She couldn’t help but follow to take a look, but she was wondering in her heart that her eldest brother’s noodle stall must have made money, otherwise where would the money come from to buy a bicycle?
But thinking that her elder brother always thought of her own children when he had good things, but now he doesn’t care about them anymore and only buys bicycles for Zhaodi, she feels bad. Things are different after all.
When Mrs. Han arrived at Han Ze’s house, Han Yao was riding her new bicycle with her younger sister, playing outside the yard. Han Ze and Wu Hongmei were watching with their children, and the three girls were shouting and cheering for their elder sister.
When Mrs. Han saw this, her face turned even darker, and she cursed, “You’re causing endless trouble.”
Han Ze and the others saw Mrs. Han then. Han Ze frowned and said worriedly, “Mom, you’re not feeling well. You should rest in bed. What are you doing out here?”
Mrs. Han stared at the bicycle under Han Yao’s buttocks and said angrily, “If I get sick again, you guys will… It’s going to be a big deal. There’s already a bicycle at home. Why buy a bicycle? ”
Han Ze explained, “I have to set up a stall every market day. I need to use the bicycle at home. My eldest daughter is going to junior high school. How can she do without a bicycle? Although our family has no money, it’s still okay to buy a cheaper bicycle for the child. ”
Mrs. Han was very dissatisfied when she heard her eldest son’s words. When Wu Hongmei gave birth to the fifth daughter, she boasted in front of her in-laws that she didn’t plan to let Zhaodi continue to study. Now the eldest son not only didn’t let Zhaodi drop out of school, but also bought her a bicycle. The eldest son’s full support for Zhaodi’s study made Mrs. Han angry, and she felt that she didn’t dare to see her in-laws in the future.
What’s more, in her opinion, the eldest son will get a live in son-in-law in the future, and it’s not certain which daughter will get the son-in-law. If Zhaodi is going to get married in the future, spending so much money on her education is equivalent to wasting money.
“If you ask me, what kind of school is your daughter going to?” Mrs. Han muttered, knowing that her eldest son would not listen to her words now, and she didn’t say it out loud.
Although she didn’t say it out loud, Han Ze still heard it. He said, “Mom, why did you let Xilan go to college? Why did you let her go to college?”
Mrs. Han hesitated for a while and said, “No, it was not because Old Han said that Xilan was a college student that I let her go to school.”
Han Xilan had just arrived at the door of Han Ze’s house when she heard her mother’s words. She immediately wanted to turn around and walk back. She blamed her mother in her heart. Why did she bring up fortune-telling for no reason? It would be fine to talk about it at home, but if outsiders knew about it, it would be embarrassing enough. How could she face others?
Han Ze saw Han Xilan, shouted, and asked, “Xilan, mother said that the girl didn’t need to study. Do you agree with this?”
Han Xilan certainly didn’t agree, but it was her mother who said it. She didn’t want to deny her own mother. In this case, it would be better to say nothing.
Han Ze smiled and said, “I don’t think you would agree. After all, you are a girl. Girls shouldn’t go to school. You shouldn’t have gone to school in the first place, and we don’t have to collect money to pay for your tuition.”
Han Xilan froze and said embarrassedly, “Brother is right. No matter whether a boy or a girl is good at studying, they can go to school.”
So, she didn’t like her brother, who never cared about other people’s feelings. Why did he force her to admit it? If it was that smooth and sophisticated person, he should have changed the subject long ago.
If Han Hai’s wife heard what she was thinking, she should have said that if her brother was smoother, would you, Han Xilan, would have had a chance to go to college?
Mrs. Han snorted softly, blaming her eldest son for always bringing up her daughter and making a fuss about nothing. But she couldn’t do anything about him. Her eldest son was now focused on raising a few girls. With his stubborn personality, no one could change his mind unless he could give birth to a son.
Thinking of this, she looked at Wu Hongmei and said, “When the child is a little older, you can have another child. What if you give birth to a son?”
Wu Hongmei looked at her mother-in-law in embarrassment, wanting to say something but stopping herself.
Mrs. Han said impatiently, “Just say whatever you want to say. Don’t tell me that you don’t want to give birth.”
Wu Hongmei looked at her sister-in-law. Han Xilan saw the look in her sister-in-law’s eyes, snorted, and went to the side.
Mrs. Han was displeased: “If you have something to say, just say it. Why are you so long-winded?”
Han Ze glanced at his mother and said in a shocking way: “I went to the hospital for a sterilization operation and can’t have children.”
Mrs. Han seemed not to understand what he meant. She stared at him blankly. She didn’t come back to her senses for a long time and stared at him blankly: “What did you just say?”
Han Ze repeated what he just said.
“Oh, my mother!”
Mrs. Han suddenly wailed and burst into tears. She pointed at Han Ze with a trembling hand and said incoherently: “You, you, an unfilial son…”
Before she finished speaking, she fainted all of a sudden. This time she really fainted and fell straight to the ground with a plop.
Several children were frightened. Han Ze hurried forward to check and told Wu Hongmei to call a doctor.
Han Xilan was also shocked when she saw her mother fainted and ran over in a hurry.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152