TGDS Chapter 78.3

The Good Dad System (Arc 11) Chapter 78.3: A Patriarchal Family (6)

Tang Zhaodi was taken aback by her husband’s words, realizing she might have offended his authority. She smiled and said, “Of course our family depends on you. I’m talking about the future…”

“While I’m here, she depends on me. If I’m gone, she can rely on herself,” Pei Naochun said casually. “Like you and Mom, Zhaodi, aren’t you both capable? When I’m not home, everything depends on you.”

“That’s different.”

“How is it different?” Pei Naochun immediately retorted.

Tang Zhaodi just smiled, remaining silent. Of course it was different; the difference was like heaven and earth.

“This year, our family has had a smooth year. We welcomed our grandson, and the old man in heaven will be happy to see it,” Wu Guizhi chimed in. Although her husband had just passed away, he didn’t suffer much. He saw his grandson’s birth and passed away with a smile. “I just hope that you, Naochun, will have a smooth year and that you can earn a stable income while working away from home.”

The only problem was the job. If their first child had been a boy, there wouldn’t have been so many problems.

Wu Guizhi couldn’t help but say, “If Xiaoping had been a boy, there wouldn’t have been so many issues.” People’s hearts are somewhat biased. This grandson was something the family had prayed for. She didn’t blame the one-child policy for having a second child, but instead felt that her granddaughter’s gender was problematic.

“Mom, that’s not how it works.” Pei Naochun immediately retorted. He didn’t agree with his mother’s words, but said, “I resigned because I followed the trend. The factory’s performance hasn’t been good these past two years. After I came to S City, I found that there are many more development opportunities there than here.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Guizhi immediately laughed: “It seems that our Zihao had foresight even before he was born, and he calculated the time before he came out!”

Well, Pei Naochun had nothing to say, and just carried his daughter down the mountain.

As night fell, the sky over Pei Family Village remained bright. Every year on the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve, the villagers would go out for a meal together with their extended families. Pei Naochun’s family, being relatively small, usually ate at his grandfather’s ancestral home—a house inherited by his grandfather’s eldest son. All five of his father’s brothers would eat there. However, other families were no smaller than his; for example, his eldest uncle had five sons, enough to fill a room even if none of his family members went.

According to past custom, those going to his eldest uncle’s house would usually bring some money or buy some raw meat and bones from the county or town, which would then be taken to the kitchen, cooked, and eaten simply together. The main room wasn’t spacious, and with two tables, it was already packed.

“Come, Naochun, sit here,” someone greeted Pei Naochun as soon as he entered. He still held a certain status in the village, having previously been a full-time factory worker who had helped the village considerably. Although he had resigned, he was still doing quite well.

“Okay.” Pei Naochun recognized his older cousin and sat down. The two tables looked large, but they were already full once people sat down. A quick glance revealed a strong sense of masculinity; both tables were occupied entirely by men, not a single woman. The food hadn’t been served yet; the tables were covered only with plastic tablecloths, two stacks of melon seeds and peanuts, and a handful of candy. As they ate, they started chatting.

Yes, chatting and gossiping were the usual activities at men’s tables.

“Naochun, you quit your job so easily, can you go back?” his older cousin asked, looking worried.

“I can’t go back. They’re cracking down hard now. I had a second child, how can I go back?” he replied with a smile, but half his heart was in the kitchen.

His older cousin sighed, “Tell me, what kind of situation is this? By the way, I heard there are many ways to deal with it now.” He had lived in the village for a long time and had heard a lot. “It’s just a pity that we didn’t pay attention when Xiaoping was born.” He slapped his thigh, very agitated.

The eldest cousin, rarely so talkative, launched into a long explanation: “Look at Er Mazi’s family, they’re so clever. They sent their daughter to the countryside, didn’t register her birth, and only after their son was born did they pay money to get her registered with someone else’s family.” Back then, village registration wasn’t so strict, unlike later years when birth certificates were required, and paternity tests were needed if the birth wasn’t in a hospital. At most, a certificate from the village would suffice. He’d heard many people in various organizations did this, sending their daughters to the countryside, and unless they reached school age, they didn’t have to worry about registration.

“It’s alright, working is fine now,” Pei Naochun said, genuinely finding the idea hard to accept.

The eldest cousin continued, “Sigh, it’s still a pity. If your Xiaoping had been a boy, there wouldn’t have been any problems!” He was worried for his cousin; a perfectly good job, gone just like that.

“Xiaoping is fine,” Pei Naochun said, taken aback by the identical statements from his cousin, mother, and wife.

“It’s good, it’s just a pity it’s not a son.” His older cousin, however roundabout, could always steer the conversation back to the point. “But it’s alright, now that you have Zihao, you don’t have to worry!”

“…Mm.” Pei Naochun’s response was somewhat hesitant.

“The dishes are served!” A woman from some village brought up the food. According to custom, the first course should be a cold dish, but since it was the dead of winter, they didn’t bother with formalities and started with the main course. The first dish was a hearty braised pig’s trotter. In the village, presentation wasn’t important; a large plate, overflowing with food, was brought to the table.

Pei Naochun didn’t touch his chopsticks, his gaze drifting behind him, but he couldn’t see his children, wife, or mother.

“Naochun, why aren’t you eating?” His older cousin didn’t mince words, directly picking up a pig’s trotter and tossing it into his bowl. “Don’t be polite in my house, we’re family.”

“No, I just miss Xiaoping and Zihao,” he replied casually.

“Why bother with them?” The eldest cousin laughed, but he understood. His younger cousin hadn’t had a son before, and now that he finally did, he was naturally worried. He patted the other man on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, there are so many people behind us. They’ll take care of the children. Kids, have a small table!”

In the village, it’s always customary to have a small table for the children at banquets. Usually, a table is set up next to the kitchen, and the dishes from the main table are divided into smaller plates. Children are fickle; they usually only eat a few bites before running around. You just need to keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t wander off.

Pei Naochun didn’t plan to do anything unconventional right away. He focused on eating, but occasionally his mind wandered. After a few rounds of dishes were served, they started drinking. He found an opportunity, using the excuse of going to the toilet, and headed to the kitchen.

The ancestral home’s kitchen was large, half inside a small room and half outside the courtyard. Now it was bustling with people; almost all the women were there, busy at work.

“The dishes are here, time to wash them!” The one responsible for delivering the dishes was my eldest cousin’s wife. She was exceptionally strong; she squatted down and brought back empty plates, then poured them into a large red basin. There were two younger women over there, specifically for washing dishes and chopsticks. Although some hot water had been boiled to prepare it, the winter weather was cold, and the water soon stopped steaming, making it icy cold to put your hands in.

Tang Zhaodi was doing similar work as she usually did at home. Her hair was tied up, and she stood by the cutting board chopping vegetables. New Year’s dishes were somewhat particular; they not only needed to be served in large bowls but also had to be brightly colored. Scallions, ginger, and garlic were essential, and some readily available shredded vegetables were also prepared to add color.

“Alright, alright, the stir-fried cabbage with vinegar is ready.” Wu Guizhi stood in front of the stove, gesturing confidently. Her culinary skills were renowned throughout the village. Standing next to her was her uncle’s wife, who was preparing another substantial dish. The pot used to cook such a large portion was incredibly heavy, but the women standing there were all incredibly strong, handling it with ease. Their hands moved swiftly and precisely, even the portion sizes were perfect—half a plate, never too much, never too little.

Hearing this, her eldest cousin’s wife, who had only rested for two minutes, got up again. She picked up a tray, placed two plates of food on it, and hurried back into the house.

At this moment, the kitchen was like a standard assembly line. The women in the room had clear divisions of labor, working seamlessly together, making the kitchen incredibly efficient. No one could tell that they were all hungry.

Pei Xiaoping was in the house with her younger brother, holding a bowl. Her mother had filled it with vegetables, meat, and rice, and she was eating while watching her brother eat. Several other girls were eating with her. On days like these, no one could spare the time to care for the children, so the task fell to these girls.

“I heard they’re having pig’s trotters today,” one girl said, swallowing hard and peering longingly outside. Pig’s trotters weren’t cheap; the two tables of men had almost finished them all, leaving only a few for the children. The boys were given priority, and unless a girl was an only child, she usually wouldn’t get any.

“What are you thinking about?” another girl laughed. “Let’s watch your brother first!” she said anxiously, worried that he would cry, which would cause more trouble.

Pei Xiaoping usually ate at the back table, where there was no one to organize the meal; it was all about skill with chopsticks to grab food. This was the first time she’d been put at the back, and she couldn’t help but whisper, “What are my mom and grandma going to eat?” She’d never thought about it much before, just focusing on her food. But today, with nothing to do, her mind started wandering.

The experienced girl laughed again, “There’s no food for everyone. We have to finish preparing the food at the front first. Probably just noodles!”

“Won’t they go hungry?” Pei Xiaoping clutched her hand, quite worried. For a child her age, being hungry was the worst thing in the world.
A different feeling.

He had just turned around when the last dish was served. Wu Guizhi gathered the remaining shredded vegetables and scraps of meat, stir-fried them, and started making braised noodles. There was no table set up; everyone grabbed a stool or stood and began to eat, without feeling wronged at all. They even had time to joke and discuss the quality of the dishes.

Pei Naochun, who had already left, remained silent, quietly returning to his house and joining the lively atmosphere. He had made his decision: he would take his family to the city.

Pei Family Village wasn’t a bad place, but under these customs, it seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t change anything.
“How could they go hungry? That’s how it is when you’re working!” The girl was used to it and didn’t find it strange.

Pei Naochun had already reached the kitchen. From afar, he could see that the kitchen was still bustling with activity, with many wives who looked hungry, occasionally clutching their stomachs, but never uttering a sound. A vast boundary seemed to separate the two parts of the house; the front was filled with the aroma of food and the pungent smell of wine, punctuated by lively laughter, while the back, though equally lively, was…