Chapter 6: Selling Swamp Eels

However, she was no match for Grandma He back then, and even now, more than a dozen years later, she was still no match for Grandma He.

“That goes without saying. You don’t even look at whose daughter-in-law she is; could she possibly be a lazybones?” Grandma He’s words carried a sense of pride, and of course, they were also pointed.

Sister-in-law Yong was the "lazybones" in Grandma He’s mouth.

If it weren't for the fact that she had given birth to three sons, she would have likely been kicked out of the house long ago.

Each of the three sons was better than the last—filial and well-mannered—all thanks to the late Second Uncle He.

Second Uncle He was the older brother of Grandma He’s husband, a blood relative, but because the family had taken in daughters-in-law, their relationships had all gradually changed.

Over trivial matters, everyone had fought, and the only reason they could speak calmly now was because the village was only the size of a palm; there were always opportunities for reconciliation, weren't there?

The fields here all belonged to their Fifth Group, while the Fourth Group had very little, though the mountains were basically all on this side. There were five groups in He Village, and several other groups were on the mountains ahead.

To say the village wasn't big, it wasn't small either; to say it was big, it was actually only about a hundred households.

Sister-in-law Yong gave two dry laughs and didn't dare to say much more.

Nearby were other daughters-in-law from the village, and of course, some men, though they had kept themselves a dozen steps away from the women.

“Auntie He, is your family planting late rice this year?” a rather amiable auntie asked.

Mei Xue didn't know any of them, nor was she familiar with them, so she didn't join the conversation and just listened.

“Yes, Junqi came back late this year, so I planted the seedlings a month late.” Grandma He spoke quite gently to this daughter-in-law.

She lived just below her own house, only a few steps away, and they knew each other inside and out; she was a filial and kind-hearted person.

“Xiaoxue, this is your Auntie Meilian. Come over and get to know her.” Because Mei Xue hadn't held a wedding banquet yet, only a small number of people knew her or had seen her.

Hearing her grandmother’s tone, Mei Xue smiled and called out, “Hello, Auntie Meilian.”

Meilian looked at the young girl; her features were delicate, and it was clear she had been raised in comfort. However, seeing her hands and feet covered in mud now, she felt quite a bit of goodwill toward her.

“Hello, Xiaoxue. I live just below your house, below your Auntie Xilian’s place. When you have time, come over and play with your sister Lixia; she just happened to return to her maiden home,” Auntie Meilian said with a smile.

Her daughter was capable; she had given birth to a son in her first year of marriage, and now that he was a full month old, she had run back to her maiden home.

The husband’s side had even sent grain and money, making the whole family very happy.

“Okay, I’ll come when I’m not busy,” Mei Xue quickly replied.

Seeing that Xiaoxue wasn't shy, Grandma He felt happy as well.

“Lixia’s son is only two months old, right? Why is she back already?” Grandma He asked.

“You know how she is; she was exhausted from taking care of the baby alone, so she came back to find someone to help,” Auntie Meilian said with a smile.

Her son-in-law’s family was fairly well-off, so Lixia didn't need to do any manual labor.

She didn't lack for food or clothing at home, and with the son, the whole family doted on her to the core.

“That’s true, everyone in the family works, so there really isn't anyone to give her a hand. But it’s not good to stay too long; let her stay for a month, and once she’s learned, have her go back quickly,” Grandma He said with a smile.

The words sounded stern, but anyone listening carefully could tell she was helping Lixia.

Who returns to their maiden home and stays for a whole month?

Mei Xue smiled and teased her protective grandmother, and Grandma He rolled her eyes at her.

They walked home chatting and laughing all the way.

He Mountain was halfway up the slope. Four households lived above: one was Grandma He’s eldest nephew, and one was Auntie Xilian’s family. Three families were on the same level as the He family, and below, at the edge of the fields, lived Auntie Meilian’s family.

In the village, everyone was related by blood or marriage; the saying that you’re related to someone every ten steps was no lie.

And here in the Fourth Group, they all shared the same ancestor, so everyone was much the same.

Back home, Mei Xue hurriedly fetched water for her grandmother and herself to wash the mud off, then went to cook.

Grandma He let her be; she did what she could, while she herself untied the eels, otherwise they would all be dead by tomorrow, and then they wouldn't fetch a high price.

Live ones were always easier to sell than dead ones.

Because they had worked for half the day, there was some lunch left over. Mei Xue washed the pot, heated some oil, stir-fried some egg fried rice, and made a leek soup.

“Grandma, time to eat.”

After finishing, Mei Xue called out from the kitchen.

Grandma He hadn't rested since she got back; she had fed the chickens and pigs, and just as she finished dusting off her clothes, she heard her granddaughter-in-law calling her to eat, which made her very happy.

“Coming.”

The two of them ate the evening meal with great appetite.

“Sleep early tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll go to the street early to sell the eels. You stay home and wait for me, then we’ll go to the fields together.” The work in the paddy fields was done, but the dry land still needed attention.

People in the countryside never had a moment of rest throughout the four seasons.

“Grandma, I’ll go with you. Don’t worry, the injury on my head is all healed; didn't I work all day today?” Hearing her grandmother tell her to stay home, Mei Xue wouldn't have it.

Grandma He wanted to refuse, but looking into Xiaoxue’s eyes, she had to nod: “Alright, then wake up early.”

It was a night of good dreams. Because there was quite a bit of space water added to the soup, both of them slept very soundly; deep sleep is the best medicine for fatigue.

If Mei Xue were anywhere else, she might not feel as at ease as she did now, because the water in her space was truly useless—aside from relieving fatigue for animals and people, it really had no other effect.

Fortunately, she had come to the countryside.

The next day, Mei Xue and Grandma He carried a large bucket of eels along the country path.

It took at least two or three hours to get from home to the street, so they got up at four or five in the morning to eat and head out.

“Grandma, doesn't our village have a cart to go to the street?” Mei Xue asked while walking.

It was cool early in the morning, but after walking for a long time, one became tired and hot.

“There is a cart, the village has a horse-drawn cart, but it only goes out on market days; usually, it stays at home.”

Grandma He wiped the sweat from her forehead while walking and answering Mei Xue.

Mei Xue wanted to ask why they didn't take the cart, but thinking of the money from last time, she kept her mouth shut.

She knew it must have all been given to her as a wedding gift by the family.

It was past eight o'clock when they finally reached the street, and the shops were just opening.

There were quite a few pedestrians on the street, but everyone was busy hurrying along, and few stopped to chat.

“Grandma, where are we going to sell these things?” Mei Xue asked.

Grandma He stood for a moment to rest. “To the supply and marketing cooperative; there are people there who buy them.” She rarely left the village and only knew the places everyone went to on weekdays.

The supply and marketing cooperative—she had heard of this term, but she wasn't familiar with it. It couldn't be helped; she had been away from this era for too long.

She obediently followed Grandma He toward the cooperative.

When they arrived, Mei Xue realized it was a large marketplace where everything was sold.