Chapter 9: Chapter 9, Heavy Rain

"Grandma, I'm going to boil the corn and render the oil." As soon as she returned home, Mei Xue took action immediately; she had been thinking about that corn.

Seeing her like this, what could Grandma He say? "Go ahead. I'll just go feed the chickens and the pig."

Life in the He household was very comfortable and relaxed, and Mei Xue had fully integrated herself as a member of the family.

Of course, she still felt a bit awkward about the title of "granddaughter-in-law," but since that man hadn't returned, it was of no consequence.

June weather is like a child's face—sunny one moment, rainy the next. The sky had learned to cry and laugh all at once, just like a child.

On the day of the big market, it was pouring rain. Mei Xue was dumbfounded when she woke up early that morning. She and Grandma had picked all the vegetables yesterday, intending to take them to sell this morning.

With it raining now, could they even be sold?

Just then, Grandma He’s bedroom door opened. She looked at the sky, which was gloomy and dark. "Xiao Xue, don't bother going out today. I can take these vegetables to sell by myself."

How could Mei Xue agree? "No way. The rain is so heavy, Grandma, you shouldn't go either." Mei Xue was worried; she feared the heavy rain might cause a landslide. Having finally found someone who cherished her, how could she let Grandma take such a risk?

"But what will we do with these vegetables if I don't go?" If these vegetables sat for a few days, they would truly go bad.

The old lady couldn't bear to see the vegetables go to waste.

Mei Xue really wanted to say they could just eat them at home, but there were so many; they really couldn't finish them.

Take the green peppers, for example—how could they possibly finish them all? If left too long, they would rot.

"How about this? I'll go. Grandma, didn't Auntie Meilian say yesterday that she was going to the market today? You tell her, and I'll go with her. You just wait for me at home."

She couldn't rest easy letting the old lady go alone.

Even with two people going, Mei Xue was still worried. In such heavy rain, what if they got soaked and fell ill?

Grandma He wanted to disagree, but seeing the anxious look on Xiao Xue's face, the old lady smiled.

Xiao Xue was concerned for her. How many years had it been? How long had it been since someone cared about her?

"Alright then, I'll go tell your Auntie Meilian right now." The old lady was a woman of action; she put on her straw raincoat and headed toward Auntie Meilian's house.

Mei Xue also stayed home to pack up the things to be sold, taking out a shoulder pole and testing its weight.

"Hmm, not bad. My strength has recovered by thirty percent." Mei Xue was very happy about her strength returning; she was someone who preferred to be active rather than sit around.

If she had lost her strength, she wouldn't have been used to it at all.

She added the vegetables from the basket onto the pole, balancing both sides evenly. "Perfect. Even if there's no horse cart to take, I can carry them out myself." Having strength is a beautiful thing.

Everything feels effortless.

"Meilian, Meilian, are you home?" Grandma He walked quickly to Meilian's house and shouted loudly as soon as she reached the door.

With rain this heavy, you wouldn't hear anything unless the voice was loud.

The lights were on in the main room, and a man walked out. "Who is it?" He Zhengcai walked out wearing a hat.

When he saw who it was, he was startled. "Third Aunt, why are you here?" He immediately opened the door to let his Third Aunt in.

Grandma He didn't stand on ceremony and walked straight into the main hall. "Where's Meilian? Is she still going to the market today?" The villagers relied on the big market to sell a few things and buy some oil and salt in return.

"She's going. Lixia needs to send word to her in-laws to have someone come pick her up." The two of them soon walked to the front of the main room.

Grandma He didn't go inside, not wanting to take off her wet clothes. "It's time for her to go back. You can't just stay at your maiden home for a month or two," Grandma He said with a smile, offering a bit of a lecture.

They were all family, otherwise, she wouldn't have spoken up like that—it would be too offensive.

He Zhengcai was a man who doted on his daughter; how could he not know this? "Indeed, that girl just got married, she doesn't understand these things yet."

Grandma He rolled her eyes; it was all because you spoiled her yourself. "Alright, where is Meilian?"

"She's in the back." After saying this, he opened the back door of the main room and shouted toward the back, where Meilian was doing something or other: "Meilian, Meilian, come out quickly! Third Aunt is here to see you."

Meilian was clearing the drainage ditch in the back; otherwise, with this much rain, the house would be flooded.

"Coming! Zhengcai, hurry and clear the rocks out of that ditch, or the water will flow into the courtyard in a minute."

Meilian was more than half-soaked. As soon as she heard Third Aunt was looking for her, she walked out immediately.

"Yeah, I'm going now. You go to the front; Third Aunt won't come in, it's cold outside."

After saying this, He Zhengcai went to clear the ditch.

"Third Aunt, why did you come over so early?" Meilian walked over quickly and asked as soon as she saw Grandma He.

"I came to ask if you're still going to the market." Grandma He didn't ramble; she still had a pile of things to do at home.

"I am, why wouldn't I? Those vegetables we picked yesterday won't last long if we don't sell them. It would be a shame if they all went to waste, and we can't eat them all at home."

The family relied on the produce from the land to supplement their income.

"Alright then. The rain is too heavy, so my Xiao Xue will go with you. Please look after her a bit on the road," Grandma He said without hesitation.

When Meilian heard this, she thought it was a small matter. "Sure. I'll have Xiao Xue stick with me. Third Aunt, you go back now. I'll be finished here in a moment and we'll leave soon. Tell Xiao Xue to come down."

"Alright, I'll head back first. Remember to help me bring Xiao Xue back," Grandma He said with a serious expression.

"Don't worry, I'll definitely bring Junqi's wife back," Meilian promised with a smile.

When Grandma He returned, Mei Xue had already heated up the food. She had taken some leftover rice from last night, added two eggs and some pickled vegetables, and stir-fried it all together—it was filling.

"Grandma, is that you?" Hearing the sound, Mei Xue walked out of the kitchen and called out.

"It's me, Grandma is back."

Closing the gate, Grandma He walked under the eaves with a slightly faster pace. "Your Auntie Meilian is leaving soon. Go fill your stomach, then carry your things down."

The He family lived halfway up the mountain; to leave the village, one had to go down.

"Alright, the food is ready, I'll just scarf some down." Mei Xue turned and went into the kitchen, picked up her bowl, and started eating.

She could endure any hardship, but she couldn't endure hunger.

No matter what she did, she had to fill her stomach first.

When Grandma He came in, she saw Xiao Xue scarfing down her food and worriedly told her to slow down.

After eating, Mei Xue put on the straw raincoat Grandma He had been wearing, shouldered her pole, and walked toward Auntie Meilian's house.

It just so happened that the path down the mountain passed right by her door.

When Mei Xue arrived, Auntie Meilian was also coming out with her pole. "Xiao Xue, you're here. I was just about to come call you."

"Morning, Auntie Meilian. Grandma told me to come over as soon as she got back." With outsiders, Mei Xue spoke much less, wearing a fake smile on her face.

Though, outsiders couldn't tell if she was smiling for real or not. "Alright then, let's go."

Rain had its benefits, namely that there was no need to go too early; there wouldn't be many people out in the morning anyway.

The contract has been mailed, everyone please feel free to add to your library.

(End of chapter)