Chapter 29 Xihe Village, Donghua Town

Although Xiaojiu felt they were being a bit too tense, and that it wouldn't be too late to deal with this in ten years, she could understand their perspective as people who had been through it all. After all, no one knew what kind of harm the Tao family had suffered that made them so cautious and easily frightened. All of this was not for the sake of having a normal life.

"Is this never going to end? When will it ever be over?"

The old man grew angrier the more he thought about it, so the old woman grabbed his hand.

“Old man, stop talking. Actually, I think what the child said is right. It’s better to be safe than sorry, right? Besides, there’s nothing wrong with going to the countryside. You can raise chickens, do some farming. Life may be tough, but it’s better than living in constant fear. Anyway, this business is not going to work now. If we keep this big house, it will only be a disaster sooner or later. Changyi, you and Lingli discuss it and let us know when to leave and where to move to.”

When the old lady said that, the old man just looked up at his son and didn't say anything to object, which was tantamount to acquiescing to the old lady's decision.

That's how their family is. Grandpa and Dad make the decisions on important matters, while Grandma and Mom rarely speak up. But when they do speak, it's because they have a good reason. Like now, if Grandma's words weren't reasonable, Grandpa wouldn't have been so considerate and chosen to remain silent.

A little wine is fine. In this era, people can make do with clothes, housing, and transportation, but they can't make do with food. There will be another famine disaster in the late 1950s, and there will be a nationwide shortage of supplies. By then, she will be old and will be able to help everyone get through the crisis. So, whatever decision they make, she will support them unconditionally.

Although Tang Cuihua didn't understand any profound principles, and it wasn't the right time for her to speak, she still shamelessly said something.

"Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle and Aunt, the countryside isn't as tough as you think. Your family is so kind, you're sure to have good relationships with people in the future. As long as we're not lazy in the fields, we'll always have food and drink. Even if we can't guarantee we'll be full, at least we won't go hungry. Unlike in the city, everything costs money, even going out costs money. Feeding chickens, ducks, and pigs in the countryside is a bit dirty, but we can sell them for money. And as for the work in the fields, as long as you're diligent, the vegetables, fruits, and grains will all be worth your effort."

Cuihua's words undoubtedly reassured them, so when Tao Changyi asked her, "Which village around our town is the poorest?"

Tang Cuihua blushed. "Taoyuan Village, I guess? Anyway, I think our village is pretty poor."

As she spoke, something occurred to her, and she couldn't help but look up in surprise: "You wouldn't be planning to settle down in Peach Blossom Village, would you?"

If they really go back to Peach Blossom Village, what will happen to the three sisters?

“Don’t be afraid. It’s not decided yet. Even if we go, we won’t make things difficult for you. At least the three of you should go back first, and we’ll follow later. The reason we chose the poorest village is to be far away from the town, and the poorer the place, the fewer problems we’ll encounter in the future.”

Tao Changyi had his own considerations: "Besides, you and we have developed feelings for each other. You can't stay at the Tao family forever. You can go back to the village and be neighbors, so you can take care of each other, right?"

It has to be said that these words really touched Tang Cuihua's heart. They were still hesitating about whether to go back for the New Year, but now Uncle Tao's words seemed to give them hope. However, upon further reflection, they realized that...

“Uncle Tao, I still don’t recommend you go to Taoyuan Village. If my parents find out that my sister is in your house, they’ll probably cause endless trouble. It would be better to go to Xihe Village next door. Xihe Village is poor too, not much better than us. And it’s not that far away. If we want to see my sister, it’s close by.”

Tao Changyi didn't rush to a conclusion: "There's no rush. Things can't be resolved in a short time. Let's discuss it as a family before making a decision."

This year, because of this incident, a shadow was cast over the family.

Before the Lunar New Year, Tao Changyi went to great lengths to buy thirty catties of pork, twenty catties of pork fat, and ten carp weighing two or three catties each.

We had chicken and duck eggs at home, but we couldn't bear to kill the chickens, so we bought four roosters from outside.

"Cherish this year's Spring Festival, because it may be a year you'll remember every year from now on. Children, do you know? From now on, your hard times are coming."

Don't underestimate Tao Zui and the others just because they are young. They actually went through a lot of beatings and scoldings when they were young. Any little kid could throw stones at them, and even now, some people still call them the landlord's brats.

"Father, Mother, we've actually wanted to leave here for a long time. If we can leave, we should. I have nothing to miss."

Because of certain issues, they are not well-liked at school, and the feeling of being isolated is unpleasant. The worst part is that everyone knows about your family situation, and you have nowhere to hide.

Even if you are a good student, the teachers still have some prejudice. In Donghua Town, where everything is restricted, you can't find any human touch at all.

There were so many landlords, big and small, rich peasants and landlords everywhere, and everyone's fate was different. Although their family was relatively good, after all, they had risked everything to save their current house, and their uncles' sacrifices made up for it. Even so, it could not change the deep-rooted hatred between them, as if they were all bad people.

Are you feeling wronged?

The answer is inevitable, but what can we do?

Who can blame us for having a successful family background!

Let their generation be the first to fall.

If it was just a matter of planning before the Lunar New Year, after the New Year, my father and grandfather actually went to the neighborhood committee to investigate the matter.

Looking at her grandfather and father, who left early and returned late every day and were in low spirits, Xiao Jiu felt an indescribable sadness.

This year, no one was very happy. It was as if everyone knew they were going to part ways, but they were still forcing a smile.

After all, it was the home where she grew up. Xiao Jiu often saw her older brothers thoughtfully touching every plant and tree in the house, and she would occasionally turn to her second and third brothers to ask if they remembered everything that had happened here.

When the old lady saw this, she felt a pang of sadness. She sighed heavily, stood up, and went back into the house. No matter how open-minded she was, she still felt reluctant to leave.

After several months of effort, Grandpa and Dad finally made some progress.

Donating a house is possible, anytime, and is very popular. However, finding a house of equal value in the countryside is virtually impossible. But you can find someone to help you find a piece of land to build a house, or renovate some houses that have been abandoned by their ancestors, so you can move in directly. Whether to build or renovate is your choice.