Although her son was becoming more unruly with his studies, he voiced Zhang Chunhua's thoughts: "Mom, why don't you go talk to your second son and his wife? We can say we're borrowing them, and we'll pay them back when the pigs are sold next year."
Old Mrs. Chen nodded. "We're family. Baozhu was just confused for a moment. As long as he works hard from now on, and it's not like we're not paying the money back. Your eldest sister-in-law will go with me later."
Hearing her agree, Zhang Chunhua and Chen Mancang exchanged a look. It seemed like the matter was almost settled.
"You eat. I'm done and will go for a walk," Chen Mancang said, getting up.
Seeing he had only eaten half a bowl of rice, Zhang Chunhua worriedly asked, "Why did you only eat this much? Is it not to your taste?"
With pickled vegetables and shredded radish every day, or just potatoes and cabbage, there was no oil or fat. It would be strange to have an appetite.
"Don't mind me. You all continue eating," he said, turning and leaving the house.
It got dark early in winter. By five o'clock, it was completely dark.
When Chen Liffei and Chen Mantun returned home, Wu Chunmei had already prepared the meal. She was sitting under the lamp knitting a sweater, while the younger ones were either reading and studying or playing quietly beside her.
"Dad, third sister, you're back? I'm so hungry," the seventh child, Chen Lizi, said, dropping the little duck she was holding and running towards them.
As the youngest in the family, she was doted on by her six older sisters. Her lively personality and face, which was very much like Chen Lishu's, showed her current discontent as she slightly furrowed her brow.
Chen Mantun stamped the snow off his feet and smiled, patting her little head. "If you were hungry, why didn't you start eating?"
"You and third sister weren't back yet. Mom said we had to wait for you to eat together, so we couldn't eat first."
Chen Liffei took off her outer coat, washed her hands, and opened the pot to serve the dishes.
Soon, the family sat down at the table and began to eat.
For dinner, Wu Chunmei had stewed potatoes with dried vegetables they had preserved in the autumn, and there was also pickled cabbage with meat.
The family's conditions had improved. The older children could earn money and gave her a good amount each year. The couple could also earn money from farming, and the younger ones were all growing, so Wu Chunmei was no longer stingy with food, occasionally making a meat dish.
Wu Chunmei asked, "How many piglets did you have?"
Chen Liffei replied, "Two litters, twenty-one in total. They all survived."
"That's really good," Wu Chunmei said with a smile. She then sighed to Chen Mantun, "Who could have imagined that our third child would be like this? It's a pity that as a girl, she insists on farming and tending livestock. If she were good at studying like her elder sisters, it would be wonderful."
Chen Liffei was unconcerned. "Mom, it's been a long time since then. Besides, in all 360 professions, there are successful people. Farming well is no worse than having a job. My sister pays me more than our second sister's salary. Now I'm raising pigs so well that people from all over the village come to inquire and learn."
"Let the children do what they like. Dad will use all his strength to support these younger ones and send them to school."
"Dad, I'll study hard and be successful like eldest sister. Then I'll take you and Mom to live in a big house in the city," Chen Lizi said, looking up at them.
Chen Mantun smiled. "Mom and Dad can also benefit from our youngest daughter."
They were nearly fifty, and the youngest, Lizi, was only six. Whether they would see her get married was uncertain. However, hearing their child say this made the parents very happy.
As the family ate and chatted, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Old Mrs. Chen and Zhang Chunhua entered together.
Wu Chunmei stood up. "Mom, eldest sister-in-law, have you eaten? If not, please join us."
Zhang Chunhua looked at the table, which had two dishes, and her expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
However, times had changed. The children of the second family were now successful, and Chen Mantun and his wife had gained confidence. The days of ordering them around as before were long gone.
Old Mrs. Chen looked at the meat dishes on the table and felt a pang of heartache. The girls were eating so well, yet her eldest grandson and great-grandson were not allowed such treats.
"I don't have the fortune. Unlike you two, you're even eating two dishes. It seems your good life is burning itself out."
Wu Chunmei and Chen Mantun's smiles froze when they heard her words.
"Slap!" Chen Liffei slammed her chopsticks onto the table. "Eat if you want, or don't. No need for so many words. Eating two more dishes is considered burning yourself out? Chen Baozhu gambled away all the family's money and land. Is that life not burning itself out?"
"You, you ill-bred brat, who are you talking to?" Old Mrs. Chen almost choked.
Chen Liffei retorted unceremoniously, "I'm in charge of this household now. Grandma, if you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, we're going to eat."
She had long heard that this granddaughter was feisty, and the villagers had even nicknamed her 'Little Chili'. She could indeed be sharp-tongued.
Clearly unable to deal with her granddaughter, Old Mrs. Chen turned her attention to Chen Mantun and his wife. "Second son and daughter-in-law, she speaks to me like this, and you two say nothing?"
Chen Mantun replied, "Mom, the child usually speaks to us like this. Besides, you shouldn't take a child's words to heart."
Their lives had been smooth in the past few years, and the children were all doing well. Chen Mantun really didn't want any more troublesome matters to find him, so he said, "What is it that you and eldest sister-in-law came for?"
Chen Mantun's question made Old Mrs. Chen finally remember the important matter. She glared at Chen Liffei, then found a stool and sat down. "I heard that some pigs on the mountain have had two litters of piglets. You know your eldest brother's situation. We want to take a few piglets back to raise."
Zhang Chunhua added, "We won't take them for free. We'll pay back the money after the pigs are sold next year."
Wu Chunmei and Chen Mantun exchanged a glance. The latter said with some difficulty, "Eldest sister-in-law, it's not that we two are unwilling to help. The pigs belong to Lishu, and now the third girl is in charge. We really can't make this decision."
Old Mrs. Chen's drooping eyelids lifted, revealing her cloudy eyes. "You are their father. What can you not decide? We are all brothers. If one has difficulties, shouldn't others help?"
Chen Liffei sneered. "Grandma, what you're saying is truly funny. If my eldest brother's father and mother could make decisions, would he have gambled away all the land? If it were me, my legs would have been broken long ago, wouldn't they?"
Old Mrs. Chen's chest heaved violently with anger. "You, you little brat, I wasn't talking to you. Be quiet."
"Whether I'm quiet or not, what you're asking for today won't happen. Didn't I say from the beginning that I make the decisions in this house? My eldest sister also makes the decisions in the barren mountains. All the piglets are sold for cash, and there's no such thing as credit."
After saying this, Chen Liffei picked up her rice bowl and continued eating.
If they wanted to take advantage of her, there was no way. Even writing an IOU wouldn't work.
Old Mrs. Chen and Zhang Chunhua looked at Chen Mantun and his wife, who remained silent. Their faces turned ashen with anger, and in the end, they could only leave empty-handed.