"This year's harvest on the mountain was good, thanks to Dad and my third sister for helping me manage it. This is a separate savings account I opened for the family." Chen Lishu said, taking out a passbook and pushing it towards Chen Mantun.
Chen Mantun took it and opened it to take a look, instantly stunned. There was a full ten thousand yuan.
"How can there be so much money? You should keep it for yourself." He then pushed the passbook back.
"While you were away, it was only right for me and third brother to look after you. What's the need for politeness between family?"
"Although land was contracted to households in the past two years, grain prices have not been high. The family still has to support several younger sisters' schooling. Even families with many laborers face great pressure. I can't come back often either. I see some families in the village are building new brick houses. Why don't we build one too? The sisters are growing up and should have their own private space. Besides, in the future, when they get married and want to bring their partners and children back, won't you and Mom need to prepare rooms for them?"
Chen Liyuan and Lin Qi's marriage was basically settled, and they would get married next year. Although they had already bought a house in the provincial capital, they would definitely come back for festivals and holidays.
Hearing her words, Chen Mantun and Wu Chunmei exchanged glances.
The family had many children, and due to limited conditions at the time, the house built was not large.
However, the family's situation dictated that the younger ones were increasingly needing money, and the couple dared not spend carelessly.
"What I'm giving isn't much. Thanks to your and third sister's dedicated care these past two years, this is a bonus for both of you. I didn't give it last year, but now that the mountain has brought in money, I'm giving it all together."
Gu Xingdong also persuaded from the side, "Dad, just take it. Once the house is built, Lishu and I will bring the children back to stay for a few days."
Seeing these two adorable grandsons, like little buns, coming back to stay for a few days would be a great joy for the old couple.
Chen Mantun, who was initially reluctant to accept, began to waver.
"Dad, my eldest sister and brother-in-law have said this, so what's there to hesitate about?" Chen Lifei took the passbook and said with a smile, "Big sister, I've accepted this money. Next year, I'll bring back a brother-in-law for you, and he'll help me manage the barren mountain."
The whole family was shocked by her words and asked in unison, "Third child/Third sister, you're dating someone?"
Being stared at by so many eyes, even though Chen Lifei was usually bold, she couldn't help but blush.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Chen Lishu and her sisters eagerly asked, "Quick, tell us who he is, do we know him?"
Chen Liyuan: "What does he look like? Is he from our village?"
Chen Lifei pouted, "Him? He doesn't look like much, and he's quite a blockhead."
Everyone became even more curious after hearing this and pressed her for details.
Chen Mantun frowned, "I haven't seen third child contacting any boys. Could it be someone working on the mountain?"
"Oh, stop asking. Anyway, it's me who likes him now, and he hasn't made his feelings known yet." Cornered, Chen Lifei became a little impatient, "But he'll eventually fall into my grasp."
Among the seven sisters, only the third child had the most spirited personality and was the most opinionated.
Seeing that they couldn't get anything out of her, Chen Lishu said, "For a family like ours, we don't expect the other party to be rich or noble, but there's one thing: his character must be impeccable. You're young, and if you're sure, you must tell the family."
Chen Lifei was still very obedient to her eldest sister and whispered, "I understand, big sister."
The couple sat at the Chen family's house for a while longer before leaving with their three children.
The few days around the Lunar New Year were the busiest for the family. Especially in the past two years, the Gu family had been doing better and better. Now that their sons were back, relatives of all kinds visited the house every day.
They were either indirectly asking for loans or begging for help to find jobs for their children.
Chen Lishu only focused on playing with the children, leaving all other matters to Gu Xingdong to handle.
On New Year's Eve, the family had a table full of dishes. They ate, chatted, and watched the Spring Festival Gala.
The first revamped Spring Festival Gala was groundbreaking, not only inviting well-known actors but also setting up a live phone-in segment to increase interaction with the audience nationwide.
This year's Spring Festival Gala impressed the audience with its programs, as well as the dazzling outfits of the actors and hosts.
The costumes predominantly featured festive bright red, as well as simple and elegant black and white.
Especially the long gowns adorned with sequins and beads worn by some of the female singers, which, under the lights, made them appear like celestial beings descending to earth.
This left countless viewers in front of their television screens mesmerized.
As the programs aired, in addition to the lines mentioning Shuse Clothing Factory arranged by the production team, the scrolling text at the bottom of the television also specifically reported on Shuse Clothing. The address and contact information of Shuse Clothing Factory were all clearly visible.
Not only Chen Lishu and her family, but even the employees of Shuse Clothing Factory, far away in the provincial capital, were glued to the TV screen. When the name Shuse Clothing appeared, they eagerly pointed at the screen and loudly introduced to their families, "Look, it's our factory! I told you our factory would be on TV. The clothes the actors are wearing were all provided by our factory."
Besides the employees of Shuse Clothing Factory, Yang Lili also watched the Spring Festival Gala program.
At this moment, she was alone in the spacious room, with two simple dishes she had made herself on the table.
Unlike the firecrackers and fireworks being set off outside, even with the TV volume turned up, it couldn't fill the emptiness of the room.
As the sales manager of the company, she could already foresee that after the Spring Festival Gala ended, Shuse Clothing Factory's business would boom.
Chen Lishu must be very proud right now.
Zhang Zhihui also watched the Spring Festival Gala.
Relying on the He family was indeed different; they could easily get the TV station to exclude them.
However, thinking of that useless He Zinian from the He family, Zhang Zhihui smiled with satisfaction.
He picked up the phone and called He Wenxin, who was abroad...
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Ding Yongfeng and his wife brought their son Ding Chen to visit.
Gu Shoufou and his wife were very agreeable to the marriage of Gu Xingping and Ding Chen.
Especially Ding Yongfeng and Sun Shuzhen, who were both high school teachers, intellectuals, and possessed mature and steady demeanor in their speech and actions.
"We are not here to rush the marriage. It's just that both children have started working, and we feel that the parents of both sides should formally meet. We have watched Xingping grow up and have always treated her as our own child. Everything will be based on her wishes."
Hearing his mother's words, Ding Chen became anxious. After years of waiting, he wanted to marry Xingping quickly. If it were according to Xingping's wishes, she might not even agree to marry him next year.