Xigou Village, Shi Lin's home.
Shi Zhengang, Ye Meihui, and Shi Yuying were busy processing the honey they harvested today.
Using traditional methods to press honeycomb is really a troublesome and tiring job.
Shi Yuying worked for a long time, then stood up, stretched, and looked outside. Seeing it was pitch black, she complained:
"Lao Liu definitely knows there's still a pile of work waiting for him at home, so he's hiding out at Fourth's place."
Hearing this, Ye Meihui rolled her eyes at her and defended her Son:
"Xiao Liu has been much more diligent these past few days. Don't keep talking about him."
"......Alright, how dare I speak about your precious Son? I won't say anything more. Let's continue pressing the honey."
Shi Yuying sighed, put on a helpless expression, and continued working.
Shi Zhengang glanced at her and said:
"Alright, Xiao Wu, if you're tired, go rest. Your mother and I can continue working on it tomorrow morning. We should be able to finish it.
You were also tired all day today with Xiao Liu, and you still have to go up the mountain tomorrow. Don't wear yourself out."
Hearing this, Shi Yuying giggled, "Hehe, Dad still dotes on me. Instantly, I feel full of energy again. Let's keep going, keep going."
"You girl, always playing the fool," Ye Meihui chided her.
The family chatted and worked together, which was quite pleasant.
"Giggle~"
Suddenly, the Sable, who had been nestled in Shi Yuying's arms, raised its head and let out an excited 'giggle'.
Seeing this, Shi Yuying put down her work, stood up, and smiled, "For Zi'er to be so excited, Xiao Liu must be back."
Saying this, she walked towards outside.
Shi Zhengang and Ye Meihui also put down their work like her and looked towards the door.
Soon, they saw a bright light approaching their home from a distance.
It was the light from a flashlight; it had to be Shi Lin.
Looking at the light getting closer outside, Ye Meihui smiled:
"The Little Purple Sable's ears are really sharp. This brat, I told him to sell fish and take something to his Fourth Sister on the way, and he's been gone for ages. He couldn't be eating at his Fourth Sister's place, could he?"
"I'm afraid he's not just eating at Fourth Sister's place; he's brought Fourth Sister back! It looks like Xiao Pan'er has been brought back too!"
Shi Yuying had better eyesight. With the help of the moonlight, she could vaguely see that there wasn't just one person on the bicycle, and she could faintly hear the sound of a child.
"This..."
Ye Meihui and Shi Zhengang exchanged glances, both frowning.
It was already past eight o'clock at night. Normal villagers would have turned off their lights and gone to bed long ago. Shi Lin bringing his Fourth Sister and the child back at this hour might not be a good sign?!
Shi Yuying, standing in front, didn't think that much. She just said somewhat reproachfully:
"It's so late at night, and the wind is so strong. Fourth Sister just gave birth not long ago, how could he bring her back? Isn't he afraid Fourth Sister and Pan'er will catch a cold from the wind?!"
"......I hope Xiao Laidi wasn't brought over as well," Shi Zhengang sighed and said.
If even three-month-old Xiao Laidi was brought back, it meant the situation had truly reached a very serious point.
Hearing this, Ye Meihui's brows furrowed even deeper, and her eyes were full of worry.
The three didn't wait long before Shi Lin's bicycle entered the courtyard.
As soon as Shi Lin stopped the bike, Xiao Pan'er opened her arms and ran 'deng deng deng' towards Shi Yuying and the others.
"Fifth Aunt! Grandma! Grandpa!"
Hearing the little one's joyful shouts, Shi Zhengang and Ye Meihui slightly relaxed.
Shi Yuying, with a face full of smiles, opened her arms to welcome the little one into her embrace.
However, when the little one ran closer, she realized something was wrong.
Why was Xiao Pandi so dirty and looked malnourished? She was even thinner than when Shi Yuying saw the little one three months ago.
On her little face, which originally had some baby fat, the baby fat was almost gone from being thin.
Shi Yuying picked up Xiao Pandi and asked softly, "Xiao Pan'er, why are you so thin? Were you not getting enough to eat at home?"
Shi Zhengang and Ye Meihui also looked heartbroken seeing their granddaughter, who was as thin as a bean sprout.
The last time they saw their little granddaughter, although she was a bit thin, she was definitely not this ridiculously thin.
A three-year-old little one should have grown taller every few months, but looking at her now, it felt like Xiao Pan'er wasn't even as tall as she was a few months ago.
However, before they could express their concern and ask, a voice beside them, a sobbing "Dad! Mom!", struck Shi Zhengang and Ye Meihui like lightning.
They simply couldn't believe their eyes.
Their Si Gu Niang, Shi Yushu, who had just given birth three months ago, was actually as thin as a stick. Her eye sockets were sunken, her cheekbones protruded, and she had become dark and thin all over, looking even older than her mother.
If it weren't for her being their own daughter, with her facial outline not changing much, they almost wouldn't have recognized her.
Ye Meihui's eyes instantly turned red, her voice choked with sobs as she hugged Shi Yushu tightly, "Oh, my daughter, how did you become like this?"
Shi Zhengang's body swayed, and he had to hold onto the door frame to stand steady.
He didn't ask Shi Yushu. Instead, he looked at Shi Lin, who was holding the little baby behind her, and asked in a deep voice:
"What exactly is going on? How did your Fourth Sister become like this?"
"Let's go inside and talk. It's windy outside." Shi Lin sighed and first carried Xiao Laidi into the house.
After entering the house, he made a bowl of honey water for each of them. After everyone's emotions had calmed down slightly, he began to talk about his Fourth Sister's situation.
However, even as he spoke cautiously, constantly mindful of Lao Shi and Old Ye's emotions, the two elders were still trembling with anger.
Ye Meihui kept rubbing Shi Yushu's hand, feeling heartbroken.
And after hearing Si Gu Niang's experience, Lao Shi stood up directly, leaned on his walking stick, grabbed the homemade gun hanging on the wall, stuffed gunpowder and steel pellets into his pocket, and was about to walk out.
Seeing this, Shi Lin quickly stepped forward to stop him and said:
"Dad, Dad, don't rush. When I came just now, I already beat up that Liu Defu. You don't need to go again now."
"Besides, right now it's just Liu Defu and a few women at their house. It's not good for us men to lay hands on women..."
"What I want to talk to you about now is the future of Fourth Sister and her two nieces. My suggestion is, in a couple of days, I'll take Fourth Sister to divorce Liu Defu!"
"After the divorce, Fourth Sister won't need anyone to support her. She can totally earn money to support herself. She can help me press honeycomb at home for now, and I'll give her two yuan a day. When I make big money in the future, I'll increase her salary..."
Saying this, Shi Lin explained his plan. The first step was to have Shi Yushu divorce Liu Defu,
Then, he would have Shi Yushu help him at home for now, paying her a daily wage.
Two yuan a day is sixty yuan a month, which is higher than the income of workers in the city and completely enough for Fourth Sister to raise two little babies.
Hearing Shi Lin's plan, before anyone else could speak, his Fourth Sister was the first to voice her objection.
"No need, no need. I'll just help out at home. As long as I have food to eat, you don't need to pay me a salary."
"That won't do. This salary must be paid, Fourth Sister. You'll have to send Xiao Pan'er to school in the future. How can you send Xiao Pan'er to school without money?"
The matter of paying a salary was something Shi Lin had already thought about on the way here. Not only did he have to pay Fourth Sister a salary,
Fifth Sister's salary couldn't be less either. These were all things that could serve as Fifth Sister's dowry in the future, and they couldn't be omitted.
"Since we're talking about paying salaries, I'll mention Fifth Sister's share as well. For Fifth Sister, I plan to give a percentage. As the main force in harvesting honey, I'll take seventy percent, and Fifth Sister will get thirty percent. Fifth Sister, what do you think?"
"Huh?"
Shi Yuying was taken aback. She didn't expect the conversation to turn to her.
She knew how profitable harvesting honey had been recently. One trip was over two hundred yuan, and if they were diligent, they could go twice a day, which would be over four hundred.
If she was given thirty percent, that would be one hundred and twenty yuan...
Thinking of this, she quickly waved her hands.
"No, no, thirty percent is too much. If you're going to pay, just pay me a salary too, like Fourth Sister, two yuan a day is enough."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, Fourth Sister Shi Yushu was also surprised. Two yuan a day is enough? How could Lao Wu be so bold as to say that?
In the end, it was Shi Zhengang who spoke and made the final decision.
"Regarding this matter of paying salaries, let's do it according to what Xiao Liu said for now.
Xiao Wu also needs to save up some dowry for herself. Just take the thirty percent I'm giving you.
Xiao Si can help out at home for now. Don't refuse whatever salary Xiao Liu gives you; just take it. He can earn money now."
After speaking, Lao Shi rehung the gun in his hand back on the wall, took out the gunpowder and steel pellets again, leaned on his walking stick, and walked towards outside.
The few people in the family watched him silently the whole time. After a while, they heard him say,
"I'm taking the bicycle back to return it to your Second Uncle. I'll be back in a bit. You all should wash up and go to bed early. Tomorrow, those who should go up the mountain will go up, and those who should press honey will press honey."
After speaking, he placed his walking stick on the bike, stepped onto the bicycle with one foot, and rode out, looking very agile.
Shi Lin watched from a distance. Only when he saw that he was indeed going to Second Uncle's house did he feel relieved, return to the house, and tell Xiao Pan'er to eat something.
With the current atmosphere at home, only Xiao Pan'er and Xiao Laidi in the swaddle were the easiest to cheer up.