Chapter 15 Idle Gossip

But with his Second Brother's reputation as a troublemaker in the village, marrying someone like Sister Qiu Ye was as unlikely as a sow climbing a tree.

It's nearly impossible!

Mr. Xu also thought his son was daydreaming, "Second Brother, Qiu Ye works at the supply and marketing cooperative in town, how could she ever fancy you.

Let's not even talk about Qiu Ye, her parents want her to marry into a county leadership family, and we're not a match."

Second Brother Xu knew this would be the outcome. He took a bite of the coarse grain bread in his hand and said nothing.

Mrs. Xu, however, was somewhat moved. Sure, Qiu Ye worked at the cooperative, but her parents were also country folk.

If her son could really marry a girl who worked at the cooperative, then they'd have a connection for buying things in the future.

"What are you all saying? I think our Second Brother is just fine, a perfect match for Qiu Ye.

Second Brother, tell Mom honestly, do you still keep in touch with Qiu Ye? Didn't you two play quite well together as kids?"

Second Brother Xu didn't expect his mom to support him, and his eyes welled up with tears, "Mom, do you really think I can match with Qiu Ye?"

Mrs. Xu proudly lifted her head, "Why couldn't you? At least you're a junior high school graduate. We don't look too bad, your dad's the captain of our village, and your third brother works at the transport company.

Our family is one of the best in the village, and look at how pretty your little sister is, why can't we match Qiu Ye?"

Hearing his mom, Second Brother Xu felt even less confident. She wasn't complimenting him, she was actually praising his dad, third brother, and little sister.

"Mom, stop it. I'm not as good-looking as my little sister, I don't have a job like my third brother, and I'm not as capable as dad. How could I possibly match Qiu Ye? Don't tease me."

Mrs. Xu got annoyed at his lack of backbone, "Why can't you match her? Didn't you and that girl Qiu Ye play really well before?

Why aren't you in touch now? Does that girl have a boyfriend? If not, your dad and I will find a matchmaker for you."

Second Brother Xu was startled by what Mrs. Xu said and quickly shook his head to refuse. If his parents went to Qiu Ye's parents, he wouldn't have any chance.

"If we're not going, are you going yourself?" Mrs. Xu asked.

Second Brother Xu, scared that his parents would mess things up, reluctantly nodded in agreement.

After breakfast, Mr. Xu took the whole family to work. There wasn't much work today, so Mrs. Xu stayed home.

Mrs. Xu cleaned the table and went to do the dishes. Xu Ying saw this and went to the kitchen to help.

Mrs. Xu couldn't bear to let her precious daughter do such work, so she immediately pushed Xu Ying to go out, "Go rest in the house. If you have nothing to do, go read a book. I can handle this work."

Xu Ying, with no choice, walked to the chicken coop and sneaked in three eggs when no one was looking.

Thinking about the food stored in Mrs. Xu's room, she ran to the kitchen and grabbed Mrs. Xu's arm, "Mom, don't you have some oil cakes in your room?

I'm craving one. Give me the key, and I'll get one to eat."

"It's in the usual place, the key is in the metal box under my bed. Go get it yourself."

Xu Ying was happy to hear that, and she happily went into the main house, rummaged under Mrs. Xu's bed, and found the metal box.

Holding the key, Xu Ying quickly ran to the large grain storage box, opened it quickly, and saw three bags inside.

Two large bags contained millet and corn grits, and a smaller bag had about five pounds of white flour.

Fortunately, in her past life, Xu Ying wasn't picky and collected almost everything. She had millet and corn grits in her space; the starter pack she got this time also included corn grits.

She added some flour and corn grits to the box, then quickly closed it.

Next, she ran to the cabinet where Mrs. Xu kept things, opened it, and took out an oil cake before putting the key back where it belonged.

"Mom, I'm taking Shitou and Hu Zi to the back mountain to see if we can find some wild chicken eggs." Xu Ying said, carrying the oil cake, swaggering towards the kitchen door.

Mrs. Xu saw her daughter eating the oil cake in big bites and was as happy as if she were eating it herself, "Okay, go if you want, but don't go deep into the mountains, got it?"

Xu Ying obediently promised she wouldn't go deep into the mountains.

Only then did Mrs. Xu call for Shitou, "Shitou, you go to the mountain and gather some pig grass, I'll feed the chickens at home.

Watch your little aunt on the mountain, and make sure she doesn't get into trouble."

Shitou put down the chicken bowl he just picked up, "Grandma, I'll definitely keep an eye on Little Aunt, and won't let her go into the deep mountain."

Mrs. Xu nodded with satisfaction.

Xu Ying looked at her mom, feeling a bit helpless. She was already eighteen, an adult, yet her mom still thought she was a child.

Shitou went to the backyard to get a basket and a sickle, "Little Aunt, let's head out."

Xu Ying took Hu Zi's hand, and the three of them hummed a tune as they went out the door.

Xujia Village was nestled against the mountains, and there was also a large river running through the village. As Xu Ying walked along the river, her thoughts wandered a bit.

Her falling into the river had a bit to do with Dong Wenzhong and Chen Yanran.

Back then she liked Dong Wenzhong and followed him wherever he went.

That day she saw Dong Wenzhong and Chen Yanran by a big tree beside the river talking about something, and her curiosity piqued, she wanted to sneak over to listen.

Who knew she was so focused on eavesdropping that she forgot to watch her step, stepped on a stone, slipped, and fell into the river.

"Little Aunt, let's go." Shitou noticed his little aunt daydreaming and gave her a light tug.

Xu Ying snapped out of it and moved her eyes away, heading towards the back mountain.

There wasn't much work in the fields today, so fewer people went to work. Many women sat at the village gossip spot, chatting away.

Xu Ying, leading Hu Zi, intended to pass quickly, but before she could, the village's gossip queen, Zhang Dacao, spotted her:

"Xu Ying, where are you off to? Going to find Dong Zhiqing again, huh?"

Zhang Dacao looked at Xu Ying mockingly, waiting to see the girl embarrass Xu Jian Country.

Xu Ying glanced at Zhang Dacao, possibly disappointing her. She smiled at the various aunts and sisters-in-law sitting in the gossip spot and said, "Aunt Cao, what are you talking about? Why would I go find Dong Zhiqing for no reason?

By the way, I think I saw Xiang Dong heading to the zhiqing station earlier. Is he going there to do work for Chen Yanran again?

Oh dear, I really feel bad for Aunt Cao. You've raised Brother Xiang Dong only to have him turn out to be someone who favors outsiders, sigh!" Xu Ying finished with a pitying look directed at her.

Zhang Dacao, hearing her son went to the zhiqing station, suddenly became furious. This stupid boy must think she's an easy fool, what a disgrace.

"Aunt Cao, where are you going?" Xu Ying called out, gloating as she saw Zhang Dacao leave in a hurry.

Zhang Dacao was furious and went off to find her foolish son.

In this round with Zhang Dacao, Xu Ying had a complete victory.

Just as she was about to leave, her third grandma's daughter-in-law approached her and quickly pulled Xu Ying away from the gossip center, "Yingying, tell Auntie why you hit Dong Zhiqing yesterday."

"Did you two have a fight, or do you not like him anymore?"

Everyone in the village knew about Xu Ying liking Dong Zhiqing; it wasn't a secret at all.

The Xu Family's third house was well aware. Wang Lanhua had never had a good opinion of Dong Zhiqing, seeing him as incompetent and unreliable.

Her niece was pretty, with good looks and was pampered at home. If she ended up with Dong Zhiqing, life for the two of them wouldn't be good.

Xu Ying was still unmarried. Her cousin might pamper her now, but later on, when she marries, her in-laws won't spoil her the same way.

When her cousin grows old, who could this girl rely on for help?