When he was very young, he discovered that his parents were very strict with his elder sister, especially when it came to money. Even if he didn't care about food and clothing, he knew that every time his eldest sister ate, it was their leftovers, even during the New Year.
None of them have been on the table.
As for clothes, the eldest sister in his memory did not wear bright clothes, and she didn't even have any jewelry.
Speaking of which, among the three siblings, the one who has the hardest work is the eldest sister. He knew very early on that his parents were partial, but as a vested interest, he never asked.
The reasons are all ready-made. He is still young. He is still a child who needs care. How can he care about others?
"Mom, if you don't pay wages, you won't be able to keep busy, the guests will be unhappy, and our inn business will get worse and worse."
Jiang Huixin fell silent.
Before she was blackmailed, if Tang Mingshan was willing, she could give her a little money. But it was different now. All the cash at home was spent. Tang Mingshan still needed medicine for such a serious injury and food supplements.
Where is the spare money for Xiaoya?
"Anyway, you three siblings are supposed to help the family with work. No matter who you are or how much you do, I won't pay you any wages."
Jiang Huixin waved her hand: "You can go and do your own thing. I will do my best anyway, and I will do as much as I can. If the guests want to leave, there is nothing I can do about it."
"How can this be done?" Tang Qinghe was a little anxious: "Many of the customers are repeat customers. If we piss them off, how can we still do business?"
After hearing this, Jiang Hui felt a little weird. She raised her eyes and looked at her son seriously: "Are you worried about your family's business?"
Tang Qinghe looked at his mother, feeling quite uncomfortable. He coughed lightly and said, "I am also a member of the Tang family. I naturally hope that the inn will get better and better."
Jiang Huixin suspected that he was afraid that the inn would not be able to open, leaving only an empty house when it fell into his hands... However, this was her biological son, and she was not willing to think badly of him.
"We are short of manpower at home, so we have to do this." Although Jiang Huixin didn't say those words out loud, she was getting more and more irritated in her heart. She waved her hand and said, "If I'm really too busy, I will ask an aunt to come back and help."
Two days later, Zhang Qizi came again.
Early in the morning, Jiang Huixin went out to buy groceries, and when she opened the door, someone fell in. She was startled and almost screamed.
"Don't shout."
When Jiang Huixin heard the familiar voice, she immediately stopped talking. But when she recalled who the voice in front of her belonged to, she wanted to scream even more.
"Why are you here again?" She asked, then she remembered that she still owed money to someone, and she immediately emphasized: "I gave you all the money I have at home, and the remaining money is not enough to buy groceries for the guests. I still owe you money."
I went to a neighbor to borrow some cash. If you don’t believe me, just ask around and you’ll find out.”
"I don't care if you have any money, don't play rogue with me." Zhang Ruizi stood up holding on to the door frame, smelling of alcohol and sneered: "It took a lot of effort for me to find a doctor who is guaranteed to cure my health. It takes three years."
Twelve taels, I add my own savings and it’s still thirteen taels short... No matter how tight your money is, you have to make up for the cost of the medicine first."
Jiang Huixin felt bitter: "I really can't take it out."
"Call Tang Mingshan out." Zhang Qizi said impatiently: "I'm stuck with a woman like you. No matter how much I say, it's all a waste of time. You're not a family member."
Jiang Huixin smiled bitterly: "He was injured again and couldn't even get out of bed. It's the same thing if you tell me something."
"I'm just here to ask for money." Zhang Qizi sneered: "If your family doesn't give it, don't blame me for being merciless."
"Don't hurt my son." Jiang Huixin was anxious: "This matter has nothing to do with him, and our family doesn't want to default on the debt. We will pay you back when we have money later."
"You will have everything if you sell this house." Zhang Xizi touched his chin: "The doctor said it would take thirty taels to cure the disease, but there are ten taels of silver in it that I put in myself, which I will use to marry my wife.
You have to collect the betrothal gift for me later. This house is worth dozens of taels..."
"No!" Jiang Huixin refused: "This is handed down from the ancestors of the Tang family."
Zhang Qizi looked at the brighter and brighter sky and urged: "The doctor is still waiting for me to send money. Let Tang Mingshan come out quickly and give an explanation! "
This street is quite lively during the day. Even if it is not yet dawn, there are many shops preparing things for the day. Not only people are coming and going on the road, there are always people passing by. The two are entangled at the door.
This attracted everyone's attention, and some businessmen who were close to the Tang family temporarily put down their work and rushed over to help.
"Huixin, what are you talking about?"
"Why is Zhang Zhizi here again?"
Zhang Qizi said plausibly: "Their family owes me money. They asked someone to treat my injury. Now someone wants thirty taels of silver to guarantee that it can be cured, but the family refuses to acknowledge the debt! I asked Tang Mingshan to come out and give an explanation."
Having said this, he raised his eyes and looked upstairs: "Did you have guests staying at your house yesterday? Do you think they would be angry if you made a lot of noise this early in the morning and disturbed people's sleep?"
Seeing Zhang Ruizi trying to shout, Jiang Huixin was so frightened that her scalp went numb: "I'll call someone for you."
Tang Mingshan hadn't woken up yet. He was so angry that he was about to have a seizure after being woken up when he heard his wife's words.
When he learned that Zhang Qizi was asking for money at the door again and wanted to wake up the guests upstairs, Tang Mingshan's remaining sleepiness disappeared instantly: "That's unreasonable!"
Jiang Huixin was really afraid that her business would not be able to continue. The whole family was living in this inn, and the marriages of her three children would also be affected by the inn. The more she thought about it, the more she became afraid, and tears fell down: "Dad, think about it.
What a way!"
"Why are you crying? You've ruined all your luck by crying." Tang Mingshan was irritated: "It's all Xiaoya's fault!"
Jiang Huixin cried for a while and stopped talking.
How can you blame Xiaoya for this?
Tang Mingshan shouldn't have found that kind of bastard to bully Xiaoya in the first place!
She thought so, but didn't dare to say it out loud, so she urged: "Get dressed quickly, and I'll have someone come and carry you out. Otherwise, he will really wake up the guests, and our business will not be able to continue anymore."
Chu Yunli felt light-headed. When she heard someone was looking for trouble, she immediately became energetic. When she went out, she happened to bump into Tang Qinghe. She didn't even say hello and just kept walking.
"Sister." Tang Qinghe chased after him: "What were you thinking when you did it? Even if you want to teach someone a lesson, there is no need to hurt them so badly. That kind of gangster is like maltose, you can't get rid of it if it sticks to it.
, now how do you want to end it?"
Chu Yunli didn't want to talk to him, but after hearing his words, blaming all the faults on herself, she couldn't bear it any longer. She turned around and said, "Someone wants to bully me, but I only hurt the person, not the person."
Death is already a mercy. As for why my parents were coerced by him and asked for anything from him, you should ask them about this."
Tang Qinghe was speechless, and then he took two more steps to pursue him: "Did you do it on purpose? You know that he and dad secretly had contacts, deliberately injured people, and then brought trouble to dad..."
"Yes!" Chu Yunli interrupted him: "Are you satisfied with this answer? Have you finished asking?"
Tang Qinghe said angrily: "Sister, I thought about the family, so I said a few more words. It was you who caused this trouble, and you still have the nerve to be angry."
Chu Yunli emphasized: "Your father caused the trouble."
Tang Qinghe heard these strange words and couldn't help but said: "That's your father too."
"I'm just the father of you two brothers and sisters." Chu Yunli's face was full of ridicule: "If you think about it carefully, does his attitude towards me look like his own daughter?"
Tang Qinghe was stunned. His father seemed to be too partial, and the only explanation was that his sister was not his biological child.
In fact, because of their father's completely different attitude towards their siblings, many people outside were gossiping. Tang Qinghe also heard some of it. He inquired privately and determined that the eldest sister was born more than a year after the couple got married.
Just born.
Logically speaking, this should be his biological sister from the same father and mother.
"Then who is your father?"
Chu Yunli shook her head: "Mom refuses to say."
Tang Qinghe: "..." Refuse to say?
If the eldest sister really dared to ask such a question, a scolding would be indispensable. But now my mother refuses to say it... that is to say, the eldest sister's biological father really is someone else.
He was so shocked by the news that he couldn't react for a long time.
At the door, Zhang Qizi insisted on getting fifteen taels of silver in the morning.
If Tang Mingshan had it, he would be willing to take it out and send him away, but Tang Mingshan really didn't have it!
As for selling a building... This is the foundation for a family to settle down and live, and it is related to the marriage of the son and daughter. Let's put it this way, as long as this building exists, the son can find a business father-in-law, and the daughter can also marry into a merchant's home. If
Without a house, it would be very difficult to get married to someone who is doing business. Even if you get married, the Tang family is so high-ranking that you can't stand upright in front of your in-laws.
Seeing that there were more and more people watching, Tang Mingshan couldn't fool him anymore, so he finally relaxed: "I'll borrow it for you."
Zhang Qizi refused to come in and just stayed at the door. He was like this, and the people watching the excitement didn't leave. Jiang Huixin saw it and felt her chest hurt.
Chu Yunli took advantage of the chaos and went out. She didn't want to go to the kitchen to cook... Jiang Huixin was so busy that there were a lot of things left untied in the kitchen, making it inconvenient to cook.
She bought a few snacks that Xiaoya wanted to eat, and found a teahouse by the roadside to sit down. She was planning to walk around a little longer and go back after dark, when she suddenly heard someone chatting at the next table.
"No one knows what will happen until this person's life reaches the end. For example, the daughter of my neighbor's family was loved and loved by everyone at home when she was a child. She gave birth to a boy just a year after she got married. That family was quite wealthy.
She doesn't even have to go out to work, she just needs to stay at home with her mother-in-law and take care of the children. The gifts she brings home from her parents' home during festivals and festivals are the first among us. For a family like ours, she is considered to have married well. Look at the children Nai He gave birth to.
He was doing well, but at the age of three he still couldn't walk or call anyone. I went to many doctors to see him, but they all said that the child was stupid. He is already fifteen this year, and he is currently busy looking for a wife.
I am willing to spend twenty taels of silver to find a suitable girl, and as long as she can give birth to a child, I will give the girl ten taels of silver alone."
The man sitting opposite him opened his mouth in surprise: "You can have a baby at thirty taels?"
The person who spoke at the beginning nodded: "Yes, the girl is allowed to marry another woman, as long as she keeps the child."
"If you are willing to go all out, wouldn't it mean that you have gained dozens of taels of silver in vain?"
Chu Yunli just listened to it as gossip and did not have anything to do with it. She finished her snack, went out for a walk, and returned home in the afternoon.
The crowd watching the excitement at the door had dispersed, and Zhang Qizi had disappeared. Seeing her entering, Jiang Huixin smiled: "Xiaoya, where have you been?"
She wasn't unhappy, she just asked casually.
"Just take a walk." Chu Yunli thought of something and said, "I've spent all my money, give me some more."
Jiang Huixin was stunned for a moment, and immediately took out a handful of copper coins from her sleeve: "Take these flowers first."
Something's wrong!
Chu Yunli narrowed his eyes: "Are you so generous?"
Jiang Huixin felt quite uncomfortable and forced a smile: "You are my daughter. If possible, I don't want to treat you harshly. I have been indifferent to you all those years and I was forced to do nothing."
She may not have been able to change Xiaoya's situation at first, but she never tried to save her daughter. If she had praised her daughter in front of Tang Mingshan, even if she just reminded Tang Mingshan a few more times about the work Xiaoya had done, it would have shown that this
As important as the eldest daughter is to the inn, Xiaoya will never be so miserable.
After Chu Yunli got the coins, she was about to go back to her room. As soon as she took a step forward, she heard Jiang Huixin say: "Today I went back to my parents' house to borrow money, and your grandmother found out about a marriage..."
She hesitated.
Chu Yunli asked curiously: "Which company is it?"
"I don't know yet." Jiang Huixin was quite embarrassed: "She just gave a rough outline of the situation. I think it's quite suitable for you. Anyway, with your skills, you won't suffer any loss no matter where you marry."
It also requires skills. What kind of marriage is this?
Seeing her daughter's face full of doubts, Jiang Huixin couldn't say more: "There are not many guests today, so I bought an extra fish and we will have dinner together in the evening. We will talk about it then."
In the past many years, Xiaoya had never sat at the table and had a serious meal. Jiang Huixin's invitation became more and more strange.
When something went wrong, there must be a monster. However, Chu Yunli was not afraid. She went back to her room and took a nap. When she got up, it was already dusk. When she got up, she saw from the window that Jiang Huixin was setting food in the yard, and Tang Mingshan had already
Sitting.
Tang Mingshan had been recovering from his injuries for several days, and his face was still a little pale. But today he seemed to be in a good mood, and he even raised his voice to joke with Jiang Huixin.
"Xiaoya, it's time to eat."
Tang Qinghe and his sister were not around, so Chu Yunli was not polite and just ate it when it was served. Anyway, Xiaoya had worked hard for so many years and it was just a meal, so she deserved it.
During the meal, Jiang Huixin also helped her pick up a large piece of fish belly: "The meat here is tender and there are few thorns."
Chu Yunli smiled half-heartedly: "Speak directly if you have anything to say. You are so kind to me, as if you want to drag me away and sell you."
"That's right, you are a grown-up girl, and it's time for you to consider marriage." Jiang Huixin pondered for a moment: "You should get up earlier tomorrow, put on the newly bought clothes, and bring your jewelry. Later I will bring you some makeup and powder to teach you.
, you remember to apply it tomorrow...I will get up early and come over to help you apply it."
"If you are so cautious, then the marriage is going to be particularly good?" Chu Yunli glanced at the man who had been silent from beginning to end: "By the way, how did you send Zhang Zhizi away today?"
Jiang Huixin was silent for a moment: "He gave us three days to raise money."
Tang Mingshan said: "Whether you are my daughter or not, after all, your surname is Tang and you grew up with me, so you should repay the favor! I did get some benefits from this marriage, but there is nothing I can do about it.
I can't really let Zhang Ruizi hurt Qinghe... To put it bluntly, if you had been merciful and not hurt the person so badly, our family would not have had this bad luck, and we would not have used the betrothal gift given by your husband's family.
"
Chu Yunli understood and sneered: "You sold me again and are you going to use the money from selling me to silence Zhang Zhizi?"
"This marriage will not bind you for life. As long as you get married, we will be separated." Tang Mingshan emphasized again: "I don't want this either."
"I won't marry!" Chu Yunli refused flatly: "It's none of my business that you owe money, but if you dare to force me, I will definitely let your funeral take precedence over your happy event."
After saying that, he got up and went to the back to wash up.
The couple sat opposite each other, and Jiang Huixin burst into tears: "His father, what should we do now?"
"There's no way." Tang Mingshan rubbed his eyebrows: "First get the betrothal money and send Zhang Zhizi away, and we'll talk about the rest later."
*
The next day, Genius Mengliang, someone was already knocking on Chu Yunli's door outside.
"Xiaoya, I can't sleep anymore. I'm going to put makeup on you."
Chu Yunli was too lazy to answer.
Jiang Huixin waited for a long time, but did not hear any movement in the house. She climbed in through the window and pushed her daughter on the bed.
"I told you not to force me." Chu Yunli grabbed her wrist.
Pain came from her wrist, Jiang Huixin's face changed, and she cried: "Xiaoya, I beg you... I know I was wrong, and I know you hate me, can't I kneel down for you?"
Chu Yunli pinched her hand and she couldn't kneel down even if she wanted to.
Jiang Huixin cried so hard: "This marriage must be settled, otherwise our family will be ruined. Your father said that even if you are not here today, the marriage must still be settled."
To put it simply, you have to marry even if you want to get married, and you have to get married even if you don’t want to get married.
"You are truly a mother." Chu Yunli asked with a mocking look on her face, "What kind of family will give you a betrothal gift?"
Jiang Huixin wiped her tears: "I heard from your grandmother that she will give you eighteen taels as a betrothal gift. When you pass and give birth to a son, she will give you ten taels separately. If you want to remarry, they won't stop you. After all, they want it.
It’s just a child. Xiaoya, you just need to suffer for two years, find a good person with money, and then you will be free... I know this is not kind, who makes your life miserable? "
The more Chu Yunli heard about it, the more familiar the marriage became. She didn't expect that what she heard about yesterday would fall on her.
While talking, Tang Qinghe's voice came from outside: "Mom, the guests are here."
Jiang Huixin wiped her tears: "It's too late to put on makeup, you dress up."
After saying that, he hurried out of the door.
The sounds of two women chatting soon came from outside. In her previous life, Xiaoya did not have this marriage. Her temperament has not changed. She has not made a move against Tang Mingshan, and she has never been blocked by Zhang Zhizi. As soon as she learned about the engagement
, it was Tang Mingshan who decided to give Zhang Qizi a betrothal gift of ten taels of silver, and was later beaten to death by another man Zhang Qizi found.
Chu Yunli saw the so-called guest from the window. She was a quite young woman who looked less than thirty years old. She had fair skin and beautiful facial features. She was holding tea and smiling, following the direction of Jiang Huixin's fingers.
Look this way.
You can't hide. If you don't show up, you might even be directly arranged to get married by Tang Mingshan. Chu Yunli got up, put on her clothes and walked slowly into the courtyard.
The woman Qin looked up and down and frowned slightly: "This is a bit too thin."
Jiang Hui was a little anxious: "She is very hard-working, working from morning to night, so she can't gain weight. Although she is thin, she is in very good health. She has never taken medicine since she was a child, and she can recover by herself when she is sick. You
She is a relative of my natal sister-in-law. I trust my sister-in-law, so I am willing to hand my daughter over to you."
The Qin family knew about their own affairs and did not dare to be too picky. They said, "I will send the betrothal gift to your parents' family later. The wedding date... will be set at the twentieth of this month."
Chu Yunli took a step forward: "Madam, wait a minute, I won't marry."
Hearing this, Mrs. Qin waved her hand: "You can discuss it among yourselves. If you really don't want to, I won't force you."
He just left like that.
Chu Yunli understood that it was not that Mrs. Qin failed to see her reluctance, but that she thought that a girl like her could never stand up to her elders. Regardless of whether she wanted to or not, as long as the elders agreed, she had to get on the sedan chair obediently.
In fact, many girls do get married in this way.
The Qin family is unreasonable, and there are always reasonable people in their family. If nothing makes sense, then their family always wants to save face. After Chu Yunli washed up, she went directly to the teahouse where she sat yesterday, and soon learned about Qin’s husband’s family.
location.
She didn't waste any time and went straight to that street.
Someone in the teahouse noticed Chu Yunli, looked at the direction she was going, and hurried to the Tang family to report: "Huixin, Xiaoya seems to have gone to the Liu family."
The person who reported the news was Jiang Huixin's cousin-in-law. Xiaoya rarely went to her maternal grandfather's house, so Chu Yunli didn't even know that there was someone in the teahouse who knew Xiaoya.
Jiang Huixin was startled: "Really?" Then she stamped her feet, took off her protective clothing and ran away: "This girl is going to piss me off to death."
A carriage happened to be coming by, so she stopped her and got on without even bothering to ask the price.
Chu Yunli knocked on Liu's door.
The person who opened the door was a slightly fat middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance, unshaven beard, and wearing a silk shirt: "Who are you looking for?"
Chu Yunli looked through the gap and saw a chubby young man squatting in the yard. He was wet all over and it was spreading. Qin's family came running from the house with a look of helplessness on his face: "Bao, why are you pooping again?"
Already?"
Before Chu Yunli could answer, Jiang Huixin's carriage arrived. She jumped down and was about to scold her daughter. When she saw the man behind the door, her expression suddenly changed.