Chapter 48 Guilty Conscience
"Bihua, do you use the same bucket for washing vegetables and feet?"

Jia Dongxu couldn't stand it anymore. His mother wasn't a very particular person, but it wouldn't be to this extent.

"No, all our barrels are the same. We have plenty of them."

Chen Bihua's eyes were evasive. Isn't this the case in the village?

The next afternoon, Jia Dongxu was strolling around the dam and wanted to run away but failed.

On the morning of the third day, Jia Dongxu came to the edge of the dam and was pointed at by people. He always felt that something was wrong, but he still couldn't run away.

Finally, on the morning of the fourth day, Jia Dongxu felt that he could finally see the light of day again. Seeing his wife carrying a large bag, he smiled, ran out of the village, and vowed never to come back.

Li Zhiguo is just pretending. The countryside is not as good as the city.

……

Li Zhiguo spent two good days lying in the yard. During that time, he only went out for a walk once, but he didn't go far.

Qin Huairu was packing up her belongings, taking with her the New Year goods that could not be stored for long, and would return to the courtyard soon.

"Brother, it's time to go back. I still have to use the sewing machine to make clothes."

"You are destined to be a hard worker. Come on, go back and have dinner."

Li Zhiguo got up from the bed, dressed, carried his bicycle and went out of the yard. After Qin Huairu locked the door, she sat on the back seat with her bag, and the two quickly disappeared into the alley.

"Hey, you two are back. The New Year won't be so lively without you."

Yan Bugui did not visit his relatives because that would cost money, so he just lived in the courtyard.

"Uncle, I'm glad to meet you. I won't be home on New Year's Eve. Please write two pairs of couplets and help me put them up. It won't be in vain."

There are only two doors in his house, the kitchen and the front door, so there is no need to put up couplets on the door of the inner room.

"That's great! I'll take my bag and go to your house to write."

Yan Bugui pushed the frame of his glasses and wanted to see what good things the person had brought back.

"By the way, Third Uncle, is my brother Dongxu back?"

Li Zhiguo just asked casually and had no bad intentions.

"Oh, he probably didn't come back. I didn't even see him. You don't know that Jia Zhang spent the New Year alone, and it was so lonely. She wanted to go and have dinner with Lao He, but Lao He ignored her."

Yan Bugui had a gossipy look on his face, this was no small matter.

"No, did Lao He really have an affair with Jia Zhang? Watching a movie on a rainy day?"

Li Zhiguo also looked curious.

"You can't say that. It didn't work."

Yan Bugui said this vaguely, not wanting to offend Lao He.

"I know!"

Li Zhiguo probably understood and guessed that He Daqing backed down at the critical moment.

"Isn't this Li Zhiguo? You brought Qin Huairu back."

"I was just talking about you. Now that you've put your things away at home, come out for a walk."

When the aunties noticed that someone had returned, they hurried over to say hello.

"Okay, I'll come after I finish putting up the Spring Festival couplets at home."

Li Zhiguo waved his hand.

Yan Bugui followed him to the backyard with a canvas bag. He earned a lot of extra money by writing couplets during the New Year.

Li Zhiguo pushed his bicycle to the central courtyard with a bag on the back seat. Qin Huairu was also holding a bag in her hand, which attracted attention.

"Happy New Year, Jia Zhang."

Li Zhiguo waved his hand and said, "It's the Spring Festival, isn't it festive?"

"What's there to be proud of? When my Dongxu and his wife come back, they will also have good things."

Jia Zhang kept muttering to herself and stayed at the door of her house without coming out.

Li Zhiguo thought that the shoes on his feet could still be worn for a while, so he didn't tease her. Bah, it was a lie.

In a blink of an eye, we arrived at the backyard. Second Aunt and others came out to say hello, but Sister Xu was nowhere to be seen.

"Li Zhiguo, you were away for two days. The Xu family moved away, and Fengling still missed you."

Second Aunt thought that although there were fewer people in the backyard, new people would be coming in soon, so this was a good thing.

"Oh, Fengling is a popular girl."

Li Zhiguo thought, perhaps he would be the unforgettable brother in Xu Fengling's memory in the future.

Qin Huairu stepped forward to unlock the door, and Yan Bugui quickly helped to carry the things back, as they were quite heavy.

"Li Zhiguo, you guys take care of yourselves. I'll write on the table and choose two good couplets for you. They won't be the same as the ones in the courtyard."

Yan Bugui also put down his bag and took out the cut red paper, brush and ink.

"Huai Ru, bring two pears to the Third Master, and some preserved fruits as well."

Li Zhiguo wanted to make her a cup of tea or something, but he had been away for two days and there was no hot water at home.

"okay!"

Qin Huairu opened the bag on the table and took something out of it. This was meant to be seen by people in the courtyard, so there was no need to hide it.

Yan Bugui stuck his head out and saw a lot of good things, including a chicken, many mountain products, pears and preserved fruits, which were fruits.

There are also large bags of peanuts.

I also saw a lot of eggs and a piece of bacon weighing at least five pounds. It was a big profit.

Yan Bugui did a quick calculation and found that the good stuff was worth less than twenty yuan.

"Uncle, this is for you."

Qin Huairu took two pears and a small paper bag of preserved fruits, then went to pack them up and prepare the sewing machine to make clothes.

Yan Bugui happily wrote two couplets and posted them on both sides of the gate together with Li Zhiguo.

"Uncle, your handwriting is really good, but you still need to practice more.

I've heard someone say before that if you put in 10,000 hours at anything, you'll be the best at it.

Who knows, you may make a fortune from this word. "

Li Zhiguo was not talking nonsense. The Jia Zhang family all had a skill. As long as they had the channels, the cloth shoes they made would definitely sell well.

"That's good, that's good what you said, I, your uncle, just want to make a little money."

Although Yan Bugui still thinks that Li Zhiguo is a bad person, he speaks nicely.

"By the way, your father-in-law's family is a rich peasant?"

"They are either rich peasants or have many brothers and relatives. There are at least 40 or 50 relatives in their village."

"Oh, no wonder."

Yan Bugui understood. All the relatives united but were betrayed by you.

"Okay, the couplets are all posted."

"Uncle, do you want the reward in the form of eggs or cash?"

Li Zhiguo didn't care. As long as the work was done, he would be paid accordingly.

"Six eggs, no more! There are exactly six people in my family."

Yan Bugui rubbed his hands. His family didn't buy eggs for the New Year, so he was a little greedy.

"Okay!"

Li Zhiguo quickly took out an egg worth three cents and saw Yan Bugui carefully put it in his bag with a happy face.

"Hey, Qin Huairu can use a sewing machine now."

When Yan Bugui was packing his bag, he glanced into the inner room and saw Qin Huairu making clothes by the window.

"I've learned it before. I took her there to learn it before."

He learned it himself and even designed several pieces of clothing for children.

"That's good. Qin Huairu is smart. The daughter-in-law of the Jia family still doesn't know how to use it.

Do you want to go for a walk? Auntie Wang and the others have invited you." Yan Bugui had gained a lot and was going home to have fun.

"Let's go for a walk in the courtyard and come back for dinner later. Why aren't Damao and Shazhu here?"

As he said this, he and Yan Bugui went out from the backyard.

Before he could go to the front yard to find Aunt Wang, he was stopped by Aunt Chen from the middle yard.

Soon all the aunties in the courtyard came out to chat about family matters, mainly asking about Qin Huairu's family situation.

I don't know when Jia Zhang came over and just stood there, threading the soles of her shoes in her hands.

"Li Zhiguo, my Bihua is pregnant, but your Qin Huairu is not pregnant."

Jia Zhang had no good intentions and wanted to use this as an excuse. No matter how capable you are, if you don't have an heir, you've worked in vain.

"Why is there no movement? My Huairu is also pregnant.

Jia Zhang, you are good at sewing, please make a few pairs of shoes for my children. This is an advanced courtyard, and neighbors should help each other. "

Li Zhiguo also suddenly thought of this. It is not enough to have a sewing machine to make clothes. Shoes are also needed. It is not easy to sell them outside because each family makes them by themselves.

"No, why should I make things difficult for your child?"

Jia Zhang was stunned. This was clearly a robbery.

Li Zhiguo smiled and said, "My Qin Huairu can use a sewing machine, can your Bihua?
And I can use it, but it costs money to learn how to use a sewing machine outside.

You paid me with shoes, so I reluctantly taught your wife how to use a sewing machine."

When several middle-aged women heard this, they hurriedly spoke out to support and persuade Jia Zhang.

"Ms. Jia Zhang, why are you still hesitating? This is a skill."

"That's right. That sewing machine is so expensive. You can't just leave it at home and collect dust."

Just then, the second aunt came from the backyard and shouted, "Li Zhiguo, I just saw Qin Huairu making clothes for children. They are just that big and look festive."

Jia Zhang stood there and asked somewhat embarrassedly: "How many pairs of small shoes do you want?"

"Let me calculate!"

Li Zhiguo knew that Jia Zhangshi would not be able to refuse. "Seven pairs of small shoes, and then make a pair of big shoes for me and Qin Huairu. Nine is a good number!"

"Oh, that's going to take a lot of work."

Jia Zhang thought it was too much. Even though children's shoes were small, they were difficult to make, and the soles had to be thicker and softer.

"Don't worry, I'm making a reservation, it's still early for the child to wear shoes."

Li Zhiguo remembers that babies only wore shoes after they were six months old.

"Okay then, I'll get you a pair of shoes first. You and Dongxu have the same foot size, so we have some ready-made. What size shoes does Qin Huairu wear?"

Jia Zhang thought there was no loss as she made shoes every day.

"I'm not sure either. Get me a pair first, and I'll ask Qin Huairu later."

Li Zhiguo rubbed his hands like Yan Bugui did.

"Then you wait. We agreed that you have to teach my Bihua how to use the sewing machine."

Jia Zhangshi didn't have any clothes to wear for the New Year this year, and she has been feeling upset about it. She decided that she couldn't leave the sewing machine at home as a decoration anymore.

"Li Zhiguo, you still have a way. Jia Zhang is very stingy, and you have taken advantage of her."

"You really know how to use a sewing machine. Jia Zhang is not that easy to talk to."

The aunties in the yard watched the fun and didn't mind the trouble. They also knew how to make shoes, but with Jia Zhang taking the blame, they would be safe.

"Of course I can use it. I'm a fitter, and a sewing machine is still a machine after all. I can learn it quickly."

Li Zhiguo boasted for a while, and then he saw Jia Zhang came out of the house, took out a pair of brand new white-soled cloth shoes and handed them to him.

"Hey, isn't that Jia Dongxu? He's back too."

"He has a big baggage on his back, I'm afraid he has made a profit, so we can find more rural wives in our courtyard in the future."

Li Zhiguo turned his head and saw that it was indeed Jia Dongxu who came back.

"Mom, I'm back."

Jia Dongxu had a look of joy on his face, but then he saw Li Zhiguo and someone else holding the same cloth shoes.

"No, Mom, you're not going to give Li Zhiguo shoes again. You can't do that, he's not a good person."
"Dongxu, Li Zhiguo can use a sewing machine. He promised to teach your wife. I am happy to give him these shoes."

Jia Zhang felt that this was different from the last time she was given shoes as a gift, so she couldn't be said to be at a disadvantage.

"Can he use a sewing machine?"

Jia Dongxu was a little confused.

"Brother, why don't I go to your house and take a look at the sewing machines? They are the same models that I bought at the department store, and they have the same functions."

Li Zhiguo only agreed to let the church use it, but he didn't care how to tailor it to the needs of the church.

Jia Dongxu was about to refuse, but then he thought, he had brought back something good, which would make people jealous.

"Li Zhiguo, I need to see if you can use a sewing machine, otherwise I have to return the shoes."

He was still wearing a pair of half-worn shoes, but he didn't even get this treatment.

"No big deal, I never lie."

Li Zhiguo immediately stood up, returned the stool to Mrs. Chen, and went to Jia's house. The aunts also followed to watch the fun.

When he entered the room and took a look, he found it was quite different from what was shown in the drama, except for the sewing machine which was quite conspicuous.

He walked forward to take a look, then reached underneath, fiddled with it for a few times and turned the sewing machine over.

This design is hidden and can be used as a table at other times.

"Bring me a stool."

"okay!"

Jia Zhang hurriedly handed the person a stool and was excited that they would soon have new clothes to wear.

Li Zhiguo saw that everything was ready. When he bought a sewing machine, a ball of thread and a needle were given as a gift. He chose a needle and threaded the thread.

Put the ball of thread on the sewing machine, grab the round movable wheel, turn it, and the needle will move up and down without any problems.

"Just find a piece of cloth and try it."

"Brother Li, this is for you."

Chen Bihua handed over a piece of cloth and she was also very excited.

Li Zhiguo placed the cloth on the metal plate, pressed it down, stepped on the pedal, pressed the edge of the cloth with his hands, and slowly pushed it forward.

"Oh, this is really useful!"

"Look how fast it can be sewn. It's so convenient to use it to alter clothes. Just put the cloth on it and it will really become clothes."

The middle-aged ladies were so amazed by this that they started bragging about it when they went outside.

Jia Dongxu was stunned. How come this kid knew everything?

"Ms. Jia Zhang, I'm not lying to you! Don't underestimate it. You need to coordinate your hands and feet well and practice for a while. I'll teach your wife when I'm free. I promise she'll learn it."

Li Zhiguo stopped when he felt a thread on the cloth in his hand.

"You're pretty good this time. I promised you the shoes, so I can't do without you either."

When Jia Zhang saw that her sewing machine was being used, she felt relieved.

"Okay, I'll teach you tomorrow. Bihua just came back and needs to clean up."

Seeing that Aunt Wang was not there, Li Zhiguo had to go to the front yard.

"Don't worry! Li Zhiguo, just sit there for a while. I'll finish packing these things in no time."

Jia Dongxu was anxious. How could he show off now that the person was gone?

He immediately gave his wife a wink, telling her to take out the good things.

Chen Bihua was suddenly a little embarrassed, but she did bring a lot of things, so it was okay to let everyone take a look.

He immediately put the bag on the table and opened it, and everyone gathered around.

(End of this chapter)