Chapter 150 – Ma Hui

“Mother’s here.”

Ma Hui, Yang Aimu’s wife, saw Aunt Yang and spoke with indifference.

“Where’s Aimu?” Aunt Yang asked.

“Aimu is not at home,” Ma Hui said dismissively and didn’t ask why she was here. Then she took the basket to the front yard to pick black eyed beans.

The black eyed peas planted in the yard were growing very well, but Aunt Yang didn’t see her eldest daughter-in-law send her any. But of course, she grew tomatoes and other beans in her yard. She was not interested in her daughter-in-law’s food.

“Then I’ll wait for him to come back. Ask him to bring Daya over.” Aunt Yang didn’t want to stay there.

Thus, she went back.

Yang Daya came in from the backyard and didn’t see her grandma. She said, “Mom, I just heard grandma’s voice.”

“Your grandma did come, but then she left,” Ma Hui snorted.

“Mom, why didn’t you let grandma visit?” Yang Daya questioned.

Ma Hui scolded, “Visit for what? That old woman doesn’t care about us. She was like that in the past and is still the same way now. Didn’t you see what happened to your third uncle? He went to work as a permanent worker for Ji Jianyun’s family. Your grandma was the one who helped him, but why didn’t she help your father? If he could work as a long term worker for Ji Jianyun’s family, our family would be better off. I would not be worried about not being able to pay for your brother’s school!”

“How can dad be a long term worker for Uncle Jianyun? There are so many fields in our family. If dad is a long-term worker, what will we do about the fields?” Yang Daya asked, “The land at third uncle’s place is so small.”

“You dead girl, who are you supporting?” Ma Hui scolded. “Did you help them wash clothes again today?”

“Yes.” Yang Daya nodded.

“You are not allowed to go again in the future. Let them wash it by themselves. They are not so old that they can’t move!” Ma Hui declared immediately.

Yang Daya frowned, but said nothing. Her mother was angry now, so it was useless to say anything.

When Yang Aisen came back at noon, Ma Hui didn’t tell him that his mother had stopped by. Instead, Yang Daya whispered in private, “Dad, grandma came this morning, but she didn’t stay long. Something is up. You should go over and have a look.”

When Yang Aimu heard that, he had an inkling of why.

He went over after lunch.

“Have you eaten yet?” Aunt Yang had seen her eldest son coming and asked.

Yang Aimu nodded and said that he had eaten, and then asked directly, “Mother, I heard Daya say you visited?”

“Yes. Ma Hui didn’t tell you, but Daya told you, right?” Aunt Yang asked back.

Yang Aimu said, “Mother, don’t worry too much about Ma Hui. Are you not feeling well or maybe it’s father?”

“Your father and I are fine!” Aunt Yang was annoyed. She didn’t bother to continue that topic with her eldest son. She said, “Danhong came to tell me that Su Aidang’s shop in the town lacks someone to take care of their child and clean up. I came to ask if Daya wanted the job. It’s 15 yuan a month, including food and accommodation!”

Hearing this, Yang Aimu was immediately surprised and asked, “You’re asking Daya to go? Can Daya do it?”

“Daya is in second grade. She can count. If she is asked to sell things, she can do it. Do you agree to let her go?” Aunt Yang said.

“I will, mother, I definitely will. If Daya can work in the town, she can marry a family from over there,” Yang Aimu agreed.

“Don’t think too far now. Daya is only thirteen. It’s still early. If you agree, then ask Daya to go. But don’t make me regret vouching for her. She shouldn’t take anything. I also believe in my granddaughter’s character. Don’t destroy my reputation. Otherwise, if there’s anything good from Danhong’s side in the future, you can forget about getting involved in it!” Aunt Yang cautioned.

“Mother, you don’t need to say anymore. I’ll definitely go back and have Daya work well. She absolutely won’t steal anything!” Yang Aimu said quickly.

“All right, go back now.” Aunt Yang sent him away.

Yang Aimu went home. Ma Hui’s face was dark. “Where did you go?”

“What does it matter to you? I was at my mother and father’s place, but what does it have to do with you?” Yang Aimu said.

“You treat them as your own parents, but they never think of you!” Ma Hui said angrily.

How many people in the village were looking for an open long term position at the Lao Ji’s family? She was also looking.

Thirty yuan a month. How much was that in a year? There are also goods during the New Year. She had seen Xu Aidang and Ji Hongjun carry them back. The basket was full of good things!

Ji Jianyun and Su Danhong were so close to her parents-in-law. She heard that they had been given many good things, but she had never seen the two elders bring them anything. Her son was their eldest grandson. Yang Ailin’s family was like hers with one son and one daughter. But the third son, Yang Aisen, only had a daughter.

This time, there was a spot for long term workers. It should have been given to her family, or they should have helped. It would have been whatever if it had been given to the second son, but it was given to the third son, which she did not like the most.

There was only one girl in that family. What’s the use of Yang Aisen making so much money! It didn’t make sense!

The elders were biased toward their third son!

“My mother told me to go over. Su Jindang, the one with the store in the town, is looking to hire someone to look after his child. My mother said that Daya is the right age, so she recommended her to go there,” Yang Aimu said.

These words blocked Ma Hui’s criticism. “What?”

“Mother is trying to give Daya a chance to work in town. She will be paid 15 yuan a month. Food and housing are included. Do you remember Su Jindang? He’s Ji Jianyun’s second brother-in-law,” Yang Aimu said.

“Do you need to tell me that? Of course I know who he is. If Daya is going there to work, will she really be paid 15 yuan a month, with food and housing included?” Ma Hui said happily.

“Yes, but she needs to be upright and keep her hands to herself. If anything bad happens, she will certainly be sent back. In the future, it will affect our reputation,” Yang Aimu cautioned.

“If it was someone else’s daughter, I won’t say it. But it’s Daya. How could Daya have the courage to steal? Mother-in-law never has to worry. Did you ask when she will go?” Ma Hui said.

“In the evening, Su Jindang will come to transport goods. He will come and take Daya with him,” Yang Aimu said.

Then he went to call Daya to come over. He told her about the opportunity, and asked, “Daya, do you want to go?”

“How can she not want to? 15 yuan a month is half the pay of an adult worker. Besides, Su Jindang’s child is still young. She’ll probably work for four or five years? By then, she will be 18 years old and about to get married!” Ma Hui’s abacus was calculating.

“Mom, that’s a long time in the future,” Yang Daya said shyly. This meant that she was expressing that she wanted to go.

Ma Hui was not vague when she told her eldest daughter, “It’s not a long time. You have to work hard over there. Don’t you understand that you can’t do bad things over there? Our village is only so big. If you have a bad reputation, it’ll be hard to find a family for you to marry into in the future.”