The wife of a shrewd woman travels to the 80s, and the sick factory manager asks for mercy - Chapter 4

Uncle Shen’s two granddaughters were playing house on the steps under the eaves. When they saw her walking in, they beamed with joy and sweetly called out, “Auntie, you’re here!”

The two chubby little girls wore identical red floral cotton dresses and had their hair tied into pigtails. They looked absolutely adorable.

Shen Yunqing reached into the pocket of her jacket and took out a piece of malt candy. Following the original host’s memories skillfully, she walked into her uncle’s kitchen, picked up a kitchen knife from the chopping board, and cut the candy in half.

She gave the halves to the two girls and gently asked, “Is your great-grandma home?”

“She’s here,” the older girl said, popping the candy into her mouth and pointing to the tiled room where Grandma Shen lived. “Great-grandma is sleeping on the bed.”

Shen Yunqing patted their heads and made her way toward the room where Grandma Shen lived.

Before she even reached the door, the old woman’s voice came from inside.

“Yunqing’s here.”

Shen Yunqing stepped up to the door and pushed it open.

Grandma Shen, wearing reading glasses, was sitting in a chair by the window, sewing insoles in her hands.

“Grandma,” Shen Yunqing greeted and sat on the edge of the canopy bed.

Grandma Shen looked up at her little granddaughter and asked, “What brings you to me today?”

Shen Yunqing sighed and didn’t try to hide anything from the old lady. She pouted and said in a pitiful tone, “Grandma, Dad is forcing me to marry Du Ruhai. I don’t want to get married.”

Grandma Shen had already heard about this from her youngest son. Her little granddaughter was beautiful and always had a proud personality. She had expected that the girl would come to her.

The Du family had one of the best conditions in the village. In this poor, food-scarce mountain area, the village head’s family could still afford white steamed buns at every meal. Her granddaughter wouldn’t suffer if she married into that family.

Putting down the sewing in her hands, Grandma Shen gently held her hand and persuaded, “Yunqing, we may be pretty, but beauty doesn’t put food on the table. It’s our good fortune that the Du family is willing to marry into a family like ours.”

Shen Yunqing still had a sliver of hope in her heart before, but now, even Grandma said this—what else could she do?

Looks like she could only rely on herself.

“Grandma, I’m heading back now. Please don’t tell Dad I came to see you.”

She didn’t want Shen Father to know she didn’t want to get married.

If he found out, he’d definitely post someone to guard her before the wedding to keep her from escaping.

Watching her granddaughter walk away with her back straight and determined, Grandma Shen sighed softly. This girl wasn’t the kind to stay in the mountains for a lifetime.

But in the countryside, every girl, once they reached the right age, got married under their parents’ orders and the matchmaker’s arrangement—just to find an honest man to rely on.

…

Shen Yunqing returned home, went to the kitchen to mix the pig feed, and carried a wooden bucket to the backyard to feed the pigs.

While she was at it, she pulled some spoiled vegetable leaves from the garden and tossed them into the chicken coop for the chicks.

Mother Shen was in the kitchen busy preparing dinner.

After feeding the pigs, Shen Yunqing put down the slop bucket and walked into her room.

She had three sets of clothes in her wardrobe. Father and Mother Shen doted on their daughter, always giving her the best they had.

The original host had always been a clean freak. Her clothes were washed spotlessly, and any holes were patched with cute cloud or bird-shaped embroidery.

In the tin box where she usually kept her personal items, there was a small stack of coins and bills. Shen Yunqing took it out and counted—three yuan, fifty-five cents, and six fen.

This little bit of money… should be enough to get her to Haishi, right?

From Xiuyun Village to town was a one and a half hour walk. The bus from the town to Cangyou City cost eighty cents.

She wasn’t quite sure how much a train ticket from Cangyou to Haishi would cost…