The Fat Wife of the 1980s Awakens

For her, physical fatigue has long become a habit. After all, in the ups and downs of the business world in her previous life, she has long been accustomed to working day and night. She can even do anything for her dream, even if her throat is hoarse and her voice is almost gone.

But at this moment, this little bit of fatigue was nothing to her.

Her real intention was to rescue her sister from the restrictive life and give her a sky where she could breathe freely.

Xu Xiaohua frowned slightly, obviously having many concerns in her mind.

"But if I leave, what will happen to the family? Who will take care of the children?"

In that home where traditional concepts were deeply rooted, she seemed to have become synonymous with housework, repeating boring work every day.

In this regard, Xu Xiufang is filled with contempt for those families who treat their daughters-in-law as unpaid laborers.

She was indignant in her heart: "This is not marrying a wife and starting a family, it's clearly finding a full-time nanny who doesn't need to be paid!"

A strong impulse drove her to make up her mind, "I will go and get the children here right now, and our family can live well outside."

She felt anxious as if she was being scratched by a cat. Seeing a hint of hesitation across her sister's face, she couldn't help but clench her hands tightly. Her fingertips turned slightly white due to nervousness, and her brows were twisted into a mess.

"Sister, you saw it with your own eyes. The client only gave me three days. Not only did I have to take care of all the household chores and wash the piles of clothes, I also had to prepare meals for the whole family and mend those worn-out clothes. I really couldn't do it all. And, look at Xiaobao. His cold finally got better. I'm really worried that I won't be able to take good care of him if I'm busy..."

Xu Xiufang's words were full of pleading, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from the bottom of her heart.

There was deep worry between Xu Xiaohua's brows, she knew too well how difficult it was for Xiufang when she started out.

In this world, they depend on each other. If she can't even lend a helping hand, she can't imagine how her sister will cope alone in that complicated big family.

She bit her lower lip lightly, her determination seemed to be a final battle with her inner struggle. Finally, she said resolutely: "Okay, I will go back and bring the children to help you."

As soon as the words fell, before Xu Xiufang could smile with gratitude, Xu Xiaohua immediately added: "But it will only be three days, Xiufang, you have to fix those machines as soon as possible, and then I will take them home."

She wanted to help her sister through the difficult times, but she also didn't want to leave the children away for too long.

Xu Xiufang had mixed feelings; her sister's overly kind nature was her shining point, but also her most vulnerable part.

In the face of all kinds of injustice, her sister is still willing to give her all, and this selflessness always makes her feel distressed.

"Wait for Sister Li to come back, and we'll go together."

Taking security issues into consideration, even though the village has had good public security recently, the custom of leaving doors unlocked at night means that any valuables could become a hidden danger.

Their six sewing machines are undoubtedly the family's largest asset. If an investment of hundreds of dollars is not properly protected, wouldn't it add to the risks?

Xu Xiufang was thinking in her mind that she would not only reinforce the gate of the courtyard, but also install a heavy iron fence and keep it locked at all times.

Fortunately, Sister Li’s arrival was like timely rain, and the two of them took turns to keep watch, and the sense of security instantly doubled.

While waiting for Li Guifang, Xu Xiufang immersed herself in the repair work. Her fingers deftly moved between the parts, and one sewing machine after another gradually came back to life.

Xu Xiaohua stood by, using a simple charcoal pencil to sketch vivid little people on the ground for the children. The laughter and joy were filled with the warmth of family love.

Just when the repair progress was going smoothly, the rusty bearings of the third sewing machine became a stumbling block. After several unsuccessful attempts, she had to give up for the time being and began to think about the need to replace new bearings.

In order to ensure the perfect delivery of the first large order, Xu Xiufang weighed the pros and cons again and again, and finally decided to directly purchase new parts for replacement rather than continue to waste time on endless polishing.

When Li Guifang entered the house carrying the new accessories, Xu Xiufang gave a few brief instructions and then hurried away with Xu Xiaohua, feeling both anticipation and a little uneasiness in her heart.

Along the way, Xu Xiaohua's heart seemed to be pulled by an invisible hand. She could not predict whether her mother-in-law would be willing to let her grandchildren follow her, even for just a few days.

The two houses were not far apart, and it only took an hour's walk to reach the Guo family.

However, Mrs. Guo's cold gaze never really fell on the sisters from beginning to end, as if they were just air.

"Xiaohua, you've come just in time. Chunjie is busy right now. Go and help her wash the children's clothes."

There was an imperative in his words that could not be refused.

"Also, Ming'er has been clamoring to eat corn recently. Go to the fields and pick some fresh corn. Steam a big pot of it so that Yangyang and Yueyue can satisfy their cravings."

Without waiting for the two to respond, Mrs. Guo issued a series of instructions on her own, completely disregarding whether the sisters had a moment to communicate.

Before Xu Xiufang and her sister could say a word to each other, the door curtain of the main room was gently lifted, and a woman wearing nylon stockings slowly walked in. The socks were pulled up very high, almost to the level of the knees. The new socks that were deliberately revealed were glowing in the sunlight.

"Oh, sister-in-law, why do you make fried eggs with chili peppers this morning? It looks like there are only bright red peppers and very few eggs. Did you secretly eat them all?"

Old Mrs. Guo leaned back in the rocking chair, half-closed her eyes, and stared at Guo Chunjie with pretended seriousness, but her tone contained a hint of teasing and homely warmth.

"Some things can just be passed over by turning a blind eye. Why do we have to point out what we are doing?"

These words fell lightly into Xu Xiufang's ears, but they were like a heavy hammer hitting her heart, shocking her. A mixture of resentment and heartache surged in her heart.

It is the busy farming season, and everyone in the house should be busy, but some people are lying leisurely in rocking chairs, not even paying attention to the scenes of people working in the fields.

Xu Xiaohua looked at the scene and sighed in her heart. She knew that any more arguments would only make her more miserable.

She slowly moved to the center of the hall, silently bent down and picked up the clothes scattered on the ground, her movements gentle and helpless.

Turning to look at Xu Xiufang, she forced a smile, which was a little bitter, "Let's talk after I finish washing these clothes."

However, Xu Xiufang was not willing to give in. She took a step forward and without giving her sister a chance to object, she quickly snatched the wash basin from her sister's hand and threw it out of the yard with all her strength. The clothes in the basin scattered outside like raindrops.

"Don't worry about the clothes. Take the children with you. I will take you away from here. Why should you do all the work by yourself? You are not those animals who work hard without complaint!"