lcionline Chapter 432 Mengli's Background
Chapter 432 Mengli's Background
"My eldest daughter-in-law's clothes from when she was a child are no longer available."
"How could it not be?"
As soon as Jiang Shuzhi finished speaking, Aunt Lin was shocked.
“Sister-in-law, even though we are better off now, we can’t just throw away old clothes, can we? Besides, those are Mengli’s clothes.”
Aunt Lin raised her voice a little, her face full of disapproval, "You know that Mengli is a child bride that your family bought."
Keeping that one and only set of clothes she wore is a way to remember her, isn't it?
It's such a pity to lose it so easily.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuzhi couldn't help but burst out laughing.
She patted Aunt Lin's hand, her eyes showing a mixture of helplessness and warmth: "My dear elder sister, what are you thinking about?"
How could I bear to throw away those clothes?
"So you're saying there's nothing left?"
Aunt Lin frowned, looking puzzled.
"Have you forgotten how tight our family's finances were when Da Niu was born?"
Jiang Shuzhi explained with a smile, recalling how Da Niu was born thin and weak like a kitten, her face full of heartache: "Back then, the family was poor, and the clothes the boys wore were all patched and mended, with holes here and there."
Only Mengli's little clothes were still usable.
So I spent the whole night taking apart Mengli's clothes from when she was little, mending and patching them up to make a Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) for Da Niu.
"So that's it!"
Aunt Lin suddenly realized and couldn't help but slap her thigh. "I knew it! Let's hurry up and find Da Niu and get that Han shirt so I can take a look!"
As she spoke, Aunt Lin grabbed Jiang Shuzhi's arm and pulled her outside, walking quickly and hurriedly, almost causing Jiang Shuzhi to stumble.
Jiang Shuzhi stumbled a couple of steps as she was pulled, then quickly steadied herself and struggled to free her arm, looking puzzled: "Hey, big sister, slow down!"
What's all this rush about?
"It's just an old garment, it can't possibly run away!"
"I can't run away, but I need to make sure about some things. I have to see that Han-style shirt!"
Aunt Lin kept walking, her voice full of urgency, "Sister-in-law, this matter concerns Mengli's background and cannot be taken lightly."
I suspect that Gan Ermeizi is Mengli's biological aunt!
Jiang Shuzhi felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, and she froze on the spot.
She grabbed Aunt Lin's arm, incredulous: "Who are you talking about? Second Sister Gan? How...is this possible?"
Seeing her like this, Aunt Lin didn't bother to explain and quickly urged, "Oh, I'll explain to you later, let's go to the courtyard house first!"
Hearing the commotion in the yard, Da Niu opened the window of the house. Seeing people, he quickly poked his little head out and called out, "Grandma, Auntie, are you looking for my parents?"
"I'm not looking for your parents, I'm looking for you!"
Aunt Lin raised her voice in response, quickening her pace.
Jiang Shuzhi was also drawn by this urgency and quickly followed behind, muttering, "Da Niu, hurry up!"
Find that old Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) you wore as a child! It's the one your mother made from when she was little!
Da Niu was completely confused. He blinked his big eyes and replied in a daze, "Huh? Hanfu? Let me look for it!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he slammed the window shut, and a rustling sound of something being rummaged through came from inside the room.
Jiang Shuzhi and Aunt Lin also went into the house and searched together.
In the past two years, Gao Mengli has bought a lot of clothes for Da Niu. Aunt Lin, Aunt Gan, and Da Niu's second and third aunts have all made him a lot of fashionable clothes.
It took quite a bit of effort to find it.
Finally, we found the Han-style shirt at the very bottom of a camphor wood cabinet!
Aunt Lin unfolded the wrinkled Han-style shirt, her fingertips tracing the faded stitches.
The next second, her gaze and Jiang Shuzhi's gaze both fell on a corner of the collar.
Sure enough, there was still half a daisy embroidery pattern left there!
If this stitching technique wasn't done by Gan Erniang, then who could have done it?
Aunt Lin felt a surge of heat rush to her head, and the Hanfu in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
She turned sharply to look at Jiang Shuzhi, her chest heaving with excitement, her voice choked with emotion: "It's her! It really is her!"
This needlework, these delicate yellow embroidered details on the petals—besides Gan Ermeizi, it would be hard to find another person like her in the world!
Jiang Shuzhi squatted down and picked up the Han-style shirt, her fingertips repeatedly caressing the half-bloomed daisy, her heart churning with turbulent emotions.
She looked up at Aunt Lin, her eyes filled with shock and realization: "So... Mengli's aunt really is Second Sister Gan?"
"Can't be wrong!"
Aunt Lin slapped her thigh hard. "Quick, let's go tell Mengli this news!"
As she spoke, Aunt Lin pulled Jiang Shuzhi outside!
"Grandma, Auntie, wait a minute!"
Da Niu didn't know why the two grandmothers wanted to find his Hanfu, but from their conversation, he learned some shocking news.
That's Grandma Gan, his dear great-aunt!
"How could I forget, Da Niu, you're coming with us!"
Aunt Lin, all smiles, came over to pull Da Niu, but Da Niu gently avoided her.
His little face was full of seriousness: "Grandma, you shouldn't tell Auntie and the others about this first, after all, my mother has a thorn in her side."
She felt that she sold herself because her family needed to support her younger brother…
His mother harbored resentment.
Upon hearing this, Aunt Lin's smile froze instantly, and the hand she was holding froze in mid-air.
Jiang Shuzhi's heart sank further. She squatted down, took Da Niu's small hand, and spoke in an exceptionally gentle voice: "Da Niu, did your mother... say these words to you?"
Da Niu nodded slightly: "Yes, ever since Mother fell into the water, she asked me about things that had happened to her before."
When her background was mentioned, she remained silent for a long time…
At that time, his mother couldn't remember many things because she fell into the water, so she would ask him from time to time.
In addition, her grandmother said that her mother was very well-behaved when she was a child, but the older she got, the more she thought about her background, and the more irritable and angry she became.
Until he was born, and seeing that he was a boy, he was constantly beaten and scolded from a young age.
Sometimes he felt that his mother wasn't hitting him, but rather treating him like an "uncle," venting her anger by hitting and scolding him.
"Then... what should we do..."
Aunt Lin's eyes reddened as she thought about this.
He gripped the hem of his clothes tightly with both hands, unable to speak for a long time.
Gan Ermei suffered her whole life just to find her three children.
Now, unable to recognize each other when they meet, Aunt Lin feels heartbroken for them.
“Da Niu, you know your great-aunt’s family is good. Do you want to ask your mother for Grandma…”
If she's willing to acknowledge it, then we'll accept this kinship.
If she's unwilling, then let's pretend we never said anything and go our separate ways.
Da Niu is smart; he'll surely be able to find out what his eldest daughter-in-law is thinking without revealing the truth.
"Grandma, I'll try my best!"
Da Niu nodded emphatically, then turned and ran towards the village ancestral hall.