Chapter Nineteenth: Repairing the House

  Tonight, Old Lin and Madam Zhao invited the Er Niu family and Zhou Shi to their house. Madam Zhao said, "I've called all of you here today because there's something I want to discuss with you. Your father and I have been living in your eldest brother's house for many years, and it's been very good. However, as people get older, they think about returning to their roots. Your father and I plan to not go back after this trip. In a few days, I'll hire someone to repair the house, and the cost will be split among your families. The third sister-in-law will pay half. After the repairs are done, we'll move into our own small courtyard and won't return to your eldest brother's house again."

  Lin Er Niu knew something about this matter, Zhao told him some news, saying that the main reason was to prevent Zhou from leaving in the future and taking care of the two children. Lin Er Niu knew his mother didn't like his wife very much, but after all, there was no reason to stop his parents from coming back to live with them.

  Huang and Lin He also felt a thud in their hearts, but as juniors, they couldn't open their mouths to stop it. Instead, Xiaobao heard it and happily said "Great, now Grandpa and Grandma can accompany me!" The child didn't understand the pros and cons, and besides, Zhao's two elderly people really doted on Xiaobao.

  It was the Zhou family who heard these words, and their faces changed instantly. They all thought that Zhao would return to town after staying for a few days, but now they hear that she is going to live here for a long time, fearing that the future will not be easy.

  Of course, the Huang family was also extremely unwilling in their hearts, but even if they were a million times unwilling, what could they say? Even if the old man wanted to live with them and have them support him, it would be only right. Now the old man just lived in his own house, fortunately not under the same roof as them.

  In this era, if someone is said to be unfilial, it's a lifelong shame that makes one unable to hold their head up in front of others, and even their children will be gossiped about behind their backs.

  It was decided at home, and in a few days, someone will be invited to repair the old couple's house. The house just needs to repair the roof, so that it won't leak on rainy days, and other places don't need to be repaired.

  When a group of people came out, Lin He saw that Zhou Shi's face didn't look too good. She thought it was probably because her grandparents were coming back to live with them, but actually, there was another reason. A few days ago, Zhao Shi had also let slip some words to Zhou Shi.

  Zhou returned home, and Zhao's words still lingered in her ears. "Little San's wife, our family's Little San was an unlucky one, passing away so young and leaving behind a wife and children. It's extremely difficult to make ends meet, but if you have any plans, I won't stop you. You're still so young, after all, and can't just spend the rest of your life like this. However, Xiaoshan and Xiaoyun are our Lin family's children. If you have somewhere to go, we two old folks will take care of the little ones."

  At that time, Zhou also thought Zhao was just talking, didn't expect to actually say she wanted to move back. Although it's said that she couldn't bear to part with her old home, fallen leaves must return to their roots. The main purpose is still afraid she can't take care of them, leaving two children at home with no one to manage.

  Zhou herself was also very conflicted, a woman with two children, this period of time has been very difficult, she naturally knew that if it weren't for the Huang family's occasional support, she might not have made it through, but she couldn't go on like this forever, the children were still young, and she had no skills, didn't know how to do anything, could only do needlework and couldn't even support herself, let alone her family, and every year she still had to show filial piety to her parents-in-law, her mother-in-law from Small Mountain also advised her to take advantage of her youth and find someone new to spend her life with.

  Zhou and Lin's third elder also got to know each other through a matchmaker, at first they didn't have any deep feelings for each other, but after being married for so many years and having two children together, there will still be some feelings, but is this feeling worth spending the rest of one's life in widowhood?

  Mrs. Zhou herself was also moved by her mother's words, but the children at home were so young, and she couldn't bear to part with them either. Xiao Zhu was not even three years old yet, although there were grandparents to take care of her, but after all, it wasn't her own mother. Looking at the pair of children sleeping sweetly beside her, she thought, let's wait until they grow up a bit, and then Xiaoshan can take care of his sister later.

  Just then, there was a knock at the door and Lin He's voice could be heard outside calling "Third Sister, Third Sister". Zhou Shi hastily got up to open the gate in the courtyard. It turned out that Huang Shi had brought Lin He over. Zhou Shi welcomed the two of them in and the three sat together on the kang. Huang Shi saw that Zhou Shi's eyes were red, presumably from crying.

  Huang's family also knew some of these things and advised, "Third sister, don't think too much about it. The old man is doing this for the good of both children. After all, you're still so young, and being single with a child is indeed a bit difficult."

  Zhou nodded. "I know my parents are for the two younger ones, I don't blame them, but instead I'm grateful to them. But now I also don't have any other thoughts, just thinking about bringing up the two younger ones well, nothing else I think of now."

  Lin He finally understood some of the reasons why Grandma insisted on staying, and also knew why Zhou Shi's face turned extremely ugly when she heard Grandma's words. In Lin He's past life, women remarrying was common and wouldn't cause much concern, even if there were children, they would just bring them along.

  But in this era, the social atmosphere was not so open. Xiaoyu and Xiaoyun were descendants of the Lin family. Even if San Niang wanted to remarry, even if she herself was willing to take them away, their grandparents would not let her take them away. After all, children are flesh and blood from their mother's body, and how could they bear to give them up unless absolutely necessary?

  Huang heard Zhou say this and knew that Zhou also had no intention of leaving for the time being, so she didn't dwell on the topic anymore. Then, from her bag, she took out a purse and handed it to Zhou: "There are 500 big coins in here. In a few days, the two old people will be repairing their house, and your family should also be short of money now. I don't have much either, so you take it first and use it."

  Zhou's family looked at it, pushed the silver money over and said: "Second sister, your family has helped us a lot, I can't take your money again. The old man is repairing the house, I only need to pay half of it, my family still has some savings. These years, I have been doing embroidery, you have also supported me from time to time, these are still available."

  Lin He took the money and stuffed it into Zhou Shi's hand, saying "Third Sister, this isn't for you, it's for my little brother Shan and little sister Yun. Winter is coming, look at your kang, it's still cold, go buy some more cotton batting, make a quilt cover, don't freeze to death."

  The Zhou family still refused to accept it, wanting to push it back. But Huang said, "Just keep it for now, after you get through this winter and your finances are better, you can give it to me then. Don't let the kids freeze just because of this money."

  Zhou saw the two small ones sleeping next to him, so he accepted the silver money. Winter is indeed a time when money is needed, so let's keep it for now and return it next spring.

  A few people chatted for a while longer, and then Lin He and Huang Shi also got up and left.

  After a few more days, Lin Er Niu planned to invite some people to help the old couple repair their house. Zhao Shi said that they could just have their own family members help with the repairs and didn't need to spend money hiring others. The work mainly involved re-laying the tiles on the roof, repairing the front door, patching up the broken parts of the courtyard wall, and having Huang Shi and Zhou Shi take Lin He to thoroughly clean the interior of the house again.

  The furniture in the house was all originally there, and the pots and pans in the kitchen were also complete, so there was no need to add anything else, and no money was spent. The Second Bull took care of everything by himself and didn't ask Zhou Shi and Big Brother for any more money. After a busy half day, the house could be occupied. In the evening, Huang Shi sent over bedding from her home again, and the old couple stayed in their own courtyard that night.