B5SB -Chapter 18 Rabbits

After returning home, Grandma Gu handed six little rabbits to Gu Daya and Gu Meng: “These rabbits will be raised by you two sisters. Once they grow up, their fur can be made into clothes for you.”

Gu Meng and Gu Daya were overjoyed at the news—each of them could get three rabbit skins in the future.

While Grandma Gu handled the rabbits, Gu Yihan cleaned the wild vegetables herself—removing roots and yellow leaves. Looking at the wild vegetables Grandma Gu had dug up, cleaning them was quite a troublesome task.

Seeing Grandma Gu slaughter the rabbits, her rough hands scratched, Gu Yihan felt a pang of concern. “Grandma, don’t always think of others. Use one of these rabbit skins to make yourself a coat. Wear it inside during winter—it’ll keep you warm.”

Grandma Gu replied, “No need. Save it for when you’re bigger; I’ll make clothes for you then.”

Gu Yihan pretended to be upset, “That won’t do. By the time I’m bigger, it’ll be too late. This one is for you to use; I’ll want a new one later.”

Grandma Gu, seeing the child’s concern for her, smiled and agreed, “Alright.”

After finishing with the little rabbits, Gu Meng and Gu Daya also sat down to clean the wild vegetables.

Gu Yihan looked at Gu Meng and Gu Daya, aged thirteen and fifteen—ages when, in modern times, children would still be spoiled by their parents.

Now, without schooling, they were already treated like adults, becoming the main labor force of the household.

Gu Meng asked, “Big sister, what kind of family would you want to marry into?”

Gu Daya, her sun-kissed skin faintly tinged with red, looked shy and replied, “I’ll listen to our parents. As long as I have enough to eat, that’s fine.”

Gu Meng didn’t comment. “Yihan, what kind of marriage partner do you think is suitable?”

Gu Daya teased, “She’s just a little kid. What could she possibly know?”

Gu Yihan, noticing Gu Meng staring at her intently, moved her lips: “Someone with a car and a house, whose parents have both passed away.”

Gu Meng’s expression turned thoughtful.

Gu Daya, however, laughed so hard she nearly squatted on the ground, pointing at Gu Meng, her fingers trembling with amusement.

“I told you she knows nothing! Wanting someone with a car and a house whose parents are dead—then if she gets bullied in the village, there’s no one to back her up.”

In Gu Yihan’s heart, she thought: see, that’s why she tried every day to coax Grandma Gu.

In this era, one cannot change society with personal effort alone; she could only change herself, trying to find a way out of this environment.

As the saying goes, if a crane stands among chickens, it is the crane’s fault.

No one says it’s the chickens’ fault, because surrounded by chickens, everything the crane does seems wrong to them.

Meanwhile, in the production team fields, Gu Aidang, tired of hauling water, gave up and prepared to go home.

Widow Zhao twisted her waist and approached him. “Aidang, when are you going to marry me?”

Gu Aidang was startled. “When did I say I’d marry you?”

“When we were together, you said after your divorce, you’d marry me,” Widow Zhao said flirtatiously, reaching to tug at his clothes.

Gu Aidang quickly dodged, chuckling. “You’ve been with so many men. Every man marries you—how could you possibly marry them all?”

“Stay away from me. Don’t ruin my purity.”

Widow Zhao feigned disbelief: “I’m just a lover. Just because we slept together doesn’t mean I won’t claim it.”

Gu Aidang clicked his tongue. “Isn’t Gu Laizi involved with your family? Marrying him would’ve been fine—he’s still a young man.”

Widow Zhao hadn’t expected Gu Aidang to know that Gu Laizi had come looking for her.

Gu Aidang also worried she’d pester him, so he said, “Time to go home for dinner,” and walked past her.

Widow Zhao, fuming, spat at his back: “Hah! Taking advantage of me!” and walked off.

On the way home, Gu Aidang smelled the aroma of meat and licked his lips, thinking, Who doesn’t eat meat at home? Even on regular days, they eat meat.

When he arrived home and smelled the rich scent, he called out: “Mom, did we make meat? I could smell it from far away.”

Grandma Gu, hearing her son, said: “Trying to get a few extra bites, huh?”

Gu Yihan chimed in: “Grandma, your stewed rabbit smells amazing. I’ve been drooling for it all day.”

“Little flatterer, only know how to make me happy. Come on, let’s see how my rabbit tastes,” Grandma Gu said happily, pulling her granddaughter toward the kitchen.

Gu Yihan first handed a piece to Grandma Gu: “Grandma, you work the hardest. This first piece of rabbit is for you. Come, let your granddaughter feed you.”

Grandma Gu couldn’t refuse her granddaughter’s filial gesture and ate the rabbit.

Gu Yihan couldn’t wait and ate a piece herself. It truly smelled delicious.

She gestured with her thumb in approval, and this time, Grandma Gu understood.

Grandma Gu lightly patted her granddaughter, teasing: “Little rascal.”

Once the grandmother and granddaughter had tasted the meat, Gu Aidang anxiously said: “Mom, don’t play favorites! I want some too.”

Grandma Gu rolled her eyes and gave him a piece of rabbit meat.

Gu Aidang didn’t mind and happily popped it into his mouth, even though it was hot, he didn’t take it out.

Seeing her second son like that, Grandma Gu laughed as well.

By mealtime, everyone who had finished work returned. Gu Hao noticed the rabbit: “Grandma, where did the rabbit come from?”

Grandma Gu proudly said: “Yihan smoked them up in the mountains. Four big ones, six small ones. That’ll last us several days. You’ve all benefited from my little granddaughter’s luck.”

Uncle Gu, of a dull temperament, sat down quietly without speaking.

Gu Hao, who was close to Gu Yihan, joked: “Then if I eat more rabbit, I’ll get more of my cousin’s luck too.”

Hearing this, everyone laughed in agreement and began taking rabbit meat, each one wary of letting others have more.