Chapter 304 Opportunities, Return

Chapter 304: A Way Out and Coming Back

As the eldest sister in the family, Wang Xiaocui deeply wished for her younger siblings' well-being.

She could especially see the hardships faced by her younger brother, Wang Yongshun.

“If I made it, Xiao Mei surely can too,” Wang Xiaocui said firmly.

“The first reason I came back this time was to see all of you and Mom. The second was that with no rain this year, I was worried about the family. Now that I’ve put down roots in City A, I see there are more chances out there than at home, especially...”

Wang Xiaocui glanced at Liu Xiaomei—especially since their father had repeatedly urged the family to support Liu Xiaomei before he passed away.

If it weren’t for Xiao Mei, her brother Yongshun wouldn’t have a complete family with both a son and daughter, nor would he be so well taken care of.

The village was full of bachelors who couldn’t get married. Back then, Liu Xiaomei had willingly honored the agreement to marry into their family, which was an immense kindness to the Wangs.

Otherwise, if Yongzheng had to take care of Yongshun alone, Zhang Shuangshuang’s family wouldn’t have agreed to let her marry over, Yongzheng wouldn’t have the family he has now, and their mother, Li Yulan, wouldn’t have peace of mind either.

Looking at Liu Xiaomei’s face—bonier and sun-darkened compared to most farmwives—Wang Xiaocui felt a pang of guilt.

The Wangs were in Liu Xiaomei’s debt. Even though all the siblings had their own families now, as the eldest sister, raised as the de facto eldest son, she had a duty to help her younger siblings now that she was doing well.

“Yongzheng, Yongshun, come with me. Things are brighter out there than here.”

Wang Yongshun opened his mouth hesitantly. “Me... what can someone like me even do out there? At least here I can weave baskets. If I go out…”

He hung his head, ashamed. He was useless, incapable of anything. Going out would only burden Xiao Mei.

“Maybe... maybe Xiao Mei should go. Don’t worry, I can take care of myself. I’ll hold down the fort. When Jianyong’s home on break, there’ll still be someone here, with the light on.”

The light in Liu Xiaomei’s eyes flickered and faded.

Wang Yongzheng glanced at his wife but said nothing. His own worries weighed on him—Li Yulan was getting older, Zhang Shuangshuang wasn’t in good health, and there were still the children to think about. He also had to keep an eye on his brother, Wang Yongshun.

Now, he was the only one in the Wang family who could keep the family afloat. If he left too, who’d handle the household...?

Su An, seeing the situation, spoke up. “Uncle, I’ve got just the thing for you. If you’re willing to go out, I can guarantee you’ll have work.”

Wang Xiaocui looked at Su An with hope.

Su An turned to her. “It’s about those foam boxes.”

The shop’s swamped now, and foam boxes barely turned a profit. Su An had considered dropping them, but Wang Xiaocui, Cheng Kang, Liu Guojuan, and some regular customers still needed them, so she kept the orders coming.

Though the profit was small, demand never let up. If Wang Yongshun and Liu Xiaomei were willing to take over, they could still make money.

The manufacturer’s contact details were ready—just send payment, have the goods shipped, and Liu Xiaomei could pick them up for sale. Just needed a storefront.

Though Wang Yongshun wasn’t nimble on his feet, he had attended junior high in his youth and could handle running the shop and managing accounts.

Wang Xiaocui gave Su An an apologetic look, wincing at roping her daughter into family drama. Helping her brothers was her own responsibility—she didn’t want to involve her children.

An An, barely more than a kid, had already risked two trips south to make money, returning dead on her feet each time.

Su An understood her mother’s feelings.

She patted Wang Xiaocui’s hand reassuringly. “Mom, it’s fine. We’re buried at the shop, and the supply chain is ready to go. It’d be a waste not to use it.

“Besides, right now we’re the only ones selling these. No rivals? Easy money—no need to run around, just wait for customers to come to us.”

"This isn't exactly a booming business, so no one should be envious. It's just a straightforward cash deal—perfect for Uncle."

Wang Xiaocui nodded and turned to explain the matter to Wang Yongshun.

Wang Yongshun looked excited: "Really? I can do it too? I can earn money?"

Wang Xiaocui nodded. Her younger brother had used to be one of the village's top young men.

If he hadn’t fallen down the mountain while delivering a raincoat to Wang Kaifu, who was the brigade leader back then, his life wouldn’t have turned out this way.

The siblings talked late into the night. She had laid out their options and promised to help as much as she could, but the final decision was up to them.

Wang Yongzheng and Wang Yongshun also exchanged a few words. If it didn’t rain soon, the harvest in the second half of the year would surely be poor. Rather than struggling at home, hoping for divine intervention, it might be better to try their luck elsewhere.

In the end, both households decided that after harvesting this season’s crops, they would go to the city to find their eldest sister.

Su An and Wang Xiaocui didn’t stay in the village long. After discussing with her two brothers, Wang Xiaocui took Su An back to City A.

Her stall earned a good ten kuai a day, and she couldn’t afford to miss even a single day’s income.

Moreover, since Wang Yongzheng and the others had decided to come to City A after the harvest, she needed to prepare in advance—at least to help her brothers find suitable housing.

Her own home could accommodate them, but staying for a day or two, or even a month, was fine. Long-term cohabitation wouldn’t work. Even though they were close siblings, it was better not to mix their daily lives.

Besides, this house was bought by An An, not her.

"This... this is homemade fried rice candy. My Ping Ping loves it—it’s for him. And this, these are dried honeysuckle flowers. Put them in a jar and store them in a dry place. In this hot weather, my Ping Ping often gets heat rash easily—brew it for him to drink..."

Li Yulan, shuffling on her bound feet, stuffed various items into Wang Xiaocui’s bag while rambling on. Her heart was always with her eldest grandson.

Su An feigned jealousy: "Grandma, you love Brother the most! Why is everything for him?"

Zhang Shuangshuang teased: "And you? Even your uncles and cousins can’t compare to Ping Ping. At home, she’s always worrying about him, afraid he’ll be bullied."

Li Yulan said sheepishly: "Don’t listen to your aunt’s nonsense. I love you too, and Xiu Yun and the others. Look, these dried string beans and daylilies are for you—I remember how much you like them."

But after just a few words, she started talking about Su Ping again: "Tell Ping Ping to apply himself and mind his master, and learn his craft well. He’ll have a bright future. Tell him Grandma is waiting for him to bring her pork knuckles after he finishes his apprenticeship. Remind him to visit when he can. When the persimmons and jujubes ripen, I’ll store them in rice husks to save for him..."

(Note: Bound feet were a traditional practice in China where women’s feet were tightly wrapped to prevent growth, symbolizing beauty and status. This custom has been abolished.)