Siheyuan: I am the Smart Pillar

Today is a very good day, the sun is hanging high in the sky, burning the people in the capital. Third Aunt is washing the quilt that Jia Zhang had ruined. She wants to take advantage of this good weather to wash the quilt and dry it in the sun. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. Although she felt a little tired, Third Aunt thought that everything was normal.

For the first time, she sprinkled detergent on the quilt, which surprised Aunt Hua in the yard. The reason was that Uncle San's family was very stingy. Whenever they washed something, they were reluctant to use expensive detergent and just rubbed the dirt off with their hands. Aunt Hua said curiously, "Hey, Aunt San, why did you use detergent today? You don't usually do this."

The third aunt could tell that this was just a simple joke, and there was no intention to belittle the Yan family. The third aunt smiled, wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "Such a good quilt, if it is not washed clean, wouldn't it be a bit of a waste? This is also what our old Yan said, that we should spend money wisely. I bought this washing powder at the supply and marketing cooperative this morning, and it cost me a lot of money."

Sister Hua looked at the quilt and thought it was really good. She could tell that it was covered with a lot of cotton. She secretly hated why she didn't give it to her family yesterday. If she gave it to her family, the kids in her family would be able to spend the winter peacefully. But now that things have come to this, she can only hide her envy in her heart.

The third aunt washed the quilt carefully beside the pool in the middle courtyard. In the afternoon, she felt that the quilt was really presentable. She washed it several times with clean water and nodded with satisfaction. She hung the quilt on the clothesline in the middle courtyard and admired her masterpiece with a smile. As a housewife, managing the affairs of the family is her happiest thing.

While Third Aunt was sighing, Qin Huairu came out of the house. Third Aunt smiled and asked Qin Huairu, "Xiao Qin, what are you going to do? The weather is so hot, don't get yourself sunburned." Qin Huairu smiled and said, "It's Third Aunt. I'm going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a quilt. Otherwise, my husband and I won't even have a quilt to cover ourselves with at night."

Yang Ruihua was stunned at first. She asked in surprise, "Huairu, are you really going to buy a quilt from the supply and marketing cooperative? The quilts in the supply and marketing cooperative are so expensive. Why don't you get some cotton and I, your third aunt, will help you make a quilt." Yang Ruihua's face was full of a kind smile. If Qin Huairu could really buy cotton and make it herself, then Yang Ruihua could also get a little advantage. The newborn daughter can have a small quilt to cover.

Qin Huairu didn't know what Yang Ruihua was thinking, she waved her hand and said with a smile, "Auntie, it was our husband who personally ordered us to buy the quilt from the supply and marketing cooperative. I'd better go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy it, so I won't bother you." After seeing this, Yang Ruihua could only sigh in his heart, nodded helplessly, and watched Qin Huairu leave the courtyard.

In fact, Qin Huairu also thought that it was better to make her own quilt, after all, it could save some money. But He Yuzhu thought that it was not necessary to make such a fuss, and it would be enough to buy a ready-made quilt from the supply and marketing cooperative. Qin Huairu had no choice but to listen to her husband in this era where husbands were the most important.

Qin Huairu's pace was not slow. She quickly walked through several alleys and arrived at a large supply and marketing cooperative. As soon as she entered the supply and marketing cooperative, she heard a young man in his 20s yelling, "I say your supply and marketing cooperative is really outrageous. I just got married. I wanted to buy a wedding quilt in your supply and marketing cooperative, but I didn't expect that the quilt was made by prisoners."

The young man excitedly pulled the production label out from the hidden corner, his face as black as charcoal as he said, "It was made by the First Women's Prison. Isn't this a curse on my wife? You must return this quilt to me today, otherwise I will never forgive you."

The young man's angry look attracted all the customers around him. This made the salesperson, who was just in his early 20s, nervous. In the early years of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the service attitude of these people was very good. If it were the 60s or 70s, if this young man made such a fuss, the salespeople in the supply and marketing cooperative would have to gather together and drive the young man out.

The young salesperson adjusted his mood and said, "Comrade, once the items in our supply and marketing cooperative are sold, they will definitely not be returned. Besides, this quilt has already shown signs of being used. If we return it, we will not be able to sell it again."

"I don't care whether you can sell this quilt or not, but you must compensate me at the original price. My wife is so angry that she has gone back to her parents' home, so what should I do about my loss? This is a big event in my life, but it was ruined by such a thing. Do you still have a conscience? You must return this quilt to me." The young man seemed a little angry, because most people of this era are very superstitious. The quilts made by prisoners in prison must be very disgusting.

Although the propaganda on the market is that everyone is equal, the life of a person who has been in prison is ruined. No one wants to deal with such a person. Even if they are slightly related to him, they feel very disgusted. The people around who were watching the excitement began to discuss privately. Most people supported this young man. There was also a small number of people who supported the supply and marketing cooperative's statement.

After all, in this era, the wedding quilt is made by the man or woman himself or herself and asked to be made by a respected elder. Who would buy it outside? If you buy a quilt made by a prisoner, it is just your bad luck. You can't blame others. Some older people began to preach to the young people, which made the young people very angry.

The young man had a gloomy face. He felt that these older people were too unreasonable. His parents died when he was young. He finally grew up and got married. His life was about to get back on track. But because his wife had to go back to her parents' home for a tattered quilt, he felt that he was at a disadvantage and that he was the most helpless groom in the world.