Zhou Zhaodi sneered, "Why would anyone name a girl 'Qiaoqiao'? Only cheap names are easy to maintain."
"Why does only the little vixen from the Chen family have a unique name among the four daughters; Dani, Erni, Sanni, Sini?"
Ma Xiulian immediately pulled a face and retorted with confidence, "You're not the one raising her. Why are you babbling about it all day?"
Zhou Zhaodi immediately closed her mouth sheepishly.
Besides the elders, the couple from the oldest generation of the Chen family, were the main labor earners. Their second household earned the least.
Ma Xiulian turned her gaze to Zhao Mei, "My eldest daughter-in-law, after a while, you should slaughter the rabbit, clean it, cut half of it for your sister-in-law to take home for the kids."
Chen Honghong refused, "What are you giving it to me for? You should keep it for yourselves."
However, she couldn't defy her mother and ended up taking the halved rabbit meat, wrapped in large leaves, home.
With the remaining half of the rabbit, Ma Xiulian didn't cook it right away but salted it and hung it up, planning to cut a small piece for her third daughter-in-law to eat each day.
*
Within a couple of days, the team started harvesting rice.
After a spirited argument with the leader, Ma Xiulian managed to swap Li Chunhua's tasks with lighter ones.
"My third daughter-in-law, this year you go to the grain drying field and dry the grain. It will be easy for you to go home and breastfeed the baby."
This time, Zhou Zhaodi truly envied her, her eyes becoming red with jealousy, "Mom, you're so biased! When I gave birth to Dabao and Erbao, you never let me switch to lighter tasks!"
Every summer when it was rush harvesting time, sun-drying the grain was the most sought-after task.
Not only was it easy and light, but it also didn't require anyone to be exposed to the blazing sun. It was far easier than cutting or carrying grain.
Ma Xiulian glared at her and retorted rudely, "After giving birth, you were as strong as an ox. How could I argue for lighter work for you?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhaodi subconsciously looked at the delicate Li Chunhua, then at her own robust arms and thighs, and instantly felt frustrated.
If she had known, she wouldn't have eaten so much back then!
Of course, she just thought about it. In reality, if she had to eat less meat in order to switch to lighter tasks, she absolutely wouldn't do it!
Contrarily, Li Chunhua cheerfully went to the grain drying field.
The other people at the grain yard understood that her baby was barely a month old, so it wouldn't be good for her to breastfeed under the sun. After stirring up the grains, they let her go back to breastfeed.
Every morning and afternoon, Ma Xiulian additionally provided her with a boiled egg!
It could be said that this was Li Chunhua's most comfortable and happy month in her twenty-some years.
Ma Xiulian was also pleased because, during the collective rest time, several female city-dwellers complimented her baby granddaughter in front of everyone from the production team.
"The little girl is so beautiful. I haven't seen a city girl who can compare."
"Well-raised too. White and plump, just like a dough ball. It's pleasing to the eyes."
"Mother Chen, can we visit your house in the evening to see little Qiaoqiao?"
Hearing this, one of the women asked, "Mother Jianguo, why don't you call your granddaughter Wuni?"
Ma Xiulian explained with a smile, "Her name is Chen Jiao, with the nickname Qiaoqiao. Li Zhiqing gave her the name."
"I thought the name sounded cultured. So it's a name given by Li Zhiqing."
"Mother Jianguo, when can you bring her out for us to see?"
Seeing that so many people wanted to meet her precious baby, Ma Xiulian smiled delightedly, "We'll wait until she gets a bit stronger. And anyways, it's too hot right now."
Old Madam Song couldn't stand her boasting and scornfully commented, "She's just a little girl. Being good-looking doesn't mean she can be used as food."
"What's wrong with being a girl?!"