Transmigrated as My Aunt in the 70s
Chapter 140 - 134 remodeled Shou Jizu

Tian Xinhua also felt it was difficult. Ice doesn’t form in a single day; neither does Shou Jizu’s laziness develop in a short time. Changing would indeed be very hard.

"Hey, there’s no harm in trying. At worst, uncle-in-law will stay the same. But if he really does change for the better, then my aunt wouldn’t have to work so hard. Don’t you think?"

Tian Sisi’s words opened a window of understanding for Tian Xinhua and Jianguo. Indeed, the worst outcome would just be Shou Jizu remaining the same old loaf-around he always was, and Tian Manlan would continue to work hard as before. But if he changed, then Tian Manlan would have a good husband, and the three brothers would have a good father. What a wonderful outcome that would be.

"Alright, that’s the plan then. Our goal is to transform uncle-in-law and make him into a diligent, responsible man."

Tian Xinhua was also inspired; he certainly understood that changing his aunt’s life fundamentally meant transforming Shou Jizu the person.

"Mhm, we need to devise a plan. Set a lower goal at first and then gradually raise the bar, eventually using my dad or the elder uncles as role models," Tian Sisi suggested.

The three heads huddled together and muttered their plans, while Shou Jizu, who was in the kitchen washing up, shivered suddenly. Who’s speaking of me? Shou Jizu mumbled to himself, then continued to wash up, clueless that starting from today, the blissful days of others working while he slept were about to become a thing of the past.

Tian Xinhua asked Jianguo to get some paper and a pen. Once Tian Qinghua and He Chengsi heard about it, they became quite interested. The five of them brainstormed together, and eventually, Tian Xinhua organized the following plan:

First, change Shou Jizu’s bad habit of oversleeping; second, starting today, he should go to work in the village unless sick or having important matters, no skipping; third, all the physical labor like hoeing and chopping wood at home must be done by Shou Jizu, Tian Manlan cannot intervene – they had to communicate this with Tian Manlan; fourth, Shou Jizu must not carry any money on him; fifth, Shou Jizu is forbidden from going out and must stay at home.

The group looked over the simple plan with satisfaction, deciding to start with that and add to it later if necessary (Shou Jizu weeps on the side, feeling like even these five points are enough to take his life).

And so, Shou Jizu’s life, on this day – June 4, 1972, deviated from its erroneous path and slowly steered towards the right track. Later, this plan written with a pencil on a piece of homework paper by Tian Xinhua was treasured by Shou Jizu, who joked that this date marked the rebirth of Shou Jizu.

Tian Manlan, who was tending the fire to cook puffed rice, was called away by Tian Xinhua. He asked Shou Jizu to tend the fire in the kitchen. Tian Sisi handed over the transformation plan to Tian Manlan, who read it carefully and couldn’t help but chuckle.

How could she not know the kind of man her husband was? Although she sometimes regretted marrying such a man, this was the path she had chosen herself. She had even broken with her parents for his sake, so even if she faced an abyss ahead, Tian Manlan had no choice but to leap into it.

However, despite Jizu’s plethora of defects and inability to make money for the family, he was still good to her. Every time he returned from outside, he would bring her gifts. At home, though he didn’t do any work or earn labor points, whenever she came back exhausted from her labor, Jizu would show her concern and say sweet, heartwarming words that were as sweet as honey. Those words would make her feel much less tired.

If Tian Sisi could hear Tian Manlan’s thoughts, she would have gotten fiercely angry and given this foolish woman a harsh awakening. Can sweet nothings be eaten as a meal? Saying a few nice words takes no effort at all. This man is just cajoling you into slaving away for him.

"Xinhua, Ah Nan, your aunt understands your kindness. But your uncle Jian Guo’s character is already set in stone. It would be very difficult to change," Tian Manlan spoke with a gentle tact, aware that her niece and nephew had good intentions.

"Aunt, all you need to do is cooperate with us. We will handle the rest. Do you really want to continue slaving away forever? Just look at yourself now. When you go out with uncle Jian Guo, people think you’re his sister. Give it a few more years, and you might be mistaken for his mother."

Tian Sisi knew well how to strike at a woman’s pain point. She handed a mirror to Tian Manlan, and as expected, Tian Manlan’s expression changed drastically. Usually so busy with work, she had no time to even glance in a mirror, let alone comb her hair properly. It had just been a cursory combing with a brush. How long had it been since she last looked in a mirror?

Who was this disheveled woman with an aged face and wrinkles all over in the mirror? Was that Tian Manlan? How had she come to look like this?

Tian Manlan couldn’t believe her eyes as she looked at her reflection; it seemed incredible that this woman could be her. A satisfied Tian Sisi watched Tian Manlan’s reaction. Surely every woman cared about her appearance; they just needed reminding.

Continuing to needle, Tian Sisi said, "Aunt, look at what’s become of you. I heard from Granny that you were very beautiful in the past. But now, you look older than Great Aunt, and not pretty at all."

Tian Manlan’s face streamed with tears. Although she knew she had grown old and haggard, not as pretty as before, hearing it spoken by the young Tian Sisi was a sharper sting than seeing it for herself. At that moment, Tian Manlan harbored a trace of resentment toward Shou Jizu. If her husband hadn’t been so useless, would she have ended up looking like an old crone?

The deeply affected Tian Manlan wiped her tears away, and with a decisive break from her usual indecisiveness, she said, "Then how do you plan to transform Daddy Jian Guo? How should I cooperate?"

"Aunt, you don’t need to do anything. Just don’t indulge uncle Jian Guo like before. Let him do the physically demanding tasks like chopping wood and farming. If uncle Jian Guo refuses to work, then you shouldn’t do it either. Everyone can just go hungry together. It’s not fair for you to be the only one working to support uncle Jian Guo. Daddy has always said that it’s a man’s natural duty to provide for the family."

Tian Sisi truly wanted to instill the modern concepts of feminism into Tian Manlan’s mind, to stop her from being so resigned and overworked. But she couldn’t speak openly about it – after all, she was currently in the body of a little girl. So, Tian Sisi had to try her best to convey these ideas with an innocent childlike tone, hoping Tian Manlan would understand her good intentions.

Tian Manlan seemed hesitant. She wasn’t unaware that what her niece was saying was right. But her husband was such a laid-back man that even if the sky were falling, he would still stay in bed a bit longer. How could he possibly be motivated to work by hunger?

(To be continued. If you like this book, please vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com) with your monthly ticket or recommendation ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)