A Family in the River Valley in the Sixties

(Updates daily at noon. Thank you all for your support. The main story is complete.) Zhou Hongshan was born in 1920. He originally had seven siblings, but times were hard back then, and one older brother and one younger sister starved to death. As a child, he would carry a stick of firewood and take his little sister begging. She was young, so he chased away the dogs. Kind people felt sorry for her and would give them a little extra. Later, he was so poor he couldn't find a wife. Eventually, no one in the village knew where he had found her, but he married a young woman who looked small and thin, yet was undeniably pretty. It is now 1960. Zhou Hongshan taught himself to read and write and do arithmetic, and became the village production team's leader and accountant. He has two sons and two daughters. His eldest son's second child is about to be born. His second son is still a bit of a troublemaker, but his eldest daughter has made something of herself and been admitted to nursing school. His youngest daughter is still little, but it's already clear she's very clever. Even so, he still has plenty to worry about: food, drink, and the affairs of this big family. Su Wen is an orphan. But she has a brilliant mind and is known as a genius girl. And then she died. When she woke up, it was 1960, and there was nothing to eat or drink. 1. A lively life in the 1960s. 2. Just the little everyday things. 3. A good life takes careful tending. Six Zero: A Local Couple's Arranged Marriage Without Words An illiterate, feisty eighteen-year-old girl X a gentle and refined elementary school principal with a mature, resilient mind When Zhao Guiying was eighteen, her heartless parents sold her off for a bride price. The man was the principal of an elementary school in Chengjia Village, on the neighboring production team. He was handsome and educated. The only drawback was that his wife had just died in childbirth, leaving behind two boys: the elder was two years old, and the younger was one month old. Zhao Guiying had always been strong-willed. Her family needed money to build a house for her sixteen-year-old brother, so she was forced to marry him. What did people in the village know about love? Besides, in those days, being able to eat your fill was already a blessing. She had asked around, and the principal didn't beat his wife and had a steady salary. That was good enough. What if she had to be a stepmother? She might not be very literate, but she was good at both housework and farm work. Now, fifty years later, she lay in a hospital bed, surrounded by her successful sons. She had married the right man. Then she looked at the white-haired old man before her. "Don't cry. We've spent fifty years side by side, and I have never found life hard to bear." Content warnings: 1. This is based on a true story with real-life inspirations, but I will take artistic liberties. Some parts are true and some aren't, so please don't ask. 2. Since the characters are locals, the protagonists don't have an all-knowing perspective, so they will suffer. Please be kind in the comments. 3. Neither lead is perfect. 4. The whole family works hard to improve their lives and supports one another through difficult times. 5. Please don't give writing advice. You don't have to tell me if you're dropping the story. There are countless good books on Jinjiang, and I hope you find one that satisfies you. Springtime Beauty Zhou Huaining was forty-two or forty-three when she died. Outside, the sun was shining, and spring was at its loveliest. When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to the time before she came of age. The Fifth Zhou Lady understood that kindness and leniency couldn't save anyone. If she met a god, she would kill a god; if she met a ghost, she would kill a ghost. She would rather have her hands stained with blood than let others decide her fate. Content warnings: 1. An old-school household intrigue story. Very old-school. 2. There is about a ten-year age gap between the male and female leads. 3. Strict gender boundaries. Fictional setting, inspired by the Ming dynasty. Theme: Money isn't important. People are.