Zhao Jingyu’s two older brothers in the countryside were already married with children, and his only sister had long since married as well.
Yang Yuelan was not a mother-in-law for the first time. After glancing at her sleeping daughter-in-law, she tactfully withdrew. Seeing her husband sitting silently in a chair smoking, she frowned and said, “Stop smoking. The whole room smells of smoke. If you want to smoke, do it at home.”
In the year Zhao Jingyu turned five, a famine struck. With many children in the family and not enough food or warm clothes to go around, she sent Zhao Jingyu back to their hometown to be raised by his grandparents.
In less than a year, Old Master Zhao went to a farm in the northwest, taking Zhao Jingyu with him. Twelve years later, Zhao Jingyu finally returned to Jiaodong City.
Zhao Jingyu had always been distant from them, rarely calling them Mom and Dad. If it weren’t for this matter, he wouldn’t have asked them to come.
Zhao Futang said nothing. He stubbed out the cigarette and tucked the remaining half into his pocket.
On the way, Zhao Jingyu had told them about Xu Qingning’s pregnancy. He was furious.
He was angry that Zhao Jingyu could do something so scandalous, but since the deed was already done, there was little he could say.
This third son was different from the first and second—there was little father-son affection between them to begin with, so he couldn’t easily scold him.
“Tomorrow, it’ll just be people from my company, a few of my brothers, and neighbors from the compound—about six tables in total,” Zhao Jingyu said as he closed the bedroom door and came out, sitting down to address the elderly couple. “The pig and sheep in the yard were originally betrothal gifts. Since her family didn’t agree, we brought them back. With the hot weather, they can’t be kept for long, so we’ll use them for tomorrow’s banquet.”
“What?” Zhao Fu-tang wondered if he had misheard. “Her family doesn’t agree? Then how are we holding the wedding?”
If the in-laws don’t agree, wait for them to come and discuss it properly!
How could the betrothal gifts be brought back?
Yang Yuelan also found this unbelievable and asked repeatedly, “So, your wife isn’t going back to her parents’ home tonight?”
She had thought her daughter-in-law was waiting here to meet them in advance.
If her family doesn’t agree, how could she come tomorrow?
“We’ve already registered our marriage. Legally, she’s already my wife. Whether she goes back to her parents’ home or not isn’t important,” Zhao Jingyu said indifferently. “You don’t need to worry about anything else. Tomorrow is just about hosting a few tables.”
The elderly couple exchanged glances, their feelings complicated.
Zhao Jingyu was already twenty-three. At that age, he should have been married and starting a family. However, he had been drifting at sea, his whereabouts uncertain, and with little contact between them, they hadn’t felt it appropriate to pressure him.
When they heard he was getting married, the elderly couple felt both surprised and delighted, as they hadn’t heard about him having a partner before.
Then, upon learning his wife was already pregnant, they were shocked and angry. They had just managed to calm themselves down… and now they were told the daughter-in-law’s family didn’t agree to the marriage?
“That’s the situation,” Zhao Jingyu said without elaborating, stepping out. “You can handle preparing the meat and vegetables for the banquet. I’m going out to notify everyone and ask them to come for the meal tomorrow at noon.”
After Zhao Jingyu left, Zhao Futang sighed. “How did he become like this…”
“He says what he says, let it be!” Yang Yuelan sighed along. “Who told us we owe him? It’s already rare enough that he called us over this time.”
“What do you mean owe him or not?” Zhao Futang hated hearing such talk the most. “We sent him to his grandparents’ house, not gave him away. His grandparents didn’t treat him badly either!”
“That’s what they say, but after all, he wasn’t raised by our side. We can’t scold him or reprimand him.” As Yang Yuelan spoke, her eyes reddened. “Jing Yu isn’t close to us, only to his grandparents. Since his grandparents passed away, he won’t even come home for the New Year anymore, at most going to his sister’s house for a meal.”
Zhao Jingyu had two older brothers and one older sister. His sister, Zhao Lei, was also taken away by her aunt during the famine year.
Three years ago, Zhao Lei got married and had children, living in the suburbs, not too far from here.
Zhao Jingyu still took good care of his sister.
“Enough, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s get to work!” Zhao Futang stood up, found an axe from the corner, and went to the yard to chop pork and mutton.
“We can’t finish this much, half will do.” Yang Yuelan calculated the number of people and thought for a moment before saying, “As for the rest, let Jing Yu take it to the canteen and exchange it for meat coupons. We have to be thrifty in life; we don’t need this much for the banquet either.”
“Got it.” Zhao Futang agreed and began chopping the meat with loud thuds.
Yang Yuelan opened the fertilizer bag she brought from home, poured out the vegetables inside, and started picking and washing them.
In the city, everything needs to be bought, and money is spent everywhere, so we have to save where we can.
Xu Qingning lay on the bed, quietly listening to the old couple’s conversation. Wow, the author said the family situation was complicated, and it really is complicated.
Four siblings in the family, raised in three different environments, with Zhao Jingyu being the most pitiful, taken to the remote northwest at such a young age.
For a child, being with grandparents is never as reassuring as being with parents.
After sleeping for a while, Xu Qingning grew hungry, her stomach rumbling. Only then did she remember she hadn’t eaten lunch.
She got out of bed, put on her shoes, and walked outside. It was already evening, and the entire yard was dyed a warm orange-red. Seeing the two busy in the yard, Xu Qingning naturally stepped forward to greet them: “Mom, Dad, you’re here!”
Since they were already married, calling them uncle and aunt wouldn’t be appropriate anyway.
Since she’d have to change how she addressed them sooner or later, she might as well do it now.
“Oh, you’re awake?” Yang Yuelan was washing vegetables when she heard her call them Mom and Dad. She was pleasantly surprised and quickly wiped her hands on her clothes before stepping forward to ask, “Are you hungry? Mom will cook for you.”
Earlier, Xu Qingning had been sleeping, so she hadn’t gotten a good look at her.
Now, seeing her clearly, this girl was really pretty. In the countryside, you wouldn’t see such a beautiful girl—not only pretty but also sweet-talking.
Zhao Futang glanced up at Xu Qingning, grunted in acknowledgment, then quickly lowered his head and continued chopping meat.
“Mom, I’m hungry.” Only then did Xu Qingning remember that Zhao Jingyu had brought her lunch. She went inside, opened the lunchbox, and saw it was full of dumplings, but they were already cold.
“Mom will heat them up for you. You can have these first to tide you over. Later, when I finish cooking, we’ll eat together.” Yang Yuelan immediately followed her in, added water to the pot, and fetched firewood to start the fire.
After Zhao Jingyu returned, he ate all three meals at the canteen and never cooked at home, so the pots had even rusted.
Yang Yuelan scrubbed the pot several times before it was finally clean.
“Thank you, Mom!” Xu Qingning’s words were as sweet as honey. Since she didn’t know how to tend the fire, her attitude naturally had to be good.
Although the old couple’s clothes were somewhat worn, they were neat and clean.
Especially Yang Yuelan, who spoke with a smile, which was quite pleasant.
“You go back to your room and rest. I’ll bring it to your room in a bit.” Yang Yuelan was overjoyed by being called “Mom.”
“Mom, you’ve worked hard.” Xu Qingning gave her a sweet smile and returned to her room with a clear conscience.
Anyone who treated her well, she would strive to win over.
Besides, this mother-in-law was very important—she would need her to take care of her in the future.