Xu Xia wanted to withdraw her hand, but Zhao Hui held it tightly.
He Hongying and Zhao Manfu were both stunned. Zhao Manfu pointed at his son, “You… why are you holding Xia Xia’s hand?”
When Zhao Hui announced he was going to marry Xu Xia, He Hongying and Zhao Manfu were not only shocked but also deeply confused.
Zhao Yunzhu exclaimed, “Second Uncle, weren’t you unwilling before? Why? What’s so good about her anyway?”
Zhao Manfu echoed the doubt, “Yes, weren’t you unwilling?” Was he just playing games?
“What I objected to was the blind marriage arrangement, not Xu Xia herself,” Zhao Hui stated. “My marriage application has been approved. If you have no objections, I plan to register our marriage tomorrow.”
He couldn’t delay any longer. That Bai Shijian fellow had even asked him today whether he was really going to marry Xu Xia.
“So rushed?” He Hongying frowned. “Xia Xia, why didn’t you mention anything to us?”
“Auntie, I just found out myself that Zhao Er Ge plans to register tomorrow.” Being stared at by so many people made Xu Xia somewhat embarrassed. This was truly unexpected.
He Hongying pressed further, “Then when did you two decide to get married?”
Xu Xia explained that when she went to the military base for a screening, “Zhao Er Ge asked if I wanted to marry him, and I agreed.”
“Why did you agree so readily?” Zhao Manfu expressed dissatisfaction. “You should have made this kid suffer a bit, kept him anxious for a while! Serves him right for being so stubborn and opposing me before!”
He Hongying glared at her husband. “What nonsense are you talking about? It’s a good thing the children want to marry. Oh my, I’m so happy! I couldn’t bear the thought of Xia Xia marrying someone else before. Thank goodness Zhao Hui isn’t blind. But isn’t tomorrow too soon for registration? Should we send your grandmother a telegram first?”
Xu Xia also thought it was rather hasty. “I think we should.” She needed to show some reserve—just because Zhao Hui was in a hurry didn’t mean she had to agree to everything.
“Of course we should. Your grandmother raised you with difficulty—we must send the elderly lady a telegram no matter what. When you hold the wedding, we’ll have to invite her too.” He Hongying held Xu Xia’s hand, her attention fully on the girl as she affectionately pulled her to sit down. “Besides, there’s so much to prepare for a wedding—the bride and groom’s outfits, bedding, thermoses, new wardrobes… You’re such a good girl, we can’t just rush you into our family like this.”
She needed to demonstrate how much they valued Xu Xia.
Zhao Manfu agreed, “Yes, no need to hurry. If we commission new furniture now, it’ll take at least two or three months. A year-end wedding would be perfect—it’ll be lively then.”
He could tell it was his son who was more eager to marry. Well, let the kid sweat—payback for all his previous opposition.
Zhao Hui frowned deeply. “Mom, Dad, stop joking. I’ve saved up over the years—we can buy furniture directly instead of having it custom-made. Same with everything else. Tomorrow morning, I’ll send a telegram to Xu Xia’s grandmother and arrange for someone to fetch her.”
He wasn’t kidding—they might not fear complications from delay, but he did. Even now, he kept thinking about Xu Xia’s kiss, how fragrant she smelled when she leaned in, utterly captivating.
“What’s the rush?” Zhao Manfu said deliberately. “You were unwilling to marry before. What, did seeing how popular Xia Xia is at the military base change your mind?”
Men understand men better. From his son’s urgent tone, Zhao Manfu could sense what was on his son’s mind.
He Hongying teased with a smile, “That’s right, Second Son, don’t be impatient. I need to properly prepare the betrothal gifts. Old Zhao, we must arrange all the popular Three Major Items for Xiaxia, and the bed and wardrobe must be new too…”
The couple was already planning the wedding banquet, but Zhao Hui kept looking at Xu Xia, hoping she would take his side. Instead, Xu Xia kept nodding along with his parents.
Xu Fengshou sat quietly, thinking that Second Brother Zhao was a good man and that it was a good thing his sister could marry him.
Meanwhile, Zhao Yunzhu ran out to the Meng residence to borrow the phone and call her parents. “It’s true, I’m not lying to you. Second Uncle personally brought Xu Xia over to discuss marriage. Just wait, it won’t be long before Grandpa and Grandma notify you.”
After hanging up, seeing Meng Zhizhi on the verge of tears, Zhao Yunzhu felt reluctant. “Sister Zhizhi, you just haven’t appeared in front of my second uncle for too long. If you really like him, you still have a chance. Go find him before they get their marriage certificate.”
Meng Zhizhi clenched her teeth. She had liked Zhao Hui since childhood, and her family was quite satisfied with him too. But when her family had once brought up the marriage proposal to the Zhao family, they were politely declined. Her family had told her that marriage required mutual consent and forbade her from pestering Zhao Hui again. Because of this, they even transferred her away from Jiangcheng, resulting in her not seeing Zhao Hui for a long time.
“What… what else can I do?” Meng Zhizhi cried. “Even if I run to your second uncle and tell him I like him and ask him to marry me, he definitely wouldn’t agree.”
If Zhao Hui had been willing, he would have agreed before. “Yunzhu, don’t worry about me. I might feel better after being sad for a while.”
“How can that be? I want you to be my second aunt.” Zhao Yunzhu, being straightforward and naive, only felt sorry for Meng Zhizhi when she saw her crying. “Think about it. Whatever I can do, I’ll definitely help you!”
Meng Zhizhi excitedly grabbed Zhao Yunzhu’s hand. “Really?”
“Of course! I, Zhao Yunzhu, keep my word and value loyalty most!”
The next day, Zhao Yunzhu brought several classmates to the cinema ticket counter just before the movie was about to start. However, it was a Saturday afternoon showing of a recently popular film, and there were no tickets left. She specifically asked to see Xu Xia.
Sister Yu called Xu Xia over. “You chat; I’ll go have a cup of tea.” Those who worked at the cinema would quietly let their friends in, an unspoken rule among colleagues who turned a blind eye.
As soon as she heard the young girl was looking for Xu Xia, she knew what was going on and took the initiative to step aside so Xu Xia could handle it.
Xu Xia was surprised to see it was Zhao Yunzhu.
Zhao Yunzhu pulled Xu Xia aside. “Aren’t you going to be my second aunt? I promised my classmates they would get to see the movie. You should give me some face, right?”
She had agreed with Meng Zhizhi that as long as Xu Xia let them in, they would report Xu Xia. If Xu Xia made a work error, she might even get fired, and the Zhao family’s impression of her would worsen. As for Zhao Yunzhu herself, since she was a Zhao, she would at most be grounded for a couple of days.
Xu Xia kept watching Zhao Yunzhu. The young girl’s intentions were transparent, and Xu Xia could tell something was off at a glance, though she didn’t know the specifics.
Moreover, given her relationship with Zhao Yunzhu, it wasn’t close enough to grant her special favors. “If you want to watch the movie, come back tomorrow. It’s fully booked today.”
“No, I promised my classmates, I want to go today. Aren’t you a cinema staff member? Just let us in, we’ll find any random spot to sit, it won’t cause any trouble,” Zhao Yunzhu said. “I’m the Zhao family’s only granddaughter. If you embarrass me, I’ll complain about you to Grandpa and Grandma every single day from now on.”
Xu Xia was amused. “Go ahead and complain then. I’d like to see whether Aunt He and Zhao Bobo would actually be swayed by your attempts to drive a wedge between us. Besides, as your future second aunt, I should be stopping you from this petty theft behavior even more. Yunzhu, is the Zhao family poor? Or are you lacking something? Why do you need to take advantage of the state like this?”
She deliberately directed the last sentence at the other girls, making Zhao Yunzhu blush crimson.
The girls Zhao Yunzhu had brought along were all her close friends. She had told them Xu Xia was terrible and asked them to come help.
Xu Xia looked at them. “And you all, I see your clothes don’t have patches, so I assume your families are well-off. I wonder whether you encouraged Yunzhu to do this, or if you’re just naturally inclined to take petty advantages. Do your families know you’re engaged in undermining socialism like this?”
This frightened the young girls. They looked at each other in panic, and the more timid ones immediately shook their heads saying they had nothing to do with it. “Yunzhu made us come, we don’t know anything about this.”
After saying this, they ran off. Zhao Yunzhu stamped her foot in frustration, watching her friends get scared away. She glared furiously at Xu Xia and said word by word, “Xu Xia, I’m not done with you!”
“Oh, suit yourself.” Xu Xia said she still had work to do and wouldn’t entertain Zhao Yunzhu any longer.
After watching Zhao Yunzhu run off into the distance, Xu Xia quietly followed her. She saw Zhao Yunzhu meeting up with Meng Zhizhi and approached them stealthily.
“I’m so mad, Zhizhi sister! You have no idea how awful Xu Xia is. She completely disregards my feelings. Acting all high and mighty—I’m so angry I could die!” Zhao Yunzhu stomped hard on the ground. “What should we do? I can’t think of any other way!”
Meng Zhizhi hadn’t expected Xu Xia to be so unaccommodating, refusing even such a small favor. Or was Zhao Yunzhu just too incompetent?
“Don’t be angry first. I’m sorry for putting you in this position, asking you to help with something like this. Maybe we should just forget it. I… Zhao Hui and I just aren’t meant to be.” Meng Zhizhi’s voice choked up.
“No, we can’t just give up! I refuse to believe we can’t find any leverage against her!” Zhao Yunzhu had barely finished speaking when she saw Xu Xia emerge from behind the wall. Thinking she was seeing things, she rubbed her eyes. “Xu Xia, aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“Yes, but I thought you might be upset. I originally intended to explain things to you, but I never expected to overhear such an interesting conversation.” Xu Xia strolled over, her thin lips pressed together slightly. “Yunzhu, she already said to forget about it. Why are you still thinking about charging into battle for someone else? Acting like this will only put Miss Meng in an unrighteous position.”
Both Meng Zhizhi and Zhao Yunzhu were stunned. They hadn’t expected Xu Xia to appear.
Xu Xia walked up to the two of them, looking Meng Zhizhi up and down with a constant smile on her face. “I can understand your feelings for Zhao Er Ge. The man I’ve chosen is certainly a good one. However, what you did today was wrong. Since Zhao Er Ge is going to marry me, you should generously offer your blessings instead of encouraging a young girl to engage in such underhanded tactics.”
She emphasized her tone, watching Meng Zhizhi’s face instantly flush crimson, then continued with a smile, “You’re quite attractive and have a decent job—I doubt you lack suitors. Why do this? There are plenty of men in the world. Wouldn’t it be better to focus on something more respectable?”
Meng Zhizhi couldn’t hold back anymore; Xu Xia’s words brought tears to her eyes, but her pride refused to let her sob aloud in front of Xu Xia, so she bit her lip tightly.
“What happened today must not be repeated. I won’t cause a scene at the Meng family’s doorstep, but I will inform Zhao Er Ge about this. You understand—your image in his eyes will be completely ruined from now on. Miss Meng, you have excellent qualities; there’s no need to cling to one tree when there are men everywhere.”
Before Xu Xia could finish, Meng Zhizhi, overwhelmed with shame, ran off. Zhao Yunzhu tried to follow, but Xu Xia sharply called out, “If you don’t want me to report this to the Zhao family right now, stay where you are!”
Zhao Yunzhu bit her lip, glaring fiercely at Xu Xia. “What do you want? Are you threatening me?”
“Exactly. I’ve talked so much I’m thirsty. Go buy me a soda—I want apple flavor.” Xu Xia smiled playfully at Zhao Yunzhu, thinking how the girl, spoiled by her family, was naive and clueless, unaware she was being used.
“No!”
“Then I’ll go report you,” Xu Xia said. “Don’t think this can be brushed off with a simple grounding. It’s about your character. If I suggest to Zhao Bobo that he send you Down to the countryside for training, I’m sure he’d agree, especially since he likes me so much. What do you think?”
“Down to the countryside?” Zhao Yunzhu widened her eyes in disbelief. “You… you’re…”
Struggling to find an insult, she finally blurted out, “You’re a bad woman!”
“Since you’ve called me a bad woman, hurry up and get that soda!” Xu Xia teased, watching as Zhao Yunzhu turned to leave, then added, “You have five minutes. If you’re not back in five, I’ll go see Zhao Bobo and the others after work.”
Fuming but afraid of Xu Xia’s threat, Zhao Yunzhu reluctantly bought the soda and returned, clenching her fists as she glared. “Here’s your soda. Are we done now?”
“Not quite.”
Xu Xia knew that people’s prejudices were hard to change. Rather than exhaust herself trying to please others only to be unappreciated, it was better to hold leverage. She didn’t need Zhao Yunzhu’s goodwill and had no intention of cozying up to her. “You don’t really think one soda will settle this, do you?”
“What else do you want?”
“From now on, keep your nose out of my business and don’t try any underhanded tricks, or I’ll settle old and new scores together. Also, when I have orders, you must come immediately. Got it?” Xu Xia sipped the soda, savoring the sweet and sour taste—free stuff really was nice.
Zhao Yunzhu’s face turned green with rage. “Xu Xia, don’t go too far!”
“Now you know I’m not to be trifled with, right?” Xu Xia winked mischievously. “Learn to be more shrewd from now on, understand?”
When Xu Xia returned to the cinema, Sister Yu happened to come downstairs and asked why she hadn’t seen the young girls from earlier.
“They went back.”
“Weren’t they here to watch a movie?” Sister Yu inquired.
“No, they were just passing by the area.” Xu Xia smiled, changing the subject. “Sis, do you know how to buy meat? My brother’s at that growing age, and I want to nourish him a bit.”
Living on her own, even with ration coupons, it was hard to buy meat. If she went a little late, she couldn’t get the cut she wanted, or it would be sold out altogether. Xu Xia only managed to eat meat once every three to five days. Of course, she wouldn’t admit it was because she craved it—she had to use her younger brother as an excuse.
Sister Yu, with her wealth of life experience, knew how to get fabric and cotton, and she also had tricks for buying meat. After glancing around to make sure no one else was nearby, she whispered to Xu Xia, “There is another place to buy meat, but it’s more hidden. Here’s the plan: tomorrow at 5:30 a.m., wait for me at the bus stop.”
“So early?” Xu Xia had never gotten up that early before.
“It’s not early. We still have to take the bus and walk. If we go late, we won’t get any fatty meat.” Sister Yu’s two children were also fond of meat, and since both she and her husband worked, they could afford it, but their meat coupons were limited, which was why she sought out alternative places to buy meat.
Xu Xia thought it over and decided to go with Sister Yu once to see for herself. She couldn’t bear eating vegetarian every day—this kind of life was unbearable for her.
As the two were talking quietly with their heads bowed, someone suddenly banged on the wooden ticket window, startling them both.
Xu Xia looked up and saw it was Zhao Hui, which allowed her to relax.
Sister Yu, however, stared nervously at Zhao Hui, afraid he had overheard their conversation. If he were to arrest her, she would be finished.
“What are you doing here?” Xu Xia patted Sister Yu’s hand and proactively introduced him. “This is my fiancé. We’re getting married early next month. I’ll give you some wedding candy then.”
Xu Xia wanted her grandmother to attend the wedding, and Zhao Hui was eager to marry. After calculating the dates, they finally settled on early next month.
Hearing that he was Xu Xia’s fiancé, Sister Yu breathed a sigh of relief. There was nothing to fear from one of their own. When she looked at Zhao Hui again, she recognized him immediately. “It’s you, young man! You come here often. I thought before, if you were just a cousin, you were visiting too frequently. Did you have your eye on our Little Xu long ago?”
Zhao Hui had assumed Xu Xia wouldn’t introduce him proactively. Hearing the word “fiancé,” he couldn’t help but smile. “Sister, may I speak with Xu Xia about something?”
“Of course, of course.” Sister Yu beamed at the two of them, thinking they made a perfect match—a talented man and a beautiful woman. After they went to the backyard, Sister Yu couldn’t wait to rush to the office. “Did you all know? Little Xu is engaged, to that soldier who’s always coming to see her!”
Wu Xiaofeng was the first to respond, “I could tell they were interested in each other long ago. When we went to the army unit to show films, that Regiment Commander Zhao was always sticking close to Little Xu.”
While everyone was gossiping, Xu Xia asked Zhao Hui why he had come.
“I remember you’re off tomorrow. I’ll take you to the Department Store to buy clothes,” Zhao Hui said.
Xu Xia had already made plans with Sister Yu to buy meat tomorrow. After a moment’s thought, she said, “Then come pick me up in the afternoon.”
Zhao Hui agreed.
Noticing Zhao Hui staring at her, Xu Xia raised an eyebrow with a smile. “Zhao Er Ge, do you know who came today?”
“Who?”
“Meng Zhizhi and Yun Zhu came. It seems you’re quite popular.” Xu Xia recounted what had happened with Meng Zhizhi. “I’ve already sent her away in person, but I want you to give me a straight answer: were you ever involved with Meng Zhizhi before?”
Zhao Hui frowned and said no. “I’ll go to the Meng family and sort this out with her parents.”
“No need to go through all that trouble. Since the girl likes you, personally delivering the invitation to the Meng family will let them know your intentions.” Xu Xia brushed aside the stray hairs near her temples, revealing her fair and smooth earlobes. “Is there anything else you need to tell me?”
Zhao Hui looked at Xu Xia with confusion.
“I mean, who’s been pursuing you, and how many relationships have you had? Tell me now so I won’t misunderstand later.” Xu Xia put on a jealous expression, her snow-white cheeks flushing with two patches of crimson that spread all the way to her earlobes. “Otherwise, if I find out later, I’ll be angry.”
“None. Not a single one.” Zhao Hui looked at Xu Xia very seriously. Applying what he’d learned, he counterasked, “What about you? Which male comrades were you close with before? Was it that Liang Bei, or someone else?”
Whoever it might be, they were all in the past. Now, he was the one marrying Xu Xia. Just thinking that Xu Xia might have been with others made him jealous. Her lips were so red—they must have wanted to kiss them.
Zhao Hui’s eyes were like obsidian. Every time Xu Xia met his gaze, she felt this man was hard to read, and now was no exception.
If it were just herself, she hadn’t been particularly close with any man, but she was a transmigrator. The original host hadn’t been in any relationships either, but when men showed goodwill by giving gifts, she would accept them.
Unable to give a definite answer, she tried to brush it off with a playful grin at Zhao Hui. “I promise, from now on, I’ll only be with you.”
Faced with Xu Xia’s evasive response, Zhao Hui detected the cunning in her eyes. He reached out, pulling her slender waist closer, and lowered his head to kiss her. She was fragrant and soft—this was his punishment for her dodging the question.
Whether there had been others or not didn’t matter. Xu Xia was in his arms now. As long as she would only be with him from now on, he wouldn’t dwell on the past.
Xu Xia was stunned by the sudden kiss. It was working hours, and colleagues could pass by at any moment. The man was strong, his arms as hard as iron. She couldn’t push Zhao Hui away and could only bite him to catch her breath briefly. “Don’t… mmm…”
Zhao Hui kissed her again.
The taste of blood spread on their tongues. Zhao Hui lifted her with his other hand, turned, and pressed her against the wall. Xu Xia was light, so light that he could hold her with one arm.
He had wanted to do this for a long time.
Xu Xia had now witnessed how formidable this man could be when jealous. Hearing footsteps, she whimpered and pleaded again, “Zhao… Second Brother, someone’s really coming.”
Reluctantly, Zhao Hui put Xu Xia down and licked his lips. “Whether it’s Liang Bei or Hu Zhengwen, you’re not allowed to interact with them from now on. Otherwise…” He deliberately paused, his thin lips becoming vividly intense. “Otherwise, I’ll be angry too.”
If he got angry, he would surely demand compensation in certain ways.
Xu Xia could already hear Director Zhang’s voice and didn’t dare provoke Zhao Hui further. “I know, I’ll listen to you. But about Yun Zhu’s matter, don’t intervene. She’s afraid I’ll tattle now, avoiding me like a cat avoiding a mouse. If you expose this, she might give up completely, and then I won’t be able to make use of her anymore.”
“You’re scheming against my niece right in front of me. Is that appropriate?” Zhao Hui was still unsatisfied, thinking about the half month left until their wedding, which made him even more impatient.
“Hehe, you’re definitely on my side, right?” Xu Xia had discovered that Zhao Hui was the type to yield to softness rather than force. She finally understood—men, no matter how old, needed to be coaxed.
Seeing Zhao Hui fall silent, she knew this tactic had worked. Noticing Director Zhang approaching, she quickly greeted him, “Director, is there anything you need my help with?”
“Nothing here, you can go about your business.” Accompanying Director Zhang was Political Commissar Hao, who shared his hometown origins. “Old Hao, you’ve finally been transferred to Jiangcheng. I’ve got a pot of fine tea that I wouldn’t share with anyone else. Hey, Xu Xia, could you help me boil some water for tea?”
Afraid that Zhao Hui would resume their previous conversation, Xu Xia immediately agreed and jogged off to heat the water.
Zhao Hui greeted Political Commissar Hao, as his parents were old acquaintances with the commissar and shared a good relationship. Since Political Commissar Hao had been transferred to their military region, he was effectively Zhao Hui’s superior.
Upon seeing Zhao Hui, Political Commissar Hao invited him to join for tea. When Xu Xia brought a thermos of hot water to Director Zhang’s office, she was also asked to stay.
Director Zhang had just learned from Zhao Hui about Xu Xia’s impending marriage and congratulated her with a smile. “Little Xu, your marriage to Regiment Commander Zhao is wonderful news. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“Director, this was only decided yesterday. I was just about to discuss my shift schedule with you,” Xu Xia replied as she poured tea for everyone. She glanced at Zhao Hui, noticing his reddened lips, and felt a pang of guilt. She hoped Director Zhang and Political Commissar Hao wouldn’t notice, or she would be too embarrassed to face anyone.
“Shift arrangements are no problem. Although you haven’t been here long, everyone likes you. I’m sure they’ll be willing to swap shifts with you,” Director Zhang reassured her. He mentally reviewed his treatment of Xu Xia, confirming he had always looked out for her, and breathed a silent sigh of relief. His judgment hadn’t failed him—Xu Xia was capable, and now she was to become Chief Zhao’s daughter-in-law.
After finishing their tea, Xu Xia signaled to Zhao Hui with her eyes. “Director, since you and Political Commissar Hao rarely have time to catch up, please continue your conversation. I should get back to work.”
Director Zhang appreciated Xu Xia’s perceptiveness—she knew how to read the room and understood he needed to speak with Political Commissar Hao privately. “Go ahead. When you get married, you must let me share in your joy.”
“Of course, Director. You’ve been my benefactor—I’ll definitely invite you to the wedding banquet,” Xu Xia said as she stood to leave. But then Political Commissar Hao suddenly looked at her.
“Little Xu Comrade, I detect a bit of a Qingzhou accent in your speech. Are you from Qingzhou?” Political Commissar Hao, who was originally from Qingzhou, felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity whenever he saw Xu Xia.
Xu Xia said she wasn’t, but then added, “My mother was from Qingzhou. Perhaps I’ve picked up some of her accent.”
However, Xu Xia’s mother had passed away early, and in her memories, only a vague silhouette remained, along with fragments of lullabies her mother used to sing while holding her. She could no longer recall the lyrics, only hum the melodies.
Author’s Note: [This chapter still gives out 30 red envelopes. See you tomorrow at midnight, good night everyone! [Fighting!]]
~
[Shameless plug for my best friend’s super lengthy and enjoyable Era Novel “Reconstituted Family in the Alley [1960s]” by Bai Qie]
Transmigrating to the 1960s, Jiang Xiao’e becomes one of six children in a reconstituted family in a small alley. The large household is full of rivalry and squabbles—a scene of utter chaos and lively commotion!
Two brothers argue till they’re red in the face over a single room;
The sisters debate whether to go down to the countryside or marry a man with a job quota to stay in the city;
The younger brother stares greedily at ant eggs under a tree, drooling almost uncontrollably;
Jiang Xiao’e happily watches the drama unfold.
She can’t be bothered to fight over the family’s meager resources. In the future, she neither wants to go down to the countryside nor rely on marriage to remain in the city.
So, she sets her sights on the newly established Hongxing Tractor Factory—the first military-run factory in the provincial city under army jurisdiction…
#Female protagonist career progression storyline, ensemble-focused plot with romance as secondary element#
#Satisfying and unrestrained, the female protagonist is the strongest of the strong#