“Whether I’m delusional or not, you’ll find out soon enough.” Seeing her cousin’s constricted pupils filled with wariness, Xu Xia took a deep breath. “Cousin, I don’t have time to bother with you right now, and you’d better not provoke me either. Let’s just stay out of each other’s way. You know my temperament—if I get unhappy and start making trouble, I’ll curse all the way to your in-laws’ house.”
Perhaps because the original host had left too negative an impression on Xu Chun, Xu Xia’s words immediately made Xu Chun’s face darken completely.
Xu Xia continued, “Wouldn’t it be better if we just leave each other alone like we did today?”
Xu Chun thought today had been fine, but she still didn’t trust Xu Xia. “Can you guarantee everything you said is true?”
“If you don’t believe me, go ask Grandma. It was Grandma who helped arrange this marriage for me.” Xu Xia hadn’t expected such a fortunate turn of events.
It turned out that after her cousin refused to introduce her to potential partners, Grandma remembered that her father had arranged a Childhood Sweetheart marriage for her.
Since this was a new society that didn’t emphasize such traditions, and Zhao family’s elder hadn’t mentioned it when Xu Xia’s father passed away, Grandma had naturally forgotten about it and never paid it much mind.
Now, in this critical situation, Grandma decided to try every possible solution and wrote to the Zhao family, asking if the Childhood Sweetheart arrangement still stood.
Normally, such matters should be initiated by the man, but Xu Xia couldn’t afford to wait.
The reply Xu Xia received today came from the Zhao family. The letter stated that the marriage arrangement was valid and included a photo of the Zhao family’s second son along with some money. If the Xu family was satisfied with Zhao Hui, the money was for Xu Xia to buy clothes and a train ticket. Since Zhao Hui was a soldier with no leave in the near future, Xu Xia should go to the Zhao family for the meeting.
If Xu Xia didn’t fancy Zhao Hui, the money would still be given to her as dowry for her future marriage.
When Xu Xia saw the money, she was startled—few people would mail cash in envelopes these days as it was too easily lost.
Moreover, the Zhao family had sent quite a substantial amount—a full one hundred yuan!
This money was now in Xu Xia’s pocket.
Xu Chun looked at her cousin with skepticism and decided to ask Grandma for clarification. As soon as she entered the room, she heard her mother’s shrill voice asking, “Mom, you must be joking. When did Xu Xia have a Childhood Sweetheart? How come we didn’t know about it?”
“Who has time to joke with you?” Wang Xiufang was in high spirits. “This is the blessing Erzhong accumulated through his good deeds. Don’t you remember when the Zhao family came after he passed away?”
Tian Mei certainly remembered—it was the first time a sedan had ever parked at their alley entrance. Before Zhao family’s elder even reached their home, someone had run ahead to report that important visitors were coming.
At the time, she only knew her brother-in-law had saved Zhao family’s elder, but wasn’t aware of the Childhood Sweetheart arrangement.
“Erzhong was kind-hearted and never took the Childhood Sweetheart seriously. If Xiaxia weren’t in difficult circumstances now, I wouldn’t have had the nerve to write to them. Who would have thought the Zhao family would honor their commitment? Their second son is not only handsome but also a regiment commander!” Wang Xiufang grinned from ear to ear. In her view, the Zhao family’s integrity indicated good family values, and since Zhao Hui was a soldier, his character must be reliable—this was an exceptionally good match.
However, whether due to the passage of time or something else, when Third Brother told her about it, it seemed he mentioned Zhao family’s grandson. Perhaps she was getting old and her memory was failing, momentarily confused, but the Zhao family certainly wouldn’t make such a mistake.
Tian Mei, however, was completely dumbfounded.
What kind of regiment commander?
He actually outranks her son-in-law?
Xu Chun at the doorway was equally stunned. After all, her husband was a battalion commander, already considered young and promising in the military.
The cousin she looked down on the most actually had such a good marriage prospect—it was hard for her to feel balanced, and she couldn’t help feeling a bit sour.
“Grandma, it’s been nine years since Third Uncle passed away. We don’t know much about the Zhao family. With such good conditions, why would they take a liking to Xu Xia? Could there be something wrong with him?” At this moment, Xu Chun admitted her own narrow-mindedness. She’d rather Xu Xia stay at home than have a better marriage than hers.
Wang Xiufang immediately pulled a long face. Before she could speak, Xu Xia stepped over the threshold and said, “Whether there’s a problem or not, we’ll only know by meeting him. Cousin, you look so displeased—can’t you stand to see me doing well?”
“I don’t!”
“You do!” Xu Xia had a temper too. Taking advantage of the original host’s difficult personality, she deliberately provoked Xu Chun’s pettiness: “You and Aunt don’t want me at home, yet you’re eager to see me suffer Down to the countryside. Now that I don’t have to go and even have a good marriage prospect, you must feel uncomfortable. And…”
She glanced toward the yard, “And I don’t need to guess what you said to Deputy Director Li.”
The yard was small, and Xu Xia had overheard Xu Chun talking to Deputy Director Li earlier. Though she hadn’t caught every word, she could guess most of it.
Mention of Deputy Director Li made Xu Chun frown anxiously. Oh no, Deputy Director Li was still waiting for her at the gate.
Xu Chun was momentarily at a loss for words. Tian Mei glanced sheepishly at her mother-in-law and said guiltily, “Xia, what are you talking about? We’re family—why would we wish you ill?”
“Fine, if you say there’s none, then there’s none. I won’t argue with you.” Xu Xia didn’t want to waste her breath. No matter how much she said, her aunt wouldn’t change her opinion.
Now that she had a way out, what worried her most was her younger brother. Since she had taken over the original host’s identity, while living well herself, she also needed to take responsibility for those close to the original host.
Xu Xia couldn’t be bothered to argue with her aunt and the others. She went into the yard, pulled her brother who was sweeping inside, and led him to their room.
It was true that the siblings weren’t particularly close—the original host would talk, and Xu Fengshou would always listen silently. Over time, the original host stopped sharing random thoughts with him.
But when it came to genuine care, on the night the original host got drunk, it was Xu Fengshou who stayed by her bedside taking care of her all night without sleep.
The siblings sat facing each other. Xu Xia couldn’t think of how to start the conversation for a long while—her brother was too quiet, making it hard for her to find the right words.
But seeing her brother gripping the bedsheet tightly, she figured he must be reluctant to see her go.
“After I get settled in Jiangcheng, I’ll help you transfer schools and bring you over to live with me, okay?Xu Xia tentatively asked.
“No need.”” Xu Fengshou replied very briefly.
“Why?”
Only silence answered Xu Xia.
Xu Xia sighed helplessly. “I’ve talked with Grandma. If things don’t work out with the Zhao family’s son, I’ll swallow my pride and ask the Zhaos to find me a job. Old Master Zhao has great connections—it would be easy for him. When Dad passed, we were too young. He had to sell his job and have Grandma raise us. But all these years later, the money Dad left has long been used up, and it’s all been Grandma secretly helping us out.”
“Grandma is getting old. Don’t you want to see her relax and enjoy her later years?”
Xu Fengshou nodded that he did, but inwardly he was astonished—how could his sister say such things?
The young boy’s doubts were impossible to hide, and Xu Xia saw through them at a glance. “I used to be studying too, unaware of the many hardships in life. After going through so much, I should become more sensible, or else I’d have endured all those disdainful looks from Aunt for nothing. Uncle is easy to talk to, but Aunt sees us as burdens. If you stay here, life will definitely be hard for you later.”
Being so young, Xu Xia’s words immediately made her brother’s eyes redden. She sat beside him and patted his shoulder. “Our parents left us early, so we’re each other’s closest family. Don’t abandon your sister.”
“I’m not abandoning you!” Xu Fengshou said urgently. He was afraid… afraid of being a burden to his sister. That Zhao family sounded so impressive—what if they looked down on their family?
“That’s good then.” Xu Xia smiled. “When you grow up and make something of yourself, remember to buy me delicious food and pretty clothes. I’ll come back for you in at most two months.”
Xu Fengshou pressed his lips tightly together. He had thought that once his sister left, she wouldn’t return, but it turned out she hadn’t abandoned him after all.
His body trembled slightly as he struggled to hold back tears, but his eyes betrayed him, shedding large teardrops one after another.
Meanwhile, Xu Chun cast a deep glance toward Xu Xia’s room, her brow furrowed tightly as she thought of Deputy Director Li waiting outside the door.
When Li Decai learned that Xu Xia had a childhood sweetheart, he exploded at Xu Chun. “You knew about this and still led me on, making me wait at your doorstep for an hour and a half? Xu Chun, do you take me for a cat or a dog to play with?”
“No, Director, I just found out about this myself. I never meant to toy with you…”
“Cut the crap! How could you not know about something this big?” Li Decai fumed, glaring at Xu Chun. “Fine, fine! You’ve got nerve. We’ll see about this!”
Xu Chun had intended to curry favor with Deputy Director Li but ended up offending him instead. Her husband’s military rank wasn’t high enough for her to join him in the army barracks.
Since they would still be living in the same district and might frequently cross paths, and given Deputy Director Li’s petty nature, Xu Chun felt a headache coming on just thinking about it.
But what Xu Chun couldn’t understand was why this arranged marriage existed now when it hadn’t in her previous life.
Was it really because she refused to introduce Xu Xia to potential matches that Grandma remembered this arrangement?
Whether it was or not didn’t matter anymore—the Zhao family’s letter had already been delivered to Xu Xia.
Xu Chun could only look on the bright side: at least they were sending away Xu Xia, the troublemaker. Let her go stir up trouble in the Zhao family—the Zhao family would regret it soon enough!
After seeing off Deputy Director Li, Xu Chun returned home with a heavy heart and happened to run into Xu Xia, who was about to go out.
When the sisters’ eyes met, Xu Chun couldn’t help saying, “Xu Xia, do you really think a marriage built on calling in favors can bring happiness?”
“Cousin, is that concern I hear, or jealousy?” Xu Xia raised an eyebrow smugly.
“Never mind. Consider my concern wasted. Whether you end up crying or laughing, it’s none of my business.” Xu Chun silently reminded herself not to get angry. The gap between the Zhao and Xu families was vast, and given Xu Xia’s personality, the Zhao family would surely dislike her. Why bother worrying so much about Xu Xia?
Besides, even after marriage, divorce was still possible. The Zhao family member was currently a regiment commander, but her own Zhou Wenbin wouldn’t remain a battalion commander forever. Who would have the last laugh remained to be seen.
“If you know it’s none of your business, then keep your comments to yourself, or you’ll just make people dislike you. If I get unhappy, you know what will happen.” After delivering this threat and seeing Xu Chun’s dark expression, Xu Xia went out in a rather good mood.
In her previous life, Xu Xia had lived like a beast of burden, and given a second chance, she would take it easy whenever possible. Even when she couldn’t fully relax, she refused to get caught up in cutthroat competition—after all, in the 1970s, no amount of ambition would lead to great wealth.
She cheerfully went to buy a train ticket, obtained an introduction letter from the neighborhood committee, and returned home to pack her belongings.
If there was anything she was reluctant to leave behind, it was only her grandmother and younger brother.
The night before her departure, Xu Xia insisted on sleeping with her grandmother.
“Are you sure you don’t want Jianshe to see you off?” Wang Xiufang still worried about her granddaughter traveling alone.
“No need. If Xu Jianshe accompanies me, I’m afraid I won’t be able to resist arguing with him when we reach the Zhao family, which would ruin my image in their eyes.” Xu Xia hugged her grandmother’s arm, heart aching at the thought of the elderly woman’s age and unwilling to let her endure the hardships of a long journey. “Once I’m settled in Jiangcheng, I’ll come back to fetch you and Fengshou for a comfortable life. I’ll braise pork belly and stew a large pork knuckle for you then!”
“My Xiaxia has grown up and learned to be filial.” Wang Xiufang felt for her granddaughter’s face in the darkness. “Go to sleep now. You have to leave for the station early tomorrow.”
The little girl she had raised was now getting married in the blink of an eye, and Wang Xiufang couldn’t hold back her tears. Though her heart ached with reluctance, it was still better than sending her granddaughter Down to the countryside. She gently patted her granddaughter’s arm, humming a soft lullaby as she had when the girl was young.
Meanwhile, in Jiangcheng, Old Master Zhao had just finished arguing with his eldest son and daughter-in-law. Upon learning that his grandson had fled to avoid the marriage, his spine—straight and proud all his life—suddenly seemed to stoop.
He called his second son into the study, took a deep breath, and said, “Zhiyuan slipped away to garrison the border without a word, and even I wasn’t informed. I suspect your sister-in-law had a hand in it. I, Zhao Manfu, have always been a man of my word. I’ll settle accounts with Zhiyuan later, but since the Xu family’s daughter is coming to Jiangcheng, you must step in. We can’t lose face for the Zhao family or break our promise.”
After receiving the letter from the Xu family, Zhao Manfu had immediately sought out his eldest grandson, but the young man flatly refused. Not only did he secretly leave for border duty, but he also left a note declaring he would never yield—if repaying a debt of gratitude was so important, his second uncle could take his place.
Zhao Hui raised his thick eyebrows slightly. “Dad, is it really appropriate to use me as a substitute?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? You’re not getting any younger. Other men your age have two or three children by twenty-six, yet you’re still single. Your mother and I are worried sick!” Zhao Manfu’s tone brooked no refusal. “Let me tell you, after what happened with Zhiyuan, you’re not going anywhere. I’ve already written to the Xu family. When their daughter arrives, she’ll be your wife!”
His younger son was perfect in every way except for his pickiness. Match after match had been introduced—he either found them uneducated or criticized their looks—leaving Old Man Zhao lying awake at night with worry.
Zhao Hui curled his thin lips dismissively. If the old man intended to sacrifice his marital happiness to repay a favor, and Zhao Zhiyuan could escape, then he too had his methods.
Expect him to compromise?
In your dreams!