Political Commissar Zhao looked at Shen Xianjun with a reproachful gaze.
“I agree, Mom. It’s just a small matter—”
Thinking that his mother was upset because he had said he would no longer send his allowance home, Shen Xianjun tried to explain. Unfortunately, Yang Yufen gave him no chance.
“The commissar heard it too. With him as a witness, I trust the army to keep its word. I won’t take up any more of the commissar’s valuable time.”
With that, Yang Yufen hung up the phone, unwilling to listen to any more of her son’s excuses.
Carefully keeping track of the time, she took out one yuan to pay for the call. Receiving calls cost money too, and it was ridiculously expensive.
Shen Xianjun rubbed his nose awkwardly. It seemed his mother was truly angry about his marriage. After all, she had never interfered with his military allowance before.
“A man should keep his word. Since you’ve promised Aunt Yang, you must follow through. From now on, Comrade Qin Nian will collect your allowance on your behalf.”
“Yes, sir!”
Shen Xianjun immediately snapped a salute. Such things were nothing unusual in the military.
Originally, he had intended to hand his allowance directly to his wife after marriage anyway. He would merely pass it through his own hands first. Now, thanks to his mother, even that step had been eliminated.
“Captain, please ask your nephew to help me buy a train ticket to Kyoto seven days from now.”
Yang Yufen didn’t want to delay any longer.
The last time she had rushed things. This time, with seven days to prepare, the grain at home would have finished drying, and she could settle all the remaining matters before leaving. She planned to bring everything she needed to Kyoto at once.
Judging by the timing, her daughter-in-law had probably conceived soon after the wedding. If Yang Yufen finished her preparations and arrived now, the timing would be perfect.
Phone calls could be made at the village office, but telegrams had to be sent through the post and telecommunications bureau. She planned to send a telegram to her daughter-in-law on the day she departed.
After handing the keys to her good friend Miao Guixiang, Yang Yufen hoisted her carrying pole, slung a basket over her back, and set off.
“I’ve been assigned an urgent mission. We’ll hold the wedding banquet after I return. My mother has a strong personality. She called and took one-third of my allowance. Don’t take it too much to heart. After all, we got our marriage certificate in such a hurry that we couldn’t inform her beforehand. It’s normal for her to be angry.”
Shen Xianjun was quite satisfied with his new wife.
She was gentle, quiet, well-educated, and refined. If not for a senior leader acting as matchmaker, he might never have had the chance to marry someone like her.
Then again, he wasn’t lacking himself.
After only six years in the army, he had already earned several military merits. If not for his relatively short service record, he would have held a higher rank than platoon leader by now.
Qin Nian’s entire family had sacrificed themselves for the country. Though none of her relatives remained alive, that background alone made her an ideal match for someone like him, whose own family connections were weak.
“I understand. I have my own salary anyway. Just be careful during your mission. I’ll continue staying at the institute for now. Once you’re back, I’ll move in here.”
Qin Nian answered softly.
Her husband had been raised single-handedly by his mother. Naturally, as a newly married daughter-in-law, she had no grounds to object if her mother-in-law wanted part of her son’s allowance.
Still, Shen Xianjun had repeatedly described his mother as strong-willed, which left her somewhat worried about future relations between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
Her work also meant she could never devote herself entirely to her husband and household like many other women.
If her mother-in-law proved overly critical…
Qin Nian shook away the unnecessary thoughts. She packed Shen Xianjun’s belongings and watched him leave before gathering her own things and returning to her small courtyard at the research institute.
Despite being unmarried previously, her position had earned her a private courtyard.
She disliked the newly built apartment blocks. There were simply too many people.
After sending her telegram, Yang Yufen squeezed onto the train bound for Kyoto.
Qin Nian, who had enjoyed only ten or so days of married life before returning to her former routine, buried herself in work once again.
By the time the telegram arrived, she was completely stunned.
Her mother-in-law was coming to Kyoto—and was already on the train.
Meanwhile, Shen Xianjun was away on a mission with no definite return date.
The telegram had been delivered directly to her institute, and when she counted the days, she realized something alarming:
Her mother-in-law was supposed to arrive today.
“Professor, I’d like to request leave.”
Holding the telegram, Qin Nian went to find her mentor, President Hu of the research institute.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Her mentor had been a classmate of Qin Nian’s mother.
“No. My husband’s mother is coming to Kyoto. She sent me a telegram. Her train arrives today, and Xianjun is away on a mission.”
“I see. Very well. I’ll approve two extra days of leave for you. But after that, no more leave requests.”
The professor spoke sternly.
“I understand, Professor. I’ll arrange everything as quickly as possible.”
Qin Nian knew they were approaching a critical stage in their research work.
But she couldn’t simply ignore her husband’s mother.
Taking several deep breaths, she mounted her bicycle and headed for the train station.
The moment Yang Yufen stepped off the train, she spotted Qin Nian among the crowd.
Qin Nian, meanwhile, was feeling nervous.
She had never met her mother-in-law before. Her husband didn’t even possess a photograph of her, and Yang Yufen couldn’t read.
Only after arriving at the station had Qin Nian realized this problem, leaving her at a loss.
Yet Yang Yufen strode toward her with certainty.
As if sensing something, Qin Nian looked up.
The moment their eyes met, she instinctively felt that this woman had to be her mother-in-law.
That tall, imposing figure resembled her newlywed husband remarkably.
Yang Yufen stood over 1.7 meters tall. She had once served in a women’s militia unit and was still only middle-aged. Years of farm labor had left her strong and sturdy.
Looking at her daughter-in-law, Qin Nian—half a head shorter, petite, and slender—Yang Yufen was already thinking about how to help the young woman gain some weight.
“I’m your mother-in-law, Yang Yufen. You must be Niannian.”
Yang Yufen spoke first.
Qin Nian quickly nodded before remembering that she should greet her properly.
“Mom.”
“Mhm. Let’s go. You lead the way.”
Yang Yufen nodded and adjusted the carrying pole on her shoulders, signaling Qin Nian to walk ahead.
Though she had actually come here once before.
“Um… Mom, should I help you carry that?”
Qin Nian reached out, intending to help.
But Yang Yufen deftly avoided her hand.
Qin Nian unconsciously bit her lip.
“You can’t carry it. Just lead the way.”
Yang Yufen was accustomed to farm work and didn’t find the load particularly heavy.
That didn’t mean she lacked judgment.
Her daughter-in-law looked delicate and frail, and she was an educated intellectual at that. How could someone like her be expected to carry shoulder poles?
“Oh… alright.”
Qin Nian withdrew her hand and led the way.
After walking for a while in silence, the atmosphere felt somewhat awkward. Then she remembered her bicycle.
It probably couldn’t carry both her mother-in-law and all that luggage.
“Xianjun is away on a mission. I came here by bicycle.”
Her words came out somewhat stiffly.
“Mhm. I’ll go with you to the institute. Later, you’ll collect his allowance and hand it over to me. Take me to a bus stop first. After I get off, I’ll wait for you.”
Though Yang Yufen’s tone wasn’t especially gentle, neither was it harsh or demanding.
Qin Nian secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After seeing her mother-in-law onto a bus, Qin Nian hurriedly pedaled toward the destination stop.
By the time she arrived, Yang Yufen was already waiting.
Fortunately, the bus went directly to the research institute’s residential compound.
Pushing her bicycle beside her, Qin Nian led Yang Yufen to her small courtyard, and it wasn’t a long walk at all.