“Why did you get so many dishes today?”
Professor Wen asked gently.
“These are for my mother-in-law. Meat coupons are limited each month, but the cafeteria’s meat dishes can be bought with meal tickets instead of meat coupons, so I got a portion for her.”
Qin Nian answered honestly.
“That’s good. Your teacher’s wife knew you couldn’t possibly be an unfilial child.”
The moment Professor Wen said that, Qin Nian finally sensed that something was wrong.
“There have been quite a few rumors in the family housing compound lately about you and your mother-in-law. People are saying you make her wash your clothes and cook for you. Someone even reported it to the higher-ups, so I thought I should come and ask you about it.”
Professor Wen’s words caused Qin Nian’s hand holding the chopsticks to freeze. Slowly, she set them down.
Seeing her reaction, Professor Wen’s heart skipped a beat.
“Teacher’s Wife, it’s true that my mother-in-law cooks and washes clothes for me every day since she came. But I never asked her to do those things.”
Qin Nian’s expression darkened.
Ordinarily, outsiders shouldn’t have known about such private matters. Yet if it had already reached her teacher’s wife, then the rumors must have spread widely.
But apart from her mother-in-law herself, how could anyone else have known?
Qin Nian stared blankly at the packed meat dishes she had bought.
Carrying the lunch container back to the laboratory, she was soon called into her advisor’s office.
“Nian Nian, if things between you and your mother-in-law aren’t properly settled, it will have a major impact on you. I’m giving you half a day off. You’ve worked hard these past few days. This afternoon, I’ll have Xiao Lin cover for you.”
This was his student, and also the daughter of an old friend’s trusted family. Director Hu naturally believed Qin Nian wouldn’t do anything foolish.
But if this matter continued to escalate, it would inevitably affect the research. When that happened, he would have no choice but to transfer her to a less important position, which would be extremely disadvantageous to her future.
“I understand. I’m sorry for making you worry, Teacher.”
Qin Nian did not refuse the half-day leave.
Carrying the food container, she rode her bicycle back home.
The gate was open.
The courtyard had changed considerably. A path of red bricks now led directly to the corridor of the main house. On the left was a vegetable garden, and in one corner stood a chicken coop housing the three hens her mother-in-law had brought.
On the right, a shed had somehow appeared. It was piled high with firewood, and in another corner stood a half-finished brick structure whose purpose Qin Nian couldn’t guess.
“Nian Nian, why are you back so early?”
Yang Yufen had been in the middle of building a cover for the toilet when nature suddenly called, forcing her to stop and use the restroom.
Qin Nian wanted to greet her as usual by calling her “Mom,” but the word lodged in her throat and refused to come out.
Yang Yufen immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Her daughter-in-law’s eyes were red.
“What happened? Did someone give you a hard time? Or did something go wrong at work?”
Yang Yufen asked anxiously.
Qin Nian opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Instead, tears spilled down her face uncontrollably.
For some reason, Yang Yufen instantly thought of her troublesome son.
“Did Xianjun get hurt during a mission? It’s fine. Big men are tough. Nothing serious will happen to him.”
At those words, Qin Nian’s tears abruptly stopped.
Then she shook her head, remembering that she could actually speak.
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
So it wasn’t that unfilial son.
Yang Yufen became even more confused.
“Mom, there have been some rumors spreading around the institute and the family compound lately. The director gave me half a day off.”
Qin Nian finally spoke.
Yang Yufen met her gaze.
“Is it about me?”
After saying that, Yang Yufen began mentally reviewing everything she had done recently, trying to figure out how she could possibly have affected her daughter-in-law’s work.
“I don’t know if there are things you’re not allowed to do at the research institute. Maybe I accidentally did something wrong. I’ll go apologize to your director myself. Whatever punishment there is, I’ll take it.”
After thinking for a moment, she voiced her conclusion.
She couldn’t figure out the specifics, but if it involved her, then apologizing was the right thing to do.
Qin Nian shook her head.
“It’s my fault, Mom. From now on, just leave the housework for me when I get home. I’ll also give you another fifty yuan for household expenses.”
She still didn’t want to destroy the peace they currently had.
She thought that if she could use money to keep her mother-in-law satisfied, everything would be fine once Shen Xianjun returned.
Hearing this, Yang Yufen frowned.
Her daughter-in-law was clearly unwilling to explain.
Without another word, Yang Yufen turned and walked out.
Qin Nian felt miserable, but she didn’t chase after her.
Yang Yufen had initially planned to go to the research institute. After some thought, however, she headed instead toward the apartment buildings in the family housing compound.
She stood nearby for quite a while, listening to the idle chatter of the residents.
Gradually, she heard exactly what she had come to hear.
Just as she was about to step forward and ask questions, she spotted a familiar face and stopped in her tracks.
When Yi Mengling heard that Qin Nian had been sent home from work, she was overjoyed.
Group Three, where she worked, had not been particularly busy lately. Upon hearing the news, she decided to fan the flames a little more and returned to the apartment buildings.
“Ah, everyone, please stop spreading rumors. Comrade Qin Nian has already been suspended from work. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t accidentally said the wrong thing, Comrade Qin Nian wouldn’t have…”
“What? She was really suspended?”
Yi Mengling nodded.
With a guilty expression, she lowered her head and glanced at her leather shoes.
Although they had already been cleaned, she still harbored resentment over the incident.
Just as Sister Li was about to continue asking questions, someone suddenly tugged her backward.
She stumbled and was about to protest when a loud smack rang out.
Slap!
“So it was you, you foul-mouthed gossip!”
Yang Yufen charged forward and landed several resounding slaps while grabbing Yi Mengling by the hair.
“The moment I first saw you, I knew you were a troublemaker! Spreading nonsense, are you? Spreading nonsense, are you? Got a filthy mouth? Can’t control what you say? Then I’ll do it for you!”
Unlike Qin Nian, who kept her hair short for convenience at work, Yi Mengling cherished her long hair and took excellent care of it.
With Yang Yufen gripping it tightly, she couldn’t break free no matter how hard she struggled.
“Who are you? How can you just hit people like this?!”
Sister Li finally came to her senses and shouted.
Only then did everyone else react and rush forward to stop the fight.
“I’m Qin Nian’s mother-in-law!”
Yang Yufen flung Yi Mengling aside and swept an icy gaze across the crowd.
“I was wondering why our Nian Nian suddenly came home with red eyes today. No matter how much I asked, she wouldn’t tell me. Turns out there are people here wagging their tongues behind others’ backs!”
“My son married me a wonderful daughter-in-law. Because he’s away on a mission, they couldn’t hold a wedding, so I came specially to see her. Nian Nian was worried about me returning home alone and asked me to stay until my son came back from his mission. She’s busy with work, contributing to the country. I may be an old woman who can barely read, but even I know not to hold her back.”
“There’s not much else I can do, so I tidy up the house when I have time. Nian Nian gave me fifty yuan, all sorts of coupons, and meal tickets, telling me not to work so hard. But how could I bear to waste money like that? If I cook for myself, isn’t that still food on the table?”
Many of the women present were in similar situations.
They also preferred cooking at home rather than eating in the cafeteria. Sure, the cafeteria was convenient, but home cooking saved money.
“As for this loudmouth, she sneaked into my house without a word. I thought she was a thief. When I caught her, she kept calling me a maid and asking how much I earned every month. Did she really think I couldn’t see the malicious intentions behind those questions?”