Mei Xinghan had a pair of affectionate peach blossom eyes. Even when he simply looked at someone without deliberately acting tender, Su Baicha would still feel that he was deeply affectionate.
The hesitation in Su Baicha’s heart instantly disappeared when she heard Mei Xinghan say, “I’ll take leave later and we’ll go get our marriage certificate.” She nodded lightly, her eyes full of love and obedience. “I’ll listen to you, Brother Han.”
Mei Xinghan raised his eyebrows at his mother, a fleeting look of triumph flashing through his eyes.
Mother Mei also smiled and said, “Oh my, Xiao Han, your grandfather really found us a good daughter-in-law.”
Mei Xinghan nodded. “Yes, Mom. Go find the secretary to approve the homestead. I’ll take Cha’er to ask for leave.”
After a pause, he asked curiously, “Where are the second and third?”
Mother Mei waved it off carelessly. “Still sleeping. Your dad isn’t up either. If they’re late for work, so be it. Now that we have money and ration tickets, we can go to the black market to exchange.”
Su Baicha felt something was off, but seeing her expression, Mei Xinghan quickly responded in a low voice, “Mom, how can we do that? We’re about to build a house. If we keep acting like before, what about your grandson next year?”
He didn’t want to work hard, but Su Baicha clearly liked him. Before she gave birth to his child, he had to make sure the family kept up appearances.
Mei Xinghan quickly hid his thoughts, turned to Su Baicha with a smile, and said, “Cha’er, wait here a moment. I’ll go change clothes and tidy up.”
Su Baicha nodded almost obsessively, her mind feeling clogged, “Okay.”
Seeing Mei Xinghan signal her, Mother Mei quickly found an excuse to leave and followed him into the room.
Lowering her voice, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
Mei Xinghan took a deep breath. “Mom, before this foolish woman Su Baicha gives me a child, everyone in the family has to be more diligent.”
After saying that, he shook his head. “No, actually, before the second and third get wives, we need the whole village to see that our family has changed.”
Mother Mei didn’t think much of it and didn’t quite understand. “What about your father?”
“Him? My dad’s clever.”
Mei Xinghan quickly scoffed, then patiently added, “I didn’t want to get married before because we were poor. Those women are all so materialistic. Now that this young lady from the Su family is marrying in with so much dowry and doesn’t even want a bride price, won’t that solve the marriage problems for the second and third?”
As he spoke, a trace of coldness and disdain flashed in his eyes.
Now that he had money and Su Baicha wasn’t bad-looking, he might as well settle down for a while.
Mother Mei suddenly understood. “Oh my, how did I not think of that? I’ll go call the second and third right away.”
That morning, the entire Caoping Village learned that the laziest family in the village—the Mei family—was getting Mei Xinghan married.
The bride was the most beautiful educated youth who had just arrived in the countryside. They went to get their marriage certificate in the afternoon and even had money to get land approved by the commune secretary to build a new house.
A new stone house, with a large courtyard.
Where the money came from was obvious. Many men envied Mei Xinghan. As expected of his silver tongue—he not only managed to trick the most beautiful wife in the village but was also using her money to build a house.
The Mei family’s second and third sons were soon targeted by the village matchmakers, who were already considering which girls would be suitable for them.
That evening, Su Baicha directly handed fifty yuan to Mother Mei and also gave her half of the cloth coupons she had brought.
Mother Mei looked at Su Baicha with even more enthusiasm. “Baicha, wonderful. Just as I expected of the good daughter-in-law I chose.”
Su Baicha smiled shyly and naturally changed how she addressed her. “Mom~”
Even though there was no wedding, getting the marriage certificate made them family.
In those days, many people didn’t hold weddings due to poverty.
Usually, both families would just meet, and a few eggs would be given to close relatives as a simple form of celebration.
Now that the Mei family was willing to celebrate for her, it showed they valued her. It was much better than her previous life on the island.
Lu Mingjue, that old miser, didn’t appreciate a good woman like her—he must have been blind!
After speaking, Mother Mei turned to Mei’s second and third sons behind her. “This is your sister-in-law. You must get along well with her from now on.”
The two brothers obediently changed how they addressed her. “Hello, Sister-in-law.”
Though not as handsome as Mei Xinghan, they were still decent-looking, being from the same family. Their personalities were similar as well, with calculating glints in their eyes. They looked at Su Baicha like she was a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
Su Baicha blushed slightly and responded softly, then took the initiative. “With this money, our family can move out, and Mom can arrange matches for you.”
Thinking of herself as their sister-in-law, she felt responsible for planning their future happiness.
The two brothers excitedly said, “Thank you, Sister-in-law.”
Mei Xinghan pulled Su Baicha into his arms and proudly said to his brothers, “Well? Isn’t my wife generous? If your future wives dare treat your sister-in-law badly, you’d better beat them up for me.”
Held in his arms, Su Baicha smiled shyly, stumbling slightly.
Hearing the brothers repeatedly call her “sister-in-law,” she felt dazed and lightheaded.
She had become the sister-in-law of the Mei family brothers…
By the time Mei Xinghan sent Su Baicha back to the educated youth residence where the Su family stayed, it was already eight in the evening.
He carried a hen prepared by Mother Mei as a meeting gift—nothing else—making it look rather shabby.
Even so, Su Baicha happily let him hold her hand as they walked around the entire village.
The effect was obvious. Early the next morning, Su Chengguang and the others received a notice about changes in their work assignments—
Although they were still handling manure, the workload was reduced to something manageable each day.
Su Jiye only needed to cut one basket of pig grass and could attend the commune primary school.
This meant the Su family had officially integrated into the village, and no one would deliberately target them anymore.
As for whether Su Chengguang and Bai Tingxin were happy, that was another matter.
Back to now.
Mei Xinghan intimately held Su Baicha as they arrived at the educated youth residence.
Having received the news, Su Chengguang and Bai Tingxin had been told by the team leader to wait at home. When they heard the knock, Bai Tingxin went to open the door.
The moment she saw Mei Xinghan’s roguish appearance, the expectant look on her face instantly cracked. Her gaze subconsciously shifted to what he was holding—just a chicken—and disappointment filled her eyes.
Her heart ached uncontrollably.
This was the man her daughter insisted on marrying? How could someone like this compare to a regiment commander?!
Though Bai Tingxin felt disdain, she didn’t show it on her face. In an instant, she forced a smile. “So this is A Cha’s man? Very upright-looking. Come in, come in.”
She spoke gently and stepped aside to let Mei Xinghan in. Deliberately lagging behind, she tugged at Su Baicha’s sleeve, shot a sharp glance at Mei Xinghan’s back, and silently questioned with a fierce look—“This is your taste?”