Tang Lijuan leaned closer and lowered her voice.
“I heard that Sister-in-law is keeping a wealthy businessman in the city as her lover.”
“Who told you that? It’s probably just gossip.
“She isn’t short of money. Why would she be stupid enough to become someone’s mistress?”
Zhang Qiulian’s second husband was an official.
Hu Yan had never heard anything about some wealthy businessman!
“You’re just looking at things through a crack in the door. Don’t you have a few friends of your own?
“My friend saw them with her own eyes. The two of them were walking around the department store together, acting all lovey-dovey.”
Hu Yan frowned deeply and looked toward Zhang Qiulian’s house across the way.
In her previous life, she hadn’t disliked this sister-in-law. She had even felt rather sorry for her.
She hadn’t paid much attention to what Zhang Qiulian was doing.
Considering her way of doing things, it wouldn’t be surprising if she had several men waiting in the wings.
It was 1987. Plenty of people in the city and the provincial capital had suddenly struck it rich through business.
And there was no shortage of men who abandoned their wives and kept mistresses.
She would have to keep a closer eye on Zhang Qiulian and that ungrateful Chen Hao.
This time, she wasn’t going to let either of them have an easy life.
“Lijuan! I brought you some sour apricots!”
A man’s voice came from outside the courtyard.
Before Chen Guangyao, the fourth son of the Chen family, had even entered the courtyard, he was already calling for his wife.
Hearing his voice, Tang Lijuan placed a hand on Hu Yan’s shoulder and stood up.
“I’m going. Guangyao’s back!”
She hurried toward the courtyard gate.
Those two were hopeless romantics, perfectly matched for each other.
They had grown up together and had been classmates throughout elementary school, junior high, and high school.
They had been married for more than a decade, yet they were still ridiculously affectionate with each other.
If they didn’t see each other for half a day, one of them would go looking for the other.
The moment Tang Lijuan heard Chen Guangyao’s voice, she rushed straight toward her husband without even thinking about her huge belly.
“Slow down. Be careful with the baby.”
Hu Yan shook her head and reminded her.
The moment those two saw each other, no one else existed in their world.
Supporting each other, they went back inside.
It was almost the beginning of autumn, but the cicadas outside were still shrieking loudly.
Inside the main house, the elderly couple had already gone to bed.
Chen and Bai Fengxia couldn’t sleep because of the oppressive heat and the noisy cicadas.
They each held a palm-leaf fan, fanning themselves as they talked.
Old Man Chen began complaining to Teacher Bai.
“What was wrong with Fifth son’s wife today?
“She kept picking on the eldest son’s family.”
Bai Fengxia didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.
“What could it be? The eldest daughter-in-law must have provoked her.”
Old Man Chen pursed his lips and muttered,
“Isn’t she always like that? Why bother arguing with children?
“It’s just a little food. How much could it possibly cost?”
Bai Fengxia disagreed.
She lifted her eyelids and snorted.
“Hmph. Those three grandsons of yours have already been spoiled rotten by their mother and by you.
“As the head of this family, the worst thing you can do is show favoritism.
“How many times have I told you? Don’t interfere in the affairs of each household.
“We’re old now. We should simply enjoy our retirement in peace, but you never listen.”
Old Man Chen sighed.
“The eldest daughter-in-law is going to remarry.
“They’re our only three grandsons. How can we not favor them a little?”
Bai Fengxia was considering the same problem.
“Second and Third will probably be willing to raise a nephew.
“Fourth is unlikely. His wife is already pregnant.
“I originally thought Fifth might work.
“But now Fifth’s wife has suddenly grown a backbone.
“And judging by the triplets’ reaction, they don’t want to go to Fifth’s house either.
“What are we supposed to do with the remaining child?”
Old Man Chen was getting a headache over the matter too.
“What if we raise him ourselves?”
He asked tentatively, knowing full well how much Bai Fengxia hated trouble.
“If you want to raise him, raise him yourself. I’m not getting involved.”
Seeing Bai Fengxia’s cold expression, Old Man Chen immediately declared his loyalty.
“I just feel sorry for the child. I wasn’t saying we should raise him.
“How many more years do we have left anyway? We’ll be lucky if we can take care of ourselves.”
Bai Fengxia didn’t know how to solve the problem either, so she changed the subject.
“Fifth son is like a wild horse that has broken free.
“I originally wanted to find him a strong-willed, tough wife who could keep him in line.
“But he insisted on marrying that timid, spineless Hu Yan.
“Well, he married her, and he’s always away working. Having a virtuous and obedient wife at home was reassuring.
“But now his wife is unpredictable.
“She was pretty before, and now she’s become quite fierce too. This…”
Bai Fengxia’s sharp, phoenix-shaped eyes slowly turned toward Old Man Chen.
Old Man Chen: “…”
He had already started snoring.
The next morning, Hu Yan got up early and began sorting through the family’s savings.
When she and Chen Guangze got married, Chen Guangze had given her 3,000 yuan as a bride price.
She had brought the entire amount back with her as part of her dowry.
Before Chen Guangze left for Shenzhen, he had also given her another 500 yuan for household expenses.
There were 439 yuan left now.
She stuffed all the money into her pocket, washed her face, and went outside.
In her previous life, because of that ungrateful wretch, she hadn’t eaten out in a very long time.
Their village was called Willow Bay, and it was only about a twenty-minute walk to the city.
The city bus’s terminal stop was right along the road near the village.
At the entrance to the village was a small general store and a breakfast shop.
The shop sold sweet glutinous rice cakes served with soy milk. The combination was absolutely delicious.
During the years she spent in Shenzhen, she often found herself craving that taste.
Unfortunately, the shop eventually closed after the area was demolished for redevelopment.
Now, seeing it suddenly appear before her eyes again, Hu Yan instinctively walked toward the breakfast shop.
It was still early, so there were only a handful of customers.
The owner was a woman from the village. Her husband worked in Shenzhen alongside Chen Guangze.
When she saw Hu Yan, she greeted her enthusiastically.
“Well, look who’s here! What a rare sight.
“Didn’t your sister-in-law say you’re such a devoted wife and homemaker that you never eat out?”
Hu Yan was speechless.
Was that really how everyone saw her?
Well, things would be different from now on.
She wasn’t going to neglect herself for anyone ever again.
“Sister Qian, I’ve only been married into the family for a short while, so I’m still a little shy about going out.”
Qian Hong laughed and teased her.
“That’s true. So, what would you like?”
“I heard your glutinous rice cakes and soy milk are delicious. I’d like to try them.”
Qian Hong looked at Hu Yan and laughed.
“Your Chen Guangze is such a good money-maker. You should dress yourself up a little too.”
Hu Yan looked down at the plain cotton dress she was wearing.
She did look rather simple.
“Mm. I’ll go shopping in the city later.”
“That’s more like it. Young girls should wear something bright and pretty.”
Before long, Qian Hong brought over the glutinous rice cake and soy milk.
Hu Yan took a bite of the sweet, oily rice cake, then followed it with a sip of soy milk.
The soft, chewy sweetness spread across her tongue.
The familiar taste made her eyes grow slightly moist.
She had missed this one bite for so many years.
“Girl, I heard your Chen Guangze is coming back.
“Do you know if he’s quit his job?”
Qian Hong’s husband hadn’t told her anything, so she didn’t know what was going on.
She was simply asking.
Her little breakfast shop didn’t make much money.
Her husband, however, earned considerably more working with Chen Guangze than he could make in the city.
Since he was coming back at such an ordinary time of year, she couldn’t help wondering.
“My mother-in-law told him to come back. I don’t know why either.”
Qian Hong patted her chest in relief.
“As long as he hasn’t quit, that’s good.”
Qian Hong’s husband was named Ma Cheng. He had been working with Chen Guangze for many years.
“Don’t worry. I’m guessing Chen Guangze is the only one coming back.”
Hu Yan finished her breakfast and chatted with Qian Hong for a while longer.
Then she took the bus straight to the city’s department store.
Over the past few years, many shops had opened up around the department store.
This time, Hu Yan had come specifically to buy herself some new clothes.
She was young and beautiful.
It was time she started dressing herself properly.