“Mmm…!”
Zhou Qiaohong struggled, trying to speak.
Liu Amei didn’t let go. She shot her daughter a warning look.
“What do you know? Your sister-in-law still doesn’t know about the Qin family. If this reaches her ears, do you still want that cannery job?”
The threat worked immediately.
Zhou Qiaohong quieted down.
She was already nineteen years old and still didn’t have a proper job.
Every day she got up early to cook and wash clothes.
She worked all day, and while she never went hungry at home, she had no money of her own.
The bright red wool coat Tian Dan was wearing was said to be a fashionable item brought back from Shanghai, worth dozens of yuan.
Looking down at her own dull gray padded jacket, Zhou Qiaohong felt a pang of bitterness.
Her coat had even been altered from one of her older brother Zhou Huaimin’s old jackets.
Her mother had practically raised her like another son.
She was already dark-skinned to begin with.
If she didn’t even dress nicely, how could she ever marry into a good family?
Seeing that Zhou Qiaohong had calmed down, Liu Amei finally released her.
“I’m doing this for your own good. Until your sister-in-law officially marries into the family, your job isn’t guaranteed.”
To put it bluntly, whether her daughter could work at the cannery depended entirely on a single word from the Tian family.
Not just her daughter—even her husband, Zhou Guojun, had worked in the textile mill workshop for over ten years.
He had always worked hard but had never once been recognized as an outstanding employee.
With a well-connected daughter-in-law like Tian Dan, he might finally have a chance at promotion.
If he became a workshop supervisor, not only would his wages increase, but he’d have opportunities for extra benefits as well.
At this critical moment, the engagement between the Zhou and Qin families absolutely had to remain hidden.
Once the marriage was completed, the Zhou and Tian families would be tied together.
Even if the truth came out afterward, it would be too late.
The rice would already be cooked.
There’d be nothing the Tian family could do.
Zhou Qiaohong snorted.
“Mom, Sister Dan’s completely smitten with my brother. What if she doesn’t even care?”
Although they were both children of the Zhou family, Zhou Huaimin almost looked as though he’d been adopted.
He was tall, handsome, and had inherited only the best features of both Zhou Guojun and Liu Amei.
Despite his young age, he’d already distinguished himself repeatedly in the military.
He had a bright future ahead of him.
Tian Dan certainly wasn’t getting the short end of the stick by marrying him.
Liu Amei opened a cloth bag and poured out peanuts and sunflower seeds for the guests.
“Your sister-in-law doesn’t get to make decisions for the Tian family.”
Cadre families valued reputation and social standing above all else.
If the truth came out, then no matter how willing Tian Dan might be, the marriage would be over.
“Qiaohong, keep your mouth shut. Don’t go blurting things out.”
Since early that morning, Liu Amei’s right eyelid had been twitching nonstop.
She couldn’t shake her uneasiness.
Yesterday morning, Zhou Guoqing—Second Uncle Zhou—had brought news.
He said that as soon as Qin Man arrived in the provincial capital, she had been targeted by human traffickers.
By now, she had probably already been kidnapped.
When Liu Amei heard that, she had finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She didn’t think herself heartless.
After all, she hadn’t hired the traffickers.
The Qin family had clung to that old favor from decades ago and refused to let go.
Without any self-awareness, they had become an obstacle to the Zhou family’s future.
There was nothing Liu Amei could do.
In the end…
It was all fate.
If anyone was to blame, it was Qin Man for having such bad luck.
As mother and daughter talked quietly together, Second Uncle Zhou suddenly rushed back from the state-owned restaurant.
“Second Uncle Huaimin, what’s wrong?”
Liu Amei pulled over a chair.
“Have the factory leaders arrived already?”
“They have, they have.”
After gulping down a large cup of tea, Zhou Guoqing finally caught his breath.
Despite the freezing weather, he was drenched in sweat.
“Sister-in-law… something terrible has happened!”
He leaned closer to speak, just as Zhou Huaimin came out to pour himself some hot water.
Finding someone to rely on, Zhou Guoqing grabbed Zhou Huaimin by the arm.
“That girl from the Qin family… she wasn’t taken by the traffickers!”
Not only had she escaped…
She had even sent the traffickers straight to prison.
While at the state-owned restaurant, Zhou Guoqing had overheard the head chef chatting with one of the waitresses.
Qin Man had outsmarted the traffickers and helped expose the entire trafficking ring.
Setting down his enamel mug, Zhou Huaimin frowned.
“Then where is she now?”
“I heard she hit her head while escaping and was admitted to the hospital.”
As soon as he got the news, Zhou Guoqing had rushed to the provincial hospital.
But he hadn’t found her.
By the time he arrived…
She had already disappeared.
“What if that girl comes looking for us…”
Cold sweat covered Zhou Guoqing’s back.
His older brother’s family was his own family.
He also worked at the textile mill and hoped to benefit from the Tian family’s influence.
When he’d seen Qin Man being lured away by the traffickers that day at the train station, he’d even worried the traffickers wouldn’t be able to control her.
The farther away they sold her, the better.
Liu Amei panicked immediately.
“The Tian family will be here any minute! What are we supposed to do?”
“Mom, don’t panic.”
Zhou Huaimin poured himself another cup of hot water.
His expression remained perfectly calm.
He had only met Qin Man a handful of times.
There had never been any feelings between them.
Besides…
What era was this?
Did anyone still believe in repaying a lifesaving favor by marrying someone?
People of the new era had to firmly oppose arranged marriages.
Even knowing her son had a plan, Liu Amei was still as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
She rubbed her hands over and over.
“Huaimin, if you have an idea, hurry and tell us!”
“Second Uncle recognizes Qin Man.”
“Take some people and stop her outside the state-owned restaurant.”
No matter what happened…
The Zhou family absolutely could not lose face at the engagement banquet.
“I’m afraid we won’t be able to stop her.”
Liu Amei felt dizzy with anxiety.
She cursed the traffickers for being useless.
“They couldn’t even keep an eye on one little girl. They deserve to be shot!”
“Mom, you’re right.”
“We should prepare for both possibilities.”
A calculating look flashed across Zhou Huaimin’s eyes.
He leaned over and whispered a few instructions into Liu Amei’s ear.
She immediately nodded, her tense expression finally relaxing.
Zhou Huaimin had been gone for quite a while just to fetch hot water.
Tian Dan opened the door and smiled.
“Huaimin, what’s going on?”
It was still early.
None of the relatives would arrive this soon.
She simply wanted a few moments alone with him.
“It’s nothing.”
“I heard some relatives from my hometown have come.”
Taking Tian Dan’s hand, Zhou Huaimin smiled.
“Come inside. The living room is drafty. It’s warmer in the bedroom.”
The Zhou family only had a two-bedroom apartment.
To prepare for the wedding, Zhou Huaimin had moved into the larger bedroom.
The other room belonged to Zhou Guojun and Liu Amei.
Zhou Qiaohong had no bedroom of her own.
She slept in the living room on a simple iron-frame folding bed.
She planned to move into the factory dormitory once she found a job.
Hearing that the Zhou family still kept in touch with relatives back home, Tian Dan looked puzzled.
“Who are they? You’ve never mentioned them before.”
“There are plenty of relatives back home.”
“It’s just that we haven’t really kept in touch over the years.”
Gently patting the back of Tian Dan’s hand, Zhou Huaimin leaned close to her.
He didn’t finish what he was thinking.
Tian Dan understood immediately.
They were probably poor relatives from the countryside coming to ask for favors.
Her own family had relatives like that too.
People who were lazy, unwilling to farm, and had traveled thousands of miles from inland China to the far northeast hoping someone would find them a job.
If the family refused…
They simply refused to leave.
“My wife…”
Zhou Huaimin stood up and began showing Tian Dan around the room.
“Our home will be here from now on.”
The room measured only a little over ten square meters.
With a double bed and a wardrobe already inside, there wasn’t much space left for anything else.
Even the floral curtains had been bought only after Liu Amei had spent a long time saving up fabric coupons for the wedding.
Tian Dan’s face turned bright red.
She gave Zhou Huaimin a playful shove.
“What do you mean ‘wife’? I haven’t married you yet.”
“Right, right…”
“My fiancée.”
Zhou Huaimin gazed at her affectionately.
“From the very first moment I saw you, I knew you were the one.”
“Since then, I’ve never had eyes for anyone else.”
After a brief pause, he continued,
“The military has regulations. Once I reach battalion rank, you’ll be allowed to join me at my post.”
“Just wait until I earn another meritorious service…”