“No—”
“No, Aunt Cai, please hear us out. My mother-in-law doesn’t know we’re here.”
Li Chuntao, frustrated by her husband’s clumsy way with words, pushed him aside and explained.
The visitors were none other than Zhang Guihua’s eldest son and daughter-in-law—two people Yu Yin had never met before. Or rather, they hadn’t appeared before Yu Yin yesterday to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
“Pfft, if you didn’t know, why did you even come over? Don’t tell me you haven’t heard about the mess Zhang Guihua has caused.”
Li Chuntao and her husband knew full well—and it was precisely because they knew that they had come today to apologize.
Aware that they were in the wrong, Li Chuntao and her husband didn’t argue back. Instead, they carefully took out the gift they’d prepared and handed it to her. “Auntie, you know our situation, but rest assured—we’re not like Mom. We never once thought of ruining Third Brother’s wedding. We… we actually intended to come by yesterday to give this gift, but…”
Li Chuntao stammered; it was obvious without even thinking that Zhang Guihua had stopped them—. Mother Sheng knew all this.
But it was precisely because she knew that her heart grew cold.
However, Mother Sheng was kind-hearted and soft-hearted at heart; she couldn’t bear to see Li Chuntao and her husband apologizing so humbly.
Besides, this whole affair had been caused by Zhang Guihua and her husband in the first place; it had absolutely nothing to do with Li Chuntao and Pei Jianchong.
These two were also pitiful souls. Because Pei Jianchong was disliked by Zhang Guihua and her husband, he was kicked out of the house the very next day after the wedding. Officially, it was because their son had grown up and needed to leave home, but who would kick someone out the day after their wedding?
That’s why the two of them were still living at her father’s house.
In any case, they were all pitiful people.
Mother Sheng, sighed. “Come on in. Don’t just stand there at the door. Otherwise, if your mother sees you, she’ll scold you again.”
Li Chuntao and Pei Jianchong’s eyes lit up instantly. They exchanged a glance, quickly picked up the gifts they’d been holding and had dropped on the ground, and eagerly followed Mother Sheng, inside.
Aunt Cai frowned, shook her head, and sighed.
Seeing Yu Yin looking confused, she explained, “Those two are Zhang Guihua’s eldest son and daughter-in-law, but they don’t live in Guiyuan Street. It’s really a pity for them—they were kicked out by that madwoman Zhang Guihua the very next day after their wedding. Now the whole family of four is living at his father-in-law’s house.”
“It’s a good thing his father-in-law is a decent man; otherwise, they’d be sleeping on the streets.”
The implication was that although they were Zhang Guihua’s son and daughter-in-law, they were at odds with her.
But no matter how much conflict there was, one’s biological parents were still one’s biological parents; if something were to happen in the end, they would still side with them.
Yu Yin nodded obediently to show she understood. Inside, however, she remained on guard, deeply afraid that Mother Sheng would be deceived and mistreated again.
In Yu Yin’s eyes, Mother Sheng’s family was practically a bunch of naive, innocent fools.
……
Once inside, Li Chuntao hurriedly told Pei Jianchong to place the candies and pork they’d brought on the living room table.
To be honest, she hadn’t really looked closely before, but now that the two of them had set everything down, she realized they’d brought a huge pile of stuff.
Yu Yin even spotted a small scrap of fabric with a white background and red floral pattern.
Mother Sheng, frowned. “Why did you bring so much stuff over? Take it back—we don’t need it.”
“We should keep it, we should keep it.”
“Auntie, we really should accept this.”
“Besides, not all of this is from us. My dad told me to bring this pork and candy. We’re family. Last night… we weren’t able to come to Third Brother’s wedding banquet, and he felt really guilty about it. So first thing this morning, he went back to the slaughterhouse and picked out a few jin of pork belly—all personally selected by my dad. It’s fresh and tender.”
Li Chuntao’s father was a butcher at the city’s slaughterhouse and could usually get his hands on things others couldn’t.
Plus, since Li Chuntao had explicitly said it was a wedding gift for Pei Zhan, his mother couldn’t very well refuse.
“Then take the rest back with you.”
“Wait a moment—I’ll give you a return gift.”
Having received so much pork and candy, it wouldn’t do to not offer a substantial gift in return.
Li Chuntao didn’t refuse; it was custom, and refusing would have been pointless.
However—
“Auntie, the rest is from Jianchong and me. We’re Zhan’s older brother and sister-in-law—how could we not give a gift for our younger brother’s wedding? And this—”
Li Chuntao hurriedly pulled out the floral-patterned fabric she’d snatched from someone else. “I bought this for my sister-in-law. Look, doesn’t it suit her perfectly?”
“My sister-in-law is so pretty—she’d definitely look stunning in a dress made from this fabric!”
Li Chuntao knew how to handle herself; she picked up the fabric and held it up in front of Yu Yin to see how it would look.
And it was true—Yu Yin had fair skin, and whether it was because she’d been transported into this world or not, her complexion was two shades fairer than the original host’s. Her features were also beginning to resemble those of her past life, making her appear even more delicate and refined.
The fabric Li Chuntao handed her featured a white background with vibrant red floral patterns; the contrast between the red and white created a unique, fresh, and delicate beauty.
When draped over Yu Yin, it was simply a perfect match.
Sheng Siyang, Yu Yin’s mother-in-law, found herself unable to refuse.
She now considered Yu Yin one of her own, and she knew exactly what Yu Yin had brought with her—just two sets of clothes, both summer outfits.
She had long wanted to make new clothes for Yu Yin, but hadn’t yet found suitable fabric.
“…Well, then, just keep them.”
“Wait a moment—I’ll give you a red envelope in return.”
“No need, Auntie. We’re your brother and sister-in-law—how could we possibly—”
“Then take them back if you want.”
Li Chuntao immediately fell silent.
There was no way they could take them back; they’d come over specifically to apologize by bringing gifts.
If they took everything back, what would be the point of apologizing?
Li Chuntao gave an awkward yet polite smile. Then, while Mother Sheng went back to her room to prepare the return red envelope, she began to take a good look at Yu Yin.
You have to admit, Auntie really knows how to pick people.
Auntie has chosen daughters-in-law from the countryside twice now, and both times she’s picked beautiful women.
Tall and slender—though she didn’t look like she’d be good at having children—she had a lovely face.
Especially this new daughter-in-law, Pei Zhan—she was even prettier than the eldest daughter-in-law, with fair skin and an ethereal beauty; she looked just like a little fairy.
Plus, she seemed to have a good personality. Li Chuntao could sense that this new daughter-in-law wasn’t a two-faced hypocrite; she should be easier to get along with than the eldest daughter-in-law.
After quietly sizing up Yu Yin, Li Chuntao got up, walked over, and greeted her with a smile.
“Third Brother’s wife, I’m truly sorry about yesterday. Because of family matters… I wasn’t able to come to your wedding reception. Please don’t hold it against me.”
Yu Yin gave a polite smile and was just about to speak when Aunt Cai, sitting nearby, snorted.
“Who’s your third brother’s wife? Call her Ah Zhan’s wife. Our two families split up long ago; we don’t follow the old family hierarchy anymore.”
Li Chuntao’s expression stiffened, and she stole a glance at her husband.
She saw that Pei Jianchong didn’t look happy either; the way she put it made it sound as if they were cutting ties for good.
“…Well, isn’t that a bit much?”
“Aunt Cai, we’re all children of the same grandparents. Drawing such a clear line between us makes things too formal.”
“Then go home and ask your wonderful mother-in-law if she wants to draw that line.”
Of course she does!
Li Chuntao knew the answer without even asking.
At that moment, Li Chuntao truly hated Zhang Guihua to the core.
What kind of troublemaker was she?
The older generation always talks about having a large family full of children and grandchildren—they hope their descendants will have many brothers and sisters so they can look out for one another in the future.
But her own mother-in-law, of all people, was pushing all the brothers away.
The Pei family in the provincial capital didn’t have many close blood relatives to begin with—the closest were Uncle Pei’s family. Now that they’d pushed even them away, were they supposed to rely on that good-for-nothing Pei Jianguo for support in the future?
No way. By then, they might even have to take care of Pei Jianguo just like they’d take care of their own son.
“Hehe, Aunt Cai, that’s my mother-in-law, not me and Jianchong.”
“We swear, we absolutely have no intention of cutting ties with the eldest uncle’s wife.”
Seeing that the matter had been resolved, Aunt Cai snorted.
Li Chuntao breathed a sigh of relief and gave Yu Yin an embarrassed smile.
Just then, Sheng Siyang, came out of the room where she’d been returning the red envelopes. It was unclear whether she’d overheard the conversation between Li Chuntao and Aunt Cai.
She held out two red envelopes wrapped in red paper to Li Chuntao. “This one is for your father, and this one is for you two.”
“Don’t bring so many things over in the future. If you have that kind of money, you should save it for yourselves. It’s not a good solution for you to keep living at your father-in-law’s house—you should move out sooner rather than later.” The last part was directed at Pei Jianchong.
This was what she really thought; she wouldn’t say something like that to outsiders.
Pei Jianchong, of course, knew his aunt was looking out for him, and the anxiety that had just risen in his heart slowly subsided.
He nodded earnestly. “I’ll keep that in mind. We’ll move out next month.”
“Have you found a place?” Mother Sheng asked, surprised and delighted.
Even Aunt Cai looked over. “Is it a rental, or… an allocated unit?”
A smile he couldn’t hide spread across Pei Jianchong’s usually earnest, unassuming face. “It’s an allocated unit, Auntie. I’ve been assigned an apartment.”
He paused for a moment. “Although it’s not very big—”
“It’s good to have a place to live—that’s what matters most,” Mother Sheng said, the laughter lines at the corners of her eyes revealing her joy for them. “You’ve endured all these years; it’s about time you got your own apartment.”
“Where is it? An old building or a new one?”
“When do you plan to move? I’ll come over to help you then.”
Counting on Zhang Guihua was out of the question. Who knows—once she found out her eldest son had been allocated a place but her youngest son didn’t have his own yet, she might even force the eldest son to give his place to the youngest.
Pei Jianchong knew this too. He suppressed his smile. “It’s an old building. But only the old buildings had space available. Still, we’re very satisfied.”
As Pei Jianchong finished speaking, Yu Yin wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt as though he was on the verge of tears.
“I owe everything I have today to my eldest uncle. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Pei Jianchong wasn’t trying to be sentimental or exaggerating—he meant every word.
From a young age, Pei Jianchong had never been favored by his parents. He was constantly told he was stupid and had an unpleasant temperament. So after his younger brother, Pei Jianguo, was born, he was cast aside.
If it hadn’t been for his eldest uncle, who couldn’t bear to see him suffer and took him home, he certainly wouldn’t have survived to adulthood.
After coming of age, it was his eldest uncle who helped him find a job.
From a production worker at a small garment factory to getting married and having children, and finally being allocated an apartment and having a home of his own—without his eldest uncle, Pei Guangyuan, Pei Jianchong wouldn’t be alive today.
“If your eldest uncle could see you today, he’d be happy for you.”
“Yeah, I know.”
But his eldest uncle was no longer here to see it.
……
After seeing off Li Chuntao and the Pei Jianchong couple, the Pei household fell into a somber mood; Yu Yin could clearly sense that Mother Sheng was in a low spirits.
Fortunately, this atmosphere didn’t last long. At noon, Uncle Sheng Hong arrived with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, bringing with them two large, plump fish.
These fish were truly plump—as long as an adult’s arm.
In the city, you’d never see fish this plump unless you went to a specialty fish shop.
“Looks like we’re in luck today. Who caught them?”
Today, Sheng Hong had gone fishing with his boss, taking his son and grandson along. Before leaving that morning, he’d boasted that he was definitely going to catch some big, plump fish—and to his surprise, they actually did.
Just as Sheng Hong was about to give his son a discreet look, his little grandson unexpectedly gave him away.
“It was Grandpa Hong and Grandpa Zhuang. The biggest one was caught by Grandpa Zhuang Mu, and the other one was bought by Grandpa Hong Qian.”
“Oh!” Aunt Cai shot a sidelong glance at her husband Sheng Hong, who was winking and squinting at her, and teased him in a sarcastic tone, “So you’re saying your grandpa didn’t catch a single one?”
“He did! He caught two little fish—this small.” Eight-year-old Sheng Zhengqi held up his little finger, then snapped it to indicate it was even smaller.
His vivid and humorous description instantly had Aunt Cai bursting into laughter.
It wasn’t just Aunt Cai—her son and daughter-in-law, as well as Mother Sheng and Yu Yin, were all amused.
Sheng Hong was furious. This kid was just like his father—a real handful.
Is that any way to expose the old man like that?
“You little rascal, just you wait—you’re not allowed to eat any fish later!”
“I don’t want any anyway.” Just as the eight-year-old Sheng Zhengqi was in full mischief mode, he stuck out his tongue at his own grandfather and made a funny face, all while continuing to poke at his grandfather’s little heart. “Grandpa didn’t catch the fish, so I’m going to eat them.”
After saying that, he burst into laughter and dragged Xiao Kangning outside.
Seeing this, Pei Rong also burst out laughing and followed them.
The carefree demeanor of these three had the adults smiling along with them.
“Yin Yin, you go play too. Come back when it’s time to eat,” Aunt Cai said with a smile, then began shooing them away.
With them around today, there was no need for the younger generation to pitch in.
But Yu Yin felt a bit shy—only to be dragged away by her second cousin’s wife the very next second.
“We have to listen to our elders.”
Yu Yin: “……”
It’s just… sometimes you don’t have to be so obedient.
……
Ever since she’d been transported into the novel, Yu Yin had actually been very worried about her future life.
Especially the moment she decided to swap marriages and move to the provincial capital. She was terrified that once she arrived there and married into an unfamiliar family, she’d have to deal with all sorts of eccentric and difficult relatives.
After all, the book had mentioned that the male cannon fodder’s family had plenty of eccentric and troublesome relatives.
Uncle Pei was just one of them; there were several others who hadn’t even appeared yet.
Yu Yin wondered if she’d be able to handle it. After all, she’d never been married before, and before she was transported into the book, she was just a student who had just turned eighteen and was about to start her freshman year of college.
Although her experience as an orphan set her apart from others, she was no match for those old foxes, and she feared she wouldn’t be able to cope.
But at the time, she had no other choice.
If she stayed in the countryside, she’d only die sooner.
So, after weighing the pros and cons, she resolutely decided to marry into the provincial capital.
It was a good thing she chose the provincial capital—and the Pei family.
She found the Pei family to be much better than she’d imagined; the mother-in-law had a gentle disposition and was kind-hearted.
Of course, she was also easy to deceive.
After all, she was the typical naive, innocent, and sweet type—handing out money to strangers the moment she met them. I’ve never seen anyone so easy to fool.
The two children at home—though one was very young and the other had intellectual disabilities—were innocent, adorable, sensible, and kind-hearted.
The male “cannon fodder” character outside the household seemed to have some flaws at first glance, but since he wasn’t around, it was just about tolerable.
With relatives like her uncle and aunt around to provide support and protection, this was practically the ideal life for someone who’d stepped into a novel.
“Are you getting used to life here?” Second Cousin-in-Law Feng Hongye asked casually as she stood at the doorway watching the three children play, after pulling Yu Yin outside.
Yu Yin was also watching the three children play. With the fearless eight-year-old Sheng Zhengqi joining them today, Pei Rong and Pei Kangning were having a great time.
Even Pei Kangning, who usually acted like a little adult, was laughing heartily.
As Yu Yin watched them play, a smile slipped onto her face without her realizing it.
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Yu Yin didn’t react immediately; she paused for a moment before answering, “I’m used to it. Mom treats me very well, and Rongrong and Kangning are well-behaved and understanding. Life here is much better than what I had in the countryside.”
This was the truth, so Yu Yin spoke with sincerity.
Feng Hongye sensed her sincerity, and a look of obvious surprise flashed across her face.
She remembered her late cousin-in-law, who had always concealed the reality of her life in the countryside.
This was the first time she’d ever seen someone open up and admit that life in the countryside hadn’t been easy for them.
“Well, that’s good. We were worried you wouldn’t adjust.”
“I’m fine. This is the life I want.”
Her words sounded like those of someone who’d been through a lot, and Feng Hongye couldn’t help but laugh. “What kind of life do you want?” she asked.
“A simple, contented life—preferably with my family by my side.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. That’s already good enough.”
Feng Hongye: “……”
Isn’t she a little too easy to please?
……
Lunchtime flew by.
After lunch, once they’d seen off Auntie and her family, Mother Sheng decided to put the two children down for a nap.
But Pei Rong, who was usually very well-behaved, was being particularly clingy today. As soon as she heard it was time for a nap, she clung to Yu Yin and refused to let go, insisting on sleeping with her.
“I don’t want to! I want to sleep with my sister-in-law. I’m going to sleep with my sister-in-law.”
“No, you have your own room. You can’t sleep with your sister-in-law,” Mother Sheng said sternly.
“I’m going to!” With that, she brazenly stuck out her tongue at Mother Sheng, then hid behind Yu Yin and refused to come out.
Sheng’s mother was so furious her chest heaved, and she almost struck out at her.
Yu Yin tried to soothe her, “Mom, why don’t we just let Rongrong sleep with me?”
“No way. You two just got married—how can we let someone else sleep in your bridal chamber?” Sheng’s mother refused.
Most importantly, she was afraid Pei Rong would be too rowdy and end up annoying Yu Yin.
“Rongrong, come here quickly, or Mom’s going to get angry.”
As soon as she mentioned getting angry, Pei Rong immediately pouted. Though she didn’t cry, she looked very aggrieved.
“Hurry up. Don’t make Mom say it twice.”
Whenever her mom said that, Pei Rong knew she had to stop making a scene. She stomped her foot in frustration and, like a toddler, scolded her, “Meanie Mom! I don’t like you anymore.”
After saying that, tears fell from her eyes, and she cried with a sense of grievance.
However, she didn’t hide again, and when she was pulled back into the room, she didn’t resist.
Yu Yin felt a little awkward. Just as she was at a loss for what to do, her hand was grabbed by a small one.
“Auntie, when I wake up, can I play with you?”
Yu Yin looked down and saw the tiny Pei Kangning holding her hand.
His eyes were innocent and naive, yet they shone with a warm light.
Yu Yin crouched down and clasped his hand in hers. “Of course. Kangning can come find Auntie to play whenever you want.”
Pei Kangning gave a shy little smile—so well-behaved, yet somehow it tugged at her heart. “Well, then, I’m going to bed. Auntie, wait for me.”
“Okay, Auntie will wait for Kangning.”
Yu Yin kept her eyes on Pei Kangning until he was out of sight, but she didn’t leave. Instead, she sat in the dining room, listening to the conversation between Madam Sheng, Pei Rong, and Pei Kangning.
In fact, most of the time, it was Pei Rong who was crying, while the mother was trying to comfort her.
Every now and then, Pei Kangning’s soft, childlike voice would chime in from the side, also trying to comfort Pei Rong.
Yu Yin remained expressionless, her gaze vacant.
She didn’t know how much time had passed, but the sounds coming from Mother Sheng’s room next to the dining room grew fainter and fainter, until they faded away completely.
……
Mother Sheng, Sheng Siyang, had finally managed to put her daughter and grandson to sleep and was planning to come out to wash yesterday’s dirty clothes.
But when she stepped out, she saw Yu Yin slumped over the dining table, her eyes wide open—though she couldn’t tell if she was also feeling sleepy.
“Yin Yin?”
“Yin Yin, if you’re sleepy, go back to your room and get some rest.”
Yu Yin quickly sat up, instinctively forcing a smile that lacked warmth. “Mom, I’m not sleepy.”
She paused for a moment, as if remembering something. “Oh, Mom, last night I saw the… the letter Ah Zhan left for me. I wrote him back after reading it, but I don’t know his military address. Could you tell me?”
“Ah Zhan left you a letter?” Mother Sheng’s smile widened, and the laugh lines at the corners of her eyes deepened. “All right, all right. Wait a moment—I’ll get you the address. I’ll get you the address.”
Mother Sheng quickly ran back into her room, and soon she emerged holding a piece of paper that was clearly well-preserved but showed its age.
She handed it to Yu Yin with great care. “This is Ah Zhan’s military unit address. Keep it. You can bring it back to me after you’ve mailed the letter—there’s no rush.”
“No need—I’ll just copy it down.”
“Mom, wait for me!”
“All right, all right. No rush, no rush at all.”
Mother Sheng watched with a smile as Yu Yin took the address back to her room. The moment Yu Yin stepped inside, she pressed her palms together and softly murmured, “Amitabha Buddha.”
Yu Yin was unaware of Mother Sheng’s gesture. As soon as she returned to her room, she immediately took out a sheet of stationery and began copying the address.
After copying the address, she was surprised to discover a phone number written below it. However, the handwriting was different from that of the address—it had clearly been added later.
Yu Yin thought for a moment, then copied down the phone number as well.
It would be even better if this number could reach Pei Zhan directly; perhaps she could even warn him in advance.
She didn’t know exactly when Pei Zhan had been on a mission or when the incident occurred; the book only mentioned that it happened not long after he returned to his unit.
It wasn’t clear exactly how long “not long” meant.
After copying it down, Yu Yin reappeared before Mother Sheng with the letter she’d written the night before. She handed the address back to her. “Mom, I’m heading out to mail the letter now. I’ll be back later.”
“Do you want me to go with you? You’ve just arrived in the provincial capital and don’t know your way around yet.”
“No need, Mom. My aunt already told me this morning that the post office is not far from the neighborhood office. I remember the way.”
“Well, then… are you going by yourself?”
“Yes, don’t worry. I won’t get lost.”
“Just be careful, okay? Wait a minute—let me give you some money.”
“I have money, Mom. I’m heading out now.” Afraid that mother sheng might actually give her money, Yu Yin hurried off.
The mother hadn’t had time to react, but when she finally did, she shook her head and smiled.
“That girl is so honest.”
Honest Yu Yin ran very fast. Perhaps it had something to do with the environment she grew up in—she didn’t like taking things from others or owing them favors.
She was genuinely afraid that Mother Sheng would give her money.
If she offered it again, would she accept it or not?
She hadn’t even touched the money Mother Sheng had given her last night.
……
Yu Yin ran out of the Pei family’s house and all the way to the entrance of the archway.
She was panting; when she stopped, her breathing grew heavier, and a faint stinging pain radiated from her chest with each breath.
“Cough, cough.”
Her throat was still dry and itchy—her health was just too poor.
It seemed she’d have to find time to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor to get things back on track.
Yu Yin rested for quite a while at the entrance of the stonegate before setting off again. She turned left, passed the neighborhood office, and crossed Lian San Street to reach the nearest post office.
The post office was small, resembling a pawnshop from ancient times.
Yu Yin had originally thought this post office would be large, equipped with a telephone like the one in Ning’an County.
But clearly, she’d been overthinking it.
There was no phone, and for a moment she didn’t know where to go to call Pei Zhan.
There was a public phone booth back in Guiyuan Street, but if she went back, people would surely find out.
Yu Yin didn’t want anyone to know she was calling Pei Zhan right now.
“Excuse me, is there anywhere nearby where I can make a phone call or send a telegram?” Yu Yin asked the clerk.
“You’re looking for a telegraph and telephone office that’s open day and night, right? There’s one over at the City Third Palace.”
“City Third Palace?”
“Yes, once you go out, head toward…”
Following the staff member’s directions, Yu Yin walked for over half an hour, winding through streets and alleys before finally reaching the vicinity of the City Third Palace.
Located east of a canal, the area around City Third Palace is home to large department stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and other establishments, making it a hub for leisure and entertainment in the neighborhood.
Plus, just across the canal is Lihu Park, so the area is always bustling with people.
At that moment, Yu Yin felt as if she had been transported back to the 21st century.
‘Ring, ring, ring!’
“Move aside, move aside, I’m in a hurry—please move aside.”
The sound of a bicycle bell and a shout snapped Yu Yin back to reality.
She hurriedly dodged the reckless cyclists and retreated to the curb. Only after the bicycles had all passed did she cross the street and head toward the 24-hour telegraph and telephone office.
“Huh?!”
“Xiumei, isn’t that the country girl who got married on the same day as you?”