Since they were going to become husband and wife, honesty was the foundation of everything. Some matters were not convenient to let outsiders know, including the hospital director, but he needed to tell his future wife.
Mu Chengfeng told Jiang Xiaoyu that the three children were not actually his biological children. His late wife and he had entered into a contractual marriage ten years ago. At the time, his late wife had been involved in revolutionary work and needed a respectable identity as cover, so she approached him with the proposal and he agreed to cooperate.
The three children were all orphans his late wife had taken in. Because he and his late wife had spent little time together, sometimes going more than half a year without seeing each other, nobody had ever doubted the children’s background.
Jiang Xiaoyu was stunned. The novel had never mentioned they were not biologically related. But if this was the truth, then many things that had once seemed unreasonable now made sense. It was only 1958. Various regions were still carrying out anti bandit operations, and the country had only been peaceful for a few years. It was not strange for them to have adopted several orphans.
But there was a problem.
If Mu Chengfeng had no biological children of his own, then did this job also include having children with him? She did not want that.
She had transmigrated here from the twenty-first century. Young people in her era were not enthusiastic about having children. She could accept becoming a mother painlessly, but actually giving birth herself was another matter entirely. Still, would a man from 1958 like Mu Chengfeng agree to that? Jiang Xiaoyu was tied up in knots over it.
When Mu Chengfeng noticed her conflicted expression, he could not understand it. Since his marriage to his late wife had only been an arrangement and the children were not biological, should Jiang Xiaoyu not have been happier instead? Why was she hesitating now?
“Comrade Jiang Xiaoyu, if you have any concerns, feel free to speak openly.”
“Doctor Mu, then I’ll be honest. I don’t want to have children. You probably think that’s strange, but in the countryside there are women who die giving birth. I’m terrified of it. So when I heard you already had three children, I was secretly overjoyed because I thought I wouldn’t have to give birth myself. But now you’re telling me the children aren’t biologically yours, which means you probably still want to carry on the family line. That conflicts with my original selfish little plan. I feel like my selfishness would be unfair to you. Maybe we should both think it over a little more?”
Mu Chengfeng thought to himself that this little girl actually did not want even one child of her own. How could someone only eighteen years old already decide never to have children?
She had her own selfish reasons, but as it happened, Mu Chengfeng had the same selfish thoughts. Originally, he had planned that if his future wife wanted a child of her own, then they would discuss having at most one. But now that she said she did not want any children at all, it aligned perfectly with his own wishes.
He had long since regarded the three children as his own flesh and blood. Jiang Xiaoyu did not want children, and neither did he. Had heaven really sent him such a perfectly suited wife?
Mu Chengfeng could hardly believe it, so he asked once more.
“You truly don’t want children?”
Jiang Xiaoyu really wanted this long term job, but she genuinely did not want to have children. Otherwise, what would have been the point of deliberately finding a widower with kids?
Mu Chengfeng’s conditions were undeniably excellent. In the 1950s, it was nearly impossible to find a man willing to accept not having biological children. But she also did not want to compromise.
Looking at him pitifully, she said, “Doctor Mu, I’m really afraid of childbirth. I’m so conflicted.”
Mu Chengfeng replied, “You don’t need to explain further. I understand. We don’t have to have children. This isn’t me compromising. It means our thoughts are perfectly aligned. Comrade Jiang Xiaoyu, I agree to not having children.”
That was truly wonderful news. Jiang Xiaoyu still had one final issue to discuss, and once that was settled, everything would be perfect.
“Doctor Mu, how much do you earn each month right now?”
Mu Chengfeng’s salary was quite high. At present, he earned more than eighty yuan a month. His father had already passed away, and since the family now consisted of his stepmother, there was no need for him to support them financially. His salary was more than enough to support a household. After marriage, he had originally planned to hand over all of it.
“I make a little over eighty yuan a month.”
As a key technical specialist in 1958, being able to earn such a salary proved he was an exceptionally capable boss. At least she would not have to worry about him being unable to pay her wages. The only question was whether he was generous enough.
“Doctor Mu, you work outside while I work inside the home. You need to pay me thirty yuan a month as wages. That will be my personal income for my own use, separate from household expenses. Then you’ll also give me thirty yuan a month for living expenses. That won’t leave much for yourself afterward. Can you accept that?”
Mu Chengfeng was shocked inwardly. He had never heard of a wife demanding wages from her husband.
Still, compared to wives who demanded their husbands hand over their entire salaries, he felt he was getting the better deal here. Yet something still felt oddly strange about it.
Originally, he had already decided to turn over his full salary after marriage. Since they were just starting a household, he had even planned to withdraw five hundred yuan for her to buy whatever she wanted, including clothes, jewelry, and other necessities.
Yet she had not mentioned any of those things. She had not asked for them either. All she wanted was a monthly wage of thirty yuan to reflect the value of her labor.
Mu Chengfeng did not reveal his original plans. He wanted to see what other astonishing ideas this girl, who was about to become his wife, might still have.
“Alright, no problem,” Mu Chengfeng agreed readily.
Jiang Xiaoyu was delighted. She had encountered such a generous man that she could not help pushing her luck a little further with an extra request.
She pulled several important documents out of her shoulder bag, including her household registration papers, proof of eligibility for marriage, transfer papers for her household registration, and every other document needed for marriage. She had brought everything with her in advance.
“Then let’s get married. Once we receive the marriage certificate, can you advance this month’s wages first?”
Mu Chengfeng: …
She had not even asked about the living conditions at home or what the three children were like before rushing straight into marriage. Were those thirty yuan really that important to her?
“Don’t you want me to take leave and visit your family first, sit down together, discuss wedding details, bride price, and all the other arrangements before getting married?”
Absolutely not. Even if the bride price were eighty eight yuan, merely one month of Mu Chengfeng’s salary, Jiang Xiaoyu refused to let Old Lady Wu benefit from it.
“Of course I’m not going back. The only thing waiting for me there is my grandmother scheming to grab the bride price. There’s no other benefit at all. I secretly prepared all the marriage paperwork specifically to anger her a little. My parents and I already discussed everything before I came here. I sincerely want to marry you, so naturally I should consider things from your perspective too. The hospital is short staffed, and you’re so busy. How could you possibly have time to travel back and forth? As for family matters, after we get the marriage certificate, I’ll go to your stepmother’s house and bring the children back. You can focus on work without worrying about whether I’ll get along with the children.”
“If I don’t go, can you still bring the children back?”
It was not that Mu Chengfeng did not believe her, but he had returned from the battlefield over a month ago already. His stepmother kept using his busy schedule and lack of a wife to care for the children as excuses to keep them from returning with him.
Jiang Xiaoyu had never even entered that house before, yet she thought she could convince the children to leave with her?
“Comrade Xiaoyu, that won’t be easy.”
Jiang Xiaoyu was not afraid of difficulty. Only by handling things properly would Mu Chengfeng feel his money was well spent, and only then could they live harmoniously in the future.
She was full of confidence.
“Comrade Mu Chengfeng, you need to trust me. This little matter hasn’t reached the point where you need to step in yet. Let’s go register our marriage right now. Afterward, you’ll handle your work while I handle mine. If you go home and discover neither the children nor I are there, then I’ll definitely be staying at your stepmother’s house. Don’t come looking for me and don’t interfere. Since we’re married now, we should trust each other. Don’t you agree?”
Mu Chengfeng could not help smiling. Was this girl, who was about to become his young wife, truly capable, or was she merely skilled with words? He would wait and see.
“Then I’ll make a phone call to your parents and inform them about us.”
“Our village doesn’t even have telephone service. Only my eldest aunt goes to the county town at fixed times to call my cousin. You should write a letter instead. Letters can be kept. Whenever my parents miss us, they can take it out and read it again. Oh right, we should also take a photograph together and send it along.”
…
Mu Chengfeng no longer had any doubts. He went to the director’s office to ask for help issuing a marriage certificate and requested half a day off so he could take photos and register his marriage with Jiang Xiaoyu.
Jiang Yousheng was overjoyed. It was settled just like that. Wonderful.
“Well? This was voluntary, right? How satisfied are you with the girl?”
Mu Chengfeng was completely satisfied with everything Jiang Xiaoyu had shown so far. But husband and wife relationships could not be described in such terms alone. Mutual understanding and tolerance were equally important.
“She’s very good. As for the details, we’ll only truly know after living together. But I was completely willing.”
Director Jiang smiled without saying anything. Good, another wonderful marriage had been made. He quickly prepared the necessary paperwork.
As for personal documents, Mu Chengfeng kept them all in his office. There was no helping it. Locks could stop outside thieves, but not thieves within the family.
His stepmother treated his home as if it were her own place. But once Xiaoyu moved in after marriage, he would finally feel comfortable bringing important things back home again.
Qian Chunmei was equally delighted. She asked Mu Chengfeng when he planned to return to his hometown to hold a wedding banquet and when he intended to hold one here on the island.
“My husband and I will definitely help. You certainly can’t rely on your stepmother.”
Mu Chengfeng replied, “Xiaoyu said this is already my second marriage, and she also thinks formalities are troublesome. We’re just getting the marriage certificate and buying a few pounds of candy to hand out at work.”
Qian Chunmei was speechless.
“You’re nearly thirty years old already. If she’s inexperienced, are you too? What will people think of her? They’ll assume you don’t value her at all.”
Mu Chengfeng had said the same thing himself, but the little girl was stubborn.
“I told her it wasn’t appropriate, but she insisted there was no need for a banquet. She even said I was old fashioned despite being so young, and that money should be saved for living expenses instead. She also said time reveals a person’s true nature, and once everyone spent enough time with her, they would naturally understand what kind of person she was. There was no need to rush to prove anything now.”
Could such insight truly come from an eighteen year old rural girl?
Qian Chunmei was deeply shocked.
“Mu Chengfeng, you really brought home a treasure.”
Mu Chengfeng thought the same, but ultimately, only time would reveal whether life together would be warm or cold.
The marriage paperwork was completed quickly. The hospital even arranged a car for them. Right beside the registration office was a photography studio. Mu Chengfeng sat upright before the camera in his military uniform while the young girl leaned her head lightly against his shoulder.
He turned to glance at her. Her smile was sweet and satisfied, proving she truly was pleased with him. Mu Chengfeng himself felt satisfied too.
Who could have imagined it? Just an hour ago, he had been thinking about sending this girl back home. Yet now she was about to become his wife.
Unlike his previous contractual marriage, this time they would be a real married couple building a life together. He, too, finally had a family of his own.
Just before the shutter clicked, Mu Chengfeng revealed a satisfied smile as well. Yet worry quickly surfaced in his heart again. Although his marriage to his late wife had only been contractual, the three children did not know that. Would they accept Xiaoyu? And would his stepmother truly allow him, Xiaoyu, and the three children to live peacefully together?
For now, he would trust Xiaoyu first. Whenever she needed him, he promised himself he would always stand behind her and never let her face difficulties alone.
Once the marriage certificate was issued, Mu Chengfeng handed Jiang Xiaoyu one hundred and forty eight yuan.
“This is the money you asked for. Thirty yuan in wages, thirty yuan for living expenses, and the eighty eight yuan bride price. It won’t go to your family, but it should still be given to you. From now on, every month on this date, I’ll give you both your wages and the household expenses.”
An advance payment on wages. This was truly wonderful.
Since the boss had already paid her, it was time for her to start working too. She needed to head to the stepmother and cousin’s house and bring Mu Chengfeng’s three children back. It probably could not all be done in a single day. It might take several days of effort.
Back in the past, Jiang Xiaoyu had once helped the kindergarten director collect unpaid debts. She had even slept outside people’s homes on the ground before. Persistence was the key. Sooner or later, people became too annoyed to keep refusing.
This time would be the same. She would annoy the stepmother until the woman finally surrendered the children to her.
“Hu… husband.” Jiang Xiaoyu nearly called him “boss” by mistake. Smiling so brightly her eyes curved into crescents, she waved for Mu Chengfeng to return to work.
“Go back to work now. If you need to work overtime, then work overtime. If you need sleep, then sleep. Don’t come looking for me at your stepmother’s house. I need to handle my own tasks now. Once I bring the children back to our own home, I’ll call you.”