18
The Song Family’s Future Daughter-in-Law
Lin Jianchun followed the Lu family off the coach and returned together to Laomao’er Hutong.
Mother Lu walked ahead, and as soon as they reached the central courtyard, she bumped into Song’s Mother washing apples at the water tap. The apples were all shriveled, and it was unclear how long they had been stored.
Song’s Mother exclaimed, “Oh, look at you all dusty and disheveled! Just back from the countryside, are you? Let me tell you, when it comes to marrying a wife, it’s still best to marry someone from the city—just a short step away.”
Sister-in-law Afu chimed in from the side, “Isn’t that the truth? After A-An gets married and is assigned a house, his mother-in-law’s family is also in the Family Compound of Jingyi Fifth Hospital—just a short step away.”
Song’s Mother pretended to be modest, “It’s still too early to say—A-An only met her for the first time yesterday.”
Sister-in-law Afu added, “They only met yesterday, and today the young lady came knocking on your door. She must really like A-An, huh? Probably can’t wait to marry him right now and share the same bed tonight? I’m just waiting to eat your Wedding Candy.”
Song’s Mother, buoyed by the flattery, glanced smugly at the Lu family, her gaze lingering on Lin Jianchun. “This time, A-An is marrying a city girl with a proper job. Our family will definitely set up a few tables to celebrate—nothing like last time when we just handed out a few pieces of Wedding Candy. When the time comes, Sister Lu, your family should come join us and share in the joy.”
Mother Lu gritted her teeth, ignoring the overly proud Song’s Mother, and kept glancing repeatedly at Lin Jianchun, worried she might be upset.
Lin Jianchun found the subtle concern amusing. She linked arms with Mother Lu and said, “Mom, I know some people just can’t stand others doing better than them. Funny enough, neither can I.”
With that, Lin Jianchun released Mother Lu’s hand, took a few quick steps to the Song family’s door, and raised her hand to knock briskly.
Song’s Mother didn’t even have time to stop her.
When Song Zhian opened the door and saw Lin Jianchun, he flustered, “A Chun, what are you doing here?”
Lin Jianchun raised an eyebrow. “I’m not here for you. I need to talk to your blind date.”
Song Zhian blocked the doorway, his voice pained and hushed, “A Chun, you’ve already chosen to enter the Lu family. Even if there’s still a place for you in my heart, I have to move on painfully…”
Lu Xuanzhou had sharp hearing. Was Song Zhian putting on an act right in front of him, treating him like he was dead? It seemed he had forgotten the pain after his last beating healed.
Without needing a signal from Lin Jianchun, Lu Xuanzhou kicked Song Zhian.
Song Zhian let out an extremely pitiful cry—this time, the pain seemed genuine. “Oww—”
“Comrade Song, what happened?” Yu Zhenzhen, hearing the noise, came to the door.
Although Song Zhian couldn’t forget Lin Jianchun, he still had to get on with his life and marry. Yu Zhenzhen was the best match introduced by the matchmaker—good family, good job, and she looked innocent and cute, making her a very suitable marriage partner. If he missed this one, the next would surely be worse.
Song Zhian clutched his knee. “It’s nothing, just a misunderstanding. I didn’t expect Brother Lu to suddenly hit me. I don’t know if my knee is bleeding—”
He was about to play the victim and win sympathy in front of Yu Zhenzhen, even rolling up his pant leg halfway, when he saw Yu Zhenzhen rush toward Lin Jianchun.
Song Zhian’s pained and pitiful expression froze on his face.
“Comrade Lin—”
Song Zhian’s heart leaped into his throat—Lin Jianchun actually knew Yu Zhenzhen!!!
Lin Jianchun never expected that the Song family’s much-praised ideal daughter-in-law would turn out to be that young nurse from the emergency department—the very one who had boldly recommended her to try operating the CT machine in front of Director Xu.
“Comrade Lin, Dean Su sent me to invite you to report at the hospital on Monday.”
“What!!!”
“What!!!”
Exclamations of shock erupted simultaneously from inside and outside the door.
Song’s Mother nearly dropped her enamel basin: “Zhenzhen dear, you must have made a mistake. This person is from the countryside—how could she possibly work at the hospital?”
Song Zhian nodded in agreement: “Comrade Yu, you must be mistaken. She just arrived in the city a few days ago!”
“No wonder then,” Yu Zhenzhen retorted, displeased by the Song family’s disparaging remarks. Comrade Lin was her idol after all. Still, out of respect for Song’s Mother as an elder, she patiently explained: “Comrade Lin is a talent Dean Su specifically recruited from the Main Hospital. Not only will she work at the hospital, but our doctors and nurses are all waiting for Comrade Lin to teach us.”
“Auntie Lu, is your daughter-in-law really going to teach doctors and nurses?”
It was lunchtime, and the neighbors in the Courtyard had originally been eavesdropping while eating under the eaves—after all, the gossip about the Song and Lu families had recently become the Courtyard’s favorite mealtime entertainment. But this new revelation was astounding: the daughter-in-law the Song family looked down upon was actually a treasure? A talent hospitals were fighting over?
Mother Lu only knew her daughter-in-law was going to work at the hospital. She’d been too excited to ask about the specifics, but that didn’t stop her from showing off.
“Oh, whatever the job is, having work that provides state-allocated grain is enough to make me happy. The rest is all my daughter-in-law’s own capability and our family’s good fortune.”
Yu Zhenzhen added: “Comrade Lin, Dean Su also asked me to check what teaching materials you might need.”
Lin Jianchun thought for a moment. “It would be best to get a Blackboard and some Chalk. A Pointer would be perfect if available.” With these tools, she could better recapture her former feeling of being a university lecturer.
Yu Zhenzhen responded: “I’ll report back to Dean Su right away.” She turned to leave without even glancing at Song Zhian, who was putting on a pitiful act.
Lin Jianchun raised an eyebrow. It seemed Yu Zhenzhen wasn’t as determined to marry Song Zhian as his mother had claimed.
“Let me walk you out.”
“No!”
Song Zhian and his mother protested in unison.
Lin Jianchun shot them a sidelong glance. “I’m just seeing off my colleague. Why are you two so agitated? Guilty conscience? Afraid I’ll spread how Auntie Song faked fainting to keep her daughter-in-law out? Or that I’ll repeat what I overheard at the water tap about Comrade Yu desperately wanting to marry into the Song family?”
Yu Zhenzhen’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I worked overtime yesterday—we didn’t even meet! And today I clearly stated I came to see Comrade Lin, but Auntie Song told me she was out and asked me to wait in her house!”
Mother Lu showed sudden understanding. “I thought so. No decent family would push their daughter into such a pit.”
“Zhenzhen, dear child, let me explain…”
Song’s Mother anxiously grabbed Yu Zhenzhen’s arm, terrified of losing her prospective daughter-in-law. “Don’t listen to nonsense—there are extenuating circumstances!”
A young girl like Yu Zhenzhen was no match for Song’s Mother’s strength. Dragged inside as the door began closing, she cried out:
“Comrade Lin, save me!!!”
Lin Jianchun shot Lu Xuanzhou a look, and Lu Xuanzhou reluctantly stepped forward to kick the door open. Lin Jianchun had never mentioned work matters to him and was still treating him like a hired thug.
But in public, Lu Xuanzhou had to give Lin Jianchun plenty of face.
After kicking the door open, they successfully rescued Yu Zhenzhen.
Trembling with fear, Yu Zhenzhen threw herself into Lin Jianchun’s arms: “Comrade Lin, I was so scared! Thank goodness you were here.”
Yu Zhenzhen was badly shaken, so Lin Jianchun had to escort her back to the hospital first.
Having thoroughly lost face, Song Zhian slammed the door shut.
The neighbors in the Courtyard gathered around Mother Lu, asking about Lin Jianchun going to work at the hospital.
Mother Lu: “It’s not that I’m tight-lipped. I’m not the kind of person who blabs to the whole world before things are settled. I was planning to share the good news with everyone after my daughter-in-law started work…”
Lu Xuanzhou consciously avoided disturbing his mother while she was showing off. He and Little Lu carried the things back home.
Lu Xuanzhou asked casually: “You knew about your sister-in-law working at the hospital too?”
“Of course I did.” Little Lu put down the things and prepared to go listen to more people praising his sister-in-law. “Brother, don’t tell me my sister-in-law didn’t mention her job to you?”
Lu Xuanzhou pressed his lips together and kicked him. “Get lost.”
He’d been so busy – wasn’t it normal that Lin Jianchun hadn’t found the chance to tell him? Once they had some time alone, Lin Jianchun would definitely be unable to resist sharing it with him.