“If you like my cooking, come often. I’m happy to cook for you.” Liang Yufeng was very pleased and happy.

"That's great." Zhao Jingyu looked at Xu Qingning, his eyes full of smiles. "When I come back next time, I'll come with Qingning to visit you."

"Will you be back at the end of the year next time?" Liang Yufeng calculated the days and looked at Zhao Jingyu with great concern. "Qingning will be giving birth by then, so you must come back."

"Don't worry, Auntie, I've asked my boss, and he'll be back by early December at the latest." Zhao Jingyu held Xu Qingning's hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, I'm here."

“It’s May now, and I won’t give birth until the end of December. There’s still more than half a year to go, so what do I have to worry about?” Xu Qingning had already planned to give birth at a hospital in the provincial capital once she had saved up more money.

She felt reassured because of the superior medical facilities in big cities.

“That’s true, you don’t need to worry. Your two cousins ​​are twins. I gave birth at home and everything was fine!” Liang Yufeng wasn’t worried about her niece’s childbirth. She was just worried that Zhao Jingyu wouldn’t be able to come back in time.

Women still hope their men will be with them when they give birth.

She understands this all too well.

"I can come back." Zhao Jingyu was confident. "Each time I go to sea, it takes at most half a year. I have plenty of time."

"That's good." Liang Yufeng was relieved, and then casually said, "By the way, I heard that many companies are expanding their scale and preparing to recruit a lot of workers. There will be more job openings soon. Jingyu, are your two older brothers coming back soon?"

"I don't know about this matter." Zhao Jingyu never inquired about his two older brothers' affairs, and said indifferently, "It depends on their own fate."

“I heard from people in the factory that the educated youth who went to the countryside in previous years have gradually returned to work.” Seeing that Zhao Jingyu was not interested in this matter, Liang Yufeng did not mention it again. She was quite talkative and started chatting about her workplace. “Our factory is also going to expand. They say they want to build a branch factory, and they are currently selecting a site.”

Upon hearing Liang Yufeng's words, Xu Qingning recalled that the original book mentioned the mass return of educated youth to their hometowns at the end of 1978. This plot was glossed over by the author and was considered a hidden storyline.

Since it's a hidden plot, there might be a surprise.

As for whether Zhao Jingwen and Zhao Jingwu's families can return to the city, that's their business, and she has no interest in it.

Thinking of this, she asked Liang Yufeng, "Auntie, is it possible to register a household in your village?"

"Why are you asking this?" Liang Yufeng asked, completely bewildered. "You want to transfer your household registration here?"

“My household registration is still at the No. 3 State-owned Cotton Mill, and I don’t want it there anymore.” Xu Qingning looked at Zhao Jingyu and said seriously, “If it can be transferred, I would like to transfer it here.”

“If you don’t want it to stay at the No. 3 State-Owned Cotton Mill, then transfer it to our unit.” Zhao Jingyu hadn’t had time to consider Xu Qingning’s household registration issue yet, and upon hearing her say this, he hurriedly replied, “I’ll take care of it for you when I come back next time.”

“I think it’s better to keep it in the village.” Xu Qingning had her own plans and pondered, “My aunt’s village is close to the city. Once we register our household there, we can build a house and it will be convenient for us to go to work in the future.”

At the end of the year, when educated youth return to their hometowns in droves, housing in the city will become scarce. As a suburban village, Wutong Village will be even more sought after, so she has to act quickly.

She knew that to build a house in such a village, she had to settle down there.

“If you want to transfer your household registration here, you should transfer mine as well.” Zhao Jingyu looked at her meaningfully. “We are husband and wife, so our household registrations should be together.”

"Don't overthink it, it's just a household registration." Xu Qingning found Zhao Jingyu's words amusing. "Your household registration is fine at your workplace, why would you want to move it out? Even if our household registrations aren't together, we're still husband and wife."

“Then I’ll ask around for you. If it’s possible to transfer your household registration, I’ll tell you. My uncle’s cousin is the village secretary. If it can be done, he’ll help you.” Liang Yufeng didn’t think much of it and readily agreed. “Once you transfer your household registration here, you can save some money and build a house in the village. It will be spacious, and I’ll have company when you come.”

“That’s exactly what I meant.” Xu Qingning was delighted to hear that there was someone she knew. “Once we have a child, the old courtyard house won’t be big enough for us. It would be more practical to build a house here.”

The hidden plot definitely held a surprise.

This discovery is absolutely fantastic.

"We'll talk about it when I get back next time," Zhao Jingyu said, neither agreeing nor refusing.

She didn't even consult him about such a big matter as changing her household registration. Does she not trust him?

Or perhaps she still remembered the words she had said when she first approached him: that they would get a divorce in three years.

No, he doesn't want a divorce. He wants to be with her and their child, and live a happy life as a family of three.

Xu Qingning listened but said nothing.

By the time he returned, it was already the end of the year, and it was too late to do anything.

She has always been someone who thinks three steps ahead before taking a single step, and she always plans ahead of time.

Three years later, she divorced Zhao Jingyu. She and her child had a place to live. She didn't trust anyone; she only trusted herself.

After leaving Liang Yufeng's house, Zhao Jingyu had two old pumpkins hanging on the handlebars of his bicycle. They were taken out of their cellar by Old Mrs. Chen, who insisted that the young couple take them, saying that the pumpkins they grew were delicious.

The market hasn't dispersed yet.

There were many people on the street.

Zhao Jingyu had Xu Qingning sit on the back of the bicycle, and he pushed the bicycle through the crowded people before reaching the dirt road at the village entrance.

There were many more people on the road than when he came. The road was difficult to walk on, so he didn't ride a bicycle and walked forward at a leisurely pace.

The weather was sunny and the sun wasn't too strong.

Each of them was lost in their own thoughts, and neither of them spoke.

Back home, Yang Yuelan and Yang Yuexiang, two old friends, were making dumplings and chatting about everyday things. As long as they didn't talk about their daughters-in-law, the two sisters could have a good chat.

As soon as the young couple returned, Yang Yuelan urged Xu Qingning to go inside and rest, and brought her a bowl of carrot soup she had prepared: "I noticed you haven't vomited these past few days, so the carrot soup must be working. You should keep drinking it every day."

"Okay, I'll drink it." Xu Qingning was thinking about this soup, so she obediently picked up the bowl and drank it. Carrot soup is nutritious, and drinking more of it is good for you. It can also stop nausea.

"You've been out all day, you must be tired. Go and get some sleep. I'm going out to make dumplings. You can sleep as long as you want. I'll cook the dumplings and keep them warm in the pot for you. You can eat them whenever you wake up." Yang Yuelan was always in a hurry. After seeing that she had finished drinking, she took the bowl and went out, even closing the door behind her.

My mother-in-law is so kind.

Xu Qingning sighed again.

Once she transfers her household registration to Wutong Village, she will build a house and bring her parents-in-law to live with her.

As she thought about it, her eyelids began to droop, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Zhao Jingyu parked his bicycle, swept the yard, and went back into the house. He found Xu Qingning already asleep, so he didn't disturb her and quietly left.

With nothing to do, he took off his suit and started tidying up the yard, moving the coal briquettes used for cooking to the base of the west wall for easy access.

Yang Yuelan was pleased to see her son busy in the yard. She poured him a glass of water and placed it on the windowsill before going back to continue making dumplings.

Having a wife really makes a difference; my son is now willing to do housework.

While they were busy, Officer Xu and Xiao Tingshen walked over side by side. Seeing that Xiao Tingshen hadn't moved yet, Zhao Jingyu said with disdain, "What are you doing here again?"

Xiao Tingshen was speechless.

He didn't provoke him or offend him, so what's wrong with him?

“Zhao Jingyu, our educated youth office needs to see Xu Qingning.” Officer Xu had known Zhao Jingyu for a long time and knew he had a bad temper. He coughed lightly and said, “Xu Qingning needs to write a self-criticism and then read it aloud at the educated youth office. That will settle the matter.”

"I'm not going," Zhao Jingyu refused outright.

Thank you jing_dc, book friend, book friend-db, kiss little pig, and the monthly pass that I only recharge once a year, thank you everyone!