Chapter 68 Tokens

Upon hearing the sound, Qiao Wanyin quickly exited the space, responding as she walked to the door.

"Please come in, I'm not asleep yet."

Zhang Sufeng pushed the door open, gently closed it, walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and sat down. Her expression was somewhat solemn.

Noticing her mother's unusual mood, Qiao Wanyin frowned and asked, "Mom, what's wrong? What happened?"

Zhang Sufeng grabbed her daughter's hand.

“Xiao Shen is genuinely good to you and is a reliable person. I’m truly happy for you that you’re with him.”

But then she changed the subject, her tone becoming more worried.

“But you know, you’re going back to the city with him tomorrow… Mom is a little worried about how things will be for you there.”

Seeing her hesitant expression, Qiao Wanyin softened her tone and said softly, "Mom, just say what's on your mind. I'm all ears."

Zhang Sufeng sighed, her gaze falling on the two clasped hands, and slowly said, "Now you're going back to meet his parents... I'm just afraid that you two won't get along."

She paused, her brows furrowed tightly, as if she couldn't relax them.

“You know, city people and us country folk think differently, and sometimes they don’t think things through… I’m worried that you’ll be bullied over there and feel wronged.”

“Especially with Xiao Shen’s family, his father is a cadre and his mother comes from an educated family. Look at them, and then look at our family. I’m a girl from the countryside. Although I’m engaged to Xiao Shen now, I’m still not sure. I always feel that I’m not good enough for him.”

Qiao Wanyin's lips twitched slightly.

She fully understood what her mother was worried about.

It turned out that it was written clearly in the novel she had accidentally stumbled upon in her past life.

The protagonist of the novel is Fu Li'an.

His mother, Song Yazhi, was a meticulous woman with very high standards.

She has very strict requirements for her future daughter-in-law.

Not only must one be knowledgeable and reasonable, and of good character, but even one's birth background must be clean and innocent.

These conditions may not sound demanding, but in reality they have become insurmountable barriers.

Putting everything else aside, the original owner of this body alone was not qualified.

Moreover, she was a rural girl with little formal education, and she simply did not meet the standards set by Song Yazhi.

However, even knowing that it might be difficult ahead, Qiao Wanyin still wanted to give it a try.

She is not someone who gives up easily. Even if the road ahead is full of thorns, she will do her best to fight for the life she wants.

She plans to take the college entrance examination next year.

The social landscape is gradually shifting, and educated individuals are becoming increasingly valued.

While academic qualifications don't represent everything, even if she doesn't expect to make a lot of money from them in the future.

But if one wants to become the wife of a military marriage partner...

Well, you have to become a qualified college student first, right?

"Mom, don't worry about it!"

Qiao Wanyin smiled and comforted her.

"We're already engaged. Even if his parents don't agree, can they force us to break off the engagement?"

"Xiao Shen, he's not that kind of person."

Zhang Sufeng responded softly while tidying up the things in her hands.

“He is a sensible child, and I know he will definitely take responsibility for our daughter.”

"Qingqing, you must remember that when you go to their home in the future, no matter whether Shen's parents genuinely like you or just say they dislike you, even if they say a few unpleasant things, you must try your best to hold back and not talk back to them."

Zhang Sufeng gave her earnest advice.

"This is not about compromising yourself; it's about ensuring a stable future for yourself."

Qiao Wanyin let out a soft breath.

She thought about her identity and the harsh treatment women faced in this era.

Thinking about the various constraints and oppressions that women face in this society.

Women in this era really have it tough.

In order to successfully integrate into the husband's family and be accepted by his family, they often have to suppress their original temperament and even have to please others against their will.

Qiao Wanyin knew that she wasn't the only one facing this situation.

Many women endure such grievances.

But even though she understood this, she still felt somewhat stifled.

However, she also knew very well that all her mother's advice and instructions were for her own good.

Mom never intended to harm her.

I just hope to help her better adapt to future family life.

So she looked up at Zhang Sufeng seriously and said, word by word, "Mom, don't worry. No matter what hurtful things they say, I will pretend I didn't hear them and I will definitely not get angry on the spot."

Zhang Sufeng became somewhat anxious upon hearing this, her brows furrowing slightly. She gently patted her daughter's hand and said earnestly, "Why do you say that? I'm not asking you to be afraid to say a word, to really cower like a mute. I'm not asking you to always give in, but rather that you learn to be polite, follow the rules, and deal with their words in an appropriate way."

She had witnessed her daughter's changes over this period of time firsthand.

My personality has become much calmer than before, and I am no longer as impulsive and reckless as I used to be.

But she is Zhang Sufeng, the biological mother who raised her daughter from infancy.

She knew her daughter's personality better than anyone.

Her worries were not unfounded, simply because she knew her daughter's stubbornness all too well.

The fear is that if the Shen family says something too offensive, the daughter might lose her temper and start arguing with them.

If that were the case, the consequences would be dire.

Even though Xiao Shen from the Shen family said a few words in her defense.

Ultimately, he could only choose to stand on his parents' side.

Looking at her mother's worried eyes, Qiao Wanyin felt a lump in her throat.

She reached out and grasped her mother's rough, warm hand, and whispered, "Mom, please don't worry too much about me. For Xiao Shen's sake, I will control my emotions and won't embarrass you."

Zhang Sufen finally showed a relieved smile after hearing this.

"Okay, that's good."

She nodded slowly.

After saying that, she seemed to suddenly remember something, and slowly took out a gold ring from her pocket.

The ring has been tinged with a faint gray by the years.

She held it in her hands and handed it to her daughter.

"Qingqing, this is for you. Keep it. Once we get to the city, find someone to help you sell it, and then buy some gifts for Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen. We can't go empty-handed; we have to be polite."

Qiao Wanyin was stunned for a moment, and looked at her mother's eyes in surprise.

"Mom, where...where did you get this gold ring from?"

The events of two years ago flashed through her mind.

At that time, her older sister had just married away, and the original owner of the body, Qiao Wanyin, was still alive. She searched every place in the house that she could, and found almost nothing left, not even a single copper coin.

At the time, her mother was so angry that she cried and scolded her for being unreasonable because she made a scene and ransacked the house.

Logically speaking, there shouldn't be anything left to hide.

But today, my mother secretly took out a gold ring.

It was an expensive piece of jewelry that she had never seen before, which made her momentarily stunned.

How could something that the original owner didn't even discover exist?

Could it be something her mother has been secretly keeping?

Zhang Sufeng's eyes were slightly moist, and her expression was somewhat choked up.

“This is the dowry money my grandmother gave me when I got married. I couldn’t bear to use it and I’ve never taken it out. Originally, this was meant to be given to you on your wedding day, but now… giving it to you in advance is the same thing.”

"Mom, I have my own savings. You can keep the ring; I don't want it!"

Qiao Wanyin couldn't help but feel a pang of bittersweet emotion.

She couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

My biological parents love me so sincerely.

How could the original owner bear to betray morality and even do such heinous things?

Such thoughts made her feel a little guilty.

Zhang Sufeng did not give up trying to persuade her, and insisted on putting the ring in her palm.

"Silly girl, a boy like Xiao Shen is hard to find even with a lantern. He's rare and sincere."

Her mother looked at her earnestly.