Chapter 8 Marrying a Country Man to Escape Family

Wang Yujuan clapped and laughed along.

Wang Jiandong lit a cigarette and went into the room, not even glancing at Wang Yuqing.

Lin Xuemei and her two daughters didn't stop them; they all laughed along.

Wang Yuqing glared fiercely at Wang Yubao, her eyes particularly ruthless, which frightened Wang Yubao so much that he immediately shut his mouth and shrank back behind Lin Xuemei.

Lin Xuemei said coldly, "Why aren't you leaving yet? Weren't you eager to go and be someone else's nanny? But..."

She was very shrewd; she insisted on searching Wang Yuqing's body, including her snakeskin bag, and finally pulled out a tattered ceramic jar, a comb with missing teeth, and a pair of trousers with many patches...

Her response was, "What? You want to use it to subsidize your in-laws?"

Wang Yulan said, "No wonder he acted so strangely yesterday, and then got up early this morning to make breakfast again."

Wang Yuqing suddenly burped and said with a grin, "I did think about it yesterday. I got up this morning to make breakfast because I thought we were a family. You are all my relatives. Since you are all leaving, I definitely want to make you one last breakfast."

She looked at Wang Yulan with affection and said, "I specially asked my mother for an extra egg for you this morning. Now that you're pregnant, you need to eat more nutritious food."

Wang Yulan sneered through her nose, thinking she was so capable, but in the end she was just trying to please her.

Lin Xuemei concluded by saying, "Go back inside and eat quickly. You still have to go to work after you eat. It's not easy to have a stable job like this, so you can't be late."

The implication was that Ji Ning didn't have a secure job.

Ji Xuening's expression didn't change much. Instead, he suddenly reached out and took the snakeskin bag from Wang Yuqing's shoulder without saying a word. Wang Yuqing knew his intention and was a little embarrassed: "I can do it myself."

Ji Xuening insisted on taking the snakeskin bag, easily slinging it over his shoulder, and striding forward.

Chen E covered her mouth and laughed: "Comrade Yuqing, you've chosen the right person. Ji Laosi is a very good person, kind-hearted, and handsome. If you live a good life with him, you'll definitely enjoy good fortune in the future."

I think so too.

Wang Yuqing smiled shyly.

She looked up at the Wang family's courtyard, sighed deeply, and finally got rid of this family.

The image of the original owner's death flashed through my mind: a snowy winter day. The original owner, who was not even fifty years old, already had a full head of white hair, a face full of wrinkles, and was so thin that he was just skin and bones.

She was dressed only in tattered and thin clothes, hungry and cold, and shakily walked towards the garbage heap ahead, leaning on a stick.

Unfortunately, he collapsed in the snow before he could even reach his body.

Wang Yuqing snapped out of her reverie, brushed the dust off her clothes—a gesture of disdain for the Wang family—and turned to follow Ji Xuening and the matchmaker. Even from afar, she could hear Lin Xuemei's wailing: "Where are my eggs? Where is my dumpling soup? Oh dear, that damned idiot..."

By the time she chased after her, Wang Yuqing was already far away. If she weren't worried about being late for work, Lin Xuemei would have chased after her every three blocks.

Throughout the journey, Ji Xuening remained silent, while the matchmaker beside her kept giving Wang Yuqing unfriendly looks.

Wang Yuqing smiled at her: "Auntie, I am now a member of the Ji family. The Wang family has nothing to do with me. You were really good at talking just now. You almost couldn't handle Lin Xuemei's scolding. Consider this as you helping me vent my anger after all these years of suffering. You are really amazing. Speaking of which, I appreciate it that you went all the way to accompany Ji Dongning. I will remember your kindness."

Sweet-talking and eloquent, unlike the disheveled taro, the matchmaker's expression softened, and she said, "You and your mother are completely different. She's a terrible person, so irritating."

Wang Yuqing nodded: "Auntie is right."

This left Chen E somewhat bewildered, but it also lessened her dislike for Wang Yuqing considerably.

As they walked through the market, Ji Xuening suddenly stopped and looked at a state-owned department store across the street. She said casually, "I'll make you a set of clothes."

It's about making you a set of clothes, not asking you if you want a set of clothes made.

Wang Yuqing found these words comforting, but still shook her head: "No need."

Chen E looked Wang Yuqing up and down and clicked her tongue, saying, "Look at what you're wearing, all patched up and with shorts that are all torn at the hem. It's not even as good as what we country folk wear. Ji Laosi is a very thoughtful person; he even knew to give you a new outfit."

Wang Yuqing felt a little embarrassed and refused again: "Really, it's not necessary. I have clothes underneath."

Chen E smiled and said, "Don't be so polite. Today is a marriage proposal. If it goes well, the groom's family should buy you some fabric, a pair of shoes, and so on... Old Ji has already prepared the tickets and money."

After saying that, she added, "You young newlyweds can go to the department store and browse around first. I also need to buy some things for the house. I'll come to the department store entrance to find you later, or you can wait for me at the entrance."

After Chen E left, Wang Yuqing followed Ji Xuening into the department store. As soon as they entered, they saw a banner that read, "Develop the economy and ensure supply."

Ji Xuening let Wang Yuqing choose for herself, and he just stood silently by her side without the slightest impatience, unlike some men who urge her to hurry up after only a few minutes of shopping.

Rolls of fabric were neatly arranged on the wooden shelves behind the salesperson, mainly in black, blue, gray, and military green, giving it a strong sense of vintage charm.

Wang Yuqing felt that these fabrics were not as nice in style and color as the 'Dacron' fabrics across the street, but Ji Xuening certainly couldn't afford 'Dacron' anyway.

Ji Xuening followed her gaze, touched the tickets and money in her pocket, and said nothing.

Buying cloth requires coupons and money. He had the cloth coupons his family had saved up for the New Year in his pocket, enough to buy a set of clothes. But over there, a complete set of clothes only required money, and it was very expensive, which he couldn't afford.

Wang Yuqing knew that in those days, a person's cloth ration coupons were only enough for three feet a year, and three feet could only make one pair of trousers. Ji Xuening's family was poor, so he probably had the cloth ration coupons that his family had saved up for a year.

She finally pointed to the recycled fabric next to her and said, "I'll take this. I'll just make a top."

Ji Xuening was a little surprised. Nowadays, everyone would be eager to make a nice set of clothes if they had some cloth coupons, but she didn't want it. He said, "This won't do, this is not good. Just choose the cotton cloth over there. I can afford it."

Wang Yuqing could tell from this that Ji Xuening was quite good; although his family was poor, he wasn't stingy.

She knew that the recycled fabric was of poor quality and not durable, but since she was using other people's money, she couldn't ask for better quality.

She said, "This one is fine, it's good."

Ji Xuening didn't bother with any pleasantries; instead, she simply told the saleswoman, "I need ten feet of cloth, and three feet more to make blue shoes."

Wang Yuqing knew that ten feet of cloth could make a set of adult clothes, while three feet could make a pair of shoes. She secretly glanced at the cloth coupons that Ji Xuening took out of his pocket, which were exactly thirteen feet of cloth coupons.

He even used his spare change to buy her some daily necessities.

The saleswoman smiled and said, "Your husband is so good to you. If he's willing to buy it, just keep it. Unlike my husband, he's never willing to buy me anything."

As Wang Yuqing walked out of the department store, clutching the cloth in her hands, she lowered her head, feeling extremely guilty. She accidentally bumped into his strong back, and rubbed her forehead in slight pain.

Ji Xuening turned to look at her forehead, wanting to say something but feeling tongue-tied, after all, he wasn't good with words, so he simply reached out and took the cloth from her hand: "Let me do it."