Chapter 327 Pretending to be Confused When You Know the Truth
The Zhao family next door
During dinner, Zhang Mei spoke enviously of Gu Yihan: "Commander Lu's family bought a freezer."
"Mom, don't even think about it. Freezers are rationed; you can't get one without some connections."
Zhao Junjie said while slurping his noodles.
Zhang Mei said, "He even has a washing machine at home."
Luo Bi: "No wonder Xiao Han's hands are so delicate and smooth, without a trace of working."
She doesn't envy people who have freezers; she envies people who have washing machines.
Washing bed sheets, bedspreads, and wool coats in the dead of winter is enough to kill her.
"What? He has a washing machine?"
Zhao Xu didn't hear anything else, but he heard something about the work he was doing less of.
Zhang Mei was startled by his loud voice. She turned her head and glared at him, saying irritably, "What are you shouting for?"
"Look at the life Commander Lu's wife is living, and then look at your own wife?"
After saying that, she stretched out her calloused hands in front of him: "Look at my hands, they're covered in calluses."
Zhao Xu was speechless. He was already fifty years old, and he was still comparing himself to a young and tender young wife. Wasn't he ashamed?
He waved his hand impatiently and said, "What are you competing in?"
“Commander Lu’s wife is young, beautiful, and educated.”
"And you, who can barely read a few words, want to compare yourself to others? Why are you getting more and more pretentious as you get older?"
When Zhang Mei heard Zhao Xu say that she was being pretentious, her eyes instantly reddened.
She wasn't comparing herself to Gu Yihan; she felt wronged, as if she had never had a single good day with Zhao Xushou.
Thinking of myself, I was reluctant to eat or wear anything nice, and it wasn't easy for me to raise my son and daughter to adulthood, get married, and have children.
When Zhao Hu saw Zhang Mei crying, he put down his chopsticks, jumped off the stool, and went to her side.
With his chubby little hands, he gently patted her back.
The child said in a tender yet earnest voice, "Grandma, when I grow up, I'll buy you a freezer and a washing machine."
"I'll buy you whatever you want."
Luo Bi nodded in satisfaction as she watched Zhao Hu's actions.
He thought to himself that Zhang Mei's love for him had not been in vain.
Zhao Xu saw Zhang Mei shed tears over such a trivial matter.
Thinking about how she's been married to me for so many years, it hasn't been easy for her.
Her voice softened as she said, "I'll try to get a special ticket so our family can buy a washing machine."
Upon hearing this, Luo Bi's eyes lit up instantly, then she realized that her parents-in-law probably didn't have much savings.
After a moment of thought, he said, "Dad, Zhao Junjie and I will pay the money; you just need to provide the receipt."
"Okay, sure," Zhao Xu replied happily.
...
In the bedroom
Zhao Junjie sat on the bed watching Luo Bi apply face cream, and sighed, "Wife, don't you think Mom has changed?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Bi glanced at him and sneered, "Do you think Mom has become selfish?"
Zhao Junjie listened to Luo Bi's sarcastic tone and was not clear about the true meaning behind her words.
He nodded sheepishly and said, "Dad is so busy every day, and Mom still makes him wash his own clothes."
Luo Bi stood up abruptly, walked to Zhao Junjie's side, and looked at him sarcastically: "You're supposed to be Mom's son, yet you don't care about her at all."
Zhao Junjie was stunned and retorted, "How am I not thinking about Mom?"
Luo Bi looked at Zhao Junjie, who had an innocent expression, took a deep breath, and told herself, "I chose this scoundrel myself, so I can't be angry."
Then she began to explain to him in detail: "Our mother married into the Zhao family when she was eighteen. She didn't have many good days before Dad went to join the army."
"He disappeared for more than a decade without a trace."
"Mom was both a father and a mother by herself, and she also had to earn money to support you and your older sister's education."
Zhao Junjie, being simple-minded, didn't understand what Luo Bi meant by that. He looked up at her blankly and asked, "Isn't that how people in our hometown are?"
"I haven't seen them complain at all?"
"Besides, didn't Dad later bring Mom to join the army?"
"I no longer have to do farm work. It's much better than those in my family who still rely on the weather for their livelihood."
Luo Bi, unable to bear it any longer, slapped Zhao Junjie on the stupid head.
“If everyone around Mom in her hometown is like her, then there’s no problem.”
“But Mom lives in the family compound, the environment is different, and every family’s situation is different.”
"Of course she'd be envious seeing how well Commander Lu treats his wife!"
"It's one thing for you and Dad not to understand Mom's feelings, but you also think she's being pretentious and that all her sacrifices are a given!"
Zhao Junjie, rubbing his head in dissatisfaction, interrupted Luo Bi: "No, you can talk, but why are you hitting people?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Bi felt a lump in his throat, realizing that everything he had just said was in vain, and that he hadn't taken it to heart at all.
Seeing that Luo Bi's expression was not good, Zhao Junjie quickly whispered, "I'm not stupid, of course I know that Mom has worked hard."
"It's just that Mom changed too quickly."
Luo Bi narrowed her eyes and said coldly, "What? Do I have to serve you all your needs like before, from eating and drinking to using the toilet?"
Zhao Junjie noticed that Luo Bi's tone was off and was afraid that she would hit him without saying a word.
She explained, "Mom was known for her diligence before marriage, but she didn't stand up for herself after marriage. Now she wants to do less, so of course Dad will think she's being pretentious."
Luo Bi was stunned for a moment when she heard Zhao Junjie's words. It turned out that Zhao Xu and Zhao Junjie were both pretending to be ignorant.
Thinking of this, she sneered: "Does being capable mean you deserve to be worked to death?"
After saying that, she angrily turned and walked out.
On the other side
After Lu Huailin coaxed Hao Hao to sleep, he returned to the bedroom and saw his wife intently studying a handwritten sketchbook.
He chuckled and said, "Honey, would you like to have New Year's Eve dinner at my parents' house this year?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Yihan put down the handwritten book, looked up at him, and asked, "What if I don't want to go?"
Lu Huailin walked over with a smile and put his arm around his wife's shoulder.
He smiled and said, "If you don't want to go, we can just stay home by ourselves."
Gu Yihan glared at him, annoyed, and complained, "Then why did you ask?"
"Last time I went to see your mom with you, how did she treat me?"
"She said I had ulterior motives, that I was deliberately trying to get close to you, just for your dad's retirement pension!"
Seeing that Gu Yihan was angry, Lu Huailin hugged her tightly and gently comforted her, "Wife, calm down."
"Getting angry will hurt your health, and it will break a man's heart."
Gu Yihan snorted coldly and turned her head away from him.
Lu Huailin gently patted his wife's back.
He patiently explained, "Dad told me to ask. He said if we go back, he'll start preparing for the New Year right now."
“If we don’t go back, he won’t prepare any New Year’s goods.”
Gu Yihan's mood eased somewhat when she heard that it was Lu's father who had asked the question.
Lu Huailin noticed that his wife's complexion had improved considerably.
His hands began to wander, and he blew a breath into her sensitive ear.
Seeing her shrug and shrink her neck, he burst out laughing.
He then added, "As you know, supplies are scarce during the Spring Festival. If you want to eat something new, you have to find a way to get it from the production team."
Annoyed by his teasing, Gu Yihan suddenly reached out and pushed him down forcefully when he wasn't paying attention.
She quickly jumped out of bed and ran barefoot to Hao Hao's room.
Upon seeing this, Lu Huailin rushed over, scooped up his wife around the waist, and hoisted her onto his shoulder.
As he walked, he patted her bottom and said irritably, "You've got guts. Don't you know you're on your period? You still dare to walk barefoot."
"You were the one who started it."
Lu Huailin got into bed, pulled the blanket over both of them, then hugged her tightly and patted her back rhythmically.
He whispered, "Wife, go to sleep!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Yihan glared at him, then unconsciously closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com