Chapter 51
"That's right, but he doesn't understand. I'm doing this for Li Hongmei. What if I explain it clearly and he can understand? I'm not trying to bring you two together. I just feel sorry for that girl. We girls have to make our own decisions, right?"
"You're right. It's a different era now, and you're still using the same old tricks. Where is Li Guodong? I'm going to go find him and explain things to him right away."
"He's waiting at my house. Why don't we go over together? You won't feel awkward with me around. You can say whatever you want."
"Okay, let's go. Hey, you can take this thing back with you. I don't drink tea."
"No, this is a meeting gift."
"Okay, your family is really rich. I heard from Li Guodong that you bought the original soy sauce factory."
…
Two beautiful girls were walking and chatting in the alley, adding some color to the narrow alley.
When they arrived at Zhong Miao's house, Li Guodong was already sitting in the kitchen waiting for them, and hadn't even entered the house. Zhong Miao quickly invited them to come in and sit down.
Zhou Xiaohui repeatedly praised the house for its beautiful tidiness. When she came to see it, it was still a mess. Who would have thought that it would be cleaned up in just a few days and it was still so clean and beautiful.
There were two boxes of soda on the dining table. Pei Ze knew that Zhong Miao loved to drink it, so he bought it specially for her.
Zhong Miao took out three bottles of soda and the three of them chatted slowly.
It has to be said that Zhou Xiaohui is a good speaker, her words are well-organized and every sentence hits the point, but Li Guodong's expression is getting uglier and uglier.
"I, I don't want to control you."
"I don't believe it. You told me about your sister. I'm a girl too. I don't want to go through that kind of suffering, being controlled and restricted in everything, without any freedom."
"Li Guodong, there are so many people chasing me. I just wanted to find someone I like, so I've been waiting until now. You're a good person, but our values are so different that we're really not suitable. What girl would want to marry someone who is destined to live apart from her?"
In Li Guodong's view, this problem has no solution.
The atmosphere gradually became awkward. Just as Zhong Miao was about to say something, she heard the sound of a key opening the door. Pei Ze had returned.
When Pei Ze saw his wife, he ignored everyone else and immediately picked up Zhong Miao, regardless of whether there was anyone else at home.
He worked very hard that day. If he hadn't been busy for a while in the evening, he would have come back long ago.
"Wife, you must be hungry. Your husband will cook for you."
"Then let go."
Pei Ze's action stunned Li Guodong and Zhou Xiaohui.
Is Brother Ze usually like this?
Zhou Xiaohui was surprised. Pei Ze was handsome and tall, but a little rude. There were guests at your house, and it was bad enough that you didn't say hello. But didn't you two hug each other behind others' backs?
After a brief introduction and greeting, Pei Ze went straight to the kitchen to get busy.
Li Guodong was shocked and didn't want to stay in the house, so he went out to help Pei Ze cook.
"You have a good wife. I wish I could find one like her." Zhou Xiaohui was envious. Pei Ze only had eyes for his wife. He didn't even look at such a beautiful woman like her. He cooked for his wife as soon as he entered the house. Why couldn't she meet someone like her?
"Hmph, he's okay now, but he wasn't okay when I first married him. He ordered me around and spoke harshly. Our marriage was arranged, a blind and dumb one."
"Ah? You two are still planning an arranged marriage? How will those who are in a free love relationship survive then?"
"It was only after we've been together for a long time that we became like this now."
"Huh, you're telling me what to do. Do you hope that I and Li Guodong will be together and things will get better as we get along for a while?"
"No, you two have a big problem, but he's a hard-working guy who takes care of his family. But if I were you, I wouldn't look for someone like that. Marrying and then separating is just a joke."
A short separation doesn't matter. After all, they will move in together in the future, just like Wang Yingying and Song Xing. They can just endure it for a while. But Li Guodong is planning to separate for life. This is absolutely intolerable.
"That's right, look at him. He gets unhappy when I say a few words to him, but what I said is not reasonable?"
"I think both of them make sense."
There are many people chasing Zhou Xiaohui, but Zhou Xiaohui has her own ideas. She doesn't like those who are short, ugly, poor, lazy, stupid, or have a lot of bad habits.
Since you are planning to have a free love relationship, of course you have to find someone you like.
It was not easy to catch Li Guodong, who was pleasing to the eye and a down-to-earth person. She didn't mind that he was from the countryside, but he caused trouble instead. Zhou Xiaohui actually had some thoughts about coming back with Zhong Miao. If she could explain it clearly, she would give it a try. But seeing Li Guodong like this, she gave up completely.
The couple had dinner with Li Guodong again. Zhou Xiaohui said she didn't want to stay for dinner at all, so she said goodbye and left.
Li Guodong couldn't eat anything either. He was feeling very uncomfortable after being hit by his sweetheart.
"Sister-in-law, tell me what I should do."
"What else can we do? There's nothing we can do. Think carefully about it. What does Zhou Xiaohui say make sense?"
"But I, but I can't help it."
"Yeah, there's no other way. What are you thinking about? Go back to the village and find someone who can help you."
"If I really come to the city, what will my parents do?"
"Pei Ze and I have come to the city. What should I do with my mother-in-law?" Zhong Miao didn't want to pay attention to him and started arguing.
She cannot change others, and trying to change others will only make herself more exhausted.
People, the only way is to change yourself and become a better person.
Zhou Xiaohui explained everything to Li Guodong, and he understood the reason. It just depends on what he does. It's useless to say all these things. Sometimes it seems like a dead end, but once you break through the psychological shackles, you will be free.
This lock can only be opened by Li Guodong himself.
"Yes, then can I do it myself?"
"Wife, don't argue with idiots. You're exhausted."
Pei Ze couldn't stand it anymore.
"Brother Ze, why don't you help me and scold me?"
"You're a man, and it's good to take care of your family, but you can't take care of your family in this way. For two people to be together, both parties have to be willing. You think you have no other choice and want the girl to give in. Either go back to the village with you, or go to a different place. Are you dreaming? Why don't you give in and go to the city to be a son-in-law, work like a slave for others, and not take care of your wife's family?"
Pei Ze was annoyed by this light bulb and continued to output.
"What's wrong with being a woman? Women have to give in to you. You can do anything. Women can go to college and work in factories just like you. Why should they listen to you? You can get divorced after marriage, not to mention that she didn't agree to be with you."
"Girls in the city would avoid you if they saw someone as selfish and pedantic as you. Look at your Li Hongmei, she's been controlled like that. Do you care if she cries or not? Do you care what she wants to do? For someone like you, go back to the village and marry someone who can farm. She'll be willing to give in to you if she lives off your family. Forget about anything else."
"Dongzi, times have changed. Your family's old ways are no longer effective. Although what I'm saying may not sound good, it's worth your consideration. Otherwise, you'll have other problems in your life besides your relationship problems."
"I know, brother. I'll think about it."
Li Guodong is not completely ignorant. What Zhou Xiaohui wants is gender equality, mutual respect, and she doesn't want to be separated. Pei Ze's words are rough but the logic is there, and he understands it, but can he do it?
"Okay, take your lunch box and pack some food for yourself and go back. Eat when you are ready. Don't be an eyesore to my wife here."
After sending the light bulb away, Pei Zeanxin had dinner with his wife.
"Wife, are you feeling uncomfortable today? Is there any pain?"
"No, my back is sore and weak."
"Hehehe, I'll rub it for you later."
"Come on, don't bother me today. I want to go to the bookstore tomorrow."
Zhong Miao wanted to buy a few sets of questions to practice as the college entrance examination was getting closer.
"Just rub it, nothing else."
"Do you keep your word?"
"If it doesn't count, then you can hit me."
Pei Ze overestimated his self-control, and in the middle of the night, he happily received a beating from his wife.
It took Zhong Miao a few days to adapt to life in the city. She practiced exercises at home during the day and asked Pei Ze to explain the exercises to her at night.
Pei Ze’s problem-solving ideas are clear and his language is simple and easy to understand. He is a good teacher.
Zhong Miao thought he was very capable and would let him tutor An An when she was about to take the college entrance exam.
When she gets tired of doing exercises or reading books, she watches TV for a while, or goes out for a walk or buys some groceries.
Li Guodong hasn't been here much recently. Zhong Ming would occasionally go to the soy sauce factory to check on the progress of the renovation and give some suggestions. He would come to see his daughter every few days.
They haven't returned to the village these days because everyone is very busy and has something to do.
When the school entrance examination results came out, Pei Ze took time out of his busy schedule to take his wife to the school to check the scores. The results were 99 in sketching, 98 in color, and 98 in creation. Zhong Miao ranked first in the Qingmei school entrance examination this year.
The teacher who checked her scores gave her a message, asking her to go to the Oil Painting Department office to find Li Qiumo.
In the office, Li Qiumo's calm and gentle face immediately wore an excited smile, "Zhong Miao, Pei Ze, hello."
"Hello, Teacher Li."
"Hahahaha, I'm the top student in our school this year. Did Zhong Miao study hard for his academic subjects?"
"Don't worry, Teacher Li, there will be no problem." Zhong Miao was very confident. In fact, she felt that based on the scores for the cultural subjects in the art exams in previous years, she was not afraid to go directly to the examination room now, but she was also afraid of accidents, what if the scores were high this year.
"That's good, that's good. After you finish the college entrance examination, you must come to school and inform me. Our school is open during the summer vacation. If Zhong Miao wants to paint after the college entrance examination, you can come directly to school. I will give you the key to the studio then."
"Really? Is this okay?" Zhong Miao was very happy. Now she would have a place to paint.
"Of course, I can't leave. I'll be staying in the office creating during the summer. You can go to the student studio. If you have any questions, you can come to me directly."
"That's great. I also want to start painting soon. I haven't finished the last painting yet. I'll finish it after the college entrance examination."
Zhong Miao was not polite either. She had been free since the college entrance examination and happened to come to school to do some creative work. She hadn't had the pleasure of painting for a long time and her hands were itching to do something, but the space at home was not big enough for her to do.
"Okay, I've asked around for you. If you win a bronze medal or above in an exhibition and meet the required grades in all subjects, you can graduate a year early. Whether you can continue your studies or take the postgraduate entrance exam after graduation depends on your situation."
"This, this is great, thank you Teacher Li." Zhong Miao's eyes lit up. She could take the Art Introduction, Chinese and Foreign Art History and so on at any time. Although she couldn't remember some of them completely, there was no problem in passing them.
The biggest problem now is that she has no works to exhibit.
To be honest, she couldn't create many works in three years, not to mention that she still had to attend classes and hand in homework.
Her oil paintings are usually completed in months. Sometimes when she is lazy or no longer interested in painting, it is normal for her to spend a year or two on the painting.
Pei Ze was also happy to hear this. This way he could study for a year less and could start graduate school earlier, which were all good things. However, he was a little worried because his wife had been hanging out with Li Qiumo at school for the entire summer vacation.
Seeing how happy Zhong Miao was, he had no choice but to let her be. He also hoped that his wife would get better. He would talk to her properly when he got home. He had to be more careful when he was away from home.
The couple went straight to the soy sauce factory after returning home. There was a landline phone at the soy sauce factory, which was not removed when they bought the house. It was directly transferred together with the house. When the couple arrived at the soy sauce factory, they immediately called Zhong Ming who was still at the furniture factory to tell him the good news.
During the phone call, the father and daughter decided to go back to the village together to tell their mother-in-law the good news.
Li Guodong, who had been living in the soy sauce factory, also shared the joy.
He was really surprised. How could his sister-in-law be so good? She even got first place in the entire art academy.
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