The children were of course very happy to wear new clothes. They jumped around the house and even wanted to wear them outside to show off. But their mother grabbed them, pulled the new clothes off and told them to wear them later.
Besides women and children, there were also some brothers. Xia Ruzheng didn't say he chose them himself, but said it was Wen Zhichao who did. He said men know what men like, and the size was also based on Wen Zhichao's. After all, it was not appropriate for Xia Ruzheng to interfere too much in the things of his uncles.
When the sisters-in-law returned with their full loads and went back to their rooms, Xia Ruzheng brought out a set of black clothes and pants and said, "Mom, this is for Dad. Please watch Dad try it on. If there's anything that doesn't fit, tell me and I'll make some changes."
The mother-in-law didn't hesitate to take it and put it aside, then pulled Xia Ruzheng to sit down.
Xia Ruzheng was nervous. Was he going to be questioned alone?
Although Wen Zhichao's unusual appearance made him less popular with his parents, he was still their biological son, and they loved him more than their daughter-in-law. Furthermore, Wen Zhichao's appearance had complicated feelings for the parents. Xia Ruzheng was, after all, one of the most beautiful girls in the area, so why would she be willing to marry their own son, known as the White-haired Ghost? They felt that Xia Ruzheng had been wronged, yet also felt a little guilty.
"How is it? Are you used to being outside?"
Xia Ruzheng knew that her mother-in-law and father-in-law would definitely ask questions, so she said, "It's okay. It was a little difficult when she first went there, but now I'm slowly getting the hang of it, and it's fine."
"Is there anything bad going on? If so, you can't hide it from us."
Xia Ruzheng said, "How could that be? What's the point of hiding something from my parents at home? Although we're going there and we're unfamiliar with the place, you know Zhichao's abilities. He's made some good friends who've helped a lot."
But what I was thinking in my heart was, what's the point of telling you? You won't be able to help me in any way except worrying about me. It's better to keep it a secret and wait until the matter is over.
The mother-in-law then asked what they ate, what they used, how they lived, and how they related to the people around them. Xia Ruzheng answered them one by one, but it was impossible for her to tell him everything. Xia Ruzheng was also worried that the mother-in-law would interpret the information herself and spread it to others in a weird way! In fact, when Xia Ruzheng returned, he was also worried that the aunts and uncles would see that they had made some money and want their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, etc. to help them. Of course, they would be very polite and say that they could do whatever they wanted and that it was okay to pay less. But if they really took them there, they would see the outside world, see that they had made money, and then look at what they had given them. They would feel unbalanced, and who would remember what they said now?
Therefore, Xia Ruzheng had previously warned Wen Zhichao that unless the person appeared trustworthy and had good character, he would not agree to take them to Guangzhou. Wen Zhichao had his own thoughts and concerns, but Xia Ruzheng believed that he still had some common sense.
Fortunately, my mother-in-law didn’t say anything about helping the relatives’ children. I guess the test hasn’t been done yet, and it’s not easy for the relatives to come over and say such things.
But then the topic changed to having children.
"When you wanted to leave, his father and I weren't too happy about it, but Chaochao seemed unwilling to settle down and farm, so we didn't stop you. As for you, you remember how it was, right? In other families, even if the son went out, the daughter-in-law would stay at home to take care of the elderly."
Although what the mother-in-law said was true, Xia Ruzheng was very unhappy. Why should a wife be used to serve parents? Isn't a wife meant to live a life?
But Xia Ruzheng could not refute, he could only lower his head to hide his expression and emotions, and pretend to be humble and willing to learn.
The mother-in-law continued, "We were thinking, since we already have several brothers and wives at home, one more person working at home wouldn't make any difference. We might as well let you go with Chaochao and have a baby sooner."
This is the key point! Xia Ruzheng felt inexplicably relieved.
As she spoke, the mother-in-law looked at Xia Ruzheng with a reproachful look: "How come you haven't received any news since you left home for over a year?"
Xia Ruzheng blushed slightly, acting like a shy wife, and said, "Maybe we are a little too busy, so..."
I'm too busy and too tired, so I don't have much time to spend in bed. How can I raise a child if I don't have sex?
After hearing this, the mother-in-law continued, "That's why I say, money can be earned slowly, but children are something you can't have after you get older, so you must seize the opportunity!"
In 1983, the family planning policy continued to tighten, and the workload of many family planning commissions increased. In some places, people began to crack down on excessive births. Those caught were fined, and those who became pregnant had to have abortions, and those who gave birth had to undergo sterilization. As a result, many people had to hide and give birth to children. After the child was born, you couldn't kill it or put it back, right? But there was a solution: they didn't register the child's household registration.
It's okay in this era, but when children grow up, they will need a household registration to go to school, find a job, seek medical treatment, and even buy a house. Without a household registration, they have no identity, and people without an ID card can't do anything.
Xia Ruzheng's mother-in-law probably wanted Xia Ruzheng to give birth to a child as soon as possible, and maybe even give birth to a few children before the policies became more and more stringent.
"Mom, I know. Actually, I want to have a baby too! But isn't having a child a matter of fate? If the Goddess of Childbirth gave it to you, then it was given to you. If she didn't, there's nothing you can do about it, right? I can only tell you that I will have a good talk with Zhichao about this matter."
Having a baby is not just a woman's job. People just see that the baby comes out of the woman's belly, so they think that whether to have a baby and whether it is a boy or a girl are decided by women. Who would have thought that men also have a responsibility?
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