Chapter 44
He Shuiqing went out to get some water and saw a young couple standing on the roadside talking. Driven by curiosity, she tiptoed towards them.
At first glance, isn't this Wang Liying's younger sister? Why is she with Xu Zhao! ?
He Shuiqing's eyes flashed with gossip. He hid behind a tree, stretched his neck, pricked up his ears, and stared straight ahead without blinking.
After Xu Zhao walked away, Wang Lijuan stayed where she was, gritting her teeth and stamping her feet, muttering something as if she was cursing someone.
He Shuiqing moved his numb feet, turned around and walked quickly home.
She was so excited that she couldn't wait to find someone to share this big gossip with.
They were all experienced people. The angle she was standing at just now allowed her to see Wang Lijuan's expression. She dared to conclude that this girl had different thoughts about Xu Zhao and guessed that she had fallen in love with Xu Zhao.
Tsk tsk, this girl is young, but she has a very smart mind.
Xu Zhao is already married, and an unmarried girl stopped a man in broad daylight and used the excuse of children fighting to approach a man. If she really wanted to apologize, why didn't she go to Jiang Suihan, but went to Xu Zhao instead? Her intentions were clearly revealed.
After getting rid of the inexplicable person, Xu Zhao quickened his pace. When Jiang Huihan came out with the dishes, he happened to see him coming in from outside: "Why are you so late today? Go wash your hands and eat."
Xu Zhao handed her two apples. They were quite big, but the skin was a bit rough and had some small spots on it.
"Where did the apples come from?" Jiang Suihan's eyes lit up. She hadn't eaten apples for a long time and she missed it a little.
Xu Zhao: "A comrade-in-arms sent these from his hometown. He gave me two. Do you like apples?"
Jiang Suihan nodded: "I like it. I like all fruits. I haven't eaten them for a long time. I'll eat them after dinner."
Seeing her happily putting the apples aside, Xu Zhao thought that except for going to the market once, she hadn't been out these days, and she must be bored staying at home.
"There are wild grapes and persimmons in the mountains. I'll take you to the mountains to pick them some other day."
There is a mountain behind the troops with dense forests. There seems to be no wild animals such as wild boars, tigers and wolves, but the villagers nearby have seen them in the past few years.
Jiang Suihan immediately became interested: "Okay, then let's go pick fruits together when you have a day off."
It rained two days ago, and Wu Guihua wanted to go to the mountains to pick mushrooms and dig wild vegetables, so she came over and asked her if she wanted to go with her. Jiang Suihan really wanted to go, but her period suddenly came and she had stomach discomfort, so she didn't go.
With Xu Zhao accompanying us, there is no need to worry about safety.
Xu Zhao moved closer and suddenly asked her in a low voice: "Does your stomach still hurt?"
Last night Jiang Huihan had a stomachache, her face was pale, and she slept uneasily. It was then that he knew that girls would have this experience every month. Seeing that she was in pain, he could not help, so he could only put his hand on her stomach to warm it up.
Jiang Suihan blushed slightly. Even if they were close friends, she would not be comfortable talking about that kind of thing between girls.
Thinking of how flustered and nervous he was last night, she laughed secretly: "You feel much better today. Are you hungry? Let's eat."
After dinner, Jiang Suihan found a small knife, peeled the apple and cut it into four pieces. She and Xu Zhao each got one piece, and Jiang Leyun got two pieces.
The family sat in the yard, enjoying the evening breeze and eating sweet apples. Jiang Suihan suddenly felt that her life now was quite comfortable. She had a place to live, no worries about food and drink, and no need to worry about someone coming to make trouble at home every day.
Xu Zhao handed the apple to Jiang Huihan: "You eat it."
Jiang Huihan bit the apple in her hand and refused to take his: "There is another one, just eat it if I tell you to."
Good things should be shared. She liked eating apples, but she wouldn't stop Xu Zhao from eating them just for the sake of eating them. He was the one who brought the apple back.
Not satisfied with just one piece, Jiang Huihan also cut the apple that she had originally planned to save for tomorrow. This time she got two pieces, and Xu Zhao and Jiang Leyun each got one piece.
Jiang Leyun had just finished dinner and ate two apples. His belly was visibly bulging. He was not in a hurry to eat the apple in his hand, but chewed it slowly.
Xu Zhao washed the knife and put it away, then sat back in his chair: "You have an exam tomorrow, are you nervous?"
The time for the recruitment exam for primary school teachers in the army has been set. It will be held at 8:30 tomorrow morning. It is said that there are not many people who meet the requirements, and the number of people who have signed up shall not exceed ten.
Jiang Suihan had previously asked Wu Guihua for Zhao Dajun’s elementary school textbooks and had roughly looked through them. She found that the elementary school knowledge was not difficult and was quite easy to understand, and she had confidence in herself.
"I'm not nervous. It's just an exam. Since I was a child, I've never been afraid of exams. I can go to the cafeteria to eat after I finish the exam tomorrow morning."
She had already made up her mind. She would get up early tomorrow to take the exam and then go directly to the cafeteria for lunch after the exam. She didn't want to cook.
Jiang Leyun, who was listening in, did not talk about the deep sibling love, but instead exposed his sister on the spot: "You are bragging, you are so boastful. When I was taking the college entrance exam, you were very nervous. You couldn't sleep at night and secretly read in your room. Dad found you and talked to you for a long time. You were almost late the next day."
Jiang Suihan turned her head and looked at Jiang Leyun with a surprised expression. She took the college entrance examination two years ago, and he was only five years old at that time. How could a five-year-old child remember things that happened two years ago?
She has never paid attention to other people's five-year-old children. Isn't her own memory a bit incredible?
Jiang Suihan couldn't help but pinch the little guy's face and said through gritted teeth: "Can't you save some face for me, your sister? You say everything out loud. I don't care about face."
Jiang Leyun wrinkled his nose at his sister, wanting to say, if you want to save face, don't brag, as it's easy to be exposed. But he was afraid that his sister would get angry and tease him.
I glanced at my brother-in-law sitting next to me. A man who doesn't have the power to make decisions at home cannot be trusted.
Xu Zhao was puzzled. What was going on with this look of sympathy and pity?
Jiang Huihan turned to look at Xu Zhao: "Do you know who the principal is?"
It's an exam soon, so the principal should be present, after all, he is selecting talents for the school.
Xu Zhao knew about this. Zhang Xiangqian, the loud speaker, told him: "If nothing unexpected happens, Aunt Cai should be the principal. Aunt Cai lived with her eldest son's family a few years ago and came to the army last year. The Xu family and our family are old friends. I grew up with the two sons of the Xu family. When I was young, my parents were busy with work, so I often went to the Xu family for meals."
Chief of Staff Xu’s wife is called Cai Danyu. She is an old acquaintance of Xu Zhao’s mother. They were classmates in elementary and junior high school. Later, they got married and had children, but their feelings did not fade. Aunt Cai treated Xu Zhao like her own son.
Aunt Cai went to visit her daughter last month. Her daughter had just given birth and had been there for more than two months. She just came back recently.
To be honest, when Xu Zhao heard that Aunt Cai was the principal of a military primary school, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Jiang Suihan had been studying in school and had never worked before. He was worried that she might not be able to adapt to the new job well. With Aunt Cai around, she could help if she encountered any problems at work.
Jiang Huihan held her chin with one hand and said half-jokingly, "Is that so? Then I have to behave well tomorrow and not embarrass your mother."
It was only at this time that she began to face up to the power of the Xu family. Xu Zhao knew some important people in the army. They were of the same generation as his father, and they had some deep and some shallow relationships with him. No wonder Xu Zhao dared to marry her. He was a third-generation military man with a good family background. No matter how chaotic the outside world was, those people would not dare to involve the Xu family.
Although his family has some connections in the military, Xu Zhao seldom talks about his family elders in front of other people. Only people with whom he has a good relationship know about his family's situation. He has never liked to show off. In the past few years, he has relied on his own strength to fight in the army, and his body is covered with scars of various sizes.
Xu Zhao smiled and tapped Jiang Huihan's forehead gently: "You said it wrong again. She is my mother and also your mother-in-law."
Jiang Suhan was a little embarrassed, but it was not her fault. She had never met her parents-in-law since she got married and had only called them once. She was not used to this address yet.
She received the things her mother-in-law sent from the capital last time. It was a big package with a lot of miscellaneous things, including food, clothing and daily necessities. She suspected that her mother-in-law had looted everything in the house and sent it all to her. What was surprising was that there was a sewing machine ticket enclosed in it, which just solved her urgent problem.
Xu Zhao suddenly said, "Dahe will go to the county in a couple of days. I asked him to stop by the department store to see if the sewing machines have arrived. If they have, he can buy one."
These past few nights, when Jiang Suihan got tired of reading, she went to make clothes. Her skills were not very good and she was not skilled enough. Often, an hour would pass and she had only sewn a very small part. It could be said that her speed was very snail-like.
Xu Zhao felt tired for her when he saw her doing this. He wanted to persuade her to stop doing this, as her family had enough money to buy ready-made clothes. However, she was secretly thinking about wearing the clothes she had made herself, and seeing how excited she was, he knew that even if he told her, she might not listen.
Jiang Suihan grinned at him, her eyes curved into beautiful crescent shapes. "Great! With a sewing machine I can finish the clothes quickly. I'll make your pajamas first, then Lele and me. When I finish these, the weather should be getting cold. I'll buy some wool and knit sweaters for you guys."
"Let me tell you, I'm very good at knitting. I learned it from a girl who sat next to me in high school. Her mother worked in a textile factory. I thought it was interesting, so I learned from her. When the time comes, I'll knit the same style for the three of us, so outsiders will know we're a family."
My deskmate was a little girl with a round face, two pigtails, and she was very cute. She didn’t get into university, but she was lucky. The textile factory happened to be recruiting workers that year, so she took the exam and was the last one admitted. Jiang Suihan even went to celebrate with her and bought her a pen as a graduation gift.
Xu Zhao looked at her counting on her fingers with a beaming look on her face. He unconsciously raised the corners of his mouth and said softly, "Don't worry, take your time. I have clothes to wear."
Jiang Suihan: "It seems like there is a lot of time, but actually there are a lot of things to do. If I pass the exam to become a teacher, I won't have as much free time as I do now. Don't worry, I know what to do and I won't tire myself out."
Early the next morning, Xu Zhao woke up Jiang Huihan before going out. There was no alarm clock at home. She was worried that she would oversleep and miss the morning exam, so she specifically asked him to wake her up last night.
Xu Zhao glanced at his watch. It was just past six o'clock. Seeing her sleepy and yawning with one hand covering her mouth, he couldn't help but say, "It's still early. Why don't you sleep a little longer?"
Jiang Suihan yawned again and lifted the quilt: "No, it's too late to go back to sleep if you wake up, so you better get up."
I am used to waking up at eight or nine o'clock every morning. My biological clock is suddenly broken. My mind is clear, but I am still lazy and want to stay in bed a little longer.
Xu Zhao put on his coat and said, "There's a meeting later and I have to be there, so I won't take you there. Breakfast is on the dining table in the living room, remember to eat it."
Feeling that he was treating her like a child, Jiang Huihan lay on the bed and looked up at him: "I know, I'm not Lele. I don't need someone to send me to take an exam. Go quickly and don't be late."
Xu Zhao laughed softly: "Lele is more sensible than you."
Jiang Suihan glared at him: "What did you say? Say it again."
He actually compared her to a seven-year-old kid, and the key point is that she can't even compare. Is it that hurtful?
Xu Zhao touched her face and said, "I won't fight with you anymore. I'm leaving."
After hesitating for another two minutes, Jiang Huihan twisted her neck, stood up and stretched, then went downstairs to wash up.
She looked in the closet and took out the clothes Xu Zhao bought for her at the department store last time: black pants and a white shirt, which were loose fitting. If the situation allowed, Jiang Suihan would have wanted to tie a knot at the bottom of her shirt for fear of being too out of line.
I washed my hair last night when I took a shower early. I used a wooden comb to slowly comb my hair, tied it into two long braids, and combed my bangs.
Jiang Suhan likes long hair, but she doesn’t like it to be too long because it is difficult to take care of. Her hair is almost waist-length. It takes a long time to wash it every time, and it also takes a long time to dry it. She thinks she must remember to go to the barber shop to cut her hair short next time.
Her eyebrows were in a good shape. She used a razor blade to trim the excess hairs. She looked energetic without drawing them. She looked in the mirror and was quite satisfied with her appearance today.
I put the notebook and pen in my bag, put on my backpack, put on my shoes, and headed straight to the military primary school.
Jiang Leyun knew that her sister had to take an exam this morning, so she did not go with her. After breakfast, she went to play with Zhao Xiaojun.
I met Chen Xiuni on the way. She seemed to have forgotten what happened that day. She smiled and greeted Jiang Huihan: "Good morning, Jiang, are you going to the elementary school to take the exam?"
Jiang Huihan also smiled and replied, "Yes, I'm on my way there."
Chen Xiuni looked at Jiang Huihan enviously: "Then go quickly, don't be late, otherwise you will miss the exam."
They met other people along the way. After all, they had been here for more than half a month, and Jiang Suihan also got to know some people.
The sisters-in-law knew that she was going to take an exam and didn't talk much to her. They just told her to do well in the exam and not to be nervous. Jiang Suihan suddenly felt that the sisters-in-law in the staff housing compound were sometimes quite cute and not all of them were as unreasonable as Wang Liying.
The military primary school is newly built, with two floors. It is not very big, and there are already people waiting on the first floor.
Jiang Suihan glanced at the watch on her wrist. There were still two or three minutes left until eight o'clock. The exam was at 8:30. She thought she had come quite early, but when she looked carefully, she saw five or six people standing in the corridor.
Dai Jia came over and patted Jiang Suihan on the shoulder: "Morning."
Jiang Suihan turned around: "Good morning, you're here too?"
Dai Jia is a local and works in the town's supply and marketing cooperative. Jiang Suihan is puzzled as to why she is taking the exam when she already has a formal job.
Dai Jia spread his hands and said, "I knew you would be curious. The supply and marketing cooperative in our town is too far from the army. It takes almost four hours to commute to and from get off work every day. I have to get up before dawn, which is too tiring. I think elementary school teachers are good. They are close to home and can take care of children. I thought about coming here to give it a try. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to pass the exam."
Due to her work, she lived in her mother's house most of the time, and brought her son with her mother to help take care of him. Because of this, her sister-in-law disliked her openly and secretly, thinking that she was married and yet she came back to take advantage of her mother's family.
Last time, I failed to introduce a boyfriend to my eldest sister-in-law's niece. My eldest sister-in-law has been very picky about her. Of course, she is not so crazy as to give her a cold face in front of her parents.
Also, there was a client with a connection in the supply and marketing cooperative who found fault with her in every way and went against her. She reported this to her leader, but the leader was helpless and advised her to be patient, saying that she should not mess with people with such connections.
Nothing had been going well for her lately, making her physically and mentally exhausted. One evening while having dinner, she heard Zhang Xiangqian say that the military primary school was recruiting teachers. She started to think, and just when she was worrying about it, the opportunity came.
Jiang Suihan understands that it is not easy for a mother to balance family and career: "That's great, if we both pass the exam, we can still be colleagues."
Since Dai Jia was able to take the exam, she must have at least a junior high school education. Dai Jia's parents must be quite open-minded to allow their daughter to go to junior high school.
Some people are narrow-minded and cannot stand others doing better than them. One more person taking the exam means one more competition, and the probability of passing is reduced.
Dai Jia saw that Jiang Suihan was happy for her and did not show any dissatisfaction. She thought she was a good person. Just as she said, if they became colleagues, they could interact more often in the future.
Jiang Suihan glanced around and saw another acquaintance, but didn't think of going over to say hello.
Wang Lijuan also saw Jiang Suihan. Thinking of Xu Zhao's cold words that day, her expression changed slightly.
Why isn’t the New Year coming yet? She can’t wait any longer.
Dai Jia touched Jiang Suihan and said, "Wang Liying's sister has been staring at you. What happened between you and her?"
"I've only seen her a few times. If there's any conflict, it's with Wang Liying. I don't know why she looks at me like that." Jiang Huihan was confused. She really couldn't figure out why Wang Lijuan was staring at her. "Could it be because I'm pretty?"
Dai Jia was speechless. She found Jiang Huihan quite narcissistic, so she asked tentatively, "Have you heard any rumors these days?"
Jiang Suihan shook her head: "I usually stay at home and rarely go out. Did you hear anything? Tell me about it."
Dai Jia asked this question, he must have heard something about her.
"Forget it, let's wait until after the exam to avoid affecting your mood during the exam." Dai Jia thought about it and decided not to reveal it for the time being.
She only had one chance to take the exam, and if she failed, she would be guilty.
Jiang Huihan was not curious at first, but after hearing what Dai Jia said, she became a little curious: "Who would say half of the answer and leave the other half? It makes me itch and I want to know more. Please be kind enough to tell me, otherwise I won't be able to concentrate on the test later and won't be in the mood to do the questions."
Dai Jia said helplessly: "Then I'll tell you, last night after dinner I took my son downstairs to play, and I heard someone say that they saw your Xu Zhao being blocked by a young girl on the side of the road, and the two talked for a while."
Jiang Suihan guessed it right away: "Wang Lijuan?"
Dai Jia was surprised and said, "So you knew about this. I feel relieved now."
She was mainly worried that if she told this matter, Jiang Huihan and Xu Zhao would have a quarrel, which would affect the relationship of the young couple, and they would blame her for being nosy.
Zhang Xiangqian and Xu Zhao are good brothers. If it weren't for the good relationship between the two families, she wouldn't have said anything.
Jiang Suihan inexplicably had a sense of expectation. She now understood that Wang Lijuan didn't know her, but every time she looked at her, the look in her eyes made people unable to tell what was strange.
It turns out that the key point lies with Xu Zhao.
"Then do you know what she and Xu Zhao said?"
Dai Jia looked a little embarrassed. Since Jiang Suihan had asked her about it, she couldn't avoid the question.
Besides, those military wives have nothing to do all day long. As long as there is a little movement in the family compound, they are like cats smelling fish. They can’t wait to hold their bowls and eat while watching what happens, and then spread gossip to people around them.
Dai Jia chose her words carefully: "Actually, I don't really understand it. It seems that Wang Lijuan stopped Xu Zhao on his way home and said that she wanted to apologize for Wang Liying's trouble with you that day. She also said that she would make hawthorn cake for Xu Zhao to eat. That's about it."
As for this matter, she also heard it from hearsay. Some people in the family compound are very good at exaggerating, and many rumors are spread in this way. It is not clear how much water there is in it.
A fly never bites an egg without cracks. Wang Lijuan is an unmarried girl, and if bad things are spread about her, it will be difficult for her to get married in the future.
Dai Jia still believed in Xu Zhao's character. There were so many beautiful girls in the art troupe before, and some bold ones even asked Xu Zhao directly if they could be her boyfriend. Xu Zhao didn't agree to any of them and rejected them all. Zhang Xiangqian even complained at home that Xu Zhao was not smart.
Wang Lijuan is quite sweet and pretty, but when she stands next to Jiang Suhan, the contrast is obvious. If she were Xu Zhao, with such a beauty hanging around her every day, she would not even notice the wild flowers on the roadside.
Jiang Huihan was dumbfounded. Isn't it said that people nowadays are very reserved in their emotions? Wang Lijuan's behavior was a bit out of line.
It would be fine if Xu Zhao was not married, after all, he was good-looking, and it was normal for girls to like him. However, he was already married, and Wang Lijuan rushed up to him so recklessly. How could an unmarried girl bring food to a married man?
Isn't she afraid of being criticized?
Or is it that Xu Zhao's charm is so great that she has lost her mind and is willing to risk her life for love?
After a while, Jiang Suihan calmed down and said, "Oh, maybe she really wants to send food to Xu Zhao. I have never eaten hawthorn cake. If she sends it to you someday, I will give it to you to try."
Dai Jia suspected that Jiang Suihan was so angry that she was stupid. She said angrily, "She has already set her sights on your man. She might try to snatch him away one day. How can you be so calm and act like nothing happened?"
This doesn't seem like jealousy or anger.
Could it be that, as some people in the family compound speculated, Xu Zhao and Jiang Suihan were a marriage arranged by their families, and that they had no feelings for each other and were forced into marriage?
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