Chapter 63
"Why didn't you wake me up? I'm going to be late." The first thing Jiang Suihan did when she woke up was to pick up the watch beside the bed. She saw that it was already 7:30 in the morning, and she had class at 8:10. She would be too late.
Xu Zhao touched his nose and wanted to say, "I didn't know you had classes this morning. Seeing that she was sleeping soundly, he wanted to let her sleep a little longer." However, he knew that he couldn't go along with her words to defend himself at this time, otherwise she would definitely be angry with him.
Based on the experience he had learned from his father and mother over the years, every time his mother got angry, his father would never refute her, and just say, "If you're wrong, then you're wrong." After his mother had calmed down on her anger, the two of them would not have any more arguments, and the couple would be happy again the next day.
Jiang Huihan didn't have time to be angry with him, so she quickly got up, put on her shoes, changed her clothes, and went downstairs while taking the time to tie her hair.
Seeing how anxious she was, Xu Zhao was afraid that she would be late for class, so he served her a bowl of porridge and stirred it slowly with a spoon so that the porridge would cool down quickly.
After packing up, Jiang Huihan looked at the time and it was 7:50. She didn't dare to dawdle any longer and pushed her bicycle out.
Seeing that she was about to leave, Xu Zhao hurriedly asked, "Are you not going to have breakfast?"
Jiang Suihan: "It's running out of time. I won't eat. I only have two classes left. I'll eat after I get home."
How can I not eat breakfast? I might faint during class.
Xu Zhao didn't let her go: "There are still about 20 minutes before class, it would be fine if you drink some porridge to fill your stomach."
He pulled the back seat of the car and couldn't move. Jiang Huihan had no choice but to be pressed by him while drinking half a bowl of white porridge with a small dish of pickled radish: "Where did this pickled radish come from? It's quite delicious."
She remembered that there was no pickled radish at home. It was refreshing and crisp, and it was a perfect match with white porridge and very appetizing.
Xu Zhao put the fried egg into her bowl and said, "I exchanged it with a female comrade at the County Public Security Bureau yesterday."
The incident broke out yesterday, and all the people from the Public Security Bureau who were not lying in the hospital and unable to get up were called over to help and worked overtime all night. Among them was a female police officer who was less than three months pregnant. Her mother-in-law came to the Public Security Bureau to bring her a meal, which included a dish of pickled radish.
Xu Zhao noticed it at that time and shamelessly went to ask if the family had any more of the pickled radishes. He wanted to buy some. The policewoman's mother-in-law learned that he was a soldier and was buying pickled radishes for his pregnant wife. Without saying a word, she rode her bike home and brought back half a jar of pickled radishes. She offered her money but refused, saying that a little pickled radish was not worth much.
Xu Zhao gave the strong reason that soldiers cannot take even a single needle or thread from ordinary people, and the policewoman's mother-in-law had no choice but to accept the money, and also gave her two salted duck eggs as a gift.
Zhang Xiangqian was shocked: "Is your girlfriend pregnant?!"
Xu Zhao nodded slightly and carefully put away the half jar of pickled radish.
Zhang Xiangqian stared at him, seemingly incredulous: "How did you get pregnant?"
This sounds harsh. What do you mean, how did you get pregnant?
Should I suspect him or Jiang Suhan?
Xu Zhao looked at Zhang Xiangqian coldly and rolled up his sleeves: "You'd better give me a reason not to beat you up."
Zhang Xiangqian took a deep breath. His mouth was faster than his brain. It was all his fault. He smiled awkwardly and explained, "No, I definitely don't doubt your personal ability. Of course, I don't doubt Comrade Xiao Jiang either."
Xu Zhao had a blank expression on his face, as if to say, "I'll just watch you talk nonsense."
Zhang Xiangqian chuckled in a disingenuous way: "I am praising you. You have only been married for three months and you will have a son next year. Our country is not even as fast as you in building rockets."
Xu Zhao frowned. If they were not in someone else's territory, he really wanted to punch Zhang Xiangqian to pour out the water in his brain. If you don't know how to speak, then don't speak.
Zhang Xiangqian put his arm around Xu Zhao's shoulders and said excitedly, "I was wondering why you were so generous today, with milk powder, malted milk, and so much food. It turns out there's a happy event at home. Let's find some time to have a drink together some other day, just to celebrate that you finally don't have to wait until you're old to have a child."
Xu Zhao grasped the key point in the words: "What do you mean by having a child in old age?"
Zhang Xiangqian really wanted to slap himself in the face. See, he let the cat out of the bag.
He didn't dare look at Xu Zhao, and stammered, "Last year, a few of us were drinking together. We drank too much and made a small bet with you. We bet whether you would get married before or after the age of 30. The phrase "having a child in old age" was not said by me, but by Gangzi and Huizi. They laughed at you."
Zhang Xiangqian said in his heart, I'm sorry, brothers, I don't want to take the blame for you, but Xu Zhao has caught me. I'd rather die than let my friends die. Anyway, you are not here, so I'll use you to block the bullets for the time being.
Xu Zhao sneered: "You really are my good brothers."
Zhang Xiangqian was very thick-skinned and stubborn, "Of course. After all, we have slept in the same bed for more than two years and have been through life and death together so many times. We are brothers to each other."
Xu Zhao couldn't help but rolled his eyes. This guy had a poisonous mouth. They had lived in the same dormitory and slept on bunk beds. The words coming out of his mouth just sounded awkward.
That means he has to cooperate with the County Public Security Bureau at night. If he were in the army now, he would definitely take Zhang Xiangqian to have a good discussion with him.
The pickled radish tasted better and better. Jiang Huihan finished a bowl of white porridge without realizing it. She looked at the time again. It was already eight o'clock. If she didn't hurry to school, she would be late.
"LeLe, take your schoolbag, hurry up."
Jiang Leyun climbed onto the back seat of the bicycle with his schoolbag on his back. Jiang Huihan lifted his feet off the ground and pushed hard, and the bicycle started moving.
Xu Zhao shouted from behind, "Be careful when riding your bike."
In front of the row of faucets in front of the residential quarters, several women were busy doing something. Some were washing clothes and bed sheets, while others were washing vegetables and brushing shoes.
"I passed by Deputy Commander Xu's house this morning while watering the vegetables. You weren't there, so you didn't see how reluctant Deputy Commander Xu was to leave. He was just going to a military elementary school, not far away. Just seeing him gave me goosebumps."
"The couple just got married, and Deputy Commander Xu just came back from a mission. It's normal for them to be a little clingy after a short separation. I don't believe you and your wife didn't do that when you were young. Besides, the young wife is pretty, and men all like pretty girls."
"Hey, do you think Comrade Jiang looks down on us country folk? She rarely goes out and stays at home all day. She doesn't get along with anyone in the family compound except Wu Guihua."
"They are city dwellers, so it's normal that they are not used to dealing with us rural people. Moreover, now they have a job and teach students every day, so they don't have time to deal with us."
"Teacher Yao, the wife of Brigade Commander Qin, is not like this. She greets me every time she sees me. People from the city are so great. Why do they look down on others?"
"I also heard that she doesn't work at home. Deputy Head Xu does all the laundry, cooking and sweeping. She just sits and waits for dinner. If such a lazy daughter-in-law were in my hometown, she would be a disgrace to her parents and she wouldn't be able to hold her head up in the village."
"You're jealous, right? I'm not eating your rice. Xu Zhao can support her, so why do you care whether she works or not?" Chen Xiaohong was chewing a red tomato, impatient to listen to a group of narrow-minded women making sarcastic remarks here.
"Who are you saying is jealous? We were just gossiping and they didn't do you any good, yet you're trying to please them. Don't you think that the smell of dirt on you might bother others?" Aunt Li waved her hand and made Chen Xiaohong look mean.
"What are you doing? You want to fight, right? I'm not afraid of you. Come on, hit me in the stomach if you have the guts." Chen Xiaohong spat out the tomato skin, her anger rising.
Aunt Li raised her hands in the air, feeling extremely embarrassed. She glanced at Chen Xiaohong's slightly bulging belly, feeling unwilling but not daring to push anyone.
She likes to extort money from people, but she doesn't want to be extorted. What if something goes wrong and she is asked to pay compensation?
Aunt Li stared at Chen Xiaohong with a weak temper: "I am a magnanimous person and I won't bother with a young man like you. You don't stay at home to rest when you are pregnant. Aren't you afraid that you will lose the baby?"
Chen Xiaohong firmly believed that the baby in her belly was a boy. When she heard Aunt Li cursing the child, she put her hands on her hips, pointed at Aunt Li's nose and cursed: "Bah! Everyone knows that you love to take advantage of others. Even if a needle falls on the ground, you will pick it up and say it is from your family. Last time a piece of meat was lost in He Shuiqing's house, don't think that no one will know it was you just because you are careful and cautious."
He Shuiqing bought more than a pound of pork last month. She couldn't bear to eat it all at once, so she cut some meat to cook that day and hung the rest by the kitchen window. She lives on the first floor. When she got up the next day, she found that the meat was missing. She searched the entire compound but couldn't find the thief who stole the meat.
He Shuiqing actually had several suspects, and Aunt Li was one of them, but unfortunately she had no evidence.
She raised her eyebrows, pushed aside the people standing in front of her, and looked at Aunt Li with a very unpleasant expression: "Okay, Aunt Li, you are really good at acting. You lied to me before that the meat might have been eaten by rats, but it turns out that rat was you! My family has worked hard to save meat for a month, and all the meat has gone into your family's stomach. Doesn't meat taste especially delicious when it's free of charge? You can't leave without giving me an explanation today, or I will report you to the army."
She had intended to use the meat to nourish her two children at home. Not only was she upset about losing the meat, but the children were so upset that they couldn't sleep well for several days, and they kept calling for meat in their dreams.
Aunt Li's face suddenly changed. She felt guilty and didn't dare to look at He Shuiqing. She argued loudly and arrogantly: "If you saw it, why didn't you tell everyone earlier? You are only bringing it up now. It's obvious that you can't argue. You lied to me casually. How can you be so vicious?"
She looked at Chen Xiaohong with disdain: "Your three daughters are pitiful. There is no difference between their biological mother and stepmother. The stepmother can only pretend to be good, but you, as the biological mother, only care about eating meat yourself and don't even leave a mouthful of meat soup for the three daughters. How can you have a conscience? Poor Battalion Commander Zhang married a wife with a bad heart like you. He was really blind. The Zhang family is unlucky."
Although Aunt Li is over 60 years old, she is still smart and can think quickly.
Chen Xiaohong was so angry that her face turned red. It was not an exaggeration to say that she was furious: "You are unlucky, old hag. Your husband died young, and life as a widow must be hard. Look at your face, which looks like dried orange peels. You are sarcastic and shameless. Your grandson is pitiful because of a grandmother like you who has no morals and no ethics. The night you stole the meat, my little Cao woke up in the middle of the night and saw it. Don't think you can get away with it."
If I don’t make you lose some skin today, I’m not going to be named Chen!
"You deserve not to have a son."
"You are an old widow who has a bad fate."
"You abused your three daughters, God will strike you with lightning."
"You are disrespectful to the elderly, which is intolerable."
The two of them were arguing with each other, one was a pregnant woman and the other was an old man in his sixties. People on both sides were afraid that something might happen, so they grabbed one of them and forcibly separated them.
Chen Xiaohong was almost going crazy because she couldn't vent her anger. "How could I be considered abusing my daughters? I gave birth to them, fed them, clothed them, and raised them to this age. How can you say I'm not worthy of being a mother? Everyone's family has gone through this. She hasn't even cleaned up the shit on herself, and Li Chunmiao has the nerve to say that to me."
If she wasn't pregnant, she would not have been able to endure this and would have pounced on Aunt Li and scratched her face.
Chen Xiuni was worried that Chen Xiaohong might get hurt, so she consoled her by saying, "You know what kind of person Aunt Li is. She is always unreasonable and can make trouble even if it is unreasonable. You are pregnant now, so take care of yourself."
Chen Xiaohong immediately said: "Yes, my son is still in my belly, so don't scare him."
Chen Xiuni thought that what Aunt Li said was not entirely wrong. Chen Xiaohong only wanted to have a son. In her eyes, a daughter was just a weed. She only raised her daughter to help with housework so that she could get a dowry in the future.
"Teacher Jiang, Teacher Jiang, Xiaocao is crying." A little girl ran over.
"Xiao Cao is crying?" Jiang Huihan was stunned for a moment. She recognized this child, a girl in the fourth grade class. "What happened? Tell the teacher."
Hong Chunmei breathed a sigh of relief: "Xiaocao's mother didn't let Xiaocao go to school, and then Xiaocao cried."
Very good, simple and clear, but the cause is not clear enough.
Jiang Suihan followed her and asked, "Why doesn't Xiaocao's mother let her study?"
Hong Chunmei's voice was a little depressed: "Xiaocao's mother is pregnant with a baby. Her mother said that she will stay at home to take care of her little brother and will not come to school next year."
She and Xiaocao are good friends. They go to school together, do homework together, and play together. They even agreed to get 100 points in the final exam together. However, her best friend will not be able to continue her studies next year after finishing this semester. She doesn't know how to comfort her best friend, so she can only come to the teacher.
Hong Chunmei thought that Teacher Jiang was so great, maybe Xiaocao's mother would listen to Teacher Jiang, and Xiaocao wouldn't have to drop out of school.
"Teacher Jiang, Xiaocao likes going to school very much. She is very sad and keeps crying. Can you talk to Xiaocao's mother and ask her not to stop Xiaocao from going to school?"
Looking at the innocent eyes of the elementary school students, Jiang Suihan couldn't say for sure: "The teacher will try his best."
The school is very small and we found the person against the wall behind the classroom.
Zhang Xiaocao squatted on the ground, hugged her knees with her hands and buried her face in her knees. Her face could not be seen. She was crying sadly because her student career was about to end.
Hong Chunmei ran up to Xiaocao and said, "Xiaocao, I have called Teacher Jiang. Teacher Jiang said that he will help you persuade your mother. Once your mother changes her mind, you can go to school again."
Hearing his good friend's voice, Zhang Xiaocao finally raised his head, his eyes red, and wiped his face with his sleeves, saying in a low voice: "Teacher Jiang."
Jiang Suihan knew Zhang Xiaocao. Her mother was Chen Xiaohong. She had two younger sisters. One was nine years old and in the second grade, and the other was six years old and did not go to school.
Looking at Zhang Xiaocao's timid and thin body, her clothes were almost all patched and not very clean, with some black and gray stains on them. Her braids were tied with faded rags, and the rags used for the two braids were not even the same color.
You can tell at a glance that this child is not favored at home.
"It's okay, Xiaocao, don't be afraid. The teacher just wants to learn about your family situation and will go to your home for a home visit. Chunmei said that your mother is pregnant. Your mother asked you to finish this semester and stop going to school next year. Stay at home to help take care of your younger brothers and sisters, is that right?"
Zhang Xiaocao lowered her head and said in a muffled voice: "My mother said that my younger brother is the support for my sister and me in the future, so I must be good to him. She also said that I am the oldest child in the family and I must set a good example. Without a younger brother, I will not be able to hold my head up high in other families after I get married."
The 11- or 12-year-old child looked up and asked earnestly and stubbornly: "Teacher, do girls have to get married?"
Jiang Suihan suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, and she had an inexplicable rage that wanted to burst out, but she couldn't find an outlet. She touched Zhang Xiaocao's head. The little girl's hair quality was not very good, it was a little dry and yellow.
She half squatted down, her eyes were calm, her voice was calm but powerful: "Your mother is wrong, everyone's life is his own, no one else can make choices for him, even if that person is his closest person, girls can choose to get married or not, there is nothing that must be done."
"The meaning of life is not limited to getting married and having children. Girls can also use their own hands to support their own sky. You are still young now, and maybe you don't understand what the teacher said today, but you must remember one truth: reading is to understand reason. Reading may not make you earn a lot of money, and it may not make you famous, but it can make you grow and become a better person."
Zhang Xiaocao looked confused and bewildered: "Teacher, I don't quite understand. You said that everyone's life is their own and only they can make choices, but I can't disobey my mother. If she doesn't let me go to school, I can't go."
She thought silently in her heart, why am I not Teacher Jiang’s child? Teacher Jiang is so gentle and kind. If I were Teacher Jiang’s child, I would definitely be the happiest child in the world.
Jiang Suihan held Zhang Xiaocao's hand and said, "That's because you are still young and can't support yourself. You can only rely on your parents. When you grow up and can live on your own in society, you will be considered to have truly grown up. The teacher asks you, is your father good to you and your sister at home?"
Zhang Xiaocao: "Better than my mother. She sometimes buys us candy."
She knew in her heart that her father and mother both wanted to have a younger brother. In the past, the grandmothers and aunts in the village sometimes joked that her family didn't have a boy, and that she and her sister would be miserable in the future without anyone to support them. She was young at that time and didn't understand why she and her sister would have a miserable life without a younger brother. Don't they still have a father and mother?
Jiang Suihan held her chin with her right hand: "Is your mother afraid of your father?"
Zhang Xiaocao thought about it and was a little uncertain: "I think I should be afraid."
She had never seen her father beat her mother, but she knew that her mother must be afraid of her father.
Jiang Suihan snapped her fingers, "Got it. Go home tonight and tell your dad that you want to study. Cry as you speak. You must cry miserably and feel wronged. The louder the better. If your dad doesn't agree to let you continue studying, you must not stop. He can beat you or scold you. Just keep pestering until your parents agree."
After a pause, she felt a little guilty, reflecting on whether this would corrupt the flowers of the motherland. However, since things had come to this point, she could only bite the bullet and continue.
"You have to understand that the crying child gets the milk. The more obedient and sensible you are, the more your parents will ignore your feelings. If they are very angry and want to beat you, you should open the door and run out to ask the neighbors for help. Adults want to save face and don't air their dirty laundry in public. They will definitely not hit you in front of outsiders. At this time, you should seize the opportunity to cry to the uncles and aunts in the neighborhood about how much you want to study and let them put pressure on your parents."
Show weakness first, then if that doesn't work, try to be unreasonable, and finally use the pressure of public opinion.
In short, the route taken was one that caught them off guard.
Zhang Xiaocao's eyes lit up, and then he said nervously: "What if I can't run fast enough and get caught?"
Jiang Suihan couldn't help but laugh. She really knew how to grasp the key points. She thought Zhang Xiaocao didn't dare to resist her parents, but she didn't expect that she was thinking about what to do if she was caught.
"Then run fast and shout for someone to save you. I don't know if there is a Women's Federation in the army. Teacher, go back and ask tonight. If there isn't one, we'll apply to the army. If your parents beat you, go find the Women's Federation. In short, work hard to get what you want. After all, you are a child, you are not afraid of being embarrassed."
The more she talked, the more outrageous it became. Jiang Suhan felt like she was really like the wolf grandmother, coaxing the innocent and cute little white rabbit. What should she do? She felt a little guilty.
Zhang Xiaocao looked at the teacher with sparkling eyes, nodded heavily, and clenched his fists to cheer himself up: "Teacher, don't worry, I will never let you down."
Hong Chunmei cheered happily: "That's great, Xiaocao, I knew Teacher Jiang would have a solution."
Jiang Huihan secretly complained that the teacher had more direct and powerful methods, but she didn't say it out loud because she was afraid of scaring you.
Xu Zhao tapped the bowl in front of Jiang Suihan with his chopsticks: "What are you thinking about? You don't even want to eat."
Jiang Huihan came back to her senses and looked at him hesitantly: "I am reflecting on myself.
It’s a fresh word.
Xu Zhao raised his eyes and glanced at her: "What outrageous thing did you do today?"
Jiang Huihan seemed to be choked. Should she say that he knew her quite well?
"Today, a student told me that her mother didn't plan to let her continue to go to school next year and asked her to stay at home to help take care of her younger brother. The student cried very sadly and asked me what to do. Then I gave her an idea."
Xu Zhao was stunned: "Bad idea?"
Jiang Suihan rolled her eyes at him and said, "Your idea is bad. I gave her a method that can be implemented and has a high success rate."
Xu Zhao ate his meal calmly: "So, are you reflecting on yourself for teaching your students bad things?"
This kind of chatting style, where others guess what you are going to say next as soon as you speak, really affects your desire to confide.
Jiang Huihan gave a fake smile: "You are so smart, so great."
At this moment, Xu Zhao finally realized that he seemed to have irritated someone, and immediately shut up: "Okay, I won't say anything, you continue."
Jiang Suihan said unhappily, "That's it, what else do you have to say?"
Jiang Leyun covered his mouth and laughed secretly. He moved closer to Xu Zhao and whispered, "Brother-in-law, you are dead. How dare you make my sister angry? She is like a bomb that can explode at any time."
The voice was not clear, Jiang Suihan turned her gaze to her brother: "Which side are you on?"
Jiang Leyun immediately held the bowl and the stool and sat next to his sister: "You are my biological sister, of course I stand on your side."
Xu Zhao: “…….”
Very good, there are three people in the family, and the siblings are destined to be in the same team, so he is isolated.
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