"Alright, let's go back. I'm feeling a bit cold too."
The couple quickened their pace.
It wasn't far from home, so I got home in no time.
...
The Wang family from the same village.
Jin Lu was holding a bowl of sweet soup in both hands, sitting obediently in the main room of his mother-in-law's house, chatting with his brother-in-law.
Since getting married, Jing Shui has gained a lot of weight and always has a happy smile on her face. Without asking, Xu Chunxia knows that her daughter is doing very well in her husband's family.
In addition, since the villagers always talked about Yan Xia's family, she knew that her son-in-law's family was quite well-off.
Worried that her future mother-in-law might misunderstand, Xu Chunxia has rarely visited the Yan family lately, for fear that the villagers would think she was trying to marry into a higher social class.
As a widow.
Xu Chunxia did not remarry; she raised her children alone and was very self-reliant.
"Jinlu, are you cold? I'll make you a mutton hot pot for lunch to warm you up."
"Oh, thank you, Mom. I was just thinking about eating mutton. You're so good to me, Mom. It's like my wish comes true. I suspect I was your son in a past life. Otherwise, how could I be so lucky to be your son again in this life? Is there anything you need my help with, Mom? I'll help you wash the vegetables."
Jin Lu is known for his sweet talk.
With just a few words, he made Xu Chunxia feel as sweet as if she had eaten honey.
Her lips never curled into a smile.
"No need, no need, you can just sit and rest. I can't let you help. Jingshui, come and help your mother. Let your brother chat with Jinlu."
A mother-in-law finds her son-in-law more and more pleasing to the eye the more she looks at him.
Even the usually favored Jing Shui had to step aside.
So, the mother and daughter busied themselves in the kitchen, while Jinlu and Wang Yuanshan chatted and boasted in the main room.
"Brother-in-law, the spring conscription is coming up. Will your family be paid or what?"
“I’ll definitely give her money. I’m her only son, and Jing Shui is married and has her own life. If something happens to me, she’ll be so worried. I plan to go to town to find some odd jobs after the New Year. I guess she’ll be looking for a wife for me this year. There are so many places where I need money.”
Wang Yuanshan sighed inwardly.
When Aunt Yan was recruiting security guards to watch the mountain gate, he was the first person she considered.
I even went to my mother's house to ask her.
But Mother refused Aunt Yan's offer, saying she was worried about him guarding the gate at the foot of the mountain.
He knew what his mother was thinking; she was afraid that if she took advantage of the Yan family's kindness, his younger sister would not be able to hold her head high in the Yan family in the future.
So he tacitly accepted his mother's statement.
He told Aunt Yan that he dared not go to the foot of the mountain.
Therefore, he was not among the four security guards selected.
“My shop is short-staffed right now, brother-in-law, could you come and help us? I’ll talk to my mother about it later.”
"No, no, I won't interfere with your shop. I'm not good at that kind of work anyway. I'll just find some manual labor like carrying sandbags. Besides, we still have land at home, and my mother lives in the village. I can't go to town every day."
Wang Yuanshan refused without even thinking.
In the kitchen, Xu Chunxia was whispering to her daughter.
"Jingshui, your sister-in-law's belly is already quite big, haven't you heard anything yet? When did your period start recently?"
Wang Jingshui blushed slightly.
"Mom, my mother-in-law hasn't pressured me, why are you pressuring me? My period just ended, I'm not pregnant yet."
“You’ve been married for several months now. If there’s still no news by summer, I’ll try to find some folk remedies for you. I don’t know if it has anything to do with the time you fell into the pond when you were little. It was right after the start of winter, and your father went fishing. You insisted on coming along, and before you knew it, you fell into that cold hole. Although your father reacted quickly and pulled you out, you still got a fever and caught a cold. Not only that, your period comes later than others. I got mine on the 12th, your cousin got hers on the 13th, and you didn’t get your period until the 15th. Oh well, after the New Year, I’ll find a doctor to take a look at you.”
Xu Chunxia was a little anxious.
Her mother-in-law is a fertile woman.
Five were born in three years.
It's either twins or a third child.
Jing Shui's sister-in-law also got pregnant shortly after marrying into the family.
Wouldn't that put even more pressure on Jing Shui? What if her mother-in-law became unhappy with her?
She had to think of a way to get her daughter pregnant as soon as possible.
“Mom, my mother-in-law isn’t pressuring me, so why are you in such a hurry? She said that getting pregnant too early isn’t good. She told my sister-in-law to stop having children after this one and wait at least three years before getting pregnant again, so as not to damage her health by having too many babies. She also said that I’m only sixteen after the New Year, so it’s not too late to get pregnant at seventeen or eighteen. She told me not to rush. Goodness, you’re more anxious than I am.”
Wang Jingshui felt somewhat helpless.
“Just because your mother-in-law isn’t in a hurry doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant. I’ll see if you’re still in a hurry after your sister-in-law gives birth. Listen to your mother, I won’t hurt you. Here’s what we’ll do: while the New Year is still here and you’re still in the village, I’ll go find a doctor in a couple of days. When you come back, find an excuse and say that I’m sick and that the doctor can check if you have any health problems from when you were little. Also, tell him that you need some medicine to help you recover. Don’t let it slip. Once you give birth to a son, I’ll be at ease.”
"What if I have a daughter?"
Wang Jingshui asked.
“Then have another one! You can’t let Jinlu die without an heir. Keep having sons, even if it’s just one. Look at your mother, I’m not in good health, but I’m lucky. I got pregnant with you and your brother in my first pregnancy. It’s strange, there are quite a few twins in our village. If you can also have a son and a daughter in one pregnancy, I’d be willing to live ten years less.”
"Mother, what are you saying?"
Xu Chunxia sighed.
“Our family is already marrying above our station with the Jin Lu family. If your womb doesn’t produce a son, I’m afraid you won’t be able to stay in the Yan family. Think about it, the Yan family has such a large business, and sooner or later it will be handed over to the Jin Fu and Jin Lu brothers. If Jin Fu has a lot of children, and you haven’t even given Jin Lu a son, if I were your mother-in-law, I definitely wouldn’t give the business to Jin Lu. Even if Jin Lu likes you, he will resent and hate you. How can I not worry?”
A mother's heart is full of love and compassion, even though Wang Jingshui did not agree with her mother's words.
But she had no choice but to obey.
“Mom, you’ve misunderstood Mother-in-law. She’s not the kind of person you’re describing. Mother-in-law says she prefers her granddaughter and keeps staring at my sister-in-law’s belly, calling her ‘granddaughter.’ She’s very reasonable, unlike the other aunties in the village who favor boys over girls. You treat my brother and me the same way, and Mother-in-law treats you the same way. Don’t think too badly of her.”
“Silly child, you don’t understand. Sometimes what you say and what you think are different. Although I never favor your brother, if I had only given birth to you as my first child, I would still be anxious and upset. Sons are the foundation of our farming family. Without sons, the foundation is gone, understand? Never mind, you are still young, and I can’t reason with you. Just come back in three days with an excuse. Go sit in the main room, and I will take care of the rest.”
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