Chapter Seven: Her cheeks turned bright red.
The work in the printing workshop isn't particularly strenuous. If you're technically skilled and know how to operate the machines, you just need to keep an eye on them. She's been doing this for several years and is very proficient at it.
It was almost four in the morning, and everyone took a half-hour break. They gathered together with their lunchboxes to eat. When she opened hers, she saw two boiled eggs inside, already peeled, smooth and very appealing. At this time, this was the best source of nutrition, and the supply was limited.
"Wow, boiled eggs. Shuyao, you're in charge of the household without your mother-in-law this time. Don't you feel like the mountain on your head has been lifted off your shoulders? It's so relaxing."
“Yes, nobody wants to live a life of oppression,” Shu Yao said with a smile, nodding in agreement with her colleague.
“That makes sense. Where there is oppression, there is resistance. The era of buying slaves with money is long gone. Now it is the era of the people being the masters of their own destiny.”
"That's right. After thousands of years of feudal society, it's time for us people to stand up and become masters of our own destiny."
Shu Yao smiled, somewhat regretting her past life's foolishness. She had been completely deceived by the Sun family; the three of them only needed to speak to her, and she had been their slave for life. She was always grateful to the Sun family for saving her. She had never calculated how much she had given to the Sun family, but it was far more than that.
Scallion pancakes, boiled eggs, and her favorite seaweed and tofu soup. Nutritious food that she loves, she ate and smiled, she never imagined she'd be living like this.
In her past life, she always thought of saving the best for her family, especially Sun Yaozu. She was older than him, and from the time she was sold into the Sun family at the age of twelve, his mother had always instructed her to take care of him. So she put him before herself, giving him the best food and clothes, and taking on all the dirty, tiring, and shameful work herself.
She'd spent her whole life sacrificing her own well-being, with no one caring for her except her children. Now, she wanted to love herself and her children, to eat nutritious food as soon as possible so that her two children could grow up healthy. She didn't want them to be born weighing less than four pounds like in her previous life; if she hadn't taken such good care of them and even swallowed her pride to beg for formula, they probably wouldn't have survived.
She ate the food she brought that night, and it was almost eight o'clock when she finished her shift and came out. She went to the bus terminal to buy a monthly pass, no longer willing to skimp on those four yuan and put herself through the pain of swollen lower limbs. In her previous life, when she was pregnant, she walked nearly forty minutes round trip every day. Sun Yaozu said he felt sorry for her, but in reality, he neither bought her a ticket nor sacrificed his sleep to drive her back and forth.
She was so foolish; how could she believe what others said? Three kind words from someone, and she ruined her whole life. She turned herself into a haggard old woman, while that scoundrel Sun Yaozu grew up all smooth and shiny.
"Hello comrade, I'd like to buy a monthly pass."
"Four pieces for employees."
"OK."
She bought herself a monthly bus pass and leisurely rode the bus home. After washing up, she went into the kitchen to cook for herself, only to find that the food was already prepared and covered with a perforated basket.
Steamed egg custard, steamed buns, red date and millet porridge in the pot, and a side of cold black fungus and cucumber salad. This was a very lavish breakfast, the kind of nutrition she couldn't get at the Sun family's house anymore. Eggs provided protein, and the red date and millet porridge nourished yin and blood, making it very suitable for women.
She used to envy men who could cook, so women could come home to a ready-made meal. But Sun Yaozu never thought of learning; why didn't she consider finding a different man? How foolish! See, marriage requires effort, but you have to choose the right person from the start. Otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain.
After eating and cleaning up, she went back to her room to change her clothes and go to sleep. She didn't get up at noon and slept until after six in the afternoon. When she woke up, she was still a little groggy. She subconsciously checked the time and realized it was past six, so she quickly got up, put on her shoes, and rushed to the kitchen to cook.
If I cook late, my mother-in-law will be unhappy and will nag about how a daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law should behave. She doesn't want anyone to be unhappy, so even when she works the night shift, she prepares lunch before going to sleep and gets up at five in the afternoon to cook dinner.
She came to her senses when she reached the kitchen doorway. She could already hear the sound of chopping vegetables inside, and the man poked his head out of the house when he heard the noise.
"Awake?" Seeing her nod, he continued, "I made vegetable rolls for dinner. What kind of soup would you like? We have seaweed at home, would you like some seaweed soup?"
"good."
She looked groggy, clearly just woken up, as cute as a kitten that had just woken up. Having a wife at home warmed his heart. But seeing her like this, he couldn't help but worry; was she too tired from her night shift? Looking closer, her complexion seemed alright, her cheeks rosy.
When it was time to eat, I brought the food to her and handed her the chopsticks. "Is working the night shift too tiring? Taking leave would probably take too long. You don't want to lose your job, so how about I try to get you switched to all day shifts?"
She looked up, thinking how tough the night shift must be. Their factory operated on a three-shift system, rotating every two weeks. The night shift ran from midnight to 8 a.m. With her biological clock constantly reversed, pregnancy was indeed very difficult.
"That probably won't work, right?"
"I'll go ask. Your factory's deputy director is my comrade-in-arms. I'll get you a medical record from the hospital saying you're frail and need care. That should be fine."
He saw her difficulties and understood her thoughts. Without saying anything unnecessary, he immediately tried to find a solution. Even though it wasn't ultimately successful, she felt incredibly warm. She finally understood what her friend meant by the sense of security of having someone to rely on.
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble? Actually, I'm used to it. The only problem with working the night shift is that it's a bit too late when I go in at night. Everything else is fine."
“I’ll take you there, that’s not a problem. But one night is too exhausting, and it will be tough on you when you get pregnant. Don’t worry about it, I’ll figure something out.”
He quickly ate the vegetable roll in his hand. "How did you get back today? I couldn't pick you up at that time. I managed to get a bicycle ticket today, and I'll go with you to buy one this weekend. If I can't pick you up, you can take the bus."
She was stunned; she hadn't expected him to be so considerate. It felt like she was back in her childhood, when her parents were always worried about her and took care of her in every way. But ever since she was separated from her parents and sold to the Sun family, she had never experienced that again. All she ever heard about was how to take care of others.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly.
"No. It's just that I feel... you don't really need to take such good care of me. I... the baby in my belly isn't... I have no way to repay you for all this."
"You're married to me now, you're my wife. The child in your belly is mine, so you don't need to say things like that anymore. I'm your man, you can rely on me, and it's my responsibility to protect and take care of my wife and child. I enjoy doing these things."
Seeing that she was still somewhat ashamed, he continued, "Does this mean the child won't take my surname, Su?"
"Of course not. We're married, so the child will naturally take your surname." Everything had to be reasonable, and we couldn't give the Sun family any grounds for complaint. Besides, you've been so good to us and taken such good care of us, so of course the child will take your surname.
"That settles it then. He'll be part of the Su family while still in my womb, and he'll take my surname from now on. He'll be my own child."
She felt a little embarrassed, never expecting that someone who had lived a whole life would have her heart race so quickly because of this man's words. He said that the child in her belly was his, as if they had already... you know...
He cleaned up after dinner, and she felt really bad about it. She had married him while pregnant; she was the one who got the better deal. How could she let him do everything?
"Go inside and sleep. You have to work the night shift tonight."
"I slept enough during the day, I'm not sleepy. I'll do the dishes, I can't let you do everything."
“I’m a grown man, what’s wrong with doing some housework? Before you married me, I did all of this myself. I should thank you for living with me. It can be really boring being alone sometimes.”
"Oh well, just let me wash it."
"No." The man said, and simply picked her up. His arms were so steady that he carried her like a princess without her swaying at all. He carried her into the house in a few steps and placed her on the kang (a heated brick bed) in the inner room.
"If you can't sleep, lie down and rest for a while, close your eyes and relax."
He turned and left without giving her a chance to speak. She blushed at his sudden display of boyfriend-like strength, feeling both shy and touched.
Having lived her whole life, this was the first time she had ever been carried in a man's arms like a princess. She didn't remember when she was little, and as she grew older, her father somewhat avoided her. Later, after she entered the Sun family, Sun Yaozu was all talk and no action; he would say nice things, but he was completely unreliable. When she was in labor and in excruciating pain, kneeling on the ground, he couldn't even pull her up.
Su Xiangdong appeared calm, but his heart was actually beating faster than ever before. His cheeks flushed red, and fearing being seen, he turned and left.
Stepping outside, I touched my chest; I could still feel that soft touch. Girls are so different—soft as a ball of cotton, and fragrant. Not the scent of flowers or vegetables, but a subtle, intoxicating aroma.
The first time he saw her, she was wearing faded white clothes. Her clothes were decorated with clouds, the sun, and flowers. The moment she looked up, he was stunned; it was the first time he had ever seen such a beautiful girl.
Where did he get the courage to reach out and hug her? He touched his face; it was still burning hot.
Don't panic, don't panic, that's your wife. She's not angry, otherwise she wouldn't have let you hold her without saying a word. She's already registered her marriage with you, and the child in her belly will take your surname. That's your wife and child, what's there to be embarrassed about?
After mentally preparing himself, he calmly went to the kitchen to tidy up. He heated up some water for her to wash up and prepared her dinner for the evening.
Pan-fry the vegetable rolls until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Eggs are a daily necessity to supplement nutrition. Seeing that she really likes vegetables, I also mixed a water radish for her after serving the millet porridge.
Listening to the sounds from the kitchen, Shu Yao lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and couldn't help but shed tears. She no longer had to worry about her mother-in-law's gaze while preparing meals; in fact, she didn't even have to prepare the food herself. He took care of everything.
After she finished washing up, she still had time, so he actually took out a box. "This is all my savings. I haven't spent much money on myself over the years. There's over eight hundred in my savings account and over thirty in cash. I'll go withdraw some money to buy you a car, and you can manage the rest. Keep the household expenses in the drawer for me to use when I buy things."
"Give it to me?" Buying me a bicycle isn't enough, you want to give me all your possessions?
"Yes. You're the lady of the house, so of course it's up to you."
"Okay." She accepted this weighty sentiment, and he immediately smiled. She genuinely wanted to spend her life with him and was willing to manage the household together. She was wealthy now, but her feelings were priceless.
A note from the author:
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