Chapter Nineteen: In our family, my wife is the head of the household. ...
Sun Yaozu inquired around and heard that both children weighed about five pounds and were developing very well. He was truly uneasy. In his previous life, his son was born weighing less than four pounds, and he almost didn't survive several times.
His parents went through a lot of trouble because of this. A few months later, he was seriously ill and almost died, which cost them a lot of money. They were so worried about not having enough money that they almost cried. Later, he didn't know where Shu Yao got the money from. He saw with his own eyes that it was almost a thousand.
A thousand yuan was a huge sum of money at that time. He tried every means to squeeze a lot out of her, and with that money, he bought milk powder and nutritional supplements for the child, finally managing to raise them both. He also used this money to successfully hook up with Meng Xi.
Looking back now, that money was probably something her parents left her. Shu Yao was actually quite cunning; he spent his whole life with her, only to later find out that it was actually a small yellow croaker.
The small yellow croaker, roughly estimated to be worth around ten thousand. Where did she hide it? He turned the house upside down but couldn't find it. Judging from her current state, she probably hasn't dug it up to sell yet. She and her two children are all raised so well; it's Su Xiangdong, the grain station manager.
Thinking of this, he didn't reflect on his own incompetence, but rather felt ashamed, angry, and resentful. "Hmph, Su Xiangdong can raise other people's children if he wants. Those two ungrateful wretches, I don't care. Who cares whose they are, I don't want them anyway."
He was preoccupied with the little yellow croaker when he suddenly remembered that Shu Yao had mentioned a secluded place outside the city. Had she hidden something there?
He knew perfectly well that the twins were most likely his, but he didn't care at all. Grabbing a shovel, he went straight to the place Shu Yao had mentioned. He'd only told her about it to appease her; he hadn't actually gone to check. He needed to search more thoroughly.
Shu Yao had thought of this long ago, so she dug up the small yellow croakers and sold them early on. She moved the six thousand yuan to a different place to store it, and later, fearing something might happen, she took out half and hid it at home.
She inadvertently discovered a hidden chamber within the courtyard wall of the Su family compound. The exterior was constructed of bricks, making it completely undetectable.
Sun Yaozu wasn't one to endure hardship, and after digging for two days straight, he couldn't take it anymore. This place was so vast, with so many branching passages in the cave. And he hadn't seen any trace of anything; digging aimlessly like this, he'd never find anything in his lifetime.
He angrily stopped what he was doing and went home to continue working. He ran into Meng Xi over the weekend, and invited her to dinner and a movie. He knew Meng Xi's family was struggling financially, and she had to hand over most of her monthly salary. He was experienced in pursuing girls.
"Yaozu, did you know that Shuyao gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl?"
"I know. Our two families live so close together, it's hard not to know."
"I heard it was a premature birth, she gave birth at just over eight months."
"Yes." You want to ask about my relationship with that child, right? That child has nothing to do with me. I don't care. "Station Chief Su is really well-off, managing to raise twins. But then again, every family values offspring. My parents especially, they've been talking about wanting a grandson. If my wife were pregnant, she'd be showered with praise."
Meng Xi smiled shyly, realizing from his reaction that Shu Yao's child was indeed unrelated to him. His family used to own a shop; they were quite wealthy. He didn't have to hand over his monthly salary; he could spend it however he wanted. That was great, so much better than her family.
"No rush, we're only twenty-one, and you're not even of legal age to register yet."
"You can wait until you reach the legal age to register; that's what many people do."
"Ugh, you're so annoying."
The girl ran away shyly, and he chased after her with a smile. He knew Meng Xi liked him very much. She used to steal glances at him when they were in school, and even after they got married in their past life, she still thought about him.
When Meng Xi returned home that evening, she ran into Zhou Aili in the courtyard. Zhou Aili had previously dated Su Xiangdong, but they broke up after Su Xiangdong was diagnosed with cancer.
"You know what? Shu Yao gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Su Xiangdong is probably grinning from ear to ear."
Zhou Aili gritted her teeth, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
"No, I was just saying."
Her husband doesn't own a house, and the two of them currently live in a dormitory building provided by their work unit. Today, she went back to her parents' house and ran into Meng Xi, who lives in the same compound. That woman is so annoying; she always seems to stab people in the heart.
"Hmph, what's so great about it? I'm pregnant too."
The two lived in the same courtyard and had never gotten along since childhood. Meng Xi couldn't stand her arrogant attitude; so what if she found a doctor as a boyfriend? What was so great about that? Sun Yaozu was a clerk in the factory, and would become a section chief in the future. Moreover, the Sun family was well-off, which was the real deal.
Zhou Aili stormed off from her parents' home, rubbing her pregnant belly and looking unhappy. Just now, her mother and sister-in-law had been nagging her, saying that if she hadn't acted that way back then, she'd be the stationmaster's wife now, and wouldn't have to worry about three ounces of oil and two pounds of rice every month.
"Su Xiangdong, how could it be a misdiagnosis?" He told her the test results as soon as they came back, and when she broke up with him, he didn't try to stop her at all. She had heard that liver disease was contagious, which could be fatal; how could she not be scared? Besides, he was cold, and she didn't like that.
Shu Yao was at home recovering from childbirth, completely unaware that someone was eyeing her because of their happy life. In her previous life, her breast milk wasn't enough for her two children, so in this life she had prepared formula early on. Su Xiangdong had started stockpiling it long ago, and now they had over a dozen boxes at home.
She drank chicken soup at the hospital, and then fish and pork rib soup constantly at home. She also had stewed pig's trotters with soybeans, and by the third day, her milk came in abundance. The babies were still small, but it was more than enough for both of them. They ate happily from one breast and the other from the other, without ever crying because of insufficient milk.
"Wife, I'm back." Su Xiangdong put down his briefcase, and Shu Yao hurriedly put her clothes down inside. But she tripped over something and couldn't pull them down in her haste, revealing a clear view of the white expanse.
He had instinctively thought of leaving, but seeing that she had already put down her clothes, he didn't move. Because of this little incident, he was a little afraid to say anything, afraid that she would be angry. It wasn't until he saw her look up and give him a gentle, reproachful look with her beautiful eyes that he finally felt relieved.
She was shy, but not angry. Yes, she said they would be husband and wife for life, sharing the same bed in life and the same grave in death. Thinking about this, combined with what I had just seen, my heart couldn't help but pound.
The woman before me had just given birth, yet her face showed no sign of fatigue. Her skin was fair with a rosy glow, her large eyes were bright and watery, and her coquettish pose exuded endless charm. Although she was already a mother, her face still carried the lighthearted allure of a young girl.
"Is there enough breast milk? I don't see much change in the formula." His aunt was taking care of the baby that night, so he wasn't entirely sure.
"Hmm, enough to eat." She frowned as she spoke. "You'd better find a way to sell all that milk powder."
“It’s easy to sell, and there are plenty of people who want it. I’m worried that my child will need it later, so let’s not rush it.”
"Okay, just pay attention to the expiration date."
"knew."
My gaze shifted from my wife to my two little ones. The little ones were sleeping peacefully after eating their fill. My daughter, with her eyes closed, actually smiled, and my son, with his little feet up, also chuckled a little.
"He laughed, he laughed." He said excitedly but in a low voice to his wife, "See? He was still laughing at me in his sleep."
"Yeah, I guess I like you."
"Of course." He smiled and gently touched his son's face. "Don't you think the little guy actually looks a bit like me?"
"It's not just somewhat similar, it's very similar. That's how children are; they'll resemble whoever raises and cares for them."
"Then I'll have to take care of the kids more often in the future."
Her aunt brought her a postpartum meal: braised fish, hot and sour shredded potatoes, and tofu and kelp soup for dinner. There was also an apple after the meal.
It's been a week since I gave birth, and my aunt helps me every night. She soothes the baby when he cries and makes him all sorts of delicious food. She's eating and sleeping well, and she feels energetic and in great shape.
In her past life, her mother-in-law said she didn't know how to take care of children, and Sun Yaozu said he had to go to work. She was left to take care of two babies by herself. Just as she was getting one to sleep, the other would start crying. The one she was trying to put down would immediately start crying too. She had to put one down and pick up the other, sometimes not even knowing if she slept at all that night.
As for meals, forget about it; her mother-in-law's pig feed was practically inedible. Her father-in-law and Sun Yaozu complained every day, even arguing in public. She had no choice but to start cooking again during the day less than a week after giving birth.
Compared to her past life, she truly felt like she was in heaven now. The little ones were healthy and well, without any discomfort or crying; they ate their fill and then lay down to sleep. In her past life, her mother-in-law said her daughter had come to collect a debt because she cried so much. Now, it seemed she was simply not getting enough to eat, and her poor health made her feel unwell.
In the Sun family's house, separated by only a wall, Sun Yaozu was also puzzled. He remembered those two children as being particularly prone to crying, which had been a real annoyance to him back then. But now, at the Su family's house, he hadn't heard a single cry during the postpartum period.
Seeing him standing by the wall separating the house from the Su family's, Sun's mother called out to him, "What are you doing? Come and eat."
"Mother, I'm not hungry, you guys eat."
"You brat, are you complaining about me again? You think my cooking is bad? You'd better hurry up and get a wife."
"Alright, alright, getting married isn't like buying cabbage, you can't just get married whenever you want."
"You're not even paying me now, and what kind of girlfriend do you have who spends so much money? Let me tell you, you can't have a woman who's so extravagant. When you marry, you have to marry someone virtuous and kind, someone who hands over her salary and is obedient."
"Oh, I know. If you keep saying these things after we're married, it's not like we're all Shu Yao yet, working hard and being bossed around at home."
"You, it's all your fault for being so incompetent. You couldn't keep such a good wife as Shu Yao. Otherwise, those twins would be ours now."
"I don't care."
Unwilling to listen to his mother's nagging, he turned and left. "Now, let's talk about Shu Yao. Weren't we all so casual before? She was bought by our family; a few nice words were enough."
He realized when they had their falling out and their argument that Shu Yao would never come back. And those two ingrates—were they asexual reproductions with only a mother? He was their father, yet neither of them said a word in his defense.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Those three—the mother and her two children—were in cahoots; he didn't want any of them. Now, his biggest worry was how to get the whereabouts of the little yellow croaker from Shu Yao.
If you ask her directly, Shu Yao definitely won't tell him. In her past life, she was so shrewd, always keeping things hidden. Now that she's been reborn, and they've already fallen out, she's even less likely to tell him.
The man frantically scratched his hair. Feeling unable to make a breakthrough, Shu Yao turned to ask her father, "Didn't our family hide anything back then?"
Old Man Sun inherited his family business, owning several shops, so he was quite wealthy. He had many houses and antiques.
"They were all smashed. The valuable jewelry was taken away, so what valuable things are left?"
"Really, Father, you're such a grown man, how come you don't know how to leave yourself a backup plan?"
"Who could have imagined it all... I bought a shop and stocked it with goods. The goods were stolen by bandits. Back then, someone advised me to buy land. Luckily, I didn't, otherwise I would be labeled a big landlord now."
"Really..."
Sun Yaozu kicked the trash can away in anger, and his mother grumbled as she picked it up again. Actually, the old couple still had some money, but it was for their retirement and they wouldn't touch it unless absolutely necessary. In their previous life, they hesitated even when the little guy was sick, but Shu Yao couldn't wait and dug up the small yellow croaker. Seeing that she had brought money, the old couple tightened their purse strings even more.
"Dad, don't think I don't know. You still have several things in your possession. What, are you saving money for your son instead of your son? Who are you going to give it to?"
The elderly couple's eyes widened in disbelief; they had no idea how he knew. After some negotiation, Sun Yaozu managed to pry one item from his parents, estimating it could fetch around a hundred yuan.
“I promised to give you a dowry of three hundred to marry you off a virgin. She will do your laundry, cook, have children, and carry on the Sun family line.”
"What?! Three hundred yuan for a bride price?" The old couple had sold one item from their savings, leaving them with only a few things. Three hundred yuan for a wife? That was too expensive! Old Man Sun had been stingy his whole life; this was like tearing his flesh off. He couldn't help but resent Shu Yao again; if she hadn't left, they wouldn't have had to spend the money.
“Son, a bride price of 300 is too much. Other families would only give a little over 100 at most.”
"This is my second marriage, and it's her first marriage. If I don't give her a larger dowry, how can she be happy?"
For the sake of face, the Sun family discussed it and decided to go all out. After Shu Yao left, they had to find a respectable daughter-in-law. Otherwise, if they continued living like this in the neighborhood and she married someone mediocre, where would they put their face?
As for Shu Yao, the two little ones were like angels, and the days flew by without her noticing. In the blink of an eye, it was already their one-month birthday, and Su Xiangdong had already told his relatives and friends that they had chosen an auspicious day to celebrate the babies' one-month birthday.
During this period, the baby's one-month celebration wasn't as elaborate as it is in later times. It was simply a matter of dressing the baby in new clothes, having everyone come to see the baby, and sharing a simple meal. Gifts given to the baby depended on the closeness of the relationship; for nearby neighbors, it was usually something like noodles.
My third aunt's three children, all three sisters, arrived today. It was agreed that each family would receive six feet of cotton cloth. Su Juan was busy helping to greet the guests, while Shu Yao chatted with a group of women in the inner room.
The two children, who hadn't slept because of the crowd, were watching everyone intently. "Look at them, how well-raised they are. They're both brave and well-behaved."
The wife of Su Xiangdong's subordinate was holding his son. The woman was particularly good at talking. "Look at this child, he looks just like Station Chief Su."
Everyone turned their attention to the child, and a group of people echoed, "Yes, that little nose and mouth are exactly like Station Chief Su's. His eyes look like his mother's."
"The little girl is pretty too, just like her mother. She got those double eyelids from Station Chief Su."
Everyone was saying who the children looked like, and the two little ones stared wide-eyed at each other. Suddenly, the little girl pouted and started to cry. The woman holding her tried to comfort her, but to no avail. Su Xiangdong came in from outside and quickly took her from her.
"Don't cry, sweetie, Daddy will hug you."
The little guy recognized his voice very well and was quickly calmed down. A group of women teased him, calling him a "nanny."
"It seems that Station Master Su has spent a lot of time taking care of his children at home."
"Daughters are always closer to their fathers. Look, she stopped crying as soon as her father hugged her."
On this day, Su Xiangdong was so happy that his mouth stretched from ear to ear. A year ago, he was waiting for death with a heart full of despair, but a year later, he had a beautiful wife by his side and a young child in his arms. His life was perfect and he had no other desires.
After lunch, everyone left, and the two little ones were so tired that they fell fast asleep. Shu Yao stayed in the house and tidied up all the gifts she had received that day, helping him put them away in stacks.
"You've all remembered them clearly, right? You have to pay them back."
"I've written it all down, let me show it to you."
The gift list was recorded very clearly; it was kept by their unit's custodian. This is their regular job, so keeping records is second nature to them.
Much of what they gave was money, but most was fabric. There were no synthetic fibers back then; besides cotton for clothing, they gave a lot of fabric suitable for making quilt covers, including two pieces of satin. Satin was smooth and beautiful, and more expensive than ordinary cotton.
"There's plenty of fabric. I'll make you a pair of pants and a shirt."
"I have enough to wear, I'll make you some. It'll be warmer after you finish your confinement period, I'll make you some nice clothes."
When he said "finishing the month," he meant double confinement. Giving birth to twins at once is very taxing on a woman's body. That's why it was agreed beforehand that she would take good care of herself during double confinement.
Shu Yao smiled but didn't say anything. Instead, she took the time to cut the fabric and quickly made him a suit with a sewing machine. The black trousers were pressed straight, and the charcoal gray shirt suited his temperament perfectly, making him look steady and dignified.
"Try them on, and I'll alter them if they don't fit."
"Honey, I told you to rest during your postpartum period. Why did you make me a whole new outfit without saying a word?" His mouth seemed to be complaining, but his eyes were full of surprise, and joy filled his entire face. His wife was so good to him; he was truly blessed to have married her.
"It's been over fifty days, and I'm really well-rested. Stop talking nonsense and give it a try."
She went into the inner room, leaving him the outside space, and quickly changed so he could come out and see. The man turned around in front of her, allowing her to see all sides more clearly.
"It fits perfectly, honey, you did a really great job."
Just as she expected, this color really suited him. Understated, composed, and reserved, he maintained a very good physique; at 1.8 meters tall, he was a natural clothes hanger.
"Hmm, not bad."
"I'm going to a meeting in the city tomorrow, so I'll wear this."
"OK."
He received his salary mid-month, along with a quarterly payment. He handed her the money and receipts all at once, giving her some words of advice as he did so.
"Buy myself new clothes, and if there aren't any suitable ones, have them custom-made."
"good."
Over the weekend, almost three months after giving birth, she planned to go shopping at the department store. "Come with me," she said. "After I feed the baby, my aunt can help watch the baby for two hours; it shouldn't be a problem."
"Okay. I'll go tell my third aunt."
The two little ones were well-fed, so the couple left them with their aunt and rode their bikes out. Although she had been eating very well during her postpartum period, she had to breastfeed the two babies, so she hadn't gained weight. She had gained six or seven pounds during her pregnancy, and now she only looked slightly fuller than when she was at the Sun family's house.
"Hey, you're going out now," a neighbor greeted her.
"Yes. Aunt Wu, you go buy the groceries."
"Yes, the whole family consumes a lot every day. Mrs. Su, you look great, you've had a good postpartum period."
"yes."
They bumped into each other and exchanged a few words, then the couple quickly rode their bikes to the department store. It was almost Dragon Boat Festival, and the weather was already quite warm. She bought herself a top, and then bought the Shanghai brand pearl cream that she had always wanted but couldn't bring herself to buy.
Having been given a second chance at life, she would never mistreat herself again. As long as the means allowed, it was essential for a woman to take care of herself. She hadn't finished the face cream she'd bought before, and while this pearl cream was a bit pricey, its whitening and wrinkle-reducing effects were excellent.
"The lady pays and the man carries the things, it seems the lady of the house is in charge." The saleswoman joked with the couple because she was pretty and they had kind faces.
Su Xiangdong chuckled softly, his expression perfectly calm. "You're right, my wife is the head of the household in our family." Back when a pound of pork cost only about one yuan, she spent over ten yuan on a bottle of skincare cream, and he didn't say a word.
Shu Yao smiled gently, feeling a little embarrassed yet very happy. This feeling of being in charge was wonderful; his lack of interference filled her heart with colorful little bubbles.
After two months of recuperation, she had fully recovered. She took a shower when she got home that evening and changed into comfortable clothes. She did her skincare routine in front of the mirror, and looking at her rosy complexion, her heart started racing. The two children had already been fed and put to sleep; he would come in later to bring her a full thermos.
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Author's Note: I'm still a ways from reaching the VIP level, so I'm thinking of playing it safe for a bit. Updates will be every other day at most, and I promise I won't abandon the project. Thank you all for your support, thank you!
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