Chapter 123: Embarrassment in the County
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became a little complicated.
Zhai Ximo looked at his mother without saying a word, and then turned to see what his wife's reaction would be. But before he could say anything, he heard his wife say indifferently: "You want our food coupons? Then you should return the money that Zhai Ximo has sent home over the past few years."
Mrs. Liu's eyes turned red with anger, and she wanted her third son to ask Wang Ziru for food coupons.
After waiting for a while, the third son not only did not speak for her, but also looked disgusted.
"Besides asking me for money, what else do you know how to do?" Mrs. Liu put her hands on her hips. She has been giving in to the third daughter-in-law these days. Isn't she getting more and more complacent?
There are five hens in the house, and she can't even drink a sip of soup.
They, on the other hand, stewed chicken every day and watched their third daughter-in-law become more rosy-faced than her mother-in-law.
Mrs. Liu was so angry that she couldn't contain herself.
Zhai Ximo still glanced at my mother indifferently and said, "We don't have any extra food coupons. If you really don't have enough to eat, go to the food station and buy some yourself."
"Well, I, Liu Xiulan, really lost all my love for you over 20 years ago. Did you know that I almost died when I gave birth to you? You two are bastards! All day long you either kill chickens to eat or go to the city to eat good food. You never thought you still have an old mother at home?!"
Since her son came home, the usually weak and easily bullied third daughter-in-law has completely turned things around and starts to take herself seriously.
Mrs. Liu jumped up and pointed at her son and daughter-in-law in the room and cursed them loudly, scaring Baoer so much that he quickly hid behind his mother.
Seeing his son so frightened and his usually gentle and virtuous wife being scolded for no reason, Zhai Ximo strode to the door and shouted angrily: "What else do you want? Where did the 500 yuan I saved and sent home in the past few years go?!"
"When I came back, I saw that my son looked like a little beggar, and he and his mother didn't have a penny. But you, on the other hand, knew how to coax your eldest and second sisters-in-law when you divided the family property! Have you ever thought about how I feel?"
"Five hundred yuan, you can buy food for half a house with it! Have I ever asked you for the money since you came back? I told you not to steal our eggs, but you dragged a kitchen knife to chop me? You chopped me, have you apologized to me for such a big mistake?"
Mrs. Liu's fat face turned into a piece of pig liver with anger under her son's harsh lecture, and tears flowed wildly.
I'm so angry that I don't know how to defeat this couple.
Zhai Qingsong heard the loud noise behind the house again, walked in quickly, looked at the situation, and said helplessly: "Third brother, forget it, you take a step back, your mother."
Persuading his third brother, Zhai Qingsong walked over and took his mother away.
In the east room, Xu Ping heard the third brother and his wife quarreling with her mother-in-law again, and she sat in the stove and laughed secretly.
"The old man scolded Liu Xiangqin away. It seems that he will be able to scold the third daughter-in-law to get out soon." Xu Ping grinned.
Wang Ziru was somewhat grateful that the man stood up for her.
Given her mother-in-law's habit of putting the blame on others, if her son is also a mama's boy, she really won't be able to live like this.
I walked into the kitchen, lit the pot, poured a spoonful of rapeseed oil, added a few slices of ginger and garlic cloves, and then poured a pot of chicken into the iron pot and stir-fried it. Soon the aroma of the chicken came out, and then I added water and simmered it.
There aren’t many dried wild mushrooms left from my mother’s house last time, so they’re just enough for one more meal of chicken.
Wild mushrooms grow in the forest, are not polluted by anything and are very clean. Rinse them with a little clean water and squeeze out the water. When the chicken in the pot is boiled, throw the mushrooms into the pot and simmer together.
Wang Ziru went back to the house and took out three potatoes, peeled them, cut them into very fine shreds, and added some sweet potato flour.
Add some salt and minced garlic and mix well with chopsticks.
Thinking of inviting her uncle to have lunch together at noon, Wang Ziru, who was also a down-to-earth person, cooked half a pot of straw raincoat rice in the stove next to her and put two sweet potatoes on it.
In the yard, Zhai Ximo was holding the child and talking to his eldest brother.
"We may have to return to the army soon. If we leave early, brother, you can plant our two dry fields if you can."
Zhai Qingsong didn't expect his third brother to return to the army so soon. He was stunned for a moment and asked, "Didn't you say that I had a three-month vacation?"
"Well, we have to end our vacation at any time if the troops need it."
Zhai Qingsong's face suddenly darkened. Without the third brother at home, this home would be so lonely.
When he thought about the fact that he was divorced from Liu Xiangqin, whenever he went out, he would see people in the village pointing fingers and poking at him.
So he still had an idea in his mind. As long as he went to the city hospital for a check-up and the doctor said that his hand could be restored to its previous state in the future, he would go to the Liu family to find Liu Xiangqin, and even if he had to beg her, he would ask her to come home.
Mrs. Liu lay on the bed and cried for a long time until she heard the voice of her third daughter-in-law calling her third son to eat.
She quickly sat up from the bed and wiped her tears, thinking that since they had invited the eldest brother to have dinner together, they would probably invite her as well.
However, I heard the footsteps of my two sons outside the door and they went to the kitchen, and then there was no movement.
Mrs. Liu was so angry that she pounded the bed board weakly. "They are all heartless people. They stewed chicken and didn't even know how to serve a bowl of chicken to an old lady like me."
In the kitchen, the two brothers sat facing each other.
Baoer obediently picked up a piece of chicken for his uncle and said, "Uncle, you eat it."
"Bao'er is so good, eat by yourself." Zhai Qingsong liked his nephew very much. He looked at the piece of chicken in the bowl and his nose felt sore. He thought of his daughter Zhai Zhaodi, who always loved to bully others and had never been so distressed for him as a father at home.
In comparison, my younger brother and sister taught better.
Zhai Ximo cherishes the opportunity to have dinner with his elder brother. This time he is taking his wife and children back to the army. As there is nothing important happening in his hometown, he will not come back to visit his relatives.
When I thought about parting with my eldest brother and that we might not see each other for many years, I felt a little sad.
Wang Ziru also sensed that the atmosphere was not relaxed, so she deliberately asked, "Ximo, has the army not received your report yet?"
"Well, airmail isn't that fast either, let's wait a little longer."
"What if you want to return to the army before receiving approval from the army?"
Zhai Ximo raised his eyes and looked at his wife. "I will send an urgent telegram to the troops."
"Can it be done this way?" Wang Ziru didn't know much about the rules in the army, but she was looking forward to leaving this hellhole and following her man to live a leisurely life in the army, so she asked, "Do the wives of soldiers in your army's family compound usually help you do something?"
"Usually they don't need to do anything to help the troops. Most of the wives of soldiers have jobs, and apart from working and taking care of the children, they don't have much time."
"Ah? The army also arranges jobs for military wives?" Wang Ziru was surprised.
Does this mean that even if she joins the army, she still has to work?
In the previous life, I died of exhaustion in the operating room. In this life, work? Impossible, I can only lie down and rot like a parasite.
Zhai Ximo laughed unhappily, "Why are you reacting so strongly? Military wives follow the troops, don't they have to work?"
"No, if the wives of soldiers have to work after they arrive at the army, why don't they stay at home and farm?"
Zhai Qingsong looked at his sister-in-law with envy in his eyes, "Sister-in-law, if we can eat the state-provided food, please don't be dissatisfied."
Not knowing why his wife reacted so strongly when she heard about the military wives going to work, Zhai Ximo told his wife: "Not everyone is qualified to get a job! Only those who are promoted can bring their families with them. Only the families of officers have this privilege and can be arranged a job."
"What kind of work are there?" Wang Ziru looked unclear.
"It seems that they all go to factories. As for what kind of factories they can go to, I don't know. The army will arrange it according to the ability of each military wife..."
Before Zhai Ximo could finish his words, he saw his wife put down her bowl and chopsticks.
He said angrily, "I won't join the army anymore."
"No, what are you doing?" With his elder brother present, Zhai Ximo couldn't tell his wife in detail. "I will try my best to arrange a job for you that you like."
"Oh! Sorry to disappoint you. I'm fine with farming, but I don't like any kind of work! If I have to work in a factory to drive screws after I marry you, let's get a divorce."
Zhai Ximo slammed the chopsticks in his hand heavily on the high stool, and was a little angry. "Can't you say something nice? You want to get divorced at the drop of a hat. Who did you learn this from?"
"Okay, okay, stop arguing, you two. We haven't even started to go to the army yet." Zhai Qingsong quickly put down his bowl and chopsticks, and gently persuaded his third brother and his wife. After a while, he sighed, "If your sister-in-law really doesn't like it, then she can stop working and focus on taking care of Baoer."
"When I get to the army, I will send my child to kindergarten. It will be boring for her to be alone at home." Zhai Ximo said with his hands spread out.
Zhai Qingsong was also in trouble.
I am more happy for my younger brother and sister.
In this day and age, if one can eat the state-provided food, how many generations of accumulation is needed to get that bowl of rice?
He didn't know why his sister-in-law was so reluctant to work. If he had such an opportunity, he would be very happy.
only…
Since the army arranges jobs for family members, if my brother or sister does not want to do the job, can it be arranged for other family members in the officer's family?
The couple didn't communicate at all for most of the day because of work.
Zhai Ximo had no idea what his wife was thinking. She had been accompanying her brother-in-law into the city and going to the canteen of the Armed Forces Department these past few days, and that was not a good thing.
Why don’t you want to go to work after joining the army?
Early the next morning, a police officer from the town drove a police car into Hongmei Village and took Wang Ziru into the city.
Zhai Qingsong also followed his third brother and his family into the city.
When we got to the city, it was still early.
Baoer followed his mother out of the car at the gate of the Armed Forces compound, waving his little hands as he watched his father and uncle leave. The little boy was very curious and asked, "Mom, do you not like Dad anymore?"
"Hmph, Mom really regrets liking a man like him. Mom will find a new father for you in the future, okay?" Wang Ziru asked half-jokingly, holding her son's hand.
"No," Baoer rejected her mother's kindness without thinking, pouted her lips, and said, "Second Aunt said that the new father would beat the child. But my father would not beat the child."
"When did Xu Ping say that?"
"Sister Zhaodi said she wanted to marry another man with my aunt, didn't you hear it?"
Wang Ziru frowned, this must have happened after they went to Yang's house for the birthday banquet before entering the city.
She didn't ask any more questions and led the child along the small two-story office building towards the back of the yard.
A cold voice came from behind, "Sister-in-law!"
Wang Zi turned around quickly and saw the man who had appeared in front of the office building. She smiled and said, "Minister Zou, you're here to work so early?"
"Yeah! It's this time every day," Zou Bu said solemnly, and walked closer with brisk steps, asking, "Sister-in-law, are you having a conflict with my brother?"
"No, no, how could Zou Bu think that..."
Zou Bu took another half step forward, his eyes solemn, "Sister-in-law! You are a military wife, you must be sensible in what you do. My brother is not a bad person, and he is sincere to you! Husbands and wives should not get angry and say unpleasant things all the time. It will hurt each other's feelings and it will be hard to undo what has been done."