Wei Shuqing nodded in agreement; this was something that needed to be taken seriously. When the meal was ready, Aiguo called Wei's mother and daughter to eat. Zhao Dahu opened two cans of meat and put them on one plate, two cans of fish and put them on another. The vegetables brought back from the canteen were stir-fried with lard and salt, and a cabbage and wood ear mushroom salad was made, along with twenty steamed buns made from a mixture of two kinds of flour. This was a very good meal at the moment.
The family ate their meal with their own thoughts on their own. Both families felt sorry for each other. After the meal, when Wei's mother wanted to go home, Zhao Dahu and his mother quickly took a large bag to the cellar and packed ten cans of food for Wei's mother, along with a pound of wood ear fungus and thirty pounds of grain. They met up with the people from the front yard, and Zhao Dahu took her to the station, secretly slipping Wei's mother 50 yuan.
The old lady only found out when she got home, and couldn't help but sigh that her son-in-law was the best! She was just worried that Wei Shuqing was unlucky and would never get pregnant, and would be divorced again.
After Zhao Dahu went back and washed up, he saw Wei Shuqing sitting blankly on the bed, no longer as clingy as usual, lying on the bed listlessly. Wei Shuqing touched him, and Zhao Dahu said irritably, "What?"
Wei Shuqing was taken aback and said, "What's wrong with you? Did you put gunpowder in the food instead of salt when you were cooking today? It's like a firecracker! Get up, I have something to tell you!"
Zhao Dahu slowly got up and said, "What is it? Tell me!"
Wei Shuqing, her eyes red with anger, said, "Do you think I can't have children for you? Are you getting impatient with me?"
Zhao Dahu turned around angrily and was about to leave when he stopped and said, "What nonsense are you spouting?"
This was the first time Zhao Dahu had shown impatience with Wei Shuqing since their marriage. Tears streamed down her face. "I know, you're disgusted with me, aren't you? I didn't believe my mom when she told me, but now I do! I didn't want this either! My body was severely weakened over there, and after the miscarriage, I thought I was fine, but I never imagined I couldn't have children anymore." She then collapsed onto the bed and wept bitterly. At that moment, Zhao's parents knocked on the door and asked, "What's wrong? Dahu, did you upset Shuqing?"
Zhao Dahu quickly said, "It's alright, Mom and Dad, you can go back now!"
Zhao's parents still knocked on the door, saying, "Open the door first!"
Zhao Dahu gritted his teeth and opened the door. The elderly couple saw Wei Shuqing lying on the bed crying. Zhao's mother rushed over and asked, "Shuqing, what's wrong? Did Dahu bully you?"
With tears streaming down her face, Wei Shuqing said, "Mom, I'm sorry to your Zhao family. I had a miscarriage before, and my body hasn't fully recovered. I can't have any more children for your Zhao family. Please let Da Hu divorce me!"
Zhao Dahu roared, "Bullshit! Divorce me? I'll never divorce you in this lifetime! You're mine in life, and you'll only be a ghost of the Zhao family in death!"
Zhao's father angrily said, "Let's talk this out! What are you shouting for!"
As Zhao's mother was about to speak, Zhao's father gently shook his head and said, "Shuqing, don't cry. No one in our family said you had to have a child. Nobody forced you!"
Wei Shuqing was too sad to speak. In this era, it was rare to hear that infertility was related to men; most people believed it was the woman's fault.
Zhao Dahu pushed the elderly couple out, saying, "Mom and Dad, you go back to sleep. I'll talk to him!"
Then he closed the door, got into bed, looked at Wei Shuqing, and said, "Shuqing, why do you say you want a divorce if I can't have children?"
Wei Shuqing wiped away her tears and said, "I can't watch you die without an heir!"
Zhao Dahu pulled her close and said, "We already have Aiguo, Aiguo is my son. Didn't we agree on that?" Wei Shuqing shook her head. Zhao Dahu patted her back and said, "If I told you I couldn't have children, would you leave me?"
Wei Shuqing immediately said, "How could that be? I care about you as a person, it has nothing to do with that!"
Zhao Dahu hugged her tighter and said, "I'm sorry, it was selfish of me. I was injured there when I was a child, and it also affects my fertility..."
Wei Shuqing immediately covered his mouth and said solemnly, "You are not allowed to say that again. If anyone asks, just say that I had a miscarriage and my health is not good enough to have children!"
Zhao Dahu held her tightly in his arms and choked up, saying, "Silly wife, you've suffered enough before, how can I let you bear such a reputation again?"
Wei Shuqing shook her head and said, "So what? As long as you're good to me, what do they know behind closed doors? You can't tell anyone else." After all, in this day and age, a man who can't have children will be the subject of gossip and backbiting.
The couple talked for a while, venting their frustrations, and agreed to tell outsiders that Wei Shuqing couldn't have children. Zhao Dahu got excited again, nodded, and pounced on Wei Shuqing, saying, "I'll die on you sooner or later!"
"Be gentle!"
With a soft groan, the elderly couple exchanged a glance, realizing the problem was solved. Then, remembering what their son and daughter-in-law were doing, they blushed and quickly left.
This was a huge deal to the Zhao family, but Wei Shuqing didn't care, which made everyone happy, and the family became even closer.
Time quickly passed to the end of the 1960s, and Qi Zhijun returned to his long-lost home.
He looked even thinner and more haggard than before, and his clothes were patched in several places. Qi Zhijun had always been a very respectable person and would never dress so slovenly. Seeing her son like this, Qi's mother was heartbroken and tears streamed down her face.
The culprit, Qi Zhifang, could do nothing but shed a couple of tears.
Qi Zhijun comforted them, saying, "It's alright, it's alright, don't cry. It's almost the New Year, cheer up. Has the Wang family said anything about whether the child will come back for the New Year?"
Qi's mother sighed but didn't say anything and went into the kitchen. Qi Zhifang wiped away her tears and sneered, "Don't mention those three heartless ingrates. Ever since they went to the Wang family, they haven't sent us a single word. They even returned all the money and tickets I sent them. They don't eat my food, they don't want my money, and they're trying to sever ties with me just like Xiao Cui. Do you think they're my own children? I gave birth to them and raised them. Their blood and bones are mine. Do you think they can sever ties with me just because they don't eat a few meals from me or want me to support them for a few years?"
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