Lu Wanqing twitched her lips and exchanged a glance with Lin Ye.
While she and Lin Ye were cooking, she leaned close to Lin Ye's ear and gave him a heads-up: "My second brother is the kind of person who likes to nitpick. If he says anything that you don't like, don't take it to heart."
"Really? Then I'll have to go buy a fish for my second brother-in-law. He likes picking out bones, so he'll definitely love eating fish," Lin Ye said with a smile.
Lu Wanqing playfully punched his chest with her little fist and burst out laughing. "Even at a time like this, you're still in the mood for jokes. Your first impression on your brother-in-law isn't very good!"
Isn't that right? He almost got into a fight with his comrade's mother in front of his comrade-in-arms; it sounds unbelievable.
Lin Ye pinched her little nose and smiled, "Then I'll try my best to do well."
Lunch was prepared by Lin Ye alone. He stewed the chicken he had killed in the morning, made braised pork, a lion's head meatball, stir-fried pork with chili peppers, an egg drop soup, and several large hairy crabs. Lu Xiuwu's eyes widened at the sight.
"Qingqing, you can't make so much meat and vegetables just because I'm here. We should be more frugal in our daily lives."
Lu Xiuwu shook his head. These dishes must have cost a lot of money. Lu Wanqing lives in the countryside and doesn't know how to earn money. Eating like this is too extravagant.
Lu Wanqing forced a smile: "Second brother, today is the Little New Year, so of course we should eat well. I didn't expect you to come, so I made all the dishes we like. Please don't mind."
Lu Xiuwu: "..." Should he reassess what Lin Cong said?
He and Lin Cong were comrades in the same unit. Lin Cong said he was going home to visit his family. When Lu Xiuwu heard that he was going back to the Shengli Production Brigade, he remembered that his younger sister was staying there. His sister's relationship with her family was very strained, and he was thinking of going to see her. So the two of them kept each other company.
When Lin Cong talked about his hometown, he said it was so poor. When he was a child, the two brothers shared a pair of pants. Whoever had to go out would wear the pants. They could only eat thin porridge and pickled vegetables. Now that conditions are a little better, they can only eat meat a few times during the Chinese New Year.
He also said that the people here are simple and honest, very kind and friendly.
Seeing is believing, just as hearing is believing. This place is not like that at all. My sister, when will your suffering end if you stay in a place like this?
During the meal, Lin Ye's family chatted and laughed, but Lu Xiuwu couldn't taste the food. He was secretly worried about Lu Wanqing. Could she have been brainwashed and controlled by Lin Ye?
After dinner, Lin Xiaocui started clearing the dishes, while Lin Ye went to the studio to tidy up the bed covered with clothes so that Lu Xiuwu could rest.
Lu Xiuwu called his sister to a secluded corner and asked in a low voice, "Qingqing, how are you doing here? Has Lin Ye used some means to control you and prevent you from escaping?"
Lu Wanqing smiled bitterly: "Second brother, I'm doing very well here. Why did I run away? Look at where I live now. Apart from not having electricity, it's no worse than where I lived in the capital. The food is also very good. I'm living a very comfortable life."
"Qingqing, don't be stubborn. I know your parents have been acting very strangely lately. They almost broke off relations with you because of Lu Jiajia, but you just have to talk to them nicely. They will definitely continue to send you things. Don't try to save face." Lu Xiuwu said earnestly.
Lu Wanqing was almost laughing in anger. She wasn't putting on a brave face at all. "Since my parents don't acknowledge me as their daughter, I don't care about the things they send. I can buy those things myself."
Lu Xiuwu wanted to ask, how could she buy it? A rough country man with no job, living off the grain distributed by the team every year, what extra money could he possibly have?
Before he could even speak, Lin Ye had already started calling him to his room.
Lin Ye worked quickly and efficiently, putting all the clothes on the bed into the closet. Apart from the sewing machine, there was no other clutter in the room. On the bed was a brand new cotton quilt, weighing at least five pounds.
“Oh dear, I’ve served in the army, I don’t need such a nice blanket, just get an old one,” Lu Xiuwu said hurriedly.
"We've taken apart the old quilts; there aren't any old ones left." Lin Ye told himself to restrain himself, a strained smile on his face as he spoke.
From the moment he entered the door, he started to nitpick. If something wasn't done well, it would be fine to criticize it, but even if it was better than he expected, he was still not satisfied.
Lu Wanqing noticed Lin Ye's displeasure and quickly tried to smooth things over, "Second Brother, you're tired, take a nap!"
Lu Xiuwu was indeed tired. After taking his backpack to his room, he went to bed to rest.
After sleeping for two hours, Lu Wanqing woke up to find that Lin Ye was not at home. Instead, she was chatting and eating sunflower seeds with Lin Xiaocui and Zhao Xiaolan.
"Where's Lin Ye?" Lu Xiuwu asked as he walked over.
It's already the Lunar New Year's Eve, why aren't you staying home?
Lu Wanqing called him over to eat melon seeds together and told him that Lin Ye had gone to work on his private plot.
"We really need to work harder, otherwise what will this whole family eat!" Lu Xiuwu said bluntly.
Just then, Lin Ye returned carrying a hoe, with a little kid running after him through the wind and snow. "Teacher Lin, this is my grandma's smoked bacon. It's really delicious. You must accept it."
Lin Ye squatted down and patted Kunkun's head. "I have some at home. You should take it back quickly."
Kun Kun naturally refused, so Lin Ye had no choice but to accept it. Then, he took a can of malted milk powder from his home and gave it to him in return.
Seeing this, Lu Xiuwu smirked and looked at Lu Wanqing, "Lin Ye has work to do?"
"Oh, he's a physical education teacher at the school," Lu Wanqing said nonchalantly.
Lu Xiuwu felt his face burning. After all, she was a teacher, while he didn't know what kind of job he would do after retiring from the army.
However, upon hearing that Lin Ye's salary was only three yuan, he said in a condescending tone, "Since your salary is not high, don't be so extravagant. A bucket of malted milk powder costs several yuan. How can you just give it away like that!"
He spoke in an especially loud voice, as if he was afraid Lin Ye wouldn't hear him.
Zhao Xiaolan was just out of her mind, otherwise she would have kicked him out. Even Lin Xiaocui was getting a little anxious and said with a forced smile, "My brother doesn't make money by being a teacher."
Lu Wanqing also said, "Yes, Second Brother, Lin Ye is very capable. Being a teacher is just a hobby for him. He has other ways to make money."
Lin Ye was initially displeased to hear his brother-in-law speak like that, but after hearing his wife defend him, he stopped arguing with him.
Unexpectedly, Lu Xiuwu, unafraid of death, said again, "On the eve of the Lunar New Year, only a child came to deliver things. It seems that Lin Ye's popular support is not that great."
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