Chapter 350 Refusal
Song Lubai had no idea that Zhao Dongmei was gossiping and spreading rumors behind her back. In the past few days, she had taken her mother and younger brother to tour the regimental headquarters and then to the nearest company so that her mother could see what the dugouts looked like.
With this comparison, Zhang Cui could see the difference between this place and Shicheng.
"Mom, how many days are you planning to stay here?"
The sun is out now, but it's still a bit cold walking on the street.
Zhang Cui asked with a smile, "What, you don't want us to come here?"
Song Lubai said in a calm tone, "It's not easy to come here. We even encountered robbers on the way. Do you think I'd be willing to let you come here?"
Zhang Cui said, "Wei Yang is the commander here. How about I bring Jianshe and the other guy over? I can take care of you when you get pregnant, and you two will have someone to help you out. What do you say?"
Song Lubai didn't think much of it, and even felt a sense of irritation.
“This place is so poor, I don’t even want to stay here. What are you doing here? If you come, then my previous job will have been given away for nothing.”
She preferred the city, but she didn't dislike the 16th Regiment. On the contrary, she thought living there was quite nice.
Moreover, she and Wei Yang have been married for more than half a year, and she doesn't feel that she needs anyone's help in her life.
Zhang Cui said, "Everywhere is poor now. Wei Yang is at least a regimental commander. I see that your family's living conditions are not bad. You just don't want us to come."
Song Lubai nodded and said, "You see, my family's living conditions are not bad, that's because we brought out all the good food to treat you! Before the New Year, we ate cabbage every day!"
"I just didn't want you to come. I've arranged everything perfectly for you. Your job is stable; others would kill to get it. At least that place is close to Shicheng, and you might even get a house there someday. What are you doing bringing them to this remote corner? I don't want Weiyang to stay here forever. I'm counting on him to get promoted and transferred to the city. And what are you doing here? Don't tell me you're here to help me take care of the kids; I don't even have kids yet!"
Zhang Cui thought what she said made sense, but she felt that Song Lubai just didn't want them to come.
"In the end, you just don't want us to come, you're afraid we'll hold you back, right?"
Song Lubai didn't want to talk to her mother anymore and quickened her pace to go home.
Zhang Cui stood there watching Song Lubai's retreating figure, and said to the Zhang brothers, "Now that you're married, your hearts are all set on your own little family."
Zhang Jianshe and Zhang Heping's desire to come here and be with Song Lubai wasn't as complicated as Zhang Cui's; they didn't understand why their sister disagreed.
"If my sister doesn't want to, then so be it. Like she said, who knows what will happen if my brother-in-law is transferred to the city later? What will we do if we come here then?"
Zhang Cui glared at Zhang Heping, "What do you know? In the future, all the city students will have to go to the countryside. Do you think you two can escape it? Stay by your brother-in-law's side, at least he can help you in the future."
"What, you two want to go to the fields to do farm work? Once you go to the countryside, who knows when you'll be back! I'm just thinking about what's best for you."
Zhang Jianshe said, "Going to the countryside is going to the countryside, what's the big deal? Mom, do you remember how Dad made my sister fail to get into university?"
Zhang Cui certainly remembered, and she felt that Song Lubai treated her this way because she blamed Lin Dahai on her.
Zhang Cui stared blankly, hands on her hips, and asked, "What are you trying to say?"
Zhang Jianshe said, "I'm too ashamed to ask my sister and brother-in-law for favors. If they have to go to the countryside in the future, I'll go! I don't think it's a big deal! And don't mention this to my sister!"
Zhang Cui pinched him hard a few times, "You little rascal, you're quite ambitious, aren't you? You're twelve now, and after you finish high school, you might have to go to the countryside. According to the current policy, one of you will definitely have to go! If you stay with your brother-in-law, you won't have to go in the future. If he is transferred to the city, our family will be better off, and you will both be successful in the future."
Now they're recommending him for university, and who knows, they might be able to rely on Wei Yang to ensure their two children can go to school in the future.
After learning how large an area Wei Yang was in charge of, and considering his age, Zhang Cui felt that he was a promising cadre, and these thoughts naturally arose in her mind.
After listening, Zhang Heping said angrily, "No wonder my sister turned around and left just now. She must have guessed what you were thinking. Mom, you used to say that we would support my sister, but now you want us to take advantage of her. If I were you, I wouldn't want you to come here either."
Although the two brothers are only twelve years old, they are no longer children who know nothing.
The two of them didn't want to talk to Zhang Cui anymore, so they ran away.
Their father's actions made them ashamed to face their hometown. It was their sister who arranged a place for them. Their father had wronged their sister, but she still arranged a place for them.
They haven't done anything for my sister, so they really can't bring themselves to continue taking advantage of her.
"Heping, do you think my sister doesn't want us to come? Is it because of what Dad did? Does that mean she hates us too?"
Zhang Heping thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "My sister is very good to us. I don't think she dislikes us, but we can't take advantage of her in the future. She told us to study hard and build a better future. You should study hard from now on."
Zhang Jianshe kicked him, "What do you mean I should study hard? Why don't you study hard?"
Zhang Heping said, "I get a headache just looking at books. I'm not cut out for studying. If I really have to go to the countryside, then I'll go. Going to the countryside is just about working, right? I'm not afraid of that. I can't cause trouble for my sister or let my brother-in-law look down on me."
The two brothers jogged home and saw Song Lubai lighting a fire, coughing from the smoke. They pushed her aside and said, "Let us light one."
It was almost lunchtime, and Song Lubai was lighting the stove to prepare a meal.
"Sister, just pretend you didn't hear what Mom said. We're doing fine over there."
Song Lubai stood on the threshold, watching her mother's figure slowly approach, and remained silent for a moment.
The two brothers exchanged a glance and dared not speak.
They both felt that their sister was a bit too angry.
Once the fire is lit and water is added to the pot and brought to a boil, the chopped cabbage, radish, cured meat slices, and sauerkraut are added to the pot. After adding seasonings, a steamer rack is placed on top, and the steamed cornbread is placed in the rack to steam. A pot of boiled vegetables and steamed cornbread is quickly ready.
The fat from the cured pork is rendered out during cooking, and oil floats on the surface of the broth. Although this stew is simple to make, it tastes quite delicious.
In this weather, drinking soup made me sweat profusely. After finishing our meal and chatting for a while, Wei Yang got up to go to the office, and Song Lubai got up and went out with him.
Song Lubai cut to the chase: "If my mom tells you she wants to bring the kids here, you absolutely mustn't agree."
Although Song Lubai felt that the possibility was very small, she still had to be on guard.
Because of the events in her dream, it was hard for her not to speculate about her mother in this way.
Wei Yang felt that it wouldn't be a big deal even if his mother-in-law came, but as he had said before, frankly speaking, he and Song Lubai were now a family, and he had to consider his wife's feelings.
He had just agreed when Zhang Cui approached him that evening while he was brushing his shoes in the yard.
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